Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 319 Are you crazy? You call this a roundabout tactic? [Seeking monthly votes]

"His Royal Highness!"

While Empress Zhangsun was worrying about Li Chengqian and his son, Li Chengqian had already summoned the commanders and deputy commanders of the six guards of the Eastern Palace to a meeting at the Crown Prince's Martial Arts Hall.

Although things did not turn out as cruelly as Empress Zhangsun had imagined, Li Chengqian did indeed outmaneuver Li Shimin in the war against Goguryeo.

Of course, Li Shimin also schemed against Li Chengqian.

It could be said that this was yet another instance of the father and son scheming against each other, and it remained to be seen who would succeed first.

Based on Li Shimin's confidence, he must have believed that he would win the war against Goguryeo.

Therefore, if Li Shimin had won the war against Goguryeo, it would indeed have been as he thought, that even if Li Chengqian had become a sage of his time, his position would not have been shaken.

After all, he accomplished something that neither of the previous two emperors had achieved.

Even though Li Chengqian knew he would fail, he still advised him to personally lead the expedition.

Because only Li Shimin could be his best wingman.

He then looked around at his generals and said, "Gentlemen, I won't say much more, as you all probably already know. But what I want to tell you is that we cannot fight this war against Goguryeo!"

Wow!
The whole place was in an uproar!

When some generals heard the news, they were struck dumb, feeling as if they had been preparing for the Olympics for four years and then suddenly received the news that the Olympics had been canceled. They were extremely upset.

After all, they trained hard day and night, hoping that one day they could show the new army's style in front of the world. But when Goguryeo took the initiative to attack the Tang Dynasty, they were unable to participate in the war.

pain! It hurts so much!

Of course, not all generals were disheartened by the news. For example, the commanders of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace sat calmly in their chairs, some sipping tea, some sitting upright, and some smiling without saying a word.

Until Li Chengqian's voice rang out again.

But then he said, "Although we can't defeat Goguryeo, there's been a problem with Tuli. He was dethroned by that Yishiyinan from Xueyantuo and was almost killed."

“If you know about the Gurkha Khanate, you will know that it was a foreign state that I supported in its establishment.”

"As for why I support the establishment of a foreign nation, I do not intend to explain it to you."

"I just want to tell you that anyone who dares to trespass on my Eastern Palace's territory will have to pay a terrible price!"

"Therefore, when His Majesty entrusted me with the matter of Xueyantuo, I had only one thought..."

At this point, Li Chengqian paused deliberately, then looked around at his generals and said calmly and indifferently, "Let's get them!"

"Ok?"

The generals seemed to be hearing this kind of talk for the first time, and they looked at each other blankly.

Only the generals who knew Li Chengqian quickly realized what was happening and laughed, echoing, "That's right! Let's get them!"

"That's right! We have to kill him!"

Upon hearing these two voices of agreement, the generals immediately looked in the direction of the sound.

The two voices belonged to none other than Xue Rengui, the most important commander of the Iron Pagoda of the Eastern Palace's Six Guards, and Su Dingfang, the commander of the Black Armor Guard.

But then Su Dingfang laughed and said, "Your Highness, this humble general is willing to lead his Black Armor Guards to quell the Xueyantuo rebellion!"

"Your Highness! This humble general, Ironclad Cavalry, is also willing to accept the order!"

"Your Highness, this humble general is a musketeer..."

"Your Highness, the Wolf Fang Guard is also willing..."

As Su Dingfang finished speaking, the other commanders of the six Eastern Palace Guards also volunteered.

But Li Chengqian did not agree to their request; instead, he gestured to them with his hand.

When the entire martial arts hall fell silent, as if autumn leaves had been swept away, he solemnly said, "The rebellion of Xueyantuo is nothing but a trivial matter. In my eyes, that Yishiyinan is nothing but a clown."

"Our target is not Xueyantuo."

"This……"

The generals looked at each other, then stared at each other in bewilderment.

But then Pei Xuan, the commander of the Musketeers, spoke first: "May I ask Your Highness, what is our objective?"

