Chapter 879: The Boundless Wonders

The Jida Fortress, which in later ages would belong to Uzbekistan, lies in what is now Jizzakh Region, a very important agricultural and industrial region of that country.

At this time, however, the greatest role the Jida Fortress played was as a shield protecting the city of Kangju (Samarkand), and its walls were exceptionally strong.

Therefore, after Abu Yusuf fled into the Jida Fortress, Bai Congxin, who had come in pursuit, was left with only one option: a frontal assault.

But with the current strength of Bai Congxin, Lu Zhen, and Lu Sanlang, even after winning a decisive victory, taking the Jida Fortress in a short time would be no easy matter.

For although they had won the battle, it was plain to see that the combined army of Bai Congxin and Lu Sanlang, whose core elite troops numbered only eight or nine thousand, could not actually defeat the Samanid Persians without the help of the Anxi army and the Jin Kingdom's provincial troops.

Even this time, had Hu Guang not led the Anxi army to their aid, the most Bai Congxin could have done was drive off the Persian army and make them lose tens of thousands of elite troops, yet he still could not have dealt a crippling blow to this great Transoxiana power with a population of more than four million.

Inside Bai Congxin's command tent, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy. In the great tent there were only Bai Congxin, Lu Sanlang, and Bai Congxin's cousin Bai Congyu.

In the silence, Bai Congyu was the first to lose his composure. He waved his hand bitterly and shouted with resentment:

"The Jin Kingdom's provincial troops and the Ningyuan Army number a full fifteen thousand, with hundreds of warships, well-equipped and waiting at ease. Not only did they fail to catch that stray dog Abu Yusuf, they even let him escape into the fortress with several thousand elite troops. I say that old scoundrel Zhang Zhong did it on purpose."

Bai Congxin narrowed his eyes slightly but did not stop his cousin Bai Congyu from voicing his grievances, because Bai Congxin's relationship with old Zhang Zhong had in fact never been very good.

Well, perhaps "not very good" was putting it too strongly, but it was certain that each of them harbored a grudge against the other.

The root of it lay in a grievance from more than twenty years earlier.

At that time, when old Zhang Zhong went to contact Bald-Tiger Ge Duo to come down from the mountain and jointly serve Zhang Zhao, the one who had kept in contact with old Zhang Zhong, cajoled him, and beat his chest guaranteeing that these Yellow-Head Uyghurs would swear loyalty to Zhang Zhao was not Ge Duo, but Bai Congxin, who at the time was Ge Duo's cousin within the five degrees of mourning and his right-hand man.

Back then in Qi Xiahu's mountain stronghold, had Ge Duo not been blinded by the enormous gains, and at the same time overcome by lust,

thinking to take the young widow Lady Cao Sanniang and become a son-in-law of the Cao family, thereby entering the circles of the Guiyi Army, the one Zhang Zhao would have killed should have been Bai Congxin.

Of course, Bai Congxin, with his clever mind, his considerable martial skill, and the several dozen fierce horse-bandits under his command, had avoided a direct confrontation with Zhang Zhao and even left behind a measure of goodwill.

And Zhang Zhao, alone and outnumbered at the time, had no ability to kill Bai Congxin and his several dozen fierce horse-bandits to the last man, so he pretended to mention Bai Xiaode at just the right moment, and then moved him with loyalty and righteousness, and the two sides turned hostility into friendship.

Afterward, Zhang Zhao, with great magnanimity, never again brought up Bai Congxin's past, and also used the horse-bandits under Bai Congxin, men like Ma Shacai, with full trust. Only then did Bai Congxin set his mind at ease and devote himself to assisting Zhang Zhao.

It was just that the grudge between Bai Congxin and Zhang Zhong had indeed never been resolved.

This was also the reason Bai Congxin had always made it clear that he did not seek high office and rich rewards at court, but wanted to go out and found a kingdom.

For one thing, the Bai clan of Kucha had suffered too terribly when the Tibetans carried them off to the Batang Plateau, and so the whole clan had always dreamed of returning to Kucha.

This wish was passed down from generation to generation, and one could say that restoring the Bai kingdom was carved into Bai Congxin's very soul.

For another, with Bai Congxin's shrewdness, he understood very well that the matter at Qi Xiahu's stronghold back then seemed a small thing, but at certain sensitive moments, that might not be the case.

