Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 57

Li Ji was startled upon hearing this, and then gritted his teeth and said, "This is easy. We can wash it clean first, and then burn it with fire. Perhaps it won't break... and we won't suffer a stroke."

In those days, the concept of bacteria didn't exist, so tetanus was mostly thought to be caused by a wound infection with wind-evil, leading to spasms in the hands and feet, and even potentially endangering life. Li Ji turned to look at his shoulder; the bleeding hadn't stopped, and he needed to be careful to prevent tetanus. But he trusted neither the herbal medicine in the army nor the white bandage on the wound—were you sure it was disinfected? How was it disinfected?

Based on experience gleaned from movies and TV shows in my past life, I knew I could use strong liquor to clean the wound in hopes of killing the tetanus bacteria. Unfortunately, distilled spirits didn't seem to exist back then, and brewed liquor was too low in alcohol and contained too many fusel oils, rendering it useless. Left with no other option, I had to burn it…

Pretending it was a folk remedy he'd heard about from somewhere, he ignored the army doctor's objections and ordered someone to heat a knife over a fire before pressing it hard against the wound—immediately, blue smoke rose and the aroma of flesh filled the air… The army doctor just shook his head. However, in those days, people generally lacked medical knowledge and even had many superstitious beliefs, so they often came up with all sorts of unreliable methods for treating internal and external injuries. The doctors were used to it, and if the patient insisted on seeking death, it was inconvenient for the doctor to force treatment.

Li Ji clenched his teeth in pain, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He regretted his overconfidence and not putting a stick in his mouth first... If he had broken his teeth, he wouldn't be able to chew many delicious foods at such a young age, which would be terrible!

"Would his teeth be damaged?" Li Ji thought. "Probably..." He had heard that after Zhang Xun was rescued from Suiyang City, people found it strange that he, though only forty years old, had very few teeth left, his mouth sunken, making him look like an old man in his eighties. Xu Yuan explained, "Zhang Xun was a man of great spirit and courage. Every time he fought the bandits, he would shout oaths of victory, until his eyes were bloodied and his teeth were broken..."

In his previous life, Li Ji would have been just another ordinary person with very little medical knowledge, and he wasn't sure whether cauterizing the wound would actually work. However, the bullet wound to his shoulder was quite deep, the most serious injury he had ever suffered—though it wasn't considered a serious injury in the military, and if it weren't for Li Ji's special status, even the army doctor might not have bothered to examine him—cauterizing it would give him some peace of mind. As for the other minor wounds on his body, they hadn't bled much; a quick wash with water would suffice, and no medicine was needed.

After putting on his robes, he went out of the tent to inspect the situation. The Tang army had also suffered heavy losses in this battle; not many had died, but many were wounded, some sitting and some lying in the camp, their cries of sorrow never ceasing. Li Ji couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy, so he took hands with each of them to offer his condolences. But after only asking a few, Li Yuanzhong sent someone to summon him.

Li Yuanzhong ordered all the soldiers who were seriously wounded but could still walk to be sent to the rear, including Yi Tiechui. However, Yi Tiechui refused to retreat, saying, "This humble general is not a new soldier. I have survived a hundred battles and have often suffered more wounds than today. Since I have not died, how can I retreat now?"

As he spoke, he pulled open his shirt, exposing his upper body to show Li Yuanzhong the numerous scars, large and small, on his skin. Upon seeing them, Li Ji couldn't help but recall a saying from his past life—"Scars are a man's medals." He thought to himself, "Apart from the bullet wound in my shoulder today, which I wonder if will leave a scar, my skin is smooth and supple all over… If I were to take this off and stand next to Yi Tiechui, would anyone believe I've been in battle?"

I don't know why, but I actually felt a little ashamed.

Li Yuanzhong said, "Since that's the case, I'll allow you, Tiechui, to remain in the army for now. But until your injuries heal, you should go up the cliff and replace Chen Fu, taking his place and leading the cavalry with Li Ji." Yi Tiechui was about to argue when he realized that his battle today hadn't been very impressive, with nearly half of his men lost... Perhaps General Li was only transferring him from the cavalry because of his injuries, using the excuse of his wounds to save face for him.

