Chapter 383: Seeking Aid in Sindh (Part 2)

In the dimly lit tent, He Yanshi and several of his subordinates were urgently discussing strategies. The situation was critical—Vice Governor Rajid of Sindh had led 20,000 troops to confront the invading Khatara forces, leaving the task of guarding the grain stores to Yadudro. Unfortunately, Yadudro had ulterior motives; he planned to seize the tax funds and withdraw. Once his troops left, the millions of bushels of grain stored there would surely be looted by the locals, putting the Tang army at risk of failure if it advanced into Sindh.

“Commander, what if we try to turn Yadudro against them and get him to stay and fight for the Tang army?” suggested Captain Luo Qi.

He Yanshi shook his head. “He’s a typical opportunist. If the Tang army doesn’t arrive in Shabro in time and the governor of Sindh returns, he’ll surely side with them again. Moreover, he’s hard to control, and it’s difficult to discern his true intentions. I’m worried that revealing our identities might put us in danger at his hands.”

“What about Summaro? I think he’s simpler-minded and easier to control. He’s also very popular—other captains would listen to him.”

He Yanshi thought for a moment. Summaro might work—worth a try. But he was timid, so careful planning was needed. After further discussion, they decided to act that very night.

Summaro’s unit was responsible for guarding the treasury, which contained 20 million dinars in silver—two years’ worth of taxes from Sindh and Punjab. These were supposed to be sent to Persia but were delayed due to the rebellion in Punjab. In the middle of the night, He Yanshi, along with two of his men, broke into Summaro’s residence.

“What’s the matter? Coming here in the middle of the night scared me!” Summaro, awakened by He Yanshi, rubbed his sleepy eyes and complained.

“Do you want to get rich?”

He Yanshi knew Summaro well and went straight to what he wanted most. Summaro perked up instantly, his drowsiness vanishing. With a grin, he said, “How could I not want to get rich? I’m even dreaming of marrying a third wife!”

“You’re too mediocre. I’m talking about getting rich enough to marry 300 wives.”

Summaro’s eyes widened. Realizing what He Yanshi meant, he quickly said, “Wait—are you talking about the treasury? That’s not for us. Didn’t my uncle say we can take the grain, but the treasury belongs to him?”

“No! I’m talking about Tang Dynasty porcelain and silk. You’ll control all goods from the Tang Dynasty. You’ll become the richest man in Sindh. Don’t you want that?”

“Am I going to become the richest man in Sindh?”
Sumaro murmured, “How is that possible?”
“Why not? As long as you follow my plans, you won’t only become the richest man in Sindh but also the most powerful Kshatriya there.”
“You?” Sumaro stared at He Yanshi in surprise. Suddenly wary, he asked, “Who exactly are you?”
“I’ll tell you the truth! I’m actually an advance soldier of the Tang army.”
“The Tang army!”
Sumaro jumped in shock, instinctively trying to shout, but He Yanshi covered his mouth, pressed a dagger against his throat, and said in a low voice, “If you dare to shout, I’ll kill you on the spot.”
Fear appeared in Sumaro’s eyes. He obediently nodded. He Yanshi withdrew the dagger and released his mouth, smiling and saying, “Do you really want to betray me?”
Sumaro shook his head and hurriedly said, “Brother, you must leave quickly! My uncle hates the Tang people deeply. If he finds out, you’ll both die.”
“Why?”
“My uncle had a son who went to the Tang Dynasty to do business. He was killed by bandits there and never returned. He swore to avenge his son.”
He Yanshi remained silent for a moment before saying, “I want you to replace your uncle as the commander of the army. Will you do it?”
Sumaro panicked and waved his hands frantically, repeating, “No! No! No! I can’t do it. How could I be a commander? Find someone else!”
After saying that, he got up to leave, but He Yanshi pushed him back down and said earnestly, “Brother Sumaro, I’m actually giving you a chance to get rich. This time, the Tang army has brought fifty thousand soldiers. Back then, the Tang army used seventy thousand soldiers to defeat over a hundred thousand elite troops of the Abbasids at Talas. The Sindh army is nowhere near that strong—there are only eight thousand Abbasid soldiers in Sindh, and Bactria has also been occupied by the Tang army. As a result, Sindh and Punjab will surely fall into the hands of the Tang army. If you can help the Tang army protect this great granary, the reward you’ll receive will be unmatched by anyone else. If you wish, you could even become the king of Sindh. If you want money, the Tang army will give you countless bolts of silk and porcelain, as well as a city. Think about it—this is a chance to change your fate! Many people desire this opportunity but can never get it. Yet it’s right in front of you now. Because you’ve helped me, I want to repay you. Think about your children and wife, brother Sumaro.”

