Taoist Qimu took the map, spread it out in front of everyone, and said: "In this battle, it is difficult for us to do much, or in other words, we can't help the Huangtian Army at all. The barbarian army has a canal, and the army and supplies can be transported to Guangling continuously, unaffected by the cold winter.
"But the other forces are unable to threaten the Barbarian Court because of the ice and snow everywhere. Even if one or two states break out in unrest, the Barbarian Court will ignore it and focus on recovering Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the land of fish and rice. If they fall into the hands of the Barbarian Army, it will greatly alleviate the financial pressure brought by their attacks everywhere.
"It is a good move for the Barbarian Army to stabilize the internal struggle, appease the people of Huaihe River, and use the transportation power of the Grand Canal to suppress Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Although we control the upper reaches of the Changhe River, we can't break through the Barbarian Army's blockade of the Changhe River.
"It's useless even if we bite the bullet and attack Suizhou. This place is too far away from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In this weather, even if we take down Suizhou, we can't really threaten the Huai River and force the barbarian army to return to defend."
At this point, he spread his hands and said helplessly: "So, for this battle in Jiangnan, we can only watch."
Taoist Qimu did not know that Li Xiuer was actually a member of the Xielian Sect. He just judged from a strategic point of view that once Jiangsu and Zhejiang were recaptured by the barbarian army, it would have a great impact on the overall situation of the fight against the barbarians.
But since there was nothing they could do, he didn't take it seriously. After all, the one facing the threat was only Huang Tianjun.
Xuan Feng Huan Zhi, however, frowned. The Xie Lian Sect controlled Jiangsu and Zhejiang remotely through Li Xiu'er, which actually formed a "double base" situation with Dongting Lake and Jiangsu and Zhejiang supporting each other. Once the counterattack on the Huai River began, it would inevitably play a huge role.
This situation made her unwilling to accept it no matter what.
Moreover, if the barbarian army really captured Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it would be equivalent to tying down the entire south, and the anti-barbarian cause that had just emerged would most likely be reversed.
—
The sudden outbreak of war caused panic among the people in Kuaiji City and its surrounding areas.
In the eyes of the common people, the barbarian army was naturally not a good thing. Once the city of Kuaiji was broken, they would at best let the soldiers go and at worst massacre the whole city.
Even though there were reports that the prime minister of the northern court was trying his best to suppress such things, no one would believe in the military discipline of the barbarian army.
What's more, for those generals, it is a matter of course to lead their men through life and death, lead the troops to fight, and obtain the benefits they deserve after victory.
Where does this so-called "benefit" come from? Everyone knows it.
The life that had finally settled down was disrupted in an instant. Huang Tianjun also mobilized the people as much as possible to help cut wood, make machinery, and transport supplies.
Li Xiuer was sitting in the main hall, processing a large stack of documents. At this time, two capable generals, Xiao Siyu and Jing Shang, led their troops to Taihu Lake. With Taihu Lake as the center, the Wusong River, Dongjiang River and Loujiang River, collectively known as the Three Rivers of Taihu Lake, formed a network defense line.
At this moment, those who were discussing military affairs with her in the hall were You Hong from the former Hai Youmen, and the relatively young generals Wei Jifang and Hu Zan in the army.
It is said that they are dealing with military affairs, but in fact it is different from what everyone imagines. What they are really discussing is not how the enemy's troops will attack or what strategies they should have, but those trivial matters that make people anxious.
What equipment is lacking here, there are still not enough people there, how to allocate the ships to transport grain... Once all the plans are broken down into small details, they are all daunting.
The most frustrating thing is that these things are all very important, but for most of the very important things, she can only watch helplessly.
Compared with the barbarian army that was suppressing them with all their strength, Huang Tian’s army was naturally short of resources and manpower.
Indeed, in the past few months, the Huangtian Army has been developing rapidly, but that was all based on the situation where there was chaos everywhere in the north and the Barbarian Court was fully focused on putting out fires and had no time to take care of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
"Miss!" A man walked in quickly.
In fact, Li Xiuer has already served as the chief of Huang Tianjun. The title of "Grand Chief of Zhejiang" sounds quite impressive, but she still lets her subordinates call her "Miss". She puts the name of her late father Li Badao high on the list, and keeps saying that it is her late father's last wish and that she is only avenging her father and has no choice but to take over Huang Tianjun.
Li Xiuer sat behind the desk, holding a small brush, and signed a document. She raised her head and looked at the man.
The man bowed and said, "There is a young man outside who calls himself Master Chongyun and wants to see the young lady!"
