The Arabs had already withdrawn a great distance, but they had not retreated to the strategic fortress of Khorasan. Instead, they stared at the Tang army from a distance, their intentions obvious. It was the Arabs' style to fight to the last man or to lose three-fourths of their soldiers. They would never easily retreat.
This was also why Arabia was so troublesome and terrifying!
It was also why the kingdoms of the Western Regions viewed Arabia as a destroyer.
But this time, they had run into the Tang dynasty and Wang Chong. For this decisive battle with the Arabs, Wang Chong had prepared for a long time. He had prepared a large number of weapons and provisions, and he had even led an army of more than one hundred thousand, equipped with ballistae, WuZi Steel weapons, Meteoric Metal armor, and other such weapons. His will and ability to fight were no weaker than theirs!
"Two empires, only one will survive. Abu Muslim, the empire that survives can't be Arabia …" Wang Chong's eyes flickered.
Wang Chong's expression was relaxed, but he was thinking back to the Stone of Destiny's words. Nothing was accidental. In this world, it was rare for two great empires to coexist at the same time, and even if they did, they would only exist for a very short period of time. In his last life, the Tang Dynasty had fought with Arabia at Talas and suffered a crushing defeat, losing the Western Regions. From then on, the Tang Dynasty's efforts to expand and invade the outside world were transformed into an obsession with internal strife, and the civilization of the Central Plains continued to wane.
Wang Chong had always believed that this was a coincidence, but the Stone of Destiny had revealed that this was far from the case.
Behind him was the Western Regions, the Tang Dynasty. Whether for the sake of the Tang Dynasty or for the prosperity of the Central Plains for the next several thousand years, Wang Chong could not retreat!
As these thoughts flew through his mind, Wang Chong quickly regained his composure.
"Zhang Que, send out your birds to keep an eye on the movements of the Arabs at all times. In addition, I will arrange for an archer square to work with you. Once the Arab hunting falcons arrive, the archer square will work with you to kill them all. "
Wang Chong said.
The Arabian hunting falcons were extremely fast and ferocious. Although Zhang Que had wiped out a wave, it had only been one of the Arabian hunting falcons. Zhang Que's eagle team alone was far from enough to deal with the entire Arab hunting army. Using the ground and air forces to launch a pincer attack was a tactic that Wang Chong had specially designed for the Arabs.
"Yes! Marquis! "
Zhang Que accepted the order and left.
In the army of the Tang dynasty, there had never been anyone like Wang Chong who valued aerial surveillance as much as he did. Zhang Que did not disappoint. The eagle team he led played an increasingly important role in Wang Chong's battles. This included the war with the Arabs. If Zhang Que had not destroyed the Arab hunting falcons ahead of time, the outcome of the war might have been completely different.
Once Zhang Que left, Wang Chong calmed down and turned his eyes to the vast sea of Arab soldiers. In this battle, one of Wang Chong's greatest foes had yet to appear. During the assault of the Arab Bakr Cataphracts, Wang Chong had vaguely sensed their will.
This was a clash in the air, as well as an invisible contest.
Abu Muslim!
Wang Chong could clearly sense that the enemy was using that group of cavalry to probe him, and Wang Chong had also clearly displayed his will through the ballista army. The first clash between these two commanders had ended with Wang Chong's victory, but Wang Chong was well aware that this was far from over!
"Protector-General Wang, is this the steel wall?"
Just at this moment, a dignified voice rang out. Gao Xianzhi suddenly spoke as he stood at the side with his back ramrod straight, his gaze looking ahead.
Wang Chong froze, and then he smiled and nodded.
"Yes!"
At these words, Gao Xianzhi's eyes exploded with a sharp light, a strange light flitting through his pupils. In the war of the southwest, Wang Chong had used his steel wall tactics to defeat the combined army of Dalun Ruozan and Gelofeng. This matter had long ago caused a huge uproar throughout the world, and in the battle of the triangular gap, Wang Chong had established a steel fortress on the Ouzan Plateau and used it to defeat Dusong Mangpoje and Dayan Mangpoje. Wang Chong's unique tactics had become so famous that even Gao Xianzhi had heard of them in the distant Western Regions.
But this was the first time Gao Xianzhi had actually seen them.
"Not bad!"
A hint of surprise flashed through Gao Xianzhi's eyes as he heartily praised.
"The most formidable aspect of the Arabs is their cavalry. By using this tactic to divide them, we can truly destroy the Arab formation. Without the advantage of a formation, the cavalry will not be as formidable. Lord Protector-General's thoughts are bold and imaginative, able to think of places that ordinary people cannot. It is no wonder that you were favored by His Divine Majesty at such a young age and became the youngest Protector-General of the empire.
"However, the City of Talas is surrounded by wilderness that is extremely advantageous to cavalry. Wouldn't it be better to enter the city and use the thick walls of the City of Talas to defend it?"
