Chapter 1174: Delay? Playing Games!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“What do we do?”
It was Hular’s turn to ask the question, a difficult expression on his face.
“Let them do it,” said the Blood of Black Radiance, Firas. “It’s just eight hours, right? I’d like to see what sort of tricks they can pull.”
The Three Titans of Black Radiance quickly seemed to reach an agreement. After issuing an order, the three of them turned their horses around and returned to the depths of the army.
Meanwhile, the Great Tang side broke into cheers upon receiving the news from the Arabs. Eight hours was half a day. Just a few simple words had the Arabs dancing in their palms.
“Let’s go back and rest. Great General Bahram, I leave the walls to you. Although the Arabs have promised not to attack until after eight hours have passed, they won’t completely keep their word. Protector-General Gao and I will be ready to assist you at any time.”
After fighting alongside Bahram, Wang Chong had slowly begun to develop an understanding of this Great General of the Sassanid Dynasty. This man’s way of fighting was straightforward and proper, steady and firm, so tight that not even a drop of water could get through. With him holding the walls, even if a problem did occur, Bahram would be able to buy enough time.
“Be at ease. Leave this to me.”
Bahram’s eyes were bright as he patted his chest.
“Mm.”
Wang Chong nodded and turned to Li Siye.
“Li Siye, you remain as well. Work with Bahram to defend the walls.”
“Yes, Milord!”
……
Wang Chong quickly descended the walls of Khorasan and entered the governor’s mansion, accompanied by Zhang Shouzhi, the Gangke King, and Banahan.
Wang Chong seated himself in the hall and solemnly said, “Senior Zhang, have you finished preparing what I ordered you to do?”
Zhang Shouzhi lowered his head and respectfully said, “Lord Marquis, according to your orders, we began preparing eight days ago. Everything has arrived. There will be no mistakes.”
“Milord, we’re ready on this side, but—forgive me for speaking out of line—will it really turn out as Milord says it will?” Banahan dubiously asked. When he had first received Wang Chong’s order, he had privately asked this question, but he still felt this matter to be far too absurd.
“It’s fine if it doesn’t get to that level, but if it’s really what I imagine it to be, then when the time comes, it won’t be just the Arabs, but also us who will collapse without a battle.”
Wang Chong slowly scanned the people in front of him, his expression grave.
In front of everyone else, he was always relaxed and assured as if victory was in his hand, but only Wang Chong knew that this matter was far from simple. If it was not done properly, the entire army was at risk of being wiped out.
“Understood!”
Seeing how serious Wang Chong was, all of them immediately voiced their approval.
“Inspect everything again!” Wang Chong said.
“Yes, Milord.”
……
As time slowly passed, the Arab ranks became more concentrated and ever closer, now only ten-some paces from the surging Tigris River. Seven hundred thousand soldiers packed together exuded a formidable pressure. However, just as had been agreed, the Arabs did not begin to attack and instead waited for the Tang to open the gates and surrender.
In the blink of an eye, it was noon, and everyone was awaiting Wang Chong’s answer.
Bang!
An arrow soon flew from the walls of Khorasan and landed in front of the Arabs.
A messenger holding the arrow rushed into a tent in the rear. “Milord, the Tang have sent another letter saying that the resistance of the rebels in the city is intensifying. Although many of the rebels have agreed, another two hours will be needed to make all of them submit.”
“What?”
Hular suddenly stood up, his expression wrathful. The Three Titans of Black Radiance remained seated, but their brows creased.
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“What’s going on? Eight hours have passed. Does he still plan to keep fooling us?” Hular angrily said.
“Milord, we’ve already given them eight hours. If Khorasan really is in the state that they describe, won’t we have given them that time in vain if we attack now?” a general said.
Hular froze, immediately speechless.
“Many rebels have come this time, and all of them have their own ideas,” another general commented. “The Tang are newcomers, and even if they want to surrender, it will be very difficult for them to get the approval of the rebels.”
Hular’s eyes widened, and he became even more speechless. He could sense that he was being played around with by that young Tang commander, and this was not a pleasant feeling.
“Pass on my order. Give them another two hours.”
