Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 419 Formation of the Zhaowu Army

Li Zhi had already heard Wang Jishan's report and knew that Wang Jishan had turned Kang Na against him, so he spoke up to stop the singing and dancing.

"What does Vice Envoy Kang have to report?" he asked.

Kanna pointed at Ibn and said loudly, "Your Majesty, this man is not a citizen of my country, but an Arab. He has secretly bewitched our king and made him convert to the Arab religion!"

As soon as this statement came out, there was an uproar around him.

Many Tang officials, upon hearing this, suddenly realized why Kangguo had gone back on its word.

Ibn turned pale and wanted to say something in his defense, but he swallowed the words back.

Wang Jishan immediately stepped forward and asked, "Vice Envoy Kang, you say that Envoy Ibn is a Arab, do you have any evidence?"

“Proving it is easy.” Kang Na took out a small booklet from his pocket and said to Wang Jishan, “General, may I borrow your help?”

Swords were not allowed inside the main hall. Only after Wang Jishan asked Li Zhi for permission did he bring a sword in from outside the hall and hand it to Kang Na.

Kanna pierced the booklet with his knife, then looked at Ibn with a defiant expression and said, "Ibn, do you dare to do what I did and stab this book?"

Ibn was sweating profusely. Of course he dared not, because the pamphlet was the Quran, the sacred text of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Even in military battles, if the enemy takes out a Quran and holds it in front of their chest, the other side will not dare to attack again; it is more effective than armor!
Muba suddenly stood up and said angrily, "Well, so that's why you suddenly opposed paying taxes. It turns out your Kang Kingdom has already sided with the Abbasid Caliphate!"

The envoys from the other countries also jumped up and vehemently condemned Ibn.

They not only condemned Ibn from the perspective of the nation, but also because they were Zoroastrians and deeply abhorred the Abbasid Caliphate!

Li Zhi asked, "Vice Envoy Kang, is it true that your king also believes in the Abbasid Caliphate?"

Kanna exclaimed, “It is absolutely true, Your Majesty. Please consider this: if it were not so, why would the King appoint Ibn as Prime Minister, and why would he send him as Chief Envoy?”

Zhang Jianzhi said, "Your Majesty, Kangguo has been restored with the help of our dynasty, but now it has rebelled against Tang and surrendered to the Abbasid Caliphate. I believe we should send troops to punish them and not allow Abbasid Caliphs to become the king of Kangguo!"

Li Zhi looked at the envoys from the eight nations and asked, "What do you think?"

The group exchanged glances and said in unison, "We have no objections."

Muba stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, my Mu Kingdom is willing to pay taxes to the Great Tang, fulfilling its duty as a vassal state."

Seeing this, the other countries stepped forward and said, "We are also willing to pay taxes."

Li Zhi said with pleasure, "It is kind of you all to be so thoughtful. We can discuss this matter later. Today is a joyous occasion, so let the banquet continue."

Ibn was taken away by the Imperial Guards, and the cheerful atmosphere in the hall quickly returned.

The following day, Li Yifu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, personally visited the eight nations to discuss in detail the matter of the eight nations paying tribute to the Tang Dynasty.

After reaching an agreement with them, Li Yifu submitted a memorial to Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) and proposed that Emperor Gaozong bestow titles upon the various countries.

Following his advice, Li Zhi bestowed official titles upon important officials of the nine kingdoms. These were all honorary titles, without any real power, merely symbolic representations.

Those states that followed Kangguo's lead in changing their course received lower-ranking official positions.

In Kangguo, Kangna was also granted an official title, and he received the highest rank of honorary official, namely, Senior Light Cavalry Captain, a fourth-rank official.

Connor, however, had no time to feel happy.

His defection to Wang Jishan was a last resort, because the Tang Dynasty already knew about it, and there was no point in trying to hide it anymore.

Although he has now obtained an official position, his family in Kangguo is in danger.

On the third day after he received his title, he left Chang'an and hurriedly returned to Kang State, hoping to rescue his family as soon as possible.

Unbeknownst to him, Pei Xingjian had already received Li Zhi's order to attack Kang State and had led his army to Kang State without warning.

In order to take them by surprise, Pei Xingjian only brought three thousand cavalrymen and carefully selected the route, passing through Mu and Shi, arriving at An, and then entering Kang from An.

It was already late at night when Pei Xingjian led his army to a riverbank.

Pei Xingjian ordered his soldiers to rest by the river for an hour, and then, after midnight, launch a long-distance raid, heading straight for the capital of Kang.