Although he wasn't particularly clever, his long service in the army had exposed him to many such petty tricks, and he couldn't help but overthink things. He sighed deeply and had no choice but to obey.

Li Yuanzhong then gave orders: firstly, to send a battle report back to Shanzhou and request the military governor to send more reinforcements; secondly, to let the soldiers rest and recuperate well, in preparation for the arrival of reinforcements from the barbarian tribes, who would attack our fortress again in a few days. Li Ji asked, "In today's battle, the barbarian tribes are terrified. Is it possible to launch a night attack and drive them all away?"

Li Yuanzhong smiled bitterly and said, "If it were so, wouldn't I be willing? But after the fierce battle, the soldiers are exhausted and probably won't be able to rest for a day or two... Although the barbarian bandits have retreated, their strength is still greater than ours. We only need to reorganize a little and we can gain a foothold. If the barbarian bandits attack our fortress again, I am not afraid of them, but if the tide turns, our army will find it difficult to defeat them. It is better to continue to hold our ground."

Regarding the Tibetan reinforcements that might arrive within a few days, Li Yuanzhong was more expectant than wary. Although today's battle was a Pyrrhic victory, it had boosted the morale of his soldiers, and General Li's control over the troops had also reached a new level. To put it bluntly, strong armies are forged through hard battles, and this Tang army had gained a great deal of experience compared to when they first arrived, having already improved several levels.

Even if another 10,000 or 20,000 barbarian bandits came, he would not be afraid, and this would certainly greatly reduce the pressure on Shancheng.

On the Tibetan side, Qilibuzang dared not deny the defeat and sent men back to the camp that very night to request reinforcements. However, he also said, "Today I was just one step away from breaking through the Tang fortress and annihilating the Tang army. Unfortunately, the Tang bandit Li Erlang, who had killed Qiangba Luobu that day, was extremely brave and suddenly led fresh troops out at the critical moment, thus causing the mission to fail."

With my current forces, I still have a chance to defeat the enemy in front of me. However, after this battle, my soldiers are exhausted and their morale is generally low—all because they were frightened by that Li Erlang. Therefore, I earnestly request that Da Lun and Da Shang send more troops, or give me a different group of men to attack Xiaoxia.

Upon receiving the report at Shancheng, Shang Zanmo angrily exclaimed, "In the army, there is only victory or defeat. How can there be any such thing as being just one step away? Throughout history, how many battles have seemed to be on the verge of victory, only to be defeated by the enemy due to a single misstep? Does defeat become excusable just because it was once just one step away?!"

Ma Chongying pondered, "So that Tang traitor is called Li Erlang... Could it be that he is as brave and capable in battle as the old Li Er?"

Shang Xidong asked him, "Which Li Er was it back then?"

Ma Chongying shook his head but did not answer. Instead, he asked the two men, "Should we send more troops to Xiaoxia?"

Shang Xidong praised, "Of course we need to send more troops..." Before he could finish, Shang Zanmo interrupted him, saying, "Even if we send more troops, it won't be in just a day or two. We're currently in the midst of a fierce siege; where would we find the spare troops to give to Qilibuzang?"

On the very day that Qilibuzang was defeated at Xiaoxia Tanglei, the main force of the Tubo army launched a fierce attack on Shancheng. The main attack was naturally directed at the west of the city, and was personally commanded by Shangxi Dongzan. After a day of fierce fighting, more than a hundred corpses were left behind, but they only came close to the city wall twice and did not have a chance to climb it. Even the siege equipment—such as siege ladders and battering rams—was mostly destroyed by fire arrows or fire bottles thrown from the city walls.

The Tibetan generals all said that those things were useless; they had wasted many days building them, only to have them destroyed by the enemy in the blink of an eye, rendering them practically useless. They suggested that they simply carry the wooden ladders and charge up the city walls.

Fortunately, Ma Chongying was not stupid. He did not listen to those barbarians and ordered them to continue logging and building siege weapons without stopping for a moment, while also making arrangements for fire prevention.

