Central Army Camp.
"An urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch of battle reports from Anding Prefecture."
Xiang Tingchun tossed down the letter. "Who would have thought that after years of open and covert strife among the four grassland tribes, they would form an alliance overnight?
"That alone would be one thing, but instead of attacking Liangzhou, they have specifically mobilized fifty thousand troops against Yunzhou. The letter says they have already set up camp beyond the Great Wall and may begin their assault at any moment. The Yunzhou Commanderies has ordered us to reinforce the border defenses, hold our ground, and report upward immediately if anything happens.
"What are your thoughts?"
All the Hundred Household Commanders stood inside the tent.
A Hundred Household Commander surnamed Qian spoke up. "Could today's cavalry raid be connected to this?"
"It's possible."
Feng Yong took over. "That cavalry unit did not seem to be here to plunder. It was more like they were probing the true state of the Great Wall's defenses."
"Oh?"
Xiang Tingchun turned serious. "You mean the Xihe Tribe is preparing to take the initiative and attack Poyang?"
"This subordinate dares not speak recklessly."
Feng Yong said, "With the Xihe Tribe's forces, they should not have such courage. But we cannot rule out the possibility that they have secretly reinforced their troops."
The difficulty of attacking a city and defending one were entirely different concepts.
To attack a city, one often needed to surround it with several times the defending force.
"That possibility is unlikely."
Luo Dongquan said gravely, "The Northwest Three Prefectures and Anding Prefecture are all perilous passes. It would take an army of at least three hundred thousand to even qualify for a contest. Even if the four barbarian tribes joined forces, their troops and supplies would still be limited. Where