Shi Yong, who was of a tough and impatient temperament, was the first to stand up and said in a loud voice:
"Grand Commander! What's there to hesitate about? Of course, we must rescue Heidushan first! Lord Pei Lun and over 2,000 of his men have been under siege for days, running out of ammunition and food. Every moment of delay increases the danger!"
"They are all old brothers who came from Hedong. How can we just stand by and watch them die?"
His eyes widened with an unquestionable determination. "As for Liang Province, Zhang Zan is the governor and has the responsibility to defend the territory. If he can hold out for a while longer, it won't be too late to rescue him after we have lifted the siege of Heidu Mountain and rested!"
"If he can't hold on, it's his incompetence!"
"Captain Shi, what you said is wrong!"
Guo Luo, who was in charge of the left wing, immediately retorted. He was more calm and thoughtful, "Heidushan must be saved, but Liangzhou is the key to the overall situation!"
"Liangzhou is the foundation of Longyou. Once it falls into Yang Yan's hands, the entire eastern part of Longyou will fall into his hands. Even if our army breaks the siege of Heidu Mountain, it will lose its foothold and be caught in a pincer attack from the Northern Di, Western Regions, and Dafeng. We will become rootless and be doomed to destruction!"
"To save Liangzhou is to save ourselves, and even more so, to save the future of Longyou!"
He looked at Zhao Muyun and said earnestly, "Grand Commander, although our friendship is shallow, we now share the same hatred and are united in resisting foreign aggression."
"If we sit back and watch Liang Province fall, not only will we lose the support of the people of Longyou, but how will the people of the world view us in Hedong?"
"Saving Liangzhou is imperative, both publicly and privately, and out of both reason and emotion! Moreover, Lord Pei Lun is a man of great righteousness. If he understood the pros and cons of this, he would surely understand our decision."
"fart!"
Shi Yong angrily said, "Old Guo! Are you only concerned about the overall situation and not the life and death of your brothers?"
"Liangzhou's walls are high and its moats are deep. Zhang Zan still has 8,000 soldiers under his command. He should be able to hold out for at least a month or two!"
"What about Heidushan? That's a remote area! Without reinforcements, they can only hold out for ten days at most! Ten days later, it will be the anniversary of the death of over two thousand brothers! How can we face this?"
Wu Shangzhi also spoke at this time. As the commander of the cavalry, he paid more attention to battlefield maneuverability and seizing opportunities:
"Grand Commander, I believe both regions need to be rescued, but we need to prioritize them. Liang Province is surrounded on three sides, and the situation is certainly critical, but Jiedushi Zhang still has the city to defend."
"And Heidu Mountain is on the brink of life and death."
"How about this? I will lead all the cavalry and march day and night straight to Heidu Mountain to catch Wumuchi off guard. Even if we can't completely annihilate the enemy, we can at least create a gap and help General Pei Lun break out."
"The commander-in-chief will personally lead the infantry and the Shenji Battalion, advancing steadily towards Liang Province, tying down some of Yang Yan's forces and relieving the pressure on Zhang Zan. This way, we might be able to achieve both goals."
Liu Yi pondered and said, "Captain Wu's plan makes sense, but dividing the troops is a cardinal sin in military strategy. Our army is already weak, and if we divide them further, no matter which route we take, we will be underpowered."
"If the cavalry charges into Heidu Mountain and Wumuchi puts up a desperate resistance, it will be difficult to capture it in a short period of time and we may even be entangled."
"If the infantry moves south and Yang Yan divides his forces to attack, he will be unable to achieve anything. By then, it will be too late to regret if both sides are defeated."
The generals each held their own opinion and argued endlessly.
Shi Yong insisted on rescuing Heidushan first, with emotional factors playing a dominant role; Guo Luo advocated rushing to support Liangzhou, focusing on the overall strategic situation; Wu Shangzhi proposed dividing the troops, trying to take both into account; Liu Yi pointed out the risks of dividing the troops.
It was difficult to reach a consensus within the account for a while.
Everyone's eyes were finally cast on Zhao Muyun, who remained silent and just listened to everyone's argument.
The tent gradually became quiet, with only the crackling sound of the burning torches and the faint sound of the wind coming from outside the tent.
Everyone knows that the final decision lies in the hands of this young commander.
After a long time, Zhao Muyun slowly raised his head and swept his eyes over the faces of every general in the tent. His eyes were clear and firm, without any hesitation.
"Everyone has their reasons."
His voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable power. "Shi Yong values loyalty and righteousness, Guo Luo considers the overall situation, Wu Shangzhi seeks flexibility, and Liu Yi is cautious and prudent. They are all considering the army and Longyou."
He stood up, walked to the map, pointed his finger at Heidu Mountain, and then drew a heavy line towards Liangzhou.
"But have you ever thought about why we are here?"
Zhao Muyun's voice rose a few degrees. "Were we marching west to Longyou just to rescue Lord Pei and Tang Yanhai, or to help Zhang Zan defend Liangzhou?"
He answered his own question with a firm tone, "No! We are fighting for this strategic location in Longyou, for Dayin and for ourselves, in this chess game of the world!"
"It's to thwart the plots of the Northern Di, Chechi, Fengchao, and even the Qiang and Rong to carve up Longyou! It's to allow the dragon flag with the word 'Yin' to fly again on this land!"
"Therefore, every decision we make cannot be based solely on the gains and losses of a single city or region, nor can we consider only the immediate friendship or predicament. Instead, it must be based on the overall battle situation in Longyou, and even the future of the world!"
He tapped his finger hard on the location of Liangzhou: "Liangzhou, we must not lose it! If we lose Liangzhou, the heart of Longyou will stop beating. Even if we rescue Pei Lun, we will only have a depleted army."
"Then, like sheep being herded, they were chased and exterminated across the vast land of Longyou by various forces, and ultimately could not escape their fate of defeat!"
"To save Liangzhou is not to save Zhang Zan and his troops, but to save the foundation of Longyou and the life of our army!"
He turned his gaze to Shi Yong, his tone slowing down, but still firm: "Little Shitou, Lord Pei is our good brother. I, Zhao Muyun, don't want to see him get into trouble more than anyone else."
"But precisely because he is our brother, he will better understand why we must save Liangzhou first!"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