This was the principle that some matters weigh less than three ounces when not put on the scale, but once put on the scale, a thousand catties cannot hold them.

So he gave himself a great banner of political correctness: upholding Sage Zhang's principle of "the Xia ruler civilizes the barbarians." In this way, going to Transoxiana to be a great king was far better than remaining in the Central Plains and perhaps meeting the fate of Han Xin or Peng Yue.

Bai Congyu was still fiercely venting his spleen at old Zhang Zhong, but Lu Sanlang, who had always been somewhat slow to read the situation, suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He quickly stopped Bai Congyu's complaints and said thoughtfully:

"This matter may not necessarily have anything to do with Zhang Zhong. I think it has more to do with the Jin Kingdom's crown prince, Li Congde.

Because if the Sage did not want us to attack the Samanid Persians, he could simply issue an edict. Who among us would dare disobey?

Only that fellow Li Congde, afraid that once we enter Kangju City (Samarkand) we will seize his Jin Kingdom, would let the enemy chieftain Abu Yusuf escape."

Bai Congxin had also come around by now. Whether or not what Lu Sanlang said was correct, it had to be correct. Behind Zhang Zhong was the Emperor, and too much resentment would not do. So he immediately seized on Lu Sanlang's words and said:

"Right, it was that Li Congde who spoiled things. Two years ago, the Sage transferred fifteen hundred Tibetan fubing troops from the Batang Plateau to us, and he intercepted them too. This account, I, Bai Congxin, will certainly settle with him."

While Bai Congxin and the others were grumbling, Hu Guang, Zhang Zhong, Li Congde, and the rest were also in conference. Even Guo Zhou'er had a small brocade stool and sat beside them.

Hu Guang no longer disliked Guo Zhou'er as much as before; instead, he now valued her highly, because Guo Zhou'er's return to Transoxiana was to his benefit.

The reason, of course, was that the next King of Suyab had already been decided: it was the adopted son of Lady of Bright Deportment Guo Wan'er, the biological son of Lady of Fair Countenance Sa Feiye, the Emperor's fifth son, Zhang Xianxi.

And Zhang Xianxi was already the son-in-law Hu Guang had settled upon. Hu Guang had no son, only one daughter, so such a son-in-law was no different from a son.

"My lords, this humble woman has no place to speak among you, but bearing the trust of Lady Guo and Lady Sa, I must say a few words.

Although the Samanid Persians have embraced the Religion of Heaven, they are in fact a different race from the Arabs, and the enmity between them runs deep.

The reason they now follow the Religion of Heaven is that it benefits them: it unites them internally and draws in the fierce Turkic tribes to the north and east.

Therefore, should matters ever develop to the point where the Six Laws Sect would benefit them, conversion would not be impossible. After all, they have only believed for two hundred years or so.

But another thing requiring great attention is that although the Persians and Arabs have deep enmity, they still share certain customs, language, and culture, and under certain specific circumstances, they could come together.

For example, when faced with the crisis of our exterminating their race. Thus, at this point, it is better to go slow than to press hard. If we push them further, it may produce the opposite of the desired result.

Moreover, what I worry about now is not whether the Jida Fortress can be breached, nor how much strength the Samanid Persians still have.

It is that at this dangerous moment, the Samanid Persian nobles, sensing the threat of annihilation, may well turn to the Buyid family in Baghdad."

"Would they really do that? The Buyid family and the Samanid family have also been fighting each other endlessly," Li Congde asked with some doubt.

Guo Zhou'er smiled. "They certainly will, because if the Samanid Persian nobles turn to the Buyid family, it would only mean their tax rate rising from the current one-fifteenth to one-tenth. Hardship, yes, but they would keep their wealth and rank.

But if we enter Anxi City (Bukhara), they would have to convert in religion, and their property would shrink drastically.

What is more frightening is that in the future, when black-haired, black-eyed Zhou people like us become the mark of nobility, their descendants with strange hair and strange eyes will never again have a chance to rise.

Furthermore, although the Black-Robed Arabs have declined, they have not perished. Strictly speaking, the Samanid Persian state is not an independent country, but a vassal of the Black-Robed Arabs.

