A faint stench of decay and burning filled the air.
"You damned Tartars!"
Zhong Meng stared at a burned-down village by the roadside, his teeth clenched, his eyes practically spitting fire.
His father, Zhong Dahu, died in battle resisting the invasion of the Northern Di, and he harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Northern Di.
The lieutenant advised, "General, now is not the time to be angry. The Grand Commander has ordered the entire army to set up camp on the south bank of the Xutuo River and await reinforcements. At the same time, scouts have been dispatched to conduct thorough reconnaissance of the enemy situation in the direction of Yizhou and Dingzhou."
Zhao Muyun's choice was very prudent.
Backed by the Dahang Mountains and relying on the Xutuo River, it can advance or retreat as needed.
He did not rush into action blindly because of the great victory at Yinzhou, knowing full well that Wuzhu's main force was far stronger than Tufa Wuhu's.
That night, the entire army arrived at the designated location and set up camp.
Inside the central command tent, Zhao Muyun convened a meeting of his generals.
A huge map of Hebei was laid out on the table, with the known enemy and friendly situations marked on it.
"According to reports from Ye Bushou, Wuzhu's main force, numbering about 80,000, is still besieging Xiangzhou."
"However, he left about 20,000 troops in the Baoding, Yizhou, and Dingzhou areas, under the command of his general Nianmohe. They formed a defensive triangle, monitoring the flanks and rear of Xiangzhou and guarding against reinforcements from the west."
Shen Qian pointed to the map and explained.
“Zhanmeihe…” Guo Luo pondered, “I heard that this person is Wuzhu’s number one general, with a fiery temper and is brave and good at fighting, but it is said that he is slightly lacking in strategy.”
"A fierce general?" Murong Chunhua sneered. "Perfect opportunity to meet him! Grand Commander, give me three thousand light cavalry. I'll go to the walls of Dingzhou and provoke him, to see if he's all talk and no action!"
Zhao Muyun waved his hand: "Don't rush. Although Nian Meihe is brave, he is not a brainless person. Our army is new to the area and is not familiar with the terrain, so it is not advisable to fight recklessly."
He glanced at the generals and said, "Our target is Wuzhu's main force."
"But to defeat Wuzhu, we must first remove the obstacle of Nianmohe and establish contact with Xiangzhou. At the very least, we must make Wuzhu feel that his flank is threatened and force him to divide his forces."
He pointed to Yizhou: "Yizhou is a small city, but its location is crucial. Nianmeihe's main force is stationed in Baoding, so there won't be many troops defending Yizhou. Wu Shangzhi, Xi Sheng!"
"Your subordinates are here!" Wu Shangzhi and Xi Sheng stepped forward.
"I order you to lead your troops and the Shenji Battalion to set off tomorrow and take the initiative to Yizhou."
"Yes, sir!"
"Murong Chunhua!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"You lead the light cavalry from Hedong to cover the flanks of the infantry. If Nianmohe comes to reinforce from Baoding, block them step by step and slow down their march. Do not engage in a direct confrontation."
"Understood!"
"Huanwu, Namtso!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Spread out your light cavalry to cover the battlefield and hunt down Di scouts. I will make Nianmeihe deaf and blind!"
"Haha! Don't worry, Grand Commander, not a single Tartar scout will get through!" The two men rubbed their hands together, eager to prove themselves.
"Guo Luo".
"Your subordinate is here!" Guo Luo's voice was steady.
"Your heavy cavalry battalion is well-rested and ready to be deployed at any time. Whether we can expand our gains in this battle depends on you."
Guo Luo clasped his hands in a deep fist salute: "This subordinate understands! The Heavy Cavalry Battalion is ready at any time!"
Zhao Muyun, having already assigned the tasks, declared with sharp eyes: "This battle is the first one in which our army retakes Hebei. We must win, we cannot afford to lose!"
"Not only must we win, but we must win spectacularly, showcasing the might of our army and letting that Vice Minister Cui of the court have a good look!"
"We will obey the Grand Commander's orders!" The generals roared in response, their killing intent filling the tent.
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