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

Tai Chi Palace, Liang Yi Palace.

Li Shimin stood before the enormous sand table, his face calm and composed, yet his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

After his initial fury, this battle-hardened emperor quickly regained the composure of a battlefield commander.

On the sand table, Tongguan has been marked with a small black flag representing the crown prince.

Around Chang'an, flags representing various military forces were densely packed.

"Hild's navy has arrived in Xiangyang and is heading north along the Han River. It will reach Wuguan within three days."

Li Jing pointed to the Han River line on the sand table: "The garrison at Wuguan is only three thousand strong. If attacked from both land and water, it will be difficult to hold out for long. If Wuguan is lost, the rebels can directly threaten Chang'an from the southeast."

"Xue Rengui led 50,000 elite cavalry from Liaodong and has already broken through Juyong Pass and is heading south. His target should be Youzhou."

Li Xiaogong's expression was grave: "I have ordered all the armies in Hebei to hold their ground, but Xue Rengui's troops are all battle-hardened elites and equipped with firearms, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to stop them."

“Li Chengqian himself is at Tongguan, and Xi Jun bought two thousand cavalrymen to accompany him.”

Cheng Yaojin said in a rough voice, "Your Majesty, give me 30,000 troops, and I'll take Tongguan back! Xi Junmai may be brave, but he has few soldiers. I'll bombard him with cannons!"

"Knowing your integrity, you'll be at peace."

Li Shimin raised his hand to stop him, his gaze slowly moving across the sand table:

"Li Chengqian is a man of cunning military tactics. He sent Hilde and Xue Rengui on two large-scale attacks, while he himself led a small elite force to launch a surprise attack on Tongguan. This is a typical example of using feints to attack in the east while striking in the west, combining deception and reality."

"Now that Tongguan has fallen, if we rashly launch a strong attack, it will be exactly what he wants—to deplete our troops and create opportunities for Xue Rengui and Hilde."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"But I will not let him have his way."

"Does Your Majesty already have a solution?" Fang Xuanling asked.

"First, Li Jing."

"Chen is here!"

"You shall lead 20,000 elite troops of the Right Guard to Lantian immediately and establish a defensive line. If the Hilde Navy wants to enter Guanzhong, it must pass through the Lantian Valley. You shall hold the strategic position there, using the Navy's artillery in conjunction with the infantry and cavalry, and you shall stop them at all costs!"

Li Shimin stared at Li Jing:

"Remember, your mission is to hinder, not annihilate. If you can hold off Hilde for ten days, that will be a great achievement."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Li Jing solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Second, Li Xiaogong."

"Chen is here!"

"You shall lead 15,000 cavalry of the Left Valiant Guard north immediately to join forces with the garrison of Youzhou and establish a defensive line in the Zhuozhou area to intercept Xue Rengui."

Li Shimin said in a deep voice, "Xue Rengui has many soldiers and brave generals, and he also has firearms, so we cannot fight him head-on. You should use the terrain to block him layer by layer and slow him down. I have already ordered Li Ji to lead 30,000 iron cavalry from the Anbei Protectorate south to join you in attacking Xue Rengui."

"Remember, your mission is to delay and wear down Li Ji's army until they arrive, then we can launch a counterattack."

"I understand!"

Li Xiaogong accepted the order.

"Third, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong."

"The old minister is here!"

The two veterans responded in unison.

"You two will lead 40,000 troops from the Left Guard and Right Guard to garrison the Baqiao camp."

Li Shimin pointed to the route from Tongguan to Chang'an on the sand table:
"If Li Chengqian advances westward from Tongguan, he will inevitably pass through Baqiao. You should construct a defensive line there, with deep trenches and high walls, and equip it with cannons and muskets. If he comes, let him suffer a crushing defeat at Baqiao!"

"Your Majesty, don't worry!"

Cheng Yaojin patted his chest and said, "With me and Jingde here, I guarantee that the Crown Prince... that rebellious son won't be able to cross the Ba Bridge even half a step!"

