Later, he led an army of 20,000 and joined Yinji in Zhao Muyun's coalition forces to fight against the Tartar right-wing army, and together they drove the Tartars out of Shuozhou.
After the Prince of Jin led the main force south to fight a decisive battle with Li Jingang, the important task of guarding the rear was handed over to him.
"Your Highness!" Xiao Lie's voice was like a bell. He stepped out first and bowed, saying, "The traitor Li Jingang has usurped the throne. The prince's whereabouts are unknown. The country is in crisis!"
"I have been waiting day and night for Your Highness to finally return and take charge of the situation!"
"Thirty thousand soldiers from Jinyang are willing to fight to the death, following Your Highness to recover our country and avenge our national humiliation and family feud!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the generals behind him echoed: "We are willing to follow His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! Fight against the rebellion and restore the country!"
A warm current surged in Yinji's heart, and he quickly stood up and said:
"General Xiao, please stand up, everyone! I... I am young and immature, and I have encountered such a great disaster. I will need General Xiao and everyone's help in the future!"
He deliberately imitated the tone of his father's voice when he met his subordinates, but his slightly trembling fingertips still revealed his inner nervousness.
"Your Highness is too modest!"
Xiao Lie stood up and looked at Yin Ji with a burning gaze. "The most urgent task is to stabilize the morale of the army and the people and strengthen the military preparations!"
"There are still over 30,000 combat-ready soldiers in Jinyang City, and enough food and fodder to sustain us for half a year. However..."
He changed the subject, his face showing difficulty. "The defeated soldiers from all sides are constantly pouring in. Their organization is in disarray and their orders are inconsistent. I dare to ask Your Highness for permission to reorganize the existing troops and clarify their orders so that we can form a fighting force."
Yinji had no doubts and nodded, saying, "General Xiao is absolutely right. I don't understand military matters very well, so I'll leave it to you, General."
He had been with Zhao Muyun for so long, how could he not understand? But at this moment, he could only rely on Xiao Lie.
"Your Highness is wise!" Xiao Lie's eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction, and he immediately said, "Since that's the case, I propose to reorganize the existing troops into the 'Jingnan Army', with five armies: front, back, left, right, and center."
"He will temporarily command the Central Army and assume overall command of the entire army. The commanders of the other four armies must also be appointed capable men as soon as possible."
He then reported several names, all of whom were his close confidants.
Yin Ji listened to this series of appointments and felt something was wrong. This was almost like handing over all the military power to Xiao Lie.
He remembered that before leaving Shuozhou, Zhao Muyun had privately reminded him: "When you arrive in Jinyang, you must remember that although your status is legitimate, your foundation is not yet stable."
"Xiao Lie has a large army and is very important. Your Highness should make friends with the generals, especially the middle and lower-level generals. You must know that soldiers are the foundation of survival in troubled times."
Thinking of this, Yinji took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice steady:
"General Xiao's arrangements are very sound. However, the reorganization is complex. Could you allow me to review the list of generals from various armies later and make a decision? Also, regarding the alliance with Shuozhou Zhenbei General Zhao Muyun..."
When Zhao Muyun was mentioned, Xiao Lie's expression darkened slightly, then he smiled and said:
"Your Highness has been very thoughtful. The list will be submitted shortly. As for General Zhao... Shuozhou is far away, and communication is inconvenient."
"General Zhao's primary task is to defend against the Northern Di. I'm afraid he won't be able to go south for the time being."
"Now that our Jingnan Army has just been established, we must first consolidate our foundation. Once we are internally stable and our troops are strong, we can contact General Zhao at any time. By then, the best strategy would be to coordinate efforts between the north and the south."
Yin Ji's heart tightened. Xiao Lie was obviously trying to delay and isolate him from Shuozhou.
He was about to say something else, but Xiao Lie had already turned to other topics and began to discuss specific matters such as food and grass procurement and city defense reinforcement, without giving him a chance to discuss in depth.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
