Li Bao was heavily influenced by Yue Fei and was known for his decisive and efficient work style.

Upon arriving in Kowloon, his first task was to muster his troops.

Without breaking away from the water, they quickly mobilized 30,000 naval troops.

The azure waters of Kowloon Harbour are filled with warships and flags that blot out the sky.

Squads of Song Dynasty naval soldiers, dressed in dark blue naval uniforms, were lined up neatly and boarding the ship in an orderly manner.

The supply troops were transporting provisions, medicine, and spare weapons in the distance.

Before long, a small group of people came this way.

Li Bao turned his head and looked over, only to see Zhao Chen arriving with his men.

"Commander Li."

Although Li Bao was the Grand Commander of the South China Sea, his rank was far inferior to Zhao Chen's.

In addition, given Zhao Chen's special status, Li Bao held him in high esteem.

However, this respect is just that—respect; it can be described as treating each other as equals.

Li Bao was unaware that the emperor had already decided to bestow a marriage upon him, betrothing Roujia to him.

Thus, Zhao Chen in front of him was his brother-in-law.

"So it's Duke Chongguo. May I ask what brings you here?"

"Commander-in-Chief, I have heard that there are treacherous officials and rebels causing trouble in the Lingdingyang area." Zhao Chen's tone was still relatively humble. Following Zhao Shen's instructions, he said, "I am unworthy, a mere seven-foot tall man, but I am willing to accompany you, Commander-in-Chief, to Guangzhou to kill the rebels and protect the country!"

Li Bao, however, had a different opinion of Zhao Chen. He thought to himself: Everyone says that the Duke of Chong is indecisive and muddle-headed, but he was able to say such things. He is truly a passionate man. Moreover, as a prince, he did not enjoy wealth and honor in Tokyo. Instead, he abandoned his pen for the sword. His sentiments are admirable.

"The Duke of Chongguo is very righteous, but there are also pirates around Kowloon Bay, so we still need the Duke of Chongguo to be here."

Li Bao isn't the kind of person who's brainless; he wouldn't say things like, "It's dangerous ahead, you'd better not go."

Isn't this clearly not giving the other person a way out?

If this place also needs you, Duke Chongguo, then the feeling is completely different.

The same meaning, expressed in different ways, can have completely different effects.

Li Bao is a skilled fighter, but he's definitely not a mindless speaker.

Zhao Chen indeed became arrogant.

In truth, he didn't want to go. This time, Li Bao directly mobilized 30,000 naval troops, and one can imagine how severe the battle situation at the front was.

He has at most two more years. If he can endure two more years here, he can return to Tokyo with his military achievements and prestige and become a prince of peace.

He also wouldn't follow Zhao Shen's advice to request the emperor to send him to Shangjing in Liaodong after being transferred back to Tokyo.

What a joke! That place is a barbarian land. I am the eldest son of the current emperor and the future crown prince. How could I possibly go there!

Sometimes he felt that Zhao Shen was being too frivolous, thinking that once he gained control of Liaodong, he could look down on the Central Plains and that the position of crown prince would be his.

Liaodong is such a desolate place!

Seeing that Zhao Chen was about to get cocky, Zhao Shen, the little devil, said: "Commander Li, the soldiers at the front are fighting bloody battles. If they hear that the Duke of Chongguo is personally leading the troops, their morale will surely be greatly boosted! Our dynasty has a tradition of the emperor personally leading the army. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has personally led the army three times. As a prince, the Duke of Chongguo should not disgrace His Majesty's reputation!"

Li Bao took a deep breath and looked at the handsome young man with a rather surprised expression.

The boy looked to be only eleven or twelve years old, but his speech was surprisingly calm and mature, and he spoke with an air of authority.

Li Bao wasn't the kind of person who liked to analyze people. He was just a general, and his guiding principle was more about how to do things correctly than about what a person liked.

This is why he can only be considered a general at present, and has not yet achieved the status of a commander-in-chief like Yue Fei and Wu Jie.

A general is one who inspires his troops, equips them with military strategy, and leads them into battle to win the war.

A true commander-in-chief is not only capable of this, but also must have a comprehensive view of the overall situation, taking into account the soldiers at the front, the supplies at the rear, the interests of the court, and the gains and losses of the entire war, in order to formulate a meticulous and detailed strategic plan, mobilize the entire army, and complete a large-scale campaign in a rhythmic manner.

In this regard, the ability to recognize talent is extremely important.

Li Bao couldn't think of a reason to refuse Zhao Shen's words for the time being.

The current emperor does indeed enjoy personally leading military campaigns, and there is a strong martial spirit among the people.

Even the emperor can go to the front line to fight the enemy, but the Duke of Chong cannot. Isn't this a slap in the face to the emperor?

Li Bao smiled and said, "The Duke of Chongguo is a man of great virtue and integrity. His Majesty will surely be delighted to learn of this. I will trouble the Duke of Chongguo in the end."

Zhao Chen chuckled dryly. He was wavering in his heart. Just a moment ago, he was thinking that he might as well not go.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Shen's words immediately led Li Bao to change his mind.

He didn't know whether to thank Zhao Shen or blame him.

And so the matter was settled.

The next day, 30,000 sailors set sail for the Lingdingyang.

Before setting off, Li Bao summoned his generals in the main warship's cabin to finalize the tactical plan.

Back on his ship, Zhao Shen said to Zhao Chen, “Duke Chong, the mastermind behind this rebellion is the barbarian merchant Aliben. We must capture him and present him to the emperor. If you can capture him, it will be a great achievement, and someone in the court will surely request His Majesty to recall you to the capital ahead of schedule.”

With a faint smile on his face, Zhao Shen continued, "Now that the northern Liao region has just been opened up and everything is still under construction, and with the help of Prime Minister Tang, going to Liao region now is the best choice."

Zhao Chen frowned: "Why do you insist that I go to Liaodong? It's been destroyed. No wonder I was able to ascend the throne there?"

For a fleeting moment, Zhao Shen seemed to reveal a kind of disdain, the kind of expression that said, "There's nothing I can do about your low IQ, so why are you a prince?"

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