Yuchi Gong nodded emphatically: "We will defend Ba Bridge to the death!"

"Fourth, Qin Qiong and Chai Shao."

Li Shimin looked towards Luoyang on the sand table:
"You two will lead 30,000 Right Guard troops to Luoyang, forming a defensive alliance with Li Daozong's Luoyang garrison. Your mission is to ensure the absolute safety of Luoyang, while also monitoring the Shandong and Huainan regions and guarding against any unusual movements by Su Dingfang."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Both of them were still full of fighting spirit.

"fifth……"

Li Shimin surveyed the assembled officials in the hall, his voice suddenly rising:

"I will personally oversee the defense of Chang'an! All guards, including the Left Golden Guard, Right Imperial Gate Guard, and Thousand Bull Guard, are to be on high alert and stand guard on the city walls!"

"A curfew will be imposed within the city, and spies will be strictly investigated. Anyone who spreads rumors or undermines morale will be executed on the spot!"

"In addition, transfer Pei Xuan, Yu Gushe, Wang Haibin, Liu Xuan, Di Zhixun and others who were previously imprisoned to the military camp inside Xuanwu Gate. They will be under strict guard, but must not be mistreated. I still have use for these people."

Each order was clear and unambiguous, demonstrating the calmness and decisiveness of a mature military strategist in the face of crisis.

"His Majesty……"

Fang Xuanling seemed to want to say something but stopped himself.

"Xuanling, speak frankly."

"His Majesty's plans are meticulous, but... the Crown Prince possesses the advantage of firearms. The loss of Tongguan was due to his use of special equipment to climb the cliff. If he were to launch another forceful attack with firearms..."

"I know."

Li Shimin interrupted him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes:
"I have long witnessed the power of firearms. But firearms are not invincible—they require ammunition and operation. In siege warfare, the defenders can also use firearms to fight back."

He walked to the side of the hall, pushed open a hidden door, revealing a huge weapon rack inside.

More than twenty fine muskets and several small bronze cannons were neatly arranged on the rack.

"This was made by the Imperial Workshop and the Imperial Armory by imitating and improving the firearms captured from the muskets and weapons."

Li Shimin stroked the cold cannon barrel:
"Although not as sophisticated as the Crown Prince's, they are sufficient for defending the city. Chang'an's city walls have long been reinforced, and artillery emplacements have been built at key locations. If he launches a strong attack, I will let him taste the weapons he invented!"

Everyone then realized—

It turns out His Majesty had been wary of the Crown Prince all along.

"Let's all get ready."

Li Shimin waved his hand:
"Remember, the key to this battle is not Tongguan, nor Wuguan, but time."

"If we can hold off Li Chengqian for a month, reinforcements from all over the country will gather in Guanzhong. At that time, he will be trapped like a turtle in a jar."

"And what I want is this one month!"

"I will obey your orders!"

The ministers responded in unison and quickly left the hall.

Only Li Shimin remained in the hall.

He walked slowly to the window, gazing in the direction of Tongguan in the west, and remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, he murmured to himself:

"Chengqian, you've given me a real problem..."

"But I want to see whether your spear is sharper or my shield is stronger!"

One day later, at Tongguan, on the city wall.

Li Chengqian received the latest news from Chang'an.

"His Majesty's reaction was quite swift."

Pei Xingjian frowned slightly as he looked at the secret report:
"Li Jing went to Lantian to stop Hilde, Li Xiaogong went north to block Xue Rengui, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong stationed troops at Baqiao... This is to fight a protracted war with us until the loyalist troops are assembled."

"Father Emperor truly deserves to be called an emperor who conquered the world on horseback."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "The response was appropriate and the plan was meticulous. If it were anyone else, they would probably be panicking by now."

"But that's precisely why we need to be faster."

He stood up, walked to the west wall of Tongguan, and gazed towards Chang'an:

“Mr. Xi, please buy.”

"The general is here!"

"Your two thousand cavalry will depart this afternoon, heading west for thirty li to establish an outpost in the Lishan area, making a show of force against Chang'an."

