You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

The capital of Qingzhou, Zhenhai, is located downstream of the river and can be covered, but this is under ideal conditions.

It's actually very difficult.

Thanks to the hills and dense river network, Qingzhou has several natural fortresses, nestled against the mountains and by the water, making it impregnable. Therefore, it is certain that it will encounter resistance along the way, and plans cannot keep up with changes.

She was prepared for a protracted battle.

The journey within the Great Qian territory proceeded smoothly, and the tactics were checked and verified with each city-state along the way.

Starting from Xiayi, passing through Yuhuopan, Longshanpo, Nanyuan, and Nanqiu, this major artery is traversed by rivers, interspersed with numerous canals and ditches, forming the core of the water network transportation system, which ultimately led to this mercenary expedition.

On the day of the assembly.

The Southern Army, which was waiting in Wangjiang, was able to wait for their friendly forces to arrive.

Upon seeing the familiar face, Du Shaoqian was immediately overjoyed. "Greetings, High Priest!"

"Rise and rest first."

"Does His Majesty not intend to launch a full-scale attack?"

"Of course not. This war cannot be won overnight; it will be a long and drawn-out battle. Rather than us stepping into enemy territory where we know no one, we should wait for them to gather their forces and test the waters first."

Feng Tianyin remained as steady as Mount Tai, a style of attack quite different from his historical counterparts, which surprised the officers.

However, it is understandable that the head coach should make flexible adjustments.

Yes, sir.

Since the superior had made the decision, a soldier's duty is to obey, so the entire army began to rest and recuperate.

Their immediate priority was to ensure the transport fleet docked at Wangjiang Port, ready to depart for the south at any time. In fact, the Qingzhou reinforcements who had initially avoided Wangjiang had never left.

Instead, they stationed themselves in the neighboring city of Qingzhou, where they regrouped with the subsequent army.

We must leverage our naval strengths to first cripple Daqian's transportation capabilities; a combined land and sea offensive is imminent.

The entire southern part of the Great Qian Dynasty felt the flames of war.

However, feelings are just feelings; most of what we hear remains in the form of rumors, the comings and goings of troops, the high-priced conscripted laborers, and the endless stream of ships...

The actual experience wasn't much different, and there was no exorbitant taxation to fund the military. Everything seemed normal, as if the war only existed in a vague memory, which was really strange.

That's it.

Just live your own life well, and leave the rest to the high priest.

Everyone felt reassured upon hearing that the High Priest was personally leading the expedition, as this represented the arrival of divine blessings.

Therefore, the previously restless south has settled down. This was exactly what the temple's higher-ups had planned. After all, a considerable number of city-states and people had submitted over the past ten years or so, and it was difficult to be completely open with them. Too many variables would only cause trouble.

Stability is more important than war.

The top decision-makers and advisors of the Great Qian Dynasty had already set the tone, and all other matters were relegated to the sidelines.

Feng Tianyin personally arrived at the front lines to consolidate her rule. Her decision not to rush into battle was also to further manage the south, rather than hastily launching an attack and causing the city-states, now relieved of some pressure, to become disloyal.

She trusted the vassal states she had submitted to, but that trust needed to be maintained.

The greatest kindness we can show them is by not leaving them any room to maneuver; it's good for both sides, and we should maintain unity in this way.

Therefore, she took a cautious approach and rested for the time being.

But it's not over yet.

The Great Qian Southern Expeditionary Army was officially established, and a large naval force was stationed at Wangjiang Port, forming the first integrated sea-land combat system. A mighty force, with thousands of sails billowing and the wind whipping through the air.

They were on high alert, preparing for battle, ready to go into action at any moment upon receiving the order.

Feng Tianyin, the person involved, remained calm and composed throughout.

For the past few days, her main tasks have been supervising the construction of warships, training for naval warfare, deploying tactics, and meeting with various city lords; she is not in a hurry at all.

They remain calm and composed.

So far, her choice has been to focus on building a solid foundation and cultivating an online army.

The surrounding city-states were happy to support it, since they believed that war would inevitably delay production. However, after Feng Tianyin and the officers did some psychological work, they gradually accepted it.

Unite our will to accomplish great things.

This is what she truly needs to do in the area where the Southern Expeditionary Army is stationed. After all, once they penetrate deep into enemy territory, this place will become their rear base. Loyalty alone is far from enough; their enthusiasm must be mobilized to make them willingly give their all for the Great Qian Dynasty.

Furthermore, the High Priest's actions also contributed to Qingzhou's radical tactics, as they saw Daqian as stagnant and ineffective.

Scared.

Only those who have truly built up a navy will understand its difficulties; how could the Great Qian of the North understand?

On the one hand, the Qingzhou officers did believe that Daqian's technology was far from sufficient for large-scale naval warfare; on the other hand, they also needed to suppress the enemy's bullying to boost their morale and consolidate their fighting strength.

"The high priest recognized the disparity in strength and therefore avoided war."

"There's no point in hiding in Wangjiang City. They're doomed. We can completely besiege Wangjiang."

