Chapter 5353 The Mission Arrives

Chapter 5353 The Mission Arrives
Mu'awiyah could make a decision without much deliberation, since the Tang Dynasty was thousands of miles away. Although the Tang army could reach Mesopotamia, the Abbasid Caliphate had the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support in fighting on its home soil. No matter how strong the Tang army was, there was no danger of the country's demise.

Byzantium was the real threat from within.

The strategy of befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones is not unique to China...

He glanced at Ye Qide and Xie He, who were standing like quails to the side, snorted, and said to Xie He, "Although the Tang army is attacking from both land and water, Su Dingfang, the naval commander in Taixifeng City, is the one in charge of this battle. You will go to Taixifeng City to negotiate with the Tang army and be responsible for the peace talks. This will be a way for you to redeem yourself."

A treaty made under duress is a great humiliation, and while one must bear the shame, going to negotiate with the Tang army is not a good thing either. One will certainly be remembered in history, but not for a good reason.

Future generations may not remember that it was he, the Caliph, who made the decision, but they will certainly remember who signed the "treasonous treaty"...

Ye Qide lowered his head and remained silent, even taking a small step back.

Sheikh's face darkened; wasn't this bullying?
You broke the Arab tradition of "recommendation system" by placing your son on the throne as the successor to the empire, so your reputation cannot be tarnished. Therefore, you can throw me out to bear the infamy of signing a humiliating treaty for you.
But since they had made a mistake first, they dared not disobey despite their dissatisfaction.

Sheikh bowed and said, "Please instruct the Khalifa on how to formulate the terms of the peace talks."

Treaties signed under duress are always made out of desperation; how can they possibly secure any favorable terms? Those responsible for signing treaties are bound to be condemned and vilified by the entire nation.

But if the treaty were drafted by the Caliph, at least some of the pressure could be shared...

Ye Qide wouldn't say this, nor would he ask it; only he could say it.

Muaviyah glanced at Sheikh; how could he not know what he was thinking?
"Since you are in charge of the peace talks, I will naturally grant you full authority. I only have one request: the Tang army must withdraw. You can decide the rest yourselves."

Sheikh: "..."

The Arab world is a nation that values ​​aggression and pioneering spirit. The entire nation has a plundering mentality; wealth, civilization, land... anything that can be seen and touched, they all want to possess.

Given this prevailing atmosphere, the infamy he would bear if forced to sign a humiliating treaty with the powerful Tang army would be almost as severe as having his head chopped off.

He knew this was punishment the Caliph had given him after listening to Yazid's slander, so he couldn't refuse...

"Harry is determined, I will do my best!"

Muaviye said calmly, "It's not about doing your best, but about doing it to the utmost! This matter concerns the long-term strategy of the Empire, and I entrust it to you with my earnest expectations."

Sheikh: "..."

*****
Western cities are under lockdown.

Inside the palace, Su Dingfang and Yang Zhou stood before a huge map hanging on the wall. The latter was using a paintbrush to outline the route from Suyab City along Xue Rengui's marching route all the way to Mosul City. He then stepped back, put down the paintbrush, and looked at the long route that crossed deserts, rivers, plateaus, and snow-capped mountains... all the way to Mosul City.

He shook his head and sighed, “I always say that sailing at sea is too hard. The water is rough, the wind is strong and the waves are high. You can not see the land for months and have no foothold. It is really suffering… But after seeing the road that General Xue took, I realized what real hardship and danger are.”

Su Dingfang nodded and said, "It is indeed hard work, but if you want to achieve great things and make a name for yourself in history, you must naturally work hard, empty your body, and improve what you are not good at! Fortunately, no matter how hard you work, you will eventually be rewarded."

Soldiers defend their country and expand its territory. The moment they go to the battlefield, they are prepared to die. As long as they die a worthy death and their death is worthwhile, death is not scary.

Besides, it's just hard work.

The land and naval forces, separated by 100,000 miles, simultaneously invaded Mesopotamia and spread their might beyond the borders. If they could force the Abbasid Caliphate to sign a treaty, all the hardships would be worthwhile.

Next, the two exchanged views and discussed the defense of the city of Taixi.

To this day, Taixi Feng City still lacks city walls, which poses a significant challenge to its defense. After all, this is the heartland of the Abbasid Caliphate, and if they were to amass a superior force and launch a full-scale attack, the Tang army's current strength would be stretched thin and unable to defend effectively.

Even if he manages to hold out, he will have to pay a heavy price.

"Hopefully, the Arabs can preserve their strength to deal with Byzantium in the west..."

Yang Zhou sighed.

Although this is highly likely, anything can happen, and we must be fully prepared...

As the two were discussing their matter, a captain hurried in from outside.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the imperial delegation has arrived!"

Who is the mastermind?

"Minister of Rites"

"Xu Jingzong?!"

Su Dingfang and Yang Zhou exchanged a glance, quite surprised.

……

At the dock where the city of Taixi was under lockdown, Xu Jingzong and his entourage stepped off the ship onto solid ground. Months of sailing had already made their bodies accustomed to the turbulence of the sea, and when they suddenly stepped onto solid ground, several of them almost fell over.

Xu Jingzong looked at Pei Huaijie, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Ren Yaxiang, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, who were traveling with him, and said with a wry smile, "I'm getting old after all, and I can't deny that I'm getting old. This long voyage almost cost me my life!"

