The Left Army Colonel, a young and impetuous general, couldn't help but say, "General, if Zhao Muyun's troops are indeed lying in ambush in the valley, why don't we take advantage of their unstable foothold and launch a preemptive attack? We can't just sit here and wait to be killed!"
"Attack?" Zhang Tao sneered and walked to the sand table. "Take a look at this terrain."
He grabbed several small flags representing his own forces: "Our army numbers 20,000, including 3,000 cavalry. Yang Chao commands nearly 40,000 troops, mostly newly recruited, but they hold high ground and have the advantage of firearms. And look here—"
A small black flag was planted at the entrance of Ziwu Valley: "If Zhao Muyun is really here, even if he only has 10,000 elite soldiers, the open ground outside the valley is perfect for his Hedong Iron Cavalry to charge."
"If our army attacks Wannian, our flanks will be exposed; if we attack the Ziwu Valley, the defenders of Wannian will come out of the city to attack from both sides. What are the chances of victory if we launch a forced attack?"
The left-hand officer opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.
Zhang Tao straightened up, the armor plates clanging together with a dull thud: "Our army has made a long march from Henan, and our provisions are only enough for half a month."
"Yang Chao's betrayal was premeditated, and he has ample supplies. Not to mention, he now has Zhao Muyun's support..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone in the tent understood what he meant.
This battle has turned from a swift and decisive suppression of the rebellion into a stalemate where the outcome remains uncertain.
"Issue orders to all camps." Zhang Tao's voice regained its usual composure. "First, reinforce the fortifications. Deepen the outer moat to 15 feet and insert bamboo spikes at the bottom. Raise the height of the palisades and set up an arrow tower every 30 paces."
"Second, set up more chevaux-de-frise. Take out all the spare timber from the rear camp and set up three layers of obstacles 300 paces outside the camp. Order the engineers to make iron caltrops overnight and scatter them between the obstacles."
"Third, double the number of scouts. Form teams of one hundred men and patrol continuously for twelve hours, paying particular attention to the direction of the Meridian Valley. If you encounter the enemy, do not engage in battle; use a signal arrow as a signal, and return as soon as you have ascertained the enemy's situation."
The series of commands were clear and decisive.
The generals accepted the order, and the atmosphere in the tent relaxed a little. At least the general had made a decision, which was better than hesitation.
But Zhang Tao's next words made everyone's hearts jump again.
“Military Advisor Wang,” he said, looking at the military advisor, “you take up the pen and send this urgent message to His Majesty.”
Wang Canjun immediately went to the table, spread out the yellow silk, and dipped his brush in ink.
Zhang Tao paced back and forth, carefully choosing his words: "Your subject, Zhang Tao, the military governor of Henan, respectfully reports: Yang Chao has indeed rebelled, colluding with Zhao Muyun, and with the aid of firearms, his military force is at its peak. Your vanguard suffered a setback, losing eight hundred soldiers. The enemy's momentum has been established, and it will be difficult to annihilate them without a large force."
He stopped and looked out into the thick darkness of the night: "I implore Your Majesty to send reinforcements immediately, or allow me to temporarily hold a strategic position and hold off the enemy until their supplies run out or the court's reinforcements arrive, at which point we can then plan our advance."
Wang Canjun's brush moved swiftly, the ink flowing across the yellow silk.
As he wrote the last sentence, his pen paused slightly, and he looked up at Zhang Tao: "My lord, this 'temporarily occupying strategic positions and holding out against the enemy'... Won't His Majesty think we are afraid of war?"
Zhang Tao did not answer immediately.
He walked to the tent and lifted the heavy curtain.
A cold wind howled in, causing the torches to sway violently.
Outside the camp, darkness stretched endlessly.
In the distance, towards Wannian City, a few faint lights could be seen, like the eyes of a lurking beast.
"Fear of war?" Zhang Tao's voice drifted on the wind, tinged with bitterness. "Before we set off, His Majesty secretly decreed: 'If Yang Chao makes any unusual moves, deal with him as appropriate; if necessary, act as you see fit.'"
He turned around, the firelight casting flickering shadows on his face: "What does 'acting expediently' mean? Is it annihilation, appeasement, or... using someone else to do the dirty work?"
The tent was deathly silent.
Some things don't need to be said outright.
Although everyone here is a bunch of roughnecks, how could they not understand the intricacies of court politics?
Li Jingang's vague and secret decree was like a thorn, deeply embedded in Zhang Tao's heart.
“Write it as I say,” Zhang Tao finally said, “Add a sentence: Your Majesty, I am foolish and dull, and fear I will fail to live up to Your Majesty’s grace. I humbly beg for your wise guidance.”
He needs reinforcements, but he also wants to wait and see.
You must show your loyalty, but you must also leave yourself a way out.
In this chaotic world, a general must not only know how to fight, but also understand people's hearts and be aware of the times.
After writing the last sentence, Wang, the military advisor, affixed the seal of the Henan military governor.
The yellow silk was carefully rolled up, placed in a copper tube, sealed with wax, and handed over to the messenger who was already waiting outside the tent.
"Change the horses, but not the riders, head straight for Xijing!" Zhang Tao said in a deep voice.
"Yes, sir!" The messenger mounted his horse, the crack of his whip cutting through the air, the sound of hooves quickly disappearing into the night.
Zhang Tao stood outside the tent, motionless for a long time. The cold wind whipped his cloak, making it flutter loudly.
Overhead, dark clouds covered the sky, obscuring the stars and moon.
A heavy snowfall is likely on its way.
"Sir, please go inside; it's cold," Wang, the military advisor, said in a low voice.
Zhang Tao shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the depths of darkness: "Military Advisor Wang, do you think His Majesty's reinforcements will come?"
After a long silence, Wang Canjun finally uttered only one word: "Difficult."
Zhang Tao smiled, a smile that appeared desolate and weary in the firelight.
He was originally the Henan military governor of the Great Yin Dynasty. Li Jingang entered the capital, established the Great Feng Dynasty, and sent Niu Desheng and Ma Zongliang to sweep across the provinces south of the Yellow River.
It was at this moment that Zhang Tao saw Niu Desheng's 100,000-strong army arrive and decisively chose to change his flag.
The position of the Henan military governor has been saved!
But that doesn't mean it will last.
The will of God is more dangerous than the battlefield.
"Return to the tent," Zhang Tao finally said. "Order the cooks to have an extra meal tonight, with each person receiving two extra ounces of meat. Tell the soldiers that reinforcements are on their way, and we only need to hold our ground and wait for them."
This is a lie, but sometimes, lies are more effective at calming the troops than the truth.
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