Thief Emperor

Chapter 827: One Step Counts Ten Steps
Jizhou, Wuyi.

As night fell, the weather, which had been hot all day, finally calmed down a little, and the night wind finally brought a hint of coolness.

The more than 50,000 people led by Li Yun have settled down here to take a short rest.

Mr. Li was currently sitting on a wooden stake, looking up at the moon in the sky.

The night wind blew his hair high.

Zhou Chang walked carefully behind him, squatted down, and whispered: "Uncle, the army has been stationed."

Li Yun looked back at him, then patted the seat next to him and said with a smile: "Come, sit down."

Zhou Chang sat down next to him, then looked at Li Yun and asked, "Uncle, are we just going west like this? Uncle never told us where our destination is."

Li Yun looked at him and said with a smile, "Walk for another day or two and you'll know."

Zhou Chang frowned and said, "The movement of a large army is too slow, and there are so many of us that we can't hide from the eyes and ears. Outsiders may not know which army we are from, but they will most likely be able to detect our presence."

Li Yun shook his head slightly at him and smiled, "At this time, the Fanyang Army is already on its way to Mozhou. It will take at least three days, or even four or five days, for them to discover what is happening here. This time is enough."

"It's impossible for the troops they sent out to come back just like that."

Mr. Li looked at Zhou Chang and said softly, "Besides, five days is basically enough."

He stood up from the wooden stake, looked back at Zhou Chang, and said, "Young General, come, let's discuss this in the tent, and I'll tell you in detail."

Zhou Chang responded quickly, stood up and followed Li Yun. The two of them walked all the way to the door of Li Yun's tent. At this time, the lights in the tent had been lit, and the person guarding the door was none other than General Su's brother Su Zhan.

Originally, Su Zhan had already been recruited and was under Su Sheng's command. However, Li Yun didn't have anyone suitable around him, and the two little guys were still too young. This time, Li Yun temporarily seconded Su Zhan to serve under him.

Seeing Li Yun and Zhou Chang, Su Zhan immediately clasped his fists and saluted: "Your Majesty, General Zhou."

Li Yun patted his shoulder, and Zhou Chang returned the greeting with a fist.

The two men entered the general's tent one after the other. Inside the tent, there was a map hanging high.

Li Yun walked straight to the map, pointed his finger on it, and said, "We are in Wuyi now. In three days, we will be able to reach Lucheng in Shenzhou."

"Having arrived here, we have already achieved most of our strategic goals for this trip."

"Lucheng..."

Zhou Chang also stood up and walked to the map. He stared at the map for a while and found it a little strange: "Uncle, if we want to outflank the Fanyang Army, it seems that we don't need to go so far west. We can go all the way northwest to Anping, and then from Anping to between Dingzhou and Mozhou."

"Come behind the Fanyang Army!"

Li Yun shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "You also said that it is impossible for them to be completely unaware of our large-scale military movements. If we really fight like this, even if we can get behind them, we can't close the pocket, and they can escape to the north or south."

"I have a better idea."

Li Yun's gaze continued to move westward.

Look towards Lucheng a little to the northwest.

Zhou Chang followed Li Yun's gaze and suddenly froze in place. Then he suddenly realized something. He stood there, not saying a word for a long time.

"My uncle's intention is..."

"Hengzhou!"

Li Yun narrowed his eyes, his expression calm.

After the Fanyang Army left Youyan, its main force was stationed in Hengzhou for a long time. This was the new base camp of the Fanyang Army. For them, it was just like the former Youzhou.

It can even be said that Hengzhou is to the Fanyang Army what Nanjing is to Li Yun.

At this time, a large part of the Fanyang Army was held in Yingzhou by Meng Qing, while another part of the army was attracted to Mozhou by Jiangdong's operation to encircle and kill the Khitans.

Their Hengzhou headquarters... must be empty.

Li Yun looked at Hengzhou, then at Zhou Chang, and chuckled, "Their base camp is in Zhending, Hengzhou. The entire Xiao family is here."

At this point, Li Yun looked at Zhou Chang and said with a smile: "We don't even need to really take Zhending. We just need to let them know that we have an army heading straight to Zhending. Xiao Heng will be unable to take care of both ends and will be in a state of panic."

Zhou Chang seemed to be thinking about something, then he looked at Li Yun and said with deep emotion: "Uncle's use of troops is truly amazing."

