Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chapter 1703 Loss of More than Half

The next afternoon, the setting sun was as red as blood, dyeing the sky crimson.

Although the June sun has set, its power is still there, scorching this war-torn land.

The heat waves rolled in, and the smell of blood on the ground rose up, mixed with the smell of dust, which was nauseating.

After fleeing for a day and a night, the Tang army finally stopped temporarily at the foot of a barren hillside.

This iron cavalry, which once dominated the world, is now in a state of disgrace.

The soldiers' armor was askew, their uniforms were torn, and some were even barefoot, their straw sandals having been worn out from running.

Their faces were filled with fatigue and fear, and their eyes no longer had the sharpness of the past, only the numbness of surviving a disaster.

At the forefront of this defeated army, the figure of the Tang Emperor Li Shiming stood out.

The golden armor on his body reflected a dazzling light under the setting sun, as if mocking the once all-powerful emperor.

His helmet had long been lost in the chaotic escape, and his loose hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead in a messy manner, obscuring his gloomy eyes.

The entire Tang army was in complete silence; even the war horses lowered their heads, not daring to neigh.

There was a sense of oppression in the air, and even breathing became cautious.

At this time, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from a distance.

General Li Ji rode over on horseback, his armor also covered with knife marks, and his face was still stained with blood.

He dismounted, knelt on one knee, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, the remaining troops are gradually gathering. Of our 30,000 Black Armored Army, only about 16,000 are left."

This number was like a heavy hammer, hitting Li Shiming's heart hard.

His face instantly darkened, and a fierce murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

“More than half lost!”

He gritted his teeth, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "Humph, I will definitely settle this account with Chu Ning!"

His fists clenched and crackled, his knuckles turning white from the effort.

However, besides his anger, a deep regret also welled up in his heart.

If he had not been so eager for success, if he had not trusted Chu Ning's plan to lure the enemy, how could the 30,000 elite Black Armor Army have been destroyed so badly?

"However, the Han Dynasty is also half responsible for this matter!"

He suddenly raised his head, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "If the Han Dynasty had not suddenly withdrawn its troops, Chu Ning would not have been able to concentrate his troops to fight against our army!"

Thinking of this, his rage intensified, and his voice was as cold as ice: "Damn Liu Che, just wait for me!"

Li Ji sighed when he heard this.

He knew very well that being angry at the moment would be useless and the most urgent thing was to regroup.

He advised in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, let's return to the eastern battlefield and reunite with the main force. Chu Kuang is now leading the Chu army and launching a fierce attack on our army. If the news of our defeat here spreads back, our morale will drop again."

It doesn't matter if we lose this battle, as long as they are still alive there is hope.

But if we lose the battle on the Eastern Front, the 200,000-strong army there will be in dire straits.

Li Ji's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly waking Li Shiming up.

He took a deep breath, forced himself to suppress the anger in his heart, and his eyes became sharp and calm again.

"Pass on my order—" He waved his hand violently, his voice booming like thunder: "Rush to the eastern battlefield at full speed!"

As his orders were issued, the originally lifeless Tang army finally started to move.

The soldiers, exhausted, forced themselves to line up again. Their horses neighed, their hooves pounded the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, this remnant army rushed towards the east like a scarred torrent.

At the same time, the Han army, which had been away from Leling for a day and a night, was marching rapidly along the official road towards Suiyang City.

The weather in June was unbearably hot. The soldiers' armor had long been soaked with sweat, and their heavy steps seemed even slower.

After continuous fierce fighting and a long journey, even the most elite soldiers are now exhausted.

At the front of the team, Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty and Empress Dugu Jia walked side by side.

Dugu Jia had changed out of his luxurious phoenix robe and put on a light battle armor. He looked heroic but also a little tired.

She glanced at Liu Che and said softly, "Your Majesty, our soldiers have been fighting fiercely for a long time and have been traveling for a whole day and night. They are exhausted."

"The spies have reported that the Chu army is pursuing the Tang army and has not launched a pursuit against us. How about giving the entire army a two-hour rest?"

The Chu army did not pursue them, which was a blessing in disguise. If the Chu army had continued to pursue them, they would not have been able to get here safely.

When Liu Che heard this, his brows furrowed.

He knew the soldiers were exhausted, but the situation was unclear and the slightest mistake could lead to disaster.

However, when he looked around and saw those crumbling figures, he finally softened his heart.

He sighed and nodded, "Never mind. There's an open area ahead. Let's rest there for two hours. After we're full, we'll continue on our journey."

At the command, the soldiers felt relieved and collapsed to the ground.

Soon, smoke rose up and the aroma of food dispelled some of the fatigue.

Liu Che stood on a high slope, looking into the distance in the direction he came from, his eyes full of complexity.

Dugu Jia walked up to him and whispered, "Your Majesty, are you still thinking about General Li Gan?"

Liu Che was silent for a moment, then finally spoke in a low, hoarse voice: "I was careless this time. I never thought Chu Ning would lure our army into the city, resulting in the death of General Li Gan!"

Dugu Jia shook his head, his eyes firm: "Your Majesty cannot be blamed for this matter, it's all because the Emperor of Chu was too cunning!"

Liu Che smiled bitterly, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes.

Li Gan was one of the bravest generals under his command, but now he died on the battlefield because of his wrong decision. How could he not blame himself?

"Your Majesty, our army's casualties in this battle have been calculated,"

Dugu Jia continued, his voice calm but heavy: "Only about 18,000 of the 30,000 people remain."

"However, there are still 3,000 people who have received varying degrees of injuries and require medical treatment."

Liu Che's face instantly turned gloomy and his fists clenched unconsciously.

“Nearly half of the loss!”

He murmured softly, each word coming out from between his teeth: "I will definitely settle this account with Chu Ning!"

However, the moment he finished speaking...

"Rumble--"

Suddenly, there was a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds in the distance!

Liu Che raised his head suddenly, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He did not dispatch any troops here, so there was only one possibility for the troops coming here - the Chu army!

Dugu Jia also reacted, his face changed drastically, and he immediately shouted: "Come here, get ready for battle!"