The air in the check-in room was hot and dry, so Li Xiaogong pulled at his collar to feel looser.
He poured another glass of ice-cold grape wine, drained it in one gulp, and exhaled: "This situation is not very good. Although His Majesty mobilized a large number of troops for the Eastern Expedition, the Tang army's combat power is the strongest in the world. Who would ignore it?" Are you going to lift the beard of the Tang Dynasty? Even if you are lucky enough to take advantage of it, aren't you afraid of liquidating them one by one after the Eastern Expedition?"
He frowned, tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, thought deeply, and continued: "Especially the cannibal, his behavior is extremely abnormal. They have just returned from the Western Regions in defeat, and they should understand the difference in combat power between the two armies. Even if Muawiya wanted to deflect domestic conflicts with foreign wars, how could he choose Datang as his opponent? This is unreasonable."
He always felt that the sudden gathering of these crises in one place seemed accidental, but in fact it seemed like an inexplicable necessity.
What are the connections among them?
The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became. What if someone is manipulating everything in Chang'an, secretly contacting Tubo, Tuyuhun, or even Dashi, and trying to stir up trouble while His Majesty is on his Eastern Expedition...
hiss!
Li Xiaogong simply didn't dare to think about it.
It's just that he thought about it, but he couldn't figure out who could be so insidious and shrewd? If Changsun Wuji is still in Chang'an, then Li Xiaogong can almost confirm that it is the "yin man" who is secretly planning everything, trying to depose the prince, and even go further.
But now Changsun Wuji is accompanying His Majesty on an expedition to Liaodong, and is beyond his reach, unable to control everything.
Apart from this, Li Xiaogong could no longer think of anyone else with this ability.
Could this be all just a coincidence?
That's such a coincidence...
Xue Rengui also felt that something was wrong, nodded and said: "According to the detailed news sent back from Damascus, Mu'awiya had no warning in advance and almost suddenly ordered the convening of the national army, and it must be assembled in Damascus within two months. It can be seen that its purpose is very clear, but there is no preparation in advance. If it is to conquer a small country, it can naturally be crushed with its military strength, but if it is really intended to attack the Western Region and face the Tang Dynasty, how can it be so hasty? "
No one would believe Muawiyah if he was a reckless and foolish man.
The battles between various factions in Dashi are like a mess. There are many factions rising up together. Although everyone respects the same idea and supports the Caliphate, their respective interests are different, and no one can have an absolute advantage to overwhelm the heroes.
This is almost more chaotic than the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Under the political system, Muawiya was able to stand out and seize the position of Caliph. Who dares to say that he is useless?
However, it was such a figure who had subdued all the heroes in the Great Food Kingdom, but for some unknown reason, he hastily decided to conquer the Tang Dynasty...
If there is no reason behind it, it is impossible.
Because once the attack on the Western Region is fruitless, or even loses troops and generals, not only will the internal conflicts in the Dashi Kingdom not be able to be passed on, but they will break out more violently, and Mu'awiya will inevitably step down.
So how did he judge that conquering the Western Region would lead to victory?
The two looked at each other. Li Xiaogong stroked his beard and said solemnly: "There must be some conspiracy behind this that we don't know yet, but now is not the time to think about this. The Western Region cannot be lost, otherwise Guanzhong will be in danger."
Xue Rengui nodded and said: "Don't worry, General Protector, I will organize my troops and go to Suiye Town and pay close attention to the movements of Damascus. If it really launches troops to invade the country, I will rather die than retreat!"
"Alas, alas,"
Li Xiaogong hurriedly grabbed Xue Rengui and glared: "Are you crazy? The Anxi Army has tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of generals. I am interested in a talented person like you. How can you say such reckless words? We are marching and fighting. , not only must you have the courage to die, but also the courage to make decisive decisions when the opportunity arises, to advance when you need to, and to retreat when you need to retreat. Don’t just remember to fight with your backs and draw fuel from the bottom of the cauldron, but you must also understand the principle of retreating and staying out of the way for the time being.”
He had a headache. Are all young people today so irritable? They vow not to retreat and would rather die than surrender at the slightest disagreement. They simply don't understand the principle of leaving green hills without fear of running out of firewood.
