Chapter 1666: The Old General is Shocked, Wu Zhao's Big Move

Imperial Study.

"Report!"

"Secretariat Drafter Cui Xinghe has arrived at Vermilion Bird Street!"

"Report!"

"Vanguard General Wang Zhong has arrived at the Imperial Palace gate!"

"Report!"

"Left Wei Guard General Lu Zhen has entered the palace and is currently dashing toward the Imperial Study!"

Wu Zhao's orders were urgent. On the watchtowers within Changancheng, Da Qian soldiers relayed messages via flag signals, which were then passed by the palace guards to Wu Zhao's ears.

Wu Zhao stood in the Imperial Study, her face expressionless.

Although Da Qian had gotten on the right track, and had earned a massive amount of silver by cornering the market on soap, white jade sugar, and schemes against Zhao Guo, filling the national treasury,

the continuous deployment of troops was still somewhat difficult to sustain.

After all, once a war starts, the cost is an astronomical figure.

Especially since this time, Gao Yang wanted to cross the Sudan Great Desert, detour to Crescent Spring, and thoroughly annihilate the Langya Prince and the Zhenyue Prince, causing the Hexi region to change hands.

The supplies that needed to be prepared behind the scenes would be a terrifying figure.

At the same time, to provide cover for Gao Yang, she also needed to send out diversionary forces to shift the Xiongnu's attention, feigning a posture of a main attack!

A heaven-sized price, just for this one great flanking dash.

This determination could not be called anything but immense!

Soon.

Lu Zhen stepped into the Imperial Study.

"Your Majesty, this old subject has arrived!"

"Your Majesty issued such an urgent order, I wonder what has happened?"

Lu Zhen had a loud voice and an impatient temperament. As soon as he stepped into the palace, he hurriedly asked Wu Zhao out of curiosity.

"Old General Lu, the people haven't all arrived yet. I must trouble Old General Lu to wait a while longer."

Wu Zhao spoke up.

Seeing this, Lu Zhen retreated to the side.

But his eyes were full of confusion. Clearly, Da Qian had already won a great victory, so why did Wu Zhao still have such an expression on her face?

Lu Zhen was somewhat baffled.

Almost no time passed.

Zhao Ponu and Qin Zhenguo also arrived at the Imperial Study.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

The two bowed in unison.

Then, Wang Zhong arrived as well.

When Cui Xinghe stepped into the Imperial Study, his heart skipped a beat.

Looking around, almost all the prominent figures of the Da Qian military, except for Duke of the State Gao Tianlong, had come.

Thinking of Wu Zhao's orders, this made Cui Xinghe feel increasingly uneasy.

He stood behind Wang Zhong and began to watch the developments quietly.

"Alright, everyone is here."

"Wan'er, close the door!"

Wu Zhao looked at the group of old generals and spoke to Shangguan Wan.

"Yes!"

Shangguan Wan stepped forward and closed the Imperial Study doors.

This behavior made Lu Zhen and the other old generals look at each other, with many shocking guesses surging in their hearts.

"Your Majesty, this old subject dares to ask, Your Majesty has urgently summoned us, what important matter is there?"

Sweat seeped from Wang Zhong's forehead.

He looked at Wu Zhao with an earnest gaze, speaking quite urgently.

Wu Zhao did not know of Wang Zhong's predicament; she swept a glance over the generals and spoke directly.

"Everyone present here is a pillar of my Da Qian, so I will get straight to the point."

"Today, Prime Minister Gao sent someone to deliver a secret letter to me. The content of the letter is very simple—Prime Minister Gao has decided to pull a 'returning horse spear' maneuver, thoroughly pierce through the Hexi Corridor, slaughter the Langya Prince and the Zhenyue Prince, and from then on, incorporate Hexi into the territory of my Da Qian!"

"I have decided to fight this battle!"

Boom!

These two short sentences were like a gale sweeping through fallen leaves, with an extremely violent momentum, sweeping through the entire Imperial Study, shocking the old generals into a daze.

"Slaughter... pull a 'returning horse spear' maneuver?"

Wang Zhong swallowed a mouthful of saliva, almost losing his composure!

Lu Zhen and the others were also all stunned.

They did not expect that Gao Yang, having achieved such results, still did not intend to stop; his ambition was actually this great!

But wasn't this kid Gao Yang afraid of death?

Why did he still want to take the initiative to attack?

And this move was crazier than any of them; in front of Gao Yang's move, they felt as timid as new recruits.

"Your Majesty, is there definitely no problem with this letter?" Lu Zhen asked.

"Why?"

Wu Zhao frowned.

"This subject has no other meaning, it's just that hearing these words from Prime Minister Gao, this old subject finds it quite unbelievable." Lu Zhen explained.

The generals behind him also echoed this sentiment.

Gao Yang was a notoriously vicious strategist, focused on self-preservation; when did he become so brave?

This made the old generals find it unbelievable.

Wu Zhao stood with her hands behind her back, looking satisfied. "If even you esteemed ministers find it unbelievable, then the Xiongnu will never expect Prime Minister Gao to pull a 'returning horse spear' maneuver, and that Helian Cha will be even less prepared!"

"For this battle, my confidence has grown a bit more."

The generals: "..."

They looked at each other; although they wanted to refute, they felt that what Wu Zhao said made a lot of sense.

After his shock, Lu Zhen couldn't help but say with excitement, "Since Your Majesty has decided to fight, this old subject will naturally serve as the vanguard to strike hard at those Xiongnu!"

"But I wonder, for this battle, how does Prime Minister Gao intend to fight, and how does Your Majesty intend to fight?"

Most of the Da Qian military generals were of the pro-war faction; even if there were a few pro-peace ones, Wu Zhao had not summoned them to the Imperial Study.

This matter is top secret; the military officers who have come are all people Wu Zhao intends to use for this battle!

In this matter, she would not tolerate a single word leaking out.

Wu Zhao's phoenix eyes flashed, and she spoke directly.

"I have decided to launch the army in four directions, with Prime Minister Gao as the main force, and three armies as support, acting as diversionary forces to pin down the main Xiongnu force!"

"Where is Right Wei Guard General Qin Zhenguo?"

"Where is the Protector Duke?"

Qin Zhenguo and Zhao Ponu hurriedly stepped forward.

"This general is here!"

Wu Zhao said, "You two lead six thousand elites, exit Nanjun, enter the Xuanshui River bend, make the momentum as large as possible, and pin down the Xiongnu Right Worthy Prince!"

"This subject obeys!"

"Where is Vanguard General Wang Zhong?"

Wang Zhong looked excited.

"You lead five thousand elite infantry, wait for Prime Minister Gao's military orders, exit Shanglin County, and similarly make a great show of force!" ===== CHAPTER 1668 =====