Chapter 63: The Current Situation in the Northern Frontier

Previously, Zheng Yi was worried that Chu Yunyan would return to Fengxi County and encounter Lang Qingzao.
If Lang Qingzao intended to target Gao Changsheng, then Chu Yunyan would be the ultimate hostage.
On this point, Chu Yunyan and Zheng Yi shared a somewhat tacit understanding.
Chu Yunyan had already suspected the Divine Martial Emperor, and consequently held deep apprehensions regarding the Qingwu Guards.
Leaving Lang Qingzao aside, even Zheng Yi, who had saved her life, was someone Chu Yunyan constantly guarded against.
However, constrained by the current circumstances, she had no desire to experience another assault.

"Lady Chu, please rest assured. I have dispatched men to escort the wounded soldiers of the Chu family's estate garrison to the nearest town for recuperation," Zheng Yi said calmly.
"After that, we shall set off for the northern frontier.
If Lady Chu does not trust me, I will never force the issue.
Once we meet His Highness the Sixth Prince, everything will naturally become clear."

With so many eyes and ears around at present, he naturally could not speak too plainly.
Yet he believed that Chu Yunyan was an intelligent woman and would surely be able to read between the lines of his words.

"You flatter me, Lord Zheng.
This humble maiden notices that Lord Zheng has injuries upon your person, which must have been caused by the recent ambush of the Qingwu Guards' traitors.
Moreover, since Lord Zheng comes from the direction of Fengxi County, could it be that you have already met His Highness?" Chu Yunyan bowed slightly and deduced.

Hearing this, Zheng Yi could not help but be startled.
To be able to infer so much from merely limited clues—the number one talented woman of Jinyong City was truly formidable!

"Haha, Lady Chu is indeed extraordinarily clever.
That is correct; I have indeed met His Highness.
Come to think of it, my life was saved by His Highness and the Grand General.
Since Lady Chu shares a profound friendship with His Highness, it is my unshirkable duty to protect you on his behalf. I ask that you place your trust in me!" Zheng Yi said with sincere earnestness.

In just this brief exchange, Zheng Yi had revealed much information unknown even to the imperial court officials.
If this still failed to dispel Chu Yunyan's doubts, then Zheng Yi truly would have been at his wits' end!

"Then I must trouble Lord Zheng!"
Chu Yunyan bowed once more, and the cloud of suspicion on her cheeks vanished instantly.

At a time when the territory of the Great Yong Dynasty was turbulent with rising winds and scudding clouds, the situation at the northern frontier was unexpectedly peaceful.

Yesterday, Dou Yuan led an army of one hundred thousand troops into the northern frontier.
He had expected a major battle right at the outset, yet unexpectedly, the Northern Qi forces had withdrawn from the battlefield a day early.
They made camp eight hundred miles away, seemingly preparing for a war of attrition against the Great Yong Dynasty.

Although the actions of Northern Qi were puzzling, it was magnificent news for the garrison at the northern frontier.
For half a month, the northern frontier had been engaged in bitter warfare with the Northern Qi army.
Many soldiers and officers had not closed their eyes for several consecutive days and nights.

Now that Dou Yuan had arrived with his large army, they could finally relieve the garrison, allowing these northern frontier troops to step down and recuperate.

"Battle reports from the past half month indicate that Northern Qi's main forces have successively concentrated nearly three hundred thousand troops.
Yet during this time, the forces mobilized by Northern Qi for their offensives have never exceeded one hundred thousand.
Even though the northern frontier is easy to defend and difficult to attack due to natural chasms, if Northern Qi had pressed the attack with three hundred thousand troops in one go, they would undoubtedly have taken it.
Why did they not do so?
Could it be that the Emperor of Northern Qi is too old and his brain has turned to mush?"
Inside the grand tent of the central army, Dou Yuan swept his gaze across the assembled generals, his expression indescribably solemn.

