Volume Two: The Battle of Hulao Pass Chapter Thirty-Eight: What Defines the Finest Troops in the Land?

On the second day, with Li Shimin’s official decree of appointment, Xuanba began his duties as commander of the Xuanjia Elite Cavalry. None among those serving under him—such as Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong—harbored any resentment. There were three reasons for this. First, the backbone of the Xuanjia Army, numbering over a thousand, was formed from Li Shimin’s personal guard, previously led by Li Xuanba himself. As Li Shimin’s most formidable and elite force, it was essential for the commander-in-chief to maintain absolute control over it, to wield it as an extension of his own will. In such a post, trust mattered more than ability. Li Shimin, as the leader of the army and a prince of Qin, was occupied with strategic oversight, directing the entire force; he could not afford to watch over the Xuanjia Army every day. Before Xuanba’s arrival, the most trusted in the army was Changsun Wuji, but he was a scholar, his martial prowess unremarkable. Now that Li Shimin’s own brother had arrived, he was the natural choice for command. Second, soldiers respected strength. Though Xuanba had never displayed his skills or achieved any notable feats, Li Shimin had described his brother’s abilities as surpassing his own. Li Shimin had personally led many campaigns, fighting on the front lines, his martial skill evident to all. If he vouched for Xuanba, none doubted the claim. Third, Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong had only recently joined the Tang forces. Though they had fought alongside Li Shimin against Wang Shichong, they had yet to distinguish themselves in battle. That they could lead portions of the Xuanjia Army so soon was already a sign of Li Shimin’s magnanimity and talent for recognizing worth; they dared not hope for more.

Upon accepting his commission, Li Xuanba understood his brother’s high hopes for this force—it was the key to victory in the coming conflict. He dared not neglect his duty and immediately summoned the entire army for inspection.

The Xuanjia Army lived up to its reputation: its discipline was strict, its formation immaculate. Attack was like a sudden storm, swift and fierce; retreat was orderly, without confusion. They truly embodied the essence of the Art of War: swift as the wind, calm as the forest, assaulting like fire, steadfast as a mountain.

Li Xuanba watched with satisfaction, turning to the yawning Li Mingyu beside him and asked, “What do you think? With such a force of tigers and wolves, what is Dou Jiande’s ten thousand troops to us?”

Li Mingyu, exhausted from a sleepless night, yawned again and replied listlessly, “Dou Jiande was said to have three hundred thousand at first, now it’s down by two hundred thousand. Give it a few days, and he’ll lose even more. At this rate, we won’t have to fight—he’ll simply vanish on his own.” Knowing the outcome from history, he was certain Dou Jiande would be utterly defeated, routed by Li Shimin’s small force. His tone betrayed a hint of disdain.

“Dou Jiande claims three hundred thousand, but in truth has only ten thousand, still a hundred times our number—not to be underestimated!” Li Xuanba was displeased by Mingyu’s indifference, thinking, This impudent boy, facing thousands against ten thousand, and he’s unconcerned.

“In my view, those who bluff lack confidence—like Cao Cao, who claimed eighty thousand with only twenty, yet was burned to ashes by Zhou Yu at Red Cliffs. Dou Jiande is the same; he won’t last long.” Mingyu thought little of Dou Jiande, considering him a fool: even ten thousand pigs would last a year if lined up for Li Shimin to slaughter. As a ruler leading his own army, he should have inspired morale, but Dou Jiande was repeatedly routed by Li Shimin, his troops demoralized—a true simpleton.

Li Xuanba frowned, rebuking, “At your young age, how can you be so arrogant? Haven’t you heard that arrogant armies are doomed? Times have changed; there’s only been one Red Cliffs in all history!”

Mingyu recognized his master’s stern tone as concern for him, fearing he might grow complacent and underestimate the enemy. He clasped his hands and replied, “Your lesson is correct, Master. I do not belittle the enemy; I disdain them in strategy, but respect them in tactics.”

Li Xuanba was at first puzzled by the remark, but upon reflection found it reasonable, and fell into deep thought.

Chairman’s words always ring true, Mingyu mused, pleased to have impressed his master with a borrowed maxim. But after a moment’s silence, his master suddenly snapped back, delivered a flick to his forehead, and scolded, “I asked your opinion of the Xuanjia Army, and here you go, waving the flag and rambling on. Who knows where you’ve led the conversation!”

“Ouch!” Mingyu clutched his head, grumbling inwardly as his master resorted to mischief when bested in debate.

Li Xuanba cleared his throat and asked again, “Tell me, what do you think of the Xuanjia Army?”

Mingyu pursed his lips and replied, “In my view, they are only average. Brave, yes, but lacking a certain spirit! They do not possess that unstoppable momentum!”

