The bedroom was deathly silent.
Li Jingang looked at Yang Yan with an extremely complicated expression.
He hadn't expected Yang Yan to see so far ahead and to be so ruthless and decisive.
This is no longer just a military strategy, but a naked political purge and strategic choice!
But upon closer examination, Yang Yan's words were all reasonable and piercing.
No matter how fierce the Northern Barbarians were, they were ultimately foreign invaders. It was the internal separatist forces that were the root cause of the country's collapse.
Especially that Zhao Muyun...
After a long silence, a fierce glint flashed in Li Jingang's eyes. He slammed his hand heavily on the edge of the bed and said resolutely:
"Very well! As you say, my dear minister! Feng Liang, you will personally arrange the affairs of Jiannan Circuit, utilizing all covert channels, and ensuring secrecy! The necessary troops and armor will be allocated from my private treasury and armory with priority!"
"I...obey the order!"
Feng Liang bowed and accepted the order, but a cold sweat broke out on his back. His fear and respect for Yang Yan reached their peak at the same time.
This man's schemes are as deep as the ocean!
Seeing that all three conditions had been met, Yang Yan, despite his illness, struggled to get out of bed with Li Juan's help, knelt on the ground, and though his voice was weak, it carried a resolute strength:
"Your subject, Yang Yan, accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude! He will do his utmost to drive out the Tartars, defend our land, and quell the internal rebellion, in order to repay Your Majesty's kindness and favor!"
......
Daizhou, Zhao Muyun's temporary residence.
The lights were on in Zhao Muyun's study.
He had just finished carefully reading the detailed battle report on the Battle of Hejian Prefecture sent by the "night scouts".
The record even includes details such as when Ma Zongliang learned of the sandstorm, when he ordered a state of alert, how Niu Desheng rebuked his soldiers, and the specific direction from which the Northern Di cavalry would break in.
He put down the secret report, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, gently rubbed his temples with his fingers, and let out a long and complex sigh.
"Alas... It's all about timing and fate. Ma Zongliang, if you could have held on for three more days, no, even just one more day, the outcome might have been very different."
He muttered to himself, his tone filled with deep regret, but even more so with a heavy sense of urgency at the disruption of his plans. "A sandstorm has ruined a perfectly good game of chess..."
His original plan was to sit back and watch the tigers fight.
The goal is to create a stalemate between Ma Zongliang and Wuzhu in Hejian Prefecture, ideally resulting in a draw, thus keeping the main force of the Northern Di firmly in Hebei.
In this way, he could buy time for Han Zhong to completely eliminate the Northern Di army in Yinzhou and remove any worries about his rear, while also allowing his main force, which had withdrawn from Youzhou, to get a full rest in Daizhou.
At that time, he will have a well-rested and powerful army at his disposal, and he will choose the best opportunity to intervene in the Hebei battlefield—either to save Ma Zongliang from danger and win popular support and political capital.
Or take advantage of Wuzhu's exhausted army to deliver a fatal blow and seize the greatest military achievements and prestige.
However, this perfect plan was completely shattered by Ma Zongliang's rapid collapse.
With 140,000 elite troops wiped out in a single day, Wuzhu not only retained his strength but also rode the wave of victory with unstoppable momentum.
On the other hand, the war in Yinzhou was still ongoing, and Han Zhong was unable to extricate himself.
Although the skeletal remains of the troops in Daizhou, they have not yet recovered from the fatigue of continuous battles and long marches, and their military equipment and supplies have suffered huge losses and urgently need to be replenished.
At this moment, he was like a bowstring pulled too tight, the string was taut, but it was not yet the best time to release the arrow.
"The situation... has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and we have instead found ourselves in a passive position."
Zhao Muyun opened his eyes, his gaze sharp, and instructed Shen Qian, who was standing beside him:
"Immediately send someone to Jinyang as quickly as possible to ask Han Zhong in person how the battle in Yinzhou is progressing and how long it will take to resolve it completely."
"Tell him that the Fengtian Army in Hebei has suffered a major defeat, and we don't have much time to waste!"
"Yes, Grand Commander!"
Shen Qian accepted the order and added, "There is one more thing. I just received a message from the capital via carrier pigeon, confirming that Li Jingang has reinstated Yang Yan as the General Who Conquers the North, overseeing all military affairs in Hebei and the capital region, and has bestowed upon him the Emperor's sword, allowing him to execute first and report later."
"He has rushed to Xiangzhou overnight to reorganize the defenses."
"Yang Yan?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Muyun abruptly stood up, his brows furrowed, and for the first time, a truly solemn expression appeared on his face.
This name made him more wary than the news of Ma Zongliang's defeat.
"It really was him... Li Jingang finally managed to get him out."
He paced back and forth in the study, then said in a deep voice:
"Yang Yan's abilities far surpass those of Ma Zongliang. He is calm, resilient, and resourceful. Although Xijing was defeated, we won with great difficulty."
"With him in Xiangzhou to reorganize the situation and deploy defenses based on the city and river, it will be no easy task for Wuzhu to cross the river easily."
"In the short term, this is a good thing for us, as it may halt the advance of the Northern Di army."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming even lower: "But... this man is different from Ma Zongliang. Yang Yan, he has always regarded me as a major threat, and is determined to kill Hedong!"
"To seize power now is definitely not a good thing for us in the long run!"
He immediately ordered Shen Qian, "Quickly! Send a message by carrier pigeon to the Prince of Jin in Xijing and Lin Feng in Huazhou."
"Remind them that Yang Yan has returned to power and taken control of the military in Hebei! He is very likely to launch a military campaign against Xijing after stabilizing the northern front."
"Longmen Pass and Ziwu Valley must immediately enter a state of highest alert, increase troop strength, strengthen city defenses, and defend them to the death."
"A special reminder to Prince Jin: Do not let your guard down on the western front because of the great battle in the north, lest you give Yang Yan an opportunity to take advantage of the situation!"
"Understood! I'll take care of it right away!"
Knowing that the matter concerned the safety of Xijing, Shen Qian dared not delay and left in a hurry.
Just then, a guard outside the door announced loudly, "Grand Commander, an envoy from the capital has arrived to deliver an imperial decree!"
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