Zhao Muyun stepped down from the command platform and looked at his subordinates who were cleaning up the battlefield and treating the wounded, but there was little joy on his face.
He knew that repelling this attack was only temporary.
Wuzhu and Yang Yan will not let this go easily, especially Yang Yan, who will likely react even more violently upon learning of Li Jin's setback.
"Take stock of the casualties and strengthen the defenses. Send another report on the battle and the prisoners captured by the Northern Barbarians to Chief Steward Yang."
Zhao Muyun gave a calm order, his tone laced with cold sarcasm, "Tell him that the scenery at Luoyingjian is beautiful, and my troops are temporarily residing here, awaiting the good news of the Grand Commander's conquest of Youzhou."
He needs to continue applying pressure, while also waiting for an opportunity to break the deadlock completely.
The blood shed in Luoyingjian must not be shed in vain.
The victory at Luoyingjian did not make Zhao Muyun relax in the slightest.
The camp was filled with the heavy smell of blood and the groans of wounded soldiers. Although the battle was won, the Hedong Army itself suffered more than a thousand casualties, with the infantry battalion suffering particularly heavy losses.
Late at night, the central command tent was brightly lit.
Zhao Muyun, along with Wu Shangzhi, Guo Luo, Murong Chunhua, Tang Yanhai, Zhong Meng, Liu Yi, Shen Qian, and other core generals, sat around the map, each with an extremely solemn expression.
"Grand Commander, although our army has twice thwarted the enemy's advance, being trapped in this place is not a long-term solution."
Zhong Meng broke the silence first. His arm was wrapped in bandages, scars left from the day's fierce battle. "Although we are temporarily safe from food supplies, we are consuming a lot of arrows and gunpowder, especially our infantry, who have suffered more than half casualties."
"Grand Commander, we haven't received any news from Xijing for five days! I'm trying to make contact." Shen Qian said apologetically.
Perhaps the army had penetrated deep behind enemy lines, and the routes for transmitting information at night were blocked.
Carrier pigeons dared not fly, as the land was teeming with skilled archers from the Northern Di people.
Who knows, the carrier pigeons might end up as their barbecue.
The atmosphere inside the tent became even more oppressive after Shen Qian said this.
When news from Xijing (the Western Capital) becomes increasingly scarce, it often means that the war has reached its most critical juncture, or... that communication routes have been completely cut off.
Guo Luo said in a deep voice, "Yang Yan's daytime attack on the city has suffered another setback, with heavy casualties. His fear and killing intent towards our army will only intensify."
"Li Jin is afraid to make any rash moves for the time being after what we did, but Yang Yan will definitely come up with another vicious scheme. As for Wuzhu, he has suffered repeated losses and is now a trapped beast. His revenge will surely be even more ruthless."
Shen Qian added, "However, we have learned that there seems to be a large-scale expulsion of people from Youzhou City into the city and the hoarding of oil and other supplies, suggesting a desperate situation."
"In addition, north of Youzhou, it seems that new Northern Di tribes are gathering troops, but the size is unknown."
It's like being besieged on all sides.
Zhao Muyun's gaze swept across the map, from Luoyingjian to Youzhou, and then to the distant Xijing.
Finally, his gaze fell on an inconspicuous marker between Youzhou and Shunzhou—the Yongding River.
The Yongding River should be frozen over in winter.
An extremely bold, even insane, idea gradually took shape in his mind.
"Look here, everyone..."
Immediately, everyone's attention focused on the spot where Zhao Muyun's finger landed—the Yongding River.
"The Grand Commander means..." A glint of light flashed in Murong Chunhua's eyes, "...walk on the ice?"
“Exactly.” Zhao Muyun’s finger moved slowly across the map, from Luoyingjian eastward, across a mountain road, and finally stopped on the frozen surface of the Yongding River.
"Both Wuzhu and Yang Yan believed that we were trapped in Luoyingjian and could not move."
"The Northern Di reinforcements have just suffered a defeat, and Li Jin has been thwarted. Their attention is focused on how to trap us here or how to make a breakthrough in the siege."
He paused, his voice becoming even more resolute: "Youzhou is a high-lying city with deep moats. Yang Yan has been attacking it for half a month without success and is already showing signs of fatigue."
"Although Wuzhu was tied down, the Northern Di could send reinforcements from the grasslands at any time."
"If we continue this stalemate, and Yang Yan and Xijing decide the victor, whichever side gains the upper hand, we will become fish on the chopping block."
Wu Shangzhi said, "Grand Commander, our strategy of crossing the Yongding River ice to directly attack the north gate of Youzhou is indeed a brilliant move. However, it is extremely risky—is the ice solid enough for our troops to cross?"
"Even if we manage to get through, although the northern city wall of Youzhou is not as high or thick as the southern one, how could the garrison be completely unprepared? After such a long march, how much of our fighting strength will be left?"
“Xiao Wu’s concerns are absolutely correct.” Zhao Muyun nodded, but did not back down. “It is precisely because the risk is so great that the enemy would not have thought of it.”
"I have observed for many days that the snow in the Yanshan Mountains is heavy and the weather is bitterly cold. The Yongding River has been frozen for nearly two months, with the ice layer several feet thick enough to support heavy cavalry. As for the garrison in Youzhou..."
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "According to Bai Richenqian's report, Youzhou is driving large numbers of people into the city to hoard oil, which precisely shows that the garrison's strength is already stretched thin."
"The Northern Di people have always relied on cavalry mobility and field battles to defend cities; city defense is not their forte."
"Now that Youzhou is besieged, Wuzhu will surely deploy his elite troops to the south gate to deal with Yang Yan's main attack, leaving the north gate defenses vulnerable!"
“But what will happen to the Luoyingjian camp if our entire army comes out?” Zhong Meng frowned. “Once Yang Yan or the Northern Di discover that the camp is empty, they will immediately know where we are.”
“Therefore, we cannot send out all our forces.” Zhao Muyun pointed to three locations on the map. “Leave three thousand men under your command. Set up makeshift banners, maintain the usual daily cooking smoke, and keep the patrols going as usual to create the illusion that the main force is still there.”
"Murong Chunhua, Namtso, and Huanwu, the three of you will conduct guerrilla warfare on the outskirts, harassing any enemy cavalry that attempt to approach and scout."
"Then the attacking force is running low!" Tang Yanhai calculated.
“Four thousand!” Zhao Muyun said. “I will personally lead your scout battalion, Liu Yi’s Divine Machine Battalion, Wu Shangzhi’s two thousand light cavalry, and Guo Luo’s one thousand heavy cavalry for this surprise attack!”
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