Chapter 358: The Scheme to Turn the Guest into the Host

"So that's your name, Xialuo?"

Inside the command tent of the Western Frontier Expeditionary Army's main camp outside Yezhi City, Fang Chongyong sat on a crude wooden stool, legs crossed, and asked the Tujishi Ten-surname Khan kneeling before him.

"Jiedushi, he isn't called Xialuo; his name is Yilidimi Shigu Duolu Bi Jia."

Feng Changqing leaned in and whispered.

"Of course I know he isn't Xialuo! But how on earth do you remember such a ridiculously long name so clearly?"

Fang Chongyong cursed inwardly; everyone under his command, even He Changqi, could now recite the Khan's name without error, but he himself could not.

"Um, you there, you've colluded with the black‑clad Great Arab and plotted against the Tang; your subordinates have already reported it. Here's a confession document—just stamp your hand on it."

"Don't entertain any hope of luck; it's fine even if you don't sign."

"Anyway, after we kill you, a drop of blood on your finger will complete the procedure. Rest assured, this envoy will tell the court you committed suicide out of guilt, which won't cause any trouble."

"Do you have anything else to say?"

"If you have nothing, that'll be that; this envoy has many other matters to attend to."

Fang Chongyong adopted a nonchalant pose, crossed his arms, and waited for the Tujishi Ten-surname Khan's reply.

"Angel… have mercy! Governor Hu Luoshan of the Great Arab only wrote me a letter, agreeing to jointly attack the Tang forces and cut off your rear."

"But I haven't agreed to them! I truly didn't collude with the Great Arab, nor act against the Tang!"

"Governor Hu Luoshan's letter to me isn't something I could control!"

The Khan knelt on the ground, pounding his head wildly, then fished a letter from his bosom and held it aloft above his head with both hands!

"If the crime never occurred, it isn't a crime."

"In some respects, the Khan is indeed rather wronged. One can judge deeds but not hearts; hearts are never good in this world. Since the Tujishi haven't yet done anything harmful to the Tang, it can't be called 'collusion' with the Great Arab."

"Of course, receiving the letter isn't your fault, but refusing to hand it over is."

Hearing this sly argument, Fang Chongyong and the Western Frontier generals present all muttered 'WTF' in their hearts.

"You really did collude with the Great Arab!"

All the generals present, regardless of rank, were shocked; they didn't expect this blind cat Fang Chongyong could actually catch a dead mouse.

They all knew Fang Chongyong's tricks were just a 'little white rabbit wearing a hat' game. In short, whether it's Fang Chongyong or the Tang soldiers under his command, they simply didn't care about the Khan's excuses.

"Anyway, innocent or not, he'll eventually be slapped with a charge and die without a proper burial."

"Since a decapitation is inevitable, why bother pondering the shape of the scar?"

"Ever since this Khan dared to detain Feng Changqing, it's become a deadlock that can't be untied."

"In Fang Chongyong's scheme, the leader of a certain Tujishi division will be transferred to become the next Tujishi Ten-surname Khan. Then, under the handling of this Tang Western Frontier Envoy, the transferred leader will lead his troops, together with the heads of other Tujishi tribes, to the north of the Suie River at the 'Turkic Sacred Mountain', where they will swear an oath to the heavens and complete the investiture ceremony."

"Once that step is done, the Tujishi's military forces will be temporarily incorporated into the Western Frontier Expeditionary Army's auxiliary troops, joining the fight against the black‑clad Great Arab. The new Ten-surname Khan will also have to prove his ability and loyalty through battle, solidifying his hard‑won position."

"As for the one currently in the command tent, who will remember him later? Dead is dead."

"Not a single ripple!"

"But unexpectedly, this clueless Khan actually did receive a letter from Governor Hu Luoshan of the black‑clad Great Arab."

"As everyone knows, framing someone is one thing; the person actually having a plot is another."

"The crucial link here must be clarified!"

"Fang Chongyong folded away his mocking grin and asked seriously, 'Now be honest—what else is there? If this envoy is satisfied, I may consider sparing your life.'"

