Chapter 645: Chen Yan's Discovery

When those words were spoken, the study erupted instantly, Du Yaoguang's body jolted, his face full of astonishment, and he exclaimed, "Qi State will attack my Yubi?!"

"How dare they mobilize troops so rashly?!"

Yuwen Heng also showed an expression of disbelief, slapping the table with his large hand, full of astonishment: "The Qi army dares to trespass?"

Chen Yan sat upright at the side, also quite shocked by the words, his brows subtly lifted, and subconsciously he marveled in his heart, "Qi State wants to clash with Yubi again?!"

At that moment, Chen somehow felt an inexplicable illusion that He Liuhun hadn't died yet…

He lightly tapped his knee with his fingertips, his face still calm, but a few thoughts flickered in his eyes.

Yubi's terrain is steep and difficult to attack, easy to defend; if the Qi army truly intends a surprise raid, they must have planned it long ago, not a spur‑of‑the‑moment impulse.

But that doesn't add up…

Pei Xun quickly recovered from his shock, lightly stroking his short beard, his expression calm, quickly regaining composure, and thoughtfully made a judgment: "It seems that Qi State has already recovered its strength from the turmoil of the first half of the year, and the earlier incident involving Gao Changjing has further shamed the Qi people…"

"They are preparing to use force to reclaim their standing!"

Yu Tinggui nodded repeatedly, his face full of agreement with Pei Xun's assessment, then clenched his fist, his belly slightly rising, his eyes flashing both a fierce light at Qi's provocation and a confident certainty, and he said with a half‑smile, "Lord Pei is absolutely right; this matter is probably eighty to ninety percent certain!"

"But they don't even consider that Great Zhou has been keeping a low profile for years, its treasury is full, its arms are sharp, and since the Grand Preceptor took charge of the Court, Chen Zhuguo has been campaigning north and south, winning battle after battle, and the army's morale is high…"

"Not to mention their thirty thousand troops; even with a hundred thousand more, we could still contest Yubi against Qi again!"

Yuwen Heng, naturally fierce‑tempered, heard Yu Tinggui's words and his battle spirit surged, he curled his lip, sneering repeatedly: "For more than two years we've restrained ourselves from launching a massive attack on Qi, intending to recuperate, yet the Gao clan still dared to strike first; truly they have no sense of shame!"

Then he raised his hand and heavily struck the table before him, the tea cups trembling slightly, and he declared loudly, "We must strike back fiercely!"

Everyone was stirred and angry, shocked and denouncing Qi's arrogance, but only two people wore different expressions.

Yuwen Ze sat in the corner, not joining the others' statements, instead fixing his gaze on Chen Yan, his eyes full of doubt.

Among those present, his own A Xiong is the most adept at military strategy, even surpassing his second uncle; now at the moment Qi troops breach the border, why does he remain silent, merely sitting in contemplation?

Such silence stood out in the heated study, and Yuwen Hu, seated at the main seat, quickly noticed Chen Yan deep in thought.

He knew his own son has always been opinionated and prefers to plan before acting, never a coward, so he asked in a deep voice, "Chen Zhuguo, what are you thinking?"

Sensing something fishy, Chen Yan lifted his head, looked at Yuwen Hu, his eyes deep, shook his head, and said gravely, "Grand Preceptor, something's wrong, this is terribly wrong!"

The study was instantly shrouded in a heavy silence, the ice crystals in the corner ice basin melting rapidly.

Water droplets ran down the copper basin's edge, spreading faint wet marks on the blue bricks, making the room even more solemn.

Yuwen Hu's white jade ring on his fingertip continued to turn slowly, its luminous sheen swirling under the lamp, his brows slightly furrowed, he asked in a deep voice, "What is not right?"

When his words settled, his fingertip paused briefly, after a moment of thought he pressed, "Did you discover something?"

Everyone present turned their gaze together, their eyes mixing urgency and doubt.

Even Yuwen Ze, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, straightened his back and focused, awaiting.

Yuwen Heng, irritated by the lingering heat of the days, felt restless; the ice basin could only add a little coolness, unable to quell his inner agitation.

He leaned forward, rubbing his palm on his knee twice, urging, "Chen Zhuguo, stop beating around the bush!"

"Speak quickly!"

"The military situation is like fire; we cannot afford delay!"

As soon as the words fell, another piece of ice melted in the basin, the sound of droplets falling strikingly clear in the silence, emphasizing his urgency.

