chapter 37

Wang Hao sat before Bai Qi with a stern look . “The Zhao army shouldn’t be aware of your arrival . Because of that, Old Bai, I still suggest that we need to act quickly and decisively . ”

“…Quickly and decisively . ” When talking about serious decisions, Bai Qi naturally didn’t continue joking with Wang Hao . The index finger of his right hand tapped rhythmically on the table as he thought .

Suddenly, he sneered lightly .

“The King of Zhao is hoping to act quickly and decisively himself . ”

“The King of Zhao?” Wang Hao pondered for a moment and nodded . “Yes, with Zhao’s national prowess faltering, there is adequate reason for him . ”

“This battle has always been a defensive one, but since the King of Zhao has replaced his patient commander, it shows his eagerness to win rather than continuing to take losses from attrition .

“Therefore, it isn’t us, but the King of Zhao, that’s on the offensive . No matter what stratagems Zhao Kuo wants to use, the King of Zhao will inevitably order an attack . In a way, he’s not wrong . If his army keeps getting dragged deeper and deeper, the effects won’t be limited to losing Changping, the entire State of Zhao can be dragged down along with it . ”

Bai Qi continued to talk casually and uninterrupted .

“We just need to wait for the Zhao king to issue the order . Once Zhao Kuo is out of food, he’ll naturally launch a determined attack . I recently took a detachment into the mountains, and I grasped the extent of their supply issue . From my estimates, they should have no more than ten days of food left . Hence, even if we don’t attack, we can still wait for them to break themselves . ”

Wang Hao listened and deeply nodded several times in admiration .

I was stuck on deciding offense, but it turns out that it wasn’t important at all . Meanwhile, Bai Qi has even been planned countermeasures .

“Everyday, send three thousand light cavalry to the front of the Zhao camp, bait and harass . Continue to do this until the King of Zhao issues the order for the assault .

“Also, send thirty thousand troops afterward to make a detouring route through the forested mountains . Once the fight breaks out, they can cleanly cut off Zhao’s last supply line .

“The Zhao army must fight, no matter what course they take . ”

Wang Hao gave one last nod and stood up, bowing slightly, he said, “I understand General’s command . ”

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In the middle of the night, the young man led his horse back to the camp entrance . The guards saw him and quickly opened the gates .

“General . ”

Zhao Kuo nodded at the soldier and his eyes fell to the man’s exhausted and worn face . He smiled, “If you stand on sentry for so many days, you should get a break at least, perhaps you really may fall asleep . ”

“General . ” The soldier’s eyes shown gratitude but he still shook his head . “What if Qin attacks in the night? Rest assured, General, I will guard the gate well . ”

At hearing about the Qin army, Zhao Kuo sighed . On his face was a rueful smile . “The next few days, Qin shouldn’t attack the camp . They’re waiting for us to go out . ”

The soldier didn’t fully understand his words, but he did know that this young general had the soldiers’ best interests in mind . Zhao Kuo treated them very well and was not as harsh and distant as General Lian Po that preceded him .

Normally, if a general did this, the soldier would become lazy and discipline would fall . But knowing their predicament, the soldiers didn’t dare lounge around .

Ensuring the security of the gate was of the utmost importance among those duties .

“General, you go in, I won’t get tired . ”

Zhao Kuo gave another complicated look at the soldier and shook his head, leading the horse away .

The soldier called the others in the team and slowly pushed close the gates .

Zhao Kuo tied his horse to a pole in front of his tent and lifted the flap of the tent entrance .

However, walking in, he saw one of his bodyguards standing inside, waiting on him .

Noticing that Zhao Kuo returned, the bodyguard lifted his hands and presented a small roll of bamboo slips .

“General, the king sent a messenger to present this to you . ”

Zhao Kuo’s brow wrinkled . A new message at this time is never good .

He unrolled it and swept several glances over it, a bitter smile started to show on his face .

It seems the King of Zhao can’t wait, and the State of Zhao can’t persist . A decisive battle must be fought as soon as possible to end this .

Decisive battle…

In a siege, the attackers usually needed overwhelming numerical superiority to overpower the defenders .

If utterly necessary, the Zhao army can defend for a few more months . But with this command, it’s ordering for the army to take initiative to attack, swapping the defensive advantage . Against the Qin army’s six hundred thousand with only the Zhao army’s four hundred and fifty thousand .

Changping is located in a strategic region within the province of Shangdang . Whoever can capture Changping controls this entire province .

If Shangdang is lost, Qin can quickly march through the Taihang Mountains and attack the Zhao capital .

If Shangdang is won, Zhao can attack Anzhen to the west and by passing through the Qinling Mountains and across the Yellow River, an invasion into Qin is possible .

Either Qin crushes Zhao’s heart or Zhao kills through Qin .

Shangdang must be won at all costs .

The result was over a million soldiers amassing here .

Zhao’s military might has flourished ever since the military reforms of King Wuling . However, it’s national strength has always been inferior to Qin, due to Shang Yang of Qin’s state reforms .

From the very beginning, the State of Zhao miscalculated and mismanaged the situation . The defensive and offensive planning of Changping was mistake-ridden and botched, and no long-term preparations were made, leading to this dire situation .

Zhao Kuo stood silently for a very long time, thinking over the bamboo slips in his hands .

Changping will be lost . His heart already had about an eighty percent certainty at his prediction .

But it was never as simple as losing Changping . Once the battle is lost, the Qin army can then go north unimpeded and traverse the Taihang Mountains .

If Handan falls and Zhao crumbles, what will happen to his family?

In truth, this is a critical fight to prevent Qin’s invasion . Qin cannot go north .

“General . ” When the bodyguard saw Zhao Kuo motionless for so long, he started to grow worried and asked, “How is it?”

Zhao Kuo felt his hands go numb from the cold . Placing down the roll of slips, he walked beside the fire basin and hovered his hands over the warm flame .

The sentence terrifies even him .

“Within five days, it will be a battle to the death . ”

Commanding four hundred thousand armored infantry to assault the six hundred thousand Qin army .

How crazy .

But half of the battle has already been lost and this is the only chance left .

If only there was no war in this world…

Zhao Kuo thought about that Qin soldier Gu’s words on that hill .

Within the flickering flames, he could faintly make out such a picture .

Zhao Kuo’s vision shook .

It was really a peaceful and prosperous world .