Chapter 982

You don't need to say thanks; just keep it in your heart.

Guo Shuhan smiled and patted Wang Yu's shoulder: "To save your life, I almost worked myself bald, and I even threw away this old face, using every trick I had."

"Don't think it's easy for Marquis Zhenyuan to personally lead troops here; although he truly appreciates you, you should know the situation in Nanyue Jun is very complex, and Marquis Zhenyuan has no intention of moving troops north at this moment."

"The Marquis was originally sitting tight at the fishing platform, but he changed his tactics for you—damn, you little brat will have something to brag about for the rest of your life; stop acting like you're dead or alive."

"I know your Loyalty and Righteousness, but the Marquis also has a sentence for you: your loyalty should be to the common people of the world, to the land and its masses, not to this court that's rotten to the bone."

"Even if you, Wang Ningyuan, shed blood three feet and slit your throat on the city wall, no one in the court will see you as loyal and brave; they'll only think you're an idiot."

Wang Yu stared, then after a long while silently nodded: "I want to see Marquis Zhenyuan."

Qin Lao immediately raised his hand: "Please, this old man will personally escort you two out of the city right away; the Marquis is just outside."

Wang Yu offered no further resistance, said nothing more, and silently followed Qin Lao.

Guo Shuhan finally let out a complete sigh of relief.

He glanced at the little sister standing silently in the corner, her expression flat: "Little sister, stop watching and get to work."

Guo Wanhe gave a faint smile and nodded: "Go on your way with peace of mind, elder brother!"

Guo Shuhan's face darkened: "You really respect your elder brother!"

Guo Wanhe smiled sweetly.

……

Outside the Liu Min Ji, camps spread out in patches; the whole camp looked from afar as large as two or three Liu Min Ji, cavalry crisscrossed between south and north of the city, forming a nearly impenetrable patrol net.

Yet no one noticed that, in this seemingly normal encampment, Chen Wuji's cavalry was being reduced in an orderly manner.

In the Zhongjun Camp, Chen Wuji stared at the map, his fingers lightly tapping the table absentmindedly.

"Kong Fang, how confident are you in this plan?" Chen Wuji suddenly asked.

Kong Fang, who had been standing at the entrance of the Big Tent, full of anticipation gazing into the distance, suddenly startled, then hurried over as if seeing a ghost: "My lord, you just asked…… how many…… chances of victory?"

"Yes!" Chen Wuji raised his head: "How come? You didn't estimate it?"

Kong Fang froze, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"No, the troops are already deployed, and you're only asking now about the chances of victory?!"

In an instant, Kong Fang felt numb all over!

"My lord, I roughly estimate we have about a seventy to eighty percent chance." Kong Fang said anxiously.

Chen Wuji chuckled: "Don't be nervous about nothing; just say what you estimated—why stammer? Don't you have confidence in your own plan?"

Kong Fang immediately shook his head: "My lord, that's not it; mainly because you're asking this now, I feel guilty and suddenly have no confidence."

"You think I'm asking too late? Then prepare a backup just in case." Chen Wuji said: "The bandits around Liu Min Ji can be eased a bit; we'll focus on Lingshouzhou and join in the fun."

"Yes!"

After Chen Wuji finished speaking, his gaze returned to the map, intently examining inch by inch the terrain and geography of the entire Nanyue Jun.

He brought a full 13,000 cavalry; although he indeed came for Wang Yu and Guo Shuhan, it's impossible to focus all his attention on just those two.

It's just to pick up a person; there's no need to mobilize such a large cavalry force.

What truly interests Chen Wuji is Lingshouzhou north of Liu Min Ji and this north-south shortcut; such a massive force will mainly be used for these two places.

Clear the way, and by the way add some obstacles for the Snake Staff Elder.

If it were purely to deal with Liu Min Ji, just bringing the Jīnwèi yíng would be more than enough.

13,000 cavalry could flatten this place completely.

"Strange, why didn't the Snake Staff Elder leave any rear guard in An Sai Zhou and Feng Xian Zhou?" Chen Wuji muttered: "Is it because Guo Shuhan and Wang Yu didn't notice, or did the Snake Staff Elder deliberately bypass them? If so, why?"

"My lord, I'll add a word!" Kong Fang, who had been pondering nearby, said softly.

"The Snake Staff Elder is like a dog marking territory with urine, leaving traces all over Nanyue Jun; how could he possibly let An Sai and Feng Xian Zhou off? In my humble opinion, they simply didn't notice."

"That Snake Staff Elder didn't even let a place like Liu Min Ji go!"

Chen Li said: "Family Head, I also lean toward this view."

"What does Third Uncle say?" Chen Wuji turned and asked.

Lord Lu San Ye wasn't in the Camp Tent, but his voice drifted in lightly: "If the Marquis isn't at ease, why not let me send someone to have a look? Besides, the eldest son has just returned, idle as he is, let him bring a few kids along for the trip."

"No need!" Chen Wuji said: "For now I shouldn't directly interfere in those two places; let the three sides of the Court play first, and we'll settle accounts after they've had their fun."

"But, my lord, our main army has already gone deep into An Sai Zhou..." Kong Fang said wistfully.

The main army is already in; bringing this up now, isn't it a bit late?

He now suspects that last night the master might have caroused too much with his ladies, wrecking his health; otherwise why does he keep saying such strange things?

"It's different; we're currently herding sheep, and the army's next focus is on relocation and grain collection, not chasing after those bandits in Guiling Xian relentlessly." Chen Wuji said.

Chen Wuji suddenly leaned over and marked on the map the forces of the three sides of the Court Army.

"According to the intelligence we currently have, the main forces of Cao Lin and the Wise King, the two sides openly displayed by the Court Army, are concentrated in Yan Zhou and Lingshouzhou; plus there's an unknown Uyghur group whose allegiance we can't discern, which is a major variable."

"Our main army is marching north to An Sai Zhou, forcing the rear guards left by the Snake Staff Elder to gravitate toward Yan Zhou; if we can successfully occupy Lingshouzhou, what will happen next?"

Chen Wuji seemed to be asking the crowd, but more like asking himself.

Nanyue Jun, only one-third the area of Nan Jun, can now be said to have fighting everywhere, troops everywhere; Chen Wuji's mind is really getting shaken up.

Even though this issue has been discussed many times before, it remains unclear.

The Snake Staff Elder occasionally gives him a little surprise, popping up troops somewhere.

Although like Liu Min Ji they might be only two or three thousand, the more places there are, the more troublesome it is—not because Chen Wuji is careless.