After crossing, I was forced to hold on to my thighs and build a kingdom

More than half a month passed like this. Seeing that the soldiers of the Northwest Army were training hard every day, the morale of the army was getting stronger and stronger. Everyone mustered up their energy and wanted to go north to attack the Western Rong people, recapture Fuyun City, and wipe out the shame of being defeated and forced to go south a few months ago.

Su Cheng'an knew very well that the Northwest Army was now fully prepared. With just one order, it would be like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, striking directly at the enemy's vital points and restoring the Northwest Army's former reputation.

This situation was not only witnessed by him, but also by the commander-in-chief Liu Zhongquan and Ye Jinxuan who trained soldiers on the training ground every day.

So, on an ordinary quiet night, Su Cheng'an, Ye Jinxuan and General Liu Zhongquan gathered in a room again.

The candlelight in the room flickered, and the light and shadows were mottled, reflecting the solemn and resolute faces of the three people.

"General, it's already May, and many of our brothers in the army are asking when we can march north to counterattack the Western Rong bandits and retake Floating Cloud City."

Looking at the two people sitting there, Ye Jinxuan spoke first.

Because he had to train soldiers every day, he was the person who had the most and closest contact with the soldiers. He could feel most directly the emotional changes of the soldiers in the army who were eager to go north and avenge their previous defeat.

After hearing this, Liu Zhongquan was silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "Axuan, do you think our soldiers' current strength and morale are enough to capture the city in one battle?"

"Even though Chen Tianyao knew that the Xirong people had obtained the city defense map of Floating Cloud City, he still stubbornly adopted passive defensive measures. He forced his soldiers to retreat and not allow them to leave the city to attack the Xirong people."

"Especially after the Xirong people had already invaded Floating Cloud City, Chen Tianyao did not immediately organize a strong counterattack. Instead, he panicked and issued orders frequently."

Ye Jinxuan's chest heaved rapidly, and his voice was filled with resentment that was difficult to suppress.

"Due to a lack of effective leadership and strategic planning, our troops are disorganized and fighting independently. Our brave soldiers possess brute force, but they have no way to wield it. Unable to advance or retreat, they are in disarray, like a group of dragons without a leader, reduced to a pile of scattered sand."

He closed his eyes and sighed helplessly, "In the end, we suffered heavy losses and fled Lingyun City in disgrace! The brave men of my Northwest Army were forced to bear the shame of failing to defend the city!"

"The loss of Floating Cloud City in that battle wasn't the fault of our Northwest Army soldiers. It was caused by that cowardly, incompetent, headstrong, and cowardly Chen Tianyao. If the general had led his brothers north to counterattack the Western Rong people today, Floating Cloud City would have been recaptured!"

"Axuan is very confident in our Northwest Army!"

Liu Zhongquan turned to Su Cheng'an and asked solemnly, "Axuan is one of us. He's been leading the Northwest Army's training for a while now, so he's become attached to them, and his thoughts are inevitably biased. The Crown Prince has been here for nearly a month now. What are your thoughts on our Northwest Army?"

Su Cheng'an stood up with his hands clasped, and said politely, "Since the general has asked, I will speak frankly. I hope you will forgive me for any intrusion."

"Your Highness, there's no need to be polite. Just speak freely." Liu Zhongquan stroked his short and thick beard, motioning him to continue.

Su Cheng'an bowed slightly and said, "Although Yizhi doesn't know as much about the Northwest Army as the general does, based on my observations over the past month, my understanding is not much different from that of General Ye."

Exchanging a glance with Ye Jinxuan, Su Cheng'an continued, "The Northwest Army is truly valiant and unparalleled, and their morale has been particularly high lately. All the soldiers are eager to avenge their previous defeat. If we take advantage of the Rong people's unpreparedness and march north, directly attacking the Western Rong, we have a high chance of retaking Floating Cloud City."

Seeing that Liu Zhongquan looked thoughtful, Su Cheng'an decided to continue his efforts.

"Now the entire army is united in hatred of the enemy, and their fighting spirit seems to soar to the sky. If we miss this opportunity, once the enemy recovers, redeploys, and prepares for battle, it will be difficult for the Northwestern Army to find such an opportunity in the future."

After the conversation, the room fell silent.

Liu Zhongquan had no expression on his face and remained silent.

Su Chengan thought for a moment and added, "Yizhi is still young and new here, so his observations and impressions may be biased. Whether the Northwest Army fights or hides is up to the general to decide."

Liu Zhongquan sighed deeply, looked at Su Cheng'an and asked, "If we have to fight, when do you think it would be best to go north?"

"Act when the opportunity arises, without waiting all day. Yizhi personally thinks that this matter should be done as soon as possible!" Su Cheng'an said slowly.

