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

The secret letter contained detailed information about the nine towns in northern Xinjiang.

Over the years, Zhang Shouren's status has become increasingly prominent. With the trust of the Prince of Zhenbei, the chief officials of the nine towns have close ties with Zhang Shouren. The chief officials of three towns were appointed and recommended by Zhang Shouren.

On the surface, their supplies, provisions, and military horses appear no different from those of other important towns, but whether this is the case in reality remains to be verified.

"Time, I need time."

We must investigate and thoroughly uncover all of Zhang Shouren's base of operations in northern Xinjiang as soon as possible.

If it is discovered that the three major towns are secretly recruiting soldiers and procuring provisions, then it is advisable to eliminate Zhang Shouren.

If he hadn't done anything behind the scenes, Chen Futu wouldn't mind continuing to entrust Zhang Shouren with important responsibilities while maintaining control of the military.

Another three days passed in a blink of an eye.

Another round of good news has arrived.

"Mr. Zhang anticipated that Yan Sheng would come to raid the camp, so he set up an empty camp to lure Yan Sheng into the trap, and then decisively defeated the Kaiyang army on the banks of the Xuan River, killing 20,000 enemies. The defeat of the Kaiyang army was inevitable."

"The enemy was short of supplies, so Mr. Zhang ordered his men to disguise themselves as civilian grain transport teams. General Gao Shun ambushed and killed two of Daqian's fierce generals on Pulin Road."

"Report! General Qin has captured Kaiyang Pass!"

……

Each piece of good news was more impressive than the last.

Chen Futu never expected that while Zhang Liang was making fun of Yan Sheng on the main battlefield, he also allowed Qin Liangyu to seize Kaiyang Pass in the dead of night.

Several generals arrived at the Prince's residence, each more excited than the last.

If they were facing Yan Sheng with a force nearly twice their size, they definitely wouldn't be this fierce.

"Your Highness, just who is this Mr. Zhang?"

"Yes, he's too strong. It's like a cat playing with a mouse. His control over the battle is unpredictable."

The generals all chimed in with praise.

Chen Futu remained calm. After all, Zhang Liang was a shining pearl in the long river of history spanning thousands of years. Dealing with Yan Sheng was a piece of cake for him, especially since he had three powerful men by his side.

I wonder when we'll be able to get an even more powerful general.

For example, Bai Qi, the God of Slaughter; Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King; and Huo Qubing, the Champion Marquis.

If I can get them, I can live a life of luxury without a care in the world.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

The final battle report finally arrived.

"Report! In the decisive battle at Kaiyang Pass, General Qin, in coordination with General Luo who launched a surprise attack from Fushui Pass, has decisively defeated the enemy. Mr. Zhang has set up an ambush from all sides, cutting off Yan Sheng's retreat route, and he has surrendered with his troops."

"Ambush from all sides?"

Chen Futu suddenly stood up, filled with regret.

If he had known it would be this exciting, he would have gone to see the battle.

Perhaps the ambush here is not as spectacular as the one in history, but it is certainly an extremely ingenious plan.

As for the generals below the hall, they were already dumbfounded.

"Yan Sheng surrendered?"

"Someone like him would surrender?"

Yan Sheng was a tough nut to crack; the fact that he was forced to surrender shows just how desperate the battle was.

Chen Futu immediately wrote a letter, then summoned Zhang Shouren, "Brother Zhang, now that you have captured Kaiyang Pass, I would like to arrange for three generals to guard it together. Do you have any candidates in mind?"

Zhang Shouren's face twitched after hearing this.

Chen Futu was a real shrew; he was unwilling to place his trusted confidants and favorites in his own camp, so he let Chen Futu send people, and even sent three of them, deliberately clipping Chen Futu's wings.

However, this relationship was difficult to explain, and Zhang Shouren pondered for a long time before giving a few candidates.

Chen Futu shook his head and said, "These people are unknown. I have heard that my sworn brother has three extremely powerful cavalry generals under his command, who are perfect for guarding Kaiyang Pass. I think their names are Pang Long, Du Yuan, and Sun Changhai?"

