Braised Dragon with Soy Sauce

The terrain in front of the southern gate of Jian'an City is relatively open, making it more than enough to send a force of several thousand men to attack the city at once. Therefore, if Mo Yuming does not make any preparations and relies solely on the city walls for passive defense, it will be absolutely impossible for him to withstand such a fierce and relentless attack.

Moreover, the southern city wall is relatively low and weak, and raising and reinforcing it would be a very time-consuming and laborious task. A major battle could break out at any time, and there is simply no time to repair it now. There is no other way but to strengthen defenses.

In order to ensure that everything went perfectly, Mo Yuming conducted an in-depth investigation and finally got a general idea of ​​the true situation of the city.

However, he knew that this was far from enough, so he resolved to learn more about the relevant information.

Afterwards, Mo Yuming selected three capable lieutenants: Qi Xing, Jiang Yuheng, and Sun Min. The four of them quietly left the city under the cover of night. Along the way, they proceeded cautiously, not daring to slacken their efforts in the slightest.

They first carefully examined the terrain and landforms within a radius of hundreds of miles. Steep peaks, deep canyons, winding rivers... every detail was taken in and memorized.

Furthermore, they closely monitored the local population distribution. They determined which areas were densely populated and which were sparsely populated; which villages were known for their honest and simple people, and which harbored hidden dangers. This information was crucial for their subsequent actions.

In order to obtain more accurate intelligence, they even went so far as to disguise themselves and infiltrate the nearest city.

Disguised as ordinary citizens or posing as merchants, they inquired about every possible piece of information in the city, leaving no stone unturned. Whether it was the movements of the government or rumors circulating among the people, everything became a subject of their collection.

Thus, Mo Yuming and his colleagues tirelessly traveled to various places in order to obtain the most comprehensive and detailed information to ensure the smooth implementation of the next plan.

Fortunately, thanks to Mo Yuming's consistent caution, the earth-shattering event of the city changing hands has not yet spread. Even the turmoil that occurred in the Valley of Heartbreak has had a relatively limited impact and has not caused much of a stir.

This situation is undoubtedly very advantageous for Mo Yuming, giving him more time to prepare for the upcoming war.

Over the next few days, Mo Yuming worked tirelessly, sending out a large number of people to inquire and investigate. His efforts paid off; through these efforts, he finally gained a preliminary but relatively comprehensive understanding of the vassal state he was in.

It turns out that the current ruler of this vassal state called Da Chi is named Wu Ji. He is the uncle of the king of the Long state, and his status is noble.

However, in stark contrast to his noble status, his character was far from admirable. He was eccentric and arrogant, and treated the people under his rule with cruelty and ruthlessness, imposing exorbitant taxes and levies.

Even the slightest offense would provoke a grudge from him; he would hold a grudge and seek revenge relentlessly. Because of this, he had an extremely poor reputation among the many princes and kings, and his interpersonal relationships were utterly terrible.

As members of the royal family, the title of marquis was passed down through generations and was hereditary, its prestige far surpassing that of marquises temporarily granted by the king. Especially with the格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall structure or power structure) of the five great states already established, the status of a hereditary marquis was even more unbreakable.

Take the Great Red Kingdom for example. Although it is located in a relatively remote place, it is vast and boundless, with abundant and diverse resources, including both minerals and agricultural products.

For this reason, the Great Red Kingdom has a strong overall national strength, ranking in the upper-middle range among the seven major states of the Long Kingdom.

Therefore, when Wu Ji heard that Jian'an City had been occupied by others, she would surely be furious and enraged.

He would not hesitate to order a large army to suppress the rebellion in order to restore the country's rule and dignity.

However, the territory of the Great Red Kingdom is too vast, and this place is located at the northernmost tip of Yuzhou, which is far away from the capital of the Marquisate.

Even the Crimson Cloud Steed, the fastest horse in the Great Crimson Kingdom, would have to travel day and night, galloping non-stop for a full half month, to reach the capital from here.

