Storms suddenly rise in the north
Chapter Quote: The flames of war in Shandong have not yet died down, and the smoke of war in the north has suddenly risen again. The Liangshan army is heading towards Zengtou, and undercurrents are surging to create a new situation.
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The lights in the Shaohua Mountain Gathering Hall had just gone out, and the details of the alliance were still being worked out. A sudden piece of urgent military intelligence, like a biting north wind, instantly blew away the little warmth that had just gathered.
——Song Jiang of Liangshan personally led the army to the north to attack Zengtou City!
When the news came, everyone was shocked!
Zengtou City, located within Lingzhou, isn't a major provincial capital, but it holds a special position. Controlled by the Five Tigers of the Zeng Clan, it boasts a powerful army and a resilient people. Furthermore, it maintains extensive trade ties with the northern tribes, making its power a formidable one. More importantly, Zengtou City lies at the very nexus of Liangshan's northward expansion.
"Song Jiang's move is intended to open a passage northward, annex Lingzhou, and then threaten Daming Prefecture and even the entire Hebei Province!" Zhu Wu pointed at the map, his face solemn. "If Zengtou City is captured, Liangshan's forces will no longer be hindered and can advance straight into the city! Then, our allies will face their offensive head-on, with Daming Prefecture bearing the brunt of the attack!"
The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew oppressive. Liangshan was moving too quickly! Hu Yanzhuo had just been defeated, and they hadn't bothered to digest the results of their battle and secure their rear, rushing north to deploy their troops in such haste. Their ambition and sheer determination were truly alarming.
"Can Zengtou City be held?" Shi Jin asked anxiously. Although he had no friendship with the Zeng family, he knew the principle of "lips and teeth are cold".
Sun Li had been in Dengzhou for a long time and was quite familiar with the situation in the north. He said in a deep voice, "The Five Tigers of the Zeng Family—Zeng Tu, Zeng Mi, Zeng Suo, Zeng Kui, and Zeng Sheng—are all brave and skilled fighters, and their father, Zeng Nong, is even more cunning and strategic. Zengtou City has nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses, and its fortress is fortified. They also have experts in horse selection and training like 'Golden Retriever' Duan Jingzhu, and elite cavalry. If they hold on to their position, Liangshan, despite its vast power, will find it difficult to swallow them all."
"I'm afraid..." Gongsun Sheng stroked his long beard, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes. "Although the Zeng family is brave, they are also arrogant. They are not united internally. And that Shi Wengong..."
"Shi Wengong?" Yan Qing's heart moved. He had some impression of this name. He seemed to be a teacher in Zengtou City with extremely high martial arts skills.
"Indeed." Gongsun Sheng nodded. "Shi Wengong is a master of spearmanship and possesses unparalleled courage. However, he is also arrogant and might not get along well with the Five Tigers of the Zeng Family. I'm afraid the key to this battle lies in him."
Everyone felt even more depressed upon hearing this. A fortress is most easily breached from within.
"How should we respond?" Deng Fei looked at the alliance leader Gongsun Sheng and the chief liaison Yan Qing.
Gongsun Sheng pondered for a moment. The alliance had just been established, and all parties had yet to fully integrate. Rashly sending troops to aid Zengtou City would be illogical and extremely risky, potentially drawing the flames of war directly upon him.
Yan Qing scanned the map, his mind racing. Zengtou City had to be saved, or at least it couldn't be easily taken by Liangshan, otherwise the situation would be jeopardized. But how?
A head-on attack is not the best strategy. You have to be clever.
He suddenly recalled some vague fragments of memories from his past life. It seemed that something special had happened when Liangshan attacked Zengtou City... Was it related to a BMW? And that Shi Wengong...
A bold plan gradually took shape in his mind.
"Everyone," Yan Qing stood up, his voice clear and calm, "We shouldn't intervene directly in the battle of Zengtou City, but we can't just sit back and watch."
"Brother Yanqing, what good idea do you have?" Zhu Wu asked.
"I think we can take a three-pronged approach." Yan Qing walked over to the map. "First, 'Besiege Wei to Save Zhao'! Ask Sun Tixia to increase the suppression of bandits in Dengzhou, threatening Liangshan's rear. Ask Deng Fei and Meng Kang to intensify their harassment of Liangshan's food supply routes in the Yinmachuan area. We don't seek big gains, but rather to distract Liangshan's attention so they can't fully attack Zengtou City."
