My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 96 One Can Also Become a Great Ruler (Third Update, Please Subscribe!)

The so-called "archer" mentioned by Anagui only refers to men who can fight on horseback.

The rest, including the elderly, children, women and infants, are not counted.

When the army set off, Anagui ordered all tribes to leave behind only the necessary personnel to take care of the elderly and children, and all the rest to follow the army northward.

They marched and herded livestock at the same time, so their marching speed was not very fast.

Overall, they gradually moved closer to the direction of the Rouran royal court.

The Genhe Valley, where the royal court was located, was roughly near present-day Ulaanbaatar, a place dotted with rivers and lakes, and lush with aquatic plants.

Unlike the last time when he accompanied Li Chong on his expedition, this time he followed Anagui northward. The Rouran people had dominated the grasslands for a century, and the Rouran Khan, as the local ruler, was naturally very familiar with the geography of the area.

The Rouran people didn't need to investigate the terrain, water sources, river flow, forests, or the lushness of the vegetation. In fact, Anagui believed he was superior to the Gaoche people in terms of geographical advantage.

As they ventured deeper into the royal court, the number of scouts and rangers dispatched daily increased.

The primary purpose of the patrol was to investigate the movements of the Gaoche people.

The Wei army is not large.

The combined number of Chinese and foreign troops is six thousand.

They set up camp with the Rouran people every day.

Peng Le and his men numbered about thirty or forty. They were divided into four groups of ten. None of them could explain their origins or be recorded in the military register. They were considered Gao Yu's private soldiers, or his personal troops, and only obeyed Gao Yu's orders.

Picking at the millet in his bowl, Li Si looked around and, seeing no one was around, whispered.

"Have you heard? I've heard from others that the Tiele people have amassed hundreds of thousands of troops, several times larger than ours. This time, I'm afraid..."

"Shut up!"

Peng Le immediately glared at him and interrupted him.

Li Si was considered one of his confidants, and claimed that his ancestors were a branch of the Li family of Longxi, so Peng Le just listened to him for the time being.

Most of what Li Si said came from the military market and wasn't exactly a secret.

Anagui's subordinates all surrendered from the north, and they always brought all sorts of news, which, through word of mouth, only became more and more exaggerated.

Li Si chuckled awkwardly, "I was just telling the brothers something, why is the leader so angry?"

"Do you wish to die? Military law is merciless! If this gets out and reaches the commander's ears, you will be executed at the gate for disrupting morale. Even I cannot save you then!"

"I'm not telling anyone else. Making it clear beforehand will allow the brothers to be prepared, right? Just in case..."

Peng Le didn't say anything more.

It is only natural to feel fear when facing an enemy force that outnumbers you several times over.

They were nothing more than bandits who committed murder and robbery. They had killed people and seen blood, and they considered themselves worldly-wise, but compared to true elites, they were far inferior.

Without personally spending time among tens of thousands of troops, it's difficult to describe the difference between the two simply with words.

Peng Le turned his head to look elsewhere.

Gao Yu's soldiers, on the other hand, were not as fearful as they were. In particular, his armored cavalrymen were well-behaved and disciplined in their actions and movements. He couldn't even tell that they were any different from when they were in Huai Shuo.

Eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, laugh when you're happy, and sleep when you're tired.

It seems they don't know what fear is.

"No matter how valiant Gao Lang is, he only has fifty or sixty armored cavalry under his command. I have no doubt that Gao Lang can rout a few hundred or even a thousand men in one blow, but what if it's an army of one hundred thousand...?"

Peng Le did not have a clear answer in his mind.

Gao Yu inspected the camp and checked the condition of his soldiers.

The information he received was more detailed than that of his soldiers. Anagui had privately told him the latest news, and it was certain that the Gaoche people had amassed at least 150,000 troops. Whether other tribes would subsequently join them was unknown.

Now that the army has been heading north for more than half a month, the Gaoche people are definitely actively looking for their location.

With hundreds of thousands of people, the horses were fed and carcasses were fed, and even the tallest carts couldn't bear the weight.

If our side knows the strength of the Gaoche people's troops, then the Gaoche people can naturally know them as well.

The Gaoche people have an overwhelming numerical advantage, and they must be eager to engage in a decisive battle as soon as possible. With their superior numbers and the momentum of their previous great victory, there is no reason for them to lose.

Gao Yu surveyed the camp and found that most of the soldiers were in good condition, which was worth all the cattle and sheep he had slaughtered over the past two years. Only Peng Le and his group seemed a bit panicked, which was within his expectations.

He picked a blade of grass and put it in his mouth, squatted on the ground, and wrote and drew with a twig in his hand.

He was merely a military commander in charge of five hundred soldiers, and military strategy was of little concern to him. However, he would often ponder things when he had nothing to do. His thoughts might not be correct, but they were a way to pass the time.

It is not impossible to win with fewer troops.

Besides needing brave generals and soldiers, it is also necessary to take advantage of the terrain to create a favorable combat environment. Both sides are cavalry, which is the same. The enemy's numbers are several times that of our own, which is a great disadvantage. Therefore, the terrain must be unfavorable to the enemy's ability to fully deploy.

