Chapter 009: Stench of Blood

Hmph! I understand now

The war has lasted for two days, and the situation is far worse than Mas'ud had anticipated. The Uyghurs initially thought that this group of "Tang bandits" were merely a gang of robbers entrenched at the border, and sending out two forces totaling over 4,000 men was already a high regard for the enemy. Mas'ud pursued them, eager to eliminate the "Tang bandits" as soon as he found their stronghold. Little did he expect that the enemy actually possessed a sizable city. Even more astonishing was that the weapons and equipment used by these "Tang bandits" in the siege and defense, as well as their displayed tactics, bore a resemblance to the legendary regular army of the Tang Dynasty.

South side

This group of Tang bandits is quite formidable. If we capture them and turn them into soldier-slaves, it could compensate for the losses incurred during this siege

Damn it! I really shouldn't have taken this job!

However, in the north-south directions, which direction is the true one

A sense of foreboding enveloped Karasik's heart, yet Masoud remained utterly unconcerned. He was a seasoned veteran, not a civilian official, and his nerves were not so fragile. On the battlefield, anything could happen; he did not pay the slightest attention to a bit of blood and filth.

After the sun sets, the earth remains shrouded in a faint afterglow for a while. The twilight descends like a curtain, just as darkness and tranquility are about to fully envelop the entire sky, the ground suddenly begins to tremble slightly

I do not want to hear this nonsense! In the past seven or eight years of indulgent living with fine wine and beautiful women, although he has developed a rather noticeable belly, the coldness on the face of this general from the Qarakhanid dynasty remains unchanged from his earlier days. "Send someone to urge them! Hmph!"

Due to changes in the situation, Masoud hesitated once again

Forget about him! Masoud decided to go back to eat meat and sleep. If he let these little antics disturb his mind, he would fall into the enemy's trap.

At this time, the troops of the Uighur stronghold had also risen, waiting for the command to assemble.

Dividing troops to flee? Is Tang Kou insane? To split forces while at a disadvantage in numbers is tantamount to seeking death

Mas'ud then returned to his large tent, where, attended by a Byzantine eunuch, he embraced two Persian female slaves and indulged in drinking and merriment

Where did they escape from

Meanwhile, the sound of drums echoed within the city of Broken Leaf

Unfortunately, the current situation is contrary to this "ideal state"

The army of the Karakhanid dynasty is quite different from the provincial troops of the Tang dynasty—where the military is under the control of the state, and the relationship between commanders and soldiers is merely hierarchical. Mas'ud, as the head of this army, is also the leader of his clan. The direct members of this force are both his kin and his property. While he is willing to plunder during battles, he is not inclined to deplete the fighting strength of his own clan.

Masoud pushed the female slave aside and jumped up; he immediately concluded: "It is a stampede!" Moreover, it is a considerable number of horses!

As the troops of Ude began to retreat and halt their advance on that day, the mournful cries of cattle, sheep, and horses echoed continuously within the city of Tu.

Masoud appears to be a rough individual, but a person who has experienced dozens of battles will possess a keen strategy amidst the coarseness once on the battlefield

Perhaps we should let Satuk take the lead; this time he has brought only 1,600 men, and he certainly cannot capture this city. By the time he has worn down the strength of these Tang bandits, I will be just in time to reap the rewards of victory

That night, the people of the Western Turks continued the style of the previous two days. Most of the soldiers returned to their tents to eat and sleep, believing that resting well would prepare them for the next day. They left thirty percent of their troops to take turns keeping watch, while the remaining two hundred cavalry launched successive attacks, feigning assaults on the earthen city to harass the "Tang bandits," preventing them from resting. By maintaining a consistent approach in the face of change, they ensured that no matter what schemes or tricks the enemy employed, they would not suffer significant setbacks.

Initially, in order to claim credit, he approached another general—who was also the brother of Khan Arslan, Satuk Boghra. Now, realizing that this group of "Tang bandits" is a tough nut to crack, he began to regret his decision.

What sound!

However, Masoud remains a formidable warrior. When faced with a great enemy, he does not merely focus on trivial matters. If the opportunity arises, he is not one to wait for reinforcements before launching a final assault.

For the time being, there is no evidence to support his conjecture. As a high-ranking officer, he cannot simply issue commands and then retract them, as that would undermine his authority in the eyes of his subordinates

What is going on? Is Tang Kou preparing to make a desperate struggle, planning to launch a daring counterattack after rewarding his troops tonight?

With his command, the order was passed from one person to another: "The general has issued an order! Mount your horses, prepare to attack!"

