Chapter 236: Conquering the Stone Kingdom (Part 2)

The Muslims’ reply disappointed Mansur greatly. Due to the Shiite rebellion, the Tang army prisoners had already been sent to Karbala to work in silver mines. It seemed he would have to make another trip to Karbala.
At that moment, Abu Muslim smiled and said, “Your Highness, the Shiite rebellion is essentially over. I’m also preparing to return to Kufa to report to the Caliph. How about we go together?”
While returning to report to the Caliph was one reason, another reason was that to declare war officially on the Tang army, he needed the Caliph’s authorization. If he left and Mansur stayed in Transoxiana, it was very likely the Caliph would grant authorization to Mansur, which was not what he wanted.
He took out a list of Tang army prisoners and said with a smile, “Among these prisoners, there are indeed thirty craftsmen who can make wine, build ships, and mint coins. Perhaps some can even make paper. If Your Highness is interested, I’ll give you all thirty craftsmen.”
Mansur nodded gladly and said, “Very well! Let’s set off tomorrow.”
Muslim smiled at Ziyad, implying that the task of preparing for the war against the Tang army was now his responsibility.
…
At night, the massive Tang army marched swiftly under the bright moon. Thirty li ahead lay the city of Tuozhi. Instead of heading straight to the Stone Kingdom’s capital, the Tang army set up a large camp by the Jinque River. Only Cui Qianyou and Li Feiyuanli led ten thousand troops to Tuozhi City as a probing advance. The increasingly complex situation and the Stone Kingdom’s ambiguous attitude made Li Qing’an highly vigilant. At this time, any carelessness or negligence could deal a fatal blow to the Tang army.
Now, having foresight about history no longer mattered. The course of history had already changed. Gao Xianzhi’s battle in Turkestan altered the circumstances that led to the Battle of Talas. In history, the Battle of Talas was the Tang army’s suppression of the Stone Kingdom, which caused the Abbasids to worry about the Tang army’s true intentions, thus sparking war—more or less by chance.
But now it was different. Gao Xianzhi’s defeat in Turkestan had doomed open conflict between the two empires over Transoxiana. The clash between the Eastern and Western empires would be inevitable. The Stone Kingdom’s strategic location meant it would inevitably become an eastern stronghold for the Abbasids, and at the same time, it would also be the first stop for the Tang Empire’s westward expansion.

The struggle for the Stone Kingdom might begin with the small town of Talas, but the meaning of war has completely changed. The historical Battle of Talas was an end—a complete loss for the Tang Empire and the Han people in all lands west of the Pamir Mountains. Yet this battle marks a beginning, marking the shift from exploratory expeditions by the Han people west of the Pamir Mountains during the Han dynasties to today’s large-scale military conflicts.

However, such large-scale expeditions into unfamiliar territories are bound to be fraught with difficulties at every step. The mercury-like moonlight poured over the land, and the cool night breeze swept across the vast grasslands. Twenty li east of Tuozhi City lay a vast black forest, usually a place rarely visited by humans. But that night, the forest became eerily strange, enveloped in a massive aura of murderous intent.

At that moment, a group of Tang army scouts rushed toward the forest. With the main Tang army already ten li away, the forest became the focus of their attention.

“Commander Qin, shall we go into the forest to take a look?” one of the scouts asked loudly.

Commander Qin was none other than scout Qin Haiyang. After Cui Qianyou seized Suiye, he rewarded those who had rendered services, promoting Qin Haiyang from team leader to commander, giving him command over a hundred men.

Wei Xin, the military judge of Anxi, opposed this promotion, arguing that Qin Haiyang had repeatedly violated military regulations. Wei clearly had complete records of Qin Haiyang’s past, including his disgraceful actions.

In the third year of Tianbao, Qin Haiyang was already a commander of scouts in the Yutian military garrison. It was because of his drunken mistake that a group of Tibetan scouts managed to cross the blockade and enter Tang military territory for reconnaissance. Back then, he was given a light punishment—fifty lashes—and demoted to team leader. The following year, he led his men to seize property from several Muslim merchants. Accused of unfair distribution of the loot, he was punished with a hundred lashes and imprisoned for three months, being reduced to a common soldier.

