Teng!
Upon hearing these words from Suril and Ke, the Turkic generals and tribal leaders in the central command tent all stood up, their eyes gleaming with greed.
Clearly, these words struck a chord with the Turks.
Having just ravaged a city and twenty-eight counties in the Shuobei region, and having tasted the sweetness of marching south, the Turkic generals, their appetites had grown too large. Naturally, they were unwilling to sound the retreat and return home.
Furthermore, recently, Turkic cavalry scouts have been scouting for enemy positions in the Panlong Pass area day and night.
The Longcheng troops defending Panlong Pass numbered only about 80,000 to 90,000. They were on a long and isolated expedition, with neither ambushes nor reinforcements.
At this time, the Turkic side was strong and well-equipped, with high morale.
Although the 30,000-strong vanguard army of the Turks was defeated at Panlong Pass a few days ago.
However, the Turkic cavalry currently gathered in Shuobei City still number as many as 90,000, and with the assistance of 80,000 Yunhui soldiers who have defected, plus miscellaneous auxiliary troops and laborers, it would not be an exaggeration to call it an army of 200,000.
Military strategy states: If ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, annihilate them; if twice, engage them in battle.
The Turks, with twice the strength, were facing Chen Huai'an's Longcheng troops. If they were to let this once-in-a-lifetime, readily available opportunity slip by, it would be disastrous.
Looking back in the future, I'll probably get up in the middle of the night and beat my hands in regret.
For this reason, although the Turkic generals and tribal leaders present did not say it, they all hoped that they could lead their troops south and continue to plunder money, grain and women in Han lands.
The reason why none of them spoke up to advise the Great Khan Timur was simply that none of them wanted to be the first to speak up and be entrusted with the important task of being the vanguard general by the Great Khan.
After all, that Han Chinese Chen Huai'an and his Longcheng troops were indeed quite capable in combat.
The Turkic generals present were all cunning and shrewd, and they were unwilling to risk losing their heads by leading the charge, only to have other tribes reap the benefits in the end.
Of course, there is one exception.
That was Arslen, a warrior of the Kereit tribe and one of the Twelve Protectors, who was the commander of Timur's royal guard.
He was the first to stand up and echoed, "Great Khan, what Chief Suril and Ke said is absolutely right."
"The Han scoundrel Chen Huai'an killed my envoy and slaughtered my sons, and has long been a blood feud with my Turkic Empire. His father, Chen Polu, is a common enemy of all tribes in the northern grasslands. He once killed as many as 100,000 of my grassland warriors on the banks of the Yumu River and the Onon River!"
"Blood for blood, life for life. For the public good and for private reasons, for the sake of morality and reason, my Turkic Empire and the Dragon City troops of that Han dog Chen Huai'an will eventually fight!"
At this point, Arslen took the initiative to come to the center of the tent and knelt on one knee facing the Great Khan Timur, who was sitting on the wolf-head chair.
Then, he made a fist with one hand and placed it horizontally in front of his chest, saying each word clearly:
"Great Khan, Arslen is willing to serve as the vanguard commander of the army, leading the Imperial Iron Cavalry in a frontal attack on Panlong Pass, clearing obstacles for the Imperial army's southward advance!"
Um!
Sitting on the wolf-head chair, Timur nodded and said with a look of satisfaction, "Arslen, I, the Khan, have given my permission!"
"All generals, listen to my command!"
brush!
Upon hearing this, the Turkic generals straightened their backs and pricked up their ears, awaiting the imperial edict.
Timur said, "By order of the Khan, effective immediately, Arslen, the commander of the Imperial Guard, is promoted to the commander of the Turkic Empire's southern expedition, leading 60,000 iron cavalry to protect the flank of the main army!"
"Liang Erhu, I hereby order you to personally lead 80,000 Yunhui troops as the vanguard of the main army, forming battle formations with chariots and shields, advancing step by step, and launching a steady and methodical attack on Panlong Pass!"
"ah--"
Inside the tent, Liang Erhu, who was busy eating meat, drinking wine, and watching the show, was completely bewildered. He thought to himself, "I'm just a bystander watching the fun. Why am I being asked to charge into battle?"
Liang Erhu looked at Timur with a resentful look in his eyes and a bitter expression, as if to say with his eyes, "Old Timur, this is not what you said when you wrote to me asking me to join you."