"Remember, only make a show of force, do not engage in battle. If Cheng Yaojin's troops advance, fight and retreat, retreating back to Tongguan."

"I will finally understand!"

Xi Junmai accepted the order and left.

"Your Highness, are we really going to launch a full-scale attack on Baqiao?" Pei Xingjian asked.

"storm?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said:

"Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong are both veteran generals, and they have the advantage of terrain. Forty thousand elite troops are ready for battle. Even with the advantage of firearms, a strong attack on Baqiao will come at a heavy price."

"That……"

"Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy; conquering cities is the next best."

A calculating glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes:
"Does Father Emperor think that by holding us back for a month, he can wait for the reinforcements to arrive?"

"Then let's make sure he can't even hold out for ten days."

He turned around and looked at Yang Nannan:
"How many of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's hidden agents in Chang'an are still usable?" "Your Highness, most of the visible agents have been eliminated, but there are still forty-seven hidden agents, involving the city gate guards, the markets, and even twelve people in the palace."

Yang Nannan whispered, "These people are all in single-line contact, their identities are concealed, and the Hundred Cavalry Division has not yet noticed them."

"very good."

Li Chengqian nodded: "Pass down the order to begin the 'Awakening of Insects' plan tonight."

"The Awakening of Insects?" Pei Xingjian asked, puzzled.

"The awakening of insects is when spring thunder startles all insects."

Li Chengqian said calmly:

"We want to make thunderclaps resound throughout Chang'an."

"Oh, right."

He suddenly remembered something and said, "Has the secret letter to General Li Ji been sent? I really miss the days when I fought alongside him on all fronts!"

"Your Highness, it has already been sent."

"That's good."

That night, in Chang'an.

The city was deathly silent under the curfew, with only the occasional sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps.

At 11:45 AM, at the southeast corner of the Imperial City, at Tonghua Gate.

Wang Wu, the team leader in charge of the goal, yawned and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt beneath his feet.

Immediately afterwards——

"Boom——!"

A deafening explosion erupted near the city gate! Flames shot into the sky!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

Wang Wu instantly regained consciousness and shouted hoarsely.

Almost simultaneously, explosions rang out in multiple locations throughout the city!

Chengtianmen Street, the East Market, the West Market, and even the area near the Guanglu Temple within the Imperial City...

Although the explosion was not very powerful and did not cause serious damage, the panic it caused was enormous.

Countless people were awakened from their sleep, looking in terror at the firelight outside their windows.

The patrolling soldiers ran around frantically, but couldn't find the attackers.

An hour later, the explosions stopped.

But the seeds of panic have already been sown.

Liangyi Palace.

Li Shimin looked at the report in front of him with a gloomy expression.

"There were a total of thirteen explosions, all caused by gunpowder. Fortunately, the amount of gunpowder was not large, and only a few sections of the wall were destroyed, seven soldiers were injured, and no civilians died."

Commander of the Hundred Cavalry Division, Yun Duan, knelt and reported:
"The attackers...were not captured. Only some specially made time-delay fuses were found at the scene, which should have been set up in advance."

"Make arrangements in advance..."

A cold glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes:
"Li Chengqian's Embroidered Uniform Guard had indeed infiltrated Chang'an long ago."

"Your Majesty, should we conduct a city-wide search?" Yun Duan asked.

"Do not."

Li Shimin shook his head: "A large-scale search at this time will only cause more panic among the people, which is exactly what Li Chengqian wants."

He pondered for a moment:
"Strengthen patrols, especially at key locations such as granaries, armories, and water sources."

"Furthermore... send an order to Cheng Yaojin to send 5,000 troops from Baqiao back to defend Chang'an."

"Your Majesty, this..." Fang Xuanling was startled.

"A mixture of truth and deception."

Li Shimin said coldly:

"Li Chengqian wants to use this little trick to disrupt my plans and force me to send troops back to defend."

“Then I will show him the portion—but not actually distribute it.”

