The Villain's Counterattack

Yang Guang launched three expeditions to Goguryeo. The first time he dispatched the strongest and most elite force. In addition to the land march, he also ordered Yuan Hongsi, the governor of Youzhou, to go to the Donglai seaport to build 300 ships. However, the construction period was very short and the officials supervising the labor were very urgent, causing the craftsmen to work day and night and suffer terribly.

Yang Xuyan then brought Lu Miaozi along, using the Buzhou Trading Company as a platform to participate. Skilled craftsmen collaborated, purchasing everything they needed through the trading company. By invoking the power of the Demonic Sect, they ensured the quality and quantity of Yang Guang's tasks were completed while also saving the lives of many artisans. During this time, Lu Miaozi finally came into contact with a side of the Taoist priest known only to the public: he was, surprisingly, powerful.

However, Yang Xuyan could not fully trust a great hermit like Lu Miaozi, so he only let him see the tip of the iceberg. Usually, he only hired him and asked him for help for a fee. Lu Miaozi wanted to get to know him better several times, saying that his daughters were members of your sect and he also wanted to join, but Yang Xuyan's tricks were all resolved.

However, this time Laizhou Shipyard mobilized too many people, allowing Lu Miaozi to catch a glimpse of Yang Xuyan's tail. Fortunately, he had many substitutes, so he was not really caught by him.

The governor of Youzhou, Yuan Hongsi, was also a capable man. He was trusted by Yang Guang and was entrusted with important tasks. The Laizhou shipbuilding project completed its task successfully, but because of Yang Xuyan, many craftsmen were lost. These craftsmen suffered from oppression and were grateful to Yang Xuyan for saving their lives. Half of them boarded his pirate ship and moved to Jeju Island to settle down, becoming Yang Xuyan's exclusive shipbuilders.

Yang Xuyan has always valued craftsmen and has rich accumulation of his own. His previous lives were not wasted. He also had countless classics of the Xiaoyao Sect and ancient heritage of the descendants for him to learn. Naturally, he would not miss it. In this life, he became a close friend with Lu Miaozi, and the countless classics in his hands naturally became his collection for him to read at will.

What's more, whenever he needed something, he could ask Lu Miaozi for help for a fee. However, most of the things he provided were treasures that would be helpful to Shang Xiuxun, such as martial arts secrets, elixirs, or opportunities for personal guidance, etc.

Yang Guang was ambitious but had no sympathy for the people. He had little understanding of the real situation at the grassroots level and often demanded the highest level of efficiency from his subordinates. After this was passed down layer by layer to the grassroots level, ordinary people were often unable to cope with the situation. The result of being unable to bear the heavy burden was collapse.

But on the other hand, if the executors were all experts and elites, these orders would be very reasonable. However, Yang Guang could not see the real grassroots level at the moment, and he did not have staff like Yang Xuyan who were proficient in overall planning and precise calculations.

Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan) accompanied Yang Guang and had a lot of free time most of the time. He and his disciple Yang Xuyan simulated the battle situation. The Sui Dynasty always won. Although there might be some losses, the result remained the same.

"Under what circumstances can the imperial army be completely defeated?" Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan) moved his fingers across the map, and the troops represented by the small flags trembled slightly.

Yang Xuyan curled his lips and said, "Master Shi always uses common sense to make military inferences, but forgets about the human heart. This time, we are sending a million troops to advance by land and sea. If we follow the rules step by step and do not rush into anything, and advance in an orderly manner, then everything will be fine. However..."

At this point, Yang Xuyan paused slightly, then gently nudged the navy with his finger. "However, the navy and the land forces advance at different speeds. Even if they were both land forces, it would be difficult to ensure they all advanced in unison. If Goguryeo pretends to be weak, luring Lai Huer's navy into a reckless advance, Shi Shi wonders if Lai Huer, the Right Guard General who defeated the Goguryeo navy, can restrain himself and refrain from attacking the Goguryeo city."

Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan) traced his fingers across the Pei River, lightly tapping a point. His expression suddenly changed. "If the enemy is strong, General Lai Huer might be able to remain calm. But if the enemy continues to show weakness, the imperial navy will be unstoppable and invincible. I'm afraid..."

