But even Geluofeng had to admit that the difficulties he faced in fulfilling his ambitions were far more serious than he had initially imagined.
"Hahaha, Your Majesty, in truth, it's actually not difficult at all to determine that young man's identity. Xianyu Zhongtong only obeys Zhangchou Jianqiong's orders. Any person who carries Zhangchou Jianqiong's orders will instantly gain Xianyu Zhongtong's military authority. But would Wang Yan give his own authority up so easily?
"I've heard that Wang Yan is old-fashioned and extremely inflexible. To make him hand over his military authority in the constantly changing battlefield, probably not even Zhangchou Jianqiong would be able to do that, no?"
Dalun Ruozan looked around at the crowd.
Everyone was quiet, with only Geluofeng and Duan Gequan appearing to fall into deep thought. The Tibetans didn't have too great of an understanding of the Great Tang, particularly when it came to matters involving the Imperial Court in its heartland.
But Geluofeng was different. He knew the internal affairs of the Great Tang like the back of his hand, so he knew that Dalun Ruozan's words were completely accurate.
"Moreover, why have none of you thought about this: there were so many people on that summit, so why did that child immediately rush off to the mountain occupied by Wang Fu? Unless they had a very close relationship, would he show such concern? So when you connect all these things and recall the Qilin son of the Wang Clan, tell me, who else except him could satisfy all these conditions?"
With these last words, Dalun Ruozan turned to quietly smile at the crowd. Unlike Huoshu Huicang, Dalun Ruozan had always focused his attention on strategic questions.
The loss of fifty thousand soldiers was a major incident for Huoshu Huicang and the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, but it was nothing at all to Dalun Ruozan.
One had to make sacrifices to obtain profits. In truth, when one considered the illustrious prestige of the Great Tang at its peak, a loss of fifty thousand soldiers was completely within Dalun Ruozan's expectations.
In contrast, Dalun Ruozan had found Geluofeng's initial victory over Xianyu Zhongtong and smooth progress rather strange and out of the ordinary.
The current results were what he expected from the normal Great Tang!
"Great Minister is correct. The only person that can fulfill all these conditions must be a descendant of the Wang Clan, and it is most likely to be Wang Yan's youngest son Wang Chong. Although I've never interacted with him before, since he constructed Lion City to hinder us and ruin our plans, he truly is the most likely candidate," Geluofeng gravely said.
"Hahaha, only now is this war starting to get interesting. I've always said that the Great Tang, with several centuries of resources, couldn't be so lacking in skill. A centipede can die but not topple, so why should the Great Tang of the Central Plains? Only now do I feel at ease about this war!"
As Dalun Ruozan waved his fan, he exuded a leisurely aura. It seemed like his side had not suffered any defeat whatsoever.
Geluofeng imperceptibly creased his brow, but he said nothing.
Geluofeng might have held his tongue, but Duan Gequan did not have such patience.
"Great Minister, do not forget that the Great Tang is our enemy!"
Although he admired Dalun Ruozan's penetrating insight, attention to detail, and ability to practically predict the movements of the enemy, Duan Gequan was deeply unsettled by Dalun Ruozan's ambiguous attitude toward the enemy.
They had just suffered a massive defeat, losing fifty thousand elite cavalry, yet Dalun Ruozan was smiling.
"Haha, General, please do not misunderstand me. Since my Ü-Tsang has mobilized soldiers, we're naturally prepared to deal with the Great Tang together with Mengshe Zhao. I'm just a little interested in that child. Although the Wang Clan is a clan of ministers and generals, Wang Jiuling made his name as a civil official. He was able to sweep over the world in his time by relying on his loyal subordinates and powerful warriors. Purely in terms of the art of war, he can still rank in the first class, but he is far from the level that most of us imagine. Otherwise, Wang Yan still wouldn't be without a noble title."
Dalun Ruozan slowly paced, waving his feather fan, a look of amusement on his face.
