Southeast of Wannian City, at the allied camp of Zhang Tao and Gao Min.
The atmosphere inside the central command tent was even more oppressive and thick than the morning mist outside Wannian City.
Zhang Tao sat in the main seat with a gloomy expression, while Gao Min paced anxiously inside the tent, the clanging of armor plates revealing his inner dissatisfaction.
"Three days! General Zhang, a full three days!"
Gao Min abruptly stopped, her voice laced with suppressed anger, "Our army of 30,000 is just holed up in this camp, watching an empty camp and a city filled with suspicion? His Majesty sent us here to quell the bandits, not for sightseeing!"
Zhang Tao raised his eyelids and glanced at him: "General Gao, please calm down. Yang Chao's camp is indeed empty, but the whereabouts of Yang Yan and the 30,000 main force are unknown."
"Although the city walls are quiet and the drums are still, they are brightly lit at night and the noise continues, which is obviously a trap. Zhao Muyun's military tactics are always unpredictable, and a hasty attack may lead us into his trap."
"Trapped? What trap?" Gao Min sneered. "Yang Yan ran away, and Yang Chao might have run away too. All that's left is Zhao Muyun, a mere diversionary force, playing tricks for Wan Nian!"
"Are we really going to be fooled by such a simple trick with our 30,000 troops? Yesterday, our scouts reported that there was smoke and dust from a major battle in the direction of Xijing. It was Yang Chao who went to attack Xijing! This is the perfect opportunity for us to take over Wannian!"
Zhang Tao's heart skipped a beat.
He had also heard about the dust and smoke coming from the direction of Xijing, but the information was conflicting. Some said Yang Chao had been defeated, while others said that a fierce battle was raging in Xijing. It was hard to tell what was true and what was false.
He was cautious by nature and trusted what he saw with his own eyes.
Wanniancheng's behavior is too abnormal.
"General Gao, if Zhao Muyun's main force is in the city, waiting in comfort, our army's strong attack will surely result in heavy casualties. If he is not there, it is an empty city, which can be taken sooner or later. Why rush things?"
Zhang Tao tried to persuade the young reinforcement commander, "Why not wait two more days, send out more scouts to find out the exact situation in Xijing and Yang Yan's whereabouts, and then make a decision?"
"Wait? The transport of grain is difficult, and every extra day we wait is another day of draining the national treasury!"
Gao Min said impatiently, "If General Zhang is afraid of battle, I am willing to lead my troops to probe first! If there is indeed an ambush in the city, you can then provide support or retreat. It is better than wasting time here!"
This is to put Zhang Tao in a difficult position.
If Gao Min succeeds in his attack alone, all the credit will go to him; if he falls into an ambush and is forced to retreat, Zhang Tao will also be held responsible.
Zhang Tao's face grew even uglier. He was increasingly dissatisfied with the arrogance of this "Imperial Guard" general from the capital, but he was also mindful of the general's background and the emperor's decree.
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a personal guard outside the tent urgently reported: "General! There's movement in Wannian City!"
The two quickly stepped out of the tent and saw that the sparse banners on the city wall in the distance had suddenly increased. The east and west gates slowly opened, and squads of soldiers marched out and began to form ranks outside the city!
Although the number of people was not large, their formation was well-organized, and their swords and spears gleamed in the sunlight, subtly exuding a chilling aura.
What's even more alarming is that a brand-new "Zhao" banner slowly rises atop the city wall!
Fluttering in the morning breeze!
Zhang Tao and Gao Min were both startled at the same time.
“Look! That’s…” a sharp-eyed soldier pointed to the city wall.
Several people appeared at the crenellations of the city gate tower.
The man in the lead was tall and straight. Although he was too far away to see his face clearly, his demeanor was none other than Zhao Muyun, whom they feared the most!
There were also people who looked like generals pointing and whispering nearby.
"Zhao Muyun...is he really in ten thousand years?"
Gao Min's previous aggressive demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of surprise and apprehension.
A person's reputation precedes them; Zhao Muyun's fame for defeating the Di in Youzhou was enough to make any opponent wary.
Zhang Tao, however, had even more to think about.
If Zhao Muyun is here, then who is guarding Xijing?
Did Yang Chao's attack on Xijing fail?
Or is this... another scam?
Just then, from the troops lined up below Wannian City, more than ten strange-looking vehicles were pushed out. They were covered with felt, and it was impossible to tell what they were, but their shape was reminiscent of the rumored firearm launchers.
"Firearms..." Zhang Tao gasped. If Zhao Muyun really had brought the firearms unit to Wannian...
"General! Small groups of enemy cavalry have been spotted to the south and north, seemingly scouting our camp!" another scout reported.
Gao Min's expression shifted as she looked at Zhang Tao: "General Zhang, this..."
Zhang Tao quickly weighed his options. Zhao Muyun appeared, troops lined up outside the city, what appeared to be firearms were on display, and scouts lurked nearby…
This looks like a carefully laid trap, just waiting for them to fall into it.
"Order the entire army to strengthen the defenses of the camps. No one is to engage in battle without my order!"
Zhang Tao gritted his teeth and ordered, "Send out more elite scouts to detour and approach Xijing, and make sure to find out the true situation of the battle there! Quickly!"
He ultimately chose the safest approach.
Without concrete intelligence, he dared not gamble with the safety of his 30,000-strong army.
Gao Min did not object this time, but looked at the "Zhao" flag on the city wall in the distance with a gloomy expression, feeling frustrated but helpless.
What they didn't know was that the "Zhao Muyun" on the city wall was just a body double with a similar appearance that Zhao Muyun had arranged before he left.
Most of the soldiers lined up were civilians who had been hastily armed, and the so-called "firearms" vehicles were nothing more than stones and firewood underneath.
All of this was an upgraded version of the Empty City Stratagem, meticulously orchestrated by Lin Feng based on Zhao Muyun's instructions before she left.
There was only one objective: to frighten Zhang Tao and Gao Min, thus buying time for Zhao Muyun to return to the capital.
Meanwhile, the real Zhao Muyun was in Xijing City, making final arrangements with Yinji.
"Lin Feng did a good job." Wang Tiezhu looked at the secret report he had just received and chuckled hoarsely, "Zhang Tao and Gao Min were indeed intimidated and strengthened their defenses, not daring to move."
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