I was living in the Five Dynasties period, just after crossing the Zhongdu Bridge.

If we only consider military strategy and tactics, Shen Lie is nothing more than a newcomer.

With or without him, the imperial court, with its hundreds of thousands of troops, could have easily razed Ye City.

But when it comes to righteousness, no one in this world is more qualified than Shen Lie to stand on the front lines against Du Chongwei.

Why?

Because Du Chongwei was not only a rebellious minister who disobeyed imperial orders, but also the culprit who broke the backbone of the Han dynasty!

Although Liu Zhiyuan was also a warlord who rose to power during a chaotic era, he has now ascended to the throne.

To secure one's position as the ruler of the Central Plains, one must follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people, and must put on a grand show of driving out the barbarians.

At this very moment, if there were a survivor of that tragedy, someone burdened with the blood debt of two thousand innocent souls, waving a large flag and charging to the front.

What was originally a warlord infighting to quell a rebellion was instantly escalated into a national war to uphold justice.

In terms of morale, this is also known as "a desperate army is bound to win".

Such a technique, if used in a play, would surely be a scene that receives thunderous applause.

However, Liu Zhiyuan was not a seasoned actor on the stage. At this moment, he sat on the imperial couch with his brows furrowed.

He was calculating the stakes in this battle.

Du Chongwei was based in Ye City, backed by the Khitan, and his troops were all highly skilled Yan soldiers.

This battle was also a crucial one that determined the fate of the nation, as it was the first war to establish the country since Liu Zhiyuan ascended the throne.

If they win, they will certainly be young heroes; if they lose, they will dampen the morale of the army, and where will the face of the new dynasty be?

In this situation concerning the survival of the nation, Shen Lie's importance was ultimately less significant.

"Although Shen Qing is loyal and righteous, he is still relatively inexperienced."

Liu Zhiyuan rubbed his temples and hesitated before saying, "Furthermore, the Fuwei Army is weak. If it were to serve as the vanguard and directly confront Du Chongwei's army, I would not be able to bear it."

These words sound like they are out of consideration for a subordinate, but in reality they are saying: Shen Lie, your foundation is too shallow, you can't hold the fort, and you're not up to the task of leading the vanguard.

Su Fengji, who was standing to the side, heard this clearly.

Although this Tongpingzhangshi (a high-ranking official) is somewhat narrow-minded, his ability to reach this position shows that he has excellent judgment.

Seeing that Guo Wei had neutralized the previous move, he continued along Liu Zhiyuan's line of thought.

"While Guo Shumi's words are touching in their loyalty and righteousness, they are somewhat impulsive."

Su Fengji bowed slightly to Liu Zhiyuan, "Commander Shen certainly has a blood feud with that traitor Du, but he has only recently been promoted to commander, his seniority is still shallow, and his prestige is insufficient. Du Chongwei is a regional military governor. If we only send a junior to challenge him, it will make the court seem incompetent and allow that traitor to underestimate the might of the emperor."

These words struck a chord with Liu Zhiyuan.

When a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses its full strength.

What's more, it's about a cunning old fox like Du Chongwei, who commands a large army and acts arrogantly.

"Then, in your opinion, who should be sent?" Liu Zhiyuan asked.

"I recommend two people."

Su Fengji held up two fingers. "First, the newly appointed military governor of Tianping, Gao Xingzhou. Gao Xingzhou is a renowned general of our time, with a long-standing reputation for prestige. Previously, when the false emperor Li Congyi sought aid, Gao Xingzhou refused to obey the imperial edict, which shows that his heart is with the Han. With him in command, who among the towns of Hebei would dare to disobey?"

"Secondly, there is Murong Yanchao, the military governor of Zhenning. Governor Murong is the bravest in the army and is also a close confidant of the emperor. With these two leading the army, Yecheng will be captured in no time."

Su Fengji's move was truly masterful.

