The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

April 18th, 23rd year of Yonghe.

When the urgent military report arrived in the capital, it was still dark.

Horseshoes clattered against the bluestone slabs of Zhuque Avenue, sending sparks flying.

The scout who brought the news was covered in blood. His horse collapsed in front of the palace gate, foaming at the mouth, convulsing a few times before dying.

When the imperial guards at the gate dragged him out from under the horse's carcass.

He could no longer speak coherently, but he pulled a blood-stained copper tube from his pocket and, with his last bit of strength, raised it above his head.

The military reports in the copper tubes were sent directly into the Qianyuan Hall.

Emperor Wu of Zhou summoned the Three Dukes, Four Marquises, the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and the Commander of the Zhenwu Division to the palace overnight to discuss matters.

This was the largest temporary court meeting since the Yonghe era.

Apart from the veteran general Chen Jing, who was on sick leave, who was waiting for orders at his residence.

All the other important officials were present.

The eunuchs on duty carried teacups and trays in and out, none of them daring to breathe loudly.

The palace lanterns in Qianyuan Hall stayed lit from midnight until dawn, and the faint sounds of arguing inside could be heard through three doors.

The military report was simple, but every word felt as heavy as a piece of raw iron.

The five-tribe coalition of northern nomadic tribes attacked the pass, and Shuozhou and Yunzhou were simultaneously in dire straits, shaking the entire Yan-Yun region.

This time, the Hu people's attack was not a small-scale raid.

In previous years, when they went south to plunder, they would only bring a maximum of ten thousand cavalry, who would then flee after taking the grain.

According to the military report from the garrison commander of Shuozhou, the vanguard alone numbered no less than 30,000 cavalry.

Behind them, supply battalions and siege equipment continued to arrive from the depths of the grasslands.

What's even more puzzling is that the five tribes of the Hu people, who had always been fighting each other and were a disorganized bunch, actually swore a blood oath this time and raised a unified wolf-head banner.

Beneath the great banner, some people saw more than one wolf flag of the rank of commander of ten thousand.

This means that the Khans of the five tribes of the Hu people may have reached some kind of agreement, and may even have elected a common ruler.

What this meant was clear to all the officials in the court.

A major war is about to break out in the North.

The debate in the Qianyuan Hall lasted from the third watch of the night until dawn.

The focus of the debate is not whether or not to fight.

The Hu people have already reached the city walls; we have no choice but to fight them.

The debate revolved around how to fight, who to send, and how to coordinate operations from the rear.

The Minister of War's opinion was to concentrate troops to defend Shuozhou to the death, abandon the outlying strongholds of Yunzhou, and trade space for time.

The Minister of Revenue immediately jumped up in opposition.

Yunzhou has 300,000 shi of military rations. If we give them up, how will we defend Shuozhou?

Grand Commandant Zhou Jing stood in front of the sand table, leaning on his bamboo cane, and listened silently to the two factions arguing for half an hour.

Then he drew a line on the sand table with a bamboo cane and said two words: "Divide the troops."

The entire hall fell silent for a moment.

Dividing troops is a cardinal sin in military strategy, but in the current situation, it is the only option.

Shuozhou must be defended, and Yunzhou cannot be lost either.

With the loss of Yunzhou, Shuozhou became an isolated city.

The Hu cavalry could bypass Shuozhou and march straight to Yanzhou.

If Yanzhou is lost again, there will be no defensible terrain north of the capital.

Emperor Wu of Zhou sat upright on the dragon throne, his face mostly obscured by the jade ornaments on his twelve-tassel crown.

But everyone familiar with this emperor could sense a suppressed anger emanating from his motionless sitting posture.

His silence was more oppressive to the entire court than anyone else's roar.

Finally, he slowly stood up, walked to the sand table, looked down at the small flag planted on the city wall of Shuozhou, and remained silent for a long time.

"Marquis Han Chong of Dingyuan." His voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail driven into a wooden board.

"Your subject is here." Han Chong stepped out from the ranks of military officers, his armor clanging, and knelt on one knee.

Today he was wearing a newly made set of bright armor, with a long sword hanging at his waist. When he knelt down, his knees hit the blue bricks with a dull thud.

