Kufa, the Hashemite city.

In the magnificent palace, Abu Abbas, the founding monarch of the Abbasid Dynasty of the Caliphate Empire, summoned his ministers to the palace to discuss military affairs.

Abu Abbas had a sinister look on his face and seemed to be on the verge of a fit of rage.

The ministers below did not dare to breathe, and were obviously very afraid of Abu Abbas.

Although Abu Abbas called himself "the shadow of Allah on the earth", in the minds of his ministers, the title of Safah was more likely to describe him.

Before he ascended the throne, Abu Abbas tricked the Umayyad royal family into going to a banquet and lied about reconciliation, and then killed them all at the banquet. This event was called the "Bloody Feast". The only surviving member of the Umayyad royal family has now fled to Spain, and Abu Abbas is trying every means to hunt him down.

Since Abu Abbas ascended the throne, he dug up the tombs of all the dead caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty and burned their bodies, revealing his cruelty.

Originally, the Abbasid family believed in the SY sect because of their stance during the period of the four caliphs. But after seizing power, they immediately changed their attitude and became "loyal believers" of the XN sect, and persecuted the followers of the SY sect.

"Huh! Outside the city of Samar, all of our guards' cavalry have been wiped out, the Grand Emir has died in battle, and the Governor of Khorasan is probably in danger too. Tell us what you think!"

After a moment of silence in the hall, Abu Abbas spoke to the officials. He was filled with anger and wanted to vent it.

When the Governor of Khorasan rose up in rebellion, he shouted "Those who help me must be in black", so his flag was black. Chinese historical books called them "Black-clad Arabs".

It can be said that the Governor of Khorasan was the actual founder of the Black Caliphate, but the supreme power was ultimately obtained by Abu Abbas.

It is not without reason that the later Caliph Mamun compared the Governor of Khorasan with Alexander.

Although the Governor of Khorasan was an object of Abu Abbas's fear, he always wanted to use him to eliminate dissidents.

When the Abbasid Dynasty was first established, Abu Abbas sent his brother Abu Jalfar Abbas to personally seek the consent of the Governor of Khorasan, who could execute suspects at will without seeking the approval of the Caliph.

When Abu Abbas appointed his own relative Isa ibn Ali to take up the post in Fars, the local subordinates of the Governor of Khorasan even refused to recognize the Caliph's appointment and dismissal, and only recognized the military orders of the Governor of Khorasan.

After returning from Khorasan, Abu Jalfar Abbas said to Abu Abbas: You are not even a caliph, and as long as the governor of Khorasan survives, your rule means nothing.

Abu Abbas's reply was: Keep quiet and don't tell anyone.

He had long wanted to eliminate the Governor of Khorasan, but he kept it a secret. He could still make use of the Governor of Khorasan's abilities.

But he didn't expect that the Governor of Khorasan, who he thought was extremely powerful, would be defeated so miserably!

Lost everything without knowing it!

Damn the Governor of Khorasan!

Abu Abbas hated the Governor of Khorasan at this time!

Under the chain reaction, any infantry entering the river to provide support will be in danger.

This has threatened his rule!
As a caliph who considered himself to be "talented and wise", he could not tolerate such a stain.

"Reporting to the Caliph, the country is newly established and has gone through a war. There are also governors in various places who are disobedient. The people are eager for stability. This cannot continue. We should seek peace with the Tang Dynasty."

Seeing that no one said anything, Vizier Abu Salamah Helal had no choice but to step forward and speak to Abu Abbas.

Vizier, translated as "helper" or "assistant", is equivalent to the chief prime minister of the Tang Dynasty.

Abu Salamah al-Halal was the first vizier of the Abbasid Caliphate.

It seems like a joke in history that in another time and space, Abu Salamah Khilal had been killed by Abu Abbas at the hands of the Governor of Khorasan.

But now he is living well!

It may be that Li Longji's edict put pressure on Abu Abbas, or it may be that Li Xuan tied down the Governor of Khorasan, making it difficult for Abu Abbas to take action against Abu Salamah Helaal when he made a decision.

