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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 246: Vanguard
Xieli and Tongye Hu's forces were blocked by Xu Shijie. Although they sent troops to pillage the area, they only managed to seize a small amount of food.
After a prolonged battle with no victory and little gain from looting, the Turkic Forces began to grow weary of war and contemplated retreat.
The two Khans had to consider their troops' attitudes and thus formally prepared to withdraw.
Tongye Hu was most pleased with this development, while Xieli felt reluctant but had no choice; after all, he could not motivate his soldiers with his own wealth, as that was not the custom on the grasslands.
Li Mi was the first to notice the Turkic forces' lackluster offensive and immediately went to consult with Xu Shijie. The emperor's order was clear: they must firmly hold back the Turkic forces and prevent their retreat.
Now that the Turkic forces showed intentions of withdrawing, if they could not be stopped in time, it would be too late to pursue the swift Turkic Forces.
In Xu Shijie's main tent, Wang Shichong, Du Fuwei, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others were present. Upon entering the tent, Li Mi wasted no time and directly stated the situation.
Everyone was not surprised; after all this time in battle, both sides were at a stalemate. They had a city to rely on, while the Turkic forces lacked siege equipment. Seeing that they had fortified their defenses and could not seize enough supplies, it was reasonable for them to consider retreating.
Fang Xuanling said, "The Duke of Wei is still unaccounted for, but he must have already reached behind the Turkic forces; he is likely waiting for an opportunity due to his smaller numbers."
The Hongnong Duke and Zou Ping Hou along with Wang Bo each led thousands of troops around through the mountains and valleys to reach the rear. However, they still lacked sufficient troops to encircle the Turkic forces effectively.
Wang Yi remarked, "To avoid alarming the Turkic forces, we need to be cautious in our troop deployments. But if the Turkic forces are indeed planning to retreat, we need not make things difficult for ourselves. The key now is how to prevent the Turkic forces from escaping."
At this moment, the crucial point was not merely capturing Turkic soldiers; what the emperor truly desired were Tongye Hu and Xieli. If these two escaped, there would be no merit left in court discussions; in the emperor's heart, they would simply be forgotten.
Wang Shichong suddenly said, "The General had some dealings with the Turkic in the past; perhaps a strategy of feigned surrender could work."
Du Fuwei nodded in agreement. Most of the rebel leaders at that time would attract the Turkic if they had tens of thousands of troops under their command.
Du Ruhui thought for a moment and said, "If we aim to approach the Turkic Khagan's central army with this plan, there is little hope. However, if we can make the Turkic hesitate with this strategy, delaying them for a few days is quite possible.
In these days, we should prepare our troops and supplies, matching horses to the elite forces. Each rider should have two or even three horses, ready for long-distance pursuit and interception."
Li Mi added, "The key is still to defeat the Turkic Army, forcing them to retreat. In that case, even if we have only a few thousand troops hidden in the mountains and valleys, waving flags and creating a show of strength would be enough to scare them into taking a detour.
As they circle around, their march will slow down, allowing us to encircle and annihilate them!"
Du Fuwei led his adopted son Kan Ling and Wang Xiong's Birth forward: "The General is willing to be the vanguard!"
Wang Shichong and the other generals were also eager to contribute, but Xu Shijie still appointed Du Fuwei as the vanguard. Du Fuwei and his two adopted sons were exceptionally brave and were indeed the best choice for this role.
Thus, the generals acted according to the plan. Zhai Rang focused on preparing supplies and feeding the horses, while Li Mi coordinated logistics. The other commanders were preparing for a fierce battle.
This time was not about defense; they intended to engage in open battle with the Turkic. Xu Shijie also sent news back to Chang'an.
The emperor immediately ordered Dan Xiongxin to lead thirty thousand elite troops for support and commanded Hejian Wang Li Xiaogong to march north without delay.
Wang Shichong's strategy had some effect; after all, Xieli truly did not want to withdraw his troops. Any glimmer of hope would motivate him.
However, within a few days, they discovered the movements of the Tang army. Not daring to hesitate any longer, they prepared to retreat, but Du Fuwei immediately led his troops into action.
Du Fuwei's former troops had long been scattered, but as a surrendered general, he still retained his personal guards, having been granted the title of Sixteen Guard Generals.
These men were all from his hometown, and he had always favored them greatly. After each victory, he would reward them with the spoils of war, and if any fell in battle, their possessions or even their wives and concubines would be buried with them.
However, the demands were also extremely harsh. In every battle, they were to be the vanguard, and after the fight, he would inspect each soldier for wounds; if anyone had a wound on their back, they would be executed immediately.
Thus, they became incredibly brave and established a strong foundation for him.
Now, he still needed them to firmly establish himself in the Court.
As surrendered generals, they initially held high ranks and positions, but inevitably they would be replaced. Figures like Zhai Rang and Wang Bo had already given up, waiting for His Majesty to promote new talents while they retired to seek a comfortable life of wealth.
But he was unwilling to settle for being merely a Zhangqiu Marquis; how could he pass that down to his descendants? While he was still young and capable, he aimed to earn a Duke title for his children and grandchildren!
Faced with the Tang army taking the initiative to attack, Xieli and Tongye Hu felt uneasy but were not yet panicked; after all, they still had around 170,000 soldiers ready for battle.
Xieli ordered the front lines to engage in combat, and soon the two armies clashed. The once-renowned Fierce General of Jianghuai, Kan Leng, led the charge with a long saber measuring ten feet. With each swing of his dual-edged blade known as the Mo Blade, he felled several foes without opposition!
Du Fuwei was equally unyielding; under the protection of Wang Xiong's Birth, he too charged into the fray. However, he was struck by an arrow from a Turkic general in his shoulder. Using one hand to wield his sword, Du Fuwei directly dispatched the adopted son who was trying to shield him.
He galloped toward the Turkic commander who was still drawing his bow and shouted angrily, "If I do not slay you, my arrows will not be withdrawn!"
His personal guards were invigorated and immediately followed him into battle. Wang Xiong's Birth's eyes turned blood-red as he spurred his horse past his adoptive father to clear a path.
But soon after, Wang Xiong's Birth was struck by an arrow and fell from his horse. Du Fuwei showed no fear; he was hit by two more arrows but fortunately they were stopped by his armor and did not penetrate his flesh.
At this moment, the distance was already very close, and Du Fuwei's bravery had already intimidated the Turks. The cavalry charged forward, competing in morale.
Du Fuwei swung his weapon again and rushed in front of the commander, delivering a blow that nearly severed his neck, leaving only a small piece of flesh connecting his head.
Without needing Du Fuwei's command, his subordinates jumped off their horses and cut off the commander's head.
While still on horseback, they took the archer's head and continued to kill dozens more. Du Fuwei laughed heartily as he embraced the ugly, fierce head with his injured arm, while his other hand continued to slay enemies, invigorating the Tang army.
Seeing this, Xu Shijie immediately ordered Wang Shichong and Xue Wanchu to lead troops out to attack the Turks from both sides.
The first battle had already established a decisive momentum, catching the Turkic forces off guard. After so long of probing skirmishes followed by retreats, Xieli thought this time would be no different.
As a result, they suffered significant losses. After a day of fierce fighting, when the signal to retreat was sounded, the Turkic front lines had been nearly shattered, though the Tang army also faced considerable casualties.
Du Fuwei was gravely injured; when he was dragged back, he was barely alive. His personal guards were reduced to just over a hundred men. His adopted son Wang Xiong was shot in the face and nearly lost his eyesight. Kan Leng had killed dozens but collapsed from exhaustion.
………
(End of Chapter)
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