Tang Dynasty: To win Yang Guifei, they asked Emperor Xuanzong to die.

The ministers listened intently, their minds racing as they devised a solution.

Upon learning the news, Li Mao immediately summoned his confidants to discuss countermeasures.

"Your Highness, now is the perfect opportunity to counterattack. Why not press your advantage?" the puzzled attendant couldn't help but ask.

Li Mao calmly shook his head, his gaze cold and stern: "Taking a risky move requires weighing the pros and cons. In the current situation, the best strategy is to remain unchanged in the face of all changes."

Meanwhile, in the north, An Lushan had already mobilized his massive cavalry army, which marched straight towards Chang'an.

"The more difficult the situation, the more we must forge ahead. Why should we fear battle!" An Lushan shouted boldly, inspiring the morale of the three armies.

……

Inside the palace, Li Heng was holding a secret meeting with several important ministers. In front of them was a detailed map, covered with countless small flags, indicating the movements of various forces and the war situation.

"Your Highness, it seems that An Lushan and Li Mao are currently in contact. We must be wary of their collusion from within and without." After writing these words on his memorial, Prime Minister Gao Shi's expression was filled with worry.

Li Heng frowned slightly, silently weighing his strategy.

The fate of Chang'an is interdependent; if it falls, it will be vulnerable to disaster.

"I have secretly dispatched messengers to contact the military governors in various regions. We must first stabilize the overall situation and await further developments." Li Heng's gaze was resolute, clearly indicating that he had made a decision.

“An Lushan’s advance is fierce. If we rely solely on the troops of Chang’an, we may not be able to resist him,” the general beside him added worriedly.

"Therefore, we need to divide the enemy and break their alliance." Li Heng looked at everyone. "At the same time, we must not launch a rash attack. Strengthening our internal defenses is the top priority."

At this moment, a palace guard came to report that a messenger urgently requested an audience.

Li Heng signaled for passage, and a messenger covered in dust hurriedly entered, handing a letter to Li Heng.

Unfolding the letter, a hint of surprise flashed in Li Heng's eyes.

This secret letter from the military governor of Xuzhou revealed signs of a rift emerging within An Lushan's army.

“It seems that these rebels are not a monolithic force.” Li Heng calmly shared this new intelligence with the ministers around him.

A flurry of discussion ensued, and the group quickly adjusted their strategy, now focusing on securing more external assistance...

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was equally tense in Li Mao's residence.

Although he ordered a temporary halt to the operation, he was also well aware of An Lushan's ambitions.

"Your Highness, Lord An is making rapid progress. If he captures Chang'an, how will you handle the situation?" the advisor asked cautiously, clearly worried about the situation.

Li Mao stared silently at the candlelight before him, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

He was well aware of the dangers of dealing with a tiger, but now that they were in the same boat, he could only proceed cautiously.

“No need to worry, I have already prepared the necessary countermeasures,” Li Mao said coldly.

Outside Chang'an, An Lushan's army was rapidly assembling.

"Lord An, the army is about to be in position. Should we proceed with the plan to take Chang'an directly?" one of his trusted lieutenants asked, his voice brimming with excitement.

An Lushan narrowed his eyes, constantly considering the attack route in his mind.

"Don't be hasty. Observe the situation first. Gather information from within Chang'an through various means and understand the enemy's situation before making a conclusion," he earnestly advised.

At the border pass, the sounds of Tang and An troops clashing with swords and spears echoed through the night sky.

As time went by, the balance of power shifted constantly, and the flames of war could reach the walls of Chang'an at any moment.

Unable to sleep, Li Heng stood atop the city wall of Chang'an, gazing into the dark distance.

He knew that the Tang Dynasty had not yet collapsed, and that there were still millions of soldiers fighting bloody battles for their country.

The morning light is slightly dew.

After several days of rest, An Lushan's army was gathering in the nearby mountains, ready to attack at any time.

In the palace, Li Heng had just woken up from a lingering dream.

"Summon all the generals to the Imperial Study for a meeting," Li Heng ordered in a deep voice after quickly washing up.

