Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 476 Holding the Line and Launching a Rush
When Li Xiao and his party arrived at the foot of the city wall, they were already greeted by people.

The leader was Wang Xuance, the deputy protector-general of Anxi, followed by a group of Anxi generals.

One of them was familiar with Princess Wencheng and Supilanya, but he was Qinling, a Tibetan.

Qinling had staked everything on the Tang Dynasty, sacrificing 20,000 of his Tibetan troops. If the Tang army were defeated, Tibet would cease to exist.

Therefore, Qinling stayed in Gar City, hoping to help the Tang army defeat the Arabs.

Strangely, Su Dingfang was not among the welcoming party.

If only Princess Wencheng came, it would be barely acceptable for Su Dingfang to send Wang Xuance to greet her.

However, since Li Xiao was the second prince of the Tang Dynasty, Su Dingfang did not come out to greet him, which was rather impolite.

Su Pilanya was quick to speak her mind. After exchanging pleasantries, she asked Su Dingfang why he hadn't come out to greet the Second Prince.

Wang Xuance's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "After hearing of your arrival, Protector Su led his troops out of the city."

Everyone looked surprised.

It's not surprising that Su Dingfang led his troops to fight against the Arabs, but why did he insist on waiting until a few people entered the city before leading his army to attack?

Wang Xuance noticed their confusion, turned slightly to the side, raised his hand and said, "Second Prince, Princess, Governor Su Pi, please come into the city first, and I will slowly explain the reason to you."

On the way into the city, everyone learned that Su Dingfang and Wang Xuance had a disagreement.

Li Xiao finally understood why Su Dingfang hadn't led his troops to confront the Abbasid Caliphate.

It wasn't that Su Dingfang was unwilling, but that Wang Xuance opposed it.

Wang Xuance's reasons for opposing were also shocking, because half of the 100,000 Indian troops outside the city were actually elite Arab soldiers.

They hid among the Indian army, intending to lure the Tang army into an attack and then strike them unexpectedly, delivering a fatal blow!
There are reasons why the Arabs were able to win every war against other countries.

They are adept at using foreign legions in combat and are able to leverage their strengths.

For example, when dealing with the Tibetan army in Qinling, the Tibetan army was already surrounded, so they sent the Great Bolu army to take turns wearing them down, while the main force guarded the outer perimeter.

Once the Tibetan army is exhausted, surround and annihilate them.

When engaging the enemy in direct field battles, they knew that foreign troops were not good at head-on combat, had low fighting spirit, and were prone to rout.

Therefore, each country's elite troops would face the enemy head-on, while foreign legions would flank them on the left and right.

In response, they devised many tactics, one of which was to hide elite legions within foreign legions, making the enemy complacent and then launching a swift and decisive attack.

This tactic is typically used against opponents you're facing for the first time.

Bai Tu was a master of this tactic. At this moment, he led 40,000 elite Lion Legion troops, hiding among the Indian army, waiting for the Tang army to attack!

However, he underestimated the intelligence capabilities of the Tang army.

Wang Xuance had a scout team composed entirely of monks, including both Indian and Western Region monks.

Under the guise of exchanging Buddhist teachings, they traveled to neighboring countries to investigate secrets and ultimately uncovered the Arabs' conspiracy.

However, Wang Xuance and Su Dingfang disagreed on how to deal with the Abbasid army.

Su Dingfang didn't care whether the enemy was the Indian army or the Arab army; he had only one thought: fight!
However, Wang Xuance preferred the plan offered by Qinling.

Qinling believed that the Tang army should take advantage of the terrain of Kunlun and Tibet, feign defeat and retreat, and lure the enemy deep into their territory.

If the enemy pursues too quickly, they are very likely to contract a strange disease. The Tang army can then divide its forces to attack the enemy's supplies and provisions, cut off their retreat, and finally annihilate the enemy army.

Su Dingfang, however, firmly opposed it.

He believed that defending against enemies from the outside was the duty of border generals. Letting the enemy in, even if victorious, would affect people's livelihoods and farmland, destroy production, and cause chaos in Kunming and Tibet!