Abu Salamah al-Halal was very powerful and had high prestige. Abu Abbas had been dissatisfied with him for a long time, but he could not do it himself, so he wanted to kill him by using another person.

But now the knife is gone!

"Do you want Allah to submit to the Emperor of Tang? Do you want to betray Allah?"

Abu Abbas shouted at Abu Salamah al-Halal.

He still remembered Li Longji's provocative edict, and he always remembered this insult.

How could the Arab Empire surrender to the Tang Dynasty and become its vassal?

So, Abu Abbas, who was angry, questioned Abu Salamah Hlaal one after another.

"Caliph, please forgive my slip of the tongue. What I meant was that we should temporarily cease fire with the Tang Dynasty, withdraw from the river, recuperate, and regroup. Then we will find out the reason for the failure and look for an opportunity to make a comeback. Noble believers of Allah will never surrender to humiliation..." Abu Salamah Helal quickly bowed to Abu Abbas and reiterated his position.

In the current situation, the best thing to do is to withdraw from the river.

Consolidate the Khorasan region and prevent peasant uprisings.

One of the reasons why the Umayyad Caliphate lost the Khorasan region was the ten-year-long rebellion of the Sogdian untouchables, which consumed the manpower and material resources of the Khorasan region.

The people suffered terribly, so the Governor of Khorasan arrived in Murugan with a letter saying "the time has come to launch an uprising".

Abu Salamah Helal was worried that the people in Khorasan would rebel again because of this disastrous defeat.

Because most of the people in Khorasan are Persians.

"Our most powerful cavalry are the Imperial Guards and the Iron Cavalry of Khorasan. The messenger said that the Tang army's cavalry is as numerous as the sand in the desert, and the Iron Cavalry is as fierce as a lion."

"We have lost our cavalry, so we can only rely on infantry. Before the cavalry is fully trained, we cannot clash with the Tang army again. But we must avenge this!"

After hearing what Abu Abbas said, he had no reason to reprimand him and could only return to the main topic.

Abu Abbas was not a fool. He could not accept surrender, but that did not mean he would not accept a ceasefire.

Now he did not have enough strength to compete with the Tang army in the river.

As Abu Salamah al-Halal said, the best way is to retreat from the river, recuperate, and wait for an opportunity to make a comeback.

"Report to the Caliph, we are the passive party in the ceasefire. The Heavenly General may not agree. For the sake of Allah, we must be prepared for war to prevent the holy land from being defiled by the infidels."

Abu Jalfar Abbas stepped out at this time and said to Abu Abbas.

Abu Jalfar Abbas was already forty-five years old at this time.

In this era, this is the end of his life, but Abu Jalfar Abbas's eyes are full of light.

Because Abu Jalfar Abbas soon had a name that will be remembered forever - Mansur!

Mansur means the victor. He is the founder of the Abbasid Dynasty, the one who truly laid the foundation for the vast dynasty that lasted for 500 years.

Even though Abu Abbas was the founding monarch, he was still far behind Abu Jalfar Abbas.

Abu Jalfar Abbas was in hiding, lest his brother should eliminate him.

He had anticipated that a ceasefire would not be an easy thing. Considering the previous imperial edict from the Tang Emperor and the strength of General Tian, ​​the Tang Dynasty's ambitions might not be limited to Hezhong.

"If the governors had obeyed my orders, there would not have been this defeat in Central Asia. Instruct the governors to mobilize troops to Khorasan as soon as possible. If they delay military opportunities, I will punish them!"

"Also, have the Syrian infantry stop heading towards Samargan and retreat back to Mulu."

Abu Abbas thought that what Abu Jalfar Abbas said made sense and asked his servant to convey the order.

Not long after they came to power, there were many opponents, and some governors were old ministers of the previous dynasty.

There are many factions in the country at present. In addition to the SY faction, there are also the Sinbad faction, the Persian Ravan faction, the Khariji faction, etc., none of which are very obedient to the rule of the Abbasid family.

This time, Abu Abbas threatened that if these governors did not send troops, he would definitely send troops to attack.

But the ministers frowned. The failure of this Transoxiana War meant that the governors of Azerbaijan and other places would not send troops again.

