"Langya County is surrounded by mountains on both sides, one facing the sea, but only connected to Xuzhou in the south." Duan Wencao pointed to the map with a very serious expression. "If you want to attack Langya, there are only three roads. One is to attack from the northwest of Langya County and enter from Biancheng, the upper reaches of the Sishui River in Lu County. However, Mengshan is a natural barrier, and there are also key passes of Pangwei Mountain to block each other; the other is to attack from the northeast of Langya County, and go south from Zhucheng, the capital of Gaomi County. However, the mountains are piled up here, and there is an ancient Great Wall of Qi, especially the Huangcao Pass between Maer Mountain and Xiqueling. There is a dangerous situation where one man is at the pass, and ten thousand men cannot open it. Another is to attack from the southeast of Langya County, from Xiapi County in Xuzhou, and kill Linyi. The plain here is as open as a turtle and endless, but the rivers are crisscrossed. If the defense is properly deployed, it can still be effectively blocked."

Duan Wencao frowned, and his right index finger hit the desk hard, making him feel irritable and restless.

"After the bandits captured Langya County, they guarded the key pass of Peiweishan in the northwest, Huangcao Pass in the northeast, and the main force in the southeast, and established a defensive battle formation with Yishui and Shushui as the center, which can withstand the three-way siege of the Wei Mansion and give themselves enough time to grow and grow."

Duan Lun looked at the map, then Duan Wencao, who was restless, curled his lips contemptuously, "Where did the thieves get the time for development and growth? The Eastern Expedition will begin tomorrow spring. The Holy Lord personally led the expedition, attacking a small Goguryeo with millions of heroic troops, killing chickens with a ox knife, like taking a bag. After the Eastern Expedition, hundreds of thousands of Weifu troops went south to return to their own towns. With the strength of the Qilu Weifu army and Zhu Yingyang in Xuzhou, they surrounded and suppressed the Mengshan rebels from three sides. Isn't it just a slam, and they can be captured?"

Duan Wencao glanced at Duan Lun and asked quietly, "Are you so confident in the Eastern Expedition?"

"Of course." Duan Lun said without hesitation, "Compared with Goguryeo, Tuguryeo's strength is obviously higher than that, but the Holy Lord's army in the west was unstoppable, destroying Tuguryeo with a destruction of power, expanding territory, and building great martial arts. In this Eastern Expedition, how could he compete with our Middle Earth with a small country like Goguryeo? It's like a mantis blocking a chariot."

Duan Wencao sat upright slowly, looked at Duan Lun with bright eyes, and asked, "Since that's the case, why did the Holy Lord gather the whole country to carry out an Eastern Expedition? Hundreds of thousands of troops, hundreds of thousands of civilians and men, millions of men, and thousands of horses, and thousands of miles of journeys. How much money and food will be consumed? How much damage to national strength is so serious? Have you ever thought about why?"

Duan Lun didn't say anything, but he didn't agree with it. Obviously, he thought Duan Wencao was exaggerating.

"I asked you." Duan Wencao's expression was even more serious, "How much do you know about Goguryeo? How much do you know about the entire Far East situation?"

"I know that Goguryeo has always had the ambition to dominate the Far East. Over the years, I have even coveted my Middle Earth, repeatedly invaded my Liaodong border and challenged the authority of my sect leader." Duan Lun sneered, "Wild and vulgar slaves dare to rebel against their masters? They seek death."

Duan Wencao wanted to speak but stopped. He thought for a moment and stopped continuing the topic. No one could tell the future. Duan Wenzhen was the emperor's chief minister and the main plan of the Eastern Expedition. As his younger brother and son, it was unwise to talk nonsense here.

"The Xuzhou thieves occupied Mengshan, and had not yet established a foothold, had not yet taken a breath, nor did they know what the situation in Lu County were, so they hurried down the mountain to burn, kill and plunder. In your opinion, were they short of clothing and food, and after being hungry, they lost their minds, or had other plans?"