However, the above only describes the situation in the west of the city. Troops were also sent to attack the other three gates—only the force was not as fierce as in the west, and the purpose was to tie down the Tang army's energy—and all suffered losses. Given the current situation, there were really no surplus manpower to send to Qilibuzang. In addition, Shang Zanmo did not advocate attacking Xiaoxia in the first place, so he bluntly rejected Shang Xidongzan's proposal.

After the meeting, Ma Chongying spoke separately with the two Grand Masters. He first asked Shang Xidongzan, "How about we give up attacking Xiaoxia?" Shang Xidongzan repeatedly analyzed the situation and firmly refused, saying, "Does the Grand Master really want to let that Li Erlang go? If we don't personally kill this barbarian, how can we face the Zanpu in Lhasa?"

Ma Chongying then asked, "According to Qi Libuzang's report, in Da Shang's opinion, how many men would be needed to quickly break through Xiaoxia Tang Fortress?"

Shang Xidong stroked his slightly curly beard, pondered for a long time, and then said, "I'm afraid it will cost twenty thousand..."

"Then send 20,000 troops here, and the rest of the army will not attack the city for the time being, is that acceptable?"

Shang Xidong nodded: "It is not too late to attack Shancheng after we have won the battle at Xiaoxia."

Turning to Shang Zanmo, Ma Chongying proposed sending reinforcements to attack Xiaoxia, while temporarily besieging Shancheng. Shang Zanmo shook his head, saying, "That's putting the cart before the horse. Our army has only been attacking for a day. If we stop now, the Tang people will think we're cowardly, and the morale inside the city will rise even higher. It's better to attack for a few more days and see. If we really can't take it, then it's not too late to do as the great minister suggested."

Thus, Ma Chongying sent a fast horse back to inform Qilibuzang, saying that he should not send troops for the time being, but only keep an eye on Tanglei from a distance. He told Qilibuzang to wait a few more days, and that once they were free, they would definitely send reinforcements—but it would be at least five days later.

For several days, there was no sign of reinforcements from the Tibetan army. Li Yuanzhong was filled with anxiety and paced back and forth, worried about the situation in Shancheng. Now that the Tibetan rebels had surrounded the city from all sides, no one could send anyone to make contact. Although they were supposed to light beacon fires on the city walls day and night to report the battle situation, the distance was still more than thirty miles. In the past, only the sharp-eyed soldiers on the cliffs could vaguely see them. But these past few days, the sky had been overcast and shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see anything beyond that distance.

The only thing that is certain is that Shancheng is still in my hands—otherwise, the barbarian bandits would surely launch a large-scale attack on Xiaoxia. The less reinforcements there are, the more it shows how fiercely Guo Xin is fighting in Shancheng.

However, I can't carry a few more pounds for Brother Guo, wouldn't that be frustrating?

He could only hope that the battle report would be sent back and that the military commander would quickly dispatch reinforcements. If more than three thousand troops arrived at once, Li Yuanzhong would have the courage to leave his fortified positions and engage the barbarian bandits on the plains, hoping to drive them away completely. At that time, would Ma Chongying dare not send reinforcements? Then I would march straight to Shancheng and, together with Brother Guo, crush the barbarian camp east of the city first!

After calculating the days and waiting anxiously, finally, four days later, a messenger arrived from Shancheng, passing through a small path on the south bank of the Huangshui River, and reached the Tang camp. Li Yuanzhong urgently summoned him and asked, "What are your orders, Commander-in-Chief? Are you willing to send reinforcements?"

The messenger delivered the official document, replying: "The commander summons Inspector Li back to give a detailed account of the battle situation in order to determine the strategy."

Helpless, Li Yuanzhong ordered Li Ji to come. When Li Ji entered the tent and saw the messenger, he exclaimed, "Oh, it's an acquaintance!"—"It's Brother Jia."