These three people were repeatedly verified by Chen Futu's personal guards.

Sure enough, Zhang Shouren's face turned green when he heard about these three. He wanted to say something, but Chen Futu immediately interrupted him: "Brother, the position of Kaiyang Pass is critical and cannot be defended by one general. Temporarily transfer them there, and they will be entrusted with important responsibilities in the future."

"Here..."

Even if Zhang Shouren was unwilling, there was nothing he could do.

Because Li Huaifeng and the other three also felt that it would take several generals to guard it, but they themselves were certainly unwilling to go. Kaiyang Pass was a hot potato, located in the Daqian defense zone, and if there was a conflict, Kaiyang Pass would be the first to be affected.

Three generals arrived soon after.

Chen Futu gave them the letter, instructing them to set off for Kaiyang immediately, and then handed the letter to Zhang Liang, urging him to return to base as soon as possible.

When the three generals heard that they were to go to Kaiyang Pass, they were all dumbfounded and could only look to Zhang Shouren for help.

Zhang Shouren stood aside without saying a word. Helpless, they finally reluctantly accepted the order and left.

"Your Highness, I have official business to attend to, so I'll head back now."

After finishing his speech, Zhang Shouren left the council hall without looking back.

Li Huaifeng said in a low voice, "The Crown Prince's arrangement may cause General Zhang to harbor resentment."

"I have no choice. We can't just have General Qin and the other two stationed at Kaiyang Pass. Wouldn't that be a waste of their talents?"

"Alright, Kaiyang Pass is in a very special location, so it's best to provide it with sufficient troops and supplies."

"Don't worry, I've arranged everything."

Chen Futu smiled wickedly, taking this opportunity to probe the depths of those three important towns.

Soon the day arrived for the army's return, and Chen Futu personally led the crowd and the people out of the city to welcome them.

The victorious army was awe-inspiring, led by Zhang Liang and his three generals, who were exceptionally brave and valiant, and their prowess was truly admirable.

The four men dismounted and approached Chen Futu, greeting him with smiles as they addressed him as their lord.

Chen Futu said, "Everyone has worked hard. Today, the Prince's Palace is hosting a banquet to welcome you back and wash away the dust of your journey."

The group returned to the city together, with Chen Futu and Zhang Liang riding side by side at the very front.

The people lined both sides of the street and cheered loudly, with many shouting that His Highness the Crown Prince was mighty.

Only at this point could Chen Futu truly establish himself in the northern frontier.

Back at the Prince's residence, the banquet was ready.

Chen Futu did not forget to reward the soldiers, all with money smuggled from outside. He spent it without a second thought, and with such lavish praise, the Crown Prince's virtuous reputation began to circulate in the army.

During the banquet, Zhang Shouren drank a few more cups than usual, his face slightly flushed with intoxication. He suddenly asked Zhang Liang, "Sir, your ingenious strategies and calculations are truly admirable. May I ask how you plan to make arrangements in Kaiyang?"

Zhang Shouren pressed his hand on the table, his eyes fixed intently, even revealing a hint of murderous intent.

The previously noisy atmosphere quieted down, and Li Huaifeng and his companions were filled with trepidation.

They had just received news that Zhang Liang had only left 3,000 men at Kaiyang Pass, all of whom were surrendered soldiers, and their supplies and provisions were also limited. Before returning to base, Zhang Liang sent letters to the three major towns with the seal of Chen Futu, asking them to provide troops and supplies to guard Kaiyang Pass.

Anyone familiar with the situation in northern Xinjiang knows that the three major towns were appointed by Zhang Shouren.

Zhang Liang's move was a decisive blow, and also served to probe the weaknesses of the three major towns.

Faced with Zhang Shouren's questioning, Zhang Liang remained calm and composed, saying, "General, I left three thousand troops in Kaiyang."

"Three thousand soldiers? They must be three thousand defeated soldiers! How dare you!"

Zhang Shouren was furious, his voice suddenly rising, as if he wanted to crush the wine glass.

He was drunk now, and his usual gentleness was nowhere to be seen.