Dote! . . .
Cha Nantian remained unperturbed. He responded, "Do you believe it was truly a wrong decision? Cha Eun Xiao is not a man to be entranced by beauty. Let me ask you a question. If you were leading 180,000 wounded soldiers to face Wenren Jianyin's one and a half million troops, how many of your men would survive that battle? How many would endure a seven-day hunt? Could they continue fighting? Really?"
The generals fell silent. Cha Nantian's words, although lengthy, resonated with their understanding.
Wounded men!
A seven-day hunt!
Survivors!
Could they fight on?
They all comprehended that there could be no favorable answers to these inquiries.
Cha Eun Xiao had indeed led his forces through all these ordeals, reaching the final question.
If they were the ones commanding the army in such dire circumstances, what could they have achieved?
One of the generals contemplated for a moment before wearing a wry smile. "First, none of us could contend with Wenren Jianyin. We would be defeated before the battle even began due to our lack of confidence. We simply don't possess the capacity to defeat Wenren Jianyin. Even if, hypothetically, we could, let's say, we emerged victorious... With 180,000 soldiers..."
He clenched his teeth and continued, "No more than 50,000 would survive. Having 50,000 survivors would be a miracle from the heavens! That's the most optimistic estimate!"
"I believe that at least 49,000 would be gravely injured, if not all 50,000. Approximately 20,000 would be severely wounded, and 30,000 would have minor injuries. In total, roughly 6,000 soldiers would remain capable of combat by the end. That would be the best-case scenario."
"Indeed. Moreover, the 180,000 troops must consist of elite soldiers, the best of the best," another general remarked.
Once he finished, a different general sneered, "6,000 soldiers? Isn't that overly optimistic? Why don't you return to your dreams? You've forgotten the seven days of pursuit! I'd say 500 soldiers would be the maximum number left, and you should be grateful if even hundreds survive!"
The other generals contemplated for a moment before concurring.
Cha Nantian, speaking plainly, said, "According to the report, when Cha Eun Xiao ultimately triumphed over Wenren Jianyin, the number of his soldiers was approximately 130,000. Following a grueling battle and a seven-day chase, they retook the lands we'd lost and arrived at Sky Nerve City. How many soldiers do you think were fit for battle at that point? None. The entire army was brimming with excitement."
"If they had remained there without retreating, the moment the soldiers from Sky Nerve City engaged them in battle, we would have been defeated. Furthermore, we lack the manpower to safeguard the conquered lands. Forcibly occupying those towns would only lead to more battles we were destined to lose," Cha Nantian calmly explained.
The generals forced wry smiles; they knew he was right.
"In such a situation, only 10,000 soldiers would be enough to utterly defeat our troops. It appears that Young Commander Cha was merely a paper tiger, unable to withstand even a single blow," one of the generals said with a wry smile and a shake of his head.
"Then, was it wrong to retreat?" Cha Nantian asked.
"They should not have," another general agreed.
"Was retreating a mistake?" Cha Nantian inquired.
"Not at all!" Cha Nantian firmly retorted.
"What Cha Eun Xiao did was to utilize that princess as an excuse. By doing so, he demonstrated to the world that he could continue the fight, but he strategically withdrew for the princess's sake!"
"While some may accuse him of being amorous and impulsive, he did not reveal any weakness to the enemy. In fact, his army's spirits were high," Cha Nantian huffed and continued, "It might not appear valiant, and it might indeed hurt that young lady, but it was the wisest course of action! What's wrong with it?"
The generals reluctantly smiled.
"Commander, you're absolutely right. Every military man understands that after your explanation. The issue, however, lies with the officials in the capital. They couldn't care less about the reasons. Even if they were aware of the truth, they would still do everything in their power to frame Cha Eun Xiao..."
"Young Commander Cha created plenty of adversaries within the court before departing for battle. They will undoubtedly seek retribution."
"Young Commander Cha will certainly face accusations."
"After all, these are the kingdom's affairs. Regardless, young Commander Cha failed to adhere to the standard procedures. That is an undeniable fact. Those politicians relish exploiting people's vulnerabilities. We, on the other hand, are honorable men and are not as eloquent in our speech. We cannot triumph in a battle of words. They excel in verbal warfare..."
The generals were anxious.
Cha Nantian maintained a composed demeanor as he huffed, "So what? Kingdom affairs? My son is far more important! If he wishes to retreat, he retreats! If he wishes to advance, he advances! Kingdom affairs... pale in comparison to my son!"
The generals were stunned.
They had never expected Commander Cha to utter such words. He had just finished discussing the kingdom's issues with great gravity.
In comparison to his son, the kingdom was insignificant...
Cha Nantian's affection for his son knew no bounds!
The generals remained silent, but their concerns had intensified.
"I suppose that even if young Commander Cha were to take an innocent girl as his concubine, Commander Cha would still defend him! 'It is an honor that my son chose you! He would never select an unattractive one, would he? He speaks highly of you. You should be flattered!' He might say something along those lines..."
Perhaps that was indeed the case.
Cha Nantian had, after all, showered his son with an abundance of love!