Chapter 1914 - The Arab Princess's Request!
Chapter 1914: The Arab Princess’s Request!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Emperor Taizong once said that the waters could uphold the boat and also sink it, and in the dynasties of the Central Plains, there were always imperial censors who could criticize the sovereign. But in the Arabian Empire, the sovereign had always been absolute, carrying supreme authority over life and death. There was no mention of any post like the imperial censor.
With this supreme authority, the Caliph could order the entire empire to move to the capital if he wanted to.
Moreover, the Arabian Empire had accumulated hundreds of years of fortune from its conquests of other countries, thus allowing the creation of the illustrious and dazzling sleepless city.
But at this moment, this city of more than one million people was deathly still.
Winds howled through its silent streets.
“How long has it been?” Wang Chong suddenly asked, squinting.
“The specified time of fifteen minutes has passed,” Zhang Que replied.
“As the specified time has come and gone, it seems like Mutasim III is not ready to surrender.
“Have the army prepare to advance!”
Zhangchou Jianqiong rode out from the rear, his cape flapping in the wind and his eyes cold.
A thick and bloody aura surrounded his body. On the campaign trail, Zhangchou Jianqiong had killed countless people, which had once more stimulated his latent killing intent.
And it wasn’t only him. All the Tang soldiers were surrounded by a lingering killing intent.
It made sense that Baghdad, the Arab capital, did not surrender. Everyone was ready to besiege the city, breach its walls, and occupy this western empire.
“Inform Zhang Shouzhi to get the giant ballistae ready. The army should be ready to assault once the King Ape attacks.”
Wang Chong waved a hand, his expression cold.
“Yes!”
Zhang Que quickly left to relay the orders.
A few moments later, a deafening clatter of metal came from the rear. At the same time, the King Ape kneeled behind Wang Chong and gave a thunderous roar in the direction of Baghdad.
For various reasons, the first ape Behemoth that Wang Chong had taken control of in the Battle of Talas had died not long afterward, but after defeating the High Priest and obtaining his vast store of knowledge, Wang Chong had attained a divine level of control over Psychic Energy. The side effects from last time would no longer appear.
And the King Ape’s assistance had made the Tang army’s advance smooth and easy. It did not matter that Baghdad’s walls were taller and thicker than Khorasan’s.
As the war drums began to boom and Wang Chong prepared to order the army to advance, a panicked voice yelled from the closed city gate, “Wait!”
A few moments later, a white flag was slowly raised above the walls of Baghdad.
“King of Foreign Lands, don’t attack yet! Our Caliph is willing to surrender!”
Rumble!
The gates of Baghdad slowly opened.
A group of Arab nobles emerged, holding a white flag.
While these nobles were so weak that they could barely truss a chicken, they wielded influential power in the Arabian Empire. In normal circumstances, even the powerful Governors and Deputy Governors with large armies under their command would have to respect them.
But with the Tang army threatening the city, even the most arrogant of these high nobles had to lower their heads, panic and fear on their faces.
It was quiet outside Baghdad, Wang Chong, Wang Zhongsi, and Zhangchou Jianqiong exchanging glances of surprise.
They had all been ready for a tough battle. After all, they had encountered far too much resistance on the way here. Though this resistance had done little damage to the army, it had made them conclude that Mutasim III was not willing to surrender.
But to their surprise, Baghdad really had surrendered.
“Who are you? Where is Mutasim?”
Wang Chong focused his gaze on the leading Arab duke.
“King of Foreign Lands, calm your anger. This one is Tumu, a duke of royal blood. His Majesty waits in the rear. His Majesty says that as long as King of Foreign Lands spares his life, he is willing to lead all of Arabia in surrendering to the Great Tang!” Tumu said, his lips trembling.
Wang Chong couldn’t help but laugh at this.
“Relax. Tell Mutasim that I agree to his request!”
Not long ago, he had received a letter from the Sage Emperor giving him total authority over the western expedition.
With the death of the Hierophant, High Priest, and millions of soldiers, the Arabian Empire was no longer what it once was. A single Mutasim was not even worth worrying about.
“Our utmost gratitude, King of Foreign Lands!”
Tumu and the other nobles breathed a sigh of relief like they had been pardoned for some major crime.
“Someone, go and tell His Majesty that the Tang have agreed!”
