HCB Chapter 372 Murcia Strategy
Chapter 372 Murcia Strategy
Chief Hashim's team moved forward slowly under the scorching sun. The desert horizon met the blue sky and seemed to extend infinitely. Finally, at the end not far away, he found the oasis fortress that slowly emerged in his sight.
As soon as the outline of the fortress came into view, Chief Hashem felt that this city was completely different from the monarchy he had imagined. The towering walls guarded the land like a city wall, and the gates were heavy and tall, revealing unparalleled majesty. From another angle, the fortress was more like a military stronghold than a prosperous capital.
The gate slowly opened with a dull creaking sound. The cavalry led the team in front and marched into the fortress. The scene that came into view made Hashem even more confused. There was a wide road in front of him. In addition to a towering inner fortress in the center, there were a large number of flat-roofed houses around. People walked through it, wearing armor and walking hurriedly, without a trace of life.
Chief Hashim looked up and looked around. Although the people around him were of different appearances, one thing in common caught his attention - these soldiers were obviously not Kushans. Their skin was paler than that of the Kushans, and most of their hair was not black. Chief Hashim listened carefully to their conversation, but found that he did not understand what they said at all.
His intuition told him that something was wrong here. But now that things had developed to this point, Chief Hashim could only muster up his courage, follow the guidance of the cavalry in front, and dismount at the gate of the inner fort.
Although he had all kinds of thoughts in his mind, Chief Hashim still kept his calm and solemn face. The door slowly opened in front of them, and with the low creaking sound of the heavy door, Chief Hashim stepped into the inner castle.
The moment he lifted his foot, he was surprised by the sight before him. The structure of the inner castle was far more exquisite than he had imagined, with intricate murals painted on the walls, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.
However, what surprised him most was the man on the high seat. He was a blond, blue-eyed, handsome man, his skin was as white as the soldiers outside the city, but at this time he was wearing a neat white Kushan robe and a white turban on his head, like some kind of foreign king, but seemed to be seamlessly integrated with the Kushan culture.
"Welcome, Chief Hashim. I am the ruler here, Mamtim II."
The man sitting at the top of the table broke the silence with an elegant tone.
"Hello, His Majesty Mamtim II."
Hearing that the other party was speaking Kushan, Hashim breathed a sigh of relief. At least he could communicate with the other party. Thinking of this, Hashim lowered his posture and continued:
"I have brought the most precious gift from our country, and I would like to use it to express my friendship to your country."
Hashim nodded to the servants around him, and they immediately presented the man with a series of gorgeous gifts, including gold, silk, and weapons inlaid with gems. These precious items sparkled dazzlingly in the sun.
John looked at the gifts and waved with a smile. After the soldiers took all the gifts from the servants, John thanked Hashim in fluent Kushan:
"I am deeply honored by your gift, Chief Hashem."
After that, he paused for a moment, then continued:
"I have ordered people to prepare food. All the food is now carried by camels. When you are ready to leave, you can just take it back."
After thanking each other, Chief Hashim's mood gradually became heavy. He took a deep breath, looked at John sitting on the high seat, and said slowly:
"Your Majesty, the merciful and great Mamtim, I have to confess to you that my tribe is facing a severe crisis. The army of King Murcia is approaching rapidly, and we may be attacked at any time."
John's expression changed slightly, and his golden eyebrows slightly wrinkled, obviously thinking about this sudden information. Hashim continued:
"If you are able, I beg you to send troops to assist us in our joint defense."
John was silent for a moment, and finally, in Chief Hashim's expectation, he slowly said:
"I can send troops, but it will take a month to gather supplies and soldiers. You must take your tribe back to prepare for war."
A glimmer of hope surged in Hashem's heart, but it was also mixed with uneasiness. He wanted to continue asking about the specific number of reinforcements and the battle plan, but he saw John turned his head and gestured to the guards beside him.
"I have arranged for you to be sent out of the city with the camel caravan that is transporting food. It is getting late, so I suggest you return as soon as possible."
"But……"
Hashem was still somewhat doubtful, and felt that he had not finished talking yet, so he was inevitably a little anxious. However, the man in the white robe in front of him was determined and obviously did not want to say more. Helplessly, Hashem could only bow his head and salute John, then turned around resolutely and walked out of the gate of the inner castle with a hint of doubt.
A month later, on the southern earth wall, Chief Hashim stood on the city wall and paced back and forth, feeling extremely anxious.
The day before yesterday, he had just received urgent news from scouts that Murcia had dispatched an army of more than a thousand men, carrying catapults, and was heading straight for his tribe. This sudden threat was like a sword hanging over his head, making him unable to sleep at night and worried.
The view from the city wall was wide, and he looked up from time to time through the blue sky and sand dunes, gazing into the distance. He only hoped that the reinforcements would arrive as scheduled, but the situation was worrying.
Just as he was lost in thought, a dark shadow approached from the distant sand. Hashim looked closely and found that it was a scout rushing over. The hurried footsteps made his heart beat faster. After the scout passed the city gate and completed the identity confirmation, he rushed to the city wall and reported to Chief Hashim:
"Chief, there is a huge army coming from the south, heading towards us!"
Hashim's heart was lifted, and his spirit was instantly stimulated. He changed from pacing to walking quickly, and looked towards the south, his eyes flashing with alertness and desire.
After a while of waiting, an army with fluttering flags finally appeared in the gradually clearer dust. As the distance continued to shorten, the size of the army gradually enlarged in front of Hashim's eyes. The neat array and resolute momentum gradually relaxed his tense mood.
"Go and get someone to prepare for the reception!"
He spoke to the guards around him.
At the moment when the soldiers opened the city gate, Chief Hashim rode out with all his might, quickly controlled his horse, and led a group of ministers to meet the opposing army. As the wind and lightning rushed, the dust flew, and Hashim was nervous and expectant. At such a critical moment, the reinforcements finally arrived as promised.
When he rode to a place not far from the enemy camp, Hashim saw Mamtim II. The only difference was that compared to a month ago, he had a golden mask on his face. For a moment, the luster of the mask shone in the sun, as if symbolizing the dual blessing of his power and prestige.
The two sides greeted each other politely, and then Chief Hashim took John and his party back to the city.
In the spacious hall, Chief Hashim asked without hesitation:
"Respected Mamtim II, how many troops did you bring this time?"
John's face was calm and he answered without disguising:
"I brought more than 10,000 soldiers, they are well-trained and ready for battle at any time!"
As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became solemn. The ministers around Hashim looked at each other, with shock and uneasiness intertwined on their faces - this huge army was undoubtedly a strong support, and it also meant that they were no longer in a situation where they were passively waiting for the other side to attack.
"So, how do we meet the enemy?"
Chief Hashim continued to question, his eyes firm and calm, unwilling to reveal his inner vacillation.
John did not hesitate and responded firmly:
"Our army will attack directly and try to surround the city of Murcia tomorrow!"