Early this morning, Dou Yuan had led the military generals in person to survey the terrain of the battlefield.
Gao Changsheng was among them.
Even a novice like him, who had never participated in a war before, could see that Northern Qi's actions defied common sense.
Could the generals of the northern frontier fail to see it?
However, it was useless even if they did see it.
Before the main army arrived, the entire northern frontier could barely scrape together fifty thousand troops.
It was only by relying on the advantage of natural barriers that they managed to fend off Northern Qi's assaults.
Defense was already so arduous; how could they possibly spare extra manpower to proactively attack Northern Qi?

"The Grand General may not know this.
Although Northern Qi's attacks have been intense over the past half month, each time they have merely tested the waters and retreated immediately.
This has resulted in negligible losses of troops and horses for Northern Qi.
The generals are worried that Northern Qi is intentionally luring us out of the city. Once the northern frontier defending forces suffer heavy losses, Northern Qi will inevitably be able to break through in a single stroke!" a general said, a look of distress on his face.

As his voice fell, the other generals also nodded successively in agreement.

As a newcomer to the battlefield who could only act as an observer, Gao Changsheng felt that although the views of these generals were conservative, they were not incorrect.
When all was said and done, the tragic state of the northern frontier today was entirely the fault of the Duke of Liang.
Had it not been for the rebellion of the Duke of Liang, which caused heavy losses to the northern frontier garrison, how could it have been reduced to such a meager force?

"Haha!
Generals, need not be nervous. I am not blaming any of you.
Northern Qi's actions this time are indeed baffling, and I merely wished to see what opinions you all hold so that we might find a way to break the deadlock!" Dou Yuan said with a smiling face.

Although the army sent by the court had arrived at the northern frontier, the disparity in troop numbers was still vast.
Added to the fact that the northern frontier garrison had been engaged in protracted warfare for a long time, their morale was at a low ebb.
At such a time, appeasement should be the priority!

"Grand General, this junior has something to say!"
At that moment, Gao Changsheng stood up from his seat and spoke with cupped hands.

"His Highness is now a Prince of the Double Pearls, why must Your Highness be so modest?!" Dou Yuan chimed in cooperatively.

Originally, the Divine Martial Emperor had dispatched the imperial prince to the northern frontier precisely to boost the morale of the officers and men.
Only by actively elevating Gao Changsheng could Dou Yuan draw the soldiers' attention to his presence.
As for how much of a morale boost it would achieve, it would depend entirely on the methods the two of them possessed!

"This junior believes that defending the northern frontier forever will never reveal Northern Qi's intentions.
Only by taking the initiative to attack can we discover the enemy's flaws.
Of course, given our army's current status, we still remain at a disadvantage against Northern Qi.
If we were to rashly lead an army out to attack, should we be surrounded by the enemy, the outcome would undoubtedly be the annihilation of the entire army.
It is precisely because the generals fear such an occurrence that they chose a conservative strategy.
This junior requests orders from the Grand General to subdue the rebellious army of the Duke of Liang for our own use,
and led by this junior, I will personally rush to the battlefield to scout out the true strength of Northern Qi for the army!" Gao Changsheng volunteered.

Initially, a smile still hung on Dou Yuan's face.
But upon hearing that Gao Changsheng intended to personally lead troops into battle, the smile vanished.

"No!"
"If Your Highness wishes to subdue the rebel army of the Duke of Liang, this general has no objections whatsoever.
But for Your Highness to lead troops into battle, this general cannot agree!" Dou Yuan immediately refuted.

Gao Changsheng was participating in a war for the very first time and possessed practically zero experience. How was this any different from seeking death?
Moreover, he intended to use the rebel army of the Duke of Liang.
Many of the rebels' family members had been implicated in the case of the Duke of Liang, and some had even been beheaded by the Divine Martial Emperor.
Hating the Divine Martial Emperor and harboring animosity toward the entire Gao imperial clan, how could they possibly be willing to obey Gao Changsheng's commands?
Once on the battlefield, the probability of these rebels turning on them again was extremely high.
Gao Changsheng was being far too naive!

"Is the Grand General worried that the rebel army will betray this palace on the battlefield?
How about we make a wager?
Should I completely subjugate the Duke of Liang's troops and make them serve our purposes, the Grand General will agree to let me serve as the vanguard!"