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Chapter 158:
Chapter 158:
Chapter 158:
Songtsan Gampos tent was positioned at the rear of his armys formation. About twenty miles away was the Great Tang camp, considerably smaller in size compared to the Tubo forces, which seemed to almost fill the entire snowy plain.
Both sides tacitly agreed and refrained from immediate engagement, instead taking time to prepare for battle.
On the Tubo side, after assigning various tasks to his troops, Songtsan Gampo returned to his tent. In this battle, even though the overt balance of power favored the Tubo forces, Songtsan Gampo persisted in ordering numerous military simulations. Despite the futility of such exercises, given the circumstances, he continued tirelessly.
Regardless of the occasion, the outcome was never the least bit unexpected. Tubo emerged victorious over the Tang army. Even though Songtsan Gampo factored in Su Lis exceptional combat prowess during the military simulations, the result remained a resounding defeat for the Tang forces. Countless instances of military simulations had convinced Songtsan Gampo that Tubo could not lose this large-scale battle.
However, as the situation neared, Songtsan Gampos heart was still anxious. After all, this battle staked everything on Tubos side. If they lost, it would mean his own death and the destruction of his people, with no second chances. But if they won, Tubo would regain everything it had previously lost. Notably, for over a decade of the Tang dynastys existence, no foreign force had managed to gain any real advantage against the mighty Tang army.
Regardless of the results of the simulations, Songtsan Gampo was well aware that sometimes human plans were outmatched by the whims of fate. As a commander, one must anticipate victory and consider defeat, especially in his position as the king of Tubo.
In any case, Tubo had only this one opportunity. If they gave it their all and couldnt defeat the Great Tang, even if they fought to a draw, Tubo wouldnt stand a chance against the Tangs subsequent advances. Once the Tang army overcame the effects of high-altitude terrain and acclimatized in terms of resources, logistics, equipment, or strategy, Tubo would have no chance of victory. Sitting in his tent, Songtsan Gampo meticulously reviewed his battle plan. Nearly 250,000 elite warriors were concentrated on the main battlefield while he commanded from the rear. This approach was learned from the experience of Lu Dongzans demise, where he was killed as a frontline commander, causing the armys collapse.
Despite knowing that Su Lis strength was exceptional, he was unlikely to cut through 400,000 troops and then kill Songtsan Gampo. Furthermore, how many capable fighters did the Tang army have left?
Within the Great Tang camp, Su Li ordered all levels of officers to quickly take stock of their personnel. The gathered information was far from optimistic. Out of the 50,000 Tang soldiers, only 10,000 were unaffected by the high-altitude reaction. Upon hearing this result, all the commanders furrowed their brows, but Su Li remained silent, even wearing a faint smile. Both Cheng Yaojin and Yu Chigong were still recovering from the high-altitude reaction.
Su Li was acutely aware of his own physical condition. Despite feeling regret and considering the current decisive battle too dangerous, some discreetly suggested to Su Li that it might be wiser to withdraw to Tubo and wait for their forces to recover.
Hou Junji even mocked the situation, claiming to be unwell and unfit for battle. However, Su Dingfang privately conveyed to Su Li that he must be included if they charge into battle the next day. Nevertheless, Su Li declined his offer.
Facing a battle of 10,000 against 40,000, the odds were overwhelmingly against them, especially in a direct head-on confrontation. Even steadfast supporters like Su Dingfang felt apprehensive. However, Su Li was content with deploying 10,000 soldiers.
While others might have imagined the worst, they still viewed Su Li as a human. But Su Li knew better. They were underestimating him. In terms of combat prowess, he had long surpassed human limits. A force of 40,000 might seem significant, but they couldnt harm him in an era without advanced weaponry, no matter how they swung their weapons.
Furthermore, Su Li realized that in this era of warfare, his energy consumption rate was much slower than his recovery rate. In other words, his power was boundless. Annihilating these 400,000 people himself wouldnt be difficult as long as he had enough time. With himself as the blade and 10,000 soldiers following behind him, it was like a massive cutting edge sweeping through the battlefield. The 40,000-strong Tubo army was as fragile as tofu in front of him. What resistance could even a large piece of tofu offer against a sharp blade?
As the sky began to lighten the next morning, mournful cow horn calls echoed from the Tubo army formation. Tens of thousands of Tubo cavalry slowly advanced towards the Tang camp. The gates of the Tang camp opened, and ten thousand light cavalry rushed out. Amidst the falling snow, their horses hooves werent particularly jarring. The two sides were less than five hundred paces apart in less than fifteen minutes.
Suddenly, the sound of the cow horns changed. The Tubo cavalry drew their weapons and charged towards the Tang forces. The Tang soldiers quickly formed a wedge-shaped formation, with Su Li leading the foremost tip astride a white dragon and holding a war spear. This time, Su Li wasnt charging alone. He controlled the white dragons speed to maintain a consistent distance from his subordinates in the rear as they gradually advanced.
In just the span of two breaths, the two sides violently collided. The tens of thousands of Tubo troops resembled a black behemoth with a gaping maw, while the 10,000 Tang soldiers seemingly disappeared upon contact. However, what followed was a deafening roar of battle cries, causing the faces of all the observers in the rear to change simultaneously.