Chapter 64: Victory

The war still raged on, but the morale and momentum of the Tujue army had been completely shattered. The Tujue Tiger Division, charging at the very vanguard, could be considered the ultimate trump card in Khan Jieli's hand; stimulated by the scent of blood, they typically possessed the terrifying ability to grow stronger the longer they fought.

Yet even so, facing the cruel and bloody spectacle of the crossbow arrows blanketing the ground like rain, they lost their will to fight, and some even went mad!

Countless vanguard troops lay dead or wounded, but the gaps blasted through their lines were swiftly resealed by the Tang forces under Li Shiji's precise coordination. The crushing despair—witnessing a glimmer of hope only to have that final thread ruthlessly severed by Li Shiji—engulfed the entire Tujue army in an instant!

For a brief moment, along the narrow corridor of Baidao, Li Shiji directed the Tang forces to begin a fierce counter-push.

Though the Tujue warriors were valiant, their charge had been halted, robbing them of their momentum. The lethal volleys of crossbow bolts had broken their morale, reducing them to the strength of a spent crossbow.

At this juncture, the unpretentious combination of halberdiers, pikemen, and archers pushed back the Tujue grand army step by hard-fought step.

The Tujue troops, who had initially sought to carve out a bloody path to survival along Baidao, felt as though an impossibly towering mountain stood before them.

And right now, that very mountain was rolling forward to crush them with the unstoppable weight of Mount Tai.

"Hold the line! Everyone, hold the line!" Khan Jieli roared in fury. "If you want to go home, carve out a bloody path!"

Driven by the temptation of returning home, the Tujue warriors still relied on their mortal flesh and blood in an attempt to withstand the crushing advance of the Tang army.

The two sides slaughtered each other in this cramped, narrow space, a bloody meat grinder incessantly churning the crimson blood of both sides!

"The Eight-Gate Formation?!" Li Jing mused, observing Li Shiji's deployment of his troops.

Although the narrowness of Baidao prevented this military formation from fully unfolding, the Tujue soldiers had successfully breached the defense line earlier, only to be driven back by a barrage of crossbow fire. This subtle interplay of advancing and retreating, of feints and reality, bore the distinct hallmarks of the ancient Eight-Gate Formation.

This Eight-Gate Formation was not some mythical Eight Trigrams formation possessing absurd superhuman powers, but rather a tactical deployment method continuously passed down and developed through generations of military strategists, evolving all the way from the Three Strategies of Taigong, the Eight Formations of Sun Tzu, the Mysterious Array of Han Xin, down to Zhuge Liang's Eight-Gate Formation.

It was an organizational deployment technique derived by combining the combat capabilities of soldiers from different eras to maximize the effectiveness of their strength.

Theoretically, such formations did not directly amplify combat power, but in practice, military formations could maximize the conversion of a collective's organizational capacity into actual combat effectiveness—a legitimate form of tactical cheating native to military strategists.

In this era, determining whether a commander possessed the potential to lead grand armies depended on whether he could successfully employ the Eight-Gate Formation on the battlefield. To some extent, the Eight-Gate Formation was standard equipment for grand army commanders.

Any commander capable of shifting formations dynamically on the battlefield was basically a monster-level talent, ranking at the very least among the seventy-two supreme generals.

Li Jing had not expected that after a few years apart, Li Shiji had grown to such an extent, using the Eight-Gate Formation to firmly stifle any possibility of the Tujue escaping through Baidao. For the Tang army, this presented a golden opportunity to capture or slay Khan Jieli directly!

"I can no longer afford to play with the Tujue Imperial Guard!" Li Jing's expression turned resolute as a series of tactical commands were issued.

Although Li Jing was well-versed in offensive strategy, compared to Li Shiming, he still fell somewhat short.

Especially when the enemy deployed a strong and formidable force to pin him down; restricted by his inferior numbers, Li Jing found it difficult to fully unleash his prowess.

Mighty warriors exerted a greater influence on the overall situation the smaller the scale of the engagement.

However, while Li Jing himself was not the type of commander to charge personally into the fray, he possessed a remarkably competent vanguard beneath his command.

Without hesitation, Li Jing ordered Su Dingfang to lead two hundred cavalrymen and charge straight into the heart of the Tujue Imperial Guard.

This move left the Tujue Imperial Guard dumbfounded, as they had never imagined such a tactic of sending one's own soldiers on a suicide mission.

Yet the Tang general leading the cavalry charge was terrifyingly formidable. A swarm of Tujue guards surrounded and attacked Su Dingfang, only to find that he not only held his ground but grew fiercer the longer he fought. Though stained crimson with blood, none of it belonged to him.

Li Jing's purpose in dispatching Su Dingfang on this breakthrough was not to have him die in vain, but rather to buy time for tactical readjustment and deployment. If he were commanding a massive army, Li Jing wouldn't even need this maneuvering space; he could simply borrow the enemy's momentum to complete his shifts.

Right now, however, his own troop count was too small, allowing the enemy commander to match his deployment pace.

