Chapter 338: Two Prongs of Attack (Part 1)

The assassination attempt in the government hall finally convinced Li Qing to make a final decision. He realized that the tensions in Khwarazm had gradually turned into an intractable problem. Although he did not want to use force to quell the riots among the Shiite Muslims, he found it difficult to devise a quick solution to calm the unrest there. If the situation continued unchecked and the Shiites organized themselves into a large-scale uprising, Khwarazm might change hands between the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasids.

To minimize the use of force, Li Qing decided to go to Khwarazm in person to resolve the crisis. Just the day after the assassination, he set off at full speed for Khwarazm. A thousand cavalrymen raced across the vast plains and mountains in a rapid march. Each cavalryman was equipped with three fine warhorses from Bactria, and they rode day and night toward the west. Four days later, the cavalry reached Quesai City, the capital of Ningyuan Country, where they changed horses and continued their rapid journey. Eight days later, they arrived at Jurjani, crossed the Pearl River, and finally, on the noon of the eleventh day, the thousand cavalrymen, along with Li Qing, reached Samarkand. This march was a test of both physical strength and willpower. Along the way, the cavalrymen replaced their horses ten times, slept only one full night at Jurjani, and covered a distance that would normally take twenty days in just eleven.

Exhausted, the cavalrymen fell asleep as soon as they reached the camp outside Samarkand. Li Qing was equally worn out, but the severe situation in Khwarazm kept him awake. Not only was Samarkand under martial law, but there were also signs of Shiite Muslim gatherings in major cities across other countries. The Tang army was forced to impose comprehensive martial law.

Especially in Samarkand, the prolonged martial law caused severe living difficulties for the residents. Prices soared, many families ran out of food, and they became destitute. To get food, some people even deliberately violated the curfews and were arrested. The food crisis also led to dissatisfaction among the Zoroastrians. To ease the crisis, Bai Xiaode had to relax the martial law, increasing the free time from one hour to two. Yet, even with this, the shortage of food in the city continued to spark riots. The Tang army was forced to distribute porridge in the streets. It was under such circumstances that Li Qing arrived in Samarkand.

With no time for rest, Li Qing’an immediately summoned Bai Xiaode and Luo Qiming to inquire about the situation in the city. Bai Xiaode was already at his wits’ end, and Li Qing’an’s arrival brought him great relief—it meant a turning point might arise in the situation in Hezhong. Many major decisions couldn’t be made by Bai Xiaode alone; Li Qing’an had to make them.

“Reporting to the General, the martial law in Samarkand can no longer continue. Grain prices have risen tenfold since the imposition of martial law. Wealthy families may still manage to hold on, but ordinary people have become extremely poor due to high grain prices. The number of temporarily detained prisoners has exceeded five thousand. The residents of Samarkand are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the Tang army. Yesterday afternoon, over a hundred Zoroastrians attacked the government offices, and Envoy Luo was also injured.”

Li Qing’an turned to look at Luo Qiming. Noticing that Luo Qiming had been wearing a hat when he entered, he found it strange. Now he guessed the reason.

“Envoy Luo, how serious are your injuries?”

Luo Qiming had rushed back to Samarkand at full speed three days ago. Yesterday afternoon, a clash broke out at the porridge stand outside the government offices, resulting in minor injuries for him as well. He took off his hat, revealing a scar on his forehead, and said with a wry smile, “A piece of flying rock hit my forehead. It bled a little, but the injury isn’t serious.”

Li Qing’an nodded and said to Bai Xiaode, “I’ve ordered Juzhan Ti to rush 200,000 dan of grain to Hezhong. It should arrive in a few days. For now, distribute whatever grain is in stock. Also, change martial law in Samarkand to a curfew—allow residents to live normally during the day, but prohibit them from going outside after dark. Martial law remains in effect in other cities and must not be relaxed. Execute these orders immediately.”

“Yes!” Bai Xiaode replied before turning to leave. Then Li Qing’an asked Luo Qiming, “How was the joint meeting?”

Luo Qiming shook his head. “The joint meeting is now essentially meaningless. Fierce arguments arise at every meeting. They’re clearly divided into two factions: the three major countries of Kang, An, and Shi on one side, and the country of Shi and other smaller nations on the other. They refuse to acknowledge each other’s views, making it impossible to reach any decisions. I sent someone two days ago to notify all the kings to hold a meeting to address the current situation. Additionally, I have another matter to report.”

