Chapter 239: A Small Town in the North

A bay horse was fitted with a white jade saddle;
After battle, the moonlight over the battlefield was cold.
The sound of iron drums still echoed from the city walls;
The blood on the golden sword in its scabbard had not dried.
On the vast grasslands, a group of cavalry rushed forward at full speed, stopping atop a high hill. It was dusk, with dark clouds hanging low in the distance. Wang Changling, who had just arrived in the Stone Kingdom, gazed at the boundless sky and was filled with inspiration, composing his new poem “Exiting the Frontier.” After reciting it, he laughed loudly, “Gentlemen, what do you think of this poem?”
His poetry was easy to understand and resonated with the soldiers, who applauded in admiration. Li Qingan gave a thumbs up and praised, “Mr. Yuhu truly writes excellent poetry!”
Wang Changling, pleased with himself, stroked his beard and said with a smile, “I just composed this poem to pass the time during the journey.”
Li Qingan and his group of over 800 people set out from Tuozhi City and traveled north for three days. With Daliu City just 50 li ahead, Li Qingan, seeing that it was getting late, said to everyone, “Let’s stop here for the night. Everyone, set up camp right where you are.”
Soon, dozens of white tents appeared on the grasslands. A tall wooden watchtower stood at the back of the camp, and dozens of sentries were deployed in all directions. As night fell, the deep blue sky covered this beautiful and fertile land. Inside one of the tents, several soldiers were assembling a sand table map—a complete map of the River Region, covering an area from Suiye to the Wu Hu River. This map had been created over the course of a year by more than 500 people from the Han-Tang alliance under the guise of trade, with another 50 military craftsmen spending two months shaping it based on extensive research materials. The sand table in Li Qingan’s tent was a reduced version, about the size of a modern billiard table, while the full-scale map, ten times larger, was kept in a military camp outside Tuozhi City and was considered top-secret military equipment.
Soon, the sand table was assembled. The guards stepped back, and Li Qingan moved a lamp to a stand beside it. The soft light illuminated the entire map. This time, Li Qingan was using the downtime from preparations to inspect Daliu City. Although it was still uncertain whether the battle of Daliu would occur as in history, one thing was certain: Daliu City served as a stepping stone for the Arabs to control the northern regions and advance toward Suiye. They had been operating there for years and would certainly not give it up so easily. Moreover, Daliu was a necessary route to the Byzantine Empire, making its strategic importance extremely high.

But now, Li Qing’an’s concern was not Talas City, but Samarkand, thousands of miles away. Undoubtedly, as the Arab forces advanced eastward, they would use the Kingdom of Kang among the Nine Sogdian States as a base. Samarkand was the largest city in the region, the only one capable of accommodating 50,000 to 100,000 troops. From the map, there was a flat road from Samarkand to the Kingdom of Shi, facilitating the transport of heavy weapons. On this point, Li Qing’an had to admit the Arabs’ emphasis on road construction—thanks to their focus on trade and the relatively flat terrain, their ability to muster troops was far greater than that of the Tang army. Perhaps in the future, he too would need to consider strengthening road construction, but that was for later. For now, his concern was the timing and scale of the Arab forces’ deployment. The news he had received before setting out was that Samarkand had already begun conscripting troops, but the Arab main force had not yet assembled.

Li Qing’an also knew that this was no longer the kind of accidental war like the Battle of Talas in history. The Arab army needed to rush to Talas at all costs. The Tang army had already taken control of the Kingdom of Shi, with a clear goal of advancing toward Transoxiana. This meant the impending war would be a major battle between the two nations. At such a time, neither the Tang nor the Arab army would rush into battle; only thorough preparation could ensure victory.

Li Qing’an fell into deep thought. War meant using any means necessary. If he were Abu Muslim, what tactics would he employ against the Tang army? And what strategies could Li Qing’an use?

“General, Colonel Wang has arrived,” someone said.

Li Qing’an snapped out of his thoughts and quickly smiled, “Please bring him in!”

A moment later, Wang Changling entered with a smile, bowing first to apologize, “I’m sorry for disturbing you while you were thinking about military matters.”

“Not at all! I was just about to call for you.”