"What do you think, Axuan?" Liu Zhongquan turned to look at Ye Jinxuan.

"General, I think it would be best if we could lead our troops to launch a night attack on Floating Cloud City within three days while the Western Rong are unawares!"

Liu Zhongquan said nothing. He lowered his head and his expression could not be seen. He just placed his right hand on the table in front of him and slightly bent his fingers.

A slight "dong dong" sound rang out rhythmically, as if knocking on the hearts of the people in the house.

Su Cheng'an and Ye Jinxuan looked at each other, then looked away without leaving a trace.

After a moment, the knocking stopped.

The middle-aged man raised his head, looked at the two men, and spoke: "The court is in chaos right now. Fortunately, my Northwestern Army has the Crown Prince's help, so the soldiers can march north safely to attack the Western Rong. However, Floating Cloud City fell into the hands of the Western Rong last year. After several months, I wonder what the situation is like in the city? I also wonder how the people around here are doing."

He turned his gaze to Su Cheng'an, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face, and his tone became low.

"If I can capture Floating Cloud City this time, and use this as a way to compensate for Chen Tianyao's previous loss of the city, it will only offset the damage. If the court still refuses to release food and wages to the Northwest Army, these hundreds of thousands of brothers, even if we recapture Floating Cloud City, will still be trapped without future supplies."

"A few months later, the Western Rong returned, and our Northwestern Army was ultimately forced to abandon the city once again."

After he finished speaking, Liu Zhongquan's face was full of disappointment and resentment.

Ye Jinxuan was stunned, his blood boiling, his heart surging, and he instantly fell down.

He only wanted to defeat the Western Rong and take back the Floating Cloud City that his father had garrisoned for nearly thirty years. In his heart, the city carried the glory of his family and the blood of his fathers. It was also the place that thousands of Northwest Army soldiers yearned for.

But he forgot that the current court is already dominated by treacherous officials and evil spirits are rampant.

Obsessed with fighting for power and forming factions to attack dissidents, they had long forgotten the lives of the people outside the capital. How could they remember the Northwestern Army that fought bloody battles in the bitter cold and defended the territory to the death?

The light in the eyes of the young man, who was once full of hope, gradually dimmed, leaving only deep disappointment, indignation and helplessness.

"General Mo You, just go ahead and bravely recapture Floating Cloud City. If the court still doesn't care about the fate of the Northwestern Army, then I, the Dingbei Palace, will send you the food and wages! As long as my northern border remains, I won't have to watch the brave soldiers who defend our country go hungry!"

Su Cheng'an spoke slowly, each word sounding powerful, like a shot of adrenaline, which made Ye Jinxuan's already dim eyes brighten again, and also shocked the angry and helpless middle-aged man so much that he widened his eyes in disbelief.

Liu Zhongquan stood up suddenly, strode to Su Cheng'an, stared straight into his eyes, and asked urgently, "Are you kidding, my prince?"

As soon as he said that, he knew he had lost his composure.

At such an important moment, even with his superficial understanding of the Northern Territory Prince, he knew that he was not a man who spoke without thinking and did not keep his word.

Su Cheng'an didn't care about Liu Zhongquan's doubts. He just pulled the corner of his lip slightly, then said solemnly, "Military secrets are important, how dare you joke about it!"

"General, just head north to retake Floating Cloud City. If the imperial court doesn't care about the Northwest Army, I, the Dingbei Palace, will take care of it!"

Liu Zhongquan was silent for a while, then whispered, "Your Highness is righteous, but the annual food and wages for the hundreds of thousands of Northwest Army soldiers would cost at least a million taels of silver. How can we put all of this on the shoulders of your Dingbei Palace?"

"It doesn't matter!"

Su Cheng'an gently reassured Liu Zhongquan, "General, once you recapture Floating Cloud City, just submit a petition to the court. I believe that even if those people are shameless, they can't just not reward you for your contribution to recapture the city. If there is any reward, then you can use it first. Later, if it's not enough, I will supplement it."

"This method is very good. I just hope that the capital can allocate some military funds so that my Northwest Army can defend the city with peace of mind." Liu Zhongquan's tone was full of hope.

"General, please hold on a little longer! The situation is so chaotic now. It's time to set things right and make a change within two years!" Su Cheng'an glanced at him and said meaningfully.

This is what the Prince of Dingbei meant when he told him directly that a rebellion would definitely break out within two years!

Liu Zhong's whole body trembled, his pupils subconsciously contracted, and he quickly lowered his head to hide his frantic mood.

After a moment, he raised his head and smiled, "Then I, Liu, would like to wish that all your wishes come true and everything goes well!"