roccoschili Chapter 064 Further Remarks
Chapter 064 Further Remarks
"In your opinion, retaking Fugu to the north is the best strategy?"
"Exactly!" Zhou Lun said decisively. Although there were also government troops in Fugu, this battle had to be fought! Or rather, this battle was to find a way out for the rebel army. Only by taking Fugu and dealing with the government troops in the north could the rebel army have a chance to survive and develop.
Gao Yingxiang thought for a moment, then asked, "But now Chief Wang plans to head south. How should this be resolved?"
After a moment's thought, Zhou Lun said to Gao Yingxiang, "I don't have any good solutions to this matter. The only thing we can do is for you, Uncle, to try your best to persuade Chief Wang to abandon his plan to go south. If you can reason with him and appeal to his emotions, and also analyze the situation, perhaps Chief Wang will understand the benefits of your choice..."
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "To put it bluntly, even if Chief Wang ultimately doesn't want to go north, we absolutely cannot go south with him. We originally came from the south, and Uncle should know the situation there better than anyone. If we go south, we will not only lose the initiative but also put ourselves in danger. Right now, going north is the only way out!"
"Heh, that may be true, but Chief Wang is, after all, the alliance leader. We just met yesterday. Is it appropriate for you to contradict the alliance leader like this?"
Seeing Gao Yingxiang's gaze directed at him, Zhou Lun smiled slightly: "Uncle, as you yourself said, Chief Wang is the leader of the alliance. The various tribes are holding an alliance meeting, but the leader is ultimately just the leader... Besides, Uncle is only the deputy leader, don't you think?"
"Haha! Hahaha!"
Upon hearing Zhou Lun's words, Gao Yingxiang couldn't help but burst into laughter, pointing at him with great delight.
Zhou Lun chuckled a few times with Gao Yingxiang, then lowered his voice and said, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. If Chief Wang insists on going south, your uncle need not try to persuade him further. Let's part amicably and leave some room for future friendship. After all, he is the leader of the alliance, and we should still give him that face."
"As for the strategy of heading north, since you have made up your mind, Uncle, do not hesitate. The sooner we head north, the better our chances will be; the longer we delay, the greater the risk. We should take advantage of the fact that the government troops have just recovered Fugu and are not yet firmly established, and they would never expect us to turn back. If we take Fugu in one fell swoop, we will not only have more room to maneuver, but also more space to attack or defend."
Gao Yingxiang nodded silently; Zhou Lun's words had struck a chord with him. There was another unspoken message from Zhou Lun, but Gao Yingxiang knew it perfectly well.
If Wang Jiayin agrees to turn north, that would be best; if he insists on going south, it wouldn't be a bad thing for Gao Yingxiang either.
Aren't there government troops in the south too? If Wang Jiayin marches south, he'll definitely clash with these government troops. Regardless of victory or defeat, Gao Yingxiang, heading north, will have no worries about his rear. With Wang Jiayin's troops holding off the government troops in the south, he can concentrate his forces to attack Fugu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The problem is that the army's provisions, carried north to Shenmu, are running low. Although they can last for about a month, a major battle is inevitable on the way north. Once war breaks out, provisions will be of paramount importance.
Moreover, Fugu had already been occupied and plundered by Wang Jiayin, and now it had been recaptured by the government troops. Given this, was there any grain left in Fugu? After repelling the government troops and taking back Fugu, how would the rebel army survive in the area? How would they solve the problem of food? Gao Yingxiang had to consider this.
Without food, people will go hungry. Without food, people don't even have the strength to hold a knife, let alone fight.
Moreover, according to Gao Yingxiang's knowledge, Wang Jiayin's troops also lacked provisions. Although he didn't know the exact amount, he estimated it wasn't much better than his own. Therefore, obtaining aid or provisions from Wang Jiayin was simply impossible. Without resolving the supply issue, even if Gao Yingxiang were to recapture Fugu in the north, his foothold would be unstable.
He directly posed the question, asking Zhou Lun if he had a solution. Zhou Lun couldn't help but smile wryly.
He wasn't a god, so where would he conjure up food? Although he had transmigrated from the future, he had neither a personal space nor a time tunnel; he was just a mortal with flesh and blood.
However, the problem raised by Gao Yingxiang is indeed very real. Supplies are of paramount importance; without solving the supply issue, major problems will arise within the rebel army once the northward campaign becomes protracted. As the saying goes, "An army marches on its stomach," and warfare is all about logistics. Even though the rebel army wasn't composed of government troops, the essence of war remains the same.
Zhou Lun frowned and pondered a solution to the problem. His gaze wandered as he thought deeply. After thinking for a long time without coming up with a good idea, just as Gao Yingxiang was also troubled by this and even had the idea of "taking it one step at a time, first heading north to reclaim Fugu, and then considering the food problem," a thought suddenly flashed through Zhou Lun's mind.
"Uncle!" Zhou Lun looked up at Gao Yingxiang and said to him, "Perhaps it really is possible. But whether this method will work or not, I don't know. And even if it does succeed, it probably won't solve too many problems, but it might be enough to sustain food supplies for another month or so."
"Oh? What method? Tell me in detail!" Gao Yingxiang perked up and hurriedly asked.
Zhou Lun whispered his idea to Gao Yingxiang. At first, Gao Yingxiang frowned, but as he listened, his eyes lit up. After Zhou Lun finished explaining in detail, Gao Yingxiang slapped his thigh: "This method is worth a try! If it succeeds, you will be credited first!"
"I wouldn't dare, whether it will succeed or not is still uncertain. Besides, the timing needs to be right, so this matter still needs to be planned by Uncle himself," Zhou Lun said very modestly.
