Chapter 623 – Urgent News from Chenzhou, The World Calls for the King
Time was of the essence; Jiang Pengji couldn’t afford to waste too long with the Red Lotus Sect. The longer she delayed, the worse it would be for her.
So… she had an idea…
Jiang Pengji’s eyes glimmered slightly, causing Wei Ci’s heart to race with an uneasy premonition.
He knew her too well; whenever she displayed such an expression, it meant she was concocting some wild scheme.
Jiang Pengji sought counsel from Yang Si, which was exactly what Yang Si expected.
Since he dared to speak, he was naturally well-prepared.
“Look here, County Chief Liu…” Yang Si pointed to the terrain map displayed in the administration hall, “I believe we can launch our attack from this point.”
Jiang Pengji followed Yang Si’s finger and discovered it pointed to an abandoned small town on the border of Chengde County.
At first glance, this terrain seemed unremarkable, but if it truly was, Yang Si wouldn’t have suggested it.
“From here?”
She furrowed her brows, while others pondered even deeper into Yang Si’s idea.
Qi Guanrang, like Yang Si, enjoyed employing cunning strategies, and quickly grasped Yang Si’s intention.
Yang Si’s focus was clearly not on the defensively weak little town but rather on the mountain path that the town relied upon.
Meng Hunyun fiddled with the old leather he had set aside, occasionally turning to chat with Luo Yue. They were both seasoned veterans who knew their limited knowledge wouldn’t offer much valuable input. In contrast, the curious duo, Dian Yin and Li Yun, were different.
Over the last six months, Dian Yin had been repeatedly promoted by Jiang Pengji, and now he was the Vice Captain of the new recruits, a rising star.
Assuming no surprises arose, he would likely lead troops in the campaign against the Red Lotus Sect.
However, his nature was introverted and composed; the questions he had were buried in his heart, ready to be asked privately later.
On the other hand, Li Yun was more extroverted. He got along well with everyone present and was quick to voice any question.
He said, “Mr. Yang, I’ve looked around, and it seems there’s nothing special about this place.”
Yang Si smiled faintly, “Not quite. Han Mei, take another look at this; do you still think it lacks uniqueness?”
As his finger shifted, just as Qi Guanrang had anticipated, Yang Si’s objective lay with the mountain path behind the small town.
Li Yun still didn’t catch on, so Yang Si clarified, “To capture the Red Lotus Sect swiftly and diminish their morale, it won’t suffice to rely just on elite soldiers. If the Red Lotus Sect firmly defends one location, concentrating their forces against County Chief Liu, every moment they prolong the battle is worse for him. Moreover, with the upcoming festival, even a slight setback would significantly damage our morale. Under such circumstances, we must concentrate our forces for a sudden assault on one point to maximize our odds of victory.”
Yang Si had a good impression of Li Yun, who had recently knitted him a pair of warm gloves and a circular scarf.
Thus, Yang Si, usually indifferent towards outsiders, showed unusual patience towards Li Yun.
He continued, “This mountain path was established during the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms era. Due to years of neglect, the journey is difficult and has long been abandoned, and the common people prefer the safe, level official roads. Before the official road was built, this mountain path connected Fenghu County and Jinmen County.”
The Daxia Dynasty’s territorial division system is similar to what the audience knows as the county system, though with its own quirks.
Dongqing, Nansheng, Beiyuan, Xichang, and Zhong Zhao all claimed to be the true heirs of the Daxia Dynasty, with many systems inherited from the previous dynasty.
However, while copying, alterations were made.
Fengyi County includes Cheng’an County, Jiao Ping County, Maolin County, and Xiangyang County, all under Jiang Pengji’s control, no need to elaborate further.
Conversely, Chengde County also contains four counties: Honglian County, Jinmen County, Fenghu County, and Qiuyu County.
The founder of the Red Lotus Sect hailed from Honglian County, which is why the cult bears its name.
The small town Yang Si pointed out was actually a junction near Fenghu County and Jinmen County. Originally just a remote village, it prospered due to trade connected by the mountain path, gradually evolving into a small town.
Alas, as the mountain path became difficult to traverse, during the mid-Daxia era, the government chose to build a new official road elsewhere, neglecting the mountain path.
With the economic influx from merchants lost, this once-thriving town began to decline.
Now, as a lookout for the Red Lotus Sect, it had regained some popularity.
Yet, that mountain path had long been forgotten.
Even though it still appeared on the terrain map, who would consider such a place for marching or trade?
Yang Si explained, and Li Yun finally understood Yang Si’s clever plan.
He said, “So, Mr. Yang means we use this mountain path to launch surprise attacks on Jinmen County and Fenghu County?”
Yang Si shook his head, stating, “Though the Red Lotus Sect is a rabble, they’re numerous. If we split our forces, it could hinder us. Based on the mountain path’s condition, I suggest focusing our main assault on Jinmen County. Look here, the mountain path leading to Jinmen County, while longer, has a gentler incline, assisting the soldiers in conserving energy, making the city siege considerably easier…”
According to his plan, it was best to concentrate troop strength for a surprise attack on one county. Once captured, they could strategize further.
With their forces fewer than those of the Red Lotus Sect, splitting them would be risky.
Li Yun nodded but then raised another question, “What about siege equipment if we’re using the mountain path? Since it’s been abandoned for years, I doubt it’s very sturdy. The soldiers could manage with caution, but if we need to bring a siege ladder or logs to breach the walls, that’s dangerous. Without siege equipment, even with 20,000 elite soldiers deployed, the enemies could still stall us using their walls.”
Even if they won, it might cost them dearly.
The troops trained so hard were all elite, precious in the eyes of the military generals.
If they died in a siege without equipment, it would feel incredibly unfair.
Since Yang Si dared to suggest such a thing, he must have a countermeasure.
With a slight smile curving his lips, he turned to face Jiang Pengji.
“This matter depends on County Chief Liu.”
Li Yun was surprised, “What does this have to do with our leader?”
Jiang Pengji raised her brows playfully, calming and composed as she deftly caught the responsibility Yang Si unexpectedly tossed her way.
She replied, “As Han Mei said, it would be difficult to transport siege equipment through the mountain path. If that is the case, we simply won’t transport any.”
Li Yun panicked, saying, “But my lord, without siege equipment, how can the soldiers scale the towering walls?”
Meng Hunyun, sitting beside Li Yun, discreetly tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to calm down.
Li Yun then realized he had risen too excitedly, standing out like a crane among chickens.
His handsome face turned red as he obediently returned to his seat.
He apologized, “I lost my composure just now; please forgive me, my lord.”
Jiang Pengji didn’t hold it against Li Yun, saying, “Han Mei speaks from the heart; there’s no need for apologies. You all may have heard that I’ve placed an informant within the Red Lotus Sect. This informant can help us relay false information. If we make the Red Lotus Sect believe we intend to focus our attack on Fenghu County, scaring them into reallocating their forces near Jinmen County, then our army can launch a surprise attack on Jinmen County… This plan is nearly foolproof.”
