Huanzhu Time Travel: Yan Luo's Unbreakable Love in the Yong Dynasty

The group sat around the study, the atmosphere tense and serious, each person pondering the upcoming actions.

“In my opinion, we should first send a small team of agile guards to scout the area around the valley and find out the enemy’s troop deployment and defensive weaknesses,” Yongqi said, breaking the silence.

Er Kang nodded in agreement: "That's right, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle. This team must be clever enough to complete the mission without being detected."

Xiao Jian frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The people we send out to investigate are important, but we also need to develop a comprehensive capture plan. If the mysterious person is really there, he will definitely be on high alert."

Qing'er's gaze was calm as she analyzed, "We can split into three groups. One group will launch a feint attack from the front to draw the enemy's main attention; another group will circle around to the rear to cut off their retreat; and the last group will lie in ambush around the perimeter to prevent anyone from escaping or providing support."

The little swallow's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands, saying, "That's a great idea! That way, they won't be able to escape."

Yongqi raised a new concern: "But we don't know exactly how many enemies there are. What if our forces are scattered and each route is not enough to deal with them?"

“This is indeed a problem.” Xiao Jian rubbed his temples. “We need to adjust our troop deployment flexibly based on the information we’ve gathered. However, we shouldn’t send too many troops for a frontal feint attack, lest we expose our full strength too early.”

After a moment's thought, Erkang said, "I think the feint attack team should consist of thirty men, led by me. I have a good understanding of the terrain in the west of the city and the bandits' modus operandi, so I should be able to handle it."

“I will lead thirty men to flank from behind,” Yongqi volunteered. “During my investigation in the south of the city, I became familiar with the terrain of the surrounding mountains and forests, which will make it easier to operate covertly.”

Xiao Jian nodded in agreement: "Alright, then I'll lead the rest of the men to lie in ambush around the area. Qing'er and Xiao Xiao Yanzi, you two stay in the capital. On the one hand, be ready to provide backup for us at any time, and on the other hand, keep an eye out for any new developments in the capital."

Qing'er nodded earnestly: "Don't worry, Xiao Jian. We will keep a close eye on things in the capital and there won't be any problems."

Little Swallow muttered somewhat resentfully, "I also want to catch the mysterious man. Staying in the capital is so boring."

Xiao Jian patiently advised, "Little Swallow, the stability of the capital is equally important. Moreover, our operation requires someone to provide support from the rear. You and Qing'er are both thoughtful and meticulous, so it would be most suitable for you to stay behind."

Although Little Swallow was still a little reluctant, she sensibly said, "Alright, then Qing'er and I will definitely guard the capital well. You two must also be careful outside."

"We will," Yongqi comforted him. "We'll bring you good news when we catch the mysterious man."

"By the way, we also need to come up with a code to facilitate communication during the operation," Er Kang reminded him.

After a moment's thought, the group decided to use birdsong as a code. Different birdsongs represented different messages, making it less likely for the enemy to detect their activity while facilitating communication among team members.

"Everything is ready. We'll take action as soon as the scouts return," Xiao Jian said, his eyes revealing a firm resolve.

A few days later, the guard who went to scout returned and reported: "There are about fifty enemies in the valley. The defense is quite tight. There are sentries at the entrance, and patrols are moving around inside the valley."

After listening to the report, Xiao Jian immediately said, "Based on the current situation, let's adjust the plan. Yongqi, your team will set off ahead of time and lie in ambush behind enemy lines, waiting for the right opportunity. Erkang, you will launch a feint attack from the front as originally planned, but be careful not to go too deep into enemy territory. Wait for my signal before you act."

"Yes!" Yongqi and Erkang replied in unison.

"Everyone must be careful. This operation is of utmost importance. We must not let the mysterious person escape again." Xiao Jian looked intently at everyone.

Everyone expressed their understanding and returned to prepare. A thrilling capture operation was about to unfold. Would they be able to successfully infiltrate the lion's den and capture the mysterious figure? Everything was shrouded in tension and anticipation...

This chapter concludes here. Stay tuned for the next chapter.