“Speak,” said Li Qing’an.

Luo Qiming whispered, “A guard in King Kang’s palace secretly informed me that King Kang Shuaofen is colluding with the Arabs. Arab envoys have already come three times. Moreover, the current kings of An and Shi are both in Samarkand. I suspect they’re plotting a rebellion.”

The king of Khwarazm was colluding with the Abbasids, which was within Li Qing’an’s expectations. What was strange was that the Abbasids remained indifferent to the chaos in Khwarazm. They would surely seize this opportunity to exacerbate the turmoil. It was certain that the chaos in Khwarazm was closely related to the Abbasids.

Li Qing’an also knew that it was inevitable for the Abbasids to send troops to Khwarazm. The key was the timing of their deployment. Although Bukhara was in chaos, the unrest had not yet spread across all the kingdoms in Khwarazm. It was temporarily suppressed by the Tang army’s strict measures. Any incident, such as a food crisis in Samarkand, could immediately spark large-scale unrest. In this sense, his decision to arrive in Khwarazm promptly was absolutely correct.

“General, should we take control of them right away? I mean the kings of the three kingdoms.”

Li Qing’an shook his head. “Don’t rush. Since we already know their intentions, we don’t need to worry about them going too far. Send more people to monitor them. Additionally, we can use large sums of money to buy off those around them, keeping track of their movements at all times. We must especially identify their accomplices, so that we can capture them all once the time is right.”

“I understand, sir. I’ll arrange everything right away.”

“Wait!”

Li Qing’an called him back. He took out a thick volume and smiled, saying, “This is a lengthy report given to me by Cui Qianyou, containing plans to resolve the situation in Khwarazm. His long-term suggestion is to divide the region into two countries based on religious differences. I’m not entirely in agreement with that, but I do approve of his short-term plan.”

“General, are you referring to separating them based on residents?” Luo Qiming remembered Cui Qianyou mentioning this plan in the council.

“No! That plan was rejected by me. He came up with a new one.”

Li Qing’an continued, “His suggestion is to divide and weaken them. Among the Shiites, there are always hardliners and moderates. As long as we identify the leaders of these two groups, we can crack down severely on the hardliners and strongly support the moderates. If we can reach an agreement with the moderates and also restrain the extreme actions of the Zoroastrians, I believe the conflicts can be eased and the situation will gradually calm down. It’s a very good suggestion. And if I’m not mistaken, the Abbasids and the king of Kang also must be trying to win over the leaders of the Muslim hardliners. So your task is to find the leaders of the moderates as soon as possible. I want to meet with them in person.”

As the Tang forces officially lifted the martial law, the once deserted streets of Samarkand immediately became bustling. Men rushed out of their homes and sped toward bakeries and grain stores. Long queues quickly formed in front of the dozen or so porridge stalls in the city. Women and children, holding pottery jars and large bottles, anxiously stretched their necks to get a look. By the Maysam River, the banks were packed with men and women coming to fetch water. The noise was deafening; Zoroastrians and Muslims crowded together, vying to draw water from the river. Many children jumped in, laughing carefree, enjoying the sunshine and freedom. At this moment, religious disputes seemed unimportant—survival was the top priority.

People came and went in the streets. Merchants leading camels appeared, and groups of soldiers patrolled to maintain order. They no longer interfered arbitrarily with the people’s actions. Gatherings of more than twenty people could be seen everywhere, signaling the complete end of martial law.

Li Qing’an sat in the carriage, observing the streets. Rows of white, flat-roofed houses stretched layer upon layer across the city. Anxious shouts could be heard everywhere, and from time to time, groups of young people chased each other, fighting over the dry cakes they carried. This city, tormented by anxiety, hunger, and religious conflicts, weighed heavily on Li Qing’an’s heart. Samarkand was the largest city in the Transoxiana region, and it was already in such chaos—imagining the anxiety in other cities was enough to make one worried.

Li Qing’an began to realize that his initial compromise had been a mistake. To stabilize the situation at first, he had retained all the existing powers, including the kings of the various Transoxianan states. But it was these ulterior-motivated kings who rendered the joint councils meaningless, ultimately creating a power vacuum in the region that allowed the leaders of various sects to quickly fill. This was a major cause of the conflicts. To change this situation, a new power structure must be established, giving secular governments control.

