Chapter 247: A Historical Fork in the Road

Long, agonizing screams shattered the peaceful morning. Qur’an got up from bed and hurried to the window. She was imprisoned in a high tower within the palace, located near a square in Damascus. Every morning, a horrific scene unfolded there—hundred Zoroastrian Sogdians were killed.

It had been seven days. A hundred people were brought in for execution each day—slaves from Persia and Bactria, but mostly ordinary Sogdian civilians who had committed no crimes. It was all because of Abbas’s decision to mentally conquer the sacred maiden from Samarkand, that princess from the Land of Stones. Qur’an slowly approached the window. Seven days of slaughter had made her too afraid to watch those bloody scenes again, yet she still couldn’t help but go to the window, angrily witnessing Abbas’s atrocities.

From her window, she could see the square in the distance. Dozens of people already lay in pools of blood. Then, Qur’an witnessed a heart-wrenching scene: a child, a little girl of just a few years old, so thin as a tender blade of grass, staring blankly as the executioner approached with a knife. Her helpless eyes were filled with fear as she clutched a wooden stake and tried to back away, but the executioner dragged her away like a chick.

“No!”

Qur’an could no longer contain her boiling grief. She grabbed the iron bars and screamed, “Stop it!”

“Hold on!” The leading Arab officer halted the executioner’s knife, which stopped above the little girl’s head. The officer looked up at the tower with a smug smile.

On the tower, Qur’an closed her eyes in pain. After a long while, she slowly opened them. There was no one left in the square—all the victims had been taken away, and the little girl was gone too. The square was covered in blood. A profound sorrow overcame Qur’an; tears streamed down her face, filled with grief for her people’s misfortune.

At that moment, a voice from outside her door came through—the warden’s voice. “Princess Qur’an, someone has come to see you.”

*Clang!* The iron door opened, and a man stepped in. Seeing Qur’an, he exclaimed excitedly, “Qur’an!”

Qur’an slowly turned around. The person who entered was none other than her elder brother, Lianen. She was stunned.

“Second brother, how did you end up here?”

“Ah! I was captured during the war against the Arabs and suffered great torments.”

Yuanen’s expression was filled with pain; several scars appeared on his face. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing glaring wounds on his arms, and said sadly, “Look, this is what they did to me. They said since you refused to obey, they would torture me mercilessly and set a deadline—within ten days, if you still don’t agree, they’ll kill me!”
“Stop talking!” Julan interrupted him. “I understand what you mean.”
She slowly walked over to the window. Yuanen knelt behind her and cried, “Sister, please, I’m begging you. Second brother has always been the best to you. Have you forgotten? That year when you were almost dead, it was second brother who took care of you and saved your life. Now he’s about to be killed by them. How can you stand by and do nothing? Even if it’s not for second brother, for the sake of saving countless Sogdian lives, you should agree. Besides, becoming the noblest caliph’s wife is an honor that countless women can only dream of!”
Julan stared blankly at the pools of blood in the square. She thought of that poor child and wondered how many more children would suffer slaughter. Tears welled up again. Finally, she nodded. “Alright! I agree to you.”
Julan closed her eyes in sorrow and anger. After a while, she resolutely said, “Let that supervisor come in!”
The supervisor was a local woman in her forties, unusually obese, with bright, dazzling little eyes and a sly smile. She couldn’t believe her ears—Princess Julan had agreed! She exclaimed happily, “I’ll go report this right away!”
“Wait!”
Julan called her back. Calmly, she said, “If I’m to convert to Islam and become the caliph’s wife, I have a few conditions.”
“Conditions?” The fat woman was confused. Could one bargain with the great caliph?
“Yes, I have conditions!” Julan said slowly. “Remember these well! First, return all my belongings—nothing may be taken, not even my dagger, which is my most cherished possession. Second, give me the Eye of Light. I must renounce my status as a holy woman and repent to the supreme god. Third, as a former Zoroastrian holy woman, I need to repent in front of all believers. Please ask the caliph to gather the Zoroastrians in Damascus for me. That’s all—go now!”
The supervisor carefully remembered her words and left. Julan didn’t even glance at her brother again. Yuanen was overjoyed—his sister would become the caliph’s wife, and it was his chance to turn things around. He wanted to say something more, but since his sister ignored him, he left dejectedly.

