"General, Tuoba Liwei has been exchanging letters with His Majesty. Would it not be improper to attack them without warning?"
Yang Hu voiced his concerns.
Great Wei had a feud with Goguryeo. Guanqiu Jian had once been ordered to destroy their state. As long as they still existed, Great Wei had grounds to keep sending troops against them until they ceased to exist altogether.
But the Tuoba Xianbei had no quarrel with Great Wei.
Their heir was still within Great Wei's borders. How had the troop deployments come to include the Tuoba as well?
Yang Hu and Zhang Te looked at Guanqiu Jian, unsure what to say.
Guanqiu Jian smiled and stroked his beard.
"When did I ever say we were going to attack the Tuoba Tribe?"
At his words, the two exchanged a glance. Yang Hu asked thoughtfully, "Have you already made preparations, General?"
Guanqiu Jian said, "Leave those matters aside for now. First, we march against Goguryeo!"
"Back then, I was ordered to campaign against those bandits and destroy their state. Yet they still exist today, still proclaiming themselves kings beyond the passes and building their own royal city. Is that not a failure of my duty?!"
"Now I am old, with who knows how much time left. If I am laid in the earth one day and the late emperor asks about affairs beyond the passes, what am I to tell him?!"
"Zhang Te! Your army has come a long way. Put your forces in order first."
"In five days, we march from Lelang Commandery."
"When the time comes, I will tell each of you which route to take!"
"Yes, sir!"
The two promptly acknowledged his orders and hurried away.
Only after they had left the command tent did Guanqiu Jian say, "Come out."
A man slipped