Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said, "Master Sun, there is no need to do this. I am still young and have made some inconsiderate decisions. I need veteran officials like Master Sun and Master Yuan to support me and offer advice and corrections."

After a pause, the emperor continued, "The Ministry of War has selected the naval commanders and officers from Jinzhen and Dengzhen to form the Liaodong Navy. This task will again require the attention of General Sun. Please complete it as soon as possible."

The Liaodong Navy sounds like a big name, but it is actually an inland navy mainly serving the Liaohe River, Hunhe River and other rivers.

The initial work after the formation is transportation to save the cost of land transportation. Once they are familiar with river navigation, they will become the main auxiliary force for attacking the Jiannu.

"The Ministry of War has sent orders to Wenjin and Deng garrisons to select naval commanders and deploy officers, soldiers, and ships." Sun Chengzong quickly bowed and replied, "In addition, soldiers familiar with the geography will be selected from Liao and Dongjiang garrisons to form a joint navy."

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "Master Sun knows the importance of the Liaodong Navy. It is not only for transporting supplies, but also for future battles against the Jiannu. It is very important."

"I understand," Sun Chengzong replied with a bow.

Zhu Youxiao pondered for a moment and reminded, "The transfer of Xiong Tingbi and Mao Wenlong back to Beijing to report on their duties must be kept secret. I have decided to submit a secret report instead of going through the Ministry of War."

Sun Chengzong thought about it and agreed with a bit of helplessness.

Although this was not in accordance with procedure, Sun Chengzong was not a pedantic person. He knew that keeping it secret was to prevent the Jiannu from knowing, and it was also the best choice considering the overall situation.

The departure of the Liaoxi and Liaodong corps commanders from the front lines was definitely an opportunity for the Jiannu to exploit. If they took advantage of this opportunity to launch an attack, they would be in trouble without a leader.

Of course, when Xiong Tingbi and Mao Wenlong reported to the capital, they would have appointed temporary replacements. The Dongjiang Commandery commanders could have been Gou Zhenhuai or Chen Jisheng, while the Liao Commandery commanders were likely He Kegang or Ma Chengfei.

After reporting on their work, the two men would return to their respective units before the river froze, preventing the Jiannu from taking advantage of the opportunity and making arrangements for the counterattack in advance.

……………………