Summaro’s eyes gradually lit up; he was clearly tempted. He also began to realize that this was a chance that might not come again in ten thousand years. He didn’t want to be king—he just wanted to get rich and become the richest man in Sindh.
“But how am I supposed to deal with my uncle? He’s my uncle!”
“You don’t need to touch him. All you need to do is help us control the army and secure the food supplies, and then you’ll succeed.”
After a pause, He Yanshi asked, “Then tell me, what’s your uncle’s greatest weakness?”
After a long while, Summaro whispered, “Gold and gems. He loses his life the moment he sees them.”
Summaro felt sad at the thought of betraying his uncle, but then he remembered how stingy his uncle was—having hundreds of wives while he only had one, and that too ugly. That thought balanced his feelings. Three hundred wives were waiting for him!
He sighed deeply and said, “I don’t know if I’m doing the biggest foolish thing of my life.”
He Yanshi patted his shoulder firmly, looking into his slightly ashamed eyes, and said, “No. This is the most correct and smart thing you’ll do in your life. You’ll get what you want soon.”
……
Adudro was awakened in the middle of the night by He Yanshi. He was also very impatient and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“Commander, my men found this in a warehouse.”
He Yanshi handed him a heavy bag. When Adudro opened it, his eyes widened instantly—inside were more than a dozen pieces of golden gold and high-quality gems.
He was so excited that his voice trembled. “Is there more?”
“Quite a bit! I just took a few as a sample.”
Greed blinded Adudro’s caution and greatly reduced his intelligence. He quickly got dressed and said, “Take me there right away.”
“Commander, don’t bring too many people. We can’t let anyone know.”
“I know. Take me there quickly.”
Adudro took only five men with him and rushed to the warehouse under He Yanshi’s lead.
“How many people there know about this?”
“Not many, just three or four.”
“Tell them to stay silent. I’ll give you a share.”
“Yes! We understand.”
He Yanshi led Adudro to the warehouse. Only a few of his scouts were guarding the entrance. He Yanshi gave them a signal, and a few Tang soldiers opened the door.
“Commander, please come in! It’s right inside—there’s a huge amount of gold and gems.”

