Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 663 Attacking Pingyang City

A group of Goguryeo cavalrymen galloped towards the dense forest. The sound of horse hooves was like drum beats, hitting everyone's heart hard. Wang Meng's heart tightened, and he shouted in a low voice: "Hide!" Everyone quickly hid in the dense grass and deep in the woods, not daring to breathe.

The cavalry searched in the dense forest, and the sound of horse hooves was getting closer and closer. One soldier was so nervous that he accidentally made a noise. The sound of branches breaking was particularly harsh in the silent dense forest. The cavalry captain immediately became alert and led the team to run towards the sound. Wang Meng held his breath, clenched the dagger in his hand, and his heartbeat roared in his ears. His eyes were determined, ready to fight to the death.

At the critical moment, a hare jumped out from the bushes nearby, like a gray lightning. The sudden appearance of the hare attracted the attention of the cavalry. The cavalry captain cursed and led the team to chase in the direction of the hare's escape. The sound of horse hooves gradually faded away, and Wang Meng and others breathed a sigh of relief. They waited until the cavalry was far away before coming out of their hiding place. Everyone looked at each other, and their eyes flashed with relief for surviving the disaster.

Wang Meng led his team to rush back to the camp day and night. He went straight to Jia Changsheng's tent. It was already dark, but the tent was brightly lit.

"General, I, General Wang Meng, am back!" Wang Meng knelt on one knee, his voice full of fatigue and excitement. His voice was a little hoarse from the days of running around and the intense tasks, but he could not hide his excitement.

Jia Changsheng stood up quickly: "Get up quickly, what's the situation?" There was anxiety in his eyes. The information about Pingyang City was like a key that determined the success or failure of the next strategy.

Wang Meng stood up and reported in detail: "General, the wall of Pingyang City is about two feet high, with four gates, each gate is heavily guarded, and there are heavy iron gates at the gates. There is a watchtower every fifty steps on the wall, and each watchtower is equipped with five to six soldiers. There are about four thousand troops in the city, stationed in the barracks and various key strongholds in the city."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, signaling him to continue. His eyes were focused, not missing any details, and he began to build a defense map of Pingyang City in his mind.

"As for food and grass, according to the people in the city, the food and grass reserves are sufficient to support more than half a year. However, the city has recently forced the conscription of able-bodied men, and the people are complaining, and the morale of the soldiers is not high. In addition, the garrison commander of Pingyang City is the veteran Goguryeo general Park Sung-jun. Although he has rich combat experience, he is suspicious by nature and treats his subordinates harshly." Wang Meng continued. Every word was like a chess piece, falling on the chessboard in Jia Changsheng's mind.

"What about the surrounding terrain?" Jia Changsheng asked. Terrain is an important factor in war, and it is related to the strategy of attack and defense.

"The terrain around Pingyang City is relatively flat, which is not conducive to the concealed approach of a large force. However, there is a dry river in the northwest of the city, which can accommodate some troops to hide. In addition, there is a forest in the south of the city, about half a mile away from the city wall, which can be used as a cover during the siege." Wang Meng said as he unfolded the city defense map he had drawn. Every mark on the map condensed their hard work and dangerous exploration.

Jia Changsheng looked at the map carefully, pondered for a moment and asked, "Are there any people in the city who can be used?" Human hearts are the most complex yet most critical factor in war. An insider in the city may be the key to breaking the city.

A gleam of light flashed in Wang Meng's eyes: "Marshal, many people in the city are dissatisfied with the rule of Goguryeo. We have secretly contacted several of them, and they are willing to provide us with help at the critical moment." This news was like a ray of light in the darkness, adding hope to the siege plan.

At this time, Chen Batian couldn't help but interrupt: "Marshal, according to this intelligence, although Pingyang City is well defended, it is not impeccable. The soldiers' morale is low and the people are resentful. These are all opportunities for us." Chen Batian's voice was heroic and full of fighting passion.

Counselor Li Yichen stroked his beard and said, "Yes, we can take advantage of the people's dissatisfaction with Park Sung-jun, spread rumors, and disrupt the morale of the army in the city. At the same time, we can use the dry river and the woods south of the city to launch an unexpected attack." Li Yichen's words were full of wisdom, and every strategy was well thought out.

Jia Changsheng listened to everyone's speeches, his eyes becoming more determined: "Okay, this intelligence is crucial. Wang Meng, you have made a great contribution this time. Next, we will formulate a detailed siege plan based on this intelligence, and we must take Pingyang City in one fell swoop!" His voice was full of determination, and the atmosphere in the entire tent became heated because of his words.

