The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 191 Evacuation
To sum up Gao Xianzhi's words, it is possible to divert water to flood the city, but it will take a long time and cause great harm to the people of Shiguo.

However, Li Heng asked Gao Xianzhi to survey the Xieer River not because he really wanted to divert water to flood the city. He just wanted to know that this strategy was feasible.

Li Heng pondered for a moment and said, "News about the war in the southern part of the Western Region has arrived. I'm sure Assad and Bischofsteller should also know about it."

Gao Xianzhi said: "We have not cut off the enemy's connection with the southern part of the Western Region. Their news should arrive at the same time as ours."

Li Ying said, "I will go to Tuozhe City tomorrow. Do you think they will send troops?"

"I dare not make a definite statement." Gao Xianzhi answered honestly, paused, and then continued: "The Emperor Taizong used himself to lure the enemy in order to set an ambush. If Your Highness uses himself to lure the enemy again, there should be a purpose."

"To be honest, General Gao." Li Heng stood up and explained, "Shiguo was previously a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. They have been submissive to the Arabs for only four years. During these four years, the Arabs have oppressed Shiguo to the utmost. The trust between the two countries is not deep. If the Arabs had not had soldiers in Shiguo's city, Shiguo would have surrendered."

What Li Heng said was not pure speculation.

The Shi Kingdom surrendered to the Arabs in 738. Ten years had passed since Gao Xianzhi attacked the Shi Kingdom in history. However, even after ten years, when Gao Xianzhi's army arrived, the Shi Kingdom still chose to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, the reason why Shiguo surrendered to the Tang Dynasty was not only the oppression from the Arabs, but more importantly the military pressure from the Tang Dynasty.

However, this is enough to show that even if he was appointed as the Nostradamus by the Arabs, he would not really work wholeheartedly for the Arabs.

The reason why Bishite refused to submit to the Tang Dynasty was entirely because the Arabs had troops in the city.

If Li Heng were the emperor, his best strategy would be to withdraw his troops first, wait for two years, and when the civil unrest in the Arab Empire reached its climax, withdraw his troops and then send people to take over.

But Li Heng was not an emperor, he was a military governor, and a military governor required military merit, so he had to gnaw this bone off the hands of the Arabs.

So he chose the suboptimal strategy of dividing the enemy.

Li Heng continued, "I went to Tuozhe City today to further divide Asad and Bisitler. Bisitler knows our previous fighting style, so he will probably think that I went to Tuozhe City with preparations and must have ambushed troops in the rear. This is one reason. Second, if Bisitler really sent troops to kill me, it would be a blood feud with the Tang Dynasty, and this consequence is not something he can bear. Because of these two points, I predict that Bisitler will not send troops. If Bisitler does not send troops, and Asad knows later that we have no ambushes, he will definitely deepen his suspicion of Bisitler."

"I see." Gao Xianzhi previously thought that Li Heng took the risk to scout the enemy on a whim, but after listening to Li Heng's analysis, he realized that Li Heng had planned it all along.

Gao Xianzhi couldn't help but admire: "Your Highness is really brave and careful, I admire you!"

"General Gao, you are too kind." Li Heng smiled and continued, "Now Asad and Bishitet already know that we have divided our troops to the southern part of the Western Region. If they are united and courageous enough, they will attack our camp. If not, there will be internal strife. I will add fuel to the fire tomorrow. But just in case, General Feng will lead the troops to support, and General Gao will lead the troops to ambush."

"Yes." All the generals received the order in unison.

……

The next day.

Li Ying brought three thousand soldiers and horses and came to Tuozhe City again to make a speech.

"Great Khan Bisitler, I believe you have heard the war report from the southern part of the Western Region. Today, I will give you another piece of advice. If you go back on your word and don't open the city gate, I will attack the city. I am not afraid to tell you that I have many ways to attack the city, such as pouring the water of the Xieer River into Tuozhe City. I have not done so because I love the people of Shiguo and do not want to hurt them unless it is absolutely necessary. But if you persist in your mistake, you will harm the people of Shiguo!"

Li Heng directly stated the tactics, and the soldiers on both sides were stunned.

Li Heng continued, "Hasn't the oppression of Shiguo by the Arabs over the years been enough? As the king of Shiguo, do you really want to lead the people of Shiguo to die for those who oppress you?"

Li Heng shouted a long paragraph in one breath, and his throat was dry.

Li Siye handed Li Heng some water at the right time. Li Heng took a sip and said to Li Siye: "They don't seem to have any intention of sending troops."

Li Siye said: "Yes, there is no blood in it!"

Li Heng smiled when he heard this and looked at Bisztler and Assad on the city wall from afar.

Assad, who is usually irritable, was surprisingly not angry today. Instead, he remained silent and looked coldly at Nose Steller beside him.

Bischtler didn't pay attention to Assad, but responded to Li Heng's words seriously.

However, Li Heng didn't understand what Bischoffler said.

But Li Heng didn't care. Li Heng only cared that when an irritable person was no longer angry, it meant that he had made up his mind.

Li Heng asked Li Siye to go up and mock him, and ordered Strömler to open the city within seven days before he could return with his troops.

……

Tuozhe City, inside the Arab camp.

Assad was sitting in a handsome chair drinking wine. After a while, his deputy general Kab walked in.

Kabu said: "General, Bischofler is still unwilling to send troops. Should we send troops to attack the camp ourselves?"

"No need." Assad shook his head. "I have learned about the fighting style of the Tang Dynasty's Shou Wang in the past two days. He dared to camp outside the city, which means he does have the troops to fight us in the field. It's just that the troops he brought are not enough to attack the city. In other words, they are not enough to attack the city with a small number of sacrifices."

Kabu said: "Are we trapped here like this?"

Assad said: "Our central army suffered a crushing defeat. Abu Muslim gathered his remaining troops and fought back. The southern army was losing ground. Bisztler was also disloyal. If we rely on ourselves alone, this Tuozhe city will eventually fall."

"What should we do then?" asked Kabu.

Asad was silent for a while, then said, "There are rebellions all over the country. If we stay here for a few years, the situation in the country may have changed when we return. For the sake of the future of my brothers, I have decided to lead my troops back home."

Assad has already made up his mind that instead of being alone and fighting with the Tang army here, it would be better to return to his country and make it bigger and stronger while he still has the military power.

The White Caliphate is now full of contradictions, and the generals who are on the expedition are all big warlords.

Kabu fully agreed with Assad's strategy and said, "General, that's a good idea. When do we leave?"

Asad said, "Nishtler might betray us at any time. Without further delay, I decided to leave tonight, retreat to the northwest, and then take a detour back to the Arabs."

Kabu said: "If Bisztler is of the same mind as us, we still have the strength to fight. It's all because of this disloyal guy. Should we kill him first?"

"I want to kill him too!" Asad slammed the table and said, "But if we get entangled with him, he will open the city gate and let the Tang army in. I'm afraid we won't be able to escape unscathed. Let's spare his life for now, call the brothers together, rob the city and leave, and take as much as we can."

"Yes." Kabu took the order and stepped out.

(End of this chapter)