stonecrandall Chapter 1049 Yu Shu's Confidence: Her Prepared Backup Plan!
Chapter 1049 Yu Shu's Confidence: Her Prepared Backup Plan!
Therefore, the core of his entire strategy was "luring." He used the Qiang people's attack as a pretext and catalyst, meticulously weaving a massive trap to lure the Chu army into believing they had an opportunity to strike, and then... annihilating them in one fell swoop!
Upon hearing Gao Yao's last and most crucial request, Xiao He's brows furrowed tightly, and a look of extreme difficulty appeared on his face. He bowed deeply, his tone heavy:
"Your Majesty, this last request of yours... is truly putting me in a difficult position. This matter is very complicated..."
He wasn't unaware of Gao Yao's strategic intentions, but executing them would be an impossible task. The Chu army commander was no mediocre talent; he would only decide to risk a surprise attack after confirming that the main force of the southern army was firmly tied down by the Qiang, that the rear was extremely vulnerable, and that the defenses of Xianyang had indeed suffered a major breach. Any flaw in any of these steps would alert the enemy.
Achieving such a "perfect" deception is extremely difficult. At least when facing the Qiang people, how to fight this battle becomes an extremely delicate art. How to win, how to lose, to what extent to win, and to what extent to lose are all crucial questions, each affecting the whole situation.
After all, given the true strength of the Southern Border Army, defeating or even annihilating the invading Qiang tribe head-on would not be difficult, in fact, quite simple. At this time, the Qiang tribe had virtually no industrial capacity, their smelting technology was pitifully backward, and they mostly used inferior weapons made of crude iron, even possessing a large number of bone and stone arrowheads. Compared to the Southern Border Army, which was equipped with excellent steel armor, standard powerful bows and crossbows, and a rudimentary logistics system, the equipment gap was enormous, not to mention their organization and tactical skills.
But the question is—what happens after you defeat the Qiang people?
If the Southern Border Army displays overwhelming combat power and quickly resolves the Qiang border threat, would the Chu army still fall for it? They're not fools! Seeing the Qiang so easily defeated, why would they jump into this obviously powerful trap? Wouldn't that be suicide?
The Chu army was primarily composed of cavalry, and its strategic objective was rapid maneuverability to launch a surprise attack on Xianyang. They would never easily deploy their main force without a foolproof, opportune moment that would allow them to lower their guard.
This "opportunity" needs to appear as if the Southern Army, while having barely defeated the Qiang, has also paid a heavy price, suffering losses in manpower and low morale. Furthermore, the victory has led to arrogance and complacency, causing them to relax their defenses in the rear. All of this requires an extremely sophisticated "performance" and tactical arrangement.
Seeing Xiao He's worried expression, Gao Yao was not angry. Instead, he chuckled and pointed at him with his finger:
"You are foolish! I gave you the task, but couldn't you have consulted with others? I spend so much money supporting such a large family, not a bunch of good-for-nothings who only know how to eat! Zhang Liang is good at planning, Li Zhao is knowledgeable in military affairs, and Wu She is skilled in diplomacy... If we call them together and brainstorm, can't we come up with a sound solution?"
Guided by Gao Yao's words, Xiao He suddenly felt enlightened, his face showing a mixture of realization and shame. Indeed, such a complex strategic deception could not have been accomplished by him alone. He immediately bowed and accepted the order: "Your Majesty, I understand! It was my foolishness. I will immediately summon Zhang Liang, Li Zhao, and Wu She to discuss and devise a foolproof plan for Your Majesty!"
Meanwhile, deep within the royal palace, in Princess Yushu's chambers, a war without gunpowder was reaching its climax.
The warm pavilion was filled with the fragrance of incense, yet the atmosphere was as cold as frost. Yu Shu and Lü Zhi sat facing each other, the previous gentle words and exchanges of benefits seemingly vanished like smoke. Although the conditions Yu Shu offered—whether it was to find a way to gain Gao Zhe's support or to find a way to promote Batu to the throne—sounded tempting, Lü Zhi ultimately rejected them after careful consideration.
Trusting Gao Zhe? That cunning and ambiguous second young master is too risky. Pushing Batu to the throne? It's extremely difficult to execute and could easily backfire; failure would be catastrophic. In Lü Zhi's view, either choice would be a losing proposition, far less prudent than maintaining the status quo and observing the situation.
"I appreciate your kindness, sister." Lü Zhi put down her teacup, her voice returning to its usual aloofness and indifference, "However, this matter is of great importance, affecting everything from the smallest detail, so please forgive me for not being able to agree."
Yu Shu's smile gradually faded, turning into a soft sigh: "Alas, sister, why did you do this? A broad road is right in front of you, yet you insist on choosing a narrow bridge."
As she finished speaking, she gently raised her hand. The next moment, the palace door was silently pushed open, and more than twenty women dressed as maids quietly entered from both sides. They were meek and obedient, their steps light and nimble, yet their movements carried a subtle sense of well-trained coordination, instantly controlling the entrance and exit of the warm pavilion.
This scene caused Lü Zhi's expression to change drastically! Having held power in the harem for so long, she was intimately familiar with the number and distribution of the palace maids, if not knowing them by heart. Yet, she didn't recognize a single one of these twenty-odd maids! When had they entered the palace? And how had they been assigned to Yu Shu's side?
"What do you want to do?" Lü Zhi suddenly stood up, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible shock and anger. "Are you planning to make a move in the palace?"
She had indeed miscalculated. Her first miscalculation was underestimating Yu Shu's resolve and audacity; she hadn't expected this seemingly gentle and submissive foreign princess to actually dare to use force against her within the palace. The second, and more crucial, point was Yu Shu's choice of personnel—she used only women!
The palace was heavily guarded; any strange man who infiltrated would be questioned or even killed. However, Yu Shu bypassed this conventional thinking. Using her status and authority as a princess, she arranged for a group of carefully selected, perhaps specially trained, women to infiltrate the palace as maids. This cleverly circumvented the imperial guards' strict screening of men and also took advantage of the general underestimation of the threat posed by women, catching Empress Lü Zhi completely off guard.
Faced with Lü Zhi's questioning, Yu Shu slowly stood up. Her face still held that gentle smile, but her eyes had become cold and resolute.
"Don't worry, sister. Yu Shu wouldn't stoop to such a heinous act as murdering the queen." Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable force. "However, since you're unwilling to help, there are some things I'll have to do for you. Until things are settled, please stay in this palace and 'rest quietly' for now."