You Hong and Wei Jifang couldn't help but look at this personal soldier, both were somewhat moved... Shi Chongyun
He had been in Bashan, assisting Bashan Jiuzhai to resist the Hanyang Gang, and in Ganjiang River he helped the Leopard Army defeat the Yunlang Army. A few days ago, he had been in Nanshan, assisting the various sects in Nanshan to form the Nanshan Alliance, and completely destroyed the "Hidden Dragon" of the Tiannan Gang
According to rumors in the martial arts world, this person is best at defeating the strong with the weak. He has the ability to plan and win military battles. He specializes in helping the oppressed resist enemies and violence, doing things that others cannot do.
Li Xiuer was secretly happy, thinking that the young master had arrived.
On the surface, he looked at the generals on his left and right, and asked in surprise: "Shi Chongyun?"
Wei Jifang said quickly: "Miss, I heard that this man has extraordinary strategies and is very good at deploying troops. If he is willing to help us, our Huang Tian Army's chances of winning will increase greatly."
Li Xiuer hurriedly said, "Please invite him in quickly!"
Chapter 370: A Name, Unrivaled Power
Soon, the personal soldier led a man in. The young man had a gentle face and a handsome expression. He carried a sword on his back and wore a green Taoist robe.
"Shi Chongyun greets Manager Xiu'er!" The young man put his hands together in front of his chest, with his left hand outside and his right hand inside, and bowed.
Li Xiuer stood up, bowed and said, "Master, please take a seat!"
The young man sat down. He and Li Xiu'er had met before, but he pretended not to know each other. Li Xiu'er then introduced him to the three generals next to him: You Hong, Wei Jifang, and Hu Zan.
"I wonder what advice you have for me, Master, as you have suddenly come here?" Li Xiu'er sat behind the desk and bowed slightly.
Shi Hao said in a clear voice: "I heard that the Barbarian Court sent the fierce generals Que Shulu and Du Liehuhai, leading 200,000 soldiers and countless civilians, to march south and approach Kuaiji. I, a humble Shi, would like to come and assist General Xiuer to resist the Barbarian Army."
Li Xiuer said happily: "I have heard of Master Shi's great name for a long time. With Master Shi here, the Huangtian Army will surely be even more powerful. I wonder if Master Shi has any ingenious plan to help our army resist the barbarian army?"
Shi Hao said in a deep voice: "To be frank, the Huang Tian army will definitely lose this battle, and no clever plan will be of any use."
You Hong, Wei Jifang and Hu Zan were all stunned... Logically speaking, even if the situation was not good, they had to cheer up their own people first. So, what did they mean by saying "they will definitely lose" right from the start
Hu Zan was young and full of energy. He snorted and said, "We haven't even started fighting yet, how can we be sure of defeat?"
Shi Hao said: "In terms of soldiers and horses, the Barbarian Army is strong and powerful, and there are countless experts in the army. In terms of supplies, the Barbarian Army has gathered the resources of many lands in the north and pressed down with all its strength.
"In terms of unity, although the Barbarians are also in serious internal strife, the survival of the Barbarian Court is related to the entire Jin Clan. At this moment, the four great families must have realized that they cannot remain immune, so they reached a secret cooperation. In this battle, the four great families all participated. On the other hand, the Huangtian Army was purged internally, and Li Zongguan died suddenly. Although Miss Xiu'er has means, she is young after all and it is difficult to completely convince the crowd.
"In terms of climate and topography, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are full of rivers, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The Grand Canal of the Barbarian Court played a decisive role at this time. Soldiers and supplies can be transported continuously and are basically not affected by the weather. Other forces find it difficult to join the war, so it becomes a dangerous situation where the Huang Tian army faces 200,000 barbarian troops alone.
"The barbarian army has the best timing, location and people. I'm afraid your army will be destroyed before spring comes."
Li Xiuer said: "Although the barbarian army is strong, our defense is the main thing, so we may be able to stop them."
Shi Hao said: "Master Xiu'er, don't forget the Sea Shark Gang! The Sea Shark Gang is still the largest gang in the lower reaches of the Changhe River and above the East China Sea. Backed by the Akagi family who are good at wooden armor mechanisms, they own many warships. They own quite a few building ships alone.
"The Huangtian army has set up a defense line in Taihu Lake, but the barbarian army can suppress your army with Guangling and Gusu, while using the tower ships to land on the east coast. How can your army resist?"
Li Xiuer said: "This..." She looked at the three generals and all of them had a headache.
It's not that they haven't thought of this possibility, but they really can't find a way to deal with it.
The barbarian army can attack separately, but their manpower is not enough to garrison.
If they guard the coast and the barbarian troops do not arrive, they will waste their manpower. If they do not guard the coast, if the barbarian army really uses the tower ships to attack from the east, Kuaiji City will be directly exposed to the attack of the barbarian army. Generals Xiao and Jing on the other side of Taihu Lake will face attacks from the rear at any time.
