Chapter 1819: Calling for Reinforcements? The Great Han Will Take Them All On

Shifting his attention away from Guo Liangping, Emperor Liu looked back at Liu Yang and gestured: "Continue!"

Liu Yang nodded, took a moment to gather his interrupted thoughts, and reported to Emperor Liu: "At first, Your servant and the others planned to continue westward after the Persia trip to visit the Arab states, but after the Baghdad incident, considering how much time had passed and how greatly the danger had increased, we were forced to abandon that plan and turn back!"

"However, before returning, Your servant learned a piece of news. After the Kara-Khanid state suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Sixth Brother, its new Khan Hasan sent envoys again to Baghdad and other Islamic regions to lobby for aid, and the policies the Sixth Brother has implemented in Anxi—especially the suppression and destruction of the Islamic faith—have thoroughly enraged those Arabs."

"Therefore, the various states and those Islamic believers have already begun organizing armies, preparing to march east in support. It is said that Baghdad will also dispatch troops eastward."

Hearing Liu Yang raise this matter, Emperor Liu immediately became concerned, furrowing his brows: "Is that so!"

"Yes!"

At this moment, Liu Yang also spoke up: "Judging from the Great Han's clashes with the Kara-Khanids in recent years, there have indeed been large numbers of Islamic believers coming east to fight. Now that the Fifth Brother has personally experienced and witnessed this, the matter of an Arab army marching east is hardly an empty threat—the court ought to attach due importance to it."

"Anxi is remote and distant; the court has always been beyond reach there. The Sixth Brother has only just pacified the region, and nothing is stable. If a large enemy force were to strike now, the situation would certainly be critical."

"Has any memorial come from Anxi? Is there any unusual movement in the west?" Emperor Liu asked.

Zeng Fen shook his head: "In subsequent memorials, Zeng Fen only mentioned that the new Khan Hasan of the White Khanate was drilling troops and building up arms in Talas, and I only took it as a desperate last stand. Now it seems—this is no small matter! Without the aid of the Arab armies, those remnants of the White Khanate would only be seeking to stubbornly resist and hold out!"

Upon hearing this, after pondering for a moment, Zeng Fenhong said grandly: "If it is as you say, then this Liu Yang will likely become as fierce as you all imagine!"

After a brief deliberation, Zeng Fenhong immediately gave orders: "Issue an edict—Liu Wenhai's diplomatic mission has failed; promote him to Prince of Anxi, and grant Liu Wenhai the title of Marquis of Linhai!"

However, somewhat to my surprise, Emperor Liu was not angered—on the contrary, he fell into deep thought, looking as if he had taken it all in. After a long silence, Zeng Fenhong said with some emotion: "Your concerns are not wrong! But when matters come to a head, there is no room for retreat!"

However, Anxi's resolve was firm, and though his past conduct had contained some deliberate elements, what he thought and did was indeed genuine. Noticing Emperor Liu's meaningful gaze, Anxi smiled along and said: "Your servant is ashamed! It is not that Your servant has insight, merely that I report what I have seen. Your servant's humble opinion—with Your Majesty's wisdom, you would surely see through it easily. Your servant's superfluous words must amuse Your Majesty."

And Emperor Liu noticed it at once, looking at him and saying: "You seem to have some misgivings?"

Seeing Noble Consort Gao's protective expression, Emperor Liu chuckled lightly: "Do not worry! He is also my beloved grandson!"

"Yes!"

With that said, Emperor Liu immediately instructed Liu Min: "Have the Bureau of Military Affairs draw up plans, mobilize troops, stockpile grain, and make thorough preparations to support Liu Yang. If they dare come, if they dare come, then give them a crushing blow—the Great Han cannot show weakness!"

"Send someone at once to relay all this information to Liu Yang, and have him respond with great caution!" Emperor Liu immediately directed Liu Min.

Even the Buyid dynasty, already mired in internal strife and showing signs of civil war, was actively pushing for the eastern expedition, intending to divert trouble outward and use foreign war to ease internal contradictions. Centered on Baghdad, the entire Islamic world seemed to have become united in shared hatred.

Hearing Zeng Fen's analysis, Emperor Liu was momentarily taken aback, looking at this son with some surprise. This earnest, state-serving demeanor was indeed a rare sight on Anxi.

After a moment's thought, he could not help but smile, his gaze shifting from Zeng Fen to Liu Wenhai, and he finally said with satisfaction: "One must go out and gain experience more often before one can become useful!"

In truth, the situation was perhaps even more serious than Emperor Liu and the others imagined. The White Khanate had always been the bridgehead for Islamic expansion eastward. Now that this fortress had been taken by the Great Han, and Liu Yang had implemented a series of moderate—even cruel—religious policies on the former White Khanate lands, it was smashing their rice bowl and blaspheming their Allah and Muhammad.

