Chapter 1016: Khorasan
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Many nobles and ministers in Baghdad were currently demanding Abu Muslim’s execution, which was very poor news for him. No one knew what the Caliph’s will was at the mont, but the Sword of Damocles would co down eventually.
“Ziyad, is there any way to seek out information on the High Priest?” Abu Muslim suddenly asked.
“Milord?!”
Ziyad was dazed. He had never expected that Abu Muslim would bring up the High Priest instead of worrying about the Caliph’s rage and his future punishnt.
“Ziyad, Masil was the High Priest’s disciple. His Majesty favored Masil as well because of his relationship to the High Priest. Thus, from start to finish, the most crucial figure in this matter... has always been the High Priest. The Caliph has said nothing because the High Priest has said nothing.
“The Tang getting control of the Behemoths and making them defect at the most crucial mont was the largest variable in this battle. Masil’s death was also tied to this. If we inform the High Priest of this matter, perhaps... it will help us endure this disaster, maybe even get us so assistance. The eastern world has far too many mysteries. Talas is only the beginning. I sense... that if we want to conquer the eastern world, we will need the High Priest’s assistance.”
Abu Muslim’s words left Ziyad speechless.
After the severe defeat at Talas, everyone knew that Abu Muslim was facing a calamity, but no one had ever associated this topic with the most enigmatic existence in the empire, the High Priest. Besides, the High Priest resided high above, his enigmatic nature engendering respect and fear, and normal people never even had the chance to interact with him.
But when carefully considered, Abu Muslim’s words were not entirely unreasonable.
For a mont, Ziyad was frozen as his mind tossed and turned in thought.
“But Milord, the High Priest always moves very secretively. He most often appears at the Temple, but even the people of the Temple don’t know where he goes, much less us. Moreover, His Majesty the Caliph long ago decreed that no one was allowed to disturb the Temple and the High Priest, with execution for those who did. Even the Third Prince was not able to do such a thing, much less us.”
Abu Muslim imdiately frowned at these words. He knew the incident Ziyad spoke of. Back then, the Caliph had treated the Third Prince extrely well, but one day, this naughty youth strayed into the Temple. When the Caliph found out, he had the Third Prince imdiately executed. A prince was a lofty status that had the right to inherit the throne. Nobles, ministers, and governors would have to bow in their presence, let alone the common folk.
From this incident, the entire empire knew of the Caliph’s resolve, and no one dared to approach the Temple. Moreover, ten thousand heavily armored guards had been stationed around the Temple.
Abu Muslim thought quietly for a very long ti, but he was eventually forced to admit that using this thod to find the High Priest was almost impossible. If it were just a matter of the Temple being heavily guarded, Abu Muslim could just force his way through, but even if he did get in, he might still find it difficult to find the High Priest.
The High Priest was far too mysterious. In the last ten years, he had only appeared three tis. It appeared almost impossible for him to gain the aid of the High Priest.
“We’ll put this matter to the side for now. Let ask you, what is the status of the Malukes?” Abu Muslim asked. As he spoke these words, a strange look appeared in his eyes.
“Milord, the rebellion of the old nobles in Khorasan has been completely suppressed. I have already received word that the Khorasan rebels lost more than three hundred thousand n. I am confident that they won’t be able to stir any trouble for a very long ti. In addition, the Malukes have already been inford of what happened at Talas. Commander Aybak has sent a letter saying that once he has finished with Khorasan, he will await the arrival of Governors Qutaybah and Osman, and travel with them to Talas to assist Lord Governor.
“Aybak has expressed great interest in this eastern army that can defeat both the Behemoth Army and the Skyquaking Army,” Ziyad sternly said.
Ziyad clearly appeared energized when he ntioned the Malukes.
In this Battle of Talas, the Malukes were a force that should have been deployed in the east, and the Caliph had promised that they would assist Abu Muslim in his conquest, in quashing the formidable powers of the eastern world. But the Malukes had been called away to the rebellion in Khorasan, and they never ended up arriving on the battlefield.
The loss at Talas was inextricably linked to the lack of the Malukes.
