69novels Chapter 1053 Cabinet Meeting: How to Deal with the Chu Army!
Chapter 1053 Cabinet Meeting: How to Deal with the Chu Army!
Just as Gao Yao was strategizing, the next morning, Prime Minister Xiao He, following the decision he had made with Empress Lü the previous night, urgently convened a cabinet meeting. The atmosphere in the court was heavy. While the senior officials were still worried about the unusual movements of the Qiang and Chu armies, Xiao He glanced at his colleagues and spoke in a deep voice, dropping an even more shocking message.
He did not reveal the specific details of what happened in the palace last night, but the harrowing events concerning the Queen's safety and the stability of the court were enough to send chills down the spines of all who heard them. He then briefed the cabinet members on key portions of the interrogation materials sent by the Blue Robe Society in the early hours of the morning regarding Batu's keeping of assassins and their subsequent entry into the palace.
"Gentlemen," Xiao He's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable seriousness, "internal troubles are perhaps more dangerous than external enemies. Although the online forces have not yet returned to the capital, we have received the nation's favor and must work together to eliminate treacherous officials and stabilize the nation!"
A moment of silence fell over the cabinet, followed by a surge of suppressed murmurs. A heavy cloud hung over everyone's hearts; they realized that Great Qin was facing a severe test from both internal and external battlefields. And the core of this test had already spread from the smoke of war on the border to the deepest heart of the empire.
Inside the cabinet council chamber, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed almost palpable. On the enormous sand table, the mountains and passes of Longxi Commandery and the possible advance routes of the Chu army from the north were clearly marked, like two nooses, subtly entwined around the core area symbolizing Xianyang.
Although it was already bright outside the window, the candlelight inside the hall was still burning, reflecting the solemn and profound expressions on the faces of each high-ranking official.
Prime Minister Xiao He sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the three core advisors present: the composed and steady Li Zhao, the thoughtful Wu She, and Zhang Liang, known for his ingenious strategies but now silent. He spoke slowly, his voice tinged with weariness, yet still maintaining the dignity of the chief minister: "You are all aware of the situation. The Qiang tribe has invaded the border with 50,000 men, their advance overwhelming. The Chu army's movements are suspicious. The cabinet's most urgent task is to devise a foolproof plan to secure the nation. Li Zhao, please share your thoughts first."
Upon hearing this, Li Zhao leaned forward slightly, pointed to the Longxi area on the sand table, and said with certainty, "Your Excellency, in my humble opinion, if this battle is only aimed at the Qiang people, winning should not be difficult."
Xiao He paused, looked around at everyone, and continued his analysis, "Although the Qiang people claim to number 50,000, their tribal coalition is disorganized, poorly equipped, and their ability to attack fortified positions is a major weakness. Longxi County is a fortified city with high walls and deep moats, and its food supplies are plentiful. We only need to send a steady and defensive general, such as General Erniu, to garrison Longxi and rely on the fortified city to advance steadily. With the Qiang people's strength, taking Longxi is nothing short of a pipe dream. The final result will most likely be that they suffer heavy losses, suffer many casualties, and return defeated."
His analysis was clear and logical, and his assessment of the Qiang people's fighting capabilities aligned with the general consensus of those present. After all, compared to the well-equipped, highly trained Qin army, especially with its powerful bows and crossbows and tight formations, the Qiang's strength lay in mounted archery and mobility; frontal assaults were indeed their Achilles' heel. Even though the Fourth Army Group stationed in Longxi had a relatively high proportion of new recruits and might lack experience, Li Zhao believed that, with the advantage of the city walls and standardized defensive equipment, they were more than capable of conducting defensive operations.
"Lord Li's words are true; defending Longxi seems to be a foregone conclusion." Wu She spoke, his brow furrowed slightly, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his gaze fixed on Xiao He. "However, what I wonder is, if things were truly so simple, why would the Grand Secretary be so solemn, urgently summoning us for discussion? Presumably, what Lord Xiao He truly cares about is not the 50,000 Qiang troops beneath Longxi, but..." His finger suddenly moved north, striking heavily on the marker representing the Chu army's operational area, "...but the Chu army lurking in the north, waiting for its chance to strike! Is Lord Xiao He worried that the Chu army will take advantage of our attention being drawn to the Qiang to launch a sudden attack, a sneak attack on Xianyang, or strike at other weak points in our defenses?"
Wu She directly pinpointed the core of the problem. If it were merely a matter of the Qiang tribes invading the border, conventional defensive deployments would suffice; there would be no need for such in-depth strategic discussions involving the entire cabinet. The real threat came from the Chu regime, which, although recently defeated, still possessed considerable strength and whose commander, Xiang Yu, was exceptionally brave.
Xiao He glanced approvingly at Wu She, then slowly nodded, his expression growing even more serious: "What Wu She said is precisely my deepest concern. The Chu army, though weakened by the last major defeat and seemingly powerless to pose a decisive threat to our Great Qin in the short term, is itself a huge hidden danger, like a hungry wolf beside our bed, ready to pounce and attack at any moment." He took a deep breath and picked up a sealed file from the table.
"According to the latest top-secret intelligence from the Qingyi Society, the reason why the Qiang people dared to invade so openly this time is that the Chu army is indeed behind them. It was the Chu army's envoys who, with generous gifts and promises, persuaded the Qiang leaders, offering them great benefits and encouraging them to send troops. It can be said that the Qiang people were largely used by the Chu army, serving as pawns to test our army's strength and draw our main force away."
He put down the dossier, his gaze sharp as he swept over Li Zhao and Wu She, finally lingering for a moment on the silent Zhang Liang's face: "Therefore, I believe that our strategic objective this time must not be limited to merely repelling the Qiang tribe and protecting Longxi. We should broaden our horizons and focus our efforts on how to use this opportunity to severely cripple or even eliminate the Chu army, this major threat! Gentlemen, what brilliant strategies do you have to resolve this predicament?"
Xiao He escalated the issue to the level of strategic counterattack, and a brief silence fell over the hall. Everyone was thinking rapidly, weighing the pros and cons.
After a moment, Li Zhao broke the silence. A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes as he offered a seemingly ingenious suggestion: "Your Excellency, since the Chu army was able to persuade the Qiang people to risk their lives for them, why can't our army do the same and turn the tables on them? We can send eloquent individuals to secretly contact the Qiang leaders, explain the advantages and disadvantages, and tell them the truth about being used by the Chu army. At the same time, we can offer them conditions they can't refuse—for example, providing them with a batch of excellent weapons and armor, or even tacitly allowing them to plunder the Chu army's border supplies and people. This will drive them to turn their attention to attacking the Chu army in the north! In this way, we can create a situation where two tigers fight each other. Our army can reap the benefits without losing a single soldier, only needing to contribute some weapons. Isn't that the best strategy?"