If there were no dedicated intelligence-gathering and transmission agency to report information in a timely manner, relying solely on word-of-mouth on the road or snippets overheard by chance, it would probably be at least half a month before the news of Jian'an's fall reached the ears of the Marquis!

After careful and meticulous analysis, even in the worst-case scenario, it would take at least a month before the Marquis's army besieged the city.

If everything can be concealed flawlessly, and numerous deceptive smokescreens are cleverly deployed, then it is entirely possible to keep it a secret for several months, or even longer.

Mo Yuming had already considered these issues thoroughly when he first started planning and strategizing.

For this reason, he always firmly advocated avoiding having too great an impact, prioritizing the selection of existing officials to handle affairs according to the original rules and procedures, and doing everything possible to ensure that the people in the city would not notice anything unusual.

This kind of cover-up must be done to the highest degree.

They also implemented appropriate measures to deal with the messengers who regularly traveled between neighboring towns each month to exchange official documents.

Not only that, but they also dispatched people to the streets to deliberately spread various rumors, describing the fierce battle that broke out in the Valley of Heartbreak a few days ago as an operation to wipe out bandits, and even claiming that a complete victory had been achieved, etc., in order to confuse the public and confuse right and wrong. However, on the other hand, Mo Yuming was secretly and diligently preparing for the battle.

In addition to strengthening the combat capabilities of the existing garrison, they also secretly recruited soldiers, stockpiled strategic materials, and organized laborers to repair fortifications and reinforce city walls.

Furthermore, Sun Min was appointed to select a team of elite soldiers from the active-duty troops, and Mo Yuming personally supervised their secret training.

Mo Yuming is not worried about funding at all.

When they raided the city lord's and his henchmen's homes, they obtained a large amount of wealth, which was all ill-gotten gains they had amassed over the years.

With the public funds in the original government treasury, it would be enough for Mo Yuming to get by for quite some time.

Moreover, the shop that Jia Shan and Master Fu opened in Jian'an City has been running smoothly.

The items at the bottom of the valley are rare treasures that are hard to find in the outside world. In addition, Jia Shan is a seasoned businessman, so the selling price of those goods will definitely not be low.

At the same time, Mo Yuming had Huang Xiaoxiao transfer some chefs from Wushuang Hotel and used a large sum of money to acquire restaurants in the city to promote the unique dishes of Wushuang Castle to Jian'an City.

I believe that soon, the restaurants in Jian'an City will become as popular as those in Wushuang City.

With the blockade from Jian'an City gone, the Wushuang Hotel on Sheshan Cliff immediately became a hot business, and the underground shopping mall also saw booming business.

Jian'an City, a city located in a strategic location, should have had a bright future and could have become a prosperous metropolis due to its unique geographical advantages.

However, what is heartbreaking is that Jian'an City has long been controlled by Lord Zhang and his cronies.

These people are simply a bunch of social scum and the bane of humanity! They have no regard for the future of the city; all they think about is how to plunder wealth through force and satisfy their endless selfish desires.

They acted recklessly, creating various pretexts to cruelly exploit the people in the city.

The fruits of ordinary people's hard work are mostly plundered by them through various means. Not only that, they also bully and oppress the kind-hearted by taking advantage of their power, running rampant in the streets and alleys.

This short-sighted and selfish behavior is tantamount to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, completely destroying the foundation of the city.

And so, countless springs and autumns passed, and Jian'an City remained trapped in poverty and decline. The city streets were deserted, shops were empty, and an atmosphere of desolation, decay, and death permeated the air.

After capturing Jian'an City, Mo Yuming, who held different ideas, knew that in order to change the status quo of the city, he must first understand the opinions of the people.

Therefore, after properly arranging all the rights and interests, Mo Yuming immediately set about taking action. He tirelessly traveled through the streets and alleys, actively communicating with the people and listening to their voices and demands.

After a thorough investigation, Mo Yuming discovered numerous instances of injustice and grievances suffered by ordinary people. He showed no mercy, decisively punishing the wicked local bullies and seeking justice for the innocent victims.

