Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1203 An existence even more troublesome than Emperor Qing!

Upon receiving the letter, Han Xin and Cao Can immediately began to examine its contents. The letter had been delivered by fast horse from Yong'an City, and the envelope bore a wax seal personally written by Gao Yao, demonstrating its importance. The two exchanged a glance, opened the envelope, spread the letter out on the table, and began to read it carefully.

In the letter, Gao Yao first affirmed the performance of the two generals in this battle, his words filled with praise. After all, to defeat a large enemy force with a small number of newly trained troops against the Qing State army and achieve such a great victory was sufficient proof of Han Xin and Cao Can's military talents, and also proved the effectiveness of Gao Yao's troop training methods. The letter stated: "The two generals were entrusted with a critical mission, and their command was skillful. The soldiers fought bravely, and with fewer troops, they defeated a large army of 150,000, boosting our military prestige and morale. This achievement greatly pleases me."

However, after the praise came a long and earnest lecture. Gao Yao's tone shifted, becoming serious. He pointed out that although the battle was won, the commotion was far too great. The letter stated: "However, have the two generals considered where the victory lay? It lay in the element of surprise, and in the superiority of firearms. The roar of cannons, shaking the heavens and earth, could certainly destroy cities and fortresses, and intimidate the enemy, but it also exposed our army's true strength to the world."

Gao Yao's meaning was clear: he had originally intended to use artillery as a secret weapon, reserved for a crucial moment to achieve a decisive victory, or at least in a more advantageous time and on a more critical battlefield. But now, Han Xin and Cao Can were showing no restraint, using it directly in this first major battle. To deploy artillery so openly within Qing Kingdom's territory, some distance from the border, seemed, in Gao Yao's view, somewhat like making a mountain out of a molehill.

The letter also mentioned that Gao Yao's original plan was to remain hidden for a while longer, at least until the actual confrontation with the Qing Kingdom's border army, before giving the enemy a "surprise." But now, with the roar of artillery echoing across the fields, that "surprise" is gone.

Emperor Qing was no fool, nor was his intelligence network idle. Such a large-scale use of firearms would inevitably attract their serious attention.

Next, they will no longer face ignorant opponents who think like they do in the era of cold weapons, but enemies who will try every means to target and counter firearms.

Han Xin frowned slightly upon reading this. Of humble origins, though possessing great strategic acumen, this was his first time commanding a battle of such scale, and with such new weapons. He was inevitably eager for quick success and a chance to make a name for himself. Cao Can, on the other hand, appeared more composed. He sighed softly, seemingly having anticipated Gao Yao's "lecture." He knew Gao Yao's character well; seemingly easygoing in daily life, he always planned carefully before acting on important matters. This time, the two of them had indeed been somewhat reckless.

Continuing on, Gao Yao's tone softened, and he began to analyze the current situation. The letter stated that the current circumstances made further attacks unsuitable. While decisively defeating a full 150,000-strong state army was undoubtedly a remarkable achievement, it was crucial to understand the nature of the opponent.

These state troops, in the end, were nothing more than internal stability maintenance forces of the Qing Kingdom, responsible for maintaining order in their respective areas and suppressing sporadic rebellions. Their combat effectiveness, equipment, and morale were incomparable to the border troops who were stationed on the border year-round and ready to fight against foreign enemies at any time.

In his letter, Gao Yao clearly pointed out: "The defeat of the state army was due to being caught off guard, underestimating the enemy and advancing recklessly, and even more so to the superiority of our firearms. However, the border army is different. The border army is always on high alert, accustomed to life and death, well-trained, and has many veterans. Its generals are also seasoned veterans, incomparable to the incompetent soldiers of the state army. This great victory is certainly gratifying, but it will also thoroughly awaken Emperor Qing, this fierce tiger. Given Emperor Qing's temperament, he will absolutely not tolerate such provocation. The annihilation of 150,000 state troops, while crippling for the Qing Kingdom, is not fatal. The truly fatal threat lies in the weapons that our army has demonstrated, weapons capable of overturning the rules of war."

The letter's analysis builds upon the initial points: Emperor Qing must already be mobilizing the true elite border troops, rushing to the frontier. That will be the real battle, a head-on clash, a touchstone for testing the effectiveness of firearms units. The state army's fighting strength is inferior to the border army—that's an undeniable fact.

The reason is simple: their duties differ, their training intensity differs, and the number of veterans they have varies drastically. One is responsible for maintaining internal stability, potentially facing unarmed civilians or small groups of bandits; the other is responsible for external defense, where large-scale battles could break out at any time, facing equally well-trained enemy troops. Such an opponent would never be thrown into disarray by the first volley of artillery fire, as the state army did.

Therefore, Gao Yao directly ordered: From now on, the entire army should focus on defense, relying on the city's fortifications to consolidate the existing gains, rest and reorganize the soldiers, take stock of the spoils, and practice formations. No major actions are allowed.

The letter's command was resolute: "Both generals must know that after this battle, our army has become the target of everyone's attacks. The most urgent task is not to press our advantage, but to hold our ground. If we can hold this position, we can advance and conquer Qingguo; if we cannot, all will be lost. Remember this well!"

Upon reading this, both Han Xin and Cao Can fell into deep thought. They understood that Gao Yao's decision was correct. Although they had won this battle, they had also exposed all their secrets to the light of day. The days to come would likely not be so easy.

The letter didn't end there. After outlining the specific instructions for the front lines, Gao Yao shifted his focus again, beginning to elaborate on deeper strategic considerations. This was the fundamental reason why he was so cautious, even going so far as to "educate" his two capable lieutenants.

In his letter, Gao Yao wrote that his current goal was no longer just the Qing Kingdom and Emperor Qing.

The mere Qing Kingdom and its emperor were no longer opponents he needed to contend with after he officially entered the Grandmaster realm. A Grandmaster is the pinnacle of martial arts in this world; one person can rival an army of ten thousand.

With his current strength, dealing with Emperor Qing is merely a matter of what method to use and how much time it will take. But in this world, there is one thing, or rather, one place, that even he must now be wary of and cautious about.

That was—the temple.

This name was unfamiliar, even mysterious, to Han Xin and Cao Can. They only knew it as a legendary, ethereal existence, the sacred site of martial arts origin, a legend that ordinary people could never reach in their lifetime. But Gao Yao, in his letter, with extremely calm and even somewhat solemn strokes, unveiled a corner of the temple's mysterious veil for them.