Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Ning Xikong sighed and said slowly: "I heard that Old Madam Chen..." He didn't finish his words, but the meaning was already very clear. When Jiao heard this, tears fell like beads from a broken string, wetting her collar. She tried to calm down, with a tremor in her voice, and asked again: "Then where are my second uncle and his family now?" Xikong's answer was like a bolt from the blue: "Mu Tianze and Mu Tianrun both died on the battlefield, and even Zhou Ding's counselor and Chen Dajing's garrison commander also died." Jiao was stunned when she heard this, and she clutched her collar tightly with both hands. She couldn't believe that Mu Tianbo would make such a decision, and her heart was filled with endless grief and anger.

Jiao remained silent, two lines of tears slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the ground under her feet. The two sons had already eaten up the dry food, completely ignoring their mother's sadness. Mu Zhongxian burped and asked curiously: "I heard from mother that you are a Jinyiwei?" Jiao quickly scolded: "Don't talk nonsense, this is the senior official of the Northern Pacification Division!" Xi Kong smiled and waved his hand and said: "Madam, don't worry, children speak without restraint." He turned to Zhongxian and asked: "Do you know what Jinyiwei does?" Zhongxian blinked and replied: "Yes, I have read novels about Jinyiwei." Xi Kong smiled and asked: "Then do you think Jinyiwei are good or bad people?" Zhongxian answered without hesitation: "They are all bad people!" Jiao almost fainted when she heard this, but she still held back, secretly praying that the innocent words of the child would not annoy the Jinyiwei.

Xi Kong didn't care. He took out a pack of rock sugar wrapped in oil paper from his bag. He opened it and saw that there were more than a dozen crystal clear rock sugar inside. He gave them to two children and asked them, "Is it sweet?" The children answered happily, "Sweet!" Xi Kong nodded and said, "Jinyiwei is like this rock sugar. Only those who have eaten it know how sweet it is. Those who have not eaten it may say that it is useless, bitter, or even poisonous. The same is true for Jinyiwei. If everyone has the opportunity to understand it, everyone will say it is good; but because only Your Majesty can truly master it, there are always people who slander it and misunderstand it." The children seemed to understand the candy, and ran away laughing, leaving Jiao and Xi Kong facing each other silently by the campfire.

It was late at night, and everyone had been through a hard night in the forest. The cold wind howled, making the leaves rustle, as if telling the hardships of the night. Two days later, they finally arrived in Chuxiong. The flags were flying on the top of the city, and the army was on full alert, looking majestic and solemn. After identity verification, they were allowed to enter the city. As soon as they entered the city gate, they heard the children singing a nursery rhyme: "How high is the city gate? Thirty-six feet high! Ride a horse to buy a knife, and enter the city to be stabbed!" Zhongxian heard it and cried, "Mom, I want to go home." Jiao held back her tears and said, "Home is gone..." The two children kept crying, and Jiao felt distressed but had no choice but to hug them tightly and give them a little warmth and comfort.

Suddenly, a shout came from the front: "Shut up! Who is making noise?" Jiao's mother and son looked up and saw that it was Mu Tianbo. Tianbo arrived in Chuxiong one day earlier than them after escaping. He was wearing armor, his face was tired but his eyes were firm. Seeing her relatives, Jiao's emotions collapsed instantly, and she hugged her child and cried bitterly. Tianbo hugged her tightly, and tears welled up in his eyes. The people around were moved by this scene, some cried and some sighed, and the whole scene was filled with sadness and helplessness.

After reminiscing about the past, Tianbo said to Xi Kong gratefully: "I would like to thank Commander Wang for saving my life!" He was about to kneel down to salute. Xi Kong quickly helped him up and said: "You are too kind, it was just a coincidence." His tone was humble and sincere, which made people feel warm. After thanking him, everyone went into the city to have a big meal to celebrate their reunion and escape.