“Oh? I disagree. These warriors are full of morale, each eager to win glory for the commander!” Li Xuanba, intent on testing his disciple, folded his arms.

Mingyu’s expression grew serious. “The truly invincible, battle-hardened elite possess a soaring arrogance—a sense of invincibility, a willingness to die without hesitation! They regard all armies as nothing, and themselves as supreme! These soldiers are brave and their morale fair, but they lack conviction, the honor and mission of a soldier. What do they think of? Killing enemies to earn merit, being granted titles and rewards. So I say, they are merely ordinary elite troops, far from sweeping the world. Only through victories and the bones of fallen enemies can they forge the soul of an invincible army!”

Li Xuanba was struck by his disciple’s insight, and after a moment’s silence, sighed, “What you say, I know well. What commander does not wish for such invincible troops? What general does not desire to lead them? But since ancient times, methods of training soldiers have been much the same; all the famous generals have mastered them, yet only a few armies are remembered in history. Why? Because an army’s soul is hard to forge and easy to disperse. The battlefield changes rapidly—who can guarantee eternal victory? Wang Shichong is cornered, Dou Jiande eyes us hungrily; time is short!”

Mingyu smiled mysteriously. “Master, you are right, but I have a shortcut. Though I cannot create the kind of elite I described, I can get close.”

“Oh? You have a method? Tell me.” Li Xuanba knew his disciple’s mind was full of clever ideas; in just half a year, he had turned a group of mischievous village children into obedient, disciplined youngsters—still mere boys, but better trained than most elite troops. He was curious; perhaps Mingyu truly had a solution.

Mingyu leaned closer and said, “Master, you know the current situation; who knows when we will have to face Dou Jiande in a life-or-death battle. In the short term, it’s impossible to greatly improve their combat power, but we can take another path—start with discipline and physical training. Drill them until they obey commands absolutely, knowing only orders and nothing else. The commander’s word is law; even if a mountain of blades or a sea of fire lies ahead, they must go! Even if it means death, even if they know a cliff awaits, they must charge ahead!”

Li Xuanba frowned. “Will this work? Wouldn’t it turn them into mindless automatons?”

Mingyu replied, “The army is the state’s instrument of force—why should it have so many opinions?”

“Instrument of force? What’s that?” Xuanba was intrigued by the new term.

“Uh…” Mingyu realized he had misspoken, quickly reframing for his master’s understanding. “Let’s put it this way: the state is like a person—the ruler is the mind, deciding whom to fight; the commander is the arm, directing how to fight; and the army is the knife in hand. Does a knife need its own thoughts? It obeys orders and cuts down whatever lies before it.”

Li Xuanba nodded at Mingyu’s argument, but pressed, “What you describe isn’t much different from now. The Xuanjia Army already obeys orders strictly; at a command, hundreds will charge thousands.”

Mingyu shook his head. “There’s a big difference! As I said, they fight hundreds against thousands because they know their strength—they are sure of victory. But what if the enemy is twenty thousand, fifty thousand, or even a hundred thousand? When defeat is certain, will they still have the courage to charge? We must train them so that, wherever orders point, they go—even if a million stand in their way!”

“Wherever orders point, even if a million stand in my way!” Li Xuanba murmured, pondering deeply before nodding. “There is truth in your words. But how to implement it—I must discuss with your second uncle.”

As master and disciple conversed, a young officer rode up, dismounted before Li Xuanba, saluted, and said, “Commander, the General requests your presence!”

Li Xuanba did not know what his brother wanted, but nodded. “Go report back; I will come shortly.”

He then instructed Captain Lei Meng to continue supervising drills, and led his disciple to meet Li Shimin.

In the command tent, Li Shimin was donning armor over his guardsman’s attire. He greeted them with a smile, “Sanlang, you’re here. Is your first day going smoothly?”

Li Xuanba clasped his hands. “Second brother, your summons is timely. I have some ideas on improving training to discuss with you.” He proceeded to recount his earlier conversation with Mingyu.

Li Shimin, well-versed in military matters, considered the plan and said, “Mingyu’s method is ingenious—captures the essence of training soldiers! Xuanba, as commander of the Xuanjia Cavalry, you have full authority over how you train them. I have only one request—time is short. One month, at most two! You must achieve this!”

“Yes, rest assured, brother! Mingyu has already trained the village children in this method; it will not be a problem!” Xuanba promised, then asked, “What did you summon me for, brother?”

Li Shimin fastened his helmet and laughed. “I wanted to ask if you’ve rested these two days and recovered your strength. Are you interested in joining me outside the pass to reconnoiter Dou Jiande’s camp?”

Xuanba laughed as well. “Excellent! Let us go meet Dou Jiande together!”