Ren Yaxiang smiled and said, "Why do you say that, Minister? You are in your prime, with both experience and ability. After completing such a major task, you will likely be promoted even further upon returning to the capital."

Xu Jingzong roused himself and laughed loudly: "If it were truly for the sake of official position and career advancement, why would I be willing to tie this old body to a ship and suffer such torment? But for Your Majesty's grand ambitions and the glorious prosperity of the empire, I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life!"

Ren Yaxiang couldn't help but chime in with a few words, praising Minister Xu for his noble character, loyalty to the emperor, and patriotism.

Beside him, Pei Huaijie smiled faintly, seemingly appreciating the architectural style of Taixi Fengcheng, which was quite different from that of the Tang Dynasty, but in reality, he was quite distressed.

In terms of official rank, he was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a second-rank official, while Xu Jingzong was only the Minister of Rites, a third-rank official, one rank lower than him. Ren Yaxiang, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, was only a fourth-rank official, and they were not even in the same league.

However, the person in charge of this potential peace talks with the Abbasid Caliphate was Xu Jingzong, and he and Ren Yaxiang, who were "not of high enough rank," were both deputy envoys...

This opportunity was only obtained after he mobilized countless connections and volunteered himself before His Majesty.

One can imagine his current status in the imperial court...

In the distance, a troop of cavalry galloped towards them. Porters, laborers, officials, and soldiers near the docks scattered like a tidal wave, allowing the cavalry to swagger through the streets without slowing down, until they were right in front of them.

Su Dingfang and Yang Zhou, fully armored and helmeted, dismounted from their horses and quickly approached the delegation, bowing with clasped hands in greeting.

"My name is Su Dingfang. I have met Minister Xu, Minister Pei, and Vice Minister Ren."

"My name is Yang Zhou. I greet you all."

Xu Jingzong quickly stepped forward and returned the salute with a clasped fist, his face beaming: "Governor Su and General Yang led their troops on a distant expedition, and their hard work and great achievements are truly admirable. First, they pacified the Indochina Peninsula, and then they set sail to conquer the Abbasid Caliphate. They are indeed renowned generals of our time, and I admire them wholeheartedly."

Pei Huaijie and Ren Yaxiang returned the greeting with smiles.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group entered the royal palace within the city.

After everyone was seated, Su Dingfang said, "Your lodgings have been prepared in this palace. However, since the city is newly established and manpower is scarce, the living conditions are inevitably simple and lacking. Please bear with us."

“Hey, Governor Su, what are you saying? We are all working for His Majesty’s imperial decree, so we should understand and help each other.”

Xu Jingzong feigned displeasure and pointed at Su Dingfang: "We're all on the same side, don't speak like outsiders."

Su Dingfang smiled and nodded, understanding his meaning.

Although the navy was given the title of "royal," it was actually controlled by Fang Jun, so the court and the public unanimously believed that the navy was within Fang Jun's sphere of influence.

Although Xu Jingzong was highly experienced, being one of the "Eighteen Scholars of the Prince of Qin's Mansion" and a minister who served Emperor Taizong when he was still a prince, his career was always stagnant and his official career was unsuccessful until he co-managed the Zhenguan Academy with Fang Jun, which led to his rapid rise in rank and smooth official career.

He has long been labeled as Fang Jun.

That's why there's the saying "our own people".

Pei Huaijie sipped his tea with a blank expression, feeling quite awkward inside.

Are you all "one of us" and I'm the only outsider?

At midday, Su Dingfang hosted a banquet for the delegation. After the meal, they returned to the palace to discuss important matters.

Xu Jingzong asked, "Before his departure, His Majesty repeatedly instructed me to seize the opportunity to facilitate peace talks so that the two countries could end the war and live in peace. I have been at sea for several months and am completely unaware of the current situation. I do not know whether the Abbasid Caliphate is at war or at peace, or whether it has sent peace envoys?"

The Tang court had little interest in occupying Abbasid territory, and many even opposed launching a combined land and sea attack on Abbasid territory. Even those who dared not refute Fang Junzhi's authority unanimously believed that peace should be sought through war rather than a full-scale war with Abbasids.

That's why they formed an envoy that set off from Chang'an before the two armies, one on land and one by sea, had achieved victory.

Our resolve to negotiate peace is unwavering.

This is also His Majesty's will...

Su Dingfang said, "There is no news from Damascus yet, and it is still uncertain whether they will fight or make peace. Regardless of the enemy's choice, our primary focus should be on defense. Only by remaining invincible can we force the enemy to negotiate."

Pei Huaijie said, "Since the Arabs are currently hesitant, why doesn't the Commander-in-Chief take the initiative? If we win one or two more battles, the Arabs will know how to make their choice."

Su Dingfang glanced at him but didn't say anything about "what if we lose?" After all, he was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he had to save face for him.

Therefore, he said tactfully, "Both we and General Xue Rengui have traveled long distances and are exhausted from the expedition. Many soldiers are suffering from acclimatization problems and low morale. So, we should try to maintain stability at the moment. While reorganizing our military preparations, we should also give the Arabs some time. After all, signing a treaty under duress is a great humiliation. Even the Caliph has to appease the people and the government. After all, it is they who are anxious."

(End of this chapter)