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

Inside the city, it was like a cornered beast struggling to survive, a mere illusion to satisfy hunger; outside the city, a large army had gathered and was stationed at the fortified city.

A strategically important place like Ye City cannot be captured overnight.

Throughout history, there have been numerous instances of armies besieging Yecheng for years.

Shen Lie accompanied Li Congxi in escorting grain and supplies, and after a long journey, they finally arrived at the Han army camp on the banks of the Zhang River.

The camps stretched for miles, their banners obscuring the sun, and their armor and weapons were impeccable.

A hundred thousand troops lined up on the plains, creating a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.

The patrolling soldiers I saw along the way marched in perfect formation, their spears and halberds gleaming in the sun.

Gao Xingzhou served several dynasties and his military leadership was indeed in the style of the ancients. He was well-versed in the methods of setting up camps and formations, and was far superior to those bandits and outlaws who took advantage of the chaos to start their own uprisings.

Although the enemy was at the city gates, they neither filled in the moat to reinforce the city nor rushed to build siege equipment.

Tens of thousands of infantrymen spent their days either training or gazing longingly at the city across the moat, much like onlookers who had come to set up camp and waste supplies.

The various tedious and complicated tasks of handing over the carts, horses, and ledgers were handled by the camp's grain and provisions officers and the accompanying clerks.

As the commander-in-chief, Li Congxi's first task upon entering the camp was to report for duty at the central command tent.

As the commander of the Fuwei Army, Shen Lie naturally accompanied him.

Central command tent.

"Grand Tutor Gao! Our army of 100,000 has been besieged by the fortified city for more than five days!"

Countless sums of money and provisions are being wasted daily, and the officials in Bianliang are worried sick day and night, yet you intend to remain a coward on the banks of the Zhang River for how long?!

Before even reaching the tent, one could hear the commotion of an argument raging inside, accompanied by the muffled thud of something being slammed against a table.

Upon hearing this, Li Congxi stopped in his tracks, his face showing reluctance.

Entering the tent to hand over orders at this moment would undoubtedly be voluntarily stepping into this quagmire, and a slight misstep would result in being splattered with mud.

Moreover, the guards outside the tent dared not move when they saw the two of them arrive.

At this critical juncture where the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief are at loggerheads, who would dare to enter and issue a notification?

Li Congxi and Shen Lie exchanged a glance, then each gripped the hilt of their swords at their waists, keeping their eyes down and standing quietly outside the tent.

Inside the tent, Gao Xingzhou, the commander-in-chief of the Han army's northern expedition, sat upright in his command seat, his face ashen and unmoving.

Deputy Commander Murong Yanchao sat below the hall, clad in armor and with his hand on his sword. His tone was extremely loud, and his spittle almost flew onto the commander's desk.

The two generals, the main one and the deputy one, were arguing about offensive and defensive strategies.

Murong Yanchao's clamor was nothing more than the word "war".

He is the half-brother of the current emperor, born of the same mother but born of different fathers. He is leading the army into battle with the aim of securing the first merit in establishing the central plains.

If Yecheng could fall in a day or two, his influence in the army would be unshakeable.

Therefore, he strongly advocated attacking the city immediately, even if it meant sacrificing lives, to flatten the walls of Ye City and cut off Du Chongwei's head to present as a prisoner to Daliang.

Gao Xingzhou's argument, however, revolved around the word "stability."

This veteran general, who had served through several dynasties, was nominally wary of the fortified city of Ye, fearing that it would only result in the loss of soldiers' lives and damage the vitality of the court.

Actually it is not.

If Gao Xingzhou really ordered a fierce attack, not only would his own soldiers suffer heavy casualties, but if Du Zhongwei were to surrender in the future, Liu Zhiyuan would have to swallow his pride and accept the surrender in order to appease the situation in Hebei.

Wouldn't Gao Xingzhou be pleasing neither side and become the villain for no reason?

Therefore, Gao Xingzhou's strategy was to surround them without attacking, and cut off their supply lines.

Once the city's food supplies are exhausted, force them to surrender.

In this way, he not only secured the primary credit for suppressing the rebellion and preserved his core troops, but also left a way out for his in-laws, ensuring that they wouldn't have a falling out when they met in court in the future.

One is impatient for quick success and instant benefits, while the other is shrewd and calculating.

The two conflicting thoughts clashed within the tent.

The officers and soldiers from the various towns lined up on both sides all lowered their heads and looked down, none of them daring to speak up or offer any advice.

Immortals fight, mortals suffer.