Legally, their family has always held the title of Samanid Emir under the Black-Robed Arabs, not King of the Samanid Persians.

So as long as the Buyid family can get the Caliph al-Muti in Baghdad to call upon the Samanid Persian nobles to obey orders, negotiate terms, and give them a way to step down gracefully, they will most likely comply."

Hu Guang narrowed his eyes. This was an important reason the Sage employed Guo Zhou'er.

She was born in Transoxiana and grew up in Transoxiana. Her ancestors for hundreds of years had all lived in Transoxiana. Only someone who grew up here could truly grasp the minds of the people here.

To put it in later terms, it was called sharing the same way of thinking.

"Who is the king of the Buyid family? Does he have the ability to seize this opportunity?" Hu Guang asked.

"He does!" Guo Zhou'er nodded firmly again. "The Buyid family is only in its second generation. The family's ruler, Adud al-Dawla, is a man of great talent and bold vision. He will certainly not miss this opportunity. Moreover—"

Guo Zhou'er paused for a moment before saying, "Adud al-Dawla is wildly ambitious. Although he has not abolished the Caliph of the Black-Robed Arabs, he has taken the Sassanid Persian kings' title of King of Kings and placed it upon his own head."

"What monstrous audacity! Truly the ambition of a wolf!" Zhang Zhong was instantly enraged. The Persian title of King of Kings had already been offered to the Great Tang by the last Sassanid king, Nishe, and his son, and now it had passed to our Sage Zhang.

By what law and by what strength does this Adud al-Dawla of the Buyid family dare to wear the crown of the King of Kings!

"What do you plan to do? Tell us!" The furious old Zhang Zhong made up his mind alone. He was prepared to send Guo Zhou'er into action.

Hu Guang and Li Congde would certainly not object; they would be glad to see it happen.

"Loyal Elder, Tiger Lord, and First Young Lord — if the three of you agree, I wish to recruit two thousand men from among the Persian prisoners of war, and then lead them to Anxi City as a force to back us up.

Emir Hamid has not yet died of illness. As long as I can obtain his consent, I can easily topple Prince Salah, who now holds power, and then send Salah and his trusted aide Abu Yusuf to meet their Allah.

As for how to steady people's hearts? Very simple!

I can make them think it over themselves: is it better to pay a little tribute to His Majesty the Great Emperor of the Great Zhou, twenty thousand li away?

Or is it better to be held in the grip of the Buyid family, barely a thousand li away? I trust that as long as they are not fools, they all know how to choose.

Even in the worst case, I can falsely claim that His Majesty the Emperor intends to make Princess Safiya's son king of Samanid Persia.

That way the nobles of Samanid Persia can also accept it. A prince with Samanid blood and an incomparably powerful backing as their king is far better than being dogs to the Buyid family."

"Haha!" Li Congde clapped his hands in delight. "In that case, I am at ease. Those people do not know our Emperor's resolve to make the Xia rulers and the barbarian people one, and think they can rest easy from now on.

When the Central Plains' golden age returns in a few years and the great army comes west, they will be nothing but fish and meat for us to carve up."

Li Congde was of course delighted, because Bai Congxin posed too great a threat to him.

This was an invincible commander who had fought north and south alongside the Emperor!

He did not know about governing a state, but Li Congde knew that in military matters, ten of him bound together could not match Bai Congxin. The Golden Kingdom's provincial troops had grown used to easy days, and their fighting strength was no match for Bai Congxin's elite armored soldiers.

If Bai Congxin truly conquered Samanid Persia before the Central Plains sent anyone over, then even if Li Congde could go to Kangju City to be king, the price would surely be so high as to be unacceptable.

In fact, apart from Li Congde, Hu Guang and old Zhang Zhong were both quite satisfied. The three men shared the same thought: they could not let Bai Congxin conquer Samanid Persia before the Emperor's second son, Zhang Xianyu, arrived in Transoxiana.

Well, in truth Bai Congxin probably could not conquer Samanid Persia either, but he did have the ability to smash Samanid Persia to pieces or drive it into the arms of the Arabs.

What a fine place it was! Now the three men — Hu, Zhang, and Li — already regarded Samanid Persia as their own territory. How could they bear to let Bai Congxin smash it to pieces?

