Liu Xie suppressed the excitement in his heart, drew a deep breath, and said solemnly, "After taking the four commanderies, all four armies will converge in Hejian Commandery!"
"Furthermore, Fengxiao, draft an edict for me. Order Ma Chao and Han Sui to attack Bing Province with all their strength. They must pin down Guo Yuan and the troops of Bing Province and prevent him from returning to reinforce Ji Province!"
"If they let Guo Yuan return, I will hold them accountable!"
Yuan Shao still had thirty thousand troops in Bing Province, something Liu Xie had always feared. Since he intended to take Ji Province, he had to pin Guo Yuan's troops firmly in Bing Province.
If Guo Yuan led his troops back as reinforcements, the situation in Ji Province, which had only just stabilized, would fall into chaos again. An army of thirty thousand was an enormous threat.
Guo Jia cupped his hands and accepted the command.
Having made this final arrangement, Liu Xie rose from the dragon throne, swept the sleeve of his dragon robe, and declared from above, "This battle shall settle Hebei in a single stroke!"
"Long live Great Han! Long live our emperor!"
The ministers all bowed to the ground, their thunderous acclamations ringing out of Tai'an Hall and soaring into the clouds.
Everyone knew that if this battle went well, it would settle far more than Hebei alone. Yan Province, Yu Province... the entire north would be pacified.
With the north pacified, His Majesty would possess the founding base Emperor Guangwu had once held.
Then, advancing south along the Yangtze River, the recovery of the lands north of the river, Jiangdong, and Jing Province would be within reach.
This was a battle to settle heaven and earth!
Liu Xie's edict stripping Yuan Shao of