The room fell silent. Julan gazed longingly toward the east, unwilling to look away.
…
The snow had stopped, turning the land into a vast white expanse. The sudden heavy snowfall had interrupted the war between the Tang and Abbasid forces. Both sides withdrew their troops to their camps, waiting for the next battle—or perhaps that battle would decide the outcome.
The Tang army’s camp stretched for miles, surrounded by massive fences and deep ditches. Within 300 steps of the ditches, iron thorns were scattered everywhere. What made things worse was that these thorns were covered by thick snow, making them completely invisible to the naked eye. Only when a warhorse stepped on them would it feel their pain. The only path free of thorns led directly to the main gate, the main route for the Tang army to enter and exit. If the Abbasids attacked along this path, they would face the Tang army’s powerful bows and crossbows.
Inside the camp, the Tang army set up camps separately by unit. Ten thousand soldiers from the Shatuo and Göktürk mercenary forces were stationed in the northeast corner. They had played a significant role in this war against the Abbasids but had also lost nearly a thousand men each.
Inside the Göktürk camp, lunch was in progress. Plump sheep were roasted, filling the air with their savory scent, and the soldiers were noisy and lively. At that moment, a Turkic soldier hurried through the camp and arrived at the tent of Mu’izz al-Dawla. Several guards stopped him. He bowed respectfully and said, “Please convey to the prince that a Turkic man named Dos seeks an audience.”
“Wait a moment!” The guard went inside to report.
The Göktürk general who had joined the Tang army on this campaign against the Abbasids was none other than Prince Mu’izz al-Dawla. After the death of the eldest prince, Mu’izz al-Dawla became the primary heir to the position of Göktürk chief. Unlike the eldest prince, who harbored hatred toward the Tang army, Mu’izz al-Dawla was very intelligent and ambitious. He was skilled at utilizing any external conditions that benefited him. For example, unlike the eldest prince, he did not view the Shatuo with hostility but tried to get along well with them, setting aside past grudges to eliminate potential threats. His goal was not the south but the north. He longed to unite with the Göktürk tribes of the Uyghurs and form a powerful nation, replacing the Uyghurs.
To achieve this goal, he needed strong support from the Tang dynasty. On this point, Mu’izz al-Dawla and Li Qingan reached an agreement.
At that moment, Mu’izz al-Dawla was eating with several generals in his tent. The guard came in and reported, “Your Highness, a Turkic man named Dos seeks an audience.”

Mouci Sihan was momentarily stunned. He suddenly remembered that Dos was the son of a Turkic chief from a southern branch of the Göktürks. They had been good friends as children, but eighteen years ago, their entire tribe had migrated westward. How could he appear suddenly now?
“Ask him to come to my private tent.”
Mouci Sihan picked up a piece of flatbread from the table, took a bite, and smiled, saying, “Eat slowly. I’ll be back in a moment.”
He lifted the tent flap and strode outside. His private tent was right next to it. When he entered, the Turkic man Dos had been waiting for a long time. Seeing him arrive, Dos quickly bowed respectfully and said, “Prince Sihan, do you still remember me?”
Mouci Sihan laughed heartily, hugged him tightly, and punched him on the shoulder. “You little eagle of Jinshan, why did you fly away and never return?”
Dos smiled and said, “Haven’t I returned? I heard you were here, so I came to see you.”
Mouci Sihan glanced at him from head to toe and asked doubtfully, “How are you in the Tang army? Are you from the Shi state’s army?”
Dos nodded and said, “You’re right. I am indeed in the Shi state’s army.”
“No!”
Mouci Sihan shook his head. “I heard your tribe migrated to the area around Dong’an. How could you be in the Shi state’s army?”
Dos smiled but didn’t answer. He took out a scroll of parchment from his bosom and handed it to Mouci Sihan, saying solemnly, “Your Highness, this is a personal letter from Governor Abu Muslim. I’m just a messenger.”
“Abu Muslim!”
Mouci Sihan was shocked. How could the commander of the Abbasid army write to him? He slowly unfolded the letter, which was written in Turkic. The message was clear: if the Göktürks helped the Abbasid army, and once the Abbasids defeated the Tang army, they would give Suyab and Bakhtria to the Göktürks, allowing them to replace the Turkic Khaganate and become the rulers west of Transoxiana.
Mouci Sihan lowered his head in thought, silent. It must be said that Abu Muslim had offered an extremely tempting deal. Gaining Suyab and Bakhtria would be something the Göktürks had dreamed of for generations, allowing them to escape Uyghur oppression and develop south of Jinshan.
Seeing that Mouci Sihan was somewhat tempted, Dos said with a smile, “This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity for your people, the Göktürks. Think it over carefully. I’ll come to see you tomorrow.”
With that, he bowed and left in a hurry. Mouci Sihan stared at the parchment scroll, lost in deep thought.
……

