The Northern Borders of Al-Andalus, Umayyad Emirate
General Zhao Feng took a sip of warm rice wine. Situated upon the hills of northern Al-Andalus, the majesty of the Tang Dynasty's hundred-thousand-strong expeditionary force was laid bare beneath the golden Iberian sun.
Miles upon miles of silk-draped pavilions, perfectly aligned infantry trenches, and bustling supply depots dominated the landscape, completely suffocating the local environment under the sheer weight of eastern imperial logistics.
Moving a hundred thousand professional soldiers across the entire known world is a feat that should mathematically bankrupt an empire. Yet, the Tang forces were absolutely thriving.
Because the terrified Abbasid Caliph, desperate to keep the eastern dragon from devouring Baghdad, had essentially handed over the keys to the Middle East's entire agricultural infrastructure.
