89: Chapter 89 Prospects for Unification

Winter snow fell, one storm after another, wrapping the entire Jiangning Prefecture in a blanket of silver white.

Li Ling stood by the window of the command center, watching the heavy snow falling outside, but his mind was calculating the spring military campaigns.

On the map on the table, the troop deployments, defensive fortifications, and supply lines of the Northern Warlords were densely marked; every piece of information came from satellite reconnaissance and intelligence from the Special Forces.

He had not closed his eyes for three days.

During the day, he went to the military camp to inspect training, went to the Production Base to check equipment, and went to the harbor to inspect the fleet.

At night, he returned to the command center to study maps, simulate war situations, and revise battle plans.

When tired, he drank strong tea; when hungry, he gnawed on steamed buns; when he truly could not hold on, he would doze off in his chair for a while.

The Princess felt sorry for him and made him late-night snacks with different variations every day; Empress Su Wanqing helped him organize documents and shared his work pressure; Emily helped him handle foreign trade affairs, dealing with the capitalists of Meijian Country.

The three women each performed their duties, cooperating tacitly, which saved Li Ling a lot of worry.

"System," Li Ling whispered in his heart.

"Hmm?"

"You tell me, where is the best place to strike for the first battle of the Northern Expedition?"

"Shanxi." The system's voice was without hesitation.

"Warlord Yan Xishan's Jin Army is the weakest, and Shanxi's terrain is dangerous, making it easy to defend and hard to attack. If we attack other places first, Warlord Yan Xishan might send troops to support. If we attack Shanxi first, other warlords will be beyond reach. Moreover, after taking Shanxi, we can look down upon the Central Plains from a commanding position, which has great strategic value."

Li Ling nodded, which coincided with his own thoughts.

He walked to the map and drew a circle on the location of Shanxi with a red pen.

"Warlord Yan Xishan." He muttered, "This man has operated in Shanxi for over a decade and has deep roots. It is said that although his Army's equipment is average, they are well-trained and occupy the geographical advantage. To take Shanxi, we cannot attack head-on; we must take it through strategy."

"How does the host plan to fight?"

"Special Forces go first." Li Ling pointed to several key locations on the map.

"Taiyuan, Datong, Linfen, and Changzhi—the communication hubs and command centers of these four cities are the primary targets of the Special Forces. Once they are taken out, the Jin Army's command system will be paralyzed, and the various units will be unable to communicate and can only fight on their own."

"And then?"

"Then the Air Force will bomb." Li Ling's finger moved across the map.

"Warlord Yan Xishan's supply lines rely mainly on railways and roads. The Air Force will blow up his railway bridges and key road points, preventing his frontline troops from getting supplies and preventing rear supplies from moving up. In three to five days, his troops will be short of food and ammunition, and their morale will collapse."

"And finally?"

"Finally, the Army will advance." Li Ling's finger stopped on the location of Taiyuan.

"The main force will attack from both Hebei and Henan directions simultaneously, splitting into two routes to pincer Taiyuan. Even if Warlord Yan Xishan has heaven-defying abilities, he won't be able to stop our torrent of steel."

"The host's plan is very thorough." The system's voice carried a hint of approval.

"But has the host thought about what to do if Warlord Yan Xishan asks other warlords for help?"

"Ask for help?" Li Ling laughed. "Yuan Shikai is dying for Warlord Yan Xishan to fall so he can take the opportunity to annex Shanxi. Zhang Zuolin is barely managing his own affairs; how would he have time to care about him? Other small warlords dare not move at all. Therefore, Warlord Yan Xishan can only rely on himself."

He put down the red pen and picked up the teacup on the table to take a sip. The tea was already cold, and a bitter taste spread on the tip of his tongue.

"However, no matter how thorough the plan is, it still depends on execution." Li Ling stood up and walked to the window.

"In the next three months, training must be doubled. Pilots must practice until they hit every shot, Special Forces must practice until they are silent and invisible, and the Army must practice until they can travel a hundred miles a day. Only by training to the extreme can we save lives on the battlefield."

"The host is right."

Li Ling pushed open the window. The cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in, hitting his face, icy and bone-chilling, but his heart was hot.

The next morning, Li Ling gathered all the core generals and held a military meeting that lasted for six hours.

In the conference room, smoke curled, and the generals sat around a long table, each with a serious expression.

On the large map on the wall, the detailed route and troop deployment for the Northern Expedition were marked, with red and blue markings densely packed.

"Gentlemen." Li Ling stood in front of the map and got straight to the point.

"The Northern Expedition plan has been formulated and is divided into three stages."

