Chapter 919: Chapter 535: Infiltrating Enemy Lines
In the dimly lit fourth floor of the pavilion, only the palace lanterns spread reassuring halos.
Zhao Douan met the Empress’s bright, piercing eyes in the firelight, remained silent for a moment, then sat cross-legged at the small table, organizing his words:
"There is indeed a great difficulty in this target. Although in terms of military strength, the Capital Camp led by Xue Shence is sufficient to defeat any single rebel army, if two Vassal Kings form an alliance and hold firm, attacking only the Eastern or Western Fronts with full force may still prove ineffective."
Pausing slightly, he spoke seriously:
"Unless, we can break this alliance. Just like when Your Majesty and I were retreating from Luo Mountain back to the Capital, the reason why Prince Jing and Mu Prince couldn’t penetrate Linfeng was partly due to the court’s obstruction, but more so because of the balance between them."
Xu Zhenguan sighed softly, shaking his head:
"You wish to break the alliance, but that is nearly impossible. In the current situation, they’re bound together tightly. Any issues they have will likely be suppressed."
Was Zhao Douan unaware of this?
He pondered for a moment, then said:
"Then we take a step back and aim for second best, at least making it so that when Xue Shence attacks Prince Jing, Mu Prince cannot spare much effort to aid him."
"What are your thoughts?" Xu Zhenguan eyed him, relying on the close relationship and long-established tacit understanding they shared.
She could sense when he was up to no good.
Zhao Douan chuckled and explained:
"The Western Front indeed lacks the capability for a proactive assault, but strong fortresses are often breached from within. Although the Yunfu Rebel Army appears fierce, it has significant internal vulnerabilities.
The rebel army is made up of two forces: one is the private army of the Mu Prince Manor, accumulated over many years.
The other is the border army under the command of Border Army Commander Zhao Shixiong. As I understand, the relationship between Mu Prince and Zhao Shixiong is not very close."
Xu Zhenguan didn’t seem too surprised, nodding:
"You’re right. Even the court discussions about the war have concluded that the Yunfu Rebel Army is not cohesive, and therefore the threat is not as severe as that posed by the Jiancheng Rebel Army.
This is also why Xue Shence chose to attack the Eastern Front. The threat from Prince Jing is greatest and not giving them time to consolidate their gains is crucial."
Was this judgment shared by the court?
Yes, it wasn’t difficult to discern... Zhao Douan continued:
"Therefore, I plan to infiltrate Huai River and Yongjia City, under the control of Zhao Shixiong, to carefully understand the situation. If possible, I will attempt to assassinate Zhao Shixiong or exploit the lack of trust between Mu Prince and Zhao Shixiong.
Only by containing the Yunfu Rebel Army can we hope to reclaim most of Huai River territory before winter sets in, preventing the court from falling into a dire situation."
Xu Zhenguan’s smile vanished, and she immediately rebuked:
"Abandon the thought of assassinating Zhao Shixiong! He is very strong, not only having trained the border army to be as solid as iron but also being quite capable in martial arts. Even though your cultivation is not weak now, no strong martial artist could survive being surrounded by military formation and strongmen from the army!
"Your Majesty..." Zhao Douan was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a strong reaction from the Empress.
Then, it seemed he realized something, giving her a peculiar look, and said:
"Could it be that Your Majesty is concerned for my safety?"
Xu Zhenguan was at a loss for words, unable to answer, and instead looked away.
Under the orange glow of the palace lantern, the Empress’s face, usually so imposing as she sat on the dragon throne, softened considerably.
She was silent for a moment before sternly saying:
"In any case, I will not permit you to go. Are you defying my command?"
Zhao Douan laughed. Since returning from the Sealing to the Capital and initiating the counter-attack, the two of them rarely had such opportunities to meet.
The identity of the Empress and the severity of the situation greatly limited any space for personal affections.
When together, aside from discussing matters of state, they mostly talked about each other’s cultivation.
Far removed from ordinary men and women who, once sharing a bed, could forgo their reservations and become inseparable.
At the root of it, they both bore heavy responsibilities, leaving no room for indulgence because failure would only lead to death.
Thus, even these veiled words of affection nearly reached their limits.
"Alright, I will obey Your Majesty and refrain from risking my life." Zhao Douan said earnestly:
"However, I do indeed plan to visit Yongjia Prefecture. I am different from Xue Shence and am not skilled at commanding troops. My role on the battlefield is quite limited.
As for this operation like summoning clouds and rain, it’s not something that can be repeated. Instead, going behind enemy lines, I can be more helpful to the situation."
He paused, teasing:
"Your Majesty must not forget, my greatest strength is dealing with ’people’."
Work behind enemy lines... This was the new role Zhao Douan found for himself.
In the front, Xue Shence handled matters alone, while he, more adept at dealing with people, could infiltrate the enemy’s rear to cause internal collapse.
Just like when he first crossed into this world, toppling figure after figure in the court.
How did Zhao Shixiong compare to the former Li Yanfu? Didn’t he also bring him down?
At this moment, he suddenly thought of the Kuangfu Society and Grand Tutor Zhuang Xiaocheng.
If back then Zhuang Xiaocheng could repeatedly put the court in a passive position from within the Capital, why shouldn’t Zhao Douan learn from the enemy?
Form his own "Kuangfu Society" to subvert the enemy’s generals and destroy their strongholds?
Xu Zhenguan gazed deeply at him, recognizing his resolve. She stayed silent for a moment before suddenly lifting the white porcelain wine jug on the table and pouring him a cup of wine, her voice soft: