Yandang City.

On the top of the city wall, Chagan Uli looked into the distance, his heart filled with sadness.

At this time, Hu Yanhuan came up with the middle-aged scholar and said, "Great Khan, we estimate that we can gather all the troops in the northern territory within three days."

Upon hearing this, Chagan Uli turned around and nodded. Since he had already decided to withdraw his troops, he would not make any more preparations.

"In addition, if the Khan is as I expected, the rebels will definitely do everything they can to get us out of the city to meet the enemy."

The middle-aged scholar glanced at Chagan Wuli, a trace of worry flashed across his eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "The Khan must not fall into the evil scheme of that villain.

As long as the Khan refuses to send troops, the cities we are waiting for will be able to support each other and resist the offensive of the rebels."

This was his plan from the beginning. The original rebel army marched out of Hanzhou and was unstoppable.

But after they suffered a setback in Yinshan City, they are probably no longer as reckless as before, and now they are probably going to be more cautious.

In addition, he had another thing that he was most worried about.

That is the baggage and food on their backs. No matter how they face a powerful enemy, if they don't want to confront him head-on, then a sneak attack from behind is a tried and tested tactic.

Even if the other party has obviously noticed it, as the saying goes, it is not the thief who steals that you are afraid of, but the thief who is thinking about it. It is much more difficult to guard against sudden attacks than to confront them openly.

As far as the current situation of the Northern Barbarians is concerned, once their food supplies are cut off, it means that they will have no way to retreat and will be completely trapped in despair.

However, what made him feel relieved was that behind them was an extremely vast grassland. The grassland was boundless and it would be extremely difficult for the rebels to cut off their supply lines for a while.

However, as someone who had already had many dealings with the rebels, he now deeply understood one thing, that is, he must not take it lightly when facing the rebels.

What you think is the most impossible thing to guard against is actually the main attack point of the thief Lin.

Therefore, he hesitated for a moment and decisively said to Chagan Uli: "Khan, we should also pay more attention to our supply lines in the rear."

Listening to the middle-aged scholar's repeated exhortations, Chagan Wuli was deeply moved and said immediately: "Don't worry, I know this clearly."

"I have already dispatched my most elite troops to set up sentries along the way to ensure that the grain transport teams coming from the rear have an unimpeded journey."

Hearing Chagan Uli's voice, the middle-aged Confucian scholar nodded secretly, and the huge stone that had been hanging in his heart for a long time finally fell.

After giving all these instructions, he clasped his hands together, with a firm look on his face: "Great Khan, I will take my leave now."

Among the several key cities he planned, only Yandang City and Juxu City were two crucial hub cities. Even if other cities were taken by the rebels, as long as these two cities were still in their hands, they would still have the strength to fight.

Now that Yandan City is guarded by Chagan Wuli, it is foolproof, but Juxu City is of great importance, so he must go there in person to feel at ease.

"Please rest assured, Great Khan. As long as I am here, Juxu City will never be conquered!"

The middle-aged scholar knelt on the ground with a thump, his face full of determination, and spoke very solemnly.

He knew that the Northern Barbarians had now reached a point where they had no way to retreat. Once Juxu City was captured, the Northern Barbarians would be completely wiped out.

At that time, there would be no need for him as a military advisor to come back.

"Military Advisor, you..."

Chagan Uli looked at the middle-aged Confucian scholar who was ready to die with a determined look on his face, and was stunned for a moment, his heart filled with complicated emotions.

He understood that when the middle-aged Confucian scholar said this, he was already prepared to die with honor rather than live in disgrace.

I'm afraid this separation will be forever, and the next time we meet will either be in the nine heavens or in the blue sky and the underworld.

"I was born in the northern barbarians and have been personally nurtured by the Khan since I was young. I will serve Your Majesty without hesitation."

The middle-aged scholar knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily, "There is an old saying in the Central Plains: I will repay your kindness on the Golden Terrace and die for you with the Jade Dragon.

Fortunately, the Great Khan values ​​me so much in this life, which is why I am able to have the position I have today and not live in vain. I have devoted my life to the Great Khan and the Northern Barbarians until my death!"

"Ben...Ben...Khan...knows!"

Chagan Wuli took a deep breath and said in a trembling voice: "Ben...Ben...Khan...knows!"

Even though he always had a stern face, he was moved when he saw the middle-aged Confucian scholar walking with him making such a resolute gesture.

If the Northern Barbarians really took control of the Central Plains, the first hero would definitely not be Chagan Uli, but his military advisor.

To this day, this military strategist, who learned the Central Plains culture since childhood and was ostracized by the Northern Barbarians, still has no real name.

"Today, this Khan will grant you the surname Chagan, and you can choose the name you want!" Chagan Uli's eyes were filled with tears. After today's farewell, he didn't know when they would meet again.

Given the surname Chagan?

Hu Yanhuan, who was standing by, glared suddenly. Such an honor was not something that ordinary people could get.

"Chagan, Chagan, Chagan..."

The middle-aged scholar kept repeating the name, and finally said loudly: "Great Khan, from now on, I will be called Chagan Anding. I hope that the lives of our northern barbarians will always be stable in the future."

Chagan Wuli took a deep breath, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. He turned around and picked up a pot of wine from the table, filled two cups himself, handed one to the middle-aged scholar, and took the other cup himself.

"Military advisor, this glass of wine is for you." Chagan Wuli's voice was low but full of power. "You have devoted your life to the Northern Barbarians until your death. This Khan is extremely grateful."

The middle-aged scholar took the wine glass, his eyes sparkling with emotion. He knew that Chagan Wuli's move was not only a sign of trust in him, but also a sign of endless respect for him.

"Great Khan, I swear to serve you till death, and I will never fail you, and I will never fail the name of Chagan." The middle-aged scholar said solemnly, and then drank it all. Chagan Wuli also raised his glass and drank it all. Their eyes met in the air, as if they had reached some kind of unspoken tacit understanding at this moment.

"Military advisor, you must take care of yourself." There was a slight tremor in Chagan Uli's voice. He knew that this separation might be forever, but he still hoped that the middle-aged Confucian scholar could return safely.

The middle-aged scholar nodded, his eyes full of determination: "Don't worry, Great Khan, I will do my best to defend Juxu City."

"Hu Yanhuan, you must follow the Confucian scholar to Juxu City immediately and ensure his safety." Chagan Uli immediately ordered, with endless determination and trust in his voice.

Hu Yanhuan immediately bowed and said, "As you wish, Khan!"

Chagan Wuli looked deeply at the middle-aged Confucian scholar, then turned and left.

He knew that at this moment he had to remain calm and strong, because he was the leader of the Northern Barbarians and had to be responsible for the future of the entire Northern Barbarians.

……

At the same time, the news of the large-scale withdrawal of the Northern Barbarians was also reported back to the rebel camp. Regarding the Northern Barbarians' move, the generals had different opinions. Some were particularly excited, thinking that this was their opportunity, while others frowned, thinking that this was a conspiracy of the Northern Barbarians.

"We can't be fooled easily. We must find out their true intentions." A general said firmly, with endless determination in his voice.

"Yes, we can't be fooled by their appearances." Another general agreed, his tone full of vigilance.

"The Northern Barbarians must be doing this suddenly. There must be some conspiracy behind the scenes." An elderly general stroked his beard and said with a deep look in his eyes.

"Yes, they will never be so kind. Maybe these cities will be the next Yinshan City, and the Northern Barbarians are waiting for us to jump in." Another general looked serious, obviously full of doubts about the actions of the Northern Barbarians.

"No!" Someone raised an objection, "Now that the rebels have retreated in large numbers, are we just going to leave those cities alone?"

"That's right. Once bitten by a snake, one will be afraid of ropes for ten years. Could it be that we are so hesitant just because we failed in Yinshan City?" A young general said indignantly, with a gleam of unwillingness in his eyes.

"That's not how you fight a war. If you want to be absolutely sure, then why fight? You might as well go home and play in the mud." Another general sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

In the whole tent, all the soldiers expressed their opinions, and the scene was very lively. The rebel camp was divided into two factions, one of which advocated cautious action, and the other believed that this was a rare opportunity that should not be missed.

"We can't be timid because of a defeat." A general who advocated war slammed the table and said in a loud voice, "The withdrawal of the Northern Barbarians is a good time for us to counterattack!"

