Chapter 124
"Marshal, please rest assured. Even if the Tang army has reinforcements, I will be able to defeat Li Xuan."

Tong Yahu had been holding back for a long time and finally had a good fight.

In his opinion, Synozzano was indecisive, otherwise he would not be so passive.

"Marshal, it is said that Li Xuan always leads the army in every battle. Even if he does not carry a banner, the armored cavalry guarding him must be Li Xuan. I suggest that our warriors and sharp guards rush forward when they see Li Xuan. As long as Li Xuan is killed, the Tang army will be leaderless and their morale will be greatly reduced. Our army will win!"

Xijia Zang, the son-in-law of the young king of Tuyuhun, suggested this to Lun Xinuoza.

He was a ruled person, and his status was not as good as that of the Tibetan generals. He wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to fight for his own destiny.

"Li Xuan is handsome, would he do this?"

"Tongyahu, Xinuogu, Xijiazang, you three are the top three warriors in our army. When you see Li Xuan, rush over without hesitation and kill him together."

As Lun Xinuoza spoke, he gave a death order to the most reckless Tongyahu: "Tongyahu, don't think about fighting alone, cooperate with other soldiers. If you dare to joke about the victory or defeat of the entire army, I will imprison you in the dungeon for three years when you return."

"As ordered!"

When Tongyahu heard the word "dungeon", his body trembled. He was not afraid of thousands of troops, but was terrified by this punishment.

Because this is a form of torture in Tibet. In a dungeon several feet deep, there is only one person, without sunlight. Once inside, you have to eat, drink, defecate, urinate, and sleep inside. You will only be fed food and water once every ten days or so.

And there may be corpses of "predecessors" in the dungeon.

Few people can last in there for half a year.

For the Tibetans, they would rather have their hands and feet chopped off than be thrown into dungeon.

"We must win! May God bless us!"

Luncinosa clenched his fists as he watched the cavalrymen come out of the fence.

Although they were plotted against by the Tang army, and Chidai Zhudan and Tubo Dalun were also responsible, he was the one leading the troops. If they were defeated, he would not be able to escape severe punishment even if he escaped.

Many generals in the army complained that he was indecisive, but the situation became critical after the defeat of the 10,000 cavalrymen guarding the city of Pingyi.

Looking at the overall situation, he believed that the Tang army would not have only more than 20,000 soldiers and horses.

"I underestimated Li Xuan. Maybe they were right. I didn't take a decisive action."

On Sinnosa sighed.

If we retreat immediately, although we may suffer heavy losses, we will not be at risk of annihilation.

Now the only option is to fight to the death.

East bank of the Li River.

"Anyone who dares to push us will be killed without mercy!"

“Crack!” “Plop!”

Xie Gong commanded the Tibetan soldiers to cross the bridge in front of Anxiang Bridge.

The Ben'an Township Bridge is not narrow, but it seems crowded when people are in a hurry.

The Tibetan soldiers desperately ran to the bridge, wishing their parents had given them two more legs. When they reached the bridge, they squeezed hard and in an instant, Anxiang Bridge was packed tightly.

The wooden guardrail was directly broken, and the Tibetan soldiers fell into the Li River one by one.

The cold and fast-flowing Li River mercilessly washed the Tibetan soldiers away, ignoring their shouts.

"Pfft! Pfft!"

Seeing that this trend could not be stopped, Xie Gong widened his bloodshot eyes, drew out his knife, and killed several Tibetan soldiers in a row.

This frightened many Tibetan soldiers and made them dare not push forward anymore.

This allowed more Tibetan soldiers to pass through Anxiang Bridge.

The harmonic arch had to be done this way, otherwise if there was no order, the stone bridge might collapse.

Then they would have no escape.

"I'm not willing to give in!"

Xie Gong looked at the armored cavalry rushing over, and saw that the Tang army's Pingyi Shouzhuo, Zhenxi Army, and Momen Army had already left the camp to encircle and suppress the soldiers who had no morale at all. He kept patting his chest.

