Chapter 704: Conquering Hanerduo Bali

Hanerduo Bali, the capital of the Uyghurs, had only ten thousand troops left to defend it after Khan Gelü led a hundred thousand-strong army on a campaign. The Uyghur crown prince, Yidi Jian, commanded these troops.
A few years earlier, the Tang army, allied with the Gelaoglu, Tongluo, Shatuo, and other tribes, had captured the Uyghurs’ stronghold, causing great pain to Khan Gelü. Now, the same tragedy was unfolding once again.
Cui Qianyou, the governor of Tingzhou, led eight thousand Tang troops, along with forces from the Shatuo, Tongluo, and Khaganate, totaling sixty thousand soldiers. They bypassed Wudijin Mountain and attacked from the north.
The green grasslands were stained red with blood. The grasslands over ten miles north of Hanerduo Bali were covered with dead bodies. The cold wind blew the tattered Uyghur flags, while the setting sun cast a blood-red glow over this land filled with despair.
Just after a battle, the ten thousand Uyghur troops under Prince Yidi Jian were surrounded by the sixty thousand combined Tang and allied forces. They fought bravely but were eventually overwhelmed by the Tongluo cavalry, suffering total defeat.
Cui Qianyou and several leaders were inspecting the battlefield. His deputy, Yan Sihan, presented a head. “Governor, this is the head of the Uyghur crown prince. I killed him with an arrow!”
“Good! I’ll record this as your merit.”
Cui Qianyou turned to Abus and said with a smile, “The Tongluo troops deserve the greatest credit for breaking through the enemy lines. Congratulations!”
Abus quickly humbled himself, saying, “How could that be? It’s all thanks to Governor Cui’s excellent command. We are merely his tools.”
Having served in the Tang court for a long time, Abus had learned the art of politeness typical of Han officials. Both laughed. At that moment, Zhu Xia Jinzhong, who had remained silent, let out a slight snort through his nose. Though quiet, it carried a hint of dissatisfaction. He was upset because his troops were closest to the Uyghurs and should have been the ones to launch the attack, but Cui Qianyou had given that opportunity to Abus, leaving him frustrated.
Cui Qianyou glanced at him and sneered inwardly. How could he give such a minor merit to a Shatuo man? Smiling, he said, “General Zhu Xia, don’t worry. There will be many more merits, and the greatest ones are yet to come. I won’t give you these trivial rewards now. If I’m not mistaken, Khan Gelü will surely send reinforcements. That will be the real battle, and I’ll give you that chance.”
Zhu Xia Jinzhong felt slightly relieved. He looked at the distant city of Hanerduo Bali and excitedly said to Cui Qianyou, “Then give us the city once it’s taken!”
“Not possible!”

Cui Qianyou refused him without hesitation, leaving no room for negotiation. “The general ordered that Han’erduobali must be captured by the Tang army, and all prisoners shall be at the Tang army’s disposal. You are not allowed to interfere.”
Seeing Zhu Xia Jinzhong’s displeasure, Abusi knew he still didn’t understand the purpose of this battle, so he said to him, “General Zhu Xia, it was clearly stated before we set out that all spoils of war would belong to the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty would give land to the Shatuo people as compensation. I recall you agreed readily. General Zhu Xia, the nomads value their promises greatly.”
Zhu Xia Jinzhong gave him a cold look. “Of course I will keep my promise. I don’t need you to tell me!”
“Enough! Enough!” Cui Qianyou quickly interjected with a smile. “There’s no need for you two to argue. Please clean up the battlefield first! How about that?”
Although cleaning up the battlefield was troublesome as it involved burying corpses, it also allowed them to obtain weapons, armor, and horses, so they were willing to do it. Zhu Xia Jinzhong turned his horse around and rushed off first.
“Guys, listen up! When cleaning the battlefield, keep anything useful!”
Abusi bowed and was about to leave when Cui Qianyou gave him a signal. Abusi held back his horse and slowed down. Once Zhu Xia Jinzhong was far away, Cui Qianyou whispered to him, “I just received an order from the general. The Central Plains are short of labor for mining, so ordinary Uyghur herders don’t need to be killed—they can be kept. But not a single Uyghur noble or minister will be spared. After the city falls, I’ll hand these nobles and ministers to you to guard. Wait until night… Do you understand?”
Abusi nodded. “I understand. But I should also tell Zhu Xia Jinzhong.”
“I’ll tell him. Go! After the city falls, I’ll give you all the Uyghurs’ armor and weapons as a reward.”
Abusi was overjoyed and turned his horse back to his unit. With a command from Cui Qianyou, “The Tang army, assemble! March on Han’erduobali!”
…
Half an hour later, eight thousand Tang cavalry arrived at the gates of Han’erduobali. At that time, only a thousand defenders remained in the city, while one hundred thousand Uyghurs were in panic, as if the end of the world was approaching. Cui Qianyou ordered that the head of the Uyghur prince be used to persuade them to surrender, promising to spare their lives if they did. If they resisted, the entire city would be slaughtered after the fall of the city.
Soon, the city gates opened. More than a thousand Uyghur soldiers laid down their weapons, removed their armor, and surrendered by coming out of the city. Cui Qianyou ordered them to be taken to the Tang army’s camp for custody.
Soon after, the Uyghur vice prime minister, Julumodagan, led over three hundred nobles and ministers out of the city to surrender. They knelt on the ground and bowed humbly, “We beg the Tang army to spare our lives!”

