Chapter 225: Intensifying Preparations for War

The day after Li Qing’an returned to Beiting, Yang Zaicheng, the military envoy of Yiwu, sent word that the first batch of 15,000 soldiers from the Tianwei Army had arrived in Yizhou. The commander was Li Guangbi, the deputy commander of the Tianwei Army. Another batch of 15,000 soldiers was on its way, led by Puguh Huai’en, a Uyghur general.
The arrival of the Tianwei Army was undoubtedly good news for Li Qing’an, who was short of troops. He personally led people to welcome the first batch 100 miles away.
By February, the grasslands already felt the breath of spring. The ice and snow had melted, and the meltwater seeped into the soil, nurturing the seeds of life. Tender green sprouts had emerged from the withered winter grass, curiously exploring this new world. The vast grasslands were now tinged with a light green, changing with each passing day and brimming with vitality. In the blue sky filled with white clouds, countless eagles circled below, searching for rodents that had also begun to move around on the grasslands. Suddenly, a giant eagle spread its wings and flew over, its massive size causing other eagles to flee in panic. Several herders saw it from afar and exclaimed, “The Eagle King has arrived!”
The herders scattered to avoid it. The arrival of the Eagle King meant the arrival of the military governor-general.
Soon, the sound of horse hooves, like distant thunder, came from afar. Then, a group of small black dots appeared, growing closer—hundreds of cavalrymen, each riding two horses. Li Qing’an led the way, galloping across the endless grasslands, with another white warhorse closely following, its long mane flying in the wind. At that moment, a cavalryman came rushing toward him. Li Qing’an slowed down, and the cavalryman rode up to him, holding the reins and saying, “General, the Tianwei Army is 15 miles away.”
Li Qing’an immediately rode up a hill to look into the distance. The clear weather provided a clear view. In the distance, he faintly saw a black line. A smile finally appeared on Li Qing’an’s face. “They’ve finally arrived.”
For Geshu Han, transferring his elite Tianwei Army was extremely displeasing. He had considered replacing them with ordinary soldiers to send to Anxi, but after careful consideration, he gave up the idea. After all, the imperial supervisor was right there. If he angered the emperor over this matter, he would lose his positions as governor of Longyou and Hexi—not worth the risk. Yet he refused to let Li Qing’an get away unscathed.

Among the military forces in the border regions, there was an unwritten rule known as “borrowed troops never return,” meaning that troops lent out generally did not come back. The party borrowing the troops always had various reasons to keep them instead of returning them. For example, An Lushan borrowed 20,000 cavalry from Hedong last year to fight the Khitans and never returned them. Similarly, when Ge Shuhan dispatched troops from Shuofang and Hexi to attack Shibao City, aside from the Abu Si tribe, which consisted of Turkic people who were required to return, Ge Shuhan failed to return the rest of the troops from Shuofang and Hexi.

Thus, this elite Tianwei Army consisted of soldiers from Longyou, Hexi, and Shuofang, making it a highly complex force. The commanders of the Tianwei Army were generals Zhang Shouyu and Wang Nande, both of whom were his favorite officers. Naturally, Ge Shuhan would not give them to Li Qingan. Instead, he selected an intermediate officer named Li Guangbi, whom he did not like, from among the generals in Longyou, temporarily promoted him to deputy commander of the Tianwei Army, and ordered him to lead the army to Anxi to serve there. The second batch of Tianwei Army troops came from Shuofang, and Ge Shuhan assigned the Shuofang general Pugu Huaien to lead them to Anxi.

After nearly a month of travel, the Tianwei Army finally arrived in Tingzhou. Li Guangbi was extremely excited. Over the past two years, he had faced many hardships and felt depressed. After training troops in Yangzhou, he was transferred to Shuofang to serve under the deputy governor Guo Ziyi. Although he was appreciated by Guo Ziyi, the governor Zhang Qiqiu did not like him. Guo Ziyi tried several times to recommend him for rewards, but Zhang Qiqiu rejected them all. Last year, Zhang Qiqiu was transferred to Hedong, and his former superior An Sishun became the governor of Shuofang. However, An Sishun appreciated him so much that he wanted to marry his daughter to him. Li Guangbi declined, not only because of the unknown character of An Sishun’s daughter but also because he did not trust An Sishun and did not want to be bound by such a marriage. As a result, he offended An Sishun and was sent back to the imperial court, leaving him with no place to stay in Shuofang.