Jia Huai was determined to latch onto Li Ji, a powerful figure who, though not yet very influential, was sure to grow stronger in the future. Therefore, he followed Li Ji into the staff of the two military governors, receiving an eighth-rank military position and being appointed as a key military officer, ordered to accompany Li Ji on his missions. While enjoying a life of luxury in the military governor's staff was no problem, and accompanying Li Ji to survey the terrain near Shancheng was also acceptable, following him this time to lead troops to defend Xiaoxia would most likely mean actual combat. Jia Huai couldn't help but tremble with fear.

He thought to himself, "With this stick of mine, twelve or thirteen men could not get close if I swung it around—of course, exceptions like Li Ji, a freak—but if I were on the battlefield, I would face far more than a dozen men, perhaps ten or even a hundred times more! I am not good at horsemanship, and I am not good at wielding a saber or spear, so I am probably doomed if I go into battle."

To put it bluntly, I'm good at street brawls, but I don't know how to fight. You have to give me time to learn and adapt.

Therefore, he pretended to be ill and did not come to Xiaoxia with Li Ji this time. He was skilled in using poison, and he wanted to make himself appear seriously ill, but it was so effortless that most doctors would not be able to diagnose it. Li Ji did not suspect anything and told Jia Huai to take good care of himself before leaving—"Once you are fully recovered, you can come with me to fight the barbarian bandits!"

Jia Huai thought to himself, even if I recover from my illness, I won't go... Oh no, if there's a favorable battle, you can call me, but given the current situation, I'd better not.

However, he was ultimately a subordinate of the shogunate, and shortly after Li Ji left, he reported that he had "recovered" and still had to act on Li Tan's orders. Just then, Li Yuanzhong sent a battle report, and Li Tan ordered someone to go to the front line to summon Li Ji. Jia Huai took the opportunity to step forward and ask for orders.

Firstly, I can't very well just sit around doing nothing and not do anything productive; secondly, since the purpose is to summon Li Ji, I can definitely accompany him back, so I won't stay at the front lines for too long. This is much safer than if Li Tan were in a good mood one day and pointed at me and said, "You should lead a troop to reinforce Li Ji."

Moreover, Jia Huai has his strengths, namely his ability to travel long distances and his swiftness. Although two legs can run as fast as a warhorse's four legs, the only way to pass through the small gorge is the southern route, which is not suitable for horses. Therefore, if the commander sends me there, I will surely be able to bring Inspector Li to the emperor's side as soon as possible.

And so, Jia Huai arrived at the front lines and summoned Li Ji on behalf of Li Tan. After considering it, Li Yuanzhong said to Li Ji, "The commander has given an order that cannot be disobeyed—you should return to Shanzhou."

Chapter 18, City's Grateful Repayment

Li Yuanzhong ordered Li Ji to return to Shanzhou with Jia Huai. Li Ji was anxious and hurriedly clasped his hands, saying, "The battle is raging and the military situation is urgent. How can I abandon my comrades and return to a safe place? I hope the general will rescind his order."

Li Yuanzhong first ordered Jia Huai to leave the tent and rest for a while, and then called Li Ji to his side. He lowered his voice and said to him, "Since we haven't seen any reinforcements from the barbarians, we can assume that Shancheng is currently engaged in fierce fighting. I estimate that they will not dare to attack our camp again within three to five days."

"It was thanks to your valiant fight on the ramparts the other day that we were able to drive back the barbarian invaders. Do you think I wouldn't want you to stay in the army? Even if you no longer fight on the front lines, with you here, the soldiers will be inspired by your bravery and admiration for your abilities. However, instead of staying in Xiaoxia for the next few days, you should return temporarily and go to Shancheng to pay your respects to the commander-in-chief..."

Li Yuanzhong considered that he had clearly requested reinforcements in his letter, but Li Tan's reply and the messenger he sent made no mention of it. It was possible that no reinforcements could be sent, but it was also possible that Li Tan did not want to waste any more troops in Shancheng and Xiaoxia, and only wanted to delay the enemy's offensive in order to stabilize the defense of Shanzhou.

Since Li Ji is a trusted confidant of the military commander and was the first to suggest that Shancheng should not be abandoned lightly, if he were to go back and meet with Li Tan, would there be a chance to persuade him to bring reinforcements? Even if three to five thousand men are not possible, three to five hundred would be enough to make up for my losses.

