Free Web NovelChapter 74: Capturing Wu County Requires Three Military Orders
"Instead, it was a surge of excitement."
Seeing his expression, Long Chen knew there was more to the matter than what appeared.
So, he asked solemnly, "Zhi Cai, do you have something else to tell me?"
"Haha, indeed, you know me, my lord!"
Then, with a serious tone, "My lord, I believe the current situation presents a great opportunity to capture Wu County!"
"If we miss this opportunity, attacking Wu County in the future will be tens of times more difficult!"
Long Chen’s eyes brightened, and he asked, "Tell me your reasons and thoughts!"
"I believe there are three reasons for attacking Wu County now!" freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"First, the court is currently under the control of Dong Zhuo from Xiliang, leaving no attention to our Jiangdong region."
"Second, Wu County is in the midst of a rebellion led by Yan Baihu. When we march, we only need to claim that we are suppressing Yan Baihu’s rebellion to maintain Wu County’s peace and gain the moral high ground! After capturing Wu County, the locals will undoubtedly welcome our army, praising our righteousness!"
"Third, our army’s morale is soaring, and the navy has reached a bottleneck in training. Attacking Wu County this time will not only showcase the might of our Jiujiang army but also hone our navy!"
After listening to Xiao Zhicai’s analysis, Long Chen nodded incessantly, his eyes sparkling with brilliance.
This Xiao Zhicai was indeed worthy to be compared to the genius strategist Guo Jia. Just a glimpse revealed the whole picture.
Truly peerless in strategy!
Then he smiled and said, "Good, good! Every word you said makes sense, and I am also moved!"
"I guess you already have a strategy in mind to pacify Wu County. Why not share it?"
Xiao Zhicai scratched his head, puzzled about how the lord knew he had a plan?
But soon realizing it, he bowed and said, "Our army can split into three routes. The navy can travel down the river, heading directly southward to Wuxi County, capturing it and stationing it as our army’s frontline territory."
"Another route can directly target Yan Baihu’s stronghold. At this time, with Yan Baihu’s forces engaged with Wu County’s officials, his stronghold will be vulnerable, providing us with an opportunity."
"The final route acts as support for Wu County’s officials, circumventing behind Yan Baihu’s troops. By attacking from both ends, we can prevent them from coordinating effectively, ensuring Yan Baihu’s defeat!"
"Finally, we can cooperate with Wu County’s officials to return to the city and take control of Wu County."
Long Chen was delighted after hearing this plan.
The three-pronged attack was like a death knell for Wu County, ensuring its complete capture!
By then, he would own two counties in Yangzhou, becoming a major warlord in the region!
"Do you know where Yan Baihu’s stronghold specifically is?"
With a confident expression, Xiao Zhicai replied, "According to intelligence from our spies, Yan Baihu’s stronghold is approximately 50 miles south of Changxing County, located in Shicheng Mountain and Baihu Mountain as their base."
Shicheng Mountain!
Baihu Mountain!
If these two mountainous areas were taken, Yan Baihu would have nowhere to retreat, and his army would collapse!
Long Chen thought to himself if this move would expose Yan Baihu’s weak spot.
"Good! We can’t miss this opportunity!" Long Chen stood up.
Turning to the nearby guards, he ordered, "Immediately gather all the generals at the designated location! I must issue military orders!"
"Yes, sir!"
The guards quickly left to carry out the command.
This is one of the fastest guards among the 300 personal guards around Long Chen, with talents that increase movement and attack speed effects. Hence, he’s an excellent messenger by Long Chen’s side.
Soon after, Xu Chu, Zhou Tai, and Jiang Qin arrived at the Prefectural Mansion.
Long Chen briefly explained the situation and began issuing military orders.
"Gong Yi! I command you to lead 8,000 navy troops to swiftly attack Wuxi County along the river, reaching Zhenshui Lake (today’s Taihu Lake)!"
"Jiang Qin, receive the command! I will follow the lord’s orders!"
Jiang Qin calmly accepted the military order, his eyes showing eagerness for the task. Last time when he went to Luoyang City to defend the king, he was left to guard Jiujiang’s main camp. Although he didn’t express much, deep down, he valued achievements and ambition.
Seeing the lord’s attention directly on himself and the navy he trained, a fiery determination ignited within him. He silently vowed that he would successfully complete this mission and capture Wuxi County!
Following this, Long Chen issued the second military order.
"Zhi Cai, Yu Ping! I command you to lead 5,000 valiant soldiers to capture Shicheng Mountain and Baihu Mountain in one fell swoop!"
"Yes!"
"Yes, sir."
Zhou Tai and Xiao Zhicai respectfully acknowledged the orders.
Long Chen added an extra reminder, "Yu Ping, remember to follow the strategist’s plan in everything. Don’t act recklessly! Make sure to protect the strategist!"
Zhou Tai scratched the back of his head, grinning, "My lord, I’m that kind of person! Rest assured, I’ll ensure the strategist’s safety!"
Xiao Zhicai felt touched. Even though he hadn’t worked with these generals for long, each one of them was sincere and straightforward, far better than the scholarly gentry he had dealt with in the past.
"Finally, the third army will be led by me and Zhongkang. We’ll take 5,000 soldiers to support the Wu County Prefect’s defending position and jointly fight against the formidable enemy, Yan Baihu of Jiangdong!"
After the orders were given, the generals went back to prepare. They had to be ready as they would set off the next morning; there was no time to waste.
Currently, Long Chen’s Jiujiang Commandery was thriving. Not only did it attract numerous refugees and commoners, but it also welcomed many players willing to settle in the commandery. Jiujiang Commandery had remained stable and peaceful under the protection of Long Chen, the General Who Guards the South.
There were hardly any Yellow Turban rebels or marauding bandits in the region, as most of them were eliminated by Long Chen’s anti-bandit orders. Thus, Jiujiang Commandery became a paradise for farming players!
This rapid development led to a significant expansion of Long Chen’s army from over 10,000 to more than 20,000 soldiers. That’s why he dared to dispatch over 18,000 soldiers for this assault on Wu County!
Thinking about it, Long Chen hadn’t checked his territory’s attributes panel after returning. Now, during this brief rest, he decided to take a look.
Long Chen silently recited:
[Territory Name]: Dragon Town (Small-sized Town)
[Territory Level]: Level 3 (Max Level 9)
[Territory Resources]: Wood * 62,000, Stone * 62,100, Iron Ore * 31,000
[Territory Population]: 146,000/200,000 (Additional 150,000 population limit for Jiujiang Commandery)
[Territory Army]: 21,000/32,000 (Additional 20,000 army limit for Jiujiang Commandery)
[Territory Food]: 124,000
[Territory Subordinate]: Jiujiang Commandery (excluding Hefei Marquisate, Liyang Marquisate, Zhongli Marquisate) - Population limit +150,000, Army limit +20,000
[Territory Upgrade Requirements]: Wood * 100,000, Stone * 100,000, Iron Ore * 30,000, Copper Coins * 100,000
...
There are already over 20,000 soldiers, and the population has exceeded 140,000. The resources are quite abundant too. Although there’s still some way to go before reaching the next level, it’s not too far off!
Most importantly, under the farming system, Jiujiang Commandery’s food production has significantly increased. The food crisis seems quite distant for Long Chen at the moment.
The future looks promising!
