Datang: Only by resisting the decree can we become stronger

This military report came from Li Shiji's army, which stated that when the Turks stormed the ferry, he also sent scouts to investigate the situation.

Ready to support Zhang Liangjun at any time.

But the Turkic army had 30 soldiers, and Zhang Liang's [-] soldiers were exhausted in just a few hours.

Due to the strange behavior of the Turkic army this time, Li Shiji's army did not dare to act rashly, and has already retreated to Yinzhou to wait for orders.

After reading this military newspaper, the frowns of everyone present were even deeper.

Changsun Wuji had an unbelievable look on his face at the moment, "Could it be that they Turks really put all their eggs in one basket and sent all their soldiers and horses over?"

Fang Xuanling also sighed at this time, and said slowly: "Take a look at these two military sentiments together, the matter is basically true."

"For the time being, we still don't know the number of marches of this Tuli, and the march of Qibi Heli and others!"

Li Shimin's voice was gloomy at this moment, "Na Tuli, I have some old friends with him."

"This person is the opposite of Xieli, he acts calmly and tends to be feminine."

"But it is also one of the heroes, so it should not be underestimated."

"However, it is unreasonable to say that the entire Turkic army can act so radically with the strength of Zhishisili and Qibiheli alone."

Du Ruhui coughed lightly at this moment, and then went directly to the map, patting the river where Zhang Liang's army fought.

"In this situation, the flames are burning to the brows. What's the use of thinking about their ways."

"If, this time, the Turks were really attacked by an army of 30, we would only have more than [-] guards in the two cities of Xiazhou and Gyeongju."

"How long can it last?"

"And once they break through Xiazhou and Qingzhou, they will come to the city of Jingzhou in less than a month."

"Then point directly at Chang'an!"

Li Shimin rubbed his forehead vigorously at this time.

"Keming, how is the construction of Jingzhou City now?"

As soon as Du Ruhui mentioned this matter, he couldn't help feeling angry.

"Your Majesty, when Li Jing returned to Beijing last year to serve as Minister of the Ministry of War, he already discussed with us and planned to strengthen Jingzhou City even stronger than before before the spring of this year."

"But the officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Rituals are holding back everywhere, and the required funds are procrastinating."

"So far, the construction of Jingzhou City has not yet been completed."

"Before Zhang Liang's urgent report, according to the plan, it would take at least one and a half months to barely reach the level of strength of Jingzhou City last year."

"However, it's impossible to imagine that this year's Turks will go south earlier than in previous years, and they are all in a hurry."

"According to the past, after the ice and snow have melted, they will organize their troops to prepare food and grass to go south."

"But this year, as soon as the ice and snow receded here, their army has already breached our ferry."

"Obviously, we have already made sufficient preparations, and we are just waiting for the moment when the ice and snow melt!"

Changsun Wuji frowned and said, "Now Li Shiji still has [-] troops in Yinzhou."

"If he cooperates with Xiazhou, Qingzhou and other state capitals to deploy defenses and block the attack, I believe it will not be so easy for the Turks to attack."

Before he finished speaking, Fang Xuanling analyzed quietly: "Li Shiji's 6 horses are one of the main forces of our Tang army."

"It must be saved until the most critical moment before we can fight against the Turkic army."

"Now, Zhang Liang's [-] troops have been wiped out."

"The real main cavalry force of my Tang army is less than 20."

"We, who are weak in terms of overall combat power, have fewer numbers than the Turks."

"But you must not adopt the refueling tactic again."

"Your Majesty, Li Shiji has always been a man of fortitude and bravery in battle."

"Now even he himself said that Turkic's combat style is weird this time, so he took a step back."

"I think it's better to be careful, and wait and see."

Li Shimin sighed softly, nodded, then got up, and came to the huge map in person.

"Pass down the order to order Li Shiji's army to go south to Ningzhou and station on the flank of Jingzhou, waiting for the opportunity."

"Order Chai Shao and Cheng Yaojin's troops to rush to Jingzhou to help Li Jing deploy defenses."

"At the same time, order Xiazhou, Qingzhou and other state capitals to stop the Turkic army with all their strength, defend the city, and not allow them to retreat, so as to buy time for the defense of Jingzhou."

……

With the issuance of military orders, the military system of the entire Datang side quickly began to operate.

However, compared to the offensive and fierceness of the Turkic army, it still seems hasty and insufficient.

In the border area where the battle took place, after two days, the Turkic army had all crossed the river, rested, and then rushed towards Xiazhou City.

On the other side, in Youzhou a few days later, Li Qiu also received a military report that Zhang Liang's army was annihilated and the Turkic army was suppressing the border.

After seeing this military situation, everyone including Li Qiu was extremely shocked.

Fortunately, they have a person who knows Turks very well, Fan Xing!

After being urgently summoned to the Peking Palace, Fan Xing stomped his feet immediately after seeing the military report.

"Oh, my lord!"

"I'm really afraid of something."

"Obviously, this time, as we had expected, the Turks made a desperate move and went south!"

"After the great war last year, the Turks' available troops will definitely not reach 30."

"Unless he dispatched all the troops on the grassland."

After hearing his words, Luo Liang and other generals asked urgently, "Lord Fan, what do you think about the upcoming battle?"

