Threat from Toungoo

Changing into comfortable robes, Gao Yuan strode quickly to the Governor's Office, where he saw Xia Luqi sitting there, visibly restless.

"Bang Jie, why are you still so flighty? What happened?"

Seeing Gao Yuan enter, Xia Luqi hurriedly stepped forward, gave a salute, and then spoke.

"My Lord, something has happened, something big!"

As Xia Luqi spoke, he pulled out a bamboo tube, uncapped it, poured out a roll of silk cloth, and presented it to Gao Yuan with both hands.

This was a standard urgent dispatch. Gao Yuan immediately took it, unfurled it, and his gaze instantly became grave.

Toungoo had conquered Ayutthaya and Bangkok, and the Ayutthaya Kingdom was declared extinct. Now, nearly a hundred thousand troops were massing toward Phetchabun, Lopburi, and other areas. Liu Rengui was concerned that Toungoo's next move would be against Chaiyaphum and other regions, so he had sent a request for reinforcements.

"Maha Thihathura has made a ruthless move. Stationing troops in Phetchabun is intended to threaten both us and the Khmer simultaneously. Men, go invite Wen Pin, Mu Sheng, and Song Yong to the Governor's Office for a meeting. Oh, and call Wu Xu as well."

"Understood!"

The Empress was, after all, the Empress. Although she was still just a young girl now, her mind was truly sharp.

In just a month or two, she had already become a capable assistant by Zhao Xiyao's side. Gao Yuan planned to include her today to see if she had any talent in military affairs.

Soon, all the people Gao Yuan had summoned arrived. However, Wu Xu did not come alone; she followed behind Zhao Xiyao and the other three women into the main hall of the Governor's Office.

Seeing that Wen Pin, Xia Luqi, and others were also with Gao Yuan, the four women secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing the strange expressions on the four women's faces, Gao Yuan naturally understood what they were thinking and grumbled inwardly.

"Am I really that untrustworthy? Did they think I was going to fool around here?"

However, his facial expression didn't change at all as he gestured with his hand.

"Since you're here, sit down and listen together."

Once everyone was seated, Gao Yuan briefly introduced the intelligence in his hand.

This time, the first to speak was actually Song Yong.

"With a hundred thousand Toungoo troops pressing the border, General Liu Rengui's forces seem a bit thin. I believe we should immediately dispatch troops to reinforce him."

Mu Sheng rolled his eyes at the old man beside him, seemingly expressing anger that his line had been stolen.

"I also believe we should immediately dispatch reinforcements to guard against contingencies."

Just as Gao Yuan was about to speak, he felt several sharp gazes stabbing toward him, making him shiver. He turned his head and met the eyes of the women.

Those looks seemed to say, 'If you dare to go, prepare for some physical suffering.'

"Phew, good thing I never intended to go in the first place."

Gao Yuan patted his chest before issuing his orders.

"Deploy the Second Division of the Beiwei Army under Xia Luqi's command to march south and garrison Vientiane. Deploy a total of five thousand Xuanjia Army troops currently stationed in Puer, Son La, and Hung Hoa to reinforce Zhongnan Circuit."

"Appoint Liu Rengui as the Grand Commander of the Zhongnan Circuit Expeditionary Force, acting with the authority of the Governor's Office. In case of indecision, he has the power of discretionary action."

"Order Huo Jun to garrison Luang Namtha to support Zhongnan Circuit. All supplies should be transported to Luang Namtha as quickly as possible."

"Understood!"

The group rose, bowed to Gao Yuan, and then took their leave.

After everyone left, Gao Yuan didn't go to comfort the women first. Instead, he handed the intelligence report to Wu Xu.

"Take a look. After you're done, tell me your thoughts."

The young girl previously hadn't been qualified to see intelligence; her neck had been stretched out so long she almost looked like a giraffe. Now, she impatiently took the report and began reading. Once finished, she fell into deep thought.

Gao Yuan didn't interrupt her and began explaining nicely to the women.