"'Nothing else, truly nothing. Abu Musulin's agreement was only to let me, after the war starts, cut off the Tang army's supply route—nothing more. I really didn't agree.'"

"The Khan wept, tears and voice mingling, filled with deep remorse."

"Why didn't he hand this letter to the Western Frontier command immediately back then?"

"Why did he, out of guilty conscience, detain the Tang envoy in the first place?"

"One misstep becomes an eternal regret; how nice it would have been to stay calm then! Unfortunately there's no regret‑pill to swallow; past mistakes often cannot be remedied."

"Fang Chongyong opened the letter and found it filled with Great Arab script, like gibberish; he didn't recognize a single character and was instantly at a loss."

"Feng Changqing, seeing Fang's awkward expression, calmly suggested:"

"'Jiedushi, Suie Town has many monks versed in Arabian script; there are some in the temples of Yezhi City. I'll go find a knowledgeable person to come and advise you.'"

"'Hmm, very good, go.'"

"Fang Chongyong waved his hand, feigning indifference, though he secretly breathed a sigh of relief."

"The command tent fell silent as the generals looked at the kneeling unlucky soul with ill intent."

"They knew this man must know the letter's contents and hold secret agreements that cannot be spoken publicly. Thus the Ten-surname Khan would rather scramble for a moment, keeping whatever he can hidden."

"Those shady matters, if spoken, would likely lead to a swift death."

"His heart deserves execution!"

"'You're being a bit dishonest, this envoy is angry now. I hope that letter won't disappoint me; when I'm in a bad mood, I'm especially hard to talk to.'"

"Fang Chongyong stepped forward, his eyes blazing as he stared at the Tujishi Ten-surname Khan; though he showed no overt threat, the opponent's back was already breaking into cold sweat."

"The Khan dared not meet Fang's gaze, turning his head aside while still clenching his teeth, refusing to speak."

"In less than half an hour, Feng Changqing fetched a monk whose dharma name was 'Yuanci'. Upon entering the command tent, he respectfully pressed his palms together and bowed to everyone."

"Obviously, this monk also knew who the real big brother was in the secular world."

"'Master, please help translate the Arabian script; just read it out here.'"

"Fang Chongyong handed Abu Musulin's letter to Monk Yuanci, saying."

"'Benefactor, please wait a moment; this humble monk will translate it now.'"

"Yuanci took the letter and, with ease, recognized the characters. After all, they were common Arabian vocabulary—a variant of Semitic script."

"Such script is now common in the Western Regions, a 'third foreign language' besides Chinese characters and Turkic script; many Western Region people can read Arabian script."

"'Tujishi Ten-surname Khan, I promise you the lands by the river. Once fulfilled, I will not break my word. To show sincerity, I'll give you five horsebags of gold; we'll be brothers. This battle only requires cutting off the Tang's rear supply, no need for you to face the enemy directly…'"

"The more Yuanci read, the more the kneeling Khan trembled violently."

Abu Muslin told the Ten Surname Khan in the letter that as long as he can defeat Great Tang, the Central River region—including the Stone Kingdom and Kang Kingdom—will be placed under the control of the Tuqi cavalry, and he will not take a single inch of land. Moreover, the Tuqi cavalry forces need not confront the Tang army directly; they only need to cut off its retreat.

In addition, a hundred beautiful women and tens of thousands of cattle and sheep are offered as gifts.

After the war, Abu Muslin will only collect the war expenses needed to levy the Great Dashi army in black robes; all other spoils and newly seized lands will be allocated by the Tuqi cavalry side.

If what the other side says is true, then Abu Muslin is indeed a living Lei Feng of the feudal era, never acting for himself but solely for others.

To defeat Great Tang, it can be called a selfless, unrewarded effort. Even the former incarnation of Fang Chongyong, who was constantly disgusted with England to support Amei's independence, and the ungrateful King Louis XVI, when they see Abu Muslin, would gladly bow down.

