Chapter 852: Taking the Roads of ü-Tsang! (1/2)
Chapter 852: Taking the Roads of Ü-Tsang!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Wang Chong currently knew little about what his subordinates were thinking. The sudden battle between Gao Xianzhi and the Arabs had completely upset his plans, and he had far too many things to take care of, not just something as simple as the Wootz Steel.
Wang Chong turned his head and said, ”Cheng Sanyuan, what has Hulayeg said? Has the matter of the Fourth Prince still not been taken care of? I can't give him any more time on the warhorses. I need his reply soon.”
Hulayeg was at the court of the Western Turkic Khagan in Mount Sanmi, so Wang Chong had given the Fourth Prince over to Cheng Sanyuan to handle.
”Yes, Lord Marquis. Hulayeg has sent a letter saying that Ishbara Khagan had finished preparations, but there was a sudden incident. The Fourth Prince… we might not be able to hand him over according to the original proposal,” Cheng Sanyuan hesitantly said.
”Oh?”
Wang Chong's brow slightly creased, but then his eyes glimmered and he gave a derisive chuckle.
”Is it because of the Battle of Talas in the Western Regions?”
Cheng Sanyuan hesitated before lowering his head and giving the true answer. ”Yes!”
Qixi was currently in dire need of manpower, and Hulayeg's report that matters at Mount Sanmi were not proceeding smoothly was clearly ill news.
”Hmph, it seems like the Turks haven't gotten used to the fact that when you deal with me, you have to play by the rules. No matter how the Battle of Talas ends up, they won't get a single chance!”
Cavalry, cavalry… without horses, cavalry could only be infantry!
In the past, Wang Chong wouldn't have minded giving Hulayeg a little more time, but war was imminent. Wang Chong needed many soldiers, increasing the importance of the warhorses. Ishbara Khagan had clearly realized this, so he had changed his mind and chosen to drag out the proceedings.
”Cheng Sanyuan, I will give you three thousand Wushang Cavalry. Take them and some soldiers from the Qixi Protectorate army, and leave today for the Turkic steppe. Remember, follow the water. Where there's water, there will be horses, cows, sheep, and Turkic tribes. Livestock can't stray far from water sources. In the space of three days, I need you to sweep through all the nearby water sources, and in ten days, I need you to utterly vanquish all the Turkic soldiers in the west!”
Wang Chong's eyes were cold, exuding a terrifying killing intent.
In the Battle of Talas, the War God of the Western Regions, Gao Xianzhi, was in a poor situation, besieged by the Arabs. Wang Chong had already predicted that this battle would have an unfavorable effect on his discussions with Ishbara Khagan. There was a high chance that the Western Turks would start to grow hungry and feel that they had a chance.
What Wang Chong wanted to do was crush any opportunities the Turks believed themselves to have, and make them understand that even though there was a battle in the Western Regions, Wang Chong would continue to make Qixi an impregnable fortress.
”Yes, your subordinate will go!”
Cheng Sanyuan immediately took off. Everyone felt an intense pressure, with requests for reinforcements constantly coming in from Anxi. Gao Xianzhi was known as the lightning-strike general of the Western Regions, the undefeated general, and his army of thirty thousand elites had always ended battles quickly, with few lasting for very long.
Yet more than ten days had passed, and this illustrious Imperial Great General remained besieged at Talas. Even the slowest person, even someone who knew nothing about the Arabs, could tell that Gao Xianzhi was facing an unprecedentedly powerful opponent. Anxi was in dire need, and its hopes had been entrusted to them.
”Chen Bin!”
”Your subordinate is here!”
”Inform Zhao Jingdian that I only give twenty days. No matter the price, the road between the capital and Qixi must be completed. In addition, I give the task of constructing the cement road from Qixi to Anxi to you. Get in touch with Feng Changqing and get his full cooperation. I only give you twenty-five days to build this road. You can use all the manpower and resources in the City of Steel. If this road is not finished in twenty-five days, everything will be handled according to military law!”
”Yes, your subordinate will go!”
Chen Bin bowed, leaving without asking a single question.
……
Order after order was issued within the hall, setting all of Qixi and Wushang rumbling to life. Gradually, the number of people in the hall dwindled away, and in the end, only the white-clothed and graceful figure was left.
”What's wrong?”
Xu Qiqin lithely walked over, her voice gentle as she looked at Wang Chong's silent frown.
”Is there something that you can't solve?”
Xu Qiqin inspected Wang Chong's face. It was handsome, bright, yet suffused with a composure and maturity that few of his peers could ever hope to match. His straight and impressive brows that extended to his temples added even more to Wang Chong's charm. But at this moment, these brows were slightly creased so that they only made him seem more pitiable.
Wushang, Qixi, Anxi… Xu Qiqin knew just how massive was the pressure that weighed on his young shoulders. Everyone treated him as their backbone and believed that he could do everything, but they had completely forgotten that he was just a seventeen-year-old youth.
”It's nothing.” Wang Chong waved his hand, his brow still creased in contemplation. ”It's just that our soldiers are far from enough. The pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moon first, and the Arabian Empire is much closer to Talas than we are. Just my five thousand Wushang Cavalry alone are far from enough to alter the course of this battle.”
Ten thousand elite Mamelukes were also bolstered by other heavy cavalry. Given Wang Chong's understanding of the Arabs and the forces they had currently mobilized, the Arabs had at least two hundred thousand soldiers, a number that would only get larger. The soldiers of Qixi were far from enough. This was a problem that had vexed Wang Chong for some time.