“My son is in their hands,” Constantine said, trembling.

This "Emperor of the Ages" in European history was of medium height, with broad shoulders and a thick neck. He had a ruddy complexion, thin and non-curly hair, a sparse beard, and a slightly curved nose.

Even though he is over sixty years old, he still has a healthy and strong body, without any flaws.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The scout's voice was dull with exhaustion.

The Byzantine generals remained silent, not uttering a single word.

Constantine struggled to catch his breath and pressed, "Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Everyone held their breath as the scout recounted what had happened. In the spacious, well-ventilated lobby of the inn, only the crackling of the firewood in the fireplace could be heard.

"How is this possible?" Justin, a general under Constantine, groaned. "How is this possible? Ten thousand Imperial armored cavalry, plus thirty thousand light cavalry, wiped out overnight?"

What on earth was Prince Tius doing? Why didn't he send out light cavalry to scout first? Why did he fall into the Xia ambush?

"He knows better than you, you jawless coward," thought Constantine's other son. Even though Tius had been defeated, hearing his brother slandered by someone like Justin still fueled his rage.

In his view, Justin was a shameless sycophant whose greatest achievement in life was using his family's wealth to establish connections with his own family.

“I would have done the same,” Constantine replied, his answer so calm. “Constantine, you certainly don’t know the strategic significance of Anyang County.”

The Vikings have been out of contact for several days now.

If the enemy has already recaptured Anyang County, they will surely lay a trap along the way.

Your so-called investigation is completely meaningless!

There's one more thing Constantine didn't say.

He never expected that the Great Xia army's combat power would suddenly become so extraordinary overnight.

In the previous battle, Qin Liangyu's troops were utterly defeated by him.

Constantine's proud Byzantine armored cavalry never suffered a defeat.

He believed that even if the 10,000 armored cavalry and 30,000 light cavalry were outmatched, they would not be completely annihilated by the Great Xia!

It's all so incredible!

"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on the current occupation?" Constantine asked.

At this moment, he interlaced his fingers, resting his chin on them, and only his eyes moved as he listened.

His short, golden beard framed a perfectly still face, like a mask.

However, his son noticed that his father's bald head was covered with tiny beads of sweat.

Justin wailed again. "Prince Tius has been captured, and the vanguard has been routed... This is truly a catastrophe!"

At this moment, another general, Harris, said, "Lord Justin, we are all grateful that you have pointed out the obvious facts, but the most urgent matter at hand is, what should we do next?"

"What else can we do? The vanguard army has been completely annihilated by the Great Xia army, and right now there is that guy named Xiang Yu. His troops have cut off our supply line, and our connection with the grain transport troops in the west has been completely severed!"

Moreover, if what the scouts said is true...

The Vikings have been completely wiped out, and the Regent of Great Xia's army can launch an attack from the east at any time.

At that point, we will find ourselves in a situation where we are attacked from both sides.

"Gentlemen, given the current situation, we have been defeated and should immediately sue for peace."

"Surrender?" This enraged Harris. "The outcome of one battle does not determine the success or failure of the entire war," he roared. "We are far from defeated. We Byzantines are invincible and will never sue for peace!"

"But how do we repel Xiang Yu's army now?" Justin countered. "That guy is too troublesome!"

The strategic pass defended by Xiang Yu was like an iron wall, firmly blocking the west and leaving Constantine's army like a trapped beast, with its supply lines completely cut off.

Given such a predicament, if Byzantine troops were to be sent to aid Tius rashly, the Byzantine soldiers would likely starve to death on the front lines.

During this difficult time, Constantine also tried to change the course of the war.

He dispatched elite troops to launch a fierce attack on Xiang Yu, hoping to break the stalemate.

However, the outcome of the battle was heartbreaking.

His army was as fragile as a reed before Xiang Yu's iron cavalry, utterly vulnerable.

The enormous cost resulted in a stagnant war, leaving Constantine feeling utterly hopeless.

At that moment, Constantine abruptly rose to his feet. "My son is in their hands!" he repeated, his voice piercing the clamor like a sword cutting through grease. "What I want is a way to defeat the enemy, not pointless wrangling!"

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

"Justin, it's time to show your loyalty!" Constantine said sternly. "I'll give you 50,000 elite troops. Tomorrow morning, go and attack Xiang Yu's army."

"What? Me?" Justin panicked immediately.

Why should I fight Xiang Yu? He kept this thought to himself and didn't say it aloud.

Constantine knew exactly what this guy was capable of, so he added, "I need you to hold off Xiang Yu's troops and cover our escape from here."

"Ah?" Justin asked uneasily, "Your Majesty, what do you intend to do?"

"Are you really going to take a gamble and go save your son?" he thought to himself.

Have you lost your mind because of a son?

Harris was also very puzzled. "Your Majesty, are you sure you want it?"

At this moment, Constantine narrowed his eyes slightly, "No, I'm not going to the east to fight the Great Xia army to the death, but... to cross the Tianguan Mountain!"

Tianguan Mountain is located south of Longxian County. It is 250 kilometers long and has an average width of 50-150 kilometers from north to south, with the widest part reaching more than 300 kilometers. The highest peak is 7,443 meters above sea level.

It is a huge mountain range.

Xiang Yu's troops were stationed north of Tianguan Mountain, taking advantage of the natural defenses to guard key routes, putting the Byzantine army in a dilemma.

Crossing this mountain would indeed allow them to circle around to the rear of Xiang Yu's army and launch a pincer attack.

The problem is that doing so is as difficult as Hannibal crossing the Alps.

Tianguan Mountain has a treacherous terrain and harsh climate. Under current conditions, crossing this mountain range is almost an impossible task.

Upon hearing Constantine's words, Justin wanted to retort, "Aren't you Hannibal Lecter, the father of strategy?"

But right now, if we don't do this, no one can think of a better way to defeat the enemy.

Should we send a large army to attack Xiang Yu with all our might?

First of all, they can't take it down.

Secondly, Lin Mo's army is very likely to launch a sneak attack from behind when they launch their attack.

At that point, the most likely outcome would be total annihilation.

No one objected, and the plan was thus finalized.

At this moment, Constantine strode out of the meeting room.

Stepping outside, he couldn't help but sigh deeply. "God, will I become Hannibal? Or a prisoner of the Regent of Great Xia?"