The Three Titans finally made up their mind, but this was an extremely uncomfortable feeling. The trio somewhat regretted that they had accepted the previous proposal.
Flapflap! A messenger bird soared into the air and into Khorasan.
But two hours later, another message came from the Great Tang. The rebels still did not agree, and even more time was needed, but it wasn’t far until all of them were on the same page. The Great Tang hoped that the Arabs would be patient and wait for news.
“Bastard!”
A steely fist slammed into a sturdy table made of Arabian steel, leaving a deep impression. Hular was apoplectic, and even the Three Titans of Black Radiance seemed greatly perturbed.
These negotiations had lasted for an entire twelve hours. When one thought about it, it truly seemed absurd. Moreover, as time went on, even the Three Titans began to think that the Tang were just buying time. But even so, the four of them were not entirely sure what they were trying to do with all this.
“Two more hours! Give them two more hours! If they still do not surrender, no matter what reason they give, immediately commence the assault!”
The Head of Black Radiance, Fadi, finally made his decision. Every game had to come to an end, and fourteen hours was the absolute limit of the Three Titans of Black Radiance.
Past that time, it would soon be nightfall, and then, even if the Arabs wanted to attack, they would be incapable of doing so.
Flapflap! A second Arabian hunting falcon flew into the sky, delivering the final decision of the Three Titans to Khorasan.
Winds would herald a coming storm, and even though neither the Great Tang nor Arabia had attacked each other yet, the air was tenser than it had ever been before. Both sides had assembled their armies, and everyone understood that the moment a battle began, it would rock the world and cover the ground with corpses.
And as time passed and the sky darkened, dusk began to approach. Flapflap! Finally, a messenger bird flew out from Khorasan and landed in the Arab camp.
This time, the Arabs had received the last reply from the Great Tang.
After many arduous negotiations, the Great Tang, Khorasani, and various rebels had reached a conclusion that would benefit all sides: they would never surrender!
“Bastard!”
A furious roar shook the heavens. The Three Titans, Hular, and all the Arab generals were completely enraged by this letter.
“Pass on my order! Immediately begin the assault. Once the city is breached, kill all the Tang and Khorasani. If it’s a living being that can still breathe, kill it!”
The order of the Three Titans of Black Radiance swiftly spread through the army.
Rumble! The calm earth instantly began to quake as the seven hundred thousand soldiers began to advance on Khorasan. This enormous momentum caused even the Tigris River to shudder.
“Kiiill!”
With a heaven-shaking roar, the Arabs suddenly pushed forward countless small boats into the Tigris River. The warhorses swiftly boarded these boats and began to make for the opposite shore.
“Careful!”
A sharp cry resounded through the heavens, and war drums suddenly began to bang within Khorasan as soldiers ascended the walls. Kacreak! Several thousand ballistae lined up on the walls of Khorasan, the tips of their bolts aimed at the small boats and Arab cavalry several hundred feet away on the Tigris River.
The Arabs had clearly made ample preparations for this battle. Each boat was manned by an extremely skilled soldier who swiftly rowed the boat to the other shore. Two hundred feet, one hundred feet, fifty feet… the Arabs were getting closer and closer to the opposite shore, until finally…
“Release!”
Chen Bin swung his sword down. The first to attack were not the several thousand Tang ballistae, but the beehives that had been removed from the steel walls. Boomboomboom! Explosions came from the walls, and a moment later, a thick shower of arrows blotted out the skies over the Tigris River like dark clouds.
Swishswishswish! A destructive blow was inflicted at that moment. Countless Arab cavalry, caught unawares, were shot through by the countless arrows, trembling once or twice before stiffly falling from the boats.
Thud! Thud! In this one assault, tens of thousands of Arab cavalry plunged into the chilly rapids of the Tigris River, dyeing the clear waters red.
The Arab soldiers here had all been transferred from elsewhere and had never battled with the Great Tang before. Thus, they were completely unprepared for the Great Tang’s attack methods and suffered gruesome losses.
“Ready!”
After the initial panic, the tens of thousands of Arabs on the small boats took out their personal shields and placed them over their heads. In addition, not only did they lie prone on the boats, they also hid behind their horses, using their bodies to block the arrows.