GBP Chapter 2122 Do you have confidence?
Chapter 2122 Do you have confidence?
Outside Zhennan Pass, at the front of the procession.
Chu Ning took a deep breath, carrying the chill of the early morning and the grim atmosphere of the battlefield, and gathered his inner energy.
That clear and powerful voice, amplified by internal energy, resonated clearly throughout every corner of the vast army formation:
"Soldiers of the Great Chu!"
As the sound faded, the open field was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the howling wind.
"Behind you lies Zhennanguan! It is the land and dignity you defended with your flesh and blood and with your fearless courage!"
"Ahead of you!"
He suddenly raised his hand and pointed to the north: "It is the defeated Tang army, the panicked Tang Dynasty, and the Central Plains that our Great Chu has longed for for generations!"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with a kind of historical inevitability and impassion: "Since the collapse of the previous dynasty, the world has been in chaos. Nine dynasties have stood side by side, fighting endlessly, and the people have suffered terribly for nearly a hundred years! A hundred years of war, a hundred years of turmoil! This Central Plains has been divided for far too long!"
"And today, Heaven has favored us, and fortune has smiled upon our Great Chu! After this Battle of Zhennan Pass, the nine great dynasties have vanished into thin air! Only our Great Chu remains, facing the dying Li Tang dynasty across the city!"
He paused for a moment, letting his powerful words resonate in the hearts of every soldier, then his voice became incredibly firm and heroic, like a thunderclap: "Soldiers! A century of strife has come to an end! The great cause of unifying the Central Plains and restoring peace for all time is in our hands, right here at our feet today!"
"The Li Tang dynasty may have been powerful in the past, but after this defeat, its elite forces have been wiped out, and its courage has been chilled!"
"His king, Li Shimin, must be in his palace right now, living in constant fear!"
"And our Great Chu, blessed by Heaven above and supported by your loyalty and courage below! Our army is at its sharpest, and our morale is soaring! This is the mandate of Heaven, the inevitable trend of the times!"
Chu Ning suddenly drew his sword from his waist, its blade pointing straight to the sky, drawing a dazzling, cold light in the rising sun. With all his might, he let out a roar that could shake mountains and rivers and establish the order of the world: "This battle—is not for plunder, not for personal grudges! It is for ending a century of chaos!"
"It is for the sake of creating lasting peace! It is for the sake of letting the banner of our Great Chu fly over every inch of the Central Plains! So that all the people under heaven may share in tranquility!"
"Follow me—lead the army northward, and set our sights on Luoyang! Crush the Tang dynasty and unify the Central Plains!"
"Great Chu—Victory!!!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!!!"
The long-suppressed fighting spirit and passion of the 300,000 soldiers were completely ignited by Chu Ning's words!
Like a dormant volcano suddenly erupting, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami surged into the sky, scattering the clouds on the horizon, and the earth seemed to tremble in response!
Swords and spears were raised high, like a forest and a surging tide, and every soldier's face was filled with unparalleled fervor and an unwavering belief in victory!
"Marching into battle—!"
As Chu Ning pointed his longsword forward, at his command, the messengers, who were already prepared, waved huge command flags, and the powerful war drums suddenly rang out like thunder!
“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!”
Amidst the deafening drumbeats and shouts of "Victory!", the massive army began to move slowly.
The white-horse cavalry at the forefront took the lead and surged northward like a silver torrent bursting its banks.
Then, the infantry phalanx followed with orderly and firm steps.
Banners blotted out the sun, and dust billowed. A massive army, carrying the mission of ending the chaos and unifying the world, officially left Zhennanguan and embarked on its journey to conquer the Tang Dynasty and seize the Central Plains!
At this moment, the wheels of history were forcefully pushed onto a new track by Chu Ning and his soldiers.
On the majestic city wall of Zhennanguan, the cold wind howled, blowing Feng Anguo's gray hair and Jia Yu's simple robe sleeves.
The two stood side by side, like two silent statues.
They watched as the massive army, carrying the fate of the empire and boundless ambitions, slowly began to move, like a giant dragon whose beginning and end were nowhere in sight, winding its way northward, towards the ancient and vast Central Plains.
A sea of banners moved, swords and spears gleamed, and the iron hooves of warhorses kicked up billowing dust.
The deep horn and the powerful war drums intertwined, and even standing on the high city wall, one could feel the overwhelming momentum and resolute killing intent that seemed to change the very landscape.
Feng Anguo held onto the crenellation, his gaze fixed on the bright yellow dragon banner that was the most dazzling in the army, until it gradually blended into the marching army and became a moving point of light.
After a long while, he slowly withdrew his gaze. His face did not show much of the excitement of bidding farewell to those going to war; instead, it was shrouded in a deep and lingering worry.
He turned his head to look at Jia Yu, who remained calm and whose eyes were as deep as an ancient well. His voice was not loud, but it carried a heavy weight:
"Lord Jia, we are here to see His Majesty off with 300,000 elite troops heading north. Do you think His Majesty can truly achieve a resounding victory in this battle and take over the Tang Dynasty in one fell swoop?"
Upon hearing this, Jia Yu did not answer immediately, but instead smiled slightly and asked in return:
"General Feng, is this a lack of confidence in His Majesty and in the mighty army of our Great Chu?"
"confidence?"
Feng Anguo gave a bitter laugh and sighed deeply, the sigh sounding particularly desolate in the wind:
"Lord Jia, I am not afraid of battle, nor am I questioning His Majesty's wisdom and martial prowess, much less underestimating the bravery of my soldiers."
"However, we both know that the Tang Dynasty was, after all, a vast empire that dominated the Central Plains for decades!"
He pointed north, as if he could pierce through mountains and passes to see that land:
"Although Li Shimin suffered a great defeat and lost many soldiers and generals, the foundation of his country remained intact."
“Guanzhong, Hedong, and Hebei are all densely populated and rich in resources. Once the court makes up its mind, it will not be difficult to urgently recruit and raise hundreds of thousands of new troops.”
"Moreover, the cities of the Tang Dynasty were well-fortified and had many passes. Even when various warlords rose up at the end of the Sui Dynasty, they could not easily shake its foundation."
"Guo Ziyi was a renowned general of his time, and he was prudent in his military tactics. He would surely rely on the terrain and mountains to set up defenses layer by layer and block attacks step by step."
"Our army has penetrated deep into enemy territory, with extended supply lines and unfamiliar terrain. How easy is it to achieve a swift victory and capture their capital in one fell swoop?"
"I'm afraid... it will be a protracted, costly, and bloody battle!"
Feng Anguo paused, his tone growing heavier, and glanced back at the direction of Youzhou in the north, another heavy weight on his heart:
"Moreover, His Majesty has entrusted the safety of the northern border entirely to Prince Xuan. Although it is a sign of trust, there are still 100,000 treacherous and fickle Scorpion Clan cavalrymen led by Huyan Ying outside Youzhou!"
"This has always been a sharp blade hanging over our army's rear, a huge threat that could erupt at any moment!"
"If something happens on the northern front, the consequences will be unimaginable. I am staying here, and every time I think of this place, I feel uneasy and unable to eat or sleep."
He laid out his biggest worries, which were also the difficult questions that Chu Ning had repeatedly weighed before sending troops.