Li Xuan led the main force into the Khorasan province and easily defeated the garrison of the Black Arabs.

When the Arab cavalry saw the Tang army, they fled in panic like mice seeing a cat.

The soldiers of the Tang army all rode on horseback, covering a hundred miles a day.

Soon, the Tang army encountered Kushmahan, the first important town in Khorasan province.

The town had only about 200 soldiers and less than 100 guards.

This is a transit town, its military forces have long been drained and it only has granaries.

Due to the disparity in strength between the two sides, the Tang army's armored forces charged forward, and as soon as blood was seen, these warriors and guards surrendered to the Tang army.

The Tang army captured Kushmahan without bloodshed.

Kushmahan is a city guarding the east side of Murug City, less than twenty miles away from Murug City.

As soon as Li Xuan captured Kushmahan, he sent Li Siye to lead the Anxi elite armored troops to attack Mulu City.

In addition, Bai Xiaode was ordered to lead light cavalry to march around Mulu City first and act according to the circumstances.

One of Li Xuan's goals was to block Mulu City and obtain the wealth of the nobles in Mulu City.

Murug is located in the easternmost part of Khorasan, adjacent to Transoxiana. During the Parthian Empire, it was the regional capital and a key trade hub on the Silk Road.

Handicrafts and commerce are very developed in and around the city.

Over the long years, local tyrants have always occupied a place and accumulated a lot of wealth in this place.

As the second largest tax-collecting center of the Caliphate Empire, Khorasan Province had most of its tax revenue concentrated in the city of Murug.

Li Siye did not just attack Mulu City by force.

He came with many officials from Mulu City.

If the defenders do not open the city walls in surrender, attack the city immediately.

Currently, there are only 500 defenders and 300 security guards in Mulu City.

The news of the Khorasan Governor's death in battle has spread throughout the Khorasan region.

Even the Samujian City with more than 10,000 defenders could not withstand the one-day attack of the Tang army, and the Mulu City seemed to be crumbling!
The Tang army suddenly entered the Khorasan province, catching the enemy by surprise.

By the time the nobles in the city wanted to escape, it was too late.

Some nobles who refused to give up wanted to escape with their property.

But the Tang army's light cavalry refused to agree.

Bai Xiaode led the light cavalry to intercept anyone who tried to escape, and killed anyone who resisted!

This made Mulu City even less willing to resist.

No one would have thought that the country that produced silk and porcelain would send troops to Mulu City.

When Li Siye arrived with his heavy armored infantry, the people in Mulu City were already in panic.

Those Khorasan officials who defected to Li Xuan tried to persuade the city of Mulu to surrender.

Due to the strength of the Tang army, he said that General Tian would personally lead the Western Expedition, and Fu Yu would definitely be punished for his stubborn resistance, so he asked the garrison to open the city gate.

Only by cooperating can you survive!
The defenders of Mulu City were too few and could not withstand a single round of attack from the Tang army.

At this time, the Tang army had as many as four hundred Shenbi crossbows.

Under the cover of the Shenbi Crossbow, with simultaneous attacks from all sides, Mulu City will collapse in an instant.

Unlike when the Black Caliphate was first established, hundreds of thousands of men in Khorasan were captured and killed, and countless people lost their loved ones.

The once “charming” Governor of Khorasan has become a sinner in the eyes of the people.

As a country that had just successfully revolted, the soldiers did not die on the land of their own country, but died outside the country, which naturally made the people resentful.

The Governor of Khorasan had more power than the Caliph in the Khorasan province. The blame for this result can only be attributed to the Governor of Khorasan.

To the extent that at this time, the people of Khorasan province hated Khorasan more than his Tang army!
Even though the Governor of Khorasan was very skillful in handling government affairs, he could not make up for the scars caused by the war.

No civilians were willing to defend Mulu City, and the officials of Mulu City were captured. They had a huge disparity in strength with the Tang army, and in the end, they could only open the city gates of Mulu City.

The four gates were quickly taken over by the Tang army!

Li Siye conveyed the news of the capture of Mulu City to Li Xuan in Kushmahan.

A day later, Li Xuan assembled his troops and arrived at Mulu City.

