Chapter 488- Han Xin Versus Chiyou
Translator: ryangohsf
Editor: Nora
Wulong City, Meeting Hall.
The sunlight shone into the hall and left streaks of shadows. In the hall, a military meeting that concerned the fate and future of Shanhai City was taking place.
Ouyang Shuo was implementing his war zone plan. He raised his head and said, "Sun Bin!"
"Present!"
Sun Bin, who sat in his wheelchair, cupped his fists. He looked fully energised, and his face even turned red due to the excitement and gratefulness he felt. Sun Bin did not expect that the first general the Lord would pick would be him.
In comparison, Baiqi was the longest serving general, and he had the most experience in the military.
The sunlight shone on his face, illuminating his ashen white that was currently flushed red.
Ouyang Shuo focused his eyes on this handicapped general and said solemnly, "I've decided to establish the Lingnan War Zone with you as the commander. The Lingnan War Zone, as the name suggests, will cover the entire Lingnan Province, including Qiongzhou Prefecture."
"Lingnan War Zone will employ the Tiger Legion, Qiongzhou Garrison Division, Leizhou Garrison Division, Zhaoqing Prefecture Garrison Division, and Zhenhai City Garrison Division, with an overall force of 120 thousand. At the same time, the 1st division of the Jiaozhou Squadron will also be under you. As for the Yashan Squadron, it will remain under the Military Affairs Department."
Placing the various Garrison Divisions under the war zone commander changed the power structure of the military. As the number of Garrison Divisions increased, the Military Affairs Department would start to fail in keeping each and every one of them in check.
Why not just place them under the jurisdiction of the war zone commanding force?
Apart from the Garrison Division, the navies in the area were also in the war zone. As a result, within the war zone, every type of troops existed. Hence, it would be a huge ask of the ability of the war zone commander.
Within the territory, currently only Baiqi, Sun Bin, and Han Xin had this ability.
Ouyang Shuo obviously had his reasons for choosing Sun Bin.
Firstly, Sun Bin started out in Qiongzhou, and the Tiger Legion was housed in Lingnan Province.
Hence, concerning geography, he was a suitable choice.
Secondly, the needs of the battle.
Baiqi was left out because he used soldiers to efficiently siege and claim territory.
The main battlefield, where they fought fire with fire, was where he truly belonged.
The most intense area of the battlefield would forever have the image of the Asura Baiqi.
Han Xin was a god at using troops, and he was also suitable choice for commander of a war zone. However, he had only joined Shanhai City recently, and he had not displayed enough of his skill to warrant the respect of the others.
Hence, Ouyang Shuo chose Sun Bin.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
Sun Bin cupped his fists once again, as his voice calmed down. He could feel the burden on his shoulders.
The Lingnan Warzone, apart from the defence of the base, the core would face the Lingnan City-State. Including the Xiangnan City-State in the north, they were all part of the defence region of the Lingnan War Zone.
Apart from that, Zhenhai City was located all alone with no help, and it must be ready at all times.
With these roles, the 120 thousand troops seemed lacking.
"The command center of the war zone will be set in Tianshuang City. The structure will follow that of the Military Affairs Department, with a Military Intelligence Division, a Combat Logistics Division, a War Division, and a Military Law Division. Members of the divisions will be taken from the Military Affairs Department to form up the required structure. At the end of the year, when the students graduate, we will fill up the lacking areas."
Based on Ouyang Shuo's plan, apart from a commander, the war zone would also need an advisor. Unfortunately, the territory only had Zhao Kuo, and there were no other suitable advisors.
Moreover, Zhao Kuo needed to take charge of the War Division and could not be moved.
With that, they could only leave the position of Lingnan War Zone military advisor temporarily empty.
The establishment of the commanding group was a core element. With a stable command center, it would end the usual movement of forces during wartime.
In the future, the command center would take complete control of the entire Lingnan battlefield. Be it moving troops or logistical supplies, war planning, and other related matters, the commanding group would settle it.
Of course, the Military Affairs Department would still hold authority over the war zone commanding group. Ouyang Shuo was trying to establish a highly efficient system. He did not want the generals have their own power to use troops.
Especially the Military Law Division, whose officials were sent out by the Military Affairs Department. They had their own independent rights.
"The defense of the east depends on you!"
"I will not let you down!"
This sentence was the highest promise that the civil servants and the generals of Shanhai City could make.
Ouyang Shuo nodded and turned to Baiqi and Han Xin, who had not made a sound, "Pure defence is not our style. After stabilizing the east defence line, we can show our powers to take down both Chiyou City and Taiping Country."
In his words, his arrogance showed.