Cui Qianyou chuckled and said, “The Tang army has always treated those who surrender sincerely with kindness. There’s no need for worry; I’ll take care of everyone.” The more than 300 noble officials were extremely grateful, praising the Tang Dynasty for its magnanimity and calling the Tang army an army of righteousness. Cui Qianyou sneered secretly before turning to Yan Sihan and ordering, “Take the officials and nobles to the military camp to rest. They are people of status and should not be neglected.” Yan Sihan agreed and said to everyone, “Please follow me! I will treat you well.” The Uyghur nobles looked at each other; they didn’t want to leave the city. Julumo Dagang stepped forward and asked, “General, could we stay in the city? We’re not used to living in military camps.” Cui Qianyou’s eyes lit up with a smile. “How could that be! We’re sending you to the military camp to protect your safety. You must know that the Tongluo, Shatuo, and Khaganate people have also arrived. Once they enter the city, your safety can no longer be guaranteed. By going to the Tang army’s camp, at least they won’t dare act recklessly.” Everyone found this reasonable. Especially the Tongluo and Khaganate people, who hated the Uyghurs deeply, realized staying in the city was indeed unsafe. Yet they were also worried about their families and property. Cui Qianyou seemed to understand their thoughts and added, “The Tang army will protect your wives and children. At most, we can leave half of your property for you. That’s all I can do.” As long as their wives and children could be protected, and they knew they could keep half of their property, it was already very good. So they stopped insisting and followed Yan Sihan to the Tang army’s camp. Cui Qianyou watched their retreating figures, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes. Li Qing’an’s orders to him were to eradicate them completely, leaving no survivors. In other words, apart from these more than 300 people, their children must also be killed without exception. With a command, he shouted, “Enter the city!” Eight thousand Tang soldiers marched into Haneerba Li City. What the Tang army needed to do now was to take control of this capital city first, without proceeding with population relocation. Apart from ordinary people, all noble officials were to be killed—this would sever the Uyghurs’ roots. The first thing the Tang army did upon entering the city was to impose martial law. Teams of cavalry raced through the city, using Turkic language to order the crowds flocking to the streets in search of refuge to return home. No one was allowed to leave, and those who disobeyed would be executed! Soon, the streets became deserted, with no Uyghurs left, only Tang army cavalry on patrol. The Tang army then began seizing the Uyghur treasury and the residences of Uyghur nobles—hundreds of thousands of furs, countless pieces of silk and satin, gold and silver, and Tang dynasty copper coins—wealth accumulated over decades.

“Clang!” A series of pleasant sounds of metal hitting each other as dozens of Byzantine gold coins rolled out of Cui Qianyou’s fingers. These were three chests of gold coins seized from a noble family, totaling a hundred thousand coins. The glow of the gold coins illuminated Cui Qianyou’s eyes. These coins were exchanged at a ratio of two to one with Anxi silver coins, meaning their value was two hundred thousand guan. Cui Qianyou narrowed his eyes. Money wasn’t that important to him; he preferred the heavy feel of gold.

Cui Qianyou turned to his bodyguards and said, “I’ll keep these three chests of gold coins!”

“General, what if we’re reported?” the bodyguards asked anxiously.

“It’s fine. As long as I keep things in check, the supreme general won’t punish me. Take them!”

“Yes!” A few bodyguards took the gold coins to the military camp. Cui Qianyou also pondered for a moment. Li Qing’an had made it clear in his letter: military discipline must be strict, and soldiers were not allowed to embezzle money or goods. Would taking these hundred thousand gold coins really anger Li Qing’an?

He then remembered another thing Li Qing’an had once said to him, “If water is too clear, there are no fish.” He wasn’t opposed to soldiers plundering, as it was an effective way to boost morale. The key was to keep things from becoming chaotic.

