"Your Highness need not worry. Wuguan is a detachment of Fengchao's forces. General Xiao has always been prudent in his military tactics. Moreover, there are 20,000 troops in Lantian Pass and Wannian. There shouldn't be any problems for the time being."
"The main challenge now is Longmen Pass, as we are facing Li Hu's army of 100,000."
Pei Lun analyzed calmly.
“Old Pei is right!” Fan Nan also agreed. “Your Highness should stick to the original plan. After the elite troops in Xijing have gathered and demonstrated their bravery, you should lead them to Longmen Pass.”
"Firstly, we want to show Pang Qing from Jiannan our strength and deter Yang Yan from making any rash moves."
"Secondly, we will send the grain and equipment from Xijing to the front line of Longmen Pass to boost morale."
Yinji nodded: "My late father highly recognized Xiao Cheyun's abilities when he was alive."
"As you two have said, they immediately inspected the Xijing troops and then set off for Longmen Pass."
That afternoon, Yinji, clad in armor and carrying a sword, inspected three thousand elite troops of Xijing, accompanied by Pei Lun, Fan Nan, Zhou Hong, and others.
These three thousand men were the reserve force of Xijing, well-equipped and in high spirits.
Pang Qing was naturally invited to participate.
He saw three thousand soldiers with gleaming armor, sharp swords, and a murderous aura, as well as tens of thousands of farmers pulling grain and supplies by mules and horses, like a long, unbroken dragon.
War is not just about fighting for equipment, but also about fighting for logistics.
“My lord,” Pang Qing murmured, “this time, we may have really chosen the wrong opponent. The Yin Dynasty has well-trained troops and ample supplies, and seems fully capable of handling a two-front war.”
"It seems that Zhao Muyun will not agree to our conditions!"
Pang Qing looked at everything before her with mixed feelings.
After the three thousand soldiers were inspected, Yinji bid farewell to Pei Lun, Fan Nan, Zhou Hong, Zhao Wen, Huang Chang and other civil and military officials of Xijing, and mounted his horse with his guards.
Meanwhile, Yin Zhao, accompanied by several eunuchs including Cao Chunfeng, also came to the city wall to see them off.
At the city gate, people lined the road to see them off.
Looking at the determined young man riding a white horse, they suddenly felt that the sky over Xijing would never fall.
Pang Qing watched Yin Ji's departing figure, deeply moved.
Before he came to Xijing, he thought that Zhao Muyun's main force was on a western expedition and that Zhao Muyun himself had left Xijing to inspect Hedong. Without a leader, people must be in a state of panic.
But what I've seen these past few days is that the government is in good order, the military is well-equipped, the people are at peace, and even the young Prince of Jin has such courage.
Pang Qing already had the answer.
Longmen Pass.
When Yinji arrived with his army, Lin Feng, along with He Yunsheng, Xu Yunlong, and a group of officers and soldiers, came out to greet them:
"Your Highness, I am deeply humbled by Your Highness's presence at the front lines!"
"General Lin, please rise." Yin Ji helped him up. "How is the battle going?"
"Li Hu's offensive is fierce, probably because he remembers the humiliation of me capturing him alive back then," Lin Feng said with a faint smile. "But Longmen Pass is as solid as a rock. Now that the supplies have arrived and we've added three thousand elite troops, Li Hu probably won't be able to sleep at night!"
Yinji nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, Commander Lin. Please lead the way later, Commander Lin. I want to visit the soldiers!"
"Your Highness, won't you rest for a while?"
"Need not!"
Immediately afterwards, Yinji inspected the military camp and visited the wounded.
The soldiers were greatly encouraged to see that the young prince had come to the front lines in person, and the morale of Longmen Pass was greatly boosted.
......
Xi'an, late at night.
Qu Zhuang silently passed through the palace walls and alleyways, arriving deep within the imperial palace.
Seeing that Yinji had also left today, the puppet emperor became anxious and excited, constantly urging him to speed up his actions.
“Mr. Qu, Yinji has left with three thousand elite troops, leaving less than two thousand soldiers in the city. Now is the perfect time to act.”
Yin Zhao's eyes gleamed with fanaticism. "I will immediately issue an edict declaring Zhao Muyun guilty of starting a war without authorization, stripping him of his military power, and then negotiate with Li Jingang. Only then can I truly rule the world!"
Qu Zhuang bowed and replied, "Your Majesty is wise. I have made all the necessary arrangements, and we can take action in three days."
Why wait three days?
"Because it takes time to make arrangements," Qu Zhuang explained. "Although the palace guards have three commanders who are loyal to His Majesty, Zhao Muyun's personal guards still number three hundred and control key parts of the palace. We need to find a way to divert them away or to divide and win them over."
Yin Zhao nodded in satisfaction: "Very well, three days from now. If this matter succeeds, I will bestow upon you the title of Marquis, which will be hereditary."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."
Recalling this, a mocking smile appeared on Qu Zhuang's lips.
Prime Minister? Hereditary without change of title?
Yin Zhao probably never imagined that what Qu Zhuang truly wanted was not these things at all.
He turned into a quieter alley and stopped in front of an inconspicuous wooden door.
Three long and two short knocks, five knocks in total.
The door opened quietly, revealing an inconspicuous little courtyard, heavily guarded.
Inside, there were three people: Pei Lun, Wang Tiezhu, and a masked man.
If Yin Zhao were here, he would be shocked, for this man was Zhou Wu, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, one of the three commanders who "pledged allegiance to His Majesty" in his words.
"Commander Qu," Wang Tiezhu said gravely, "what's the situation?"
“Yin Zhao is impatient and has decided to make his move in three days,” Qu Zhuang said quickly. “He has contacted thirty-seven people; here is their list.”
He handed over a list, which Pei Lun took and examined closely by the light of the lantern. The more he looked, the more somber his expression became: "There are so many people! The Grand Commander has treated them well!"
"Blinded by greed," Wang Tiezhu said calmly. "Commander Zhou, what about your side?"
Zhou Wu pulled down his mask, revealing a resolute face: "Among the palace guards, only a little over a hundred are truly loyal to His Majesty; the rest are mostly observing."
“I have arranged for the three hundred guards of Grand Commander Zhao to be transferred to the West Garden in three days under the pretext of ‘rotation defense.’ At that time, the palace will be empty, which will be the time for Yin Zhao to make his move.”
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