"Good. Since you have it all planned out, then begin moving now!" Li Congde grew more and more excited, wishing Guo Zhou'er would set out to carry out the plan this very moment.

But Guo Zhou'er slowly shook her head. "First Young Lord, contain your impatience. We must still wait — wait until Lord Bai has lost all interest in attacking the Jeddah Fortress. Only then will it be time for me to set out for Anxi City."

The Jeddah Fortress — this fortress lay in the middle section of the Kangju Mountains at the tail end of the Tianshan range, built at a small gap in the middle of the mountains. Before the fortress, the Mi River (the Zeravshan River) wound its way past, serving as a natural moat.

To take such a fortress, even at a moment when the Persians were utterly terrified, would still require enormous supplies and manpower.

In particular, twenty years ago, Sage Zhang had once raided this city with elite troops, guided by Hamid's trusted men. Since then, Samanid Persia had placed even greater importance on this city's defenses. Compared to twenty years ago, the defense was more than twice as tight.

With a thunderous boom, the earth mound that Bai Congxin had conscripted laborers to pile up for the second time collapsed once more.

Bai Congxin was somewhat disheartened now. It seemed like the will of Heaven — two earth mounds had been piled up, and both had collapsed for various reasons.

"We can't keep fighting!" Lu Sanlang said, walking over with his face covered in dust.

"This time the lads all struck it rich. Spoils from over a hundred thousand Persians — the Anxi Army and the Golden Kingdom's provincial troops only picked out a few good things to take back, and left everything else untouched.

Iron armor, weapons, cloth and silk, warhorses, pack horses, cattle and sheep, camels, grain — piled up like mountains, boundless and endless. Just clearing the battlefield filled every sack and every mouth.

Nobody wants to gnaw on a hard bone like the Jeddah Fortress after striking it rich. If they died in battle, wouldn't it be too great a loss?"

At the end of his long grumble, Lu Sanlang summed it up: "Damn it, that pair of old and young foxes, Zhang Zhong and Hu Guang, did this on purpose — deliberately making our troops lose their will to fight."

Bai Congxin also slowly nodded. "We truly cannot keep fighting. This time, in order to draw Abu Yusuf north, we opened the blockade and let the Persian cavalry enter the heartland.

As a result, every fort and town in the heartland suffered losses. Many men had family members wounded or even killed. If we keep fighting, they will begin to harbor resentment."

"But I can't accept it! The Samanid Persians lost so badly this time, yet we still stop at the Jeddah Fortress." Lu Sanlang looked at the towering mountains in the distance and the Jeddah Fortress in their midst, utterly unwilling to accept it.

'Clop-clop! Clop-clop!' The sound of warhorses' hooves came from afar. A young scholar in riding clothes spurred his horse up to Bai Congxin. This man was Lu Duoxun, Hu Guang's trusted Secretary.

"Lord Hu bade me deliver this to Lord Bai." Lu Duoxun handed over a letter, and without waiting for Bai Congxin to say anything, immediately turned and mounted his horse again and left. This scheme was one he had proposed to Hu Guang, and Bai Congxin had no other choice.

Bai Congxin opened the envelope, not avoiding Lu Sanlang beside him. Inside was a single sheet of paper with a single line written on it: 'The crying baby gets the milk!'

Bai Congxin looked at it for a while, then suddenly grinned, seeming somewhat relieved and somewhat resigned.

"Withdraw the troops. We will send a memorial to the Sage, and go accuse Li Congde of withholding the Tibetan prefectural troops allocated to us, deliberately delaying the battle and letting the enemy chieftain Abu Yusuf escape.

That way, my great king, your grand duke title is secured — and perhaps a great reward besides."

Lu Sanlang was stunned for a moment, then muttered, "White Water City is yours, Lord Bai. As for me, I'll go be grand duke of Jand (Kroz O'dar)."

Lu Sanlang knew very well that if the Sage wanted to compensate Bai Congxin, he would certainly give White Water City to Bai Congxin.

And he himself, who had been temporarily residing in White Water City, would have no choice but to go rule the lands from Jand to the Leizhu Sea (the Aral Sea).

In this world, if the Sage is unwilling, no one can accomplish anything.

These past few days I've been busy running around arranging school matters for my cousin's child, and truly couldn't get away. My apologies.

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