The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 373: 200,000 troops, five armies attack Wu.

The ninth month of autumn in the sixth year of Zhangwu (1268) was Dingwei day.

The first rays of dawn illuminate the Deyang Hall of the Luoyang Imperial Palace.

Liu Bei sat upright on the throne, his crown tassels hanging low over his face, his expression solemn.

Civil and military officials stood on either side of the platform, with the civil officials headed by Prime Minister Yi Ik.

The military officers, led by Guan Yu, the Duke of Hanshou, stood in solemn silence awaiting orders.

"Everyone is safe."

Liu Bei raised his hand in a gesture of greeting, his voice steady and powerful.

"I have summoned you all here today to discuss the matter of the southern expedition against Sun Wu."

"Ziyu, please explain in detail the regulations proposed by the cabinet."

The strategic plan to destroy Wu was a very large undertaking.

So it took almost a whole season to finalize it.

The plan to destroy Wu was proposed in early summer, but the cabinet did not draft a specific plan for the destruction of Wu until near the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The mobilization of troops, armor, and equipment, as well as the post-war resettlement of civilians, constitute a massive undertaking.

Chancellor Li Yi stepped forward, holding an ivory tablet, and bowed deeply.
"The minister obeys the order."

He turned to face his ministers and unfolded the bamboo slips in his hand.

"Six years have passed since Your Majesty's rise to power."

"The nation is now growing stronger, with well-trained soldiers and ample provisions."

"It is time to raise an army and march south to wipe out the Wu invaders and reclaim the old lands of our Han Dynasty."

The hall fell silent, with only Li Yi's clear voice echoing through it.

"I, your subject, and the officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue have repeatedly calculated that an army of 200,000 is needed to attack Wu."

"Of these, 30,000 troops were sent from Hebei, 80,000 from Huainan, and another 20,000 were conscripted from the Qingxu region."

"Yuzhou will send 20,000 men, and Jingzhou will send 50,000 men."

The war against Wu was primarily a naval battle.

Therefore, the main force was still transferred from Huainan and Jingzhou.

The Hebei Army, Henan Army, and Qingxu Army played more of a supporting role.

The Guanzhong army, however, dared not be mobilized because it had to guard against Cao Wei.

They must remain there to protect the capital region.

Even so, an army of 200,000 was still an extremely costly expedition.

As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, Mi Zhu stepped forward with his scepter in hand, the wide sleeves of his court robes trembling slightly with his movements.

"Your Majesty, I have this memorial."

Mi Zhu's voice was steady yet solemn.

"The Prime Minister mentioned an army of 200,000, which, according to regulations, requires 400,000 laborers to transport the grain and fodder."

"With the current reserves of the national treasury, it may be difficult to support such a massive undertaking."

An uproar immediately erupted in the hall.

Liu Bei frowned slightly:

“Zizhong, please explain in detail.”

Mi Zhu unfolded the ledger in his hand, his fingertips wandering among the dense numbers.

"Based on each person consuming five liters of food per day, an army of 200,000 would consume 10,000 shi of grain per day."

"If the laborers are included, the daily consumption will be 30,000 shi (a unit of dry measure)."

"The expedition to Jiangdong will take at least half a year to complete and will require 5.4 million shi of grain."

"Currently, the total grain reserves in government granaries across the country amount to only four million shi, leaving a shortfall of one million shi."

Well……

Even though he was mentally prepared, Liu Bei couldn't help but gasp inwardly when he heard about the grain needed to attack Wu.

Unexpectedly, it makes sense.

The amount of grain and fodder consumed by a regular army of 200,000 men fed by horses must have been astronomical.

This is mainly because ancient grains could not be stored for long periods of time.

There are no canned foods with an extremely long shelf life.

Mi Zhu paused, then looked up at Li Yi.

"Moreover, 400,000 laborers is no small number, and last year Qingxu suffered a severe drought."

“Jingzhou is a newly annexed territory, and if we forcibly conscript people, it may damage the fundamental agricultural work.”

"According to my estimation, even if we start immediately, it will take until the spring of next year to prepare everything."

Li Yi remained calm and said:
“Zizhong’s concerns are absolutely correct.”

"But precisely because of this, launching an attack in the spring is the opportune time."

He turned to Liu Bei and said, "Your Majesty is wise; the spring floods in Jiangdong have not yet arrived."

"The river is still shallow, which is advantageous for our naval forces to operate."

"Moreover, since spring plowing has not yet begun, the people's strength can be fully mobilized so as not to delay the farming season."

