Chapter 339: Two Prongs of Attack (Part 2)

Five elders followed Luo Qiming into the large tent. They were the leaders of the moderate Shiites in Samarkand and Bukhara. Today, the Tang army had lifted the curfew and allowed people to gather, so they came together to discuss future strategies. Unexpectedly, they were suddenly surrounded by the Tang army and taken to this military camp. Although Luo Qiming had reassured them along the way, saying he would discuss the situation in Transoxiana with them, they remained uneasy. What would become of them if negotiations failed?

Upon entering the tent, Li Qing’an was already waiting inside. He had slept for a while and felt much better. He had already received word that the Muslim moderates he was waiting for had arrived. Seeing Luo Qiming bring in the five elders, he smiled and praised, “Envoy Luo, you’re really quick.”

Luo Qiming bowed and said regretfully, “Actually, I already had information about them, but many unfavorable factors prevented me from starting negotiations.”

Li Qing’an understood he was referring to Li Feiyuanli’s rigidity and said, “There’s no need to bring up past matters. From now on, follow my plan.”

Luo Qiming then turned to the five elders and introduced Li Qing’an, “This is General Li, the governor of Anxi, who has come all the way from Suiye to resolve the crisis in Transoxiana.”

The fact that Li Qing’an had arrived in Transoxiana was still kept strictly secret. The five elders were shocked to find that it was the governor of Anxi who had come to see them instead of someone else. They exchanged glances, then stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Most honorable General, we have been longing for your arrival to relieve our great suffering.”

Li Qing’an nodded and said, “I’ve come to Transoxiana to resolve this crisis. I’m here with sincerity, without any biases. I hope you won’t hesitate to speak freely with me and find the best and fastest way to calm things down. I don’t want to resort to force.”

Li Qing’an spoke in Turkic, and everyone could understand him. They could also sense his sincerity and the determination behind his words—should peace fail, he would use force. The five elders all said, “Of course, we hope to resolve this crisis as soon as possible. We even met this afternoon to discuss strategies. It would be our dream to discuss solutions with the General.”

“Very well! Please, have a seat.”

Everyone took their seats. Li Qing’an didn’t waste time with pleasantries; he got straight to the point. “First, I want to ask you all—do you welcome the Tang Dynasty or the Abbasid Dynasty? Of course, there’s no third option.”
The third option was to reject both empires. Li Qing’an ruled that out first. The five elders exchanged glances and chose the most respected among them to answer the question.
“Let me introduce myself to the great general. My name is Borodo. Everyone calls me Old Borodo. I’m a doctor with fifty years of experience in medicine.”
Luo Qiming beside him added with a smile, “Old Borodo is the most famous doctor in Transoxiana. His medical skills are superb, and he enjoys great respect among the people there.”
Li Qing’an smiled. “Very good. Go on.”
The old doctor named Borodo sighed. “To be honest, we hate the Abbasid Dynasty deeply. They betrayed the original agreement—instead of letting Sharik become the caliph, they seized the caliphate for themselves. They then brutally suppressed the Muslim uprisings in Transoxiana. Their actions are unforgivable. But the Tang army has also favored the Zoroastrians over the past year, helping them destroy mosques. That too causes us pain. What we most desire is to return to forty years ago, when the countries of Transoxiana were vassals of the Tang Dynasty, without the Tang interfering in our internal affairs. That’s what we’ve always longed for.”
“But have you ever considered that it was precisely because the Tang Dynasty didn’t interfere in your internal affairs that the Arabs were able to expand eastward and conquer you? In fact, it’s impossible to go back to forty years ago. You’re caught between the two empires with no choice.”
Li Qing’an was equally straightforward. He continued, “To defend against the Abbasid army’s expansion into Transoxiana, the Tang Dynasty must station a large force there. Of course, I’m also reflecting. I admit that the Tang army’s favoritism toward the Zoroastrians was the main reason the crisis in Transoxiana worsened, but that wasn’t my intention. For this reason, I’ve removed Li Fei Yuanli from his position. In the future, General Bai Xiaode will oversee the troops in Transoxiana, and those troops will be replaced by Han soldiers from the Shi State. The original army will be transferred to Turfan.”

In fact, Li Qing’an also knew that Li Fei Yuanli’s explanation made sense. The army in River Region was composed of tens of thousands of mine slaves liberated from Yin City; almost all of them were Zoroastrians who had suffered great oppression in Yin City, which made their hatred toward Islam particularly intense. This was the main reason why Li Fei Yuanli favored Zoroastrians—he needed to win over his subordinates. Moreover, incidents of these soldiers secretly killing Muslims kept occurring and were difficult to stop. Naturally, the Muslim population would blame the Anxi Army and, by extension, Li Qing’an himself for these actions.