After Duan Wencao said this, his frown frowned even deeper, as if he had thought of something and thought something.

Duan Lun guessed Duan Wencao's worries. He shook his head and said with a very certain tone, "Although the Xuzhou thieves were very fast, they flew into Mengshan after crossing the border. The soldiers were very fast and they were unprepared to attack the enemy. They took Mengshan in one breath, but the Qizhou thieves were still on the Wenshui line. Because Zhang Xutuo opened his bloody mouth at the foot of Mount Tai and stared at him, they were reluctant to go south for a long time and had not arrived at the line between Guilaishan and Liangfu Mountain. Therefore, there was no connection between these two rebels, which was only a coincidence."

Coincidentally? Duan Wencao pondered for a little while and said, "It's better to be cautious and not be too optimistic, so as to avoid losing his feet."

"Just a thief, vulnerable." Duan Lun looked proud and looked disdainful.

"The rebels in Qiao County and the bandits who plundered on both sides of Tongji Canal suddenly came to Qilu, occupied Mengshan, and burned and killed and plundered in Lu County, and even threatened the safety of our capital. Do you think he is vulnerable?" Duan Wencao was a little dissatisfied with Duan Lun's attitude.

"Look at the thieves in Qizhou, you will know why Wang Bo and Meng Rang left Changbai Mountain and had to go to Lu County? The reason is very simple. They were not lacking food, but lacking combat power. There was no Yingyang Guard under Zhang Xutuo's tent, only Zongtuo Township and temporary recruitment of strong men, but why was his combat power stronger than the traitors? Is Zhang Xutuo's strategy or he was good at leading troops? Is Zhang Xutuo's combat power soaringly because the right guard's mansion provided him with a large number of weapons, including heavy troops. Without sufficient and sharp weapons, Zhang Xutuo would have no choice but to the traitors stationed in Changbai Mountain."

Duan Lun asked Duan Wencao, "Will the strength of the Xuzhou thieves be greater than that of the Qizhou thieves? If Zhang Xutuo had not had other plans, he would have driven the Qizhou thieves into Lu County. Wang Bo and Meng Rang might have been defeated long ago. Therefore, he thought that his uncle had to draw two regiments from Juyang and Liang's line to go south, cooperate with Xiaqiu's remaining regiments, and use three regiments to encircle and suppress the Xuzhou thieves."

Duan Wencao didn't say anything. He was always thinking about the letter Dong Chun wrote to him, trying to find information about the Xuzhou thieves. Dong Chun and Liang Dezhong were both veterans on the battlefield, but they let the Xuzhou thieves escape from their palms. This is a shame. From this, it can be inferred that these two old guys were as arrogant and arrogant as Duan Lun, but they fell into trouble.

Be cautious and be cautious. Now there are wolves in front and tigers in the back, and Zhang Xutuo and Dong Chun have the possibility of attacking themselves from north to south. The eastern expedition is imminent. As one of the main planners of the eastern expedition, his elder brother Duan Wenzhen is now at a time of great trouble. Once he makes a big noise in Lu County, disturbing his elder brother, it may cause a series of major changes, and may even affect his elder brother and the plan of the eastern expedition. One step is wrong, so don't make mistakes in the first step.

Duan Wencao has been slow to make decisions and closely monitors the development of the situation in Xiaqiu and Qufu, and seems to be indecisive and indecisive. This makes Duan Lun slander and secretly mock his uncle for being old, which is somewhat useless.

That night, the secret letter from the Pengcheng County Magistrate Cui Deben reached Duan Wencao's hands.

After reading the letter, Duan Wencao secretly called luck. Fortunately, he was cautious and did not rush to send out the army in anger, otherwise there might be big trouble.