Threats are useless. With internal and external troubles, it is impossible to break off relations with those factions for the time being.

"Vizil, you go and negotiate with General Tian. We can withdraw from Transoxiana, but the Tang cannot make any demands and must release the Governor of Khorasan and the soldiers captured by the Tang army."

Abu Abbas then instructed Abu Salamah al-Halal.

"As ordered!"

Abu Salamah al-Halal could not refuse. In the past two years, he felt something unusual in Abu Abbas's attitude towards him, so he was very cautious.

Only he could step in on such a major national event.

"I am going to dispatch the marshals from Khorasan again. Who is willing to lead the troops to fight? Hmm! Try to recruit more volunteers from the provinces that obey the Holy Order."

Abu Abbas nodded and then spoke to the ministers.

He also realized that it was unreliable to rely on governors who did not obey orders.

Only in those areas that obey him can volunteers be recruited to strengthen the army.

Now the Grand Emir has died in battle, and the life and death of the Governor of Khorasan is uncertain. We need a new general to go to the Khorasan region to coordinate.

"Please let me go. I will definitely not disappoint the Caliph!"

A man stepped out and saluted Abu Abbas.

His name was Khalid ibn Barmak, an orthodox Persian nobleman.

Historically, Khalid ibn Barmak was the founder of the Barmak family, a powerful family of the Abbasid dynasty, and the founder of the Persian faction of the Caliphate.

When interpreting the history of the Abbasid Dynasty, one can never avoid him.

Khalid ibn Barmak was originally a subordinate of the governor of Khorasan and followed him in the uprising. When the uprising was about to take shape, he felt that Abu Abbas had a better future, so he immediately joined Abu Abbas and became a general of the Abbas family.

Khalid ibn Barmak originally believed in the SY sect like Abu Abbas. After Abu Abbas converted to the XN sect, he immediately changed his faith and followed Abu Abbas to the end.

Smart people are more flexible than ordinary people.

This is also the reason why Khalid ibn Barmak was appointed as prime minister by Mansur after a bloody coup.

This also indirectly proves that religion is just a trick in the hands of those in power and can be abandoned at any time when it is not needed.

Khalid Ibn Barmak stood up at this time, not because of his relationship with the Governor of Khorasan, nor because he did not want to avenge the Governor of Khorasan, but because he felt that this was his chance.

If Abu Salamah Helal succeeds in negotiating with the Heavenly General, he will have the merit of being entrusted with the task in times of crisis and will be able to become the new Grand Emir in no time.

If the negotiations failed and the Tang army entered the Khorasan region, he would make further plans.

"General Barmak is brave. I believe you have fulfilled your mission. When you return triumphantly, the general will be rewarded!"

Abu Abbas did not see through Khalid ibn Barmak's inner thoughts. Instead, he was very pleased that Khalid ibn Barmak stood up at the critical moment.

"I will go through fire and water for the Caliph!"

Khalid ibn Barmak bowed to Abu Abbas very devoutly. He never said "Allah" but always "Caliph", implying that Caliph was greater than Allah.

This unintentional flattery was the reason why Abu Abbas had great trust in Khalid ibn Barmak.

"Is that Heavenly General really that brave? Rumor has it that he can tear a man and a horse into pieces. They saw with their own eyes that the number one warrior, Humamu, was knocked away by the Heavenly General by dozens of horses. The Heavenly General also knows sorcery. When he rode his horse and ran, our war horses ran wildly out of control."

Finally, Abu Abbas blurted out the question.

Ever since the news of the Battle of Talas came, the name of General Tian has been echoing in his mind again and again.

Countless pieces of news speak of General Tian’s bravery, and some say he is no ordinary man.

Abu Abbas also had doubts for a time, but after another great battle, his generals were killed or injured, which made him unsure.

In the belief of Allah, a person should not be deified like this.

But this person is approaching them and is shaking the foundations of the dynasty.

Abu Abbas received the news last night when he woke up from a dream. Unconsciously, he, who called himself a butcher, felt a little chilled when he heard the name "Heavenly General".

