My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 401: A Signal to Smash a Cup?

Inside the audience chamber of the Caliphate in Baghdad, the aroma of incense and myrrh mingled with the smoke of North African cedar, swirling beneath the high vaulted ceiling.

Umar ibn Khatab, the second Caliph of the Arab Empire, was tapping his knuckles on the armrest of his ivory-inlaid cedar throne. At the foot of the gilded throne, the amber eyes of a cheetah specimen gleamed coldly in the candlelight.

Outside the palace, the sound of the Euphrates River seeped in through the carved marble windows, but it couldn't drown out the deathly silence inside.

“Say it again, Bahram.” Omar’s voice was like a sharpened Damascus steel blade, its roughness like rust as it cut through the air.

Kneeling before him was Bahram, the scout commander who had fought his way back from the front lines of Suyab. Blood was still seeping from the wound on his shoulder, soaking through his white robe stained with sand.

Bahram touched the ground with his forehead, his voice trembling like a candle flickering in the wind: "The great faithful commander, General Khalid... was captured alive by the Tang army in Suyab. Of the 20,000 troops... only 3,000 remnants retreated to the border of Talas. The Kingdom of Tashkent has sided with the Tang Dynasty, and their Sultan, Shi Fuyanchuo, is hanging the Tang army's wolf-head flag on the city wall."

"Believing Chief" is an Arabic title of respect for the Caliph, similar to the Tang Dynasty title "Your Majesty."

With a muffled thud, Omar abruptly overturned the agate incense burner beside him, spilling crimson ash onto the Persian carpet like a congealed bloodstain.

The thirty-odd civil and military officials in the hall bowed their heads simultaneously, barely breathing. The vizier, Walid, standing to the right of the throne, his white beard trembling slightly in the candlelight, gestured for his attendants behind him to collect the fallen documents—the parchment scrolls containing reports of the Arab cavalry's sweeping conquest of the Sasanian Empire in Persia.

"Disgrace!" Omar suddenly stood up.

"Since the Prophet Muhammad led us out of the Mecca desert, has the Arab scimitar ever bowed its head to infidels? The Romans were routed on the banks of the Yarmouk River, and the King of Kings of Persia raised a white flag on the towers of Ctesiphon. Now, a group of Tang people who occupy the edge of the eastern desert dare to capture our 'Sword of Allah,' Khalid?"

His gaze swept across the assembled officials like a hawk's, finally settling on Walid: "My prime minister, you once said that the Tang Dynasty was different from Persia, that their army was like an iron wall in the desert. Now that the iron wall has crushed our spearheads, what else do you have to say?"

Walid bowed and said, “Lord of the believers, the Lord’s way is always as winding as the Euphrates, but His revelation will never deceive the believers.”

After a pause, Walid's voice was as steady as the undercurrent of the Tigris River: "The defeat at Suyab was not a fault of our own."

"General Khalid has penetrated deep into the heart of the Western Regions, where the Tang army is rested and ready, and the Kingdom of Tashkent has defected, cutting off their retreat. More importantly, the Tang's Mo Dao (陌刀) warriors and Flying Cavalry are far superior in armor and weaponry, and their battle formations are more coordinated than any enemy we have encountered before. I believe it is advisable to temporarily cease hostilities—"

Omar's roar interrupted him: "Cease fire!"

"Let those infidels laugh as they trample our banners? Let the traitors of Stone Kingdom flaunt their betrayal atop the walls of Talas? Walid, you're old, your beard has been softened by the incense of Baghdad!"

The Arab Empire was so powerful that it had never suffered a defeat on the battlefields of the Middle East since its rise.

As the second Caliph of the Arab Empire, Umar had his own ambitions.

Of course, he didn't think he could completely occupy the Tang Dynasty, after all, the ancient Eastern empire had an army that was no weaker than the Arab Empire.

But what he could not tolerate was that a single protectorate of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions had caused his invincible army to suffer a defeat.

This is a disgrace, a stain, and it must be washed away with blood.

If he gives up like this, wouldn't that mean he's afraid of the Tang Dynasty?

"Commander Xinshi is absolutely right!" A loud voice rang out from the ranks of military officers.

The speaker was Amr bin As, the commander of the Arab Empire who conquered the Mishir. At this moment, he was wearing a silver helmet decorated with ostrich feathers, and his armor was still covered with sand from the North African battlefield.

"Your Majesty, I request permission to fight! I am willing to lead an army of 50,000 to flatten the Suyab River, pile the heads of the Tang army into pyramids, and skin the Sultan of Tashkent and lay his skin on the steps of the Caliph's Palace!"

His cavalry commander, Said ibn Abivakas, immediately chimed in: "General Amur is right! Our cavalry have marched a hundred miles a day in the scorching desert, striking fear into the hearts of the Romans. Even if the Tang have their long-handled swords, can they withstand our sandstorm-like charge?"

"General Khalid was captured precisely because he was too cautious. If it were me, I could have charged in and out of the Tang army's ranks three times over!"

