The Prodigal Son

Upon hearing Yan Wujiu's words, the three of them immediately changed their expressions.

"How would Your Highness like to change it?"

Ji Ying tentatively inquired.

Yan Wujiu took a deep breath and slowly said, "First, we'll suffer a crushing defeat, then feign weakness and retreat to Yuchan with the supplies! The Ning army will surely pursue us, and we'll have to risk lives to protect the supplies!"

"this……"

The three looked at each other, their hearts trembling and bleeding.

"This isn't a feigned defeat at all!"

Hu Damao exclaimed angrily, "This is a true defeat!"

"Otherwise what?"

Yan Wujiu stared coldly at Hu Damou, "If Xue Chengdao and Qin Fumeng are in command, and it's just a symbolic defeat, do you think they wouldn't realize it?"

These two men are both famous generals of Da Ning, and they have fought battles all their lives. How could they not even see through a feigned defeat?

To fool them, you have to lose convincingly!

In the past, feigning defeat would have simply meant burning the grain and fodder.

If someone burns their own supplies, no one will suspect it's a feigned defeat.

But right now, they are already facing a severe food shortage!

Therefore, they had no choice but to use human lives to fill the gaps!

Meeting Yan Wujiu's gaze, Hu Damou immediately fell silent.

Ji Ying narrowed his eyes and asked, "Does Your Highness intend to let the 20,000 troops stationed at Tiger's Mouth truly fail, allowing the Ning army to launch a full-scale attack on Tiger Prefecture, and then retake Xiaxing, trapping the Ning army like a dog in a trap?"

"right!"

Yan Wujiu nodded, but did not mention his intention to use the Ning army to weaken the Northern Qi forces.

This is something they can only know themselves; they can't tell anyone else.

"Your Highness, I still can't understand!"

Akagi looked up at Yan Wujiu and said, "Since Beiqi has sent troops to support us, we have a very good chance of driving the Ning people out. Why do we have to retreat to Yuchan?"

Northern Qi has sent reinforcements!

Suhe Baoyin can definitely mobilize some of his troops!

Even if we exclude the troops defending key locations like Huyao, and add the troops from Beiqi, they can still assemble an army of nearly 300,000!

With an army of 300,000, how could they not defeat the Ning people?

Why deliberately send people to their deaths, opening the door for the Ning people to attack Huzhou?

Feigning defeat and then fighting as if it were a real defeat—no general could understand that!

Yan Wujiu clenched his fists, his face frosty, and said, "Simply driving the Ning people out isn't enough! We must thoroughly inflict pain on them, make them suffer heavy losses, and force them to offer money and provisions to sue for peace! Without money and provisions, even if we win this battle, how will we weather the crisis?"

"this……"

Akagi's mouth opened slightly, and he immediately fell silent.

Yes!

Money and provisions!

Ningren's treacherous scheme cut off the Great Yan's money and supplies.

That's the most deadly thing!

"This humble general understands Your Highness's good intentions, but this humble general still disagrees with turning a feigned defeat into a real one!"

Ji Ying looked at Yan Wujiu with a complicated expression, "Instead of feigning defeat, we should take advantage of the fact that the Ning army's follow-up troops haven't pressed on yet and retreat to Yuchan with our supplies!"

"Their intentions are too obvious!"

Yan Wujiu shook his head and said, "Old foxes like Xue Chengdao and Qin Fumeng can see through things at a glance!"

He had considered retreating to Yuchan with the provisions.

But after much thought, he still rejected it.

Ji Ying smiled wryly: "How can Your Highness be so sure that if we turn our feigned defeat into a real one, the Ning people will definitely fall for it? If the Ning people don't fall for it, wouldn't our troops have died in vain?"

Yan Wujiu paused slightly, speechless.

After a long silence, Yan Wujiu smiled bitterly: "Man proposes, God disposes! If Heaven does not help me, then I... have nothing to say!"

The Great Yan Dynasty has already reached this point!

He had no choice!

If even if the feigned defeat turns into a real defeat, and the Ning army still sees through the intention, then it is the will of Heaven!

If Heaven intends to destroy the Great Yan, no one can stop it!

