Khotan City was probably impossible to hold.
In fact, not only Shen Le, who had read history and knew the outcome from a later age—even Khotan's current commanding general, the officers and soldiers throughout the city, and even the King of Khotan...
Yes, Khotan still had a king. In theory, although Tang troops were stationed in the city, it remained administratively under the King of Khotan's rule, and half the city's populace were native Khotanese...
They all knew this place was probably impossible to defend. According to information this body had received before Shen Le took it over, the King of Khotan had already begun to waver and was rather inclined toward the Uyghurs;
Among the native Khotanese in the city and surrounding countryside, there were even voices saying things like, "Wouldn't it be fine to submit to the Tibetan Empire? Why should we fight for the Tang?" Not to mention that the situation outside was worsening by the day:
Anxi and Beiting had always supported each other like horns, joining forces to withstand the Tibetan Empire's attacks. Yet last year—just last year—Beiting had fallen...
Cao Lingzhong, Grand Protector of Beiting, Military Commissioner of Yixi, and Prince of Ningse Commandery, had passed away several years ago. Yang Xigu, the Beiting Military Commissioner who succeeded him, had retreated to Western Prefecture; word was that he too had died in battle.
Now, it was nearly Khotan's turn.
Shen Le could not say a word. He merely nodded hard. The general smiled with relief and raised a hand as if to pat his shoulder, but in the end lowered it. Turning around, he rummaged through a chest and brought over a bound volume in both hands:
"This is the roster of every officer and soldier still alive in the city, along with their