Gao Xingzhou was a veteran general, with disciples and former subordinates all over the army, and he was extremely popular with the soldiers.

Murong Yanchao was a close relative of the emperor and enjoyed great favor from him. He acted violently and recklessly.

Speaking at this point, regardless of which side you take, will only bring trouble upon yourself.

These soldiers, who had lived on the edge of a knife, understood the importance of self-preservation. They would rather wait and see than risk provoking these two at this moment.

Gao Xingzhou took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and explained.

"Military affairs require both swift and decisive action, as well as the ability to strike after the enemy has made their move."

"Ye City is well-fortified and its moats are deep. Du Chongwei's 100,000 Yan soldiers are no ordinary troops. Moreover, Zhang Lian's fierce troops from Youzhou are staying here and are determined to survive. A direct assault would only be using soldiers' lives to fill the moat."

But Murong Yanchao was completely unmoved.

After all, under a strong attack, only the soldiers of the local warlords and the conscripted laborers would die, which had nothing to do with his wealth and status as a member of the imperial family.

Soldiers can be recruited again if they die, but if the credit for the first merit changes due to delay, his reputation as deputy commander will be completely ruined.

"Du Ni is nothing but a skeleton in a tomb. Our army only needs to surround him from three sides and launch a fierce attack from one side. Within three days, I will definitely be able to take the old traitor's head off!"

"You're remaining inactive like this, are you perhaps still thinking of that good relative in the city, and secretly plotting with that traitor?!"

With Murong Yanchao's words, the argument reached a fever pitch.

Gao Xingzhou narrowed his eyes, clearly angered.

He came from a military family and served four dynasties. In the previous dynasty, he even rose to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, in charge of the imperial guards.

Although Li Yantao stripped him of his power, he still had a title, didn't he?

Therefore, Grand Tutor Gao could no longer tolerate it and was about to use his authority as the commander-in-chief to force Murong Yanchao to submit.

"you..."

But the latter did not take the bait, only sneered a few times, and then got up and left the tent.

The tent flap was lifted, only to bump into Shen Lie and his companion who were waiting outside.

"Li Congxi, Commander of the Fuwei Army, and Shen Lie, Military Commander, pay their respects to Governor Murong."

The two reacted very quickly, immediately bowing and clasping their hands in greeting.

Murong Yanchao stopped in his tracks and snorted.

"Have the supplies arrived?"

"Reporting to the governor, the first batch has already been put into storage," Li Congxi replied confidently.

"We're here! We'll feed you to your heart's content."

Murong Yanchao sneered, glanced back at the motionless command tent, and mocked again.

"However, Commander Li, I'm afraid you'll have to make several more trips between Daliang and Yecheng to get those hundreds of grain carts."

"That Grand Tutor Gao inside probably intends to retire here by the Zhang River. This city will likely remain under siege until the new Liao emperor dies of old age before we can even get in!"

After saying this, the military governor of Murong snorted coldly, not listening to the responses of the two people behind him.

He mounted his horse and rode away with the help of his personal guards, leaving the two of them in a cloud of dust.

"Why."

At this moment, a long sigh finally came from inside the tent.

"Let's go inside," Li Congxi whispered.

Shen Lie followed closely behind and entered the main tent.

After the two finished exchanging greetings, Gao Xingzhou naturally did not mention the argument that had just taken place, but instead inquired in detail about the supply of provisions from the rear.

After Li Congxi finished his report, Gao Xingzhou chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Commander Shen, since you have a past grudge against Du, tell me, if you were in his shoes, what would you do?"

"Reporting to the Grand Tutor," Shen Lie bowed, "I believe that attacking the city is a poor strategy, but simply encircling it would give Du Ni the opportunity to sell at a higher price."

Gao Xingzhou sighed but did not comment on Shen Lie's answer.

"The Emperor has granted you permission to seek revenge, which is a matter of great righteousness. However, in military matters, the key is to ensure the safety of the army. Ye City is a formidable fortress, and I cannot risk the blood of my soldiers for personal gain. You must wait."

Shen Lie lowered his head upon hearing this, but his mind was completely clear.

"The army that helps those in distress need not remain in the southern camp to listen to those complaints."

Gao Xingzhou seemed tired and said no more, only giving an order.

"Commander Li, lead your troops north to establish a camp north of Ye City."

You must block the escape route to the north for me, no matter what messengers are sent from the city for help, or what Khitan cavalry are outside the city.

Anyone entering or leaving the Northern Border will be killed on sight!