Li Qing’an was discussing matters related to the capital with Li Mi inside the large tent. Since Li Mi admitted that he had been recommended by the former crown prince Li Hen, he no longer hid his intentions and was honest with Li Qing’an—his goal was to help Li Hen return to the eastern palace by leveraging Li Qing’an’s strength. He knew Li Qing’an had the capability; the key was to figure out how to utilize it to the fullest extent, and that was the real reason he had turned to Li Qing’an. He didn’t hide this, nor did he think he could.

“Lord, I have an idea to prevent the emperor from worrying about your excessive military force.”

“What idea? Tell me.”

“Implement the joint fortress and civilian settlement system in Anxi!”

Li Qing’an repeated those words to himself and then asked with interest, “Explain in detail—what exactly is the joint fortress and civilian settlement system?”

Li Mi smiled and explained, “The so-called civilian settlement system differs from the military settlement system in that the soldiers are no longer military personnel but farmers who have returned to their homes after laying down their arms. However, these farmers don’t go back to their own homes individually; instead, each camp establishes its own fortress, with their families living inside. They work together in farming. Of course, to protect their homes, they must carry weapons. When Han people from the interior come to settle there, they are assigned to these fortresses, expanding the camps into military garrisons. Eventually, once the Tang Dynasty has secured its footing in the Western Regions and Lingxi, these fortresses will turn into counties. Do you understand what I mean?”

Li Qing’an laughed. It was as if heroes saw things alike. He had thought of turning some troops into civilian militias—both with the same goal of reducing the number of regular troops. But Li Mi’s approach was more innovative: starting with military fortresses and then moving on to counties. It was entirely feasible. He needed to take steps to reduce the military force, as he couldn’t give Yang Guozhong and others any leverage until he fully controlled Anxi.

“Draft a detailed plan for me. If you’re not familiar with the geography of Anxi, you can consult the military advisor. I hope to see this plan within half a month.”

“Please rest assured, Lord. I’ll start drafting it right away.”

At that moment, a personal guard entered the tent and reported, “General, a man from the Göktürks who attempted to assassinate Si Han has urgent matters to discuss.”

“Let him in!”

Li Qing’an then said to Li Mi with a smile, “Sir, go ahead and start working! I can’t wait any longer.”

Li Mi nodded and left. Then, the man who attempted to assassinate Si Han entered the tent. He knelt halfway and saluted Li Qing’an militarily, “Your humble servant greets the general.”

“General Si Han, rise!”