The next morning, the sun shone through the clouds and brought a glimmer of life to the ancient city. Xi Kong was summoned by Tianbo and Yang Weizhi to discuss countermeasures. The situation in Yunnan was critical and they needed to deal with it together. In addition to relying on Xi Kong's intelligence network, he also wanted to use his identity to shirk responsibility. Yu Xipeng, Long Zaitian and others also participated in the discussion. They were all Mu Tianbo's right-hand men.

In the back hall of Chuxiong Yamen, the atmosphere was heavy and tense. Yang Weizhi spoke first: "Last night and this morning, hundreds of deserters came to report that Yunnan Prefecture had fallen. Half of the 7,000 defenders surrendered to the enemy, and the rest died in battle or fled. Ningzhou's Tusi Lu Yongming led his troops to resist but failed. Diao Xun of Jingdong, Wang Yangzu of Li'e and others surrendered to the enemy." These words were like a huge rock pressing on everyone's chest, making them all feel depressed. The entire back hall was silent, and only the sound of each other's breathing and heartbeats could be heard.

Wei Zhi continued, "The deserters also reported that Sha Dingzhou's vanguard troops are approaching us and are expected to arrive at the city tomorrow afternoon. So we have gathered everyone here to discuss countermeasures." After he finished speaking, he sat back in his original seat and the hall suddenly became silent, as if even the air had frozen.

Tianbo coughed to break the silence and said, "I didn't call you here to keep you silent. Let's talk about our opinions." His voice was not loud but it was full of unquestionable majesty. Yu Xipeng stood up and said, "It is not wise to fight hard when we are weak. We should save our strength and retreat to Wuding or go along the Jinsha River into Sichuan to reorganize before counterattacking." His tone was firm but his eyes revealed a hint of helplessness and worry.

When Wei Zhi heard this, he was furious and slammed the table and said, "Giving up land is a capital crime! How many heads do you have to chop off?" His voice echoed throughout the back hall, making everyone feel his anger and determination. Xi Peng argued, "Fighting to the death will only increase casualties! We can't ruin the future of the entire Yunnan for a momentary dispute!" There was a hint of pleading and hope in his tone.

Weizhi retorted: "How do we know we will lose before we even start fighting? We can't be afraid before we even start fighting!" His eyes revealed a firm belief and determination. Xipeng insisted: "The difference in strength between the two sides has already determined the victory or defeat. We can't blindly go to die!" There was a hint of helplessness and sadness in his voice. The whole back hall was filled with the sound of disputes and debates. Everyone was arguing for their own beliefs and positions.

Tianbo saw that the two were arguing and stood up to stop them, saying: "Okay! Stop arguing! Yunnan's troops are not enough to quell the rebellion. We must report to the court immediately and request reinforcements!" His voice resounded throughout the back hall, making everyone feel his majesty and determination. The whole back hall suddenly became silent, and everyone quietly waited for Tianbo's next instruction.

When they heard that Mu Tianbo was going to ask the court for reinforcements, the expressions on everyone's faces were like vivid paintings, each telling a different mood. Yang Weizhi's brows were furrowed, like a mountain about to collapse. His mouth moved slightly, but it seemed to be sealed by some invisible force, and finally he could only sigh helplessly. His eyes revealed something unspeakable, as if he was weighing the pros and cons on both ends of the scale. Everyone knew that although the court defeated the two bandits Li and Zhang in Chengtian Prefecture, the power of those bandits was like wildfire and had not been completely extinguished. The government troops had to pursue them while guarding against counterattacks. The reinforcements that could be sent were probably just a drop in the bucket.

Yu Xipeng's face was calm, like a deep lake, without a ripple. His eyes were deep, as if he had remembered everything silently in his heart, without missing a single detail. There was a barely perceptible smile on the corner of his mouth, as if telling the world that no matter how the wind and rain changed, he could remain calm.