Li Chengqian succinctly stated, "My idea is to destroy two of the three: the Western Turks, the Tuyuhun, and the Tibetans. If possible, it would be best to destroy all three at once!"

"what?!"

The generals were taken aback upon hearing this. Even those who knew some of the inside story, such as Xue Rengui and Su Dingfang, were shocked by Li Chengqian's ambition.

It should be noted that none of the three countries Li Chengqian mentioned were easy targets.

Moreover, it seems impossible to eliminate two or even three of them on the basis of suppressing the Xueyantuo rebellion.

This isn't about boosting others' morale while diminishing our own; it's just that the idea feels too outrageous. Unless there are truly celestial soldiers and generals in the world, it's simply impossible.

However, despite the incredulous looks from his generals, Li Chengqian remained calm, even sporting a mocking smile: "What, do you all lack confidence in my plan?"

"This one……"

The generals were momentarily embarrassed, but then one of them spoke up: "Your Highness, it's not that we lack confidence, it's just that with the tens of thousands of men in our Eastern Palace, we are not capable of winning a war to destroy a nation!"

"Yes, Your Highness! At most, we can pacify the Xueyantuo, or attack one of the countries, and even then, we might not be able to destroy it!"

"Indeed! Wars of annihilation are not easy to wage. Your Highness, please reconsider!"

"His Royal Highness..."

"Snapped--!"

Before the generals could finish speaking, Yu Gushe, the commander of the Wolf Fang Guard who had been silent all along, suddenly slammed his teacup on the ground and roared, "You dare to doubt the Crown Prince's plan?! Do you know what the motto of the Military Academy is? Soldiers take obedience to orders as their sacred duty!"

"Even I, a Turk, understand this! How can you not understand it?!"

"I ask you, if the Crown Prince were to order us to wipe out an entire country today, would you go? I tell you! My Wolf Fang Guard would absolutely go! Even if we were to be completely annihilated!"

"But how could the Crown Prince allow my Wolf Fang Guard to be completely wiped out? Have they all been trained to the point of having rusted brains?!"

Boom!

These words caused a sensation throughout the room!

Some generals were scolded until their faces turned red, some wished they could bury their heads in their crotches, and others turned ashen-faced and remained silent.

Clearly, Yu Gushe's words struck a nerve with anyone who didn't know Li Chengqian.

Although they were all deputy commanders, these deputy commanders were selected by the commander and did not have much interaction with Li Chengqian.

Therefore, Li Chengqian summoned all these deputy commanders, partly to further communicate with them, and partly to let them know more about him.

However, as Yu Gushe finished speaking, the entire martial arts hall fell silent.

It wasn't until Li Chengqian clapped his hands with a smile and a sand table map, half the size of the one at the military academy, was brought in from outside that all the generals turned their attention to this sand table map.

But then Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Gentlemen, I know your concerns, but please listen to my plan first. If you can, you can come with me on this expedition. If not, you can stay in Chang'an. I will not force you!"

"After all, the biggest taboo on the battlefield is discord between generals and commanders. I don't want to command a bunch of self-righteous generals!"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the generals were immediately filled with shame.

Although Li Chengqian said this with a smile, it sounded extremely grating to the ears of the generals.

So much so that the general who had first questioned Li Chengqian was so ashamed he wanted to disappear.

Fortunately, Li Chengqian stopped there and didn't pursue the matter further.

But then he calmly said, "After the last grand court assembly, I had Commander Su and Commander Xue formulate a strategy for attacking Tuyuhun and Tibet. Now, Commander Su and Commander Xue will explain their strategies to you one by one. If you have any questions, take notes first and ask them after the explanation is finished. Do not interrupt them in the middle!"

"promise!"

All the generals spoke in unison.

Soon, Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui explained their strategy to everyone present.

At first, they didn't understand anything, but halfway through, they suddenly realized that Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui's strategy was so detailed that they even knew the enemy's supplies and how many days of major or minor battles they could fight. Even more outrageous was their knowledge of the two main cities of Tuyuhun; they knew the enemy's defensive fortresses like the back of their hand, which was practically equivalent to formulating a strategy based on the enemy's defense map.

If we can't win this war, we've lived our lives in vain.

