Chapter 851: Inconceivable Countermeasure! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Unlike the war of the southwest, the Battle of Talas did not involve that many civilians, nor did it involve so many soldiers, but it would decide the owner of the Western Regions and the fate of the empire. And Wang Chong knew even more than Feng Changqing, knew that this war would have even greater effects.

The effect this war would have on the Central Plans and the Great Tang could not be replicated even by ten wars of the southwest. This was because this war did not decide just a single moment, but the rise and fall of an entire side, the destiny of the Central Plains. When a lion lost its claws, it would fall into its retiring twilight years, and when an empire lost its desire to proactively expand outward, it would transition from its youth to its old age. Its only concern would be internal struggles and discord, civil strife that no one could possibly imagine!

Wang Chong had seen that chaos with his own eyes, so no matter what, he could not permit the Great Tang to reach this stage!

Wang Chong was no less anxious to plunge into battle than Feng Changqing, but even the most anxious Wang Chong knew that now was not the time to send soldiers.

Both he and the Qixi Protectorate army were far from ready. If he carelessly began to march out without ample preparations, he would not only be of no help to Gao Xianzhi and the Anxi Protectorate army, but also end up sending the Wushang Cavalry and the Qixi Protectorate army to their deaths.

History had already changed. In his last life, Anxi Protector-General Gao Xianzhi had rapidly advanced his army but was just a little too late in occupying Talas. As a result, he was caught on the plains, where the Arab army attacked him again and again. In these incredibly unfavorable circumstances, he was defeated outside Talas.

But now, Gao Xianzhi had successfully occupied Talas with his preemptive attack, giving him the positional advantage. With Gao Xianzhi's strength as an Imperial Great General and his more than thirty thousand elites and tens of thousands of mercenaries, he could definitely contend against the Arab army outside the walls.

There was no doubting Gao Xianzhi's skill for command, and the thirty thousand Anxi elites were the strongest of the empire. Back then, even though he had lost the initiative and had the worse position, Gao Xianzhi had still managed to hold out for a month. Now that he had the fortifications of Talas on his side, it would be no problem for him to last two months.

This was the true reason Wang Chong had temporarily put off sending reinforcements.

”Yes! Lord Marquis!”

Xu Keyi immediately bowed and left to deliver the reply.

”Li Siye.”

Once Xu Keyi was gone, Wang Chong turned to the mountainous figure of Li Siye.

”This general is here!” Li Siye declared, stepping forward.

”What is the situation of the Wootz Steel? Were Ablonodan and Arloja informed to hurry the delivery? Has there been any news?” Wang Chong asked.

Wootz Steel was currently Wang Chong's greatest concern and most urgent problem. If everything went as expected, ten thousand Mamelukes of the Abbasid Caliphate would be waiting for him on the border. In the history that Wang Chong knew of, the Mamelukes were the undisputed kings of soldiers, the strongest force of cavalry in the era preceding the calamity.

Their equipment and fighting power were far greater than anyone could imagine. Practically from the moment they were born, they began training to be true war machines. Although the Wushang Cavalry were powerful, without Wootz Steel swords and Meteoric Metal armor, they were still far from their zenith.

The most powerful armies of the east and west had gathered at the battlefield of Talas, and the battle would be far crueler and more terrifying than anyone could expect.

Wang Chong would never permit the Wushang Cavalry he had worked so hard on to charge onto that battlefield before they were fully fledged so that they could meaninglessly bury themselves there.

”Lord Marquis, we have received news from Sindhu,” Li Siye loudly reported. ”Arloja and Ablonodan have replied that the High Priest has agreed, and the six thousand jun of Hyderabad ore has already been prepared for delivery. However, there is now a problem. With the war going on at Talas, the roads Sindhu usually use for transporting the ore have been cut, so they cannot send the Hyderabad ore along the normal routes.”

Buzz!

With Li Siye's words, everyone in the hall turned nervous. The Battle of Talas had completely disrupted their tempo, and they were all rushing to set things in motion. Each of them had their own task, like separate cogs in a machine.

They didn't know the details of Li Siye's own task, but all of them understood the importance of Wootz Steel.

Wang Chong frowned as he stepped down from his throne.

The Arabs and the Anxi Protectorate army were still in a stalemate at Talas, but their battle was already beginning to show its effects. The Sindhi High Priest was clearly greatly concerned over this unprecedented war and any untoward effects it would have on this transaction worth six million taels of gold.

Wang Chong's previous generosity was also beginning to show its effects. Currently, Wang Chong was undoubtedly the largest buyer of Hyderabad ore and was also the largest provider of aid to Sindhu, so the High Priest could not accept this loss.