Zhao Ji's wise actions

"Are you certain the person who said this was Gao Yuan?"

Jiang Huaizhen and General Ma Zhiyuan dared not easily believe the situation reported by their subordinates.

After all, if this matter were blown out of proportion, it would be considered defiance of an imperial decree—a capital offense—so the two of them had to be cautious.

Jiang Yuan was also quite nervous. He tried hard to recall Gao Yuan's banner and that feminine, beautiful face, and finally confirmed,

"This humble general confirms that it was the Duke of Xicheng Commandery. His appearance is exactly as the rumors describe: as beautiful as a woman."

The two men exchanged a glance. If they hadn't been sure before, they were now basically certain that it was Gao Yuan who had rescued the Yang Family.

After all, in the entire Great Qian, only Gao Yuan possessed that feminine face and could command the respect of the Nanzhou Army.

"Very well, I understand. You may withdraw."

"Understood, This humble general will withdraw."

Once Jiang Yuan left, Jiang Huaizhen looked at General Ma Zhiyuan beside him with a helpless expression.

"General Ma, what is your take on this matter?"

General Ma Zhiyuan gave a helpless shrug.

"What else can we do? That is the Duke of Xicheng Commandery, the military governor of diannan circuit, the husband of the Grand Princess, and The Emperor's own brother-in-law. Even if Gao Yuan were to be dealt with, it wouldn't be our place to do so."

"So we're just going to let it go?"

"I'd like to let it go, but do you think he would?"

General Ma Zhiyuan gestured toward the outside, and Jiang Huaizhen realized that the army had an imperial supervisor sent by The Emperor.

"Sigh... fine, fine. Such a matter cannot be hidden. I will submit a memorial to the imperial court immediately."

In less than ten days, two memorials reached The Emperor's desk. One was Jiang Huaizhen's 800-li urgent dispatch, which also arrived with Yang Zhao's head.

The other was a secret report from Ma Chaoen, representing the intentions of the imperial supervisor arranged by The Emperor, the great Eunuch Liu Jin.

Comparing the two reports satisfied The Emperor with his two trusted generals, but he quickly became displeased again.

"Gao Yuan, it's this pretty boy again! Liu Jin!"

"This servant is here!"

"Do you think Jiang Huaizhen and General Ma Zhiyuan would be willing to dispatch troops to attack Gao Yuan?"

"This servant believes that if The Emperor issues an order, the two of them would certainly not dare to defy the imperial decree, but they might..."

"Might what?"

"I fear they would go through the motions without exerting real effort. Your Majesty must not forget that both of them came from under the Gao Family, so there is still some lingering sense of loyalty."

The Emperor pondered for a moment, then tapped his desk lightly.

"Issue an edict: order Ma Chaoen to take command of the troops and urge the two of them to march into Dian Prefecture to force Gao Yuan to hand over the Yang siblings."

"Understood!"

Even though Jiang Huaizhen and General Ma Zhiyuan had been immersed in officialdom for many years, they never imagined that The Emperor would allow a Eunuch to take command of the military as the commander-in-chief.

However, since the imperial decree had been issued, the two could only helplessly obey.

Ma Chaoen never expected that one day he would become the commander-in-chief leading thousands of troops. He was so smug that he almost wanted to send people to broadcast it throughout Bo Prefecture.

Under Ma Chaoen's urging, the Left and Right Martial Guards had to pause their rest. Regardless of the fact that supplies and provisions had not been replenished, they had to pack up overnight and prepare to march to Dian Prefecture.

"They're really coming? Is it Jiang Huaizhen or General Ma Zhiyuan who is coming?"

"According to intelligence, it seems they have both come. The Left and Right Martial Guards have mobilized a total of over 53,000 troops. However, according to scouts, it seems they have not brought sufficient provisions—at most enough for ten days."

Gao Yuan was puzzled and couldn't help but frown.

"That shouldn't be. Jiang Huaizhen and General Ma Zhiyuan are both veteran generals of the battlefield; they should understand the principle that provisions must move before the army. How could they make such a mistake?"

"The scout also mentioned a rumor, though This humble general cannot be certain."

"What rumor?"

"It is said that the commander-in-chief of the Qian Army is not those two, but the imperial supervisor, Ma Chaoen."

Gao Yuan tried hard to search his memory for information on such a person, but he couldn't recall anything at all.

