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

In July, the sun blazed down.

The sweltering heat of the Central Plains caused dust to be kicked up by thousands of straw sandals and horses' hooves on the official road, rising straight into the sky.

Fu Yanqing kept his promise very quickly, and the day after the banquet, he ordered someone to send over a fine horse that was entirely black.

This horse, named Mo Xiao, has a large frame and pure black coat, making it perfectly suited to bear the heavy burden of charging into battle with heavy armor.

"Mo" corresponds to the pure black color of its fur, while "Xiao" is taken from the name of a divine bird in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, specifically the Western Mountains section.

Guo Wei kept his word, and the armor workshop started the furnace overnight. The heavy armor that Shen Lie had personally drawn was now completed and was steadily placed on the supply wagon behind Shen Lie.

It truly lives up to the craftsmanship of a master; the armor is exceptionally well-made. The only minor flaw is that the shoulder-swallowing beasts on both shoulders are still covered with a layer of gold powder.

However, the interior is still made of good iron, which, although conspicuous, does not necessarily mean it is bad for protection.

Shen Lie rode atop the dark abyss, following the endless procession northward.

This force was not the vanguard of the anti-rebellion led by Gao Xingzhou and Murong Yanchao, but the Fuwei Army led by Li Congxi.

Three thousand infantry and cavalry, escorting countless grain carts, stretched northward.

In this campaign against Ye City, the main force of the vanguard, commanded by Commander-in-Chief Gao Xingzhou and Deputy Commander Murong Yanchao, had already broken camp.

According to the regulations of the imperial court, the provisions and supplies of the army suppressing the rebellion were mostly transported by civilians conscripted by the various military governors, with the assistance of auxiliary soldiers.

However, Liu Zhiyuan specifically assigned all three thousand soldiers of the Fuwei Army to the task of escorting grain.

There's more to this military order than meets the eye.

Although Liu Zhiyuan promised Shen Lie to join the army to avenge the enemy before the emperor, Shen Lie had very little experience.

If Gao Xingzhou, being prudent, were to be forcibly placed in the vanguard, Murong Yanchao, being greedy for merit, would feel even more constrained.

The deployment of the Fuwei Army to escort grain supplies served two purposes: firstly, it preserved the emperor's reputation for serving loyal ministers to the death; secondly, it was a profound strategy of balancing power.

The Fuwei Army was the direct subordinate of Shi Hongzhao, the commander of the Imperial Guard Infantry.

Shi Hongzhao remained in Daliang, wielding immense power.

Liu Zhiyuan transferred his troops out of the capital region, which was both a way to reduce the military power of the Imperial Guard generals in the capital and a way to extend his influence into the army to supervise the troops.

The supply lines are the lifeblood of the army. Entrusting them to Shi Hongzhao's men is tantamount to having an eye hanging over the backs of the two commanders.

Moreover, the Fuwei Army was nominally under the command of the Imperial Guard, and was the emperor's inner elite force.

Using the troops of regional military governors to wear down rebel forces and attack fortified cities was a common tactic employed by emperors throughout history to weaken local power and quell rebellions.

Liu Zhiyuan naturally did not want his inner teeth to be used to fill the ditches under the city wall too early.

The grain carts rumbled, leaving deep ruts.

Li Congxi rode ahead of Shen Lie, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and looked northward.

He was actually happy to see it happen.

For him, with three thousand soldiers not deployed to the front lines, there was less risk of loss.

By escorting grain supplies, they avoided the initial sieges and preserved their strength. As long as the supply lines remained intact, they would surely be credited with suppressing the rebellion.

When interests converge, each party gets what they need.

The further north you go, the flatter the terrain becomes.

Ye City is only a few hundred miles away from Daliang.

Given the speed of this army, they could reach the city in just a few days.

However, this mere few hundred miles is considered by military strategists to be an extremely difficult barrier to cross.

Yang Ting wiped the sweat from his forehead, urged his horse closer, and spoke.

"My lord, if we just stay here and eat dust, the vanguard will probably steal the credit for Yecheng."

Shen Lie glanced at him but did not answer.

The first merit is not something easily obtained.

Ye City, nestled between mountains and rivers, with its towering city walls and surrounding waterways, has historically been an important town on the Hebei Road.

A fortified city with deep moats is extremely difficult to conquer quickly.

This matter has already been clearly written in history books.

Turning the pages of the old records of the previous dynasty, one can only imagine how many bones lie buried beneath this city.

During the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang, the An Lushan Rebellion broke out.

The imperial court assembled seven military governors, including Guo Ziyi and Li Siye, to besiege Yecheng and attack An Qingxu.