At this moment, Fan Xing shook his head feebly, "This year's battle situation is as dangerous as that year's Jieli sneak attack!"

"With the city of Tang Dynasty and the strength of our army, I'm afraid it will be difficult to resist the desperate struggle of the Turkic people."

"If we also put all our eggs in one basket at this time and devote all our efforts to fight the Turks, there may still be hope to drag the time into deep winter."

"But I'm afraid that His Majesty and others will not realize the degree of danger."

"Especially the imperial court system, which is cumbersome and procrastinated. Whether it is the ministers in the court or the officials of the state capitals, if they are hindered, I am afraid that they will not be able to achieve that effect."

"Unless we can take some action here, so that His Majesty and the imperial court can better understand the current crisis."

"Make up for it after a dead sheep, and prepare more actively!"

Chapter 373 Xiazhou, Siege

After listening to Fan Xing's words, Li Qiu looked at Luo Liang.

"General Luo, you personally lead an elite team to accompany Princess Yunzhong to the hinterland of the grassland to find out!"

"After entering the grassland, you just follow the arrangement of Princess Yunzhong."

Hearing this, Luo Liang and other generals couldn't help showing embarrassment.

"My lord, you can leave this kind of thing to us."

"Please rest assured, we will complete the task and return no matter what."

"The princess in the cloud has golden branches and jade leaves, this..."

Li Qiu waved his hand, "It's urgent, you just do as I tell you."

"General Luo, go prepare now, set off immediately before dark!"

Afterwards, Li Qiu came to the back house and met Ake.

"This time your main purpose is to investigate the grassland."

"If you encounter resistance and danger, remember to return immediately."

"If the situation over there is weird and exceeds our expectations, you can act according to the opportunity and don't have to wait for a reply from our side."

After listening to his words, A Ke nodded, and immediately adjusted her breath before going out.

At this time, Li Qiu told her again, "Be careful on the road, and come back safely!"

Facing his serious gaze, A Ke, who didn't speak much, also nodded seriously.

In this way, when night fell, A Ke led her three disciples, and two thousand elites led by Luo Liang, rushed out of the north gate of Youzhou City, and headed straight for the hinterland of the grassland.

They had already done such a thing last year, so they were quite familiar with the situation here.

According to the original imagination, as long as they marched for about four hours, they could reach the fringes of the grassland tribes.

But the whole night after starting from Youzhou City, Ake, Luo Liang and others could not see the slightest shadow of the grassland tribe until dawn.

At this moment, several outposts who had been walking at the forefront of the team suddenly heard several screams and neighing of horses.

Seeing this, Luo Liang hurriedly stopped the march of the army and prepared for the enemy's attack.

But A Ke took the first step and came to the scene of the accident to watch.

All I saw was that the outposts, including their men and horses, fell into the trenches and traps buried by the Turks.

Blood dripping, horrible, hopeless.

When Luo Liang and others also arrived here and saw such a scene, the sky had already brightened.

The scenery of this piece of grassland is still the same, but there is no trace of traps in sight.

But for an absolute expert like A Ke, he can still perceive the traps everywhere.

Afterwards, Ake ordered Luo Liang and others to stay here to rest and not to act rashly.

And she was alone, galloping along the line of the trap on horseback.

After a day of running, Ake was finally able to confirm one thing.

Today's grassland is full of randomly dug traps.

Horses are absolutely impassable.

At the same time, she ran such a long distance along the edge of the grassland today, but she didn't see any trace of the life of the grassland tribes.

She guessed in her heart that there was a great possibility that the grassland tribes that originally lived here had already migrated away.

When night fell again and the bonfire was lit, A Ke said directly to Luo Liang: "General Luo, tomorrow morning, I will take Jing Wuming and two people, abandon the horses, and go deep into the hinterland of the grassland."

"You take people back to Youzhou, report to the prince, and tell him the situation here."

"In a few days, after we investigate the situation, we will naturally return to Youzhou City."

Listening to A Ke's words, Luo Liang's head was buzzing.

Let the majestic princess of the imperial court go deep into danger, and he, the old man who is a general, led the army back to Youzhou.

Not to mention whether he will be punished in terms of duties.

Luo Liang and other generals couldn't accept just the feelings in their hearts.

So, they asked A Ke for orders, asking themselves and others to complete the task.

But Ake shook her head and told him that there were too many traps deep in the grassland ahead.

You are too bulky and without horses for this task.

As for Jing Riqi, Jing Yueqi, and Jing Xingqi who also wanted to go with their master and senior sister, A Ke was even more straightforward.

Just shaking their heads slightly, the three of them didn't dare to speak anymore.

The rules of Ake's teacher's school are much stricter than those of Furong Academy.

Finally, in the early morning of the next day, A Ke led Jing Wuming, his master and apprentice, abandoned the horses, and broke into the depths of the grassland full of traps ahead with only dry food and two carrier pigeons.

Looking at their master and apprentice walking like the wind, dodging quickly, and shuttling across the grassland, Luo Liang and the others showed endless admiration in their eyes.

Afterwards, Luo Liang left eight hundred elites, as well as Jing Riqi, Jing Yueqi, and Jing Xingqi to support them here.

He led the others to hurry back to Youzhou and return to Li Qiu.

When Li Qiu, Fan Xing and others received the information brought back by Luo Liang, they all frowned and did not make a sound.