"I've exchanged blows with Dalun Ruozan. Based on my understanding of him, they're probably already discussing tonight's operation. If my guess is correct, their target tonight should be here."
As Wang Chong spoke, he suddenly extended a finger and pointed at a point on the model.
This finger instantly attracted the attention of everyone in the hall, countless gazes turning to the point Wang Chong was pointing at.
… …
"The day part of our war with the Tang dynasty has ended, but the night part is still far from beginning …"
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the battlefield of Talas, behind the high hills, in a typical Western Turkic golden tent, Dalun Ruozan, Duwusili, Huoshu Huizang, Dusong Mangpoje, and the other Western Turkic and Ouzan commanders were gathered around Dalun Ruozan.
Unlike Wang Chong and the others, they were not facing a model of Talas, but the precious map of the Ouzan Empire.
"On the surface, the leader of the Tang dynasty is Gao Xianzhi, but in reality, the commander behind the scenes is that youngest son of the Wang Clan that we're familiar with. Based on my understanding of him, he'll definitely make his move tonight. In the southwest, he already used this move. This time, he definitely won't let go of this opportunity. "
Just as Wang Chong had made the same judgment about Dalun Ruozan, Dalun Ruozan was making the same judgment about Wang Chong. These two old foes understood each other far too well.
"In addition, in the battle during the day, we've already lost many soldiers. Unlike the Tang dynasty, we don't have Tang Li to replenish our forces, so I'm sure that Wang Chong will make us the focus of his attacks in the future. He will continue to use all effective methods to nibble away at our forces bit by bit until we are completely exhausted! "
If Wang Chong were here, he would definitely be shocked, because Dalun Ruozan had accurately described the strategy he had analyzed to the crowd in the Lord's Hall of Talas.
"Gong Jue Jeb, how are the fences and outposts I ordered you to build going?"
Dalun Ruozan turned his head and looked at an Ouzan commander behind him.
"Replying to Prime Minister, we have already unloaded the goods from the accompanying vehicles and ordered the soldiers to start the construction. It should be completed in about four hours."
His name was Gonjue Jebu, and he had a rough face and a scimitar hanging from his waist. He looked extremely sturdy, and he was an Ouzan general.
"Very good. Instruct all the soldiers to arrange the signal for patrol. In addition, try to light a large number of torches outside the defensive line. Anyone who approaches, be it the enemy or their own people, must be strictly guarded. If you run into your own people, you must be more vigilant than if you run into an enemy! "
Dalun Ruozan said.
"Isn't Prime Minister making a mountain out of a molehill? Isn't it a little too cautious to pass by at night? "
At this moment, a voice rang out in the tent. Duwusili had his hands behind his back. At the beginning, he had been listening silently, but as he listened, his wild, thick brows gradually furrowed. Dalun Ruozan was Ouzan's Prime Minister. After a brief interaction, Duwusili had deeply acknowledged this fact.
But Dalun Ruozan's solemn appearance, as if he was facing a great enemy, was something that Duwusili found hard to agree with. Perhaps not even Dalun Ruozan had been like this in the early morning battle.
"Haha, Supreme General has never dealt with that person, so it's normal that you don't know. That person's art of war is different from anyone else's. In the war of the southwest, that person even used the tactic of having the Tang people disguise themselves as our Ouzan and Mengshe Zhao people several times. It was raining at the time, so he ruined our encirclement several times. What should have been an absolute advantage was slowly destroyed by him, leading to our final defeat. "
Dalun Ruozan, on the other hand, faintly smiled, not angry.
"Buzz!"
Hearing Dalun Ruozan's words, Duwusili, Shamshak, Chekun Benba, and the other Turkic Khaganate generals all grimaced. They knew a little about the war of the southwest, but they had never heard of such specific details.
"That's too despicable!"
Chekun Benba viciously said.
The Western Turks were used to a head-on clash of swords and spears. If the enemy disguised themselves as Western Turks and launched a sneak attack, it would truly be impossible to defend against.
"Great General, please do not blame me. Prime Minister is just being a little cautious, and there's nothing wrong with being careful. I say this out of consideration for the entire army. Moreover, the battlefield is littered with corpses. The Tang Dynasty has probably already taken measures to remove the armor from those corpses. In total, we lost nearly forty thousand men in this battle. If the Tang Dynasty sends forty thousand men disguised as us to launch a sneak attack in the darkness, we simply won't be able to hold out and will suffer grievous losses. "
Huoshu Huizang sternly said.
Both Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huizang were well aware of Wang Chong's habit of pretending to be his opponents and were extremely wary of it. Duwusili might not understand, but Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huizang could not possibly not be on guard.
Duwusili said nothing, but his brows creased. A small number of disguised soldiers wouldn't be a problem, but a large number was a different matter. If that brat from the Tang Dynasty really was so crafty, they truly would have to be on guard.
