bait

Gao Zhong noticed the changes in the Great Qian without Gao Yuan even needing to point them out.

Upon his return, he promptly placed the intelligence and his own analysis on Gao Yuan's desk.

"Your subordinate believes that while the Great Qian still appears relatively peaceful, the overcrowded labor brokerages indicate that the common people have reached the point of having to sell their children just to survive."

Returning along with Gao Zhong's intelligence were exactly three hundred people, more than half of whom were children around ten years old.

Gao Yuan was somewhat caught between laughter and tears; for someone like him who was in dire need of a working population, these children were actually a burden.

He knew that Gao Zhong had likely been moved by compassion, and he couldn't possibly blame him for that.

However, since they had already been sent over, there was nothing else to be done but to arrange for them all to attend school.

Once the Lantern Festival passed, the New Year celebrations were officially over, and time officially entered the fifteenth year of Taichu.

It had been more than four years since Gao Yuan had come to the Southwest to start his venture, and his career could be considered a modest success.

Gao Yuan, who was originally fifteen, was now about to turn twenty, entering the prime golden years of a man's life.

At this time, in Chiang Rai City several hundred miles away, the city gates were finally battered down. After more than a month of siege, the Toungoo army finally breached the city.

For this, the toungoo people paid a price of more than four thousand casualties, their greatest loss since the war with Ayutthaya began.

The Toungoo commander, sitting atop his horse, looked at the city they had taken at such a great cost and announced an order:

"Pass down the order: let the soldiers enjoy themselves for three days, and let these despicable Ayutthaya people understand the price of standing in our way!"

With that single command, the quiet and beautiful city was instantly transformed into a living hell.

Every street and every house was filled with atrocities such as looting, massacre, and rape.

However, instead of serving as a deterrent, this behavior only caused the Ayutthaya people to be united in their hatred.

From then on, the toungoo people were forced to use direct assaults on every city, resulting in not only heavy losses but also extremely slow progress.

Just as the toungoo people were bogged down in a quagmire, Gao Yuan began his plan for the new year.

Ever since Toungoo began its southern campaign, Gao Yuan's sense of urgency had grown stronger, and he had no intention of stopping.

He was currently seated inside the commander's tent, with Liu Rengui, Huo Jun, and Xia Luqi seated below him.

"This is the current situation of our surroundings. In which direction do you all think we should attack?"

Liu Rengui had anticipated the purpose of today's meeting before he arrived and picked up the baton.

"This humble general believes that our targets this year should be Dali, Lijiang, Dian Prefecture, and other such places."

"You mean a campaign on the northern line?"

"Exactly."

Gao Yuan looked toward Huo Jun and Xia Luqi.

"What do you two think?"

"This humble general seconds the motion."

"Me too!"

"Since you all think the same as I do, then I will leave the task to you, Zhengze. Draft the operational plan and submit it as soon as possible;"

"I will continue as before, being responsible for the defense of various locations. Zhongmiao, you will be responsible for the southern line to guard against the Lan Xang people."

The three of them stood up and cupped their fists in a salute.

"This humble general obeys."

After the three left, Gao Yuan felt a bit melancholy; it had been a long time since he had been on the battlefield.

He felt like his equipment, his auras, and all his diligent study and practice were going to waste.

While he was feeling annoyed, something even more annoying happened.

"Strong desire from the Host detected. B-rank temporary event: 'Beheading Generals and Capturing Flags' triggered;"

"How can a regional hegemon work from home? You must achieve fame through the merit of Beheading Generals and Capturing Flags;"

"Event Target: The Host needs to personally go to the front lines and kill enemy soldiers (0/50);"

"Event Reward: One Strength Enhancement Card;"

"Failure Penalty: Strength rating will be lowered by one minor grade."

"System, oh, thank you so much!"

After he finished being annoyed, Gao Yuan began to plan how to convince the three housekeepers at home to allow him to go to the battlefield.

After thinking for a long time, Gao Yuan suddenly slapped his forehead.