The army had been stationed there for twenty years, inflicting heavy casualties on the Tang army, and had never encountered such a frustrating situation.

The Tang cavalry was about to catch up to the Anxiang Bridge area, and it was unknown how many of the defeated soldiers would be able to escape to the other side.

Only by joining forces with Marshal Lysinusa could they regroup.

"General, the marshal wants you to cross the bridge immediately!"

Then Synozza's guards squeezed across the bridge and spoke to Xie Gong.

"I dare not see the Marshal again!"

Such a disastrous defeat made Xie Gong disheartened and he wanted to die.

As for Synozza's personal guards, they could only go back and report.

After a while, they came over again: "The Marshal ordered you to lead your personal guards to fight a decisive battle with the Tang cavalry. Even if you die, you must die with value."

"Harmony obeys!"

Xie Gong bowed his head and made a secret decision in his heart.

His bravery in the army was second only to generals such as Tongyahu.

Even if I die, I must kill a few more Tang soldiers.

Then they crossed the Anxiang Bridge in a harmonious arch.

He left a few personal guards to guard the bridge, and anyone who dared to push through would be executed.

"Brothers, kill!"

Gao Xiuyan also led his soldiers to fight their way out of Anxiang City.

After pretending to be the grandson for a few days, I finally get to show off my skills.

After Che Shensai led the armored cavalry to charge forward, Gao Xiuyan mounted his warhorse and started chasing.

He was not wearing armor, but he charged in with a spear in hand and whipped his horse.

"Pfft!"

The light cavalry charged and pierced a Tibetan soldier with a spear.

A Tibetan soldier saw Gao Xiuyan rushing towards him and did not want to be killed, so he held a spear under his horse and tried to stab Gao Xiuyan's horse.

"clang!"

Gao Xiuyan used his spear to gently push away the Tibetan soldier's spear, and then stabbed him to death with a backhanded spear.

Afterwards, Gao Xiuyan moved around in the Tibetan crowd, and the Tibetan infantry, who had lost their courage, kept falling under Gao Xiuyan's spear.

"Keep the formation in order, drive the Tibetan soldiers to the front of Anxiang Bridge, and wait for the heavy cavalry to turn around and charge!"

An Sishun remained calm and ordered his men not to rush forward rashly.

They have a safer way to win.

After two nights of fierce fighting, the Zhenxi Army and the Momen Army suffered more than 4,000 casualties. There was no need to waste further soldiers' lives.

Because their military achievements are sufficient.

"Woooo..."

The Tang army used trumpets and battle flags as orders, and the three armies attacked from both sides of the border.

Anxiang Bridge is less than two meters wide, and no matter how well-organized it is, not much can be escaped.

In the end, thousands of Tibetan remnants were surrounded in front of Anxiang Bridge.

The Tang army blocked the border with powerful crossbows, and Che Shensai led the armored cavalry and turned around again.

"Boom!"

Looking at the armored cavalry rushing towards them again, all the Tibetan soldiers were filled with fear.

The only escape route, Anxiang Bridge, became the target of Tibetan soldiers.

They ignored the guards in front of the bridge and crowded forward again.

At this critical moment, even Xie Gong's personal guards did not dare to stop him. The soldiers were furious and anyone who tried to stop him would be killed.

But at this time, panic will only result in greater casualties.

"Plop!" "Plop!"

All the guardrails were broken by the force, pushing forward and backward.

Many more Tibetan soldiers were pushed into the river one after another.

The Tang army's armored cavalry had already rushed over, and their iron armor knocked away and killed the outermost Tibetan soldiers.

"Whoa..."

The powerful crossbows of the Tang army on both sides fired thunderously, causing the enemy to gather more densely.

The Tibetan soldiers lost all their shields and even their weapons, and were completely unable to resist.

Seeing that the Tang army's armored troops were getting closer and closer to them, some Tibetan soldiers simply gritted their teeth and jumped into the Li River.