"Your Highness! We can't afford to gamble!"

Ji Ying earnestly advised, "Right now, the greatest victory is simply getting rid of the Ning people! The more greedy we are, the more likely we will end up..."

"Stop talking!"

Yan Wujiu interrupted Ji Ying impatiently, "The battle has already progressed to this point; we can no longer afford to be soft-hearted!"

So what if we send 10,000 or 20,000 people to their deaths?

Zong Bi's 90,000-strong army was completely wiped out!

As long as there is hope of achieving their goals, what's wrong with sending another ten or twenty thousand people to their deaths?

Seeing Yan Wujiu's resolute face, the three of them couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow...

……

As it turns out, sometimes thinking too much really doesn't do any good.

Qin Yu was indeed taught a good lesson by Yan Wujiu.

Two days later, when Qin Yu and his men arrived in Luzhou Prefecture with provisions, large sections of the city walls on all four sides of the prefecture had been breached.

All the bricks and stones that were removed were thrown into the moat, filling it completely.

At this point, how could he not understand Yan Wujiu's purpose?

They breached the city walls and filled in the moat. If the Flying Fang Cavalry were given even the slightest opportunity, they could storm into the city to launch a surprise attack or burn their supplies.

To defend against the Flying Riders, they need to be constantly vigilant and expend more energy.

Of course, they could also rebuild the city walls and clear the moat.

However, the manpower and resources required to repair the city walls and clean the moat were far greater than those required to demolish the city walls and fill the moat.

Yan Wujiu's move wasn't fatal, but it was truly disgusting.

Looking at the large gaps in the city wall, Qin Yu could only curse inwardly.

During this time, they did consider trying to stop it.

On the same day that Qin Yu understood Yan Wujiu's purpose, he ordered the troops on the left and right flanks to quickly assemble in Luzhou Prefecture, and also ordered Pei Xiao to lead 6,000 troops to charge towards Luzhou Prefecture from the front.

As a result, the Flying Riders withdrew when they were still thirty miles away from Luzhou Prefecture.

Since they had not brought any provisions and knew that Yan Wujiu could not possibly leave them any provisions in Luzhou Prefecture, they returned to reunite with Qin Yu.

They retreated, and the Flying Tiger Cavalry entered Luzhou Prefecture again that night to continue breaching the city walls.

Whenever they advanced again, the Flying Tigers would ride off on horseback, leaving them completely helpless.

After a brief moment of thought, Qin Yu ordered his men to ignore the city walls for now and clear out the moat.

Building city walls is a troublesome task.

They couldn't find that many materials to repair the city wall in a short time!

Although the moat could not stop the skilled soldiers of the Yan army, it could ensure that the large cavalry force of the Yan army could not break into the city.

After giving his instructions, Qin Yu went up to the city wall of Luzhou Prefecture.

"Yan Wujiu! I'll fuck your grandma!"

Qin Yu used all his strength to roar loudly, venting his frustration to the fullest.

Yuan Dingguo, Nan Que'er, and Qi Dachui stood at a distance to the side, and asked Nan Que'er in a low voice, "What's wrong with Commander Qin?"

"It's nothing."

Nan Que'er smiled casually, "Let him yell! He'll feel better after a few shouts!"

She actually hoped to see Qin Yu shout it out.

It's better than keeping it inside.

Yuan Dingguo was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "I also want to go and shout a few lines."

He was also disgusted by Yan Wujiu's move.

"You're all the same!"

Nan Que'er rolled her eyes at him. "So it's okay for you to be disgusting to others, but others aren't allowed to be disgusting to you? Why don't you just have Yan Wujiu order his army not to resist and stretch out their necks for you to chop off!"

What's wrong with them all!

They thought they were still fighting the Min Kingdom, and that all the enemy forces were being led by the nose.

The battlefield situation is completely different, okay?

"Ah...this..."

Yuan Dingguo gave an awkward smile.

It seems...to be true!

Haven't they also disgusted many people?

"Ha ha……"

Just as the two were talking, Qin Yu's unrestrained laughter suddenly rang in their ears again...