Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 670: Finally an Alliance
Stimulated by this news, the emperor once again urgently convened a meeting in front of the emperor. This time, the atmosphere in the hall was even more tense, and everyone's face was filled with a trace of panic.

Minamoto no Yoshiyasu spoke first: "Your Majesty, Jia Changsheng's intentions are now clear. He is building a navy and is obviously targeting our island nation. If we hesitate at this moment, when he is ready, we will be powerless to fight back. I implore your majesty to immediately order an alliance with Goguryeo to jointly resist Jia Changsheng's attack."

This time, many ministers nodded in agreement. Although Taira no Kiyomori still had concerns, he had to admit that the situation had reached a critical juncture. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, it seems that an alliance with Goguryeo may be our only way out. But before the alliance, we must clarify the rights and obligations of both parties with Goguryeo and formulate a detailed battle plan. At the same time, we must also be fully prepared, not only to strengthen domestic military defense, but also to ensure that the finances can support this war."

The Emperor nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of determination: "My dear ministers, what you said is very true. The situation is urgent now, and we don't have much time to hesitate. I have decided to form an alliance with Goguryeo to fight against Jia Changsheng together. Fujiwara Mitsushige, you are responsible for contacting Goguryeo as soon as possible to discuss the specific matters of the alliance; Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, you will immediately start to reorganize the army and prepare for the expedition; Fujiwara no Tadahira, you must ensure financial support, and there must be no mistakes."

"Yes, sir!" Everyone obeyed in unison.

Afterwards, the island nation took quick action. Envoys carried the emperor's order and traveled day and night to Goguryeo; the army began to intensify training and prepare food and weapons; domestic craftsmen also got busy making all kinds of materials needed for the war.

In Goguryeo, when the news that the island country agreed to form an alliance was learned, the entire palace was boiling. Goguryeo King Gao Yuan was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. He knew that this might be Goguryeo's last hope. He immediately summoned ministers to discuss the details of cooperation with the island country, and at the same time ordered to strengthen the defense of the royal city, waiting to join forces with the island country to fight against Jia Changsheng.

A war that determines the fate of the Three Kingdoms is about to begin. Jia Changsheng, Goguryeo and the island country will start a thrilling contest on this land. The future situation is full of variables, and no one knows who will be the final winner, but this war will undoubtedly leave a strong mark in the long river of history.

In the solemn and majestic palace of the island nation, with the emperor's order, the decision to form an alliance with Goguryeo to fight against Jia Changsheng was officially finalized. As soon as the news came out, the entire island nation instantly entered a tense state of preparation for war.

After the imperial meeting, the military officials quickly gathered in the military meeting hall. On the huge sand table, the topography of the continent and the distribution of various forces were clearly marked, especially the Baekje region occupied by Jia Changsheng, which was prominently marked in red.

The left general Minamoto no Yoshiyasu stood in front of the sand table, looking firmly at the Baekje region sign, and said in a loud voice: "Everyone, now that we have decided to form an alliance with Goguryeo, we must act quickly. Jia Changsheng has been successful on the battlefield of Goguryeo and is gaining momentum. If we want to help Goguryeo, we must disperse his forces and attention. I think attacking the Baekje region previously occupied by Jia Changsheng is an excellent strategy."

A young general frowned slightly and raised his own question: "General Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, although the Baekje region was once occupied by Jia Changsheng, we don't know much about the terrain and defense conditions there. Will we get into trouble if we rashly send troops?"

Minamoto Yoshiyasu smiled and said confidently: "I have already thought about this issue. Before we made the decision, we had already sent a large number of spies to the Baekje region. According to their reports, although Jia Changsheng occupied the area, his main forces were concentrated on the front line fighting against Goguryeo, and the defense in the rear was relatively weak. Moreover, the people in the Baekje region were not completely obedient to Jia Changsheng's rule. If we can enter as a righteous army, we may be able to gain the support of the local people."

Another general then asked: "General, how many troops should we deploy this time?"