Li Qing’an promptly invited him to sit and ordered a cup of tea to be brought. Wang Changling nodded and sat down, looking somewhat solemn. He had come from Beiting to deliver some important news from the court to Li Qing’an, as well as some plans for development in Beiting, which he needed to report. He happened to meet Li Qing’an on his way north to Talas, so he followed along.

The two exchanged a few casual words, after which Wang Changling sighed and said, “A friend in Chang’an wrote to me, expressing deep concern over the situation in the court. The emperor no longer cares about state affairs at all, indulging in songs, dances, wine, and women day and night. Various factions within the court are constantly scheming against each other, leaving no clear policy direction. Orders change frequently, and the financial situation is dire—the treasury is empty. The emperor spends nearly half of the treasury’s funds just to celebrate his concubine’s birthday, not to mention his habitual extravagance. In the first year of the Tianbao era, the Tang Dynasty had eight million households; now, there are at most six million. Tax revenues have plummeted, and expenses exceed income. Several officials in charge of finance and transportation have been replaced, but to no avail. The worst part is that land consolidation is worsening. If this continues, I fear chaos will erupt in the Tang Dynasty, and it will be the powerless common people who suffer most.”

At this point, he sighed and asked Li Qing’an, “As someone in a high position, have you ever thought about how to address this serious issue of land consolidation?”

“How could I not have thought about it?”

Li Qing’an smiled faintly and said, “When I was the governor of Henan, I experienced the problem of land consolidation firsthand. I’ve considered it—getting those powerful elites to voluntarily give up their land is even harder than killing them. Either there must be a change of dynasty, like how the new nobles overthrew the old ones at the end of the Sui Dynasty, but that’s not feasible for now. Or we could follow the example of the Arabs, building a nation based on commerce by developing handicrafts and mining, so that landless farmers can earn a living. Another option is to expand outward, allowing those who have lost their land to go elsewhere and develop, thereby easing the intensifying conflicts within the country. I think these last two approaches are viable, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. As you can see, along this vast expanse of grasslands, with sparsely populated but fertile land, as well as the endless plains and forests in the north, isn’t this heaven’s gift for the Han people to live on?”

Wang Changling was stunned. After a long pause, he stammered, “Didn’t you say we should only establish military towns and not take land from the Sogdians?”

Li Qing’an laughed and said, “That’s the plan for now. I’m talking about the future. If the Tang Dynasty wants to maintain long-term stability west of the Pamir Mountains, the only way is through colonization—making the Han people the dominant force there. That’s the real solution.”

Wang Changling lowered his head in thought for a moment before saying, “But will the court agree to this?”

“Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how we persuade them.”

As he spoke, Li Qing’an thought of something and asked with a smile, “This time, when we captured Suiye, the court rewarded us with 500,000 strings of coins, but they want us to mint them ourselves. They’re quite clever at calculating things. I want to ask you—can we really mint 500,000 strings of coins?”

“Well…”

Wang Changling looked somewhat troubled and said, “At most, we can cast one hundred thousand guan in a year. Even if we start more furnaces, it won’t help—mainly because there’s a shortage of copper.”
Li Qing’an nodded. This was within his expectations. He had heard it was Yang Guozhong’s idea. With the imperial treasury strained, only quotas were set, leaving them to find solutions on their own. Emperor Li Longji had also agreed half-heartedly, but this worked in his favor as it gave him an excuse to mint coins himself.
He took out a Persian dinar silver coin from his pocket and handed it to Wang Changling with a smile, saying, “Take a look at this.”
Wang Changling took the coin and examined it. Unlike Tang coins, it had no hole; it was a complete round coin with a portrait on the front and a palace on the back, along with a vertical bar in the middle—actually, that vertical bar was the Arabic numeral ‘1,’ which Wang Changling didn’t recognize.
“Is this a Persian coin?”
“Exactly!”
Li Qing’an nodded and said, “See? The Persians mint coins out of silver. One dinar is equivalent to one hundred of our coins. Ten dinars make up one guan. I’ve heard they also have gold coins—each gold coin is worth ten dinars. They’re convenient to carry and highly valuable. These are far more practical than our Tang copper coins.”
Wang Changling suddenly understood. “Are you suggesting I mint gold and silver coins?”
“That’s right!”
“But we don’t have enough gold and silver to mint coins. Besides, even if we did, they wouldn’t circulate within the Tang realm. What’s the point of minting them?”
“Don’t worry about where the gold and silver come from. Just focus on minting the coins. I have a batch of gold in the basement of Beiting City. You can use it to mint coins first. I’ll provide you with coin molds. I need them to reward soldiers. As for circulation, that’s something for the future. We’ll take it step by step.”
Wang Changling was confused and didn’t understand Li Qing’an’s intentions, so he could only nod silently.
…
Early the next morning, they set off again and traveled dozens of miles. As noon approached, a soldier pointed in the distance and shouted, “Look! Datolos City is in sight!”
Everyone perked up and looked ahead. In the distance, they saw snow-capped mountains, with a small city standing at their foot. Cheers erupted among them as they rushed toward the city on horseback.
Before reaching Datolos City, the governor Bai Xiaojie came out to greet them. From afar, he bowed on his horse and said, “I failed to welcome you properly from afar. Please forgive me, General!”
Li Qing’an nodded slightly and said, “If you hadn’t greeted me, I wouldn’t punish you. But if you neglect defense or are lax in command, then I will punish you severely. Do you understand?”

