Plan

"."

Lou Ji did not answer Xu Yuan's question.

The moment he asked that question, Xu Yuan already had the answer in his heart.

My thoughts are racing.

Seven hundred thousand elite troops of the Great Yan.

This is not the 700,000-strong army that was touted during ancient battles in my previous life.

Each person is assigned a specific role, and every single one of them is a true elite soldier.

Beifeng City is the gateway to the Three Northern Prefectures and the only supply route for continuing northward.

If they were to lose, the massive army of 700,000 would be trapped in the Snow Plain Northern Border without any supplies.

Given such a natural disaster and blizzard, if the Barbarian Tribe could bypass it by traversing the mountains, could it be that the Great Yan's 700,000-strong army could also move through in an organized manner?

Their physical structures are all different.

If we were to do that, and were caught by the Barbarian Tribe, and encounter them in the snowy mountains and cliffs, it would be a massive defeat.

In silence,

Lou Ji took out several files from the Sumeru Ring:

"Changtian, this is a general overview of the Northern Border. My sister gave Wu Yuan a copy earlier as well; please take a close look."

Xu Yuan himself to calm down, reached out and took it, then silently examined it closely.

Even if you're not sure what you can do, it's always good to know more.

As the room was explored, the atmosphere gradually became more oppressive.

but,

The oppressive atmosphere wasn't limited to just this one room, because the dark cloud of impending city-breaking had already enveloped the entire Beifeng Capital.

After reading it in silence, Xu Yuan raised his eyes:

"In this Beifeng City now, are you the most powerful figure in our Prime Minister's Estate?"

"It was me before, but not anymore." Lou Ji shook her head.

"Who is it now?" Xu Yuan asked.

"."

Lou Ji didn't speak, her eyes fixed on him.

A moment of silence,

Xu Yuan smacked his lips and pointed to himself:

"Am I the top leader now?"

"Of course," Lou Ji replied affirmatively. "Your father has already instructed that once you arrive in the Northern Border, you will be in charge of making the decisions regarding matters here."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan hesitated slightly and asked:

"Now that the supply lines have been cut off, does Father know?"

"Of course I know," Lou Ji replied.

"What did he say?" Xu Yuan asked quickly, sensing that the father must have a backup plan.

Lou Ji paused for a moment, then sighed:

He said, "Look at your own decision, Changtian. You should learn to stand on your own two feet."

After a pause, Lou Ji continued slowly and deliberately:

"Whether you stay in Beifeng, let me take you to escape to the south, or head north to join Zong Qingsheng, it's all up to you to decide."

"."

Xu Yuan's mind went blank for a moment.

Although war has not yet broken out, the situation is already on the verge of collapse because of the Barbarian King's reckless actions.

The army within Beifeng City numbered just over 100,000, of which only the 10,000 Black Scale Army under Yuan Hao and the 20,000 Yulin Army who had returned to the city to rest and await reinforcements could be considered elite.

The troops left behind by other sects were all second-line troops with cultivation levels of seventh, eighth, or ninth grade.

Could the city be defended with its gates wide open?

Or rather,

How long can they hold out?

Lou Ji had just given him an estimate of the Barbarian Tribe's current troop strength.

After suffering losses in several battles, the Barbarian King's various tribes still had between 400,000 and 600,000 soldiers available for battle.

Should we let him take over this mess now?

To test him, using this kind of test?

What if I mess it up?

"."

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan didn't refuse or waste time talking about what would happen if he failed. He got up and walked to the window, looking at the vast expanse of white outside.

Lou Ji's room was located in a pavilion in the east of the city, overlooking the ancient city, which was mostly covered by snow.

The troop movements did not diminish the serene beauty of this ancient city in the snow.

After gazing at her for a long time, Xu Yuan suddenly turned to look at Lou Ji:

"Now that I'm in charge, will you listen to me?"

Seeing the calm expression on Xu Yuan's face, Lou Ji crossed her legs, pursed her red lips, and smiled slightly:

"Changtian, if you want your sister to lie down, she absolutely will not lie on her stomach."

"."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan chuckled softly but did not reply.

What kind of time is this to be making lewd jokes?

However, it seems the Black Scale Guard will listen to him.

Having roughly outlined his plan, Xu Yuan tapped the eaves of the wooden window with his fingertips, gazing at the towering city walls that seemed like mountains.

"Sister, when I was a child, Xu Changge took me here to play. He told me that once Beifeng City is breached, the plains behind it will be indefensible."

Lou Ji got up and walked to his side:

"That's true."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly, turned around and asked:

"So, do you think Li Qingyan will defend Beifeng City to the death?"

Lou Ji's emerald green eyes showed a hint of surprise, and she asked in a strange tone:

"Changtian, why do you ask that? The importance of Beifeng City is self-evident. If it falls, then Marquis of Martial Achievement and Zong Qingsheng on the Northern Border Snow Plain will truly be isolated and helpless."

Xu Yuan paused for a moment, then nodded and smiled:

"That's true."

Seeing this, Lou Ji narrowed her eyes and asked:

"Changtian, have you decided what to do?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"We have a general outline, but we still need to confirm a lot of things."

Lou Ji's beautiful eyes sparkled, she giggled, and shook herself:

"So, Changtian, what do you want me to do?"

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment:

"Don't rush, have Yuan Hao come here first."

Lou Ji pondered for a moment, then whispered:

"He should be summoned by your future wife to attend a meeting of the city's senior officers by now."

"Well, then let him come find me after his meeting."

Having said that, Xu Yuan fell silent, gazing at the towering city wall.

One of the few memories I had of that Barbarian Tribe Alien King inexplicably surfaced in my mind.

"Though the world is vast, there is not a single place to sustain my Holy Clan. What wrong has it done for me to fight for a place for my people to make a living? Even if I die, a thousand years from now, another Holy King will still conquer Beifeng City!"

This is the last message spoken by the Barbarian Tribe Alien King in Cangyuan before his defeat and suicide, during the protagonist group's verbal torture.

Thinking about it, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes.

He suddenly became curious about that Barbarian Tribe Alien King.

When data becomes reality

People who gamble their nation's fate on a single war

That's a madman.

Half an hour later,

The room was quiet, with wisps of sandalwood incense burning in the incense burner.

Xu Yuan sat behind the desk, reviewing the intelligence Lou Ji had given him. Lou Ji stood beside him, while Yuan Hao knelt before the desk.

After a while,

Xu Yuan put down the file in his hand and spoke softly:

"Li Qingyan at the meeting that Beifeng City can still hold out for more than a month without external support, but Commander Yuan, do you think it can only hold out for seven days at most?"

Yuan Hao clasped his fists, nodded, and said in a deep voice:

"Third Young Master, everything I said is true. The South City Gate cannot be closed; we can only fill the gap with lives. With the current army in the city, it will take at most seven days. However, if the sects in the city can unite and not be afraid of casualties, this date can probably be postponed by two to three days."