The nobles of Mulu City all knelt at Li Xuan's feet and begged for forgiveness.

Li Xuan’s demands were not high. If they handed over all their assets, he would let them go.

Their land and slaves were still theirs, Li Xuan only wanted money, and he was given gold coins, silver coins, and gold and silver jewelry.

These nobles had no choice but to agree reluctantly.

Li Xuan also searched and confiscated the residences of the Governor of Khorasan and his generals.

To his surprise, the Dir Khan in the house of a general under the governor of Khorasan numbered tens of thousands and had incalculable wealth.

The Governor of Khorasan did not have much assets in his family, and there were no female relatives in his family.

In the words of the Han people, the Governor of Khorasan was very honest.

Li Xuan heard that the Governor of Khorasan often dealt with Persian literati and poets.

He was thoughtful, and the next morning he summoned a great Persian poet in Muruga to the governor's palace and asked him, "Does the governor of Khorasan have any property left?"

"The Governor has nothing but his faith."

The Persian poet named Afef faced Li Xuan, straightened his back and said.

Afef means noble, which is a compliment given to him by Persian literati, and also means a leading literati.

Afif wrote thousands of poems in total, which were sung by the upper class in the Caliphate Empire, so Li Xuan summoned him.

The Persian upper class has always loved writing, which has produced many artistic and ideological masterpieces.

In this respect, the Arabs were students of the Persians, so later Arabs inherited the art and aesthetics of the Persians.

There is a famous fairy tale book "One Thousand and One Nights" in later generations. Although it was written by the Arabs, it actually originated from a Persian story collection. It obviously contains many Persian and even Indian stories.

"What is his faith?"

After hearing what the translator said, Li Xuan asked with a smile.

"Your Excellency is asking questions even though you already know the answer!"

Afif seems to have the "literary spirit" and is not afraid of Li Xuan.

"The Governor of Khorasan is fine, why did he invade Anxi? Do you think that the Arabs are more powerful than the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Xuan asked again.

"I'm sorry, I can't answer this question."

Afif said sadly.

The Governor of Khorasan spoke Persian and Arab languages ​​fluently and could recite many poems.

Afif and the Governor of Khorasan were very good friends. He always teased the Governor of Khorasan for being untalkative and lacking the romance of a literati.

The Governor of Khorasan was still very young, but he died young.

According to classic accounts, it must be wrong that the Arabs enslaved other races and expanded eastwards.

But Afif was just a literati and could not persuade the Governor of Khorasan.

He didn't know the name of the person in front of him, he only knew that he was called General Heaven.

The invincible Governor of Khorasan not only lost to him, but also lost his life. The unified country was once again in the midst of war and devastation.

The Tang army marched straight in, galloping across the land, and easily destroyed the once prosperous Mulu City.

"You may not know that I am also a scholar, but the aesthetics of us Chinese are different from your Persians. Fortunately, I am here, otherwise the Persians in Khorasan would have revolted again!"

Li Xuan looked at Afif and said.

Apart from the plagiarized poems, Li Xuan was also able to compose poems, lyrics and music on his own. His talent was certainly not as first-rate as Li Bai, Du Fu and Wang Wei, but Li Xuan thought that he was still qualified as a third-rate poet.

He asked sternly in a teasing tone.

Yes!

In the province of Khorasan, there are signs of another uprising.

A few years ago, the Governor of Khorasan shouted "Those who believe in me must wear black" and rose up in rebellion. Now that the Governor of Khorasan has just died, some people in Khorasan want to rebel.

The Chinese nation is creative. At the end of a dynasty, people either want stability or change.

For example, at the end of the Qin Dynasty, the people suffered terribly from forced labor and tried hard to seek change, which is why there is a saying "Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers of different races?" If the Qin laws did not change, there would never be peace.

For example, at the end of the Sui Dynasty, a century of chaos had just ended, new policies and orders were made, and the country was full of vitality. The people had not had a few days of good days yet, so they must have been longing for peace.

Therefore, Emperor Yang of Sui's actions caused the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people.

We can put ourselves in the shoes of the Caliphate. The Caliphate's extravagance and heavy taxation made the people want to change.

