Chapter 252

"Good, good, good! Gongyu, Gongyu, you are indeed my Zhang Liang! How did that sentence go?"

Kong Zhangyu bowed and reminded: "Planning in the tent, deciding victory a thousand miles away."

"Not bad, not bad, that's the sentence. I have Gongyu, I can be worry-free!"

The Prince of Badong felt that his handling of things last time was a bit inappropriate, not that there was anything wrong with scolding Li Jingxuan, but since Wang Yang's death was a foregone conclusion, at such a critical juncture, he really shouldn't have alienated his subordinates for the sake of an outsider who was about to die. Although Li Jingxuan was sometimes annoying, his talent was unquestionable. Since he had to rely on him, he should appease him at the right time to avoid him having grudges.

So the Prince of Badong praised Li Jingxuan a lot today. According to common sense, getting such praise from the Prince, whether Li Jingxuan was humble or expressed loyalty, should have responded, but Li Jingxuan seemed to have heard nothing, looking at the sand table, completely without the intention of answering.

Kong Zhangyu pulled Li Jingxuan's sleeve, and Li Jingxuan then apologized to the Prince of Badong as if awakened.

The Prince of Badong smiled: "What are you thinking about?"

Li Jingxuan focused and said: "Jingxuan is thinking, the killing game that Jingxuan laid out is not without loopholes."

Kong Zhangyu glanced at Li Jingxuan.

The Prince of Badong asked curiously: "Oh? Where is the loophole?"

Li Jingxuan pointed his index finger at the blue ribbon, his fingertips sinking slightly: "It's in the Ju River."

The Prince of Badong was stunned for a moment, then laughed:

"You're thinking too much, they have no ships and no wings, how can they cross the Ju River? Eh? Didn't you say it couldn't be swum across?"

"Wings, cannot grow; swimming, also cannot swim across; but as for ships..."

Li Jingxuan's fingertips still stayed on the ribbon, rubbing lightly, his speech speed was very slow, his brows slightly frowned, as if he was deducing something.

The Prince of Badong asked puzzled: "Isn't that uninhabited? Will there be ships?"

Li Jingxuan withdrew his finger, his voice suddenly cleared, and his expression became calm:

"Your Highness, according to common sense, there should be no ships at Hutou Beach. But common forms are easy to see, and variables are hard to guard against. What if a ship happens to pass by, or someone jumps into the water, holding floating wood or something and is washed downstream, and luckily doesn't die..."

The Prince of Badong smiled: "Why don't you say a sudden strong wind blows them across the shore."

Li Jingxuan bowed solemnly:

"Planning needs to be bold, implementation should be cautious. If there is a one-in-a-million chance, it will be too late to regret."

The Prince of Badong looked at Kong Zhangyu.

Kong Zhangyu took half a step forward, lowered his eyes and reported:

"The subordinate thinks that Gongyu's words are correct. The poem says: 'Who says the river is wide, one reed can cross it'. There is more than one way to cross the water.

There are boat crossings, floating crossings, bundling firewood into rafts, and using floating bladders to swim. Han Xin used wooden pots to ferry the army, the Southwest barbarians have single bamboo drift crossings, those who are good at planning do not rely on 'naturally' and ignore 'possibly', and do not abandon 'rare' because of 'common'. Defending against what can be defended, preparing for what is hard to prepare, is the perfect strategy."

The Prince of Badong put away his smile, his gaze swept over the winding blue ribbon on the sand table, pondered for a moment and said:

"Okay, then let the barbarians ambush another team of soldiers at Hutou Beach."

Li Jingxuan shook his head and said:

"Hutou Beach is not big, and it is close to the intersection, plus the sand and stones are exposed, it is unobstructed, and it cannot hide soldiers at all. The mission sees it from afar, and knows the clues, how can they be willing to move forward? If there is a scout to warn, maybe they will flee back in a panic, although there are troops in the forest to intercept, but the mission has many horses, and they are warned in advance, it is not easy to intercept them all."

The Prince of Badong frowned: "Then what to do?"