When Liang Erhu was desperate, Timur extended an olive branch to him, allowing him to lead 80,000 Shuobei Yunhui troops to surrender to the Turkic Empire.
He was promised a high degree of autonomy, and all he had to do was assist the Turkic cavalry in defending the city when Chen Huai'an led his troops to attack it.
After the deed was done, whether Timur marched south or retreated back to the northern steppes, he left the city and thirty-six counties of the northern territory to Liang Erhu.
If Liang Erhu is willing, Timur can also allocate a piece of grassland in the northern steppe for Liang Erhu, so that he can become a wealthy grassland herder.
It's only been a few days, and the ink on the edict probably hasn't even dried yet, and Timur is already ordering him to lead his Cloud Banner Army to the front lines. You're so quick to kick someone after they've served their purpose!
Others may not know the power of Chen Huai'an and the Longcheng army, but Liang Erhu knows it very well.
Why the hell did they use chariots and shields to form battle formations, advance step by step, and launch a steady attack on Panlong Pass?
The last person to use this tactic to attack the Longshan camp is probably already dead.
You bunch of Turkic barbarians, you really don't know how formidable Chen Huai'an is!
They truly have never witnessed the terrifying pressure exerted by the Dragon City Iron Pagoda when they charge in formation!
They had never experienced the terrifying dominance of the "sword and shield" formation of the Dragon City infantry, who wielded seven-foot-long swords and advanced in a "wall-like" manner, on the battlefield!
Infantrymen chasing after cavalrymen, hacking and slashing, one strike and both man and horse are shattered—can you imagine that?
That damned Timur tricked me into Shuobei City with a combination of coaxing and deception, just so that I and my brothers would risk our lives for you now!
Is this the vanguard of a massive army?
They're clearly a suicide squad!
In the center of the tent, Liang Erhu stammered and couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
Timur's face immediately darkened, and he looked Liang Erhu up and down with a cold gaze, saying in an icy tone, "What, Liang Erhu, are you unwilling to serve the Turkic Empire on the battlefield?"
"Or are you planning to take advantage of the battle between my Turkic army and the Longcheng troops, and lead your 80,000 troops to defect and stab my Turkic army in the back?"
"Tell me, isn't that right!"
boom!
After saying this, Timur slammed his hand on the table in front of him, making a loud bang.
hiss--
Under the tent, Liang Erhu was so frightened by the sudden slap that he trembled and gasped.
Out of the corner of his eye, he unconsciously glanced inside the large tent.
He then realized that the Turkic generals present were all giving him the cold shoulder and glaring at him angrily.
Liang Erhu knew that if he dared to utter a single word of dissent at this moment, these barbaric Turks would pounce on him and skin him alive in the next second.
Adopting the attitude that a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, Liang Erhu immediately replied respectfully, "Great Khan, the loyalty of this humble general Liang Erhu to the Turkic Empire is as clear as heaven and earth and as sagacious as the sun and moon."
"This humble general is willing to lead his 80,000 Cloud Banner Army to serve as the vanguard of the Turkic Empire's southern expedition!"
"But, but—"
At this point, Liang Erhu hesitated for a few seconds, then finally gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and said:
"But that Han bastard Chen Huai'an has a super heavy cavalry force of three thousand men. Both men and horses are covered in heavy armor. Once they charge on the battlefield, their momentum is so strong that even gods and men cannot stop them!"
"The battle formation composed of chariots and shields is no match for the charge of the Ironclad Heavy Cavalry of Longcheng. We urge the Great Khan to reconsider the strategy for defeating the enemy!"
Upon hearing this, Timur's expression froze, and he asked, "What did you say?"
"Does Chen Huai'an command a 3,000-strong Iron Pagoda heavy cavalry force?"
"But the Later Jin Iron Pagoda that was defeated by Prince Chen Polu's troops outside Zhuxian Town back then?"
"Exactly!"
Hahaha!
Suddenly, Timur's unrestrained and arrogant laughter rang out from inside the central command tent.
Liang Erhu was completely bewildered and didn't understand.
The other Turkic generals in the tent looked at each other, wondering why.
After a long while, Timur finally stopped his unrestrained laughter.
Then, in a bold and loud voice, he said, "I never imagined that I, the Khan, would be able to fight against the heavily armored cavalry of the Dragon City's Breaking Army, the Iron Pagoda, once again in my lifetime."
"This, perhaps, is fate, hahaha!"
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