The revolution was completed, the Black Caliphate was established, and when people wanted to maintain peace, a province actually lost more than 100,000 men. Even during the uprising, there were far fewer casualties.

The remaining young men no longer thought about joining the volunteer army, but longed for a new flag.

Afif was speechless for a moment because what Li Xuan said was true.

He was a man of letters, and he could feel the mood of the people just by being in Mulu City.

The death of the Governor of Khorasan prevented this resentment from erupting.

Sometimes, Afif was very confused. The Governor of Khorasan was so outstanding. He was dedicated to building "MSL people" and worked hard for the country, but he became the target of public criticism.

It is nonsense to say that the Arabs, Egyptians, Persians, and Indians cannot merge into one people. Aren’t the Han people of the Tang Empire a fusion of many ethnic groups?

"Why didn't the Governor of Khorasan leave a child?"

Li Xuan asked Afif this question again.

He was curious. The Governor of Khorasan was already thirty years old and didn't even have a child. Wasn't that possible?
"The Governor said that it's enough for a person to do that kind of stupid thing once a year."

Afif told Li Xuan the original words of the Governor of Khorasan.

"There are very few people who can control their desires, especially those in power. It's a pity that he would commit suicide, otherwise I would definitely let him go!"

Li Xuan nodded secretly. He said this, but in his heart he thought that it was fortunate that the Governor of Khorasan was dead. If this guy escaped back to Iraq, he would definitely cause him great trouble in the future.

The Governor of Khorasan blurred the positions and contradictions between the Arabs and the Persians, which meant that Li Xuan was destined not to forgive him.

Because Li Xuan also has his own stance!
Even in later generations, which are full of racial discrimination, Li Xuan does not think he is narrow-minded.

"What should we do with our country now that General Tian has occupied Mulu City?"

Afif did not shy away from the question.

As the leader of the Persian literati, this was their biggest concern. Would he send his nephew to conquer India like the former governor Hajjaj ibn Yusuf did, and massacre the pagans after the victory?

This is the darkest moment in Khorasan, darker than ever before in history.

"The Arabs used brutal methods to rule the Persians. I am here to help you escape from the sea of ​​suffering. Your king has returned. From now on, there will be no Arab Empire, only the Persian Kingdom."

Li Xuan said to Afif indifferently.

"That was a long time ago. The people no longer remember Elan!"

When Afif heard Li Xuan talk about restoring the Persian Empire, his face changed.

He knew that the resurgence of the Sassanid Empire would mean a full-scale confrontation with the Arab Empire.

The territory of the Sassanid Empire was by no means limited to the Khorasan province. It must have desperately expanded westwards, and only the Mediterranean Sea could stop it.

The Caliphate would also respond tit for tat. Since the period of the Four Caliphs, the Caliphate could not do without the wealth of the Khorasan region.

"At least, Your Excellency still remembers Elam. Elam has a freer faith and lighter taxes than the Arabs. Under the protection of the Tang Dynasty, it has escaped from barbaric rule and allowed its people to truly recuperate."

Li Xuan replied to Afif.

During the time of the Sassanid Empire, the inhabitants of the Sassanid Empire called their country Elamshahr, or Elam.

Elam is a mark and the last glory of the Persians. It developed the romantic and artistic Persian culture to its peak, making even the Roman culture pale in comparison.

Li Xuan believed that once the Persians restored the memory of Elam and picked up the flame of the holy religion, it would mean the success of the restoration of the country.

"That would mean endless fighting. You wouldn't be so kind."

Afif shook his head and said that he was confused and conflicted for a moment and found it difficult to accept.

He was greatly influenced by the Governor of Khorasan, but at the same time, as a scholar, he also longed for the Persians to regain their glory.

"We Chinese people value promises the most. Our ancestors left us a story of keeping a promise and keeping our word. Decades ago, we promised Peros to help him restore his country, but it never came true. Peros and Ninersh lived in exile and died of illness in Chang'an. Now only Pushan, the last legitimate bloodline of the Sassanid dynasty, can inherit. Don't underestimate our determination."

