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墨書 Inktalez
The principle of moderation in taking and using resources is essential; a heart as vast as the earth is wise, and actions that are precise like a ruler are commendable. The Xu Zhen shared her military achievements, which not only earned her the admiration of Li Daozong but also won the respect of many generals.
Niu Jinda often obstructed and plotted against the Xu Zhen, while Liu Lan disapproved of her youth. The two conspired in private to place her in danger, yet the Xu Zhen nominated them for breaking through the city, willingly sharing credit with her adversaries, demonstrating her broad-mindedness and capacity for tolerance.
As stated in the Minister: "Do not be angry with the obstinate, nor demand perfection from one person; there must be patience, which leads to assistance and tolerance, and virtue becomes great." The actions of the Xu Zhen towards Niu Jinda and others ultimately gained recognition from many comrades in the army, who believed that despite her young age, she was a person of great virtue and tolerance.
Setting aside other matters, having received the Xu Zhen's initiative to share, Li Daozong was pleased to play the good Samaritan. He separated the troops into three divisions to discuss attacking Songzhou City from different directions, which greatly boosted morale as everyone rushed forward.
While the Tang army was filled with enthusiasm, the Tubo Army inside Songzhou City was shrouded in despair. The soldiers who had fled were terrified, recalling their previous experiences with fear. Just as they began to calm down, they were faced with the impending attack from the Tang army, causing widespread anxiety.
Qizong Nongsan came with Ludongzan and others to offer comfort but was astonished by the soldiers' description of Jingzhe Thunder's overwhelming power. When they heard Xu Zhenzhi's name mentioned and learned about the past deeds of the Xu Zhen, they were all taken aback.
They were all believers, some serving Eternal Sky and others following Buddha; regardless of their faith, it supported their lives. The nomads who believed in supernatural powers capable of altering heaven and earth were even more frightened after hearing about Xu Zhenzhi's exploits.
Although Qizong Nongsan was interested in the Xu Zhen, he only had a superficial connection with her and could not understand her true character. This led him to think of Murong Hanzhu.
During the Tuguhun, Murong Hanzhu had clashed with the Xu Zhen multiple times and should have known her well. However, Nong Zan could not let go of his pride and ordered someone to summon Han Wei.
Under questioning, Han Wei was furious and claimed that it was the Xu Zhen who caused him severe punishment and humiliation. He described her as cunning and disliked by many generals in the Tang army, defaming her character significantly.
However, when asked about thunderfire shells, Han Wei admitted ignorance, stating that such items had never existed within the Tang army. He speculated that they were merely fabricated by the Xu Zhen. He expressed disdain for her creation of Zhenwu General and establishment of Divine Fire Camp while subtly hinting at the power of artillery fire, which further terrified many Tubo people.
Unable to obtain crucial information from Han Wei and knowing nothing about Tang military equipment, Qizong Nongsan had no choice but to summon Murong Hanzhu.
Ludongzan felt displeased at Qizong Nongsan's intention to summon the sycophant Murong Hanzhu. He advised that since the Tang army was powerful with divine thunder on their side and both sides had comparable military strength, Tuguhun warriors were accustomed to galloping on grasslands rather than defending cities. After prolonged attacks, they would inevitably be unable to hold out; it would be better to abandon the city.
Many elder officials feared Xu Zhenzhi's thunder; upon seeing surviving soldiers in such a state—injured and torn apart by shrapnel—they felt even more terrified. The desire to retreat arose among them as they unanimously supported Ludongzan's proposal.
Qizong Nongsan was ambitious and eager to achieve great things; he found himself aligned with Murong Hanzhu’s views. However, now that elder officials were conservative and focused solely on maintaining their positions rather than seeking new opportunities, how could he win Nong Zan's favor?
At this time when troops were at the city gates and witnessing such attitudes from elder officials, Qizong Nongsan ultimately recalled Murong Hanzhu’s advantages. After hesitating for a moment, he instructed his guards to step aside so he could meet Murong Hanzhu personally. Ludongzan and others were filled with jealousy and offered further advice against it.
Although Qizong Nongsan was not overly youthful, the situation was urgent at this moment. The old ministers were still hesitating, which made him anxious. Seeing that everyone wanted to abandon the city, his heart burned with indignation.
