The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

After sending the secret guards away, Yan Yu turned around and instructed Zhang Hui, "Except for the imperial guards guarding the palace, the rest will go to the Xishan camp in batches from now on."

"Remember, you must not attract attention. Everyone must wear plain clothes."

"Yes, I obey."

Zhang Hui didn't ask any questions and went to carry out Yan Yu's orders.

He really did it. He did whatever Yan Yu said.

Although Yan Yu did not tell Zhang Hui what was going to happen, Zhang Hui was already very clear in his mind that what was going to happen this time might be a big change for Yun Li.

So Zhang Hui did not dare to slack off, and he carried out Yan Yu's orders very seriously.

After Zhang Hui left, the room suddenly became quiet. Yan Yu sat down and began to think about his strategic deployment again.

When Yan Yu came, he knew that the Yulin Guard could not have 50,000 people, because at least one-third of the people his father led to quell the rebellion were from the Yulin Guard.

Originally, he estimated the number of people in his mind to be around 20,000. If that was the case, his original plan was to catch the turtle in the jar.

Use these 20,000 people to control all of Li Chaohui's troops in the corridor leading to the palace outside the imperial city, and then fight them to solve the problem.

But now it’s different. With the troops from the Xishan Camp, Yan Yu’s thoughts immediately changed.

Now that he had the troops of the Xishan Camp in his hands, he had instantly transformed from a poor man into a wealthy man. Naturally, he could no longer follow his previous plans.

The previous plan was originally a risky move, because with a small number of troops, a fierce battle with Li Chaohui's men would cost a huge price.

But now that he has sufficient troops, he must of course change his approach and use the least casualties in exchange for the greatest cost.

Wang Zongyuan is a direct descendant of the Marquis of Zhenbei. He and his father, who is also a direct descendant of the Marquis of Zhenbei, are brothers who have fought side by side and experienced life and death together.

After returning to Shangjing, although they didn't interact much on a daily basis to avoid suspicion, they still had a good private relationship.

Yan Yu also heard about Wang Zongyuan's affairs from his father's letters during this period.

This man is not only extremely brave in battle, but also strict in military discipline. He trains the soldiers under his command, and each of them is very powerful. He is definitely the best among all the branches of Yun Li's army.

If this is the case, then the soldiers in the Xishan camp can fight three or more at a time, which will directly increase the combat power.

Yan Yu already had a plan in mind on how to take advantage of the current situation, improve combat effectiveness, and reduce casualties and losses.

He stood up and went out, telling Zhang Hui, who was dispersing his troops, that he wanted to go to the Xishan camp first to familiarize himself with the environment.

Zhang Hui did not dare to slack off and quickly sent people to escort Yan Yu out of the city to the Xishan camp.

The situation in Shangjing City today is very different from yesterday.

When Yan Yu and Shen Tianjiao came back together yesterday, in order to prevent virus infection, all major city gates leading to Shangjing were closed and under martial law, and no one was allowed to enter or leave at will.

But today, because we know that what is spreading is not a plague and that there is an antidote, the city gates are now wide open and pedestrians can enter and exit freely.

Yan Yu brought a few people with him and left the city safely without encountering any obstruction, heading straight for the Xishan camp.

When they arrived at the Xishan Camp, someone was already waiting for Yan Yu and his group at the gate.

As soon as Yan Yu dismounted, the man came up to him, clasped his fists and saluted, saying, "I am Chu Mingyu, the deputy commander of the Xishan camp. I have been ordered to wait for the general here."

No need to ask, this was also arranged by Shen Tianjiao.

Yan Yu nodded at Chu Mingyu and said, "Thank you, General."

"General, please." Chu Mingyu made way and invited Yan Yu in.

"Okay." Yan Yu was not polite and walked into the Xishan camp.

Not everyone can enter the Xishan Camp casually. As the last barrier to guard the imperial city, the Xishan Camp is unique, so its management is particularly strict.

Even though he was a general, Yan Yu could not enter or leave the Xishan camp at will under normal circumstances.

There are not many people who can enter and leave the Xishan camp at will. Apart from the Marquis of Zhenbei, the only ones who can do so are the emperor and the empress.