The Genhe Valley is crisscrossed by rivers and has abundant forests.

For someone familiar with the terrain, such a place is not difficult to find.

Thinking of this, Gao Yu couldn't help but look up to the north, where the golden tent of Anagui was located, shimmering in the sunlight.

"I wonder what the King of the Rats is planning..."

………………

Every day, scouts returned to camp, and scouts also dispersed.

Anagui stood in front of the map, pointing in the direction where he was currently located.

The Rouran army is currently advancing along the Su River. The scouts who returned to camp the day before yesterday brought back news that they encountered Gaoche scouts three hundred li south of the Ruoluo River.

Anagui pressed his finger on the Ruoluo River again, and then pulled it down.

The people on the high-speed train were getting closer and closer.

Today, the scouts brought back news again. They captured a prisoner and interrogated him, learning that the Gaoche army had split up, with the main force heading south and the remaining troops planning to make a detour.

Like a hunt.

Anagui believed the news was true.

If this is true, it means that the Gaoche people had obviously also discovered his location.

They treated him like prey.

The Gaoche people have a numerical advantage and can exert pressure from multiple directions to drive them away, constantly shrinking their area of ​​operation until they are surrounded. This method of encirclement and hunting on the grasslands is always effective.

Anagui, of course, saw through Ifu's thoughts.

He couldn't help but recall what Gao Yu had said a few days ago when he had gathered everyone in the Khan's tent to discuss the matter.

"The art of war says: A skillful strategist aims to subdue the enemy rather than be subdued by them. Your Majesty has grown up in the royal court since childhood and must be very familiar with the terrain here. We should choose terrain that is advantageous to us and disadvantageous to the enemy for our battle."

It seemed as if the high-speed train was driving him here, forcing him to come.

Rather...

He was the one who deliberately led the army closer to this location, wanting to find the perfect spot for the final battle.

Looking at the map, an idea gradually took shape in his mind, but it was very risky.

He was still hesitating.

The next day.

Anagui ordered the army to rest in place for a day, and then sent someone to summon all the generals.

Yang Jun then led his personal guards, Gao Yu, and Huli Jin to the Rouran army camp, while Yuan Fu led Cui Jie, Daxi Wu, Shedi Gan, and others in the central army.

Inside the tent.

Besides Anagui, there were also tribal chiefs who came to seek refuge.

Upon seeing this situation, Gao Yu immediately understood... that Anagui must have already discovered the location of the Gaoche army, and was about to begin deploying and arranging his troops to prepare for battle against the Gaoche people.

Summoning them here must be a military order.

"Meet the Khan."

"No need for formalities, please have a seat."

Anagui glanced at both sides, and finally his gaze settled on Gao Yu, who was sitting at the very end.

Gao Yu's current military rank is indeed somewhat low-class.

Anagui didn't waste any words and said directly, "Gentlemen, the scouts have already located the Gaoche people's position, and the Gaoche people have also discovered our army's whereabouts. They are dividing their forces to launch a pincer attack on our army."

"Within ten days, the two armies will inevitably clash."

The expressions on everyone's faces were different.

"I have summoned you all here today to ask for your advice. Do any of you have any good ideas?" The group looked at each other, but no one spoke rashly.

Gao Yu knew that he was of lowly status and had no right to speak here. If Anagui did not ask him, he would simply remain silent.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Anagui stood up and glanced at his younger brother Tutujia on his right.

Tutujia understood immediately and gave Ashina Tumen a wink.

Ashina Tumen rose and bowed.

"Although our army is small, they are all elite troops, each one capable of fighting ten. With just one order from the Khan, the entire army will fight bravely and be able to defeat the enemy!"

Once someone spoke up, the chiefs of the other tribes followed suit.

Anagui remained calm and expressionless, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

After the chieftains quieted down, Anagui looked at Yuanfu and asked, "Does the Prince of Linhuai have any good ideas?"

Yuan Fu quickly shook his head and clasped his hands, "I am not good at military affairs, Your Majesty may ask someone else."

He was originally sent here by Yuan Yi against his will.

I really don't understand.

Before entering the grassland, he was still somewhat enthusiastic, but after marching for days and staying along the way, his enthusiasm had long since cooled. When he learned that he was about to fight the Gaoche, he even felt a little apprehensive.

Anagui looked at Yang Jun, "Does the general have any plans?"

Yang Jun quickly got up.

"If Your Majesty knows the location of the Gaoche, you may send elite cavalry to harass their camp, exhaust their troops, and prevent them from resting."

Anagui nodded. "General, your strategy of exhausting the troops is a good one. It will increase our chances of victory by weakening the enemy."

In fact, he didn't think much of it.

The Gaoche people were cavalry, and their numbers outnumbered those of the Gaoche.

Even if it's harassment, it's unlikely to be effective, but it's worth a try, just in case.

Immediately.

Anagui suddenly appeared in front of Gao Yu and asked him the question.

"Does Your Excellency have any good advice for me?"