Last September, the imperial court sent him to serve in Longyou again. But because he had once been An Sishun’s favorite general, Ge Shuhan distrusted him and repeatedly questioned his character to the court, trying to have him recalled. After the court rejected his requests, Ge Shuhan kept him sidelined ever since. Now that he had been transferred to Anxi, Li Guangbi could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

His new superior, Li Qing’an, was someone he had dealt with during his training in Yangzhou, and their relationship was quite good. Hearing that Li Qing’an had come all the way from a hundred miles away to greet him filled him with an indescribable sense of emotion. As he gazed at the blue sky, the clouds piled up like mountains, and the vast grasslands, his excitement and anticipation remained unshaken for a long time. He felt a sense of belonging in Anxi. Recapturing Suiye and fighting against the Arabs—such was the way of a true man!

At that moment, a group of riders rushed towards them at lightning speed. Li Guangbi immediately ordered them to stop moving. He realized it must be Li Qing’an. He quickly spurred his horse to goyíng them. The cavalry arrived in no time. “Brother Guangbi, how have you been?” It was indeed Li Qing’an, the governor of Anxi. Overjoyed, Li Guangbi immediately dismounted, knelt down, and saluted militarily. “Your humble servant, Li Guangbi, pays his respects to the great general!”

Li Qing’an dismounted, stepped forward, helped him up, and patted his shoulder with a smile. “It’s been several years since we last met at the martial arts competition in the capital.”

Li Guangbi also smiled. “These past years, the great general has been very successful—something truly enviable!”

“What success? Last year, I spent several nights in the dungeon of the Dali Temple, almost losing my life.”

“That’s true. Life is full of ups and downs. I haven’t fared any better these past years. I’ve offended three governors in a row—truly unlucky.”

Li Qing’an patted his shoulder comfortingly. “As the saying goes, after extreme misfortune comes good fortune. Now that you’ve been transferred to Anxi, I believe you’ll be able to fully utilize your talents and achieve great things here!”

Touched, Li Guangbi clasped his fists and said sincerely, “I am willing to serve you wholeheartedly!”

At that moment, many generals of the Tianwei Army stepped forward to pay their respects to Li Qing’an. “Salute to the general! Salute to the governor!”

They had all fought together in the Battle of Shibao City. Meeting again in Beiting, Li Qing’an recognized many of them. He patted one’s shoulder and squeezed another’s arm, showing great familiarity.

“Luo Qingping, did your wife give birth to a son or a daughter?”

“Reporting to the governor, it’s a daughter.”

“Then you need to work harder. If you really can’t do it, I’ll help you.”

Everyone laughed. The bearded general named Luo Qingping chuckled loudly. Li Qing’an waved his hand and said to everyone, “Enough chatter. Now, let’s march into Beiting together. I’ll treat you to a welcome feast!”

He mounted his horse, looked at the mighty Tianwei Army, and loudly ordered, “The army sets off! Head to Beiting City to set up camp!”

