Chapter 1: The March to Samarkand

Talas, a burst of laughter, the Tang army opened his mouth and was happy, not for anything else, just because this was the first time in hundreds of years that the Tang Dynasty launched a counterattack on the Great Food.

Since the rise of the Arab Empire, it has been fighting against the Tang Dynasty. First of all, because the two countries were far apart, they did not meet each other, the most obvious example is the Persian Empire's request for help from the Tang Dynasty. At that time, the Persian Empire asked the Tang Dynasty for reinforcements, but after careful consideration, Tang Taizong thought that the conditions were not suitable and had to refuse. Although the Tang Dynasty refused to send troops, it did not stop aiding the Persian Empire, and it was with the help of the Tang Dynasty that the royal family of the Persian Empire was able to withdraw eastward, to be exiled to the Tang Dynasty, and to settle down in the Tang Dynasty, retaining some of the fire.

The Persian Empire was an old empire with two Persian empires in history. The First Persian Empire was unusually powerful under the famous emperor Darius I, and the Hundred Years' War with Ancient Greece ensued. The First Empire existed for nearly two hundred years, and Alexander's crusade destroyed the First Empire.

A few hundred years later, the Persian Empire was rebuilt, and this was the Second Persian Empire, the Persian Empire that was destroyed by the Arab Empire. After the annexation of Persia by the Arab Empire, the strength of the Arab Empire increased dramatically, and it was able to expand eastward, and finally met the Tang Dynasty in Central Asia, and the two countries met each other.

Since the eastward expansion of the Arab Empire, the Arab Emperor has taken the invasion of China as its strategic goal, and the Governor of the East, Yusuf, who has been in the East for decades, has promised his two generals that whoever enters China first will be the governor of China.

While the Arab Empire was expanding dramatically and growing in power, the Tang Dynasty was mired in civil strife. In the Tang Dynasty, since the death of Tang Taizong, Tang Gaozong was a soft emperor and was controlled by Wu Zetian. Although Wu Zetian is a generation of Ming monarchs and has great political talents, however, she needs to put in much more effort than men to become emperors from a woman, and she must eradicate many dissidents in order to seize power, such as the eldest grandson Wuji, these important ministers have been eliminated by her.

In this way, it will inevitably lead to the instability of the Tang Dynasty, and it will inevitably lead to the decline of the Tang Dynasty's national strength.

Da Shi seized this favorable opportunity to march eastward, conquering large areas of Central Asia, and finally marched to the Western Regions and fought with the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.

Fortunately, Li Longji became the emperor, although Li Longji was criticized by posterity and had a mixed reputation, but he had to admit that he was a remarkable figure. After dealing with internal affairs, Li Longji began to expand externally, and fought several battles with Dashi in the Western Regions, all of which were victorious.

However, this was not fought in the territory of the Great Eclipse, and the Tang Dynasty had not yet attacked the Great Eclipse Realm.

The Battle of Talas was not only the first attack launched by the Tang Dynasty on the territory of Dashifa, but also knocked down such an important strategic base as Talas, can the Tang army not be happy?

You must know that Talas is important to the Arab Empire, because it is an important strategic base for the Arab Empire's eastward expansion, and without Talas, it is impossible for the Arab Empire to expand eastward, let alone fight with the Tang Dynasty.

In the battle of Talas, the Tang army won easily, and the battle ended quickly, and it took only half a day before and after. When the battle was over, the Tang army rejoiced, smiled, and laughed uncontrollably, they were so happy.

The happiest were Gao Xianzhi, Li Siye and Duan Xiushi, because their rival Qi Yade was captured alive by Gao Xianzhi.

The Anxi Protectorate was an important town in the Tang Dynasty to defend the Western Regions, and in the last ten years, the most important task of the Anxi Protectorate was to fight the Arab Empire. Whether it was the southern expedition to Xiaobolu or the retreat of Tibet, they all served this strategic goal.

And Ziyad as Abu? The heavy generals under the Muslims, he and Gao Xianzhi, Li Siye and Duan Xiushi, the important generals of the Anxi Protectorate, fought to the death on the battlefield, and fought to the death.

is such a hated mortal enemy, who was captured alive by Gao Renzhi, and it would be impossible for them not to be happy.

"Look, Dashuai, this is Ziad, we captured him alive!" Gao Xianzhi, Li Siye and Duan Xiushi escorted Qi Yade to see Li Changguo, and reported to Li Changguo as if offering a treasure.

Li Changguo's gaze swept over the three of them, and he saw that one of the three of them had a mouth cracked to the root of his ear, his face was full of smiles, his face was full of red light, and his eyes were blazing, which means that you praise me, praise me.

It's not that the three of them are superficial, but this thing really makes them happy. Don't say that Gao Xianzhi and the three of them, even if they were any other person, they would be like this. You can think about it, can you be unhappy that someone who has been fighting for life and death with you all your life is suddenly trampled under your feet? Can you not expect to be complimented?

"Congratulations, you have trampled your enemies under your feet!" Li Changguo understood their feelings very well and fulfilled them once.

