My Cultivation Starting from Archery

"His military strategy primarily focuses on 'stability'. Throughout the career of Marquis Meng, there has never been a record of 'winning with fewer troops' or 'achieving victory with surprise strategies'; it's always a steady outcome."

"However, as the saying goes, 'A good warrior holds no notable achievements.' The higher the capabilities demonstrated by such individuals, the more dangerous they are, since they never suffer a major defeat. As long as there is no massive rout, there always lies the chance for a turnaround."

"Take, for instance, this campaign against Qing Country. Advancing the battle line all the way to the residences of Lai State, cutting off supply routes, and besieging the Qing Army of a hundred thousand—on the surface, the tactics might not seem particularly striking, with only two words on the battle report—'great victory.' Such individuals, actually, are far more terrifying than Dong An and his likes."

"You indeed understand the details well," said the younger disciple.

The main intention Fang Qingyun had when bringing up this subject was to see if the other party would become arrogant and complacent due to repeated military achievements. Now it seemed such worry was entirely unnecessary.

"Clash! Clash!"

The sound of armour colliding rang out.

Inside the Central Army Tent, several generals, surrounded by attendants, steadily approached them.

The leader among them was none other than the Three Armies Grand Marshal of this campaign against Qing, Meng Quji!

"General Fang, good to see you unharmed!"

"Good to see you unharmed."

"This subordinate, Chen Sansi, has come to report!"

Chen Sansi saluted with a fist, "I have seen Meng Dashuai!"

"So you are Chen Sansi?"

Meng Quji, admiring the young man before him, didn't hide the appreciation on his face and patted his shoulder, "At last, I meet the prodigy who entered the Military Books at eighteen, for all the Military Families in the world to study. Your arrival is timely. I will immediately order the news of your arrival in the Eastern Territory to be spread out, to further pressurize the trapped Qing Army at Yong Yue Prefecture."

"Indeed."

Vice Commander Zhan Taoming spoke, "Mr. Chen's arrival is also beneficial for us to analyze the current situation!"

"The two commanders praise me too highly," said Chen Sansi.

"I am merely an Assistant General, here just to await orders," Chen Sansi stated.

"There's no need to be so modest. General Fang, General Chen, please," Meng Quji's mood was uplifted. "With Phoenix, Chen Sansi here, our chances of winning have instantly increased by another twenty percent!"

Within the Central Army Tent.

A group of senior generals exchanged information and discussed the current situation.

Chen Sansi was the only Assistant General.

"Vice General Chen!" Meng Quji spoke, "Zhaotong Prefecture has sent a letter saying they are short of hands. I am prepping to send you to assist Cui Congyi, Sha Wenlong, and others in continuing to forcibly attack Zhaotong Prefecture. What are your thoughts on this?"

Sha Wenlong?

Chen Sansi sneered internally.

This one-eyed fool, he probably wants to use me as cannon fodder.

Typical never-dying greed.

If it weren't for Pei Tiannan's secret protection, their lives would have been taken long ago.

And setting aside personal grievances, forcefully attacking Zhaotong Prefecture was an unfeasible tactic.

"Don't hold back!" Meng Quji began, "'In all great battles, Chen Sansi's opinions need to be absorbed'—this is the imperial edict His Majesty issued from the Imperial Palace, and it's your privilege, so feel free to speak frankly."

Two Martial Saints and several Mysterious Phenomenon levels, at this moment, all their focus was on an Assistant General within the Meridian Passage Realm.

They were also curious.

This general who, with merely over a thousand remnants, had decisively defeated a twenty-thousand strong Barbarian Army, and after leading the people across the river, crossed Hongze four times—was he truly worthy of his reputation or not."

"Then, I shall speak forthrightly," Chen Sansi began, clasping his fists. "It's inappropriate."

"Oh? What exactly is inappropriate?" Meng Quji pointed to the city on the sand table and spoke with confidence, "According to previous plans, surrounding but not attacking would take at least six months to exhaust the provisions in Yong Yue Prefecture, which is too long. Not to mention that Qing Country is mobilizing military forces from other states, and it's likely that Nan Xu Country has also made movements. Half a year is enough time for too many changes to occur, and the best way to speed this up is only one—to shorten the battle line and concentrate as many troops as possible in Yong Yue Prefecture for a fierce attack, regardless of the cost."

"And the problem also arises here."

"Currently, my army of over a hundred thousand, in order to divide the battlefield and prevent Qing's forces from linking up, is spread across a nine hundred li battle line, each besieging cities, stuck in a stalemate."

"Among them, Zhaotong Prefecture is the second granary of Lai State, too close to Yong Yue Prefecture to let go, drawing in a large amount of our troops."

"Now, Cui Congyi, Sha Wenlong, two Mysterious Phenomenon Realm individuals, along with thirty thousand troops, are all here."

"The city's defense army only has nine thousand, but their defending general, Deng Feng, is invincibly brave, supported fully by over a hundred thousand civilians, and after more than forty days, it still hasn't fallen!"

"If we can't take this city, we won't be able to free up the thirty thousand elite troops to attack Yong Yue Prefecture, and prolonging this situation will gradually turn it unfavorable for us."

"Therefore, I thought of sending you, Vice General Chen, to Zhaotong Prefecture. Taking Zhaotong one day earlier could increase our strength outside Yong Yue Prefecture by that much," Meng Meng Dashuai explained.

"Indeed," Hu Ben Army Commander Fan Tianfa said in a deep voice. "Vice General Chen, you should proceed quickly. It's of great significance—taking Zhaotong Prefecture would also count as your major accomplishment."

"No, it won't work," Chen Sansi decisively retorted. "Let alone sending three thousand, even if another ten thousand were dispatched, Zhaotong Prefecture could not possibly be taken in a short period." Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire

He paused, then suddenly raised his voice, "I have a strategy that can subdue the enemy without fighting, without spending a single soldier or a pawn, making all enemies other than those at Yong Yue Prefecture surrender at the mere sight of our forces!"

Without spending a single soldier or a pawn?

Make them surrender at the mere sight?

Meng Quji, half doubtful, half intrigued, urged, "Quick, share your thoughts."

Chen Sansi asked, "Commander Meng, have we ever slaughtered a city before?"