Although Li Jing could have forced a formation change even if it meant sacrificing two hundred men, he felt no need for such a gratuitous loss of his soldiers' lives. Thus, he used Su Dingfang to draw their attention while he calmly completed the army's formation shift.

In less than thirty breaths, Li Jing had completely reformed his army's battle array, then led his grand force crashing back into the Tujue Imperial Guard.

The Tujue Imperial Guard had intended to finish off Su Dingfang before turning their attention back to Li Jing, but they never anticipated that Li Jing could shift formations with such astonishing speed.

Meanwhile, while Su Dingfang appeared to be charging blindly into enemy lines, his advance grew increasingly steady, rendering the Tujue guards utterly powerless to take him down.

By the time the Tujue army turned their attention back to Li Jing, they discovered he had already completed his formation change and was chiseling fiercely into the heart of their ranks!

This charge was as unstoppable as a bamboo splitting down its joints. The Tujue soldiers fought desperately to resist, but facing a cavalry force that had already completed its tactical array, their resistance was like a mayfly trying to shake a giant tree.

Not only did Su Dingfang successfully extricate himself, but the entire Tujue Imperial Guard was cleaved cleanly into two segments.

Most importantly, the commander in charge of the Tujue Imperial Guard was directly trampled and ground into a bloody pulp from the frontal charge of Li Jing's personal guards!

To Li Jing, after fighting for so long, it would have been utterly humiliating not to know where the enemy command was located.

Having pierced straight through the Xiongnu Imperial Guard, Li Jing showed no intention of stopping to mop them up, for a far more crucial strategic target loomed on the battlefield. Without a moment's hesitation, he led his cavalry surging forward.

Khan Jieli, currently deadlocked with Li Shiji, never imagined that his elite Xiongnu guards could not even buy an hour to delay Li Jing. Amidst a gaze bordering on pure despair, Khan Jieli was ruthlessly stabbed in the back by Li Jing!

The Tujue grand army collapsed like a falling mountain. With their vanguard entangled by Li Shiji and their rear violently pierced by Li Jing, the tactic was simple, yet devastatingly effective when executed.

The Tujue army could hold on no longer, dissolving into a chaotic rout.

As the Tujue forces scattered, Li Shiji's long-concealed cavalry swept down from Baidao to join the pursuit.

Clearly, the appearance of this fresh reserve proved that Li Shiji had kept his strength in reserve all along. Their arrival sounded the absolute death knell for the Tujue army's future; any hope of a comeback was utterly extinguished!

With the army shattered, Khan Jieli fled in panic alongside a dozen trusted subordinates, hoping to slip away in the ensuing chaos.

Naturally, he wasn't bearing any grand banners, so retreating in defeat was standard procedure. He calculated that if he could just escape alive back to the northern grasslands, he would surely find a chance to stage a comeback.

"Barbarian dog, where do you think you're going?!" Su Dingfang bellowed, leading scores of personal guards as he charged in pursuit.

Khan Jieli's remaining subordinates hurriedly ordered their personal guards to intercept them, a desperate defense that instantly made Su Dingfang's eyes light up.

Initially, he had merely joined the fray with the opportunistic mindset of shouting grand slogans across the battlefield.

Yet seeing Khan Jieli guarded so heavily, Su Dingfang knew instantly that he had struck a massive fish.

There was no need for further thought; capturing him came first, questions later!

Without another word, Su Dingfang hoisted his heavy halberd and led his cavalry charging forward.

Realizing the danger, Khan Jieli resolved himself to fight back with desperate valor. It wasn't until his brave and unyielding guards were wiped out to the last man that he boldly shouted in fluent Chinese:

"I am Ashina Duobi, Khan of the Tujue! I demand to see the commander of the Tang army! You... you cannot kill me!"

Su Dingfang was slightly stunned, feeling as though the opportunity to leap straight to the heavens had truly arrived.

At that moment, Li Jing and Li Shiji rendezvoused.

Cupping his fists, Li Jing said, "Maogong, by seizing Baidao ahead of time before the Tujue could break through and cutting off their escape route, you have claimed the supreme merit of the Northern Expedition. I shall report this to His Majesty."

"This was entirely due to the grand commander's tactical deployment. Without Li Shuai personally leading the cavalry to pin down Jieli's retreat, I would never have reached Baidao in time!"

Li Shiji replied respectfully to Li Jing, entirely devoid of any arrogant demeanor.

The two men locked eyes, and for some inexplicable reason, each saw a reflection of himself in the other's gaze.

A master general adept in both military strategy and political survival—what a familiar yet deeply irritating feeling!

At that moment, Su Dingfang's voice boomed across the field, "Li Shuai! Li Shuai! Look what I've caught! Khan Jieli!"

Dragging the heavily bound Khan Jieli before Li Jing, Su Dingfang beamed with uncontainable triumph.

"Look, Li Shuai! Khan Jieli! A live Khan Jieli!"

Seeing Su Dingfang escorting a man garbed in royal Tujue attire, Li Jing and Li Shiji exchanged a glance.

Laughing heartily, Li Jing declared, "It seems we won't need to argue over who claims the primary merit!"