"Huh! Ha ha! The three of them smiled reservedly at first, but they were overjoyed, and finally they looked up to the sky and laughed loudly, so happy, and every pore was exuding joy.

The three of them laughed forward and backwards, Li Changguo sighed in his heart.

In history, the three of them were defeated by Ziad. Now, it is they who have trampled Ziade, a sworn enemy, under their feet, and history has changed a lot, and it is developing in the direction of having an early development for the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, this is all due to Li Changguo, who changed the strategy of the Tang Dynasty. It was he who destroyed Tubo, so that the Tang Dynasty was no longer under the control of Tubo, and could concentrate troops to fight to the death with Da Shi, so that there was such a favorable situation.

Gao Xianzhi and the three of them were laughing, and there was a burst of "hehe" laughter, only to see Li Mi's face full of red light, laughing like Maitreya Buddha, where can a mouth be closed, and he came quickly. Look at his brisk appearance, he is not walking, but flying, flying like wings, unusually brisk.

"Li Mi, what's the joy?" Li Changguo knows Li Mi very well, this is a person with extraordinary intelligence, his vision is extremely high, and idle things can't get into his eyes, it is not easy for him to be happy, and it is even more difficult to make him so happy.

"Great news, great news, excellent news." Li Mi didn't answer directly, but shouted first, and then got back to business: "Marshal, as expected, there are countless grains, grasses, and ordnance stored in Talas, which are enough for us to use for a long time. ”

The strategic position of Talas was extremely important, and the Arab Empire would store large quantities of grain and grass here, which was expected.

"Can it last for three months?" Li Changguo asked.

"Three months? Dashuai, your heart is too unmajestic, right? At least half a year. Li Mi shook his head, and he counted Li Changguo as a whole.

"Half load? So much? Li Changguo was moved.

The Tang army and Turkic troops assembled in Talas were close to 500,000, and together with the "guerrillas" established by Feng Changqing, the total number had exceeded 500,000. An army of 500,000 would empty a mountain in a day and need a huge amount of food.

Not to mention, the Tang army is one person with two horses, and some people are even one person with three horses, and there are more than one million horses in Talas, which consumes more than people, who calls the belly of a horse more capable of loading than a person?

500,000 people, 1 million war horses, a day's consumption is a headache just thinking about it. In Li Changguo's mind, it would be good if the grain and grass stored in Talas could be used for three months, but he didn't expect it to be doubled, enough for half a year.

"Good, good!" Li Changguo was relieved and nodded vigorously.

"The soldiers and horses have not moved, the grain and grass go first", this military maxim expresses the important surname of the grain and grass. Li Changguo has been worried about grain and grass for the past ten days, and if he can't get grain and grass again, the Tang Army's next military operations will be greatly restricted. Now that Talas is down, everything is not worried.

"So much bread and grass, Abu? The gift of the Muslim is very heavy, and we can't laugh at his kindness. Gao Xianzhi was overjoyed, cracked his mouth, and teased.

"Huh!" A ridiculous remark drew laughter from the generals.

"Actually, we don't need so much grain and grass, we can have ten days and a half of grain and grass. The rest was stored in Talas in case of need. Li Changguo immediately had a plan and arranged it.

"That's right. We only need ten days and a half of food to kill us to Samarkand. Guo Ziyi echoed loudly.

Talas is the gateway to Samarkand, and after the Tang army attacks, the next step must be to march to Samarkand. And Samarkand is not far from Talas, and ten days and a half of food are enough.

In fact, it only takes three or five days to reach Samarkand, and the Tang army can have three or five days of food and grass. Of course, after entering Samarkand, to fight, it is unlikely that you will find time to raise food. If there was ready-made grain and grass, the Tang army could devote more time to pursuing the Great Food Army, which would be of great benefit to the Tang Army.

"I know that you are not enjoying this battle, and I am not enjoying it. I have decided to distribute the grain and grass immediately, and it will be completed by today. Ming said march to Samarkand! Li Changguo frowned, like a sharp sword out of the sheath, and his power was shocking.

"Obey!" The generals received their orders with a bang, and they were all overjoyed.

They had long wanted to march to Samarkand, but it was only because Talas had not been defeated, and the Tang army needed to rest, that it had been postponed to this day. Now. Talas has been taken, the Tang army has finished resting, and it is time to launch a new offensive against the Tang Dynasty.

As soon as the order was handed down, the Tang army quickly distributed grain and grass, and it took half a day to complete.

At dawn the next day, dozens of armies marched out of Talas and surged westward like rolling waves.

Along the way, Tang Jun was overjoyed, laughing and laughing, and the most talked about was how to fight big food. It is the long-cherished wish of the Tang people to fight with the Great Food, but it has not been realized for decades, and now it has not only been realized, but also invaded the territory of the Great Food, achieved such great results, and laid down Talas.

This is a joyful thing, but it is only the beginning, and bigger and more joyful things are yet to come, and the march into Samarkand is even more exciting.

Two days later, the Don army attacked Samarkand.

(To be continued)