freenovelworld Chapter 742 A Great Defeat to the Turks!
Chapter 742 A Great Defeat to the Turks!
Keli hadn't expected that Duanmu Chuze would send a cavalry unit to outflank them from another location, which resulted in significant losses for them.
Without supplies, what kind of battle can they fight here?
Keli was the third prince most valued by the Turkic king and the one with the greatest chance of inheriting the Khan's throne.
Now, with 300,000 men, not only have we failed to conquer Xingzhou, but we've also lost so much grain. No matter how we look at it, we'll be met with ridicule and sarcasm from all sides when we return.
More importantly, this was his first real experience leading an army into battle.
His campaign has been unsuccessful. I fear that once he returns, his military power will soon be taken back by his father.
Even if the Turkic king was on his side, he couldn't possibly ignore the opinions of the other ministers.
Enraged, Keli stabbed the soldier in charge of guarding the provisions to death with a single sword.
The strategist standing nearby hadn't expected this either.
Their plan was going smoothly. They had won over most of the people in Xingzhou City. Tonight was the best time for them to attack the city, and Xingzhou City would be in chaos. But how did it suddenly turn out like this?
"Your Highness, please don't worry. We haven't lost yet. Even though they've quelled the internal strife in Xingzhou City, we still have a secret team that has already arrived in the capital. The capital of Dayong is likely to be in chaos for a while."
Keli then gradually calmed down. "That's right, I have another secret weapon. Heh, Duanmu Chuze, I don't believe that you can control the situation in the capital while you're here."
After a few cold laughs, Keli glanced at the soldiers around him and said, "Give the order to retreat fifty miles. First, find a way to replenish supplies."
"Yes, Prince."
Keli was right. Duanmu Chuze had indeed not expected that they had sent a secret team to the capital a month earlier.
Just as Duanmu Chuze repelled the enemy and sent the battle report to the capital.
Duanmu Chuze also received some bad news.
The crown prince was assassinated, and his fate remains unknown.
When Duanmu Chuze received this news, his mind raced. He understood all too well what this meant for Dayong at this time.
If something happens to the Crown Prince, I'm afraid...?
Thinking of the Ming King, who had just begun to recover, Duanmu Chuze closed his eyes listlessly.
That seat was just too tempting.
It's likely that neither King Ming nor King Kang will give up so easily.
All he can do now is pray that nothing bad happens to the Crown Prince.
As long as the crown prince lives, then at least, the Great Yong Dynasty will not descend into chaos.
At this point, the most crucial thing is probably military power.
Duanmu Chuze had his own information channels, and the Ming King had a Luo family in the capital, so he naturally received the same news. At this point, it all depended on what kind of decree the Emperor would issue.
Duanmu Chuze made a decisive move, attacking the city gates and mobilizing the entire army. At the same time, he ordered General Yu of Qishan to also come out from Qishan Pass. The two armies joined forces and routed Keli's 300,000-strong army!
Keli himself was also shot in the left arm by an arrow, while his strategist died directly under the hooves of a horse. When Duanmu Chuze ordered the battlefield to be cleaned up, he discovered that the so-called strategist was actually a Han Chinese.
This discovery truly surprised Duanmu Chuze.
After carefully searching the somewhat disfigured body, Zi Yi found only a jade pendant broken into several pieces.
Duanmu Chuze ordered Zi Yi to pack up the things, and then returned to Xingzhou without looking back.
This time, they dealt a heavy blow to Keli. According to their estimates, when Keli returned, he would have at most a few hundred thousand troops left. In other words, they lost half of their strength in this battle.
Upon seeing that the Turkic army had been driven back, Duanmu Chuze immediately found Chu Rong and ordered him to lead the previous 100,000 troops back to the capital at full speed.
In addition, he himself led a group of subordinates and rushed back to Yanzhou overnight.
Mu Xin Nuan was also shocked when she heard the news of the Crown Prince's assassination attempt.
"Was it done by the Turks?"
"It should be. It is said that when the assassins were captured, there were more than 20 people in total. More than a dozen died, and only two were captured alive."
"These people are incredibly audacious. What about the Crown Prince?"
Duanmu Chuze shook his head. "His fate is unknown. The entire Eastern Palace is under martial law. Not to mention my people, even Duanmu Chen can't get into the Eastern Palace now."
"Aze, are you suspecting something?"
"These people had no problems traveling to the capital, but to know the Crown Prince's whereabouts so accurately, and even how many people he was with, is something I would never believe if you told me there was no inside man."
Mu Xin Nuan also frowned. The Crown Prince's assassination attempt was a matter of utmost importance!
The emperor is old now, and although he can still handle state affairs, he can only last another three to five years at most.
At this crucial moment, the future crown prince was assassinated. Wouldn't this cause a shock throughout the entire court and the country?
The Turks' move was truly ruthless!
This is an attempt to use the Crown Prince's affair to incite internal strife in the Great Yong Dynasty. In this way, it will be much easier for the other side to attack the borders of the Great Yong Dynasty again!
However, the current emperor has always been ruthless. If he hadn't aged a bit in recent years and softened his methods, this incident would likely have turned the capital into a bloodbath.
With such a decisive and ruthless emperor in power, even if the Great Yong Dynasty were to descend into chaos, it wouldn't be too chaotic, would it?
Mu Xin Nuan didn't know if she was just comforting herself, but she subconsciously felt that as long as the Emperor was there and her A Ze was there, then their place would be the safest place.
"Aze, has His Majesty issued any decrees?"
Not yet.
Duanmu Chuze sighed softly, "However, it should be soon."
Mu Xin Nuan's mind raced. If the Emperor were to issue an edict at this time, he would probably summon everyone back to the capital.
This is also the fastest and most effective way to prevent feudal lords from rebelling.
Although Mu Xin Nuan was unwilling to believe it, she knew that once such news of his life or death being unknown spread, there was a high probability that the Crown Prince was doomed.
As the crown prince of a country, it is impossible for him to let his officials know if he has any illnesses.
But now that such news has come out, I'm afraid the Crown Prince is seriously injured.
At this point, it all depends on the Emperor's attitude towards the Crown Prince.
"Do you think the Emperor might just issue an edict to establish a Crown Prince?"
Duanmu Chuze was stunned for a moment. Since receiving the news, he had been thinking about the big picture, and he hadn't really thought about this kind of problem.