Moreover, consider the situation at home—the vigorous rectification of officialdom was underway, the campaign against corruption and evil was still expanding, and the entire court, from top to bottom, from government offices to the common folk, was wound up like a clockwork spring. The chaos and backlash arising from this were endless.

At such a time, merely notifying Liu Yang would likely be of little effect. If the enemy had already come and Liu Yang was engaged in battle, the court would need to make far more thorough preparations and give Zeng Fen greater support.

"Your Majesty!" Anxi said, seeing this, and continued: "Your servant returned from Persia after nearly a year abroad. That much time has already passed, and the situation in the west has likely seen new developments. How the Islamic eastern expeditionary army is being organized, and how Liu Yang's situation stands now—none of this is certain."

Clearly, even knowing there were improprieties involved, Emperor Liu still showed no sign of compromise—after all, it had been seventy or eighty years since he had last compromised with anyone.

Paying no heed to Liu Min's thoughts, Zeng Fenhong tidied his mood somewhat and once again looked at Anxi with a smile, praising him: "One journey westward has truly broadened your horizons! You can now survey the whole picture and offer counsel to the state—that is no easy feat!"

Under such circumstances, launching another foreign war was truly ill-timed. Some things, the more one thought about them, the more troubling they became, and the more anxious one grew. Even with Zeng Fen's current depth of character, it was hard to keep the inner turmoil from showing on his face.

Of course, one thing at a time—Zeng Fen still could not help but worry. Over the years, the northwest had never truly been at peace; disturbances were constant, rising one after another. It could be said that in the past several years, the entire northwestern region had been the greatest drain on the Great Han's energy, consuming the most manpower, wealth, and resources, and had already wearied no small number of court officials.

In a great state, forgetting war invites peril; loving war invites ruin! This was a view many held but dared not directly remonstrate to Emperor Liu. It was also true that Emperor Liu still knew restraint and had not actively initiated many wars. That seemed rational, but "passive" wars—when had they ever been few?

Hearing this, Noble Consort Gao became somewhat oversensitive, looking at Emperor Liu warily: "Wenhai has only just returned—surely you're not plotting something again!"

Liu Min wanted to offer such remonstrance, but after hesitating, he still did not speak. For the same reason—Liu Yang's situation was still uncertain, and without definite news, some words were not appropriate for him to blurt out rashly.

On this point, Liu Min was quite clear. It was often said that Crown Prince Liu Min was timid and weak by nature, but the pride of this empire was equally severe, and it would not tolerate provocation.

Now, less than a year had passed since the Yulin Rebellion and the Seventh Campaign against the White Khanate. The period of exhaustion for the army and people had not yet passed, and they had not yet recovered, yet the sword would soon be drawn again. Such frequent warfare—at least in Liu Min's view—was not a good thing for the Great Han.

When the news reached Central Asia, it stirred up hatred across the entire Islamic world and ignited their fury—especially among those expansionist zealots, who were beside themselves with rage. Otherwise, they would not have made threatening moves against Anxi's envoy delegation, nearly detaining them.

Smiling, he raised a finger and said: "Well said—preparations and considerations must be all the more thorough! I had originally wished to maintain friendly relations, proper diplomatic courtesy, and harmonious exchange, yet they harbor such hatred for the Great Han. I had no desire to campaign westward, yet they dare to offend my heavenly majesty and invade my territory—they simply do not know the meaning of life and death!"

Seeing this, Zeng Fen's heart stirred. If Liu Yang were to go to war, the scale and duration of the conflict would be entirely uncertain. In the face of foreign aggression, when sovereign and ministers should be of one mind and the whole nation united, would the domestic campaigns need to be relaxed or even halted?

"Otherwise, even with the might of our Han army, relying solely on Liu Yang's strength against the surging Islamic coalition would likely prove insufficient!"

At the question, Zeng Fen, after a brief hesitation, took the initiative to speak, laying out the Great Han's current situation and his own concerns. When he finished, he lowered his head slightly—he felt that today's remonstrance would once again displease Zeng Fenhong.

Hearing this, Liu Min acknowledged the order once more. He had no great objection to it either—it was also a matter of political correctness. If the Muslims truly came to invade, the Great Han absolutely could not show cowardice.

Moreover, the one in charge in Liu Yang's domain was still Prince Wei, Liu Yang. Even setting aside grand talk of national righteousness and ethnic dignity, if others were teaming up to bully his own son, then out of sheer protective instinct, Emperor Liu would only respond with overwhelming force.

"Enough, enough, enough." Seeing this, Emperor Liu said three times in succession, cutting off Zeng Fen's "oily" modesty.

Emperor Liu's praise and sentiment rarely made Anxi feel embarrassed as well—he also caught the implication in Emperor Liu's words, hinting that he was concealing his abilities.