The empress's words, basically, have already made a decision.

Everyone understands in their hearts that the war against the grassland is already ready and has to be launched.

It's just that, except for Liu Maolin, the Eight Sages King who knows the inside story, Cai, Fan, and Lu don't understand why, the empress must insist on starting a war with the grassland.

Yes, Huyan Zhuozhuo overthrew the sacred mountain, and the grassland was unstable, which was a great opportunity, but, relatively, Suiyang's national strength was not in its heyday, in this case, if the war with the grassland was won, the loss would not be small.

It can be compared like this, Suiyang and the grassland are two fierce tigers that meet on a narrow road, and it is necessary for the two tigers to fight, one dead and one injured.

I just don't know how much this injury will hurt Sui Yang.

After the empress gave a few more orders, she let Cai, Fan, and Lu all go down, leaving only the Eight Sages King, Liu Maolin, and Wang Xiaolai, the three giants of the Suiyang court.

There are no outsiders, and the empress made it clear: "Xiao Laizi's gunpowder in the Echo Valley can be developed almost years ago, and if you take some time to experiment in the Echo Valley a few years ago, if nothing happens, you can put it into the battle against the grassland." ”

The Eight Sages King and Liu Maolin both nodded, and the former followed: "Gunpowder or something, or secondly, the key is that now the Saibei Corridor, in the hands of the grassland, crossing this line of defense is not a simple matter, if it is delayed in the Saibei Corridor for too long, I am afraid that Huyan Zhuozhuo will have a defense, at that time, the two sides will fall into a situation of death battle, which is very unfavorable to Sui Yang." ”

The empress snorted: "Yes, Xiao Laizi also told me about this before, so I plan to divide my troops to attack." ”

"Divide your forces?"

"Well, Silla's Suizhu and the Western Territory are full of Mo, and they can all participate in the war as allies of Sui Yang, in addition, Uncle Huang, you are still the commander of the Northern Territory, attacking the Saibei Promenade head-on, attracting the attention of the grassland, Xiao Laizi and the already formed air force, from the cliffs on both sides of the Saibei Promenade, stealing into the grassland, and flowering on all sides."

"But in this way, is the pressure on Sui Yang's finances a little too great?"

"Heh, since it's a decisive battle, how can you do it if you don't show some of the temperament of a decisive battle?" The empress asked rhetorically.

In a word, the two people who said it were speechless.

"Tsk, little Laizi, you say something, don't pretend to be silent."

The empress glanced back and saw that Wang Xiaolai lowered her head and was silent and did not speak, so she smacked her tongue and said.

Wang Xiaolai raised his head: "Huh? ”

The Empress rolled her eyes.

Wang Xiaolai smiled: "Actually, Your Majesty, I was just thinking about the decisive battle against the grassland, how many troops to use appropriately." ”

"Then how many troops do you think is appropriate?" The empress asked rhetorically.

Wang Xiaolai thought for a while: "After experiencing the battle of the northern border, the current strength of the grassland should be between 250,000 and 300,000, deducting the losses of the battle of Shenshan launched by Huyan Zhuozhuo, the number of troops in his hands is 200,000." 200,000 enemies, I have calculated, we Sui Yang, we only need the same troops, in this way, we can also save expenses. ”

"We are the attackers, 200,000, is it too little?"

"Aren't there still two allies, Silla and the Western Border?" Wang Xiaolai said.

"They are the identity of the guest army, how many soldiers and horses can they send?" Liu Maolin asked rhetorically.

Wang Xiaolai lowered his head and pondered: "Suizhu's side, it should be about 100,000 soldiers and horses, if you are depressed, he has just recovered the western border, too many soldiers and horses, and he can't take it out, 50,000 people are dead, and the three parties plus a piece of 350,000 horses are enough." ”

"350,000 horses are not casually talked, the guest army helps, and the silver grain always has to be paid by me Sui Yang, and the daily expenses are almost astronomical." Liu Maolin said.

Wang Xiaolai smiled: "This, I don't bother Lao Xiangguo to think about it, I have my own way to do it." ”

"What's the solution? You don't want your Echo Valley to give you all this money, do you? Liu Maolin quipped.