Chen Yan nodded in agreement, pursed his slightly dry lips, chose his words, and his gaze slowly swept over those watching him—from his father‑in‑law Pei Xun's solemnity, Du Yaoguang's caution, to Yu Tinggui's gravity, finally returning to Yuwen Hu—before he spoke in a deep voice:

"Grand Preceptor, esteemed gentlemen, imagine this: years ago, He Liuhun, with the might of the great victory at Mangshan, full of vigor, raised an army of over a hundred thousand to attack Yubi; at that time the Qi army's forces were at their peak, provisions and armaments abundant…"

"In contrast, Great Zhou's Yubi garrison numbered only a few thousand, the city walls were steep but the forces were vastly unequal; so what was the outcome?"

"The Qi army suffered heavy casualties beneath Yubi, losing nearly half, exhausting all siege methods yet still unable to breach the defenses; He Liuhun himself was trapped beneath the city for days, filled with grief and anger, and ultimately died with a lingering hatred…"

"The Battle of Yubi has long become a deep humiliation etched into the Qi people's very bones!"

At this point, his brows furrowed slightly, his tone grew heavier as he asked, "Could the Qi court knowingly undertake an impossible task, sending thirty thousand troops into this unwinnable situation?"

His words thundered through the silence, instantly awakening everyone in the room.

Yuwen Hu's rotating jade ring suddenly stopped, his fingertip feeling the cloud pattern on it, his eyes flashing clarity, he slowly nodded in agreement, "Chen Zhuguo's analysis is very reasonable!"

"He Liuhun's elite force of over a hundred thousand still suffered losses, and thirty thousand troops are merely a drop in the bucket…"

"If we truly launch a strong attack on Yubi, it's like striking stone with an egg; certainly not a wise move!"

Du Yaoguang also nodded repeatedly, tugging his jade belt at his waist, and agreed, "Chen Zhuguo is absolutely right!"

"The terrain of Yubi is steep; Wei Zhuguo has been stationed here for over ten years, continuously reinforcing the defenses, now as solid as a golden cauldron…"

"Back then He Liuhun dug tunnels, built siege towers, burned city towers; all methods failed to breach the city, and now the Qi army, with only thirty thousand troops, has no chance of victory!"

He narrowed his eyes, deep thought in his gaze, and said in a deep voice, "In the same pit, even the most foolish person would not step into it twice consecutively!"

"Moreover, a nation's court decisions on military matters would never be so reckless…"

Yuwen Heng rubbed his warm tea cup, the fine grain on the rim digging into his palm; the earlier agitation gradually faded, replaced by deep contemplation, and he continued, "Yes! Yubi is the Qi people's bane; the tragic defeat back then was known to every official in the Qi court…"

"Only a loss of wisdom would cause repeated falls in the same place; even if the Gao clan is arrogant and self‑esteem high, they would never commit such folly!"

Pei Xun glanced at the night scene outside the east window; the early July evening breeze carried heat, rustling the phoenix tree leaves outside the courtyard, the rustling sound passing through the lattice into the room.

He withdrew his gaze, stroked his bearded jaw, and loudly continued, "Moreover, the one now seated on the Dragon Throne in Qi is no ordinary figure! Gao Ying is deep‑thinking and ruthless, always planning before acting, and could never make such a low‑level mistake; behind this surely lies a scheme we have not yet discerned!"

His words caused a chill in everyone's hearts, making the matter seem even more mysterious and unpredictable.

Yu Tinggui rubbed his round belly and couldn't help speaking, "Lord Pei is absolutely right; Gao Ying is not a foolish ruler, and such a massive mobilization would not be solely to force an attack on Yubi; what is his true intention?"

Shang Ting also stroked his half‑white beard and nodded, his eyes full of worry: "If not a strong attack, then placing those thirty thousand troops outside Yubi City—could it be mere posturing?"

Yuwen Hu slowly leaned back in the wide chair, his aura even more imposing, the dark embroidery at the collar of his Brothel shimmering faintly in the light, his eyes deep, his gaze fixed on Chen Yan, evidently believing he still had thoughts, and he asked in a deep voice, "What do you think Qi's current mobilization and incursion aim to achieve?"

"It can't be just to disturb Great Zhou's borders, can it?"

Chen Yan, hearing this, immediately rose, bowed his torso to Yuwen Hu, clasped his fists, standing tall, and solemnly said, "Grand Preceptor, forgive me!"