These disgraceful incidents were gradually forgotten due to military personnel changes, but the judge still held complete records. A Tang army commander was equivalent to a company commander today. After Cui Qianyou’s proposal for promotion was rejected by the judge, he turned to Li Qingan, who finally granted special approval: to judge by merit and enforce clear rewards and punishments. Thus, Qin Haiyang was able to become a commander again.

Although his flaws were obvious, his advantages were equally clear—he had extensive experience as a scout and, to some extent, was an excellent instructor.

Qin Haiyang scanned the area by the forest. Logically, since the king of the Shi State had personally surrendered to the Tang army, there should be nothing unusual. Moreover, the place was less than thirty li from the Shi State’s capital. Generally, armies wouldn’t engage in any actions so close to the capital—it was common sense, and ordinary scouts wouldn’t delve deeper into it.

But Qin Haiyang was different. He was a man who loved adventure, and those who love adventure always tend to do things that defy logic. His extensive experience told him that the calmer the situation seemed, the greater the risks hidden within.

Qin Haiyang inspected the area by the forest for a long time. The forest was pitch black, with nothing visible, but an intuition told him that something was unusual about it. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly was wrong.

“Shoot arrows into the forest!”

At Qin Haiyang’s command, dozens of Tang soldiers fired arrows into the dark forest. Arrows rained down like a storm, hitting the trees with loud thuds. Suddenly, a scream came from the forest—not from an animal hit by an arrow, but from a human.

That scream was like a ghost passing by under the moonlight, chilling to the bone. The Tang scouts were shocked. Suddenly, their vision became clearer—they saw groups of dark figures moving around in the forest. It wasn’t that their eyesight improved; it was the army lurking in the forest that had launched an attack.

“Bad! Retreat!”

Qin Haiyang shouted. The Tang soldiers immediately turned their horses and fled. Behind them, groups of Shi State soldiers surged out of the forest. They drew their bows and shot arrows at the dozens of Tang scouts, but it was too late. The Tang scouts quickly reached a distance of three hundred steps, far beyond the reach of the Shi State soldiers’ arrows.

At that moment, the sound of horse hooves echoed from both sides of the forest. Tens of thousands of Shi State soldiers emerged from all directions. The accidental discovery by the Tang scouts ruined the Shi State’s desperate plan to fight to the death.

In the flickering flames, the face of Prince Yuanen of the Shi State was twisted with anger. The discovery by the Tang scouts not only ruined their long-planned scheme but also destroyed the hopes of the entire royal family.

From the perspective of a small river kingdom, the Shi State’s actions indeed seemed insane. Ambushing the Tang army was like throwing eggs at rocks. But from the perspective of a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, their behavior was a betrayal of their suzerain and a violation of morality.

However, since the Abbasid Empire began its expansion, the Tang court had been unable to resist them head-on for decades. Over those decades, the Abbasid armies had already conquered the Sogdian states. The Shi State had signed a treaty of submission to the Abbasids and had become a vassal of them, no longer a vassal of the Tang Dynasty.

