Chapter 119: Sweat and blood come to the west

The grain harvested in various places was continuously transported from Hesheli to Xiashule, and about 10,000 farmers followed the grain escort team to enter the city.

After Yang Yi unified the soldiers and generals of Shule, Murong Chunhua persuaded Yang Yi to lead his troops to Shule to join the army.

"Now the opportunity to win is in Shule City. Now the Shule people are back home. I will stay here to guard it. There will be no trouble. Why don't you lead the light cavalry to help the battle? Special Envoy Zhang will be happy when he sees it."

Yang Yi then led 1,500 people to come over. He deliberately took a little walk, but drove from the northwest, making the Uighurs watching the thunder unpredictable where the Tang army came.

When Zhang Mai saw Yang Yi, he was overjoyed and said, "Ayi, you are a blessing general. With your arrival, Po Shule will be just around the corner."

Yang Yi said: "Okay, then we will prepare to attack the city tomorrow."

Zhang Mai smiled and said, "No, no, no."

Others saw calmness on Zhang Mai's face, and even Guo Shiyong and An Shoujing were hidden from it. They felt that Special Envoy Zhang was completely sure of victory. Only Li Bin saw from Zhang Mai's occasional subtle changes in his mind that he was full of torture.

Time, time, from Broken Leaf to here, Zhang Mai's biggest enemy has never been Satuk, but time.

Since entering the Shule area, the Tang army has always had the upper hand, but if they did not take down Shule City for a day, all of these accumulated advantages may be lost in one day. Despite a series of blows, it is impossible for a strong city like Shule to stay in a strong city as long as the defending routines of the defenders do not make too many mistakes, and it is impossible to continue to hold on for a few months. In order to occupy this big city, Zhang Mai used all his troops and thoughts here, but, just like a flood rushing through the embankment, despite the fierce momentum, the break that caused the collapse has not appeared for a long time.

Until this day, two news of good and bad appeared at the same time.

The good news is that the high priest of the Zoroastrian Church, Mubed, sent people out of the city to negotiate with Zhang Mai. Abul's confidant arrived with Mubed. Mubed was able to send people out under such circumstances. Zhang Mai sincerely admired.

"How did you come out?" Zheng Wei, who was so surprised at the time, asked the envoy.

"The guard Geshuo, the North Gate side and half of his standing troops are all the most devout believers of our religion." Mubaid's messenger said with a smile.

At this time, Abul's confidant, a shopkeeper who Zheng Hao had met, said: "In addition, a small number of the three thousand militias responsible for defending at the North Gate are believed in Mingzun."

These two news couldn't help but make Zhang Mai full of some fantasy: Can this news be understood as if the Zoroastrian forces and the Ming Cult forces in Shule City merged into each other, they could control the North Gate?

Mubbed's messenger did give such a hint, but Abul brought more detailed information through his confidant.

"Enterprise Zhang," before meeting Mubaid's envoy, Zheng Wei first brought Abul's confidant to Zhang Mai: "Things are not that simple. Mubaid's envoy said that he just wanted to increase his value."

Although Geshuo is a believer of the Zoroastrian, he has not yet reached the point of fully obeying the orders of the high priest. Geshuo, the Zoroastrian, is only a belief tendency, but he is also a subordinate of Hushagar. Therefore, the two envoys were able to leave the city this time, and it was not directly ordered by Geshuo, but by the Ming sects in the militia, secretly pulled the two from the most remote northeast corner by the Ming sect in the militia.

This detail made Zhang Mai understand Geshuo's intentions - this general dared not disobey Hu Shagar, and did not give up on the Uighur regime. However, seeing that the Tang army was powerful and the influence exerted by the Zoroastrianism, he sold the Tang army in a vague way, in case the Shule city was broken in the future, he would have some capital to surrender. Of course, he did this without any trace. If there were any signs of being exposed or the military situation turned around, he would immediately put all the blame on his subordinates, and even kill people to silence him.

After all, this is just a fence-bearing behavior.

"In other words, while we are negotiating with Mubed, we also have to give Geshuo some benefits and promises, right?"

"Yes."

All the embankments of Shule have softened: the people's hearts have begun to be in chaos, the army's morale has been depressed, the religious leaders are waiting and watching, the generals and the rats are at the ends - but the gap still has not appeared. If Zhang Mai had enough time, it would be almost certain to capture Shule, but now time is not on Zhang Mai's side. Fortunately, the people in the city do not know this.