"This must be a rumor! No matter how brave General Tian is, he is still a man of flesh and blood. A hundred warriors are enough to kill him. Our defeat was definitely not caused by this factor, but by other reasons."

Isa ibn Ali, the Minister of Land and Resources, replied to Abu Abbas.

Seeing is believing, hearing is not. He doesn't believe this rumor.

He knew that the news from the defeated soldiers was often exaggerated, and they made excuses for their failure.

"I also think that makes sense. General Tian is certainly brave, but he is not so brave that he cannot be defeated."

Abu Salamah Helal spoke.

Khalid ibn Barmak, who was about to go to Khorasan, was hesitant to speak when he saw Abu Abbas's brows relaxed.

"General Tian is said to be younger than the Governor of Khorasan and will live for many more years."

Abu Abbas heard that the general was only in his twenties.

The Governor of Khorasan is a heroic man, and he is only thirty years old this year.

General Tian was younger than the Governor of Khorasan, but he defeated the Governor of Khorasan repeatedly.

The defeat in the river cast a shadow on Abu Abbas' heart, and his performance could be described as outwardly aggressive but inwardly weak.

"Our army is still very strong. Even if the Tang army does not stop fighting, I have the confidence to stop the Heavenly General for the Caliph." Khalid ibn Barmak was afraid of the Heavenly General in his heart, but his words were firm.

"You are the hope of our army!"

Although Abu Abbas said this, he did not send the guards to Khalid ibn Barmak.

He was afraid that the only 50,000 remaining Guards infantry around Hashim City would be lost again, so he would not be able to suppress the Iraqi region and there would be loopholes in the Syrian region.

Moreover, the remaining troops in Syria could not be deployed as they had to defend against the Roman Empire.

So in addition to his limited military strength, Khalid ibn Barmak could only rely on newly recruited volunteers.

This parliament session lasted a long time before it ended.

At the end of the meeting, some ministers realized that the "butcher" also had moments of fear.

General Tian is even more intimidating.

Not long after, Abu Abbas became furious again.

Two pieces of bad news reached Hashemite City one after another.

The pro-Arab country among the Tocharian states sent a letter to Abu Abbas, saying that the city of Samakan was attacked by the Tang army and fell in one day despite the tens of thousands of defenders.

Abu Abbas cursed the governor of Khorasan for his incompetence and even used the insulting word "dwarf" to describe him.

It is well known that the governor of Khorasan was very short and had very short legs.

However, the Governor of Khorasan had regular features, smooth skin, thick beard, and charming manners, which made people ignore his short stature.

After a fit of rage, Abu Abbas burst into tears again when he learned that the governor of Khorasan had committed suicide.

How great it would be if the Governor of Khorasan could die after conquering the Anxi Protectorate!

He wants the Governor of Khorasan to die, but not now!

Just three days after receiving the news of the death of the Governor of Khorasan, Abu Abbas received another 30,000 Syrian infantry, mainly heavy infantry. Almost all of them were killed by the Tang army on the banks of the Uhuru River, and their corpses blocked the river.

Only a few who could swim escaped across the river.

The Syrian heavy infantry has always been the main force of the Black Caliphate. Deploying them near India was also for the purpose of deterrence.

The loss of this main infantry force made the Abbasid Caliphate even worse.

The number of elite troops they could mobilize was decreasing.

Abu Salamah al-Halal had already set out to negotiate with the general of heaven.

Khalid ibn Barmak also went to the Khorasan region with troops and orders.

I just hope that the country can stabilize soon, and I can take revenge after I have caught my breath.

But this was bound to be Abu Abbas's wishful thinking!
Li Xuan's military strategy took the enemy by surprise. He knew that the Black Caliphate had just established its rule and had not yet completely controlled the country.

Take advantage of his illness and kill him.

This is the best time to attack.

Abu Abbas could not have imagined that the Tang army, after having just experienced a series of battles, could still organize its troops and rush to the Khorasan region.

So when he received the emergency warning at the border, the exquisite crystal glass shattered in his hands.

Khorasan Province was the second largest source of tax revenue for the Caliphate. If the surrounding Khorasan region was combined, it was an important lifeline for the Caliphate Empire.

