In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Night fell, and twilight enveloped the impregnable city of Anshi. The occasional howls of wild dogs and wolves added to the absolute stillness.

"Your Highness!"

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Your Highness, why did you suddenly cancel the attack? There might not be enough time!" Kim Min-da asked, looking puzzled.

Li Yuanchang threw the secret letter onto the sand table: "Take a look at this first."

Kim Min-da and his companions were stunned for a moment, then huddled together to read.

Kim Min-da's eyes widened instantly: "This!"

"The Emperor of Japan?"

"Tens of thousands of troops?"

"this……"

They couldn't figure it out for a long time. Wasn't this a completely unrelated relationship?

Li Yuanchang stood up with a cold look in his eyes: "I suspect that the Japanese Emperor has already joined the war. The army that was discovered and disappeared by the Ōtomo clan has most likely entered Goguryeo."

"However, because of the uninhabited area, their landing was unknown to anyone."

Boom...

These words stirred up a storm, and everyone was discussing them.

"Your Highness, are you worried that they will take a roundabout approach?" Kim Min-da blurted out.

Li Yuanchang nodded: "You're half right."

"Half left!"

His eyes sharpened: "I suspect this grain convoy is a trap!"

"trap?"

The scene erupted in uproar.

Li Yuanchang said quietly, "Li Ji was a brilliant strategist, the only one who could be compared with Duke Wei. He suffered defeats all before the age of thirty, but never lost a battle after the age of thirty. He was a true evergreen in the Tang military, a typical late bloomer."

"Given his ruthless and cautious style, this grain shipment doesn't seem like something someone would do to put all their eggs in one basket."

"Moreover, after calming down and thinking about it carefully, I realized that so many grain carts are not in line with the actual situation of the Tang army."

"But Your Highness, many scouts have indeed discovered it. Could this be false?" Guo Chao asked incredulously.

Li Yuanchang said, "They did see the grain carts, but who saw what was inside them?"

"What if it's soil or stone?"

These words struck like a thunderbolt, waking people from their reverie.

The generals' expressions changed!

Li Yuanchang gazed into the vast darkness and murmured, "I was almost blinded by opportunity and nearly fell into Li Ji's trap!"

"If it weren't for the letter from Japan, I would have already been tricked. I'm almost certain that if I send troops to seize the grain, we'll be ambushed!"

"Given Li Ji's fighting style, he won't even destroy you immediately. He'll besiege you and wait for our main force to come to your aid, thus endlessly getting bogged down in a quagmire!"

"Then he'll attack from both sides, annihilating our main force in one fell swoop!"

"After suffering heavy losses, even with gunpowder, it would be difficult for our army to hold out completely."

As he spoke, he himself felt a chill of fear; if it had been half a day later, it would have been completely over.

The battlefield situation will inevitably be reversed!

"Then, Your Highness, what should we do now?"

Li Yuanchang said, "The most urgent task now is to find this Japanese pirate army. They crossed the sea and arrived at the peninsula, most likely traversing uninhabited areas, which our urban defenses cannot monitor."

"I can only sleep soundly after I find the location of this army!"

No man's land?

Upon hearing these three words, Jin Minda and the other locals fell silent.

In the 7th century, the Goguryeo people had very few areas to operate in, mostly primitive uninhabited areas. Although 40,000 people were a big target, they were hiding in uninhabited areas, and finding them was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

This is one of the key reasons why Li Yuanchang risked venturing into the no-man's land and was able to successfully launch a surprise attack on Anshi City. It was impossible for anyone to discover it; there were no satellites in this era.

Unless a large army is sent out to search, but that would disperse the forces and make them vulnerable to being intercepted and killed by the imperial army.

"Your Highness, this is too difficult."

"I think it would be better if you ordered the Ōtomo clan of Japan to launch a counterattack against the Emperor, thus relieving the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, forcing them to see their army return to reinforce, and thus preventing them from interfering in our battle with the main force of the Imperial Court," Kim Min-ta suggested.

"Great idea!"

"That makes sense!"

Li Yuanchang frowned: "This method is good, but I'm afraid the Ōtomo clan doesn't have the ability to retaliate."

"For the past two years, southern Japan has been more defensive than offensive. A large number of troops and laborers have been mobilized to collect raw materials for gunpowder, transport and build post stations, and develop the port of Tsushima Island."

"Even if they launch a counterattack, it will be difficult for them to pose a threat and force the other side to retreat."

Upon hearing this, the hope that had just risen was extinguished once again.

"Then let's remain unchanged and not attack. Since we've figured out their ambush, we just need to avoid falling into it!" someone suggested.

Li Yuanchang paced back and forth.

"We are in the open, while the enemy is in the shadows. I am not at ease."

"Not only is the initiative in their hands, but if we're caught in a pincer movement, we'll be in serious trouble!"

"We still need to find this army and wipe them out first!"

As he spoke, a murderous glint appeared in his eyes. He didn't care much about dealing with the Emperor's army.

The Tang army was, after all, composed entirely of Han Chinese, many of whom were his former comrades-in-arms.

"Your Highness, this humble servant is willing to lead a team deep into the uninhabited area to search!"

"This subordinate will go as well!"

Many people volunteered.

But Li Yuanchang simply shook his head, then suddenly said seriously, "There's a better way!"

To everyone's eyes.

"We can lure the snake out of its hole!"

"Luring the snake out of its hole?"

Jin Minda and the others were stunned and couldn't keep up with his train of thought.

Looking at Jinliang Mountain on the sand table, Li Yuanchang said, "Li Ji has set up an ambush here. Judging from the scale and terrain, he must have set up multiple ambushes."

"As for the direction of Anshi City, the Tang army cannot reach it. I estimate that the Emperor's army will definitely come out as well."

"As soon as our troops show up, the Japanese pirates' army will definitely jump out on its own."

"The Japanese Emperor's desire for my death is no less than that of the imperial court."

"Once they show up, we'll have a chance to wipe them out with Hanley!"

Kim Min-da said, "But Your Highness, this is a bit risky. Being attacked from both sides is a major taboo in military strategy."

"In addition, Hanley needs space to throw, and if the two armies come into close contact, Hanley will be severely limited."

"Especially the local terrain itself limits our performance. They have many cover options and then gradually engage us in close-quarters combat."

Li Yuanchang paused for a moment, then changed his approach.

"Then we'll feign intercepting their supplies, but not fully enter the encirclement. We'll use a cavalry unit as bait to lure out the ambush troops."

"Then we'll choose a spot to ambush them beforehand. Once our army passes, a hundred thousand Han thunderbolts will rain down, sending them to their deaths!"

He clasped his hands together, exuding unparalleled domineering power.

Everyone was shocked!

100,000 Han Lei?

They had all witnessed Han Lei's power, and just hearing about it made them gasp in shock, their eyes filled with unease.