Xue Rengui concluded, "His Highness the Crown Prince has always emphasized to us that every soldier in the Eastern Palace is our brother. Therefore, when we formulate a strategy, the first thing we consider is the casualty ratio. If we attack Tuyuhun and Tubo according to this strategic plan, we can reduce the casualty ratio by more than 50%!"

"hiss--"

Upon hearing this, the generals couldn't help but gasp.

It is important to know that the casualty ratio in the early Tang Dynasty was generally above 1:10, especially in the Battle of Hulao Pass, where the casualty ratio was as high as 1:100.

This shows that the elite army of the Tang Dynasty was actually very strong.

Furthermore, the fighting strength of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace was even higher than that of the general elite troops of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, reducing the battle casualty ratio by more than 50% is terrifying.

"Alright, everyone, please ask any questions you have now!"

Seeing that all the generals were shocked by Xue Rengui's words, Li Chengqian broke the silence again.

But Yu Gushe was the first to speak: "I have a question. If the Crown Prince goes on an expedition to the north, will he only have the troops of our Eastern Palace's Six Guards, or will he fight in coordination with the imperial army?"

“I haven’t discussed this with His Majesty yet, but His Majesty has already entrusted me with the Xueyantuo matter. Logically speaking, the 200,000 troops currently stationed in the north should be under my command!” Li Chengqian pondered.

"Does His Highness the Crown Prince know what he is thinking?" Su Dingfang interjected.

Li Chengqian glanced at him and shook his head, saying, "I haven't discussed this with His Majesty yet either, because my plan is to fight from the west to the east!"

"What does this mean?"

Xue Rengui asked in bewilderment, "Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince has even set his sights on Liaodong?"

"hehe!"

Li Chengqian smiled noncommittally, then picked up a bamboo pole, pointed to the sand table map, and said, "Now that you've finished explaining your strategies, I'll tell you my overall plan."

Soon, Li Chengqian explained his devised flanking tactics to his generals.

The more the generals listened, the more terrified they became.

Because Li Chengqian devised a strategy of dividing his troops and making a detour, which involved attacking from Tuyuhun to Goguryeo, a distance of about 6,000 li!
You call this a flanking maneuver over such a long distance?
You must understand that there were many difficulties and obstacles between Tuyuhun and Goguryeo, so it was not an easy detour.
Although Huo Qubing also used a super-large flanking maneuver and made great achievements, his flanking maneuver did not cover thousands of miles.

Moreover, not everyone can employ such a large-scale flanking maneuver. Just think of the legendary Flying General Li Guang, who famously got himself lost while making a detour.

Gongsun Ao, who followed Huo Qubing on a circuitous route, also got lost along the same path.

Therefore, given the distance, it's obvious that success is impossible.

But Su Dingfang said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I think it's fine for us to divide our forces to attack Tuyuhun, Tibet, and even the Western Turks, but I think it's not advisable to go around to Liaodong to fight Goguryeo."

"Yes, Your Highness! With His Majesty personally leading the expedition against Goguryeo, there shouldn't be any major problems. We don't need to go through such a long detour to assist them!" Xue Rengui echoed.

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Do you think that my roundabout approach was simply to assist His Majesty?"

"this."

The generals looked at each other, but none of them stepped forward to speak.

But it's clear that that's what the generals really thought.

Otherwise, they could find no reason to explain why Li Chengqian would go to such lengths to travel so far to Liaodong.

Besides the deep bond between father and son.

But Li Chengqian continued, "If you think that way, you are sorely mistaken. My purpose in taking this roundabout route is not to assist His Majesty, but to buy time for our Sea God Guards!"

"To destroy Goguryeo, we need a navy!"

"But our Tang Dynasty doesn't have enough navy right now. Zhang Liang's 40,000-strong navy can't influence the battle at all. In other words, my father's expedition against Goguryeo will end the same way as Emperor Yang of Sui's campaign against Goguryeo!"

"Ah? This"

The generals were taken aback upon hearing this.

Su Dingfang asked in surprise, "Does Your Highness mean that His Majesty will suffer a major defeat in this personal campaign?"