"You shall lead 30,000 elite cavalry of the Tiger Guard as the left wing army, and march north immediately, exiting Yanmen Pass and detouring around the flank of Yunzhou."

"The main force of the Hu people is stationed under the city of Shuozhou, and the strongholds on the outskirts of Yunzhou have not yet been lost. Do not rush to attack after you arrive in Yunzhou."

"Stabilize the outer defenses first, and wait for the situation in Shuozhou to become clear before making a move." Emperor Zhou Wu tapped the location of Yunzhou on the sand table with his knuckles, then looked up at the other side of the military generals' ranks, "Marquis Chen Jing, the Protector of the State."

"Your subject is here." An aged but still resonant voice came from outside the palace.

All eyes turned to the palace gate.

Marquis Chen Jing, wearing a thick cotton robe, slowly stepped into the hall with the help of two personal guards.

His face was sallow and his eyes were sunken; anyone could tell he was forcing himself to stay healthy.

He walked to Han Chong's side, pushed away the guards' support, and knelt on one knee.

"You will lead 50,000 infantrymen of the Imperial Guard as the right wing army, stationed to defend the front of Shuozhou."

"I don't want you to attack. I only want you to defend. Defending Shuozhou will be the greatest achievement."

Emperor Wu of Zhou paused, looking at Chen Jing's hunched back, his voice suddenly becoming a bit deep, "Old Marquis Chen, your health... Shuozhou is bitterly cold, and your arrow wound has flared up again."

"I didn't want to trouble you, but I don't trust anyone else to take over the position of Shuozhou except you."

"I will also assign you a deputy general, Han Dang, the Assistant General of the Grand Commandant's Office, to accompany you."

Chen Jing raised his head, his cloudy old eyes staring directly at the emperor on the dragon throne. A smile appeared on his aged face, and his voice was hoarse but as steady as a rock: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old minister's bones can still stand on the city wall of Shuozhou. If I cannot defend Shuozhou, I will not return to the capital."

Grand Commandant Zhou Jing stepped forward, leaning on his bamboo cane, and bowed to Emperor Wu of Zhou, saying, "Your Majesty, this old minister believes that the strategy of dividing the troops is feasible, but the combined forces of the two marquises are only 80,000, while the Hu allied forces have at least 50,000 troops, mainly cavalry, whose mobility far surpasses that of our army."

"This old minister suggests that while the two marquises are on their campaigns, the various prefectures in the northern border should be ordered to conscript laborers to repair the city walls and stockpile grain. At the same time, the Zhenwu Division should send people to infiltrate the grasslands to gather intelligence on the rear of the Hu people."

Qin Wu stepped out from the ranks of civil officials, his face ashen: "Your Majesty, the people from the Northern Branch of the Zhenwu Division are already on the grasslands."

"Three days ago, I received a message by carrier pigeon confirming that the five tribes of the Hu people had indeed sworn an oath of blood."

"However, the specific details of the alliance and the troop deployments of the various Khans are still under investigation."

"I have ordered all personnel of the Northern Border Division to enter a state of combat readiness, and have also dispatched two elite scout teams from the capital to accompany the army northward, specializing in reconnaissance and counter-espionage."

Emperor Wu of Zhou nodded slightly and sat back down on the dragon throne.

Tamamo swayed slightly, obscuring his expression.

He paused for a moment, then spoke slowly and deliberately, each word carrying weight: "By imperial decree, Marquis Han Chong of Dingyuan shall lead 30,000 elite cavalry of the Tiger Guard as the left wing army, and immediately march north out of Yanmen Pass, detouring around the flank of Yunzhou."

"Marquis Chen Jing led 50,000 infantrymen of the Imperial Guard as the right wing army, stationed to defend the front of Shuozhou."

"Han Dang, the assistant commander of the Grand Commandant's Office, accompanied Chen Jing. The Ministry of Revenue immediately raised 300,000 shi of military rations, the Ministry of War allocated 500,000 arrows, and the Ministry of Works conscripted 30,000 laborers to repair the northern city wall."

"The Zhenwu Division is making every effort to gather intelligence on the rear of the Hu people. The prefectures and counties in the north are conscripting local militia to strengthen city defenses and stockpile grain and fodder, ready to support the main army at any time."

"All of the above must be completed within five days. After five days, the army will set off."