The night was cool and clear, the moon was bright and clear, and Pei Xingjian walked to the riverbank.

In January, the river water was as cold as ice. Cui Zhibian stood by the water, rubbing his face with the water until it turned red, before he felt a little warmth.

Pei Xingjian came to his side and said with a smile, "Brother Cui didn't listen to my advice and insisted on coming along. Now you've finally learned your lesson, haven't you?"

Cui Zhibian glanced at him and said, "Brother Pei, you don't think of me as just a scholar, do you?"

Pei Xingjian said, "How could that be? It's just that the climate here is harsh, and even ordinary military officers would probably not be able to withstand it."

Cui Zhibian knew that he was still looking down on him, so he didn't argue and asked, "Why did you choose to rest here?"

Pei Xingjian gazed at the river and slowly asked, "Do you know the name of this river?"

Cui Zhibian shook his head.

Pei Xingjian said, "This river is called the Shan River. It was the place where the rebel army of Kang Kingdom was stationed back then. After I defeated the rebel army, I set off from the Shan River and headed straight for the capital of Kang Kingdom."

Cui Zhibian suddenly realized something.

Pei Xingjian chose this location because he was most familiar with the route to attack the capital from this place, which allowed him to march at night without fear of getting lost.

It must be said that Pei Xingjian considered everything very carefully.

But Choi Ji-byeon was a meticulous person, and he had to find a way to eliminate any destabilizing factors.

"Brother Pei, I've heard that the capital of Kang has 20,000 troops, while we only have 3,000 cavalry. Do you think you can win?"

Pei Xingjian said, "It doesn't matter how many soldiers we have. If we use our three thousand elite cavalry properly, we can destroy the entire Kangju Kingdom!"

Cui Zhibian continued, "I am not afraid of fighting in open battle, but this time we are going to attack cities and destroy countries. If the enemy defends the city, how can we break through the city with only cavalry?"

Pei Xingjian said, "Don't worry, I have my own way of entering the city."

More than an hour later, the army finished resting and, no longer hiding, charged towards the capital of Kang.

At 3:45 AM, as dawn broke, Pei Xingjian could already faintly see the capital of Kang State not far ahead, thanks to the first rays of light.

The capital of Kangguo was called Samojian, and it was the largest city among the nine Sogdian kingdoms in the Western Regions.

This is a commercial capital and a vital passage on the trade route to the Western Regions. The city is densely populated and lined with shops.

Early in the morning, before the city gates opened, many tents were already set up outside the gates; these were the tents of caravans that had missed the chance to enter the city.

A series of drumbeats rang out, and the city gates finally opened. The caravan quickly packed up their tents, lined up, and prepared to enter the city.

Unexpectedly, just as the city gate was halfway open, a small black dot came running from a distance. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a sprinting ostrich!

Ostriches are abundant in the Western Regions, and are sometimes used as a means of transportation, similar to camels, and sometimes raised as livestock for food.

In addition, ostriches, because of their swiftness and ability to run faster than horses, were also used as a means of communication in Kangguo.

When the Kang soldiers on the city wall saw the ostriches running towards them, they knew there was an emergency and quickly closed the city gates again.

Soon, the piercing sound of whistles, the beating of drums, and the billowing smoke from the city walls roused the sleeping Samad Jian people from their slumber.

The merchants below the city wall were also stunned and at a loss when someone shouted, "Look! What a huge cloud of dust!"

Everyone looked eastward, where the sun had already risen above the horizon, and in the sunlight, a plume of smoke and dust could be clearly seen rising into the sky.

These merchants, having traveled far and wide and possessing exceptional knowledge, immediately recognized that a large number of cavalry were galloping towards them.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "Where did these cavalry come from?"

"Could they be Arabs?"

"Bullshit! Do you think the Arabs would come from the east?"

"What are you asking? War is about to break out, run!"

In an instant, chaos erupted outside the city.

A group of slow-moving merchants even abandoned their worthless goods and hurriedly fled in two directions, north and south.

A quarter of an hour later, a cavalry unit in silver armor appeared, carrying a yellow flag with the Chinese character "Tang" on it.

The Kang soldiers on the city wall were dumbfounded. How could it be the Tang army? Could it be that the Arabs were about to attack and they had come to support them?
The soldiers of Kang Kingdom did not consider the Tang army to be the enemy, after all, it was the Tang army that helped them recapture this city.

Soon, the Tang army arrived at the city wall. A loud-voiced messenger rushed forward and shouted in Sogdian, "Open the city gates quickly! We are the Anxi army!" A Kangguo general on the city wall asked, "What brings the Tang army to my Kangguo?"

