CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 23 NO ONE IS A FOOL_2

Atop the fortress wall, Zheng Fan clutched a warmed wineskin, taking small sips purely for warmth.

Liang Cheng stood beside Zheng Fan, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

With Liang Cheng by his side, Zheng Fan felt a strong sense of security. At the same time, only Zheng Fan and the demon lords knew that deep within Green Willow Fortress, a truly devastating weapon lay dormant.

However, it was not convenient to reveal this weapon; it was best not to use it if avoidable, but it could, at the very least, ensure their survival.

The cold wind blew relentlessly, and Zheng Fan’s eyelids began to droop. Drowsy.

Outside, it remained utterly quiet. He had no idea how many military camps those Qian soldiers had breached, much less if any general, in a spirit of sacrificing personal fortune for national salvation, had disregarded their own losses and stubbornly led their troops to engage the enemy.

"My lord, there is something that has always puzzled me," Liang Cheng said, mimicking Zheng Fan’s posture and also sitting down, leaning his back against the battlement.

"Speak."

Zheng Fan offered the wineskin to Liang Cheng.

Liang Cheng reached for it, but Zheng Fan pulled his hand back, chuckling.

"I forgot you don’t feel the cold."

If zombies were affected by cold, Sanya would have sold out of electric blankets by now.

"My lord, the Jingnan Army’s reaction is very strange."

This was Liang Cheng’s observation. Since the war began—no, strictly speaking, it wasn’t even since the war began. The first incident was when Green Willow Fortress made its initial foray into Qian State. Back then, Tian Wujing had led a 10,000-strong Jingnan Army cavalry to escort Zheng Fan’s small unit back.

After that, Lord Jingnan went to Yanjing.

Upon his return, he issued the order for an official declaration of war against Qian State. However, apart from compelling these minor warlords to continuously raid southward, the Jingnan Army hadn’t dispatched a single soldier to battle.

Zheng Fan nodded. "At first, I thought Lord Jingnan was waiting. He might have been waiting for us warlords to provoke the Qian State forces, making them send their elites to crush us. Then, the Jingnan Army could strike like lightning, annihilate Qian State’s elite field forces, and pave the way for an invasion south. We warlords, to put it bluntly, were just tactical bait, setting the stage for the grand strategy."

Liang Cheng responded, "But that Grand Commandant Yang of Qian State has steadfastly refused to venture out, no matter how much we provoke him. Moreover, Qian State has redeployed its most capable troops northward, establishing a completely solid defensive formation."

"Yes, I don’t quite understand it either."

"Actually, these kinds of small-scale raids don’t significantly impact the overall situation," Liang Cheng paused, then continued, "No matter how many military camps the Qian cavalry overran tonight, or how many warlords they defeated, it cannot change the grand strategic reality: Yan State is the primary aggressor, and Qian State is the primary defender. Frankly, the purpose of this unit’s northward march is similar to our Green Willow Fortress’s previous two southern excursions—it’s more about boasting of achievements and boosting morale. And since they are clearly here to cause trouble for us at Green Willow Fortress, it must be retaliation for the loss of face we caused them when we wiped out thousands of Wolf Land Soldiers outside Mianzhou City. A classic case of ’it is impolite not to reciprocate.’ But once daylight arrives, this unit will undoubtedly retreat rapidly. They couldn’t possibly hold any military camp."

As soon as daybreak arrived and the sluggish communication, hampered by the night, was restored, the generals would absolutely not allow this unit to continue roaming within Yan’s borders.

At that point, it would no longer be a matter of conserving strength but one of national honor; the nature of the situation would change dramatically.

With the Jingnan Army suppressing everything from the rear, and the Yan Emperor having recently crushed the centuries-old noble families into oblivion, how could they fail to discipline a petty general?

In the past, soldiers, especially generals, usually had the backing of one or even two noble families. Moving against any of them was difficult and would devolve into endless wrangling. But not anymore.

Zheng Fan took another sip of wine. "Are you suggesting that Lord Jingnan is merely issuing orders without deploying the Jingnan Army south? Or rather, that if the Jingnan Army were still stationed at Nanwang City, maintaining its direct influence over the border area, we warlords of Yan wouldn’t be in such disarray?"

If the Jingnan Army were still stationed at Nanwang City, if Lord Jingnan, Tian Wujing himself, were still residing in Nanwang City, then even if it were night, who would dare try to conserve their strength?

Even Zheng Fan himself would have to bite the bullet and lead seven or eight hundred cavalry out to find those Qian cavalry, to intercept, attack, and wear them down.

As long as the tiger glares, the monkeys in the mountains have to perform desperately. But now, the tiger seemed to be dozing off.

"Actually, I don’t know why either," Zheng Fan admitted honestly.

As their "My lord," he truly had no need to play mysterious games with his subordinates. They all knew where each other stood.

"However, A Cheng, you could try to think from a higher perspective. Although you’re constrained now, with Green Willow Fortress having so few soldiers, try to imagine what you would do if you had 50,000 Jingnan Army troops and 200,000 North-Defending Army cavalry at your command."

Liang Cheng shook his head. "My lord, that’s hard to imagine, because it involves many political considerations."

Liang Cheng didn’t understand politics, or rather, he was too lazy to engage in it. Deep down, he had always been a very proud man.

Zheng Fan nodded, took another sip of his wine, and remained silent.