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

Standing atop the towering city wall, Li Heng looked down upon the entire city of Chang'an, his heart heavy with sorrow.

"Your Highness, the current situation is still uncertain. Should we adjust our strategy in time?" The intelligence Gao Shi obtained from his spies left him with many thoughts.

Li Heng sighed slightly: "Given the shift in their power, we should guide the situation accordingly."

Gazing at the distant sky, Li Heng thought with unease: the enemy is in dire straits, and once the situation begins to tilt, it will be an irreversible defeat.

"Your Highness, you need to find the perfect opportunity to deliver the fatal blow."

Li Heng smiled faintly, his gaze resolute: "The time is not yet ripe; it remains in my heart."

“Your Highness, An Lushan and Li Mao are interacting more and more frequently. I’m afraid their intentions go beyond mere superficial mutual assistance,” Gao Shi cautiously offered his opinion.

Li Heng nodded slightly, his eyes focused: "However, this also means that we have the opportunity to peek into the gaps and seek a good opportunity to strike."

"What does Your Highness intend to do?" another aide asked.

Li Heng calmly surveyed the area before speaking: "We must devise a plan invisibly, causing them to lose their composure."

at the same time.

Inside the Prince Shou's residence, Li Mao was carefully arranging his chess pieces.

He is meticulous and every step he takes is the result of careful consideration and prediction.

“Afu, An Lushan has sent word that he will launch a probing attack on the Crown Prince. He wants to use this opportunity to ascertain the truth of the matter,” Li Mao said thoughtfully, putting down the letter in his hand.

"Your Highness, how should we respond?" Afu asked, turning to the side.

“An Lushan has asked me for a favor, so he won’t break his promise easily,” Li Mao chuckled. “But we might as well let him test the waters first and see what Li Heng’s plans are.”

Afu understood and nodded: "In this way, we will be in an invincible position."

In Feng Jiang's military camp, Feng Jiang himself became increasingly uneasy about this turmoil.

He knew he had been drawn into a more complex game, so he summoned his deputy to his tent to discuss a better strategy.

"General, it seems that both An and Li are waiting for a good opportunity. How do you plan to deal with this?" The deputy general looked at General Feng with a solemn expression and asked tentatively.

"The key at this moment lies in how we choose," Feng said calmly and firmly. "We must be flexible and protect ourselves."

"What does the general mean?" the lieutenant asked, slightly puzzled.

Feng stared at the map and said in a deep voice, "As gentle as a breeze, yet as steadfast as a mountain."

Soon after, An Lushan indeed began small-scale attacks to test Li Heng's response.

Suddenly, the alarm sounded in the Eastern Palace. Gao Shi rushed to the Crown Prince's palace: "Your Highness, An Lushan has approached the nearby garrison to the north. How should our army respond?"

Li Heng was prepared. He quickly ordered: "The entire army should be on alert and closely monitor the enemy's situation. Do not fall into their trap. Gao Shi, deploy troops and generals to assist me in assessing the situation."

"Yes, Your Highness." Gao Shi immediately accepted the order and set off with Li Heng.

Meanwhile, Li Mao was not idle either, inside the Prince Shou's residence.

He was aware of the changing situation and knew that mishandling it would lead to total defeat.

He beckoned Ah Fu closer and whispered to him.

"If An Lushan's test succeeds, how should we conduct ourselves?" Afu asked in a low voice, feeling uneasy.

Li Mao, with a calm gaze, replied, "What we are confused about is that success or failure lies within our own hearts. Let them ponder and prove it for themselves."

Afu nodded slightly, confident: "This time, let's see how they break the deadlock."

At this very moment, Feng received an urgent report from the front lines while he was in his military camp.

"General, our scouts have reported that both the An army and the Li army are making unusual movements." The deputy general relayed the information to General Feng without missing a single word.

Feng pondered for a moment, his face showing deep thought: "We might as well proceed according to the plan and observe the situation first."