The messenger shouted, "Don't ask any more questions, open the city gates immediately, or you will be held responsible for the delay in military operations!"

The Kang general frowned. Just then, another general arrived at the city wall and demanded, "What's going on?"

The Kang general hurriedly said, "General Kang Bai, you've come at the right time! A Tang army has suddenly appeared below the city wall and ordered us to open the city gate. This humble general doesn't know what to do!"

Kang Bai peered down from the city wall and nodded, saying, "Judging by this formation, it is indeed the Tang army. No other country's army can imitate this. Open the gate quickly!"

The general asked in surprise, "But if we let them in without the king's order, won't we be punished?"

Kang Bai said coldly, "Even the king has to listen to them. If you anger them, they'll cut off your head. Do you think the king can protect you?"

The general felt a chill run down his spine and quickly gave the order for his soldiers to open the city gates.

Meanwhile, in the Kang Kingdom's palace, King Kang Human was fast asleep in bed when he heard that the Tang army had arrived. He cried out in alarm, "Stop them quickly! Don't let them into the city!"

The attendant was taken aback and said, "But they've already come in."

"What?" Kang Human shouted angrily, "Which bastard let them in?"

The attendant said, "It is General Kang Bai!"

Kang Human said urgently, "Pass on my order: have General Kang Lun lead the Imperial Guards to guard the palace and prevent the Tang army from entering! Also, send men to kill Kang Bai and his entire family! And Kang Na, he must have leaked secrets, damn it, send men to exterminate Kang Na's entire family!"

The attendants were stunned, wondering if the king had lost his mind.

"Hurry up and go!" Kang Human shouted sternly.

The attendant hurriedly agreed and left the room, but instead of conveying the order, he went to find the eldest prince, Kang Suo.

……

Pei Xingjian led three thousand Tang cavalrymen, who surged through the streets like a torrent and soon arrived outside the palace.

The Kangguo Imperial Guards were different from the city's garrison. Seeing the Tang army approaching, they immediately adopted a battle stance.

Pei Xingjian pulled on the reins, and the warhorse neighed, its front hooves flying as it came to a stop.

The Tang cavalry behind them also stopped in unison, their movements clean and swift, raising a cloud of dust.
Pei Xingjian raised his spear high, pointing it straight ahead, and shouted: "I am Pei Xingjian, the Protector-General of Anxi of the Great Tang Dynasty. I have been ordered by the Emperor to suppress Kang Human. Anyone who blocks my Tang army shall die!"

The Tang soldiers behind them shouted in unison, "Those who block our Tang army shall die!"

The Kang soldiers couldn't understand the Tang language, but when they heard the Tang people shouting in unison, they were filled with fear and involuntarily looked at their own general.

The general in charge of guarding the palace gates understood Tang language, and he was just as terrified as anyone else when facing the Tang cavalry.

But as a commander of the Imperial Guards, he did not forget his duty as a soldier, and braced himself to ask, "I wonder what crime my king has committed, and why the Tang Dynasty is launching this attack?"

Pei Xingjian did not answer his question; he was not there to argue. He immediately spurred his horse.

He was also riding a magnificent Liang horse, which, upon its master's signal, spurred its four hooves and galloped forward.

All the Tang soldiers were mounted and saddled, closely following Pei Xingjian in rows of five, with almost equal distance between each other.

The strength of the Tang Dynasty cavalry stemmed from the integration of the superb archery skills of nomadic peoples with the strong discipline of agricultural peoples.

At this moment, the Tang army charged forward in formation, overwhelming any enemy and creating terrifying pressure.

In a short time, the warhorse accelerated from a trot to a high speed, its hooves thundering.

To the soldiers of Kangguo, the Tang army appeared as a steel torrent, a forest of spears and a wall of swords, charging towards them!

Kangguo was originally a descendant of the Yuezhi, skilled in riding and archery. In this Western Region, it was considered a regional hegemon and was elected as the leader of the nine Zhaowu states.

Faced with the Tang army's charge, the soldiers, though fearful, did not retreat. They gripped their weapons, awaited orders, and prepared to fight the Tang army.

The commander was Gong Zhongqing, the garrison commander of Kang State. He knew that if he showed the slightest fear when facing such a powerful enemy, his soldiers would scatter.

So he gripped the reins in his left hand and the scimitar in his right, shouted, "Charge!" and charged towards Pei Xingjian.

Pei Xingjian held his lance at an angle, and when he got close to the Kang State general, he loosened the reins, held the lance with both hands, and thrust forward with a jab, knocking the Kang State general off his horse.