“I understand. I dare not slack off for even a moment. I’ve already built three beacon towers fifty miles away.”
“Good! Let me see your defenses.”
Li Qing’an spurred his horse toward the city. Talas was a small city, barely five miles in circumference, capable of housing only a thousand soldiers. There were over three hundred households, mostly members of the Kent tribe from the north of the Shi State—a minor branch of the Turks who made a living by herding. Yet Talas’s strategic location was so important that many Kents gave up herding to engage in trade. Some traveled north to Attiler City for business, while others worked in goods distribution, inns, and other service industries. When the Arabs took control of Talas, they did not cut off trade routes but imposed heavy taxes on merchants passing through. After the Tang army replaced the Arabs, they followed Li Qing’an’s orders and exempted all merchants from taxes, as they had already paid taxes in Beiting or Anxi.
The Tang army’s tax-free policy had an immediate effect. Astute merchants began to take the route via Talas to reach the more profitable Byzantium, avoiding the repeated taxation imposed by the Arabs.
As soon as Li Qing’an reached the city gate, he saw a caravan of camels entering the city, guarded by Tang soldiers. Although no taxes were imposed anymore, inspections were strict. Every merchant’s identity and belongings were checked to prevent Arab spies from infiltrating the city.
“Do you think such inspections are effective?” Li Qing’an asked, pointing at the caravan with his whip.
“If they’re really Arab spies, they can still easily disguise themselves as merchants.”
Bai Xiaojie looked troubled. “It is indeed somewhat inconvenient. The number of merchants passing through has increased significantly these days, and I’ve been worried about this.”
“It’s simple. Special measures are needed in special times. With war between Tang and the Arabs imminent, the Arabs could attack Talas at any moment. No residents are allowed inside the city. Order all shops inside to move outside to do business. Provide them with tents and explain clearly that this is a critical moment. Ask for their cooperation. If the Arabs attack, you must not show any mercy.”
“I understand.” Bai Xiaojie hesitated for a moment before asking, “General, is it now?”
“Since I’ve given the order, execute it immediately!” Li Qing’an said coldly.
“I will obey!”

Bai Xiaojie hurriedly went to make arrangements, while Li Qing’an observed the small city. The walls of Talas were not very high, about forty feet tall, but they were built very firmly. The Tang army had replaced four of the city gates and dug a moat two feet wide along the walls, filling it with water from a nearby stream. A total of two thousand soldiers were stationed here, one thousand inside and one thousand outside the city. Additionally, Tamber, the chief of the Kent tribe, had officially pledged allegiance to the Tang Dynasty. His two thousand warriors had also been armed by the Tang army and would come to provide support if anything happened to Talas. It could be said that Talas was well-defended; a mere sneak attack would not be enough to take the city. The key was to remain vigilant and avoid any weaknesses in defense—just as merchants could enter the city to spend the night, it was necessary to prevent a scenario similar to “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” from happening here.

