Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

The chapter describes a tense military standoff between the Sui and Turkic armies. Despite the Sui troops being stationary, they are aware of a larger Turkic force hiding in the east. Zhang Xuan, a Sui general, admires Fang Xuan Ling's strategic insight into the Turkic army's tactics. The Sui army prepares for battle, positioning 100,000 soldiers and deploying cavalry and archers strategically. As the Tang army faces an assault from 8,000 elite Turkic cavalry, reinforcements from the Sui army arrive, boosting morale and turning the tide of the battle. Meanwhile, Chuluo Khan, the Turkic commander, plans a surprise attack with 30,000 cavalry but faces uncertainty about the timing. Ultimately, he decides to proceed with the attack as the Sui scouts detect the Turkic movements. The chapter ends with a dramatic moment as the Sui army prepares to counterattack against the charging Turkic cavalry.

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