Li Xuan said slowly: "As long as I am here, I will help the Sassanid Empire and crush all enemies."

Afif was silent after hearing the translator's words. He had learned about the ancient oriental country from ancient books. In the ancient books, it was called "Qin" and Chang'an was called "Humdan".

The inhabitants there were scattered throughout the prosperous land, with thousands of cities. As the capital of Qin, Humdan had walls that towered into the sky, prosperous streets, and gardens everywhere.

The wandering prince died there, and it is hard to understand whether to feel regret or sorrow.

The more pretentious a literati is, the more sentimental he is.

He also sympathized with Peroz's situation and felt sorry for the destruction of his country and his family.

"The Governor of Khorasan has taken the wrong direction. Although you Persians are followers of the Arabs, you are like your former Sassanid king Bahram Gur. You can correct your mistakes and complete the great cause of national rejuvenation. This is a great story for all ages!"

Li Xuan said to Afif.

"You know Bahram V?"

Afif was very surprised by Li Xuan's words. He knew almost nothing about the Tang Dynasty.

However, Li Xuan knew the kings of the Sassanid Empire, and even knew about Bahram V's ability to correct his mistakes.

"Of course I know. He was known as the Wild Ass and was a brave and outstanding monarch of the Sassanid Empire. I admire him very much."

Li Xuan replied to Afif.

Bahram V is the most well-known Persian monarch in later generations and a hero in countless myths.

Bahram V inherited the throne at the age of twenty, but he left state affairs to Rast and indulged himself in hunting.

In this kind of story, it is obvious that Rasta is up to no good. He uses his position to make a fortune, only reports good news and not bad news, and deceives the decadent Bahram V.

The ending of the story is also very classic. Because of some strange things, Bahram V came to his senses, killed Rasta, took control of the country's government, and was proficient in both civil and military affairs.

Although that era happened three hundred years ago, Persian writers still miss it today.

There are many poems written about Bahram V, and Afif is one of the authors.

"General Tian is a man of great talent."

Afif sighed. He had to admit that the man in front of him, who was younger than the Governor of Khorasan, was a terrible person.

He came back to his senses and took the initiative to ask Li Xuan: "General Tian asked me to come here. It shouldn't just be about the Governor of Khorasan, right? Let me hear your hidden meaning."

Other officials should have told Li Xuan about the Governor of Khorasan a long time ago. He knew that Li Xuan must have had other reasons for summoning him, the literary leader.

"It is said that you are the best among Persian writers, with great reputation. Call on those Persian writers to come to Mulu City, recognize the establishment of Sassanid Persia, and raise the torch in your heart. The Arab religion is gone, and Allah has been defeated by our gods. The sky and the earth are our colors, and we represent justice and mission!"

Li Xuan smiled slightly and finally stated his purpose.

Unlike the tribes on the grasslands and the small countries between the mountains and valleys, the Persians have their own civilization, which is extremely brilliant.

To conquer this country, you must first conquer their literati.

It would be better to let some writers write poems for him and sing his praises.

Let his reputation spread among the people through poetry.

"You should know that I have a close relationship with the Governor of Khorasan!"

Afif answered the question irrelevantly and stared at Li Xuan.

It means that Li Xuan forced his good friend to death!

"The Governor of Khorasan and I fought for our country. I could be his good friend in private, but on the battlefield, it was a life-and-death battle. Regardless of right or wrong, when the soldiers of the Arab Empire set foot on the territory of the Tang Dynasty, we were destined to be enemies. I once wrote a poem, wishing to serve my country for the rest of my life, why would I have to die in Yumen Pass. Yumen Pass is the gateway from Anxi to the Hexi Corridor. If I didn't die in Anxi, I was destined to set foot here!"

"I didn't kill the Governor of Khorasan, he killed himself!"

"The Arab Empire has just gone through a change of dynasty and has not recovered. The governors of various places do not obey orders, and now they have suffered a great defeat in Central Asia. They are no longer strong enough to compete with me. You support the establishment of the Persian Kingdom in the Khorasan region, which shows that you really care about the people."

"I have tens of thousands of Persian captives in my hands. If you agree, I will release these 10,000 captives who have offended the Tang Dynasty to reunite with their families."

