Chapter 46

Because there were few soldiers, Luo Shixin took on the role of a vanguard and led the way at the front.

Upon hearing the scout's report, Luo Shixin was initially shocked. This place was at the border between Hedong and Hebei. How did the Turkic soldiers end up here? Then he thought, isn't this a gift from heaven? His eyes flashed with wild joy, and he could hardly wait to find Princess Pingyang.

Compared to Luo Shixin's excitement, when Princess Pingyang heard the news, her eyes were filled with endless anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "General Luo, you are right. The Turkic scoundrels should not be avoided. Once we avoid them, they will become even more arrogant, treating our Tang Dynasty as nothing and our Chinese people as non-existent."

Luo Shixin hadn't thought much about it at first, but now, after careful consideration, he felt a sudden surge of inexplicable anger. The Turkic army had invaded, attacking Yuanzhou, Bingzhou, and Dingzhou. Based on the terrain, this group of Turkic soldiers could only have come from the main force led by Jiali, which had invaded Bingzhou, and was a detachment of 150,000 main troops sent out to plunder. Luo Shixin and his men were now at the border between Hedong and Hebei, about 250 to 260 miles away from Bingzhou. The Turkic army, with only 10,000 troops, dared to penetrate 250 miles into the heart of the Li Tang territory to plunder. This was a sign of extreme arrogance.

Luo Shixin said loudly, "They treat us as if we are no one, so let them know how wrong they are!" He dismounted, clasped his hands in a salute, and requested, "Your Highness, please allow me to lead my troops into battle!"

Princess Pingyang thought she had heard wrong and said in surprise, "General, what did you say?"

"Please allow me to lead my troops into battle!" Luo Shixin repeated solemnly.

Princess Pingyang finally heard clearly and shook her head, saying, "I understand your feelings, General, but this is not how battles are fought. You may have never fought the Turks and do not understand the power of their cavalry. This area is a plain, perfect for cavalry warfare. Even if we combine our cavalry, we have less than 800. Facing 10,000 Turkic cavalry in this terrain is a sure death."

Under normal circumstances, even if the two sides were equally matched, infantry would be crushed by cavalry. It was even more impossible to use 2,500 infantry, mostly foot soldiers, to fight 10,000 Turkic cavalry on a plain suitable for cavalry. From the perspective of Princess Pingyang, an expert in military affairs, Luo Shixin's request to fight was no different from seeking death.

Luo Shixin felt somewhat helpless and said with a bitter smile, "Your Highness, don't worry. I, Luo Shixin, am only in my early twenties and haven't even found a wife yet. I have no intention of seeking death. I know the power of the Turks, but my Right Brave Guard has been training intensively for a month. I am confident that my陌刀队 (Mòdāo team) can overpower the 10,000 Turkic cavalry."

Princess Pingyang was silent for a moment and then called out, "Bring the map!" A servant handed the map to Princess Pingyang.

Princess Pingyang looked at the map seriously and gestured for Luo Shixin to come forward. She pointed to their current location and said, "Look, this is where we are..." Her slender finger traced a line on the map, pointing to Jingxing, and said, "This is Jingxing, where Han Xin cleverly captured the State of Zhao. The terrain here is surrounded by mountains and is very dangerous, suitable for ambush. Instead of a direct confrontation, we can deliberately leak our movements to lure them into this area. Once they are in, we can defeat them."

Luo Shixin looked at the map and admired Princess Pingyang's serious expression. He secretly admired her ability to come up with a plan to defeat the enemy in such a short time, a plan that was theoretically feasible.

Of course, it was just a theory!

So Luo Shixin said bluntly, "Your Highness, this is a gamble. Without knowing the nature of the enemy's commander, you cannot be sure that the Turks will be lured into your trap."

Princess Pingyang did not deny it and said, "That's true, I cannot be sure. If the Turks don't fall for it, I have no choice. We only have 5,000 men, with less than 800 cavalry. Our strength is insufficient, and I do not want to make a futile sacrifice."

"You have these concerns because you don't trust me!" Luo Shixin said casually, feeling a headache. He could understand Princess Pingyang, but he really didn't want to see the Turks run rampant on their land, burning, killing, and plundering without resistance.

Princess Pingyang didn't expect Luo Shixin to be so defiant and actually argue with her. The surrounding soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

"Let's do it this way!" Luo Shixin thought for a moment, feeling that this wasn't a solution, but then had an idea and said, "I have a way to lure the Turkic soldiers into the trap!"

Princess Pingyang went along with it and asked, "What way?"

"I will lead my troops to meet the enemy. If we show signs of defeat, I will immediately retreat and lead them into the ambush, handing the battle over to you!" Luo Shixin said seriously.

Princess Pingyang's face turned pale and she said, "Is there any difference?"

"Yes!" Luo Shixin said without hesitation, "It's a foolproof plan. I will fight the Turks first. If I can't win, you can take over. Isn't that a good plan?"

"You..." Princess Pingyang looked at Luo Shixin coldly, trying to read his intentions from his eyes and face. She found that his handsome face showed a bit of helplessness but mostly confidence, especially when he talked about leading the charge, his expression and tone exuded a strong sense of confidence.

Where does his unwavering confidence come from?

"You say I am gambling... I am gambling, but I am gambling on luck, while you are gambling with the lives of the soldiers!"

Luo Shixin argued, "In war, there is no way to avoid casualties. Your Highness should understand this better than I do. Minimizing casualties to achieve the greatest benefit is the essence of military strategy. So, using the small casualties of my Right Brave Guard to inflict heavy casualties on the Turkic army is not unreasonable. Besides, I won't lose. Whether I win or lose, I can achieve my goal. Why not let me try?"

"Fine!" Princess Pingyang gritted her teeth and agreed, "I hope you don't regret this decision."

Luo Shixin was overjoyed and said, "I, Luo Shixin, never regret any decision I make..."

He spurred his horse and rode to the front, raising his arm and shouting, "Brothers of the Right Brave Guard, the Turkic scoundrels are here! Are you willing to follow me and crush them?"

"Kill!"

The 2,500 soldiers raised their weapons and shouted loudly. The enthusiastic cries echoed like the sound of mountains, wave after wave, stirring every corner of the land. The sound waves seemed to want to tear the sky apart, carrying the blood and the iron will of the soldiers. The Right Brave Guard raised their weapons and charged forward with their flesh and blood to crush the invading enemy.

PS: I fell asleep next to the computer and just woke up, missing the update time.

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