Su Dingfang was the Protector-General, and Wang Xuance could not fight against him, so he had to make a tactful request.

He had already heard reports from the prefects and governors of various regions that many local troops were on their way to Gar City.

Su Dingfang must wait until all these troops arrive before he can leave the city to fight.

This was to prevent the enemy from besieging the city after Su Dingfang's defeat, in which case the troops that came to his aid might encounter danger.

Among those who came to their aid were Princess Wencheng and Li Xiao, so Su Dingfang had no choice but to agree.

So when he learned that the Second Prince and Princess Wencheng had arrived safely, he did not linger for a moment and led 50,000 Tang soldiers out of the city to fight the enemy.

Li Xiao was stunned after hearing this.

It turns out that Su Dingfang's decision not to leave the city to fight was because of him.

“Vice Protector Wang, since Protector Su has gone to fight, we can’t just wait in the city. We need to go out and help him!” Li Xiao said urgently.

Wang Xuance said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, you are of noble birth. How can you risk going out of the city? Besides, Protector Su has already led the main force out. If they are defeated, they will retreat into the city. If we go out to rescue them, we will only be in the way."

Li Xiao asked anxiously, "Are we just supposed to wait here in the city?"

Qinling suddenly said, "Twenty miles outside the city, there is a high slope from which we can see the scenery fifty miles ahead. We might as well go there to watch the battle. Even if Protector Su loses, we can return to the city in time without any danger."

Su Pilanya glanced at him coldly and snorted, "Does General Qinling really want Protector Su to lose?"

She was imprisoned after her country was destroyed by the Tibetans, and she still harbors resentment towards Qinling!

Qinling lowered his head and remained silent.

Wang Xuance smoothed things over by saying, "Since there is such a safe place, let's go and see how the battle is going."

Li Xiao had never seen large-scale military operations before, and immediately echoed his sentiments.

So Wang Xuance mustered three thousand men and escorted Li Xiao to the high slope that Qinling had mentioned. Su Pilanya also insisted on coming, so only Princess Wencheng remained in the city.

This slope is indeed towering, and in the distance there is a range of snow-capped mountains with white peaks piercing the clouds. If you look closely, you will find that this mountain is the spur of that mountain range.

Upon reaching the summit, there was a temple with green bricks and tiles, but it had been abandoned.

To the northwest of the temple, a wide stone platform extends out, offering a panoramic view of the plateau to the northwest.

Li Xiao arrived at the stone platform, gazed into the distance, and felt an indescribable sense of excitement welling up in his chest.

Qinling was right. Standing here, one could indeed clearly see the open space ahead, where the Tang army and the Abbasid army were facing off!

The Tang army formed ranks in the south, and from a distance, the 50,000 Tang soldiers looked very small, like the clay figures of soldiers on the sand table in Li Yong's mansion.

"Ah, if Sanlang were here, I wonder how happy he would be!" Li Xiao sighed inwardly.

To the north of the Tang army, the Abbasid army was also forming ranks.

It is clear that the Arabs outnumbered the Tang army and were more dispersed, forming five military formations in a cross shape.

Supilanya asked, "Vice Protector-General, how many troops are currently in the city?"

Wang Xuance said in a deep voice, "Originally there were 80,000, but with you and other reinforcements, the total exceeds 100,000."

Su Pilanya said, "If that's the case, why did Protector Su only bring 50,000 men? Isn't that a huge loss?"

Li Xiaozheng and Su Pilanya shared the same thought and turned to look at Wang Xuance.

Qinling explained, “With too many troops, command becomes more difficult. When two armies that have never cooperated before are fighting together, it’s fine when they have the advantage, but if they are at a disadvantage, it can easily cause chaos and lead to them trampling each other.”

The 50,000 Tang troops in Kunming and Tibet consisted partly of those brought by Su Dingfang from Anxi, partly of those from the Songzhou region, and partly of those reinforced by Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi).

The Tang army used the same internal training methods, making integration easier. When Su Dingfang was in Kunming and Tibet, he was only responsible for training the Tang army.

The other 30,000 local troops were organized by Wang Xuance and consisted of various tribes such as Supi and Xiangxiong, as well as former Tibetan surrendered troops.

