si-mexico Chapter 2127 Four Reasons
Chapter 2127 Four Reasons
Su Tingmei had just finished speaking.
The capable young general's eyes lit up, and he chimed in, "Moreover, we are familiar with the local terrain. We can use the mountain passes, valleys, and forests to set up ambushes or hide, strike and run, leaving them unable to catch up and defenseless!"
"If we can burn some of their haystacks and harass a few grain transport teams, that would be far more effective in demoralizing and weakening their endurance than defending the city and fighting the enemy!"
"Excellent! In this way, the initiative has partially returned to our hands!"
Another general got excited: "We can fight when we want and leave when we want. If Gongsun Yi wants to go north, he'll have to be on guard against these hyenas behind him who will pounce on him and bite him!"
"When a large army is on the move, the worst thing is for the rear to be in turmoil!"
"Moreover, although this tactic places high demands on our cavalry, the risks are relatively controllable and will not shake the foundation of our city defense."
Vice Commander Liu finally nodded slowly, indicating his agreement: "It seems that I had misunderstood before."
"Mr. Su's plan is indeed feasible! It can effectively restrain the enemy without putting our army in danger."
The generals' attitude quickly shifted from overwhelming opposition to careful discussion and basic agreement.
They began to whisper among themselves about specific issues such as how to select elite troops, how to form groups, how to choose targets for harassment, how to coordinate and cooperate, and how to avoid risks.
However, all the discussions eventually subsided.
Pairs of eyes, filled with the expectation of seeking instructions and making decisions, all turned to Prince Chu Xuan, who sat upright in the main seat and listened silently.
The strategic direction has been pointed out by the strategists, and the tactical details can be refined by the generals.
Whether or not this risky but potentially highly profitable strategy of proactive harassment and offense as a form of defense will ultimately be adopted remains to be seen.
Should the garrison in Youzhou be shifted from a purely defensive posture to a more proactive defensive posture with a degree of offensive capability?
This decision, which concerns the entire northern front strategy and may even affect the overall situation of the national war, can only be made by the supreme commander stationed here—Prince Chu Xuan.
The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop again, with the charcoal in the brazier making a slight popping sound.
Chu Xuan's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest unconsciously.
His gaze shifted back and forth between Youzhou City and several Scorpion Clan garrisons on the map, his expression changing, clearly making the final and most difficult decision.
Su Tingmei gently waved her feather fan and waited quietly.
All the generals held their breath, awaiting the prince's decision.
The silence at this moment carried immense weight.
The hall was completely silent, save for the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire and the slightly heavy breathing of the people inside.
All eyes were on Chu Xuan, awaiting his final decision.
This decision not only concerns the gains and losses of Youzhou, but may also have a profound impact on the safety of the flanks of His Majesty's northern expedition.
Chu Xuan withdrew his gaze from the map and slowly fixed it on Su Tingmei's ever-calm and composed face.
He did not immediately express his support or opposition to the generals' changed attitude, but instead raised the most crucial and practical question in a calm and serious voice:
"Mr. Su's plan is ingenious, using offense as defense, and it is indeed possible to keep Gongsun Yi's army tied up near Youzhou and avert the danger of his southward advance."
"However, warfare is based on deception and is also a weapon of destruction."
"Sir, your strategy avoids the risks of large-scale field battles, but the frequent raids by small units deep into enemy territory are not without their risks."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes piercing: "I would like to know, sir, what do you consider to be the greatest risk of this plan?"
"What if our harassment troops are anticipated, ambushed, and annihilated by the enemy?"
"If the harassment fails, and instead results in the loss of elite troops, dampening morale, or even allowing the enemy to discern our strengths and weaknesses, thus bolstering their determination to advance south, how should we respond?"
This is a problem that the commander-in-chief must consider. He cannot be attracted by ingenious tactical ideas and ignore the hidden dangers.
Upon hearing this, the generals held their breath once again and looked at Su Tingmei.
The prince's worries were precisely the doubts that had not yet completely dissipated in their hearts.
Despite Chu Xuan's questioning, Su Tingmei's expression remained unchanged, and the faint smile on her lips even seemed to deepen slightly.
He lightly waved his feather fan, his tone surprisingly confident, and answered almost without hesitation:
"Your Highness is wise and thoughtful. However, in my opinion, the risk of this plan is almost negligible, nearly nonexistent."
"Oh?"
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Why are you so certain, sir? I would like to hear the details."
Su Tingmei calmly explained, breaking it down step by step: "Firstly, it lies in knowing the enemy."
"Our army has been in a standoff with the Scorpion Clan for several months. We have already figured out their troop distribution, patrol patterns, camp layout, and even the habits of their generals through scouts and spies."
"Gongsun Yi's arrival has brought changes, but the basic situation and needs of the army's garrison will not change much."
"Our harassment forces' attacks are not like headless flies running around, but rather precise actions that are targeted, selective, and pre-planned."
"Where to attack, where to avoid, when to act, and when to remain still—all these have their rules. This is called knowing yourself and your enemy, and the risks will naturally decrease."
"Secondly, it has the advantage of location. The area around Youzhou is not flat, but hills, valleys, woodlands and abandoned fortresses are scattered around it."
"Our soldiers were born and raised here, and they know the terrain like the back of their hand, as if it were their own backyard."
"The harassment forces are small in size and highly mobile, and can make full use of these complex terrains for concealment, maneuvering, ambush, and withdrawal."
"Although the Scorpion Clan cavalry is fast, when they pursue and kill small groups of our troops who are familiar with the terrain in unfamiliar terrain, it is like a giant axe trying to cut a mosquito, and they have no way to hit the target."
"Even if unforeseen circumstances arise, there are many routes for dispersed evacuation and breaking up into smaller groups. This is called using terrain to control the enemy, which further reduces the risk."
"Thirdly, the purpose is pure. The fundamental purpose of our harassment is not to kill as many enemies as possible, but to harass and contain them."
"Therefore, never be greedy for credit, know when to stop, strike once and leave immediately, do not seek to hit the target, but seek to cause disturbance."
"Even if an operation fails to achieve results or even makes contact with the enemy, as long as the enemy knows that we have come out, causing them to strengthen their defenses and send out search parties, we have already achieved part of the objective—to exhaust their energy and delay their actions."
“Even if the enemy sets up an ambush, it is often aimed at a large number of our troops or troops with clear objectives. It is difficult to effectively defend against this kind of harassment that is elusive and has no clear purpose.”
"This is what is meant by being invincible when one is free from desires, thus reducing risks in three ways."
"Fourth," Su Tingmei said, tapping her feather fan lightly, "it lies in scale and rotation."
"Our harassment troops are selected from brave soldiers in each battalion and are dispatched in shifts."
"Even if there are occasional losses, they will be within an acceptable range and will never damage the foundation of the city's defense."
"Moreover, the continuous harassment will gradually become the norm, keeping the enemy busy and potentially making them less vigilant against minor skirmishes, which will be more conducive to our operations."