Chapter 548

Lu Ping'an's reply this time came very quickly.

Chen Wuji and Chen Luozihao drank heavily; on the second day, when they woke up at three sun-high, Chen Li reported that the government office had sent people, saying that Lu Ping'an's envoy had come to the government office to request an audience.

After Chen Wuji washed up and had a meal in the army, he then rushed to the government office.

Shen Chai had been waiting in the front hall; upon seeing Chen Wuji arrive, she hurriedly went out to greet him.

"Shen Chai greets General Chen; my commander sent a fast horse with the letter, agreeing to all of General Chen's conditions, and the supplies are now on the way."

Upon meeting, she immediately blurted out everything she wanted to say.

"Lu Jinglve is surprisingly generous and swift this time, saying so much in his letter?" Chen Wuji asked, "He didn't even mention when to send troops or anything like that."

"Yes, my lord said that if the provisions don't reach Hezhou, General Chen probably won't send troops, so he will lead his forces ahead to Wenkou Town, set up camp there, and await General Chen's arrival." Shen Chai said solemnly.

She is also a woman who learns from setbacks; having suffered losses before, she now hardly adds any of her own ideas when facing Chen Wuji, simply repeating whatever Lu Ping'an says.

Chen Wuji recalled the location of Wenkou Town in his mind, "Didn't your lord even say how many troops I should send? He made such a hasty decision."

"That's indeed not mentioned; my lord didn't write a single word about it in the letter, probably leaving it entirely up to General Chen to decide." Shen Chai replied.

Chen Wuji chuckled lightly, "If I bring two thousand troops, wouldn't your lord suddenly flare up and wipe me out?"

"Well..." Shen Chai lowered her head, hesitating slightly, "If the general goes on campaign, he will surely also aim to take San Guan Jun; if the general has full confidence in these two thousand troops, I think my lord won't say anything."

"As for whether my lord might launch a counterattack against the general, General Chen is probably overthinking. If my lord wanted to attack the general, there would be no need to go to such trouble inviting General Chen out of retirement, nor to station troops at Wenkou Town; moving the main army to beneath Hezhou City would suffice."

Chen Wuji gave a faint smile, "Tell your lord, a force of ten thousand will arrive shortly! Lord Lu Ping'an shows me respect, and I, Chen Wuji, cannot act petty; ten thousand troops are all I can currently muster, so have him prepare the camp according to that standard."

"Yes!"

Shen Chai answered, seeing Chen Wuji had no other orders, she then proposed to retire.

Chen Wuji said jokingly to Chen Luozi beside him: "When this woman first came to Hezhou, she still wanted to bewitch me; now she's suddenly become honest and obedient, making me wonder if she's been replaced."

"How did you mess with this woman?" Chen Luozi said with a strange expression.

"What kind of look is that, you? I only said a sentence; if you keep causing trouble for me, I'll slice her and give her to Lu Ping'an. And you say my thoughts are dirty—look at you, I say this and you actually think it's lewd." Chen Wuji shook his head, speechless.

Some people are simply disrespectful of their elders.

Could the kind of torment he's thinking of make this woman so obedient and honest?

Given Shen Chai's demeanor, if he really tormented her like that, he might have directly struck her heart, and perhaps being overjoyed is the truth.

"Without doubt, issue orders to the generals, hold a council!" Chen Wuji waved his right hand and shouted loudly.

Understood!

At the Wei hour, the generals gathered in the side hall of the Government Office.

Chen Wuji sat in the main seat, looking at those around him, and suddenly a heroic spirit arose in his heart.

Only now, with this scale, does it finally look like we're actually doing something serious.

On his left side sat the Council Army and Think Tank led by Chen Luozi: specifically, the judge Chen Luozi, the strategist Chang Jingxuan, and the secretary Yuan Dingcheng.

On his right side sat the commanders led by Chen Wu Yin, with Qian Fugui, Qian Yong, Wu Bu Yong, Chen Lang, and Chen Yuan seated thereafter.

"You've been summoned urgently for some days now, but I haven't yet made clear what we're to do; today we'll lay out the purpose plainly." Chen Wuji said.

"Lu Ping'an invited me to send troops to attack San Guan Jun, and I've agreed to that, but our target isn't San Guan Jun—it's Lu Ping'an. The specifics of how to fight this battle have already been discussed; look at what's before you—this is the Clever Secret Plan from our Hezhou Civil Official Group. Look first, and raise any questions later."

For this meeting, Chen Wuji came up with a new twist.

Each person had a copy of the Pingnan Commandery Plan before them.

It detailed Qingzhou's troop strength and defenses, as well as the most important Cannon Car Tactic proposed by Qin Feng, Li Run, and others after a brainstorming session.

When discussing this tactic, few people were present; now, seeing this tactic that could be called brutal, even Qian Fugui, a commander who spares no means, had his eyes widen a bit.

"My lord, this tactic……isn't it a bit too dirty?" Qian Fugui asked.

Chen Wuji didn't answer; instead he asked the others, "What about the rest of you? What's your opinion?"

Chang Jingxuan lowered the document in his hand, crossed his arms over his lower abdomen, and said to Qian Fugui: "Actually, we civil officials should oppose this tactic a bit; on the contrary, you generals shouldn't think it's problematic, after all you're the ones who truly fight on the battlefield."

"This tactic is indeed vicious, but it can greatly reduce our casualties, even achieving victory without bloodshed, merely by using it to intimidate and subdue Qingzhou."

"I support this tactic; our army needs victory, and we also want the chaotic lords of the Lingnan Six Commanderies to fear us—this tactic is fitting. If there's any downside, it would be damaging the lord's and our army's reputation, but for now that's not a bad thing."

Qian Fugui rubbed the somewhat prickly blue stubble on his chin, "Am I being too conservative?"

"It should be the generals who are being conservative." Chang Jingxuan nodded, like paying respect to the Buddha.

Qian Fugui felt a bit confused; he turned to Chen Bahu beside him and said, "Old Chen, what do you think? Am I really being too conservative? Usually we military men are said to leave no means untried, so how has this been reversed? The civil officials have set such a tactic, and I instead feel uneasy."

"I… am fine." Chen Bahu remained silent for a while before speaking.

Qian Fugui: …

Not getting an answer from Chen Bahu, he lowered his head and studied the tactic for a while, then said, "My lord, this tactic……I have no problem with it."

"I just felt it wasn't quite solid, only thought the tactic wasn't proper, but I couldn't find a suitable way to put it; however, just now Chang… Chang Sir already explained it to me, and I have no problem."

Chen Wuji nodded, "Since no one opposes this tactic, let's discuss how to deploy the troops!"

Qian Fugui instantly sprang to life, "My lord, Siege Warfare isn't for me; I request to go to Wenkou Town and flay Lu Ping'an alive!"

"I have plenty of Cavalry under my command; open battle suits me better!" Chen Bahu said leisurely.