Chapter 41

Day after day, two days, three days...

Week after week, two weeks, three weeks...

Time passed bit by bit, and the Right Brave Guard's mastery of the陌刀 (Mòdāo) combat technique became increasingly proficient. This was the advantage of veterans; they already possessed strong qualities and had a much higher acceptance of various combat techniques compared to new recruits. Moreover, as part of the same army, they had long developed默契 (mòqì) —默契 (mòqì) means默契 (mòqì) —默契 (mòqì) — a deep understanding and coordination with each other. As long as they were given enough time to adapt, even the most complex and variable combat techniques could be executed smoothly.

Although the Mòdāo combat technique was flexible and versatile, it was not overly complicated, and it did not pose a challenge to the Right Brave Guard, who were veterans with extensive battlefield experience.

In the time created for them by the Ministry of War, the 2,500 soldiers of the Right Brave Guard rapidly grew in strength.

During these days, Luo Shixin, apart from training the troops in the camp, spent his time at home bickering with Zheng Liwan.

Having a beautiful woman to bicker and chat with at home, Luo Shixin found that his life had become much more enjoyable.

Life was fulfilling and satisfying.

But soon, the peaceful life was disrupted by news from the north.

"General Luo, the Turks have invaded!" The one who brought this news to Luo Shixin was Tang Xian, another general of the Right Brave Guard. Unlike Luo Shixin, Tang Xian had been in charge of the Right Brave Guard for two years and had already established a certain level of influence in Chang'an. His sources of information were much more extensive, and he received the news shortly after it was reported.

Luo Shixin looked at Tang Xian with a slightly calm expression, thinking to himself, "It's finally here!"

The invasion by the Turks was entirely within Luo Shixin's expectations. As he had anticipated, although his presence had caused some minor changes in the course of history, the butterfly effect was far from enough to influence the overall situation, especially when facing the insatiable Turkic Khan, Jiali.

Khan Jiali could be considered a capable ruler for the Turks. As the king of the northern steppes, he commanded hundreds of thousands of brave and skilled Turkic cavalry, making him the most powerful force in the world. During the chaotic times, Jiali emulated the tribute system of the Central Plains, demanding tribute from the Central Plains' warlords who bordered Turkic territory. In simpler terms, it was a protection fee. If they did not pay, he would send his troops to plunder.

The Turkic people, as a nomadic tribe, had the nature of wolves and never engaged in direct confrontation. They often moved in large groups, annihilating the weak and retreating when faced with a large army. They specialized in raiding villages, burning, killing, and looting, leaving the warlords who bordered Turkic territory powerless.

Whether it was the Li Tang, Liu Wuzhou, Xue Ju, or Dou Jiande, these powerful warlords who dominated their regions, all had to obediently pay the protection fee. Not to mention the smaller warlords like Gao Kaidao, Yuan Junzhang, and Liang Shidu, who almost recognized Jiali as their father and followed his orders wherever he pointed.

This was an inevitable situation. Even though the Li Tang and Dou Jiande had considerable strength, they were powerless against the Turkic cavalry. The Turks would massacre a village today and plunder two counties tomorrow. In the long run, who could bear it? It was impossible to let the people huddle in the cities without farming or working.

Instead of letting the Turks plunder, it was better to pay the protection fee, which would at least spare the people from casualties and reduce the losses.

The most crucial point was that by paying the protection fee, they could free up more troops to expand their territories. For example, if the Li Tang did not obediently send gifts to the Turks, what would they use to conquer Guanzhong? Those few thousand new recruits would be grateful just to defend against the Turks, let alone establish the Tang Dynasty.

Under this system, the Turks obtained a large amount of wealth without expending a single soldier, and Khan Jiali's prestige rose accordingly.

However, as the Tang Dynasty gradually unified, the warlords who paid tribute to the Turks were all eliminated by the Li Tang. The protection fees the Turks received naturally decreased significantly. Moreover, as the Li Tang grew stronger, they began to ignore the Turks and stopped paying the protection fee. Li Yuan even ordered Li Jiancheng to take charge of the northern Turkic defense, preparing for a battle with the Turks.

The Turks were naturally unwilling to let this fat piece of meat slip away. They supported forces hostile to the Tang Dynasty, even sending troops and supplies. After Liu Heita's downfall, Jiali found that his surrounding subordinates were no longer capable of challenging the Li Tang.

Thus, Jiali decided to take action himself.

In the early ninth month of the fifth year of Wude (622 AD),

The Turkic army surged towards the Li Tang, determined to rely on their own strength to achieve prosperity.

Seeing that Luo Shixin showed no additional expression, Tang Xian was surprised and asked, "General Luo, did you already know about this?"

Luo Shixin shook his head and said, "I didn't receive any news, but I was mentally prepared. The Turks cannot sit idly by as our Tang Dynasty grows stronger. It is now autumn, and the horses are fat, making it the perfect time for their army to move."

Tang Xian solemnly said, "General, you are right, but this is not an ordinary invasion. It is said that the Turks have mobilized 200,000 elite cavalry, with a massive and overwhelming force, like ants covering the mountains and fields."

Luo Shixin couldn't help but draw a sharp breath at this number. 200,000 elite cavalry... Even with the current strength of the Li Tang, it would be difficult to gather 200,000 troops of equal strength in a short time, let alone 200,000 cavalry.

In front of 200,000 cavalry, his 2,500 soldiers were like ants, and a single spit from each of them could drown them.

"What are the higher-ups planning to do?" Luo Shixin, though bold and skilled, was genuinely frightened by the number of 200,000 elite cavalry.

Tang Xian shrugged indifferently and said, "I'm not sure about the specific plans."

The approach of the Turkic army naturally caused a stir in the court and the country.

The debate over whether to fight or not was intense in the court.

Those who argued against fighting believed that the Turks were too powerful, and the Tang Dynasty needed to rest and recover, not to engage in a life-or-death battle with the Turks when they were weak. Those who argued for fighting pointed out that they had been forced to submit to the Turks in the past, but now they had the strength to fight. Bowing down again would damage the Tang Dynasty's dignity. Moreover, the Turks were a greedy and vicious wolf, and constant concessions would never satisfy their appetite.

The court was divided, with each side presenting their own arguments, leading to heated debates.

However, this had little to do with Luo Shixin. Although he was one of the core generals of the Li Tang, he was still not involved in the major policies of the court. Nevertheless, he was very concerned about the situation, as he had spent a great deal of effort reforming the Right Brave Guard to prepare for a battle with the Turks.

Whether to fight or not, he cared deeply.

Despite the heated debates in the court, only two people truly had the power to influence the situation.

In such major matters, Li Yuan trusted only his two sons: the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and the Second Prince, the Heavenly Strategy General Li Shimin.

The northern defense line was established by Li Jiancheng, and with the Turks invading, he had no choice but to fight.

As the Heavenly Strategy General, Li Shimin, who was in charge of the Li Tang's military campaigns, also preferred to speak with strength and was determined to fight.

Both the elder and younger brothers said to fight!

At this moment, Princess Pingyang also spoke up, saying she would fight.

If they were to fight, so be it!

Li Yuan's subsequent orders were swift. He immediately appointed Li Jiancheng as the main commander and Li Shimin as the deputy, giving them full authority to resist the Turkic invasion.

Princess Pingyang, looking at Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin who were gathered to discuss, said, "Brother, Second Brother, don't forget me in this battle. The Turkic army is divided into three routes, and we will each take one."

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