It was already past midnight, and seeing the exhaustion on everyone's faces, Lin Yinan told them to go and rest.
"But we haven't come up with a plan for tomorrow's surprise attack yet?"
"General Lu hasn't replied yet."
Everyone was extremely worried and felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, so they refused to rest.
"The messenger just left, and it will be dawn before General Lu replies. There's no need for everyone to stay up all night and harm their health. No rush!" Lin Yinan said calmly.
Seeing her confident demeanor, everyone felt much more at ease and finally got up to leave.
After everyone left, Qianwu brought in a basin of hot water.
"Madam, you've had a long and tiring day. Please wash your face and rest."
Lin Yinan took the handkerchief that Qianwu had thoughtfully wrung out and wiped her face haphazardly.
She put down the handkerchief, held up the candle, and walked to the map to study it carefully.
When Qianwu came back after pouring water, she saw that Qianwu was still not resting, so she went over and held up the oil for her. Lin Yinan took out a notebook and wrote and drew on it.
After a long silence, Qianwu couldn't help but ask, "Madam, do you think General Lu of Cangwu County will help us?"
"Probably." Lin Yinan didn't want to give a definitive answer.
After finishing writing, she compared the plan she had just finalized with the map and reviewed it again.
She closed the notebook and said to Qianwu, "It's late, go to sleep."
"Madam, are you still sleeping?" Qianwu asked, frowning as she looked at her.
"I don't need any help here."
Qianwu carefully laid out the mattress for her, then laid out her own mattress on the other side and lay down.
Lin Yinan focused intently on counting the weapons and ammunition in the space until the sky began to lighten before finally falling into a light sleep.
As the morning mist dissipates, dew condenses into water droplets on the flowers, grass, and leaves, sparkling like diamonds.
Soldiers in full military uniforms were training majestically on the training ground.
Two horses swiftly passed through the soldiers' encampment and arrived at the main tent.
"This is General Lu's reply to Lord Lin!" The messenger presented the letter, personally written by Lu Changsheng, with both hands.
Lin Yinan sat at the head of the table, looking at the letter in her hand.
She picked up her pen, quickly wrote a letter, and handed it to the messenger, saying, "Please convey my thanks to General Lu."
After saying that, she turned to Qianwu beside her and said, "Qianwu, go to the stove and get some food for this young general, and fill his water pouch with water."
The messenger initially wanted to refuse, but then he thought that he had been traveling all night and was indeed hungry, so he didn't insist.
"This humble general thanks City Lord Lin!"
After Qianwu led the messenger down, Yunyi and Yunsan couldn't wait to ask questions.
"Lord of the city, what did General Lu say in his letter?"
Lin Yinan passed Lu Changsheng's letter around for them to read.
After a long pause, seeing that everyone had finished reading the letter, she said, "I plan to make my move tonight at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM)."
Everyone turned their attention to her, listening quietly as she analyzed the night's action plan.
The period from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. is the midnight hour, when people's thinking and reaction abilities are relatively sluggish and it is the peak period for people to enter deep sleep.
Lin Yinan came to the map and pointed to several city gates outside Nanzhou Prefecture.
"General Lu will directly attack the West Gate, while we will send three armies. The Hu people will heavily guard the South Gate, and Yun Yi will lead the majority of the troops and some cavalry to attack the South Gate."
"Yun San and Yun Si, each of you select a few skilled guards to lie in ambush near the granary. You will then take action when there is any movement at the city gates."
"Yun Qi and I will lead the men in first to deal with the Hu people around the prison."
"Ye Quan and Wu Peng, you two lead your men to guard the weakest point in the defense, the East Gate. Wait for my signal. Once I give the signal, you quickly blow open the city gate. Then the cavalry can enter through this gate to meet General Yun Mo and the others."
Lin Yinan finished speaking in one breath, her resolute and sharp gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Please feel free to raise any further comments."
"How could I miss out on such a great opportunity?"
A gentle, clear voice rang out from outside the tent, and then everyone saw Yun Er, whose eyes were bandaged, lift the curtain and come in.
Seeing his feigned ease, Lin Yinan frowned and said unhappily, "Yun Er, your injury hasn't healed yet!"
"It's just that I lost an eye. Others may not have two eyes as good as my one eye. Besides, my hands and feet are still intact."
Yun Er pointed to his intact right eye, then spread his arms and legs to show everyone.
“But…” His injuries were actually quite serious. For Yunying’s and the child’s sake, Lin Yinan didn’t want him to risk his life at night.
"Third Sister-in-law! Don't try to persuade me anymore, I must go and save Third Brother." Yun Er's smile faded, and he said seriously.
He stopped calling her the city lord and started calling her Third Sister-in-law directly.
Seeing his resolute expression, Lin Yinan was momentarily at a loss for words, and the scene froze.
Yun Yi sighed quietly. Once Yun Er got stubborn, not everyone could persuade him.
So he stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Lord of the City, since Yun Er insists, let him go."
Lin Yinan had no choice but to agree.
Then, everyone discussed some details until noon.
After noon, the entire camp fell into a quiet slumber.
At the end of the day, wisps of smoke rose from the campsite, filling the air with the aroma of food.
As darkness fell, the camp was already deserted.
Although the Longtan Army was formidable, after several encounters, Yu Shida believed he had figured out their strengths and weaknesses, and that no matter how powerful they were, they didn't have many men.
Therefore, when He Xiong said that he should press his advantage and take Longtan in one fell swoop, and seize the Xihe iron mine and salt fields, Yu Shida advised him not to rush. He arrogantly thought that he could use Yunmo to make a deal with Longtan and take what he wanted without losing a single soldier.
He Xiong was an extremely arrogant man. He conquered Nanzhou Prefecture with ease. The prefecture was rich in food and resources, which was just the right time for the soldiers to rest and recuperate.
The people of Nanzhou Prefecture fled in haste, leaving behind a lot of food and supplies that they did not have time to take with them, which benefited the Hu army.
Two days passed in this way, and the people of Longtan made no move. He Xiong's heart was at ease, and he did not send anyone out to inquire about the news.
He believed that no matter how skilled the people of Longtan were, they were terrified by the army of 100,000.
In every Hu (non-Han) camp within the city, groups of Hu people ate fragrant, soft white rice they had never tasted before, along with unknown vegetables and fruits, drank sweet fruit wine, and embraced girls they had abducted along the way, indulging in a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle every day.
At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), a series of loud bangs broke the silence of the night.
The already crumbling south gate collapsed with a deafening explosion, waking the sleeping soldiers guarding the city.
The soldiers gripped their rifles, their expressions panicked as they looked around.
"Enemy attack!" Someone tried to signal to warn the people in the city, but his voice was abruptly cut short when an arrow suddenly flew through his neck.
Countless dark figures, aided by the power of grappling hooks, leaped onto the city wall like ghosts, their bodies radiating a chilling killing intent. The swords in their hands were like divine weapons, slicing through the endless darkness.
In a flash of swords, only severed limbs remained on the city wall, with blood seeping through the cracks in the floor tiles.
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