After Marrying a Vegetative Princess, I went crazy with joy! - Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Lu Dongzan was acquainted with Su Li. He greatly admired the sophistication of Central Plains culture, excelling in the six noble arts. This Tubo figure was a true all-rounder. Poetry was certainly among his interests.

During the months since descending from the plateau, Lu Dongzan read nearly all available books in Song Zhou City. His favorite was Su Li’s poetry collection. Even though it had been a while since Su Li’s hundred poems were composed during a wine-fueled night, it was still well-regarded in the Tang Dynasty.

Whenever Lu Dongzan bought books, he would hear people discussing it, naturally fostering his admiration for Su Li’s talent. He read all of Su Li’s poems and even memorized many of them. Lu Dongzan could be considered a fan of Su Li. He acknowledged that Su Li’s poems were impressive.

But what did poetry have to do with warfare?

Li Er, as an impending emperor, should understand this, right?

Sending a “Poet Sage” to fight Tubo was disrespectful and humiliating.

“How can I coexist with the Tang Dynasty? What do you say, uncle?” Songtsan Gampo’s expression turned dark as he looked at Lu Dongzan, speaking with malice.

Lu Dongzan shook his head and said, “If the Tang emperor wants to fight, let’s fight first.”

Wasn’t the Tang emperor supposed to be a wise ruler? How could they make such an error?

Lu Dongzan could only think of one explanation. Perhaps Li Er didn’t want to fight but faced immense internal resistance preventing him from directly agreeing to a marriage alliance. Hence, he sent a “Poet Sage” to fight, hoping for a quiet conflict with Tubo.

This scenario didn’t seem implausible. However, Li Er surely overthought it!

Lu Dongzan chuckled. He believed that this battle would surely teach the Tang army a harsh lesson!

Nonetheless, wise plans came before action, and caution was crucial in every endeavor, especially warfare. After thinking for a while, Lu Dongzan lifted his head and addressed Songtsan Gampo, “Zanpu, the Tang people have a saying, ‘Soldiers never tire of deceit.’ Do you think that the Tang Dynasty’s 50,000 troops are few?”

Songtsan Gampo was momentarily puzzled, then replied, “I know that when the Tang people go to war, they rarely deploy armies with over 100,000 soldiers. But even facing us, Tubo only sent 50,000 troops. It seems they don’t regard our 200,000 Tubo warriors seriously. How could four Tubo warriors not defeat a Tang army?”

Lu Dongzan sighed and said, “In the land of the Central Plains, remarkable things happen. There have been countless instances of victories against overwhelming odds. They have inherited military strategies passed down through generations. If it comes to battle, Tang soldiers couldn’t possibly win against four-to-one odds.”

“But, their commanders understand military strategy. With strategic guidance, I believe 50,000 Tang troops can defeat 200,000 Tubo soldiers,” Lu Dongzan continued. “Everything still requires caution.”

Upon hearing this, Songtsan Gampo immediately became displeased. “Father Xiang, that Tang army’s commander is a pretty boy who knows how to write poems. Before becoming a consort, I heard that he was just a common peasant in Changan. How could he know anything about military strategy? I’m afraid his strategy is inferior even to mine!”

Lu Dongzan chuckled, “Do you really think Su Li is the commander of that Tang army?”

Seeing Songtsan Gampo’s confused expression, Lu Dongzan shook his head. “As I’ve said, ‘soldiers never tire of deceit.’ Li Daozong is the true leader of that army. No amount of caution is excessive if we’re up against Li Daozong.”

Among the Tang generals’ list, Lu Dongzan noticed three individuals: Su Li, Li Daozong, and Su Dingfang. “Su Li isn’t to be feared, and Su Dingfang is relatively unknown; most view him as an ordinary officer. Only Li Daozong is a genuine commander. Li Er probably intended to bestow military achievements on his son-in-law by giving him the highest title, but real power lies with Li Daozong.”

“Do we need to prepare early?” Songtsan Gampo finally calmed down and asked Lu Dongzan. Despite Songtsan Gampo’s young age, he was not naive.

Lu Dongzan responded, “It’s necessary to be prepared. We mustn’t underestimate their commanders. Remember, not just Su Li, but Li Daozong who leads.”

Songtsan Gampo felt a bit aloof during this time, but he wasn’t foolish. Although he occasionally found Lu Dongzan’s guidance somewhat annoying, he never considered parting ways with him. Lu Dongzan had always supported him diligently without seeking excessive power.

Their disagreement resulted from a previous incident when Songtsan Gampo moved to the military camps. Nonetheless, it was for Lu Dongzan’s benefit as well.

Lu Dongzan had been engaged in warfare year-round, and he had a hidden ailment in his legs and feet that became extremely painful in rainy weather. Songtsan Gampo moved the military camps simply to make Lu Dongzan more comfortable. The two of them were like family members having a minor disagreement.

“Preparation, of course, needs to be done in advance. I feel that the purpose of the Tang army’s visit isn’t as simple as it seems. Zanpu, how do you think we can ensure success without any doubt?” Lu Dongzan’s serious expression prompted the question, causing Songtsan Gampo to start pondering immediately.

Facing 50,000 Tang soldiers didn’t seem challenging to him. However, he was well aware of the cunning nature of the Tang people. Who knew what tricks they might employ? Despite his arrogance, Songtsan Gampo couldn’t completely dismiss the gravity of the situation.

Planning for failure before even winning and considering a retreat might seem unproductive, but the turning point in history often hinges on just that mentality. A simple shift in mindset could have altered many long-lasting grudges.

For instance, if Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, had prepared for possible defeat when he rose to power, he might not have met his tragic end on the banks of the Wu River. Similarly, Zhuge Liang’s careful prearrangement before his death allowed the often-misunderstood Liu Shan to rule as emperor for decades.

Lu Dongzan often shared these stories with Songtsan Gampo. When Lu Dongzan started speaking, Songtsan Gampo knew what he would ask.

Songtsan Gampo considered it for a moment and concluded that defeating the Tang army head-on didn’t seem too difficult. The reason was straightforward – the Tibetan army of 200,000 soldiers primarily consisted of skilled horse archers. How could they not defeat the Tang army?

But what if they couldn’t defeat them…

At this thought, an idea suddenly struck Songtsan Gampo’s mind.

“Why don’t I send a letter in advance and seek an alliance with the Nine Surnames of the Tiele and other tribes?”

The words slipped out in a rush.