He used a wooden stick to point to Shanxi on the map.

"The first stage is to attack Shanxi. The target is Warlord Yan Xishan's Jin Army. The troop deployment is as follows: three armies of the Second Army Group will attack from the Hebei direction, two armies of the Third Army Group will attack from the Henan direction, and one Army of the First Army Group will serve as the general reserve. The Air Force will provide full support, and the Special Forces will infiltrate in advance to paralyze the enemy's command system."

"The second stage is to attack Zhili. The target is Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army. The troop deployment is as follows: the First Army Group and the Second Army Group will pincer from the Shandong and Shanxi directions, and the Third Army Group will be responsible for blocking the potentially reinforcing Fengtian Army. The fleet will blockade Bohai Bay and cut off Yuan Shikai's maritime supply lines."

"The third stage is to attack the Northeast. The target is Zhang Zuolin's Fengtian Army. The troop deployment is as follows: the First Army Group will land from the Liaodong Peninsula and strike directly at Fengtian; the Second Army Group will attack from the Rehe direction to contain the main force of the Fengtian Army; the Third Army Group will serve as the general reserve. The fleet will provide fire support, and the Air Force will be responsible for reconnaissance and bombing."

Li Ling finished speaking in one breath and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

The generals were fired up, their eyes full of excitement.

"My Lord, tell us how to fight, and we will fight just like that!" An old general stood up and patted his chest.

"Right! Following you, My Lord, we are invincible!"

"Unify the country! Unify the country!"

A thunderous roar erupted in the conference room.

Li Ling raised his hand to signal for silence and said in a deep voice: "Good, then it is settled. All units must immediately enter a state of combat readiness, strengthen training, and reserve supplies. We will formally send troops next spring!"

"Yes!"

After the meeting, Li Ling remained in the conference room alone, looking at the map on the wall.

He silently simulated every step and every detail in his heart. From troop deployment to logistical support, from attack routes to emergency plans, every link was repeatedly scrutinized until he was sure there were no loopholes.

"System." He whispered in his heart.

"Hmm?"

"You tell me, how many people will die in this war?"

The system's voice was silent for a moment, then said: "Host, war will always claim lives. But for every extra bit of preparation you make, one less brother will die."

Li Ling closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You are right." He opened his eyes, his gaze firm. "So I cannot be lazy. Prepare one more bit, save one more brother."

He walked back to the table and continued to revise the battle plan.

Outside the window, the heavy snow was still falling, and the world was vast and white.

In the evening, Li Ling finally put down his pen.

He stood up and walked to the window, looking at the snow scene outside.

In the distant military camp, soldiers were shoveling snow, and slogans could be heard faintly.

Further away, the chimneys of the Production Base were emitting white smoke, and workers were working overtime to produce weapons and ammunition.

"My Lord." The adjutant knocked and came in. "Her Highness the Princess invites you to return for dinner."

"I see." Li Ling nodded. "I will go back now."

He put on his overcoat and walked out of the command center.

It was still snowing, and a thick layer had already accumulated on the ground, making a crunching sound when stepped on.

Walking to the entrance of the mansion, he saw Empress Su Wanqing standing under the eaves, holding an oil-paper umbrella, as if waiting for someone.

"Empress Su Wanqing, why are you here?" Li Ling walked over quickly.

"Waiting for you." Empress Su Wanqing held the umbrella over his head and helped him brush off the snowflakes on his shoulders. "It's so cold, and you don't even know to wear more."

Li Ling smiled, reached out to take the umbrella, and put his arm around her shoulder as they walked inside.

"Brother Ling, you have been too tired lately." Empress Su Wanqing looked up at him, her eyes full of heartache. "You have lost a circle of weight."

"It's okay, it will be fine after the war." Li Ling kissed her forehead lightly. "When the country is unified, I will accompany you every day."

Empress Su Wanqing blushed and tapped him lightly: "Who wants you to accompany me every day? Go accompany Her Highness the Princess, go accompany Emily, don't bother me."

"Jealous?"

"Not at all!"

The two chatted and laughed as they walked into the mansion.

In the dining room, steaming food was already set.

The Princess and Emily were sitting at the table, and seeing Li Ling come in, they stood up at the same time.

"Husband, sit down quickly." The Princess pulled out a chair for him.

"Li Ling, are you tired today?" Emily poured him a cup of hot tea.

Li Ling sat down, looking at the busy figures of the three women, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

This was what he wanted. To have a home, to have love, to have warmth. To protect all of this, he was willing to pay any price.

Outside the window, the snow was still falling.

But Li Ling knew that the snow would always stop, and spring would always come.