After he finished praising her, he felt a little itchy again, and said with a smile: "Uncle, I am becoming more and more curious about Su Gong's Art of War. Can you lend it to me for a few days?"

Li Yun looked at the military book on the table, then looked at Zhou Chang, and said with a smile: "Then you can take it and read it, but this book is a handwritten copy, remember to return it to me after reading it."

Zhou Chang was overjoyed. He bowed to Li Yun, then took the military book from Li Yun's desk and left happily.

…………In the blink of an eye, another two days passed.

Li Yun's troops rushed all the way to Wuji near Dingzhou without stopping. After dark, they stationed troops near the county town.

At the same time, Li Yun dispatched scouts and all the intelligence resources of the Nine Departments to spread outward with himself as the center.

After the intelligence network was laid out, Li Yun once again called Zhou Chang to his tent. He personally pulled Zhou Chang and led him to his seat with a smile on his face.

"Major General, here comes the most crucial point."

Li Yun's eyes fell on the map, and he murmured, "The move that will decide the outcome is about to fall."

Zhou Chang was still a little confused. He scratched his head and said, "Sir, please explain your words more clearly. I don't quite understand."

Li Yun looked at him and chuckled, "I want to divide the troops."

His eyes fell on the map, and he said softly: "At this time, the Fanyang Army has probably noticed our movements, but they haven't had time to react yet."

Li Yun pointed his finger at Zhending, narrowed his eyes, and said softly: "Major General, I want all your cavalry. I will lead them myself and attack Zhending directly."

"And the rest of the army will be led by you and stationed between Xinle and Tangchang counties in Dingzhou."

"If they encounter an enemy in Zhending, the Fanyang army will definitely turn back, and if they want to get back to Zhending as quickly as possible, they will definitely pass by you."

Li Yun looked at him and said softly, "When the time comes, they will run headfirst into your arms and into your ambush circle."

Li's eyes were burning: "The situation in Hebei Province will be determined from now on!"

Zhou Chang stood there, stunned.

After a long time, he looked up at the map, then looked at Li Yun with a wry smile on his face.

From Cangzhou to the previous Lucheng, Li Yun discussed strategy and war with him twice, but both times, Li Yun did not reveal his true intentions.

It was not until this point that Li finally and completely exposed his strategic intentions to Zhou Chang.

Zhou Chang stood there for a long time before he smiled bitterly at Li Yun and said, "The one who took the throne is really far-sighted."

"My father always said that you should look three steps ahead when you take one step. When I ascended to the throne from Cangzhou, I had already seen all the way here. It's more than just looking three steps ahead when you take one step..."

"I'm afraid it's already ten steps away."

Li Yun smiled at him and said, "When I was in Jinling, I had already thought of this place, but I only thought of this place."

"The specific results will depend on you and me."

He said softly, "Tonight, we will divide our forces overnight. Tomorrow morning, I will lead the cavalry to attack Zhending by surprise, while you will set up an ambush in Dingzhou."

Li Yun lowered his head and calculated, then said softly, "In about six or seven days, the Fanyang Army will return. By then, Meng Qing's troops will send troops to support us. Our main battlefield will be in Dingzhou."

"The word Ding in Dingzhou will become the word Ding in Dingding Hebei Road."

Li Yun looked at the map and said calmly, "I'll give myself ten days. Within these ten days, no matter whether I can take Zhending or not, I will return to join you."

"any questions?"

Zhou Chang looked up at the map and shook his head slightly: "No problem."

He took a deep breath, clasped his fists towards Li Yun and said, "Master, I will go and communicate with the generals of the Pinglu Army. In an hour, we will divide the troops in the camp!"

Li Yun nodded and said with a smile: "Of course, you can go."

Zhou Chang was about to leave, but after thinking for a while, he turned back to look at Li Yun and said with a wry smile, "None of these tactics for ascending to the throne are written in Su Gong's Art of War."

Li Yun laughed and said, "All these require self-realization. If you read more, you will be able to realize your own things sooner or later. Go now."

Zhou Chang responded and strode out of Li Yun's tent.

After he left, Li Yun called Su Zhan in from outside the tent, pulled him to the map, and said with a smile: "This time, it is a rare opportunity for you. You should read more and learn more."

"In the future, the Su family will depend on you to carry it forward."

Su Zhan looked up at the map, then at Li Yun, a little unsure: "Your Majesty, can I... compare to my father and brother?"

Li Yun looked calm.

"If I say you can, you can."

(End of this chapter)