"The vanguard of Li Bao's Fengtian Army has about three thousand men. Half a month ago, they set up camp twenty miles outside Luzhou. So far, they have not made any further moves, but only send out scouts to spy on them every day."
"In my humble opinion, Li Bao is timid in his military strategy and will not easily attack the pass before he has seen the true strength of the troops."
The wooden pole moved westward and landed in Daizhou.
"Liu Pan and Cao Jun of Daizhou have also made no mistakes in their defenses. Along the Feihu Pass, the beacon towers are lit day and night, and scouts are sent out fifty li."
“Li Sheng, the commander of the Fengtian Army in Youzhou, sent an army to confront us, but the weather has been bitterly cold since winter began, and they have no intention of attacking the stronghold. Recently, there have been far fewer skirmishes between the scouts.”
Zhao Muyun nodded slightly, her gaze following the movement of the wooden pole.
Luzhou and Daizhou, one in the east and one in the north, are like two horns extending from Hedong, holding back the pressure from Hebei and Yanyun. Zhang Huan, Liu Pan, Wang Ben, and Cao Jun are all prudent generals, and with this arrangement, these two places can be kept at peace for the time being.
"What about Yunzhou?" he asked.
The wooden pole was moved to Yunzhou, the northernmost point.
Han Zhong paused, his voice turning somber: "The military report sent by Tian Qing, the governor of Yunzhou, arrived three days ago."
He walked back to the desk, pulled out a document from a stack of papers, and handed it to Zhao Muyun.
Zhao Muyun unfolded.
The military report was written by the clerk accompanying the army, commissioned by Tian Qing. It began with a routine report on defense, grain reserves, and drills, but the latter half took a sharp turn:
“…Recently, herdsmen have reported that Tartar cavalry have been frequently appearing north of Daqingshan Mountain, spying on our pastures and outposts.”
"At the end of October, our border patrol team encountered a small group of Tatar cavalry, resulting in casualties on both sides. According to fragmented confessions from the wounded, the heavy snowfall in the border region this winter has caused many livestock to freeze to death, and it seems that some tribes are gathering manpower, intending to move south to 'seek food'..."
"In my humble opinion, rather than waiting for the enemy to come knocking on the gate, we should strike first."
"Our newly trained cavalry in Yunzhou is nearing completion. We can select the elite and capable to patrol beyond the Great Wall. If we encounter a small group, we should annihilate it; if we encounter a large force, we can also observe its strengths and weaknesses and warn it of its ambitions. I humbly request the Grand Commander's instructions."
After reading it, Zhao Muyun gently placed the General's Report on the table, her fingers unconsciously tapping the smooth surface.
"What do you think?" He looked up at Han Zhong.
Han Zhong took a deep breath, clearly having pondered this matter for a long time:
"Grand Commander, this humble general believes this is inappropriate!"
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