The people were filled with excitement; they mounted their horses, and the 15,000-strong army set off in a grand procession toward Bactria.
……
In Bukhara, Abbas’s repeated betrayal enraged the Shiites. Shiite leader Jabir al-Shariq loudly called for a jihad against Abbas. Major cities in Transoxiana such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, and Nishapur erupted into large-scale armed uprisings against Abbas. The unrest quickly spread to Khorasan, growing in intensity. The Abbasid forces stationed in Transoxiana were unable to stop the uprising and suffered successive defeats. Abu Muslim, the governor of Khorasan, ordered his troops to brutally suppress the Shiite rebellion. He divided his forces into three groups: one led by general Dawud with 10,000 Khorasan troops to march on Nishapur, another led by general Ziyad with 10,000 elite troops to march on Samarkand, while he himself led 20,000 troops to Bukhara, al-Shariq’s stronghold.
Meanwhile, Abbas’s campaigns in the central regions had ended. Aside from the need to invade Egypt, he now had enough troops to send to assist Abu Muslim in suppressing the Shiite uprisings. Abbas ordered his brother Ja’far and his uncle Ali to lead 60,000 troops to reinforce Khorasan.
A vast army of Khorasan cavalry marched swiftly along the famous Road of Khorasan—a wide and flat road that was part of the Silk Road, leading all the way to Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty. Along the road, tens of thousands of soldiers stretched as far as the eye could see. Black banners fluttered in the wind, while heavy crossbows, ballistae, and battering rams were transported by camels, following behind the army. Abu Muslim stared coldly at the sides of the road. After suppressing the uprising for some time, the trees along the Road of Khorasan were covered with the bodies of hanged or slain Shiite rebels, swaying in the sandstorms.
“My lord governor, we have deployed all our troops to Transoxiana. I’m very worried about the situation in the east. Could the Tang army take advantage of this weakness?” General Ziyad asked anxiously.
Ziyad was Abu Muslim’s most trusted general, having achieved great success in the battles to overthrow the Umayyad dynasty. Last year, it was he who led 15,000 Abbasid troops, with the help of 20,000 troops from the Kingdom of Sogdiana and 10,000 troops from the Tocharian tribes, to capture Suyab, the Tang Dynasty’s base in Transoxiana. In that battle, he witnessed the ferocity of the Tang army—1,000 Tang soldiers were able to defeat 20,000 Sogdian troops and escape back to the Tang Dynasty. Now that all the Abbasid troops had been sent to Transoxiana to suppress the rebellion, the east was left unguarded. He feared that the Tang army might seize Suyab again.

Ziyad’s concerns did not resonate with the Muslim. He glanced at his subordinates, who only knew how to fight, and said indifferently, “In fact, I already mentioned in my report to the Caliph that the Shiite uprising was much smaller than expected. It would be sufficient for the troops of Khorasan to suppress it. But have you thought about why the Caliph still sent Ja’far and Old Ali with an army of 60,000 to assist in quelling the rebellion? What lies behind this?”

Ziyad was an excellent military commander but rather naive politically. He was stunned and did not understand how what the Muslim said was related to the Tang Dynasty sending troops. Seeing that he did not grasp it, the Muslim smiled and stopped explaining. In truth, his support for the Abbasids to replace the Ali descendants as Caliphs was the result of careful consideration. The Shiites were a single Islamic sect lacking tolerance; their rise to power would inevitably oppress other sects, leading to wars among them and hindering the establishment of a strong Islamic empire. The Abbasids, on the other hand, were secular forces uninvolved in religion, and their rise to power could ensure equal and tolerant treatment of all interests.

Moreover, the Shiites were mainly concentrated in Khorasan, and their growth would inevitably weaken Abu Muslim’s influence there. Therefore, he reached a secret agreement with the Abbasids: he would support them as Caliphs in exchange for their protection of his interests in Khorasan, including his sphere of influence in Transoxiana. However, the Abbasids’ fickleness and inconsistency also made the Muslim highly vigilant. This time, although the Abbasids had written assurances that the Khorasan troops could suppress the Shiite rebellion, they still sent his brother Ja’far and uncle Old Ali to assist. The implications of this were somewhat subtle, especially since Ja’far had already been designated by the Abbasids as the Caliph’s successor and was set to be officially named Mansur, while Old Ali was the fourth most important figure in the Abbasid dynasty. By sending these two to help, the true intentions of the Abbasids became clear.

Thus, in suppressing the Shiite uprising, he absolutely could not allow the Abbasids to get involved.