Obviously, compared to the weapons of the Tang Dynasty, they would rather die in the water.

Most of the Tibetan soldiers could not swim and struggled in the wide and deep Li River.

Some soldiers froze to death as soon as they fell into the water, sank to the bottom and drowned, drifting with the current...

Lun Xinuoza on the other side of the river was watching this scene with tears in his eyes.

The Li River flows from south to north and flows into the Yellow River.

An Anxiang Bridge less than two meters wide and an Anxiang City in the east of the river.

From the moment he lured the enemy deep into his territory, he was taught a severe lesson.

He wanted to change, but he was powerless.

The Tibetan soldiers on the west bank of the Li River were horrified as they watched the bodies of their people drifting.

They could observe the battle situation on the other side of the river. The casualties were too heavy. They watched their companions fall into despair under the iron hooves and powerful crossbows of the Tang army.

If the Tang army faced them again, would they still have a chance to resist?

A moment later, Che Shensai personally led a team of armored cavalry and galloped past Anxiang Bridge.

Anxiang Bridge was cut off.

The remaining two thousand Tibetan soldiers who did not have the courage to jump into the river knelt down and surrendered.

The Tibetan soldiers on the other side did not think this was cowardice.

Lun Xinuoza closed his eyes and did not force his people to perish together with him.

"Block Anxiang Bridge and don't let the Tang army pass!"

Then Synoza suddenly opened his eyes and gave the order.

Layers of spears and large shields blocked the narrow Anxiang Bridge.

The Tang army would not be stupid enough to attack Anxiang Bridge.

An Sishun also left some heavy armored infantry to guard the bridge, while the other soldiers escorted the Tibetan prisoners away openly.

Small boats were carried out from Anxiang City.

When necessary, the Tang army could cross the river by boat, but it would take a long time.

Li Xuan instructed An Sishun, Che Shensai and others to keep their troops in place.

Next, it’s up to them!
If we can annihilate the Tibetan cavalry, it will be a real victory.

... "Reporting to General Li, the caltrops have been placed 280 feet in front of our army."

Yang Wan reported to Li Xuan.

"General Xin, General Nan, take your escorts, team leaders, and deputy team leaders to the area with caltrops to confirm the location. Don't let us shoot ourselves in the foot." Li Xuan instructed Nan Jiyun and Xin Yunjing.

"As ordered!"

After receiving the order, the two generals immediately led the cavalry leaders to confirm.

"Li Shuai, do you still want to go to the battlefield?"

Gao Shi saw Li Xuan wiping his lance, so he asked in a persuasive tone.

Before, it was a pursuit, and Li Xuan, as the commander-in-chief, could charge.

Now it’s a real fight.

Once the enemy cavalry recognizes General Li, they will rush to attack regardless of the consequences.

"I recruit elite rangers and form a brave army, with the purpose of following me into battle! Good steel should be used on the blade. The number of our cavalry is less than that of the Tibetan cavalry. As the commander-in-chief, I must boost morale."

Li Xuan said to Gao Shi with a smile.

"I believe that the commander-in-chief should stand under the banner and command the troops. If the commander-in-chief fails, all previous efforts will be wasted. Our army has many brave generals, so there is no need for General Li to put himself in danger."

Gao Shi persuaded again in a straightforward tone.

"General Li, I agree with what Secretary Gao said. Since you are the commander-in-chief, you should not charge with the soldiers. There is no such example among the Jiedushi. Even General Wang of Shuofang has always been mainly in command of thousands of troops after becoming a Jiedushi."

Cen Shen also advised Li Xuan.

They were all men of letters and had no clear concept of the use of force.

Brave, can defeat at most a hundred enemies.

The commander-in-chief is a match for ten thousand men.

"Don't try to persuade me! Xiang Yu always climbed the first step in every battle. I compare myself to the Overlord, okay? You can just stand back and watch me perform. When you are waiting for the victory report, you should write a beautiful military document."

