coobybook Chapter 1129 To War or to Peace?
Chapter 1129 To War or to Peace?
Li Che looked at Wang Sanchun, indicating that he could speak freely.
Wang Sanchun's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he was having some difficulty speaking: "Our advance has been hampered, and it seems that there have been some problems with the transportation of our army's supplies."
"The grain convoy that should have been there to meet us along the way was either delayed or short, and the escort officer was being evasive... something seemed amiss."
Li Che finally frowned.
The imperial court's mishandling of supplies was the most serious problem in the Northwest, but Li Che was too busy with his campaign to deal with it.
To my utter surprise, at this critical juncture, while I was still on the front lines, they dared not do their best.
The air inside the tent seemed to freeze for a moment.
However, Li Che did not press the matter further. Instead, he raised his hand to interrupt Wang Sanchun, saying, "Let's not discuss this now; we'll talk about it another day."
At present, Chuimacheng has just experienced a bloody battle, and its top priority is to gain a foothold and recover its strength.
While the logistics of the border troops are certainly important, they cannot be clarified immediately.
Wang Sanchun immediately fell silent, understanding Li Che's meaning.
Some things cannot be rushed, nor can they be investigated too deeply here.
Wang Sanchun changed the subject: "Your Majesty, the Tibetan commander has been captured by Ma Xiao. Shall we question him?"
Li Che shook his head: "No rush, let's give him some space first."
Being too eager to make a deal will only make the Tibetan general look down on you, since you have just defeated the besieging army.
It's better to put it aside for now and let him know that he's not that important to Daqing, so that we can talk things over more easily later.
In fact, Li Che also knew that with the war progressing to this point, it was impossible to destroy the country in one battle.
The situation in Tibet was different from that in Goryeo. Tibet had a large enough territory to provide ample strategic buffer.
Moreover, it is located on a plateau, and the Central Plains army would suffer from severe altitude sickness even when marching to high-altitude areas, let alone fighting in the heartland.
If Li Che really wanted to grit his teeth and destroy Tibet, it wouldn't be impossible, but the price would be that Daqing would also be dragged into a quagmire, and the people's livelihood would be difficult for the next ten years or so, or even regress.
But we can't just go back like this; we have to make the Tibetans tremble with fear and suffer a painful defeat.
Although we have won a battle, it has not caused any fundamental damage to Tibet. Even if we retreat now, they will continue to harass the border, and the suffering on the northwestern frontier remains unresolved.
We must at least force them to cede territory and pay reparations, leaving a large buffer zone in the northwest of Daqing, so that the damaged livelihoods in the northwest can recover and thrive.
Thus, while waiting for the majority of his troops to arrive, Li Che seized the time to reorganize his army.
Three days later, Li Che met with the captured Dorje.
Dorje was escorted into the central command tent by two burly guards, his former imposing presence as a general long gone.
His hair was disheveled, his face bore the bruises and swellings left by Ma Zhong's blow, and the heavy shackles on his body rattled as he moved.
But in those deep-set eyes, there was only numbness.
His back remained ramrod straight, clearly unwilling to lose face in front of Li Che.
Li Che sat upright behind the desk, his face still somewhat pale.
His injuries have almost healed and there are no signs of infection, but since he did bleed, it's impossible for him to recover so quickly.
On both sides of the tent, core generals such as Yue Yun, Wang Sanchun, Luo Yueniang, Ma Zhong, and Yu Daliang stood solemnly in order.
Everyone's gazes were sharp as knives, all fixed on Dorje.
Wang Sanchun spoke first: "You audacious defeated general, why do you not kneel before His Majesty?"
Dorje snorted coldly, but did not resist, and slowly knelt on the ground.
Tibet and Daqing still maintained diplomatic relations. Tibetan generals would greet the Daqing emperor as if they were seeing their own king, Puzan, which was a matter of etiquette.
Li Che's eyes turned slightly cold as he cut to the chase with Dorje:
"Dorje, besides your troops, does Tibet have any other reinforcements for this campaign? Where is the main force now? Who is commanding it? Please explain in detail."
Dorje held his head high, meeting Li Che's gaze, a mocking sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.
He then replied in a slightly stiff tone, "A defeated general has nothing to say, why ask any more questions!"
"Our Tibetan warriors are as numerous as stardust on the plateau, and the will of the Zanpu is as unshakable as a snow-capped mountain. Today's defeat is merely accidental. You will not get a single word out of me!"
His tone was firm, but his gaze flickered involuntarily when it met Li Che's eyes.
Li Che's question precisely addressed his biggest concern.
He himself did not know whether Tibet had any more reinforcements, or whether the Grand Master had received the news.
The battle was fought hastily. The Tibetan army was merely carrying out its annual routine harassment and never expected the Qing army to react so strongly, turning a military conflict into a large-scale campaign.
Li Che took in his subtle reactions and had already formed a judgment in his mind.
So he stopped asking about military matters and instead asked, "Are you willing to surrender?"
Dorje seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and suddenly spat a mouthful of bloody saliva on the ground.
Seeing his arrogance, the guards behind him immediately pinned him down and tied his arms behind his back.
Dorje continued to struggle, and his guards, fearing he might break free, had no choice but to increase their pressure.
In the end, Li Che heard the sound of bones tearing; Dorje's arm had been ripped off.