"We'll do as you say. I will have my subordinates do their best to cooperate. But if the Tang Dynasty can ambush us, why can't we attack them? Rather than sitting around and waiting for death, it's better to attack instead of defending. "
Duwusili sternly said.
"Haha, I agree with the Great General on this point."
Dalun Ruozan faintly smiled and lightly waved his sleeve. Turning his eyes back to the map of the continent on the hollowed-out table in the tent.
"Although the Tang Dynasty is powerful and skilled in the art of war, more than half of them are mercenaries. The true Tang Dynasty doesn't have many soldiers. Besides that, they also have a massive weakness. If we can grasp this weakness, we can 'cut off an arm'. Even if the Tang Dynasty still has one hundred thousand soldiers, there's nothing to fear."
"What weakness?"
Dalun Ruozan's words immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the tent. Duwusili, Huoba Sangye, Chekun Benba, and Shamshak all turned to look.
"Ballistae!"
Dalun Ruozan faintly smiled as he spat out these two words.
… …
"Ballistae!"
Dalun Ruozan had no idea that in the Lord Hall of the City of Talas, Wang Chong was confidently saying these two words to all his generals.
"Ballistae are the cornerstone weapons of the Tang Dynasty, and the Imperial Court has always been extremely strict in this aspect. In our thousand-li raid to reinforce Talas, a significant number of Arabs, Western Turks, and Ouzan soldiers died to ballista bolts. As a wise minister, Dalun Ruozan couldn't have missed this point. If Dalun Ruozan launches a night raid, his target will definitely be the ballistae! "
Wang Chong's words were powerful and resonant. He understood Dalun Ruozan far too well.
Unless it was a large-scale battle, a night raid would only be able to inflict very limited damage. Thus, strategic targets were usually chosen for sneak attacks, so Dalun Ruozan would never miss out on this chance.
"Lord Protector-General, ballistae are no small matter. If the Ouzan and Western Turks choose ballistae as their targets, should we consider withdrawing the ballistae into Talas to avoid too many losses?"
Cheng Qianli probed.
Ballistae were not unique to Wang Chong. The Anxi Protectorate army was equipped with many ballistae, but ballistae had always played a supporting role. They had never been an independent army like Wang Chong's, and they had never been able to divide up the work. On the battlefield, the power displayed by Wang Chong's ballistae army and the ballistae of the Anxi Protectorate army were like the difference between the heavens and the earth.
If Dalun Ruozan chose Wang Chong's ballista army as his target, it would definitely have a massive effect on the army of the Tang Dynasty in the City of Talas.
However, the ballista army was still an army under Wang Chong's command. Even though Cheng Qianli was the Vice Protector-General of the Anxi Protectorate army, he had no right to interfere. He could only offer suggestions. In the army, overstepping one's authority was a major taboo!
"There's no need!"
Wang Chong chuckled, unconcerned.
"The steel defense line needs to be coordinated with the ballista army to intimidate the enemy. Moreover, we can't rule out the possibility that Abu Muslim and Dalun Ruozan will launch a large-scale attack at night. Only with the ballistae can we launch a timely counterattack. And without the ballistae, how can we lure out Dalun Ruozan? "
The eyes of everyone in the hall brightened at these last words.
"It seems like Lord Protector-General already has plans."
Gao Xianzhi stroked his beard as he realized something and smiled at Wang Chong.
"Preparedness ensures success, and unpreparedness ensures failure. Since we know that Dalun Ruozan will attack the ballistae, we can't possibly not be on guard. In addition, the Ouzan can attack us, and we can attack them!"
Wang Chong calmly said.
Gao Xianzhi inwardly nodded at Wang Chong's words. Heroes cherished heroes. Although Wang Chong was much younger than him, he was a top-class Great General in terms of strategic thinking. Many of his ideas and countermeasures were in line with Gao Xianzhi's. This was something that Gao Xianzhi could not sense from any of the other Anxi Protectorate army officers.
"Lord Protector-General and I are of the same mind. Strike first to gain the initiative, and then strike later to restrain the enemy. Attacking is the best way to solve this problem. "
Gao Xianzhi's eyes brightened.
Gao Xianzhi had never been a Great General who defended cities. Proactively attacking had always been his style, and this was also why Gao Xianzhi had been so sympathetic to Wang Chong's idea of attacking.
"However, there is one more thing that Lord Protector-General must guard against. Based on what I know, Dalun Ruozan has exchanged blows with you before and has a deep understanding of your techniques. Moreover, he has always been an intelligent person, so he must have predicted that you would attack and prepared for it. If Lord Protector-General wishes to attack, you must think carefully. "
Gao Xianzhi said.
"Haha, Milord is overthinking things. The art of war is deceitful, and Dalun Ruozan only knows of my past strategies, not my present ones. The path of a general is based on the local conditions, and it is unpredictable as well as unpredictable. If I don't have a set style, how can my opponent defend against it? No matter how Dalun Ruozan prepares, it's useless. "
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