Chapter 187: Sickbed Deduction

"You want to be General Ke's advisor?" He Lingchuan found the man interesting. "Where do you get such confidence? Have you ever been to the front lines? How much do you know about leading troops and fighting battles?"

Sun Hongye smiled. "I was originally a resident of the northern frontier. Before I was twelve, war and migration were the central focus of life for the locals. Later, I served as a companion reader at Lord He's residence, and I quickly read every book in his library. I also spent four years at the Imperial Academy in the capital."

"Only four years?" Sitting idly, He Lingchuan picked up a strawberry and ate it. "I've heard that renowned scholars dedicate their entire lives to their studies, until their hair turns white. They certainly don't just study hard for four years." He wasn't trying to be critical, but simply reading for four years wasn't enough to qualify as a military advisor.

Strawberries were out of season, and He Lingchuan wondered how the locals grew them; he guessed it was with the aid of greenhouses. Though the fruit was appealingly red and juicy, it lacked the unique aroma of strawberries grown in season.

"To truly excel in scholarship, one also needs good books," Sun Hongye said, shaking his head with a hint of regret. "Although the Imperial Academy in the capital is vast, its collection is riddled with errors and hasn't been maintained or updated in ages. There are few readable books. When I searched for books there, some were missing pages, others were soiled, and some simply disintegrated into dust the moment I opened them, leaving me with a mouth full of powder!"

This young man spoke boldly, even disparaging the Imperial Academy. However, He Lingchuan thought of the current state of Great Yan and conceded, "What you said makes perfect sense; you're right."

He Lingchuan switched to a date.

Seeing He Lingchuan eat with such enjoyment, Sun Hongye subconsciously swallowed, then reached out and picked up a red date himself.

He hadn't eaten fruit in a long time.

Once he started, he couldn't stop.

He Lingchuan then asked, "So, have you managed to persuade General Ke?"

Sun Hongye hesitated again. "General Ke was somewhat skeptical and tested me with the situation on the Wuzhou battlefield. My proposed strategy, however, differed from his own views, and he didn't approve of it. So I wrote down my insights on the Wuzhou campaign and presented them to him."

"Oh?" He Lingchuan was greatly interested. "Could you tell me about it?"

The new Governor of Xiazhou had been highly prominent in the capital and at court in recent months, a fact Sun Hongye had noted. However, the eldest son of the He family was not well-known, so Sun Hongye was unsure what kind of person he was.

However, judging from the impromptu counterattack during last night's ambush at Luming Garden, Young Master He was clearly both courageous and resourceful, capable of adapting quickly. It was unsurprising that such a person would be combative, capable, and even enjoy warfare. Therefore, Sun Hongye didn't hesitate for long before saying:

"Certainly. General Ke didn't adopt it anyway, so there's no need for me to keep it secret."

He immediately dipped his finger in water and sketched the mountain and river terrain on the tabletop.

"Due to the narrow terrain in southern Wuzhou, the imperial army could only advance into Wuzhou along two routes: west and east. The eastern route aside, the western army, led by Generals Wu Di and Ke Jihai, initially advanced smoothly, taking three small cities. However, upon encountering Gucheng, their progress completely stalled and remains so to this day."

He drew a circle in the center of his sketch:

"This is Gucheng, a city true to its name, meaning 'Fortified City.' Dong Haoming had long harbored rebellious intentions and had quietly reinforced important strongholds within his fiefdom for years. Gucheng, with its high walls and deep moats, is the first major obstacle the imperial army encountered when advancing into Wuzhou."

He Lingchuan pointed at the circle east of Gucheng. "What is this?"

"This is Luyun Lake." Sun Hongye had thoroughly prepared for his proposals to Ke Jihai. "Its upstream is the Qingbai River, which flows north of Gucheng. This river is one of the main tributaries of the Hongchuan, and its waters are abundant."

"This lake seems very close to Gucheng, which makes it difficult to cut off their water supply."

In recent nights, beyond his martial arts practice in dream-Panlong City, He Lingchuan had also attended lectures at the Hall of Asking Immortals. The city's officials periodically invited esteemed masters to give public classes there, covering a wide array of subjects.

One of those lectures happened to be an analysis of military strategy, which He Lingchuan listened to without missing a word. It covered basic siege warfare tactics, with cutting off the water supply being just one of them. His original self had little knowledge in this area, so he had to learn from scratch.

"Yes, the basin where Gucheng and Luyun Lake are situated has no shortage of water. Even if General Ke could sever the route between the city and the lake, I hear Gucheng has numerous springs and wells within its walls, sufficient to supply water for both people and horses. Its city walls are built on bedrock," Sun Hongye continued, pointing to Gucheng's location, "so they won't collapse from being submerged by the lake or heavy rains. Therefore, tactics like diverting water to flood the city or besieging it to cut off the water supply are ineffective."

"The two generals have been attacking Gucheng for over thirty days. If it remains untaken, morale will suffer, and with increasing logistical pressure, the situation will become increasingly unfavorable."

He Lingchuan nodded. "This should be within Dong Haoming's expectations. Having been in the royal court for a long time, he must be intimately familiar with the imperial army's characteristics and weaknesses."

"Honestly, the imperial army's combat power is inferior to that of Wuzhou's forces, and fighting on enemy territory further compounds our disadvantage," Sun Hongye stated solemnly. "Dong Haoming isn't reinforcing Gucheng; instead, he's concentrating on sending troops to the eastern front, presumably very confident that Gucheng can tie down Generals Wu and Ke. It's precisely for this reason that the eastern front is also facing a particularly difficult struggle."

"Once the imperial army's attack fails and they are forced to withdraw and seek other solutions, Dong Haoming might initiate a counterattack. General Ke explicitly highlighted this potential hidden danger at yesterday's night banquet."

