si-mexico Chapter 779 Tug of War
Chapter 779 Tug of War
In the middle of the seventh century AD, the land of Central Asia was filled with smoke of war.
Pei Xingjian held the emperor's edict in his hand and gazed at the city of Damascus in the distance.
Behind him, hundreds of thousands of Tang soldiers were ready for battle, with their armor shining and their flags fluttering.
"Pass the order, the entire army will march out and storm Damascus!"
Pei Xingjian's voice was firm and powerful, echoing in the empty camp.
The Tang army camp suddenly became boiling, the war horses neighed, the soldiers quickly sorted out their equipment, and marched in neat steps towards the capital of the Arab Empire.
Damascus is now shrouded in a tense atmosphere.
It is not only the political, economic and cultural center of the Arab Empire, but also a spiritual holy place in the hearts of the Arab people.
Since Muawiyah served as the governor of Damascus, this place has become the cradle of the rise of the Arab Empire and witnessed countless glories and honors.
Once this city falls, the Arab Empire will face a fate of being in name only, an outcome that no Arab can accept.
At this time, on the walls of Damascus, the soldiers were on high alert. Their eyes showed both fear of war and a firm desire to protect their homes.
The people in the city also took action, and the elderly, women and children joined the team preparing for defense.
The men helped carry stones and repair the city walls, while the women were responsible for sewing clothes and preparing food for the soldiers. Although the children were young, they also spread various news in the streets and alleys.
When news came that Justinian had ordered a retreat, the entire Arab Empire fell into brief chaos.
However, soon a firm belief took root in the hearts of the Arabs.
More than one million Arabs resolutely decided to stay in Damascus and live and die with the city.
If the country is destroyed, the family will be destroyed. Only by defending Damascus can we protect our homes and beliefs.
"We are believers in Allah, and Damascus is our root!"
An elderly soldier stood on the city wall, raising his arms and shouting, "Even if we shed our last drop of blood, we will let the Tang army know that the Arabs are not lambs to be slaughtered!"
"Allah will protect us. Death is nothing to be afraid of. It's just going to meet God!"
His words were like a spark, igniting the fighting spirit in everyone's hearts.
At the same time, a shocking scene was unfolding in the Arab land.
Hundreds of thousands of Arab merchants put down their businesses and rushed to Damascus without hesitation, taking with them the material wealth they had accumulated throughout their lives.
Their caravans traveled day and night along the winding roads, their carriages loaded with food, weapons, cloth and other supplies.
Before leaving, a young businessman said to his family, "Money is only a thing outside of our body. If it can bring peace to Damascus, everything will be worth it!"
All Arabs, whether nobles or commoners, warriors or scholars, took up arms.
Even those Arabs who had followed Justinian to Constantinople, upon learning of the emergency in Damascus, took up arms without hesitation and headed home on foot.
They slept in the open air and had only one belief in their hearts - to defend Damascus.
In the palace of Constantinople, Justinian stood at the window, looking at the Arabs walking out of the city gate and heading towards Damascus.
There was a hint of admiration and deep worry in his eyes.
He knew that the departure of these Arabs meant that a more brutal battle was about to begin in Damascus.
But at this time, the Western representatives showed a completely different attitude.
They gathered in the magnificent banquet hall, clinking glasses and chatting happily.
"Let those Arabs die. They can hold back the Tang army for a while, giving us more time to prepare."
A noble said drunkenly, causing everyone to laugh.
Justinian watched all this silently, his heart filled with disappointment.
These pampered nobles had no idea of the strength of the Tang army, nor did they understand what the upcoming war meant.
In front of the Tang army's iron cavalry, the so-called noble status is meaningless, and the swords in their hands will not show mercy because of the opponent's status.
At this moment, the Grand Councilor of India, Kofu, came to Justinian.
His eyes were deep and his tone was sincere as he said, "Your Majesty, it is time to restore the glory of Rome."
"Given the current situation, if we are not united, we will not be able to resist the attack of the Tang Dynasty."
Look at those Arabs, they knew that going to Damascus was a life-or-death journey, yet they still went forward without hesitation.”
"And do the Western nobles really have the courage to face the Tang army? I'm afraid they'd all be fleeing before the battle even started."
Justinian sighed and said, "I understand what you mean and what you and Muawiyah think."
"You support me only because I am a legitimate descendant of the Roman Empire."
Having said this, Justinian paused and his eyes became sharp.
"But you must remember that no matter how difficult the situation is, the descendants of the Roman Empire will not surrender easily."
As soon as he finished speaking, Justinian suddenly turned around and shouted, "Come here!"
In a moment, a group of fully armed knights rushed into the conference hall and surrounded it.
Representatives from various countries were suddenly panicked, stood up and looked at Justinian in surprise.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean? Aren't you afraid that our king will call you to account?"
"Today's Byzantium is no longer the Holy Roman Empire of the past. Are you doing this to declare war on us?" a representative shouted angrily.
Justinian glanced at everyone with a stern gaze and said slowly, "I do this for our common future."
"If we continue to fight on our own, we will be defeated one by one by the Tang army."
"From now on, I am the only king in the West. You must obey my command."
"Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"
At the same time, outside Damascus, the Tang army had completed the siege of the city.
Pei Xingjian rode a tall horse and inspected the front of the battle.
He looked at the tall and solid city wall in front of him and knew in his heart that this would be a tough battle.
"Pass the order down and launch a general attack!"
The Tang army's attack horn resounded through the sky.
Countless catapults began to fire, and huge stones rained down on the city walls.
The Arab soldiers on the city wall clung to the wall, dodging the stone attacks and fighting back with bows and stones.
"Kill!"
With a shout, the Tang army's infantrymen, armed with shields and spears, began to charge towards the city wall.
Under the cover of rain of arrows, they approached the city wall with difficulty and tried to set up ladders.
The Arab soldiers desperately threw rolling logs and stones and poured boiling oil at the city. For a moment, screams were heard everywhere under the city and the ground was dyed red with blood.
During the fierce battle, Arab soldiers, armed with scimitars, continued to slash and kill the Tang soldiers who tried to climb the city wall.
Despite multiple injuries and bleeding.
“God bless you!”
He shouted and pushed a Tang soldier off the city wall, but he was accidentally stabbed by the enemy's spear and fell heavily off the city wall.
The battle lasted a whole day, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
As night fell, the Tang army temporarily stopped its attack and began to rest. Meanwhile, in Damascus, the Arabs were also wasting time repairing the city walls and treating the wounded.
Over the next few days, the battle intensified, with the Tang army constantly adjusting their tactics and attempting to attack the city from different directions.
The Arabs, relying on their familiarity with the terrain and their tenacious will, repeatedly repelled the Tang army's attacks.
The two sides engaged in a tug-of-war under the city wall, and every inch of land was covered in blood.