Chapter 833
The Decisive Battle of Dadu
Outside the capital, a tense atmosphere had already descended. The city gates were tightly shut, and King Zhai had ordered the closure of all four gates. From this day forward, no one was allowed to enter or leave the capital. King Zhai personally led his troops to guard the city, making it completely surrounded. Meanwhile, outside the capital, heavy troops were also surrounding it.
The first to arrive in Dadu was Chen Jie's army under Zhang Dingbian. Zhang Dingbian had been stationing his troops in Baoding, but upon learning that Chen Jie had arrived in Dadu, he immediately marched into Dadu and joined forces with Chen Jie outside the city.
The second wave came from Xu Da, who led 70,000 troops to the area and joined forces with Zhang Dingbian.
Then there's Chen Xiaohu's White Tiger Army.
Several armies have joined forces, while the other three locations have already been breached by the three commanders. Now, only Dadu remains unconquered in the entire Daqian Dynasty. Chen Jie has already dispatched troops to unify the various locations, and the entire army is now preparing for this final battle.
At this moment, outside the capital city, Zhang Dingbian, Xu Da, and Chen Xiaohu led their respective troops to meet in front of Chen Jie's tent.
"Haha, Lao Zhang!"
Upon seeing Zhang Dingbian, Chen Xiaohu excitedly shouted, as the two were old comrades who hadn't seen each other for a long time.
Zhang Dingbian laughed loudly when he saw Chen Xiaohu, saying, "Tiger General!"
"Hahaha……"
The two embraced each other, overcome with emotion. Chen Xiaohu said, "Haha, Lao Zhang, you fought a great battle! Subutai at Daoma Pass is a tough nut to crack, but you took it down so easily. I bet a lot of people died."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian said, "Hahaha, Tiger General, you're too kind. I've heard about your battle in Datong. You dug tunnels to attack the city. That was a really wild idea. I heard that it scared the enemy's general, Wuliangha, so much that he rode away on horseback in his undergarments. He was in quite a sorry state."
"Sigh, don't even mention it. I've been upset for days since Wuliangha got away. Who would have thought that kid would leave himself so many escape routes? I chased him all the way to the grasslands, but I still couldn't catch up. I'm ashamed, so ashamed."
Chen Xiaohu shook his head: "It seems that the credit still belongs to you, Lao Zhang. Who knows, when the King of Han establishes the country this time, he might make you a prince."
"Hey, Tiger General, you mustn't speak recklessly."
Zhang Dingbian quickly stopped Chen Xiaohu, saying, "Commander Hu, don't talk nonsense. In the future, it will be up to the Prince of Han to decide. We shouldn't think about it. Besides, I don't think people of different surnames should be made princes."
Upon hearing this, Tiger General looked at Zhang Dingbian, then remained silent for a moment before saying, "General Zhang has great courage."
Zhang Dingbian said, “It’s not about having great ambition. Kings of different surnames have always been the way to bring chaos. We know what’s going on. This country is not easy to come by. I hope that if we can get this country, we can sit on it properly and let the Han people stand tall.”
Chen Xiaohu nodded upon hearing this.
Meanwhile, Deng Yu, who was following behind Chen Xiaohu, also saw Xu Da and came to Xu Da's side, saying, "Commander Xu."
Fu Youde, who was standing next to Zhang Dingbian, also came over and said, "Commander Xu."
Xu Da looked at the two of them and said, "Good, good, old brothers, we already know about your battle record. You fought well, you fought with spirit, and you didn't disgrace us Anhui people."
Hearing this, everyone nodded. At this moment, Chen Xiaohu and Zhang Dingbian came over, cupped their hands to Xu Da, and said, "Commander Xu."
Xu Da glanced at Chen Xiaohu and politely returned the greeting: "Commander Tiger."
Chen Xiaohu said, "Haha, you're too kind. In the battle of Jining Prefecture, Commander Xu took down Baida'er with minimal losses. It was a stroke of genius. We can't even come close to that."
Xu Da smiled and said, "Tiger Commander, you're too kind. Your tunnel warfare was truly brilliant. You actually managed to dig through the walls of Datong. It's said that when the city fell, the Uriyangkhai were still wearing their undergarments and running around naked."
"Hahaha, no, no, it was just luck. I can't compare to Marshal Xu and Marshal Zhang. You are both masters of military strategy. All I know is how to fight and charge. When it comes to leading troops, you two are the best."
"Oh, Tiger General, you're too kind. Your military tactics are truly masterful."
As they were talking, the tent flap was suddenly opened, and a personal guard came in and said, "The King of Han invites all the generals to enter the tent."
Hearing this, the group exchanged glances and then went directly into the military tent.
"Greetings, King of Han."