"To avenge our defeat and defeat the enemy here."

The most frustrated party was the massive Qingzhou navy that was originally sent to support Wangjiang, sharpening its swords in anticipation of war, only to have it suddenly end? Did I make a wasted trip?

No.

They would not be willing to retreat without achieving some gains, so they kept urging reinforcements.

Similarly, Qingzhou in the rear also needed a victory, but did not want the flames of war to spread to its own territory. Therefore, King Yu of Qingzhou decided that resources had to be invested, and simply approved a large amount of resources with a stroke of his pen.

The massive fleet sailed from the ocean into the river, heading north.

Ships of this era were small in size, and those that could navigate at sea could easily enter inland waterways and connect to a vast network of waterways.

They are the foundation of a strong nation.

Qingzhou's proudest strategic resource is its massive fleet and the logistics behind it.

Although their territory may not be as large as that of the Great Qian Dynasty, their transportation efficiency is not far behind, which is why they dare to risk fighting against an enemy with a vast territory. After all, one cannot only look at the sprawling land, but also at the meticulous cultivation.

They are confident that they can catch up with their competitors through refined resource allocation.

attack.

The side with superior mobility should proactively choose the battlefield, rather than passively allowing the enemy to roam freely. Having learned its lesson, Qingzhou resolved to send a massive fleet north.

This large army quickly joined forces with the troops supporting Wangjiang, forming an even larger fleet...

"Your Majesty, an urgent military report."

Feng Tianyin, who was stationed at the city lord's mansion, received information from her informants. The sources were reliable, all belonging to the intelligence system that the Great Qian had cultivated for many years, which emphasized efficiency.

Spy agents throughout the south are constantly transmitting information to the decision-making center of the Great Qian Dynasty.

She is the very center.

Given the sheer volume of information, intelligence, deployments, and the complexities of war, only Generals Du Shaoqian and Shen Xingyao, and perhaps Feng Tianyin, were able to handle it with ease.

Moreover, the high priest must consider not only combat but also the overall situation.

"...I understand, you should take a look too."

The officers' faces darkened upon receiving the intelligence, which detailed the northward advance of Qingzhou's combined land and naval forces, estimated to number 8 elite troops.

While seemingly fewer in number compared to the Great Qian Dynasty, the main force is the navy. The enemy's objective is to attack ships at Wangjiang Port. The goal is not to besiege the city, but to cut off transportation and destroy port strongholds along the route.

Menacing.

Du Shaoqian asserted, "We must attack and counterattack them. We cannot allow the entire battlefield to be confined to this port, otherwise our hard-won fleet will be completely annihilated."

"We should coordinate the establishment of some outposts to intercept the enemy along the way and slow them down as much as possible," Shen Xingyao agreed.

The two quickly explained their proposed solutions as they spoke...

Everyone listened attentively, but the person who ultimately made the decision remained silent.

After a moment of contemplation, Feng Tianyin said calmly, "None of you have mentioned naval warfare, which seems to imply that the enemy is superior. But that's not necessarily true. Ultimately, we have been preparing for longer. If we are too conservative in our operations, the war will only spread to our territory and cause even greater damage."

"Follow my instructions."

Her composure in the face of danger reassured everyone somewhat, and they responded to the arrangements in an orderly manner.

---

Meanwhile, the Qingzhou navy quickly made its way.

With their navigation skills, they arrived at the vicinity of Wangjiang in just two days. However, unexpectedly, there was no large-scale ship blockage as expected, and the area was even deserted.

"Did the enemy empty all the ships? That's impossible."

"Shouldn't the question be why they reacted in advance? Why was the intelligence secrecy so poor that everything was exposed?"

"It's okay, we'll have to face each other head-on eventually."

"The ship must be hidden, perhaps by digging a temporary harbor in a shallow area. Find it for me quickly."

The objective of Qingzhou's operation is to cripple the Daqian fleet as much as possible. These means of transportation are the foundation for transporting large volumes of logistical supplies and cannot be lost. They must be intercepted no matter what.

Weird.

Just as they were wondering what was going on, they saw a large number of ships floating upstream, burning with raging flames.

Fireship!

Seeing the numerous burning ships drifting downstream, the Qingzhou navy was shocked and quickly changed course.

They haven't even had time to disembark yet. The vast majority of their 8 troops are still on the ships. If something goes wrong, wouldn't they suffer a crushing defeat?

"Turn the rudder quickly, and all units scatter to take cover."

The flag signals were sent out, but with little effect, because the river was extremely congested. Even though this side was wide enough, it couldn't withstand the influx of the Qingzhou army, and they couldn't maneuver effectively for the time being.

The most crucial element was speed; these fire ships were small and lightweight, and they became increasingly faster.

The helmsman from Qingzhou tried desperately to dodge, but to no avail; he could almost hear the howling wind.

The warships of the Daqian army followed closely behind.

call!

Amidst howling winds, thousands of horses galloped along the shore, clearly the Great Qian cavalry guarding their path to land.

Such actions are a form of psychological oppression.