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Gao Yu was not intimidated and stood up directly.

He had imagined it countless times and constantly rehearsed it in his mind.

"The Gaoche people outnumber us and are riding high on their previous victory. It would be unwise to rashly send us out to fight them."

That's nonsense.

Everyone present glanced at Gao Yu and then immediately looked away.

Anagui pressed on, "And what about Gaulang's opinion?"

"The army should retreat slowly, reducing the number of cooking fires each day to make their soldiers arrogant."

“The Gaoche must be underestimating our army. Let us choose a favorable place to lure them deeper into our territory and then fight a decisive battle.”

Everyone looked at Gao Yu.

The group nodded in agreement. It was a reasonable explanation, though not particularly brilliant, but it was a feasible method. They had only heard that Huai Shuo High School's second-year students were exceptionally brave, but they hadn't expected them to know anything about military strategy.

"A favorable location..."

Anagui nodded after hearing this. When he had talked with Gao Yu before, Gao Yu had told him that the enemy's army was twice as strong as his and their morale was also higher. In order to win, he had to take advantage of the terrain.

He wholeheartedly agreed with this.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "How should we arrange the formation?"

He regretted asking the question as soon as it left his mouth, fearing he might embarrass Gao Yu.

After all, Gao Yu was just a minor military commander who usually only managed five hundred soldiers. Such matters of large-scale military deployment were probably not his forte.

What he valued was Gao Yu's unparalleled bravery, not his military strategy.

But Gao Yu did indeed think about it.

It wasn't that he was particularly clever, but rather that he recalled some war history he had read before his time travel. In his memory, many decisive battles where the few defeated the many often used a tactic called oblique attack.

He laid out all the thoughts he had been pondering for the past few days.

"Our army is smaller than the enemy army, and they are all cavalry. Even if we choose terrain that is not conducive to the enemy's full deployment, the enemy will still have the advantage due to their numbers."

That's true.

The enemy cannot deploy fully, but they can deploy just like you. The enemy has more troops, so their numbers are greater than yours.

"However... we can use the 'diagonal attack' tactic."

These words piqued Anagui's interest.

Gao Yu continued talking.

The diagonal attack tactic is somewhat similar to a 'revolving door'. The side being attacked does not retreat straight backward, but rather, like a revolving door being pushed, it gradually concentrates its power to the other side, cutting off the enemy. It's like using your left arm to temporarily block the enemy's full-force attack in a fight, leaving the enemy vulnerable, and then unleashing a powerful right hook that knocks them out with one punch.

The most important point of this tactic is...

The troops on the side that are being attacked must not be thrown into disarray or scattered; they must maintain their position until their own 'right hook' is unleashed.

If you get scattered right away, you'll be surrounded before you can even throw a right hook.

That would mean total annihilation.

At this moment, everyone in the tent had a sudden flash of inspiration. They considered it in their minds and all felt that this tactic was indeed ingenious.

but……

They also noticed something amiss.

How can you get drivers of high-speed vehicles to actively attack the side you want them to attack?

Khan's Banner!

Moreover, the battlefield is dangerous. Facing the enemy's fierce attack, the forces on one side are already fewer than those on the other. What if the soldiers are afraid and simply collapse?
Only a Khan can maintain morale.

Anagui was the Rouran Khan, whose status was even more noble, and he bluntly said that it was unwise to send him to be a human target.

therefore……

Gao Yu stopped there and didn't continue.

The diagonal attack tactic seems to have persuaded Anagui.

He pursed his lips and remained silent.

He knew Gao Yu had concerns. After all, at this point, even the most foolish person could understand the meaning behind the words. Besides, he was not foolish; on the contrary, he was quite clever.

Take risks.

On the battlefield, no one can guarantee anything; there are no perfect, sure-fire strategies.

It is very likely that the weakest side will not be able to withstand the impact of the Gaoche people—this is the natural order of things. If it can be easily blocked, why would the Khan need to personally go there to oversee things?
Gao Yu kept glancing at Anagui out of the corner of his eye, and could see the inner turmoil and struggle in her heart.

He couldn't help but think of the Battle of Guandu in history.

It was also a case of fighting with fewer troops against more.

At the most critical moment, Cao Cao personally led his troops into battle, thus securing a sliver of hope for himself in a desperate situation.

Even Yuan Shao, who is infamous for his infamy, removed his helmet and revealed his identity during the Battle of Jieqiao with Gongsun Zan to inspire his soldiers to fight bravely.

However, there was also the time at Gaoliang River, when Zhao Er personally went to the front line to boost morale, but he was shot by an arrow and ran away, directly causing the Song army to collapse.

In such a life-or-death moment, no one knows what will happen.

Would Anagui dare?
Gao Yu withdrew his gaze.

"No extraordinary deeds, no extraordinary achievements!"

Anagui gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "Just as Gaolang said! When the decisive battle begins, I will raise the Khan's flag to lure the Gaoche army to attack!"

Oh shit!

Upon hearing this, Gao Yu cursed inwardly, "What do you mean by 'as I said'?"

Who the hell said that?

(End of this chapter)