A few moments later, escorted by his royal guards and wearing the robes of the Caliph, Mutasim III hastily walked out through the gate.
His forehead was covered in cold sweat and his face was fraught with concern. The moment he appeared, he dropped to his knees in front of Wang Chong.
“Mutasim pays respects to the King of Foreign Lands!”
Mutasim III had an extremely pious expression on his face at this time.
The Tang commanders were taken aback, and their expressions were filled with derision and disdain.
Mutasim III had been brimming with ambition and considered himself the greatest sovereign in the history of the Arabian Empire. He had initiated this unprecedented invasion of the east, but in the end, when the Tang army threatened Baghdad, he had surrendered and kneeled before Wang Chong.
This was just a little too laughable.
Moreover, Mutasim III had initially shown such audacity and daring that if he had refused to submit and died in battle, he might have earned some respect. But in the end, he still treasured his life more than his dignity.
“Hmph, it seems like Khatabah and that High Priest died in vain!” Abusi coldly said.
He rarely spoke, but Mutasim’s behavior was far too distasteful. This sort of sovereign would shake the morale of all his soldiers. Abusi considered himself lucky that he had chosen to throw his lot in with the Great Tang.
At least the Sage Emperor would never do something like this!
The others said nothing, but they slightly nodded in agreement.
“In truth, he’s not that bad. The position of Caliph of Arabia is inherited through blood, not through martial arts and daring. He was able to initiate his eastern invasion because of his numerous Great Generals and able soldiers. Without these, he’s naturally lost all power!” In a rare sight, An Sishun spoke up in his defense.
“Mutasim, my emperor has decreed…”
Wang Chong was just about to announce his judgment for Mutasim III when a girl called out.
“Wang Chong, stop!”
A beautiful young woman, her face covered with a white veil, suddenly rushed out from the crowd and hugged Mutasim III.
Her intelligent eyes stared at Wang Chong with sorrow and anger.
“Wang Chong, you and your Tang Empire have already won, and Imperial Father agreed to surrender. After all this, you still want to humiliate him?”
She glared at Wang Chong without blinking.
The army instantly fell silent, and Zhangchou Jianqiong and the other commanders glanced at each other and frowned.
They had no impression of this woman, and for her to rush out and protect Mutasim III was a little abrupt.
“Wang Chong, do you know her?” Zhangchou Jianqiong said, glancing at Wang Chong.
Given that she had called Wang Chong directly by his name, they probably had some sort of connection.
Wang Chong slightly frowned. He also had little impression of this woman.
But he quickly remembered something.
“You are Alia, the Princess the Arabian Empire sent to Kunwu Training Camp!”
In the war of the southwest, Wang Chong had used one thousand Wootz Steel swords to reverse what had seemed like an inevitable defeat. At the same time, he had piqued the interest of the master smiths of Arabia.
Arabia had tried several times to obtain the secret behind Wootz Steel weapons, but all of its attempts had failed. In the end, it had tried to send Princess Alia to Kunwu Training Camp so that she could find some way to get close to him and obtain the secrets of Wootz Steel.
Wang Chong had known about this, so he had intentionally avoided her.
But Wang Chong also knew that the Arabian Empire had many Princesses and Princes, and this Alia was not free to do as she wished. She had no means to refuse a mission given to her by the empire.
“So it was just a spy of the Arabian Empire! Then we don’t need to pay her any mind!”
Upon hearing Wang Chong’s words, Zhangchou Jianqiong waved his hand, ordering two generals at his side to go up and take Alia away.
He had no good feelings for enemy spies.
As those two generals approached, Alia remained fearless and continued to stare at Wang Chong.
“Wang Chong, in the Central Plains, it is said that sovereigns possess their own path and own way of thinking. While Imperial Father might have been defeated, he is still a sovereign, and while you are the victorious general, you are still a subject. A subject cannot humiliate a sovereign, and you cannot humiliate him!” Alia sternly said, straightening up.
“Eh!?”
The Tang commanders glanced at her in surprise, even Crown Prince’s Junior Guardian Wang Zhongsi appearing rather shocked.
They had not expected to hear these righteous words spoken in such a faraway land. Although it was a rather messy argument, they could sense that this Arab Princess was willing to sacrifice herself as long as she could save her father.