"The first major stronghold in southern Bing Province is Anbo Prefecture in the southwest, which we lost not long ago. Grand Commander Xu evacuated the civilians when he withdrew, so Anbo Prefecture became a military stronghold. The rebels have stationed heavy forces there to stop the Imperial Court's army from advancing north into the heart of Bing Province," Sun Chenzong said.
"But it's easy to defend and hard for us to attack. We could simply go around it," Yu Zhinan said.
"If the army goes around it, we'll have to enter hundreds of miles of mountains, putting us at risk of encirclement. Anbo Prefecture would also become a rebel nail driven into Qingzhou. Once Qingzhou's defenses are thin, they could seize the opportunity to counterattack. Besides, even if a detour were possible, the situation would not necessarily unfold as we wished," Sun Chenzong said.
As the opening move of the counteroffensive, Anbo Prefecture had to be taken. Its political significance outweighed its military significance: the Son of Heaven urgently needed a great victory to quell the rumors that his deficient virtue had brought about the war.
"But a direct assault would inevitably drag on without success and cause heavy casualties," Shao Kai said.
"Anbo Prefecture occupies difficult terrain, making provisions troublesome to transport. If we cut its supply route, I doubt the rebels could hold out for more than a few days," Xu Shan said.
"Grand Commander Xu, you mean..."
"As long as we cut their supply route, victory is entirely within our grasp."
"But cutting the supply route would require enough troops to make a detour through the mountains. They would still be discovered and surrounded," Yu Zhinan said.
"With someone familiar with the terrain to guide us, my force could do it," Zhao Feng spoke up.
Everyone turned