Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 646 Reactions from all parties
"We are willing to serve the king!" The officials shouted in unison, their voices full of firmness and determination.

In the following days, the King of Baekje and his civil and military officials began a series of actions. The old ministers, along with a few confidants, quietly left the camp and went to the territories of other forces, trying to contact them to fight against Goguryeo. The military general was responsible for strengthening the defense of the southern border. He personally led the soldiers to build fortifications, set up defense lines, and patrol day and night, not daring to slack off.

In Goguryeo, the rumors secretly spread by Baekje began to take effect. Some rumors about the Goguryeo king being incompetent and cruel to the people spread quickly among the people, causing dissatisfaction and panic among the people. When the Goguryeo king learned about it, he was furious. On the one hand, he ordered a strict investigation of the source of the rumors, and on the other hand, he had to devote his energy to appeasing the people, which made the situation in Goguryeo turbulent.

At the same time, the king of Baekje did not forget to build up the army. He personally went to various military camps to boost the morale of the soldiers, telling them about the history and glory of Baekje, and inspiring their patriotism and fighting spirit. Under his encouragement, the soldiers trained harder, and new soldiers responded to the recruitment and joined the Baekje army.

However, Jia Changsheng's army did not give Baekje much breathing space. They continued to expand their power on Baekje's land, and from time to time launched small-scale attacks on Baekje's southern region to test Baekje's strength. Although the Baekje army fought hard, due to the disparity in strength, they could only passively take the beating, which made the Baekje king and his officials feel extremely anxious and angry.

At a military meeting, the King of Baekje said to all the generals with a serious face: "Jia Changsheng's army is pressing forward step by step. We must come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible. We can't just sit there and wait for death!"

A general suggested: "Your Majesty, we can adopt guerrilla tactics and take advantage of the complex terrain in the southern region to harass and attack Jia Changsheng's army and make them restless. At the same time, we can look for opportunities to raid their supply lines and weaken their combat effectiveness."

The King of Baekje pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, "This plan is feasible. But it requires our soldiers to have superb mobility and combat skills. You must strengthen training to ensure the smooth implementation of the tactics."

"Yes, my king!" The generals took the order and began to prepare for the implementation of guerrilla tactics.

As time goes by, the situation between Baekje, Goguryeo and Jia Changsheng becomes more complicated and delicate. The King of Baekje knows that in order to survive in this chaotic world and realize the dream of restoring the country, he and his officials still have a long way to go, and many difficult decisions and challenges are waiting for them.

In the magnificent palace of Goguryeo, the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed suffocating. The King of Goguryeo sat high on the throne carved with dragons and phoenixes, wearing a gorgeous but slightly heavy robe. His face was stern, his eyes revealed deep worry and uneasiness, and he stared at the spy kneeling on the ground below.

The spy's voice trembled slightly. "Your Majesty, there have been unusual movements in the country. Recently, there have been constant rumors among the people, most of which are doubts and dissatisfaction with you, Your Majesty. Moreover, I have discovered that several forces seem to be secretly colluding. Their intentions are unclear, but I am afraid that it will be detrimental to Your Majesty's rule!"

The Goguryeo king's brows were tightly knitted into the shape of a "川" character. He was silent for a long time, then waved his hand and said, "I understand. You can leave first. Continue to monitor closely and report any situation immediately."

After the spy withdrew, the King of Goguryeo fell into deep thought. At this moment, his heart was like a raging storm. He knew that at this time of internal troubles, the external situation was even more severe and suffocating. Jia Changsheng's rise was like a dark cloud, covering the entire region, and the disaster of Baekje was like a heavy alarm bell, ringing in his ears.

At this time, a general hurried into the palace, saluted and said anxiously: "Your Majesty, the King of Baekje is now accusing us of not sending troops to help them, which has led to their desperate situation. His words are very fierce, and everyone in the country is also very angry with us!"

The King of Goguryeo snorted coldly: "He is good at shirking responsibility and putting the blame for the defeat on us. Doesn't he know that I have my own difficulties?"

The general raised his head slightly, with a puzzled look on his face: "Your Majesty, how should we respond to Baekje's accusations? After all, we have an alliance agreement with them before."