"I'm just rather curious. The level of military strategy in the Wang Clan is not sufficient to teach someone to the level that all of you have described. Then where did that child learn his strategy and tactics from? The tactics that child used weren't even used by Wang Jiuling, Wang Zhongsi, or Zhang Shougui in the northeast, much less here, so where did a mere teenager learn them from?
"I know the classics of the Central Plains like the palm of my hand, so why have I never seen such tactics?"
Dalun Ruozan's eyes began to shine brighter and brighter.
Almost based purely on instinct, he felt that the Qilin son of the Wang Clan was completely different from any person he had ever encountered. Dalun Ruozan sensed a massive potential on his body.
"Huoshu Huicang, Your Majesty, ministers and generals, when the battle begins, I do not care how you deal with the Annan Protectorate army, but you must capture that child alive!"
"What sort of joke are you playing? How can one go easy on the battlefield? Moreover, that child is too much of a threat to us. The longer he remains alive, the more people he will kill. This person should be killed as quickly as possible, but you want to capture him alive?"
The veins on Huoshu Huicang's forehead were bulging in rage. Although Dalun Ruozan was the Great Minister of the Ngari Royal Lineage, ranking above him, Huoshu Huicang had never truly treated him as his superior.
And even if Dalun Ruozan was his superior, Huoshu Huicang didn't need to listen to his orders. That was just how his personality was.
"Hahaha, just listen to me. I suspect that this brat has a never-before-seen military text on his person. If we capture and interrogate him, it will definitely be of great benefit to our Ü-Tsang. Moreover, in the end, this will be a boon to you.
"When soldiers meet on the battlefield, casualties are inevitable. Moreover, casualties are only for a moment, but if we obtain the military texts from that child, it will be a legacy that will last for generations. For our Ü-Tsang, this prize far surpasses fifty thousand soldiers. This is a chance delivered to our doorstep. No matter what, we cannot let it pass by… if we don't want to face an endless stream of generals the likes of Wang Jiuling, Wang Zhongsi, Zhang Shougui, Gao Xianzhi, and Geshu Han, that is."
With these final words, Dalun Ruozan had a most profound gaze.
A Great General saw victory on a single battlefield, but the Great Minister looked toward the fate of the entire empire in following decades, centuries, millennia. This was where Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang differed.
Buzz!
Geluofeng and Duan Gequan were left dazed by Dalun Ruozan's words. The two of them glanced at each other, but neither of them said anything.
Everyone said that the Ngari Great Minister Dalun Ruozan had an almost fiendish knowledge. While the rest of them had been talking of yesterday's defeat and the mysterious Tang youth's effect on the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, Dalun Ruozan had already identified who this youth was and had even smelled an enormous opportunity through this defeat.
Ü-Tsang is already strong enough. They have one Dalun Ruozan, one Huoshu Huicang, and three other ministers and four generals. If they obtain any formidable military text, our Mengshe Zhao will have sent off a tiger only to welcome a wolf. In the end, we'll still be a vassal to a foreign kingdom. We have to kill that Wang Chong as soon as we can or else think of a way to capture him for ourselves. No matter what, we can't let Ü-Tsang get him.
Though Geluofeng sat unmoving in his chair, his face expressionless, his mind was abuzz with countless thoughts.
Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang were both allies and enemies. They had to cooperate, but they also needed to be wary of each other.
This was the reality of their relationship!
Chapter 559: The Decisive Battle! Prelude!
/> Chapter 559: The Decisive Battle! Prelude!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Geluofeng, Duan Gequan, and Fengjiayi quickly took their leave. In the tent, Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang were also getting ready to depart. The roughly one hundred thousand soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army and their various associated forces had already left Lion City. By cutting them down, they would succeed in cutting down the last barrier to the southwest.
Without Xianyu Zhongtong's soldiers holding them down, the southwest would belong completely to Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang.
This war involving three countries would come to an end!
And both of them had already decided that the Great Tang youth could not be allowed to leave this place, no matter what.
