Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Jia Yu listened quietly to Feng Anguo's analysis, the faint smile on his face remaining unchanged.

He waited until Feng Anguo finished speaking before slowly shaking his head, his gaze still following the distant, receding dragon of smoke and dust. His voice was calm, yet carried a strange certainty:

"General Feng's concerns are all reasonable and in line with the principles of military strategy."

"But, General, do you know why His Majesty still dares to launch such a thunderous attack at this time?"

Without waiting for Feng Anguo's reply, he spoke as if answering his own question:

"Because what Your Majesty sees is not only the enemy's cities and troops, but also the overall situation, the people's hearts, and the opportunity for a fatal blow."

He turned to look at Feng Anguo, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "The old general only saw that the Tang Dynasty might recruit new soldiers, but he did not see the panic that ensued after its recent defeat, and the severe blow to the morale and spirit of the people!"

"The news of Li Jing's defeat and death, the annihilation of hundreds of thousands of elite troops, and the loss of many famous generals caused far more panic and turmoil than we imagined when it reached the country."

"How can hastily recruited new soldiers contend with my battle-hardened elite troops? No matter how capable Guo Ziyi is at defense, how long can he hold out without a sufficiently reliable and highly motivated army?"

Jia Yu changed the subject, mentioning a key figure: "Besides, has the old general forgotten?"

"We still hold a trump card in our hands, one that could shake the morale of the Tang army and even affect its internal affairs!"

Feng Anguo was slightly taken aback: "You mean... Yuchi Bo?"

"Exactly!"

Jia Yu nodded and smiled, his tone carrying a hint of calculating coldness: "Yuchi Bo is Guo Ziyi's trusted and beloved general, renowned in the Tang army, and a close friend and comrade of many generals."

"Now that he is a prisoner of our army, this has dealt a concrete and profound blow to the morale of the Tang army. Your Majesty's departure will give Yuchi Bo an invisible weapon in your hands!"

"It could be displayed in front of the enemy to demoralize them, or it could be used to spread rumors to lure the Tang army to their aid, and then ambush and annihilate them."

"Even when the time is right, we can use this as an opportunity to make some deals with Li Shimin. Either way, it will greatly increase our army's chances of winning and our initiative."

"This is one of the reasons why His Majesty dares to be enterprising, and it is also where we in the rear need to cooperate."

Upon hearing this, Feng Anguo's cloudy eyes suddenly brightened, and a look of realization and excitement flashed across his face.

He stroked his beard and couldn't help but let out a low, hearty laugh:

"Haha! Lord Jia's words have awakened me from my dream! I was so focused on strategizing with troops and cities that I forgot about this psychological warfare tactic, this living weapon!"

"Excellent, excellent! If we can make good use of Yuchi Bo, it could indeed yield remarkable results and achieve twice the outcome with half the effort!"

"General Ma Chao's capture of him is truly a great achievement!"

Seeing that Feng Anguo's inner conflict had eased somewhat, Jia Yu's smile widened. He patted the cold crenellations of the city wall, his tone relaxed yet firm:

"So, General Feng, why should we add to our worries here?"

"Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy, and you act only after careful planning. Since you are determined to march north, you must have considerable confidence and backup plans."

"What we need to do is not to worry about the outcome of the battle for His Majesty on the front lines."

"Instead, we will do everything in our power in the rear to ensure that the supply lines are unobstructed, that the passes are as solid as a rock, and that His Majesty will have no worries about the rear no matter how he maneuvers at the front!"

"This is our greatest support and confidence in His Majesty and in this national war!"

Feng Anguo nodded heavily, his worried expression replaced by a resolute sense of responsibility.

He looked north again.

There, the banners of the Chu army had disappeared on the distant horizon, leaving only a sky full of dust, like a yellow dragon soaring into the sky.

"Lord Jia is right!"

Feng Anguo straightened his back, his voice regaining the composure and strength of a veteran general: "His Majesty is fighting bloody battles on the front lines, and we, in the rear, will be his most solid foundation!"

"Pass down the order: conduct another round of checks on all granaries and transfer points! Double the security and patrols! We will not allow a single suspicious mosquito to fly into our Zhennanguan!"

The two senior officials, one a military man and the other a civil official, one old and the other young, exchanged a smile.