Minamoto no Yoshiyasu looked at everyone, his eyes revealing decisiveness: "I propose to send out 200,000 troops. This 200,000-strong army will be divided into three echelons. The first echelon is the vanguard, led by me personally, with a total of 50,000 people. We will advance to the Baekje area as quickly as possible, and strive to break through Jia Changsheng's defense line on the border in the shortest possible time. The second echelon is the central army, led by the right guard general Fujiwara Nobuo, with 80,000 troops. The central army will follow the vanguard, consolidate our occupied areas, and be ready to support the vanguard at any time. The third echelon is the rear army, led by the left general Watanabe Takeo, with 70,000 troops. The rear army is mainly responsible for the transportation of food and supplies to ensure that our army has sufficient supplies on the front line."

Everyone nodded in approval of Minamoto no Yoshiyasu's deployment.

In the following days, the island nation's military camps were busy. Soldiers trained day and night to familiarize themselves with various tactics and weapons. Craftsmen also worked overtime to forge sophisticated weapons and sturdy armor. The preparation of food and supplies was also carried out in an orderly manner. Teams of carriages loaded with food and weapons headed towards the assembly point.

The day before the departure, the Emperor personally came to the military camp to see off the soldiers. The Emperor wore gorgeous clothes and stood on the high reviewing stand, his eyes full of expectation and trust.

"Soldiers!" The Emperor's voice echoed in the military camp, "You are going on this expedition with the honor and mission of the island nation. Jia Changsheng is ambitious and wants to dominate the mainland. If he is not curbed, he will pose a huge threat to our island nation. Now, we have formed an alliance with Goguryeo to fight against Jia Changsheng. As warriors of the island nation, you must move forward bravely and fight bravely for the peace and tranquility of the island nation, for our homes and loved ones!"

"For the island country! Fight bravely and kill the enemy!" Two hundred thousand soldiers shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the sky, and their morale reached its peak.

The next morning, the sun shone on the land. Under the leadership of Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, an army of 200,000 set out on a journey. They rode on warships and headed for the Baekje region on the mainland. On the sea, the warships were like a group of huge steel beasts, breaking through the waves and stirring up layers of waves.

After several days of sailing, the vanguard finally arrived at the border of the Baekje region. Minamoto no Yoshiyasu stood at the bow, looking at the land ahead, his heart full of fighting spirit. He ordered the warship to dock and the vanguard quickly landed.

However, when they set foot on land, they found that the situation was different from what the spies had reported. Jia Changsheng seemed to have noticed their actions and strengthened the defenses in the border area. The seemingly weak defense line was now full of chevaux de frise, traps and archers.

Minamoto Yoshiyasu frowned, he did not expect Jia Changsheng to react so quickly. But he did not retreat, but quickly adjusted the battle plan. He ordered the vanguard troops to temporarily stop advancing, camp in place, and wait for the arrival of the central army. At the same time, he sent a large number of scouts to conduct detailed reconnaissance of the surrounding terrain and the enemy's deployment. After some reconnaissance, Minamoto Yoshiyasu found that although the enemy had strengthened its defense on the front line, its defense on the flank was relatively weak.

Therefore, Minamoto no Yoshiyasu decided to adopt a roundabout tactic. He selected 10,000 elite soldiers, formed a surprise force, and took advantage of the night to sneak around the enemy's flank. The 10,000 soldiers moved forward cautiously in the dark, avoiding the enemy's patrols, passing through the dense woods, and finally arrived at the rear of the enemy.

In the early hours of the morning, when the enemy was still asleep, the vanguard led by Minamoto no Yoshiyasu and this surprise force launched an attack at the same time. For a moment, shouts of killing shook the sky and flames shot up into the sky. The enemy was caught off guard by this sudden attack and fled in panic.

Minamoto no Yoshiyasu seized the opportunity and led the vanguard troops to quickly break through the enemy's defense line and advance deep into the Baekje area. At this time, the central army had also arrived and joined the vanguard troops. The two armies joined forces and continued to attack forward.

When Jia Changsheng learned that the island nation's army was attacking the Baekje region, he was shocked. He did not expect that the island nation would send troops at this time and attack his rear directly. He immediately called the generals to discuss countermeasures.

"The island country's army arrived too suddenly. We must respond as soon as possible." Jia Changsheng's face was gloomy, and there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

A general asked: "General, should we withdraw some troops from the Goguryeo front to support the Baekje area?"