Li Xuan said this confidently, and did not forget to joke with Gao Shi, Cen Shen and others.

As he grows older, trains constantly, and gains strength, Li Xuan becomes more confident in charging into battle.

Not only was he wearing Shanwen armor, he was also wearing exquisite inner armor.

Even if he is stabbed by the enemy, it is difficult to hurt him.

God gave him supernatural powers so that he could ride high among the crowd.

With him and his personal guards joining the battlefield, at least thousands of soldiers' lives can be saved.

"Li Shuai's courage is beyond our reach. We wish Li Shuai a triumphant return!"

Gao Shi knew that he could not persuade him, so he bowed.

In ancient and modern history, Li Xuan is also a unique existence. The great poet commanded thousands of troops and galloped on the battlefield.

I admire poets like Gao Shi and Cen Shen.

Only when you truly get in touch with Li Xuan can you feel her unparalleled charm.

The military has strict rules, clear rewards and punishments, fairness and justice, and restrains one's desires.

He often trained with the soldiers and ate frugally.

Unlike other commanders, he did not have singing girls in his mansion.

He severely punished lawbreakers and treated every official, even the minor clerks, with dignity.

This made the entire army, from the soldiers to the clerks, willing to serve Li Xuan.

"Cross the river and tell General An that if the Tibetan infantry retreats during our battle with the Tibetan cavalry, immediately cross the river and pursue them. The heavy and light cavalry should cross first to block the Tibetan infantry's retreat route."

Li Xuan gave orders to the messenger.

In order to prevent the Tubo from destroying the Anxiang Bridge during their retreat, the ships were prepared.

Upon learning that the Tibetan cavalry had already lined up outside the fence, Li Xuan also began to order his men to get ready.

There are currently about 5,500 elite and light cavalry capable of combat.

It's like fighting one against two.

Li Xuan doesn't like the old-fashioned way of fighting.

Now line up and form a formation.

After the Tibetan cavalry are restrained by the caltrops, tasks can be assigned.

An hour later.

"Reporting to General Li, the Tibetan cavalry has rushed towards us, about thirty miles away from us. Their cavalry are scattered around our army to investigate our movements."

The messenger then conveyed the message to Li Xuan.

The Tang army's elite cavalry and light cavalry were separated.

Li Xuan rode on the Fire Cloud Horse, brought his personal guards, and walked slowly among the thousands of soldiers.

A handsome horse, a heroic commander, Li Xuan holding a lance, a sword on his waist, and a bright red cloak fluttering in the cold wind.

Behind Li Xuan, Luo Xing held the banner that symbolized the commander-in-chief.

This battle was fought with a large banner so that the whole army could see it.

Luo Xing did not participate in the battle, but just followed Li Xuan.

Li Xuan ordered Li Sheng to lead fifty Shen Ce guards to guard the big banner.

After this battle, as long as the banner remains standing, they will have made a great contribution.

Under the solemn expressions of the soldiers, Li Xuan made a round inspection to let them see Li Xuan getting ready for battle.

Finally, Li Xuan rode his horse back to the front of the two armies.

"Soldiers, it has been more than half a month since we left Huangshui City. Our military tactics have repeatedly won victories, and the enemy troops that invaded our Tang Dynasty have become exhausted."

"Although they have slightly more people than us, their armor is not as strong as ours, their weapons are not as sharp as ours, and their riding and archery skills are even less comparable to ours; they do not have the courage and strength of our Tang Dynasty soldiers, nor do they have the indomitable morale of our soldiers."

"Don't be fooled by their aggressive appearance. They are like a seriously injured tiger, making only one final pounce."

"This is a time for men to perform meritorious deeds. After this battle, I will ask the saint for rewards and make you rich and powerful. Even for the soldiers who died in the battle, I will ensure that their families will also share the rewards."

"Soldiers, please look at my banner. I will charge into battle with you. We will not retreat until we die. The Tang Dynasty will surely win!"

