"You said General Xianyu Fu was bringing reinforcements. Who are you?" Qi Zhou asked suspiciously as he saw several thousand troops lined up neatly outside the city walls, but the commander was neither Xianyu Fu nor Xianyu Yin.
The young officer leading the troops saluted Qi Zhou and said, "Sir, I am the deputy general of General Xianyu Fu. I have been ordered by the general to bring these troops. "
"Generals Xianyu Fu and Xianyu Yin have each taken a detachment to flank Gongsun Zan. Together, we will surround and annihilate his entire army!"
The young officer's words did not completely convince Qi Zhou. He frowned and asked, "The enemy is at our gates. It is hard for me to trust what you say without proof. Do you have any credentials from General Xianyu?"
"I don't have credentials," the young officer replied as he raised a bloodstained bundle, "but I do have the head of the enemy general Tian Yu, who was overseeing the battle at Anping!"
However, Qi Zhou had never heard of anyone named Tian Yu, which only added to his confusion as he looked at the troops outside the city.
"Sir!" Before Qi Zhou could make a decision, the sound of war drums suddenly intensified. Moments later, a corporal rushed over and reported, "General! Gongsun Zan's camp has suddenly packed up and looks like they are preparing to retreat!"
"Report!" Another soldier came running up, "General! There is an army emerging from the eastern woods, flying the banner of 'Xianyu'! It appears to be reinforcements!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Zhou immediately dropped his guard. He nearly blocked his own allies from entering the city! "General, please forgive me. Since your identity is now confirmed, I will open the gates to welcome you!"
"Please open the gates quickly. We will pursue and annihilate Gongsun Zan's entire army!"
With Qi Zhou's order, the gates were swiftly opened, and the army outside the city began filing in to meet with Qi Zhou.
Qi Zhou, overjoyed, hurried down from the city wall to welcome his allies. But the young officer smirked, tossed the bloody bundle at Qi Zhou's feet, and the head inside rolled out.
Although it was covered in blood, Qi Zhou immediately recognized it as the head of Xianyu Yin!
"You!" Qi Zhou was horrified, but before he could react, Tian Yu swiftly spurred his horse forward and beheaded him with a single stroke.
The surrounding soldiers quickly overwhelmed and took control of the other gates within the city.
"Open the gates! Welcome our lord!" Tian Yu, now riding high on his success, issued the command. He had just defeated Liu Yu's forces in two separate battles, and had even taken the lives of their commanders.
As expected, Gongsun Zan's dismantling of his camp was not a retreat. Watching as the city gates opened before them, Gongsun Zan stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
"Did you see that? Every time our army is in dire straits, Guorang always manages to turn things around and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! With such a capable man, why should we fear Liu Yu or Gongsun Du?"
"The lord is absolutely right..." The veteran generals, though somewhat disgruntled, could only agree, for Tian Yu's recent achievements on the battlefield were indeed remarkable, making the others feel overshadowed.
"My lord, I have successfully fulfilled my mission. I annihilated Xianyu Fu and Xianyu Yin's troops outside Anping, and just now, I deceived them into opening the gates of Changping."
"I killed General Qi Zhou and captured nearly a thousand enemy soldiers awaiting your command!" Tian Yu reported proudly.
Gongsun Zan, extremely pleased, patted Tian Yu on the shoulder. "With Guorang by my side, why should I fear Liu Yu? Tian Yu, hear my command!"
"Your subordinate is at your service!"
"For your invaluable contributions in defeating the enemy, I hereby appoint you as General Weilie and Governor of Right Beiping!"
"Your subordinate thanks the lord!" Right Beiping was one of the most crucial regions under Gongsun Zan's command.
By granting Tian Yu the position of governor, Gongsun Zan demonstrated his full trust in him. Tian Yu, overwhelmed with emotion, dismounted and knelt to show his gratitude.
Gongsun Zan nodded approvingly, but also took note of the expressions on the faces of the other generals. Though they seemed slightly dissatisfied, they remained silent out of respect for Tian Yu's strength.
"Now that the enemy forces invading our territory have been completely destroyed, and our troops are at peak morale, Liu Yu is on the brink of defeat. I intend to lead our forces directly to Ji City and eliminate Liu Yu, our greatest threat, in one swift strike. What do you all think?"
Gongsun Zan, clearly emboldened by recent victories, decided to launch a counterattack against Liu Yu. His words were met with enthusiastic approval from the generals eager for glory, but the strategist Guan Jing strongly opposed the plan.
"My lord, please reconsider. Although Liu Yu is currently weakened, he poses no immediate threat to us. The pressing issue now is the northward advance of Qin Longyang. "
"We have already won a significant victory; why not return to Beiping to regroup and then deal with Qin Longyang before turning our attention to Liu Yu?"
"What do you think, Guorang?" Ignoring Guan Jing's advice, Gongsun Zan turned to Tian Yu, his expression unreadable, and asked for his opinion.
Tian Yu found himself in a difficult position. He had just been promoted and didn't want to contradict his lord, which could jeopardize his future prospects.
However, if they continued their campaign against Liu Yu, there was a real risk of becoming entangled in a dangerous situation. After some thought, Tian Yu proposed a compromise.
"My lord, in my opinion, our rear is indeed vulnerable and cannot be left undefended. Perhaps we could send one army back to Beiping to regroup, while the remaining troops continue the advance on Ji City. What do you think?"
