Hot flashes

The moment the banner of "Prince Jingbei" was raised, the atmosphere at the camp on the north bank of Canglan changed completely.

An invisible morale surged like a spring tide in the hearts of 200,000 soldiers, converging into an unstoppable torrent.

Preparations for crossing the river accelerated dramatically. The artisan battalion worked day and night to reinforce and assemble more boats, and complex pontoon bridge components were continuously transported to the pre-planned ferry crossing on the riverbank.

Scouts, like water striders, appeared more frequently on the river and in the reed beds on the opposite bank, bringing back detailed intelligence on the water flow, hidden reefs, and enemy deployments.

Xiao Jue moved the central command tent directly to a high mound on the riverbank, where one could overlook the vast river and the hazy lights of the enemy camp on the opposite bank simply by opening the door.

The formal ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven to officially proclaim himself king was to be held after the successful crossing of the river—this was Xiao Jue's idea.

We must lay the foundation for the name "Jingbei" with real victories, not empty formalities.

The entire army understood that the Battle of Canglan was the new king's first touchstone, and only victory was allowed; defeat was not an option.

In recent days, Xiao Jue has spent almost all his time with his generals and chiefs of staff in front of maps and sand tables.

The Canglan River is not an insurmountable barrier, but it is wide, with rapid currents and many undercurrents and whirlpools.

Although the Jiangzuo garrison on the opposite bank was not as fierce as the northern border troops, it had the advantage of terrain. Relying on several strategic points on the south bank, it built a series of camps and arrow towers, and large and small warships were also moored in the water camps, ready for battle.

A forced crossing is extremely risky. If attacked halfway across, or if counterattacked before the foothold is firmly established on land, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Your Highness, according to intelligence reports, the commander guarding the south bank is Zheng You, the former governor of Jiangzuo. He is cautious in his military tactics and is particularly skilled in defense."

Its main defenses are located at Langshan Ferry and Yingzuitan, where the river is relatively narrow and the current is slow. These two places have always been important crossing points, so their defenses are the most stringent. Zhao Ting pointed to two obvious marks on the south bank of the sand table.

"Even if we can capture the city by launching a frontal assault, the casualties will be enormous, and it will take a long time." Wang Ben frowned. "If Zheng You only needs to hold his ground and wait for reinforcements, and if Nanjing sends troops down the river or rushes to our aid by land, our army will easily be put on the defensive."

A deep thought fell within the tent. A tough nut to crack was before them; how should they proceed?

Xiao Jue stood with his hands behind his back in front of the sand table, his gaze fixed on the winding Canglan River waterway model, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the long stretch of the north bank.

His gaze did not linger long at the two obvious ferry crossings, but instead wandered upstream and downstream to some seemingly inconspicuous places with faster currents or steeper shorelines.

Zhou Heng has been following along these past few days. He doesn't understand ancient naval warfare, but he can see that the situation is dire.

Looking at Xiao Jue's profile as he pondered deeply, and at the dense array of red flags representing the enemy on the sand table, he felt a chill run down his spine. Crossing the river... how many famous generals in history had fallen here.

Suddenly, Xiao Jue's finger stopped at a point on the sand table.

Located about 30 miles upstream from "Langshan Ferry", the riverbank suddenly narrows, forming a dangerous pass called "Laolongkou". The two banks are steep cliffs facing each other, the river is full of reefs, the current is extremely rapid and dangerous, with countless whirlpools and undercurrents, and ordinary boats dare not approach.

The south bank was almost undefended, with only a few scattered watchtowers.

"Here," Xiao Jue spoke slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent tent, "Zheng You must have thought the natural barrier was insurmountable and was therefore lax in his precautions."

Shen Yu stroked his beard and pondered, "Does Your Highness intend to use a feint attack? To feign an attack on Langshan Ferry and Eagle's Beak Beach to draw Zheng You's main force, while sending a surprise force to sneak across from the treacherous 'Old Dragon's Mouth'?"