Honestly, the promises in this letter do stir Fang Chongyong's interest.

He also muses in his heart that Abu Muslin truly is a scheming hero, having poured blood money to win over allies.

At least, this blank check is written very openly.

After the war, the Tuqi cavalry and the Ten Surname Khan will certainly become flush with wealth for siding with him. Of course, that presumes Abu Muslin fulfills those promises.

"If I were Abu Muslin, I would first agree with you to jointly defeat Great Tang, drive the Tang army out west of Congling, and prevent the forces of Anxi and Beiting from crossing the Hot Sea.

Then I would find an excuse to break the pact, turn around and accuse you of boundless greed, refusing to give you a single piece of land. I would then turn back to make peace with Great Tang, claiming that the earlier clash was due to a momentary oversight, that I was misled by you, and thus inadvertently engaged the Tang forces.

Finally, the Great Dashi Kingdom would agree with Great Tang to jointly strike the Tuqi cavalry, split the Central River region, and drive you into the desert to eat sand, ending your humble and ignorant life.

In that case, you would become a complete, faithless traitor, meeting a tragic end and becoming a despised clown.

Even if you later produce this letter, no one will believe it; or rather, belief or disbelief no longer matters.

So I ask, is there a candle stuck in your head?

Someone could buy you off with merely the gold in a five‑horse bag? Do you truly believe Abu Muslin will keep his word?

Great Tang withdrawing from the Central River region—won't you be the next unlucky one? The gold he gave you will later be earned back from you a hundred or a thousand times over!

You idiot!

Fang Chongyong stared at the kneeling Ten Surname Khan with a look as if he were looking at a fool, and asked in disbelief.

There are always some self‑conceited people in the world who think they have everything under control and that everyone is part of their calculations.

The Ten Surname Khan is not the first, nor will he be the last.

The Tuqi cavalry has been suppressed by Great Tang for decades and is eager to recapture its former glory; that sentiment is understandable.

However, for a power to achieve great deeds, it must consider both the guiding role of its leader and objectively assess the driving influence of historical currents.

At a favorable wind, even a brick can be lifted, but that does not mean the brick itself possesses strong flight ability.

Under the pressure of the two massive powers, Great Tang and Great Dashi, the nomadic peoples of the Central River region can no longer maneuver as they did when the Western Turkic held dominance.

That is the great trend; it is no longer the era of the Western Turkic.

If you want to play diplomacy, you must first have the strength to sit at the table!

"Angel! I already know I was wrong! I will give you the gold from the five‑horse bag as atonement.

I will also firmly reject Abu Muslin on that side.

I was truly momentarily deluded and did not submit this letter to you.

But I would never dare to oppose Great Tang! Please spare me this time; I will never do it again!"

The Ten Surname Khan knelt on the ground, weeping and pleading, like a wounded beast howling a final lament, having abandoned all dignity.

Now, his mind holds only one thought: survival. To stay alive, he can abandon anything.

"All of you, step back for a moment."

Fang Chongyong looked around and said.

Upon hearing this, the generals and the monk with the dharma name 'Yuanci' filed out one after another, leaving only Fang Chongyong and the kneeling Ten Surname Khan inside the command tent.

"You've got one thing wrong: firmly rejecting Abu Muslin is unnecessary. This matter has other arrangements by the ambassador.

Write a letter to Abu Muslin right now, send someone to the Anxi Kingdom to deliver it to the Abu Muslin who is currently preparing his troops.

Tell him that the Tang army has passed through, causing a bit of friction, but they are unaware of your agreement with them and have not broken the face.

You have agreed to Abu Muslin's proposed pact to attack Tang, and you are willing to become brothers with him, never betraying the alliance; everything will proceed as previously agreed.

If this is handled, I will spare your life. After all, killing you means nothing and won't yield much meat, right?"

Fang Chongyong gently patted the Ten Surname Khan's shoulder, looking at him meaningfully.

"Thanks to the Angel for sparing me! I will write, I will write right now!"