He Lingchuan understood. "So, what strategy did you propose?"

"Abandon Gucheng, that tough nut to crack, and instead attack Baoguan to the west!" Sun Hongye dipped his finger in water and lightly tapped the area west of Gucheng. "Baoguan is approximately forty li northwest of Gucheng, situated directly on the Qingbai River, further upstream than Gucheng."

"What's advantageous about that location?"

"The garrison Dong Haoming stationed at Baoguan primarily defends the Qing Embankment," Sun Hongye explained. "Before the Qing Embankment was built, the Qingbai River frequently breached its banks near Baoguan, flooding fertile fields. Thirty years ago, the local magistrate constructed the Qing Embankment, successfully holding back the water. Since then, the Qingbai River has largely ceased to affect this area and instead impacts Luyun Lake downstream."

"Baoguan's terrain doesn't seem particularly special either. Unlike Gucheng, which is well-connected and whose capture could sever vital land and water routes," He Lingchuan said, crossing his arms. "What would be the purpose of taking it?"

"If Gucheng withstands the imperial army's winter offensive, the Qingbai River's water level will surge in spring, and there's a ninety percent chance it will flood into Luyun Lake, causing widespread inundation. At that time, the lake surface will expand rapidly, transforming the entire basin into a marshland, making it virtually impassable."

"The imperial army's optimal route is to pass through the basin and head north. This offers the shortest and easiest path to Hechong, Wuzhou's capital, and facilitates a later rendezvous with the eastern front army for a joint assault on Hechong."

He Lingchuan looked at the table. "Since this route is optimal, why doesn't General Ke take advantage of the frozen winter lake to advance northward?"

"It's still because of Gucheng," Sun Hongye sighed. "Even if the imperial army could cross the frozen lake and head north, they likely wouldn't be confident in taking Hechong within two months. When the spring floods arrive, the Qingbai River would inundate the basin, directly severing the imperial army's supply lines. An isolated army advancing deep without logistical support is a major military taboo. At that point, Gucheng could calmly dispatch troops, with a high chance of victory."

"So Generals Wu and Ke are aggressively attacking Gucheng precisely to secure the entire basin, allowing them to advance northward unimpeded?"

"Precisely, Young Master, you've hit the nail on the head! For the two generals, Gucheng is a persistent thorn in their side; if it's not removed, it will lead to endless future troubles." Sun Hongye pointed to Baoguan. "But I advocate for capturing Baoguan and then demolishing the Qing Embankment!"

He Lingchuan paused, examined the sketch closely, and then clapped his hands. "Brilliant!"

Finally, someone acknowledged his idea. Sun Hongye breathed a sigh of relief. "You are insightful, Young Master."

"Demolishing the Qing Embankment would effectively preemptively divert floodwaters for Luyun Lake. After all, before the embankment was constructed, Luyun Lake downstream rarely expanded, which indicates that the original natural flood control was effective." He Lingchuan continued, following the logic. "After demolishing the Qing Embankment, as long as the lake's expansion during the spring floods is limited and doesn't inundate the entire basin, people, vehicles, and horses will all be able to pass through."

Sun Hongye's tone became urgent: "Both the army and logistics can proceed northward as planned, significantly reducing the necessity of taking Gucheng. At that point, it would be up to the two generals to adapt to the situation. This strategy would also preserve our forces and minimize casualties."

"I think this plan is excellent. Why did General Ke dislike it?" At the Luming Garden banquet, He Lingchuan had indeed seen Ke Jihai shake his head, clearly displeased with the proposal.

"Baoguan isn't easy to capture either. To its west and south are Wuzhou's cities, and to its east is Gucheng. If we can't take it quickly, we'll be encircled by the Wuzhou army. Furthermore," Sun Hongye whispered, "there was a specific reason our predecessors built the Qing Embankment. If the Qingbai River were to breach here, it would flood countless fields and homes, displacing at least a hundred thousand civilians in the affected townships and counties. It is said that before the Wuzhou campaign, the King explicitly reminded the imperial army that Wuzhou's civilians are also subjects of the Yan Kingdom and are not to be wantonly harmed or plundered. If the two generals were to deliberately destroy the embankment, it would be a knowing transgression and a direct violation of the King's command. Given His Majesty's temperament, even if the Wuzhou campaign resulted in a great victory, they would still face punishment upon their return."

He asked He Lingchuan, "If you, Young Master, were in General Ke's position, what would you choose?"

On one hand, there was victory; on the other, the common people. He Lingchuan thought for a moment. "Is there no other way to achieve victory without attacking both Gucheng and Baoguan?"

"If neither is attacked, the imperial army would have to bypass the great mountains to the northwest, which is twice the distance of an eastward advance. Moreover, the route is full of rugged mountains and wilderness, making it very difficult to traverse," Sun Hongye said, frowning. "The sole objective of war is to win! How can one succeed in the long run by tying one's own hands?"

He Lingchuan shrugged. "I'll go back and consider it carefully. For now, I wish you success, Brother Sun."

Sun Hongye gave a bitter smile.

"What, you don't have confidence?"

"I'm afraid it's hopeless. I saw General Ke hand the book to an officer, but that officer died in last night's ghost ape attack, and his body, along with the carriage, was thrown down the mountain. I don't think General Ke will specifically retrieve the book." Sun Hongye gave a bitter laugh. "I'm an insignificant person, and he didn't pay much attention to me to begin with."

"By the way, why did you just say that staying in Shihuan would only mean a muddled wait for death?" He Lingchuan still remembered that statement. "I've witnessed so much hunger and displacement along my journey. Those who can live in the capital and Shihuan City are already the most fortunate citizens of Great Yan."