Xue Rengui was a young general he admired. He was extremely talented and lacked experience, so he took the trouble to teach: "In the final analysis, the Western Region is our territory. The Arabs have come from afar, no matter how strong their troops and horses are. We are afraid. You have to understand what our bottom line is? It is to guard the Western Region and prevent the Arabs from breaking into Hexi and threatening Guanzhong. In addition, do not care about the gains and losses of one city and one pool. You can temporarily avoid its front and lure the enemy. Go deeper. The Arabs' fighting method has always been to "fight to support war." You only need to implement the strategy of strengthening the wall and clearing the wilderness, and evacuate the city wherever you go. Even if they occupy it, you will not get supplies. The depth of the Western Region is more than a thousand miles? We also defeated the Arabs! Moreover, since we are equipped with firearms, we can also plan one or two tough battles to defeat the enemy's spirit. If one weakens and the other weakens, we will have the upper hand."
Xue Rengui listened carefully and nodded repeatedly.
Among the famous generals in the world, the one with the highest reputation is naturally Wei Guogong Li Jing, who is known as the "Military God", followed by the ever-victorious general British Duke Li Ji, and although Li Xiaogong, the prince of Hejian County, was called "the first general in the clan" ", but the reputation is mixed, and the military ability is not demonstrated.
But Xue Rengui knew that the reason why Li Xiaogong was not famous was actually because he kept a low profile and bided his time. In terms of military ability, he may be slightly inferior to Li Jing, but he may not be inferior to Li Ji.
Especially his understanding and grasp of the court situation was far superior to Li Jing's.
This can be seen from the fact that Li Xiaogong retreated bravely and was willing to use "self-defeating" behavior to stay away from the core of power.
This person not only has high vision, but is also cruel to himself...
How could Xue Rengui not be willing to respect such an imperial nobleman and learn from him humbly?
When Li Xiaogong saw Xue Rengui's dignified face and humility, he felt happy for a moment. He wanted to "become a teacher" and thought of "preaching and teaching" to Xue Rengui. He said excitedly: "Throughout the ages, the purpose of war has never been just to... Regarding war, there was a famous saying by Fang Er that said, ‘War is the continuation of politics.’ It’s so sincere, let’s get it right!”
Xue Rengui was the most eager to learn. He quickly sat upright and poured wine for Li Xiaogong respectfully.
Li Xiaogong took a sip from his wine glass and continued: "A qualified general only needs to march on the battlefield and set up formations to complete combat tasks. But if you want to be a qualified commander, your vision must transcend the limitations of the battlefield and rise to two levels. The height of the situation in the country requires speculation and estimation. Sometimes, the purpose of a war is not to win blindly. An appropriate failure may be more conducive to the achievement of strategic goals."
Sometimes, just setting up troops on the border can achieve strategic purposes, but when they meet in real combat, they end up being inferior.
The essence of war has never just been the war itself.
Whether the strategic purpose behind it can be achieved is the real meaning of war. If the strategic goal cannot be achieved, even a big victory will be a failure.
Those who only know how to win and wrap their bodies in horse leather are generals.
Coordinating the overall situation and having a high vision, that is handsome.
Regardless of immediate victory or defeat, immediate gains and losses, and strategizing to win thousands of miles away, that is the king!
Liu Bang lost to Xiang Yu countless times, and suffered repeated defeats and battles. However, in the end, he surrounded Gaixia and succeeded in one battle, achieving a supreme feat.
Sima Yi was cautious in using his troops throughout his life, never going all out and rarely winning big victories. He was modest and tolerant and kept a low profile. As a result, he grew stronger and usurped Wei in one fell swoop.
How to understand the nature of war and how to plan the purpose of war determines a person's ultimate achievement.
Xue Rengui was thoughtful.
Li Xiaogong admired Xue Rengui's talent and understanding very much. He took the jug and poured wine for him personally, and said slowly: "Don't focus on making achievements. As the saying goes, 'Those who are good at fighting have no great achievements', try to focus on Outside the battlefield, try to figure out the various changes in the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of the enemy and ourselves. 'Water is impermanent and soldiers are impermanent', which means that the battlefield is changing all the time. As a coach, you must Master all these changes and then use them carefully. What does a temporary victory or defeat mean? What does a huge dilemma mean? As long as you complete your efforts in one battle and achieve final victory, you are the winner."
Xue Rengui took the wine glass, held it with both hands, and said with clear eyes: "The current battle situation is to prevent the Arabs from going deep into Hexi. As long as they can be kept out of Hexi and not endanger the situation in Guanzhong, even if we are all the way Retreating to Yumen Pass in defeat is not considered a failure!"
"Ha ha!"
Li Xiaogong clapped his hands and laughed: "The enemy is strong and we are weak. Those who say they fight to the death and never retreat are stupid people. Even if they kill one thousand enemies and lose eight hundred to themselves, they are just mediocre people. Know how to give in, know how to sacrifice, and have a foresight." Always put the strategic purpose first, this is the commander-in-chief of an army!"
