After traveling for two more days, the group arrived at Longmen.
Although the river flows swiftly here, the channel is narrow, making it an ideal place to cross the river.
Zhao Muyun climbed to a high place to observe, and saw that there was indeed a camp on the opposite bank, with about five hundred soldiers.
"Grand Commander, should we launch a direct assault or outsmart them?" Liu Yi asked.
"We'll outsmart them." Zhao Muyun had already planned it out. "Wait until dark. You take two hundred men and sail down the river in small boats to the rear of the camp. I'll lead the main force in a feigned attack from the front. When we hear three cannon shots, we'll attack from both sides."
"Understood!"
As night falls, the river roars and surges.
Zhao Muyun led his main force to assemble on the north bank of the ferry, deliberately lighting torches to create the illusion of a large army pressing in.
As expected, the Fengtian Army on the opposite bank was alerted and all of them climbed the camp walls to stand guard.
"Fire the arrows!" Zhao Muyun ordered.
The archers of the Shenji Battalion began to fire arrows, with oil-soaked cloths tied to the arrows. After being lit, the arrows flew like meteors towards the camp on the opposite bank.
The Fengtian army commander was alarmed: "The enemy is about to cross the river! Prepare for defense!"
Just as all the Fengtian Army's attention was drawn to the front, three cannon shots suddenly rang out from downstream.
That was a unique firearm of the Divine Machine Battalion—the Thunderclap Bomb.
The loud noise echoed through the night sky, making people's eardrums ache.
Immediately afterwards, flames soared into the sky behind the Fengtian Army's camp, and shouts of battle erupted everywhere.
"What's going on? There are enemy troops behind us too?" The Fengtian Army commander panicked.
Caught between two attacks, the five hundred Fengtian soldiers were thrown into chaos.
Even more terrifying, the Shenji Battalion began crossing the river from the front, with dozens of small boats rushing towards the opposite bank like arrows released from a bow.
The battle lasted only half an hour.
Of the 500 Fengtian soldiers, 200 were killed and 300 surrendered.
The Shenji Battalion suffered only a dozen or so casualties.
"Check the boats, the entire army crosses the river!" Zhao Muyun ordered.
A thousand people crossed the river overnight, and by dawn they had all reached the south bank.
Zhao Muyun felt somewhat relieved as she watched the first light of dawn appear in the east.
After crossing the great river, we entered the Guanzhong Plain and were getting closer and closer to Xijing (Xi'an).
"Grand Commander, what should be done with the surrendered soldiers?" Liu Yi asked for instructions.
"Disarm them, tie them up, and lock them in the camp," Zhao Muyun said. "Leave them three days' rations. Whether they live or die is up to fate."
"Then we..."
"Keep going." Zhao Muyun mounted his horse. "Destination: the Wei River!"
The team set off again, like a sharp knife, piercing straight into the heart of Guanzhong.
Unbeknownst to Zhao Muyun, at the very moment he was crossing the river, Yang Chao launched his fiercest attack at the foot of Wannian City.
......
Inside Youzhou City.
Yang Yan looked at the imperial edict in his hand, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.
The high-pitched voice of the eunuch delivering the imperial edict still echoed in my ears: "...General Yang Yan, the Grand General of the Northern Expedition, is hereby ordered to return to the capital immediately to report on his duties. Military and political affairs shall be temporarily managed by Cui Mian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Li Sheng, the Lieutenant General of the Capital Garrison. This is the imperial decree."
After the eunuch left, Li Jin, the deputy general, was indignant:
"Grand Steward, His Majesty is turning on us after we've served our purpose! Youzhou has just been recovered, and although Wuzhu of the Northern Di has retreated, he could return at any time. To recall you to the capital at this time, and then to strip you of your military power, this..."
"Be careful what you say," Yang Yan interrupted him. "His Majesty has his own reasons."
"But Grand Commander, Cui Mian is just a civil official, what does he know about warfare? Although Li Sheng comes from the capital garrison, he has never been on the battlefield. If we put them in charge of the Yan-Yun Road, and Wuzhu comes again, Youzhou will surely be lost!"
Yang Yan was well aware of these things.
He walked to the window, looked at the withered trees in the courtyard, and felt a chill in his heart.
Once the birds are all gone, the bow is put away; once the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked.
This has always been the case throughout history.
Yang Yan helped Li Jingang establish the Yanyun Road, repelled Wuzhu, and made unparalleled contributions.
But his great achievements became the root of his downfall.
"Li Jin, go and make preparations. We'll be returning to Beijing in ten days," Yang Yan said calmly.
"Ten days later? The imperial edict says immediately..."
"The handover of Youzhou's defenses is no child's play," Yang Yan sneered. "You need to give me time to arrange things. Ten days is already quite fast."
Li Jin hesitated for a moment, but ultimately accepted the order and left.
Yang Yan stood alone by the window, lost in thought.
He thought of Zhao Muyun.
That young Grand Commander was a brilliant strategist and possessed extraordinary bearing.
Letting Wang Huan go not only demonstrated magnanimity but also sent a signal: I am not afraid of you, Yang Yan.
"It's a pity that we each serve our own masters."
Yang Yan muttered to himself, "If we're on the same side, why worry about the stability of the world?"
He then thought of his nephew, Yang Chao.
Yang Chao should be besieging Wan Nian right now.
That child was brave but lacked wisdom. His army of 50,000 fought for more than 20 days but still couldn't capture the small city of Wannian.
"It seems I should write him a letter."
Yang Yan walked to the desk and began to write rapidly.
In the letter, he warned Yang Chao: "Zhao Muyun has returned to Hedong and is likely to rush to Xijing's aid. We must expedite the siege; if we cannot capture it, we should besiege it without attacking, preserving our strength."
"Remember, military power is the foundation of one's position, and it must never be easily lost."
After finishing the letter, he summoned his trusted aide: "Send it to the Jiannan Army camp by express courier, 800 li away."
Ten days later, Yang Yan set off as promised.
He only brought ten personal guards, traveling light. The entire army of 100,000 in Youzhou was handed over to Cui Mian and Li Sheng.
When they left the city, many generals spontaneously came to see them off.
"Take care, Chief Steward!"
"May the Grand Steward return soon!"
Yang Yan returned the salute from his horse, his heart filled with emotion. These soldiers had risked their lives for him, and now they were parting ways. Whether Cui Mian and Li Sheng could keep them in check remained to be seen.
"Let's go." He spurred his horse and headed south.
On the way, Li Jin couldn't help but ask, "Grand Eunuch, how will His Majesty treat you after we return to the capital?"
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