So today, Yan Yu was fortunate enough to be able to come in and see the splendor of the Xishan Camp thanks to Li Chaohui.

From the moment he entered the gate, Yan Yu felt something different. A strong and intense fighting atmosphere hit him in the face.

The Xishan Camp would not participate in any battle unless it was the most critical moment.

If it were somewhere else, the soldiers' willpower would probably be destroyed and their combat effectiveness would directly decline because they had not fought for many years and were in a relatively comfortable environment.

But looking at the Xishan camp, there is no sign of low morale, laziness among the soldiers, or weak combat effectiveness.

It seems that Wang Zongyuan is indeed a powerful figure. Just by looking at how strict he is in managing his army, you can tell that this person is definitely not simple.

The scene he saw made Yan Yu feel a little ashamed of himself.

He has been commanding the army for many years and has fought in wars for many years. The army he leads is not as strong and energetic as the soldiers in the Xishan Camp.

Arriving at Xishan Camp, Wang Zongyuan usually handles military affairs.

After Chu Mingyu had someone pour tea for Yan Yu, he dismissed his attendants.

After everyone left, Chu Mingyu said to Yan Yu, "The Empress has issued a secret order. The troops of the Xishan camp are to be deployed at your command, General."

"Okay." Yan Yu was not the kind of person who would say polite words or give in in a pretentious manner.

He went straight to the point, "General Chu, I wonder how many people are available in the Xishan camp now?"

"There are over 100,000 men in the Xishan Camp right now. About 50,000 of them were trained personally by General Wang Zongyuan, and the remaining 50,000 are new recruits who arrived at the Xishan Camp not long ago."

"The Empress has instructed that the fifty thousand men personally trained by General Wang, who possess the strongest combat effectiveness, be placed at the General's disposal."

Actually, Chu Mingyu was not from the Xishan Camp, nor was he Wang Zongyuan's subordinate. He was sent from the palace by Shen Tianjiao specifically to assist Yan Yu.

Prevent Yan Yu from being embarrassed in Xishan Camp and complete this mission smoothly.

The generals who stayed behind in the Xishan camp had received Shen Tianjiao's imperial order to obey Yan Yu's orders and cooperate with this matter.

But Wang Zongyuan was not in the Xishan camp at that time. Although the generals had received the order, Yan Yu had just arrived and was young, so he was afraid that the generals would disobey him.

In order to cause trouble for him and make him embarrassed, Shen Tianjiao sent Chu Mingyu to the Xishan camp this time.

Wang Zongyuan is a very capable and proud man. Apart from Shen Tianjiao, Marquis Zhenbei and his sons, the person who can subdue her and make her obedient has probably not been born yet.

What kind of person you are, what kind of soldiers you lead. So most of the soldiers Wang Zongyuan led took after his personality. They were capable, proud and conceited, and they would not listen to anyone.

Without anyone to supervise them, they probably wouldn't obey Yan Yu's orders.

So Shen Tianjiao directly sent Chu Mingyu, the imperial envoy who replaced her, to the Xishan camp to take charge and support Yan Yu.

"Okay, that's great." Yan Yu's expression did not change, but he was already very happy in his heart. Shen Tianjiao really had planned everything for him.

"General Chu, the Imperial Guards will be arriving soon. I'd like to trouble you to make arrangements for them."

"Don't worry, General. I have already arranged for people to welcome them."

"The Empress has instructed me to stay by the General's side and serve as his attendant."

"General, if you have any further instructions, please let me know."

When Chu Mingyu left the palace, Shen Tianjiao instructed him to follow Yan Yu closely.

In addition to being worried that Yan Yu would be in trouble in the Xishan camp, Shen Tianjiao was also very worried about Yan Yu's safety.

Although Chu Mingyu looks ordinary and inconspicuous, he is actually a top-notch master.

When necessary, he can help Yan Yu escape from danger and protect Yan Yu's safety.

"Okay, then General Chu, I will lead an army of 10,000 to carry out some important tasks."

Everything has been made very clear, so Yan Yu naturally won't be polite. He will do whatever he wants.

"Got it. In half an incense stick's time, we can gather 10,000 people and set off."

Chu Mingyu's purpose of coming to the Xishan camp was to assist Yan Yu, so he had no choice but to obey Yan Yu's orders without asking any reasons.

