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

Li Shimin sat down again and gestured to the eunuchs to bring a brocade stool for Li Jing.

After Li Jing sat down, he sighed and recounted the general situation of his discussion with Changsun Wuji.

In particular, Chu Ning briefly explained to Li Jing his refusal to seek peace, his tough stance, and his plans to unite with the Scorpion Clan and rebuild their military.

He deliberately omitted his initial panic and hesitation, emphasizing only his determination to deal with the situation.

"General Li, you are a veteran of three dynasties, experienced in many battles, and have clashed with the Chu army many times."

"In your opinion, besides the strategy proposed by Chancellor Changsun, what other views do you have on the current situation? How should our Great Tang respond to Chu Ning's possible invasion next year?"

Li Shiming stared intently at Li Jing, hoping he could offer some more constructive suggestions that could even turn the tide.

Li Jing listened quietly, his gray eyebrows twitching slightly, and a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, and instead of immediately answering the specific details about the defense, he asked a question:

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Changsun has proposed uniting with the Scorpion Clan to contain the Chu army in the north. This strategy is indeed a wise and prudent one, and it can alleviate the immediate crisis."

"However, has Your Majesty considered that, with the Scorpion Clan's recent defeat and the newly recruited army of our Great Tang, even if we defend our strategic positions, can we truly withstand Chu Ning's thunderous attack with the full force of the nation?"

This question hits the nail on the head, casting a shadow over the glimmer of hope that Li Shiming had just felt because of Changsun Wuji's scheme.

His expression darkened slightly: "General Li means..."

Li Jing slowly said, "Chu Ning is an unconventional strategist who excels at concentrating forces to attack the enemy's vitals."

"If they are determined to launch a northern expedition, they will not give our army time to deploy defenses and take care of both the north and the south."

"The Scorpion Clan's harassment may tie down some of their forces and slow their advance, but it is unlikely to shake their fundamental resolve."

"Once their main force breaks through our border defenses and advances deep into Guanzhong, the situation will be hopeless."

Li Shimin's heart tightened again: "Then, in the general's opinion, what should be done?"

Li Jing's gaze deepened, as if piercing through the barriers of the palace and looking towards the more distant grasslands of the northwest:

"Your Majesty, to resist the powerful Chu, defense alone is insufficient. We must adopt an offensive strategy, restraining them from multiple directions so that they cannot attend to both ends!"

He paused, then said clearly, "In addition to uniting with the Scorpion Clan, Your Majesty should also send envoys to secretly contact—the Rouran!"

"Rouran?"

When Li Shiming heard the suggestion again that it involved foreign tribes, his brows furrowed even more.

The Rouran were a nomadic tribe that lived further northwest, from the Altai Mountains to the Hetao region. Although they were not as powerful as the Scorpion Clan at their peak, they were still a force to be reckoned with.

Unlike the Scorpion Clan, the Rouran did not share a direct border with the Chu Kingdom, which was separated by a large desert and buffer zone. Historically, there were relatively few conflicts between the Rouran and the Chu Kingdom.

"Indeed, Rouran."

Li Jing affirmed, "Your Majesty may feel that Rouran has no direct enmity with Chu and may not be willing to easily take action against Chu."

"However, times have changed. For a steppe tribe like the Rouran, the greatest driving force is always self-interest!"

He further analyzed, his tone carrying the calmness and calculation characteristic of a veteran on the battlefield:

"Your Majesty may send an envoy to inform the Rouran Khan: Our Great Tang will join forces with the Scorpion Clan to fight against the main force of the Chu army on the front lines after the spring of next year, and firmly contain them along the northern border."

"At that time, the northwest direction of Chu will inevitably be undefended and its defenses will be lax!"

A sharp glint flashed in Li Jing's eyes: "At this moment, if the Rouran Khan could personally lead his elite cavalry to suddenly move south from the northwest, cross the buffer zone, and launch a surprise attack on the Longxi and Hexi prefectures of Chu!"

“These places are not the core areas of the Chu Kingdom, so there are not many garrison troops, and they are far richer than the grasslands.”

"The Rouran cavalry are primarily engaged in plundering. While attacking cities may not be their forte, raiding towns and villages, plundering people, livestock, and valuables, and even conquering some poorly defended small towns are all easy for them!"

He looked at Li Shiming and emphasized, "For the Rouran, this is simply a godsend!"

"We don't have to face the most elite main force of the Chu Kingdom, and we don't have to engage in brutal sieges and positional battles."

"By simply taking advantage of their cavalry's mobility and carrying out rapid raids, they can obtain unimaginably rich spoils—grain, cloth, gold and silver, artisans, and people!"

"This is much more cost-effective and safer than competing with other tribes for water and pasture on the grasslands, or heading south to confront the well-prepared border troops head-on!"

"With such a great temptation, how could the Rouran Khan not be tempted?"

As Li Shiming listened to Li Jing's analysis, the doubts in his eyes were gradually replaced by a sense of sudden enlightenment and excitement.

Yes, sending the Rouran to plunder the relatively weak northwestern border regions of Chu was undoubtedly a fatal attraction for nomadic tribes that lacked resources and craved wealth!

This is tantamount to stabbing the State of Chu in the back, and it is a knife focused on "plundering" rather than "occupation". The damage and panic it causes may be greater than the impact of the frontal battlefield!

"Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Li Shiming couldn't help but applaud, "General Li's plan is truly a multi-pronged approach!"

"It not only points out a profitable path for the Rouran, but also relieves some of the pressure on our Great Tang, and can create chaos within the Chu territory, shaking the morale of their army and people!"

"In this way, Chu Ning's northern expedition will have to deal with the combined forces of the Tang Dynasty and the Scorpion Clan on the eastern front, as well as the harassment from the Rouran in the northwest."

"When attacked from three sides, no matter how strong its forces are, it will inevitably be stretched thin and unable to exert its full strength!"

Seeing that the emperor understood his intentions, Li Jing nodded slightly and added, "Your Majesty, when making contact with the Rouran, we must be careful to exercise discretion."

"Simply express your intention to cooperate, agree on the approximate time and direction of troop deployment, and offer... a little symbolic reward or open up small-scale border trade. There is no need to provide substantial assistance as you did with the Scorpion Clan."

"What the Rouran wanted was mainly the spoils of war."

"Our Great Tang only needs to provide them with accurate intelligence and keep the main force of the Chu army firmly occupied on the main battlefield, which will be the greatest support for them."

"Excellent! What a brilliant strategy of multi-pronged containment, using offense as defense!"

At this moment, Li Shiming felt all the pent-up emotions in his chest dissipate, and the gloom of the past few days was replaced by a sense of exhilaration at finding a way out of a desperate situation.

Li Jing's plan was bolder and more aggressive than Changsun Wuji's, turning passive defense into a strategic network that actively created chaos and dispersed the enemy's forces.

He abruptly stood up, paced excitedly a few steps around the hall, then stopped abruptly and solemnly said to Li Jing:

"General Li is a wise and experienced strategist, well-versed in military tactics. I am very pleased! The defense of the northern border cannot be accomplished by anyone but you!"

"I hereby issue an edict to bestow upon you the title of General Who Guards the North, giving you overall command of the military affairs of all the northern frontiers. You will be fully responsible for reorganizing the border troops, strengthening city defenses, and preparing for the military action against Chu!"

"The matters concerning the recruitment of soldiers and the collection of provisions proposed by Chancellor Changsun also require close cooperation between the General and the court!"