Chapter 493 Talent Li Yuanji

The Yellow Turban Army was a large and powerful army. They picked up a group of refugees from the street, gave them a brief training, and then sent them directly to the battlefield.

As long as you come back alive, you will be a qualified Yellow Turban soldier.

Therefore, most of the Yellow Turban Army's generals, except for their own troops, did not take the lives of ordinary Yellow Turban soldiers seriously.

But Li Shimin can't do that!

The armies under their command were all carefully trained by the Duke of Tang's Mansion and were the most important support for the Li family in troubled times.

How could we just be so stupid as to waste time fighting the Yellow Turban Army?
In this situation, whether Li Shimin wins or loses, his side will suffer a heavy loss!
At this time, Li Shimin's elder brother Li Jiancheng was also no mediocre person. His eyes penetrated the smoke of the battlefield, captured the subtle changes in the rear of the Yellow Turban Army, and doubts suddenly arose in his heart.

"Father, you see that the rear of the Yellow Turban Army seems to be retreating. Should we immediately send troops to pursue them to dampen their spirit?"

He leaned closer to his father Li Yuan and spoke anxiously.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan frowned slightly, as if he was weighing the weight of both ends of the scale.

The situation on the battlefield changes rapidly, and every decision may affect the overall situation.

"Shimin, you are good at military strategy, what is your opinion on this?"

After pondering for a moment, he turned his gaze to his second son Li Shimin beside him and asked inquiringly.

"Father, the Art of War says: 'Do not stop a retreating army, and do not pursue an enemy who is desperate.' Although the Yellow Turban Army is showing signs of fatigue, they have a strong base. If we pursue them rashly, we may have ambushes behind them, or they may lure our army into a dangerous area."

"Besides, our army has been fighting continuously for a while and needs to rest and recuperate. It is not advisable to advance hastily."

When Li Shimin heard his father's question, he pondered for a moment and then spoke slowly.

"Yuan Ba, with his own strength, has already frightened the enemy. This is the power of our army."

"Why not take this opportunity to set up camp, gather our strength, and wait for the right time to act."

"The best strategy is to wait until our army has rested before launching the expedition."

After saying this, he paused slightly, his eyes gentle but firm, and continued.

When Li Yuan heard this, his heart moved. He had always known that the intelligence of his two sons was indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people.

He pondered for a moment, and his heart was inclined to Li Shimin's strategy, but there was still a trace of hesitation. After all, the opportunity for war was rare, and giving up easily might lead to losing the chance.

"What Shimin said makes a lot of sense."

"However, the opportunity for battle is fleeting. It is better to send a small elite force to pursue and test the enemy's strength, while the main force remains stationary and rests and waits for orders."

Everyone was silent for a moment and decided to compromise.

"Father is wise. Shimin will make arrangements immediately."

When Li Shimin heard the decision, although it was not entirely to his liking, he knew that his father had adopted most of his suggestions. He felt relieved and bowed his head in agreement.

At this time, Li Yuan handed the task of pursuit to Li Shimin. The youngest Li Yuanji, who was standing aside, had a flash of unwillingness and jealousy in his eyes. He glanced at Li Shimin, with a provocative smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he deliberately wanted to go against Li Shimin and show his presence.

"Father, I am willing to lead the troops to investigate the Yellow Turban Army. I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

Li Yuanji stepped forward, his voice filled with urgency and confidence, as if this was a great opportunity to prove his abilities.

He has always been close to his elder brother Li Jiancheng, often instigating him to suppress Li Shimin together and try to weaken his position in the family.

When Li Jiancheng heard this, his eyes changed subtly. Although he knew that Li Yuanji did this out of spite, he was also happy to see that he could take this opportunity to make merit, which might slightly balance Li Shimin's prestige in the army.

After thinking about it for a while, he nodded slightly to show his support.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's face remained calm, but his eyes were as deep as a pool. He glanced at Li Yuanji lightly, and there was helplessness and a bit of subtle sarcasm in his eyes.

Then he slowly turned to his father Li Yuan, waiting for the final decision.

For Li Shimin, this was undoubtedly a great opportunity to pass on the hot potato to Li Yuanji. The five war gods in the Yellow Turban Army seemed vulnerable in front of Li Yuanba and were beaten by Li Yuanba and fled away.

But if it were Li Yuanji, the situation would be very different.

In the outside world, each of these five people is a famous god of war.

If Li Yuanji pursued rashly, the result would be disastrous, and he might even lose himself.

"Yuanji, the battlefield is no joke, how can you act rashly?"

Li Shimin's tone was calm, but with a majesty that could not be ignored. He looked at his father Li Yuan, waiting for the final decision.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan frowned slightly, his eyes wandering between his three sons, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

He knew that what Li Shimin said was true. Although Li Yuanji had courage, that was all he had.

There is simply no lack of sufficient battlefield experience and strategy, and this trip is indeed extremely risky.

However, as a father, he also hoped that each of his sons could achieve something and was unwilling to easily discourage Li Yuanji's enthusiasm.

"Yuanji, although you have great ambitions, the battlefield is dangerous and should not be taken lightly."

"Shimin, do you think Yuanji's trip is feasible?"

There was some hesitation in Li Yuan's words, and it was obvious that the balance in his heart had not yet tilted.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin pondered for a moment and knew that this trip was definitely not a good one.

But since his stupid brother is so enthusiastic, how could he not help him?
After all, in the city of Daxuan, the four brothers of the Li family are famous for their "friendly and respectful brothers".

"Father, the Art of War says: 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger.' If Yuanji can act cautiously and investigate the enemy's situation, it may not be a bad idea."

"But they must be assisted by a capable deputy general, and they must be strictly ordered not to go too deep without permission, so as to avoid getting into danger."

"Why not let me select an experienced general to lead the elite troops to explore the enemy's strengths and weaknesses while ensuring safety."

Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then looked at Li Yuanji, curled his lips and spoke.

Sure enough, Li Yuanji's face changed slightly after hearing this.

He originally thought that Li Shimin would strongly oppose it, but he did not expect that the other party would give such "tolerant" advice. This made him shocked and angry, and he felt as if he was being despised.

"Humph, second brother, you are wrong. How can I, Li Yuanji, be a cowardly person?"

"Why do I need the assistance of a deputy general? I can complete the task by myself!"

There was a tone of dissatisfaction in Li Yuanji's voice and a gleam of challenge in his eyes. He was eager to prove himself through this action, and even more eager to win more respect and status in the family.

"Yuanji, I don't mean that. It's just that the battlefield is not a place for trifling. Every decision needs to be carefully considered."

"As you have just seen, there are many brave men in the Yellow Turban Army. If we are not fully prepared, something unexpected may happen."

Li Shimin shook his head slightly, and a trace of imperceptible compassion flashed in his eyes.

Such a stupid person actually turned out to be my own younger brother.

The several people in the Li family, whether it was the father Li Yuan or the eldest brother Li Jiancheng, were not much worse.

Even Li Xiuning, a girl, stands out.

Not to mention Li Yuanba, who was so powerful that he could shake the heavens.

Everyone has their own outstanding side.

Only Li Yuanji's dishes are very comprehensive!

(End of this chapter)