Yadudro saw that it was pitch black inside and hesitated for a moment, but upon hearing the presence of vast amounts of gold and gems, all his worries vanished. He eagerly stepped into the warehouse.
The warehouse was enormous, filled with bags of grain. Yadudro lit a torch and made his way through the winding stacks of grain, with Heyanshi leading the way. “Legion commander, be careful—it’s right ahead.”
Unaware of it, he and his five men followed Heyanshi deeper into the warehouse, during which time the door quietly closed behind them. Then, Heyanshi pointed at a dark area ahead. “Look! That’s it—full of gold and gems.”
Yadudro’s heart pounded with excitement. In the darkness, he saw a glimmer of light; it seemed as though mountains of gold bars and gems lay before him. This might well be the treasure buried here a hundred years ago by the King of Sindh. His eyes gleamed with greed under the light of the torch as he stepped forward, the darkness retreating little by little under the torchlight.
Suddenly, Yadudro stopped in his tracks. He was stunned—the darkness had vanished. There were no golds or gems before him, only a man, a soldier with a cruel smile on his face, holding something that resembled a bow and arrow, its arrowhead aimed at his forehead. The glimmer of light earlier was the arrowhead shining.
Frightened, Yadudro let go, and the torch fell from his hands. But just before it hit the ground, a crossbow arrow shot out like lightning, hitting him in the face. A scream echoed loudly in the warehouse, followed by five more screams. The warehouse instantly fell into deathly silence.
…
Early the next morning, Sumaro gathered everyone. Holding Yadudro’s military token, he told them that his uncle had gone to Punjab to report to the governor, and that he would now be in charge of the army temporarily. The discipline of the Sindh auxiliary army had always been lax. Although there was no official announcement from Yadudro, the commanders didn’t take it seriously. They never imagined that the legion commander had already been killed. Moreover, Sumaro was very popular, much more generous than his stingy uncle, so everyone pledged to follow his commands.
Heyanshi’s risky mission succeeded. He immediately sent someone to report to Li Qing’an that the large grain depot in Sindh was in their hands, asking the Tang army to come and take control as soon as possible.
…
The Tang army and the Khotan forces advanced with unstoppable momentum, encountering no significant resistance. In just three days, they reached Dolankhas City in central Sindh.

Dholavira was also a strategically important city located on the west bank of the Indus River. It had a large population and lay in the most fertile region of Sindh, producing abundant grain and cotton. There was a huge granary in Dholavira, storing over two million bushels of grain, with piles of cotton cloth as high as mountains. The city itself was guarded by nearly 20,000 soldiers. Just one day before the Tang army arrived, 20,000 reinforcements from Shabro also reached Dholavira.

Early in the morning, more than 20,000 Kshatrapa vanguard troops had already arrived on the plain about ten miles away from Dholavira. Sindh’s deputy governor, Ben Rajid, decided to go out to confront them. He led an army of 40,000 troops and deployed them across the vast plain.

Among the 40,000 troops were 5,000 Persian Khurasani cavalry, while the remaining 35,000 were Sindh’s client troops, including 20,000 elephant troops—the strongest force in Sindh’s army. These elephants, each armored, carried four soldiers on their backs: one to steer the elephant, two archers, and one spearman.

The wailing of horns echoed across the field as the 5,000 Persian cavalry slowly brought their horses to a halt. Rajid gazed at the Tang army’s camp, a hint of anxiety in his eyes. He had participated in the Battle of Talas and fled back to Khurasan with the Muslims. He still remembered vividly the Tang army’s formidable combat strength, especially that earth-shattering explosion, which would still wake him in fright from his dreams. Now that the Tang army was attacking Sindh, he was filled with concern about the region’s future—would Persian influence be driven out of Sindh and Punjab just like in Transoxiana?

Rajid was not optimistic about Sindh’s client troops. He knew of the Sindhis’ inherent cowardice and their lax military discipline. Back then, the Umayyad dynasty had defeated 60,000 Sindh troops with just 5,000 cavalry. Could they even stand against the Tang army?

Rajid sighed. His only hope now was that the Tang army was small and its main force consisted of Kshatrapa troops; perhaps then they might have a chance.

“General, shall our Persian army fight first?” an officer asked softly.

“No!” Rajid shook his head slowly. “Let the elephant troops charge first.”

“Woooh—” The horns blared, and hundreds of elephants raised their trunks high, letting out a mournful cry.

“Boom! Boom!”

Under the control of their handlers, the 5,000 elephants swung their long trunks and charged toward the Tang army’s camp with a thunderous momentum, shaking the very ground.

