Chapter 492: Strategies of the World

Li Qing’an’s concerns were not unfounded. Based on various intelligence reports, the Abbasids had never given up on Transoxiana and Bactria; even Sindh and Punjab had not escaped their attention. The Abbasids still stationed 70,000 troops in Khorasan. A ceasefire agreement could not stop their advancing forces—only Thunderous Lightning was something they truly feared. Of course, the wars in North Africa also distracted Mansur’s attention. Under such circumstances, he could only order Anwar Ibrahim, the governor of Khorasan, to remain on high alert, waiting for an opportunity in the east.

A year of rest also gave Mansur time and opportunity to address internal affairs. This spring, the Abbasids’ new capital, Baghdad, was completed. Governors from various regions gathered there. Seizing this opportunity, Mansur killed the governor of Khorasan, Ziyad, with a cup of poisoned wine and appointed Anwar Ibrahim, a man loyal to him, as the new governor of Khorasan, thus putting an end to Khorasan’s tendency for independence. By then, Ziyad had already recruited 70,000 soldiers, all of whom became Mansur’s prey. He ordered the Khorasan troops to be stationed across the Amu Darya River in Transoxiana and Bactria. Mansur, like a patient camel, waited for a turning point in the east.

Baghdad, this newly built capital, was not yet fully completed. Its development would take hundreds of years to perfect, but its basic structure was already visible to the world. It was a circular city, divided into an inner city and an outer city, both built entirely of bricks. Within the inner city was another palace complex, resembling the Forbidden City. Its walls soared into the clouds. Together with the inner and outer cities, they formed three concentric circles, with the caliph’s palace at the center. Four gates radiated outward, forming four straight streets that resembled the spokes of a wheel, extending to every corner of the empire.

Mansur’s new palace was called the Green Dome Palace. Its characteristic was its green dome, atop which stood a statue of a knight holding a spear, as if leaping into the air. The interior layout of the palace was no different from that of the palace in Damascus—there were still eunuchs and courtiers, as well as a map palace. At that moment, Mansur stood in this windowless, dimly lit hall, pondering before a map of Bactria that once belonged to the Arabs. Not far behind him, Anwar Ibrahim, the governor of Khorasan, stood quietly in a corner, waiting humbly for the caliph’s orders, with vizier Khalid standing beside him.

Several months earlier, when the Tang forces stationed in Tokharistan moved eastward, creating a strategic vacuum there, Mansur received reports from spies hidden in Tokharistan. Yet at that time, Mansur still had doubts; he believed Li Qing’an would not make such a strategic mistake and leave Tokharistan undefended. After much consideration, he felt that Li Qing’an was playing a game, with Tokharistan being a crucial piece in that game. Before understanding the full picture, Mansur would never act rashly. Sure enough, a month ago, he received another report from Tokharistan: the Tibetans from the plateau had sent troops to occupy it. Was this a coincidence, or a trap?

“Khalid, what do you think?”

It was Mansur’s habit—to ask Khalid’s opinion first when considering major issues. Khalid was his prime minister and the highest administrative official of the empire, as well as his trusted assistant. Khalid immediately replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, I have thought about this carefully. I believe it may be related to Li Qing’an’s strategy of moving eastward. Over the past year, it’s clear that Li Qing’an has been shifting his focus eastward; his troops have begun to move east. I suspect he has ambitions to reclaim the Tang throne.”

“What about Tokharistan?” Mansur asked again.

“I infer that it’s because Li Qing’an lacks sufficient troops. He doesn’t have the capacity to defend Tokharistan, which allowed the Tibetans to take advantage of the situation.”

“Is that so?”

Mansur smiled and asked further, “He has troops stationed in Sindh and Punjab, which are less critical, yet he fails to send troops to Tokharistan, which is vital for the safety of his silver mines and holds great strategic value. Don’t you find that unreasonable?”

“Well…” Khalid was at a loss for words.