Shi Hao continued, "So, the Huang Tian army will definitely lose this battle. No matter how clever the plan is, it will be useless! The barbarian army will crush us with their upright momentum."
Hu Zan snorted: "If that's the case, then there's no need to fight, just surrender directly?"
Shi Hao asked back: "If I ask you to surrender, will you surrender?"
Wei Jifang gnashed his teeth and said, "We can beheaded and bleed, but it is wishful thinking for us to continue to be bullied and oppressed by the barbarians."
Shi Hao smiled and said, "That's right!"
Li Xiuer looked at Shi Hao and whispered, "Master Shi said before that he would help our army resist the barbarian army, but now he says that no matter what tricks we use, our army will definitely be defeated. How can you help our army?"
Shi Hao continued to smile and said, "There is no such thing as a clever plan. The barbarian army is coming to us in an upright manner, and the Huang Tian army can only fight them back in an upright manner. I am here to help Miss Xiu'er this time, and I don't need Miss Xiu'er to provide too much. I just need Miss Xiu'er to give me a title and lend me a person."
Li Xiuer asked: "What title, who?"
Shi Hao said: "Please give me the title of military advisor, Miss Xiu'er. As for the deployment of troops in your army, I will not participate. It is still your army's business. Just allow me to move around with this title. In addition, I would like to borrow the name of General You Hongyou!"
You Hong was surprised and asked, "Me?"
Shi Hao said: "That's right!"
Wei Jifang asked in confusion: "Master Shi wants to use the title of 'Military Advisor' of our army for what?"
Shi Hao said with a cool smile: "Be a lobbyist and persuade the Leopard Army to fully assist your army and come to join the battle. Persuade the masters in the martial arts world to help your army to resist the barbarian army and make up for the lack of mid-level warriors in your army. Persuade the Dragon and Phoenix Society to attack Jiangzhou to divide the barbarian army's manpower. At the same time, you must persuade the Haiyoumen to join the battle and fight against the Sea Shark Gang in the East China Sea to prevent the barbarian army from using tower ships to attack the east coast of Kuaiji City directly."
Li Xiuer, You Hong, Wei Jifang, Hu Zan and others were all moved.
Li Xiuer hesitated and asked, "How could the Dragon and Phoenix Society be willing to risk attacking Jiangzhou in such weather just to understand the danger of our army?"
Shi Hao smiled and said, "I have my own methods!"
You Hong frowned and said, "I escaped from Haiyoumen. It's not easy to prevent Haiyoumen from taking advantage of the situation. How can we let them help our army resist the Sea Shark Gang?"
Shi Hao continued to smile: "I have my own methods!"
Li Xiuer and the others looked at each other. Li Xiuer gritted her teeth... Of course, this was just a show for others to see, to show that she had made a very difficult decision, but in fact, this was the young master, and she dared not refuse her virginity even if he asked for it.
Li Xiuer stepped forward from her seat, came to Shi Hao, bowed and said, "Since this is the case, I'll have to trouble you, Military Advisor!"
You Hong stood up and said, "I wonder what the military advisor needs me to do?"
Shi Hao stood up and said with a smile: "No hurry, you can stay in Kuaiji City for a while, and I will go to Dongting Lake, Ganjiang River, and Longfenghui."
Shi Hao came suddenly and left quickly. He didn't need Huang Tianjun to give him any proof. He just took their words and left calmly.
However, he did not go to Dongting Lake to persuade the "Demon Marshal".
After all, he is the Demon Marshal, so there is no need for him to make a special trip to convince himself.
He first took Huan Tingting back to Yuelian Tower.
As for Zhuo Mulan and Xu Xiaoyan, they went to Xiaotao Mountain first.
When they arrived at Yuelian Tower, the top of Mount Lu was covered with snow, and the female disciples in Yuelian Tower had all changed into beautiful cotton skirts.
Shi Hao, dressed as a mad swordsman, walked in the garden of Yuelian Tower with his hands behind his back, and the girls around him surrounded him and smiled.
Entering the depths and climbing up to the balcony, I saw the gauze fan swaying towards me: "Oh, young master, you are finally back."
Shi Hao smiled and said, "Sister Sha, you are finally back. I didn't expect to see you here, although you were supposed to stay here."
Sha Lingshan said with a smile, "Aren't you going to get the Red Frost Sacred Core for you, young master? I have risked my life and death for you, young master, and have gone through fire and water."
Shi Hao said: "Why do I feel that Sister Sha, you just went there to play and do some small things by the way?"
Then he asked, "Did you get the Red Frost Holy Core?"