The enemy forces launched the attack first, and the Khotan army retreated, revealing the massive Tang army formation of 18,000 men—all cavalry, consisting of archers and lancers arranged in alternating formations, radiating a fierce fighting spirit. These were the elite troops of the Anxi army. At the forefront of the army, 300 bed crossbows were also ready for use. These crossbows were enormous, with a bow arm 15 feet long and a body 8 feet long, capable of generating a tension of 14 dan—exceeding the highest record of 12 dan among Tang crossbows. They could hold nine arrows at once: the main arrow was 3 feet long, with a head made of refined iron, and four additional arrows on each side. This was the most advanced bed crossbow in the Tang army, especially thanks to its clever stringing mechanism, which allowed two people to easily draw the string using a long lever. It was a weapon specifically designed by the Tang army to combat elephant cavalry, prepared by Li Qing’an for the southern campaign. The powerful force of these crossbows was enough to pierce through elephants’ bodies and shatter their skulls. As the elephant cavalry drew closer, their thunderous footsteps shook the ground, raising dust and sand clouds. Soldiers on the elephants were seen drawing bows and shooting arrows. The terrifying presence of 5,000 elephants made the Tang army’s warhorses uneasy, causing them to move restlessly. The Tang cavalry controlled their horses, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation—fighting elephants was truly thrilling. At 800 paces, within the range of the bed crossbows, Li Qing’an watched coldly as the war elephants approached. He could see clearly that though the elephants were fierce, the soldiers on them were mere amateurs. Should they start shooting when there were still 1,000 paces left? He continued to wait, waiting for the elephant cavalry to reach 500 paces—the optimal range for the crossbows. These elephants were ideal for transporting food, and killing them seemed a pity. At that moment, Li Qing’an even felt a hint of compassion for them. “Fire!” At 700 paces, Li Qing’an gave the order to shoot. The 300 bed crossbows fired simultaneously, unleashing 2,700 iron arrows at the elephant herd. Bed crossbows were the Tang army’s most potent long-range weapons, with a range of 1,000 paces. However, due to their slow firing speed and relative bulk, they were usually used for defending cities. Yet they were a nightmare for elephant cavalry—most bows and arrows could hardly penetrate elephants’ thick skin, but bed crossbows could do so easily. The battlefield was soon filled with the elephants’ agonized cries. Nearly a hundred elephants at the forefront were pierced by the massive arrows, either collapsing from pain or falling dead instantly.

At that moment, the second round of crossbows was fired. Iron arrows rained down on the elephant herd, causing over a hundred elephants to collapse in agony, crushing the scattered Sindhi soldiers beneath them. The sight of their comrades dying terrified the elephants, which turned and fled in panic, colliding with those behind them. Mournful cries echoed everywhere, and chaos reigned on the battlefield. As the third round of arrows struck the herd, the elephants began to retreat. The wounded elephants trampled and kicked indiscriminately, killing hundreds of Sindhi soldiers who couldn’t escape in time.

Seeing the elephant cavalry turning to retreat, Li Qing’an raised his sword and shouted. The Tang cavalry, having been waiting for this order, immediately charged forward. They formed ranks, shouting loudly as they rushed ahead, with the sound of battle horns filling the air. “Fight for the Great Tang!” they cried. “The Tang cavalry will sweep the world!” With unstoppable momentum, they caught up to the retreating elephant cavalry. Their leader, like a gust of wind sweeping across the grassland, led the charge at the front. Drawing his bow and shooting arrows, he once again proved his heroic prowess—four arrows in a row sent four Sindhi soldiers flying off their elephant backs in screams.

He moved like the wind, never missing his target. With each arrow, a Sindhi soldier was struck and fell. Eighteen thousand Tang cavalry soldiers split into two groups, pursuing the elephant herd from both sides. Their commander’s bravery inspired them, and their arrows rained down like locusts, creating a net of arrows on the elephant backs. The Sindhi soldiers were so terrified that they fell to the ground even before being hit by arrows, only to be trampled into pulp by the elephants.

At that moment, the bells of the Tang army’s camp rang—shrill and urgent. It was a warning signal. Li Qing’an then realized that a force of Persian cavalry was attacking from the side, sweeping toward the Tang army like a flood breaking its banks. “Cavalry on the left, engage!”