Walid looked at the group of warriors who were eager to fight, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

He turned to Omar, his voice lower: "Commander, once war breaks out, it will not end in a few months. The Great Tang has thousands of miles of fertile land in the Western Regions, and its Anxi Protectorate has 100,000 troops stationed there. Moreover, generals such as Guo Xiaoke and Li Xuance are brave and fierce."

"More importantly, how do we transport our provisions and replenish our warhorses from Mesopotamia to the Suyab River, which is separated by thousands of miles of yellow sand? The Persians' expedition to Greece failed because of the long supply line."

Amur chuckled, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the hilt of his scimitar: "Supplies?"

"We Arabs are the sons of the desert, and the provisions on the camel's back are like the dew on the sand dunes—inexhaustible!"

"As for warhorses, no matter how good the Tang army's Hexi horses are, can they compare to our purebred Arabian horses? Prime Minister Walid, you always like to use an abacus to calculate victory or defeat, but you forget that the Lord's victory is never based on numbers!"

Amr had fought in many places, but he had never experienced defeat.

Even the most powerful enemy will suffer a crushing defeat when facing his blade.

Not only in the Tang Dynasty, but also in the Arab Empire, civil and military officials were at odds.

"Enough!" Omar raised his hand to stop the argument that was about to erupt, his gaze falling on an old man who had remained silent in the corner of the hall.

That was Fadel ibn Salih, the minister in charge of intelligence, who was known as the "eyes and ears" of the Persian court. He had once infiltrated the Persian court to gather military intelligence, and now he was stroking his beard, deep in thought.

"Fadell, tell me, what is the true strength of the Tang Dynasty? Are their emperors really as valiant as the rumors suggest?"

The great distance causes many messages to become distorted.

Fadel stepped forward and unfolded the sheepskin map in his hand, on which the territory of the Tang Dynasty was marked in vermilion: "Commander, Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty, known as the 'Heavenly Khan,' whose Xuanjia Army once defeated an army of 100,000 with only 3,000 cavalry at Hulao Pass."

"Their military system allows farmers to become soldiers, and their equipment, such as the bright armor and swords, are made of fine iron. They also have siege weapons such as crossbows and catapults. Guo Xiaoke, who defeated Khalid this time, was the commander-in-chief who conquered Gaochang Kingdom back then and was well-versed in the geography of the Western Regions."

After a pause, Fadel said gravely, "What we need to be even more careful about is that the Tang Dynasty has formed the 'Heavenly Khan Alliance' with the surrounding countries, and the Kingdom of Tashkent, Ferghana, and Kashgar are all willing to serve it. If we launch a large-scale attack, we may find ourselves surrounded by enemies."

The more information he knew about the Tang Dynasty, the more he was likely to become wary, but he could not say that the soldiers of the Arab Empire were inferior to those of the Tang Dynasty.

"Besieged on all sides?" Umar sneered. "Back then, we were outnumbered in the Battle of Uhoud, but God still enabled us to defeat the combined forces of Mecca, didn't He?"

"Fadell, when you gather intelligence, do you also gather too much fear?"

Seeing that Umar was determined, Walid stepped forward and said almost pleadingly, "My lord, it is not that I fear war, but that I am worried that the gains will outweigh the losses."

"After we conquered Persia, the tax system in Mesopotamia was not yet fully stable, and the infidels of Messiah were still secretly rebelling. If we divide our forces thousands of miles away at this time, the Romans may have an opportunity to take advantage of us."

"Why not send an envoy to the Tang Dynasty first, using General Khalid as leverage to test their bottom line, while simultaneously preparing for war and building up our military strength? Then, when we have sufficient provisions next year—"

However, before he could finish speaking, Omar interrupted him.

"messenger?"

Umar abruptly drew his golden scimitar from his waist, the blade flashing with a cold light, pointing it at Walid. "You want the Arab Caliph to send a peace envoy to the infidels?"

"Let them use Khalid's head to mock our weakness?"

“Walid, remember, the prophet taught us: ‘Whoever wrongs the believers, the believers shall repay with blood and tooth.’ The Kingdom of Shi betrayed us, so we shall slaughter its city; the Tang army captured our general, so we shall destroy its kingdom! This is not a choice, but a mission given to us by the Lord!”

After saying that, Umar turned to Amr: "You said you want to bring 50,000 soldiers? That's not enough! I want an army of 100,000, so that every grain of sand in the Euphrates River will become the footprint of a warrior!"

"You, Amurbenas, are hereby appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition. Immediately prepare provisions and weapons."

"Sayed, you will command the main cavalry force and must reach the border of Talas within three months."

"Fader, you are responsible for contacting the tribes in the Western Regions who are still loyal to us and having them create chaos behind the Tang army's lines."

"As for the Kingdom of Talas..." Umar's gaze turned cold: "We must flatten Talas, nail the family of Shi Fuyanchuo to the city walls, and let all those who betray the Arabs know that the price of betrayal is eternal damnation in hell!"