"But we can't fall into their trap so easily." A general who advocated peace calmly retorted, "The Northern Barbarians' military advisors are cunning and scheming. We must be careful in dealing with them."

Lin Zhongyun stood on a high place, listening to the discussion calmly. He knew that the military advisors of the Northern Barbarians were by no means a simple opponent, and there were hidden meanings behind every one of their actions.

He understood that what these people said were all right. The pro-war faction had their reasons, and the cautious faction had their own concerns. These were important factors that existed in reality and could affect the outcome of this war.

Perhaps after this victory, those who advocate war will definitely be hailed as heroes, saying that they are brave and fearless, have made outstanding contributions, and seized the opportunity in time. However, those who are more cautious will be accused of cowardice and pointed at by thousands of people.

But what if we lose this battle?
Will those who run the main site be labeled as self-willed and reckless?

History always judges heroes by results, and each of them who is in the torrent of history has his own position and his own concerns.

But without exception, no one wants to be the despised loser.

At this time, a courageous person is needed to stand up, unify everyone's opinions, and bear the future infamy or glory.

He knew that he had to make a decision at this moment, a decision that would determine the future of the rebel army.

"Generals," Lin Zhongyun said in a deep voice, with endless majesty in his voice, "The withdrawal of the Northern Barbarians is indeed puzzling, but we cannot stop moving forward because of this."

Upon hearing this, all the generals fell silent and looked at Lin Zhongyun. He slowly stood up, his eyes like a torch, and scanned the generals, and said in a deep voice: "This world is not as you think - it's either black or white. Don't go to the two opposite extremes at any time."

Lin Zhongyun's voice was like a clear spring, flowing calmly and firmly into the ears of every general. He continued, "It is unexpected that the Northern Barbarians have withdrawn a large number of troops, but we cannot let this cause us to lose our composure."

He walked to the map, pointed at the various cities of the Northern Barbarians, and continued to analyze: "Don't be obsessed with the vacant territory of the Northern Barbarians in front of you, but look at the overall situation of the Northern Barbarians."

"As you all said, there may be some traps or something in those abandoned cities. But we can send out a small force to investigate." Lin Zhongyun's eyes were firm and sharp, as if he had seen through all the conspiracies of the Northern Barbarians.

At this point, he looked at Yuan Jingxin standing beside him and asked, "How is the investigation going with the Northern Barbarians' military advisor?"

Yuan Jingxin couldn't stand such a depressing atmosphere, and replied tremblingly: "Your Highness, we have initially found out the background of the Northern Barbarians' military advisor, but now his whereabouts have become the top secret of the Northern Barbarians, and there is no way to find him."

Lin Zhongyun nodded, a trace of thought flashed in his eyes: "In this case, we must be more careful. This military advisor is far-sighted and can't be taken lightly."

He turned to face the generals, his voice filled with endless determination: "We must take a two-pronged approach. We will send small troops to investigate the territories left vacant by the Northern Barbarians one by one, and the main army will march towards Yandang City."

"Of course, we cannot ignore the reinforcements from the Northern Barbarians. We should send another group of people to go deep into the heart of the Northern Barbarians to investigate the situation there."

"If possible, sabotage the northern barbarians' grain transport teams along the way."

Upon hearing this, all the generals nodded, their eyes full of admiration and trust. Lin Zhongyun's calmness and composure made them feel extremely relieved. They knew that as long as Lin Zhongyun was there, they would be able to find the right direction.

"Zhongwu, you are responsible for leading an elite team to explore those abandoned cities." Lin Zhongyun gave the order, with endless majesty in his voice.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Li Zhongwu responded immediately, with determination flashing in his eyes.

"The rest of the soldiers, follow my army and head straight for Yandang City!" Lin Zhongyun continued to give orders, his voice resounding throughout the tent like thunder.

"Yes, Your Highness!" The generals responded in unison, their voices full of strength and determination.

As night fell, the rebel camp was bustling with activity. The reconnaissance troops quickly gathered and prepared to set off.

Lin Zhongyun stood on a high place, looking down at the entire camp calmly. He knew that although the road ahead was full of unknowns and dangers, as long as they persevered, they would be able to achieve their goals.

"The last stepping stone of the Northern Barbarians, no one can stop me!" Lin Zhongyun whispered to himself, his eyes flashing with determination. (End of this chapter)