He straightened his back, slowly exhaled a murky breath, a hint of guilt coloring his brows, and in a weighty tone said, "At this moment, I have no clue…"

The study instantly fell into dead silence, only the evening wind outside and the dripping ice water weaving a heavy gloom.

Yuwen Hu was unperturbed, calmly saying, "No problem!"

Immediately, he pressed his hand and signaled Chen Yan to sit.

Chen Yan folded his robe, returned to his seat, his back still straight, fingertips lightly tapping his knee, his eyes still holding a hint of thought.

Yuwen Hu gently turned the Jade Ring again, its pearly halo drifting slowly beneath the candlelight, his gaze solemnly sweeping the room, and he asked in a deep voice: "The Qi army is invading; we must first respond. Who among you thinks is suitable to go aid Yubi?"

When his words fell, the tension in the Shufang eased slightly, and everyone furrowed their brows in thought.

Du Yaoguang lifted the tea cup on the desk, took a sip, the warm tea suppressed some heat, after a brief thought he set the cup down and said in a deep voice: "Wei Shaokuan and Wei Zhuguo have been stationed at Yubi for over a decade, familiar with its mountains and terrain; every pass and hidden fortress is clear to them, and the city's troop deployments these years have also been their work!"

He paused, his tone resolute, enunciating each word: "Having him lead the relief is the only choice!"

Shang Ting, however, had a different view; twirling his half‑white beard, his gaze fixed on Chen Yan, he said with full conviction: "Chen Zhuguo has always won every battle. Earlier this year he led Turkic cavalry into the Northern Border of Qi State, burning its provisions, raiding its camps, turning the Northern Border of Qi State upside down…"

At that point, with confidence, he continued loudly: "If Chen Zhuguo goes to aid, it will be flawless!"

Yuwen Heng, already deeply convinced of his own son's military skill, immediately echoed, his tone ringing: "Exactly! Chen Zhuguo's tactics have never been conventional; he can hold steady and excels at surprise attacks!"

He let a slight smile lift his mouth corner, his eyes flashing with battle intent, and said decisively: "Perhaps we could, using the relief as a chance, catch the thirty‑thousand Qi army off guard and crush them, letting Qi State taste the pain of losing soldiers and commanders again!"

Pei Xun lightly stroked his short beard, nodded in agreement: "Makes sense!"

His expression calm, unhurried, he continued: "Wei Zhuguo is well‑versed in Yubi's defenses, more than capable of holding steady…"

"Chen Zhuguo's battle record is illustrious, his combat power unmatched; any of them going would be a very safe choice, enough to handle the Yubi situation."

Sitting beside them, Yuwen Ze blinked, a gleam of eager anticipation flashing in his eyes, his fingertips subtly gripping his robe's hem, and he thought to himself: "If A Xiong goes to aid Yubi, then I could go to Yubi as well!"

"I've only heard of Yubi's fierce battles and its solid defenses, never seen them myself; this is a perfect chance to accompany and gain experience!"

His face remained composed, but his eyes could not hide the yearning for the place that once saved Great Zhou's destiny.

Everyone voiced their opinions, assuming the aid would come from either Wei or Chen, but after listening, Yuwen Hu raised his hand, pressed it, and said calmly: "Well, Yubi City's walls and deep moats are naturally easy to defend and hard to attack. The defending commander Yang Langhui is a defensive specialist, and the city still has five thousand troops, enough to meet the show of force from the thirty‑thousand Qi army. There's no need to mobilize such a large force!"

He turned the Jade Ring on his fingertip more leisurely, then chuckled lightly and retorted: "Besides, why use a cattle‑slaughtering knife to kill a chicken?"

When those words were spoken, everyone seemed enlightened; Yuwen Heng was the first to nod, agreeing wholeheartedly: "Indeed! We've overthought this!"

He turned his head to look at Chen Yan, then at Yuwen Hu, his face full of admiration, and said: "Whether it's a battlefield veteran like Chen Zhuguo, or a defensive stalwart like Wei Zhuguo, both are pillars of Great Zhou…"

"Sending them to face that Qi army, which may not even dare a full assault, is indeed a waste of great talent!"

Yu Tinggui, rubbing his round belly, kept agreeing: "Grand Preceptor is right!"

"Yang Langhui's city‑defending skill is unquestionable; with him, Yubi will certainly be safe!"

Gao Bing also nodded in agreement, his gaze turning to Yuwen Hu on the main seat, curiosity in his eyes, and he asked with cupped hands: "Grand Preceptor, you have thought this through thoroughly; then, whom do you favor to go aid?"