Inside the tent, everyone began to discuss the siege strategy enthusiastically based on the intelligence brought back by Wang Meng. Under the candlelight, determined faces and passionate voices were heard one after another. A major battle against Pingyang City was being prepared in full swing.

The main hall of the Goguryeo Palace was magnificent with carved beams and painted buildings, but at this moment, this magnificent palace was shrouded in a layer of gloom. Goguryeo King Li Youhe sat high on the dragon throne, his face was stern, his eyes were deep and worried. He was wearing a gorgeous royal robe and a crown on his head, but he could not hide the fatigue and anxiety between his brows.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps was heard outside the hall, breaking the oppressive silence inside. A messenger, looking panicked, rushed into the hall, tumbling to his knees, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, something bad has happened!" He held up an urgent military report in both hands, his body trembling slightly with fear and tension.

Li Youhe sat up straight suddenly, his eyes instantly sharp as an eagle, and he said sternly: "Why are you so panicked? Tell me quickly!"

The herald took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and reported loudly: "Jia Changsheng's army is like a group of tigers and wolves. They have conquered our Jinsan City and Fenglin City. Now they are stationed in Pingyang City, eyeing us covetously. The battle on the front line is extremely urgent!"

This statement was like a bombshell, instantly causing an uproar in the hall. When the civil and military officials in the court heard the news, they were immediately in an uproar. Some officials opened their mouths in astonishment, their faces full of disbelief; some frowned, looked solemn, and whispered to their colleagues beside them; others showed fear on their faces, their bodies trembling slightly.

"Silence!" Li Youhe shouted angrily, his voice echoing in the hall with unquestionable majesty. The hall instantly became quiet, leaving only the nervous and rapid breathing of the crowd.

Li Youhe slowly swept his eyes over the ministers and said solemnly: "My dear ministers, the enemy is now coming with great force and Goguryeo is in danger. Do you have any good strategies to deal with it?" His voice was low and hoarse, and it sounded particularly heavy in the silent hall.

As soon as he finished speaking, General Park Sung-wu stepped forward. He was a burly man, wearing heavy armor, with a sharp sword hanging from his waist, and the gems inlaid on the scabbard flashing coldly. He clasped his hands together, knelt on one knee, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I think we cannot retreat at this time, and we should face the enemy with a tough attitude. Although Jia Changsheng has captured two cities in a row, our Goguryeo soldiers are not cowards. We should immediately gather the national forces to fight him!" His voice was powerful and full of passion and determination for battle.

"What the general said is very true." Minister of War Jin Zaixi quickly agreed. He was wearing official uniform and a black gauze hat, and his eyes were firm: "I have a strong city and brave soldiers. How can I be afraid of the enemy? We can gather a large number of troops in Pingyang City and use the city's strategic terrain to repel the enemy in one fell swoop, so that they can never return!"

Park Sung-moo went on to say, "Your Majesty, I am willing to personally lead the army and lead the elite troops to Pyeongyang City to engage in a desperate battle with the enemy. As long as we work together, we will be able to defend the territory of Goguryeo!" He raised his head and looked at Lee Woo-hyuk firmly, with a burning fighting spirit in his eyes.

Li Youhe nodded slightly, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, and he slowly said: "The general's loyalty is commendable, but the strength of Jia Changsheng's army should not be underestimated. We must not act rashly." At this time, the always calm Prime Minister Li Mingzhe stood up. He was over sixty years old, with white hair, but his eyes were still sharp, revealing wisdom and calmness. He was dressed in a gorgeous prime minister's official uniform, slowly walked forward a few steps, bowed, and looked worried: "Your Majesty, I think it is not appropriate to start a war at this time. Jia Changsheng's army is in high spirits and has won consecutive victories. The momentum is unstoppable. If we rashly fight with them, we may suffer greater losses."

"Why do you say that, Prime Minister? Do you want us to surrender without a fight?" Park Sung-woo retorted angrily. He stood up suddenly, his eyes wide open, looking straight at Li Mingzhe, his face full of dissatisfaction and anger.

Li Mingzhe waved his hand quickly and said, "General, calm down. This is not what I meant. I think we should send an envoy to negotiate with Jia Changsheng first, understand their intentions, and try to resolve the dispute peacefully."

"Humph, negotiation?" Park Sung-wu sneered disdainfully, his mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a hint of contempt: "The enemy has already reached our doorstep, wouldn't it be a sign of weakness to negotiate peace now? It will only make them more arrogant!"

