novelraw Chapter 405 - 11: Surprise Attack on Qinzhou—It Is I, Gu Ziyuan of the Gu Clan!
Chapter 405 - 11: Surprise Attack on Qinzhou—It Is I, Gu Ziyuan of the Gu Clan!
This opportunity, he absolutely wouldn’t let it slip by!
The situation has completely changed.
Although Xue Ju had retreated very cautiously, when the Tang Army attacked from both flanks, the entire Western Qin Army was inevitably thrown into chaos.
Even though they managed to finally retreat,
nearly thirty thousand casualties were left behind.
The formal assault hadn’t even fully begun, yet the Tang Army had already seized an advantage!
The most critical aspect—
it did not unfold beyond Li Shimin’s expectations.
After experiencing a major defeat, the Western Qin Army couldn’t control the slump in morale.
The prestige of the Gu Clan had always weighed down on everyone like a huge mountain.
Not to mention, they had now suffered a crushing defeat.
Even Xue Ju couldn’t rejuvenate morale, in facing Li Shimin’s invasion, under such circumstances, some suggested gathering all elite troops to confront the enemy.
This wasn’t stupidity on their part, rather it was simply the pressure of the situation.
The Gu Clan had been secluded for too long.
Who would have thought that Gu Yan, who could still battle with Xue Rengao on the battlefield today, wasn’t even the most outstanding disciple of the Gu Clan?
Although Xue Ju didn’t directly agree, under the persuasion and analysis of the generals,
he was ultimately forced to order gathering troops to engage Li Shimin.
...
Meanwhile, Gu Quan had already set out.
Unlike Li Shimin’s main army, Gu Quan, as the raiding force, had many considerations.
Not only did they need to prevent information from leaking, they also had to guard against Western Qin’s spies and scouts.
To be safe—
even with only five thousand troops accompanying, Gu Quan still split them up, providing separate routes for them, eventually gathering west of the Wei River.
They had to travel by night, resting by day along the way.
Though not directly perilous, intense psychological pressure lingered in everyone’s mind.
Yet it was far less than the dangers ahead.
Gu Quan only allotted himself seven days, deemed as optimal; enough to prevent soldiers’ spirit from collapsing due to fatigue.
Seven days to hasten three hundred li.
Entering Guanhe Canyon via the Long Mountain path, this was the only current route.
Learning from previous errors of Gu Xiao and Gu Chen, the raid on Longxi required taking truly perilous roads to completely avoid enemy scouts.
Cliffs and falling rocks...
This route’s difficulty far exceeded that of Gu Xiao and Gu Chen in earlier years.
The route itself stretched forty li.
The risks were clear.
But Gu Quan still stayed in the lead, using his actions to stabilize the soldiers’ morale.
After crossing this mountain path, there lay dense forests.
Even someone like Gu Quan, familiar with terrain maps since childhood, could easily get lost in dozens of li of thick woods.
But having chosen to raid, he had to face everything.
Gu Quan could change nothing.
But, having actually encountered all this, he couldn’t help but acknowledge its difficulty.
He pushed his talents to the limit,
Eventually leading the soldiers out of the forest, arriving in Qinzhou, though nearly a thousand were lost along the way.
Gu Quan didn’t choose to attack right away.
Instead, he sent someone to scout while allowing troops to rest.
After waiting several days,
news of the battle at Gaozhi began trickling in.
Gu Quan watched as the soldiers departed from Qinzhou City, quietly waiting rather than rushing into assault.
—The opportunity has appeared!
Though Xue Ju hadn’t sent all troops to the frontline, an opportunity arose for Gu Quan.
Occupying Qinzhou would inevitably cause chaos at the frontline; Xue Ju wouldn’t allow Qin City to fall, certain to lead troops personally to defend.
By then, holding Qin City allows for a pincer attack with Li Shimin.
Reviving the battle waged by Gu Xiao and Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu in years past!
History is always strikingly similar.
Whether it’s Li Shimin or Gu Quan, neither explicitly discussed all this, yet at such moments, though miles apart, they made synchronized judgments.
Even Gu Yi was somewhat surprised, never expecting to witness this scene again.
While positions weren’t identical,
at this moment, how is it different from years past?
Perhaps what differs is Xue Ju’s guard, but the situation compels Xue Ju to make various decisions.
Everything had long been fated.
Once the three armies finished resting, Gu Quan unhesitatingly attacked all of Qin City.
With only over four thousand men left!
But against a city utterly defenseless and with few defenders, it was sufficient!
Moreover, having endured countless hardships, the pent-up frustration within them significantly boosted the soldiers’ combat capacity.
The most crucial point—
Let’s not forget who leads them now, they bear the name Gu!
The legend of the Gu Clan; the lure of fame;
How could the soldiers not fight to the death?
In merely a day, the entire Qin City swiftly fell into Gu Quan’s hands.
Gu Quan didn’t order chasing down fleeing defeated soldiers, instead immediately fortified the city defenses, preparing for the upcoming battle.
Trusting Li Shimin would undoubtedly make the most accurate decisions, not abandoning this opportunity....
...
The news continued spreading.
The fall of Qin City dealt an absolutely fatal blow to all of Western Qin.