So, while transferring Li Fei Yuanli away, Li Qing’an also moved this army away and replaced it with Han soldiers who held a fair stance, thereby greatly easing the tensions between the Tang army and the Muslims.

The five elders exchanged glances. Li Qing’an’s decision surprised and delighted them. They stood up together and respectfully paid homage to him, saying, “We are deeply grateful for the General’s decision.”

“Please, don’t mention it. Sit down.”

Li Qing’an asked them to sit and said earnestly, “I have already shown my stance. In the future, the Tang army will no longer show favoritism toward any side. To be precise, the Tang army is stationed in River Region to defend against the Arabs and will try its best not to interfere in local affairs. So you needn’t worry about the future. I also assure you that there will be no more destruction of mosques. I will treat Muslims and Zoroastrians equally. But these are matters for the future. What concerns me more now is quelling the current unrest. I hope to get your assistance.”

At that moment, one of the elders cautiously asked, “General, if the unrest cannot be quelled, what are your plans?”

Li Qing’an stared at them deeply and slowly said, “I don’t want such a situation to arise, but I must also consider the worst-case scenario. If, as you say, the unrest in River Region persists, I will have no choice but to take the most drastic measures—expelling all Muslims across the Amu Darya River and all Zoroastrians to Turkestan. I will relocate three hundred thousand Han people to live in River Region, so that there will be no more unrest there.”

Li Qing’an’s firmness made the five elders gasp in shock. There were millions of Muslims in Transoxiana; if they were driven across the Amu Darya River, they would all become slaves, with no one knowing where they would be sold. Li Qing’an was clearly not joking—he had come to Transoxiana himself, likely prepared for the worst. At that moment, Borodo stood up and said, “General, we certainly do not wish to leave our homeland. We will do everything in our power to resolve this crisis, but not all Muslims will heed our call. We are worried about some of the more radical believers…” Before he could finish, Li Qing’an waved his hand to interrupt him. “I understand what you mean. Rest assured, you are moderates, and I will give you full support. As for the radicals, or those who prefer a harsh approach, I won’t give them any chance.”

…

The five elders left, and Li Qing’an sat behind his desk, lost in thought. He really felt tempted to drive all the Muslims across the Amu Darya River and settle the matter once and for all. But reason told him that if he did so, Transoxiana would plunge into prolonged warfare—a situation that the Abbasids would undoubtedly welcome. Among the millions of Muslims in Transoxiana, at least two hundred thousand were young and strong. The Abbasids would immediately arm them, give them swords, and send them to reclaim their homeland. Then, Muslims and Zoroastrians would fight each other endlessly over the land, until finally, the Abbasid army crossed the river, drove out the Zoroastrians, and completely Islamized Transoxiana. This was not what Li Qing’an wanted to see. If he did such a thing, it would only repeat the conflicts between Jews and Muslims in later generations, with the Sogdians taking the place of the Jews—a deadlock that could never be resolved.

Now that the conflict between the two religious groups had just begun, there was still a chance to save the situation. At that moment, Luo Qiming rushed into the tent, bowed, and said, “General, I’ve just received news from the palace of King Kang.”

“Have they conspired again?” Li Qing’an asked.

“Yes! The kings of Kang, An, and Shi, along with Abbasid envoys, met in a secret room for an hour, but the contents are still unknown.”

“I can guess what it was without hearing it!” Li Qing’an sneered. “Abu Muslim has gathered forty thousand troops west of the Amu Darya River, waiting for chaos in Transoxiana!”

“General, I suggest we act now and arrest those leaders. I already know who the radicals are, so we shouldn’t wait and risk things getting worse.”

Li Qing’an pondered for a moment before shaking his head. “No! Wait a little longer. I want to catch them all at once.”

With that, he immediately ordered his guards, “Send Bai Xiaode to see me right away.”

