After being demoted, my 300,000-strong army trampled the imperial city!

As soon as Chen Futu left Fushui Pass, the vanguard of the Hu people who had left Yanbei Pass was intercepted halfway by the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and the Women's Army.

Cao Zhen, Li Xiuning, along with Dian Wei, who was accompanied by three hundred personal guards, and Consort Ge, resolved the conflict in the shortest possible time. Subsequently, Dian Wei led the Po Lu Army, disguised as Hu people, and quickly seized Yanbei Pass.

Thus, the Longguan defense line returned to Chen Futu's hands once again.

The Hu army was unaware of this, and they would be enraged and desperately attack Yanbei Pass and Fushui Pass.

This is also why Chen Futu left Dian Wei in Yanbei, because the pressure on Yanbei would be enormous.

After inspecting Yanbei, Chen Futu entrusted the important task of defending the city to Li Xiuning. She was the most skilled general in defense in the northern frontier, and with her in command of Yanbei, the enemy's army could be stopped.

In addition, Chen Futu ordered the establishment of special flags with the characters "Xia Guan" and "Ma Qi Hao" at Yanbei Pass, and "Xia Qin", "Huo", and "Gao" at Fushui Pass, as a feint.

The following day, Chen Futu took Ge Fei out of Yanbei. On the way, he received a message from Zhang Liang that Zhang Liang had met up with Xu Mao in a major western town. The next step was to set a trap for Zhang Shouren. As long as Zhang Shouren led his army out of the tortoise shell of Tianyun City, it would be the time for him to die.

Chen Futu was in no hurry to travel, as the situation was still developing and it would take time for information to be relayed from all sides.

A few days later, the Hu army arrived in Yanbei. After discovering that they had been deceived, Khan's brother, Danmur, was indeed furious and began to launch a fierce attack on the passes, even sending troops to attack Fushui Pass.

The two passes should be able to hold out for a period of time without any problem.

"Your Highness, the western army has heard that the Great Qian is attacking Kaiyang Pass and is urgently withdrawing its defenses to prepare to support the eastern battlefield!"

Chen Futu met up with Guan Yu, Ma Chao, and Gao Shun near Longcheng and then received the news.

This was Zhang Liang's plan. Daqian did not attack Kaiyang Pass, but it needed to weaken its forces in the west and lure Zhang Shouren away from Tianyun City. Now, Zhang Liang mobilized most of the troops in the important western towns just to play along with Zhang Shouren in a play.

Chen Futu continued to be stationed near Dragon City, quietly waiting for the decisive moment to arrive.

In a few more days, Zhang Liang withdrew approximately 50,000 troops from the important western town and returned them to defend Kaiyang Pass in the east.

It's a mix of reality and illusion, reality and illusion.

Now it depends on Zhang Shouren's reaction. As long as he doesn't leave Tianyun City, there's nothing we can do about him.

Inside Tianyun City.

Zhang Shouren's expression shifted as he listened to the news brought back by the scouts.

"Your Highness, Yanbei and Fushui have returned to Chen Futu's hands. He must have seen through Lou Wenquan. Currently, Guan Yu, Ma Chao, Cao Zhen, and Li Xiuning are in charge of Yanbei Pass, while Luo Qingshan, Qin Liangyu, Huo Qubing, and Gao Shun are in charge of Fushui Pass. The Hu people will not be able to take down the two passes in a short time."

Upon hearing the report, Zhang Shouren frowned and said, "What a sworn brother! He actually set up flags and deployed a feint in a major western town, making me afraid to open the Heavenly Cloud and let the barbarians in."

"Your Highness, the main armies of the western strongholds have all been transferred to Kaiyang Pass. The remaining forces are no match for us. In war, speed is of the essence. We must defeat them, then take Longcheng and cut off Chen Futu's retreat."

"Yes, Your Highness, we should send troops immediately!"

The generals under his command all volunteered to fight.

Zhang Shouren was still somewhat hesitant. He knew that Chen Futu had two first-rate strategists under his command, Zhang Liang and Liu Bowen. In particular, Zhang Liang was a brilliant strategist, which made him a little apprehensive.

Ultimately, Zhang Shouren could not resist the advice of his generals. He opened up Tianyun City, leaving 20,000 men to garrison the city, while he personally led an army of 100,000 to fight Xu Mao.

