Chapter 1390: News of Duan Liuqing! [1]

Everyone in the hall turned their eyes to Liu Bai Tu, who was now in charge of intelligence.

After opening the small notebook, Liu Bai Tu began to slowly recount the measures taken by the Luoyang court from last winter to the present.

"The Luoyang court has now conferred the title of General of the Left on the former Chancellor of Langya State, Liu Bei, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Linxiang."

Liu Bai Tu said slowly: "Liu Bei has successively brought the thirty thousand Qingzhou troops of Langya State to Luoyang. Now the thirty thousand-strong army is stationed in Xinan, Hangu, Luhu, and Pingyin."

"General of the Left Liu Bei personally leads twenty thousand troops stationed at Hangu Pass; his younger brother Guan Yu commands fifty thousand troops and has been enfeoffed as Marquis of Hanshou Pavilion, stationed at Yinping; his younger brother Zhang Fei commands fifty thousand troops and has been enfeoffed as Marquis of Duku Pavilion, stationed at Luhu Pass."

"General of the Left Liu Bei, following the methods of Zhu Jun and Huangfu Song last year, has built a large number of bed-mounted crossbows at Xinan and Hangu Pass for defense, and has also repaired the pass walls and gates."

"In addition, the Luoyang court has recruited three thousand Wuhuan cavalry, led by the Administrator of Youbeiping and White Horse Captain Gongsun Zan, totaling six thousand cavalry from Youzhou, who are now stationed west of Luoyang."

"The Administrator of Henei Commandery and Cavalry Commandant Sima Fang has gathered the Henei troops and is stationed at Ji Pass."

"After the grain transported from Jizhou last year was burned, the court has again levied grain from Jizhou."

"The former Minister of the Imperial Household Yuan Ji has been enfeoffed as the Regional Inspector of Jizhou, and after collecting several million *shi* of grain from Jizhou and transporting it to Luoyang again, the court, upon receiving this, enfeoffed him as General of the Front."

"In addition, the Regional Inspector of Xuzhou, Tao Qian, sent ten thousand Danyang soldiers to be stationed in Luoyang to serve as the Northern Army, and after supporting Luoyang with grain, he was enfeoffed as the Regional Inspector of Xuzhou."

"The Regional Inspector of Yuzhou, Kong Zhou, the Regional Inspector of Yanzhou, Liu Dai, and others have also transferred troops from various places to Luoyang."

"Now the total number of troops in Luoyang exceeds six hundred thousand."

Good guy.

Duan Yu exclaimed "good guy" upon hearing the series of arrangements in Luoyang.

This battle formation sounded like the lords attacking Dong in history.

But the momentum was much greater than when the lords attacked Dong.

Six hundred thousand troops, and all of them were defending the eight passes of Luoyang.

This was clearly an iron turtle.

To directly bite through this iron turtle, one would probably have to break a mouthful of teeth.

If there were a battle, he wouldn't put these six hundred thousand troops in his eyes.

But these six hundred thousand troops were all used to defend Luoyang.

Duan Yu's fingers tapped lightly on the table in front of him.

Could it be that Luoyang was preparing to defend like this forever?

"Has there been no news from the Luoyang court about an intention to take the initiative to attack?" Duan Yu asked, looking at Liu Bai Tu.

Liu Bai Tu shook his head: "No."

"The Dong clan has released Huangfu Song and Zhang Wen, who were detained in prison, and appointed Zhang Wen as General of Chariots and Cavalry and Huangfu Song as General of the Right. Both of them submitted a memorial saying that the Liangzhou cavalry's field combat capability is strong, and the winning rate in field encounters is less than one in ten, so they should try to avoid field combat with the Liangzhou army and focus on defense."

"Zhang Wen also said that although the Liangzhou army seems strong, the territory it occupies is not vast. The Great Han has twelve provinces; if they recuperate, even if they just wear them down, they can empty out Liangzhou."

Duan Yu: "..."

If there were no system, what Zhang Wen and Huangfu Song said would really be quite right.

