Chapter 44: Tianfang (7)

“It is up to you to believe or not. I fear no one knows better than you that Tang is the better fit for this land of blue waters and skies in Bakhlan!”
Ashilanda kept ruminating on these words Li Kuo had said before leaving, feeling increasingly displeased the more she thought about them.
Hmph! He was just a governor of a border town, yet he dared speak to her in such a tone. What did he think of himself? The Emperor of Tang was too cunning, trying to get something for nothing! Gao Xianzhi had remained holed up in the Four Garrison Cities of Anxi, showing no signs of planning military action against Khwarazm. As for the so-called reinforcements of brave warriors sent to Anxi, it seemed like nothing but empty promises. Who knew what their actual combat capabilities were, or when they would arrive? To regain control of Khwarazm required real battles—could these warriors withstand the onslaught of the Abbasid cavalry?
She had thought she would approach this secret alliance calmly, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. In the end, she simply threw the letter wrapped in the parchment away fiercely.
“Whoosh!”
The Emperor of Tang’s handwritten letter fluttered in the wind and landed on the Persian carpet adorned with rare birds and beasts. Ashilanda covered her face and closed her eyes in pain.
Why? Why was it so difficult for her to become a capable ruler? Why could the nations of Khwarazm only struggle between Tang and the Abbasids?
None of them truly wished for peace in Khwarazm; all the honors and privileges they offered were merely veils to conceal their greedy ambitions!
In terms of military prowess, he had led five thousand elite cavalry to subdue the Tohuan people before he turned thirty. In terms of governance, the people of Bakhlan led the happiest and most comfortable lives among all the nations of Khwarazm.
Even for the territories most favored by emperors, Ashilanda would not yield an inch! If measured precisely, the territory under Bakhlan’s rule could almost compare to that of the Great Wuan state during the Han Dynasty!
She was a capable ruler! She wasn’t a wastrel! She wasn’t a wastrel!
Ashilanda’s chest heaved violently, her breathing becoming increasingly rapid, like a bellows being pulled back and forth.
Those people were only slightly better off than her; they were born in nations with greater strength. Why did they dare to give her orders? Why did they treat her condescendingly?
Heavenly Khan? Ha! If he were truly a Heavenly Khan, why wouldn’t he dare to do anything after losing so much land to the Abbasids? He was just a coward, a complete coward!

After venting his anger, Ashilanda sat down heavily on the carpet. He was like a deflated balloon, utterly limp and devoid of any strength. Even if the Emperor of Tang was a coward, he still ruled over vast lands and had the means to be one. But what did Ashilanda have after fighting and striving his whole life? In the end, he was still just a tool used by others! Ashilanda smiled bitterly and shook his head; the fat on his chin trembled slightly from anger. “Your Majesty, don’t ruin your health with anger.” Princess Yihe, the Li family member, walked slowly into the hall, picked up the scattered letters, and bowed to Ashilanda. Ashilanda awkwardly waved his hand, signaling for Princess Yihe to sit beside him. Ever since the Arabs took control of this region, he had married the daughter of the governor of Khorasan to show goodwill to them. Although he still held deep feelings for Princess Yihe, he had to put those thoughts aside and spend his days with her. Perhaps in the eyes of the Arab nobles, he seemed happy and carefree, but only he knew he wasn’t happy at all! That Arab woman was nothing but a madwoman—she not only enjoyed exclusive favor but also wouldn’t let him leave the palace! She was clearly a pawn sent by the Arabs to spy on him, not his wife! With her, he couldn’t enjoy the glory befitting a king, nor could he experience the dignity a man should have! “You’ve come.” Ashilanda was quite obese, and after all that exertion, he was already weak. Seeing his wife walk over slowly, he smiled bitterly and said, “All these years… do you blame me?” Princess Yihe sat down beside him and replied calmly, “Where there is no hatred, there is love. If I say I hate Your Majesty, it’s because I love you too much. All these years, I’ve been hating, yet I’ve also been loving.” Ashilanda was stunned. “Because I love you too much… Wan’er, do you still love me?” He could hardly believe his ears. After betraying Princess Yihe for so many years and even spending time with the daughter of the governor of Khorasan in front of her, did she still love him? “I…” Ashilanda tried to say something to make amends, but Princess Yihe pressed her hands firmly over his lips. “Your Majesty needn’t say more. I’ve always known how kind you’ve been to me.” Princess Yihe smiled gently and smoothed out Ashilanda’s messy hair. “Why did Your Majesty get so angry?”

