As Tan Shihuai recounted the historical anecdotes at length, the expressions of the people in the hall varied.
The Xianbei nobles looked bewildered, Li Ru smiled but remained silent, while Han Sui's face was gloomy.
"In the end, Tian Ji used his second-best horse to defeat King Qi Wei's best horse, thus gaining a chance to win for his other two horses... Mr. Wenyou, do you think I'm right?"
After speaking, Tan Shihuai looked at Li Ru with a smile.
Li Ru smiled and nodded: "The chief is right, this story is indeed true!"
"Oh, I understand. Mr. Wenyou means that I should use ordinary soldiers to distract and wear down the elite troops under Lu Bu and Yufuluo, and then use Gaoliu's elite troops to defeat the other two Southern Xiongnu armies."
"Wait until Lü Bu's army is exhausted, then launch a final three-pronged encirclement to completely annihilate Lü Bu and the Southern Xiongnu army?"
In the end, Tan Shihuai's eyes lit up, and he looked at Li Ru with excitement.
"Indeed, Lu Bu and Yufuluo have now fallen into the trap. Faced with encirclement and suppression, they will fight like cornered beasts, which will inevitably cause damage to Gaoliu's elite troops."
"The ordinary cavalry, no matter how heavy their losses, don't matter. But the elite Gao Liu troops are the result of the Great Chieftain's countless efforts in training them. If they suffer too many losses, it will be a net loss!"
Although Li Ru spoke lightly, his words sent a shiver down the spines of the Xianbei nobles in the hall.
So, the elite Gaoliu troops are considered human, while the ordinary cavalry aren't?
Looking at Li Ru's scholarly appearance, it's surprising how ruthless he is in his schemes.
Of course, no one objected to Li Ru's plan.
After all, the ordinary cavalry of the Xianbei were not much stronger than the cavalry of the Southern Xiongnu.
If the other two routes cannot be eliminated in a short time, allowing their 50,000 troops to converge and turn into a decisive battle, even if we win, the losses will be heavy.
Therefore, the only way to annihilate the 50,000-strong Southern Xiongnu army was to follow Li Ru's plan.
Then, Tan Shihuai stood up, glanced at the generals in the hall, and focused his gaze on his son.
"He Lian!"
"exist!"
At only twenty years old, He Lianlang responded loudly and stood out from the queue with an excited expression.
Tan Shihuai said in a deep voice, "I order you to lead 20,000 elite Gaoliu troops to set off immediately and ambush the left flank of the Southern Xiongnu!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
He Lian responded loudly and strode out.
After He Lian left, Tan Shihuai ordered his trusted general Mi Jia to lead another 20,000 elite Gaoliu troops to ambush the right flank of the Southern Xiongnu army.
As horns sounded, the Xianbei army around Tanhan Mountain also began to move.
Forty thousand elite Gaoliu troops plus thirty thousand ordinary cavalry, totaling seventy thousand men, were divided into three routes and headed toward the three ambush sites.
Tan Shihuai also personally led a team of 1,000 personal guards and 30,000 ordinary cavalrymen toward the location where Lü Bu and Yufuluo were ambushed.
Li Ru, as the military advisor accompanying the army, was also taken by Tan Shihuai.
Two days later, Tan Shihuai's army arrived behind a hill. Twenty miles south of the hill was a lush, low-lying area.
In the depression, there lived a large tribe with a population of ten thousand.
This tribe was the last bait that Tanshihuai used to lure Lü Bu and Yufuluo.
After ordering the army to set up camp and rest, Tan Shihuai, along with Li Ru and a group of personal guards, climbed the earthen slope.
"Sigh... I hope they don't hate me!"
Gazing at the peaceful and tranquil tribe in the depression, Tan Shihuai couldn't help but sigh, a look of sorrow on his face.
Like the tribes that had been plundered by Lü Bu and his men before, this tribe was also lured to a designated location by Tan Shihuai with lies, serving as bait to lure Lü Bu and his men.
But those baits were all his own people, and facing their trust, Tan Shihuai naturally felt extremely guilty.
Li Ru, who was standing nearby, comforted him, saying, "The Great Chief did this out of necessity for all the Xianbei talents. A little sacrifice is worth it in exchange for greater benefits!"
"Mr. Wen is right. For all the Xianbei people, these small sacrifices are worthwhile!"
After saying that, the look of guilt on Tan Shihuai's face disappeared, replaced by a look of determination.
Just as the two were talking, a scout came from the south and headed straight for Tanshihuai.
"Report!"
"Your Majesty, the army led by Lü Bu and Yufuluo is heading north along the route we have laid out. They are less than a hundred li from that depression and are expected to arrive there by noon tomorrow!"
Tan Shihuai waved his hand: "Alright, investigate further, and report back immediately if anything is found!"
"yes!!"
The scout responded loudly, then immediately turned his horse around and returned along the original route.
Before long, the scouts responsible for monitoring the other two routes also reported the situation of the Southern Xiongnu on the left and right routes to Tan Shihuai.
Fearing they wouldn't be able to seize enough Xianbei slaves, the other two Southern Xiongnu armies charged forward with all their might, leading Lü Bu and Yufuluo by a full hundred miles, and heading ahead of the ambush they had set up.
"Haha~ Great, this is truly heaven's help!"
This situation is undoubtedly great news for Tan Shihuai.
In this way, Gao Liu's elite troops could eliminate the left and right armies of the Southern Xiongnu ahead of time, and then rush back here to besiege Lü Bu and Yufuluo.
Tan Shihuai looked at the messenger with excitement and shouted, "Order Helian and Mijia to attack immediately after the Southern Xiongnu enter the ambush area, end the battle as soon as possible, and outflank the central Xiongnu on the left and right flanks before noon tomorrow!"
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