Therefore, Li Ji was urged to obey and return to Shanzhou with Jia Huai. Moreover, judging from Li Ji's performance these days, Li Yuanzhong believed that unless Li Tan insisted on keeping him there, Li Ji would most likely return even if he could not obtain reinforcements, so there was no need to worry that he would not come back.

Li Ji then understood and immediately bowed to accept the order. Li Yuanzhong said to him in the end, "If we cannot get reinforcements, please provide more arrows, or ask the commander to distribute rewards first, which will greatly boost the morale of the soldiers."

So Li Ji went out of the tent and found Jia Huai, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Let's go."

But how to get back? The gorge is about six miles long, and the road is narrow, requiring the use of ropes to walk. It is quite different from the flat plains, and it would take about an hour to walk there. Then, from the eastern entrance of the gorge, it is a hundred miles to Shanzhou. Without a mount, it would take at least a day and a half. So, the round trip would take at least three days. If they were to return with troops, it would take even longer... Li Yuanzhong estimated that the barbarian bandits would not launch another attack within three to five days, but Li Ji was not so sure.

He worried that he could not only return to Shanzhou but also bring reinforcements smoothly. However, when he arrived at Xiaoxia, he found that the camp to the west of the gorge had fallen... In some people's eyes, what difference was there between him and deserting in the face of battle? I will not take the blame for this!

Therefore, he ordered his men to blow up two cowhide rafts, intending to plunge into the Huangshui River with Jia Huai and drift downstream, which would double their speed.

Upon seeing the raft, which was about the size of a swimming ring in modern times, Jia Huai panicked and hurriedly waved his hands, saying, "The Huangshui River is swift; how can I possibly get in with this?" Li Ji laughed and said, "If you want to cross it, or go upstream, that will naturally be difficult. But going downstream shouldn't be too hard." He personally helped Jia Huai into the raft and asked, "Brother Jia, can you swim?"

Jia Huai said, "You can splash around in a pond, but this is a big river..." Li Ji raised his eyebrows and said, "What do you mean by a big river in this little Huangshui?!" With a kick, he sent Jia Huai and the raft flying off the riverbank.

Jia Huai cried out in alarm, but fortunately, the raft spun a few times in the rapids and finally came to a steady stop—because the rope attached to the raft was still tied to the shore. Li Ji then also boarded the raft and shouted to the shore, "I'm going to ask the commander for a reward..." He didn't dare ask for reinforcements, in case he couldn't get them—"If we can find a usable raft and a passable waterway, you will have no more worries!" He then swung his sword and cut the rope.

The two rafts were tied together and immediately shot downstream like arrows released from a bow, propelled by the surging waves. Jia Huai was so frightened that he lay prone on the raft, gripping the edge tightly with both hands, not daring to even breathe; Li Ji, on the other hand, sat upright with his legs crossed, one hand on the horizontal sword at his waist, the other supporting a grappling hook more than six feet long.

The grappling hook is for landing. Otherwise, with such a fast current and no ports along the way, if you can't stop and drift past Shanzhou, or even directly into the Yellow River, and then follow the Yellow River to Jincheng or even Huining, then you will be completely unable to clear your name of desertion.

Indeed, traveling by water was much faster than traveling by land. Although the rafts were not very sturdy and could not carry many people, they had one advantage over boats: they were not afraid of spinning out of control. If a boat was not handled properly and veered sideways in the rapids, it would most likely capsize or even fall apart. However, the rafts were basically round, without a head or tail, so they could face forward in either direction.

The six-mile-long gorge was traversed in the blink of an eye, and once the Huangshui River emerged from the gorge, the current gradually calmed, greatly reducing the danger. Li Ji feigned bravery and fearlessness before Jia Huai, but in reality, swept along by the rapids, he too felt dizzy and disoriented, his eyes wide open yet unable to see the path ahead. Only when the gorge ended and the current slowed did he have a chance to rub his eyes and gaze at the scenery on the bank.