After a moment, Bai Xiaode hurried in, bowed, and said, “I pay my respects to the Great General!”
Li Qing’an pondered for a while before firmly ordering, “Cancel the curfew—execute it immediately!”
It was already dark outside. Bai Xiaode was about to dispatch troops to enforce the curfew when Li Qing’an suddenly canceled it. Though surprised, they did not dare ask questions and immediately set off to carry out the order.
Li Qing’an slowly closed his eyes. He needed to rest for a while to regain his strength.
…
Night fell gradually. By late February, the region of River Region was already brimming with spring vitality. The wind blowing from the Mishi River carried a hint of warmth, and the nights were no longer cold. The Tang army no longer restricted the people from going out, but the streets remained sparsely populated. The unstable situation in Samarkand made residents afraid to go out at night for fear of mishaps. Yet there were still night travelers who hurried along under the moonlight, each with a clear purpose. Near the palace of King Kang, there were slightly more night travelers than elsewhere. The back door of the palace seemed unsealed, with the palace steward standing at the entrance, looking anxiously around from time to time. At that moment, two men in black hurried over. The steward quickly stepped forward and said, “Come in quickly!”
“Are everyone else here?” one of the men in black asked.
“Yes, everyone is here except you.”
The steward pushed open the back door, and the three of them slipped inside. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving the entrance in complete darkness. At that moment, a man emerged from an alley across from the palace. He checked the list in his hand under the moonlight—nine people had arrived. He immediately ran toward the outskirts of the city.
Inside the palace, the lights were bright. In a spacious meeting room, a dozen or so people were gathered for an important meeting. Once King Kang of Kang Country resolved to follow the Great Caliphate, his efficiency soared. That very afternoon, he sent trusted men to deliver messages to the Shiite leaders in Samarkand. At the same time, a personal letter from King Ye Jie of An Country also reached the Shiite leaders in Samarkand. That night, nine people arrived—six from Samarkand and three from An Country. All nine were leaders of the Muslim hardliners. Three of the representatives from An Country were even the instigators and leaders of the riots in Bukhara. Although they came from different factions, they all advocated driving out the Tang army and restoring Muslim rule in River Region. Since the crisis in River Region began, they had acted independently. For this reason, Samarkand did not experience severe riots like Bukhara. But today, at the king’s call, they gathered together for the first time.

The conference room was packed, with everyone whispering to each other, sharing their experiences in resisting the Tang forces. A man claiming to be the leader of the Samarkand Allah Party praised himself to Saif sitting beside him, saying, “Over a month ago, I sent four assassins to Suiye to kill Li Qing’an. I hope they succeeded. As long as Li Qing’an is removed, Anxi will surely fall into chaos, and that’s when our chance comes.”

Saif was very interested in this news and smiled, asking, “Have you received any reports?” The man quickly replied, “I heard from them twenty days ago. They said they’ve found vulnerabilities in the Suiye government’s security and are waiting for the right moment to assassinate Li Qing’an.”

“Very good!” Saif patted his shoulder encouragingly. “If they succeed, His Majesty the Caliph will surely meet with you in person.”

At that moment, Shaofen, the king of Kangguo who had remained silent until then, cleared his throat twice, stood up, and waved his hand, saying, “Everyone, please be quiet!” The room immediately fell silent. Shaofen glanced at Saif with a hint of pride. He wanted Saif to see his authority. Although he had been sidelined by the Tang forces for nearly two years, his influence still remained, as shown in critical moments like this, when these Muslim hardliners obeyed his commands.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Tang forces have lifted the martial law. This is our chance. I’ve gathered everyone here today to discuss launching a large-scale uprising in Kangguo to drive the Tang forces out of Hexiang. Let me introduce him to you.” He asked Saif to stand up and introduced him, saying, “This is the special envoy of Governor Abu Muslim, sent to assist us in launching the uprising.”

Apart from the two people sitting next to Saif who knew his identity, everyone else heard about him for the first time. They were stunned—some delighted, but others unhappy. Abu Muslim had brutally suppressed their uprising two years ago, and the pain still lingered.

Hearing Shaofen deliberately mention the sensitive name of Abu Muslim, Saif glanced at him disapprovingly. He stood up and explained to everyone, “To be precise, I am a special envoy sent by the Abbasid Caliph. Although we’ve had unpleasant encounters in the past, for the sake of Islam, we should unite like brothers and drive the Tang forces out of Hexiang. On behalf of His Majesty the Caliph, I promise that once the Tang forces are driven away, we will destroy all Zoroastrian temples and convert them into mosques.”

“What about collecting taxes after that?” someone asked.

Currently, the Tang army imposes a tax rate of 30% on trade, 3 dinars per person per year as a head tax, and 1 dinar per mu of land—rates that can be considered quite low. This is the only aspect of the Tang Dynasty they can accept. Unlike in the former Abbasid Empire, where the Arabs of Damascus not only paid no taxes but also received an annual pension, requiring only a 2.5% zakat payment from it, the Muslims of Transoxiana, although also Muslims, still had to bear heavy head taxes that at times reached 30% of their annual income. This inequality filled them with outrage and was one of the main reasons they rebelled against the Umayyad Dynasty alongside the Abbasids. However, after the Abbasids came to power, they imposed similar taxes, even worsening them, which further angered them toward the Abbasid Dynasty.

Thus, as Saif mentioned the Abbasid caliphs, the issue of taxes was immediately raised. As a tax official in Bukhara, Saif was well-versed in these matters and skillfully said, “His Majesty the Caliph says that if you can rise up and drive away the infidels, then the Muslims of Transoxiana will be heroes of the Abbasid Dynasty and will enjoy the same annual pensions as the Arabs, without having to pay head taxes anymore.”

