After hearing the scout's report, Qiao Na's brow furrowed.
At this moment, Bajah Khan next to him spoke again, "Your Highness, their frequent departures from the city must be to gather reinforcements from various places. Shouldn't we surround them first?"
Qiao Na had no time to think, nodding repeatedly, "Alright, pass down the order. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, we will surround Wannian City. We must make it a watertight encirclement, so tight that not a single fly can get out!"
That night, Xiao Jingyun stood outside the north gate, watching the distant fires approach and smiled.
Zhou Quan cupped his fists towards Xiao Jingyun and said, "Your Highness, your strategic brilliance has easily ensnared Qiao Na."
Xiao Jingyun waved his hand, "We can't say that. There are advantages and disadvantages. Letting him surround us is mainly to buy us a few more days."
"All right, now we can rest easy and sleep soundly. They won't launch a major attack within three to five days, only probe."
Zhou Quan looked up at the cold moon in the sky, "Your Highness, the full moon will be our Grand Yuan Festival."
Xiao Jingyun shook his head, "Yes, this year marks the 120th anniversary of our Great Cang's former emperor's ascension. It should have been a grand celebration, but it seems we will have to spend it amidst bloodshed and turmoil."
Zhou Quan remained silent and bowed, then withdrew.
Just as Xiao Jingyun thought, outside the city, Du Bai's heart also settled as he saw Qiao Na's army surround the city from all sides. As long as they didn't attack from all sides simultaneously, he felt he had a chance.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Qiao Na's camp was also tense.
The most crucial point was that Qiao Na's logistics and supply lines had encountered problems. They were in the north, and heavy snow had already begun to fall, causing delays in the arrival of supply convoys.
The grain and fodder stored in the army were only enough for half a month. It was no wonder Qiao Na was anxious.
Bajah Khan cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I have a suggestion. We can surround Wannian City without attacking. I believe they wouldn't dare to sally forth. When our reinforcements and supplies arrive, we can make our plans."
Qiao Na shook his head, "Not feasible, not feasible. The Great Cang's reinforcements will arrive in about twenty days. If our reinforcements arrive after that, we will be caught between two forces."
"But now we have no certainty of victory, and the opponent's tactics are somewhat strange. That night, Zhu Meng's 20,000 men were halved in just one hour." Bajah Khan sounded apprehensive.
"Yes, I also find it very strange. The enemy's situation is unclear, and I dare not rashly engage in battle." Qiao Na finished speaking, then turned to a maid beside him, "Ziyan, is there any news from the city?"
Ziyan gently shook her head, "Your Highness, we only surrounded Wannian City today. It will likely take two more days for any news to come out."
Qiao Na nodded, "Tell those in the city to quickly ascertain the enemy's situation." Su Dan Novel Network
Under these circumstances, with each side harboring their own thoughts, a stalemate ensued for three days, with no probing attacks whatsoever.
News of this reached Hetou Village one morning.
After reading it, Liu Rumei was also perplexed. This was strange. It was winter, and the Great Tu Kingdom had traveled a long distance. They should have aimed for a quick victory, but surrounding the city without attacking, why?
Suddenly, she slapped the table, her mind clear, "I understand. Qiao Na must have discovered the intricacies of this Four Spirits Eight Trigrams Array and dare not attack rashly. He is likely trying to probe the array's secrets in secret."
Having figured this out, Liu Rumei was about to send a message to the capital when she heard Xiao Qing announce that Chen Xiaobei had arrived.
Upon hearing Chen Xiaobei's arrival, Liu Rumei hurried to the doorway, "Brother Xiaobei, you're here."
Chen Xiaobei nodded and gave Liu Rumei a gentle smile.
"I see the sky is very overcast today, and it's about to snow. I came to see you to check if you need anything."
Liu Rumei smiled charmingly. Having such a considerate man was truly fortunate.
"Brother Xiaobei, I don't lack anything. By the way, since you're here, I need to tell you something. I just received a letter from my brother. The Great Tu Kingdom has indeed surrounded Wannian City, but they've been surrounding it for days with no action. I was just wondering what Qiao Na of the Great Tu Kingdom intended."
Hearing Liu Rumei's words, Chen Xiaobei was also stunned.
"Three days with no action? That's not right. They are the attackers, and it's now freezing cold. It's already snowing here, and it's probably not warm over there either. Logically, he should attack the city as soon as possible."
Hearing Chen Xiaobei's words, Liu Rumei also frowned slightly, "Who isn't? I'm just pondering what exactly is going on here."
"I suspect that Qiao Na suffered a loss in the Four Spirits Eight Trigrams Array a couple of days ago and is now secretly investigating the array's secrets, which is why he hasn't attacked rashly."
Hearing Liu Rumei's analysis, Chen Xiaobei nodded.
"What you said makes sense. After suffering a loss the first time, he has to be cautious later on."
Seeing that Chen Xiaobei agreed with her analysis, Liu Rumei was delighted, "I'll immediately write back to my elder brother and tell him to quickly inform the Crown Prince to strengthen security."
Hearing Liu Rumei's words, Chen Xiaobei was startled.
"Rumei, it's not possible that you're telling your elder brother everything we discussed earlier, right?"
Liu Rumei nodded.
"Yes, I'm afraid the Crown Prince might not think of everything, so I ask my elder brother to convey my thoughts."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei gently shook his head.
"Rumei, as the saying goes, those not in office do not concern themselves with official matters. Since you have come to Qingniu Mountain, you should no longer worry about these things, lest the Crown Prince suspect you have other intentions."
Hearing Chen Xiaobei's words, Liu Rumei paused and murmured a few words but remained silent.
As the saying goes, a word of wisdom can awaken a dreamer. Chen Xiaobei's words made her vigilant. Thinking about it, her father had become a monk, and she had come to Qingniu Mountain, yet she was still so concerned about court affairs. If those who knew understood her family's patriotism and sentiment, those who didn't might misunderstand and say something to the Emperor and Crown Prince.
After pondering for a long time, Liu Rumei sighed softly, "Brother Xiaobei, you are right. I will not concern myself with this matter anymore, nor will I inquire about it in the future."
Chen Xiaobei reached out and embraced Liu Rumei, giving her a gentle hug, "I don't want you to suffer any more grievances. The Crown Prince is enough to handle all these national affairs; we don't need to worry about them."
Liu Rumei was deeply touched, her eyes moistening slightly. She wiped away her tears and nodded gently, "Brother Xiaobei, thank you. If you hadn't said this, I would have thought I was so capable, constantly interfering like this, and would have caused new trouble sooner or later."
Chen Xiaobei nodded gently, "All right, let's not dwell on these things."
"By the way, I'll take you to see the tiger. After we gave him those medicines last time, he's become much more obedient now."