"The timing, location, and people are favorable. Goguryeo's overall strength is weak, so we will not give up any advantages we can exploit. Among them, location and people are the most important. Your Majesty, any military advance or retreat must be reported to us first, and we will wait for a response. Otherwise, we will lose the initiative and be controlled at every turn. If the Goguryeo generals pretend to surrender, it will inevitably affect the overall progress. If Your Majesty does not give up power, then people will not be on our side."

"Your Majesty, a combined land and sea attack is a good strategy. If the navy is not compromised, naval forces can traverse the Pei and Sa rivers, cutting off the enemy's path and providing support to our own troops, allowing for free advance and retreat. However, if Lai Huer rushes rashly into the Jianghu, losing the advantage of the navy, the land army will inevitably be hindered by the Sa River. A long-distance attack, with a large number of troops, will pose a serious problem for food and fodder. The Goguryeo army is fighting and retreating, losing ground step by step, stalling for time. Far from being a boost, a million-strong army becomes a major drain on food and fodder, hindering the army's advance."

"Goguryeo is full of mountains and rivers, and the imperial army is unfamiliar with the geography. If they were attacked by the Goguryeo army halfway across the river, Master Shi, do you think there's any chance they won't be defeated? Furthermore, with food supplies running low and morale in turmoil, how much combat effectiveness can the imperial army retain?"

Yang Xuyan looked deeply at his master, then let out a long sigh. "Perhaps this is the outcome Your Majesty desires, but the final outcome may not be what Your Majesty wishes. This million-strong army is the lifeblood of the court. While most of the civil and military officials come from aristocratic families, many of the generals are Your Majesty's trusted aides. If any of them mishaps, it would be extremely detrimental to Your Majesty."

"The wealthy and aristocratic families can afford the loss, but Your Majesty cannot." Yang Xuyan's words made Shi Zhixuan nod slightly. "Let's not talk about that reckless Lai Huer. Yuwen Shu is definitely not a mediocre person. He leads nine armies. Even if he retreats due to lack of food and grass, he won't suffer a complete defeat. He only needs to coordinate and arrange the advance and retreat in different levels to ensure that most of the military strength is not lost."

"No! Perhaps Yuwen Shu will deliberately abandon the main army to cover the retreat, and ultimately retreat with only the elite children of the aristocratic families."

"If that's the case, how can Your Majesty tolerate him?"

"The aristocratic families have also suffered heavy losses in the game between the two sides. If General Lai Huer and his men die in battle, Your Majesty cannot do anything to General Yuwen Shu, even if he is unwilling. After all, he still relies on them to lead the troops in battle. Your Majesty will not be able to personally command the battle, so he will have to accept it. And the next time we go to Goguryeo, we will definitely give him the power to fight for real."

"What if you, my disciple, were to lead the battle?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Xuyan scratched his head and looked at his master in confusion. "As long as we can protect the navy, the court will surely win. There's nothing to say."

Shi Zhixuan shook his head and said, "That may not be the case. The navy can only guarantee free advance and retreat. If, as you say, the delay lasts too long and food and fodder are insufficient, Yuwen Shu will surely retreat, and Goguryeo will seize the opportunity to counterattack. The army will be demoralized and food and fodder scarce, and defeat is inevitable. How should my disciple respond?"

Yang Xuyan smiled faintly, slapped his palm on the Liaodong map and said calmly, "This is an easy task. We can turn the tables and station able-bodied men in all the captured cities to defend them. We can also use them as warehouses for food and fodder. This will kill two or even three birds with one stone. It would be even better if we could sell these cities to aristocratic families at a high price."

Shi Zhixuan's eyes sparkled when he heard this, and then he shook his head: "This plan is very good, but it does not suit His Majesty's habits, and cannot be adopted by him." Yang Guang is no longer the prince he was ten years ago. Now he is invincible in battles across the country and has made great military achievements. In the court, he has the final say and is unparalleled in his dominance. He is also committed to weakening the northern clans. It is certainly impossible for him to do such a thing as allowing the clans to become more powerful.

Sell ​​the city to the aristocratic families?

Haha, it was already a mercy of his not to drive them out of the city.

"So, the final decision on victory or defeat will still be made by General Huer's navy."

"No, it's always His Majesty who decides victory or defeat!" Yang Xuyan said affirmatively, "It's just that he can decide victory or defeat, but he can't accurately control whether it will be a big victory, a narrow victory, a small defeat, or even a complete defeat!"