Yang Yan thought of that loyal bodyguard, "If he was captured and betrayed us, it would make sense if he cooperated with Zhao Muyun to give false testimony."

“Exactly.” Pang Qing nodded. “Therefore, the most urgent task is to find out the truth. I have already sent out several groups of spies to infiltrate Xijing and try to make contact with Young Master Chao. If he was forced, there must have been a coded message.”

Yang Yan closed his eyes, and the battle from a few months ago came to mind.

By restraining Zhang Tao and Gao Min, and deceiving Zhao Muyun for millennia, Yang Chao led 10,000 elite troops straight to Xijing. With the city's resistance weakening, it seemed that Xijing could be captured soon.

When the good news arrived, Yang Yan was overjoyed, thinking that his nephew was about to achieve something extraordinary.

However, Zhao Muyun's 1,000 heavy cavalry and 7,000 light cavalry, who had come from Hedong, descended like divine soldiers. Yang Chao was attacked from the rear and immediately lost half of his troops, forcing him to retreat.

Fearing that Zhang Tao would cut off his retreat, Yang Yan also led his 30,000 troops in a retreat.

Before retreating, he wrote a secret letter instructing Yang Qi to inform Yang Chao that the main force had retreated and that he should return to Jiannan from Dasanguan and not linger in battle.

Yang Qi accepted the order and left, never to be heard from again.

Later battle reports stated that Yang Chao's remaining troops were surrounded, and Yang Chao himself was captured.

If Yang Qi is intercepted en route, then Yang Chao will only know that the main force is retreating, but will not know the retreat route.

If someone is captured in a desperate situation, will they harbor resentment?

"Is it... that I let Chao'er down?" Yang Yan murmured.

"My lord, please do not blame yourself."

Pang Qing said solemnly, “Battle situations can change in an instant. If we hadn’t retreated then, the 30,000 Jiannan troops would have had nowhere to go. My lord is acting for the greater good.”

The logic is sound, but the underlying issues are difficult to resolve.

Yang Yan waved his hand, and Pang Qing understood and withdrew.

He was the only one left in the hall.

The candlelight flickered, and the shadows on the wall swayed like ghosts.

He walked to the west wall, where a map was hanging—the thirteen prefectures of Jiannan, with their treacherous mountains and rivers, easy to defend and difficult to attack.

But now, with Zhao Muyun sharpening his sword in the north, the generals within the army are secretly not convinced of Yang Yan's abilities.

Zhang Zun, the garrison commander of Lizhou, secretly communicated with Xijing; Wang Ping, the prefect of Yuzhou, used the pretext of defending against barbarians to intercept grain and taxes; even in Chengdu, several prominent families were stirring up trouble, secretly hoarding grain and recruiting men.

Can Jiannan really survive between Li Jingang and Zhao Muyun, and then wait for the best offer?

Yang Yan's heart was wavering.