Li Mingzhe frowned and said solemnly: "General, the situation is not favorable to us now. If we can buy some time through negotiations, we can take the opportunity to strengthen domestic defense and reorganize our armaments. Moreover, a peaceful resolution of the dispute can also prevent the people from suffering from the war."

Li Youhe fell into deep thought, leaning on the dragon chair, his eyes revealing a trace of confusion and entanglement. His eyes moved back and forth between Park Sung-moo and Lee Myung-chul, as if he was weighing two completely different opinions.

While everyone was arguing, the young counselor Zhao Yuxuan stepped out from among the ministers. He was dressed in a white robe, had a handsome face, and his eyes were full of intelligence and alertness. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan that may help us out."

Li Youhe's eyes lit up, he sat up straight, and said anxiously, "Oh? My dear, please tell me quickly."

Zhao Yuxuan cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, we can take advantage of the weakness of Jia Changsheng's army's long battle line and send out a small group of elite troops to attack their food supply lines. Food is the lifeblood of the army. Once their supply lines are cut off, the morale of the army will inevitably be in chaos, and their combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced."

"Although this plan is brilliant, the enemy will certainly strengthen the protection of the supply line. Can our sneak attack succeed?" A minister questioned. He frowned slightly, his eyes full of worry.

Zhao Yuxuan smiled and said confidently: "We can select soldiers who are familiar with the terrain, form a commando team, and sneak through the mountain paths when the enemy is unprepared. In addition, we can create some illusions to distract the enemy's attention and increase the chances of a successful sneak attack."

After hearing this, Park Sung-woo nodded slightly and said, "This plan is feasible. If we can successfully cut off the enemy's food supplies, it will definitely be a big blow to them."

At this time, Zheng Chenghao, the Minister of Revenue in charge of logistics, stood up with a worried look on his face. He was slightly fat, dressed in official uniform, and his face was full of worry. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, even if we do not take the initiative to attack and defend the city, the current domestic food and grass reserves are not optimistic. The continuous wars have consumed a lot of supplies. If the war continues, I am afraid that our food and grass will be difficult to sustain."

Li Youhe's face changed, he sat up straight, and asked sternly: "Why is this happening? Didn't you say that there were sufficient food reserves?"

Zheng Chenghao said helplessly: "Your Majesty, the reserves were indeed sufficient, but natural disasters have occurred frequently in various places recently, and the grain harvest has dropped sharply. In addition, the war on the front line is tense, and the food and grass are consumed too quickly, so..."

Li Mingzhe listened and said, "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to find ways to save food and grass on the one hand, and to organize the people to resume production as soon as possible on the other hand. At the same time, we should buy food and grass from neighboring friendly countries to solve the urgent problem."

Li Youhe sighed and said, "That's all we can do. Mr. Zheng Aiqing, I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure you solve the food and grass problem as soon as possible."

"I obey your command." Zheng Chenghao took the order and withdrew.

"Your Majesty, there is one more thing." Intelligence officer Li Dongxu stepped forward and said. He was wearing a black official uniform, and his eyes were shrewd and capable. "At present, we have limited understanding of the specific deployment and combat plan of Jia Changsheng's army, which is extremely unfavorable for us to formulate a response strategy. We need to strengthen intelligence collection, go deep into the enemy's interior, and obtain more accurate intelligence."

Li Youhe nodded and said, "You are right. What do you think about this matter?"

Li Dongxu pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, we can recruit some talented people who are good at disguise and spying from the civilian population, offer them a large sum of money and a generous reward, and let them infiltrate the enemy camp. At the same time, we should increase the reconnaissance of the border areas and keep a close eye on the enemy's every move."

Li Youhe turned to look at Li Mingzhe and said, "Prime Minister, you will be responsible for coordinating this matter. You must form an efficient intelligence team as soon as possible."

"I obey your order." Li Mingzhe said.

The hall fell silent again, and everyone was thinking about the current situation. Li Youhe frowned, hesitating. Should he follow the advice of the war faction and fight the enemy to the death, or should he adopt the advice of the peace faction and negotiate first to buy time?

After a long while, Li Youhe said, "My dear ministers, what we have discussed today concerns the survival of Goguryeo. I need some time to consider. After the court is adjourned, everyone will go back and continue to discuss countermeasures. We will make a decision at the court tomorrow morning."

After saying this, Li Youhe stood up and slowly left the hall amid the kowtows of the crowd.

(End of this chapter)