While the hall was still in chaos, Murong Hanzhu arrived without being summoned. Qizong Nongsan was overjoyed and quickly offered him a seat.
Since being marginalized, Murong Hanzhu had become low-key, no longer participating in discussions, often making excuses to avoid them, merely expressing a sense of melancholy.
However, now that the Tang army was attacking from all sides, he could no longer sit idly by and had to muster the courage to seek an audience. Unexpectedly, he encountered Nong Zan who was requesting his presence, so he came to the military hall.
He was a renowned scholar of the Sui Dynasty, exceptionally talented and knowledgeable about the Tang army's organization and various military equipment. However, he did not understand the unprecedented weapons created by Xu Zhen. Even during the great defeat at Ganzhou, he had not witnessed the might of the Divine Fire Camp.
After listening to various military reports, Murong Hanzhu pondered for a moment. With Qizong Nongsan remaining silent, no one else dared to speak up. All eyes in the hall suddenly turned to Murong Hanzhu!
This talented scholar disregarded the intense gazes directed at him and immersed himself in thought about strategies. After a long while, he finally broke the silence and frowned as he spoke.
“Zanpu, tonight's situation is dire. The weapons of destruction created by Xu Zhen have already shaken our soldiers' morale. The Tang people have many exceptional talents like Yan Lide, Ginger Sage, and Li Deqian, all skilled craftsmen capable of creating intricate devices. Currently, Liaodong is preparing for battle; some may have already rushed to the front lines, but there must be someone accompanying the army to Songzhou to oversee the production of siege equipment.”
“The Tang army is like a raging tide, with heroes filled with enthusiasm and heavy siege weapons at their disposal. Our troops are dispirited and fearful of battle; our defenses are inadequate. This imbalance means that while the enemy grows stronger, we grow weaker. If we continue to defend the city under such circumstances, surrounded on three sides, we may end up losing everything here!”
As soon as Murong Hanzhu finished speaking, Qizong Nongsan's expression darkened. He noticed Lu Dongzan and others contemplating retreat and felt anger rising within him. He had initially thought that Murong Hanzhu would offer a brilliant strategy; instead, he received the same grim conclusion. Yet somehow, he felt reassured by having Murong Hanzhu beside him offering advice.
“Even so, what do you suggest we do?”
Murong Hanzhu looked at Qizong Nongsan's expectant gaze and sighed inwardly. In times of great peril, they still thought of him; unfortunately, if they had listened to him earlier, it wouldn't have come to this.
“Since we cannot reverse our losses, we should prioritize minimizing casualties. If we continue to delay without action, it will only lead to more deaths. In my opinion, we should leave two thousand troops to defend the city while retreating all other forces through the north gate to take refuge at Gansong Ridge for a chance to regroup and strategize. This way we can minimize our losses!”
As soon as Murong Hanzhu finished speaking, Tuguhun's ministers gasped in shock. While this strategy would allow Zanpu and most of the troops to escape safely, those two thousand soldiers would ultimately face annihilation—this was a drastic measure indeed!
Lu Dongzan and other officials had already begun to consider retreating; they knew this plan was ruthless but dared not oppose it. However, Qizong Nongsan felt pained for both soldiers and civilians and questioned with difficulty.
“Military advisor, must we truly sacrifice these two thousand lives? Could we perhaps leave five hundred behind at the City Wall to raise flags as a ruse to deceive the enemy and buy time for our retreat? I have heard that Han People’s martial sage has a strategy for empty cities; could we not borrow from that?”
Murong Hanzhu sighed helplessly and said, "Zanpu is indeed quick-witted and capable of devising such a plan, which is commendable. However, at this moment, the Tang army holds the advantage and is determined to capture the city. Even if our forces remain here, they will attack without hesitation. The mere presence of five hundred men as a feint holds no real significance. Mercy does not command troops, and righteousness does not manage wealth. If we hesitate when we should act decisively, we will only invite chaos. I hope Zanpu can be resolute!"
Seeing the ministers in such a state, Qizong Nongsan had no choice but to issue a painful order to mobilize the entire city, first recruiting volunteers willing to fight to the death. However, upon witnessing the dire situation of the remaining soldiers at the narrow pass, how could the Tubo soldiers dare to stay behind? Qizong Nongsan had no choice but to retain two thousand men while he himself led his main force to escape through the north gate.
