Chapter 45: Tianfang (8)

After understanding the situation, Ashilandar felt greatly relieved.
Indeed, with the strength of the Tang Dynasty’s military and state power, it would surely not pay any attention to those few hostile tribes. If a war did break out, the 10,000 “jihadists” sent by the Abbasids to maintain appearances in Transoxiana would likely not even be enough to dent the Tang army’s forces! (Note 1) No matter how strong their will was, could the jihadists truly withstand the Tang army’s heavily armored cavalry? Could their will endure the devastating blows of the Tang army’s spearmen formations?
The only variable was the attitude of the governor of Khorasan. As long as Ashilandar could remember, the Khuzai tribe had actually controlled Khorasan, though nominally they recognized the Abbasid Caliphate as their suzerain. In reality, this family enjoyed complete independence in terms of military and political power.
However, since its establishment, the Umayyad dynasty had become increasingly oppressive, losing the support of the people. Rebellion after rebellion erupted across the empire’s territories. As the greatest enemy of the Umayyads, Abu Abbas skillfully exploited the anger of Persian peasants and Kharijite believers, causing constant turmoil for the Abbasid caliphs.
The ruling class in Khorasan also changed. Uprisings and resistances occurred in Nishapur, Nahavand, Isfahan—everywhere, angry peasants wielding hoes could be seen. The descendants of the Khuzai dynasty no longer received worship from Khorasan’s millions of subjects. The once-proud governor was driven out of Merv, replaced by a man named Abu Muslim, a black-robed devotee. (Note 2) It was said that this new governor was very close to Abbas, and some even claimed he was Abbas’s man sent to Khorasan. In any case, Abu Muslim would not openly support the Umayyads. For the Abbasids, the best outcome would be for the Khorasan governor to stay out of it. But even then, they had no energy to send troops to Transoxiana to confront the Tang army!
If the skin is gone, where can the hair come from? Clearly, the Abbasids were more concerned about the rebellions in Damascus at that time. If things went wrong and power changed hands, whose benefit would this vast territory serve?
It was truly lamentable that the once-mighty Abbasid Empire was on the verge of collapse!

Thinking of this, Ashilanda felt as though he was playing a high-stakes game with the Arabs. If he won, with his assistance to the Tang army in Anxi, he would surely receive generous rewards from the Tang emperor. Of course, these were not what concerned him most; what really mattered was the Tang Dynasty’s attitude toward him. As long as the Tang Dynasty was willing to support him behind the scenes, he, Ashilanda, would undoubtedly be the rightful king in this region.

If he lost, the worst outcome would be exile. Even then, he could take his wife and children to seek refuge with the Tang Dynasty. By then, even for the sake of his face, the Tian Khan would not turn him away!

In other words, this gamble was a sure thing for him—no loss possible. Rather than living a lifetime under surveillance like a puppet, it was better to take a risk and hope for the best.

After weighing the pros and cons, Ashilanda became even more determined. He whispered to his son Alvis, who was waiting by his side, “Go and deliver this handwritten message to that young man in white!”

“I hear your order and will act immediately!”

Alvis placed one hand on his shoulder, bowed to Ashilanda, and stepped back out of the room…

In a dilapidated inn in the southwest corner of Buhana, Li Kuo was discussing his next steps with his friends.

These past few days, the young man had stayed in the inn, waiting for news. He believed his words had convinced Ashilanda, and the reason for the lack of response was likely that Ashilanda didn’t want to reveal his stance too early, thus preserving his bargaining power.

He wasn’t too worried about Udir, the vegetable seller. Although he had infiltrated the palace under the pretense of delivering vegetables, he hadn’t caused any trouble. Ashilanda himself certainly wouldn’t spread word about his actions, so the Arabs wouldn’t know about it.

The only thing that worried the young man now was how long Ashilanda would endure. As the king of Buhana, Ashilanda’s situation was clearly difficult. The strong intervention of the Nizarite missionary Nasir had already stripped him of his power, and his influence over the people of Buhana was gradually fading. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that if this continued, within three years, Ashilanda would completely become a puppet of the Arabs.

But that didn’t mean he would immediately side with the Tang Dynasty.

Firstly, his solo entry into the palace that day had clearly raised Ashilanda’s suspicions. Although Ashilanda wouldn’t harm him for now, as long as he didn’t prove his strength enough, it would be impossible to fully convince this old fox.

