Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Everyone in the hall stared intently at Li Ru. They all knew full well that Li Ru must have successfully persuaded Ma Teng yesterday. After all, Li Ru was Dong Zhuo's renowned and renowned strategist, known for his exceptional wisdom and ingenuity. He commanded the utmost confidence. Thus, facing the inquiring gazes of the crowd, Li Ru felt no pressure at all. He remained calm and composed, ready to speak forth his well-conceived plan.

Li Ru gently stroked his beard, then calmly instructed his men to bring a map to the center of the main hall. This map was no ordinary one; it presented a detailed map of the surrounding areas of Xiliang and Chang'an. The origins of this map dated back to the time when Dong Zhuo was still in Luoyang. Only under such a powerful background could Li Ru have the opportunity to see such a complete and detailed map. You have to know that in that chaotic era of warring princes, obtaining such a detailed map was not an easy task for the other princes.

Li Ru didn't waste any time at this point. After the map was properly placed in the hall, he walked over to it, pointed at it, and said, "Look, everyone. Between Longxi and Chang'an, we are separated by Tianshui County, Youfufeng County, and then the Jingzhao area. The distance between us is not short. If we want to respond in time if the situation changes, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the time being. Therefore, if we want to support the young master with this 10-strong army, we must not just station it in Longxi County. In my opinion, the most urgent thing is to station in Tianshui County first."

At this point, Li Ru paused slightly, his eyes sweeping around the crowd, and continued, "Why did we choose Tianshui County? Let me explain the reasons in detail. Tianshui County was previously the site of General Dong Huang's battles. General Dong Huang has been operating here for a long time and is quite familiar with the local conditions. Moreover, during the Young Master's conquest of Tianshui County, he did not cause excessive bloodshed, so the local people do not have much resistance to us, and their hearts can be used. In this way, Tianshui County can be said to be within our grasp. After we are stationed in Tianshui County, it will be much closer to Youfufeng County and Jingzhao. This way, if needed, we can go straight to Chang'an, ensuring that we can act quickly and provide timely support to the Young Master."

Li Ru looked around at everyone, his expression serious and solemn as he continued, "I intend to deploy 3 elite troops to garrison Tianshui County. General Dong Huang, you will lead your brothers Jiang Jiong and Jiang Xu to take charge of this matter. As for your two men, Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang, please remain in the hall for the time being, and I will make further arrangements later. General Dong Huang, you can lead Jiang Jiong and Jiang Xu to Tianshui County immediately and continue to garrison here. You must ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Upon hearing this, Dong Huang hurried out, clasped his hands together, and said respectfully, "I will obey the military advisor's orders and follow your arrangements. I will do my utmost to live up to your trust!"

Li Ru continued, "Since the lord has resolved to achieve great things amidst these turbulent times, the return of the young master to preside over the situation is urgently needed. However, as you all know, the young master is currently in Chang'an. For him to willingly return, he must be completely disillusioned with the court. If he still harbors attachment to the court, he will not easily consider returning. Therefore, we must maintain a vigilant posture, ensuring we can readily welcome the young master back, while also avoiding overly aggressive actions that would pose a significant threat to the court. After all, if the court, fearing our large army, appeases and promotes the young master, then we will defeat our goal of marginalizing him in Chang'an or allowing the emperor to manipulate him. If the young master enjoys a secure life in Chang'an, why would he easily abandon his position there and return? Therefore, in my opinion, garrisoning 3 troops in Tianshui County is sufficient."

Li Ru paused briefly, scanning the crowd before adding solemnly, "Of the 7 troops remaining, General Niu Fu can lead 3 of them to attack Yinping and Wudu counties. As you all know, Hanyang, Wudu, and Hanzhong have long been occupied by Zhang Lu. Furthermore, Zhang Lu and Liu Zhang are now at loggerheads, with numerous conflicts swirling between them. This presents an opportunity for us to attack Hanzhong, making it relatively easy. At the very least, Liu Zhang of Yizhou is preoccupied with his own affairs and will not engage us, much less aid Zhang Lu."

Niu Fu stepped out, frowning slightly, and said with difficulty, "Sir, although our Xiliang cavalry has always been brave and invincible, it is indeed a difficult task to successively capture Yinping and Wudu counties with only 3 troops."

Upon hearing this, Li Ru smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, General Niu Fu. You only need to display an all-out attack posture. This operation doesn't impose any specific restrictions on how much territory you can capture. It would be best if we could capture Dazhong, but even if we can't, that's fine too. We just need to make the court, Zhang Lu, and the others aware of our movements and sense the tension. This way, the various factions will inevitably take action. These changes may cause the young master to become increasingly disappointed with the court, and perhaps even consider returning."