Mansur continued, “There’s also the Kingdom of Shahr and Kujat. These places face no threats, yet Li Qing’an stationes thirty thousand troops there instead of sending them to Tokharistan. Could it be to maintain local order? Khalid, don’t you think that’s strange?”

Khalid gradually understood the deeper meaning behind Mansur’s words. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Your Majesty means that Li Qing’an deliberately left Tokharistan undefended?”

Mansur sat down and smiled faintly. “I once heard an Eastern story about an ancient god who used an elephant as bait to catch a giant turtle in the deep sea. If I’m not mistaken, Li Qing’an is also trying to catch a turtle—he’s using Tokharistan as bait to catch our empire, but he didn’t expect the Tibetans to snatch the bait first. Perhaps that’s his plan. I don’t know for sure, but I feel that Li Qing’an wants us to send troops to Tokharistan.”

“But why would he do such a thing?” Ibrahim beside him finally couldn’t help asking.
“That’s a good question.”
Mansur gave Ibrahim an approving look. He hoped the governor of Khorasan would be not only an executor of orders but also a thinker, with at least half the wisdom of the Muslims of old. Ibrahim’s question pleased him.
He stood up and went back to the map, staring at the empty land in the east. After a long while, he sighed softly and said, “Actually, Khalid has already said that Li Qing’an’s strategic focus has shifted to the east. He wants to return to the Tang Dynasty to claim the throne, but he’s also worried about Anxi, as it poses a threat to his rear. So he wants to launch another campaign to completely defeat us Arabs and prevent us from advancing further east. But he can’t find an excuse, so he uses Turkestan as bait to lure us into a trap. As an emperor, I must also think in such a far-reaching manner, which is why I hesitated to take the bait. Unexpectedly, it was the ignorant Tibetans who fell for it.”
After hearing Mansur’s analysis, Khalid couldn’t help admiring the far-sightedness of these emperors. It seemed to be exactly as he thought. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Then with Tibet having occupied Turkestan, Li Qing’an’s strategy has been disrupted, putting him in a very difficult position. How should we respond?”
Mansur smiled slightly and said, “It’s true that Li Qing’an’s strategy has been disrupted, but it doesn’t necessarily put him at a disadvantage. Since we can’t catch a giant turtle, let’s try to catch a big turtle instead. This will be beneficial for both Li Qing’an and Anxi. If I’m not mistaken, Li Qing’an definitely won’t launch an attack on Turkestan this winter. He wants to wait for more Tibetan troops to enter Turkestan, so as to take this opportunity to completely defeat the Tibetans.”
Mansur had been thinking about this matter these days, and his thoughts had gradually become clearer. Now that he understood Li Qing’an’s strategic plans, he began to consider what role the Arabs should play in this war between the Tang and Tibetans, and how he could maximize Arab interests. Of course, he also needed to consider things from various long-term perspectives.
With this in mind, Mansur said to Khalid, “I think Li Qing’an’s envoy should arrive in a few days. If he does, bring him to see me immediately.”

Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, was also the economic and trade center of the Western world, often referred to as the City of Gold. A large amount of gold and goods flowed in and out through this city, bringing unparalleled wealth to the empire and supporting the extravagant lifestyles of its nobles. This central city of the West was renowned for its sturdy and magnificent fortresses. Since the division of the Theodosian dynasty four hundred years earlier, the Byzantine Empire had faced numerous invasions, but it managed to withstand them thanks to its strong defensive fortifications.

Many changes had taken place within the Byzantine Empire, the most significant being the establishment of direct trade relations with the Tang Dynasty in the East. Silk, porcelain, and paper from the East had always been luxuries among the Byzantine elite. With the establishment of direct trade routes, more and more people from the East began to appear in Constantinople, bringing more exquisite Eastern silk and porcelain. These luxuries gradually moved beyond the reach of the nobility and became popular among the middle and lower classes. Similarly, more and more Westerners traveled long distances to Chang’an, bringing furs, jewels, and large amounts of gold currency.