In a short while, all the generals arrived, and they all looked solemn.

Faced with An Lushan's menacing presence, they all felt an invisible pressure.

“My esteemed ministers, the enemy is currently stationed a hundred miles away from here. This is the perfect opportunity for us to launch a counterattack.” Li Heng’s eyes were piercing as he looked directly at the crowd.

"We must disperse the enemy forces and defeat them one by one." Li Heng began to arrange the details, and a plan had been in his mind for a long time.

"Your Majesty, Li Mao seems to be watching from the shadows. If he intends to do something wicked..." Zhang Jiuling warned worriedly. If the hidden danger is not dealt with now, there will be unavoidable worries in the future.

“He has close ties with An Lushan, and we need to investigate him thoroughly,” Li Heng sighed.

He knew that this battle required not only defeating the external enemy, but also clarifying the internal relationships.

Meanwhile, in the secret mansion on the other side, Li Mao paced back and forth by the window.

"We need to keep a close eye on our elder brother's actions. If anything changes, we must act immediately," Li Mao muttered to himself.

His advisor looked troubled, and after a moment of thought, said, "Your Highness, I hope Chang'an is safe, after all, the safety of the city is still uncertain."

Li Mao did not answer, but a complex expression appeared on his face.

As time went on, An Lushan's army began to move and continued to approach Chang'an.

But at this moment, the conflict between An Lushan's two major generals also came to light.

General Chen and General Feng had differing opinions. General Chen advocated a swift attack to capture Chang'an with lightning speed, while General Feng preferred a steady advance to avoid setbacks due to haste.

“If we cannot fully control Chang’an, a hasty attack would be too reckless, and the consequences would be unpredictable.” Feng’s tone was full of caution; he preferred to act cautiously.

"However, the morale of the army is high, and they are unstoppable." General Chen guessed An Lushan's intention, raised his eyebrows, and looked quite dissatisfied.

Faced with this conflict, An Lushan also felt somewhat troubled.

He knew he couldn't afford to lose the support of any one of his key generals; he had to take a holistic approach.

"We cannot be blinded by the short-term victory in Chang'an; we must plan for the long term," An Lushan earnestly advised the two generals.

Meanwhile, in Chang'an, Li Heng quickly learned of discord within the enemy army through various intelligence sources.

"If we can make good use of this opportunity, it may be possible to subdue the enemy without fighting," Li Heng thought to himself, his mind clearer and calmer than ever before.

As the sun rises in the east.

Li Heng summoned his ministers early on to discuss countermeasures.

Inside the military council chamber, a faint scent of sandalwood incense burned. On the map, small flags marking the enemy's movements constantly occupied their attention.

“An Lushan’s army has already made some moves, so we cannot let our guard down,” Li Heng said solemnly, his eyes showing signs of fatigue.

"Your Highness, last night we received news from our inside sources that there are even some internal conflicts within the enemy forces. Could we take advantage of this opportunity to make a move?" Gao Shi suggested, clearly having given it considerable thought.

These words sparked a murmur of discussion within the hall.

Everyone knew that at this critical juncture, the success or failure of a single plan could affect the entire battle.

“We need to analyze this carefully. Although there are gaps in the enemy's defenses, their army size should not be underestimated. Misjudging them could put us in an even more dangerous situation,” Li Heng calmly analyzed.

Just as the argument was raging, a messenger rushed in, looking tired, but his eyes revealed his urgency.

"Your Highness, this is the latest military intelligence from the north. Please take a look." He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and handed over a letter.

Upon opening the secret letter, Li Heng frowned deeply. The letter clearly and concisely stated that General Chen had unexpectedly led a portion of his troops to withdraw from the main force of the An army, further complicating the situation.

"They actually withdrew their troops?" The ministers whispered among themselves, their faces showing surprise and doubt.

It is truly difficult to guess the intentions behind the enemy's sudden changes.

“This might be a good opportunity for us to divide the enemy forces,” Li Heng said with a determined look in his eyes.