The setting sun is reduced to half an hour, the evening breeze becomes quite strong, and occasionally, when the wind blows out from the City of Crushed Leaves, it carries a foul odor, particularly that of blood

On the third day of the war, the resistance of the Tang army remained very strong. Mas'ud even assessed that the opponent still had a portion of reserve forces that had not been deployed, just as he himself had withheld eight hundred cavalry from entering the battlefield

No matter what they do! Just ensure the camp is well-guarded

The actions of the Huighur cavalry are very swift, but they have not yet fully assembled. Another message arrives: "Dihikan, another group of people has escaped from the south!"

If I had known that this encirclement would lead to a protracted situation, I should have brought Basma out from the very beginning

That was his favorite concubine

Upon drawing his bow and spear, Masud charged out, and indeed, he soon heard Karasi urgently report: "Dihkan, that group of Tang bandits has escaped"

However, after issuing this command, Masoud had another thought: "Defend the camp well? The leader of these Tang bandits seems to be quite a skilled military strategist. Could it be that this elaborate scheme is intended to lure me into being overly cautious and conservative?"

This time, the six-thousand-mile march was primarily composed of light cavalry. He was not foolish enough to use his elite light cavalry to attack the city before the enemy revealed any weaknesses, risking their lives in the process

Most of the Huigu people outside the city are both soldiers and herdsmen, and they are very sensitive to the sounds of livestock. Many experienced herders can tell: people inside the city are slaughtering cattle, sheep, and horses. Moreover, it is not just one or two; rather, many are being killed, and only in this way can the continuous lamentations of the livestock be heard

However, upon reflection, it seems unlikely. The premise for launching a night raid is absolute secrecy; how could one create disturbances that would alert others to be on guard?

Although the nomadic lifestyle of the Huíhé people is quite pronounced, in recent years, the upper echelons of the Huíhé dynasty have gradually adopted a settled way of life. With the expansion of their territory, they have also occupied several commercial cities along the Silk Road. Even when residing in tents, they are luxurious golden tents, furnished with soft quilts, cotton blankets, fine wines, and exquisite food. However, after traveling thousands of miles to engage in this campaign, many of the comforts and utensils of daily life cannot be brought along, which naturally leads to considerable inconvenience. Even when residing in tents, they are luxurious golden tents, furnished with soft quilts, cotton blankets, fine wines, and exquisite food. However, after traveling thousands of miles to engage in this campaign, many of the comforts and utensils of daily life cannot be brought along, which naturally leads to considerable inconvenience.

Is it possible... Ah! This group of Tang bandits, they are trying to escape!

However, from the battles over the past three days, it is evident that the opposing general is quite experienced and unlikely to make such a mistake that would allow for a complete rout.

Masud detested such long-distance campaigns. He had been accompanying Khan Arslan on a hunting expedition near Darlinkur (Lake Balkhash) and was in high spirits when he was suddenly dispatched to suppress this group of Tang bandits. Although he had already encountered the Tang army while swimming in the Suiye River, in order to uproot them completely, he had to follow the trail of Guo Shidao and his men all the way here, covering nearly 6,000 kilometers in total.

Mount up, prepare to strike

This is no longer a group of ordinary bandits

From the north, they then turned west-northwest. At that time, our cavalry, which had been sent out to harass, was positioned to the south. Suddenly, they emerged from the north, a large number of troops. Although the harassing cavalry quickly circled nearby, they could not discern how many opponents there were in the darkness and did not dare to approach

However, after a while, he relied on his years of experience to determine that the slight vibration was not rapidly approaching; rather, it seemed to be moving away.

There is none. The subordinate reported back: "That group of Tang bandits is very cunning, taking detours along the way, which has confused our route. Therefore..." Of the more than 6,000 li they traveled, a significant portion was certainly in vain. The straight-line distance from Balasagun to the new city of Shakhrisabz is not this long. However, in this era, the Central Asian region is interspersed with snow-capped mountains and deserts, mixed with grasslands and swamps, and there are hardly any straight highways.

All troops, remain vigilant. Masoud ordered: Perhaps something is about to happen

At dusk, the situation suddenly changed, and a series of strange events began to unfold

Has Satuk not arrived yet

Yes. The generals of the various divisions have received their orders

After a brief hesitation, Masoud quickly made a judgment: the two groups of deserters, one to the south and one to the north, must consist of one genuine and one false group, with the real ones fleeing and the false ones luring the enemy

Are these Tang bandits really going to launch a night raid