When Tusi Long Zaitian first heard the news, a glimmer of joy flashed across his face, but it soon disappeared like a meteor across the night sky. Instead, there was a deep worry in his eyes, as if he was afraid that the government troops would implement the policy of changing the Tusi to officials after quelling the rebellion. If that happened, his position as Tusi Emperor would be like a candle in the wind, and it would be difficult to continue.

As for Jinyiwei Tongzhi Ning Xikong, he lowered his head, like a silent Buddha statue, oblivious to everything around him. His eyes were empty and deep, as if hiding endless secrets. Fighting was not his duty, and he preferred to immerse himself in his own world and live in harmony with the world.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Mu Tianbo picked up a pen and began to draft the Tangbao. His strokes were like flowing water, and every word revealed a kind of firmness and determination. After writing, he raised his head, his eyes were like torches, and he scanned everyone present. He said in a deep voice: "The arrival of reinforcements may take a few months at the fastest, and half a year at the slowest. But Sha Dingzhou's vanguard troops will soon arrive in Chuxiong. How should we deal with it?"

Yu Xipeng whispered, "In my opinion, we should retreat to Wuding first, and then consider entering Sichuan." Although his voice was small, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. Hearing this, Yang Weizhi sneered, his laughter was like a chill wind, chilling people. He said, "It's easy to go out, but it's hard to come back! Once Duke Mu leaves Yunnan, the Ming army may lose its footing. By then, if we want to come back, I'm afraid even our friends will become enemies."

After hearing this, Mu Tianbo fell into deep thought. His eyes became deep and complex, as if he was weighing the pros and cons. He turned to Yang Weizhi and asked, "Does Deputy Envoy Yang mean that we should defend Chuxiong?" Yang Weizhi shook his head, his eyes revealing a kind of helplessness and determination: "No, Chuxiong City is not easy to defend." When these words came out, everyone was stunned, and their eyes revealed a kind of confusion and puzzlement.

Long Zaitian asked hurriedly, "What do you mean?" His voice was filled with anxiety and expectation. Yang Weizhi explained, "Sha Dingzhou is powerful, and Chuxiong City can hardly resist him. And his main target is Duke Mu, not this city. If Duke Mu leaves, Chuxiong City will naturally be safe." His voice was calm and firm, as if he was telling an unchangeable fact.

After hearing this, everyone was still puzzled, and their eyes revealed a kind of confusion and bewilderment. Yang Weizhi further explained: "Sha Dingzhou wants to replace Duke Mu's position in Yunnan, so he will only chase Duke Mu and will not defend this city. Once Duke Mu leaves, Chuxiong City will have nothing to worry about." His voice revealed a kind of confidence and determination, as if he was pointing out a clear path for them.

Yu Xipeng got angry when he heard this, and his eyes revealed anger and dissatisfaction. He shouted angrily: "Yang Weizhi, you are too bold! You actually want to expel the Duke! This is a serious crime that will punish all nine generations of your clan!" His voice was like thunder, and it hurt everyone's eardrums. Then he turned to Mu Tianbo and asked him to deal with Yang Weizhi according to military law. But everyone hated Yu Xipeng's attitude of engaging in internal strife in the face of a powerful enemy, and their eyes revealed a kind of disdain and indifference.

Mu Tianbo also glared at Yu Xipeng, his eyes revealing a kind of majesty and dissatisfaction. Then he asked Yang Weizhi: "Please continue speaking, Deputy Envoy Yang." His voice was calm and firm, as if telling the world that he was willing to listen to every opinion.

Yang Weizhi paused for a moment, his eyes revealing a thoughtful and determined look. Then he said, "Duke, you should leave the city at noon today and rush to Yongchang overnight." His voice was calm and powerful, as if he was telling an irreversible decision. Mu Tianbo thought for a moment and asked, "Yongchang?" His eyes revealed a kind of doubt and confusion.

