Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors

In the storm, Tuli Khan hurried to Jie Li Khan's tent with a few close followers.

Indeed, Jie Li Khan had already received the news and was fully dressed and even mounted on his horse.

Upon seeing Tuli Khan, Jie Li Khan did not immediately lead his troops into battle, but instead asked him about the specific situation.

Tuli Khan quickly repeated Lord Qin's words.

Jie Li Khan's face was as still as water as he intently asked Tuli Khan, "Then according to you, what should be done?"

Tuli Khan hesitated briefly before responding, "Perhaps… we should send emissaries to negotiate peace, and withdraw the troops."

Jie Li Khan couldn't help his anger and scolded, "I have over a hundred thousand powerful troops pressing down, and you suggest withdrawing before a fight? If so, how would the world view me?

"Tell me the truth, have you conspired with Lord Qin?"

Tuli Khan, taken aback, quickly dismounted and knelt, swearing, "Great Khan, please see clearly, I have not done such things! I am completely considering this from the perspective of the Turkic people!"

Jie Li Khan, somewhat irritable, paced back and forth on his warhorse in the muddy ground, his face extremely grim.

The two who were expected to be most aligned in Turkic interest were now harboring doubts against each other.

Why would Tuli Khan wish for negotiation and withdrawal?

Because in his view, both publicly and privately, this was the best outcome.

Publicly, he did not believe the Turkic people were capable of defeating Lord Qin at this time.

The Turkic people didn't understand the real strength of Lord Qin; their previous withdrawal at Wulong Slope was indeed forced by Lord Qin.

If this period passed and the Turkic people came to their senses, they might realize that the Liang Army was outwardly strong but hollow inside. Otherwise, why had the Turkic people, after retreating to their camp, seen the Liang Army not daring to do much?

And it was when the Turkic people returned to their camp, in the pouring rain, preparing to sleep that Lord Qin, leading the Liang Army, made a rapid advance in the storm, showing a readiness to destroy both sides under extremely unfavorable conditions—this naturally struck great fear among the Turkic people from top to bottom.

They did not know what exactly Lord Qin had planned or prepared, nor from where he derived his confidence.

But this assertive stance further reinforced the feeling experienced during the day on Wulong Slope.

That feeling was: Lord Qin was completely unafraid of a full-scale battle with the Turkic people and was even confident, waiting only for the Turkic people to give a pretext to act.

The shock Tuli Khan felt was much greater than what Jie Li Khan experienced, as Lord Qin had directed the troops toward his tent first, clearly intending to use him as a breakthrough.

Privately, Tuli Khan also did not think it was wise to battle Lord Qin.

Earlier that day, Lord Qin had fully respected Tuli Khan in front of both armies, which had already made Tuli Khan lean towards Lord Qin's side.

This time, although Lord Qin could have started the battle without a word, he risked a potential encirclement by the Turkic people to give Tuli Khan an hour to persuade Jie Li Khan.

What did this imply?

Firstly, that Lord Qin approached him for a discussion instead of Jie Li Khan showed that Lord Qin favored him more; the camaraderie was not merely lip service.

Having shown such loyalty, then as a man of the steppes, Tuli Khan should also display proper etiquette.

Moreover, since Lord Qin valued him more than Jie Li Khan, it made Tuli Khan feel somewhat elevated.

Secondly, by giving Tuli Khan an hour despite the risk of encirclement by the Turkic people, it meant that Lord Qin trusted Tuli Khan and moreover, was not afraid to go to war.

He was confident that even if the Turkic people reneged and started a battle, he could harshly handle the Turkic people with the Liang Army.

If a battle really broke out, Tuli Khan would lose both face and the fight.

Losing face meant that despite Lord Qin, his sworn brother, giving him great respect, he would betray and stab him in the back; and as Lord Qin said, battling in the torrential rain at midnight would also significantly increase the Turkic people's chances of losing.

Tuli Khan did not want to take this risk, nor could he afford to lose the prestige.

Jie Li Khan was evidently very agitated.

Lord Qin's extreme pressure increased the likelihood of Jie Li Khan making a forced error yet again.

As Lord Qin had said, he had only given one hour. And that hour included the time for Tuli Khan to travel to him and return.

Of course, Jie Li Khan dared not gamble that Lord Qin was merely bluffing, because Lord Qin always kept his word.

Actually, Jie Li Khan wanted to fight. After deploying such a large army deep into Liang territory, was it just for sightseeing?

The number of cattle and sheep consumed along the way was already countless.

If he returned with little to show for it, his prestige as Khan would be greatly damaged.

But Tuli Khan's resolute stance on retreating the troops was something he could not ignore.

After all, Tuli Khan was second only to him in status. If the battle indeed broke out, he had to rely on Tuli Khan's efforts.

If Tuli Khan did not want to fight, let alone him defecting, even if he merely shirked his duties, the outcome of the battle would not be optimistic.

So, could Jie Li Khan afford to gamble?

Did he dare bet that, in the event of a real conflict, Tuli Khan would wholeheartedly fight?

Did he dare wager that during such torrential midnight rain, the Turkic people could win against the elite Liang Army despite their full disadvantage in terms of armor and weaponry?

Did he dare bet that Lord Qin didn't have powerful contingencies planned?

The final answer was no.

Sometimes, the power difference between wrestling opponents isn't significant.

However, once one party starts to retreat, that downtrend becomes unstoppable and beyond containment.