My Cultivation Starting from Archery

Lord Fourteenth's family is very important!

"Lord Eight, you are mistaken, our hesitance is what places Lord Fourteenth in jeopardy, on the contrary, only when a large army presses on them will there be a chance to force them to return Lord Fourteenth."

Ran Jingxuan paused, "And moreover, I have a plan that can reduce our losses.

"Strategist, please speak."

"Let's wait a few more days."

Ran Jingxuan gazed in the direction of Pianye River and slowly said, "Remember the message delivered to us by the secret scout in Hulaoguan before the war began? They are short of provisions within the city, sufficient for only two or three thousand soldiers to be fed, without even fodder for the horses.
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"Now, their daily pasturing at Pianye River also confirms this point.

"Let's wait another ten days or half a month.

"After their provisions are exhausted, taking action can also likely reduce casualties."

"Moreover, this is the most important point."

He paused, emphasizing, "Li Gong is right, we cannot give them another chance!

"Issue the command to move the army camp forward by twenty-five miles!

"After ten days, let the large army press on them directly.

"If they dare come out to play their cavalry game again, we'll push directly to Hulaoguan!"

...

Hulaoguan.

"Sir."

"We don't have much provisions left."

"If we send all the warhorses back to Yong Yue Prefecture and only feed the people, we can continue to hold on.

"Otherwise, even with Pianye River's grass, it won't be enough."

"..."

"Report—"

"The Nanxu Army has moved forward by twenty-five miles!"

"They also sent someone to declare, saying if we return the Fourteenth Prince, there is room for negotiation, otherwise, when the city falls, none shall be spared."

"..."

Bad news came one after another.

"It seems..."

Fang Qingyun stopped playing the flute, "They are determined to attack Hulaoguan this time; any strategy will be useless, and what follows is our biggest challenge."

"These days, the fighting has been lively!"

Sha Wenlong said, "But when you calculate it, we've only held out for a month, and we have to hold out for two more months, how can we hold on?!"

The army is pressing on.

The earlier method of going out to harass them won't work anymore.

"Since that's the case."

Chen Sansi said, "Let's negotiate then."

"Negotiate?"

Everyone was even more confused.

One moment, they wanted to take the offensive, the next, they called for peace talks; which was real and which was fake?

It's no wonder.

The Enemy Army was always tricked.

Not to mention the Enemy Army, even they themselves were unclear about what they were actually doing.

"This is..."

Sha Wenlong mumbled, "Using the delaying tactics! I understand now, General Chen, you also think we can't hold on, so you are planning to delay, right?"

"Most likely."

Almost everyone thought so.

"It seems the junior has a good plan."

Fang Qingyun alone asked, "But how can the junior be sure that they will agree to negotiate?"

"That's the significance of the previous few moves."

Chen Sansi spoke slowly, "The negotiation table is another battlefield; historically, only those with strength have the right to speak at the negotiation table.

"If it were as before.

"We only have three thousand men inside Hulaoguan; a Sha Wenlong wouldn't qualify to negotiate."

"But now, it's different!"

"In Nan Xu's eyes, we have three Mysterious Phenomenon and an army of over ten thousand!

"So in their minds, they default to the belief that taking the city would require a colossal price, yet due to not wanting to leave empty-handed, they have to bite the bullet and lay siege."

"What if at this time we tell them there's another choice, where they can get plenty of benefits without any cost, then do you think they will continue the siege?"

A Sha Wenlong doesn't qualify for negotiation...

Sha Wenlong's eyelids twitched upon hearing this.

"General Chen speaks sense."

Deng Feng, confused, said, "But after all, they are Qing Country's allies, will they really just give up?"

"Allies?"

Chen Sansi and Fang Qingyun looked at each other and smiled; the latter said, "Mr. Deng, not everyone has a sense of loyalty like you; so-called allies are just two dogs fighting over food. If one is full, would it care about the other's life and death?"

If Nan Xu truly had iron-clad intentions to assist Qing Country, would they have dragged it out until now?

"Inform Nan Xu!"

Chen Sansi said, "As long as they promise not to attack Hulaoguan within two months, after the war is over, we will trade Lanzhou and Mo State with them.

"These two states are the fertile lands of the south, coveted by Nanxu Country for a long time; for them, far more tempting than a mere Lingzhou, and most crucially, they don't have to suffer any losses, and they can also take back Fan Jiuxiao, the Fourteenth Prince."

"They will definitely be tempted!"

"So, after all this time..."

Sha Wenlong said sheepishly, "All these battles were just for the sake of negotiations? It's true we can't hold on. If the negotiations can indeed be successful, it wouldn't be a bad thing, but... isn't it a bit of a loss?"

"Indeed."

Yan Changqing followed, "General Chen, such a big deal, we really aren't in a position to decide."

"You don't need to worry about that."

Chen Sansi said, "After ten days, General Deng, General Sha, the two of you will enter the Nanxu Central Army Camp to negotiate with Nan Xu."

"Go to their Central Army Camp?!"

Sha Wenlong thought he misheard.

That's an army of a hundred thousand!

If they went in and the negotiations didn't succeed, wouldn't they just be lambs to the slaughter?!

"Alright, all of you go out."

Chen Sansi dismissed, "Brother and Wang Zhi stay."

Before long.

The room was left with just three people.

Zhao Kang and others in charge.

Guarding, not allowing outsiders to approach.

Even Xia Cong and others were not allowed.

"This..."

Xia Cong originally wanted to be responsible for guarding the door, couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed.

It seemed, he was not one of General Chen's confidants yet.

...

"Hehe~"