Yang Weizhi nodded and said, "Yongchang Prefecture City was a place of expansion in ancient times. The city was built in the second year of Tianbao in the Tang Dynasty and was expanded again during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. It can be said to be one of the most important cities in Yunnan. If Sha Dingzhou wants to attack Yongchang, he must first take Dali to ensure that his retreat will not be cut off. In this way, the more troops Sha Dingzhou will allocate, the longer the front line will be, and the more dangerous his food supply will be." There was a confidence and determination in his voice, as if he was painting a picture of victory for them.

After listening to Yang Weizhi's suggestion, Mu Tianbo fell into deep thought. He lowered his head with a serious look, as if he was weighing the pros and cons of this suggestion. After a while, he raised his head again, looked at Yang Weizhi and asked, "If Sha Dingzhou attacks Chuxiong, will Deputy Envoy Yang surrender?" There was a hint of worry and expectation in his voice.

Yang Weizhi was silent for a while, then raised his head and said with a firm look in his eyes: "I will defend Chuxiong City. Chuxiong City is strong and well-equipped. Sha Dingzhou's target is mainly the Duke rather than this city. Moreover, the food in the city is enough to support us for three months. We can hold on without worries." His voice revealed a kind of determination and confidence, as if telling the world that he was willing to give everything for this city.

Mu Tianbo asked again, "What about three months later?" His eyes revealed a kind of worry and helplessness. Yang Weizhi smiled bitterly and said, "Then we can only leave it to fate." There was a hint of helplessness and sadness in his voice, as if he was telling of an unchangeable fate.

After the discussion, it was already noon. Mu Tianbo ate something in a hurry, and then fled to Yao'an under the escort of Long Zaitian. His figure gradually faded away in the afterglow of the setting sun, like a drifting cloud with nowhere to call home. Yang Weizhi immediately began to arrange the city defense work, and his eyes revealed a kind of firmness and determination, as if telling the world that he was willing to give everything for this city.

By noon the next day, Sha Dingzhou's vanguard troops had already arrived at the city of Chuxiong. They lined up like a forest, menacing the entire city. Suddenly, two cavalrymen rushed out of the formation, ran all the way to the river, and shouted to the tower: "Mu Tianbo is rebelling! General Sha is here to quell the rebellion! Yunnan Prefecture has been captured by us! Mu Tianbo has escaped! You quickly surrender and hand over Mu Tianbo! Otherwise we will attack the city!" Their voices were like thunder, shaking the eardrums of the soldiers on the tower.

Yang Weizhi hid behind the battlements of the city wall and calmly responded, "Where is General Sha?" His voice was calm and powerful, as if telling the world that he was not afraid of these threats. The cavalry replied, "He is in the army. Who are you?" There was a hint of contempt and provocation in their voices.

Yang Weizhi replied, "I am Yang Weizhi, deputy commander of the Yunnan Commandery, and I have something to tell General Sha." His voice revealed a kind of confidence and determination, as if telling the world that he was willing to give everything for peace. The cavalry responded, "We will tell him." Then Yang Weizhi said loudly, "Duke Mu has fled to Yongchang. He said that General Sha is the real traitor. And General Sha said that Duke Mu is a traitor. Now the situation is unclear, so it is not convenient for us to surrender." His voice was like thunder, and it hurt the eardrums of the soldiers under the city. His words revealed a kind of determination and confidence, as if telling the world that he was willing to stick to the end for the truth.

Sha Dingzhou stood in front of the army, with a burly figure and sharp eyes, like a tiger ready to attack, scanning the battle in front. His face was firm, with a cold smile on the corner of his mouth, revealing an unquestionable majesty. Two spies returned on horseback, clasped their fists and reported: "General, Yang Weizhi said that Mu Tianbo has fled to Yongchang, and said that the truth of the rebellion is not clear now, so it is inconvenient to surrender."

When Sha Dingzhou heard this, he frowned slightly, then summoned his subordinates and unfolded the map to examine it carefully. Although the straight-line distance from Chuxiong to Yongchang is less than 500 miles, the mountain road is winding and the actual distance is almost doubled. He stared at the map, thinking about various possibilities in his mind.