That morning, a caravan of thousands of camels from Anxi entered the towering gates of Constantinople. Trade between the two sides was mainly conducted through official channels, though private participation was also allowed. Since official caravans were escorted by troops, many private traders joined them on their journey to Constantinople, resulting in massive caravans. Since Li Qing’an and the Byzantine emperor reached an alliance in the city of Atil two years earlier, such large caravans had begun to appear in Constantinople. At first, these Eastern caravans caused a sensation among the Romans; the entire city emptied out to welcome the merchants from the Tang Dynasty. These Eastern caravans arrived three times a year, and as their frequency increased, the Romans’ curiosity gradually diminished, and they no longer gathered to watch them. Yet some people remained very interested in their arrival.

As soon as the Anxi caravan entered the city gates, it was immediately surrounded by countless small vendors, prostitutes, and beggars. The members of these caravans were not only responsible for transporting goods but also secretly brought along many personal items. Since these items were considered part of their belongings and were not taxed, and being personal goods, they were usually sold at low prices, making them highly sought after by small vendors. No language was needed—simple gestures and nods were sufficient to complete transactions. The prostitution business was also very prosperous; many prostitutes came and went in the carriages, and each of them quickly made several sales.

This time, there were a few more envoys in the caravan—they were special messengers sent by Li Qing’an. The leading official was Chen Shaoyou, a military advisor in the Anxi Army responsible for drawing and collecting military maps of various regions. Usually, Chen Shaoyou would be ordered by the military commander to dispatch scouts to create military maps and sand tables, but this time he was secretly sent by Li Qing’an to the Byzantine Empire to deliver a personal letter from Li Qing’an to their emperor, Copronius.

“Brother Shaoyou!”

As soon as Chen Shaoyou entered the city gate, he heard someone calling his name. He froze and turned around, seeing a young man standing under a tall building. It was a Han Chinese, standing out sharply among the Western barbarians in the streets. Chen Shaoyou immediately recognized him as Du Mingpei, the trade liaison officer from Anxi stationed in Byzantium.

Du Mingpei was from Gaoling County in Jingzhao. He had studied with Chen Shaoyou at the Imperial Academy and had been good friends since then. Later, they both went to Anxi to seek employment, and their friendship grew even stronger. Chen Shaoyou shouted happily, “Brother Mingpei!”

He dismounted from his camel and rushed forward to greet him. It had been nearly a year since they last saw each other, and meeting in a foreign land filled them with such excitement that they hugged each other.

Du Mingpei had come to Anxi two years ago to seek work. He first joined the Anxi Army as a civilian officer and quickly stood out for his intelligence and competence. He had a natural talent for languages and learned the Turkic language in just half a year, becoming an assistant to Pei Yu. During the mission to Byzantium, he quickly learned the Byzantine language. A year ago, when Anxi and Byzantium exchanged trade liaison officers, Du Mingpei became Anxi’s first chief liaison officer in Byzantium.

In fact, there were many former students like Du Mingpei and Chen Shaoyou in Anxi—such as Zhang Zhihe, who had been promoted to the governor of Tingzhou, and Li Chengfei, the county magistrate of Qing’an County, among hundreds of others. Most of them had withstood the trials of military service and were gradually taking on important positions. They could be found in various departments and counties across Anxi, gradually taking on the responsibility of running the region.

Today, as usual, Du Mingpei came to the city gate to welcome the caravans from Anxi. Unexpectedly, he saw Chen Shaoyou and was overjoyed. He quickly asked, “Brother Shaoyou, how did you come here?”

Seeing several barbarian merchants standing nearby, Chen Shaoyou pulled Du Mingpei aside and whispered, “I’ve been sent to Byzantium by the general. I need to meet with the Byzantine emperor. Could you arrange that for me?”

