bookrandom Chapter 2212 Difficult Decision
Chapter 2212 Difficult Decision
"Chu Xuan!"
Chu Ning clenched his teeth and squeezed out the name from between them. The fierce fighting spirit in his eyes was instantly replaced by surprise, anger, and a chilling feeling of being betrayed by his closest relatives.
"You mean, Prince Xuan has betrayed me?"
His voice was terrifyingly low, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Hu Hu lowered his head even further, almost touching the blood-stained ground, his voice barely a whisper, yet every word was like a knife:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please forgive me! I just received a secret report that all the Jinyiwei strongholds and informants within Youzhou suddenly lost contact two days ago."
"All methods of contact have gone unanswered, as if the stone has sunk into the sea, and it has probably been completely wiped out."
"boom--!"
The last piece of the puzzle has fallen!
Chu Ning felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the top of his head!
I lost contact with them two days ago!
Suppress the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
This means that Chu Xuan's betrayal was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated and meticulously planned act!
Chu Xuan eliminated his eyes and ears in Youzhou, rendering him blind and deaf to the true situation in Youzhou!
Then, Chu Xuan pretended to confront Gongsun Yi, but in reality, he may have reached some kind of agreement with the Scorpion Clan, or even joined forces!
Now, Gongsun Yi's 40,000 elite Scorpion Clan cavalry have managed to escape and, together with Chu Xuan's Youzhou infantry, have chosen this most fatal moment and appeared at this most fatal location!
This is no coincidence; it's a meticulously planned conspiracy!
The goal was not only to rescue the dying Emperor Li Shimin of Tang, but also to bury him, along with his elite troops and his battle-hardened main force, on the banks of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers!
"Chu-Xuan!"
Chu Ning roared in a low voice, his arm gripping the silver spear trembling slightly with extreme anger.
His brother's betrayal sent chills down his spine and filled him with rage more than the sudden appearance of 100,000 enemy troops on the battlefield.
This is not just a military blow, but a complete shattering of family ties and trust.
However, the rage lasted only a moment.
As a powerful ruler who swept across seven kingdoms at the age of twenty-six, Chu Ning knew that emotions would not solve anything at this moment.
He forced himself to calm down as quickly as possible, his brain working at an unprecedented speed to analyze the suddenly reversed and extremely dangerous situation before him.
On the front were the remnants of the Tang army, still putting up a stubborn resistance and waiting for a slim chance of reinforcements.
To the west, Chu Xuan led 50,000 elite infantrymen from Youzhou, heading straight for their relatively weak flanks and the ferry crossing.
To the north, Gongsun Yi's 40,000 fresh scorpion cavalry were attacking the flank of their own core.
In the northeast, there are 20,000 remnants of the Scorpion Clan, who are seeking revenge.
Our total troop strength, after days of fierce fighting and troop splitting, is about 100,000 in this area, but after fighting for a long time, we have suffered some losses and our formation has advanced.
The balance of power between the enemy and ourselves was reversed instantly, and our side was caught in an extremely unfavorable situation of being attacked from both inside and outside and facing enemies on multiple fronts!
Even more critically, their escape route—the Jianghuai ferry crossing—is likely to be threatened by Chu Xuan's infantry!
The option is to immediately retreat, taking advantage of the enemy's incomplete encirclement, and forcibly cross the river to withdraw at the cost of losses, in order to preserve the main force and plan for the future.
Should we continue fighting, trusting in the fighting strength of our soldiers and in Zhao Yu's north bank garrison to hold the crossing? We should try to first defeat the Tang army in front of us in this desperate situation, and then turn around to deal with the rebels and the Scorpion Clan behind us.
But that would be extremely risky. If we were completely surrounded or the ferry crossing was lost, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Every choice comes with huge risks and costs.
Retreating meant that the easy opportunity to annihilate the Tang emperor and unify the world had slipped through their fingers.
They may also be pursued, their morale will be damaged, and this further confirms the strategic failure caused by Chu Xuan's betrayal.
Continuing the fight could mean risking the lives of the entire elite army of the Great Chu, and even his own, in this bloody melee with an uncertain outcome.
Chu Ning's gaze swept rapidly across the chaotic battlefield, past the tattered dragon flag still fluttering in the Tang army's ranks, and past the approaching flames and smoke representing the unknown and death from all directions.
The young emperor's face was so gloomy that it seemed impossible to dispel, but in his deep eyes, after the initial shock and anger, a more frenzied and resolute flame began to burn.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment. The sounds of fighting all around, the anxious gazes of the generals awaiting orders, and Hu Hu trembling as he lay prostrate on the ground.
Everything seemed so far away from him.
His hand, gripping the silver spear, gradually steadied.
Finally, he slowly raised his head, his gaze sharpening like a knife once more, looking towards the direction of the Tang army's dragon flag, then sweeping over the gradually clearer outlines of the enemy forces to the west and north.
A cold, ruthless order was uttered from his mouth, each word distinct: "Order the troops to withdraw!"
Under the inky night sky, Chu Ning issued a withdrawal order filled with resentment, decisiveness, and icy rage.
Like a rein suddenly tightened, it brought the mighty Chu cavalry, which was charging forward and about to taste the fruits of final victory, to a halt.
Although this order came so abruptly, it was completely contrary to the previous impassioned battle cry of "capture and kill the false emperor and unify the world".
However, the strict discipline of the Chu army, which ensured that orders were obeyed without question, was on full display at this moment.
A brief moment of astonishment and confusion flashed through the eyes of the generals at all levels, but no one dared to question the emperor's decision.
The sharp clanging of retreating gongs and the urgent bugle calls to regroup the troops quickly drowned out the shouts of the charge.
The offensive, which had been like a raging tide crashing against the shore, came to an abrupt halt. The various units began to take turns providing cover, methodically shrinking their formation and preparing to retreat towards Jianghuai City while fighting.
However, not everyone can immediately understand or accept this retreat that ended in failure.
A fiery red figure, like a shooting star tearing through the darkness, sped against the retreating crowd towards the central dragon banner.
Amidst the neighing of warhorses, Imperial Noble Consort Feng Mulan had arrived.
Her specially made crimson phoenix-patterned armor was stained with the blood of her enemies, and the heavy twin swords in her hand, a stark contrast to her delicate face, still dripped blood from their tips.
Her bright and spirited face was now filled with confusion and anxiety.
With her eyebrows raised and phoenix eyes wide open, she disregarded all formalities and directly addressed Chu Ning, whose face was ashen and had just finished issuing a series of orders, by loudly asking:
"Your Majesty! Our offensive is in full swing, and the Tang army is already at its limit. We are about to achieve victory in one fell swoop!"
"Why the sudden order to retreat? This... this would mean all our previous efforts would be wasted!"
Chu Ning glanced at her, his gaze complex, containing both recognition of her bravery and frustration at having to explain the situation.
He did not reprimand her for her impulsiveness, but simply recounted the bad news reported by the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in a concise and cold tone.
The situation is that Chu Xuan, seemingly leading 50,000 Youzhou troops in a betrayal, joined forces with Gongsun Yi's 40,000 Scorpion Clan cavalry and Helian Hui's 20,000 remnants, and suddenly appeared on the flank and rear of the battlefield.