Chapter 42

Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin looked at each other, exchanging a helpless smile.

How could Pingyang be consulting with them? It was almost like giving orders.

Li Shimin hurriedly said first, "Big Brother, you are the commander-in-chief, you have the final say!" He passed the hot potato to Li Jiancheng.

Li Jiancheng rolled his eyes and muttered in his heart, "What's the difference between being a commander-in-chief and a deputy?" Despite his dissatisfaction, he did not show it. At this critical moment, Li Yuan's final decision was the most reasonable.

Although nominally Li Jiancheng, the crown prince, was in charge, there was no doubt that Li Yuan had more confidence in his second son, Li Shimin, known as the war god of the Tang Dynasty. According to reliable intelligence, the Turks had mobilized 200,000 elite cavalry, dividing them into three routes to attack the Tang's Puzhou, Binzhou, and Hebei regions. Among them, Khan Jiali personally led 150,000 cavalry through the Yanmen Pass in Dai Prefecture to attack Bingzhou in the Puzhou region.

Li Yuan appointed Li Jiancheng as the commander-in-chief but assigned him to deal with the Turkish auxiliary forces invading the Youzhou region. Li Shimin, as the deputy, was to lead the main Tang forces against the Turkish main force led by Khan Jiali in the Puzhou region. As the commander-in-chief, Li Jiancheng led a smaller force, while Li Shimin, as the deputy, led the larger force, which naturally made Li Jiancheng have some reservations. However, in the face of Li Shimin's glorious military achievements, he had to admit that his younger brother was indeed a capable military leader.

Li Jiancheng ambiguously said, "With Third Sister's talent, commanding an army is more than enough. But I don't have the final say; it still needs Father's approval."

"Hmph!" Pingyang kicked Li Shimin in the knee and then crossed her arms, saying, "One washes his hands of it, the other passes the buck. I knew you would do this. I already talked to Father, and he said it's up to you two. Second Brother, Second Younger Brother?"

Li Shimin, who was kicked, jumped up. Among the four siblings, he and Pingyang had the closest relationship. Hearing Pingyang's drawn-out tone, which indicated she was about to lose her temper, he quickly said, "Father has already said it, I support it."

Li Jiancheng also said helplessly, "Alright, then the Hebei region will be entrusted to Third Sister. It's just that there's no suitable person for the job." He thought for a moment and suddenly said, "Prince Li Yi of Yan Prefecture has been guarding Youzhou for many years, and he is both wise and brave. He can be of great use. Let him assist Third Sister."

Li Shimin also said, "This time, the Turks have made a big move, and the south is not peaceful. Many generals and soldiers are tied up. The available troops are limited. According to the original plan, we were to focus on the Puzhou and Binzhou regions, while the Hebei region was to be fully defended. After breaking through the two routes, the remaining one would retreat. Now that Second Sister is taking charge of the Hebei region, we can't just defend passively. I and Big Brother don't have any spare troops. General Luo Shixin is brave and strategic, and his troops are also fierce and skilled. He has recently developed a special formation to counter the Turkish cavalry, the Madao formation, which seems quite effective. With Prince Li Yi and General Luo Shixin's assistance, the Turkish forces in the Hebei region are nothing to fear."

Li Jiancheng opened his mouth but did not respond. He had originally planned to have Luo Shixin under his command to build a relationship, but he couldn't refuse Li Shimin's suggestion. Although he did not have as many fierce generals as Li Shimin, he was not short of brave warriors. How could he bear to compete with his own sister for Luo Shixin? Moreover, Li Shimin's consideration was correct; among the three routes, the Hebei region was the only one without natural defenses. Adding Luo Shixin would indeed increase the chances of victory.

******

Luo Shixin soon received the news of being dispatched to battle. He was not surprised by this news; the Tang Dynasty's response did not change because of his arrival.

Li Yuan had a habit of favoring relatives, and in such a major event, he would not and could not use outsiders.

However, when he heard that Princess Pingyang was leading one of the routes, Luo Shixin was stunned.

"Are you sure?" Luo Shixin looked at Tang Xian, who shared the news with him, in a daze. Reality clashed strongly with his memory: although he could not remember who led the auxiliary force in the Hebei region, he was 100% sure it was not Pingyang, as she had put down all military affairs after the Tang Dynasty secured Guanzhong and no longer commanded troops.

"How could it be wrong! The appointment has already been issued," Tang Xian said without any doubt.

Princess Pingyang leading an army was unexpected for Luo Shixin, and even more surprising was the dispatch order that came with the news.

The dispatch order, personally issued by Li Jiancheng, appointed Luo Shixin as the deputy commander of the Hebei route, to assist Princess Pingyang, the commander-in-chief, in repelling the Turkish invasion in Hebei.

Luo Shixin could not help but whistle in delight upon receiving this news.

This time, the Turkish invasion did not concern him who the commander was; he only wanted to join the auxiliary force. Only by joining the auxiliary force could he achieve the effect of training his troops. The Madao formation had already mastered the tactics to counter the Turkish cavalry, and both theory and training were complete. What was lacking was actual combat. Without practical verification, theory would always remain theory.

Therefore, Luo Shixin had to prove himself in the upcoming battle with the Madao formation, to show those shortsighted people how wrong they were.

If he followed the main force, facing a confrontation between tens of thousands of troops on both sides, the 2,500 Madao troops, no matter how capable, would not demonstrate their true value. Only by joining the auxiliary force and facing the Turkish auxiliary force in a medium-scale battle could the effectiveness of the Madao formation be truly verified.

Moreover, in Luo Shixin's memory, there was no record of this battle. The main forces seemed to have mobilized a large number of troops, but there was no record of a large-scale confrontation in history. Following the auxiliary force was the only way to get a share of the spoils.

Luo Shixin shared the news of his deployment with the Right Brave Guard Army, and the 2,000 soldiers spontaneously burst into loud cheers: they were real soldiers, and to soldiers, war meant honor and rewards, not fear.

Leading such a brave and fierce group of soldiers, Luo Shixin felt a great sense of pride and was filled with confidence in victory.

With such strong subordinates, how could he possibly lose?

That day, Luo Shixin returned home and shouted, "Little girl, get me a cup of water."

Zheng Liwan, though unhappy with Luo Shixin's way of addressing her, still dutifully poured a cup of water and placed it heavily on the table beside him, saying rudely, "Hope it chokes you!" Then she sat down beside him.

Luo Shixin said seriously, "Girl, I have something to tell you."

Zheng Liwan was startled, "You're not going to kick me out, are you?"

Luo Shixin said, "The Turks are coming, and I will be deployed soon. When I'm gone, you'll be alone. You're not young anymore, so you decide for yourself. Whether to stay or leave is up to you."

Zheng Liwan responded evasively, "What, deployment? Isn't that dangerous?"

Luo Shixin laughed carelessly, "Don't worry, I'm following Princess Pingyang to fight the Turkish auxiliary force, it won't be dangerous."

Zheng Liwan's brows furrowed, and her eyes darted around suspiciously as she asked, "Princess Pingyang, is she the widow next door?"