Thinking of this, the Muslim said to Qiyad, who still seemed reluctant, “There are 30,000 troops of the Dhumahi in Shuiliye. He considers himself the second to Sulu. If the Tang army hadn’t launched a massive attack, I think he could have held out for a few months. The Shiite rebellion isn’t as widespread as we imagined; I can quell it within at most four months. Once the rebellion is suppressed, we can turn our attention to the Tang army. The Tang army also needs time to prepare for an attack on Shuiliye, so there should be enough time. In Sindh, Ibrahim has over 10,000 troops stationed there, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The key is time. We must make every effort to suppress the rebellion in the most decisive manner, even if it means killing. General Qiyad, do you understand what I mean?”
“I understand, my lord!”
“Good! If you can suppress the rebellion in Samarkand within three months, I’ll have the caliph appoint you as the governor of Samarkand.”
……
While the Abbasid army was eager to suppress the rebellion in the River Region, Li Qing’an in Beiting also realized the urgency of time. He had received official news that various Sogdian states such as Kang, An, Shi, Xiaoshi, He, Dong’an, and Mi had all seen uprisings led by Shiite Sharikites, with hundreds of thousands of people participating. Many Sogdian states saw this uprising as an opportunity to break free from Abbasid control, so their armies also joined the rebellion. However, the general public did not respond as enthusiastically, especially Zoroastrians and Buddhists who were unwilling to fight for the Shiites and hid instead.
This intelligence made Li Qing’an realize that the uprising wouldn’t last long. He had a fleeting opportunity before him. Although he had promised Li Longji that he would capture Shuiliye within a year, Li Qing’an knew that once the Abbasid army entered Shuiliye, it would be extremely difficult for the Tang army, after a long march, to take it back. Only by capturing Shuiliye could the Tang Dynasty have a chance to develop in the River Region and use it as a base to advance further west. Thus, Shuiliye held crucial strategic significance for the overall situation.
For this reason, Li Qing’an didn’t have time to carefully arrange military and administrative affairs in Anxi, nor did he have time to consider the loyalty of the generals there. As the opportunity arose, recapturing Shuiliye became the top priority. On the day after returning to Beiting, he issued a war mobilization order. Under this order, all civilian supplies had to be at the disposal of the military. The Tang army mobilized 100,000 laborers. Car after car, camel after camel, along with food, cloth, liquor, weapons, and tents, a large amount of supplies were continuously sent westward to the Five Cities. At the same time, 20,000 troops from Beiting also began to move in large numbers toward the Five Cities. Additionally, 5,000 mercenaries each from the Geluo and Shatuo tribes also joined the Tang army in battle.

As part of the preparations to support the main forces in Beiting, Li Fei Yuanli, the commander of the Anxi troops, also led 6,000 Anxi soldiers toward Lingshan, ready to launch a counterattack from the south against Suiye.
…
That morning, Li Qingan got up before dawn. It was the day he would officially set out on his mission. He sat calmly in the main hall, with a cold sword before him. He slowly drew it out; the blade gleamed with a chilling light. Li Qingan gently stroked the blade, as if already hearing its ringing sound. At that moment, soft footsteps came from behind. Ru Shi knelt down, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and pressed her face against his back, tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks.
“Big brother, let me comb your hair one more time!”
Li Qingan sheathed the sword, removed his helmet, and let his long hair fall over his shoulders. Ru Shi gently combed his hair, her voice choked with emotion. “Big brother, when will you return from Suiye?”
“I don’t know either.”
There was a hint of melancholy in Li Qingan’s voice. “It could be a few months, or even a year. Perhaps our home will be in Suiye.”
He smiled and gently wiped the tears from Ru Shi’s face. “Would you like to settle in Suiye?”
“I would. As long as I can be with you, I like anywhere.”
Li Qingan put on his helmet, picked up the sword from the table, and took Ru Shi’s hand to stand up. “I should go now.”
“Big brother, take care on your journey!”
Li Qingan nodded and strode out of the hall. In the courtyard, his family members—Wuyi, Ru Hua, and Xiao Lian—were waiting for him.
“Li Lang!”
Wuyi called out softly, stepped forward, took out a jade Ruyi pendant, and hung it around his neck. Looking into his eyes, she said, “This is my talisman. It’s been with me since I was a child. It will ensure your safe return.”
Li Qingan nodded silently, placed the jade Ruyi close to his body, and said to her, “You too, take care of yourself!”
“I will. I’ll wait for your return.”
Li Qingan then said to everyone, “I’m leaving. Please wait for news of my victory!”
He stepped out of the mansion. Hundreds of guards were already on horseback, waiting for him. He mounted his horse, waved goodbye to his family, and spurred his horse forward. In the dim morning light, the hundreds of men rushed northward. He would join forces with the Beiting army and the Tianwei troops to march toward the Five Cities.
…
In February of the tenth year of the Tianbao era, the Beiting army advanced toward Suiye once again, and the second Suiye War was about to begin.