The Ten Surname Khan trembled all over with excitement; he had already stepped a foot into the underworld, and now being able to preserve his life is the best thing possible!

"Remember to write in Turkic script."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but remind him, fearing that if the fellow wrote in Chinese characters, his true intentions would be exposed.

"Understood, understood; Angel, rest assured, I will handle it properly and meticulously."

The Ten Surname Khan cried and laughed, teetering on the brink of madness.

"Go write the letter, and bring it over later."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand broadly, sending the Ten Surname Khan away. After the latter was led away by Feng Changqing, he let out a long sigh, his expression no longer as relaxed as before.

The black‑robed Great Dashi is no simple foe; Abu Muslin is also a scheming hero, certainly not planning to conquer the Central River region by brute force alone.

Their diplomatic tactics are highly sophisticated, rallying one group with righteous ideals and another with wealth and land, while striving to isolate Great Tang.

Except for the rugged terrain of Turpan, looking west of Congling, all the nations are enemies or, covertly, what the black‑robed Great Dashi calls "neutral."

Among the Western Regions, some states like the Stone Kingdom openly resist, while others like the Kang Kingdom covertly collude with the black‑robed Great Dashi.

Could the Tang army possibly march through and slay everyone?

Gao Xianzhi's actions merely accelerated the black‑robed Great Dashi's advance. Even without Gao Xianzhi, the black‑robed Great Dashi would continuously erode the Central River region and eventually clash with Great Tang.

Stemming this momentum is the minimum strategic baseline for the current Anxi Expeditionary Force. Failure to do so would mean the campaign is a total defeat, regardless of any battlefield glory achieved.

……

Ye Zhi City, like Suiye City, is a "city without defenses." Its administration is minimal; commerce thrives but only through itinerant traders, not fixed shops. People come and go as temporary residents, which Fang Chongyong finds rather astonishing.

Only a few Tuqi cavalry guards remain in the city to maintain basic order and collect a bit of trade tax.

This is the essential route from Rehai to the river, a place where fish and dragons mingle, bustling yet carrying a certain disordered chaos.

Yezhi City is purely a place for trade! Here goods and information are exchanged, and many petty thieves and swindlers gather, while criminals and opportunists from all over come and go, making it hard to tell truth from falsehood.

Fang Chongyong changed into casual clothes, and under the protection of He Changqi and others, he came to a stall. The vendor was none other than Che Guangqian, disguised as a small Western Regions merchant!

"Any news from Shiguo?"

Fang Chongyong pretended to be a customer picking fruit, and casually asked Che Guangqian, who wore the typical desert full-length robe.

"Reporting to the Jiedushi, the Dashi people have already struck a deal with the King of Kangguo, preparing to secretly pass through Kangguo and attack Gao Xianzhi's forces from the west."

But for now it's still in the stage of drawing the bow without releasing. Gao Xianzhi hasn't done nothing—he ordered his troops to loot Shiguo's local grain stores, intending to devastate the countryside; Gao Xianzhi is no fool.

"That's all the news for now."

Che Guangqian pretended to haggle and spoke softly.

Shiguo's agriculture is relatively developed, the climate suitable; it produces wheat and millet locally and abundantly grows grapes and melons as cash crops. Gao Xianzhi would surely not leave Shiguo's grain for the Dashi people. Without grain, no matter how talented someone is, they can't accomplish anything.

The Western Regions are not like the Central Plains, where grain can be gathered everywhere. In the desert climate, only those scattered oases produce anything; without food, one can only wait until next year!

At the very least, that's how it works in theory.

"Gao Xianzhi underestimates the Dashi people; they have extensive experience dealing with desert climate, and can find ways to secure food and water."

"Go back to Shiguo again and closely monitor the situation there. The Dashi people are likely to use Shiguo as a bridgehead to continue expanding eastward."

Fang Chongyong gave a few instructions, then tossed down a small bag of golden beans, casually took a bunch of grapes from the stall, and walked away.

(End of chapter)