All worries and expectations were transformed into the silent yet incredibly solid protection of this majestic pass beneath our feet and the long supply line behind us.

The prelude to the Northern Expedition has been raised, but the real contest has only just begun.

Until the last banner of the Chu army completely disappeared into the billowing dust on the northern horizon, only the traces of countless iron hooves and the gradually calming dust remained on the wilderness.

Feng Anguo and Jia Yucai slowly withdrew their gazes from the distance.

The cold wind still blew on the city wall, but the two men's mood had quickly shifted from the emotions and worries of parting to the calm and focus of shouldering heavy responsibilities.

"Let's go, Lord Jia."

Feng Anguo turned around first, his voice regaining the competence and composure of the Minister of War: "His Majesty has entrusted the affairs of the future to you and me, and we cannot relax for even a moment."

"General Feng is absolutely right." Jia Yu nodded slightly, flicked his sleeves, and followed Feng Anguo down the city wall.

Instead of returning to their respective residences, the two went straight to the council hall of the "Rear Army Governor's Office," a temporary facility set up inside Zhennan Pass to coordinate all affairs in the rear.

This place was originally the office of the garrison commander within the pass, but now it has become one of the nerve centers of the entire Northern Expeditionary Army.

Hanging in the hall is a huge map of the southern route and part of the northern border, marked with densely packed routes, passes, granaries, and troop deployments.

The clerks, military advisors, and other officials were already waiting there, and the air was filled with the scent of paper and ink, as well as a tense sense of order.

Feng Anguo walked straight to the head seat and sat down, while Jia Yu sat to his left in the staff officer's seat.

Without any pleasantries, Feng Anguo's sharp gaze swept over everyone in the hall, getting straight to the point:

"Gentlemen, His Majesty has personally led the royal army north to conquer Tang, and the cause of restoring peace to the world begins today!"

"Our duty is to ensure that His Majesty and his 300,000 soldiers have no worries about their rear!"

"The supply lines are the lifeblood of an army; even the slightest mistake can bring about the downfall of the entire operation!"

"From this moment forward, all personnel and agencies under the Southern Expeditionary Army Command must prioritize ensuring the smooth flow of grain supplies and the stability of border defenses!"

He spoke slowly, but every word was clear and forceful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Immediately, a series of specific and detailed orders were swiftly issued from his mouth:

"First, issue an order to all grain and fodder transfer points and temporary warehouses along the Zhennan Pass to the pre-established front-line camp in the north to immediately enter a state of highest alert!"

"Double the number of guards, on duty day and night, to prevent fires, theft, and sabotage by spies!"

"All grain and fodder shipments must be accompanied by a verification document jointly issued by this Governor's Office and Military Advisor Jia Yu, and must be recorded in detail and reported daily!"

"Second, we will form three elite grain transport guerrilla forces, each with three thousand men, and each commanded by a capable captain."

"They do not station themselves in fixed camps, but instead patrol the main grain routes and the area within 50 li on both sides to eliminate any possible fleeing soldiers, bandits, or outlaws, drive away suspicious persons, and ensure road safety."

"If a small group of Tang troops harasses us, we will annihilate them on the spot; if we encounter a large enemy force, we will light beacon fires as a warning and use the terrain to delay them!"

"Third, order the engineering battalion and conscript laborers to immediately begin reinforcing and repairing the three main grain routes starting from Zhennanguan."

"Add guardrails to treacherous sections of the road, lay wood and stones on muddy areas, station troops at key bridges, and prepare backup river-crossing plans to ensure that grain carts can pass unimpeded in any weather!"

"Fourth, all medical officers and medicines within the pass were uniformly dispatched, and medical stations were set up at major nodes along the route to treat any injuries or illnesses of the grain transport laborers and soldiers who might be injured or sick."

"At the same time, we should strengthen the storage of grain and fodder, prevent moisture and mold, and regularly inspect and dry them."

"Fifth, maintain daily contact with Prince Xuan's northern camp by carrier pigeon. In addition to routine military intelligence reports, focus on inquiring about the battle situation on the northern front and whether there are any signs of Scorpion Clan cavalry raiding the supply lines from the south."

"Report any unusual activity immediately!"