Even so, he showed no fear and shouted sternly, "My family has received the grace of the Zanpu for generations. There are only Tibetan generals who die in battle, not Tibetan cowards who surrender!"
"I was taken advantage of by your treacherous schemes today because of my incompetence. Do with me as you please!"
"But if you want me to betray the Tsangpo, the Yarlung Tsangpo River will flow backward and Mount Kailash will collapse!"
Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent showed anger, and Wang Sanchun even gripped the hilt of his sword.
Li Che merely nodded slightly, showing no anger on his face.
Unlike Dorje Tsering, Dorje Tsering, a high-ranking general, would not surrender easily. If he were to submit so readily, Li Che would become suspicious.
Seeing that Dorje was a loyal follower, Li Che didn't bother to waste any more words with him.
"Take him away and keep him under strict guard. Do not mistreat him, and do not let him die." Li Che waved his hand and said in a calm tone, "This man is still somewhat useful."
The guards obeyed the order and dragged the struggling and cursing Dorje out of the tent, his voice gradually fading into the distance.
Silence returned to the tent.
Dorjee's refusal to cooperate was expected, but it also cut off the possibility of obtaining information about the Tibetan army's movements.
Wang Sanchun stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Majesty, Dorje is stubborn and unyielding, and the movements of the Tibetan reinforcements are unclear. What should we do next?"
"Should we hold out in Chuima City and wait for reinforcements, or...?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the other generals, and voiced the most direct thought in everyone's mind:
"Should we take advantage of this great victory and continue westward, penetrating deeper into Tibetan territory?"
Should we defend or attack?
Although there are only two options, it is not a simple question.
All eyes were once again focused on Li Che.
The Qing army had just gone through a life-or-death battle, the soldiers were exhausted, the city was in ruins, and there were still concerns about the supply lines in the rear.
However, after the great victory, the enemy army also collapsed, which seemed to be the perfect opportunity to expand the victory and solve the border problem once and for all.
Li Che did not answer immediately.
He slowly stood up, walked to the map hanging in the tent, and slowly moved his gaze across it.
Inside the tent, you could hear a pin drop, with only the occasional crackling of charcoal in the brazier.
After a long while, Li Che turned around and calmly swept his gaze over the generals.
He slowly began to speak: "At this point, whether or not to fight is no longer a decision for me to make."
The generals were slightly taken aback.
Li Che lightly tapped the location of Chuima City on the map, then traced it westward into the heart of the Tibetan region.
"Our army urgently needs rest and replenishment. Although the Tibetan army on this route has been defeated, its national foundation has not been damaged and its main force is still intact."
"If we were to venture deep into enemy territory at this time, without knowing the enemy's situation and with a long supply line, it would be a major taboo for military strategists."
He paused, then changed the subject: "However, our army won this battle with fewer troops and has established its prestige. If the Tibetans still have any sense, they should know when to back down and send someone to make contact."
Li Che's gaze sharpened: "What we need to do next is to restore the defenses of Chuimacheng as soon as possible, take stock of the spoils and replenish supplies, so that the soldiers can catch their breath."
"At the same time, scouts were dispatched to expand the reconnaissance area to the west and north to find out the whereabouts of the Tibetan army."
"As for whether or not to fight..." Li Che's lips curled into a slight smile, "that depends on Tibet's sincerity."
"If they can't swallow this insult and want to fight again, then we'll fight them to the bitter end."
“If they are sensible and send someone to negotiate…” Li Che’s voice turned cold, “then we’ll see what they can offer in exchange for their general, to quell this border conflict they’ve provoked, and to guarantee peace on the border in the future!”
"We have the confidence to fight."
"We have leverage to negotiate."
Li Che concluded, "The initiative may seem to be in the hands of Tibet, but in reality it is in my hands."
Upon hearing this, the generals in the tent felt a sudden sense of relief.
Li Che's meaning was clear: do not rush for quick results, nor take unnecessary risks.
By remaining calm and observing, they shifted the pressure of making the next decision onto the severely damaged Tibetan Empire.
Whether it is war or peace, we can handle it calmly.
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
Yue Yun took the lead in clasping his hands in greeting, and the other generals followed suit solemnly.
Indeed, at this stage of the war, whether to continue the bloody tug-of-war or to seize the advantage and make a profit is no longer entirely up to one's own will.
However, the safest strategy is to firmly grasp the fruits of victory and remain ready to fight at any time.
With the strategy set, the generals received their orders and went about their respective tasks.
. . . . . .
Three days later, it was time for the routine meeting.
Suddenly, a guard outside the tent gave an urgent report:
"Report——"
"Your Majesty, generals! A small group of men has arrived from the west outside the city, carrying white flags. They claim to be envoys sent by the Great Minister of Tibet and request to enter the city to pay homage to Your Majesty!"
The tent fell silent instantly.
The generals exchanged a glance.
finally come!
Tibet's reaction came even faster than expected!
A glint flashed in Li Che's eyes, but his face remained calm. He simply ordered, "Take them to the side tent and wait there. Search them first, then check their documents and tokens."
"Tell the messenger that I will see him shortly."
"Yes, sir." The guard clasped his hands in response.
Li Che then looked at Qiu Bai: "Go and fetch the general's flag that Dorje was captured, as well as the tattered wolf-skin cloak he was wearing, and hang them outside this tent."
"Here!"
Li Che straightened his sleeves and looked towards the outside of the tent.
Whether it will be war or peace, we will soon find out.