We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Li Che nodded:

"The army's gunpowder is almost exhausted. Although there are no mountainous areas further south, there are only fortified cities. Without the help of gunpowder, it will be difficult for us to pry open their cities."

"And the weather is getting colder, and the deeper we go, the harder it will be to get supplies up."

"If the logistics can't keep up and the army runs out of food, we will probably be doomed."

All the generals in the hall fell silent.

They were all knowledgeable about military affairs, so they naturally understood that what Li Che said was very fatal.

Without gunpowder, the Fengtian Army could only use primitive methods to attack cities and capture strongholds, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that its combat effectiveness was halved.

Supply is an even bigger problem.

There are no cement roads in Goryeo, and the journey is bumpy, with almost 30% of food and fodder lost on the way.

"The most important thing is that we don't have enough troops." Li Che said again.

"My Fengtian Army has only 100,000 men at most, and we have to allocate troops to defend the city and transport food. We are already stretched to the limit, let alone fight a siege."

Ultimately, it is a question of strategic depth.

In the early days of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, we suffered repeated defeats, and the whole country fell into deep despair.

But faced with such a dangerous situation, we still persevered. The most important thing is that we have a vast enough territory.

The small country of Japan has limited military forces and can capture cities but cannot defend them.

The situation is the same today. Although the Korean Peninsula is not large, Li Che has fewer troops.

Half of Goryeo is enough to consume all these troops.

"So... Your Highness, what are you going to do with the Park family?" Wen Zaiyin asked. "They have occupied the southern territory of Goryeo and command over a hundred thousand soldiers."

Li Che was also troubled when he heard this.

He looked at Huo Duanxiao, who smiled slightly and shook his head gently at Li Che.

Li Che understood that this was the time to give Wen Zaiyin a chance to shine, so he humbly asked, "Please, Mr. Wen, teach me."

Wen Zai Yin quickly said, "I dare not, I dare not. I do have some humble opinions, Your Highness, perhaps you would listen to them."

"Appreciate further details."

"Do you have a map of Goryeo?"

Li Che smiled slightly and looked at Qiu Bai beside him.

Qiu Bai understood and walked out of the hall quickly.

Soon, several soldiers came in carrying a sand table.

Wen Zaiyin took a closer look and was immediately shocked.

"What is this thing that records the mountains, rivers, cities, and villages of Goryeo in such detail?"

Huo Duanxiao stepped forward to support Wen Zaiyin and explained, "This is a sand table, created by His Highness."

"Korean mountains are difficult to record on ordinary maps, so we gathered sand into piles to depict the true topography, so as not to miss the opportunity to fight."

"Exquisite craftsmanship, exquisite craftsmanship!" Wen Zaiyin exclaimed, "Thank you for clearing up my confusion. With such a wonderful thing, no wonder the Fengtian Army can always suppress us."

Huo Duanxiao smiled when he heard this, but did not refute.

The Fengtian Army’s ability to win battles again and again was not based on a sand table.

Soldiers, armor, gunpowder, military regulations, generals, tactics... were all far ahead.

In the words of His Highness, it was an all-round lead and suppression, and the two were not on the same level at all.

Wen Zaiyin came to the sand table and after a brief moment of thought, he said, "Your Highness, please look. Our army is in the far north, followed by the half of Goryeo occupied by the Park family. Further south are Silla and Baekje."

"There was constant turmoil between Goryeo, Silla, and Baekje. Goryeo had always held the upper hand, and the two countries clung together to avoid being swallowed up."

"The current civil unrest in Goryeo presents a golden opportunity. If Your Highness can seize the opportunity and lead his army south, these two nations will certainly not sit idly by. The reason they haven't taken action yet is simply that they are waiting and watching."

"Even though the Park family occupies the south, they are not completely safe. They are afraid that you will continue to move south, and they are also afraid that Silla and Baekje will stab them in the back."

Li Che looked at the three countries on the sand table, and the more he looked, the more familiar he felt.

Isn’t this the Korean Peninsula version of the Three Kingdoms period of Wei, Shu and Wu?

Goryeo was the powerful Wei State, and Silla and Baekje were the Sun-Liu alliance.

If he had not suddenly launched an attack and occupied half of Goryeo's territory, these three countries could have continued to play like this for hundreds of years without any problem.

After all, anyone who has studied mathematics knows that a triangle is the most stable structure.

"What do you mean, sir?"

Wen Zaiyin said sternly, "Contain them! Contact Silla and Baekje and put enough pressure on the Park family so that they won't act rashly."

"Your Highness only needs to leave a small number of troops behind to firmly control the cities that have already been occupied. Then you can sit back and watch the tigers fight, and you will be invincible!"

Wen Zaiyin retracted his gaze and bowed to Li Che:

"I understand the character of the Park family. They are ambitious but lack courage."

"If Your Highness tries to appease them, it will only embolden them and they will inevitably make some small moves, causing unrest in the rear. However, if you adopt a tough stance, they will undoubtedly beg for mercy, fearing that Your Highness will lead your army to destroy them."

"I believe we should dispatch several generals to capture the small towns south of Liujing. First, to serve as a barrier, second, to intimidate the Park family, and third, to gather the scattered Korean soldiers."

"It would be best if we could use firearms. They've heard of firearms, but they've never seen them in person, so they can't feel their terrifying power."

Li Che nodded slightly: "General, I have plenty. It won't be difficult to capture a few small cities. Although the gunpowder is almost used up, there is still 20% left as a reserve, enough for a few rounds of bombardment."

After careful consideration, Li Che also felt that Wen Zaiyin's plan was very reliable.

It is not a groundbreaking plan, but it is steady and well-organized.

"What do you think?" Li Che asked others.

All the generals said in unison: "It is entirely at your command, Your Highness."

Li Che nodded and looked at Wen Zaiyin: "In that case, let's do as Mr. Wen said!"

Wen Zaiyin's expression was a little complicated. He didn't expect that Li Che would completely approve of his first suggestion.

He hadn't felt this kind of trust for a long time, and it felt a little unreal.

But he quickly adjusted himself and continued, "Your Highness, in addition to what I have said before, there is another step, a crucial step."

"Speak quickly."

Li Che was in a good mood, he was right about the person.

Wen Zaiyin is not only a man of good character, but also a man of great talent and ability.

Wen Zaiyin said solemnly, "Your Highness, please send an envoy. This person should have the courage to face death and dare to rebuke the other party in person, so that the Park family will not dare to act rashly."

"Envoy?" Li Che pondered for a moment, then looked at Qiu Bai. "What was the name of the deputy envoy who went on the mission with Qin Jing?"

Qiu Bai replied, "Your Highness, this man's name is Zhang Fan."

"Yes, Zhang Fan, I remember he was also a courageous person."

"Is this person in the army?"