Chapter 358 Of the thirty-six kingdoms, only the Uyghurs refused to surrender.

The ancient city of Harabalgas, the capital of the Uyghurs.

With the outbreak of the Battle of Talas, the well-prepared Arab army launched a major eastward expedition, plunging the entire thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions into a state of high alert, where everyone was on edge and on high alert.

Furthermore, under the coercion and enticement of messengers sent by Turhong, the Abbasid Caliphate's general in the eastern expedition, more than half of the small states among the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions declared that they were breaking away from the vassal state and suzerain state relationship with the Tang Dynasty and turned to the Abbasid Caliphate, recognizing the Arab Empire as their suzerain state.

Subsequently, under the overwhelming force of the Arab Empire's army that was marching eastward, the remaining dozen or so kingdoms in the Western Regions that were still observing the situation also declared that they would recognize the Arab Empire as their new suzerain state and completely break away from the rule of the Tang Dynasty.

As a result, the once prosperous Silk Road, which flourished under the management of the Tang Dynasty, was interrupted to this day, and of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, only the Uyghur Khaganate is barely holding on alone.

The reason why Moyanchuo, the valiant Khan of the Uyghur Khanate, did not succumb to the Abbasid Caliphate's eastern expedition was because his daughter, Princess Bilge Yueqiluo, was an imperial concubine of the Tang Dynasty and was already pregnant. In a few months, she would give birth to a prince (princess) for Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

If so, then Empress Liu Shujun of the Tang Dynasty was unable to give birth to a prince for Emperor Zhaowu, then her grandson, Mo Yanchuo, would very likely become the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty in the future.

Wouldn't surrendering to the Abbasid Caliphate at this time bring shame upon his daughter and grandson?

The mighty Khan Moyanchuo could still distinguish between what was important and what was not.

Furthermore, the Uyghur Khaganate was the most powerful of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, with nearly 200,000 Uyghur troops stationed in various places, and it was also closer to the Anxi Protectorate (Northern Prefecture).

Despite the heavy losses suffered by Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi and Deputy Military Governor of Anxi Protectorate, in the Battle of Talas;

However, Mo Yanchuo knew that the Tang Dynasty was still strong and that Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an would not sit idly by after receiving the intelligence of the rebellion in the Western Regions, and would definitely send troops to reinforce it.

Mo Yanchuo was fully confident that with the 200,000-strong army of the Uyghur Khanate and the 150,000-strong Tang Anxi army in the Anxi Protectorate, he could hold off the Abbasid Caliphate's eastward expeditionary army until Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an raised troops to reinforce him.

Mo Yanchuo was still plotting in his heart, wanting to take advantage of this opportunity to resist the Arab Empire's eastward invasion to accumulate some merit for his daughter and his soon-to-be-born grandson in the Tang Dynasty court, and to build up capital for the future appointment of the crown prince!

At this critical juncture, it is even less likely that he would choose to surrender to the Arab Empire like the other thirty-five kingdoms of the Western Regions!

And that is indeed the case.

After the Arab Empire continuously increased its military presence in the Western Regions and used force to coerce 35 of the 36 kingdoms in the Western Regions, excluding the Uyghur Khanate, into submitting to the Abbasid Caliphate.

The two deputy military governors of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi and Marquis Huo Qubing of Champion, as well as Marquis Zuo Liangcai of Changxin, who was originally ordered to replace Lan Yu as deputy military governor of the Anxi Protectorate (Northern Prefecture), but ultimately had to give up due to the outbreak of the Battle of Talas, and Vice Minister of War Guo Dingfang, etc., immediately became restless.

Ultimately, after learning of Zuo Liangcai and others' intentions, Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi voluntarily resigned from his position as deputy military governor and personally led 10,000 elite troops to the Uyghur Khanate to assist them, all in order to defend the last vassal state of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.

At this very moment, Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi was stationed in the palace of the Uyghur Khanate, ready to coordinate the Uyghur Khanate's army with the Tang Dynasty's Anxi army to thwart the Arab Empire's plot to annex the Uyghur Khanate in one fell swoop.

Inside the main hall of the Uyghur royal palace, the valiant Khan Moyanchuo, the Marquis of Anxi of the Tang Dynasty Lan Yu, and a group of civil and military officials of the Uyghur Khanate were discussing matters.

"Report—"

"Your Majesty, an urgent military report has arrived from the scouts at the front!"

Suddenly, a Uyghur messenger in armor rushed into the palace hall, knelt down with a thud, and reported the military situation to the valiant Khan Moyanchuo on the throne.

"Turgun, the Grand General of the Arab Empire's Eastern Expedition, assembled an army of 500,000 and launched an attack on our Uyghur Khanate in four routes;"

"Black Tiger City, Khatun City, Meijian City, and Princess City are under emergency alert. The defending soldiers are requesting reinforcements!"