Before leaving, Han Wei requested to fight, declaring that he was the Songzhou Governor. Fearing Zanpu's formidable cavalry and unwilling to lose Songzhou a second time after failing to defend it once, he volunteered to share the fate of Songzhou.
Qizong Nongsan was flustered and had already considered retreating. Without much thought, moved by Han Wei's loyalty, he agreed and allowed Han Wei and his accompanying soldiers to stay behind before hastily departing from Songzhou.
After exiting through the north gate, the garrison completely sealed it off before hurriedly defending the other three gates. However, upon seeing the overwhelming number of Tang soldiers, the garrison had already lost heart.
After Murong Hanzhu left through the north gate, he noticed that Han Wei was missing and was greatly alarmed. Upon inquiry, he learned that Han Wei had been left inside Songzhou. A sense of foreboding immediately arose; however, with two thousand men now abandoned as pawns, he decided to disregard them.
The military strategy emphasized swift action. Although the Tang army brought siege equipment, their morale was high. Soon enough, they were fully prepared and surrounded Songzhou from all sides!
Han Wei saw the dark mass of Tang soldiers below the city and felt a surge of joy as he noticed the Tubo people losing their resolve. He summoned his personal guards and began running around persuading them in Tibetan.
In a moment of inspiration, he realized that if he urged surrender now, allowing Tubo soldiers to offer up the city for survival would surely label him a traitor. Instead, he took an opposite approach by encouraging them to charge out and engage in battle!
The Tubo people were also skilled in cavalry charges but were not adept at defending cities. Many soldiers knew they had been abandoned and had different thoughts; some sought passive surrender while others wished for a noble death. Regardless of their motivations, none wanted to remain trapped within the city like lambs awaiting slaughter. Thus, Han Wei's strategy proved effective!
Meanwhile, Li Daozong issued an order for his troops to charge forward bravely for a strong assault on the city. Just then, they saw the south gate thunderously open as hundreds of brave Tubo soldiers charged out!
Niu Jinda, responsible for the south gate, was overjoyed and first commanded archers to unleash a barrage of arrows to suppress the enemy's momentum before leading heavy cavalry into battle decisively!
The two forces collided violently; the heavily armored Tang army cut through the Tubo army's formation like a hot knife through butter, instantly breaking their lines and penetrating deep into their ranks!
Niu Jinda was a fierce warrior who returned with his cavalry and unleashed a massacre on the disorganized Tubo army!
On another front, Liu Lan, known for his brutality, showed no appreciation for the Tubo army's nobility in battle and ordered widespread slaughter. Blood flowed like rivers beneath the city!
Han Wei and his personal guards noticed that there were still hundreds of Tubo soldiers unwilling to leave the city; thus, they persuaded these individuals to surrender.
The Tubo Army was completely demoralized. Seeing the death of the suicide squad, they had already lost heart. Following Han Wei's suggestion, they laid down their weapons, and with Han Wei raising the Tang Banner, they surrendered at the east gate.
Xu Zhen led her subordinates, the Red Armored Fourteen Guards, charging forward. The small group of enemy soldiers they faced were neither brave nor willing to surrender; they were only looking for a way to escape.
Just as she was about to lead her troops to intercept them, a large force surged in from the side—it was Zhi Shili's troops!
This fierce general was also a prominent figure, skilled in sword, bow, and horse riding. However, Xu Zhen was captivated by one of his junior officers!
She saw this junior officer riding a white horse, dressed in a striking white robe, reminiscent of the Eastern Han general Ma Chao. His mastery with the spear was truly unmatched!
“Zhou Cang, go find out who that person is!”
Upon receiving the order, Zhou Cang led his troops to charge forward. The two forces converged into a torrent, intercepting the fleeing Tuguhun soldiers. Realizing there was no hope for escape, the Tubo Army finally surrendered.
Zhou Cang called out from his horse, “You there, White-Clad Brother, may I ask your esteemed name?”
Seeing Zhou Cang's imposing presence as he charged left and right with unmatched bravery, the man did not dare to boast. He clasped his fists on horseback and replied, “Brother, you have great spirit! I am Xue Rengui, a Flag Officer under the command of Commander!”
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