If the Malukes had been available, everything might have turned out differently. At the very least, that force of Wootz Steel cavalry on the ground would not have been so unstoppable.
“However, even though the Malukes are strong, in terms of equipnt, they can’t compare to the Tang Wootz Steel soldiers. Those weapons are too sharp, and even the God Armor of the Skyquaking Army, the best equipnt the empire could provide, the crystallization of the knowledge of the empire’s best smiths, was still cut through by those Wootz Steel swords wielded by the Tang. I sense that these Wootz Steel swords will beco the Malukes’ greatest weakness. If we don’t address this weakness, the Malukes will find it very hard to exhibit their full might,” Ziyad sternly said.
Abu Muslim said nothing, but the shift in his expression indicated that he understood the problem. Although they had both been caught up in the intense battle, they had also been keeping a close eye on the battlefield.
Although the Skyquaking Army was no Behemoth, it could definitely be considered the number two force in all of Arabia. In their plans, the Skyquaking Army with their formidable armor would have thrown the Tang lines into complete chaos. But when those five thousand Wushang Cavalry charged, everything had changed.
If they had not seen it for themselves, they would have found it very difficult to believe that the God Armor forged by the best smiths of the empire had been so fragile before the Tang swords.
“Take the information that we’ve gathered together with the remains of the broken God Armor and send them to Khorasan, to Maluke Commander Aybak. Aybak has more capabilities and resources inside the empire. He will have to rely on himself to resolve this problem. I presu that when he sees these things, he will understand.”
......
Flap flap!
A black eagle flew with incredible speed through the air, traveling from Samarkand all the way to the strategic town of Khorasan. In this, one could clearly see the advantage the Arabs held in their close proximity to Talas.
Abu Muslim’s information could arrive in Aybak’s hands far faster than expected.
Whoosh!
From the vantage of the black eagle flying over Khorasan, down below, one could see countless tall buildings soaring into the air. From the density and extravagance of those buildings, one could tell that Khorasan was a flourishing economic hub.
In truth, anyone who ca to Khorasan would be stunned by its magnificence and grandeur. On the Silk Road, this city was known as the Pearl of the West. Countless rchants would co to admire it. They would travel from east to west along the Silk Road, all of them gathering at this final stop of the Silk Road.
But at this mont, Khorasan possessed none of its forr magnificence. The streets were dotted with piles of corpses, all of them burning and belching black smoke into the skies. The stench of the burning dead filled the air, but the strongest scent of all was the choking odor of blood.
From a distance, even the air seed to have been stained red in many places.
Caw!
Vultures and crows spiraled over the city, constantly descending to ‘fight for food’ with the flas. In many places, one could also see ownerless cals and ostriches wandering around.
Khorasan!
The pearl at the end of the Silk Road had just experienced a grueso massacre. The rebellion might have already been suppressed, but the clean-up would last a very long ti!
Whoosh!
In the center of Khorasan, a banner fluttered over an enormous square building of white stone. A black crescent moon was depicted on this banner, exuding a somber aura of extre cruelty. Anyone who saw it would feel an inexplicable sense of dread.
The Malukes!
In the Arabian Empire, there was no one who did not know the na represented by this banner.
‘Eternal slaughter, conquest is king!’
This was the motto of the Malukes.
At this mont, countless Malukes stood tall around the white building.
These Malukes had tanned and stalwart bodies, their muscles gleaming as if made of tal. Their bodies were tensed with explosive power, like tigers ready to leap into battle. Most terrifying of all was their heavy black armor. This armor was covered in sword marks. The density of these marks was a sign of the intensity of the battle these Malukes had fought.
The coagulated blood had already seeped into their black armor, turning it dark red, fusing with the killing intent seething off these heavy cavalry.
These were warriors who lived for slaughter. They were like devils from hell, not human warriors. And their cold and emotionless eyes could make anyone freeze in fear.
Arooo!
A savage stray dog erged from a street so twenty zhang away. Suddenly, this savage dog with bared teeth seed to notice sothing. It trembled, gave a soft yelp, and fled with its tail between its legs.
These were the illustrious Malukes of the Arabian Empire. Where they appeared, even the insects underground would take fright. Silence reigned around them.
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