Sha Lingshan said, "Don't worry, young master, it's already in our hands!"
Shi Hao thought that in this way, all the four immortal materials needed to advance to the next level had been collected.
But he actually hasn't yet cultivated to the fifth level, and what's even more troublesome is the magic ritual to advance to the fourth level.
Due to the complexity of the Demonic Sect ritual this time, he could only complete the Demonic Sect ritual first and then take the Taoist elixir.
"Young Master!" In front, Yueyaotai and Zhijinhua came to greet him and bowed.
Sha Lingshan smiled sweetly and said, "Come to think of it, when I just returned to Yuelian Tower, I heard about the young master's great power that night. All the female disciples in Yuelian Tower heard the Yuetan master's voice of "no no, no no, yes ...
Yueyaotai's face suddenly turned red again. Shi Hao joked, "As the saying goes, seeing is believing! Sister Sha, why don't you try it too?"
Sha Lingshan laughed and said, "Alas, my weak body may not be able to withstand the young master's unparalleled power."
Men cannot stand praise in this aspect. Once they are praised, they are satisfied. Shi Hao laughed loudly and entered the inner hall. After everyone sat down, Yue Yaotai asked, "Young Master, do you know about the barbarian army's southward march?"
Shi Hao said: "I got the news when I was on the road. I didn't expect the Man Court to be able to stabilize Qinhuai so quickly. The Xuanfeng Sect Master and I both underestimated the ability of the Man Court Prime Minister. From this, it seems that even if Lie Zunyi is dead, the so-called royal family still has a strong centripetal force. The Xuanfeng Sect Master's previous plan of division and alienation did not work."
Yueyaotai said: "Longniu sent information from the north, saying that Yue Chongliang recently married Zonghai Jinghui, the daughter of the Zonghai family.
Shi Hao said: "No wonder! Yue Chongliang's methods of suppressing corrupt officials in Huaishui were extremely powerful. Now he has taken the initiative to put aside the grudge of his sister being assassinated and become the son-in-law of the Zonghai family. He is really flexible."
After thinking for a while, he said, "No, earlier in the north, Zong Hai Jing Hui suddenly came to Yue Ya Er, and judging from her appearance at the time, she didn't seem to have any ill intentions. I also heard Yue Ya Er mention that Zong Hai Jing Hui and her sister Zong Hai Ming Hui have always been at odds.
"I'm afraid there was a power struggle within the Zong Hai family, and Yue Chongliang took advantage of it. If this is the case, Yue Chongliang's methods are even more amazing than I had imagined before."
Chapter 371: See the beginning but not the end
Yueyaotai said, "I wonder what the young master is going to do?"
Shi Hao said: "I just came from Kuaiji and asked Huang Tianjun for a military advisor position. Next, I will go to Ganjiang to meet Longfenghui.
"Send a letter to Jinghua Lake and ask Xuanfeng Altar Master to see who can be mobilized to support Huang Tian Army. Don't let people know the relationship between Dongting Army and Huang Tian Army. Just say that Master Chongyun, the Hidden Dragon, went to Jingzhou alone and persuaded the Demon Commander of Dongting Army to send experts to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to help Huang Tian Army fight against the Barbarian Army for the sake of fighting against the Barbarians."
Zhijinhua, who had been standing aside and had said little, suddenly said, "The Dongting Army also needs to prepare for battle, and the number of generals that can be sent out is always limited. It would be better to let the person who has the least to do in Yuelian Tower go to Kuaiji to help.
"Anyway, everyone knows that the Demon Commander of the Dongting Army is actually the young master of our sect. In order to show his sincerity in assisting the Huangtian Army to fight against the Barbarian Army, it is reasonable to send an altar master."
Sha Ling fanned him and said, "Hey, little girl, you won't be content unless I find something for you to do, right?"
Shi Hao smiled and said, "This is indeed very reasonable. Anyway, I don't think you can stay in Yuelian Tower, Sister Sha."
Sha Lingshan said, "No, no, it's freezing outside. Even I want to rest in Yuelian Tower for a few days."
Shi Hao said, "Well said, then don't rest!" He looked at Yueyaotai and said, "I need a list of people in the Jianghu area in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Huguang and other places who have not joined the various forces. It would be best if it can be delivered to me when I leave the Dragon and Phoenix Society."
Yue Yaotai bowed and said, "Don't worry, young master. I will sort it out as soon as possible."
Sha Lingshan smiled and said, "Young Master, do you plan to be a lobbyist yourself and persuade them one by one?"
Shi Hao said: "There are many masters in the martial arts world, but they all do their own things and it is difficult for them to work together. Only when we are united can we work together. This battle is not only related to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but also the overall situation south of the Yangtze River. I will definitely give it a try."