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

Feng Anguo issued orders one by one, with rigorous logic, covering all aspects of food and fodder supply.

Jia Yu listened attentively, occasionally adding details, especially regarding document verification, intelligence transmission, and coordination with local officials, where he made more specific requests.

The order was quickly recorded, repeated, and confirmed, and then a special messenger carrying a command arrow rushed out of the hall to deliver it to the relevant departments.

The entire governor's mansion, like a tightly wound, precision machine, began to operate at high speed.

Outside the hall, the winter sun was gradually warming, but the atmosphere inside remained serious and tense. Feng Anguo and Jia Yu knew that the real test was only just beginning.

The battles at the front may be earth-shattering, but the long and fragile lifeline behind us also requires tremendous effort and wisdom to protect.

Their presence here is meant to be a pillar of stability.

"Ensure that no matter how the situation changes on the front lines, this lifeline supplying the army remains strong and stable."

Two days later.

Youzhou, a formidable city in the northern border region.

The wind here is even colder than in the south. The biting north wind is like a knife with ice shards, sweeping across the towering arrow towers and the thick, mottled city walls.

Inside the governor's mansion, although the charcoal fire burned extremely brightly, it could not dispel the desolate and chilly atmosphere that seemed to seep in from the cracks in the bricks and stones, belonging to the frontier.

The hall is spacious, and the furnishings are simple yet grand, befitting the status of a commander's residence in a major military town.

Seated in the main seat was a middle-aged man in his early thirties, with a refined yet dignified appearance.

He was not wearing armor, but only a black prince's casual robe embroidered with a four-clawed dragon pattern, and a winged crown on his head. He was none other than Prince Xuan, Chu Xuan, who was stationed in the northern border and in charge of the military and political affairs of Youzhou.

At this moment, he held in his hand a thin silk letter, still fresh with ink, which had just been delivered by a secret agent of the Embroidered Uniform Guard via carrier pigeon.

His brows furrowed slightly, his expression grave, and his gaze swept over the words repeatedly, as if he were savoring the weight of each one.

On the left and right sides of the hall sat a dozen or so high-ranking generals from the Youzhou army.

Most of these men had rugged faces, their skin was dark and rough from years of exposure to the wind and sun, their eyes were sharp as eagles, and they carried the fierceness and weathered air unique to border troops.

Although their armor had been removed, their upright posture and the unconscious gesture of stroking their sword hilts showed that they were always ready for battle.

Seated at the head of the table on the side of the civil officials was a man with an extraordinary air about him.

He was about forty years old, with a handsome face and fair skin, making him stand out among the group of rough and tough military officers.

He was dressed in a well-tailored black and white scholar's robe, gently waving a white crane feather fan in his hand. His posture was composed, but his eyes were deep and calm, as if he could see through all the turmoil.

This person is Su Tingmei, one of Chu Ning's most trusted strategists, renowned in the northern border for her ingenious plans and flawless strategies.

The atmosphere in the hall was already somewhat oppressive due to Chu Xuan's solemn expression.

Finally, Chu Xuan slowly put down the secret letter in his hand, raised his head, and glanced at the generals below.

Finally, his gaze lingered briefly on Su Tingmei's face before he spoke in a deep voice, not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "I have just received a secret decree from His Majesty and an urgent report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

He paused, letting the news settle in everyone's minds: "Three days ago, His Majesty personally led an army of 300,000 men to Zhennan Pass to swear an oath and launch a northern expedition, aiming his sword at the Tang Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, the generals in the hall, though they had anticipated it, were still invigorated and their eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation as they heard that the Northern Expedition had officially begun.

This is the decisive battle that will determine who rules the world!

However, Chu Xuan's next words quickly transformed this excitement into a heavy responsibility: "His Majesty has ordered that during the Northern Expedition, the most important task for Youzhou is to hold back the 100,000 Scorpion Clan cavalry outside the city!"

"We will not allow them to advance even a step south, thus interfering with His Majesty's grand plan and threatening the flanks and rear of the Northern Expeditionary Army!"

His gaze sharpened, and his tone became more serious: "Although Huyan Ying has retreated, the one who has taken over command of this army is Gongsun Yi, a great general of the Scorpion Clan known as the 'wise general' and even more cunning and difficult to deal with in his military tactics!"

"This man is not to be underestimated. Whether His Majesty's northern expedition can proceed smoothly and whether our Youzhou can be defended are of paramount importance!"

Upon hearing the name "Gongsun Yi," some generals frowned.

Clearly, they knew this opponent well and knew he was more difficult to deal with than Huyan Ying.

But after a brief moment of solemnity, the atmosphere in the hall was quickly ignited by the generals' pride and confidence.

The first to speak was a bearded veteran sitting at the head of the military officers' seats. He was the deputy governor of Youzhou and was known for his bravery and defensive prowess: "Your Highness, rest assured! No matter who commands them, whether it's Huyan Ying or Gongsun Yi, or even if the Scorpion Khan himself comes, when they arrive at the gates of Youzhou, dragons will have to coil up and tigers will have to lie low!"

He slapped his thigh hard, his voice echoing through the roof tiles: "Our Youzhou City has high walls and deep moats, ample food supplies, and excellent military equipment!"

"The brothers have been dealing with these prairie wolf cubs for over a decade and know their temperament inside and out!"

"The Scorpion Clan cavalry are formidable in open field battles, but when it comes to sieges and fortifications, they're like banging their heads against an iron wall!"

"One hundred thousand cavalry? That sounds terrifying, but without siege equipment and enough infantry, how will they break through my Youzhou? With their sabers? Hahaha!"

His hearty laughter infected the others.

Another sharp-looking young general chimed in, "General Liu is right! No matter how cunning Gongsun Yi is, even a clever cook can't make a meal without rice!"

"No matter how many cavalry he has, it's useless if he's not good at siege warfare! As long as we defend the city and avoid reckless battles, no matter how he provokes or maneuvers outside the city, he won't be able to cross the line!"

"Haven't we gotten by like this for the past few months? What kind of magic can Gongsun Yi possibly pull now that he's here?"

"That's right! Your Highness, I am willing to sign a military pledge! If even a single Scorpion Clan soldier manages to climb up the North Gate, which I am responsible for defending, I will offer my head in return!"

"Leave the East Gate to me! I'll make sure Gongsun Yi smashes his head open until it bleeds!"

"This humble general is willing to lead cavalry out of the city to patrol and harass their logistics, cut off their supply lines, and let their 100,000-strong army go hungry!"

The generals spoke one after another, expressing their full confidence.

The originally somber atmosphere in the hall became lively.

Having long been stationed in the northern frontier, they had fought countless battles, large and small, against the Scorpion Clan, and possessed an almost instinctive confidence in their ability to defend against cavalry charges by relying on fortified cities.

After years of development, Youzhou City has a well-established defense system, ample supplies, and its soldiers are united in their hatred of the enemy, so it certainly has the confidence to say such things.

Even the slight pressure brought by the name "Gongsun Yi" was largely mitigated by this collective confidence.

After all, they are on the defensive here and are not afraid of cavalry at all!