"Does the spy in the city have any new information?" Sha Dingzhou put away the map and turned to ask Chen Changming beside him. Changming was thin and had a cunning look in his eyes. He took out a secret letter from his pocket and handed it to him, saying, "The spy sent a message last night, confirming that Mu Tianbo has left Chuxiong and is fleeing towards Yongchang."

Sha Dingzhou looked up at the city wall in the distance, feeling mixed emotions. Although he couldn't see the specific situation in the city, the scene of continuous artillery fire had already emerged in his mind. He imagined the panic and fear in the city, and Mu Tianbo's hasty escape.

"Should we attack the city or take a detour?" Sha Dingzhou thought to himself, "If we attack the city, we will inevitably lose soldiers and generals; if we don't attack, we will have to take a long detour. What should we do?" He hesitated for a moment and finally decided: "To be safe, we should take Chuxiong first, and then slowly plan for Mingcheng. However, this will take a lot of time and effort, and I am afraid that I will not be able to catch up with Mu Tianbo. The Mu family has a very high prestige in Yunnan. As long as Mu Tianbo is still there, I can't sleep peacefully, let alone unify Yunnan."

When Sha Dingzhou was struggling, he suddenly thought of Wan and turned to ask, "Madam, how are the documents to the court being prepared?" Wan, dressed in gorgeous clothes, replied with a smile on her face, "Don't worry, the documents from Governor Wu Zhaoyuan and Grand Secretary Wang Xigun have been sent to Nanjing, saying that Mu Tianbo is plotting a rebellion. We are fighting against him and requesting the court to let us take over Yunnan."

Sha Dingzhou laughed loudly, revealing a kind of pride and arrogance in his laughter: "How come they are so active this time when they usually don't write easily? What trick did you use, Madam?" Wan just smiled without answering, with a mysterious light flashing in her eyes: "This is a secret."

Sha Dingzhou touched his scalp and felt a little itchy, as if something was growing. But he didn't care about these details. In his opinion, those who achieve great things don't pay attention to trivial matters. With the official documents from Wu Zhaoyuan and Wang Xigun, he felt much more at ease. He knew that after seeing these official documents, the court would doubt their authenticity and send people to verify them. By the time they found out the truth, Yunnan had already fallen into his hands.

"The matter of Chuxiong..." Sha Dingzhou made a decision after a moment's hesitation, "Pass the order, bypass Chuxiong and chase Mu Tianbo at full speed!" His voice was firm and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty. Chen Changming was a little worried when he heard it: "Although it is easy to bypass Chuxiong, our food supply will be exposed." Sha Dingzhou sneered, with a cold light flashing in his eyes: "It doesn't matter, we don't rely on the food supply of Yunnan Prefecture for this expedition. Every time we capture a city, we will raise food and grass locally." "Rob?" Changming asked in surprise, revealing a trace of uneasiness in his eyes.

Sha Dingzhou glared at him and said sternly: "What are you robbing? We are government troops, how can we engage in looting? The wealth of Prince Mu's Mansion is enough for us to buy food in central Yunnan." His voice revealed an unquestionable majesty and confidence.

Changming suddenly realized what was going on, and secretly admired Sha Dingzhou's foresight. He whispered, "Sir, you promised to give me 10% of the wealth of Prince Mu's Mansion..." Sha Dingzhou smiled on the surface, but secretly thought in his heart, "After pacifying Yunnan, I will naturally fulfill my promise." He gently patted Changming's shoulder to comfort him, with a cunning light in his eyes.

At Sha Dingzhou's command, the army bypassed Chuxiong and continued to advance. They rushed forward like a raging torrent. Soon after, they arrived outside the city of Chuxiong. In order to distract Mu Tianbo's attention and speed up the pursuit, Sha Dingzhou decided to divide the troops into two groups: one group went north to capture Mouding, Yao'an, Dayao and other places; the other group went northwest and headed straight for Dali.

