"But, Milord, don't we have Qixi?"
A voice suddenly rang out in his ear. Like a pebble being thrown into a lake, ripples spread across its surface, Gao Xianzhi's mind jolted as he came back to his senses. He heard the assistant general say anxiously, his eyes filled with hope,
"According to the rules of the Imperial Court, Anxi and Qixi depend on each other, assisting each other in offense and defense. But Anxi is on a higher level than Qixi. If something happens to Anxi, Qixi will be the source of Anxi's reinforcements, ready to send soldiers to Qixi to support us. Right now, even if the Imperial Court is short on soldiers like in the war of the southwest, doesn't Qixi still have soldiers?
"In the battle of the triangular gap, Dusong Mangpoje suffered a major defeat and Dayan Mangpoje died in battle. Later on, I heard that he ambushed Agudu Lan at the Qixi Armory, killing that Black Wolf Yabgu and his five thousand elites. Moreover, in the war of the southwest, he even managed to reverse the tides, defeating the more than four hundred thousand soldiers of the Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army. Can't even he do the same? If we can hold out until he arrives with his soldiers, there might still be hope! "
The deputy general anxiously said.
In the past, he would have never said such a thing, but now, this was their last hope.
Gao Xianzhi said nothing, but his eyes were no longer as cold and aloof as they had been at the start. They were like ripples on the surface of a still lake.
That brat …
Gao Xianzhi's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. At this moment, he suddenly remembered that several months ago, Wang Chong had sent him a letter advising him not to attack the Shi Kingdom. At the time, Gao Xianzhi had laughed it off, and he had also found the letter to be rather baffling.
But at this moment, an irrepressible thought rose up in his mind.
When that youngest son of the Wang Clan had sent him that letter, had he already predicted today's scene?
But as soon as this thought flitted through his mind, Gao Xianzhi shook his head and sneered. Not even he had expected to be besieged at Talas, the thirty thousand soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate army facing complete annihilation. How could a seventeen-year-old child have predicted this?
"Qian Li, there's no need to say anymore!"
Gao Xianzhi finally opened his mouth. His eyes showed a kind of indifference and calmness, as if he had disregarded life and death.
"It's a long journey from Qixi to here. Even if that youngest son of the Wang Clan truly possesses remarkable abilities, even if he's willing to help us, it's already … too late, because we can't last that long!"
"My lord!"
The general was visibly moved.
Gao Xianzhi waved his hand to stop him from continuing. Only those who had participated in this battle would understand just what sort of opponent the Anxi Protectorate army was facing at Talas.
As Anxi's Protector-General, Gao Xianzhi had never lost a battle. This was not just because of his outstanding strategy and intelligence, but also because of his powerful will. Gao Xianzhi had never been one to easily admit defeat, but this time, it was no longer a question of admitting defeat. After two months of fierce fighting, the Anxi Protectorate army had truly reached the end of its rope and was on its last legs.
The Anxi Protectorate army was the most elite force of the Tang Dynasty. The best soldiers of the armies of the Central Plains had all been sent to Anxi, creating this lion whose name could shake the western frontier! But not even the most formidable lion could deal with an opponent more than ten times its size.
In truth, the fact that the Anxi Protectorate army had been able to last two months under the torrential assault of the Arabs was a testament to its strength. They had not shamed the Tang Dynasty!
"Qian Li, I've been wrong all these years. In the Western Regions, I've always believed that our greatest enemy was Ouzan and the many small kingdoms of the Western Regions. If we allow them to form an alliance, the foundation that the Tang Dynasty has built up over the centuries in the Western Regions will be obliterated. "
Gao Xianzhi suddenly said. The wind howled in the sky. He looked ahead, and his tone was unprecedentedly calm. In his life, he had always been trapped by fame and fortune, and he had never seen the situation in the Western Regions so clearly as he did now.
"But in truth, we were all wrong. In the Western Regions, our greatest enemy has never been those small kingdoms of the Western Regions that could possibly ally with us, nor has it been the nearby and harassing Ouzan. It has been the Arabs standing before us. They are stronger than the Ouzan, more greedy than the kingdoms of the Western Regions, and even more ambitious and aggressive than the Turks. They are the greatest threat to the Tang Dynasty!
"In this battle, we have no path of retreat. The Imperial Court has no more soldiers to use, so we can only rely on ourselves. Anxi is the Tang Dynasty's greatest barrier in the northwest. If Anxi is lost, the entire Western Regions will fall into the hands of the Arabs, and the several hundred years of the Tang Dynasty's work in the Western Regions will be destroyed. And if the Western Regions are lost, even Qixi will find it very difficult to resist. And in the end, it will be Longxi and … the capital that will be threatened! "
Next to him, the general's face trembled, a look of fear appearing in the depths of his eyes. In this battle, he had only been paying attention to the vast sea of Arab soldiers before him. He had never thought about what would happen after this battle. Although he was in a perilous situation, he had only viewed this battle as a war on the border. He had never thought about the effects it would have on Anxi and the Tang Dynasty.
