While running laps on the mountain peak earlier, I noticed that this circular mountain was covered with plants resembling the pine trees of the Yang realm. No matter what they were, they were quite oily and had a distinct pine oil scent, making them highly flammable.
The forest where we were was also filled with these plants. I stood up, broke off a branch, and lit it with my lighter. Whoosh, the flames shot up high.
"A fire attack?" Zheng Baobao asked. As the commander of the naval forces, she should be familiar with fire attacks.
This was not contradictory. All the warships in the Yin realm were wooden vessels. Even though they were on the water, fire was their greatest weakness.
"A fire attack is not the objective. The goal is to get our fifty cannons from the artillery camp into the city. Only within the city, using the city walls for cover, can these cannons unleash their full power. If we fight in the open, we'll be routed by enemy cavalry," I analyzed. If we wanted to turn the tide now, our only hope was these cannons; there was no other way.
"How specifically will we operate?" Bingbing asked.
I drew a line on the map with my pen: "This is the route for our artillery camp. Once we descend to the plains, we will definitely encounter enemy charges. I need the allied troops to deploy and create firebreaks using these plants to obstruct enemy advances. Can this be done?"
After speaking, I looked at Zheng Baobao. She glanced up at the branches, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, "Yes, we can. Cavalry can drag these large branches to shield the flanks of the artillery camp. However, cavalry has a limited load capacity and can only sustain this for a certain distance, roughly two-thirds of the way. They cannot escort the cannons all the way to the city gates."
"Are there these plants inside the city?" I asked again.
"No," Baobao replied. "But the city has fire oil for defense."
Fire oil was essentially kerosene, which could also be ignited.
"Using fire oil, can we escort them for the remaining one-third of the journey?" I asked.
Zheng Baobao affirmed, "Yes, but there's a risk. What if the enemy chooses to attack the city while the artillery camp is entering? The gates cannot be closed in time."
This was the south city gate. We needed to divert the enemy's attention to the north.
I thought for a moment: "Go and tell the city's defending general to send out all infantry from the city, except for the troops responsible for this final third of the distance, through the north gate. Intermingle them with fake coffins, officials, and dignitaries, pretending to break out, but it must look genuine! Make the enemy believe that you are fleeing. At the same time, I will arrange a fake reception team by the north gate. They will charge down from the mountain, feigning an attempt to breach the enemy lines and create an opening."
"Understood!" Zheng Baobao gave me a thumbs-up. "Feint to the east, attack to the west! Evade the strong and attack the weak! Brilliant!"
"But," Bingbing said softly, "what if the people inside the city disagree with this plan?"
"They must agree. The longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be for us," I said firmly. "If we drag this out, the enemy will surely become suspicious when they see our reinforcements not attacking. By the time they figure out the details of our twelve allied armies, any tactic will be easily seen through. Only now do we have a chance to fish in troubled waters. Baobao, please convey this to His Majesty: if we want to win, we must have unified command! Report back truthfully. He can raise objections, but I can only give him one chance. If he or the city's defending general cannot propose a better tactic, then my plan must be executed without any compromise or deviation. This is a risky gambit from the start; any misstep could lead to complete annihilation!"
"...You want me to relay your exact words to His Majesty?" Zheng Baobao frowned.
"Exactly those words, not a single letter omitted." I lit another cigarette, reiterating, "This is warfare, not child's play. There is nothing to negotiate. Command can only come from one person. If it's right, it's right; if it's wrong, it's wrong. We cannot have divided command. In ancient times, this was called 'the general's order, and the three armies obey.' Now, it's called unified thinking."
"Alright, then I'll go make arrangements. When do we start the operation?" Baobao asked.
"The mobilization and redeployment of the allied troops will take some time. Let's say an hour from now, signaled by three cannon shots," I said.
"Okay!" Zheng Baobao leaped onto her horse and galloped towards the circular mountain. With her martial arts skills, she could break through enemy lines without a scratch, and the enemy wouldn't stop her, a "messenger." They would want her to deliver orders and lure reinforcements, thereby fulfilling the enemy's strategic objective.