Chapter 1466: Deduction

"In reply to Your Majesty, this is the result of careful deliberation. Our army's tactics have long since centered on frontal infantry formations; cavalry is only used to screen the flanks and pursue routed enemies. An infantry brigade does not need to be assigned too many cavalry. Considering the specific conditions in Japan, one battalion of cavalry is sufficient." Zhao Song hurriedly explained to him. "Furthermore, according to our understanding, although Japan has horses, they are all small, inferior breeds wholly unsuited for battle formations. Numbers mean nothing in that regard. Our army's warhorses are all select stock. With the infantry formations holding the advantage, a single battalion of our cavalry will be enough to sweep them away like a gale scattering fallen leaves. Moreover, on this expedition of ten thousand li, horses are extremely delicate and consume a great deal. If we bring too many horses, the pressure on our logistics will instead become excessive and hinder our army's progress."

"That consideration is sound." The Emperor nodded, approving the military opinions of Zhao Song and the others, then raised a question of his own. "However, since this brigade has been reinforced so heavily, why is it only bringing a logistics regiment of two thousand men?"

"This expedition must be as lean as possible, to avoid creating difficulties for maritime transport that would in turn affect our combat operations. Therefore, our thinking is to avoid bringing any non-essential manpower." Zhao Song voiced the opinion they had considered. "The logistics regiment is composed of handpicked men with many years of experience. Their efficiency can compensate for the shortage of hands. Of course, there will still be some manpower gaps. We anticipate that by means of hiring, we can employ some Japanese laborers to serve our purposes."

"Hire laborers?" The Emperor's interest was piqued.

"Yes, Your Majesty, we can hire Japanese laborers." Zhao Song answered with great confidence. "Japanese laborers have always been treated as worthless weeds by the shogunate and the samurai. They hold little loyalty toward Japan and suffer bitterly under exploitation. Your servant believes that as long as we are willing to pay to hire them, there will certainly be many who accept our employment and bear some of the logistics burdens for our army."

"That also makes sense. However... pay them a bit more generously. Do not swindle those Japanese. We must make manifest the good faith of the Great Han! After all, we are not there to sweep through and leave; we intend to stay for the long term." The Emperor pondered for a moment, then issued his directive. "Do not be afraid to pay more. In any case, this money will ultimately be charged to the Japanese account! Remember, also avoid disturbing the common people too much. Their peasants have been bled dry by their lords for centuries; there is no more fat to squeeze. Wasting time on them is a waste. We must seek a quick, decisive battle with the shogunate!"

"Your servant understands!" Zhao Song bowed deeply. "Your servant will certainly act according to Your Majesty's instructions: not disturb the common people, and force the shogunate into a decisive battle with our army at the earliest opportunity, winning victory in a single stroke."

"I will have the navy prepare the logistics work. Transporting this unit requires a fleet, and this fleet also needs to be allocated by the navy." The Emperor continued. "I will give word to the navy personnel. They will cooperate with you. Whatever you need, they will provide without delay. Otherwise, we shall hold them accountable!"

"Grateful for His Majesty's grace!" Zhao Song was overjoyed upon hearing this. "In this campaign, the navy's cooperation is also extremely critical. As long as we have the navy's close coordination, your servant is confident we can swiftly conclude this war!"

"Then, as for how to fight it, do you have a plan?" The Emperor looked at Zhao Song again. "How do you intend to advance the troops and force the shogunate into a decisive battle with our army?"

Zhao Song hesitated for a moment, then exchanged glances with his staff advisors.

"In reply to Your Majesty, we currently have two preliminary draft plans. We request Your Majesty to make the decision and select one for use!"

"Two? Interesting." The Emperor smiled slightly. "Let's hear them both."

Zhao Song turned to look at the several staff advisors, then signaled them to bring out the draft plans they had carried in.

These men dared not be remiss and each took out some papers from their document cases. These draft plans, already stained and smudged with ink, were the crystallization of their painstaking efforts over the past few days.

The Emperor waved his hand, and immediately an aide-de-camp standing nearby stepped forward, producing a slender wooden pointer. The Emperor took the pointer, then handed it to Zhao Song.

"Just demonstrate it for me on the map. Verbal explanations are rather dull."

Although Zhao Song had seen others present battle plans before the Emperor in this room many times, when the Emperor handed the baton to him this time, he still could not suppress the surge of excitement in his heart — just like those who had been given this opportunity before him.

He finally understood how those people had felt.

To stand before the Emperor, as the commander of the coming great army, and demonstrate a meticulously prepared battle plan — what kind of glory was this, after all!

He took a deep breath, then bowed slightly as he received the baton. His hand trembled faintly, as if this slender wooden stick weighed a thousand jun.

Then, holding this thin wooden pointer, he slowly traced it across the map, finally resting it upon the place marked with the name Shenyang.