Li Xuan shouted loudly to boost the morale of the soldiers before the battle.

"Master Li is mighty, the Tang Dynasty will surely win!"

"Master Li is mighty, the Tang Dynasty will surely win!"

……

The light cavalry held their horse bows, and the elite cavalry held their spears, and they roared like mountains and seas.

Li Xuan's words ignited their fighting spirit and made them burst with courage.

Li Shuai is not afraid of death, so why should they, the humble people, be afraid?
The knights behind Li Xuan were also excited, they had joined the Divine Strategy Team and were waiting for this opportunity!
……

The 10,000 Tibetan cavalrymen were led by Tongyahu, Xijiazang, Xinogu and Xiegong, and were divided into four columns.

Among them, Tongyahu and Xijiazang were the main attackers, while Xinuogu and Xiegong attacked on both wings.

They also had to be on the lookout for possible sudden reinforcements from the Tang army.

At that time, they will do whatever it takes.

The animal flags and banners with lion and tiger patterns represent the Tubo people’s belief.

"Now that we have come this far, there is no way back! The Tang army's armored cavalry is stationed on the east bank of the Li River. We only need to face less than half of our troops. Victory will surely belong to us..."

Xi Jia Zang led his team and shouted loudly.

Even though the situation was not optimistic, he could not let morale be dampened.

He was also calling out in his heart, must win!

Other Tibetan generals also made bold statements to boost morale.

The Tibetan cavalry also showed fighting spirit like normal warriors.

Under the guidance of the scouts, they were heading towards the direction of the Tang army.

When the Tibetan cavalry was only ten miles away from the Tang cavalry, Li Xuan began to issue military orders.

"General Xin, divide the cavalry into five teams, and have them form a horn around each other. Shoot from the west and rear of the Tibetan cavalry. Do not initiate close combat until the Tibetan cavalry is defeated."

Li Xuan issued a military order to Xin Yunjing.

"As ordered!"

Xin Yunjing divided the team into groups and appointed generals for each group. They formed teams of 600 men and brought the power of cavalry archery to its fullest.

As long as the Tang army's cavalry and archers were on the side, Tubo could not exert its full strength to attack the Tang army's elite cavalry.

They had to send a large number of cavalry to encircle or fight against the mounted archers.

Otherwise, the Tang army's cavalry archers would shoot the Tibetan cavalry into pieces.

"General Nan, you lead a thousand elite cavalrymen to secretly detour to the east side of Tubo and look for an opportunity to penetrate their midst."

Li Xuan gave orders to Xin Yunjing again.

The combination of horse archery and special forces divided the Tibetan cavalry and undermined their morale.

"General Li, you only have less than 2,000 elite cavalry and personal guards under your command."

Nan Jiyun was worried that Li Xuan would be under too much pressure and get hurt.

"No problem! Following my tactics, we can win with minimal casualties."

Nearly two thousand light cavalry, all in iron armor, are enough.

"The last general takes command!"

Nan Jiyun bowed, he believed in Li Shuai's judgment.

At the same time, the Tibetan cavalry was getting closer and closer to the Tang cavalry.

Five hundred feet.

Four hundred feet.

Three hundred feet.

The Tibetan cavalry had already seen the Tang army moving.

"Eh..."

After running for dozens of steps, the Tibetan war horses suddenly screamed and raised their front hooves high.

The Tibetan soldiers on horseback were caught off guard and were thrown to the ground in an instant.

"what……"

This was followed by the soldiers' screams as they were stabbed by several caltrops and were bleeding profusely.

Looking at the horse's front hooves, they had been pierced by caltrops.

The Tibetan cavalry had no horseshoes, so if their horses stepped on caltrops while charging, they would inevitably become useless.

After Yang Wan scattered the caltrops, he covered them with dust, leaving only the sharp thorns exposed.

If you don't look carefully, you can't spot it at all.

(End of this chapter)