Walid was about to say something more when he saw Umar swiftly sheath his scimitar with a crisp clang: "This matter is settled, there is no need for further discussion! Anyone who speaks of a truce again is undermining the morale of the believers and is an enemy of the Lord!"

Upon seeing this, the courtiers in the palace all prostrated themselves and kowtowed, saying, "We are willing to obey the commands of our faithful commanders; the Lord is with us!"

Only Walid stood still, his white beard rippling slightly across his chest. He looked up at the star and crescent patterns inlaid on the vaulted ceiling and murmured, "Lord, guide your servant, lest anger cloud the eyes of reason..."

After the court session, Walid stopped Fadl in the palace corridor.

The evening breeze, carrying the dampness of the Euphrates River, made the copper bells on the colonnade jingle.

"Fadl!"

Walid lowered his voice: "You and I both know what it means for an army of 100,000 to march to the Western Regions. The supplies will have to pass through the deserts of Persia and Tokharistan, and the warhorses will have to cross the Pamir Plateau. Before we even engage in battle, we may lose more than half of them."

Fadel stroked his beard, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "Your Excellency, the Believer has been blinded by anger. He only remembers the glorious achievements of the Arab army, but has forgotten that the Prophet also assessed the situation outside Mecca and signed the Treaty of Hudjabiya."

Walid clenched his fist: "I have to stop him, but how?"

Fadel whispered, "We can delay, using the pretext of preparing provisions to slow down the troop deployment, while sending people deep into the Western Regions to gather more intelligence on the Tang army. Once the Caliph sees the true fighting strength of the Tang army, he may reconsider."

Walid nodded and patted Fadl on the shoulder: "Okay, let's do it that way."
-
Tang Dynasty, Chang'an City.

The Altar of Agriculture.

The history of the Temple of Agriculture can be traced back to ancient times, and the tradition of worshipping the God of Agriculture and personally cultivating the land can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty.

At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the ceremony of personally plowing the fields was still held at the Altar of the God of Agriculture. After Li Shimin ascended the throne, he decided to restore the ancient system, build the Altar of the God of Agriculture, and set up the Imperial Field.

On the 30th day of the first month of the third year of the Zhenguan era, the Temple of Agriculture of the Tang Dynasty was completed and opened, and a grand ceremony of personally plowing the fields was held.

This time, the Crown Prince's three harvests of rice were naturally to be offered as sacrifices to Heaven at the Temple of Agriculture, in order to pray for Heaven's blessing for the longevity of the Tang Dynasty.

However, at this moment, the longevity of the nation is still unknown.

The three thousand soldiers of the Imperial Guard and the Right Golden Guard were on edge, the atmosphere was tense, and they stared at each other.

The officials were also very quiet, holding their breath, afraid of disturbing the Emperor and the Crown Prince on the platform.

Prince Li Tai of Wei and Prince Li Zhi of Jin also arrived.

They also brought some soldiers with them.

Originally, the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin were not allowed to bring people, but Li Shimin made an exception for them considering the situation of the Crown Prince.

There weren't many people; each of them brought two hundred personal guards.

Li Tai glanced at Li Zhi and smiled gently.

He didn't tell Zhinu that Li Ji had already betrayed the Crown Prince and defected to the enemy.

It's good that Zhinu is dead; it saves him from competing with him for the crown prince position.

Li Zhi was somewhat distracted. At this point in time, General Li Ji should have already set off to launch a surprise attack on the gunpowder workshop of the Daming Palace.

I just don’t know if it can be successful.

This made Li Zhi somewhat anxious and insecure, and naturally he couldn't pay attention to the Prince of Wei.

On the stage.

Li Shimin looked at the Crown Prince, who was limping up in front of him.

With a sigh, he called out, "Chengqian."

Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment and decided not to go against Li Shimin for the time being.

After all, this sacrificial ceremony was mainly held for him.

He immediately clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said, "Father Emperor."

Li Shimin felt a lump in his throat; he had so much to say, yet he didn't know where to begin.

After a moment of silence, he finally sighed and instructed the eunuch Zhang Anan: "Let's begin."

The Minister of Agriculture unfurled a yellow silk inscription, his voice piercing through the music: "On the nineteenth day of the second month of the twentieth year of Zhenguan, Your Majesty, I, Shimin, dare to proclaim to the God of Agriculture: 'You initiated the cultivation of crops, providing grain for our people… Now, the Crown Prince has successfully cultivated three harvests of rice, a blessing from Heaven. Your Majesty, I respectfully lead all officials in performing the ceremony of personally tilling the fields, praying for a long and prosperous reign and abundant harvests…'"

After the prayer was read, Li Shimin offered the wine three times, the wine flowing down the gourd in front of the altar and seeping into the yellow soil in front of the altar.

When Li Chengqian stepped forward, he stumbled half a step due to his leg injury, and the jade cup in his hand almost fell to the ground.

Immediately, the Imperial Guards pressed their swords down.

On the other side, the Right Jinwu Guard also looked tense, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

They waited for the prince to smash the cup as a signal before they charged into battle!

(End of this chapter)