The army was unstoppable and invincible. In less than two months, many cities in central and eastern Yunnan fell into Sha Dingzhou's hands. The situation in Yunnan was precarious, as if a storm was about to come.

In Yongchang City, Mu Tianbo was anxiously writing an official document. His face was pale, and his eyes revealed a kind of fatigue and anxiety. After writing, he solemnly handed the document to Jiao and instructed: "Madam, please submit this report to the court as soon as possible."

Jiao smiled bitterly and said, "This is the third time I have sent a letter this month, but I have not received a reply yet..." Her voice revealed helplessness and worry. Mu Tianbo frowned, his heart filled with worry and uneasiness: "Does His Majesty really suspect that I am plotting a rebellion?"

Jiao comforted him, "The Jinyiwei are here to testify. They can prove our innocence." Mu Tianbo was delighted when he heard this, as if he saw a glimmer of hope: "Yes! The Jinyiwei are with us. They will definitely be able to clear our grievances." But then he became worried again: "Since your majesty believes that we are innocent, why hasn't the reinforcement arrived yet?"

Jiao looked at the sky in the distance and murmured to herself, "Maybe they are on their way." Her voice revealed a kind of expectation and wish. However, the reality was cruel. The imperial court's reinforcements were slow to arrive, and Sha Dingzhou's rebels were already approaching Yongchang City.

In the Qianqing Palace in the capital, Lin Xiaofeng was tapping his knuckles in deep thought. He kept repeating the names of "Wen Anzhi and Li Dingguo", with a deep light in his eyes. Guo Tianyang was stunned and asked in confusion: "Your Majesty, are you going to send them to Yunnan to quell the rebellion? But Wen Anzhi has no experience in commanding troops, and Li Dingguo is a bandit who surrendered. I'm afraid..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Lin Xiaofeng: "The Yunnan issue cannot be easily resolved by force. It requires both civil and military efforts to be effective." His voice was firm and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty. So he appointed Wen Anzhi as the Governor-General of Yunnan, responsible for government affairs; Li Dingguo as the general, responsible for military affairs; and Sun Kewang as the guerrilla general, assisting Li Dingguo to go to Yunnan to quell the rebellion.

Wen Anzhi was a man of great stature and determination, and was good at governing the people; while Li Dingguo was tall, brave, and good at leading troops in battle. The two had a clear division of labor and cooperated well, and jointly shouldered the responsibility of pacifying Yunnan. Lin Xiaofeng's move was actually a far-sighted one. He knew that the Ming Dynasty was full of internal contradictions at this time, and it was not appropriate to act rashly; and Yunnan was located in a remote area and the situation was complicated, so it was necessary to deal with it with caution.

He chose Wen Anzhi because he was a military commander in the late Southern Ming Dynasty. Although he was defeated in many battles, his perseverance was admirable. Giving him a chance now might allow him to prove himself. At the same time, he also took into account the surrendered generals of Li Dingguo and Sun Kewang, and was worried that they would be excluded and despised in the army. Therefore, he specially arranged Wen Anzhi to mediate the conflict and ensure the unity and stability of the army.

However, when Guo Tianyang conveyed the transfer order to the Ministry of War and asked about the military situation, he was severely reprimanded by Lin Xiaofeng: "How incompetent is the Ministry of War? I have spent a huge amount of money, but I can't even raise 30,000 soldiers?" His voice revealed a kind of anger and dissatisfaction. Guo Tianyang was so scared that he trembled all over and hurriedly obeyed the order in panic.

Finally, under the powerful offensive of 30,000 Ming troops, Sha Dingzhou's rebellion was successfully quelled. This battle not only demonstrated the might of the Ming army, but also proved Lin Xiaofeng's far-sighted and wise decision. However, for Mu Tianbo, this battle meant more. He knew that although he was innocent, he was caught up in the rebellion for various reasons. Now that the rebellion has been quelled, can he clear his grievances and regain the trust of the court? All this is still unknown...

