Chapter 269.2: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 269.2: Dare to Gamble?
Even if only for those unseen hands that had lifted her so high, she must strive to become more accomplished.
She must advance.
Chang Suining silently smiled as she encouraged herself.
Over the next few days, Chang Suining ordered Yuan Xiang to secretly lead men to investigate the movements of the various rebel armies under the Xu faction.
On the seventh day, Xiao Min and Chang Kuo were discussing whether they should take the initiative to send out troops. Xiao Min cautiously reminded Chang Kuo, “...Since Li Yi was executed, the one-hundred-seventy-thousand troops have now camped here for more than twenty days…”
Yet they still had not launched a major offensive to suppress Xu Zhengye; instead, they merely held the defensive lines and had never once taken the initiative to attack.
Xiao Min sighed. “Though neither the Court nor the Holy Emperor have spoken openly, they are already somewhat displeased…”
Before those imperial envoys departed, they even asked when they planned to set out and directly attack Yangzhou.
Speaking of this, Xiao Min himself could not understand. By reason, after their great victory at Hezhou, Xu’s army had suffered a blow to morale. It should have been the perfect time for the Grand General Chang to press the advantage—so why remain on defense? Wasn’t this giving Xu Zhengye the chance to regroup?
Just as Xiao Min was about to voice his doubts, he heard Chang Kuo speak indifferently: “What would they know? When it comes to warfare, only those who fight truly understand how to fight.”
“…” Xiao Min felt as if an arrow had struck between his brows.
Well… is it normal if even those who fight don’t really understand?
He dared not show his ignorance too plainly and could only ask tactfully, “Does Grand General Chang have another plan in mind?”
Chang Kuo pondered for a moment and said, “I’ve already discussed this with Suining. Once she arrives, we’ll speak of it in detail.”
Xiao Min agreed.
Before long, a soldier lifted the curtain of the command tent, and a young maiden clad in armor stepped inside.
As usual, the three of them sat around the sand table.
Chang Suining had just returned from the training grounds. Sitting cross-legged, she held in her right hand the teacup offered by a soldier, while her left hand touched a brush. The tip of the brush lightly fell above the sand table as she began to speak of the latest deployment of Xu Zhengye’s army.
This was the newest intelligence brought back by Yuan Xiang’s men.
Xiao Min frowned slightly. “Xu Zhengye is… gathering troops?”
Chang Suining: “Yes.”
Xiao Min’s expression turned grave. “He plans to assemble his forces for a direct assault on Huainan Route?”
“Not necessarily,” Chang Suining replied. “I suspect he has another plan.”
Another plan?
Just as Xiao Min was about to ask, the young woman spoke first: “The warships we requested from the prefectures of Shouzhou and Guangzhou—are they ready?”
Xiao Min answered, “Almost, though some of the vessels are old and require repair.”
“Make sure they hasten the work,” said Chang Suining. “Before the Lantern Festival, this matter must be completed.”
Xiao Min nodded, but could not help asking, “Why does Young Miss Chang place such importance on the warships?”
If Xu Zhengye truly intended to attack Huainan Route, he would hardly heed Princess Xuan’an’s ‘suggestion’ to swim across Chaohu Lake—Chaohu was not something one could simply swim through. The likelihood of a large-scale naval battle was very small.
Yet half a month ago, Chang Suining had already proposed borrowing warships from Shouzhou and Guangzhou.
At this moment, faced with Xiao Min’s question, the girl did not conceal her reasoning. The brush in her hand turned toward two curving lines on the sand table that represented rivers close to each other. She said, “Because I intend to intercept Xu Zhengye—either here, or here.”
Xiao Min looked closer and was stunned. “The Bian River… or the Si River?”
Chang Suining nodded. “Yes, but ninety percent likely at Bian River.”
Xiao Min fell silent.
Her words were plain enough, yet… “Why does Young Miss Chang believe that Xu Zhengye will take these two waterways, which run contrary to Huainan Route?”
Xu Zhengye was supposed to be attacking Huainan Route—to march on the capital, slay the Holy Emperor, and support the Crown Prince.
“Because I suspect he will abandon the Western Capital,” said the girl, her brush hovering over a city marked with a small yellow flag. “And instead, take advantage of our unpreparedness to change course and seize the Eastern Capital—Luoyang.”
To attack Luoyang from Yangzhou, one must pass through the Bian River region—this, Xiao Min understood well. But why would Xu Zhengye suddenly change course to take Luoyang? The Xu family’s army had never shown the slightest sign of coveting Luoyang!
The idea seemed far-fetched. Xiao Min dared not voice open doubt, so he instinctively looked toward Chang Kuo.
“Hmm…” Stroking his beard, Chang Kuo also gazed at Luoyang on the sand table. “That’s what I think as well!”
“…” For a moment, Xiao Min could not tell who, between this father and daughter, was truly the strategist, and he asked, “But if Xu Zhengye attacks Luoyang, how would that serve to support the Crown Prince?”
Chang Suining replied, “Perhaps he never truly intended to support the Crown Prince.”
Xiao Min said nothing for a long moment, unable to refute her.
“To seize the capital in one strike would, of course, be best. But now that he’s been repeatedly defeated, with our one-hundred-seventy-thousand troops holding Huainan Route, he cannot approach the capital by even half a step—” Chang Suining said, “These days, though we seem passive in our defense, the one most anxious is Xu Zhengye.”
“I wager he has already realized his inability to directly assault the capital. Therefore, he will settle for the next best option—while we are tightly defending Huainan Route, he will take us by surprise, change course to attack Luoyang, seize the Eastern Capital of the Central Plains, then, under the pretext of ‘rallying the loyal to the throne,’ gather more troops and fame.”
At that, Chang Suining smiled toward Xiao Min. “Of course, this is only my conjecture. General Xiao, dare you wager with me on it?”
The young lady’s smile was harmless and friendly, and Xiao Min could not help but smile in return. Casually, he asked, “What shall we wager?”
At that time, he did not yet know—that this casual jest would, on some distant day, become a turning point of immense consequence in his life.
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