Gao Yingxiang laughed heartily, nodded, and said that the matter was settled and he would make the arrangements. His gaze towards Zhou Lun was full of admiration, and he felt a hidden sense of pride.
Marrying his niece to this young man was a wise move. This young man is indeed extraordinary; he's been lacking someone like him to advise and strategize. With Zhou Lun by his side, what does Gao Yingxiang have to worry about in achieving his grand ambitions?
Zhou Lun stayed in Gao Yingxiang's tent until the sun was high in the sky before he got up to take his leave.
After leaving Gao Yingxiang's place, he first returned to his own camp, and after settling things down, he went straight to his elder brother Li Wanqing's place.
Li Wanqing drank quite a bit yesterday. He's an honest man, unlike Zhou Lun and Gao Yingxiang who pretended to be drunk; he was genuinely intoxicated. When I arrived, I saw that Li Wanqing, still hungover, looked rather unwell. Although he had been awake for a while, he was listlessly sitting in his tent.
"Big brother!"
"Brother's here? Come, come, sit down..." Upon seeing Zhou Lun, Li Wanqing mustered his strength to get up, but Zhou Lun quickly stepped forward to help him up, letting him continue to lie half-reclined.
"Look at me, I'm so drunk, it's really embarrassing." Li Wanqing shook his head with a self-deprecating smile as he looked at the radiant Zhou Lun, while he himself was still hungover.
"Everyone's alcohol tolerance is different. It's alright if you're not a good drinker, brother. Just drink less in the future." Zhou Lun sat down next to him, said with a smile, and glanced at the side, asking with concern, "Have you eaten, brother? It's not good for your health to drink and not eat."
"I barely used some," Li Wanqing said with a smile.
Zhou Lun nodded and chatted with Li Wanqing for a while.
He had been the vanguard on the northward march, while Li Wanqing had been the rearguard. The two hadn't seen each other for several days until Li Wanqing led his troops to arrive yesterday, when they finally reunited.
Then Wang Jiayin hosted a welcome banquet. Due to the seating arrangement, Zhou Lun was unable to sit with Li Wanqing, and the two brothers had no chance to talk. Today, they finally had time, and after leaving Gao Yingxiang's place, Zhou Lun came to see Li Wanqing, also to show his concern for his elder brother.
After chatting with Li Wanqing for a while, Zhou Lun saw that although Li Wanqing was drunk, he was not seriously ill and his spirits were gradually improving, so he felt relieved. Seeing that the sun was rising and it was almost time, he got up to say goodbye—he still had to go to the army to check on the training.
Wang Tieniu is currently in charge of training at the old camp, but as the person in charge, Zhou Lun is also extremely concerned about the progress. In addition, after his conversation with Gao Yingxiang today, and knowing that the rebel army will soon be heading north to fight the government troops, Zhou Lun is paying extra attention to the old camp that he personally trained and on which he has placed high hopes.
No sooner had Zhou Lun left than Li Shoutian arrived.
He had drunk too much yesterday and had a terrible headache, so he slept until late morning and had only just woken up. Entering Li Wanqing's tent, Li Shoutian first glanced around the room, then asked, "I heard that Brother Lun came? Where is he?"
"He came by, just left." Li Wanqing took a sip of water. "He said he was going to check on the old camp. My brother here is a very conscientious person; he can't rest easy if he doesn't go for a day..."
"Brother..." Li Shoutian took a few steps to stand in front of Li Wanqing, then subconsciously glanced back at the tent entrance. Making sure no one was outside, he lowered his voice and said, "Why is Brother Lun always running to the old camp every few days? You really need to be careful, Brother!"
"What do you mean by that? Didn't we say before that we're brothers and shouldn't be suspicious of each other? Besides, the old camp was originally founded by my second brother, so it's only natural that he cares about it." Li Wanqing's face hardened as he immediately reprimanded him.
Li Shoutian gave a wry smile and continued in a low voice, "My dear brother! I naturally remember what you said before. But people's hearts are unpredictable, and you are such a kind person. But as the saying goes, even if you don't intend to harm others, you can't be too careful!"
"Brother, I don't believe you haven't heard the rumors circulating in the army these days. Right now, everyone is saying that after Lun Ge became the nephew-in-law of the rebel king, he will soon be put to great use and will soon be able to lead his own army, becoming one of the new leaders, and at that time he will be on equal footing with you, brother."
"Brother, considering brotherly affection, you'll naturally agree to anything. I, as your younger brother, understand how Lun Ge treats you. But brother, the most capable fighter in our rebel army is the Old Camp. If this comes to fruition, and the King directly orders Lun Ge to lead the Old Camp, what will the consequences be? Don't you understand the implications?"
"Without the old camp, relying on the men in the new camp, our unit will definitely suffer a great loss of strength! At that time, not only will our position as the leader in the army be unstable, but it will even be difficult for us to maintain our position. For my own sake, and for the sake of all my brothers, I, as the leader, must be on guard!"
"Shut up!" Li Wanqing snapped. But although he said that, he didn't continue to berate and teach Li Shoutian a lesson like he did last time. In fact, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
He had indeed heard some of the rumors Li Shoutian mentioned. Moreover, what Li Shoutian just said was not without merit.
As his sworn brother, Li Wanqing naturally wanted the best for Zhou Lun. But what if, as Li Shoutian said, Zhou Lun broke away and even took the entire old camp with him? What would happen to his side then?
Don't forget, their strongest fighting force is the old camp. Without the old camp as a foundation, how could Li Wanqing maintain his current position? Not to mention that since the alliance was formed, the rebel army has grown to its current size, with even Gao Yingxiang becoming the vice leader. How much more so for Li Wanqing?