Li Qing’an considered various possible solutions: dissolving the joint councils, restoring autonomy to the various states, and establishing pro-Tang governments. The Tang Dynasty should only control the military. Once it fully took control of Transoxiana, reforms could be implemented gradually—without rushing. Gradually, Li Qing’an found a long-term solution to the crisis in Transoxiana. Combined with short-term measures, the situation should be able to stabilize.

At that moment, the carriage passed by King Kang’s palace. Looking at this massive palace, Li Qing’an couldn’t help but sneer. Sooner or later, he would deal with these ulterior-motivated kings.

At the very same moment when Li Qing’an passed by the Kingdom of Kang’s palace, in a secret chamber within the palace, the king of Kang, Shao Fen, the king of An, Ye Jie, the king of Shi, Na Qu Ruo, along with Saif, the special envoy sent by Abu Muslim who had arrived the previous day, were holding an emergency meeting to discuss their next steps.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I must first share some exciting news with you. Governor Abu Muslim has assembled an army of 40,000 troops on the west bank of the Amu Darya River, ready to cross it and attack Transoxiana at any time. It is now time for you to serve under Governor Abu Muslim.”
Saif was a tall, thin man in his forties. He had once been a tax officer for the Arabs in Bukhara and knew Transoxiana very well. For this reason, he was chosen by Abu Muslim as the liaison for that region. Seeing that the three kings remained silent, he sneered at Shao Fen, “Your Majesty, King of Kang, aren’t you excited by this news?”
Shao Fen sighed inwardly. What good would it do to drive away the Tang troops? The Arabs would still rule Transoxiana. The Sogdian kingdoms were nothing but pawns in their two empires, at their mercy. Whether it was tigers or wolves, there was no difference—these kings were all puppets. Not daring to show his emotions, he forced a smile and said, “How could I not be happy? The arrival of the Arab army means the day when we can turn things around. I will certainly give my full support.”
“What about you two?” Saif turned his gaze to the kings of An and Shi. Na Qu Ruo immediately expressed his support. Though he also disliked the Arabs, it was still better than being completely controlled by the Tang troops. However, Ye Jie looked worried. He had fled Bukhara during the severe riots there to seek refuge in Kang. The previous day, he learned that his palace had been burned down, and all his wealth and valuables had been looted. Aside from his wife and son, his other wives were missing. Now he had nothing left. Ye Jie was filled with regret. To some extent, the Shiite riots in Bukhara were related to his support and encouragement, but the outcome was beyond his expectations. Once the situation got out of control, he became the biggest victim.
Now that Saif was asking him to express his stance, he shook his head and sighed, “I have nothing left now. What’s the point of me expressing my opinion?”
“You can’t say that.”

Saif comforted him with a smile, saying, “After all, you are the king of An’guo. Although you’ve lost your wealth, your prestige remains. As long as you call on the people of An’guo to support the Abbasids and urge them to rise up and drive away the Tang troops, you will have made a significant contribution. By then, the governor will surely reappoint you as king and grant you the rewards you deserve.”
Saif was very shrewd. If the Abbasid army attacked Khwarazm, An’guo would be their first target, and with 30,000 Tang troops stationed there, it posed a direct threat to the Abbasids’ ability to cross the Amu Darya River. If the people of An’guo rose up against the Tang troops, they could help weaken them, ensuring a smoother crossing for the Abbasids. From this perspective, the king of An’guo was still very useful.
Ye Jie had no choice but to declare, “Very well! I support the governor of Khorasan’s decision.”
Seeing that everyone had expressed their stance, Saif said cheerfully, “Good, then it’s settled. I just received news that the Tang troops have lifted the martial law. From now on, you should contact the leaders of various Shiite factions and organize them. Ten days from now, launch a large-scale uprising. We must succeed this time—rewards will be given based on merit.”
…
In the afternoon, news came that the first batch of ships carrying 50,000 dan of grain from Quzantiq had entered the territory of Kangguo. The grain ships would arrive in Samarkand within three days at the latest. Upon hearing this confirmation, the Tang troops immediately released 30,000 dan of stored military grain into Samarkand’s markets to stabilize grain prices. The increase in grain supply and the positive news caused the soaring grain prices in Samarkand to plummet suddenly. Joy replaced anxiety, spreading quickly throughout the city, and people’s dissatisfaction began to ease.
In the evening, Luo Qiming led five Muslim elders to Li Qing’an’s tent.