Zhao Muyun's eyes instantly turned icy cold:
"Yang Yan...did he lose patience so quickly? Or...is there someone else?"
He walked to the map and looked at the location of Heifengyu, which was located on the Hedong military supply route, but also close to the possible activity area of the Fengtian Army.
"Old Tang, send more scouts to closely monitor the movements of the Fengtian Army in the Changzhou direction, especially Li Jin's cavalry force that has advanced!"
"At the same time, the number of troops guarding the grain supply route will be doubled, and you will be personally responsible for coordinating it."
"Furthermore," Zhao Muyun paused, "send Yang Yan the details of the attack, as well as the clue that it was 'suspected to be the work of the Fengtian Army.' Ask him for his explanation."
He needed to know whether this was Yang Yan's instruction, or an unauthorized action by his subordinates, or... a scheme by the Northern Di to frame him.
At this delicate moment, any spark could shatter the alliance.
Just as Zhao Muyun was taking over Xuanzhou and dealing with the attack on the grain supply route, the battle in Changzhou reached a stalemate.
Zhang Hong, a general under Yang Yan, led 33,000 vanguard troops and arrived at the city of Changzhou one day later than the Hedong army.
Ali Gua, the garrison commander of Changzhou, was a renowned veteran general of the Northern Di, known for his maturity and prudence.
Unlike Hutula, he was not easily mobilized. Instead, he held the city firmly and, relying on the taller and stronger city walls of Changzhou and the ample supplies for defense, repelled several probing attacks by the Fengtian Army.
Zhang Hong tried various siege methods, such as ladders and battering rams, but all of them were ineffective.
Although the morale of the Changzhou garrison was also affected by the defeat at Luancheng, they were still able to maintain their position under the pressure from Ali Gua.
Arrows rained down from the city walls, and boulders and logs cascaded down, causing considerable casualties to the Fengtian Army.
When Yang Yan led the central army to the city, he saw the corpses of Fengtian soldiers and the charred remains of siege equipment beneath the walls of Changzhou. His brows furrowed.
"General, Changzhou is a fortified city, and Ali has defended it very well. A direct attack would likely result in too many casualties," Zhang Hong reported with a guilty expression.
Yang Yan observed the defenses of Changzhou and said in a deep voice, "It's alright. Our army has superior numbers; we can wear him down. Is there any news from Li Jin's side?"
"General Li has already built a defensive line north of Changzhou and repelled two small groups of cavalry that came out of Youzhou. There is currently no sign of a large-scale reinforcement from Youzhou."
Yang Yan nodded: "Tell Li Jin to remain on high alert. Order the entire army to build more siege equipment to completely surround Changzhou and cut off its communication with the outside world. At the same time, send engineers to dig tunnels to see if they can infiltrate the city."
He opted for a safer, but more time-consuming tactic.
After all, he had an army of 100,000, with ample logistical support, and could afford to drag it out.
In his view, Zhao Muyun's forces were insufficient, making the attack on Xuanzhou even more difficult, and he might be currently engaged in a fierce battle.
As long as we can secure Changzhou, victory will still belong to us.
However, on the very second day after he deployed the siege plan, Zhao Muyun's report of victory and letter of inquiry arrived on his desk almost simultaneously.
"Xuanzhou has fallen?"
Yang Yan held the report of victory, which was written in a messy but sharp hand. He tightened his fingers slightly, and the edges of the paper began to wrinkle.
His generals looked at each other in disbelief.
Four days?
How could Zhao Muyun possibly conquer Xuanzhou in just four days?
When Yang Yan saw another letter of inquiry regarding the attack on the grain transport route, his face darkened completely.
He certainly did not order an attack on Zhao Muyun's supply lines; at least not before seizing the position of Grand Steward, he would not do something so foolish as to give others a handle to use against him.
"Who did it?" Yang Yan's gaze swept coldly over the generals under his command. "Li Jin?"
One of the generals hesitated and said, "General, General Li was ordered to intercept the reinforcements from Youzhou. His position is further north, so he shouldn't have gone all the way to Heifeng Valley... Could it be... a frame-up by the Northern Barbarians?"
Yang Yan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger and a sense of unease.
Zhao Muyun's progress was too fast, disrupting his rhythm.
The attack on the supply route cast a deep shadow over the already fragile alliance.
"Reply to Zhao Muyun," Yang Yan said in a deep voice, "Congratulate him on taking Xuanzhou. As for the matter of the supply route, it was definitely not done by our army. It must have been a spy from the Northern Barbarians or a bandit impersonating someone else to frame us. Ask him to investigate thoroughly."
"Our army will conduct a thorough internal investigation, and anyone found to have acted without authorization will be executed without mercy!"
He had to keep Zhao Muyun calm, at least until he took Changzhou, before they completely broke off relations.
But in his heart, his fear and murderous intent toward Zhao Muyun deepened even further.
This man's military tactics are unpredictable and beyond human comprehension; he must not be allowed to live!
He also secretly ordered Li Jin: "Increase surveillance on the Xuanzhou direction. If Zhao Muyun makes any unusual moves or tries to approach Changzhou, strike first!"
With trust broken, the undercurrents of conflict become increasingly clear under the guise of cooperation.
Wuzhu, who was inside Youzhou City, soon received news of the fall of Xuanzhou and the death of Hutula in battle, as well as reports that Changzhou was still holding out.
He was initially furious, but then calmed down, a strange smile appearing on his face:
"Zhao Muyun... is indeed formidable. However, the faster you fight, the more uneasy Yang Yan becomes."
"Send the order to Arahan: continue the operation to harass Zhao Muyun's supply lines, but be extra careful. Make full use of the captured Southern weapons and make sure to muddy the waters!"
"Send more people to try and contact Yang Yan's subordinates... Perhaps we can negotiate a deal."
Wuzhu saw a glimmer of hope for a comeback between these two seemingly united but actually divided southern commanders.
What he needs to do is add fuel to the fire and make them fight even more fiercely.
......
Beneath the walls of Changzhou, war clouds loomed, and the stench of blood mingled with the smells of gunpowder and burnt metal permeated the frigid air.
Unlike Zhao Muyun's swift capture of Xuanzhou, Yang Yan's Fengtian Army encountered unprecedented and fierce resistance in Changzhou.
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