"You were the one who led the troops to attack Yanjing last time. What do you think our chances are of taking Yanjing again?"
As Cai You spoke, his eyes were fixed on Guo Yaoshi's face, trying to discern something from his expression.
"This is a matter of great importance, how can a subordinate dare to comment?"
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Guo Yaoshi quickly knelt down again.
If he claimed to have no grievances about the previous failure, it would be a lie. However, he understood in his heart that Liu Yanqing was the favored general of Tong Guan.
Although all the decisions Liu Yanqing made were proven wrong in hindsight, who could guarantee that Tong Guan did not have a hand in these matters?
He was merely a surrendered general. If he were to speak recklessly here, he might inadvertently touch upon Tong Guan's sensitive points, bringing disaster upon himself.
"Then I want to hear your opinion today."
Tong Guan spoke as he frowned and looked at Guo Yaoshi.
"Your subordinate..."
Guo Yaoshi became even more nervous. Cold sweat was already beading on his forehead and trickling down.
"Hahahaha, alright, sit down and talk first. To be frank, the two of us plan to set aside Liu Yanqing and establish a new army. We will start anew and relaunch the campaign to recover Yanjing."
Just as Guo Yaoshi was at his most tense, Cai You suddenly burst into laughter again.
"Start anew?"
Guo Yaoshi looked at them both with some confusion.
"That's right. We are currently looking for a reliable general for this grand campaign!"
As Tong Guan spoke, he slowly poured himself a cup of wine.
"Gulp—thump—"
Hearing this, Guo Yaoshi was truly moved.
Although the Song army had suffered two consecutive major defeats, if they concentrated their strength and left the superior forces under his command, it seemed not entirely impossible to fight a battle.
Should he speak or not?
Guo Yaoshi hesitated...
However, after a moment of hesitation, he made up his mind again.
Fortune favors the bold!
He was a surrendered general himself, and coupled with the Song Dynasty's emphasis on civil over military affairs, if he couldn't achieve any decent military achievements, the best outcome for his life would likely be to die of old age at the border.
"If I appoint you as the main general, what will you need to capture Yanjing? Be it grain, military supplies, soldiers, horses, or generals, whatever you need, I will provide. What are your chances of success?"
Just as Guo Yaoshi was considering how to speak, Tong Guan suddenly said again.
This...
After hearing his words, Guo Yaoshi became incredibly excited.
His own Ever-Victorious Army was already an anomaly in the Liao kingdom, and he had personally led troops to suppress the Disgruntled Army. Therefore, he was naturally ostracized within the Liao army.
Now that he had surrendered to the Song, his treatment was naturally even worse.
Putting aside whether Yanjing could be captured, if he could take this opportunity to strengthen the fighting power of his soldiers, it seemed like a good choice!
However, the thought of attacking Yanjing again made his head ache.
After their previous victory, they only needed to hold the city for one day and one night, and Yanjing would have been theirs.
But that scoundrel Liu Yanqing insisted on conducting a purge within the city.
He condoned the soldiers' looting and pillaging in Yanjing, while simultaneously carrying out large-scale massacres of Khitans and Xi people within the city. Ultimately, before their reinforcements arrived, they were driven out of the city again.
With the lessons learned from last time, taking Yanjing again would truly be a hard-fought battle!
"Lord Privy Councilor, Scholar, in fact, if the subordinates had led the troops last time, there would have been an eighty percent chance of taking Yanjing, but now..."
"What about now?"
Tong Guan and Cai You were not three-year-old children and were not interested in hindsight. They asked in unison.
"Now, I'm afraid it's only thirty percent..."
"Thirty percent?"
After hearing his words, the expressions of Tong Guan and Cai You became grim.
Even if they gambled everything, they only had a thirty percent chance of victory?
"What are the difficulties?"
After a moment of contemplation, Cai You asked again.
"The defenders of Yanjing are mostly Khitans and Xi people. The previous incident has made it difficult for them to trust us again. Many of those who opened the city gates before were also killed by General Liu..."
Glancing furtively at Cai You, Guo Yaoshi secretly delivered another blow to Liu Yanqing.
"Damn Liu Yanqing, you've ruined the great cause of our dynasty!"
With the conversation having reached this point, Cai You naturally believed Guo Yaoshi's words implicitly and immediately began to resent Liu Yanqing.
"Never mind, let's not talk about that. Let's drink, drink!"
Seeing Cai You's furious expression, Tong Guan could only awkwardly raise his wine cup.
After all, Liu Yanqing was his man. Even if this fellow deserved to die, he could not act at a time when morale was so unstable.
With only a thirty percent chance of success, Cai You and Tong Guan were back to square one.
At this moment, neither of them had any appetite for drinking!
The awkward atmosphere also affected Guo Yaoshi. After only a few drinks, Guo Yaoshi found an excuse and took his leave.
"What do you think?"
After Guo Yaoshi left, Tong Guan looked at Cai You again.
"Yanjing must be taken. At least the prefectures before the mountains, we must gain more than half of them, otherwise, I fear both of us will perish without a burial place!"
After draining his wine cup, Cai You said through gritted teeth.
"But, as you saw, their... "
Tong Guan said, gesturing towards the dispirited soldiers outside.
The imperial guards in Hebei had been neglected for a long time, and coupled with their two consecutive defeats, sending them to attack Yanjing now would be no different from asking them to hang themselves with a rope!
"Otherwise, should we find someone to mediate with the Jin people again?"
After a moment of hesitation, Cai You said again.
"Ma Kuo?"
As soon as mediation was mentioned, Tong Guan immediately thought of Ma Kuo.
At this time, it seemed only he could achieve this.
"What about Bianliang then?"
The mediator was found, but new problems arose. If someone was to be sent to negotiate, Tong Guan's identity as the Pacification Commissioner was not sufficient.
After all, such a major affair required the deliberation of the imperial court!
"What if the Jin people bring it up first?"
"Would the Jin people agree? I'm afraid they wouldn't agree to this proposal!"
To have the Jin people proactively offer to help the Song fight a war, Cai You found the idea almost unbelievable.
"That seems a bit unlikely..."
Seeing Cai You's gaze as if he were looking at an idiot, Tong Guan shut his mouth sheepishly.
However, his suggestion seemed to have given Cai You an inspiration.
Their influence in the imperial court was indeed insufficient to push this proposal through the court's deliberation, but what if the emperor wished for it?