On the front lines, upon receiving news of Zhang Shouren's military expedition, Zhang Liang burst into laughter, "The fish has finally taken the bait. General, this battle must be lost. After the defeat, you can take advantage of the situation to retreat south to defend against Sun Chengzong, leaving the road to Longcheng to Zhang Shouren."

"As ordered!"

Xu Mao greatly admired Zhang Liang.

This defeat served two purposes: it misled Zhang Shouren and also cut off Sun Chengzhong's possibility of advancing into the northern frontier.

Of course, you have to act convincingly.

After making his arrangements, Zhang Liang disappeared without a trace, leaving only Xu Mao to lead a large army, including fierce generals like Li Huaifeng, to confront Zhang Shouren.

When the two sides met, it was a case of enemies meeting with intense hatred.

Xu Mao cursed, "Zhang Shouren, you heartless and ungrateful wretch! How dare you show your face before me!"

"General, we cannot work together if we have different principles. The Crown Prince is intolerant and has seized my power. How can I sit idly by and wait for my death? I had no choice but to take action against you last time. I hope you will forgive me."

"You madman, watch me kill you!"

"General, you are getting on in years, why struggle so hard?"

The war begins.

Xu Mao put on a very convincing performance. After a brief battle between the two armies, Zhang Shouren launched a surprise attack with his superior cavalry. Ultimately, the disparity in strength was too great, and Xu Mao was defeated.

Zhang Shouren led his troops in pursuit, and Xu Mao and his group of fierce generals were utterly routed, losing many weapons and warhorses along the way.

"Your Highness is mighty!"

"If you defeat Xu Mao, the Crown Prince will become the number one person in the Northern Frontier!"

The generals of Tianyun City were all eager to flatter him, and even though Zhang Shouren knew they were being obsequious, he was extremely pleased.

Zhang Shouren then ignored Xu Mao. He knew very well that killing Xu Mao now would not make much sense, especially since Xu Mao had fled to the south, where Sun Chengzong, the Prince of Kaiping, was located. Xu Mao was not a threat. What he needed to do now was to quickly take Longcheng.

One hundred thousand troops marched in a mighty procession toward Dragon City.

Chen Futu was in a camp near Longcheng, where Guan Yu, Ma Chao, and Gao Shun were all present, and Zhang Liang had just returned.

Ma Chao said discontentedly, "My lord, when is it my turn to play?"

"What, getting impatient?"

"General Qin and Marquis of Champion have both gone to the grasslands. If I had known, I would have let General Qin stay, and I would have gone to the grasslands to have a good time."

Ma Chao particularly admired Qin Liangyu and Huo Qubing.

Logically speaking, since Emperor Chen Futu loved Qin Liangyu, he shouldn't have sent her deep into the grasslands.

Chen Futu smiled without saying a word. He had only recently realized that the only way to make Qin Liangyu the Crown Prince's consort was to fulfill her deepest regret, which was to completely crush the threat from the north.

When the Jurchen Tartars first entered the pass, she failed to protect the Ming Dynasty. Now, the existence of the Northern Wu and the Hu people is no different from that of the Jurchen Tartars.

As long as these two countries are destroyed, she will definitely agree to become the crown prince's wife, so we sent her to the grasslands to fight for a while, as a small reward.

Beside the tent, Guan Yu listened with his eyes closed to Ma Chao's incessant chatter, like a silent, red gourd, but his Green Dragon Crescent Blade was already itching for action.

Only Gao Shun was honest. He said to Ma Chao, "Our lord has left two generals behind, which means he is entrusting them with important responsibilities. I suppose the day of the decisive battle is not far off."

Ma Chao scoffed and said, "Tch, this general doesn't want to sit on the sidelines like you every day."

Gao Shun was speechless for a moment.

He was kind and honest, and wouldn't utter a sound even if you hit him three times. Ma Chao, on the other hand, was arrogant and domineering, and he was no match for him in terms of wit and temper.

Zhang Liang joked, "Generals, please be patient. Zhang Shouren's army has defeated General Xu and is on its way to Longcheng. We will need your help next. Whoever can kill Zhang Shouren will win the first merit in this battle."

"really?"

Upon hearing that Zhang Shouren had arrived, Guan Yu immediately opened his phoenix eyes and shouted, "Zhou Cang, bring me my sword!"

Ma Chao was greatly alarmed, "General Guan, in this battle we should send the Xiliang cavalry first."

"Guan only needs one man and one horse to cut off Zhang Shouren's head."

"Ma Chao could certainly do it too!"