The army arrived at the border of Chongqing Ba County and stopped moving forward. The surrounding mountains were like sleeping dragons, winding and undulating, gently shrouded in mist, and looked mysterious. In the military camp, smoke from cooking rose up, interweaving with the mountain mist in the distance, adding a bit of tranquility to this tense pre-war moment.

Governor Wen Anzhi sat on a stool in the military tent, his face stern, his brows revealing a deep worry. When he was first promoted to governor, he was so happy that he almost overflowed, thinking that this was the great trust of the court in him. However, when he heard that there were bandits and surrendered generals among his companions, his mood instantly sank. These surrendered generals had just returned not long ago, and their combat effectiveness and loyalty were still unknown, especially worried that they would defect in the face of difficulties. The prospects for this march into Yunnan were not optimistic, and Wen Anzhi couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "Your Majesty's move is a promotion on the surface, but it is actually a test of my loyalty and ability!" But at this point, he could only bite the bullet and go ahead.

The generals gathered quickly. They were dressed in armor and had sharp weapons on their waists, looking majestic. However, under this majestic appearance, their hearts were different. Some generals looked solemn, while others looked uneasy. Wen Anzhi forced a smile and said to everyone, "Don't worry, everyone." The generals responded in unison, "We obey the governor's order, don't worry!" Among them, generals such as Li Dingguo had smiles on their faces, but they were actually more uneasy in their hearts. Although the decree said that Wen Anzhi was not directly responsible for the war, he was the governor-general who personally commanded the war, so how could the generals dare to say anything? These surrendered generals were also helpless.

Wen Anzhi first looked at Li Dingguo, his eyes revealing a kind of scrutiny and expectation. He asked: "As the governor, the responsibility of the war is on my shoulders. Do you have any good strategies?" Li Dingguo was recommended by Lin Xiaofeng, and Wen Anzhi wanted to take this opportunity to see his ability.

Li Dingguo stood up. He was tall and handsome. He saluted Wen Anzhi first, then saluted the generals. He smiled and said, "Governor, generals, I had already planned the strategy of using troops before entering Sichuan." His voice was firm and powerful, revealing a kind of confidence and determination.

Wen Anzhi pretended to be surprised and asked, "Oh? I'd like to hear the details." In fact, he already had some admiration for Li Dingguo in his heart, but he still wanted to hear his specific strategies.

Li Dingguo began to talk about his strategy: "I plan to send an envoy into Yunnan first to spread the word that the imperial army is about to arrive, so as to ease Sha Dingzhou's offensive and lift the siege of Yongchang. Then we will divide our forces into two routes, the western route will be used as a bluff, and the eastern route will be the main attack direction. On the western route, we will use a small number of troops to gather on the north bank of the Jinsha River in Yuanmou, pretending to cross the river, so as to tie down the enemy's forces in northern Yunnan. The eastern route will start from our current Ba County, go south to Guizhou, and then enter Yunnan from Guizhou." His strategy took into account the complexity of the battle situation and made full use of the terrain and the enemy's psychology.

After that, Li Dingguo spread out the map, used the dust on the ground to outline the contours of Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, and pointed with his finger to draw the marching route. His movements were skillful and powerful, as if he had practiced them countless times in his mind.

Wen Anzhi asked: "What should we do next?" He wanted to know whether Li Dingguo had any further considerations.

Li Dingguo replied with a smile: "That depends on Sha Dingzhou's movements. Qujing is in the northeast of Yunnan Prefecture City, and Mengzi is his old nest, which is in the southeast of Prefecture City. Although Mengzi and Prefecture City look like a pincer attack, the terrain in Yunnan is rugged and not conducive to the rapid movement of the army, so it is not wise to defend there." He paused, then continued, "If Sha Dingzhou holds on to Prefecture City, I will lead the light cavalry to raid his old nest; if he stays in Mengzi, then we will concentrate our main force to attack Prefecture City." His strategy was both flexible and aggressive, which made Wen Anzhi feel a little more at ease.