Sun Li, Deng Fei and the others looked at each other and nodded in agreement: "This plan is feasible! We will arrange it when we get back!"
"Secondly," Yan Qing continued, "'Remove the firewood from under the cauldron!' Zengtou City's trouble lies in its internal instability, especially that of Shi Wengong. Someone needs to infiltrate Zengtou City and find a way to stabilize Shi Wengong. At the very least, we need to prevent him from turning to Liangshan or developing disloyalty at this critical moment! At the same time, we need to warn Zeng Nong to be wary of Liangshan's plans to sow discord!"
Sneaking into Zengtou City? While both armies were facing each other, guards were heavily guarded? The thought was met with hesitation. This undertaking was far too dangerous, requiring only the brave, cautious, and highly skilled in martial arts, as well as the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
"Leave this matter...to Yan Qing." Yan Qing said calmly.
"No!" Lu Junyi (whose confidant Yan Qing brought with him to listen in) immediately objected, "Xiao Yi, you've been in danger many times before, you absolutely cannot go there again! Zengtou City is now a dangerous place, and Shi Wengong is no easy task!"
Zhu Wu and Shi Jin also tried to dissuade him.
Yan Qing shook his head, his eyes firm. "Master, brothers, this matter must be handled by me. I once met Shi Wengong (from a past life memory) and know a thing or two about his character. Furthermore, I am agile and adept at concealing myself, making me the perfect candidate to infiltrate. Furthermore, I have foiled Wu Yong's schemes many times and understand his methods, so I might be able to see through his schemes. If Zengtou City falls, Daming Prefecture will be in danger, our alliance will collapse, and we will never have peace again! This risk must be taken!"
His words were sincere and his analysis was logical. Although everyone was still worried, they could no longer firmly oppose him.
Gongsun Sheng gave Yan Qing a deep look and said, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't try to stop you. Just be careful. If anything goes wrong, withdraw immediately. Don't be stubborn!"
"Junior understands." Yan Qing bowed.
"What about the third strategy?" Shi Jin asked.
A gleam of light flashed in Yan Qing's eyes. "Third, 'Secretly Crossing Chencang'! As far as I know, there's a magnificent horse in Zengtou City named 'Zhao Ye Yu Shizi'. It was stolen by Duan Jingzhu from the north and intended to be presented to the Zeng family. This horse is so majestic and magnificent that it will surely be coveted by Liangshan. Wu Yong may be using this horse as bait to sow discord or lure them. Perhaps we can... get there first, find Duan Jingzhu, and take control of this horse! Even if we can't, we must thwart Liangshan's plans to use this horse to cause trouble!"
Everyone heard this and thought it was a brilliant plan that hit the nail on the head. If they could control the potential fuse of the "Zhao Ye Jade Lion", it would undoubtedly disrupt Wu Yong's deployment.
"The task of finding Duan Jingzhu can be left to the brothers from Hidden Post and Shaohua Mountain," Zhu Wu said. "His whereabouts are erratic, but he always stays near Beidi Ma City and Zengtou City."
The plan was set, and everyone immediately took action without further delay.
Sun Li, Deng Fei and others went down the mountain overnight, returned to their respective territories, mobilized troops and implemented the strategy of "besieging Wei to save Zhao".
Zhu Wu and Shi Jin sent out a large number of smart and capable minions, cooperating with the channels of "Yinyi", to search for the whereabouts of "Golden Retriever Dog" Duan Jingzhu and "Zhaoye Jade Lion".
Yan Qing disguised himself again, said goodbye to everyone, and headed alone towards Zengtou City, which was already shrouded in war clouds.
The north wind howled, stirring up thousands of piles of snow. A war that would determine the fate of the north was about to break out, and Yan Qing, a butterfly trying to change his fate, once again flew towards the center of the storm without hesitation.
He knew that the battle of Zengtou City would be the first severe test for the "Anti-Liang Alliance" and would also be a crucial battle that would determine the fate of many people.
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Chapter 29 End
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