Everyone bowed to Chen Jie, who was sitting behind a desk with a map of Dadu on it. He looked up and saw the group of people who had entered.
Leading them were Zhang Dingbian, Chen Xiaohu, and Xu Da, followed by Jin Yanzi and Ding Pulang, and then Fu Youde, Deng Yu, Chen Tun, Chen Quan, and others.
After everyone arrived, they all looked at Chen Jie. At this moment, Chen Jie looked like an ordinary person, but if you looked closely, you would find that he was like a huge black hole, frantically attracting everyone around him to his front.
At this moment, everyone felt that what stood before them was not the King of Han, but a god, a god who was one with nature.
Chen Jie then looked at the group and said, "You're all here. You've done a good job in the battles outside. You deserve encouragement."
"Thank you for the praise, Prince Xie."
Chen Jie glanced at the group and said, "Alright, your past achievements have been recorded. What lies before you now is Dadu. According to intelligence reports, Dadu currently has a total of 200,000 garrison troops."
"Moreover, the three Vajra Guardians of the Great Buddha Temple have also been sent by Phagpa to guard the city, so this battle will not be easy."
Chen Jie continued, "I can't help you with the upcoming battle. I need to gather the aura of an emperor for the final battle against Phagpa. Before that, I hope you can take Dadu and not give the enemy any chance to breathe."
"Yes!"
Everyone immediately clasped their fists in greeting. Chen Jie said, "Let me explain. Currently, there are two main forces guarding the capital. The southern city is guarded by 100,000 troops led by the Prince of Zhai. This batch of 100,000 troops should be the last elite force of the Great Qian Dynasty. If we eliminate them, the Great Qian Dynasty will be powerless to fight back."
"Who among you will take on the mission of attacking the south city?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohu took a step forward, but then stepped back after thinking for a moment.
This was the main objective, and the greatest achievement in this final battle. In everyone's eyes, it was a sure-fire prize.
It's important to understand that in a war that establishes a nation, whoever ultimately captures Dadu (Beijing) will not only be granted a title and a high-ranking position, but will also be recorded in great detail in the history books. For example, Chen Xiaohu's conquest of Dadu, Zhang Dingbian's conquest of Dadu, and Xu Da's conquest of Dadu were all remarkable achievements.
It should be considered one of the highest pursuits for a military general, second only to sealing the wolf's lair.
Chen Jie noticed Chen Xiaohu's subtle actions and then asked, "Xiaohu, what are your thoughts?"
Upon hearing this, neither Zhang Dingbian nor Xu Da spoke. Zhang Dingbian knew that such a good thing should be given to his own relative, a general, first.
Chen Xiaohu was, after all, the younger brother of the Prince of Han, and his military talent was considerable. While not top-tier, he could easily handle a nobody like the Prince of Zhai. Therefore, this main attack mission seemed like a golden opportunity, and Zhang Dingbian didn't want to steal the spotlight.
As for Xu Da, needless to say, he was a surrendered general. Although he helped the Prince of Han take Jining Prefecture, in terms of seniority, how could he possibly be given such a task? Therefore, he honestly did not participate in this matter.
Apart from these three, people like Golden Swallow and Ding Pulang are even less qualified to take on such a task on their own.
So all Chen Xiaohu had to do was say, "King Han, give me the main attack mission."
Everyone felt that this mission was 100% Chen Xiaohu's, and this was a chance to make a name for himself in history.
Chen Xiaohu fell silent at this moment. When Chen Jie asked him, he said, "King Han, I think this main attack mission should be entrusted to a person with outstanding military strategy. We must make good arrangements to minimize the casualties."
"We've already lost enough of our brothers on this northern expedition; we can't afford to lose even more when we're about to win."
Chen Xiaohu said, "Zhang Shuai and Xu Shuai are both very talented, and both of them are capable of doing this job."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian and Xu Da quickly said, "Hey, Tiger General, your military strategy has already reached a high level, why belittle yourself? I think you are absolutely capable of taking on this role."
"Yes, Tiger General, you are absolutely capable of this task."
Several people declined, but Chen Xiaohu said, "You two shouldn't refuse. You both know me. I like to fight fiercely and recklessly, which results in heavy casualties. I can't compare to your two skillful command. The position of commander-in-chief for this final battle is rightfully yours, so please don't decline."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian and Xu Da exchanged a glance and then said, "Tiger Commander, you take the lead in the attack, and we'll support you. We'll make sure our brothers don't suffer any more casualties."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohu became furious: "What are you saying? I, Chen Xiaohu, am a man of integrity. When have I ever needed others to give me credit? Zhang Shuai, Xu Shuai, if you look down on me, just say so. Don't beat around the bush."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian and Xu Da looked at Chen Xiaohu and were momentarily speechless.
