Hu Xiaotian nodded. "I have the same feeling. Li Tianheng will never simply sit and wait for death."
Zhuge Guanqi smiled. "So, my lord, you need only strengthen Redwood River's defenses, reinforce your alliance with Heavenly Wolf Mountain, and completely seal off the southern route out of Western Sichuan. That will force Li Tianheng to act ahead of schedule. With Redwood River already prepared, it will be far from easy to capture, so he will settle for the next-best option and choose the northeastern exit. If he can open the northwestern exit and occupy Yunyang, he can not only clear Western Sichuan's northeastern route, but also push east to divide control of the Springview River with us, thereby securing a waterway. Only then can Western Sichuan break the blockade and come back to life. But with his current strength, even capturing Yunyang would exact a devastating price, so he must seek outside help."
Hu Xiaotian said, "That outside help would be Xingzhou."
Zhuge Guanqi said, "Guo Guangbi has been having a difficult time lately. He may have many men, but the good and the bad are mixed together. Those rebel troops naturally cannot compare with well-trained soldiers. His own limited vision has also led him to neglect internal affairs, and his lax discipline means his men do nothing but burn, kill, and plunder. Such conduct is no different from banditry. It has left everyone around Xingzhou living in fear and turned the people against him. Things have even reached the point where there isn't an inhabited home within a hundred li of Xingzhou. Neglecting internal affairs inevitably leaves him struggling to make ends meet. Guo Guangbi has little grain left now. He has been going out on frequent raids lately, and has suffered several defeats as well."
Hu Xiaotian said,