The fields were crisscrossed with paths, and golden waves of wheat rippled across the land as farmers worked diligently to harvest the crops. Suddenly, Li Ji noticed a large crimson flag fluttering in the wind and exclaimed in surprise, "Eh!"

A weak voice came from beside him: "Get ashore, get ashore quickly... The commander is not in Shanzhou, he is here."

Li Ji thought to himself, "What? Li Tan left Shanzhou and came to the east entrance of Xiaoxia? Why didn't you tell me before you left?" Upon further reflection, regardless of Li Tan's motives for personally coming to Xiaoxia, it was clear that he had no intention of reinforcing the troops—at least not before he had seen him. Therefore, it was reasonable for him to order Jia Huai to keep quiet so as not to shake the morale of the soldiers at the front.

Li Ji's raft not only had a grappling hook but also a wooden oar, while Jia Huai's raft was completely empty; he was being led around by Li Ji. Li Ji immediately grabbed the oar and rowed vigorously towards the south bank. Finally, before exhausting himself, after drifting for another two miles, he successfully hooked the grappling hook onto the rocks on the shore.

He thought to himself, "Luckily it was me. If it were someone weaker or less physically capable, they probably would have floated all the way across Shanzhou in one go..."

After landing, Li Ji was exhausted and sat down on a rock to catch his breath. As for Jia Huai, he simply lay sprawled on the ground, muttering, "Brother Li, you're going to kill me, you're going to kill me..."

After resting for a quarter of an hour, the two shouldered their raft and headed back towards the eastern entrance of the gorge. Li Ji glanced at Jia Huai, somewhat annoyed, thinking, "If you had just quietly told me that Li Tan had reached the gorge, I wouldn't be in such a mess. Even with the stops and rest, the time spent wasn't any faster than walking..."

—Actually, he wronged Jia Huai. As soon as he said goodbye to Li Yuanzhong, he ordered his men to inflate the raft, then pushed Jia Huai into the raft and kicked him into the water. People need a chance to whisper in your ear before they can talk to you!

The two headed straight for the location of Li Tan's banner, and soon patrol riders came to meet them and led them to pay their respects to Li Tan. Li Ji glanced around and saw that the camp was set up at the eastern entrance of the small gorge, leaning against the cliff. Judging from the number of tents, the force was at least three thousand.

When Li Tan heard that Jia Huai had brought Li Ji back, he hurriedly ordered him to be summoned. Li Ji immediately said, "I didn't expect Your Highness to come to Xiaoxia as well."

Li Tan smiled and explained, "I've come to supervise the farmers' wheat harvest; this is something Yang Gongnan has been thinking about." He paused, then continued, "This year the weather is alright. Although it's been overcast for days, it hasn't rained, so the harvest should be successful. But if the sun doesn't come out for a few more days, the grain won't be able to be dried, and we'll have to steam it whole, husk and all, to use as military rations..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "That must be so gritty... Luckily, someone at my level shouldn't have to eat that stuff unless absolutely necessary."

So, without waiting for Li Tan to ask, he gave a detailed report on the battle in Xiaxi. However, he did not exaggerate his own bravery in climbing the ramparts and forcing back the barbarian bandits. He was a little embarrassed to praise himself, and besides, he figured that Li Yuanzhong had already written it all down in the battle report, so there was no need to boast about his achievements in person.

Li Tan nodded and said, "I know that you, Changwei, have made great contributions in this battle..." But he immediately reminded him, "You must not be arrogant because of your merits. To personally wield a sword and spear and charge into battle to kill the enemy is the work of a common man. I hope that in the future you will be able to command thousands of troops and defeat the enemy with ease, so as not to fail as the younger brother of Master Changyuan."

Li Ji bowed respectfully to receive the instruction, and then hurriedly asked, "General Li submitted a report the other day requesting additional troops and generals. I wonder if Your Highness has granted this request?"

Li Tan frowned slightly: "Unfortunately, the troops in Shanzhou are almost all gone..."

