Luoyingjian, this once-obscure mountain stream, suddenly became the eye of the storm in the entire Yan-Yun battle.
At this moment, fine snowflakes began to fall from the sky again, as if scattering paper money as a form of remembrance for the upcoming fierce battle.
A blizzard descended without warning on the southern slopes of the Yanshan Mountains. Gale-force winds whipped up snowflakes the sky, obscuring the sun and making it impossible to see a person more than ten paces away.
The steep cliffs on both sides of Luoyingjian were soon covered with a thick layer of silver, and the originally rushing stream at the bottom of the ravine began to freeze.
The camp that the Hedong army had just completed was instantly engulfed in this white, chaotic expanse.
The severe weather made defense extremely difficult, but also made any large-scale military operation virtually impossible.
Inside the central command tent, Zhao Muyun gazed at the swirling snow outside, his expression calm, even carrying a hint of relief.
"Heaven is on my side," he said softly.
"Grand Commander, although the blizzard has hindered the enemy, it has also made it difficult for our scouts to go out. If the enemy takes the opportunity to launch a surprise attack..." Tang Yanhai said with some concern.
“They won’t,” Zhao Muyun said confidently. “In this kind of weather, large-scale troop movements are very likely to lose their way and become disorganized.”
“Neither Wuzhu nor Li Jin are fools; they won’t take that risk. This snow will at least buy us two days of peace.”
He turned to his generals and said, "Order all camps to strengthen their defenses, keep warm, and guard against frostbite. The scout teams will be changed to close-range patrols, focusing on monitoring the several passages leading into the ravine."
"Shenji Battalion, inspect all firearms to ensure the gunpowder is dry and the fuses are usable. Once this snow stops, the real battle will begin."
The group accepted the order.
Despite the harsh environment, the morale of the entire army remained high due to the great victory at Motianling and their absolute trust in Zhao Muyun.
Braving the wind and snow, the soldiers diligently reinforced the fences and dug trenches, making the camp even stronger.
Just as the Hedong army was preparing for battle, different waves were stirred up in the Fengjun camp under Youzhou City and in Youzhou City itself due to the blizzard and the intelligence from Luoyingjian.
At the Fengjun camp, Yang Yan received a secret report from Li Jin, mentioning that Wuzhu's envoy had contacted him again, proposing a "suggestion" to jointly attack Zhao Muyun at Luoyingjian, and promising him great benefits.
In a secret report, Li Jin inquired about the commander-in-chief's intentions.
Yang Yan stared at the secret report, his eyes shifting uncertainly.
The blizzard halted the siege and temporarily cut off news from Falling Eagle Gorge.
Zhao Muyun's choice to camp at Luoyingjian was indeed unexpected, giving him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
With the help of Wuzhu, this major threat can be completely eliminated.
However… the risks are equally enormous. If the scheme is exposed, or if Wuzhu regrets his actions or even turns against the Fengtian Army, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"General, this is a golden opportunity!" a trusted general whispered. "Zhao Muyun's army is isolated and facing heavy snow; this is the perfect chance to encircle and annihilate them!"
"Let General Li cooperate with the Northern Barbarians to wipe them out in one fell swoop. The siege of Xijing can be lifted, and our army will also have one less formidable enemy in the Battle of Youzhou!"
Another general objected: "General, to conspire with the Northern Barbarians is like asking a tiger for its skin! Wuzhu is a wolf in sheep's clothing and cannot be trusted!"
"Moreover, if Zhao Muyun could be killed so easily, he would have been finished back in Luancheng and Motianling."
"In my humble opinion, it would be better to let General Li remain inactive and watch Wuzhu and Zhao Muyun fight each other, while we reap the benefits."
Yang Yan pondered for a long time, his eyes gradually hardening with ruthlessness.
In Xijing, Yang Chao's latest battle report shows that the siege is still stalled and casualties are considerable.
The longer it drags on, the greater the variables become.
Zhao Muyun's existence has always been the biggest variable.
“Reply to Li Jin,” Yang Yan finally spoke, his voice icy. “Tell him to act according to circumstances. If the Northern Di army launches a major attack, he can ‘assist’ as needed, and make sure that Zhao Muyun’s troops… cannot leave Luoyingjian alive.”
"But be careful not to leave any obvious evidence linking us to our army. Afterwards, shift all the blame onto the defeated soldiers or 'unidentified armed forces'."
This tacitly approves Li Jin's cooperation with Wuzhu, but demands that they distance themselves from official relations.
The trusted general felt a chill run down his spine and took the order.
Inside Youzhou City, Wuzhu was also anxious about the blizzard.
The messenger he sent to Yanshan to urge the last batch of reinforcements brought back good news: a tribal cavalry force of about 5,000 men had arrived a hundred miles north of Youzhou, but had to halt their advance due to heavy snow.
Meanwhile, his spies in the Fengtian Army also sent back vague information, suggesting that the Fengtian Army's high command was ambivalent about cooperation.
"Heavy snow...heavy snow..." Wuzhu paced back and forth in the warm pavilion like a trapped beast. "Is the Eternal Heaven also helping Zhao Muyun? No! The day this snow stops will be the day Zhao Muyun dies!"
He summoned his most trusted captain of the guards and whispered:
"As soon as the snow stops, immediately send the five thousand reinforcements outside the city straight to Luoying Gorge! Tell them to hold Zhao Muyun at all costs!"
"At the same time, have the people we've bribed in Li Jin's Fengtian Army find a way to incite Li Jin to take action! Also, have the assassins in the city get ready to create chaos in the city once the battle at Luoyingjian begins."
“If necessary… we can use the supplies in the Fengtian Army’s rations.”
He needed to take multiple measures to ensure that Zhao Muyun was completely buried in Luoyingjian.
The blizzard lasted for a day and a night, finally gradually subsiding on the afternoon of the second day.
The sky remained overcast, and snow covered the mountains and everything in between, creating a desolate and silent atmosphere.
Less than two hours after the snow stopped, scouts from the Hedong army brought urgent military intelligence.
"Report to the Grand Commander! A large cavalry force has been spotted to the north! Approximately four to five thousand men, carrying various tribal flags of the Northern Barbarians, are rapidly approaching Luoyingjian! They are less than thirty li away!"
"Fengtian cavalry activity has also been spotted to the west. Their numbers are unknown, but judging from their movements, they seem to be heading towards Jiankou!"
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