Just as he had told Luo Yi, Wang Yan was indeed making preparations step by step.
He ordered the entire army to prepare for battle drills and practice military formations. At the same time, he submitted a memorial to the Privy Council requesting military supplies and command over the Shandong Navy.
Naturally, every request in his memorial was approved. So long as he fought properly, no one at court would hold him back for the time being. As for the local powers, that was another matter.
At the same time, he spent over a month touring the defensive line against Goguryeo, encouraging the officers and soldiers and speaking with the commanders and officers of every unit.
In war, one had to know both oneself and the enemy—and knowing oneself came first.
This was different from fighting on the grasslands. Back then, most of the men under his command were his own people, and they were all cavalry, capable of rapid mobile warfare. Now he had a new army, fighting amid the complex terrain of mountains, plains, and hills. The impact was considerable. Although the officers and soldiers all admired him greatly, they still lacked mutual understanding, especially when it came to grasping the abilities and temperaments of the various commanders and officers.
That, too, could have a major impact in battle.
Combat in complex terrain differed from combat on the open grasslands. Overall, it would be a positional war of steady advances, continuously uprooting the Goguryeo positions occupying favorable terrain, fighting all the way to Goguryeo's royal city.
Wang Yan made no attempt to conceal his movements. He was openly and loudly making preparations, ensuring Goguryeo's scouts saw everything clearly and understood that his side was reorganizing its forces, with vast quantities of money, grain, and supplies being transported here