"Hmm..." Gongsun Zan nodded in agreement. "Tian Yu, you really know how to handle things. This solution of yours, covering both ends, seems to be the best course of action."
"Very well, let it be as you suggested," Gongsun Zan immediately ordered. "Gongsun Ji, you and Fan'er（Gongsun Fan) will lead five thousand troops back to Beiping at once. The rest of the forces will stay in Anping to regroup for a day, and at dawn tomorrow, we will march on Ji City!"
"Understood!"
Following the orders, everyone went about their respective duties. Tian Yu stretched his stiff shoulders and noticed Guan Jing approaching him with a look of anger on his face.
Tian Yu forced a wry smile, knowing Guan Jing was coming to reprimand him. Nevertheless, he respectfully greeted him, "Lord Shiqi, what brings you here?"
"You know perfectly well why I'm here!" Guan Jing snapped, his tone overbearing.
"Why didn't you stop the lord from advancing on Ji City? If Liu Yu has already deployed his forces, our army will be walking right into a trap! Aren't you supposed to be a young genius? How could you not foresee this?"
Tian Yu smirked and responded sarcastically, "Lord, I am well aware of the concerns you have. Furthermore, Liu Yu's close ties with the Xiongnu make it highly likely that they will also be involved in this conflict."
"But surely you understand the lord's temperament better than I do. Once he makes up his mind, it's nearly impossible to dissuade him."
"Does that mean we shouldn't even try? Are we to stand by and watch as the lord makes a grave mistake, leading our tens of thousands of soldiers to their deaths?"
"Tell me, Lord, did the lord listen to your well-meaning advice?" Tian Yu countered, not backing down an inch. "You've served under the lord for over ten years, yet you still don't grasp the most basic principles of being an official?"
"The lord is the lord precisely because he has his own judgment. We, as his subjects, must follow his will and serve him to the best of our abilities. If we rely on our reasoning alone and publicly oppose the lord in front of the entire army..."
"If you were the lord, if you were Gongsun Zan, and your subordinate pointed out your mistake in front of everyone, would you correct it on the spot?"
"I..." Guan Jing was at a loss for words, stammering for a moment. "But I am truly worried..."
"If you're worried, then focus on analyzing the enemy's strategies on the battlefield, striving to destroy the enemy while minimizing our own casualties, instead of clashing with the lord. Reflect on this, my lord!"
With that, Tian Yu let out a cold snort and turned to leave, leaving Guan Jing standing there in a daze. It was as if the knot in his heart had been untied by Tian Yu's words. "Is this... the way of an official?"
...
"What! The entire army has been wiped out?" In Ji City, the front-line report reached Liu Yu's hands, and the news hit him like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.
"Xianyu Fu, Xianyu Yin, and others were all my loyal generals, and the forty thousand soldiers were my elite troops. How could they have been annihilated in just two short days?"
The more Liu Yu thought about it, the angrier he became. In a fit of rage, he overturned the table in front of everyone, who quickly tried to calm him down.
"Calm down! How can I calm down? Gongsun Zan is already leading his army toward Ji City, and with only ten thousand soldiers in the city, how can we possibly defend against them?"
"My lord!" Among the assembled generals, the towering Yan Rou stepped forward and reported, "Gongsun Zan's counterattack may actually be to our advantage. Qu Bi has already dispatched reinforcements to assist us."
" Tens of thousands of Xiongnu cavalry will arrive in Youzhou tomorrow. We are well-prepared, so why should we fear Gongsun Zan?"
Hearing Yan Rou's words, Liu Yu finally calmed down, though he still spoke harshly, "Qu Bi is a treacherous wolf, even more ruthless than his father, Hu Chuquan. Once Gongsun Zan is dealt with, he will become our enemy!"
Shifting focus, we turn our attention to the northern grasslands, where the Left Wise King Wuqiu Ji led thirty thousand elite cavalrymen straight through the Yan Mountains and into the pass.
The Right Wise King Tadun also led thirty thousand elite cavalry, crossing the Beiping border and heading directly for Right Beiping City.
Although Tian Yu had anticipated that the Xiongnu would join the battle, he hadn't expected their numbers to reach sixty thousand. A fierce battle was inevitable...
...
"Subordinate Gao Lan greets the king!" In Lelang, Gongsun Du, leading twenty thousand elite troops, boarded ships at Changcen Port. Gao Lan, fully armored, quickly stepped forward to greet him.
Gongsun Du warmly patted Gao Lan's hand, "In just one year, Yuntai has managed to train such an elite navy. This is truly an outstanding achievement! Do you know whom we will be fighting this time?"
"Subordinate knows—Qin Longyang!" Gao Lan spat out the name Qin Longyang through gritted teeth. Hearing this, Gongsun Du chuckled. "What's this? It seems Yuntai still holds a grudge against your former master?"
"If it weren't for him handing over military command to a cowardly and corrupt scholar, I wouldn't have nearly lost my life. But as they say, great calamities bring great fortune. Now that I have the honor of serving you, my king, it is truly a blessing for me!"
"Hahaha! Good, good!" Gao Lan's words left Gongsun Du so pleased he could hardly tell which way was north. "In that case, Yuntai will join me and the strategist on the same ship for this expedition. If we encounter Qin Longyang on the battlefield, you can personally take his head!"
"Your subordinate thanks the king for his grace!"