"What?"

Upon hearing this news, the mighty Khan of the Uyghur Khanate immediately stood up from his throne.

The Uyghur civil and military officials discussing matters in the royal palace were also in an uproar, all turning their heads to look.

Black Tiger, Khatun, Meijian, and Princess were four defensive cities surrounding the capital of the Uyghur Khanate, Harabalqas. If any one of these cities fell into enemy hands, the Arab army could advance unimpeded and reach the very gates of the Uyghur capital.

Turhong is ruthless enough; he doesn't move an army unless he has to, and when he does, he mobilizes an army of 500,000.

At present, the entire Uyghur Khanate only has a garrison of just over 200,000, including the more than 10,000 Tang Dynasty Anxi Army under the command of Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi.

Furthermore, the cities in the Western Regions are not like those in the Central Plains, with high walls that are easy to defend and difficult to attack, and are protected by moats.

Once the siege begins, it will be a life-or-death battle where the soldiers on both sides fight tooth and nail. With only 200,000 Uyghur soldiers, it will be difficult for them to hold out for long against the strong attack of 500,000 Arab troops.

I wonder when the Tang Dynasty's reinforcements will arrive in the Western Regions!

Almost instinctively, everyone in the hall, including the valiant Khan Moyanchuo of the Uyghur Khanate, focused their attention on Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi of the Tang Dynasty.

As a result, Lan Yu had to cough twice to cover up his embarrassing situation.

Finally, it was the valiant Khan Moyanchuo who spoke first: "My lord, the army of the Arab Empire has already reached the gates of our important Uyghur town;"

"You, my lord, are surely well aware of the defenses and military strength of my Uyghur Khanate. With our current strength and the fighting capacity of our army, I'm afraid we will be unable to withstand the onslaught of the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary force!"

"I don't know either—"

Then, Mo Yanchuo changed the subject and tentatively asked, "I wonder when the reinforcements from the Heavenly Khan Zhaowu Emperor will arrive in the Uyghur Khanate to lead our warriors in a fierce resistance and defeat the invading Arab Empire!"

Forehead--

Upon hearing this, Lan Yu's expression visibly froze, knowing that the reinforcements numbered only a thousand cavalry. However, he had no choice but to force a smile and reply, "Great Khan, the reinforcements of our Great Tang Dynasty have arrived at Shule City."

"Presumably, we will arrive in the Uyghur Khanate soon and join forces with the Uyghur Khanate's garrison to defend against the enemy!"

call--

Upon hearing that the Tang reinforcements would arrive soon, the valiant Khan of the Uyghur Khaganate, Moyanchuo, and the Uyghur civil and military officials present all breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves from the impending battle easing somewhat.

However, what they didn't know was that the Tang Dynasty's reinforcements numbered only a thousand cavalry. Even with the addition of the troops from the Anxi Protectorate, the total number of reinforcements that could come to the aid of the Uyghur Khanate would not exceed one hundred thousand!

To avoid affecting morale before the great battle, Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi, who knew the truth, did not tell the Uyghur ruler and his ministers present this news.

He had made up his mind that in the upcoming task of holding the city and waiting for reinforcements, he, Lan Yu, would personally lead his 10,000 Tang soldiers to guard the city of Harabalqas, the outer city of the Uyghur capital, which would be the most vulnerable to the attack of the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary army and had the largest number of troops.

At this moment, the mighty Khan Moyanchuo, seated on his throne, addressed the assembled ministers in the palace: "Gentlemen, have you all heard this? The reinforcements sent by the Heavenly Khan of the Great Tang Dynasty will soon arrive in my Uyghur Khanate."

"By then, the Arab Empire that was conquering the east will no longer be able to run rampant in the Western Regions!"

With that, Mo Yan suddenly stood up from his throne and beckoned everyone in the palace hall to gather around the battle simulation sand table. He continued, "Next, everyone will assign city defense tasks based on the actual situation!"

"Your Majesty, I believe—"

"Your Majesty, this humble general is willing to lead the troops—"

"......"

In a short time, the civil and military officials in the Uyghur royal palace pooled their wisdom and efforts, and began to propose targeted strategies for holding out and waiting for reinforcements based on the actual situation of the Uyghur Khanate.

After the Battle of Talas, when the Abbasid Caliphate launched a major eastward expedition and all the kingdoms of the Western Regions surrendered at the mere mention of it, the valiant Khan Moyanchuo of the Uyghur Khanate ordered that the people of the Uyghur Khanate be gathered in four large cities surrounding the capital city of Harabalqas.

