Chapter 39

If Li Jiancheng, known for his refined and elegant demeanor, were to be regarded as a naive and inexperienced young man, that would be a grave mistake.

None of the Li family's direct descendants were easy to deal with. Li Shimin, without a doubt, was a genius in both civil and military affairs. Princess Pingyang, starting with just a few hundred people, managed to raise a force of 70,000 soldiers in Guanzhong and establish a base. Although Li Yuanji had questionable character and limited military leadership, he was a formidable fighter on the battlefield and even staged a battle against three heroes.

Li Jiancheng, like his siblings, came from a family of generals. He not only achieved political success but also had significant military accomplishments. At the beginning of the uprising, he secured major victories by capturing Xihé and breaking through Daxing City. He also quelled the rebellion of the Jihu and personally organized the northern defenses against the Tujue. In any era, Li Jiancheng could be considered a renowned and distinguished general. However, he was somewhat born at the wrong time, as his achievements were overshadowed by Li Shimin's superior military prowess.

Li Jiancheng noticed the transformation of the Right骁Wei (Right Brave Guard). Although it was still early and the results were not yet apparent, if this momentum continued, the combat effectiveness of these soldiers would be significantly enhanced. These were already seasoned veterans, and if their skills were further improved, they would become a formidable force, one that he desperately needed at the moment.

In response to Li Jiancheng's inquiry, Luo Shixin smiled frankly and said, "Of course not. As a general, it is my duty to train my subordinates to be stronger within my capabilities. This will benefit both them and me on the battlefield."

Li Jiancheng nodded in deep agreement, "What the general said is truly enlightening. It is a great fortune for our Tang Dynasty to have talents like you. If there are any needs, please let me know. I will do my best to support you."

Luo Shixin's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "The Right骁Wei (Right Brave Guard) lacks warhorses. I have already requested 200 military horses, but the request has not been approved. Additionally, I requested 1,000陌dāo (long broadswords), but they were deemed impractical and too expensive to manufacture, and my request was ignored, which infuriates me."

Li Jiancheng smiled understandingly, "I can understand the need for warhorses, as cavalry is a powerful force on the battlefield. However, the practicality of the陌dāo (long broadsword) is limited, isn't it?"

Luo Shixin shook his head, "You are wrong, very wrong! Your Highness must consider the enemy. It's not just about practicality and cost-effectiveness. During the civil wars in Central China, the陌dāo (long broadsword) was indeed not worth promoting. One陌dāo (long broadsword) could be used to forge ten chopping swords, and both could be used to kill enemies. One陌dāo (long broadsword) user is naturally not as effective as ten sword users. However, now that the country is largely unified, the true enemy of the Tang Dynasty is the Tujue, not the various warlords. The main force is no longer infantry but the powerful Tujue cavalry. To counter the Tujue cavalry, ten swords are far less effective than one陌dāo (long broadsword). Of course, the best way to counter cavalry is with cavalry, but our Tang Dynasty's cavalry is far inferior to the Tujue's, and we cannot breed an unlimited number of warhorses like the Tujue. Compared to the cost of maintaining cavalry, the value of the陌dāo (long broadsword) is even more evident. Its cost-effectiveness is definitely higher than that of cavalry and shield-and-sword soldiers."

Luo Shixin spoke with particular emphasis. Currently, people have not yet discovered the effectiveness of the陌dāo (long broadsword), but as someone from the future, he knew that the陌dāo (long broadsword) reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty, especially in countering the Tujue light cavalry, where it had a decisive advantage.

The three strategies of sowing discord, dividing, and winning over the enemy are indeed the key to defeating the Tujue, but even with brilliant strategies, one must be strong to implement them.

Therefore, Luo Shixin was determined to promote the陌dāo (long broadsword) before Li Jing, so that the Tang Dynasty could possess this powerful weapon and enhance its combat capability against the Tujue.

However, his efforts were in vain. Luo Shixin, being a junior officer, was not taken seriously. Even his plan to form a thousand-man陌dāo (long broadsword) unit was resisted by the Ministry of War.

This extraordinary foresight was beyond the understanding of ordinary people.

Li Jiancheng was not an ordinary person, but his military theory was still far behind Li Jing's. Although he found Luo Shixin's arguments reasonable, he could not determine whether they were theoretical or practical. After a moment of thought, he said, "If the general has such ideas, I will certainly support you. I will have the Ministry of War allocate 200 warhorses to you, and I will also provide you with 1,000陌dāo (long broadswords) to test their effectiveness."

Luo Shixin sighed inwardly. Li Jiancheng still lacked the resolve to fully promote the陌dāo (long broadsword), but it was better than nothing. The Crown Prince was indeed a powerful figure, and his words carried weight. Unlike him, who had to struggle for a few horses and a few陌dāo (long broadswords), Li Jiancheng's support would save him a lot of trouble.

Li Jiancheng toured the Right骁Wei (Right Brave Guard) and left with a sense of satisfaction.

Luo Shixin, having received what he wanted, reciprocated by personally escorting Li Jiancheng out of the Right骁Wei (Right Brave Guard) headquarters.

On the way back to the Crown Prince's residence, Li Jiancheng sighed, "What a pity, what a pity!"

Chen Ziliang, who had been a secretary to the Sui Dynasty's military commander Yang Su and was known for his intelligence and strategy, was highly regarded by Li Jiancheng and served as his right-hand man. He could not help but ask, "This Luo Shixin is not the rash and impulsive man he is rumored to be. His victory at the Battle of Ming River and the capture of Liu Heita were not just luck. Why did Your Highness not invite him to the banquet? If we could win over Luo Shixin, he would be a great asset to you."

Li Jiancheng glanced at Chen Ziliang and sighed again, "You have not been in Chang'an these past few days, so you do not know. I would have liked to invite General Luo, but if I did, the banquet might turn into a mess."

"Is it because of General Li Yi?" Chen Ziliang, quick-witted, hit the nail on the head.

Li Jiancheng nodded silently. Li Yi, also known as Luo Yi, had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty with a large part of Youzhou and tens of thousands of elite soldiers, effectively helping the Tang Dynasty secure Youzhou and add tens of thousands of troops. For his outstanding contributions, Li Yuan granted Luo Yi the title of Prince of Yan and the surname Li, making him Li Yi.

After helping Li Shimin defeat Liu Heita, Li Yi requested to join the court. Li Yuan warmly welcomed this meritorious general, appointing him as the Grand General of the Left Flank and entrusting Li Jiancheng with the responsibility of hosting Li Yi's stay in Chang'an.

Li Jiancheng needed to enhance his military strength and seized this opportunity. Li Yi, being a cunning and experienced general, also saw the value in aligning with Li Jiancheng. The two quickly found common ground and formed an alliance.

During their interactions, Li Jiancheng discovered that Li Yi was extremely dissatisfied with Luo Shixin's greater contributions in the campaign against Liu Heita. Li Yi repeatedly expressed that Luo Shixin was just a lucky man and did not deserve to be credited more than him.

After careful consideration, Li Jiancheng chose to win over Li Yi, as Li Yi was the leader of Youzhou with countless elite soldiers, while Luo Shixin was just a newly appointed general and could not be compared to Li Yi.

After properly hosting Li Yi, Li Jiancheng then turned his attention to Luo Shixin.

Upon unexpectedly discovering Luo Shixin's capabilities, and recalling Li Yi's dissatisfaction with Luo Shixin, Li Jiancheng could not help but sigh deeply.