These last words revealed Gao Xianzhi's true intentions. When Wang Chong led his army to the city and routed the Arabs, Gao Xianzhi had originally believed that Wang Chong would lead his army into the city and use the City of Talas to defend it with him. But now, it seemed that Wang Chong was arranging his army and constructing fortifications outside the city, with no intention of entering the city at all. This was completely different from Gao Xianzhi's plan.
In Gao Xianzhi's view, Wang Chong's plan was far too risky. There were no natural strongholds to rely on, and the terrain was unfavorable. But since Wang Chong had come to save him and was of equal status to him, Gao Xianzhi could not directly point this out, so he had used the City of Steel to tactfully express his intentions.
Given Gao Xianzhi's status, he was already showing Wang Chong considerable respect.
"Haha, Lord Protector-General, I know what you mean."
Wang Chong faintly smiled, his eyes looking forward, his demeanor relaxed and exuding a natural charm.
"I naturally know that the walls of the City of Talas are high and thick, and the terrain is advantageous, but there are some things that we must do, some risks that we must take. The Arabs have come with a torrential momentum, and their desire is not limited to the Shi Kingdom. The Western Regions and the Tang Dynasty are their true goal. There is a saying that goes, 'When two enemies meet on a narrow path, the courageous will prevail.' In this world, the only one that can contend with the Tang Dynasty is the Arabian Empire to the west of the Cong Mountains. Lord Protector-General should be well aware of this. If we cannot thoroughly defeat them and make them understand the terrifying power of the Tang Dynasty, then … there will be no end of trouble!
"This world is one of survival of the fittest, where the strong prey on the weak. Our Tang Dynasty was able to rule the Western Regions through our own strength. The Arabs were able to expand to the west of the Cong Mountains and encroach on the Tang Dynasty through their own strength. Whether Milord has realized it or not, from the moment we arrived here, everything was decided. In this battle, if we dare to enter the city and show the slightest fear, the Arabs will swarm in, and we will lose the initiative, handing over the advantage we worked so hard to build. Lord Protector-General should understand that the Tang Dynasty no longer has any soldiers to deploy! "
At this point, Wang Chong paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd. All was quiet. All the Anxi generals, including the generals at Wang Chong's side, had been captivated by Wang Chong's words, all of them solemnly looking at him.
All the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, from the east of the Cong Mountains to Qixi and Wushang, had been mobilized. Just as Wang Chong had said, Talas was probably the last line of defense.
"… If we win this battle, we can protect the Western Regions for several decades, or at least slow down the advance of the Arabs. Lord Protector-General should know that the army led by Abu Muslim is only the soldiers of that empire in the east. This empire has at least three times the number of soldiers in the rear. We don't have many choices. If we lose, Anxi and Qixi will change sides, and even Longxi will crumble to the threat of the Arabs. All of these are things that we must consider! "
Wang Chong sternly said, one last glance at the commander-in-chief of the Anxi Protectorate army, Gao Xianzhi.
Gao Xianzhi said nothing, but his brows were deeply furrowed. As a general, his duty was to lead his soldiers into battle, to win battles, and to win battles after battles. This was why Gao Xianzhi had said those words and entered the City of Talas.
But Wang Chong's standpoint was completely different from his own. Wang Chong's strategic vision and considerations were far more profound. After careful consideration, even Gao Xianzhi had to admit that there were many aspects of this war that he had not considered thoroughly.
"I understand!"
Gao Xianzhi gave a serious nod. He gave Wang Chong a deep glance, acting like he was meeting this seventeen-year-old youth of the Tang Dynasty for the first time.
'Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.' There had been many misunderstandings between Gao Xianzhi and Wang Chong, including the Regional Commanders incident and Wang Chong's assault on Wushang. In this meeting, Gao Xianzhi had treated Wang Chong so courteously, partly because Wang Chong had been willing to put aside their former enmity and brave the danger of leading an army to reinforce him.
As for Wang Chong's military skills and other aspects … Although Wang Chong had been able to defeat Umar, as a top-class Great General on the level of Gao Xianzhi, who had won countless victories and had experienced far more than ordinary generals, he had not left a very deep impression on Wang Chong.
But when Wang Chong said these words, revealing his comprehensive plans for the Battle of Talas, Gao Xianzhi felt for the first time that this youth possessed a vast breadth of knowledge, a strategic and long-term vision that could make any Protector-General or Great General lose their luster.
Astounding talent!
Gao Xianzhi had always been a proud man, but he had never imagined that he would see another person, and a youth at that, a talent that far surpassed his own.
"Everything will be done according to Lord Protector-General's wishes. If Lord Protector-General has anything that requires the cooperation of the Anxi Protectorate army, this Gao will give it his all."
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