On the other side, at the Fengtian Army camp.
Yang Yan listened with a gloomy expression to his subordinates' complaints and doubts about Zhao Muyun's plan.
"General, Zhao Muyun is clearly trying to evade the main issues and seize the victory! We must not let him have his way!"
"Yes, Commander, we should order him to join our army in attacking Youzhou!"
Yang Yan raised his hand to stop the crowd's discussion and said coldly, "An order? Do you think Zhao Muyun would obey my orders?"
The tent fell silent instantly.
"Since he wants to go to Tanzhou and Jizhou, let him go."
Yang Yan's eyes flashed with a cold light, "Youzhou is not Xuanzhou, and Wuzhu is not comparable to Hutula."
"Zhao Muyun thinks he can dominate behind enemy lines with just over ten thousand men? He's courting death!"
"Even if he succeeds and draws away some of Wuzhu's forces, it will still be advantageous for our army to attack the city from the front."
He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of ruthlessness, "Send an order to Li Jin to send an elite cavalry unit to follow Zhao Muyun's troops at a distance. They don't need to participate in the battle; they just need to monitor their movements and report back as needed."
“If there is an opportunity… for example, after they fight a bloody battle with the Northern Di reinforcements…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.
"Also, send a signal to Yang Chao so he can begin preparations. When the battle in Youzhou is at its most intense and Zhao Muyun is trapped deep behind enemy lines, that will be the day he sends troops to Xijing!"
"Also, reply to Wuzhu's envoy," Yang Yan's lips curled into a cold smile, "tell him that I have seen his sincerity."
"As long as he keeps his promise and takes special care of Zhao Muyun, Youzhou can spare his life afterward."
Upon hearing this, several core and trusted generals inside the tent felt a chill run down their spines.
The commander-in-chief is trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin, using the Northern Barbarians to get rid of Zhao Muyun!
But considering the grudge against Xijing and the obstacles to future conquest of the world, no one raised any objections.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The undercurrents completely transformed into surging undercurrents.
The alliance at Baigou River, at the moment its name was established, was in fact dead in all but name.
......
Three days later, the two massive armies, each with their own agendas, left the Baigou River camp.
Yang Yan led the main force of 100,000 Fengtian troops, marching north along the official road, heading straight for Youzhou.
Meanwhile, Zhao Muyun led over ten thousand elite troops from the Hedong Army, lowering their flags and drums, and like ghosts, disappeared into the towering mountains east of Xuanzhou, beginning their infiltration behind enemy lines.
Wuzhu, who was on the city wall of Youzhou, soon received news that the two southern armies had split up and were advancing.
He looked at the two arrows marked on the map and a sinister smile appeared on his face.
"Finally... things are moving. Send the order to Arahan: as planned, give our Grand Commander Zhao, who likes to flank, a special 'welcome'!"
"The reinforcements from Yanshan will also be placed under his unified command! I want Zhao Muyun to be buried in Yanshan!"
"As for Yang Yan..." A sly glint flashed in Wuzhu's eyes, "Let's play along for now. Let him have a few of the fortresses outside the city to show weakness to the enemy."
"Once his army has penetrated deep into our territory and is at our gates, we'll let him taste the might of our fortified Youzhou!"
He looked south, as if he could see the Southern army, both sides exhausted, and himself, who would ultimately reap the benefits.
"May the Eternal Heaven protect us! Final victory will surely belong to our Great Di!"
A mournful bugle call echoed across the city walls of Youzhou!
The Yanshan Mountains, with their layered peaks and towering ridges, are desolate in winter, with only the howling wind whistling through the bare branches.
An army was trudging along the rugged mountain path, the men and horses all silent, with only the occasional clinking of armor and weapons, and the rustling of crunching on the broken ice and fallen leaves.
It was the main force of the Hedong army led by Zhao Muyun.
They abandoned all the cumbersome siege equipment and most of the supply wagons, and the entire army was lightly equipped, carrying only ten days' worth of dry rations, necessary arrows, and light firearms such as thunderbolts and fire oil from the Shenji Battalion.
Their goal was to cross this mountainous region, considered an insurmountable barrier, as quickly as possible, and head straight for Tanzhou, which was located behind Youzhou.
"Grand Commander, once we cross that mountain ridge, we'll reach the plains, less than a hundred li from Tanzhou."
The guide was a night scout under Shen Qian who was familiar with the terrain. He pointed to the faint ridgeline ahead and said.
Zhao Muyun nodded. After days of marching through the mountains, the soldiers looked tired, but their eyes remained sharp.
He looked up at the gloomy sky, calculating the time and distance in his mind.
"Pass down the order: speed up and make sure we get out of the mountains before dark and find a secluded spot to set up camp and rest."
"yes!"
However, just as the vanguard was about to leave the mountain pass, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats from ahead; it was the scouts who had been sent out.
"Report—!"
The scout leaped off his horse, panting heavily. "Grand Commander, we've spotted several hundred Northern Di cavalry outside the mountain pass ahead! They seem to be on a routine patrol, but their route is blocking our way out of the mountains!"
The generals' expressions changed slightly.
Although it was only a few hundred cavalrymen, their whereabouts would inevitably be exposed once a battle broke out.
The value of this surprise force lies in its concealment and element of surprise.
Tang Yanhai immediately volunteered: "Grand Commander, I will lead the scout battalion to launch a swift attack, catch them off guard, and wipe them all out, leaving no survivors!"
Zhao Muyun pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No. Hundreds of scouts are spread over a considerable area, and it will be difficult to wipe them all out in a short time. If even one of them escapes, our whereabouts will be exposed."
He scanned the surrounding terrain, then pointed to a steeper, seemingly impassable valley to the side. "Go that way! Go around it!"
“Grand Commander, that road over there… is marked as a dead end on the map, and it’s extremely difficult to traverse…” the guide hesitated.
"If there's no road, we'll forge one!"
Zhao Muyun said decisively, "It's better than being exposed prematurely. Order the rear guard to become the vanguard, turn around! Be careful to conceal any traces of your march!"
Upon receiving the order, this elite force of the Hedong Army demonstrated exceptional discipline and resilience.
Without complaint or hesitation, the entire army swiftly turned, like a silent giant python, and burrowed into the desolate and steep mountain valley.
The valley was filled with jagged rocks and extremely steep slopes, making it very difficult for men and horses to move forward. Soldiers would often slip and fall, and their horses would neigh and refuse to go any further.
The strong men of the Mo Dao Battalion came into play at this time. They used their huge Mo Dao swords as walking sticks, and some even worked together to push and pull the heavy packhorses across the dangerous sections.
The soldiers of the Shenji Battalion carefully protected the dangerous thunderbolts.
Zhao Muyun, like the ordinary soldiers, dismounted and walked, personally participating in clearing the way.
The commander-in-chief's leading by example greatly boosted morale.
After nearly four hours of arduous trekking, before darkness completely fell, they finally crossed this treacherous pass and reached the other side of the valley, far from the patrol range of the Northern Barbarian cavalry.
"Set up camp on the spot! No smoking! Double the number of sentries!"
Zhao Muyun gave the order, his voice tinged with weariness.
The entire army silently concealed themselves in a dense forest of dead trees.
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