With the bitter cold of Liangzhou, it was unrealistic to want to raise a large army for a long time; they could only rely on expanding outward.

But Luoyang and the whole world didn't know he had a cheat, so wearing him down like this was obviously impossible.

And even if Luoyang didn't take the initiative to attack, was he just going to keep wearing down with Luoyang like this?

Obviously impossible.

"Gongda, how is the battle plan you discussed?"

Duan Yu looked at Xun You below the hall.

Among the four strategists—Jia Xu, Li Ru, Xun You, and Cheng Yu—if it came to strategy, Xun You was undoubtedly the master strategist among them.

"Lord." Xun You bowed and replied: "Given our current situation, even if we gather all our strength to attack the eight passes of Luoyang, it would be laborious and thankless."

"The Luoyang court has gathered six hundred thousand troops to defend the eight passes. Our army's main force, the Liangzhou army, is about seventy thousand, plus the army under Yang Feng, which is thirty thousand, totaling one hundred thousand, while Luoyang has six hundred thousand."

"Whether attacking or besieging, our army does not have the advantage; instead, it would increase the burden of consuming grain."

"Therefore, after discussion, we have decided to focus our strategy on Bingzhou and Hanzhong Commandery."

Duan Yu nodded and said to Zhao Yun beside him: "Zilong, bring the sand table up."

"Yes."

Zhao Yun agreed and asked the personal guards guarding outside the hall to take the sand table.

In a while, a huge rectangular sand table over three meters long was moved into the hall.

Duan Yu stood up and came to the front of the sand table.

Xun You, Jia Xu, Li Ru, and Cheng Yu also came to the sides of the sand table.

Xun You held a wooden stick and began to deduce on the sand table.

"Our army currently borders Taiyuan Commandery in Bingzhou and Hanzhong in Yizhou."

"Although the Regional Inspector of Bingzhou, Zhang Yang, has deployed heavy troops in Taiyuan Commandery, Taiyuan Commandery is vast and has no dangerous terrain to defend. Plus, it is the place where the Lord started, so we only need to send one army, and we will definitely break Taiyuan."

"Once Taiyuan Commandery is broken, the gateway to Bingzhou will be wide open and indefensible. And Bingzhou is connected to Jizhou and Youzhou. Since Luoyang cannot be broken for the time being, why not turn our eyes to Hebei, Youzhou, and Jizhou?"

Duan Yu looked at the terrain on the sand table.

"Gongda means to first occupy Bingzhou, Youzhou, and Jizhou?" Duan Yu asked, looking at Xun You.

Xun You nodded: "Yes, Lord."

"Since Luoyang wants to wear us down, we will first cut off Luoyang's reinforcements."

Xun You said with sharp eyes: "In the four provinces of Hebei, as long as we take Bingzhou and Youzhou, Jizhou and Qingzhou will be flat and have no dangerous terrain to defend. The Liangzhou cavalry can gallop across the world, and stepping on Jizhou will be as easy as reaching into a bag."

"And as long as we cut off the four provinces of Hebei, we can cross the Yellow River and sweep south, unstoppable."

"Zhang Wen, Huangfu Song, and others say that the twelve provinces of the world are enough to wear down Liangzhou. Since that's the case, let's first cut off the four provinces of Hebei, and then catch the turtle in the jar."

"Compared to attacking the eight passes of Luoyang, this method is to take victory first and then take the fruit."

"If we attack the eight passes of Luoyang with all our strength, even if it is possible to break through, as long as Luoyang is in danger of falling, the Luoyang court can easily transfer and leave Luoyang."

"But if this method is implemented, Luoyang will be unable to move."

"If the Lord sends troops to attack the eight passes of Luoyang while attacking Bingzhou, Youzhou, or Jizhou, the Luoyang court will be unable to look after both ends."

"With such order, Luoyang will be unable to attend to both ends at once; as long as Luoyang remains inactive, it can only watch as the four provinces of Hebei are slowly devoured by you, my lord."

"Of course, this method might be very slow, but it is steady." ===== CHAPTER 1392 =====