Even more remarkably, some people hung up Lu Yan's portrait.
They worshipped him day and night, calling him "Lu Tianzun".
I was both amused and exasperated; this superstitious thinking is really harmful!
He had no choice but to order the removal of his portraits and strictly forbid the people from engaging in personality cults.
"Lord Lu, why are you doing this?"
Li Kui asked, puzzled, "The people love and respect you, that's a good thing!"
"Xiao Kui, this is not a good thing."
Lu Yan said earnestly.
"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The will of the people is the most unpredictable thing."
"Today they praise you to the heavens, tomorrow they can trample you into the mud."
"We must always keep a clear head and not let the victory go to our heads."
Li Kui nodded as if he understood, and scratched the back of his head.
"I still think it's a good thing that the people like you..."
"You little brat, all you ever think about is war!" Lu Yan said with a laugh.
"Go, shut down all the casinos and brothels in the city, and arrest all those thugs and bullies who oppress the people!"
"Dream on!"
Upon hearing this, Li Kui immediately perked up, grabbed his broadsword, and charged out.
Lu Yan watched Li Kui's departing figure and shook his head helplessly.
This kid is really stubborn.
"My lord, the defenses of the southeast pass have been in disrepair for years and have now been affected by the war."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult to withstand another enemy attack."
Lu Fei pointed to the collapsed city wall and said with deep concern.
"Yes, Lu Fei, you're right. This city wall really needs some serious repairs."
Lu Yan stroked his chin, lost in thought.
"Send the order to gather the artisans in the city and repair the city wall as soon as possible."
"In addition, recruit some more young and strong men to supplement the troops at Southeast Pass."
"Yes, sir, I'll take care of it right away!"
Lu Fei accepted the order and disappeared into the crowd in a flash.
After settling matters in the Southeast Pass, Lu Yan returned to the residence that had been arranged for him.
I rubbed my temples; I felt a bit of a headache.
He had two paths before him:
First, they would strike at the heart of the enemy's territory, march north, and attack the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
Secondly, we should continue to advance steadily, first capturing other occupied cities before plotting to seize the capital.
"Lord Lu, are you troubled by the next strategic deployment?"
Chen Qingwan appeared behind Lu Yan at some point, holding a cup of hot tea.
Lu Yan took the teacup, took a small sip, and felt a warm current flow into his heart.
"Yes, I'm thinking about what to do next."
"In my opinion, we should first take over the other cities occupied by the Northern Xiang Kingdom."
"Take steady and cautious steps, and then concentrate our forces to attack the capital at the end."
Chen Qingwan suggested, handing the teacup in her hand to Lu Yan.
Slender fingers traced the rim of the cup, leaving a faint warmth.
Since Lu Yan began his advance
Lu Yan took the teacup but did not drink it. He frowned and paced back and forth.
"That being said, I am worried that those bastards from Beixiang and Java will use the people of Datong to threaten us."
"It would be troublesome to attack the city then; we'd be hesitant to act rashly!"
He scratched his head in frustration and continued:
"Instead of letting them lead us by the nose, we should take the initiative and strike directly at their lair!"
Seeing Lu Yan's anxious expression, Chen Qingwan couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle:
"Lu Yan, you've almost pulled your hair out of the house."
She paused, then said:
"However, you are right. Rather than being passive, we should take the initiative."
"But the journey north is likely to be extremely dangerous."
"What's there to be afraid of!"
Lu Yan took a big gulp of tea and said in a hearty manner.
"I took on an entire reinforced company single-handedly back in the day and never backed down, so why would I be afraid of these cowards?"
Chen Qingwan burst out laughing at Lu Yan's vulgar words.
However, it must be admitted that Lu Yan's strategy does have its merits.
After some discussion, Lu Yan finally decided to lead the Shannan Prefecture army northward.
Their target was Yunyang City in the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
This city is strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and is an important military stronghold of the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
It's a tough nut to crack.
On the way north, the army marched in a mighty procession, its banners obscuring the sun.
Lu Yan rode a tall horse, full of vigor and high spirits.
"My lord, Yunyang City is a crucial military stronghold of the Northern Xiang Kingdom. It is a city with high walls and thick fortifications, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack!"
Lu Fei rode alongside Lu Yan, speaking with deep concern.
"What are you afraid of?"
"Back in the day, I could shoot birds with a slingshot every time. What's a mere city compared to that?"
Zhang Xun also came over, smiling obsequiously:
"Your Excellency is incredibly brave and invincible, naturally you will be unstoppable in every battle!"
Lu Yan touched his nose smugly, but secretly thought to himself: This flattery was really satisfying!
"Xiao Kui, you better keep up, don't fall behind!"
Lu Yan turned around and saw Li Kui riding a horse, holding a large chicken leg and eating it with relish.
"Coming, sir!"
Upon hearing Lu Yan's shout, Li Kui quickly stuffed the chicken leg into his mouth and mumbled a reply.
He spurred the horse's belly, and the warhorse, in pain, neighed and charged forward.
"Oh my god!"
Li Kui lost his grip and fell off his horse, getting his mouth full of mud.
Upon seeing this, everyone burst into laughter.
"This kid is a real character!" Lu Yan shook his head with a smile.
Despite the arduous journey, the soldiers maintained high morale throughout the march.
They are full of anticipation for the upcoming battle.
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