si-mexico Chapter 2029 sets the tone!
Chapter 2029 sets the tone!
Inside the Tang army's command tent.
Those military advisors and staff who usually talk big and quote classics are now wishing they could shrink into a crack in the ground.
They understood the importance of this battle better than anyone else—it was no longer just a border battle, but the ultimate decisive battle concerning the fate of the Tang Dynasty!
If they offer their strategies now, and are defeated in battle, they will not only be military losers, but also sinners in history.
They will be remembered in history as "armchair strategists" and "mediocre talents who ruin the country," leaving a lasting stain on their reputation for eternity!
This responsibility is too heavy, so heavy that no one dares to bear it lightly.
They preferred to remain silent and let their coach make the decisions, rather than take on the immense burden that could crush their souls and the reputation they would bear.
Time ticked by in this suffocating silence.
The candlelight crackled, and the howling wind outside the tent only served to accentuate the eerie silence inside.
Every breath felt incredibly long and agonizing.
Li Jing's gaze swept across the faces that were either evasive, numb, or desperate. What he saw was not courage and wisdom, but a fighting spirit crushed by immense pressure and a hopeless future.
His last glimmer of hope cooled and sank little by little in the boundless silence.
Finally, he let out a barely audible sigh, a sigh so faint it seemed to drain all his strength.
He knew he couldn't wait any longer.
"Since none of you have a good solution at the moment..."
Li Jing's voice rang out again, carrying a calm acceptance of fate, as well as the resolute determination of a commander-in-chief who must make decisions in a desperate situation.
"Then, I, the commander, shall make the plans for tomorrow's battle."
He must shoulder this inevitably difficult burden alone.
For the Tang Dynasty, and for all those silent people in this tent, let us find a path to survival that may be slim, but is one that must be taken.
The silence inside the command tent, like a cold tide, drowned out the last spark of hope.
Li Jing's gaze slowly shifted from the downcast faces, faces etched with heaviness and confusion, and his last hope that his colleagues might come up with a brilliant solution was shattered.
He took a deep breath, and the air seemed to carry a bitter, rusty smell.
As the head coach, when everyone else chose to remain silent, he had to step forward and shoulder the responsibility of this precarious situation.
Even if there is an abyss ahead, he must lead this army forward.
The weariness and disappointment on his face quickly vanished, replaced by a resolute and unwavering expression.
He slowly stood up and walked steadily to the huge military camp layout map, pointing his finger heavily at the area representing the core of the camp.
His voice no longer carried the questioning tone, but was filled with an unquestionable decisiveness, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, piercing the suffocating silence:
"Since none of you have a good strategy to defeat the enemy, then proceed according to my orders!"
All the generals in the tent, whether it was Wang Zhongsi who was heartbroken, Gao Xianzhi who was secretly glad that he was not forced to ask questions, or Tuwu Jin and others who were filled with trepidation, were all shocked when they heard the voice.
They instinctively straightened up, their eyes focused on Li Jing, waiting for him to carve out a path in this desperate situation.
"The Chu army is powerful, with far more troops than ours, and its morale is high, showing its full strength."
Li Jing's voice was frighteningly calm, as if he were analyzing something that had nothing to do with him:
"Especially their cavalry, Zhao Yu's White Horse Cavalry and Ran Ming's Heavy Armored Cavalry are the elite of the world, and their field battles and charges are unstoppable!"
"To confront them head-on would be like throwing an egg against a rock."
His finger traced a circle around the outer perimeter of the camp on the layout map, and his tone suddenly became sharp:
"Therefore, our primary task is to consolidate our forces, fortify our camps, and avoid their sharp edge!"
"Send the order!"
Li Jing's gaze swept over the generals like a hawk's: "From this moment forward, all battalions shall abandon all secondary outposts and concentrate all forces on the central main camp and the core fortresses on the left and right flanks!"
"Block or block the passages between camps if possible, concentrate all our forces, and form a single, unified force!"
"I want this camp to be like a curled-up hedgehog, leaving the Chu army with nowhere to attack!"
This order meant completely abandoning the possibility of field battles and entrusting the lives of 250,000 troops entirely to this fortified camp they had been building for months.
The generals were filled with trepidation, but no one voiced their opposition, because it seemed to be the only way to reduce casualties and buy time.
But this is not enough.
Li Jing knew that even the strongest fortifications might not be able to completely withstand the Chu army's relentless attacks, especially the terrifying cavalry charges.
"Secondly!"
His finger moved towards the open area beyond the camp's fence, his voice growing colder and harder:
"Before the Chu army attacks, we must set up multiple obstacles and traps overnight within an area of 100 to 300 paces outside the camp!"
He looked at the general in charge of fortifications and equipment and ordered, "Use all the stockpiles! Deploy barricades, caltrops, and horse traps densely to me!"
"Especially along the routes where enemy cavalry are most likely to charge, we must set up layers of defense!"
"Dig the trenches as deep as possible, and arrange the antlers as densely as possible!"
"I want to make sure that the Chu army's warhorses lose 30% of their fighting spirit before they even get close to my camp!"
He paused, then added an even more ruthless detail: "Also, mix the collected waste oil and flammable materials with mud and smear them on parts of the fence and outer barriers!"
"If necessary, we can set fire to hinder the enemy! Even if we can't burn down many enemy troops, we should use thick smoke and fire to disrupt their offensive rhythm and burn their soldiers!"
This series of instructions took into account every detail of the defense and was filled with a resolute determination to perish with the enemy.
The generals seemed to already see the hellish scene outside the camp tomorrow.
Finally, Li Jing returned to his seat, his voice lowered, yet carrying a deeper strategic intent:
"Gentlemen, our army's strategy is not to defeat the Chu army in one battle; that is unrealistic."
His gaze swept over the crowd, attempting to instill his will in each of the generals:
What we need to do is maintain a stalemate! We need to wear each other down!
"Relying on this impregnable camp and our meticulously arranged death zone, we will stand firm like the hardest reef, no matter how the Chu army's towering waves crash against us!"
His tone carried an almost stubborn conviction: "Although the Chu army has a large force, if they cannot conquer it after a prolonged siege, their morale will surely collapse! Their food and supplies consumption will also far exceed ours!"
"More importantly, Chu Ning's personal command of the expedition is intended to be swift. The longer the campaign drags on, the greater the pressure on the domestic political situation and the rear, and the more likely the morale of the army will waver!"