“There’s no problem. There’s a guest house in the city, and people there are specifically responsible for receiving guests. They will report your request step by step. Within at most three days, the Byzantine emperor should receive you.”

Chen Shaoyou shook his head and said, “I’m on a secret mission; the Political Council is unaware of it. The situation is urgent. I hope to meet the emperor today, and I also have a letter from the great general that I need to deliver personally to their emperor.”
“Is that so?”
Du Mingpei pondered for a moment before saying, “Then go see Princess Eirene. She is now the heir to the Byzantine throne, and she can arrange a meeting with the emperor directly.”
“Princess Eirene is the heir?”
Chen Shaoyou was stunned. The heir was the crown prince—how could a princess take that role? He found it utterly unreasonable. Seeing his confusion, Du Mingpei smiled and said, “It’s nothing unusual. Byzantium values strength. Princess Eirene commands three legions equipped with Tang army gear—by far the strongest forces in Byzantium. Besides, didn’t our Tang Dynasty also have an empress?”
“That’s a different matter!”
Chen Shaoyou shook his head. Though he found it illogical, the task assigned to him by his master was the top priority. He could only say helplessly, “Regardless of whether she’s the heir or not, as long as she can help me, that’s fine.”
Seeing that he was practical, Du Mingpei patted his shoulder and said with a smile, “That’s right. Romans think differently from us. Whether the crown prince is male or female, Princess Eirene holds great power. Maybe she can resolve your issue.”
“Great! Then let’s go see her now.”
“Don’t rush. You won’t be able to see her in the morning. How about afternoon? I’ll take you there. For now, let’s go to an inn to drink. Try the Roman wine and experience the charm of Western beauties.”
Du Mingpei led Chen Shaoyou toward a small inn on the street.
……
Princess Eirene had officially become the first heir to the throne since the beginning of the year, holding supreme military and political power over the Byzantine Empire—all thanks to her strength. She commanded three legions equipped with the finest Tang army gear, totaling 30,000 soldiers. The bright armor, swords, and Tang crossbows cost her 2 million gold coins, 800,000 of which came from taxes from her fiefdom. It was these 800,000 gold coins that earned her the nickname “Vampire Woman Demon” in her region. But that wasn’t enough—she borrowed another 1.2 million gold coins from Jews, using ten years’ worth of taxes from her other fiefdom, Crete, as collateral.

Princess Eirene was undoubtedly a woman who dared to take risks. The massive investment she made in building an army of 30,000 soldiers brought her tremendous rewards. At the end of last year, during the war against Bulgaria, her father and Prince Roni suffered crushing defeats, but her army utterly defeated the combined forces of the Bulgarians and Slavs, forcing the Bulgarian king to submit to the Roman Empire. This victory not only restored the dignity of the Roman Empire but also saved Constantinople from falling into enemy hands. Even the crown prince of the newly established Carolingian dynasty sought her hand in marriage out of admiration for her.

Princess Eirene’s reputation soared to unprecedented heights, and her beauty won her the favor of the nobility. At their strong insistence, her father, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, gladly advanced her position in the line of succession, raising her from second to first heir.

Eirene transformed from a once leisurely princess into the busiest crown prince in Byzantium. As some ancient philosopher once said, once a woman gains power, her desire for it often exceeds her desire for men. Eirene was undoubtedly such a woman—she not only seized complete control of her brother’s power but also forced her father to gradually hand over command of the army to her.

Even her marriage—yes, Eirene was already 20 years old and should have found a husband, one who fully adhered to Christian teachings and monogamy, rather than some Eastern pagan like Li Qing’an who had many women.

Charles, the crown prince of the Carolingian dynasty, was undoubtedly a suitable candidate for her, as he possessed desirable territories such as Corsica, Genoa, and Nice. Of course, it would be Charles who married her, the future Byzantine empress, not the other way around. Moreover, Charles promised not to interfere in her personal life, which satisfied her greatly. She needed to remain free to go to the Tang Dynasty to negotiate arms deals with Li Qing’an.