"Does anyone else have any opinions?" Wen Anzhi asked again. He wanted to hear the opinions of other generals so that he could make a more comprehensive decision.

At this time, Sun Kewang stood up. He was a burly man with a resolute face, but his eyes revealed a light of unconvinced. He first looked at Li Dingguo with an unconvinced look, then saluted Wen Anzhi and said, "Governor, I have something to say." His voice was loud and powerful, revealing a strong self-confidence.

Wen Anzhi was secretly happy. Seeing the two men at odds, he felt that the risk of these surrendered generals rebelling again was reduced. He pretended to be calm and said, "General Sun, what do you think? Please speak up."

Sun Kewang walked to the map and said, "We have 30,000 soldiers and the rebels have more than 100,000. The disparity in strength is huge. We should not divide our troops before we know the enemy situation. Moreover, the road in Guizhou is more difficult to travel than in Yunnan. We should follow the old route of Emperor Taizu's expedition to Yunnan, enter Yunnan from Yongning, attack Wumeng first, and then take Qujing." His strategy seemed more stable and cautious.

Li Dingguo's mouth twitched slightly when he heard this. He did not expect Sun Kewang to attack at this time. But he was prepared and said to Wen Anzhi: "Governor, the strategy of dividing the troops I proposed is just to set up a decoy force of more than a thousand people, which can be carried out by disguising as local people. As for the marching route, although Guizhou is dangerous, the key to our victory is to take the enemy by surprise." His explanation was both reasonable and convincing.

After listening to this, Wen Anzhi nodded, pretended to hesitate for a while, then made up his mind and said: "Let's act according to General Li's strategy. We will definitely encounter many difficulties when we first enter Yunnan. I hope that all units can overcome the difficulties and move forward bravely." His voice was firm and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

When the generals were about to retreat, Wen Anzhi suddenly said, "There is one more thing." His voice suddenly became low and serious, which made everyone excited.

When everyone asked what was going on, Wen Anzhi said, "The Jinyiwei sent a message saying that there are many poisonous mushrooms in Yunnan. Eating them can cause dizziness at the very least, and death at the worst. So I have to issue an order to the entire army that it is strictly forbidden to pick and eat wild mushrooms after entering Yunnan." His words revealed a deep worry and concern.

Gao Wengui, a general from the Tianwei Camp, asked doubtfully: "The mushrooms may be poisonous because they were not cooked. They should not be poisonous if they are cooked, right?" His face was full of confusion and puzzlement.

Wen Anzhi sighed, "Your idea is too dangerous! The toxicity of poisonous mushrooms cannot be eliminated by cooking, and some are even more poisonous. We can't let our soldiers take risks anymore." His voice revealed a deep helplessness and heartache.

Gao Wengui quickly changed his words and said, "Or we can ask the locals to help us identify it." His face was full of apology and fear.

Li Dingguo responded with a smile: "Good idea! But I still want to remind everyone, 'Red umbrella, white pole, lie down on the board together after eating'!" His words revealed a kind of humor and wit, which made everyone laugh.

Everyone laughed after hearing this, and the tense atmosphere was instantly relieved. They knew that no matter how difficult the road ahead was, they would move forward bravely and fight to the end for the peace of the country and the happiness of the people. Then, they dispersed and prepared for the upcoming battle.

It is said that the army that quelled the rebellion set out from Ba County and headed south, like a dragon soaring and a tiger leaping, straight to Zunyi City. In the spring, the sun shone on the soldiers' armor, flashing a dazzling light. They were full of ambition and stepped firmly, as if every step was in the rhythm of victory.

Zunyi City, this ancient city with a long history, has witnessed countless vicissitudes. When the army arrived, the people in the city cast curious and expectant eyes. They knew that the arrival of this army meant that peace and tranquility would hopefully return to this land. (End of this chapter)