Once Geluofeng had left with the Mengshe Zhao generals, Huoshu Huicang suddenly turned his head and asked Dalun Ruozan, "Great Minister? Why did you want to tell all that to Geluofeng?
"Don't tell me that you didn't think Geluofeng would get any ideas after hearing about this matter."
"Hahaha, stupid people have their uses, as do smart people. Didn't you realize? Ever since he managed to defeat Xianyu Zhongtong by accident by the Erhai, Geluofeng hasn't regarded our Ü-Tsang with much importance."
Dalun Ruozan's smile faded as his gaze suddenly became extremely profound.
"This—"
Huoshu Huicang was dumbstruck for a few moments. He truly hadn't thought of this problem before. He was a general, a soldier, so the things he pondered were strategies and tactics, victory and defeat on the battlefield. The questions that Dalun Ruozan brought up concerned the aspects of the human mind, things that he never truly wasted his energy thinking about.
"At this stage, Geluofeng can no longer turn back. Does he really dare to betray us?"
"Ha! Who knows? Didn't that shining Son of Heaven in the Great Tang's capital also think that Geluofeng wouldn't betray him?" Dalun Ruozan said as he waved his fan. As he lightly took a step forward, an invisible energy emerged from his feet and covered the area.
"The hearts of men are the most unfathomable of all. Geluofeng is burning with ambition, and I'm afraid that the southwest alone won't be enough to satisfy him. Since he isn't willing to submit to the Great Tang, there's naturally no guarantee that he would be willing to submit to our Ü-Tsang. This being the case, now is the time to let him understand the threat the Great Tang represents. There are no downsides to this, only upsides… Don't forget that we need his three hundred thousand Mengshe Zhao troops to deal with the Great Tang."
"But what about the brat?"
Huoshu Huicang furrowed his brow as he said, "Although I clashed with him last night, I don't think he's as formidable as you say. But if he really does have some secret military text on him, Geluofeng is the type of person who would attempt to snatch it for himself or simply kill the brat. Either option is of no benefit to us."
"Hahaha, it seems like you're the smart one. I spoke of that military text as an offhand comment. Whether it actually exists is a whole other matter. And we'll find out soon, at any rate. As for Geluofeng and his son… since we're allies, there's no difference between a military text ending up in our hands or in their hands. If it falls into Geluofeng's hands, we'll ask for it from him, as if Geluofeng is a wise person, he won't refuse. And if there is no military text, what difference is there if that child lives or dies?"
Dalun Ruozan chuckled as he waved his feather fan.
Huoshu Huicang helplessly shook his head at Dalun Ruozan. He had worked with Dalun Ruozan for several decades as a minister and general pair. In terms of command abilities, the pair were even praised as existences on the same level as Zhangchou Jianqiong.
Yet Huoshu Huicang still found it difficult to get used to Dalun Ruozan's thinking style and demeanor.
"Let's go! No matter what, the Annan Protectorate army and that child called Wang Chong must die today! It's about time this war came to an end!"
Huoshu Huicang stretched out his hands. Clangclang! Two cold lights suddenly flew out from a place along the edge of the tent. As Huoshu Huicang snatched these two Tibetan scimitars out of the air, he strode out.
Boom!
When Huoshu Huicang walked out of the tent, a massive gale suddenly stirred, and within and without the tent seemed to become two different worlds. The entire camp was boiling with killing intent, and the entire army was on the verge of moving out to scorch the heavens with their fire.
"Begin! Quickly!"
"The army is about to move out. Bring out the supplies."
"Cavalry, get ready! Inspect your weapons, armor, and rations!"
……
The vast Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army packed the Erhai plains, suffusing the land with a bleak aura.
As Huoshu Huicang looked forward, he waved his hand and asked without turning his head, "Have you found the tracks of the Tang army?"
The clopping of hooves came from behind Huoshu Huicang as an elite scout rode up and respectfully gave his report.
"Reporting to Milord: although the Tang army attempted to pull a few tricks, we have already succeeded in finding their tracks. They're on a mountain to the north!"