This……

Lu Su hesitated for a moment, then interjected:
"If we follow Prime Minister Li's suggestion..."

"If we wait until after spring planting to launch an attack, we will not be able to return before the autumn harvest. Wouldn't that be a double mistake?"

"This is a necessary sacrifice; how can war not be fought with costs?"

"If you try to have the best of both worlds in everything, you will be hindered."

Li Yi explained frankly.

Warfare inherently harms the country, its people, and its people.

According to the theories of "The Art of War," Sun Tzu was firmly opposed to war.

His view is that war should be avoided if possible.

If a fight is unavoidable, then it must be fought to the death.

No matter how great the cost, it is worthwhile.

Because in Sun Tzu's view, once you start fighting with someone, you've already lost.

If you win next, you've just lost less.

Therefore, Li Yi also holds this view.
Now that we have decided to attack Wu, we should do everything in our power.

As for the laborers that need to be mobilized and the damage to the people's livelihood, these are unavoidable.

Liu Bei tapped on the table and said:

"...Alright, since that's the case, let's proceed immediately according to what Prime Minister Li has proposed."

"We should strive to conscript 400,000 laborers by next spring."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, everyone may leave."

After the court session ended, dusk gradually fell.

The pillars of the Luoyang Imperial Palace cast long shadows in the setting sun.

Liu Bei dismissed his attendants, leaving only Li Yi in the Xuan Shi Hall to discuss matters.

"Ziyu," Liu Bei said, gently stroking the bamboo slips on the table, his tone seemingly casual yet carrying a profound meaning.

"Although the cost of the campaign against Wu has been finalized, there is still one thing that remains unresolved."

"Does my dear minister know what I am referring to?"

Li Yi's eyes flickered slightly, and he replied with proper etiquette:
"His Majesty summoned you late at night; could it be to discuss the selection of a commander-in-chief for the campaign against Wu?"

A glint of light flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, and he nodded with a smile:

"...Ziyu understands me."

"For this campaign against Wu, I have mobilized five armies from Hebei, Henan, Qingxu, Jingzhou, and Huainan, totaling 200,000 troops."

"The five commanders each have their own strengths, but one person is needed to take overall command."

"Otherwise, if there is discord between the generals and commanders, it is easy for trouble to arise."

"But as you know, the campaign against Wu involves the interests of many people."

"The selection of this head coach must be approached with utmost care."

"Therefore, I did not discuss this matter in court just now, but kept you behind alone."

"I just want to hear your opinion, please share it."

"In your opinion, my dear minister, who is the best candidate to lead this campaign against Wu?"

Li Yi walked slowly to the Jiangdong map beside the palace and traced the Yangtze River with his finger.

"In the war against Wu, the navy took the lead."

Therefore, the main force must be the Jingzhou army and the Huainan army.

He paused slightly, then added:
"Huang Hansheng of the Jingzhou Army is still vigorous despite his old age, and Chen Yuanlong of the Huainan Army is well-versed in naval warfare. These two are indeed the main force in the campaign against Wu."

"only……"

"Just what?"

Liu Bei had keen insight.

"Although General Huang is brave enough to fight ten thousand men, he is over seventy years old and I am afraid he is no longer able to command the five armies."

Li Yi spoke very tactfully.

It is said that Huang Zhong is too old and probably does not have the energy to command five armies at the same time.

But Liu Bei actually knew that what Li Yi meant was that Huang Zhong was simply not in a position to win over the people.

To put it bluntly, Huang Zhong joined the army very late, and it was all thanks to Liu Bei's support that he was promoted.

Although he did later achieve great feats such as killing Xiahou in battle.

But to put it bluntly, which of Liu Bei's generals didn't have made outstanding contributions?
In terms of accumulated achievements alone, he surpasses even Huang Zhong.

After all, they fought for many more years than Huang Zhong.

There weren't many battles to fight later on.

Besides, Huang Zhong was indeed quite old, over seventy years old.

Don’t be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what happens.

If Huang Zhong were to suffer a serious accident on the front lines, wouldn't the morale of the southern expeditionary force immediately collapse?
The ancients were very superstitious; the death of the commander-in-chief on a campaign was considered extremely unlucky.

Not to mention that changing commanders on the eve of battle is a major taboo in military strategy.

"Then should we choose from the Hebei Army, the Henan Army, and the Qingxu Army?"

Liu Bei deliberately avoided the Huainan army, his worries were evident in his words.

