Jennifer Williams
Stories
12
Chapters
3,221
Words
2.4 M
Comments
0
Reading
8 d, 6 h
-
At Tang Army Camp, a group of generals stood on an improvised watchtower, silently observing the colossal Tibetan army crumbling like a mountain. Not a word was exchanged among them. In this battle, both sides had over four hundred thousand troops combined. However, there were no intricate maneuvers or probing attacks. They went head-to-head right from the start. These generals had all seen their fair share of battles, but none had ever witnessed such an immense clash that could determine the outcome of…-
8 •
-
-
Four pairs of eyes locked in a stare. Seated atop White Dragon, Su Li’s lips curled into a grin. The cold wind on the plateau was biting, and the copper faceplate over his face felt especially frigid. He had discarded the faceplate before the battle. His face was now smeared with blood, and his smile revealed rows of shiny white teeth. Witnessing this smile, Songtsan Gampo felt an unprecedented chill run down his spine. “Form up!” Songtsan Gampo shouted, but his voice quivered uncontrollably, unable…
-
8 •
-
-
At this moment, Songtsan Gampo was overwhelmed by an intense inner fear, like surging waves threatening to consume him completely. Despite being surrounded by tens of thousands of troops, Songtsan Gampo couldn’t find any sense of security. He gazed ahead, witnessing the unfolding battle. His carefully devised strategy filled him with unwavering confidence just yesterday, and was now in complete disarray. Su Li’s nearly solo efforts had almost entirely pierced through the elite cavalry he had placed on…
-
8 •
-
-
In the eyes of the spectators, the Tang army, arranged in a wedge formation, effortlessly pierced through the Tubo ranks. However, the vast numerical difference between the two sides posed a significant challenge. Charging headlong into such an overwhelming force meant the smaller side could easily be swarmed and overwhelmed by the enemy, resulting in certain deaths. Even Xiang Yu, the renowned conqueror of Western Chu known for his bravery, wouldn’t dare to attempt such a move. As expected, after the…
-
8 •
-
-
Songtsan Gampo’s tent was positioned at the rear of his army’s formation. About twenty miles away was the Great Tang camp, considerably smaller in size compared to the Tubo forces, which seemed to almost fill the entire snowy plain. Both sides tacitly agreed and refrained from immediate engagement, instead taking time to prepare for battle. On the Tubo side, after assigning various tasks to his troops, Songtsan Gampo returned to his tent. In this battle, even though the overt balance of power favored…
-
8 •
-
-
Objectively, Hou Junji’s advice as a deputy general was quite sensible. Altitude sickness had caused significant losses in the army’s ranks, and the slow marching pace allowed Tubo to prepare adequately. In this state, the Tang army would be powerless in battle, and continuing in such conditions would be suicidal. Ignoring that Hou Junji’s military strategy made sense, even ordinary sergeants and squad leaders could see the dire situation. Following Hou Junji’s suggestion would mean abandoning the…
-
8 •
-
-
Nevertheless, Tubo held certain advantages. They fought on home soil, immune to altitude sickness, while the Tang army struggled with this issue and was significantly outnumbered. Despite the fluctuating situation, Songtsan Gampo remained confident. A notion similar to Lu Dongzan’s belief took root in his mind – the advantage was on their side. But this didn’t mean he was at ease. In Songtsan Gampo’s prior plans, even a loss at the Battle of Song Zhou wouldn’t have been a major crisis. They…
-
8 •
-
-
Li Er displayed remarkable generosity this time. He sent three distinguished generals to help Su Li and instructed various provinces and countries to gather substantial provisions and supplies for Su Li’s upcoming endeavors. With Tang’s abundant food resources, Li Er’s ambition to expand his territory was evident and unrestrained. Three days after Cheng Yaojin and the others arrived, the army began its preparations in Song Zhou. Following that, under Su Li’s leadership, the entire army headed…
-
8 •
-
-
A few days later, the three army commanders sat together conversing at the governor’s residence in Song Zhou City, Su Li, Li Daozong, and Su Dingfang. “Commander, are you certain His Majesty will provide funds to recruit soldiers?” Su Dingfang widened his eyes, appearing utterly surprised. He and Li Daozong had long been aware of Su Li’s plan. In the past, they might have considered Su Li’s plan insane. However, they had witnessed Su Li single-handedly defeating numerous enemies and achieving…
-
8 •
-
-
In Changan, within the Imperial Palace, Li Er had just received an emissary from the Nine Tribal Confederation and was in high spirits. According to the envoy, the Tubo people had been causing suffering to the northwestern tribes for a long time through reckless actions. Fortunately, the Tang Dynasty had dispatched troops to subdue Tubo, greatly humbling their arrogance. The envoy further conveyed that the Nine Tribal Confederation recognized the Tang Dynasty as the true rulers of the land and had come to…
-
8 •
-
- Previous 1 … 7 8 9 … 323 Next