Li Jingxuan lowered his eyes and stared at the sand table:

"Let the Yongning barbarians send small boats to patrol the water mouth that day, to prevent foreign ships from entering by mistake..."

Kong Zhangyu suddenly interrupted:

"Let them send more ships, so that even if there are fish that slip through the net, they can be blocked when the fish return."

The Prince of Badong snorted: "Those barbarians won't sit on the ground and raise prices, wanting more brocade from me?"

Li Jingxuan said: "After the event is successful, the Prince has a large army in hand, sweeping the barbarians, no matter how much brocade they want, they have to spit it out double!"

The Prince of Badong showed a smile: "This is clear talk."

Li Jingxuan first bowed to the Prince of Badong, then his fingers moved horizontally along the terrain context on the sand table, and said deliberately:

"Mr. Kong said to block the return journey, this is reasonable, but the fish that slip through the net may not return, but go straight forward. But even if the ship sails to the end, it can only be abandoned at Henggang, and in the end, it has to go ashore. So no matter if there is a ship or not, as long as you cross the Ju River, then there are only two choices. One is to go back, but going back requires crossing a large area of barbarian territory, nine deaths and one life, it won't be like this... As for the other..."

Li Jingxuan stared at the sand table, his hands in his sleeves, walking slowly around the table, his eyes shining:

"As for the other choice, it is to continue to advance to Wenyang Gorge!

Unlike the several ambush places we chose before. Before, in the west of the Ju River, once ambushed, they could turn back at any time! But after crossing the Ju River, it would be difficult to turn back.

In contrast, going to Wenyang Gorge is easier. At least there is no barbarian tribe entrenched in the middle. After arriving at Wenyang Gorge, you can negotiate with the Wenyang barbarians, let the Wenyang barbarians send people to escort, or send a letter back, let us send someone to pick them up. Hmm... exactly so... if you want to go to Wenyang Gorge..."

After Li Jingxuan walked half a circle, he suddenly stopped, took off his hairpin, and inserted it into a rice mountain in front of him:

"To go to Wenyang Gorge, this E'gong Peak is the nearest road! Bury another ambush at E'gong Peak! Can ensure no trouble!"

"... After passing E'gong Peak, it is east of Wenyang Gorge, although the distance is a bit more detoured than the mission's previous route, it won't be too much, if walking, within a day, can—"

Wang Yang suddenly interrupted Feng Yiling: "I don't walk E'gong Peak."

Feng Yiling was stunned: "Young master, this is..."

Director Liu Tan Tan also didn't understand, and asked: "Why?"

Wang Yang stretched his palm to Director Liu Tan Tan: "Don't understand?"

Director Liu Tan Tan blinked.

Wang Yang's palm turned to Feng Yiling: "No reason?"

Feng Yiling nodded.

Wang Yang withdrew his palm, with a high-man posture: "That's it! I don't walk the unusual road."

Director Liu Tan Tan, Feng Yiling:???

"I won't walk E'gong Peak, I'd rather detour..."

Wang Yang drew a line on the map and looked at Feng Yiling.

Feng Yiling hesitated and said:

"Detouring is possible, along Laowu Creek, passing Dazhuling, Daobo Ditch, through Xue'wu Forest, it is Wenyang Gorge. But this road is a bit far, it will take three or four days to arrive..."

Wang Yang said: "It doesn't matter if it's far, as long as it can arrive."

"And..." Feng Yiling wanted to continue, but seeing Wang Yang's attitude was clear, he swallowed his words back.

Wang Yang asked: "General Feng, what do you want to say, continue."

Feng Yiling continued: "And that is a place where wild barbarians appear, not very peaceful."

"Wild barbarians?"

"That is, raw barbarians without tribes. Three or five in groups, intercepting travelers."

"Three or five in groups? No large teams?"

"Yes, they are all scattered small groups, not forming a climate. I once walked through Daobo Ditch and saw a few shadows from afar, they should be wild barbarians, I didn't dare to show my head and ran away."

Wang Yang thought for a while and said: "If I walk this road, do you have the confidence to protect my safety?"

Feng Yiling's tone had no hesitation: "Yes."