He looked up at the clouds:
"Have Cheng Yaojin make a big show of dividing his troops and returning to the city, but in reality only two thousand will return, while the remaining three thousand will secretly sneak back to Baqiao. At the same time, plant many flags in the city to create the illusion of a large army returning to defend."

"I want to see what other tricks he has up his sleeve."

The next morning.

Rumors were rampant in Chang'an.

Some say the Crown Prince's army has already reached outside the city, and last night's explosion was a precursor signal.

Some say that Xue Rengui has already captured Youzhou and will soon lead his troops to the Yellow River.

Some say that Hilde's navy has already passed Wuguan Pass and is heading straight for Chang'an along the Wei River.

Even more extreme rumors suggest that His Majesty is preparing to abandon the city and flee west...

Despite the government's efforts to refute the rumors, panic continued to spread.

At this moment, at the Tongguan city gate.

Li Chengqian received the latest secret report.

"Has Father divided his troops to return to defend the capital?"

He looked at the secret report and smiled:
"As expected, we fell into their trap."

"How does Your Highness know that His Majesty's division of troops is a pretense?" Pei Xingjian asked.

"If the troops had truly been divided, Cheng Yaojin should have already retreated to a defensive position by now. However, the scouts from Baqiao reported that the flags of the Baqiao camp remained unfurled and the defenses were as usual."

Li Chengqian said calmly:

"Father is trying to use this as a trap to lure me into a full-scale attack on Baqiao."

"Then let's..."

"Of course we have to attack."

A sharp glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes:

"But not the attack on Baqiao."

He unfolded the map and traced a winding route with his finger:

"Order Xi Junmai to lead all two thousand cavalrymen from this place—the small path at the northern foot of Mount Li—around the Baqiao defense line, and head straight for Chang'an at midnight tonight!"

"what?"

Pei Xingjian was greatly alarmed: "That path is rugged and difficult to traverse. How can the cavalry get through? And what if the garrison at Ba Bridge discovers us..."

"Therefore, cover is needed."

Li Chengqian looked at Yang Nannan:

"At the hour of Chou tonight, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will create chaos in Chang'an again, on a larger scale than last night."

"At the same time, three bonfires were lit ten miles east of Baqiao to create the illusion of a large-scale night attack by the army."

"When Cheng Yaojin's attention was drawn, Xi Junmai quietly bypassed him via a side path."

"But Your Highness, even if General Xi reaches the outskirts of Chang'an, two thousand cavalrymen will not be able to breach the city!"

"Who said we were going to attack the city?"

Li Chengqian smiled:
"What I want is for these two thousand cavalrymen to appear at the gates of Chang'an."

"When the garrison of Chang'an awoke at dawn, they were suddenly struck by the sight of the Crown Prince's cavalry appearing outside the city..."

"What do you think they'll think?"

Pei Xingjian was shocked and finally understood Li Chengqian's entire plan.

Attack the heart!

A complete and utter psychological attack!
Not only must we disrupt Chang'an's plans, but we must also break the will of Chang'an's defenders!

When the defenders discovered that the enemy had managed to bypass the heavily guarded Baqiao Bridge and appear at the foot of the city without anyone noticing, the psychological impact was more terrifying than ten strong attacks!
"Your Highness's plan... is too risky. If General Xi is discovered, he will be attacked from both sides and his entire army will be wiped out."

"Therefore, we must succeed."

Li Chengqian's gaze was firm:
"Tell Xi Junmai that this journey is fraught with peril, with nine out of ten chances of survival. But if it succeeds, he will be the greatest contributor!"

"In addition, order Hilde and Xue Rengui to launch a general offensive, and Su Dingfang to move south for a landing operation."

He gazed towards Chang'an, his eyes seemingly burning with fire:

"Ten days?"

"Father, I only need three days."

"Within three days, your son will stand at Xuanwu Gate and show you what a mere General Tian Ce is!"

Night fell once again.

This crucial father-son duel, which will determine the fate of the Tang Dynasty, is about to reach its climax. (End of Chapter)