Decades of conquest by the Abbasids had instilled deep fear in the Sogdians, to the point that even amidst civil wars within the Abbasid Empire, they still believed the Abbasids would return sooner or later. This was why the Kingdom of Shi sent troops when Li Qing’an first attacked Suyab—they were acting on behalf of their suzerain. After the first defeat at Suyab, King Teli of Shi realized they could no longer escape from the grasp of the Abbasid Empire. The Tang army’s advance westward meant the downfall of the legitimate royal line and the rise of the rival faction. To ensure the legitimate line’s rule in Shi, King Teli sent envoys to the Abbasids for help after the Tang army captured Suyab for the second time. The response was that they would resist the Tang army with all their might, and Abbasid troops would arrive soon. It was this promise that drove Shi to take desperate risks—King Teli even used himself as a bait in an attempt to launch a surprise attack on the unprepared Tang army. Yet their plan ultimately failed. What should they do now? Retreat to the capital or fight to the death against the Tang army? All the generals turned to Prince Yuan’en, as the king had decided he would inherit the throne, and his decision would represent the king’s will. Yuan’en stared fixedly eastward—the Tang army was already within ten miles. Though they numbered only 10,000, could they possibly defeat them? Maybe in a moment of unpreparedness, but not now. Memories of the Tang army’s fierce combat skills during the battle of Suyab flashed through his mind—their unstoppable archery tactics filled him with dread. “Retreat to the capital!” Yuan’en finally made his decision. Twenty thousand soldiers of the Kingdom of Shi turned their horses and rushed back to Tuozhi City. … News of an ambush in the forest reached the Tang army’s camp by the Jinque River an hour later. Li Qing’an immediately ordered a generous reward for the scout who discovered the ambush. He then went to the tent where King Teli of Shi was held captive. “Your Majesty, I admire your courage to face death bravely, but I regret that you have such unfilial sons who care only about the throne and not their father.” Li Qing’an looked coldly at the king who had used himself as bait, shook his head, and said regretfully, “Your willingness to die is praiseworthy, but you lack an army worthy of your sacrifice. What a pity!” Teli kept his eyes closed, sitting cross-legged on the ground. From Li Qing’an’s tone, it seemed his army had failed. His eyelids twitched twice. After a long while, he opened one eye slightly, casting a look of disdain. “Hmph! Since I’ve come to your camp, I never intended to live. Kill me or spare me—it’s up to you.”

Li Qing’an slowly sat down in front of him, looked at him, and smiled faintly. “Perhaps you think I will support the vice king faction and kill your descendants, which is why you’re determined to follow the Arabs, betting that their reinforcements will arrive before I capture Tuozhi City. Am I right?”
Teler turned his face away, staying silent. Li Qing’an smiled again and said, “But have you ever thought that if my intention were to support you rather than the vice king faction, wouldn’t such actions cut off your own path to survival? To put it bluntly, I could blow up your capital in just one hour. Do you understand what ‘blow up’ means?”
Teler stared at Li Qing’an in surprise, hardly believing his ears. Li Qing’an wanted to support him, not the vice king.
“You needn’t be so surprised. I, Li Qing’an, am not Gao Xianzhi. I truly disapprove of Gao Xianzhi’s destruction of cities in Turfan. That was the deed of a shortsighted man, who was eventually driven out of Turfan and incurred the wrath of both heaven and people—a loss far greater than the gain!”
Li Qing’an sighed and continued, “The Sogdian states are the same. When the Arabs first expanded eastward, you begged the Tang Dynasty for help every year, but in the end, the Tang Dynasty was unable to assist you. Eventually, you all fell under the Arabs’ rule—your temples were destroyed, your beliefs altered, and your treasuries looted. The Arabs exploited you to the fullest, imposing heavy taxes on you. As far as I know, over 90% of Anguo’s income goes to the Arabs, and the same is true for Kangguo. The merchants from Kangguo refuse to return to their homeland after going to the Tang Dynasty because they don’t want to be cruelly exploited by the Arabs. What about your Shiguo? Don’t tell me Shiguo enjoys special treatment.”
Teler slowly lowered his head. In the seventh year of Kaiyuan, Shiguo was conquered by the Arabs, its treasury plundered, and it was forced to pay 250,000 dirhams in silver each year—equivalent to 80% of its annual tax revenue. One condition the Arabs agreed to this time was to reduce the payment to 180,000 dirhams per year. Teler felt immense bitterness. In the past, the Tang Dynasty hadn’t demanded a single penny from them, and he himself had received a salary from the Tang Dynasty.