Cui Qianyou remembered Li Qing’an’s words firmly and understood their meaning deeply: one must find a balance. It was acceptable to benefit oneself, but one must never be greedy. With so many comrades who followed him in building his empire, he believed he wouldn’t treat them unfairly.

It was by maintaining this balance that Cui Qianyou decided to keep the three chests of gold coins. At that moment, urgent hoofbeats were heard outside, and a soldier shouted, “Commander, urgent military news!”

Startled, Cui Qianyou quickly stepped outside. “What’s the matter?”

It was a scout who rushed to report, “Our men have spotted an army to the south—about thirty thousand soldiers, only fifty li away from us.”

“They arrived so quickly?”

Cui Qianyou was puzzled. They had only appeared last night—how did Geler Khan already know about them? Did he also have spies? Even if he did, it was impossible for them to arrive so fast.

Confused, Cui Qianyou had no time to overthink it. He immediately ordered, “Send Zhu Xia Jinzhong to the camp to see me!”

He mounted his horse, spurred it on, and rushed toward the camp outside the city. Cui Qianyou led over a hundred cavalry back to the main camp. Moments later, Zhu Xia Jinzhong arrived as well. Although he was in charge of cleaning up the battlefield, he was still dissatisfied. The Uyghur army’s equipment was poor—just leather armor, and their swords and spears were inferior, far behind those of the Tang army, which left him deeply disappointed.

“Commander Cui, did you call for me?”

“Mm!” Cui Qianyou nodded and smiled. “Are you satisfied with cleaning the battlefield?”
“Not quite. The Uyghurs’ stuff isn’t good!”
Cui Qianyou lost his smile and looked at him calmly. “Then what would satisfy you? Do you want the Uyghurs’ storage?”
“No! Not that!” Zhu Xia Jinzhong shook his head in denial. “Since I’ve promised the governor, how can I go back on my word?”
“Then what do you want?” Cui Qianyou stared at him.
“I want Han’erduo Bali! I want this land!” Zhu Xia Jinzhong revealed his desires openly.
Seeing Cui Qianyou frown, he quickly added, “I know it requires military achievements in exchange. I’m willing, but I hope Governor Cui can give me a chance.”
Cui Qianyou chuckled. “I invited you here precisely to give you this chance. I just received reports from scouts that about fifteen thousand Uyghur troops are heading toward Han’erduo Bali. I’m about to lead my troops to confront them. Would you like to be the vanguard?”
Zhu Xia Jinzhong did some quick calculations. Fifteen thousand Uyghur troops were comparable to his own force, but his troops were better equipped, so he should be fine. He agreed immediately. “I’ll go fight right away!”
“Good! The Shatuo tribe will be the vanguard. I’ll lead my troops to support them right away.”
Cui Qianyou watched Zhu Xia Jinzhong walk away eagerly, a mocking smile on his lips. The Shatuo people considered themselves wolves of the Golden Mountain, but he knew those wolves were not only fierce but also extremely cunning. As for cunning, this Zhu Xia Jinzhong was far behind! He was just a fool. His becoming the leader of the Shatuo could only mean they had to pay the price for their choice.
He then ordered his guards, “Go and find Abusi and Areli at once!”
……
Cui Qianyou couldn’t figure out why the Uyghurs knew so quickly. It was because he had fallen into the misconception that only Uyghur reinforcements would arrive. In fact, the army heading toward Han’erduo Bali wasn’t Uyghur but Pugu Yao’s army. He led twenty thousand tribal troops along with ten thousand Shi Siming’s troops, rushing all the way to finally reach Han’erduo Bali.
Pugu Yao slowly reined in his warhorse’s reins. He had just received reports from scouts that a cavalry unit had appeared ten miles ahead of him, numbering about fifteen thousand. The scouts described them as mostly wearing white cloaks, and Pugu Yao guessed they were Shatuo cavalry, one of Li Qing’an’s lackeys. His father had fought against this cavalry many times in the past.

They came from Han’erdu Bali. Does that mean something happened in Han’erdu Bali? Moreover, the Shatuo people lived by the Juyan Lake. Their arrival in the heart of the desert could only mean that the same tragedy had occurred once again—the Tang army, the Tongluo army, and the Shatuo people had once again breached the Uyghur stronghold. It must be so; he arrived a step too late.

“General Pugu, what should we do?” asked General Zhu Xicai beside him.

Pugu Yao didn’t hesitate. He simply said one word, “Fight!” They had no choice. They were already in a desperate situation with no food to return home, and their scouts hadn’t detected any other armies, which meant only the Shatuo army was coming to confront them.

