Since Li Ding went to the West, he has been marching and fighting while learning about the religious culture, history, customs and people of the West. The three major religions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity are mutually exclusive, and the war that has lasted for thousands of years has left too much blood, tears and hatred for all parties.
But there is one interesting point: the hatred between these three major religions is largely related to one place: Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is home to Judaism's holiest site, the Wailing Wall.
The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, is a section of the wall of the Second Temple of the ancient Jewish nation and the only remaining site of the wall. It is about 50 meters long and 18 meters high and is built of large stones. Judaism regards the wall as the first holy place.
In 70 AD, during the reign of Roman Emperor Herod, the Jewish uprising was suppressed. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed and most of them were expelled from the Palestinian region. Jerusalem and the temple were almost razed to the ground. This wall was a protective wall built by King Herod on the ruins of the Second Temple during the same period.
It was not until the Byzantine Empire that Jews were given a chance to return to their homeland once a year on the Sabbath. Countless Jewish believers came here and wept facing the wall, hence the name "Wailing Wall".
At the same time, Jerusalem also has a holy place for Islam: the Al-Sahli Mosque, also known as the Golden Dome of the Rock.
The Al-Sahla Mosque is located in the Islamic holy site in the east of Jerusalem. Muslims believe that the rock in the middle of the Dome of the Rock is the place where Muhammad, the founder of Islamic education, ascended to heaven with the angel Gabriel to meet God.
Therefore, Muslims call it the Noble Temple.
And right between the two holy places, the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, there is a third holy place, a winding path and a Church of the Holy Sepulchre at the end of the path.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the "Hall of Resurrection", is the location of Jesus' tomb and one of the most sacred places in Christianity.
According to legend, Jesus was betrayed by a traitor. Before being executed by the authorities, he was paraded on this road carrying a cross on his back, and finally was taken to the hillside where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located, where he was executed. This path is called the Way of Sorrow by Christians, and the Resurrection Hall is called the Holy Church.
The Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre coexist in one city, becoming a place where the essence of countless believers of the three religions is placed.
The three parties were entangled in a complicated relationship and had difficult to resolve their hatred. No matter which side occupied the city, the other two would try every means to take it back. This led to the Crusades and other scenes of life-and-death killings.
As the commander-in-chief of the Western Expedition, Li Ding had a deep understanding of these things. War depends not only on force, but more on wisdom. Without a clear understanding of these things and knowing both oneself and the enemy, there is no wisdom in sight.
Just like now, Artharus said that Allah would not forgive their massacre, and Li Ding said that they would be rewarded by God. In this way, it feels like this is a matter between gods.
However, Li Ding was too lazy to waste time talking to Arthurius, so he said to Yu Xingguo, the deputy secretary, "Du Chenshi, it's up to you from now on."
Yu Xingguo nodded. The Kazakh soldiers had almost cleaned up the battlefield.
More than 50,000 war horses were collected, and food, fodder and weapons were piled up like mountains.
There is no doubt that the Qin army needs some vassal troops to help out, some vanguard soldiers to serve as cannon fodder, and this is what Yu Xingguo wants to do.
Nearly 30,000 Kazakh prisoners were forced to squat in a group on the grassland, looking like a large group of sheep.
This time Yu Xingguo was too lazy to do any ideological mobilization work. He simply gave these Kazakh captives two choices: go home, or follow the Qin army to eat and drink.
go home
Just let us go home like this
Is there such a good thing
After witnessing the bloody tactics used by the Qin army last night, most Kazakh soldiers did not believe that such a good thing could happen.
As for those who would enjoy the good life by following the Qin army, the subtext was that all the heavy work would be done by you, and you would be the first to charge into battle. More people actually believed this.
The captives squatted on the ground in a black mass, whispering to each other. After a fierce battle, finally 20,000 of them voluntarily chose to follow the Qin army and "eat and drink the spicy food."
Nearly 10,000 people chose to go home.
Yu Xingguo was too lazy to even take a second look at those who chose to go home. Just continue squatting there, go home, and wait.
He really took the 20,000 people who were willing to follow the Qin army to enjoy a good life.
It was true. A large amount of food and supplies had just been seized, and Yu Xingguo was not stingy. He provided enough rice and meat. The 20,000 Kazakh soldiers held their bowls, feeling as if they were dreaming. Just now they were lambs to be slaughtered, but now they were treated so well. Who would believe it if they told others about it
Some people began to regret that if they had known that the Qin army was so trustworthy, they would have chosen to go home. The captives with their meals in hand were regretting their hasty decision.