The King of Goguryeo stood up and slowly walked to the military map in the hall. He stared at the map representing the forces of all parties. After a long while, he spoke: "Now Jia Changsheng's power is growing day by day. The strength of his army and the depth of his strategy are far beyond our imagination. The reason why I did not send troops to help Baekje is not because I am treacherous, but in this chaotic world, I have to protect the foundation of Goguryeo first."

The general nodded slightly, but still a little worried: "Your Majesty is right, but if Baekje holds a grudge against us and joins forces with Jia Changsheng to deal with us, what should we do?"

A trace of worry flashed in the eyes of the Goguryeo king: "This is what I am worried about. But judging from the current situation, Baekje has just suffered a heavy blow and is seriously injured. They are unable to take care of themselves and will not unite with Jia Changsheng in the short term. Moreover, their hatred for Jia Changsheng is even deeper. It is not easy to get them to put aside their hatred and cooperate with Jia Changsheng immediately."

"Then your Majesty, how should we deal with Jia Changsheng next?" asked the general.

The King of Goguryeo was silent for a moment, then pointed to several cities on the map that bordered Goguryeo and Jia Changsheng's forces and said, "Strengthen the defense of these border cities, send more troops, and stockpile food and weapons. Jia Changsheng's ambition is obvious, and his next target may very well be our Goguryeo. We must prepare in advance."

The general took the order and left, and the palace fell into silence again. The King of Goguryeo sat back on the throne, but his worries were not reduced at all. He knew that Jia Changsheng's strength was not only due to his military strength, but also his strategy and leadership. Jia Changsheng's army had won many battles on the battlefield, which had frightened the surrounding countries. The unrest in Goguryeo made him feel powerless when facing this powerful enemy. "Come on, call the counselor Lord Li to the palace." The King of Goguryeo shouted loudly.

After a while, Lord Li hurried over, bowed, and asked, "Your Majesty, why did you call me here?"

The King of Goguryeo said solemnly: "Lord Li, Jia Changsheng is now powerful, and we Goguryeo are facing internal and external troubles. Do you have any good plan to protect the safety of Goguryeo?"

Lord Li pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I think our top priority is to stabilize the domestic situation. Those who spread rumors should be severely punished to serve as a warning to others. At the same time, we should appease the people and reduce their tax burden so that they can feel your kindness and stabilize the domestic situation. Militarily, in addition to strengthening border defense, we also need to strengthen intelligence gathering and gain an in-depth understanding of Jia Changsheng's military deployment, strategic intentions, and troop movements so that we can make countermeasures in advance."

The King of Goguryeo nodded slightly: "Lord Li is right. In your opinion, is it possible for us to unite with other countries to fight against Jia Changsheng?"

Lord Li frowned slightly: "Your Majesty, the surrounding countries are now also wary of Jia Changsheng, but most of them are taking a wait-and-see attitude. If we want to unite, we need to find a common interest point and make them believe that it is profitable to join forces with us to fight against Jia Changsheng. However, this is not an easy task, and you, Your Majesty, need to weigh the pros and cons and consider it carefully."

The King of Goguryeo rubbed his temple and said with a tired face: "I understand. You can leave first, continue to pay attention to the domestic and international situation, and report any situation to me in time."

After Lord Li withdrew from the palace, the King of Goguryeo sat alone in the empty palace, feeling helpless and confused. He knew that the future of Goguryeo was full of uncertainty, and Jia Changsheng's threat was like a sword hanging over his head, which could fall at any time. As the king of Goguryeo, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of defending the country and the people, but in the face of this complex situation, he felt unprecedented pressure and powerlessness. But he knew that he must not give up, and must find a glimmer of hope in this predicament, even if there was only a glimmer of hope, he must do his best for the future of Goguryeo.

In Jia Changsheng's spacious and simply decorated military tent, the atmosphere was solemn and depressing. A huge military map was spread on the ground, clearly marking the mountains and rivers, the distribution of cities and the deployment of troops in Baekje, Goguryeo and the surrounding areas. Jia Changsheng was wearing black armor, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, his hands were behind his back, and he stared at the map deeply, without saying a word for a long time.

