nycdaug Chapter 81 Strengthening Reconnaissance Efforts at the Front
Chapter 81 Strengthening Reconnaissance Efforts at the Front
Although Li Heng's spies noticed An Lushan's actions, they could not distinguish the truth from falsehood due to the mixed information.
"Your Highness, should we strengthen reconnaissance efforts at the front to obtain more information?" Gao Shi asked.
Li Heng thought it over carefully: "Let's maintain the status quo for now, but we need to deploy defenses at key points to prevent fake news from turning into real attacks."
on the other hand.
Li Mao was more sensitive to An Lushan's retreat plan.
"Your Highness, could we try to intervene through diplomatic means to force An Lushan to make more mistakes during the retreat?" Afu suggested.
“Diplomatic means might stir up the situation, but we absolutely cannot risk revealing our intentions.” Li Mao brushed away the thoughts from his brow. “What we need is a decisive strike.”
On a stormy night, Li Heng convened another secret meeting.
The thunder echoed outside the window, and many people present looked slightly nervous.
"What are your thoughts on the recent situation?" Li Heng asked, glancing at his advisors.
Zhang Jiuling spoke first: "Your Highness, the wisest choice now is to remain patient, strengthen internal consolidation, and not be disturbed by any false intelligence sent by the enemy."
“That makes a lot of sense, but we also need to make sure we can strike at any time.” Li Heng strongly agreed.
After nightfall.
Gao Shi felt uneasy about the overall situation, so he asked privately, "Your Highness, do you already have a plan?"
Li Heng smiled calmly, his eyes filled with boundless hope for the future: "Everything still requires patience, but I have a feeling that the opportunity will come soon."
Dawn.
An Lushan's nerves were constantly on edge, pondering how to preserve his strength.
"Reporting to the general, the troops are ready to retreat at any time," the confidant reported in a low voice.
An Lushan nodded, his expression grave: "Tell the brothers that retreat is of utmost importance, and there can be no delays."
The aide cautiously added, "General, according to the latest intelligence, Prince Shou does not seem to be actively resisting our retreat; on the contrary, he intends to clear the roads."
"Li Mao..." An Lushan pondered, "What exactly is he planning?"
"Perhaps they want to use this to exert influence on the court, or they may be trying to make us owe them a favor," the advisor analyzed.
"In short, we can accept his goodwill to some extent, but we must never completely trust him," An Lushan pondered.
at the same time.
At the Prince of Shou's residence, Li Mao was also planning how to take advantage of the situation to both secure his position within the imperial family and avoid triggering new conflicts.
"Ah Fu, has our infiltration been effective?" Li Mao asked.
Afu smiled confidently: "It's all taken care of. There are already people along the retreat route to help them cover."
General Feng nodded in agreement: "Your Highness's methods and cunning are both excellent, but An Lushan's retreat this time has also been a mistake..."
“This is also a strategic retreat,” Li Mao nodded and said.
"However, after safely escorting An Lushan, we must make secret arrangements to prevent misunderstandings between the two sides from escalating, otherwise we may be attacked from both sides."
"This arrangement is also beneficial for building bridges with the powerful northern forces," Afu added.
……
As night deepened, the lights in Li Mao's residence remained on all night.
He sat in the hall reviewing intelligence from various sources, occasionally asking Afu about the specific implementation progress.
"Remember to keep our agreement with An Lushan a secret, and under no circumstances should the court suspect anything," Li Mao solemnly warned.
Afu reassured him, "Please rest assured, all steps have been taken according to plan, and there will be no mistakes."
For several nights in a row, An Lushan's men did not encounter the expected obstacles during their secret retreat.
"Now that the threat is gone, we should take this opportunity to adjust our next move," An Lushan said with unusual caution.
The aide chimed in: "The retreat was successful, but the subsequent planning is even more crucial."
Meanwhile, in Chang'an, far away.
Li Heng and Gao Shi discussed the gains and losses of this operation again.
"Your Highness, taking this as an opportunity, shouldn't we re-examine the subtle relationships between the various forces in the long term?" Gao Shi asked.
“Exactly. We shouldn’t just sit and wait and see, but should make full preparations before the storm comes.” Li Heng thought carefully.
Even as they were discussing, Li Mao remained uneasy, his feelings about this tacit test with An Lushan were complicated.
“If a similar situation arises again in the future, our choices will certainly be different,” Li Mao muttered to himself.
General Feng nodded to himself: "Your Highness is right. Different people have different opinions. The current step is already a very strategic choice."
“Next, we should try to avoid getting too involved and ensure our absolute safety,” Li Mao decided cautiously.
"Proceeding cautiously is our safest option," Afu added.
"Ah Fu, the situation is calming down now, but we must keep a close eye on any changes in the wind direction," Li Mao said finally.
……
The sound of the wind carried an air of impending doom.
An Lushan's troops were attacked before they had even left the outskirts of Chang'an.
"Quick! Enemy attack!" A scout rushed over, his face anxious.
An Lushan immediately ordered his troops to quickly switch to a defensive formation and efficiently deploy their defenses in all directions. "Attention everyone! We must repel the enemy as quickly as possible!"
However, the enemy seemed to have been prepared, approaching from all sides layer by layer, and An Lushan's army was temporarily overwhelmed.
"General, we are surrounded, and the enemy numbers are greater than we expected," the trusted aide reported anxiously.
An Lushan's face was ashen, knowing in his heart that he must not panic at this moment: "Stay calm, defend first, and wait for reinforcements!"
Even with a desperate resistance, the enemy outnumbered them.
at the same time.
Far away in Chang'an, Li Mao secretly received news that An Lushan had been ambushed.
A slight ripple of emotion stirred within him, and he immediately discussed countermeasures with Afu.
“Your Highness, An Lushan needs support. However, we must proceed with caution and not let the situation spiral out of control,” Afu suggested.
After a moment's thought, Li Mao nodded and said, "We can't stand idly by. We should immediately send someone to contact An Sishun and inform him of the situation. If we can succeed, it will be a way of indirectly helping An Lushan."
“An Sishun had a close relationship with An Lushan and could be used as a contact person, but this needs to be handled carefully to prevent any oversights,” Afu added.
"Plan carefully, and ensure that the operation is not only discreet but also perfectly understood by the other party," Li Mao ordered.
As connections expand.
An Sishun soon received a hint from Li Mao.
Knowing this was a critical matter, he decisively organized manpower to prepare for the rescue of An Lushan.
An Sishun said to his subordinates, "The opportunity is rare and limited. We must strike precisely and provide support to General An as soon as possible."
“Understood. We have made full preparations and will certainly not let you down,” his subordinate said firmly.
the other side.
On the battlefield, An Lushan's army finally succumbed to the attack and fell into an even deeper crisis.
"We must hold out until reinforcements arrive, or everything will be over!" An Lushan calmly commanded his troops.
However, at this moment, a hidden force stormed into the enemy ranks, creating an escape route for An Lushan.
"Hold on! Our reinforcements are here!" the confidant shouted excitedly.
An Lushan caught a glimpse of the sign and knew that An Sishun had arrived. He was secretly grateful, but remained calm and ordered, "All troops retreat! Retreat quickly along the new route!"