Li Qing’an was fairly satisfied with the attempt to assassinate Si Han. This man was highly visionary, having taken the initiative to reconcile with the Shatuo people. As a result, the Göktürks lost a major rival and could focus entirely on developing their strength against the Uyghurs. Although the Göktürks were currently very loyal to the Tang Dynasty and provided full support to Beiting, Li Qing’an still harbored deep suspicion toward them. In history, it had been the betrayal of the Göktürks that led to Gao Xianzhi’s defeat by the Arabs at Talas. But history had already been rewritten by him, Li Qing’an. Even if the Göktürks betrayed the Tang army, it wouldn’t cause much damage. He ordered the Shatuo and Göktürks to fight side by side precisely to prevent such betrayal. Moreover, the reason the Göktürks had betrayed the Tang Dynasty back then was that the Tang court had promised to give them Suyab but later broke its word, leaving the Göktürks deeply disappointed and leading them to choose betrayal. Now, the agreement he had reached with the Göktürks was to support their expansion eastward, turning them into a major threat to the Uyghurs. The best way to deal with the nomadic tribes was to let them fight among themselves; once they were weakened enough, he could deal with the remnants. Si Han stood up, took out the parchment given to him by Abu Muslim, and handed it to Li Qing’an, saying, “This was sent to me by the governor of the Arabs. Please, General, take a look.” Li Qing’an gave him a deep glance, opened the parchment, and read it. A faint smile slowly appeared on his lips. Things were indeed unfolding along the course of history—the Arabs had found the Göktürks. But why, under different circumstances, did the Arabs still manage to find them? This puzzled Li Qing’an. Si Han’s words resolved his confusion. “General, it has been the desire of our people for generations to replace the Turkic Khaganate and become the rulers of Suyab. For that reason, over the past decade or so, we have tried several times to migrate south, but we failed each time, being defeated by the Turkic Khaganate. It is precisely this weakness that the Arabs are exploiting, using Suyab and Bakhtria to tempt us.” Only then did Li Qing’an understand. He glanced at Si Han and smiled, saying, “Then why give up this good opportunity now?” Si Han sighed and replied, “It’s because of you, General, that we give up!” “Why?”

Mouci Sihan gave a bitter smile and said, “To agree to the Arabs, there must be a prerequisite—that is, the Arabs must be able to defeat the Tang army. Otherwise, by betraying the Tang army, we would only bring about our own destruction. From the Great General’s understanding of the Arab army, as well as his tolerance and strategy toward the Sogdians, it’s clear he has long-term plans for the region of Khwarazm. Based on this, I know the Arabs are bound to fail. So I won’t take the risk of destroying my people for an unattainable dream.”

“What if Gao Xianzhi fought against the Arabs? Would you betray them?” Li Qing’an asked with a half-smile.

Seeing Mouci Sihan remain silent for a long time, Li Qing’an smiled again and said, “Just tell the truth. I was just making an analogy. To be honest, I don’t think Gao Xianzhi has a chance of winning against the Arabs either.”

Mouci Sihan nodded slowly and said, “Gao Xianzhi failed in Turfan because of his domineering mindset. He thought that as the great Tang Empire, he could plunder cities and towns at will and allow his soldiers to rape women. He had no idea that the Arabs were a powerful Western empire as great as the Tang. They had conquered Khwarazm for decades, and the countries there, along with Turfan, hoped the Tang would come to save them, not to slaughter and plunder them like the Arabs. With such a mindset, I dare say that even if he happened to win a few battles against the Arabs, he would still fail in the end. To take control of Khwarazm, one must not use force but rather adopt a benevolent approach like the Great General—using both kindness and authority, strength and flexibility. One needs a broad mind and far-reaching vision—that’s the attitude of those who rule the world. That’s why when the Great General asked me what I would do if Gao Xianzhi faced the Muslims, I, as a Göktürk, would definitely betray him. There’s no other reason—birds choose the best trees to perch on. We Göktürks are willing to follow the victor and shape history.”

Li Qing’an fell silent. History had taken a different path because of him. If he could restore history, what would be the true fate of the Göktürks?

“Great General, what should I do now? The people sent by the Muslims are still waiting for my reply.”

Li Qing’an returned to reality. After a brief moment of thought, he smiled faintly and said, “Since Jiang Gan is here, why not play the role of Zhou Yu once?”