The capital!
He had never imagined that the effects of this battle would be so far-reaching!
If the Arabs really were allowed to advance through Anxi, Qixi, and Longxi to reach the capital, they would truly be the sinners of the Tang Dynasty!
"Pass on my order! In seven days, we will fight to the death with the Arabs! We cannot be the slightest bit careless in this battle. Even if we die, we must demonstrate the dignity of my Tang Dynasty! "
Gao Xianzhi sternly said.
"This general … understands."
… …
The Western Regions, the Anxi Protectorate headquarters.
"Milord, we've checked. It's already past noon, but we still haven't received a letter from Lord Protector-General!"
In the massive protector-general hall, an Anxi Protectorate soldier kneeled on one knee, his head lowered to the ground as he respectfully reported.
"What?!"
Feng Changqing's entire body trembled as he stood up from his seat, a look of deep unease on his face.
"It shouldn't have happened, it shouldn't have …"
"Milord, could it be that the intensity of the battle has caused the messengers to be delayed, resulting in the delay?"
The kneeling Anxi Protectorate soldier cautiously said.
"No, it can't be like that! Lord Protector-General's military orders are as strict as a mountain. He doesn't even make the slightest mistake when he eats. A request for reinforcements is as important as this. There can't be any problems! "
Feng Changqing was dressed in blue, his face haggard, and if one looked carefully, one would notice that his eyes were bloodshot. When the news that Gao Xianzhi's army had been trapped at Talas had arrived, Feng Changqing had been working late into the night, unable to eat or sleep. His entire body had become much thinner, and as the situation became more and more dangerous, more and more urgent letters began to pour in. By now, it had been several days since Feng Changqing had slept a wink.
In just two short months, Feng Changqing had a lot of white hair on his head, and his face was full of wrinkles. If one looked at his appearance alone, it would be hard to believe that this man, who looked like he was in his forties or fifties, was actually in his early thirties.
Although his mind was exhausted, Feng Changqing's eyes showed no sign of sleep. He felt a deep unease.
In the last few days, the only consolation in Feng Changqing's heart had been the letters that the Anxi Protectorate army had sent from Talas every day, one after another. As long as these letters arrived every day, Feng Changqing would know that everything was fine in Talas, that the Protector-General was still safe. But today, the letters that had been coming every day for more than two months had suddenly vanished.
This made Feng Changqing feel extremely uneasy. After serving under Gao Xianzhi for so many years, Feng Changqing knew his commander's personality like the back of his hand. His commander would never easily change his habits. Once he did, it was assuredly because he had made an important decision.
"Milord, could it be that you've already …"
Feng Changqing suddenly thought of something, and his heart grieved, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Be at ease. No matter what, I won't let you die!"
Staggering, Feng Changqing suddenly pushed aside the Anxi Protectorate army soldier and charged out of the hall. His hair was in disarray, his hairpin falling to the ground, and he seemed to have gone mad.
Qixi!
Only Qixi could save Milord and the thirty thousand soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate army!
… …
"Warning! A new change has occurred in the mission 'A Choice of Destiny'. Side mission 'Fall of a Great General'!
"Every war is accompanied by enormous sacrifices. When an empire is about to decline, its Great General will fall first. This is the curtain call of an empire, but also the rise of another. In the Battle of Talas, Anxi Protector-General Gao Xianzhi is on the verge of falling. User has seven days to save Gao Xianzhi's fate. If the mission succeeds, user will be rewarded with 6000 points of Destiny Energy. If the mission fails, user will be deducted 18000 points of Destiny Energy!
"Warning! In the Battle of Talas, A Choice of Destiny! User's mission is about to fail!
"Warning! When Talas is lost, user will be immediately obliterated! "
… …
In the distant City of Steel in Wushang, Wang Chong was still inspecting the sand table in the hall when he suddenly heard a waterfall of voices. With these voices, Wang Chong's eyes suddenly flashed with a bloody light, so intense that it was suffocating. Wang Chong had been holding a small red banner in his hand, and upon hearing these voices, Wang Chong's body froze as if he had been petrified.
"The fall of a Great General is Gao Xianzhi …"
Wang Chong grimaced at the sound of this voice. Gao Xianzhi was the commander-in-chief of the Anxi Protectorate army. For the Stone of Destiny to suddenly issue this mission meant that the City of Talas was in an extremely perilous situation.
"Chong-er, what's wrong?"
A familiar voice, vigorous and dignified, came from next to his ear.
Wang Chong turned his head and saw that his father Wang Yan, big brother Wang Fu, and second brother Wang Bei were all looking at him in astonishment.
"It's nothing."
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