Hearing that they would no longer have to pay taxes, everyone became excited and began discussing the uprising. Seeing that the time was ripe, Saufen quietly consulted with the three kings and sought Saif’s opinion. With Saif’s consent, Saufen stood up and declared, “The uprising will take place three days from now at sunrise. Muslims in Samarkand and even in the Kingdom of Kang will launch a large-scale uprising at the same time. Does anyone have any objections?”

Seeing no opposition, Saufen said, “Very well, then it’s officially decided. Everyone should go back and inform their followers, making sure everyone keeps it a secret.”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was suddenly the sound of hurried footsteps outside. A guard shouted in panic, “Your Majesty, outside—there are countless Tang soldiers surrounding our palace!”

“Ah!” Everyone’s faces turned pale with fear as they stood up in panic. Chaos ensued in the meeting as people rushed to escape. Some knocked over candles, plunging everything into darkness. In the darkness, Saufen quietly pulled Saif aside. He had a secret passage to escape the palace. The two quickly left the meeting room through a side door and headed for the passage. As for the kings of the Kingdoms of An and Shi, Saufen could no longer worry about them.

Flames blazed outside the palace. Five thousand Tang soldiers surrounded it completely, holding torches that illuminated the night as if it were day. At the head of the troops, Li Qing’an wore a golden helmet and iron armor, riding a tall horse, as they stared coldly at the palace gates.

At that moment, Bai Xiaode rushed over and reported, “General, the exit to the secret passage has been found. Three hundred men are waiting there.”

“Good!” Li Qing’an pointed his whip at the palace gates and ordered, “Attack the palace! Anyone who resists shall be killed without mercy!”

The five thousand Tang soldiers shouted in unison and launched an attack on the palace. Two hundred men carried a huge battering ram, shouting, “One, two, three!” They pushed together with all their strength, smashing into the gates. With a loud crash, the gates broke open, and thousands of Tang soldiers poured into the palace like a flood. The back gates were also forced open, and hundreds more soldiers rushed in from behind, with cries of battle echoing throughout the palace.

In less than fifteen minutes, the nine Muslim hardline leaders who had attended the meeting, along with King Yan Jie of An Guo and King Na Qu Ruo of Shi Guo, were captured and tied up. They were brought before Li Qing’an’s horse. The three sons of the King of Kang Guo were also captured, but the King of Kang Guo, Shao Fen, and the Arab envoy were missing.

The kings of An and Shi Guo, seeing that Li Qing’an had arrived in He Zhong, were terrified. They fell to the ground, trembling, and begged for their lives.

“General, this has nothing to do with us. It was all Shao Fen’s doing. He also colluded with the Arabs—none of this was our intention. Please spare our lives!”

The other nine also realized they were doomed and were filled with despair, but none of them begged for mercy; they simply hung their heads in silence.

Li Qing’an stared at them coldly without saying a word. After a while, Bai Xiaode shouted, “General, they’re caught!”

Dozens of soldiers brought in the pale-faced King of Kang Guo, Shao Fen, and the Arab envoy, Saif. They had hidden in the tunnels and were lured out by smoke set by the Tang soldiers. As soon as they emerged, they were captured by the Tang soldiers waiting at the tunnel exit.

Seeing the two try to escape on their own, the others glared at them angrily. With a thud, Shao Fen knelt before Li Qing’an and begged for mercy, “General, I didn’t know you had arrived in He Zhong. I was foolish. Please spare me—I’ll never do such a thing again.”

Li Qing’an ignored him. He pointed his whip at Saif and asked, “Are you Abu Muslim’s envoy?”

Saif held his head high and said nothing. Li Qing’an sneered, pointed his whip, and ordered, “Behead him!”

Immediately, several Tang soldiers rushed forward, pinned Saif to the ground, and placed a sword at his throat.

“Don’t you plead for mercy?” Li Qing’an asked.
Saif closed his eyes and bit his lip tightly. Li Qing’an snorted coldly, waved his whip, and ordered, “Behead him!”
A burly Tang soldier swung his sword fiercely, and with a scream, Saif’s head was severed. Blood gushed from his neck, splashing onto Shao Fen next to him, covering his face. Terrified, Shao Fen let out a loud cry before collapsing unconscious. Li Qing’an glanced at him with disgust and then ordered, “Behead all of them—leave none alive!”
The soldiers, like wolves and tigers, dragged them away. The three kings pleaded repeatedly, “Pity us! General, spare our lives!”
At that moment, Luo Qiming stepped forward and suggested softly, “Why not keep those nine and let them surrender to the Tang Dynasty?”
But Li Qing’an shook his head firmly. “I was too lenient back then, compromising with them, which led to today’s disaster. I will not be soft-hearted again. Against such stubborn elements, we must use the toughest measures to eliminate future threats.”
He turned around and shouted sharply, “Execute them!”
……