Chapter 457: 464: Unscrupulous Means

“General, why are you so despondent? Victory and defeat are common in military affairs. Although the death and injury of our brothers is regrettable, blades and spears are blind on the battlefield. Once one joins the military camp, one must be prepared to risk their life for the Imperial Court! This defeat isn’t entirely your fault. Han Yu is a god in the use of troops, unpredictable and hard to defend against. Even if another general had been in charge, the outcome might not have been any better than what you achieved. You really don’t need to blame yourself to the point of despair. Instead, you should summarize the experience and muster your spirit to think of ways to deal with the rebels!”

Zhang Meng’s words were profoundly reflective. He felt this was his moment to stand out in front of the General. Before, there was little difference in the General’s treatment of him compared to the other Vice Generals. Because he had previously suggested different tactics before deploying troops, he felt that the General had come to rely on him much more than before. Otherwise, the General wouldn’t have kept only him at his side now, and even confided his thoughts to him.

Upon hearing Zhang Meng’s words, Zhao Fan’s eyes lit up. Indeed, keeping Zhang Meng around had been the right decision. Zhang Meng’s words were exactly what he had been thinking. Although their forces had suffered heavy losses, it wasn’t a complete annihilation. He still commanded an army of over ten thousand men, which outnumbered Liu Xiu’s forces. The quality and strength of his soldiers were certainly not inferior to the motley crew under Liu Xiu. The only disadvantage was Han Yu. He didn’t have someone as exceptionally talented by his side, and only Zhang Meng could make do.

“It’s Zhang Meng who understands my intentions best. Although our losses are heavy, our military strength still surpasses Liu Xiu’s. Although Liu Xiu won with Han Yu’s stratagems, he must have also suffered great losses. After all, most of his forces are not formal troops of the Imperial Court, but a bunch of ragtag mercenaries hastily assembled. No matter how much they’ve trained, they can’t compare to our formally organized troops. Our disadvantage lies in Han Yu’s cunning plans.”

Zhao Fan, in fact, still harbored a sense of superiority. There’s always been a certain gap between the army organized by the Imperial Court and local forces. He attributed most of the blame for the defeat to Han Yu. To admit defeat and genuinely accept it was not easy, and Zhao Fan was only willing to acknowledge Han Yu, overlooking even Liu Xiu. However, along with this acknowledgment came a deep sense of wariness toward Han Yu.

Zhang Meng understood Zhao Fan’s psychology very well but didn’t entirely agree with it. Victory or defeat in a battlefield couldn’t just be attributed to clever strategies. However, it wasn’t the right time to be too explicit—crushing Zhao Fan’s morale would do no good. They all, from the General down to the soldiers, needed encouragement and courage at this time. If the General believed so, it was better to let him think that way. After all, with himself there to advise, he would ensure the General wouldn’t make any crucial mistakes as a result.

“Zhang Meng, my younger brother, I see you’re not sighing and lamenting like everyone else and seem quite confident. Do you have a good plan to deal with the rebels?” Zhao Fan’s main concern was still this issue. Although the deadline for the Military Order he signed hadn’t arrived and there was still plenty of time left, the rebels were so difficult to handle that he felt time was running out.

“General, after several defeats, our morale has been greatly damaged. I fear it’s inappropriate to make any moves for the time being. We’d better take some time to recover before considering our next steps.” Zhang Meng felt the General was too hasty.

“I know we need to take some time to recover, but we can’t just keep delaying. The Imperial Court has set a deadline for us.” As Zhao Fan spoke about the deadline, he felt anxious and worried. At that time, it was as if his head had been fogged by oil—blinded by the prospect of earning extra merit without considering the possibility of failure.

“General, do not worry. Although we need to recover and rest for a while and it’s not suitable to engage in battles at the moment, it doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. On this matter, I already have some ideas.” In fact, from the beginning of the war, Vice General Zhang didn’t believe they were guaranteed a victory and had already begun considering other options.

“Oh? Speak! What is the method?” Hearing that Zhang Meng already had an idea, Zhao Fan was thrilled, unable to come up with any good strategies on his own.

“General, the biggest issue in our defeat lies with Han Yu. Therefore, I thought, perhaps we should focus on resolving the problem by targeting Han Yu.” Despite what his name might suggest, Zhang Meng’s methods were contrary to being straightforward and bold. To achieve his goals, he believed in using any means necessary, even underhanded tactics. Ordinary people might only strategize on the battlefield, but Zhang Meng was considering targeting Han Yu personally.

Zhao Fan, not exactly a man of integrity himself, also believed that in a standoff between two armies, only fools would truly abide by open and honorable combat. As long as Zhang Meng’s idea was effective, Zhao Fan didn’t care whether the means were honorable or not. Hearing Zhang Meng’s suggestion, he already had some idea of the intent.

“You mean we should make a move against Han Yu. However, Han Yu himself is highly skilled in Kung Fu and always acts cautiously, making it difficult to find an opportunity. To subdue Han Yu, we must start with those he cares about. I’ve seen Han Yu’s records, and not only does he have a family, but he also has a beloved wife and child.”

“The General is right. Han Yu not only has a beloved wife and child, but he also famously dotes on his daughter-in-law. She is remarkable, having given birth to triplets—two sons and a daughter—shortly after marrying Han Yu, which became the talk of Yiyang Prefecture. Being able to bear children and also being beautiful, it would be strange if Han Yu didn’t cherish her like a treasure. Therefore, we have to target his daughter-in-law. If we can capture Han Yu’s wife and children, I don’t believe Han Yu would dare not to listen to us.” Zhang Meng usually appeared quite mild-mannered, but his words now carried a chilling ruthlessness.

“Zhang Meng is indeed astute. This is indeed an excellent idea. Even if Han Yu doesn’t care for his delicate and beautiful wife, he surely won’t neglect his chubby sons. Let’s proceed with this plan. Military Advisor, I will entrust this task to you. You must capture Han Yu’s wife and children. The agents we have in Yiyang Prefecture will also be at your disposal.” Grasping onto Zhang Meng’s suggestion as if it were a lifeline, Zhao Fan was desperate for the operation to succeed, revealing all his resources. Fortunately, although Zhang Meng was unscrupulous in his ways, he remained loyal to Zhao Fan.

“Thank you for your trust, General. I will get to it right away.” Hearing that Zhao Fan was handing over the covert operatives in Yiyang Prefecture to him, Zhang Meng was elated. His plan was plausible but challenging, and having agents in Yiyang Prefecture would make the operation much easier. This also indicated the General’s growing trust in him.