All the civil and military officials in the hall knelt down in unison, the clanging of their armor and jade belts filling the air: "Your subjects obey the decree!"

After the court session ended, the ministers descended the white marble steps in twos and threes.

Han Chong and Chen Jing walked side by side at the front, their backs forming a stark contrast.

Han Chong, clad in heavy armor, moved with a powerful stride, each step resembling the beating of a war drum.

Chen Jing, wrapped in a cotton robe, walked with faltering steps, stopping to catch his breath every few steps, with his personal guards carefully supporting him.

However, the tone of their voices was completely different from their appearances.

Although Han Chong walked briskly, he deliberately slowed his pace when speaking to Chen Jing, his tone revealing the respect a junior would show to an elder.

Although Chen Jing was unwell and had a hoarse voice, he still possessed the composure and confidence characteristic of a veteran.

The two had worked together for many years. Although their personalities were completely different, they had a tacit understanding in military affairs that was difficult for others to match.

Han Chong had hung a map in the Tiger Guard's command tent for ten years, so he was very familiar with the terrain outside Yanmen Pass.

Three hundred li north of Yanmen Pass is all hilly terrain, ideal for cavalry raids.

Although the cavalry of the Hu people were highly mobile, their warhorses could not withstand the gravel roads of the hilly areas and had to be shod after only a few days.

He planned to lure the enemy with light cavalry, drawing the Hu cavalry into the hilly area to wear them down, and then launch a heavy cavalry charge when they were exhausted.

Chen Jing nodded slightly and added, "If you lure the Hu cavalry away, the pressure on Shuozhou will be reduced by half."

"But remember, the fact that the Hu people were able to form a five-tribe alliance this time means there must be a master behind them."

"You've lured their cavalry away. Who will they send to attack Yunzhou? The Left Wise King's tribe or the Right Guli King's tribe?"

"The two units are worlds apart in strength. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of your people before you take action."

Han Chong nodded and noted it down.

After exchanging a few more words about the allocation of grain supplies, Han Chong took his leave.

After he left, Chen Jing, supported by his personal guards, continued to walk slowly towards the palace gate. He suddenly stopped when he reached the corner of the passageway.

He gazed at the crimson dragon flag fluttering above the palace wall in the distance, a trace of emotion flashing in his cloudy old eyes. He sighed to the guards beside him, "Shuozhou...Shuozhou."

Then he said nothing more and continued walking slowly.

When the news reached the side hall, Zhou Xing was practicing calligraphy.

Hidden in a compartment of the food box delivered by Gao Lishi was a note from Zhao Gao, on which all the key points of the court meeting that morning were written in neat small characters.

Five allied tribes of Hu people attacked the pass, and Shuozhou and Yunzhou were simultaneously in dire need of help.

Han Chong led 30,000 elite cavalrymen of the Tiger Guard out of Yanmen Pass and detoured to the flank of Yunzhou, while Chen Jing led 50,000 infantrymen of the Feathered Forest Guard to garrison the front of Shuozhou.

The Ministry of Revenue procured 300,000 shi of grain, and the Ministry of War allocated 500,000 arrows. The army set off five days later.

At the end of the note, Zhao Gao added a line of small print.

"His Highness the Second Prince originally requested to accompany Marquis Han on the expedition, but His Majesty refused and ordered him to stay in the capital to assist the Grand Commandant's office in managing supplies."

"His Highness did not utter a single word during the court meeting, and went to the Grand Tutor's residence alone after the court session."

Zhou Xing held the paper to the candle flame and lit it, watching it turn to ashes in the copper dish.

He picked up his brush and wrote the two characters "Northern Border" on the Xuan paper in front of him, then drew a circle next to "Shuozhou" and "Yunzhou" respectively.

These two places are located on the only route for the north-south flow of goods from Heshengyuan.

It is also within the coverage area of ​​the Beggars' Gang's liaison stations in surrounding prefectures.

War is not only a battle on the battlefield, but also a comprehensive contest of logistics, intelligence, and supplies.

And he happened to be holding those two cards in his hand.

He put down his pen and looked out the window, where the distant booming of military drums could be faintly heard.

That was the sound of drums signaling the Tiger Guards' assembly at the drill ground.