Chapter 577: Islamic Doctrine "Phew..."
Wei Qingping breathed a sigh of relief.
He continued speaking.
"Eight hundred li east of Kucha lie the Yanqi Kingdom, Gaochang Western Prefecture, and Ting Prefecture, once the administrative seat of the Beiting Grand Protectorate."
"Four hundred li to the north was once the territory of the Heavenly Mountain Kingdom. Now a band of Tibetan tribes occupies it."
"To the south lie Khotan and the Tibetan Tribes."
The Tibetan Empire had collapsed long ago, during the late Tang, but people still habitually called the inhabitants of that plateau Tibetans.
Yet although the Tibetan Empire had collapsed, the fighting strength of the Tibetan Tribes still could not be underestimated in the Western Regions.
"Once reinforcements from the Great Song arrive, we can take Yanqi and Ting Prefecture first, then negotiate with Gaochang. After securing Gaochang, we will campaign south, reclaim Khotan, and cow the Tibetan Tribes!"
Verdant Green Maiden listened without interrupting him.
But Wei Qingping had been speaking only of the east and the south.
"What about the west?"
She asked suddenly.
At Verdant Green Maiden's question, Wei Qingping's brows knitted slightly, and his gaze settled on the vast lands to the west.
"To the west... lies Shule. It was once one of the military strongholds of our Pacified West Grand Protectorate. Now it is occupied by something called the Black Khanate."
"The Black Khanate?"
Verdant Green Maiden frowned slightly.
"That's right!"
Wei Qingping nodded.
Verdant Green Maiden had never heard of this Black Khanate. She gestured for Wei Qingping to explain further.
"The Black Khanate is also called the Qarakhanid Dynasty. That is what they call it over there."
"In the late Tang, Uyghurs from Mobei migrated here, joining with some Turkic people and local tribes to establish the Black Khanate. They follow Islamic