Despite the immense strength of the Tang army at the time, they spent four months languishing beneath the walls of this city, unable to conquer it despite their prolonged siege.

The army was bogged down beneath the fortified city, its morale shattered.

In the end, Shi Siming led the reinforcements south and defeated the Tang army in one battle, easily reaping the benefits. The Nine Military Governors' army suffered a crushing defeat, becoming a laughing stock for all time.

The lessons learned from the past are still fresh in our minds.

The reason why Du Chongwei dared to be two-faced, refuse to obey the imperial edict, and even dare to challenge the imperial army was because of the high walls and deep moats of Ye City.

Although this old thief is a fickle and unpredictable villain, he is not a fool who is ignorant of military strategy.

He had been entrenched in Hebei for many years and was well-versed in the current situation.

A fortified city is not afraid of a strong attack, but only of running out of food and internal strife.

Gao Xingzhou and Murong Yanchao's desire for a quick victory is utterly impossible.

Du Chongwei commanded 100,000 Yan soldiers, had ample provisions, and was backed by the Khitan.

He knew all too well that with an army of 100,000 men on a long and arduous expedition, the consumption of provisions would be a bottomless pit.

He hoped that Gao Xingzhou and Murong Yanchao would suffer heavy losses against the city wall, and that the Khitans in the north would march south to relieve the siege, just as Shi Siming had done in the past.

If we can hold out for the first few months, the overall situation will change again.

Shen Lie stared straight ahead, his expression calm.

With a veteran like Gao Xingzhou at the front, a fierce attack on Ye City would surely be a protracted and brutal struggle.

Liu Zhiyuan is in Daliang, ready to personally lead an expedition at any time; he has not yet played all his cards in the Central Plains.

Shen Lie was not in a hurry.

The commander-in-chief of the Han army in this suppression was Gao Xingzhou, and the deputy commander was Murong Yanchao.

This kind of troop deployment reveals the underlying principle of checks and balances within the imperial court.

Gao Xingzhou served several dynasties and was a shrewd and cautious strategist.

Murong Yanchao was Liu Zhiyuan's half-brother and had a violent temper.

When the strategies of the chief and deputy commanders differ, it is a major taboo in the military.

At a deeper level, however, lies a relationship that is shrouded in secrecy.

Gao Xingzhou's daughter met Du Chongwei's son in her early years.

The commander-in-chief who led an army of 100,000 to quell the rebellion was actually related to the rebel leader who raised the flag of rebellion on the city wall through marriage.

This was the norm for regional military governors during the Five Dynasties period.

The military governors of various towns were related by marriage, forming a complex and intertwined network.

Today I am ordered to suppress the rebels, and tomorrow I can serve as their subject in the same palace.

Shen Lie sat upright on horseback, his mind clear as a mirror.

This battle will definitely not happen.

Within Gao Xingzhou's command tent, there would never be an order to launch a surprise attack on a city.

For the public, soldiers are the foundation of their livelihood.

If Gao Xingzhou were to use his own troops to fill in the moat of Ye City, it would be a waste of military strength and could threaten his position as military governor.

Personally, I fear that the day the city falls will bring annihilation upon my in-laws.

Gao Xingzhou decided to besiege Ye City without attacking, intending to trap and kill it.

Once the city runs out of food and Du Chongwei has nowhere to turn, he will naturally open the city gates and surrender.

In this way, Gao Xingzhou not only achieved the merit of pacifying the region, but also saved the lives of his in-laws.

Even if Du Chongwei loses his military power and becomes a wealthy idler in the future, this relationship will still continue.

Murong Yanchao, of course, was unwilling to accept this.

Such close relatives and nobles, eager to achieve the greatest merit, will inevitably urge the troops to fight frequently.

With the main and secondary forces clashing, Ye City will surely become a quagmire.

Shen Lie looked back at the endless line of supply wagons behind him.

Three thousand soldiers held the lifeline of a hundred thousand troops in their hands.

The pretext of seeking revenge against his former subordinates at Zhongdu Bridge was merely a bargaining chip for Liu Zhiyuan to coerce the rebels.

When it comes to recruiting traitors and defectors, this bargaining chip will be easily wiped out.

If Du Chongwei surrenders, Liu Zhiyuan will surely accept.

But Shen Lie would never allow Du Chongwei to leave Yecheng alive.

Since the army is unwilling to fight, the commander-in-chief does not want to fight.

Then the only option is to find an opportunity to sever ties between these two factions, one on the city wall and the other on the ground.

This forces the 100,000 troops to fight to the death!