In a secret letter, Cui Deben detailed the evil deeds of this group of Xuzhou thieves on both sides of Tongji Canal. What shocked Duan Wencao and Duan Lun the most was that the heavy fleet was robbed, the four regiments of Yongcheng Yingyang Mansion were wiped out, the general Fei Huai of Yingyang was killed, and the general Wang Yang of Yingcha Lang was missing, and Dong Chun and Liang Dezhong reacted quickly, calling more than a dozen regiments to surround and block, but the thieves successfully jumped out of the siege and crossed the river from Pengcheng City. Dong Chun's reputation for his lifetime was overflowing, and what was more serious was that his political opponents would take this opportunity to swarm. Dong Chun's official position would definitely not be guaranteed, and he would even be driven out of the army and deprived of military power.

Duan Wencao was secretly shocked. Duan Lun's face turned pale and he remained silent for a long time.

An idea flashed through the minds of the uncle and nephew. There was a "black hand" behind the thieves in Xuzhou, and this thief must have come from the Dongdu. Someone in Xuzhou tacitly "cooperated" with the burning, killing and looting of the thieves in Xuzhou, and finally overturned Dong Chun to the ground and gave a heavy blow to the Longxi system in the court.

What a powerful method, who wants to overthrow Dong Chun? The purpose of overthrowing Dong Chun is not only to attack the Longxi clique, but definitely has a larger goal. So what is the goal? The most intense contradiction in the court at present is the contradiction between the reformists and the conservatives. The Eastern Expedition was initiated and promoted by the reformists. The conservatives strongly opposed it. For this reason, the emperor and the central government have replaced and removed many powerful people.

Could it be that the "black hand" behind the Xuzhou thieves want to stop the Eastern Expedition?

The more Duan Wencao thought about it, the more likely he felt. It may be a "disguised method" to overturn Dong Chun, and his real goal is probably himself.

Once you fail to stabilize Lu County, the entire Qilu area will fall into chaos, which will affect the preparations for the Eastern Expedition and the battle of the Donglai Navy's Crossing Sea. The Eastern Expedition will inevitably be delayed. Due to the seasonal climate and other reasons, the attack time will be only half a year at most. It will be attacked in early summer and a truce in late autumn. If the attack time is delayed too long and the attack time is not enough, then this year's Eastern Expedition plan will be stopped and wait for another battle next year.

But the flaw of this "scandidate method" is also very obvious. With the strength of the Xuzhou thieves, they jumped out of the encirclement under the siege of Xuzhou official army and crossed the river from Pengcheng City in a swagger. This is incredible and cannot stand scrutiny. Although Dong Chun and Liang Dezhong are both from Guanlong and are members of conservative forces, they may not know about this conspiracy and cooperate. They may also be victims of this conspiracy. There must be other people who can cooperate with the Xuzhou thieves. However, there is no point in guessing these things. Xuzhou thieves have occupied Mengshan and have won the initiative. And winter has come. At present, whether with the strength of the Qilu army or the strength of the Xuzhou army, they will not be able to enter Mengshan to suppress the thieves in the next few months. Therefore, the most urgent thing now is to surround the Xuzhou thieves in Mengshan and prevent them from going down the mountain to burn, kill, and loot the chaotic situation in Qilu.

As long as the situation in Qilu is stable and the Eastern Expedition can begin as scheduled, the conspiracy will fail.

"Uncle, where is the plan?" Duan Lun couldn't help asking.

Duan Wencao didn't say anything for a long time. Suddenly, he asked, "We have surrounded Mengshan and trapped the thieves. Can we defeat our opponent's conspiracy?"

"This requires a prerequisite." Duan Lun said without thinking, "If no one in Qilu secretly cooperates with the Xuzhou thieves, then we will be able to trap the thieves in Mengshan."

Before he finished speaking, Duan Wencao immediately thought of Zhang Xutuo and was shocked.

"Uncle, the prefect of Langya County is named Dou."

Duan Lunyu is not shocking and never stops. This last sentence made Duan Wencao's face change drastically. The storm is about to come and the wind fills the building. Is the sky in Qilu really going to change?

=

=
Chapter completed!