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Chapter 1197: The Reason Behind It
🕑 Added 2024-12-13 14:59:17 +0000 UTC"What are your thoughts after reading this?" Li You casually folded the letter and placed it on a small table to the side. He then turned around and asked in a calm voice.
"Lend them the troops," Chen Xi responded almost without hesitation. "We need to lend the troops. It's not easy to replenish the Xiliang Cavalry. Their strength on the battlefield makes them hard to replace, and for the kind of conflict described in the letter, the Xiliang Cavalry is the best fit for that battlefield."
The reason Li Jue had sent the letter to Li You was primarily because replenishing the Xiliang Cavalry wasn't something that could be done easily. While they could recruit soldiers from Liangzhou, transforming them into true Xiliang Cavalry took a long time.
To be specific, there were only two ways to replenish the Xiliang Cavalry once they sustained losses: one, sending regular soldiers into repeated battles, where after surviving ten engagements, they might be qualified to join the Xiliang ranks. Afterward, they would undergo intensive cavalry training, which would take about a year.
However, out in the Western Regions, Li Jue didn’t have the resources or the time for such training. Moreover, Hua Xiong already had a decent number of elite cavalry units. As long as they could be recalled, they could be armed, armored, and sent into battle after a bit of brushing up.
"Lending the troops requires Lord Xuande's approval. We don’t have the proper authority to do it ourselves," Lu Su added with a slight shake of his head. He agreed that the troops should be lent to them. Li Jue’s request made sense to him, and although he was surprised Li Jue had spoken so candidly in his letter, it was indeed the right move.
"The Xiliang Cavalry is certainly well-suited for such a battlefield, but as Li Jue mentioned in the letter, Daqin is not easily dealt with. The cavalry’s strength will only grant them a temporary victory at best," Guo Jia said, raising his hand slightly to indicate that the situation was more complicated than it seemed.
"With a casualty ratio of seven to one, it seems like a good result on the surface. But as Li Jue mentioned, the actual casualty ratio between Daqin’s infantry and the Xiliang Cavalry was barely more than two to one!" Guo Jia emphasized, his tone serious. "What infantry units do we have in the Central Plains that can achieve such a result?"
"There’s no need to exaggerate the danger," Jia Xu interjected, waving his hand dismissively. "While it’s true that Daqin’s archers were heavily countered by the cavalry’s defenses and Li Jue’s Legion Talent, we must acknowledge that their archers were indeed elite troops."
"Most armies would have been utterly crushed by ten volleys of arrows in quick succession," Fa Zheng remarked with a sigh. "At that rate of fire, a single quiver of arrows would be emptied in mere moments."
"If Daqin doesn’t have some kind of special arrow-making technique, then it’s likely they are simply wealthier than us," Liu Ye said, furrowing his brow. "We need to find a way to understand Daqin’s full capabilities. I agree with lending Li Jue the troops."
"More importantly, the Xiliang Cavalry is only truly effective under Li Jue’s command. If we were to take over a complete unit, just managing its structure would be a significant challenge," Liu Ye added, noticing the others glancing at him. He didn't hide his thoughts, speaking openly.
"Furthermore, although I’ve never met that Duke of Daqin, from his perspective, I think his words are credible," Liu Ye continued slowly. "I greatly respect Li Jue’s response to him, and I’m genuinely curious if he really answered that way."
"He did," Li You said coldly. "If we don’t step outside our borders, we may never have the audacity to decide the fate of the world with a single word!"
"The breadth of one’s perspective determines the height they can ultimately reach," Chen Xi remarked quietly. "We are all draped in the mantle of the Han Empire. Regardless of our current strength, we are still an empire."
Noticing that everyone was paying close attention, Chen Xi continued, "Just as we don’t usually pay attention to the smaller countries around us, other empires often do the same. But that doesn’t mean they are unaware of each other. We know of Daqin and Anxi, and they surely know of us as well!"
"High-level officials in empires may frequently overlook distant lands, but as we’ve seen with Li You citing historical texts when I mentioned Anxi, all empires are the same in this regard. We may view small countries as insignificant, but..." Chen Xi paused, looking around the room as everyone’s eyes were fixed on him.
"We cannot ignore another empire. Each of us, standing in our nation’s position, should think carefully about how we would respond in such a situation," Chen Xi’s calm gaze flashed with a trace of coldness. Some things could only be understood from a higher vantage point.
"That said, Li Zhiran’s response was indeed excellent. Everyone should remember that once we step beyond our borders, we are not merely acting as individuals. Everything about the Han Empire will rely on all of you to uphold it, and in this era, nothing commands more respect than military power," Chen Xi declared slowly.
"Therefore, I support lending them the troops. Even if Daqin has a large army, Anxi is positioned right between us and Daqin. It’s time for us to prove ourselves. The pride of an empire lies not only in its civilization but also in its military strength," Chen Xi added, his smiling face now carrying a slight chill.
"We’re all in agreement about lending the troops," Guo Jia glanced around the room. He could tell that everyone’s thoughts were aligned. Since Chen Xi had presented the world map, stepping beyond their borders had become a path they would inevitably have to walk in the future.
"Ziyang has laid it out clearly. If we were to take full control of the Xiliang Cavalry as an intact unit, it would present challenges to both our system and us as individuals," Lu Su, usually the amicable one, said with a cheerful smile. "Handing it over to any one person wouldn’t be appropriate, and rotating command wouldn’t work either."
"Lend four thousand Xiliang Cavalry to Zhiran," Li You said after a moment of contemplation. "The rest can be integrated under Zijian or Yide. Others wouldn’t be suited to the Xiliang Cavalry’s style of warfare."
Li You believed in selecting talent regardless of personal relationships. If he thought someone was suitable for a task, he would recommend them, regardless of how close they were to him. As for any gossip that might arise, he trusted that the results would speak for themselves.
"Li You, I have a question," Man Chong, who rarely spoke during military strategy discussions, suddenly asked.
"What’s your question, Bening?" Li You looked at Man Chong, slightly surprised. In his impression, Man Chong usually didn’t ask questions in such settings.
"If Li Zhiran is given four thousand Xiliang Cavalry, how effective will they be?" Man Chong’s question went straight to the point. His solemn expression was almost eerie in the dim lighting of the room.
"Combined with the two thousand soldiers already under his command, if led properly, they could defeat thirty thousand veteran Taishan troops under an average commander," Li You answered after a brief pause. "If his Legion Talent can cover the entire force, the victory would be even easier."
"That aligns with my own thoughts. But what if he encounters someone skilled in strategy?" Man Chong asked again, his voice steady. Li You’s answer had surprised him, though he didn’t show it.
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