Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 84 Opportunity
Woo! Woo! Woo!
Bugles blew, and large groups of cavalry gathered. The tramp of their hooves emitted a roaring sound, almost like thunder. White flags danced in the wind, and the white wolf flags, like surging snow waves, rolled wantonly in the strong wind of the grassland, swallowing everything.

Inside the purple river ivory tent and the golden tent, Shabolue had a heavy expression on his face. Lü Shang, Yehu Chuluo Hou, and several important D Turkic officials sat on his left and right. The tent was dim, with a flickering candlelight on one side. The light and shadow danced on everyone's faces, reflecting expressions of solemnity or contemplation.

"The Jinshan defense line has been lost, and Datou's troops are gathering in the Mobei and Moxi areas. What do you think Datou is going to do?" Shabolue placed the urgent report sent by the scouts on the dining table, and his eyes swept over everyone in the tent, pausing especially on Lu Shang.

Lu Shang seemed unaware, his fingertips stroking the gilded wine cup. A strong wind blew past outside the tent, and the fluttering sound of the wolf flag penetrated the cowhide tent.

Chu Luohou frowned slightly, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Datou has gathered all his forces, I'm afraid he is about to launch a general attack."

"General attack?"

Shabolue sighed softly, "If Datou really launches a general attack, it will be difficult to defend Mo Nan with our current strength."

"The combined forces of Datou, Apo, and Khitan could reach 600,000. We cannot resist an army of 600,000."

Before Shabolue, there was the Jinshan Defense Line to defend, and Datou only harassed it. Now that the Jinshan Defense Line has been completely lost, the entire southern part of the desert has lost its most important barrier.

With an army of 600,000 men at his disposal, Datou could easily take control of the southern part of the desert and completely annex Shabolue's people.

"General Lu, Datou's troops are approaching us. How do you think we should respond?"

Seeing that Lu Shang had no intention of speaking, Shabolue had no choice but to ask.

Lu Shang raised his head and replied softly, "Hold on till the end and wait for help."

"When King Kaoshan asked me to come to the Khan's aid, he told me to hold the southern desert for a month. After a month, King Kaoshan's army would enter Baidaochuan."

"One month. We just need to hold out for a month under Datou's attack. Once King Kaoshan's army arrives, Datou will be dead."

Shabo lowered his head hesitantly and said, "Hold on for a month?"

Chu Luohou said directly: "General Lu, given the current situation in Mo Nan, it is impossible for us to hold out for a month under Datou's general attack."

"Ever since Datou and Apo rebelled, the Khan has been alienated from the tribes. Many tribes have rebelled against the Khan and accepted Datou as the Great Khan."

"You have to understand that when the Khan was elected Khan by the people, he controlled at least 500,000 troops. But now, the only troops he controls are the 50,000 troops in Baidaochuan. How can he defend Baidaochuan with just these 50,000 troops?"

Lü Shang glanced at Shabolue and said to Chuluo Hou, "Lord Yehu, there are ways to fight with a large army and a small army."

"Fu Jian of the Former Qin Dynasty had an army of one million, yet he was still defeated by Xie Xuan. When two armies fight, victory is not guaranteed by having more soldiers and more generals."

The million-strong army of Fu Jian of the Former Qin Dynasty was not an empty statement. At least the Fu Jian in the Jambu world was truly powerful.

In the Battle of Feishui, Fu Jian personally led 30,000 Yulin Lang, 270,000 cavalry, and 600,000 infantry, a total of 900,000 troops, from Chang'an to the south. He also ordered the Zitong prefect Pei Yuanlue to lead 70,000 naval forces from Bashu down the river to the east and march towards Jiankang. This was a real force of one million people, not just 200,000 like Cao Cao, who had a force of 800,000.

Chu Luohou shook his head slightly and said, "General Lu, although that is true, the current situation is very different from the Battle of Feishui. At that time, the Eastern Jin Dynasty had the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to rely on, while our Monan is flat and the Datou cavalry is coming with great momentum and there is no way to stop them. With our limited forces, I am afraid..."

He didn't finish his words, but everyone in the tent knew the implication.

Shaboluo clenched his fists tightly, his eyes moving back and forth between Lu Shang and Chu Luohou, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

"I'm afraid, what are you afraid of?" At this moment, Lu Shang stood up and said in a cold voice: "Khan, Lord Yehu, you have no way out now. You have lost the western and northern deserts. If you lose the southern desert as well, you will really have nothing."

"I can still return to the Central Plains, but where can you go? Even if you surrender to Datou, I want to ask the Khan, what do you think Datou will do to you?"

"You should know that Datou will accept all Turkic leaders, including Lord Yehu, but he will not accept you. The Turkic tribes will not accept a failed and destitute Khan. They will dig out your heart and liver and slaughter all your descendants."

"Use your blood and the blood of your descendants to start Datou's hegemony!"

Shaboluo was silent for a moment, then raised his head and asked, "You mean a young soldier has his own fighting style?"

"That's right. A small force has its own way of fighting. I have 6,000 soldiers and horses, Khan. You have 50,000 troops. You can at least mobilize 50,000 troops. We will have an army of 60,000."

Lu Shang spoke slowly, "Sixty thousand against six hundred thousand. We won't necessarily lose."

A flicker of determination flashed in Shaboluo's eyes. He stood up suddenly, his hands resting heavily on the food table, and said, "Okay! Well said! We don't necessarily lose, and Datou and the others don't necessarily win either. What do you say, how should we fight?"

"I want military power. I want the power of these fifty thousand soldiers."

Facing Shabolue's astonished gaze, Lu Shang continued, "I will take control of the Turkic military and concentrate all our forces to deal with Datou's attack."

Shabolue gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I, I will give you military power."

Lu Shang went a step further and said, "I also want the power to make decisions on the spot."

"Give it to you, all to you."

This time, Shaboluo did not hesitate. He said, "I will give you whatever you want. I only hope you can bring these 60,000 troops and give me a surprise."

Perhaps it was because Datou put too much pressure on Shabolue, or perhaps it was because the great wizard behind Shabolue, when pondering Lu Shang's fate, really made him figure out something different.

So when Lu Shang asked for military power, Shabolue hesitated for a moment and then handed it over to Lu Shang.

Shabolue had no other choice but to bet on Lu Shang.

If he wins the bet, Datou will not be able to invade the south for at least ten years, but if he loses the bet, then everything is over.

“There will be a surprise,” Lu Shang said softly.

He had been feeling a surge of blood these past few days, especially today, when he heard that Datou was going to send a large army to annex Mo Nan, this feeling became even stronger.

Lu Shang knew that his martial arts skills would be able to improve further in this Turkic civil war.

The way of martial arts is originally the art of killing. The idea that "stopping war is the best form of martial arts" is a meaning forced upon it by later generations.

The original martial arts were created for killing.

If you don't kill people and just work behind closed doors, it will be difficult to achieve great success no matter how talented you are.

(End of this chapter)