Wang Yang decided: "That's it, let's walk this road of Dazhuling!"

After Li Jingxuan and Kong Zhangyu left, the Prince of Badong looked around, then reached out and pushed out a small pile of red beans, blocked the red beans with his palm, leaned down, unconsciously tightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and blew hard.

"Hoo—"

A few red beans rolled back in his direction.

The Prince of Badong's pupils shrank, he stood up abruptly, then laughed heartily.

But I don't know why, as he laughed, he couldn't laugh anymore.

The Prince of Badong stood alone in place, only the laughter just now echoed in the empty hall.

"Your Highness, Kong Sheren requests an audience."

The attendant's voice came, and after a few breaths, the Prince of Badong raised his head, his expression returned to normal, and he said coldly: "Pass."

"Your Highness, the subordinate originally left the Prince's mansion, but on the way back, I thought of one thing and felt it necessary to report to Your Highness."

"Speak."

"Li Gongyu's killing game still has a loophole."

"Still have a loophole? Where?"

"The loophole is in the last place. Your Highness, please look—"

Kong Zhangyu led the Prince of Badong to the sand table and pointed:

"E'gong Peak is not the only way to Wenyang Gorge, just the most convenient road."

"You mean detouring?"

"Yes."

The Prince of Badong showed an absurd smile on his face:

"How is it possible? Even if it is as you said, someone luckily didn't die at Hutou Intersection, and luckily crossed the Ju River, then what he has to do is naturally rush to Wenyang Gorge to seek shelter, how could he detour?"

"If there is a survivor who crossed the Ju River, then maybe he will think that he was designed to be ambushed, and then think that going directly to Wenyang Gorge might also be a dead end..."

The Prince of Badong smiled, obviously not taking Kong Zhangyu's words seriously.

Kong Zhangyu leaned forward slightly and slowly spat out the words:

"Your Highness, if the person who survived crossing the Ju River is Wang Yang, do you really think that under such circumstances, he will definitely walk E'gong Peak?"

The Prince of Badong's expression paused, leaving only the candle flame casting jumping shadows at the bottom of his eyes.

After a while, the Prince of Badong said:

"Then what is your meaning?"

"Dazhuling. If he doesn't walk E'gong Peak, he will definitely walk Dazhuling! E'gong Peak let the barbarian ambush soldiers, as for Dazhuling...

Dazhuling is between Wenyang Barbarians and Yongning Barbarians, belonging to the middle zone, the two parts originally had an agreement not to send troops here. What's more, they are currently negotiating a ceasefire, Yongning Barbarians probably won't agree to ambush at Dazhuling. And we can't openly send troops. The best way is to send a team of masters! Real masters! Ambush at Dazhuling! If there really is—"

"You go and handle it, I approve."

The Prince of Badong suddenly turned around and walked out of the hall.

Kong Zhangyu was stunned: "Your Highness..."

"The rest is your business, I am tired."

The Prince of Badong's voice was indifferent, leaving without looking back, leaving Kong Zhangyu looking at the Prince of Badong's back, thoughtful.

Wang Yang left the Liu mansion, got on the carriage, saw Chen Qingshan sitting in the carriage, looking worried, and asked:

"What's wrong, Xiao Shan?"

Chen Qingshan frowned and struggled:

"I'm thinking, should I bring another spear."

Wang Yang said without thinking: "Of course, better safe than sorry."

Chen Qingshan nodded seriously: "Makes sense." But then frowned again: "But where can I get another spear?"

"Don't worry, I have already agreed with Director Liu Tan Tan, a good spear will be prepared at that time and placed on the ship."

After Wang Yang finished speaking, he raised his voice and ordered the front of the carriage: "Old Song, go to the Yu mansion."

Chen Qingshan asked curiously: "It's so late, what are you doing at the Yu mansion?"

Wang Yang smiled mysteriously: "I'm leaving, I have to say goodbye!"

Chen Qingshan nodded half-understandably, and muttered in a low voice: "Better safe than sorry..."

Wang Yang looked at Chen Qingshan, his eyes shocked!