At the same time, he also promulgated a series of rigorous and reasonable laws and regulations, and posted notices in prominent locations to reassure the people, demonstrating to all citizens his determination to restore order and benefit the local community.

These measures, like a gentle spring breeze, warmed the hearts of every resident of Jian'an City. The news quickly spread throughout the city, and people excitedly shared the news, their faces beaming with joy.

In that brief night, the name Mo Yuming swept across the country like a whirlwind, quickly spreading throughout the streets and alleys, becoming the focus of everyone's conversation.

For a time, people everywhere, from the streets and alleys to their leisure time, were talking about this hero who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

His heroic deeds were circulated in a mystical way, as if he were a savior who descended from heaven to save the world.

In everyone's eyes, Mo Yuming is not only a fearless warrior, but also the undisputed backbone and guardian in everyone's hearts.

However, Mo Yuming himself appeared remarkably calm and composed in the face of the overwhelming praise and adulation.

He seemed completely unmoved by the noise and bustle of the outside world, always maintaining a calm and steadfast heart.

At this moment, he was sitting alone in his tent, his brows furrowed, lost in deep thought.

Because he knew all too well that an even greater storm was about to break out—a brutal war that was about to erupt.

From the moment he made up his mind to take over Jian'an City, Mo Yuming was already aware that he had embarked on a path of no return, full of thorns and dangers.

Although they have successfully captured the city, this is only the beginning; the real test is yet to come. Therefore, from the moment they seized Jian'an City, Mo Yuming immediately devoted himself to planning for the future war.

In order to remain undefeated in this life-or-death struggle, Mo Yuming went to great lengths and spared no effort.

He personally led his generals to conduct on-site reconnaissance of the battlefield, gaining a detailed understanding of the terrain of every mountain, river, pass, and strategic point; at the same time, he also extensively collected intelligence from all sides, analyzing the enemy's troop deployment and tactical characteristics.

Based on this, Mo Yuming personally drew a detailed strategic map, marking out the possible marching routes, strategic points, and potential danger zones for both sides.

Moreover, in order to study combat plans more intuitively, Mo Yuming also devoted a lot of effort to creating a huge military sand table.

In this sand table, based on the data he actually had, he vividly constructed three-dimensional models of a vast region, including the Valley of Heartbreak, Jian'an City, Luoxia City, Shangyuan City, Wangxiang Town, and extending all the way to Zhongyuan City, using precise proportions.

Furthermore, he meticulously labeled each model with various relevant information, such as the elevation of mountains, the direction of water flow, and the width of roads.

Through this military sand table, Mo Yuming can observe the overall battle situation more clearly, thereby formulating a more comprehensive and effective battle plan.

General Jiang, who had been accompanying Mo Yuming in studying the battle plan, was a renowned general with extensive battlefield experience.

His military career spanned almost his entire life, from a young age he threw himself into the world of swords and shadows, undergoing decades of tempering and baptism.

During this period, he participated in countless battles, both large and small, and can be described as a veteran of many battles.

However, even the well-informed General Jiang had never seen anyone handle this seemingly ordinary pile of sand like Mo Yuming did on the eve of battle.

At this moment, General Jiang stood quietly to the side, his gaze fixed on Mo Yuming, who was engrossed in his work.

Mo Yuming's expression was serious and focused, as if he were dealing not with ordinary sand and objects, but with the key elements that would determine the outcome of the entire battle.

He would sometimes carefully place a small stone on a mound of earth in a specific spot, his focused expression as if he were sculpting an incomparably precious work of art.

Sometimes it would quickly run to the edge of another small slope and steadily plant a brightly colored flag, its movements skillful and nimble;

Sometimes he would stop all his movements, rest his chin on his hands, stare at the detailed map spread out in front of him, his brows furrowed, as if he were repeatedly rehearsing various possible battle situations in his mind and thinking of countermeasures... He went back and forth like this without stopping for a moment.