kingnovel Chapter 2028 No one spoke
Chapter 2028 No one spoke
Inside the meeting hall.
Although Zhao Yu wasn't as overtly expressive as the other two, his tightly clenched hands betrayed his inner turmoil. He calmly said:
"General Ran, drawing the enemy's main force head-on is under immense pressure, so it's best to proceed with caution. However, we might be able to gain the upper hand on the flanks."
Although Xue Huaide didn't say much, his slightly narrowed eyes and the fierce aura emanating from him indicated that this veteran general had entered his best combat readiness.
It's unclear who started it, but several bold and outspoken generals began making a bet on the spot.
"Let's gamble! I, Old Ran, bet one hundred taels of gold that I will be the first to break through the Tang army's central defense line tomorrow!"
"Hmph, Ran the Bald, stop talking nonsense! I bet two hundred taels that General Xue and I will be the first to break through their right flank!" Guan Yun said without backing down.
“Hey, generals, don’t forget our left wing.”
Feng Anguo, unusually, interjected with a slight smile: "Gao Xianzhi is new; perhaps he'll be easily defeated?"
"Hahahaha!"
The generals' hearty laughter echoed in the council hall, filled with absolute confidence and desire for victory.
They were betting on merit, on face, and even more so on the indomitable spirit of soldiers!
Seeing his generals so full of fighting spirit, Chu Ning felt a surge of pride in his heart.
He did not stop the generals from making their "bet," but instead felt that it was a sign of peak morale.
"it is good!"
Chu Ning finally spoke, silencing the clamor of the crowd. His voice carried a final word of advice and encouragement.
"Since all of you generals possess such ambition, then I shall wait and see! I hope you will fight bravely against the enemy tomorrow and uphold the prestige of our Great Chu! When we return victorious, I will not hesitate to bestow upon you the title of Marquis!"
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
The generals shouted in unison, the sound almost lifting the roof off.
Immediately, they saluted, filled with boundless fighting spirit and a clear mission, and strode out of the council hall, returning to their respective headquarters to begin the final mobilization and preparations before the decisive battle.
The nights at Zhennanguan are destined to be sleepless.
The air was thick with the tension and excitement typical of the lead-up to a major battle; 380,000 Chu soldiers were sharpening their swords, ready for battle.
As dawn breaks, we will pounce on the enemy with overwhelming force and seize the glorious victory that will determine the fate of the world!
In stark contrast to the high-spirited, even somewhat excited, atmosphere in the Chu army's council hall inside Zhennan Pass, the Tang army's command tent was filled with an almost palpable sense of oppression and deathly silence.
Inside the tent, the flame of the tallow candle flickered uneasily.
The light and shadow flickered on the solemn and even ashen faces of each general, as if reflecting their wavering and heavy emotions at this moment.
Commander-in-Chief Li Jing sat upright in the main seat, dressed in his most solemn purple robe and with a jade belt around his waist, attempting to stabilize the morale of the troops with his dignified appearance.
But the deep-set eyes and the unyielding heaviness between his brows revealed the immense pressure he was under.
Instead of letting his generals discuss it first as usual, he went straight to the point, laying bare the cruelest reality before everyone with an almost cold calm.
"Everyone,"
Li Jing's voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a cold block of iron:
"We have just received accurate military intelligence. The 120,000 troops under Xue Huaide and Guan Yun of the Chu army arrived at Zhennanguan this afternoon and have completed their assembly."
He paused slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping over the generals standing below with their heads bowed—Wang Zhongsi, Gao Xianzhi, Tuwujin, Huyan Ying, Liu Hongji… as well as a group of military advisors and staff.
Everyone who came into his sight unconsciously lowered their heads even further.
"Based on this calculation,"
Li Jing continued in his emotionless tone, "Currently, the total strength of the Chu army gathered inside and outside Zhennan Pass has reached 380,000."
He deliberately slowed his speech, making the number feel like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's nerves again and again.
"And our army, even including the reinforcements brought by General Gao Xianzhi, has a total strength of 250,000."
"Three hundred and eighty thousand, that's two hundred and fifty thousand."
He stated this comparison clearly, and it was as if a silent thunderclap resounded in the tent.
This is not over yet.
Li Jing's voice grew increasingly cold: "Furthermore, in the northwest, General Guo Ziyi's 100,000-strong reinforcement army has been held back at Luoyingjian by Chu generals Ma Chao and Han Xing, unable to advance an inch."
"In this decisive battle, they... are out of the question."
The last sentence, like the last straw that broke the camel's back, almost completely froze the already thin air inside the tent.
The disparity in troop strength is too great, and there is no hope of reinforcements.
This is the cold, despair-inducing reality that is laid bare before everyone.
After Li Jing finished speaking, the tent fell into a deathly silence.
He looked around at everyone and finally posed the most crucial question, his voice carrying a hint of weariness and expectation:
"The situation is already like this; tomorrow, the Chu army will surely launch a full-scale attack."
"Gentlemen, you are all pillars of our Great Tang and the Scorpion Clan, seasoned warriors on the battlefield. At this critical juncture, do you have any good strategies to defeat the enemy and save the day?"
The words had barely left his lips when they echoed in the empty tent.
However, he was met only with deeper silence.
No one looked up.
No one spoke.
There wasn't even a slight cough or the sound of armor rustling.
The generals stood frozen in place, as if they had turned into clay or wooden sculptures.
Wang Zhongsi looked down at his nose, as if studying the texture of the floorboards.
Having suffered repeated defeats at Black River Valley and Sunset Mountain, losing troops and generals, and with his beloved general killed in battle, he had long lost his former vigor.
All that remained was a deep sense of powerlessness and self-blame. He dared not offer any more advice, for fear of leading the army into another desperate situation.
Gao Xianzhi lowered his eyelids. As a newcomer, he did not have a deep understanding of the overall situation and the true combat strength of the Chu army. The retreat from Canglang River cast a shadow over his heart.
Faced with such an absolute disadvantage, he knew he had no foolproof strategy to turn the tide.
If he speaks rashly and the plan fails, he cannot bear the name of a sinner for all time.
The two scorpion clan leaders, Tuwu Jin and Huyan Ying, who were usually arrogant and unruly, were now silent as cicadas in fear.
The battle with the White Horse Cavalry the day before yesterday had given them firsthand experience of the terrifying fighting power of the Chu army's elite troops; the scene of slaughtering them like cutting melons and vegetables was still vivid in their minds.
Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, their tactics of charging across the grasslands seemed to have failed; courage could not bridge the enormous gap in equipment and manpower.
They exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion and a barely perceptible fear in each other's eyes.
Liu Hongji and other mid-level generals didn't dare to utter a sound.
They lack the status to voice their opinions on such strategic decisions that determine the fate of the nation.
Moreover, given such a perilous situation, even renowned generals like Wang Zhongsi and Gao Xianzhi remained silent. What brilliant plan could they possibly have?