Originally, Yan Yu thought that Chu Mingyu was just talking when he said that he could gather 10,000 people and set off in half an incense stick of time.

After all, ten thousand people is not a small number, and it would take some time to count them all. But when in just a blink of an eye, these ten thousand people were standing neatly in front of him, Yan Yu was indeed shocked.

Wang Zongyuan is really good at commanding the army. When I have the chance in the future, I will definitely learn from him.

After sighing, Yan Yu jumped on his horse and set off with the 10,000-strong army without saying a word.

The place Yan Yu wanted to go was Yanya Mountain where Li Zhaohui hid his private soldiers.

According to the information provided by Li Xuan and his son, Li Chaohui hid all her private soldiers on Yanya Mountain, not far from Shangjing.

Yanya Mountain is a very inconspicuous hill. It was originally an ownerless barren mountain. Later, it was chosen by Li Zhaohui's men as a garrison.

Yan Yu dared to lead 10,000 people to Yanya Mountain in broad daylight because Wang Zongyuan often took the soldiers of the Xishan camp out for training at any time. People nearby were already accustomed to it and would not cause panic.

After riding for less than half an hour, Yan Yu and his men arrived at Yanya Mountain.

Looking at the unremarkable Yanya Mountain in front of him, Yan Yu had a plan in mind. It was obvious that not many people could be hidden in this place.

At most, there are only a little over 20,000 to less than 30,000 soldiers here.

The ten thousand men under his command were more than enough to deal with them.

Yan Yu turned his horse around and looked at the soldiers who had come with him. He said, "Generals, listen up! A group of rebels are hiding in Yanya Mountain. They outnumber us three to one. Do you have the confidence to capture them in one fell swoop?"

"Yes." Ten thousand people spoke at the same time, and the sound was as powerful as a rainbow, as if it could shake the sky.

"Good." Yan Yu was very satisfied with the performance of these soldiers. He ordered: "Leave two thousand men to surround Yanya Mountain. Don't let a single rebel escape."

"Yes." A centurion responded and waved his hand. Immediately, two thousand soldiers came out to surround the mountain.

This made Yan Yu sigh once again at Wang Zongyuan's rigorous military management. Under such a hasty order, these soldiers did not panic at all. They followed the procedures and performed their duties. It was really amazing.

Seeing that the Jiangshan soldiers were surrounding the mountain, Yan Yu turned to look at the remaining soldiers and said, "The rest of you, follow me and charge in."

"We will not let go of any rebel who resists stubbornly, but we will not kill anyone who surrenders."

"Understood." Another answer was given with such force that it could deafen people's ears.

"Okay, everyone, let's go." After Yan Yu gave the order, he was the first to turn around and rush forward.

Fighting a war also requires momentum. When the soldiers behind saw their commander, they rushed in without hesitation, and their momentum suddenly rose.

After so many years of training in the Xishan camp, I have never had a chance to engage in actual combat. Today, I finally have such an opportunity. It would be a big loss if I don’t take advantage of it to have a good fight.

So this time, the soldiers, inspired by their commander Yan Yu and motivated by the hard-earned opportunity, burst out with unprecedented enthusiasm.

Following behind Yan Yu, he charged forward while roaring.

As Yan Yu predicted, the people in Yanya Mountain were only about 20,000 people. These 20,000 people were not trained regular troops, but a ragtag army assembled at random.

Originally, Li Chaohui's men had trained a group of soldiers who were capable of fighting.

After the soldiers were trained, they were dispersed to a place called Ping'anji, where they acted as ordinary people, waiting to serve Li Chaohui when he started the rebellion.

But this group of people had already been taken care of and recruited by Shen Xinghao.

The reason why Shen Xinghao is still staying outside and has not returned to Beijing is because he has received a secret order from Shen Tianjiao, which requires him to eliminate all the forces left by Li Chaohui among the people.

When Yan Yu led 8,000 soldiers into Yanya Mountain, the battle situation can be imagined.

How could these hastily assembled ragtag troops be a match for these regular troops? Moreover, since they arrived here a few days ago, they have not had enough to eat due to food shortages. They are so hungry that they feel dizzy. How could they have any fighting power?