Li Yi pondered for a long while, then said slowly:

"The commander of the Qingxu Army is Zang Ba. Although he is also a highly accomplished general, it is probably difficult for him to win the hearts and minds of the five armies."

"Where is the Henan army?"

"The Henan forces had already suffered heavy losses and were not the main force in the campaign against Wu."

"How can we gain the trust of the soldiers if we appoint the Henan Army as commander-in-chief?"

"The Hebei Army? Is it possible that the Hebei Army is involved?"

"The Hebei army was not the main force in the campaign against Wu, and the Henan army had always been at odds with the Hebei army."

"If the Hebei army were to become the commander-in-chief, the people of Henan would be unhappy again."

The conflict between the Henan Army and the Hebei Army is a legacy of history.

Initially, under Yuan Shao, the factional strife was mainly an internal struggle between scholars from Henan and those from Hebei.

Later, when Cao Cao and Liu Bei allied to attack Yuan Shao, the Battle of Guandu resulted in the deaths of nearly 200,000 people in Hebei.

At that time, people from Hebei hated people from Henan to the core.

Li Yi also worked hard for many years before he gradually gained a foothold in Hebei.

He exempted the people of Hebei from corvée labor and land taxes, and also presented himself as the son-in-law of the Yuan family, trying to curry favor with Yuan's former protégés and officials.

After finally gaining acceptance from the people of Hebei, the Henan War, which aimed to unify the Central Plains, broke out.

At that time, that scoundrel Cao Cao forcibly conscripted a large number of people from Henan.

They used them as cannon fodder, thinking that even if they lost, they could still destroy Henan's war potential.

This led to Hebei people killing many more Henan people.

It's a classic case of fortunes changing every thirty years.

Hearing this, Liu Bei looked Li Yi up and down, and asked meaningfully:
"Ziyu, have you ever thought about coming back to the mountains?"

After saying that, he realized his wording was inappropriate and changed his words:

"Or rather, have you considered a southern expedition?"

Li Yi shook his head and said with a smile:

"...I have been out of the army for more than six years."

"But if you go into battle, the five armies will surely be convinced of your worth."

Liu Bei said with a sincere expression.

As the first prime minister of the cabinet, he was the first person to be recognized as a meritorious official of the Lingyan Pavilion.

In terms of achievements, seniority, and prestige, Li Yi was undoubtedly the number one among the ministers.

Not to mention, Li Yi was quite popular and had a good relationship with most of the military leaders.

Even if there are a few people who disagree with him, his seniority speaks for itself.

Even if you're angry, there's nowhere to vent it.

Li Yi shook his head and reminded Liu Bei:
"His Majesty seems to have forgotten about one more person."

Liu Bei frowned and sighed:
"You're referring to Yuan Long, aren't you?"

“Yuanlong’s heroic spirit is renowned throughout the land, and I also greatly admire his talent.”

"He has guarded the border for me for more than 20 years. He has made great contributions and I really don't want to treat him unfairly."

"But... sigh!"

"As you know, if it were just Chen Yuanlong alone, it would be fine; I would certainly be able to resolve the situation peacefully."

"But behind Yuanlong, there is an entire Huainan army."

“Countless people from Jiangnan rely on him for their livelihood.”

"The more people involved, the more complicated things become."

"If many interests are involved, things will become serious."

"I have never been able to reclaim military power in Jiangnan. If Yuanlong were to take the credit for annexing Jiangnan, things would become even more difficult."

"On one side are my brothers, on the other is the fate of the nation."

"I am caught in the middle, which is quite a dilemma for me."

These kinds of things are generally not something you should say openly.

Liu Bei actually confessed, which shows that he was really driven to desperation and had no other choice.

That's why I had no choice but to come and seek Li Yi's opinion.

In truth, the threat posed by Hebei forces is far greater than that posed by Huainan.

However, Li Yi voluntarily relinquished his local power in Hebei.

He is now only the nominal leader of Hebei.

That is, his former protégés and officials in Hebei, including Hebei generals like Zhang He, all recognized him.

Therefore, it is nominally the leader of Hebei.

However, Liu Bei had already taken back the local power in Hebei from the central government.

The issue in Jiangnan is quite thorny now.
Chen Deng still retains the privileges of a "regional governor" that Liu Bei had when he was a feudal lord.

In the past, when warlords were vying for power and feudal lords were fighting each other, there could be powerful officials like "provincial governors" who were in charge of granting fiefdoms.

But now that the dynasty has been established, these regional officials have become a threat to centralized power.

However, since Jiangnan has not yet been destroyed, neither Chen Deng nor Liu Bei can refuse to hand over or reclaim power over Jiangnan.

