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Chapter 156:
Chapter 156:
Chapter 156:
Nevertheless, Tubo held certain advantages. They fought on home soil, immune to altitude sickness, while the Tang army struggled with this issue and was significantly outnumbered.
Despite the fluctuating situation, Songtsan Gampo remained confident. A notion similar to Lu Dongzans belief took root in his mind the advantage was on their side. But this didnt mean he was at ease.
In Songtsan Gampos prior plans, even a loss at the Battle of Song Zhou wouldnt have been a major crisis. They could retreat to the plateau and rebuild their strength. However, the current Tang army commander was ruthless, killing Lu Dongzan and advancing relentlessly, seemingly intent on annihilating Tubo in one fell swoop. This infuriated Songtsan Gampo.
Yet, he found himself in a predicament. Gambling the nations fate on a risky bet was like a one-shot gamble. Success would be glorious, but failure would be catastrophic. The Tang Dynasty was a formidable adversary, and Tubo couldnt afford its wrath.
Songtsan Gampo knew that survival was paramount. Only by surviving could he hope to negotiate. Despite his confidence in Tubos advantages, he couldnt afford to be careless. Messengers were dispatched to the tribes that had previously formed alliances with Tubo.
After Lu Dongzans defeat, these alliances had lost their meaning. These tribes, once loyal to Tubo, now kept their distance, seeking opportunities to benefit from Tubos predicament. In this ruthless northwestern region, everyone followed the law of the jungle. Songtsan Gampo understood this mentality well.
Nonetheless, he remained confident in persuading these tribes. His reasoning was simple when one rabbit falls, the fox trembles! If the Tang Dynasty initiated a conflict with Tubo today, would they not feel a shiver down their spine? If the Tang Dynasty continued its unstoppable expansion, these tribes would eventually face the same fate as Tubo.
Songtsan Gampo firmly believed that these people would grasp the principle of interdependence. Only by uniting now, while they still possessed a certain advantage, could the various tribes hope to stand a chance. With the tribes Songtsan Gampo had rallied this time, they could potentially field an army of one million.
Such strength meant that, at least on their home turf, the Tang army wouldnt easily defeat them. A battle of 50,000 against one million was arguably one of the most one-sided conflicts in Central Plains military history. Regardless of the Tang armys might, expecting each soldier to eliminate twenty enemy soldiers on average was unrealistic.
As long as they could withstand this initial wave of attacks from the Tang Dynasty, there would be room for maneuver afterward. Just as Songtsan Gampo received the latest news, it was reported that the Tang army had left Tubo.
Songtsan Gampo was confident that a mere few days wouldnt be enough for the Tang army to overcome the altitude sickness issue. The Tang commanders impatience had led to an attack on Tubo without resolving this problem. Instead of anger, Songtsan Gampo felt elation. The opponents underestimation was his greatest opportunity.
Songtsan Gampo estimated he had at least two more months to address the Tang armys advance. Understanding this, he couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, in the camps of various tribes within Tubo, Bayegu Zhang looked at the envoy sent by Songtsan Gampo with an indescribable expression. This envoy had come to request the tribes unity with Tubo.
Just two days earlier, these tribes had received letters from their envoys in Changan, revealing that the Tang Dynastys Emperor had outright rejected their requests for an audience. The message was clearthe Tang Dynasty had no intention of reconciliation.
This news cast a shadow over the hearts of all tribal leaders. While they had once harbored ambitions towards the Tang Dynasty, Tubos defeat by the Tang military had changed their perspective. The recent advance of the Tang army into the plateau, directly towards Tubo, had instilled fear in them.
Many questioned the Tang Dynastys supposed courtesy and etiquette, wondering why they held such a grudge. Some even regretted their involvement in these affairs, realizing it had brought great trouble and losses.
In this moment, dread filled their hearts. One leader voiced his concerns, The Tang Dynastys rejection of our envoys may imply that they have no intention of reconciling with us.
Another leader said, Is Tubo worth the risk? I suspect the Tang Dynasty sees us as targets, too.
A third leader said, Even so, we must not ally with Tubo again. Otherwise, we could be the next to face demise.
The Tang army crossed the Da Fei River three days later and entered Tubos territory. As they crossed the river, the landscape abruptly turned steep. The Tang soldiers, who were starting to adapt to the plateaus climate, experienced worsening symptoms of altitude sickness instead of improvement.
Despite not being late autumn, the scenery was already blanketed in snow and ice. The Tang troops struggled with both altitude sickness and the extreme cold. Su Li, in response, ordered the troops to march for only three hours each day, covering a maximum of forty miles. During the night, the Tang army established camps in sheltered spots on the side of snow-covered mountains where the wind was less severe.
Inside the command tent, several generals gathered once more. Hou Junji reported, Altitude sickness has become increasingly severe in the past few days. Over thirty soldiers have succumbed to it, and many are in critical condition. His face, tinged with purplish-black hues from altitude sickness, looked ghastly.
Why is the Grand General so obstinate? With this situation, our army will likely suffer heavy casualties before even engaging the Tubo forces. Moreover, the Grand General knows the importance of swift military action. Due to altitude sickness, our marching speed is severely hindered, giving Tubo ample time to prepare! Hou Junjis face darkened, his gaze fixed on Su Li as he coldly asked, Is the Grand General leading tens of thousands of Tang soldiers to their demise?
Su Li chuckled lightly and glanced at the others. Since entering Tubos territory, the effects of altitude sickness worsened significantly. Even Cheng Yaojin and Yu Chigong could no longer endure it, showing signs of illness. Su Dingfang was in slightly better shape, but his lack of energy was still apparent. As for Li Daozong and Hou Junjis faces had turned purple, clearly affected by altitude sickness.