Zhang Xun, on the other hand, remained relatively calm, thinking to himself.
Liu An had been cultivating his influence in the court for many years and had a deep-rooted foundation.
If we act rashly, we might alert the enemy.
So he offered his opinion...
Han Sheng nodded in agreement.
"You're right, we must proceed with caution."
"It would be best to find evidence of Liu An's crimes, and then contact other officials in the capital who are dissatisfied with Liu An to form an alliance to deal with him together."
Lu Yan gave Han Sheng an approving look.
This kid's got a pretty quick mind.
He nodded and said:
"Han Sheng's suggestion is good."
"Night Owl, immediately arrange for Cheetah and the others to gather evidence of Liu An's crimes."
"In addition, instruct Cheetah to contact those in the capital who have a grudge against Liu An."
"Or see if we can form an alliance with those who are dissatisfied with him."
"yes!"
Night Owl clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, then turned and left.
Suddenly, with a "bang," the door was kicked open.
A soldier covered in dust and with his armor askew rushed in, stumbling and crawling.
He knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he cried out:
"Report! My lord, an urgent report from Jianmen Pass!"
Lu Yan's heart skipped a beat. Jianmen Pass?
Could something have happened in Beixiang Kingdom?
He snatched the letter from the soldier's hand and quickly glanced at it.
His face instantly darkened, like the sky before a storm.
"General Mu Qing of the Northern Xiang Kingdom has led an army of 100,000 to the Jianmen Pass!"
Lu Yan gritted his teeth and read the contents of the letter aloud, then slammed his fist on the table.
"They've arrived! It seems that old scoundrel Liu An's scheme has worked!"
"He's trying to use me as a tool to kill me!"
Lu Fei suddenly stood up, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and said menacingly:
"My lord, let me lead the troops to wipe out these scum from the Northern Xiang Kingdom!"
Zhang Xun echoed:
"My lord, I am also willing to go, and I will make sure they never return!"
Han Sheng was relatively calmer. After pondering for a moment, he said:
"My lord, the Northern Xiang Kingdom has come with great force this time. Their army of 100,000 is no small number. We must proceed with caution."
Lu Yan took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. He looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice:
"Generals, there is no need to panic. Although the Northern Xiang Kingdom is coming with great force, our Shannan Prefecture is not to be trifled with!"
How many troops do we have available for deployment right now?
Lu Fei immediately replied:
"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Shannan Prefecture's musketeer regiment, cavalry regiment, and infantry regiment, totaling 40,000 men, are ready to be deployed at any time!"
Han Sheng added:
"The garrison at Jianmen Pass numbers over 20,000, and with us, we have a total of over 60,000 men, enough to fight against the Northern Xiang Kingdom!"
Lu Yan nodded, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Good! Leave 20,000 men to guard Shannan Prefecture, and the remaining 40,000 will come with me to Jianmen Pass to provide support!"
"In this battle, we must not only repel the invasion of the Northern Xiang Kingdom,"
"I also want to let that old scoundrel Liu An know that I, Lu Yan, am not someone to be trifled with!"
"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their fighting spirit high.
Lu Yan got up and walked to the huge map hanging on the wall.
The mountains, rivers, roads, and cities on the map are all depicted in detail with different colors, making them easy to understand at a glance.
He pointed to the location of Jianmen Pass with his well-defined fingers, his tone steady and firm:
"Jianmen Pass is strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and is known as 'one man can hold the pass against ten thousand.'"
"The army of Beixiangguo has marched a long distance and is exhausted."
"This is the perfect opportunity for us to take advantage of the terrain, set up an ambush, and catch them off guard!"
The group gathered around the map, listening intently to Lu Yan's plan.
Zhang Xun pointed to a valley on the map and suggested:
"My lord, we can send an elite force to ambush here,"
"Once the enemy enters the valley, unleash a volley of arrows and we'll wipe them out without leaving a single survivor!"
Han Sheng cautiously added:
"General Zhang is absolutely right, but we still need to be wary of enemy scouts to avoid alerting them."
"We can send Night Owl to lead the Shadow Guards ahead to scout ahead and clear out obstacles."
Lu Yan nodded approvingly, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice:
"What you generals say is very true. We need to consider every detail carefully to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
"This battle is not only about repelling the invasion of the Northern Xiang Kingdom, but also about making them pay a heavy price,"
"Let that old scoundrel Liu An know that I, Lu Yan, am not so easily fooled!"
Night Owl returned to the house at this time and heard Lu Yan's plan.
He clasped his hands in a gesture of supplication and said:
"My lord, I am willing to lead my secret guards to infiltrate the Northern Xiang Kingdom's military camp."
"To spy on the enemy, disrupt morale, and gain more advantages for our army."
He stood tall and straight, his tone cold and stern, like a drawn sword, exuding a chilling aura.
Lu Yan gave Night Owl an approving look:
"Alright! Night Owl, I'll leave this to you."
"Be extremely careful and cautious. If anything unexpected happens, prioritize your own safety."
"yes!"
Night Owl accepted the order, and in a flash, he disappeared from everyone's sight.
Like blending into the night, it vanished without a trace.
With everything prepared, Lu Yan led an army of 40,000 men toward Jianmen Pass in a grand procession.
Banners fluttered and war drums thundered.
The soldiers, clad in armor and wielding sharp blades, marched westward with high morale.
Like a giant steel dragon, it meanders forward.
Throughout the journey, Lu Yan frowned, his gaze deep, as he repeatedly rehearsed the battle plan in his mind.
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