Overall, Li Qing’an was fairly satisfied. He rode around the city once and found no other weaknesses. By then, the city was in an uproar. The Tang army’s suggestions were unanimously rejected by the merchants. Enraged, Bai Xiaojie began to force people to leave.

“You can’t do this. If, as you say, the Arabs attack, won’t we be killed outside the city? We already pay taxes in Suiye—so it’s your duty to protect our safety!”

It was the voice of a young woman, arguing loudly in Turkic with the Tang soldiers. Her voice was full of authority, carrying an air of condescending reprimand.

Li Qing’an turned around in surprise and saw a group of camel merchants blocking the city gate—probably the same group that had entered the city earlier. He then realized they were a group of white merchants. Although the Sogdians and Arabs also belonged to the white race, they were different from these people. Li Qing’an immediately realized they must be merchants from Byzantium.

It was the first time he had seen Byzantines, that is, the Eastern Roman Empire. Curious, he urged his horse forward.

It was a young woman, about twenty years old, who was protesting to the soldiers. She had fair skin, long golden hair flowing over her shoulders, a high nose, and deep blue eyes—a very beautiful Western woman. She wore a white dress with gold trim, and around her snow-white, full breasts hung a necklace made of various gems, dazzling in the light. Her dozens of companions were all tall, wearing tight pants and carrying long swords at their waists.

Several Tang soldiers stared at her partially exposed breasts, appearing distracted. Li Qing’an’s face darkened; he was very dissatisfied with the Tang soldiers’ attitude. With a grim expression, he asked, “What’s going on?”

When the Tang army soldiers saw their commander approaching, they were so frightened that they immediately bowed. Noticing that Li Qing’an seemed to be a high-ranking officer in the Tang army, the woman abandoned her soldiers and stepped forward to plead, “I can understand your caution against Arabs, but we are Byzantine merchants. We have been enemies of the Arabs for generations. How could we possibly be Arab spies? If you drive us out of the city, aren’t you just sending us into the Arabs’ hands?”

Li Qing’an smiled and said to her in Turkic, “Our Tang Dynasty is about to engage in a great war with the Arabs. Under such circumstances, no one of unknown identity is allowed to enter the city. Besides, during wartime, it’s unnecessary for merchants to stay in the city overnight. They should rest briefly and leave immediately. If the Arabs do attack, we have beacons fifty miles away to warn us, giving us enough time for you to leave.”

Li Qing’an’s explanation made sense, and the young woman’s anger subsided slightly. Then her eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly, “You just said that the Tang Dynasty is going to war with the Arabs. Is that true?”

“What do you think? Will the Arabs accept that we have already taken control of the Stone Country?”

The woman nodded and smiled. “Yes, they certainly won’t accept it. They will surely gather a large army to fight over the Stone Country. I wish the Tang army victory. General, may I ask how to address you?”

“My surname is Li, and my name is Li Qing’an. Have you heard of me?” Li Qing’an said with a slight smile.

The woman’s eyes widened in shock. “You… you’re Li Qing’an, the governor of Anxi? No, that’s impossible!”

“Why impossible?”

“My God! How can Li Qing’an be so young? How old are you? Ah! Please forgive my rudeness.”

Li Qing’an didn’t want to talk more with her, so he waved his hand and smiled. “I suggest you leave here immediately. It’s not safe. Wish you a smooth journey and a safe return to Constantinople.”

The woman smiled, a sly look in her eyes. “It’s an honor to meet General Li Qing’an. My name is Eleni, but I’m not Byzantine. I’m from Western Rome.”

Li Qing’an laughed heartily. “Western Rome was destroyed by the Germans three hundred years ago. Now it’s ruled by Charles I of the Frankish Kingdom. No, Rome should belong to the Papal States, right?”

Now, not only was the young woman stunned, but her companions were also extremely surprised and began whispering among themselves. After being stunned for a while, the woman said, “Respected General Li, how do you know all this?”

“I’ve been to many more places than you have. I’ve even been to Britain, which was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons. Well, it’s getting late; you can set off now. If you’d like to stay outside the city for the night, I have no objection, but you must not stay inside the city. That’s my order. Do you understand?”
With that, Li Qing’an gracefully performed a Western gentleman’s bow, turned, and walked away. The woman watched his retreating figure with a look of confusion and curiosity in her eyes.