The lieutenant asked in a low voice, "If the situation changes, will we be able to react in time?"

Feng smiled slightly: "If the situation changes, we will certainly take advantage of the situation. Don't worry."

……

Night fell once again over Chang'an.

Crown Prince Li Heng and Gao Shi discussed the intelligence they had gathered from the front lines.

“Your Highness, although the enemy’s probing attacks cannot shake our foundation, they have revealed some weaknesses,” Gao Shi said, a thoughtful look on his face.

After a moment's thought, Li Heng nodded in agreement: "Yes, we might as well increase our concealment and deception, and make sure to make arrangements before they take any action."

However, at that moment, an aide suddenly came in to report: "Your Highness, our spies have discovered that An Lushan seems to be adjusting his military deployment."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng frowned slightly: "Adjusting the deployment... this is probably a premeditated plan, and it may also give us another opportunity to strike."

After much deliberation, Li Heng ordered: "Elite troops should be hidden in the army, waiting for an opportunity to strike, and should not be exposed easily."

The news also reached Li Mao's ears at the Prince of Shou's residence.

Li Mao carefully read the reliable intelligence and had already made up his mind.

"Your Highness, the An army is reorganizing its forces, and the situation is about to change again," Afu respectfully reported.

Li Mao sighed dismissively, "It's nothing more than seeing enemies everywhere; the meaning is easy to understand."

Afu understood: "Has Your Highness made preparations in advance to deal with the situation?"

Li Mao nodded and instructed, "Deploy troops and station them in the fortress. Wait for the opportune moment to act."

Inside the enemy camp, An Lushan's eyes gleamed like an eagle's; he was aware of the risks of probing...

"General, the Crown Prince's defenses do not seem to have relaxed. Perhaps we need to reconsider our strategy," the advisor suggested.

An Lushan sneered: "The more heavily guarded they are, the more it shows their bluffing."

At dawn, as the sun rose, Chang'an City remained a bustling metropolis.

In the Eastern Palace, Li Heng had already taken his seat early and was organizing the intelligence gathered the previous night.

"Your Highness, An Lushan seems to be intentionally creating chaos at the front lines in order to probe our defenses."

“His plan is certainly a risky move to win, but it’s just a test,” Li Heng said, his eyes sharp, seeing through the superficial undercurrents. “What we should really worry about is his underlying intentions.”

"Your Highness, what should we do? This may be our chance to turn the tide."

Li Heng nodded slightly: "Notify all departments to strengthen vigilance and not to act rashly. The key to dealing with this is to act according to circumstances, not to engage in battle."

at the same time.

Deep within the Prince Shou's residence, Li Mao was discussing countermeasures.

He sat silently at the desk, pondering An Lushan's recent movements.

"Afu, what's the news?" Li Mao raised his head, his eyes swirling like the ocean floor.

Afu bowed and replied, "Your Highness, An Lushan seems somewhat hesitant, and there are no major moves at the front for the time being. It seems that he still has some concerns in his actions."

Li Mao smiled slightly: "Why he hesitates is beyond his comprehension. We might as well stay in a corner and wait for the right moment to rise up."

Afu thoughtfully replied, "Does Your Highness think we should devise some strategies to ensure we remain undefeated in this situation?"

Li Mao pondered for a moment: "At this time, let's observe the situation, make more preparations, and not rush into any action."

In An Lushan's military camp, a tense atmosphere gradually brewed.

"General, news has come from the front lines that the Crown Prince is taking steps to strengthen his defenses," the advisor cautiously reported.

An Lushan curled his lips into a playful smile: "As expected. Now that the sharp blade is revealed, it is our opportunity."

"What clues can be gleaned from their deployment?" he continued, his tone probing.

The aide respectfully replied, "Their heavy troops are concentrated at several key points, intending to protect the safety of the capital. Although they dare not act rashly, we can see the true situation."

An Lushan nodded: "Order the soldiers to wait for the right opportunity and prepare for the next step of the plan."