He sighed, filled with melancholy. Seeing that he had persuaded him, Li Qing’an earnestly advised, “Your Majesty, I can tell you the truth. The Tang Dynasty’s decision to restore the Suoye military garrison is aimed at confronting the Arabs west of the Pamir Mountains and regaining actual control over that region. As the military governor tasked with implementing this national policy, I am determined to support the kingdoms west of the mountains and help you all resist the Arabs—not to punish you. Your Majesty, please think carefully! Should you choose to work together with the Tang Dynasty to drive the Arabs out of Khwarazm, restoring your faith, religion, and freedom; or should you side with the Arabs and resist the Tang Dynasty to the end, ultimately leading to ruin and the destruction of your nation? It is up to you to decide.”
After speaking, Li Qing’an waved his hand and ordered his attendants, “Release him and his entourage, and send them back to Tuozhi City.”
Teler moved his lips as if wanting to say something, but Li Qing’an stopped him. “Your Majesty, I hope you will think this through before talking to me again. We give you three days. If you choose war, my Tang army will launch a fierce assault without mercy. If you choose peace, we will treat each other with sincerity and jointly resist the Arabs. All past grievances will be forgotten. I will still support you as the ruler of the Stone Kingdom. I, Li Qing’an, treat people with honesty, but I will not tolerate any deceit. Come, take the king away.”
Teler let out a long sigh, bowed deeply to Li Qing’an, and quickly left the tent under the escort of soldiers. Li Qing’an slowly walked to the entrance of the tent, watching the king’s figure fade into the distance. To resist the Arabs, the Sogdians were extremely important.
…
On a bright morning, 50,000 Tang soldiers arrived in Tuozhi City in great numbers, surrounding its four gates. Tuozhi City was much larger than the capital of the Ningyuan Kingdom, with a population of over 200,000. Its city walls were tall and sturdy, but unlike cities in the Central Plains, it lacked a moat. The plain stretched straight to the city gates. Instead of attacking immediately, the Tang army set up giant trebuchets and catapults. Three hundred massive catapults were arranged in a line, like mighty giants, aimed at the city walls.
On the city walls, the soldiers of the Stone Kingdom watched the vast Tang army with tension. The murderous atmosphere made them tremble. They silently prayed to Ahura Mazda for protection.

Inside the Stone Kingdom Palace, Teler, who had just returned, was holding final discussions with several princes and generals. In fact, at the Tang army’s camp, Teler had already been persuaded by Li Qing’an to rejoin the Tang Dynasty. He was willing to do so, but he hadn’t agreed right away because the fate of the Stone Kingdom was no longer entirely in his hands. His princes each had their own power bases, and several senior generals represented different tribes. Among these various political forces, there was no longer any faction belonging to the vice king—his supporters had been wiped out by the Arabs. The vice king, Qule, was now just a down-and-out noble living in Baishui City north of Tuozhi City, indulging in wine and women and ignoring everything outside. This was precisely why Li Qing’an decided to work with the main royal faction—the vice king was no longer useful.

With his hands behind his back, Teler paced back and forth in the room. After a night of reflection, he had decided to rejoin the Tang Dynasty. On one hand, he was moved by Li Qing’an’s sincere willingness to overlook past grievances. On the other hand, joining the Tang Dynasty served the fundamental interests of the Stone Kingdom. More importantly, he saw the Tang Dynasty’s determination to send troops to Khwarazm—wasn’t this what they had hoped for for decades?

Although Teler had decided to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, disagreements arose within the Stone Kingdom. The eldest prince, Hassan, supported his father’s decision, but the second prince, Yuan’en, and the Kent tribe in the north still believed that the Arabs were the Stone Kingdom’s true destiny. They firmly opposed surrendering to the Tang Dynasty.

“How can you be so foolish?” Teler slammed the table angrily and rebuked them, “Isn’t the plundering by the Arabs of Sogdiana enough? Haven’t they killed enough of us Sogdians? Ten days ago, the statue of Ahura Mazda in front of the Samarkand temple was destroyed by the Arabs. They want to destroy our faith. In the past, we were forced to submit to them under pressure. Now that the Stone Kingdom has a chance to break free from the Arabs, you still hesitate. Do you really want the Tang army to destroy the Stone Kingdom before you’ll be satisfied?”