Secondly, there was the factor of Zoroastrianism. Although so-called jihadis were insignificant in the face of the five thousand warriors of Bakhtria, Ashikanda still had to consider religious considerations. After years of careful effort, Zoroastrianism had clearly replaced Manichaeism as the most influential religion in Bakhtria. With the support of many believers, would he face widespread opposition if he rashly launched a rebellion? If the Tang forces in Anxi couldn’t take control of Khwarazm soon, Ashikanda would become an easy target for everyone! He was afraid—of course he was. The higher one climbs, the more things one has to worry about. It had to be said that Ashikanda was now in a dilemma. “Brother Kuo, do you think that Ashikanda will believe you? In my opinion, these barbarian kings are fickle; they’ll side with whoever has the stronger sword. Since the Arabs actually control Khwarazm now, how could he have the courage to join us in driving those Zoroastrians out of Bakhtria?” Zhang Yanji had never been optimistic about Li Kuo’s plans. Ashikanda was a cunning old fox; he wouldn’t take action unless he was sure of success. For Brother Kuo to enter the palace alone—wasn’t that a sign of weakness? If their nearly thousand men marched to the palace gates together, maybe that old fellow would change his mind! “Stop talking nonsense. The general surely has his own plans. As the old saying goes, one clever strategy can defeat an army of a thousand!” Dou Qing, seeing Zhang Yanji undermining their authority, immediately interjected. What did it matter if they were in the majority? Even if they were many, could they outnumber the guards of Bakhtria and the Zoroastrians? Trying to intimidate Ashikanda with force was the stupidest idea; extremes would lead to reversals. If they acted carelessly, they might even push the already hesitant Bakhrian king toward the Zoroastrians. “Then why hasn’t he sent any message after these few days? Even if he’s under tight surveillance by the Arabs, he should still be able to send a message, right?” Zhang Yanji glanced at Dou Qing and said, “If I were him, having reached this point, I’d rather die by hitting my head on a tofu block. As a ruler, if he can’t even make a decision decisively, no wonder he’s being beaten by the Arabs!” Zhou Wucui continued chewing on the seemingly endless roasted flatbread, casting a disdainful look at Zhang Yanji and saying, “Fools, nothing but fools! Can’t you use your brain a little? Ashikanda is a king; he naturally thinks more than some simpleton like you. If he received news from Brother Kuo and agreed right away, that would be when we should be cautious. The fact that he weighs pros and cons so carefully is actually reassuring.”

“Well, the smell of the baked naan here is indeed good. Do you want some?”
“Go, go, go!”
Zhang Yanji waved his hand impatiently and said, “No matter where we are, you fat idiot always manage to find something to say.”
“Wu Zui is telling the truth.”
Li Kuo paused for a moment before analyzing, “With our current forces, we’re far from posing a threat to Ashiland. If he wanted to use us to curry favor with the Arabs, he would have already taken action. The fact that he’s delayed shows that he’s at least interested!”
Unlike other soldiers from Shule, Li Kuo wasn’t worried that Ashiland might turn against them over this matter. With Khorasan in turmoil, it was still unclear whose side the new governor would side with. Although the Arabs had been in Transoxiana for a long time, they didn’t have many troops stationed there. If the Tang forces from Anxi rushed there quickly, it was doubtful whether those jihadists, fueled by their faith in Allah, could hold out even for a month.
The most crucial factor actually came from within the Arab world. According to some merchants who came from the west, Damascus had been captured by Abu Abbas’s army, and the once-mighty White Arabs had lost their kingdom. Although the merchants’ accounts varied, one thing was certain: the once-glorious holy city was now engulfed in war.
Perhaps Nasir deliberately blocked the news, or maybe the distance was too great, so he himself hadn’t received such information. In any case, Bakhna remained calm. As king, Ashiland must have heard about this. If deadly internal strife broke out among the Arabs at this time, those jihadists stationed in Transoxiana would be left isolated…
This news was the real key factor influencing Ashiland’s decisions, while all other factors had to take a backseat.
“Still, I advise our brothers not to slack off in their vigilance. After all, we’re on someone else’s territory.”
Li Kuo sighed and shook his head. “For now, I can only hope that news is true.”
Note 1: Jihadists: Armies sent by the Arabs to Transoxiana, composed of devout believers. They were fierce fighters due to their zeal.
Note 2: Abu Muslim: A key figure in the establishment of the Black Arabs’ state, later became the governor of Khorasan.
Mulu: The capital of the Khorasan region.