When Zhao Chengyuan arrived at the outer courtyard, he saw Lu Bing pacing back and forth outside the outer study.

Seeing him coming, Lu Bing seemed to be about to catch up, but he paused and stood in place waiting for him.

Lu Bing has always been calm, and it is rare to see such an impatient time.

As soon as Zhao Chengyuan walked up to him, Lu Bing gave up his hand, "Uncle Seven Emperors."

Zhao Chengyuan didn't stop and said, "Let's go into the study and talk."

Lu Bing followed into the outer study, Ye Chang waved his hand, and the guards all took ten steps back to guard outside.

Lu Bing sat down and said, "I just received a secret report from the northwest, there is an abnormal movement in Xiliang, and a large army is quietly gathering on the northwest border of the Great Zhou. I am afraid that the number of troops sent is unprecedented."

Zhao Chengyuan's eyes moved slightly, "Is the information accurate?"

"This is the result of three scouts, and there is probably no mistake. This is my father's handwriting." Lu Bing said, took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Zhao Chengyuan.

Zhao Chengyuan took out the letterhead and unfolded it, his expression solemn.

An Linghou said in the letter that according to the calculation of the marching stove, the opponent's soldiers and horses should be about 100,000. But the other party said that there was no reason to set up obstacles, and the actual soldiers and horses must be more, but in the past, the imperial court could only report more, and reported an estimated 150,000 soldiers and horses.

The people of Xiliang are strong, and after the change of dynasty a few years ago, they have become more and more enthusiastic about expanding their territory. The Central Plains is fertile with water and soil, and they have coveted it for a long time. In recent years, there have been constant wars, but most of them have dispatched 30,000 or 20,000 troops, or even only a few thousand troops to sneak attack, and the battle was resolved quickly. This is the first time that this style of fighting has been protracted.

This is exactly the war that Youning mentioned, only two years before Youning said. Does it also mean that the fall of Anling Houfu has also been advanced by two years? Could this be due to the prince's early deployment?

According to Youning, the final outcome of this war was that Emperor Qingming recalled An Linghou and his two sons to be killed, and then negotiated peace with Xiliang, and made Wang Caifei the princess and sent him to Xiliang. For Emperor Qingming to show weakness and negotiate peace, I am afraid that there are more than 150,000 soldiers and horses. 150,000 soldiers and horses, will not deter Emperor Qingming.

Zhao Chengyuan said, "I'm afraid, the estimate of 150,000 is still less. Since they dispatched a large army, they would naturally estimate the strength of the northwest. With 150,000 troops, it is not easy to break the northwest defense line, and they must be prepared to hit with one blow if they make such a big move. Then their strength must be overwhelming."

When Lu Bing heard this, his brows tightened, "If more...... I'm afraid this is a vicious war, and if it doesn't get it right, the people of the northwest will suffer."

Zhao Chengyuan heard his words so frustrated, and his eyebrows moved slightly, "The prince thinks the Northwest Army has little chance of winning?"

"Uncle Huang also knows that the Northwest Army said that there were 200,000 troops, but in fact it was just a bluff to the outside world. The emperor deliberately suppressed it, and after so many years, the wounded, sick, old and weak retreated a lot, and died a lot in battle, but the new recruits who were replenished were pitiful. At present, the Northwest Army can really go to the battlefield with only 100,000 troops, and it is mainly infantry, and because the loss of war horses cannot be replenished, the cavalry is only 30,000."

Speaking of this, the gloom between Lu Bing's eyebrows and eyes became even thicker, and he rarely expressed his emotions, "The Xiliang Army we are fighting against is fighting the world on horseback. The northwestern frontier is long, easy to attack and difficult to defend, and the garrisons are scattered, so they can only watch each other. But the soldiers are fast, and the infantry has two legs, how to help each other in time? The garrisons in various places will only be slaughtered when they encounter fierce horses and soldiers with superior strength, and if the nearby garrisons go to the aid to make up for the dead, I am afraid that the city will have already been looted by the Xiliang army!" ….