In the mornings, she would be busy handling state affairs in the palace, and in the afternoons, she would receive ministers and officials from various regions—this was her unchanging routine, as she needed more support from them.

That afternoon, as usual, she had just arrived at the palace when a guard came to report that an envoy from Anxi had arrived and requested to see her. “Let them in!”

Eleni sat down, dressed in a long gown made of Eastern silk, with a diamond-encrusted brooch shining on her chest and a golden crown studded with diamonds and pearls on her head—a symbol of the heir to the throne that made her appear even more noble and elegant. Even her seat was made of gold and precious agarwood. She was no longer the free young woman who had traveled the world with a bow and arrows.

After a while, Chen Shaoyou and Du Mingpei entered the palace under the guidance of guards. Du Mingpei, who had become quite Westernized, gracefully placed his hand over his heart and bowed to Eleni, saying, “Wish the princess eternal youth and beauty.”

Chen Shaoyou understood these words. He glanced at Du Mingpei with displeasure. He had intended for Du to act as an interpreter, but now he changed his mind. He bowed to Eleni and said in Turkic, “Chen Shaoyou, military advisor under the Great General of Anxi, pays his respects to Her Highness the Princess!”

He spoke in a measured tone, unafraid of offending Eleni, for he knew that an alliance was based on mutual interests, not flattery.

“Oh, it’s Officer Chen. How is our Great General? I heard his left shoulder was injured in the war against the Arabs at the beginning of the year. Has it healed now?” Eleni asked concerningly.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern. Our Great General is doing very well, and his shoulder injury has largely recovered.”

“Oh! I’ve been too busy. Otherwise, I would have gone to Suiye to see him in person.”

Eleni sighed, and the conversation gradually shifted to the main topic. She asked, “I wonder what mission Officer Chen has come to our country on this trip?”

Chen Shaoyou hesitated for a moment. These words were originally meant to be spoken only when meeting the Byzantine emperor. But during lunch, Du Mingpei told him that the military authority in the Byzantine Empire now lay in the hands of Princess Eleni, and it was she who decided whether to go to war against the Arabs.

Therefore, after hesitating briefly, Chen Shaoyou spoke frankly, “My Great General ordered me to secretly send a mission to the Byzantine Empire, hoping that at some point in the future, the Byzantine Empire could exert military pressure on the Arabs.”

“At some point in the future—when exactly?” Eleni was clear-cut when it came to military matters.

“My Great General said, probably next spring or summer.”

With that, Chen Shaoyou took out Li Qingan’s handwritten letter and handed it to Eirwen. She received the letter from the guards, glanced at its envelope—Li Qingan had written it in Turkic, addressed to her father—but still opened it. The letter was written in Li Qingan’s firm handwriting, yet the message was clear: Anxi would be fighting against a powerful force in the western part of the Tang Dynasty, in Turkestan. To prevent the Arabs from taking advantage of the situation during the battle, Li Qingan hoped the Byzantine Empire would fulfill their military alliance by exerting military pressure on the Abbasid Dynasty at a critical moment.

The power to exert military pressure externally had indeed been transferred to Eirwen. After pondering for a moment, she smiled and said, “Of course. Since we have an alliance, we will naturally support the Tang Dynasty wholeheartedly. Additionally, to ensure smooth cooperation between us, I have two small requests of my own.”

It was expected that the other party would have requests, so Chen Shaoyou said, “Princess, please go ahead!”

Eirwen smiled gracefully and said, “Please convey to General Li that I hope to receive another 30,000 sets of military equipment, to be supplied over three years. Of course, I will purchase them through normal trade, but I hope to get the best possible price—60% of the previous price. Also, I hope the Tang Dynasty will strictly control the export of military weapons. I don’t want to see other Western countries equipping their armies with Tang weapons. Those are my two conditions.”