Gao Xingzhou was a veteran general used to maintain order and represented the loyalty of the former officials.

Murong Yanchao, on the other hand, was Liu Zhiyuan's half-brother, a true member of the imperial family.

Sending these two people would be both prestigious and practical.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhiyuan's brows gradually relaxed.

"What Su Qing said is absolutely right."

"The campaign against the traitor Du is a matter of national importance and cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, let us first appoint Gao Xingzhou as the Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Force, with Murong Yanchao as his deputy, and prepare to muster the troops for a northward campaign to quell the rebellion!"

As for Shen Lie?

Liu Zhiyuan turned his attention back to the young man.

Since we don't need him to be the vanguard, and it's not appropriate to just hand him over to our son, let's leave him for now.

"As for Shen Qing..."

"Since you have such a heart, I cannot let the loyalty of my ministers be dampened. The debt for Zhongdu Bridge must be settled eventually."

"Since Minister Guo has said that you have a blood feud, I will naturally not stop you, but the army's departure will not be accomplished in a day."

Liu Zhiyuan's tone gradually softened, "Although the soldiers are brave, they still need supplies first. Although the generals are fierce, they also need to devise strategies."

That's the normal logic of war.

Although the soldiers were all professional soldiers, unlike the soldiers who needed to assemble during the off-season.

However, the mobilization of these tens of thousands of troops is a massive undertaking that affects the entire system.

Where will the provisions come from? Where will the laborers be conscripted? Are the armor and weapons complete?

Although the imperial court does not need to prepare supplies uniformly, the emperor is not short of hungry soldiers, and it will take time for the military governors to prepare supplies themselves.

"Shen Qing must be tired from the journey, so please rest in Daliang for a while."

"Once Gao Xingzhou's army is fully prepared, you will then travel north with the central army."

At this point, Liu Zhiyuan glanced at Shi Hongzhao and said, "Perfect timing. I've also heard that your command is short of horses and armor. Take this opportunity to go to the armory and get your belongings ready."

"I will issue an order later, sending you to the front lines to personally avenge that blood debt."

These words, whether spoken or implied, already represent an immense grace.

They've granted you permission to take revenge, let you rest, and even provided you with equipment.

If someone is so ungrateful as to insist on being a vanguard, then they truly don't know what's good for them.

"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Shen Lie immediately bowed.

I felt no disappointment whatsoever.

On the contrary, this is exactly the result he wanted.

If he were to lead a commander to the walls of Ye City at this moment, he would only be a casualty to Du Chongwei and would serve no purpose whatsoever.

But the time he needed to stay in Daliang was what he truly needed.

There was not a trace of resentment in Shen Lie's words, which made Liu Zhiyuan, who was at the head of the table, even more satisfied.

He is neither arrogant nor impatient; he is a person who can remain calm and composed.

If this kid manages to come back alive from this trip to Yedu, we might as well give him a real chance.

"Alright, you may leave."

Liu Zhiyuan waved his hand and leaned back wearily on the couch.

The group withdrew from the Chuigong Hall according to etiquette.

Shi Hongzhao strode ahead, and when Su Fengji passed by, he snorted loudly, his hot breath almost hitting the other man's face.

Su Fengji didn't take it to heart. He simply cupped his hands in greeting to Guo Wei and then turned and left.

"Damn it! That old dog Su, I'll chop him up one day!"

Shi Hongzhao spat out a curse and turned to look at Shen Lie.

"Don't be discouraged, Shen boy."

"It doesn't matter if I don't get to be a vanguard. Following Gao Xingzhou, even if I don't get to eat the meat, I'll still be guaranteed a share of the soup."

"Besides, the Emperor is letting you pick things out of the armory, which is a real benefit."

"Let's go! I'll take you right now! We'll take the best! We've already put up with that old dog Su's wrath, might as well take it!"

Shen Lie smiled upon hearing this and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Shi Hongzhao, saying, "It is entirely up to Commander Shi to decide."