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Zhao Chengyuan listened to Lu Bing's words with deep eyes, his words were full of worry about this battle, as well as resentment towards the emperor.

The strength and horses of the Northwest Army are decreasing year by year, which is a way for the emperor to quietly dilute the military power of the Anling Houfu. The emperor built the Liangchuan camp in Liangchuan, which moved two hundred miles in the border city, and stationed seventy or eighty thousand soldiers and horses there. In this way, it not only weakened An Linghou's military power, but also completely blocked the possibility of the Northwest Army threatening the capital.

I don't know if it was this kind of unapprehensive resentment that made Lu Bing disappointed in the Great Zhou royal family, and he had a different heart and reached another consensus with Xiliang.

"The world doesn't have to be so pessimistic. Xi Liang's style of play this time is definitely different from the past."

Zhao Chengyuan took the kettle from the charcoal stove, and the hot water slowly poured into the teapot, and the tea was fragrant

Rise up.

He said unhurriedly, "Xiliang is mainly cavalry, and it has always been a quick and decisive way to fight. They are not good at the way the army is assembled, the battle line is extended and the length of the battle is not good. Even if the 150,000 army has more than 100,000 soldiers and men, it will slow down the pace of the march. In this way, the combat superiority of the Xiliang cavalry will be constrained. Moreover, they are running from a distance, and we are defending on the spot, so we don't have to worry about the follow-up food and grass like they do. This battle is not necessarily as difficult as you think."

Lu Bing let out a deep sigh, as if he was about to spit out the resentment and heaviness in his chest.

"Uncle Huang is right, I'm just ...... It's just that I don't understand the emperor's approach, is the threat of the Northwest Army to the emperor even greater than that of Xiliang?"

He shook his head with a wry smile and said in a deep voice, "That's it, don't worry, Uncle Huang, I won't mess up. No matter how difficult this battle is, even if it is a fight for my life, I can't let Xiliang occupy my land."

Zhao Chengyuan looked at him, but he heard a little bit of tragedy in seeing death as home.

He also believed that Lu Bing would do so if he said so. The loyal bones of the Lu family buried in the northwest for generations are enough to support his words. How can such a person be treasonous.

What is the truth of the matter?

"The prince will do his best, and this king will believe in you. Have you ever wondered why they would change their strategy like this?"

Lu Bing frowned and pondered, and after a long time, he said, "This is indeed a bit abnormal. The western cool land is vast and sparsely populated, and it is not wise to fight a protracted war."

Zhao Chengyuan poured tea for him, "Send someone to investigate carefully." You should always find out the details of the other party's intentions, so that you can have a target and get twice the result with half the effort."

Lu Bing held the teacup and sighed, "The Seventh Emperor Uncle can always say something when he sees it. If you are in the northwest, why should the Great Zhou be afraid of the Western Liang thieves."

It's a pity...... How could the emperor let the Seven Emperor Uncles get involved in the soldiers and horses, and the suppression of the Northwest Army over the years was not suppressing the power of the Seven Emperor Uncles?

Zhao Chengyuan's expression was flat, this kind of hypothetical words was meaningless, and he asked, "Does the emperor know about this?" How do you plan to do it?"

Lu Bing said, "The secret report I received didn't go to the post station, it should be faster, and the duplicate copies of the post station will be delivered to the emperor and me at the same time. Presumably, it won't be long before it arrives. Before I entered the palace, I just wanted to listen to Uncle Huang's opinion before making a plan."

He paused, "I will ask the emperor for soldiers and horses, Liangchuan's 80,000 troops, of which 50,000 are cavalry, we can't let them be idle." My father reported more Xiliang soldiers and horses in the military newspaper, which meant that the emperor ordered the Liangchuan battalion to transfer troops."

..

Shen Momo