"Ma Chaoen? Who is that?"

Xia Luqi said with a strange expression,

"The Junior Supervisor of the Palace Administration, and the adopted son of the great Eunuch Liu Jin."

"Pfft... cough, cough, cough."

Gao Yuan spat out a mouthful of tea and started coughing incessantly. Mu Qing, who was nearby, hurried over to pat his back.

"Is The Emperor crazy? Making a Eunuch the commander-in-chief?"

"This humble general does not understand either."

Xia Luqi did not understand, but Gao Yuan quickly figured it out. Jiang Huaizhen and General Ma Zhiyuan both originally had ties to the Gao Family, and Jiang Huaizhen was even from the Gao Family Army; The Emperor could not trust him wholeheartedly.

If it were to fight Yang Zhao, The Emperor might have been slightly more at ease with them, but making them fight Gao Yuan was very difficult.

"Hehehe, it seems this time I am going to create a Bian Lingcheng here in Dian Prefecture."

Gao Yuan revealed a smug smile; he really wanted to give a thumbs up to The Emperor's wise maneuver.

As for how to fight this battle, Gao Yuan already had a rough plan in mind.

"Pass the order: command Liu Rengui to return to Dehong to take over the defense; command Huo Jun to rush to Guchang County as soon as possible; command the Wumeng garrison to retreat three stages and let the enemy army enter Dian Prefecture."

"Understood!"

Gao Yuan's fighting style was the same old routine, somewhat like the 'Heavenly Furnace' tactics. The bottom of this furnace needed a general skilled in defense, and he just happened to have a defensive master, Huo Jun, on hand.

When defending that mountain pass before, Huo Jun's talents couldn't be fully utilized, but the fortified city of Guchang County was perfect for him to display his skills.

Within five days, Huo Jun arrived in Guchang County, dusty and travel-worn.

"Zhongmiao, this time we are facing the elite Southern Palace Imperial Guard of Great Qian. How about it, do you have confidence?"

"How long does my lord need This humble general to hold?"

"One month."

"My lord, rest assured. If a single person steps into Guchang County within a month, This humble general is willing to offer his head."

"Hahaha, you had better keep your head to help me do good work!"

After handing over the 5,000 City Defense Forces to Huo Jun, Gao Yuan left Guchang County that very day with the First Division and Second Division, heading south toward Guangnan.

On the third day after Gao Yuan left, the Left and Right Martial Guards arrived.

There was no 'surround on three sides, leave one open'; they surrounded the city completely from all four sides. Only then did Ma Chaoen personally bring men to the city gate to read the imperial decree.

Huo Jun had long since received Gao Yuan's instructions, and after listening to the imperial decree, he retorted.

"Listen here, you Eunuch outside the city! My lord said that there are no imperial fugitives here that you are looking for."

"You... are you trying to defy the imperial decree?"

"It is not defiance, but there is truly no one to hand over. If you don't believe it, you can let your two great generals come in and search."

"Then why don't you open the city gate?"

"My lord said that to prevent some filthy, unnatural freaks from sneaking in and defiling the residence of the Grand Princess, please ask the two great generals to enter via a hanging basket."

Hearing Huo Jun insult him like this, Ma Chaoen nearly broke down.

"You... stubborn and unyielding! Fine, very well, what a bold and reckless Gao Yuan! Men, attack the city for me!"

Jiang Huaizhen was covered in black lines and could only whisper a reminder to Ma Chaoen.

"Um, Commander Ma, we don't have siege equipment."

"You... why didn't you say so earlier?"

"We didn't expect to have to siege a city either."

Jiang Huaizhen also looked innocent.

"How about we retreat for today, wait for the craftsmen to build some equipment, and then siege the city?"

Ma Chaoen was so angry his face turned red, and he roared in a duck-like voice.

"Why haven't you gone yet!"

The Qian Army retreated, which gave Huo Jun more time to reorganize the defenses.

Before he arrived, Gao Yuan had already prepared plenty of stones and wood, enough for ten days or half a month without any problems. The firewood for boiling water and 'golden juice' was also stacked halfway through the warehouse.

Coupled with over 20,000 arrows, facing a Qian Army without sufficient siege equipment, Huo Jun was confident he could hold for a year or more.

On the other side, after resupplying in Guangnan, Gao Yuan led two temporarily mobilized brigades into Qian Prefecture, heading straight for the Wumeng territory.