"Report!"
"Your Excellency, the Jin cavalry of thirty thousand has begun to retreat!"
Upon hearing this news, the deputy generals in Zhe Kucun's tent immediately became excited.
Originally, they were still worried about whether the plan Zhe Kucun had devised for them would work.
After all, to anyone, this plan was extremely risky, especially when their own forces were inferior to the enemy's, and they were to split their troops again!
If the enemy were to seize an opportunity, they might indeed end up backfiring!
Judging by the hasty retreat of the Jin forces, they understood that Zhe Kucun's tactics had taken effect.
"General, we should act now! This waiting is too long. My old bones are creaking with every movement!"
"Yes, General, strike while the iron is hot! Isn't this the perfect time for us to move?"
"Alright, enough nonsense. Tell the brothers to raise the banners. Since they are preparing to retreat, we will pursue them! Send out cavalry scouts to keep a close watch on them, and under no circumstances let these soldiers escape our sight!"
"Understood!"
With his order, Zhe Kucun's troops immediately began to move.
If Wanyan Loushi were in his camp at this moment, he would soon discover that his forces numbered not just over twenty thousand.
From the beginning, his subordinate forces numbered only five thousand men!
And the remaining fifteen thousand men, upon their departure, had already traveled directly, day and night, towards Shiling Pass!
It was laughable that Wanyan Loushi had already fallen into the trap but had remained with a spectator's mindset...
By the time he discovered Zhe Kucun's reappearance, and that he was not far behind him, Wanyan Loushi was so enraged that his teeth ached.
It had to be said that stopping him now and continuing to entangle with Zhe Kucun made him feel uneasy.
The events at Shiling Pass proved that another Song army existed on the Taiyuan battlefield, and their numbers were unknown, but their combat effectiveness was considerable!
As for Wanyan Yinshu Ke, he was undoubtedly brave, but when it came to meticulous planning, he was far from adequate.
Wanyan Loushi was now very worried that the emergence of this fresh force might affect the overall situation of the Taiyuan campaign!
If Wanyan Yinshu Ke were to accidentally be pushed into the city by the enemy, their siege efforts over this period would have been in vain!
"Send a message, and speed up your return to Taiyuan. I don't believe Zhe Kucun would dare to follow!"
After shamefully withdrawing from Yuci once again, Wanyan Loushi finally made a decisive move.
While Zhe Kucun and his men were in a stalemate, the power struggle in Bianliang City became even more bizarre!
Yao Pingzhong's plan to raid the enemy camp was initially viewed by Li Gang as mere opportunism!
It was less about fighting and more about gambling, in his opinion!
However, even Yao Pingzhong himself did not expect that the timing of his plan would be so critical.
Even Li Ruoshui, who had recommended him, did not expect Li Gang to be so firm on military matters.
As things developed, Li Gang, by virtue of his position as the young Grand Secretary of the Tokyo Governor's Office, had almost sidelined Zhang Bangchang, the Grand Secretary, and Sun Fu, the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs!
Zhang Bangchang himself, though furious, could do nothing about Li Gang due to the circumstances.
Now, with the appearance of Yao Pingzhong, both Zhang Bangchang and Sun Fu felt a surge of spirit from the bottom of their hearts!
They were indeed not good at fighting, but Yao Pingzhong was, after all, a veteran general and came from a reputable family. If he could successfully carry out a surprise attack, wouldn't it be an opportunity for him to replace Li Gang?
Under such a absurd backdrop, with the strong support of Zhang Bangchang and Sun Fu, a plan that anyone would consider extremely risky was actually approved!
"My lord, are you alright?"
Hearing that the Emperor had approved Yao Pingzhong's plan, Li Gang's hair had turned white overnight. Seeing that he looked like he had aged ten years, Han Shizhong was filled with concern.
"It's you, Liangchen! I've been so busy lately that I feel a bit disoriented. Please bear with me!"
Li Gang spoke as he exhaled a long breath.
He understood Han Shizhong's intentions, but at this moment, the Emperor's decree had been issued, and it was too late for him, a subject, to object.
Since he could not change it, he could only accept the reality with resignation. At this moment, he could only hope that Yao Pingzhong would return safely!
"My lord, at this point, you must pull yourself together. The millions of soldiers and civilians in Bianliang City are all counting on you!"
"Alright, at my age, what is there that I cannot see through? It's you, however, I've kept you here this time. You won't resent me, will you?"
"My lord, you jest. Of course, I understand that you are doing this for my own good!"
"It's good that you understand my good intentions. If something were to happen to Yao Pingzhong, you would be the first to bear the brunt of the attack on the city walls!"
After pouring him a cup of tea, Li Gang said earnestly.
"My lord, rest assured, as long as I am here, I will never let the Jin soldiers set foot on the city walls!"
"Good, that's heartening to hear. These are the matters you reported earlier. I have added my annotations and proposed solutions. I find your methods feasible, so proceed as you intended!"
"Understood!"
Upon hearing Li Gang's words, Han Shizhong quickly accepted the memorial he had submitted with both hands.
And while he was meeting with Li Gang, Yao Pingzhong was directly summoned to the imperial palace.
After Zhao Huan personally instructed him on the battle formation, he was allowed to return to assemble his troops.
Even though it was late at night, both Yao Pingzhong and his men were full of energy.
The men he brought were all elites from the Western Army. The vast majority of them had been held back after following Zhao Zhen south to quell the rebellion.
After experiencing the initial fear of the Jin forces, they now felt eager to fight!
"I won't waste any more words. His Majesty has ordered that anyone who captures the enemy chieftain alive will be promoted three ranks. If any of you are not brave enough, you can withdraw from the ranks now! Just don't regret it later when you see others feasting."