When Li Ji left, there were still over six thousand soldiers in Shanzhou, which wasn't a small number. Furthermore, Li Tan had recently ordered the recruitment of new soldiers and had also transferred troops from Jincheng, Guangwu, and Didao in the rear, bringing the city's strength to over ten thousand. However, aside from the five hundred Shence Army soldiers who served as his personal guards, the rest were either new recruits or old and weak, inevitably reducing their combat effectiveness.

Therefore, although Li Tan secretly resolved to gamble everything, he did not dare to send reinforcements to the front lines immediately, hoping to train the new recruits for another ten days or half a month before making a decision. In addition to supervising the farmers' harvest, his purpose in coming to Xiaoxia was also to personally train the soldiers.

Li Ji advised Li Tan, "The situation at the front is constantly changing. We must advance when necessary to seize the opportunity. The barbarian army at the western entrance of Xiaoxia is now terrified and dares not attack. With just one or two thousand more troops, General Li is confident that we can completely defeat them. If the enemy collapses, we can advance to support Shancheng. If the barbarian rebels divide their forces to defend, Shancheng will become impregnable. If we delay for several days, even if Shancheng is not lost, the rebels will reinforce Xiaoxia. In that case, we can only defend, and the choice of advance or retreat will be entirely in the enemy's hands..."

Li Tan pondered for a long time before asking, "Is it possible to reverse the tide of battle at Xiaoxia with only a thousand soldiers?"

Li Ji hesitated for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "I'm afraid we'll need a thousand Shence Army soldiers..."

Li Yuanzhong estimated that with another three thousand men, he would have a chance of winning against Qilibuzang. Li Ji was worried that this number would frighten Li Tan, so he lowered his expectations and only said one or two thousand. Unexpectedly, Li Tan insisted on confirming his statement... Li Ji almost raised his hand to slap himself. I should have just told the truth. Why did you have to play such petty tricks?

Li Tan curled his lip: "Of the thousand divine strategies, I've already given you five hundred. How can I possibly have enough by my side?"

Li Ji blushed and said, "If it's new recruits, I'm afraid we'll need three thousand..."

Li Tan sneered, "Do you think I'm going to hand over all three thousand soldiers to you and return to Shanzhou alone?"

He had originally intended to retort to Li Ji, but Li Ji replied without hesitation, "If we can defeat the enemy, does Your Highness, alone, dare to invite any invaders? If we cannot defeat the enemy, what are the chances of victory for Your Highness in defending Shanzhou?"

Don't think you're so great just because you served as a military strategist for a few days. Do you have enough experience in commanding troops in battle, breaking through enemy lines, and defending fortified positions? If Guo Xin and Li Yuanzhong both fall, are you confident you can hold Xiaoxia and Shanzhou on your own? What's the use of keeping troops around you?

The key issue is the complex terrain and narrow roads. Are they really not afraid that the Tibetan army will launch a large-scale flanking maneuver to launch a surprise attack on Shanzhou? Therefore, in Li Ji's opinion, it wouldn't matter if Shanzhou were left undefended.

Li Tan was furious and shouted, "If you can defeat the enemy, that would be good. But if you can't, and the enemy crosses the small gorge and heads towards Shanzhou, I will have no soldiers by my side—are you trying to kill me?!"

Li Ji retorted, "I once saved Your Highness, how could I possibly harm Your Highness!"

Upon hearing this, Li Tan became even angrier.

Li Ji once told Li Shi, "I have been kind to you, but you don't need to constantly mention it, otherwise it will seem as if I owe you something—this is the saying, 'A small favor is appreciated, but a large favor breeds resentment.' Conversely, if Li Ji frequently brought up past favors, Li Shi would certainly feel even more uncomfortable." Li Tan was similar; when nothing happened and he was calm, he would naturally appreciate Li Ji's kindness, even saying things like, "My life was saved by him, and I will repay him with my life someday." However, if their opinions clashed, and Li Ji brought up the life-saving favor again, Li Tan was more likely to become angry and resentful.

What do you mean? Are you trying to blackmail me? You saved me back then just to repay a debt of gratitude, and now, after only a few days, you're already planning to get your revenge?!