His generals and advisers stood on both sides, with equally serious expressions, their eyes revealing their nervousness and anticipation for the upcoming major decision.

After a long time, Jia Changsheng finally broke the silence. His voice was low but firm and powerful: "Everyone, now we have achieved a phased victory. The capital of Baekje is under our control, but there are still remnants in the south who are resisting stubbornly. Although Goguryeo has not directly confronted us on a large scale before, it has always been a major obstacle to our unification. Today, we have gathered everyone to discuss the next strategic direction. Should we first concentrate our forces to attack the southern part of Baekje and completely eliminate the remnants of Baekje, or take advantage of the momentum to directly attack Goguryeo? Everyone speaks freely and expresses their own opinions."

A burly, bearded general was the first to step forward. This man was Zhao Yong, a fierce general under Jia Changsheng. He clasped his hands together, saluted to Jia Changsheng, and said in a loud voice: "General, I think our top priority should be to take over the southern part of Baekje. Although Baekje has suffered heavy losses, there are still a certain number of troops gathered in the southern part of Baekje. If they are not completely eliminated, they may come back at any time and become a hidden danger to our rear. Moreover, we are more familiar with the terrain and situation of Baekje. It is relatively easier to take over the southern part, which can further consolidate our rule in Baekje."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, but did not express his opinion immediately. Instead, he looked at the counselor Li Feng standing beside him. Li Feng stroked his beard and said after thinking for a moment, "General Zhao has some truth in what he said, but in the long run, the threat of Goguryeo cannot be underestimated. Although there are some changes in Goguryeo, their strength cannot be underestimated. If we attack the southern part of Baekje first, Goguryeo is likely to attack us from behind when we are fighting with the remnants of Baekje, or unite with the remnants of Baekje to attack us from both sides. At that time, we will be in a dilemma."

Li Feng's words caused a murmur among the crowd, while Jia Changsheng fell into deeper thought. At this time, another general, Wang Meng, stood up and said, "General, I think we can first send an elite force to the north of Baijin to harass and contain it so that it has no time to take care of other things. Then, we will concentrate our main force to launch a surprise attack on Goguryeo and catch them off guard. After dealing with Goguryeo, we can turn around and deal with the remaining troops in the north of Baijin, so that we can kill two birds with one stone."

Jia Changsheng's eyes flashed with admiration: "General Wang Meng's idea is quite bold, but it also has certain risks. If we divide our troops and act in a divided way, if we are not careful, it may lead to fighting on two fronts, and our forces will be dispersed, and we will be defeated one by one by the enemy."

Everyone was talking at once, the discussion was very heated, and various strategies and ideas kept emerging. Jia Changsheng listened quietly, and gradually formed a rough balance in his mind.

"Everyone, your suggestions have their merits, but we also need to consider our own strength and resource conditions." Jia Changsheng finally spoke again, "At present, although our troops have suffered some losses in the previous battles, they still have strong combat effectiveness after replenishment and rest. However, the reserves of supplies are not very abundant. If we want to launch a large-scale war against the Baekjin area and Goguryeo at the same time, the logistics supply may face greater pressure."

Advisor Sun Wen continued, "General, from the intelligence point of view, although the troops in the Baekjin area are numerous, their morale is low and there are some contradictions and disagreements among them. Goguryeo has strengthened its defenses in the border areas and is obviously prepared for us. If we attack Goguryeo, we may encounter a more stubborn resistance and pay a greater price."

Jia Changsheng frowned slightly: "In this case, whether it is attacking the Baijin area or Goguryeo, it is not easy. We must find the best time and entry point to exchange the greatest victory for the smallest cost."

After some intense discussions and weighing, Jia Changsheng finally made a decision: "We will first concentrate our forces to launch a tentative attack on the Baekjin area to find out their details and strength. At the same time, we will send a large number of spies deep into Goguryeo territory to closely monitor their every move and collect more intelligence. In the process of attacking the Baekjin area, we must remain vigilant to prevent sudden attacks from Goguryeo. Once we discover any unusual movements from Goguryeo, we will immediately adjust our strategy and be prepared to respond."

(End of this chapter)