"Excellent! Pass on my order. The army… will soon move out!!"
"Yes, Milord!"
The elite scout turned around and quickly galloped off, the clopping of hooves fading into the distance.
As Huoshu Huicang gazed up at the dark clouds overhead, his eyes turned harsh and cold. Regardless of the political situation, the job of a soldier was to fight, destroy, and annihilate his opponent.
The rest had nothing to do with him!
"Zhangchou Jianqiong, you've lost!"
As his eyes glowed with harsh light, Huoshu Huicang mounted his horse and quickly began to ride north.
Bwoooom!
The horns began to blare, their sounds reaching toward the horizon, accompanied by a chorus of war drums and neighing horses. The Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, the most powerful army in the southwest, began to move northward.
The dark clouds of war had reached their absolute limit.
Without the protection of Lion City, the Great Tang would finally have to engage in a decisive battle with the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army for the southwest!
……
Rumble!
The earth quaked as war descended faster than anyone could have imagined.
However, when the mountain that the Annan Protectorate army had chosen to make its final stand on appeared before the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, everyone was stunned. What lay before them was not some bare mountain, but something completely different.
On the summit, gray plumes of smoke roiled into the sky. And ringing this erect mountain from top to bottom, one could see what appeared to be a steel fortress.
The countless soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army were encamped on this mountain, their somber aura evident even from these distances.
"What's going on here?"
The winds howled over the distance as even someone of Huoshu Huicang's level appeared shocked. This was completely beyond his expectations.
"What is this? It looks to me like a fortress!" Fengjiayi said in shock.
"What did that brat manage to do?"
Jiaosiluo's eyes were twitching while his face was a picture of surprise.
All of them looked like they had eaten flies. They had originally believed that on this vast plain, the Annan Protectorate army would have been bereft of any protection and simply no match for the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army. But the sight before them clearly indicated otherwise.
The Tang army had somehow managed to miraculously construct an extremely imposing fortress in this incredibly short time. At the very least, from a distance, it seemed like quite the daunting prospect.
"Just how did that brat manage to do it? Lion City has already fallen and the Great Tang's border protectorates have their own problems to worry about. There's nothing else in this wilderness, so where di
d he get all these things from? It looks to me that if we want to deal with the Annan Protectorate army, we first have to kill that brat!" Longqinba said, his face brimming with hatred.
This feeling was far too familiar. It was Lion City all over again, and it could only be the handiwork of that Qilin son of the Wang Clan. This was not a good omen for the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army.
"This is not good news! It seems that the Tang were well-prepared before we came!"
The King of Mengshe Zhao, Geluofeng, rode through the army on a black Erhai steed. His brow was furrowed in worry as he rode up from the rear, the army parting before him.
"This should be the work of that youth once more, no?"
Geluofeng had not been present when the Tibetans chased the Annan Protectorate army through the rain and suffered two consecutive defeats, so this was only his speculation. After all, Geluofeng had always had his doubts about the Tibetans' words.
But at this moment, the sight of that somber and imposing mountain had completely washed away Geluofeng's doubts. Even though the battle hadn't started, Geluofeng could already feel that this mountain would be a thorny problem.
That boy from the Wang Clan was harder to deal with than he had imagined.
"Hahaha, isn't this very normal? Since you already know that child's deeds, no one should be surprised, right?"
Waving his feather fan, Dalun Ruozan rode his highland steed over. Unlike the others, Dalun Ruozan had a very leisurely reaction to all this.
Having already experienced the harm that Great Tang youth had inflicted on the Tibetan army last night, Dalun Ruozan wasn't shocked by the sight at all.
"In truth, I'm only getting more and more curious. Just where did that child learn all of this? A teenager shouldn't have this sort of ability, no? And such strange tactics probably couldn't be found in a single family of the Great Tang.
"The long history of the Great Tang conceals many strange and wondrous individuals. I find myself more and more confident that this youth has some formidable military text or strategy manual on his person."
Geluofeng and Duan Gequan paled at these words, but nobody said anything.
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