Pugu Yao had heard from his father, Pugu Huaien, that the Shatuo people bullied the weak and feared the strong. If they found the enemy army larger than theirs, they would flee; if smaller, they would pounce like wolves. This could be exploited. Pugu Yao had decided to annihilate this army. After a brief moment of thought, he said to Zhu Xicai, “We can divide our forces into two groups. I’ll lead 10,000 troops to lure the enemy, while you lead 20,000 troops to retreat. Once I’ve drawn them in, you can encircle them from behind.”

Zhu Xicai nodded in approval. “This plan is excellent!”

He turned his horse around, waved his hand, and 20,000 troops followed him backward, gradually moving farther away. Pugu Yao held back his horse and waited, squinting ahead. Now he could see a dark line at the edge of the grassland—they were coming! He sneered. He would wipe out the Shatuo people completely and then go to the Juyan Lake to become king.

“All troops, prepare for battle!”

10,000 Pugu cavalry raised their spears and lined up neatly, ready to confront the Shatuo people.

On the grassland, Zhu Xia Jinzhong led 15,000 Shatuo cavalry and had already intercepted their target.

“Chieftain!” A cavalryman rushed over to report, “The enemy has only 10,000 troops, not 15,000!”

Zhu Xia Jinzhong squinted at the enemy army. He also felt it didn’t seem like 15,000 troops—it was clearly fewer. He smirked in contempt. Cui Qianyou said this was an army sent to rescue them, but he found that impossible. It couldn’t be that fast. At most, it was an army sent to demand more food, perfect for them to have a taste of victory.

He turned around and shouted loudly, “Brothers, do you see? Our prey has arrived! Let’s prove that the Shatuo warriors’ swords are sharper than those of the Tongluo people! Han’erdu Bali will become Shatuo territory!”

“Han’erdu Bali!”

“Han’erdu Bali!”

The Shatuo cavalry were filled with enthusiasm, each longing for this fertile land beneath their feet.

“Kill them!”

“Fight!”

The Shatuo cavalry charged forward. The sound of galloping horses suddenly filled the grasslands as they rushed at the Uyghur cavalry. Fifteen thousand cavalrymen surged forward like an unstoppable force, as mighty as an avalanche or tsunami. Zhu Xia Jinzhong fought with all his might to seize this land, for it was crucial to the future prosperity of his people. Waving his battle axe and shouting fiercely, he cried, “Charge! Make the Uyghurs crawl at our feet!”
Pugu Yao also gave the order to attack, shouting loudly, “Brothers of the Pugu tribe, we must survive!”
“Survive!”
Fifteen thousand Pugu cavalrymen roared in anger, spurring their horses into battle. Endless herds of warhorses raced across the grasslands, with battle flags fluttering and spears standing like forests.
The two cavalry forces were like two black waves rushing from north and south, getting closer and closer, until they finally collided in a fierce, life-and-death struggle…
…
Cui Qianyou led an allied force of forty thousand from thirty li away. He wasn’t in the least anxious. Scouts brought him updates, allowing him to understand the whole situation. It was a Pugu cavalry unit that had also come to launch a surprise attack on Han E’er Ba Li, but they had arrived too late.
The enemy was cunning—thirty thousand cavalrymen using fifteen thousand to lure them in. That was exactly what he wanted. He glanced at Abus and, seeing no expression on his face, asked with a smile, “General Abus, do you and your men think I’ve gone too far?”
Abus shook his head. “My men only follow my thoughts; they have none of their own.”
“And what are your thoughts? I’m very curious.”
Abus smiled faintly. “Those who fail to recognize the times deserve their fate.”
Cui Qianyou laughed heartily. “Tonglu is lucky to have a leader like you. I also wish Tonglu can establish its own state soon to guard the western borders for the Tang Dynasty!”
“No!” Abus shook his head. “Tonglu won’t guard the Tang Dynasty’s borders. We will stay far away from the Tang gates and serve as a beacon for them.”
Cui Qianyou’s smile vanished. He nodded gently and said in a rarely sincere tone, “General Abus, you’re even more sober-minded than I am!”
At that moment, scouts rushed in from afar and reported loudly, “Reporting to the commander! The Shatuo army has been attacked from both flanks by the enemy and has suffered a crushing defeat. Over 70% of them are dead or wounded, and General Zhu Xia has also died in battle!”
Cui Qianyou sighed softly. He immediately ordered, “All troops, move out to rescue the Shatuo army!”
…

In mid-April of the third year of Qingping, the Shatuo people encountered the Puguh tribe’s army advancing from the north. Underestimating their opponents, 15,000 Shatuo soldiers were attacked from both flanks by 30,000 Puguh cavalry, suffering heavy casualties. By the time the allied forces arrived to rescue them, Puguh You had already led his victorious army away, leaving behind only corpses and wounded soldiers on the grasslands.