"For this expedition, since it is a long-distance campaign with a weary army, it is inadvisable to mobilize on a large scale. And since it is predetermined to deploy only one brigade, it is best to draw elite troops from various regions. Therefore, this time your servant earnestly requests to draw one regiment from the brigade your servant previously commanded, assembling and setting out from Shenyang..."

Next, his pointer slowly moved downward, finally stopping on Jinzhou. "Then assemble at Jinzhou and embark directly there!"

Then, the pointer slowly moved further down, tracing across the Liaodong Peninsula, then slowly crossing the narrow Bohai Sea, finally landing on another protruding peninsula.

"Some of the troops assembled this time are drawn from the southwest. Therefore, to save marching time, they need not go to Liaodong to assemble. We believe they can assemble in Dengzhou, then set out together with the regiment from Liaodong and rendezvous at sea."

"Assembling via two routes? Not bad." The Emperor did not deliberate long before approving their opinion, then added his own input. "However, since they are assembling and embarking separately at two locations, the coordination work must be done well. You and the navy must coordinate properly."

He shifted his gaze back to the map. "Then, once assembled, what do you do?"

"Your servants believe that before attacking Japan, we should find a new assembly point for our army, where we can reorganize weapons and men, then strike out in one fell swoop!" Under the Emperor's watchful gaze, the slender wooden pointer continued to move slightly across the map, shifting from the peninsula to the sea, then tracing a path southeastward, moving to a new peninsula, and finally stopping at a port at the southernmost tip of this peninsula. "After much discussion, your servants have decided to set the transit port as Goryeo's Busan!"

"Busan? Why this arrangement?" The Emperor neither approved nor disapproved, merely asking with a furrowed brow.

"This was decided because Busan is Goryeo's largest port. Its port facilities and carrying capacity surpass other ports, allowing our officers and soldiers to make final assembly preparations in the most convenient manner, and also enabling our supplies to be delivered in the fastest way. Additionally, Busan Port is a key stronghold the Goryeo people have managed for many years, making rear-area support from them somewhat easier."

After a brief pause, Zhao Song continued his explanation. "Furthermore, Busan Port is also the port closest to Japan. It faces Japan's Kyushu Island across the sea, and the maritime distance is extremely short. Therefore, if we assemble in Busan, when we launch operations against Japan, we can strike Japan with the greatest speed and invade Kyushu."

As he spoke, he demonstrated on the map, using the slender wooden pointer to cross the short strait from the southernmost tip of Goryeo, finally resting on Kyushu Island at the southernmost end of the Japanese archipelago.

"On Kyushu Island there is a port called Nagasaki. This is Japan's most important trading port and also an exceptionally fine harbor. As long as we can occupy that island, we can follow the momentum to directly seize Nagasaki Port, then use Nagasaki Port to transport military supplies and troops. In this way, we can obtain a base for the continued conquest of Japan, facilitating our army's next phase of operations."

The Emperor had been listening to Zhao Song's explanation the entire time, his mind constantly working in thought.

Zhao Song's plan was not particularly novel in concept, but it was indeed the most stable and direct. And he also believed that, holding the advantage in national and military strength, seeking the fastest and most convenient route was indeed a very normal line of thinking.

However, there was one more matter that needed consideration.

"Busan is so close to Japan. If our army assembles in large numbers, they could easily discover it, couldn't they? If they discover it, they would easily become alert, which would not be very advantageous for our army."

"Just as Your Majesty says, Busan is truly too close to Kyushu. If our army assembles there, it would be easy for the Japanese to detect, causing some trouble for our army." Zhao Song nodded, indicating he agreed with the Emperor's view. "Therefore, when considering this plan, we also considered the issue of secrecy. We wish for the navy to cooperate by disguising the transport of troops and supplies as merchant ships, in order to conceal our army's movements..."

"Disguising them as merchant ships is probably insufficient. Busan Port suddenly having so many extra ships, and so many warships at that, it would be hard to guarantee no one becomes suspicious." The Emperor raised another doubt. "Besides, with so many people coming and going in the port, they all have eyes. What can't they see coming and going? Secrecy isn't that simple."

"Your Majesty is right. Your servant thought too simplistically!" Zhao Song felt a flush of heat on his face, slightly embarrassed. "Your servant will discuss it with them next and see what methods can more reliably preserve secrecy."

"No need to force it too much. Is there anything in this world that can be kept absolutely secret? So many people have eyes; you can't hide everything from all of them. You have already done well and been diligent enough." The Emperor did not pursue them on the matter. "I do not demand absolute secrecy. If you can manage a bit of concealment, that will suffice. For our dynasty's great army to strike Japan, must we still rely on secrecy and sneak attacks? Wouldn't that be a joke!"

The Emperor's reassurance put Zhao Song's heart at ease as well.