novelraw Chapter 412 - 13: Bloody Battle at Hulao Pass, Capturing Two Emperors in One Battle (Double-Length, Please Vote)
Chapter 412 - 13: Bloody Battle at Hulao Pass, Capturing Two Emperors in One Battle (Double-Length, Please Vote)
——The world is in turmoil.
The entire Central Plains, centered around Luoyang, is engaged in a world-shaking battle.
Heroes from all directions gather to compete;
It even has the feeling of a decisive battle for the realm.
No, it is indeed a decisive battle for the realm.
For all the warlords of the world, if they cannot utterly destroy the Li Tang in this battle, by then, it will be hard to imagine who else can withstand the might of the Great Tang across the entire realm.
....
Hulao Pass.
As one of the most important passes in the Luoyang region, this place has indeed witnessed too many stories and left endless legends.
Looking back to the past;
It was Gu Chen at Hulao Pass who blocked the coalition of Yuan Shao and other warlords.
Though he was eventually forced to retreat from Luoyang, he managed to hold off the warlords from all directions at this pass.
This battle was also the beginning of Gu Chen’s rise to fame across the world.
——Five thousand men.
Only five thousand men!
Under the situation where Luoyang remains encircled, Li Shimin can only deploy up to five thousand elite troops, which is also all that the Great Tang can afford to bring out.
Warlords from all directions attack.
With all the elite forces out there, the entire Chang’an is now very tense.
Unable to provide any help at all.
The frontline surrounding Luoyang requires troops even more.
The troops sent to Hulao Pass also number five thousand, facing Dou Jiande’s nearly hundred-thousand-strong army head-on.
The danger of this battle can be imagined.
Li Shimin is indeed very charismatic, even in such a situation, there are still many generals willing to follow him into battle.
However, Li Shimin only selected the generals skilled in martial arts.
As for those skilled in leadership, they were naturally left at the frontline.
Gu Yan and other members of the Gu Clan also volunteered to fight, but Gu Quan naturally couldn’t agree.
In the absence of Gu Yu attending court.
As the eldest son;
He must shield all his brothers from all risks.
The army departs.
No one has absolute confidence in winning this battle, and neither Li Shimin nor Gu Quan has any retreat.
No matter what, Dou Jiande must be held at Hulao Pass.
Otherwise, the Tang Army will suffer a pincer attack from Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, and once the elite forces are lost, the Great Tang is destined for downfall.
Who under such circumstances can feel no pressure?
But no matter what, all that remains for Li Shimin and Gu Quan is to face it head-on.
...
The leaden clouds hang low, pressing down on the battlements of Hulao Pass, making it hard to breathe.
Li Shimin braced himself against the mottled bricks of the arrow tower, his fingertips brushing over the wall with un-dried bloodstains—it was splattered during the previous day’s skirmish between the scouts and Xia Army’s cavalry.
He squinted his eyes, looking at the surging dark clouds on the horizon.
Though he always maintained calm.
But just by seeing his persistent silence, it was enough to explain Li Shimin’s feelings at this moment.
At this time, shouts suddenly erupted.
"Report!" A messenger staggered up the city tower, "The Xia Army vanguard has reached three miles from the pass!"
The wind bore the smell of earth and hit their faces, Li Shimin instantly cast a glance at Gu Quan, without any superfluous words, both climbed quickly up to the city wall.
In the next moment, they saw an endless sea of people rapidly approaching from the distance.
The red banners embroidered with the word "Xia" were like a sea of blood spread across the field.
Countless spear tips pierced the clouds, reflecting a chilling light in the gloom, as if a swarm of snakes extending their tongues, seeming to press the entire heavens and earth towards the pass.
Drums roared.
The Tang Army, which had already prepared for battle, swarmed onto the city wall, ready for combat.
An invisible pressure descended.
The gloomy sky, coupled with that massive army, exerted a truly strong sense of oppression.
"Do you fear, Ziyuan?"
Li Shimin looked at the approaching army, suddenly speaking and glancing at Gu Quan with a question.
"Does Your Highness fear?" Gu Quan responded with a question instead, his already very serious expression showing no change.
Seeing this, Li Shimin first paused slightly, then suddenly raised the corners of his mouth, unexpectedly breaking into a smile, "A great man dies when he must, what is there to fear?"
"I shall see——"
"What Dou Jiande can do to me!"
Unconsciously, Li Shimin’s hands had already involuntarily gripped the sword at his waist.
Gu Quan nodded slightly, his gaze growing sharper as he looked at the oncoming army below the city, calmly said, "Indeed, a great man stands in the world, he dies when he must, what is there to fear?"
Neither of them attempted to boost the army’s morale.
Given such a significant disparity, what use would words to boost morale be?
Reality is ultimately not a novel.
Nor is it a film where shouting slogans can invigorate the entire army when fighting against overwhelming odds.
Everyone feels fear, everyone feels pressure.
To completely reverse this——
Only truly repelling the enemy can speak for itself!
The massive army instantly closed in on the front of the pass, Dou Jiande did not rush to attack, instead, he slowly rode forward with dozens of messengers, sneeringly looking towards the city wall.
"Is that Li family’s second son on the pass?"
The shout instantly carried over with the breeze.
Li family’s second son!
Dou Jiande clearly intended to crush the Tang Army’s morale by leveraging the situation, speaking directly with a senior’s tone addressing Li Shimin.
"Why need bandits resort only to rhetoric?" Li Shimin’s voice was as resolute as metal, every word resonating loudly,
The messenger immediately raised his voice, transforming those words into thunderous shout, echoing atop the city wall.
After the din slightly subsided, Li Shimin suddenly stepped forward, drawing his long sword; its bright sliver cutting through the gloom. He pointed his sword directly at Dou Jiande’s army, loudly declaring: "I stand here today! If you have the guts, bring your horses forward!"