After thinking for a moment, Jia Changsheng said, "The battle on the Goguryeo front is at a critical stage. If we withdraw troops at this time, it will inevitably affect our offensive plan. Moreover, if we withdraw troops, Goguryeo is likely to take the opportunity to counterattack. I think we should first mobilize some troops from the surrounding areas and send them to Baekje to reinforce. At the same time, order the defenders in Baekje to hold their positions, delay time, and wait for the arrival of reinforcements."

Therefore, Jia Changsheng quickly issued an order. The troops from the surrounding areas began to gather in the Baekje area, and the defenders in the Baekje area also received orders to hold their positions at all costs.

In the Baekje region, although Minamoto no Yoshiyasu's army achieved initial success, as the enemy's reinforcements continued to arrive, their attack encountered increasing resistance. The battle became extremely fierce, and both sides suffered heavy casualties.

However, Minamoto no Yoshiyasu did not give up. He knew that the purpose of their expedition was to attract Jia Changsheng's attention and buy more time for Goguryeo. So he led the army and continued to fight a desperate battle with the enemy.

As time passed in this fierce battle, the island army and Jia Changsheng's army formed a stalemate in the Baekje area. At this time, on the Goguryeo battlefield, the Goguryeo army also took advantage of the opportunity of the island army to attract Jia Changsheng's attention and actively organized a counterattack.

This war, triggered by the island nation's dispatch of troops, made the entire situation more complicated and tense. Jia Changsheng, the island nation, and Goguryeo all invested huge efforts in this war, and the final outcome was still full of unknowns.

In Jia Changsheng's spacious and simply decorated central army tent, the atmosphere was solemn and murderous. The huge marching map almost occupied the entire wall of the tent, and it was densely marked with various military symbols, representing the distribution and dynamics of various forces, especially the route and deployment of the island army's attack on the Baekje region, which were emphasized. Jia Changsheng, dressed in a black suit, stood upright in front of the map, his eyes as sharp as a hawk, staring closely at the symbol representing the island army, his brows slightly furrowed, as if constantly deducing the next battle situation in his mind.

A group of generals lined up on both sides, their faces either full of confusion or expectation, waiting for the commander Jia Changsheng to speak. Jia Changsheng was silent for a moment, then slowly turned around, his eyes swept over each general in turn, and he said in a low but powerful voice: "Everyone, now the island country's army of 200,000 is coming aggressively to invade the Baekje area I occupy. Their move seems clever, they want to disperse our forces, disrupt our deployment, and buy a breathing space for Goguryeo. But they don't know that this also gives us a great opportunity."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Meng, the deputy general, took a step forward. He was a burly man with a full beard that made him look particularly brave. However, he had a hint of doubt on his face and asked loudly, "General, the army of this island nation is in full swing. Although we have some troops in the Baekje region, it will be difficult for us to confront an army of 200,000 head-on. Where does this opportunity come from?"

Jia Changsheng smiled slightly and did not directly answer Li Meng's question. Instead, he looked at the staff officer Zhao Wen and said, "Zhao Wen, you have done a lot of research on the situation of the army of this island country. Tell us about it."

Zhao Wen pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, cleared his throat, and said, "General, generals. The army of this island nation seems to be well prepared for this expedition, but in fact there are many hidden dangers. They are fighting far away from their homeland, and their logistical supply lines are long and fragile. Moreover, they are not familiar with the terrain of the Baekje area. Although they have made some progress in the early stage, as our resistance intensified, they have fallen into a stalemate. More importantly, they are eager for success and want to achieve their strategic goals as soon as possible, which makes it easy for them to make mistakes in decision-making."

Li Meng scratched his head, still a little confused: "That's what we said, but how can we use it? Their 200,000 troops are not a small number."

Jia Changsheng walked to the map, picked up a wooden stick, pointed to a place called Black Valley in the Baekje region, and said, "Look, this is the Black Valley. The terrain is dangerous, with high mountains on both sides and only a narrow passage in the middle. This is the only way for the island country's army to continue advancing."

(End of this chapter)