At the same time, Liu Bei himself did not want to be accused by later generations of discarding his usefulness after it was over.

Therefore, Liu Bei did not want Chen Deng to be the commander-in-chief for the mission in Jiangnan.

It wasn't that Liu Bei disliked him; on the contrary, he genuinely wanted to protect Chen Deng.

I don't want his storm to get bigger and bigger.

Li Yi understood immediately and leaned closer, whispering:

"I have a plan that may relieve Your Majesty's worries."

"speak."

"A separate position, 'Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies,' may be established above the Five Armies."

Li Yi drew an invisible circle on the map with his finger.

"The five commanders-in-chief will still lead their respective troops, but major decisions must be made under the control of the Grand Commander."

"The governor-general is only in charge of the overall strategy and does not interfere with specific tactics."

"This way, we can unify commands without dampening the morale of the generals."

The establishment of the Five Military Commanders was somewhat similar to the system established by Sima Zhao for conquering Shu.

When Sima Zhao conquered Shu, he mobilized four armies.

Zhuge Xu, Governor of Yongzhou; Deng Ai, General Who Conquers the West; Zhong Hui, General Who Guards the West; and Liu Qin, Prefect of Weixing.

These generals checked and balanced each other, and were not subordinate to one another.

They were all directly under Sima Zhao's command, with no hierarchical relationship. The advantage of this was that it effectively prevented a general from lacking supervision and concentrating military power in one's own hands.

Therefore, Li Yi proposed the establishment of five military commanders in order to prevent the military power of any one army from becoming too concentrated.

A glint of light flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"...Commander of the Five Armies, what a fine Commander of the Five Armies."

He rose and paced back and forth, the hem of his brocade robe sweeping across the blue bricks.

"Then, in your opinion, who is suitable for this position?"

Li Yi bowed deeply:
"This is Your Majesty's wise decision; I dare not speak presumptuously."

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the faint sound of candle wicks popping.

Liu Bei suddenly burst into laughter, patted Li Yi on the shoulder, and said:

"Since it was proposed by you, my dear minister, you should naturally take on this role."

"Besides you, who else can keep the five generals in check?"

Li Yi then prostrated himself on the ground and bowed:

"Your Majesty's great favor has granted me the position of Prime Minister."

"Now that the nation is in need, how could I possibly spare my life?"

"If you do not despise me, I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse."

In fact, Li Yi's proposal for the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies was an indication that he intended to return to public life.

But this does not mean that Li Yi is going to the front lines to fight.

It's not that Li Yi is going to do micro-management from behind.

As Li Yi said, he was the general who directly controlled the five armies.

He only issues orders on the big picture and in the general direction.

For example, whether you should attack Danyang first or Wu County first.

After crossing the river, which army will coordinate with which army, and which army will provide support to which army, etc.

Another example,
If a captain or lieutenant makes a mistake, the general has no right to kill him directly.

It must be reported to Li Yi in advance, and Li Yi will decide on the specific handling method.

As for other details, the generals were free to make their own decisions.

How exactly to fight was entirely up to the general himself.

The advantage of doing this is that it allows for a better utilization of the military achievements gained from the conquest of Wu.

We will not allow any one company to dominate, including Li Yi himself.

After all, he didn't actually go to the front lines to command.

He merely offered policy advice on the army's overall strategy from the rear.

Liu Bei helped Li Yi up and said meaningfully:

"I remember that when we were fighting against Yuan Shao, you served as the commander of the allied forces."

"Today, when we attack Wu, we need such a courageous and resolute minister."

He then unfastened his sword from his waist and handed it to Li Yi.

"When we attacked Yuan Shao, I bestowed upon you a double-edged sword."

"Now that I have ascended to the throne, I bestow this Emperor's Sword upon my beloved minister."

"You may command the five armies on my behalf!"

Li Yi received the sword with both hands, feeling only the cold, heavy scabbard:
"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your trust!"

After a slight pause, Li Yi added:

"Although I have been appointed as the commander of the five armies, I will not go to the front lines."

"Therefore, I personally believe that it is still necessary to appoint a separate military supervisor."

"The military supervisor?"

Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes piercing.

"...Hmm, Ziyu is indeed thoughtful."

Li Yi cupped his hands and said:
"...Your Majesty is wise."

"Although I am the commander-in-chief, I am stationed in the central army and cannot personally go to the front line."

"The armies of Jingzhou and Huainan are the main forces in the campaign against Wu. If they are not closely monitored, we may miss the opportunity to win the battle."

