Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

Imagine that, with only three thousand five hundred men at your command, you occupied Hulao Pass. When you looked into the distance from the high ground, all you could see was the enemy's army stretching along the riverbank, advancing in formation to the beat of drums, their ranks orderly and brimming with military might. Yet your commander had strictly ordered not to engage in battle, leaving you to tremblingly watch from the city walls...

Such a situation would inevitably affect the morale of both sides.

In this case, by the time Dou Jiande led the Summer Army to truly start the siege, he would have gained a certain advantage.

However, he could never have imagined that Lord Qin would actually dare to charge a hundred thousand-strong army with only three thousand five hundred men.

And that meant forcefully crossing the Si River to strike at a fully arrayed hundred thousand-strong army!

In hindsight, Lord Qin's move was akin to the work of deities; common generals wouldn't dare to execute or even conceive of it.

Lord Qin first enforced a strict defense, not leaving the fortifications. Then, noticing the summer soldiers sitting on the ground drinking water due to the scorching weather, he instantly seized the fleeting opportunity and led the cavalry in a sudden assault!

At that moment, Dou Jiande was at the central military tent holding a meeting with his generals, when Lord Qin approached with his cavalry. Dou Jiande fled in panic, the Summer Army's line crumbled, and the vast host was chased for thirty li by Lord Qin, resulting in the capture of Dou Jiande.

So the question arises: why did the Summer Army soldiers dare to sit and drink water at that time? Why did Dou Jiande feel safe enough to have a meeting in the central tent?

Clearly, they did not believe that Lord Qin would dare to make a sortie and even took the idea that "the Liang Army would hold out within Hulao Pass for a long period and not emerge" as an established fact, which led to this outcome.

One can only say that Dou Jiande's arrangement was not overly flawed. Had the opponent been anyone else, the likelihood of his victory would have been quite substantial.

Or even if not victorious, at the very least, the situation would have continued as a prolonged stalemate in front of Hulao Pass, and not a disastrous defeat, let alone an annihilation.

Unfortunately for him, the opponent was not just anyone; it was Lord Qin.

Thus, a potential gap that could hardly be called a flaw was instantly exploited, and the result was a chase extending thirty li.

...

After attempting to reanalyze the battle of Hulao Pass, Li Hongyun gained a new appreciation for Emperor Taizong of Liang's ability to compel awe.

If we were to summarize, Emperor Taizong of Liang, as the emperor skilled in warfare from ancient times, possessed several key strengths.

First, ample logistics and dedicated soldiers.

Emperor Taizong of Liang almost never fought uncertain battles. Whenever he went to the front lines, the Liang Army was always well-supplied. Thus, in a prolonged standoff, the first to run out of provisions would surely be the enemy.

Furthermore, Emperor Taizong's personal charisma was beyond imagination. He had numerous instances of breaking through encirclements in battle to rescue various generals, earning wholehearted respect from his commanders. As for the rank-and-file, they all knew that following Lord Qin meant certain victory, and thus they were also willing to exert their utmost efforts for him.

Therefore, the army's logistical support and organizational level were at their peak even before the battle began.

Second, win with the orthodox, conquer with the unexpected.

Emperor Taizong of Liang never made mistakes, nor did he reveal any significant weaknesses to the enemy. Almost all the flaws you could see were traps and ambushes set up by Emperor Taizong.

When facing formidable enemies, Emperor Taizong always held fast, clearing the field and standing his ground. The enemy could attack ten times, a hundred times, without gaining any advantage.

But when Emperor Taizong decided to strike, it would take just one attempt to pursue and slaughter for three days and nights, decisively tipping the balance of fate.

Third, a level of personal courage and combat prowess that could be described as game-breaking.

In the era of cold weapons, the role fierce warriors played in warfare was critical.

For instance, before the great battle at Hulao Pass began, Lord Qin led a few dozen cavalrymen to personally scout the enemy camp. Seeing that Dou Jiande's scouts not only did not flee but even shouted, "I am Lord Qin!" in an attempt to draw hatred, was testament to his unbounded courage.

Dou Jiande sent out a few thousand cavalry to pursue, but Lord Qin took down each with a single arrow, killing anyone who dared to peek out of cover. Just like that, Dou Jiande's few thousand cavalry chased him three times, yet they couldn't catch Lord Qin. In the end, they were lured into an encirclement and suffered a crushing defeat.

If Dou Jiande had a warrior with a Combat Power close to that of Lord Qin, one who could shoot Lord Qin's mount dead with an arrow, perhaps the outcome of the battle at Hulaoguan Pass would have been completely rewritten.

Unfortunately, at that time, Lord Qin's personal Combat Power was the ceiling of the entire era.

Not to mention Dou Jiande's side, even Yuchi Jingde, the braggart of the age who could casually seize his opponent's lance on horseback, was only tossed about like a rag doll when he faced Lord Qin.

To summarize, battling with Lord Qin was like a bronze player going solo against a king-level pro.

The king-level pro could even play with one hand, never showing any real weakness. What you saw as an opening was actually a trap. And when you were nervously trying to survive under your tower, you'd find that what you thought was a perfectly normal movement was, in his eyes, an opportunity for a solo kill.

"He's already dead; he just doesn't know it."

Perhaps this was what war looked like in the eyes of Lord Qin.

...

If you were allies with someone like Lord Qin, perhaps you wouldn't notice his abnormal side.

But once the perspective changes, once you become the opponent, that terror gets amplified without limits.

Nevertheless, one must still fight.

Without fighting, you can't clear this instance.

Li Hongyun paced back and forth, rapidly pondering countermeasures.

After understanding Lord Qin's combat style, he might be able to turn it against him and set up some arrangements...

At this moment, a messenger arrived on a fast horse.

"Report! Our scouting cavalry encountered a man who claimed to be Lord Qin!"

Li Hongyun couldn't help being shocked.

Here he comes!

Clearly, Lord Qin himself had come with the cavalry to scout the terrain. Upon encountering Dou Jiande's scouts, rather than fleeing, he shouted, "I am Lord Qin too."

What followed was Dou Jiande sending a few thousand cavalry to give chase, but they couldn't catch up all the way and instead ran into an ambush by the Liang Army, resulting in a great defeat.

Li Hongyun immediately said, "Bring my horse! Fetch my bow! Assemble ten thousand cavalry to join me in battle!"

In an instant, Li Hongyun had resolved to make his first attempt.

That was to attempt to take advantage of Lord Qin's habit of recklessly venturing out with just a few dozen cavalry and behead him!

Historically, Lord Qin's penchant for taking risks did indeed put him in peril several times, and once his warhorse was even shot dead. It was only when a subordinate offered his own horse that he was able to break out of the encirclement. Perhaps if fate had twisted slightly, he would have been doomed on the battlefield.

Li Hongyun felt that if he were to luckily win against Lord Qin, he could only count on such luck.

Why not try? What if it actually worked?