The expressions of Baiqi and Han Xin remained the same. They had been through all kinds of matters and seen all sorts of situations.
Be it Hong Xiuquan or Chiyou, they were not at their level. In the end, they needed to use their strength to speak, and it was not that easy to destroy Shanhai City.
Ouyang Shuo gave Baiqi and Han Xin clear duties.
"General Baiqi!"
"Present!"
"General lead the Dragon Legion 2nd and 4th division and the new 5th division back to Lianzhou Prefecture and into the Mulan Stronghold. The north against Taiping Country will depend on you."
At the start, Baiqi was the commander of the north camp of the territory. Now, he was returning to his old job. Baiqi was exceedingly familiar with the Mulan Stronghold.
"Do not worry, Lord!"
Ouyang Shuo nodded and followed, "General, remember that against the Taiping Country, temporarily defend against them. The key is to the ensure that our ally, Consonance City, remains safe. Hence, when you go back, you must strengthen the cooperation between the two armies. If needed, you can send Luo Shixin's division to assist. Please remember that Consonance City cannot fall."
Mulan Stronghold, an iron stronghold.
On the walls, just the three bow arcubalistas numbered a hundred. Ouyang Shuo believed that even with only four divisions, with Baiqi’s presence, everything would remain safe.
Even if Taiping Country added more troops, one could not forget that within Lianzhou, there was still the Lianzhou Garrison Division and the 2nd division of the city protection division.
These two could assist Mulan Stronghold at any moment.
Ouyang Shuo did not know what exactly gave him such confidence, to want to attack the strongest stronghold in China. No matter what, he was bound to bleed.
The part that worried Ouyang Shuo the most was Consonance City.
As a result, Ouyang Shuo would arrange for Luo Shixin's division, such a trump card, to assist them if necessary.
However, even with his assistance, facing two hundred thousand troops, Consonance City was still in danger. Needless to say, the other Lords in Kunming Prefecture might backstab them.
Time was running out, and Ouyang Shuo temporarily could not think of any other plans.
After all, for Shanhai City to face so many enemies, they had a limited amount of soldiers. Sending a reinforcement of one division was already his limit.
Now, Ouyang Shuo could only hope that Bai Hua had a way to save herself. The Yunnan Overlord of the last life, it was time for her to show off her shine and radiance.
Baiqi nodded and did not say anything.
This Asura usually spoke little words, but the moment he acted, the world would bleed.
During the Battle of Zhaoqing, the entire city burning plan allowed him to completely change the situation. After the matter, Fan Zhongyan, and other officials secretly complained to Ouyang Shuo that Baiqi did wrong and had killed innocent lives.
Not only Fan Zhongyan, Meng Zi, and other members of Confucianism all scolded Baiqi. However, since Ouyang Shuo was not in the territory, they did not have someone to complain to.
Baiqi's image in front of the civil servants had fallen.
‘Cold-blooded slaughterer’ was the nickname that the civil servants had given him.
There were pros and cons.
In the military, his prestige had reached a sky high state.
The name of the Asura had spread far and wide.
Baiqi did not bother about the debate and words outside.
Ouyang Shuo knew that Baiqi had his own way of life and his personal mantra. Others could not shake him.
This way of life was not the way of killing that the outside world misunderstood as.
Killing was only what it appeared to be.
Baiqi's calculations were all for the war. To win, whatever method was usable. He was like an AI, like a machine, tossing aside all feelings on the battlefield.
What remained was only rationality.
As a result, outsiders would think that he was cold; he looked cold, and his heart was even colder.
Some people even joked that even Gaia had more emotions than Baiqi.
Ouyang Shuo did not agree with such words. At least toward other people, Baiqi was an emotional and nice person.
His coldness was solitude and loneliness, a loneliness that outsiders could not understand.
At the apex, you would definitely be lonely.
Lastly, Ouyang Shuo looked toward Han Xin. The small showing during the Battle of Zhaoqing had shown a glimpse of the way that Han Xin used troops. His grasping of opportunity was sublime.
This time, Ouyang Shuo was going to give him a considerable task.
"General Han Xin, lead the Leopard Legion, Guards Division, and the Divine Martial Guards, including the one hundred thousand mountain border Shi Wanshui Division and Shanzhu Division to defeat the Chiyou Army."
Ouyang Shuo needed to defend against the movements of Lingnan City-State and Taiping Country. But against Chiyou, he needed to launch an all-out offensive. His goal was to utterly destroy the Chiyou Army and take over Wuzhou Prefecture.
Only by destroying Chiyou could they take control of the situation.
Undeniably, this was going to be a fierce battle.
One must know that Chiyou had not revealed his trump card yet.