Liu Bei tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, producing a rhythmic sound:
"In your opinion, how should this military supervisor be appointed?"

"Two military supervisors, each holding His Majesty's insignia, are responsible for overseeing military discipline and conveying military orders."

Li Yi took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve and presented it to the emperor. “The military supervisor does not interfere in specific battles, but has the authority to report directly to the emperor.”

"This will ensure the smooth flow of military orders and avoid the drawbacks of obstruction."

Liu Bei unfolded the bamboo slips, which detailed the duties and powers of the military supervisor.

They could read military reports, check rations and pay, and impeach generals.

However, they lacked the authority to directly mobilize troops.

Furthermore, they must not directly participate in military decision-making or interfere with the judgment of generals.

The two military supervisors were also directly under the command of the Five Military Commanders.

That is, he was under the command of Li Yi.

After reading it, Liu Bei's lips curled into a slight smile:
"Supervision without hindrance... Hmm, Ziyu is trying to keep my eyes on the front lines."

Li Yi lowered his head:

“…I dare not.”

"It's just to share His Majesty's burdens."

"Selection of supervisors..."

Liu Bei abruptly changed the subject, his eyes gleaming, "Do you have any recommendations?"

Li Yi hesitated for a moment, then respectfully said:

"This is His Majesty's wise decision; how dare I speak presumptuously?"

"only……"

After a moment's thought, he said, "The most important thing for a military supervisor is unwavering loyalty; he must be His Majesty's eyes and ears, and a trusted confidant."

"Perhaps we can select from His Majesty's former subordinates."

Ok……

Liu Bei nodded slightly, "Understood. I will carefully consider the selection of the military supervisor."

"You are the leader of the Hebei Army, so go back and determine the commander-in-chief of the Hebei Army first."

"I will carefully consider the matter of supervising the army."

"Here."

……

As dusk settled, lanterns hung high in front of the Prime Minister's residence.

Li Yi had just changed out of his court robes and returned to his residence to rest when a servant came to report—

"Generals Zhang He, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, Sun Li, and others came together to request an audience."

Li Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, a knowing smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:

"These people arrived quickly."

"Please come to the West Flower Hall for tea and tell them I will be there shortly."

Inside the West Flower Hall, several generals from the Hebei faction sat upright and solemnly.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Li Yi, dressed in a plain dark robe, entered the hall, the imperial sword at his waist swaying gently with each step.

Everyone stood up and bowed in unison:
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Li Yi waved his hand, signaling everyone to take their seats:

"Gentlemen, you have come to visit us so late at night, surely it is about the matter of the commander-in-chief of the Hebei army?"

Sun Li, with his most impatient temperament, clasped his hands and said:
"Your Excellency is wise!"

"With the campaign against Wu imminent, our army cannot be without a commander for even a day."

"I don't know..."

He swallowed his words, only glancing at Zhang He and the others.

In terms of seniority, Zhang He, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao were far superior to him.

Gao Lan, another of the Four Pillars of Hebei, had already passed away due to illness.

Li Yi took a sip of tea and slowly said:
"In this campaign against Wu, our Hebei army is not the main force, so there is no need for us to compete for the vanguard position."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao tapped his fingers lightly on his knee:
"So, what does the Prime Minister mean?"

"I've made up my mind."

Li Yi put down his teacup and glanced at everyone.

"Do any of you have any objections to Zhang Junyi taking command of the Hebei army?"

Sun Li and Xu Huang exchanged a glance and simultaneously cupped their hands in greeting:

"Brother Junyi is calm and composed; we are truly impressed!"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Liao and the other Hebei generals also stood up and said:

"We have no objections."

It's impossible to say that no one has any objections.

They just don't dare to embarrass their leaders in public.

Generally speaking, as long as the leader has high enough prestige, a general with slightly sufficient qualifications can be appointed.

They can generally win people's hearts.

Zhang He then opened his eyes, stood up, and bowed:
"Your Excellency's kindness is greatly appreciated; I will certainly serve you with utmost loyalty."

As he spoke, a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"I wonder what the Prime Minister plans to do with the Huainan army?"

"……Um."

Li Yi nodded and said in a deep voice:
"This is exactly what I wanted to say to you all."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.

"Chen Yuanlong of Huainan Army was a man of bold and unrestrained character, and he was a free and easy leader of his troops."

"Therefore, he often indulged his subordinates."

"That's just how my brother is. As long as his temperament suits him, even if he has faults, I'll usually indulge him."