"Not entirely." Xiao Jue shook his head, pointing to several locations upstream and downstream of "Laolongkou" with his finger. "Although the river is swift here, it is precisely because of its ruggedness and steep cliffs on the south bank that there are very few places to land, and it is difficult to deploy troops."

Even if a small elite force managed to cross the river by chance, it would be difficult to breach the southern bank defenses. Instead, they would easily become isolated and be easily wiped out by Zheng You.

He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife: "What I want is not to smuggle a surprise force to fight on the south bank."

Everyone was stunned, not understanding what he meant.

Xiao Jue's finger slowly moved downstream from "Old Dragon's Mouth," passing over the area heavily fortified by Zheng You, and finally stopped at a certain spot on the river surface behind his water fortress. "What I want is for Zheng You's navy to completely lose control of this part of the river."

He looked at the general in charge of the navy: "If I had a fleet of daredevils, carrying no soldiers, but only fully loaded with flammable and explosive materials such as sulfur, saltpeter, and kerosene, and under the cover of night and with the rapids upstream, we could launch them from 'Laolongkou' and sail straight down the river to Zheng You's naval stronghold, what would be the odds of success?"

There was a moment of silence inside the tent, followed by several suppressed gasps.

Fire attack! And using unmanned fire ships that sail downstream!

"Your Highness's plan is brilliant!" Wang Ben's eyes lit up. "Old Dragon's mouth is gushing, and the ships are launching extremely fast, making it difficult for the watchtowers on the south bank to intercept them! The fire ships will sail straight down the current, their target being the warships in their naval camp!"

If even one or two ships ram into their fleet and set it ablaze, Zheng You's navy will be thrown into chaos!

"However," Shen Yu thought more thoroughly, "the fire ships need to be steered with precision, otherwise they may veer off course or be burned before reaching the water fortress. They also need cover, otherwise if the watchtower on the south bank discovers them and intercepts them with rockets, they may be set on fire prematurely."

"So we need a feint, we need cover, and we need a bit of luck."

Xiao Jue spoke calmly, clearly having given it much thought. "Select the best swimmers, the boldest and most meticulous assassins, to lead the way in small boats and guide and correct the general direction of the fireboat. They don't need to get too close. Once the mission is complete, they can swim away."

Meanwhile, at Langshan Ferry and Yingzui Beach, a fierce feint attack was launched in advance, with drums and horns booming, creating the impression of a desperate crossing at any cost, thus drawing Zheng You's full attention. Once his naval camp was ablaze and his army was thrown into chaos…”

His fingers pressed heavily on several landing points on the south bank of the sand table: "Our main force will then take advantage of the momentum to launch a strong crossing and strike directly at the core of their coastal defenses! We will break through in one fell swoop!"

The plan was intricately linked, combining feints and real attacks. It utilized natural defenses for surprise, drew the enemy's main force away with its main force, and finally delivered a thunderous blow.

Risks remain, especially for the suicide squads carrying out the fire attack and the troops responsible for the feint attack to draw fire, but the benefits are also huge—if successful, it can greatly weaken or even destroy the enemy's navy, disrupt their overall defensive deployment, and create an excellent opportunity for the main force to cross the river.

The people inside the tent quickly digested the plan, their eyes gradually becoming fervent.

This is risky, but also very "decisive"—precise, ruthless, and adept at utilizing all conditions, including seemingly unfavorable terrain.

"This humble general is willing to lead his elite troops to carry out a fire attack!" A dark-skinned, wiry naval captain, a fisherman from the riverbank, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and showed no fear in his eyes.

"Leave the feigned attack to me!" Zhao Ting and Wang Ben spoke almost simultaneously.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept over the generals, and he said in a deep voice, "Alright. Go forth and refine your strategies, select your men, and prepare the materials. Five days later, at midnight, proceed according to plan!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals accepted the order and left the main tent with high morale, then went their separate ways to prepare.