They can't lose Khorasan!
However, he knew best that the Khorasan province was short of military forces, and the capital city of Murug might not even have a thousand soldiers, let alone other cities.

Abu Salamah Helal's negotiations are likely to end in vain.

Khalid ibn Barmak was destined to meet the Heavenly General in battle again!

Although he favored Khalid ibn Barmak, he did not think that Khalid ibn Barmak was a match for the Heavenly General, and even thought that his ability to command troops was not as good as that of the Great Emir.

Moreover, intelligence said that tens of thousands of Tang cavalrymen flattened the border castles in an instant.

At this moment, Abu Abbas panicked.

Will he send his guards out again to fight against the Tang army?

If the troops from Egypt and Iraq fail after arriving, it will directly affect his rule.

Abu Abbas also received news that the governors of Azerbaijan and other provinces were ready to take action.

These governors felt that the dynasty founded by the Abbasid family would not last long.

Even a loyal governor could not help but have some thoughts.

After discussing with his ministers, Abu Abbas decided to let Khalid ibn Barmak form a defense line in the major cities around the Khorasan region.

It was obvious that they did not have enough time to defend the province of Khorasan.

In the past, the White Caliphs could often contact Tubo and compete with the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.

Now Abu Abbas suddenly discovered that there was no longer a hostile powerful country around the Tang Dynasty.

The Turks were destroyed, and the Great Khan was captured alive by the Heavenly General; the Uighurs were frightened by the Heavenly General; the once powerful Tubo needed to be conferred a title by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

The Western Regions and hundreds of countries surrounding the Western Regions all submitted to the Tang Dynasty.

The nomadic peoples' cavalry and archery became weapons that the Heavenly General could use at will.

Abu Abbas finally sent a message to Abu Salamah Khilal, asking him to compromise as much as possible when negotiating with the Heavenly General as long as he did not surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

He needs time to regroup!
……

Every move of the Arab Empire was not hidden from its arch-rival, the Roman Empire (from now on the Byzantine Empire will be called the Roman Empire, and it is inappropriate to use the term Byzantium).

At this time, the Roman Empire occupied the northern part of Syria, so it was inevitable that there were some spies in Syria.

Since the establishment of the Arab Empire, the Roman Empire has been beaten back by the powerful Arabs and has repeatedly lost land.

At their peak, the Arabs occupied Asia Minor and attacked Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire was able to maintain its position only because it took advantage of the corruption of the late White Caliphate.

The ruling dynasty of the Roman Empire now is the Isaurian Dynasty. Ten years ago, Constantine V inherited the throne from his father Leo III. Not long after, the Arabs changed their dynasties, and Constantine V had some achievements.

However, Constantine V's goal was not limited to this. He wanted to take back Syria, Jerusalem, Iraq and Egypt that belonged to the Roman Empire.

There are still many territories occupied by the evil Arabs.

He hoped that one day he could be crowned "The Great" like Caesar.

Originally, Constantine V wanted to deal with the hateful Bulgars because they still had the humiliation of being in the hands of the Bulgars.

However, the turmoil in the Arab Empire attracted the attention of Constantine V.

In the distant and mysterious East, a country that produces gorgeous silk and exquisite porcelain, a man called the Heavenly General by the Arab Empire has defeated and killed more than 200,000 Arab soldiers and horses, and the Arab Empire's cavalry has almost been wiped out.

Now the military forces in Iraq and Syria have been greatly reduced, and the Arabs have no reinforcements.

Isn't this their chance?

Constantine V never imagined that the ancient Eastern countries would one day fight a great war with their powerful enemies.

Because Alexander the Great's eastern expedition only went as far as the Indus River basin and was unable to go north across the Congling Territory.

This meant that the Tang army had to cross mountains and rivers to fight against the Arab Empire.

This general must be a powerful commander!
Constantine V wanted to send an envoy to the Tang Dynasty, but the road was blocked and he knew that there was not enough time.

After discussing with his ministers, Constantine V decided to lead an army of 80,000 to attack central and southern Syria...

(End of this chapter)