"A crushing defeat is unlikely, but a disappointing end is certain!"

"If that's the case, why doesn't Your Highness stop His Majesty?"

"it's useless."

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "You may not be very clear about my father's personality. He wanted to be an emperor for all ages! What does it mean to be an emperor for all ages? It means being able to do what others cannot!"

"Emperor Yang of Sui destroyed the country when he attacked Goguryeo. My father will definitely fight Goguryeo to establish his own glorious reputation!"

"So, not only me, but even his trusted ministers and even my mother couldn't persuade him!"

"Since no one can persuade him, and I don't want the Tang Dynasty to suffer as many casualties as the Sui Dynasty on the Goguryeo battlefield, I can only devise this tactic: let him hold off Goguryeo for now, and then we can outflank them, join forces with the navy, and launch a three-pronged attack to wipe out this major threat in one fell swoop!"

"But it's really not easy to take a detour over these thousands of miles," Xue Rengui sighed.

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Actually, the real circuitous route is not several thousand miles long, at most only a thousand miles. Your tactics for attacking Tuyuhun, Tibet, and the Western Turks can be blitzkrieg; you only need to destroy their main force. As for the war of annihilation, leave that to the allied nations!"

"Allied powers?"

The generals were slightly taken aback, but quickly remembered something: the military alliance treaty that the Tang Dynasty had previously signed.

These military allies were all located around Tuyuhun, Tibet, and the Western Turks.

Once the Tang Dynasty eliminates the main forces of Tuyuhun, Tibet, and the Western Turks, these allied states will certainly spare no effort to divide and conquer them.

In this way, the Tang Dynasty could save a lot of military resources.

Thinking of this, one of the generals couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "So His Highness the Crown Prince had this in mind when he proposed the military alliance. It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince had planned this grand flanking maneuver long ago!"

"hehe."

Li Chengqian smiled noncommittally, then looked around at his generals and said, "No matter what, if this tactic succeeds, there will be almost no forces around our Tang Dynasty that can threaten it."

"In this way, we can focus all our efforts on expanding overseas!"

"When that time comes, it will be a new journey, and I will certainly encourage you all!"

"Your Highness, rest assured, we will do our utmost to complete your plan!"

Su Dingfang suddenly stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Li Chengqian, and said...

Immediately afterwards, all the generals in the entire martial arts hall stood up and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "We are willing to obey His Highness the Crown Prince's orders!"

"it is good!"

Li Chengqian smiled excitedly, just about to discuss the details of the grand flanking maneuver with his generals, when suddenly a report came from outside the door: "Your Highness, the Empress has decreed that you are urgently summoned to the palace!"

"Ok?"

Li Chengqian frowned, wondering what was going on. Empress Zhangsun had never issued an imperial edict to him before, especially not an urgent one. Could something major have happened in the palace?
But didn't Empress Zhangsun practice the "Tai Xuan Nourishing Life Scripture" that I gave her? Logically speaking, she shouldn't have any health problems!
Could it be that something happened to Li Er?

That's impossible! Li Er is only in his thirties; he has at least twenty more years to live.
Is it possible?
Just as Li Chengqian was lost in thought, another report came from outside the door: "Your Highness, the Emperor Emeritus summons you to see him and requests your immediate presence!"

I rub!

What a plane!
Why is Li Yuan summoning me too?
Could it be that Emperor Taizong (Li Er) has really passed away?!
Well, it's not impossible.
He transmigrated into the body of Li Chengqian, not only changing Li Chengqian's history, but also the history of many others, including Li Er.

Originally, Li Er should have had another twenty years to live, but perhaps because of his own changes, he suddenly died young.

"Your Highness, are you okay?"

Seeing Li Chengqian standing there with an expression that seemed to be both crying and laughing, the generals looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, Su Dingfang spoke first.

"Oh, it's nothing. You all continue your meeting. I'll go into the palace first and see what's going on!"

As if realizing what was happening, Li Chengqian called out to all the generals, and then rushed out of the martial arts hall in a hurry.

At the same time, he shouted in his mind: "System! You damn system! Come out here!!"

(End of this chapter)