"This resulted in many arrogant and domineering generals under his command."

"Back then, when the generals of Huainan had a conflict with General Yunchang, it was Zijing who stepped in to mediate."

The conversation ended abruptly there.

Li Yi turned around and stared at Zhang He.

"Therefore, I specially chose Junyi because I know that you are the most prudent in handling matters, know when to advance and retreat, and know how to act appropriately."

"I hope you can coordinate your subordinates well, avoid causing any unforeseen complications, and prioritize the overall situation."

In terms of merit and seniority, Zhang He, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao were actually about the same.

Moreover, all three are typical working professionals.

In the selection process, Li Yi chose Zhang He, who was the most adept at handling situations and had the highest emotional intelligence.

Because what he wants is not for you to win a brilliant victory in this southern expedition.

Instead, you are tasked with coordinating the various generals and properly managing the relationships among your colleagues.

Not afraid of god-like opponents, but afraid of pig-like teammates.

With the current national strength of Qi and Han, destroying the Wu Kingdom would be a piece of cake.

What I'm worried about is internal discord, leading to premature celebrations before even winning the match.

They even started fantasizing about how to divide up the military merits after the destruction of Wu.

These ideas are unacceptable.

Li Yi called everyone into the hall alone, actually to do some ideological work with them.

Zhang He rose solemnly, his armor clanging loudly:
"He must restrain his troops and not create discord with the Huainan army."

"good!"

Li Yi patted Zhang He's shoulder heavily, then suddenly said seriously:

"Gentlemen, please remember that in this campaign against Wu, the five armies must work together in coordination."

"Although the Huainan army is arrogant, naval warfare is indeed their forte."

"Our Hebei cavalry should be used where it is most needed."

"Don't always think about showing off, remember what I said."

“The trees are beautiful in the forest, but the wind will destroy them.”

"Many of you are younger military elites than I am."

"As an elder, I will pass on to you the experience I have accumulated throughout my life."

"I hope you will keep this in mind."

Everyone listened intently, their ears perked up.

The autumn wind swept past the window, making the window paper rustle.

Li Yi walked back to the main seat, his voice suddenly turning deep:
"What I say today comes from my mouth and enters your ears."

"His Majesty has other plans for Chen Yuanlong."

"These are turbulent times, and I simply don't want to create any unnecessary complications."

“You have all followed me for many years, and I don’t want you to get involved in any unnecessary trouble or fighting.”

"Therefore, I must make this clear from the outset: this southern expedition—"

"Anyone who violates military regulations or discipline..."

"Don't expect me to clean up your mess when the time comes!"

Ugh……

At this point, Li Yi couldn't help but sigh again.

"Speak a thousand words, say ten thousand."

Actually, I just hope everyone is doing well.

"Gentlemen, you only need to remember—"

"When encountering the Huainan army, give way three points."

"Upon encountering the Jiangdong bandits, bravely charge ahead!"

"Here!"

The crowd responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles.

Li Yi nodded in satisfaction and took a military tally from the table.

"Junyi, you shall go to the Ministry of War to complete the transaction tomorrow."

"Hebei is to send 30,000 infantry and cavalry, who must arrive in Henan before the twelfth lunar month."

"As ordered!"

Zhang He carefully accepted it with both hands.

"If there's nothing else, you can go back and rest."

"Your Excellency! This humble general...this humble general has another question to ask."

Xu Huang hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to speak.

Li Yi patiently and gently said:

"Does Gongming still have any questions?"

"No, the Prime Minister's arrangements are all very appropriate."

"But regarding the matter of appointing a military supervisor, as mentioned by the Prime Minister, I wonder who will be chosen as the supervisor?"

Xu Huang wasn't after the position of military supervisor.

Rather, they were afraid of a repeat of the conflict between Guan Yu and the Huainan army.

A glint flashed in Li Yi's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

"His Majesty will make the decision on this matter. You may simply focus on preparing the army for battle."

After a slight pause, he decided to say a few more words.

"I know what you're worried about."

"However, this military supervisor is different from General Yun Chang who was granted the authority to act on behalf of the emperor back then."

"His only responsibilities included reading military reports, checking supplies and pay, and impeaching generals."

"They do not participate in military decision-making, let alone have the authority to command military commanders."

"Furthermore, I have emphasized this many times already."

"Our Hebei army is not the main force this time, so don't think about those things."

"...But what if something unexpected happens? Should we, the sons of Hebei, just stand by and watch, turning a blind eye?"

Xu Huang asked hesitantly.

(End of this chapter)