Suddenly, there was a rain of arrows in the sky over there, like a sky full of locusts, whizzing down, and in this way sending the nearly 10,000 squatting captives home.
Arrows rained down and screams were heard everywhere. Many people here couldn't even hold their bowls steady after seeing the tragic scene. Some even felt weak in their legs and fell to the ground. Most of them were grateful that they had chosen to "have spicy lunch and drink spicy drinks". Fortunately!
Li Ding first sent a few thousand troops to capture the city of Atyrau. The main force rested in Romtau under the Mugojar Mountains for two days before setting out again.
The 6,000 troops of Caiphis, who were sent by Artemis to capture the central tent, no longer dared to go to the central tent after hearing the news that Artemis' 80,000 troops were wiped out. They were so scared that they fled back to the Ottoman Empire.
Li Ding not only successfully united with Aobai, but also had a great victory and had 20,000 more vassal troops. He could be said to be strong and powerful, with high morale. He ordered his troops to march quickly to Xiaoziyu.
Xiaoziyu, also known as Xiaozhang, is the smallest and weakest regional separatist regime in the Kazakh Khanate. It is also called "Western Kazakhstan" in the Kazakh language.
It is mainly composed of: Bayiul (including Adai, Alchin, Gapas, Alaqi, Cherkes, etc.), Alimul (including Karasar, Karaksk, Kait, Tuthara, Chekt, etc.), Zhedeul (including Tabuni, Tama, Keldez, Jakalbai, Keleit, Teleu) and other tribes.
Wherever Li Ding's army passed, no matter what tribe you were from, they were all driven to the city of Atyrau, where Xiaoziyu Khan's tent was located, and then the soldiers were rewarded with fine wine and beautiful women.
We have traveled all the way west, thousands of miles away from home, and it would be impossible to maintain morale without any rewards.
There is no such thing as human rights these days. The defeated are at the mercy of others, and being alive is a blessing from heaven.
Li Ding convened a military meeting in Hu Laiqin's royal tent. Officers above the rank of lieutenant general, such as Aobai, Yu Xingguo, Arsalan, Yang Pu, and a group of staff officers, all attended the meeting.
There is only one topic: where to attack next
Staff Li Cunzhong pointed to the map and said, "Generals, the Ural River to the west of Atyrau is the boundary river of the Qin Dynasty designated by the Emperor of Qin. In other words, we have fulfilled His Majesty's ambitions in terms of territorial expansion. The battle of Mugojar Mountain made our army famous..."
Li Ding suddenly made a gesture, interrupting Li Cunzhong: "What do you want to say? If it's still nonsense, then stop here."
Li Cunzhong looked embarrassed and continued, "General, that's not what I meant... Generals, please see, after crossing the Caspian Sea, we will reach the Greater Caucasus region sandwiched between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Currently, the Volga River basin north of the Caucasus is controlled by Tsarist Russia, and the southern Caucasus is controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
According to the intelligence we have obtained, the Ottoman Empire has concentrated heavy troops in the Caucasus region in recent years. On the one hand, it is to defend the northeastern gateway, and on the other hand, it wants to seize the Volga River basin from Tsarist Russia, or even conquer the entire Tsarist Russia.
Arterios's 50,000 troops were almost completely wiped out, which was 80% of the Ottoman forces deployed in the Caucasus. Now in the Caucasus, the total strength of the Ottoman Empire is only about 15,000, even if the 6,000 people who escaped from Kafes are included, there are only 20,000.
After such a disastrous defeat, the prestige of the new Ottoman Grand Vizier Köprülü Mehmed Pasha and his party will inevitably suffer a huge blow, which is likely to trigger a new round of political shocks. Under such circumstances, it is the best time for us to capture the Greater Caucasus region..."
This is possible. If a new round of turmoil really occurs in the Ottoman domestic political situation, it will undoubtedly be a godsend opportunity for Li Ding and others.
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ps: Dear ones, here is the second update. I was not feeling well the past few days, so I barely updated once. Now I am slowly recovering, and I can basically guarantee two updates. I sincerely ask for your subscriptions and recommendation votes!
.(To be continued..)
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