However, with many guards and Jia Huai around, and under their watchful eyes, Li Tan couldn't very well openly confront Li Ji and berate him—that would make him seem so uncultured. Therefore, the anger that flashed in his eyes quickly disappeared, and he flicked his sleeve: "The guards have been fighting for a long time and are tired. Go and rest."

As he spoke, he stood up, ready to leave. Li Ji panicked—he knew that he had spoken rashly and that what he said was inappropriate. He was afraid that Li Tan, in a fit of anger, would not only refuse to send reinforcements to the west entrance of Xiaoxia, but might even keep him there—so he quickly darted forward and grabbed Li Tan's sleeve.

Li Tan frowned and stared wide-eyed, saying, "What do you mean, Changwei? You once kidnapped Xu Shuji to save Suiyang, are you going to use the same trick again?!"

Li Ji immediately knelt heavily on the ground with a "thud," raised his head, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I am guilty and have offended you. Please, Your Majesty, hear me out one more time."

"you say!"

"Your Highness is of noble birth and should reside peacefully in the capital. There is no need for you to come to the western frontier to brave arrows and stones. Your presence here relieves the worries of your father and brothers, protects the common people from danger, and safeguards the nation. Thus, you are worthy of being a descendant of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong. Since ancient times, war has been fraught with peril, and there is no situation where victory is assured. However, if Your Highness suffers a defeat, you can still return to Chang'an and live a carefree life as a prince. Why would your life be in danger? If you can win this battle, naturally the soldiers will be loyal, the people will praise you, your fame will resound throughout the world, and your name will be etched in history!"

"With such a retreat, there are no worries about the rear; advancing may even lead to success. Wouldn't Your Highness be willing? Ji's words are certainly for the sake of the soldiers and the country, but in fact, they are also for Your Highness's sake. I earnestly hope that Your Highness will not let this excellent opportunity slip away because of my crudeness and rudeness. Opportunities are fleeting and will not come again—Your Highness, please think it over!"

Chapter Nineteen, Dark Clouds Gather

The Huangshui River Valley is a long and narrow basin carved out by the Huangshui River through the mountains. Among them, the Xiaoxia, Daxia and Laoyaxia are the most precipitous, with narrow roads along the banks that make it difficult for large armies to pass.

Taking Xiaoxia Gorge as an example, at its eastern entrance, the Huangshui River makes a significant bend, fragmenting the basin and causing it to overflow and nourish the land, making the nearby fields extremely fertile. At its western entrance, for more than thirty li to Shancheng, the south bank is wide while the north bank is narrow. Most of the fields and villages are on the south bank, but because the north bank is shorter, it has been transformed into a much wider road over the centuries.

In other words, the main road is north of the Huangshui River, but there are only narrow paths to the south. Even in the narrow gorges, the northern road is barely passable by carriages and horses, while in many places on the southern road, only one person can pass sideways.

Because the south bank is relatively wider after exiting the gorge, making it easier to set up camp, Li Ji focused his defenses on the south side of the Huangshui River, while the north side appeared undefended. Of course, Qilibuzang didn't think the Tang people would be so foolish as to deliberately leave the northern route open to allow the Tibetan army to find an opening and advance eastward.

However, his assault south of the Huangshui River failed, forcing him to retreat. The main camp couldn't send reinforcements for the time being. For several days, the Tang traitor Li Erlang frequently led his cavalry out to hurl insults and challenge them, his foul language incessant. Before the fierce battle, such humiliation would have been enough to ignite the Tibetan soldiers' fighting spirit, but after their defeat, everyone feared Li Erlang. The harsher the insults, the lower their morale plummeted…

Qilibuzang had no choice but to send out fresh cavalry to drive away the Tang cavalry. However, Li Erlang was not only brave but also cunning, and his cavalry were all elite. They moved like the wind, making it impossible for the barbarian cavalry to catch up. He would either fight back with powerful arrows or charge into the enemy lines with his spear and then escape, killing one or two barbarian cavalrymen each day. Although the number of casualties was small, they were ultimately outnumbered and unable to kill the enemy. A single misstep could lead to their own death, causing the morale of the barbarian cavalry to decline day by day.