Wang Xiaolai blushed at the time and muttered, "How is it possible." ”

As he spoke, he raised his head: "The land of the three barbarians, with the help of the land of the three barbarians, there is no need to worry about logistics." ”

"Three barbarians?" The empress smiled when she heard Wang Xiaolai's words: "The three barbarians have been poor since ancient times, Xiao Laizi, you are not sick." ”

Wang Xiaolai glanced at the empress: "Your Majesty, the three barbarians are poor, but they have a lot of precious gold and silver in the mountains, although there is no food, but there is no shortage of silver, and they also have special tobacco, how can you say that they are poor." ”

The empress looked at Wang Xiaolai: "Then how do you say that the three barbarians are helping?" They're not stupid, they won't take out these silver taels easily, right? ”

Wang Xiaolai sighed, will I tell you that I am the king of the three barbarians?

"Your Majesty, don't worry, I have an old friendship with the three barbarians, see that I know it with affection and reason, they will definitely help."

The empress looked at Wang Xiaolai faintly, and only sighed after half a sound: "I hope you can convince them, otherwise, I will have to pay out of my own pocket." ”

"If you don't move, you won't let Your Majesty pay for the silver, you are famous for picking the door."

"What do you say!!" The empress raised her eyebrows and snorted angrily.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaolai hurriedly waved his hand: "No, no." I mean, after the last Zhao Sui rebellion was pacified, there was still some money that hadn't been spent..."

"Isn't all Zhao Sui's family property used to reward soldiers and filled into the treasury? And it's already been spent. Liu Maolin asked in wonder: "How can there be?" ”

"Uh, this, this..."

The empress glared at Wang Xiaolai, and said in her heart that you have a lot to say.

"Xiao Laizi may not believe that Zhao Suifu is rival to the country, and that company's production capacity is spent so quickly." Empress Dao.

Wang Xiaolai slapped his face: "Yes, that's what I mean, or Your Majesty, you understand me." ”

Liu Maolin and the Eight Sages looked at each other, and said in their hearts, why do they always feel a little strange?

Shaking his head and not thinking about this, he continued to discuss the issue of war against the steppe.

It wasn't until the evening that the general problem was finally finalized, and then, it was only necessary to slowly sort out the details.

···

That night, Wang Xiaozi returned to the general's mansion for the first time after the establishment of the military academy.

When he led Xian Jingyu back to the general's mansion, he saw from afar that the door of the mansion was closed and there were no lights in the mansion.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaolai couldn't help but pause, and asked Xian Jingyu: "Did they all rest so early, but now the sky is just getting dark, what's going on?" ”

Xian Jingyu didn't know what was going on, so he shook his head and said, "If you don't know, my lord, I don't know." Didn't you and I stay in the military academy all the time? ”

Wang Xiaolai lowered his head and thought for a while: "Let's go, let's go see what's going on." ”

As he spoke, Wang Xiao came to him and slammed the door.

"Who?"

An unfamiliar voice came into his ears, Wang Xiaolai frowned, and looked back at Xian Jingyu.

"Could it be a subordinate recruited by Miss Shu?"

"It's possible."

So, Wang Xiaolai coughed: "I, Wang Xiaolai." ”

"General?"

"Hmm."

"Oh, General, is that really you?"

"Aren't you talking nonsense, if it's me, you won't know if you open the door."

With a squeak, the door opened, and a maid with a lantern poked her head out, looked at Wang Xiaolai, and was a little wary: "You, are you really a general?" ”

"If you don't believe it, you can call Jiuchai over and ask if you will understand it all?"

"Then you wait first, you can't come in." The maid said warily.

"Okay, I'll wait, I'll wait, really, I can't even enter my own door."

Wang Xiaolai complained here, the maid turned away, and after a while, she led Shu Jiuchai over.

When he saw Wang Xiaolai, Shu Jiuchai sighed: "Master, why don't you say a word when you come back?" ”

Wang Xiaolai waved his hand: "Who knew that you went to bed so early, it just got dark this day, what's going on?" ”

Shu Jiuchai came out, looked left and right, and beckoned: "Master, you come in and say." ”

Wang Xiao was happy to see Shu Jiuchai's appearance, and said in his heart, good guy, how can this be like being a thief.

After entering the General's Mansion and closing the door, Wang Xiaolai couldn't help but ask Shu Jiuchai what was wrong, but Shu Jiuchai seemed to be afraid of something, and pulled Wang Xiaolai into the lobby of the General's Mansion, which was obviously relieved.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaolai smiled and quipped: "I said Jiuchai, you shouldn't be seeing a ghost, look at you are afraid of being like this." ”

Shu Jiuchai rolled his eyes: "It's almost like it's not a ghost." ”