"From various signs, Mubbed's move this time should be to show us further, but I'm afraid it's still not enough to make him make up his mind," said Li Bin.

At this time, the Tang army used all the methods from frontal confrontation to psychological tactics. Then, there seemed to be no other way outside the forced siege.

Zhang Mai's fingers kept bent, and Li Bin noticed this detail and thought: "Is Special Envoy Zhang calculating the time when Satuk arrives?"

"First meet Mubed's messenger. Then take a look." Zhang Mai said.

But at this moment, An Shoujing hurriedly sent someone to report: "The west is in urgent need!"

What! The west side is in urgent need?

Zhang Mai couldn't help but change his face: "Satuk is back so quickly!"

Li Bin and Guo Luo looked at each other, and their faces were also uneasy. If Satuk arrived now, the Tang army would be in an unfavorable situation of being attacked from both sides.

Yang Yi stood up and said, "I'll go and meet the enemy!"

After the Sweat and Blood Cavalry Regiment left Tuoyun Town, they did not see a bunch of wheat along the way.

"Is this the fertile Shule?" Asil said in confusion.

"No, prince," Mahumeng pointed to the distance and said, "Look, it's a farmland! But it's been harvested, so it looks like a wilderness from afar."

"Oh, it has been harvested. However, in the last letter Shanya sent, she described the rich scene here in detail. I still remember her when she went to the farmland outside the city and talked to the farmers. There was a saying: By the end of October, what a prosperous scene would it be. But it is not the time yet. Well, was Hu Shagar the clan firmly and cleared the fields to resist the Tang bandits?"

Shanya is Asil's sister, a famous beauty in the Hezhong area. Although she has only half of Persian descent, she has collected all the advantages of ancient Persian beauties in appearance. She was sent here by Valdan a year ago to learn the etiquette of the Uighurs. Bograhan seemed to have the intention of taking her as a concubine.

Asil was not very happy about this at first. Although he was pious, he was not stupid. He could see that there was a political flavor. He hoped that his sister could marry a man who was sincerely good to her, rather than a powerful man with many wives and concubines - even Bograhan, although it was Vardan's intention, for the sake of his sister, he also mustered up the courage to resist Valdan for the first time in his life.

But Shanya opposed him to do so.

"Let me go!" Shanya said: "I don't care about how many women my husband has, but he must be the best hero in the world!"

"Do you really think so?" Asil looked at his sister very seriously: "It's not because he was afraid that I could do it, so he said so on purpose?"

"Of course not!" Shanya's eyes were very firm.

So, the girl, who was only seventeen years old, embarked on the road to Shule. After meeting her, Satuk was indeed fascinated by her beauty. However, Satuk was not an impatient man. He also understood that Shanya represented Kuba, and was not the kind of sexual venting object that would take her back to the Khan Mansion when she fell in love, so he planned to marry her at a formal wedding. Anyway, it was the flesh in her palm, so she was not afraid of flying.

The scheduled wedding was supposed to be held half a year ago, but it was delayed again and again due to Arslan's call and the Tang Kou incident that continued to occur next.

"Shanya doesn't know what's going on now..."

Thinking of his sister, Asil had a different glory on his face than when he faced the true God with devout devotion. The glory was not holy, but full of tenderness.

"General! There is a large army blocking the road ahead!"

Coming back to his senses, Asil sneered: "Come? Hum!"

It is less than eighty miles away from Shule City here.

A light cavalry of about two thousand people swept over. Judging from the flying dust, this cavalry should not be underestimated in terms of organization and impact!

"Prepare for the fight!"

The sweat-blooded cavalry regiment of 1,200 cavalry set up a formation, and soon the enemy rushed in front of him, and a tall man appeared in Asil's vision on a divine horse.

"The Throne of Sweat and Blood!" Asil's face changed, and anger appeared on his eyebrows.

That fake Holland - Zhang Mai actually came to greet him in person!

When the two armies were facing each other, Asil raised his hand and walked out alone. Zhang Mai understood that he was willing to invite him to talk alone, so he wanted to go. Yang Yi, the deputy general of the cavalry, said: "Brother Mai, be careful of fraud, I'll go!" Zhang Mai shook his head and said: "I'll go see what he has to say." Yang Yi said: "Then I'll go with you."

When they saw the two of them coming out against Ma Humeng, they also rushed to help.

