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

Chu Ning gave her an approving look: "Mulan's words resonate deeply with me."

He turned to face outside the tent, his voice suddenly rising: "Guards!"

The guards outside the tent responded and entered.

"By imperial decree: All generals, please come to the imperial tent immediately for a meeting!"

"According to the order!"

The guards quickly left.

Inside the tent, Chu Ning sat back down in his command seat, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, producing a rhythmic tapping sound.

Feng Mulan walked to the sand table and picked up a small red flag—it represented the most elite Xuanjia Iron Cavalry of the Chu army:

"Your Majesty, is it... time for a decisive battle?"

"decisive battle."

Chu Ning slowly uttered these two words, each word as heavy as a thousand pounds: "Guo Ziyi wants to delay, wants to wear us down, wants to wait for us to run out of food and retreat on our own."

“But I will not give him that chance.”

He stood up and walked to the huge map of the Jianghuai region hanging in the center of the imperial tent.

On the map, the Chu army of 300,000 men formed a crescent shape, surrounding Jianghuai City, the last barrier of the Tang Dynasty.

Beyond Jianghuai City lies a vast plain stretching for thousands of miles, leading directly to Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty.

"Order all troops: Starting tomorrow, the rations of food and fodder will be doubled, and meat will be supplied every three days."

"Tell the soldiers that they have eaten their fill and rested well, and in seven days—"

Chu Ning turned around, his gaze sweeping over the positions where the generals who were about to arrive would stand in the tent: "I will personally lead the army to fight Guo Ziyi to the death!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of footsteps approaching came from outside the tent.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" the generals saluted in unison.

"Flat body."

Chu Ning raised his hand, his gaze sweeping over every face: "You have all surely heard of the victory in the Northern Frontier."

Zhao Yu spoke first: "This humble general has just received a military report that Prince Xuan and Mr. Su have trapped Gongsun Yi's 40,000 elite troops at Black Stone Fortress. This is a great victory!"

"It wasn't just a big win."

Chu Ning walked to the sand table: "More importantly, the Scorpion Khan has received a letter requesting aid, and the royal court is in turmoil. He may very well personally lead an expedition to rescue them."

Upon hearing this, all the generals' eyes lit up.

Ran Ming said gruffly, "Good! In this way, the waters in the Northern Frontier will become even muddier! The Scorpion Clan will be too busy to care about themselves and will never dare to plot against us again!"

"Exactly." Chu Ning nodded: "Therefore, I have decided that in seven days, we will launch a full-scale attack on Jianghuai City."

The tent fell silent for a moment.

The generals looked at each other, their eyes blazing with fury.

Han Xing pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, Guo Ziyi has fortified the city with deep trenches and high walls, making it impenetrable. A direct attack would likely result in casualties..."

Therefore, we will not launch a direct attack.

Chu Ning interrupted him, tracing the side of Jianghuai City on the sand table with his finger: "I will use a feint to the east while attacking the west, Ran Ming."

"The general is here!"

"I will give you 50,000 elite troops. Within three days, make it appear as if you are launching a strong attack on the East Gate. All siege equipment will be moved to the East Gate."

"According to the order!"

"Han Xing".

"The end will be here."

"You shall lead an army of 100,000 to launch a feigned attack on the west gate. Make a big show of it, but there is no need for a real attack."

"Wei Chen understands."

Chu Ning finally looked at Feng Mulan: "Mulan."

"You will lead 30,000 cavalry, borrow warships from the navy, and sail south along the Huai River, landing 50 li south of Jianghuai City."

Chu Ning traced an arc on the map with his finger: "Seven days from now, at midnight, when the battles at the East and West Gates are at their fiercest, you will suddenly break in from the South Gate—where the defenders are the weakest."

Feng Mulan's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "This humble general will certainly not fail in his mission!"

"The rest of the troops will remain with me in the central command, awaiting the opportune moment to act."