Its purpose was to cope with the passive situation of the Arab Empire's heavy military pressure on the border, and to rely on the defensive fortifications of these large cities to concentrate the country's military forces to defend the cities and wait for reinforcements from the Tang Dynasty, so as to maximize the use of manpower, material resources and military forces and reduce the consumption in the war.

Soon, with the collective wisdom and efforts of the Uyghur civil and military officials, they analyzed the key points of the Arab Empire's attack and determined that the Princess City should be one of the four cities: Black Tiger, Khatun, Meijian, and Princess City!

Geographically, the Princess City is located to the west of the capital city of Harabalgas, and the straight-line distance between them is only a hundred miles or so, allowing cavalry to set off in the morning and arrive in the evening.

From a political perspective, Princess City was renamed because Princess Bhikkhu Yueqiluo, in order to seek peace, stability and prosperity for the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, took the initiative to go to the Han land to marry the then King of Jin, who is now the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Huai'an. It holds a very high position in the hearts of the people of the Western Regions.

Taking Princess City would be tantamount to directly destroying any trace of the Tang Dynasty's existence in the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, and would also greatly damage the morale of both the Tang Dynasty and the Uyghur Khanate.

Therefore, the civil and military officials of the Uyghur Khanate who participated in this military conference unanimously agreed that Princess City would be the main target of the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary force, while the three cities of Black Tiger, Khatun, and Meijian would be feints.

Currently, the Uyghur general Mawlani is stationed in Princess City. He is an old general who is over fifty years old, cautious but lacks decisiveness.

If he were used to guard Princess City during normal times, it would be fine.

However, now they are facing the overwhelming force of the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary army. In the face of such a tough and fierce battle, Mawlani's cautious but not decisive leadership style is proving somewhat inadequate.

A fierce and valiant general is needed to guard Princess City in order to boost the morale of the defending troops, buy time for the arrival of Tang reinforcements, and create an opportunity for the Uyghur Khanate to win this war against foreign invasion.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead troops to the Princess City to defend against foreign enemies!"

Suddenly, a young Uyghur general emerged from the crowd. He looked to be in his early twenties, full of vigor and vitality. He volunteered, saying, "General Mawlani is getting old, and the battle of Princess City is going to be a fierce and tough one. I request to lead the troops to Princess City and take over from General Mawlani!"

That young face revealed a willingness to die for one's country.

This young general also had another identity: he was the nephew of the valiant Khan of the Uyghur Khanate. His mother was the younger sister of the valiant Khan and also a deceased princess of the Uyghur Khanate.

Looking at his nephew Aba Baikli's burning desire to fight for the country and resist foreign enemies, the mighty Khan Moyanchuo seemed to see his younger self.

He desperately wanted to make the decision on the spot and award his nephew, Abba Bekri, the rank of general.

However, when he thought of his deceased sister's dying wish, and when he thought of the battle in Princess City, which was directly related to the survival of the capital city of Harabalqas, and even the survival of the entire Uyghur Khanate.

The surge of passion that had just welled up in Mo Yanchuo's heart was quickly replaced by calmness and rationality.

Although his nephew Abba Bekri grew up in the military camp since childhood and has been serving as the captain of his royal guard for more than three years, he is not a bookish scholar who talks about war on paper but has no physical strength. However, he is still quite different from the general who can command troops on the battlefield.

A mere surge of passion is not enough to defeat a powerful invading enemy!

"Great Khan, the task of guarding Princess City should be entrusted to this general!"

Just then, a powerful middle-aged male voice boomed in the hall. Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi of the Tang Dynasty, who had not expressed his opinion until now, finally stepped forward.

Lan Yu said, "As both the Marquis of Anxi of the Great Tang Dynasty and the Deputy Military Governor of the Anxi Protectorate of the Great Tang Dynasty, I have the responsibility to guard this territory along the Silk Road in the Western Regions under imperial decree."

"The Arab Empire, ostensibly launching its eastern expedition to the Western Regions, is secretly aiming its sword at our Great Tang Dynasty. For both personal and professional reasons, this general cannot possibly distance himself from it."

"Within the city of Harabalgas, there remain ten thousand Anxi Iron Army soldiers of my Great Tang Dynasty. I, the general, will personally lead ten thousand soldiers to reinforce the princess city until the day the Great Tang Dynasty's reinforcements arrive;"

With that, Lan Yu cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "I hope the Great Khan will grant my request!"

Wow!

Upon hearing that Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi of the Great Tang Dynasty, had volunteered to take over the defense of Princess City from the elderly General Mawlani, the civil and military officials of the Uyghur Khanate present were all taken aback.

They never expected that the Marquis of Anxi and the Deputy Military Governor of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty would take the initiative to guard the city for their vassal state. This made them look at him with new respect!

So it seems that Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi of the Tang Dynasty, is not as incompetent as the King of Wusun Tibis has said.