Niu Fu stepped out, clasped his hands together, and although he still had some doubts, he still responded, "I will follow your instructions, sir. I will do my best to act according to your plan."

Li Ru leaned slightly aside, his gaze turning towards Ma Teng. He spoke solemnly, "My lord, amidst all this planning, there's one more matter I must trouble you with. That is the transfer of Fa Zheng here. Fa Zheng, along with Zhang Ren, are both renowned generals in Yizhou. This man should not be underestimated. I've observed him closely and have discovered that he possesses strategic and strategic acumen. He's truly a rare talent."

As Li Ru spoke, he walked back to the map, pointed to the relevant area, and continued, "Right now, relying solely on General Niu Fu to lead these 3 troops is ultimately a bit of a stretch. If we can transfer Fa Zheng to assist General Niu Fu in military affairs, with Fa Zheng's understanding of the surrounding terrain and various forces, and with the bravery of General Niu Fu's Xiliang cavalry, with such a coordinated effort, it shouldn't be difficult to successfully capture Dazhong."

Ma Teng sat at the head of the table, quietly listening to Li Ru's story. Seeing how neatly and logically Li Ru arranged everything, his admiration for him grew even stronger, and he couldn't help but be convinced. He responded without hesitation, "Excellent, this is a very good arrangement. Having Fa Zheng, with his talent, to aid us in our cause is truly excellent. I'll have Pang De immediately dispatch personnel to carry out this matter. He must invite Fa Zheng as soon as possible so that all plans can proceed smoothly."

After Ma Teng finished speaking, he raised his hand and gave Li Ru a slight signal, which clearly meant that he should continue to arrange the follow-up matters. Li Ru saw this and did not refuse. He continued calmly:

"Generals Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang, under General Dong Huang, have an important mission for you to complete. You must immediately assist General Niu Fu and travel to Hanzhong. During this journey, you must proactively respond to any challenges and not slack off in the slightest."

Li Ru paused briefly at this point, his gaze lingering on Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang for a moment before he spoke solemnly, "You two are tasked with finding a suitable route. This route exploration is very complex. We must ensure smooth communication with General Dong Huang stationed in Tianshui County, ensuring the exchange of information between the two sides. We must also constantly monitor news from Chang'an, ensuring timely and unified information from all parties. This way, if the Young Master shows any signs of trouble in Chang'an, you two must immediately contact General Dong Huang and General Niu Fu, dispatch troops promptly, and ensure the Young Master's safe return."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wu and Zhao Gang exchanged a glance, each seeing a resolute determination in the other's eyes. Without hesitation, they both stepped forward, clasped their hands, and uttered in unison, "Sir, I will follow your instructions with all my strength to complete this mission and live up to your trust!"

Li Ru, upon seeing this, waved his hand slightly, a faint smile on his face. He believed that while this mission did present some difficulties, these two were veterans who had served under General Dong Huang and possessed considerable combat experience. Furthermore, he had a certain understanding of them and knew their abilities. He was confident they would live up to their mission and accomplish it with flying colors.

After Li Ru meticulously arranged all matters, he turned to Ma Teng and said with a respectful yet confident expression, "My lord, please listen to me carefully. General Dong Huang is now secretly taking over the affairs of Tianshui County. With his previous management of the area and the popular support he has built up during the Young Master's previous campaigns, he is expected to firmly control the situation there. Meanwhile, General Niu Fu is publicly leading a large army to attack Hanzhong. With this arrangement, the combined power of these two armies cannot be underestimated."

As Li Ru spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly, as if visualizing the future course of events in his mind. He continued, "This arrangement will not only prevent the imperial court from becoming overly fearful of our Xiliang army, which would lead to them taking precautions against or deliberately suppressing the young master's situation in Chang'an, thus causing him to become overpowered and cause unnecessary trouble. Furthermore, if a situation arises where we need to assist the young master, we can mobilize these two armies to form a pincer attack and fully support his safe return."

Ma Teng frowned slightly as he listened to Li Ru's plan. After a moment's silence, he said, "Mr. Wenyou, we brought a full 10 troops with us this time, but according to your plan, you have only allocated 6 troops for this operation. Isn't this arrangement somewhat inappropriate? What should we do with the remaining 4 troops? These are the elite troops of Xiliang. They must not be left idle or wasted."