But deep down, there was a hint of admiration. Everyone knew that this battle would go down in history, but Chen Xiaohu hesitated to take command and lead the attack for fear of casualties. What a magnanimous spirit! You know, one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand.
How many generals truly care about the lives of their soldiers? Many generals treat the lives of their soldiers as mere numbers—a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand—just a string of numbers on their battle reports.
Who can truly care about the life or death of a soldier?
However, Chen Xiaohu could tell that he wasn't faking it. He took that step forward because he instinctively wanted the pie, but the step he took back showed his true leadership as a commander, that he genuinely valued the lives of his soldiers.
Xu Da looked at Chen Xiaohu and felt a sense of recognition. He was a man who knew soldiers, understood soldiers, and loved soldiers.
No wonder Chen Jiu Si was able to defeat Zhu Chong Ba. If all his generals were like Chen Xiao Hu, how could his great cause not be secured? He is a man of true vision.
Fu Youde and Deng Yu both genuinely admired Chen Xiaohu. Chen Xiaohu's behavior was highly commendable. The general did not covet credit but only cared about the greater cause. What kind of magnanimity does it take to do that?
Deng Yu knew Chen Xiaohu's character quite well, since the two had worked together, so he was familiar with Chen Xiaohu's personality. However, Chen Xiaohu's behavior today made Deng Yu look at him in a new light.
Attacking Dadu (Beijing) would be a historic event, what a temptation!
The fact that he could resist such a great temptation earned Chen Xiaohu the respect and admiration of everyone present.
Chen Jie then looked at Chen Xiaohu and said, "Alright, since Tiger General can't take command, which of you two will take command?"
Chen Jie looked at Zhang Dingbian and Xu Da. Upon hearing this, Xu Da stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I recommend General Zhang to be the commander."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian immediately said, "Commander Xu, you..."
Xu Da said, "Your Majesty, I am new here and do not yet understand the characteristics of each army. It would be best if Commander Zhang were to lead the army."
Zhang Dingbian said, "Commander Xu, Tiger Commander just said that we should minimize casualties. Among us, you are the only one who can guarantee the number of casualties. In the Battle of Jining, you only lost less than 10,000 men."
Xu Da said, "The general guarding Jining is of average strength. General Zhang will succeed just as well. The only difference is that the missions were different. General Zhang's mission was to break through the pass first and win the first prize for the Prince of Han, while I only needed to take Jining Prefecture at the lowest cost. I can wear it down, but General Zhang cannot, so this point cannot be taken into account."
"Furthermore, General Zhang is the number one general in the world. This main offensive mission must be led by General Zhang, otherwise it will be difficult to gain the respect of the people."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingbian said, "Commander Xu, no..."
Chen Xiaohu then walked over and said, "Alright, Lao Zhang, don't be so polite. Xu Shuai is right. The main attack is about coordinating all aspects. Xu Shuai's ability is beyond doubt, but he hasn't worked well with us yet. You should take over."
"Yes, Zhang Shuai, come on over."
Xu Da also said.
Hearing this, Chen Jie said, "Alright, don't act like you're about to go down in history. If you mess up this battle, you'll be infamous for eternity, Zhang Dingbian."
"Your subordinate is here."
Zhang Dingbian immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute. At this moment, Chen Jie said, "Don't refuse. I appoint you as the commander-in-chief of the southern route, leading the Azure Dragon Army and Buddhist soldiers to attack the south gate of Dadu."
"promise!"
Zhang Dingbian immediately accepted the order, and at this moment Chen Jie looked at Xu Da and Chen Xiaohu and said: "In addition, according to intelligence, the North Gate is guarded by the veteran general Chagatai with 100,000 new troops composed of private soldiers from various families. Xu Da is the commander-in-chief and Chen Xiaohu is the deputy commander-in-chief. I order you two to go to the North Gate to attack and take it."
Upon hearing this, Xu Da immediately said, "King of Han, Tiger General has the best seniority and the strongest strength. I think Tiger General should be the commander-in-chief, and I can be the deputy commander-in-chief."
Before Chen Jie could speak, Chen Xiaohu said, "General Xu, what are you saying? This is the King's military order. Do you intend to disobey?"
Xu Da: "I dare not."
Chen Xiaohu said, "King Han, I am willing to serve as your deputy general and join Commander Xu in attacking the North Gate."
Chen Jie nodded and said, "Alright, in that case, let's go and prepare. We'll attack Dadu tomorrow."
"promise!"
Everyone clasped their hands in greeting and left the tent one after another. Zhang Dingbian and Xu Da turned to leave, and Chen Xiaohu also wanted to leave, but then Chen Jie called out, "Xiaohu, stay a moment."
Upon hearing this, everyone glanced at Chen Xiaohu, then left the tent without saying a word. (End of Chapter)