This army was also trained by Wang Xuance, so even if Su Dingfang were to command these 30,000 men, he would not be used to it.

Li Xiao nodded, wrote down these words, thinking he could tell Li Yong about them in the future.

Looking towards the battlefield, the Tang army seemed to have completed its formation and was waiting for the enemy to attack.

The Arab army in the north is still adjusting its formation.

In large-scale battles, troops typically don't rush in all at once. Instead, they adjust their own formation based on the opponent's changing formation, like masters sparring, to try and gain the upper hand.

When the all-out charge begins, that will be the final decisive moment.

The Tang army's strategy of remaining still and observing the enemy's movements made the Abbasid army somewhat uncertain, causing them to change formations repeatedly, raising dust and creating a sandstorm.

Li Xiaoyi didn't understand at first.

He didn't understand why Su Dingfang didn't take the initiative to attack, nor did he understand why the Arabs kept changing their formations when the Tang army's formation was so simple.

Wang Xuance had been observing his expression. Seeing his confused look, he explained, "Your Highness, what you are seeing now is the most commonly used tactic by Protector Su: the defensive and rapid attack strategy."

Li Xiao asked, "What is meant by 'holding firm while launching a surprise attack'?"

Wang Xuance said, "The Tang army formation you see now is an infantry square formation used for defense. There are also five thousand cavalrymen hidden in places we cannot see."

"When the enemy's morale is worn down and their fighting spirit is broken by the infantry formation, Protector-General Su will lead his cavalry in a surprise attack, striking straight at the enemy's throat, thus throwing the enemy into chaos, and then launching a surprise attack to crush the enemy!"

Li Xiao was overjoyed and said, "So that's how it is. Then Protector Su will definitely win, right?"

Wang Xuance shook his head and said, "It's not that simple. Su Aoman, the commander of the Holy Deer Legion in the enemy army, was once defeated by Su Duhu. This person must have studied Su Duhu's battle tactics and knows his strategies."

Li Xiao was startled. He remembered his father always saying that only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you win. The enemy already knew Su Dingfang's tactics. Could Su Dingfang still win?
……

In the midst of the Abbasid army, Bai Tu stood atop a raised chariot, gazing at the Tang army formation opposite him, and smiled, "No wonder the Tang army was able to defeat you. Judging by their might, they are no weaker than the Four Great Holy Legions."

Suoman said in a deep voice, "General Bai must be careful. Su Dingfang used this tactic to defeat more than 100,000 Turkic cavalry with only 10,000 men!"

Bai Tu said calmly, "I never underestimate any enemy, but I have seen the fighting strength of the Turkic cavalry. I absolutely do not believe that this person can defeat 100,000 Turkic cavalry with 10,000. This must be a psychological tactic by him to exaggerate and make others afraid of him."

"I once defeated a Byzantine general who also claimed to have defeated an army of over ten thousand men with only a thousand. But when the battle actually broke out, he was nothing special!"

Suoman remained silent, knowing that his Persian identity was unwelcome and that further persuasion would be useless.

Bai Tu said, "The Tang people's tactics are not surprising. As long as they break through their infantry formation, they will be helpless."

He immediately gave an order, summoning one of his generals and asking, "Haza, do you see the Tang army over there?"

The general was as burly as a bear, with a thick beard, and wielded a large iron hammer. It was said that he once killed a bear with a single blow, earning him the nickname "Bear Warrior" Hazar.

"I can see it clearly," said Hazar.

"How do you feel?" Bai Tu asked.

Hazar grinned and said, "Among the enemies we've encountered, they should be among the top-tier ones, right?"

Bai Tu asked, "Are you confident you can break through that infantry formation?"

Hadza raised his head and said, "All those powerful enemies of the past have fallen at our feet, and this enemy will be no exception!"

Bai Tu said, “Very good, go ahead, lead the vanguard, the left wing, and the right wing, and Allah will be with you.”

Hadza's face lit up with fanaticism as he shouted, "We will follow God's instructions and defeat all the enemies before us!"

Soon, the Arab army formation changed.

(End of this chapter)