"May I ask what kind of god can, with a single thought, bring ten thousand people back to life and reunite tens of thousands of parents, wives, and children with their families?"

"The Allah they pray to shouldn't be able to do that either! His merits are immeasurable, so that should be how it can be described!"

Li Xuan spoke to Afif in an eloquent tone.

From the Battle of Suiye River to the Battle of Wuhu River, the Tang army captured more than 80,000 people.

The majority of them were people from the Arabs and Khorasans, and there were also some ethnic groups from other provinces.

In a narrow sense, Khorasan people refer to the Arabs who settled in the Khorasan region.

He lost nothing by releasing ten thousand of the Persian prisoners.

The remaining 70,000 prisoners were enough for his development plans.

On the contrary, it would establish his prestige among the Persians and give poets a reason to sing his praises.

Literature can glorify evil into something sacred.

Use self-consistent logic, replace concepts, and literary deception to increase the villain's personal charm, thereby making readers feel a sense of identification.

What's more, Li Xuan doesn't think he is as evil as the devil in the abyss.

"I can help! But I can't dominate the opinions of other literati."

Afif was a calm man. After thinking for a long time, he agreed with Li Xuan.

Li Xuan’s previous words just made him touched.

But the release of tens of thousands of captured Persian men made him excited.

A scholar is good for nothing. There is a similar saying in Persia.

If they could bring back tens of thousands of Persian men, it would indeed be an immeasurable achievement.

"I'm waiting for good news! I respect scholars very much. Art and thought have no borders. I will hold a banquet at the Governor's Mansion tonight. All scholars in Mulu City can attend!"

Li Xuan said to Afif.

After Afif performed a Persian salute to Li Xuan, he left the hall where Li Xuan was.

In a trance, he looked at the door again.

The former Governor of Khorasan handled official business in this hall.

Now it has a new owner!

He didn't know what was wrong with him. Before being summoned by Li Xuan, he wanted to anger General Tian, ​​even if it meant blood splattering three feet away.

But Li Xuan was gentle and polite, and spoke with more grace than the Governor of Khorasan. The general who was said to be brave and brutal turned out to be like this.

Perhaps it is true as General Tian said, he is also a scholar.

And the Governor of Khorasan brought disaster upon himself!

If religion could really control the people, they would not oppose the Caliph of the White Caliphate.

Moreover, the Arab religion was too shallowly rooted in the Khorasan region, and those nobles converted to the Arab religion under the persuasion of the Governor of Khorasan.

As for whether he believed in power or religion, Li Xuan had already given the answer.

Those Khorasan nobles surrendered to Li Xuan, even the Arabs were no exception.

Afif saw the translator walking with him again and asked, "Can I learn the language of the Tang people with you?"

"Happy to oblige!"

The translator replied with a smile that he was an official of the Western Cao Kingdom in Central Asia and was fluent in Sogdian, Persian and Chinese.

That night, Li Xuan rewarded the three armies and gave the fat sheep and fine grape wine donated by the nobles to the Anxi Beiting Army, Karluk, Turgesh and other troops that came with the army.

At the same time, Li Xuan held a banquet in the Governor's Mansion.

Those attending the banquet included nobles from the Khorasan region, Khorasan literati, as well as Li Xuan's subordinates and generals.

Together with Li Xuan was Pushang, the Persian king who was personally appointed by the Tang Dynasty.

Returning to Mulu, once an important city of the Persian Empire, Pushan felt like he was in a dream.

This is the place that his grandfather and father yearn for.

It seemed that the restoration of the Sassanid Empire was only one step away.

Pushang originally thought that he would waste his life like his ancestors and forget that he was a descendant of the royal family.

General Tian helped him achieve all this.

Pushan also knew his own limitations. He had no experience in governing a country and no ability to command a large army.

The road to the restoration of the Sassanid Empire is long and arduous, and it requires the full support of the Heavenly General.

Even if the Sassanid Empire was established and ruled the Khorasan region, they still had to rely on the Heavenly General to help them resist the Arab Empire.

The divine power of General Tian is engraved deep in his soul and can never be offended.

(End of this chapter)