With the general of Kangguo killed, the remaining soldiers were terrified and scattered to the left and right like waves. Those who were a step too slow were stabbed to death by Pei Xingjian with a spear.

Pei Xingjian led his army into the palace. This was to intimidate the Western Regions, so he showed no mercy. Anyone who blocked the Tang army's path was to be killed without exception!

The Kang Kingdom's palace was in chaos, and Pei Xingjian dispatched several small teams to search for the whereabouts of the Kang Kingdom's king.

Suddenly, a man came running quickly with several followers. The leader was a young man who asked Pei Xingjian, "Protector Pei, why are you leading troops into the palace of my Kang King?"

Pei Xingjian recognized the man, reined in his horse, and said, "Prince Kang Suo, are you aware that your father is a follower of the Abbasid Caliphate?"

Kang Suo exclaimed in astonishment, "How is that possible?"

Pei Xingjian said, "If you don't believe me, wait until I capture Kang Human, and you'll see!"

Kang Su gritted her teeth and said, "Could Protector Pei give me a quarter of an hour? I will definitely bring my father here to hear your questions!"

Pei Xingjian was silent for a moment, then said, "I'll only give you a quarter of an hour!"

Kang Suo cupped his hands in greeting and quickly left with his men.

Cui Zhibian spurred his horse forward and asked, "Brother Pei, is this Kang Suo the new king you intend to support?"

Pei Xingjian said, "That's right. This person stayed in Chang'an for three years, and the queen is also a Tang woman. Letting him be the king should not cause any more problems."

In less than a quarter of an hour, Kang Suo dragged Kang Human over, and Kang Human kept shouting, "You unfilial son! You unfilial son!" and started punching and kicking Kang Suo.

Kang Suo did not retaliate, but grabbed his collar tightly and dragged him over. Kang Human was old and frail, and could not overpower his son.

When the two arrived in front of the Tang army, Pei Xingjian extended his lance, lifted Kang Human's chin, and shouted, "Kang Human, what else do you have to say?"

Blood was still dripping from the lance; its icy touch instantly calmed Kang Human down.

He stammered, "I...I'll leave the Abbasid Cult right now, please spare my life, Protector Pei!"

Pei Xingjian looked at Kang Suo and said, "Prince Kang, you have seen it too. It is not that our Great Tang is being unreasonable, but that we helped you restore your country from the Arabs, while your father colluded with the Arabs to try to deal with the Great Tang. This is a path to death!"

Kang Su knelt on the ground, weeping, and said, "On behalf of the Kang royal family, Kang Su begs forgiveness from Protector-General Pei and His Majesty!" Her forehead was pressed against the ground.

Pei Xingjian said, "I've taken your father with me. After you've dealt with the situation in the country, come to Suyab City again."

Kang Suo said, "Yes."

Pei Xingjian ordered his men to bring Kang Human along, and with a single command, the Tang army retreated completely.

After he left, Kang Suo slowly stood up, her face bearing a complex expression.

No sooner had the Tang army left than a white-haired Kang Kingdom general arrived with the royal guards. He was none other than Kang Lun, the great general of Kang Kingdom.

Kang Lun knelt on the ground, weeping, and said, "Your Highness, we are powerless to allow the King to be taken away by the Tang army. Please, Your Highness, immediately order the local troops to be summoned and the King to be recaptured!"

Kang Suo stared at him coldly, without saying a word.

At this moment, another Kang general arrived with an army, knelt down, and kowtowed, saying, "This humble general, Kang Bai, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

A smile finally appeared on Kang Suo's face as she went over and helped Kang Bai up.

"General Kang Bai, there's no need for such formalities. From this day forward, you are the Grand General of Kang Kingdom!"

Kang Bai exclaimed, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Kang Lun was taken aback, looked up, and his face turned extremely pale.

Half a month later, the turmoil in Kangguo was quelled.

Kang Na finally returned to Kang State. Thanks to the attendant, his family was spared, and he was appointed Prime Minister by Kang Sao.

The turmoil in Kangguo thus came to an end.

After this incident, the nine Sogdian states' awe of the Tang Dynasty deepened even further.

Pei Xingjian convened a meeting at the Anxi Protectorate, and all nine kings of the kingdoms attended in person.

After Pei Xingjian requested permission from Li Zhi, he combined the 5,000 soldiers sent by the nine kingdoms with 5,000 Turkic soldiers into one army, which he named the Zhaowu Army.

From then on, the Tang Dynasty's military strength in the Anxi Protectorate more than doubled!
(End of this chapter)