With a trace of lingering emotion, Li Shiji remarked, "To capture Jieli in a single battle—the northern border should enjoy peace and stability for many years to come!"

Just as Li Jing and Li Shiji were exchanging sentiments, Zhang Gongjin arrived at the battlefield with his cavalry, seething with grievance.

To his utter despair, the battle had already concluded, and even Khan Jieli had been taken prisoner.

"I was clearly the one who first proposed the Northern Expedition! I even led my cavalry all the way here! Why didn't I get a shred of military merit?!

Could you Tujue not have held out for just one more hour? Just one more hour, and I would have had my share of the glory!"

Zhang Gongjin muttered continuously under his breath, glaring at the captive Khan Jieli with a mixture of exasperation and a murderous urge to thrust a spear through him. Being a deputy commander was truly a thankless task.

Meanwhile, Liu Shenwei and the rest of the medical corps arrived on horseback alongside the cavalry.

Though their heavy supplies were carried by pack donkeys, they themselves rode horses. Dismounting immediately, Liu Shenwei sought out Li Jing.

"Li Shuai, could you have the soldiers help construct nearby camps, fell timber, fetch and boil water, and gather clean cloth?

Our medical corps needs more manpower to assist us in rescuing these wounded soldiers!"

Hearing Liu Shenwei's request, Li Jing glanced toward Li Shiji, seeing as the latter had arrived first.

Li Shiji looked upon Liu Shenwei and his men with mild curiosity, wondering what these people intended to do.

"These are military physicians recommended to His Majesty by the Prince of Yue. I hope Maogong can assist them."

Li Jing added, "Because of the preserved military rations invented by the Prince of Yue, our cavalry's sustainable combat endurance was extended to a full month. Therefore, I had General Zhang bring them along when he set out, just to see what capabilities they possess."

Li Shiji nodded. "Very well. My troops have encamped here for a day and are well-acquainted with the local sources of water and timber. As for the campsite, you can simply use my army's encampment. They are all Bingzhou lads; saving even one more life is worth it!"

With Li Shiji's assistance, Liu Shenwei's medical corps began operating in an orderly fashion.

First came the triage of the wounded. Those with minor injuries or mere abrasions were directed straight to a designated campsite.

Here, their battle wounds were washed of blood and grime using warm boiled water, after which their clean wounds were treated with medicine and bandaged.

Cases of fractures or dislocations were manually reset, then immobilized using clay-soaked bandages and wooden splints.

Treating severely wounded soldiers, however, proved immensely difficult. Arrow wounds containing poison required scraping the bone clean of venom, while severed limbs necessitated emergency measures to staunch bleeding and dull the pain.

Yet the greatest challenge remained the threat of infection resulting from severe wounds—a problem that traditional Tang-era medicine still struggled to solve.

The only recourse traditional medicine had was to care for patients meticulously, bolstering their natural resistance and letting them fight the infection themselves.

On a battlefield like this, the medicinal powders carried by the pack donkeys were consumed at a visible rate.

Various formulations of hemostatic and blood-activating powders had been proposed and manufactured at Li Tai's behest.

Had they transported raw medicinal herbs directly, the sheer bulk would have been too immense for the supply lines to handle.

Therefore, after drying and processing the herbs, only the most potent parts of the plants were ground into fine powders for the medical teams to carry, maximizing medicinal potency while minimizing transport volume.

Even so, to save the influx of wounded soldiers, the supplies carried by the five hundred men of the medical corps were rapidly running thin.

A single battle had nearly exhausted the entirety of the medical corps' reserves.

Yet the results achieved left both Li Jing and Li Shiji thoroughly astonished. In past wars, casualties were tallied together because once wounded, soldiers who developed infections essentially faced certain death.

Now, unless a soldier died before reaching the medical corps, the casualty rate dropped precipitously under their specialized care.

Over the span of two days and nights, the survival rate shifted dramatically: whereas before, nine out of ten wounded men perished, now a full seventy percent of the injured soldiers were saved!

To the vast majority of soldiers accustomed to witnessing life and death on a whim, these medics were nothing short of parental figures reborn!

"Divine Doctor Liu, please take a rest!" Su Dingfang urged, lending a hand as Liu Shenwei hauled yet another life back from the brink of death. "You haven't slept even a single hour across these past two days! Please, go catch some sleep!"

"Dingfang, this is my battlefield! How can you urge a soldier who hasn't completed her mission to desert the ranks mid-battle?!"

Though Liu Shenwei's expression was exhausted, his eyes burned with fierce dedication. He embraced this form of devotion to the medical path with genuine joy.

Liu Shenwei continued, "Twenty-four hours—that is the critical window for rescuing the wounded proposed by our teacher. Dingfang, do not distract me.

To me, every rescue is a battle, and this ward is my battlefield. I beg of you, let me continue my campaign!"

"Understood!" Su Dingfang replied respectfully, before returning to Li Jing, who was busy drafting his report. With a helpless expression, he reported, "Li Shuai, I couldn't persuade Divine Doctor Liu to rest."

"I see," Li Jing nodded, acknowledging Su Dingfang's report.