Chu Ning surveyed his generals: "In this battle, I will utterly crush Guo Ziyi's 200,000-strong army, capture Jianghuai City, and open the gates to Chang'an!"

The generals roared in unison, "We are willing to die for Your Majesty!"

The roar shook the imperial tent.

Looking at the generals who had followed him for many years, Chu Ning felt a surge of pride.

With the northern frontier secured, there are no more worries about the rear.

Now, it's time to make a final stand with the Tang Dynasty.

He walked to the tent entrance and lifted the tent flap.

Outside the tent, the setting sun, like blood, dyed the entire Jianghuai Plain red.

Smoke curled from the chimneys of the 300,000-strong Chu army camp, warhorses neighed, and banners fluttered in the evening breeze.

Further away, the outline of Jianghuai City stood silently in the twilight, like a giant beast crouching.

Seven days later, this place will be a river of blood.

But Chu Ning knew that the blood was shed.

Because after this battle, the Central Plains will usher in true unification.

And he, Emperor Chu Ning of the Great Chu, will complete the unfinished hegemony of previous emperors.

"Preach my will."

He turned around one last time, his voice echoing throughout the imperial tent: "Tonight, reward the three armies with plenty of wine and meat. Tell the soldiers—seven days from now, I will lead them to defeat the Tang army!"

"Long live your Majesty! Long live! Long live!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted from the imperial tent, quickly spreading throughout the entire camp, eventually coalescing into a deafening sound that echoed across the Jianghuai Plain for a long time.

The final battle is now in its countdown.

The grand game of chess has finally come to an end.

As night fell over the Jianghuai Plain, the Chu army camp was lit with bonfires stretching for twenty miles.

That was no ordinary campfire, but a specially piled-up stack of firewood, doused with grease, and set ablaze over ten feet high.

Flames soared into the sky, turning half the night sky crimson. Even the garrison on the city walls of Jianghuai in the distance could clearly see this sea of ​​fire and hear the clamor carried by the wind.

On the open ground in front of the central army camp, thousands of fat sheep and hundreds of strong cattle had been slaughtered, skinned, and roasted, and placed on dozens of grills.

The grease dripped into the fire, sizzling and releasing a rich aroma of meat mixed with the smell of charcoal, filling the entire camp.

Further away, hundreds of large pots were bubbling with milky white mutton soup, which the cooks stirred constantly with long-handled iron ladles, steaming hot.

"His Majesty has decreed—tonight, the entire army will be rewarded with plenty of wine and meat!"

Messengers rode their horses between the camps, their cries carrying the emperor's favor.

Wherever they went, the soldiers erupted in deafening cheers.

In order to conserve food supplies, they had not had a full meal for a long time, let alone wine and meat.

With the decisive battle imminent, this reward is more effective at boosting morale than any pre-battle mobilization.

"One pound of mutton and half a pound of beef per person, plus unlimited millet rice! One jar of yellow wine per person!"

The quartermaster stood beside the grain cart and announced loudly, while the soldiers behind him lined up in a long queue, holding ceramic bowls and wooden plates in their hands, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

The vanguard battalion under Yue Yun's command was the first to receive wine and meat.

These burly North Pole men sat in a circle, cutting off large chunks of roasted meat with daggers and stuffing them directly into their mouths, not caring at all as grease dripped down their chins.

Someone broke the clay seal on the wine jar, and the clear wine was poured into a rough earthenware bowl, shimmering with an amber light in the firelight.

"brothers!"

A captain with a full beard stood up, raising his wine bowl high: "Seven days from now, we'll follow General Yue and be the first to charge up the Jianghuai city walls! Aren't you scared?"

"We're not afraid!" hundreds of people roared in unison.

"Good! Drink this bowl of wine, and seven days later, we'll use that old man Guo Ziyi's head as a wine vessel for His Majesty!"

"Dry!"

The wine bowls clinked, the wine spilled, and the hearty laughter shook the campfire, sending sparks flying.