“Your Majesty is right!” Prince Hassan also stood up and said, “The Great Tang has never imposed taxes on us or interfered in our trade. Just trade alone can bring us two hundred thousand dirhams in revenue. If we break ties with the Great Tang, this source of income will vanish. Moreover, the Great Tang has never interfered in the internal affairs of our kingdom. On the contrary, everyone is well aware of how many kings the Arabs have killed among the Sogdian tribes. This time, when the Muslims suppressed the uprisings of the Shiites and Zoroastrians, hundreds of thousands of Sogdians were killed or injured, leaving them severely weakened. We must not only rely on the Great Tang and the Arabs to fight against them but also unite with the Sogdians and cooperate with the Great Tang. Then our kingdom will replace the Kingdom of Kang as the ruler of Sogdiana. Do you understand?”
The prince’s foresight won nods of approval from the generals, but Yuanen refused to express his opinion. This was because over a month ago, when he was on a mission to the Arabs, Abu Muslim had personally promised him that as long as they resisted the Tang forces to the death, the Arabs would appoint him as the governor of Sogdiana and give him a golden seal, which he had never shown before.
As for Tamber, the leader of the Kent tribe, his reason for opposing surrender to the Great Tang was simple: the city of Talas, where his tribe lived, was still occupied by the Arabs, and he was worried about his tribe’s safety.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless and resistance was futile, Tamber said to Terle, “Your Majesty, please allow me to remain neutral and let my two thousand troops leave. If the Tang forces defeat the Arabs, I will surely follow you and submit to the Great Tang.”
Terle nodded. This could be a solution. He then turned to his son Yuanen and asked, “What about you? What is your decision?”
Yuanen sighed and said, “I know Li Qing’an well—whether in Kucha, Chang’an, Yangzhou, or Beiting, I begged him time and again, but in the end, he still gave the Flame Stone to my sister. There is no possibility of cooperation between us anymore. If you are willing to surrender to him, I have no objection, but I will become an ordinary person and not pledge loyalty to him. Father, you may do as you please!”
Terle was somewhat disappointed, but since his son had made up his mind, he couldn’t force him any further. After giving one last look at everyone, seeing their determined expressions, he slowly said, “Very well! We will officially submit to the Great Tang and rebuild our kingdom.”

The eastern city gate of the State of Shi finally opened, and a flag of surrender was raised on the city wall. Groups of soldiers came out of the city carrying their weapons, then laid them down. Immediately, Tang soldiers led them away from the city. Half an hour later, King Teler of the State of Shi, along with his wife, children, nobles, and ministers—about three hundred people in total—left the city. This time, he did not humble himself in apology; instead, he put on the imperial robes of the Tang Dynasty that he had not worn in decades. Yet he still knelt on the ground, holding soil from the State of Shi on a golden plate high above his head. His subjects neatly laid on the ground the official seals and robes bestowed by the Abbasids and also changed into Tang Dynasty clothing.

“The King of Shunyi, Teler of the State of Shi, appointed by the Great Tang, presents the lands of the State of Shi to General Li of Anxi.”

The same words as before, but with a completely different meaning. They surrendered to the Tang Dynasty wholeheartedly—not only the king but also all his ministers and nobles made the same choice. This was the decision of a nation, an unshakable national policy. Meanwhile, Prince Yuanen adhered to his own principles. During the surrender ceremony between the Tang Dynasty and the State of Shi, he took advantage of the withdrawal of Tang troops from the northern city and secretly left Tuozhi City. He bet on the side of the Abbasids, believing that one day he would officially take over the reins of governance in the palace of the State of Shi.

Surrounded by dozens of Tang generals, Li Qing’an strode forward. He helped King Teler up, shook his hand, and said with a smile, “We became friends through battle. I believe that from now on, the State of Shi will forever be the most loyal ally of the Great Tang. The Great Tang, together with the Sogdians, will drive the Abbasids back west of the Amu Darya.”

Teler, filled with emotion, turned toward Tuozhi City and raised high the hand he was holding with Li Qing’an. Thousands of people on the city walls immediately erupted in thunderous cheers.

“Long live! Long live the Heavenly Khan of the Great Tang!”

……
(Note: The biggest difference between Li Qing’an and Gao Xianzhi lies in their attitudes toward the Sogdians. Gao Xianzhi used brutal suppression against the State of Shi, pushing the Sogdians toward the Abbasids, which ultimately led to his isolation and defeat at Talas. In contrast, Li Qing’an adopted a strategy of allying with the Sogdians, leveraging their desire to escape the cruel exploitation by the Abbasids, and working together to confront them. This is how the world operates—it’s not just about war.)