"Don't worry, I'm just making some necessary defensive preparations. I won't be joining the campaign."

"Rest assured, I'm so lazy. Why would I think about running off when I can stay home and hold you all?"

"Vixens? Where are there any vixens? Besides, what vixen could be more beautiful than you?"

The women weren't unreasonable. Seeing that he spoke seriously and indeed had no intention of going out this time, they stopped acting difficult.

Everyone quieted down, looking together at the young girl who had been in deep thought. After a long while, Wu Xu finally looked up.

"I think Toungoo is testing us and the Khmer."

Gao Yuan was quite approving of her judgment, as he thought the same.

"Testing? Testing what? Explain in detail."

Wu Xu glanced at Gao Yuan's expression. Certain that this man wasn't mocking her, she continued.

"First, they are testing our reaction. Second, they are testing our strength. If we don't mobilize heavy troops for defense, they will likely launch a direct offensive."

"So, what is your suggestion?"

"Abandon some territory, lure the enemy deep, and then surround and annihilate them."

As expected of an Empress, this tactic was truly ruthless. Gao Yuan had also considered it, but he had rejected it himself.

Nonetheless, Gao Yuan patted the girl's head and gave her an encouraging gesture.

"This move is indeed good, but have you considered that most of the people in Zhongnan Circuit are newly relocated migrants? Their confidence hasn't been established yet. If we let the enemy in now, will it affect their confidence?"

"So, while your move is certainly good, it depends on the timing. If it were a different place, such as West City or Menge, I would adopt your strategy without hesitation."

Initially, Wu Xu felt a bit disappointed, but her eyes brightened again as she listened. She understood that Gao Yuan was mentoring her and nodded heavily.

"Yes, I understand."

"Alright, go on. When you have time, you should walk around and see more. Don't stay cooped up in the residence reading books all day."

"Mm!"

Wu Xu left happily. Her skipping gait made Gao Yuan realize that she wasn't the Empress of the original timeline yet, but still an underage young girl.

"Husband, are you planning to groom Wu Xu?"

"If I weren't planning to groom her, why would I place her by your side? What do you think?"

Zhao Xiyao nodded in affirmation.

"In terms of intelligence and talent, I am not her equal; even many men are not her equal. However, her temperament seems..."

When the system summoned people to this world, they naturally didn't appear out of thin air but were given a background. Of course, they were mostly the orphan type—very typical of the system.

And the background of Wu Xu was of the more tragic variety: losing her father at a young age, her mother remarrying and leaving her with an elderly relative. Before she was ten, the relative passed away, and she suffered greatly as a slave in her uncle's house before eventually being sold to a Lan Xang merchant caravan.

Finally, when Gao Yuan pacified Lan Xang, she was rescued because of her Han identity and eventually ended up working at the Princess's Residence.

Compared to the Wu Zetian of the original timeline, this encounter wasn't just tragic; it was even worse.

"Having encountered so many life changes, it's inevitable for her to have some darkness. But fortunately, she hasn't fully formed yet and can still be turned around. As long as she is groomed well, she will be a talent capable of being a general or a minister in the future."

"A general or a minister? Really?"

Gao Yuan nodded with great certainty, thinking that she was the mold of an Emperor; being a general or minister would actually be selling her short.

In Nanzhou, Gao Yuan's eye for talent was famous. The people he recommended, like Huo Jun, Liu Rengui, and Wen Pin, were all rare talents.

So, Gao Yuan's evaluation of Wu Xu at this moment made the four women unable to help but feel surprised. They began to pay a bit more attention to the little girl, and in the days to come, they treated her like a biological younger sister.

With people to care for and protect her, much of the darkness in the heart of Wu Xu gradually dissipated, and she became increasingly cheerful.

Of course, that is a story for later.

Just as Gao Yuan began mobilizing troops to guard against Toungoo, in Great Qian, in the northwest, an army of tens of thousands left Ganzhou City and headed southeast.