As the four horsemen approached, Asil stared at Zhang Mai: "You are not General Huolan!" He was talking about Uighur words. Zhang Mai could understand these two sentences, but he did not answer. He smiled slightly, but said in Chinese: "Prince Xue Fu, I heard from Zheng Wei that you seem to be able to speak Tang Yan."

Asil Yingting's eyebrows were stuttering: "You are not stuttering!"

Zhang Mai laughed and said, "Holan is my defeated man. He has been cut into a crippled by my sword formation. I pretended to be him and was gilded on his face."

After saying this, he paid close attention to Asil's expression change. When he saw the other party, he was surprised at first, and then he disbelief: "You killed General Holland? Humph!"

Zhang Mai felt a little happy: "It seems that they have not yet met Satuk, so that will be much easier."

Asil pointed at Zhang Mai and asked, "It seems that you said a lot of nonsense in Kuba that day - who are you!"

Zhang Mai smiled and said, "We? We are the Tang army. When we attacked the rare news, didn't we already reveal our flag?"

"Tang Jun? Where did you come from? What did you come here for?"

As Asil's words became more and more severe, Zhang Mai seemed to have no interest in continuing to answer.

"Xue Fu! You don't seem to be qualified to ask me like this." Zhang Mai said coldly: "I am here to talk to you now for the sake of your friendship, not to listen to your questioning."

"Friendship? People who make lies are worthy of talking about friendship?"

Zhang Mai smiled and said, "Do you dare to swear to the True God, saying that you didn't have any thoughts to test me when you led me to the stable?"

Asil's aggressive aura suddenly weakened, and Zhang Mai said: "Even if Valdan is calculating towards True Holland, you know this more than me! When the two armies fight, they are never tired of deceitful deception. However, in addition to the words we said next to the stable that day, we stripped away the intrigues for military and national affairs. I believe you are indeed willing to make friends with me - the same is true for me."

Asil snorted and said, "Make friends? In the current situation, can we still be friends!"

"Public is public, private is private." Zhang Mai said: "We are incompatible in state affairs, but in private relationships, we can still be friends." He stroked the throne of sweat and blood under his crotch and said: "I will never forget your friendship with giving horses. Of course, if you are willing to join us, I will welcome you with open arms - I will not interfere with your faith, but I can give you what Satuk and Valdan cannot give you - help you restore your country!"

Restoring the country...

Mahumeng was shocked, but Asil immediately pressed his heart with his left hand: "Don't mention your homeland to me, that won't touch me. I have converted to the True God. The boundaries of the nation are false, and only the faith of the True God is applicable to all regions."

Zhang Mai said: "I do not deny your faith, but what about those who do not agree with the true God? For example, Zoroastrians, Manichaesa, and Buddhists. What are you going to do?"

"The true God will not force the lost people to believe in Him." Asil said: "But one day, when everyone in the world wakes up, they will fall into His arms."

"So, do you advocate religious freedom?"

"Religious freedom?" Asil shook his head: "I don't know what you are talking about. I just said that we will not force people to change their beliefs. The true belief should come from the heart."

Zhang Mai said: "That's what you think? Does Valdan think so too?"

"Of course!" Asil cried: "Of course the same is true for the preacher! All my thoughts come from the preacher's teachings."

"Okay, then I'll just think that he thinks this, and that's what he said." Zhang Mai sternly said: "But you touch your conscience and say that - did he do this! What he did and what he said is consistent with what he said!"

Asil's long eyebrows drooped: "I've been talking for so long, but I still don't know your name."

Zhang Maiang raised his head: "My name is Zhang Mai! Zhang Mai of the Tang Dynasty!" He picked up the red satin blood spear and wrote down his name on the ground.

"Zhang Mai... OK, I remember." Asil said: "Brother Zhang Mai, you don't have to try to slam my faith. The greatness of the preacher is not something you can predict. Although you think you are amazing now, in the eyes of the True God, you are just a lost lamb who knows a little cleverness. Since both sides have already expressed their position, we don't need to talk nonsense. Let me ask you, what is your purpose?"

Zhang Mai smiled slightly and said, "We have never hidden our purpose: We fight so bravely and go through a thousand miles of expeditions to make ourselves live a good life and try our best to make the people around us live a good life. Let the people of the Tang Dynasty be self-reliant and self-reliant, and together with all nations who are willing to fight with us, we will build a civilized country with laws and order."

Asil was stunned and said, "If you really think so, it is not inconsistent with the teachings of the true God."

"Yes." Zhang Mai smiled and said, "So I said we can be friends."
To be continued...