"Wait, why should I tell them the truth? I can just find an excuse to lead the troops out!"

So, after Liu Rengui and the others set out with the First Division, the Second Division, and three brigades,

Gao Yuan proposed to inspect the border defenses and led his Personal Guards and a thousand City Defense Forces to the south.

The territory of West City Commandery was a long and narrow strip, with nearly a hundred li bordering Dali to the southeast.

The City Defense Forces had two passes here, blocking the main road leading to Dali.

At the same time, two towns had formed here, which were places where the people of Nanzhou and Western Kang conducted daily trade.

Naturally, this place was also crawling with Western Kang's eyes and ears, which was why Liu Rengui had chosen to launch his attack from Puer.

As for why Gao Yuan chose this place, he naturally had another purpose: to attract Western Kang's attention.

Wherever he, the supreme commander of the Nanzhou Army, appeared, he would immediately draw everyone's gaze.

Sure enough, as soon as Gao Yuan arrived at one of the towns, he immediately noticed the stares of several people.

Everyone was very cautious about Gao Yuan's safety, so after sensing that something was wrong, the commander of the Personal Guards immediately suggested to Gao Yuan,

"County Duke, there are too many spies and eyes and ears here; it is truly too unsafe..."

This was exactly the effect Gao Yuan wanted.

"I let them see me on purpose, so that the pressure on Zhengze's side will be a bit lighter."

"Then This humble general boldly suggests that the County Duke bring more troops."

Gao Yuan waved his hand dismissively and said,

"With you all here, plus two brigades of the City Defense Forces and the pass guards, there are nearly fifteen hundred men. What is there to fear?"

Although he appeared nonchalant on the surface, he was actually feeling a faint sense of anticipation in his heart.

If he, this great bait, could attract a large mass of enemy troops, then Liu Rengui's job would be much easier.

And of course, he could also conveniently complete the event.

Sometimes, speak of the devil and he shall appear; just as Gao Yuan was inspecting the second pass, the Western Kang people showed up.

Just after waking up in the morning, the Brigade Commander guarding this pass rushed into Gao Yuan's commander's tent.

"Reporting to the County Duke, traces of the Western Kang army have appeared to the east, estimated at three thousand men."

Gao Yuan flashed a smile of a successful scheme, but he soon felt that something was strange.

"You say there are only three thousand men. Is there any basis for this?"

"The scouts determined it based on campsite traces; there are no more than thirty-five hundred men at most."

Gao Yuan shook his head.

"Not right, something is very not right."

"Is something wrong, County Duke?"

Gao Yuan looked at the several men and asked,

"Our arrival here was done quite openly, which means the Western Kang people definitely know our troop strength;"

"If it were you, would you send only three thousand men to attack a pass guarded by fifteen hundred men?"

The men suddenly understood and shook their heads together.

"Absolutely not. This pass is easy to defend and hard to attack; to breach it would require at least four to five times the troop strength."

"This is obvious logic, and the Western Kang people certainly wouldn't be so foolish;"

"Therefore, their objective is definitely not here, but rather here."

Gao Yuan used his baton to point to a location on the map, which was exactly the pass further south that Gao Yuan had visited earlier.

"A classic feint to the east while attacking in the west."

Everyone was shocked, and the commander of the Personal Guards immediately suggested,

"My Lord, then we should go to reinforce them immediately."

Gao Yuan, however, shook his head and rejected his proposal.

"If we leave immediately, the Western Kang people will surely shift their target to attack this place at once."

"This..."

Gao Yuan considered it briefly and then stated his thoughts.

"Someone must stay here to guard the pass. Here is the plan: you take the Personal Guard Battalion and continue to stay here under my banner, and I will leave you two hundred City Defense Forces;"

"Tonight, I will take eight hundred City Defense Forces and leave this place to reinforce them overnight."

"It's too dangerous. It would be better if This humble general went instead."

"Yes, County Duke, This humble general suggests you return to Dehong immediately to muster reinforcements."

"My mind is made up. You all carry it out accordingly."

The men had no other choice but to go and execute the orders.