Princess Yihe handed the letter back to Alishanda and asked in a solemn voice. Coming from the imperial family of the Tang Dynasty, she possessed high moral standards and knew well what to do and what not to do. Since marrying Alishanda, whenever political matters arose, she would never express any opinion unless Alishanda asked her to.

It was a family tradition passed down from their ancestors that the harem should not interfere in politics.

“It’s all because of the Tang army’s advance into Hexiang!” Alishanda had no intention of hiding anything from his wife and sighed, “The Emperor of Tang sent a special envoy to Buhara, urging me to return to the Tang side as an insider for their army in Anxi.”

In his view, the biggest obstacle to this deal was the Tang people’s lack of sincerity. He couldn’t just throw all his resources into this gamble based on the words of the Tiankhan!

How could Princess Yihe not see Alishanda’s thoughts? She covered her mouth and laughed, “Is Your Majesty worried that the Tang Dynasty won’t give Buhara enough attention and support?”

Despite her husband appearing magnanimous in front of court officials and nobles, his thoughts were actually more narrow than a needle’s tip. Sometimes she really thought her husband was more suited to be the owner of a tailor shop than a ruler of a foreign land.

“Actually, just from this handwritten letter, we can see how much importance the Emperor of Tang attaches to you.” Princess Yihe unrolled the letter and pointed to the elegant handwriting. “To be honest, I rarely see the Emperor of Tang write edicts in person. Even for very urgent documents, they are usually drafted by the Secretariat clerks. The fact that the Emperor writes the edict himself surely shows his emphasis on you, right?”

As husband and wife, after just a few words, Princess Yihe resolved the doubts in Alishanda’s heart.

“Moreover, if the Emperor of Tang had no intention of reclaiming Hexiang, why go to such lengths as to send a secret envoy to Buhara to discuss cooperation with you? As I know, although the four garrisons in Anxi have limited troops, their fortresses are very strong. Even if the Arabs launched a full-scale attack, it would be difficult for them to take control of those garrisons. There’s no need for the Emperor of Tang to personally send a handwritten letter just to appease the tribes in Hexiang.”

Her words were indeed true. The Emperor of Tang was extremely ambitious. Whenever a foreign realm refused to submit to him, he would send an army to suppress it until it obeyed. This was true whether it was the Turks, Tibetans, or Arabs. Such an ambitious person would not lower his stance and write a handwritten letter unless he wanted to use Buhara’s help to regain Hexiang.

“Moreover, aligning with the Tang Dynasty is more advantageous for Your Majesty. It’s not because I am of Tang descent; from the moment I married you, I became yours.”
For women in the Tang Dynasty, once married, they were considered part of their husband’s family. Since Princess Yihe had married into Buhana, even if she still cared about the Tang Dynasty, she had to prioritize Buhana and her husband.
Princess Yihe sighed and analyzed, “As the saying goes, children raised by stepmothers are not well-liked. Although you show great respect for the Arabs now, you’re still not as favored as those countries like Shi and Kang that have directly embraced the Arabs. On the contrary, if you establish good relations with the Tang Dynasty from the start and help the Tang forces in Anxi regain control of Hezhong, wouldn’t it be natural for Buhana to become the leader among the tribes there? There’s no bond stronger than that between mother and child—which mother wouldn’t want to rely on her own child?”
Ashilanda didn’t expect his wife to compare complex political matters to such household issues. He opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say.
“But this opportunity is fleeting. If no one responds, I doubt the Tang emperor would dare to advance alone. After all, the four garrisons in Anxi are weak, and if the Arabs take advantage of that to invade, it would be a disaster. So, Your Majesty, make up your mind quickly!”
Princess Yihe’s analysis was logical and well-reasoned, all from her own perspective, leaving Ashilanda unable to remain unmoved.
Yet, making this decision wasn’t easy. Not to mention that the Arabs already had troops in Buhana, exerting some control over its army. Just that missionary Nasir was already a problem! If they couldn’t avoid the Arabs’ spies, not to mention forming a secret alliance with the Tang Dynasty, even a private conversation could cause chaos in Buhana!
“Your Majesty can first agree to the envoy to appease the Tang emperor. As for deploying troops, there’s no rush. Given the current state of the Tang forces in Anxi, they won’t be able to attack anytime soon, giving you plenty of time to plan!”
Princess Yihe circled a part of the letter and analyzed solemnly, “The Tang emperor, or rather the Tang forces in Anxi, just want a gesture from you—a reason for them to invade Hezhong. Even the Heavenly Khan can’t oppress foreign tribes without reason!”
Her last words enlightened Ashilanda.
Yes! How had he not thought of that?
Since ancient times, haven’t wars between countries always required a pretext? It turned out the Tang emperor wanted him to start a conflict!