Starting from 1618 of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 82 Offering Advice

Outside the central command tent of the government army camp.

Lu Yan straightened his clothes and took a deep breath.

He came to this heavily guarded tent again. Last time, he had only come to report on the grain transport situation of the supply battalion; Zhao Yan had asked a few casual questions and then waved him away. At that time, in the eyes of this Shandong governor, he was nothing more than a dispensable logistics clerk.

But today is different.

Today, he wants to transform himself into a knife—a knife capable of cleaving open the gates of Yuncheng.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Two bodyguards blocked his way, their spears crossed, the tips gleaming coldly.

"Lu Yan, the commander of the supply corps, requests an audience with Governor Zhao."

Lu Yan spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, while taking out a visiting card from his sleeve and presenting it with both hands.

"Important matters need to be reported."

The guards took the visiting card and sized him up. They vaguely recognized the face; he had visited a few days ago and was a scholar in charge of provisions.

"The Governor is in the middle of a meeting; you wait here."

Lu Yan stood outside the tent, under the scorching July sun, motionless.

Officers frequently came and went, and upon seeing his attire, they all showed a hint of disdain. A mere supply battalion officer dared to come and request an audience with the governor? He truly didn't know his place.

Lu Yan ignored these gazes.

He knew his current status was inadequate. But he held a trump card—a plan to breach the city and crucial intelligence that had just leaked from within.

As long as Zhao Yan still wants to keep his official position, he will not refuse to listen to him finish speaking.

After waiting for about half an hour, the guard finally came out.

"Go in, the Governor summons you."

……

The atmosphere inside the central command tent was even more somber than last time.

Zhao Yan sat behind his desk, his face gaunt, with a long beard and bloodshot eyes. The unsuccessful sieges of the past few days had made the Shandong governor look much more haggard. He wore a scarlet official robe with a peacock embroidered on the chest, but his imposing presence as a third-rank official was now somewhat diminished by anxiety and exhaustion.

Several military officers were still standing in the tent; they were all generals from various factions who had participated in the siege. When they saw Lu Yan enter, they all cast scrutinizing glances at him.

"It's you again?"

Zhao Yan's voice was a little hoarse, obviously from cursing too much these past few days.

"Student Lu Yan greets Your Excellency, Governor."

Lu Yan bowed respectfully, neither humble nor arrogant.

"I remember you," Zhao Yan rubbed his temples. "What brings you here again today? If it's just those trivial matters, there's no need to say anything."

"Your Excellency, I have come here with a plan to capture Yuncheng."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the tent.

"How dare you!"

A military officer stepped forward, his eyes wide with anger. It was the same Tianjin garrison commander who had fought with the Jinan Guard over the well in the camp last time.

"Yuncheng has been under siege for a long time without success, and many famous generals have been at a loss. How dare you, a mere supply battalion manager, spout such arrogant words?"

Lu Yan remained unmoved, looking calmly at Zhao Yan.

"Your Excellency, I humbly request to borrow your map."

Zhao Yan pondered for a moment.

He remembered this young man. When he last reported on the grain supplies, his report was clear and concise, with precise figures, far superior to those seasoned veterans. Moreover, this man was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, unlike those military men who only knew how to collect salaries without working.

"Bring me the map."

The guards quickly spread a map of Yuncheng on the commander's desk. Lu Yan stepped forward, pointed to the northeast corner of the city, and said:

"Your Excellency, please look. In the northeast corner of Yuncheng, there is an underground channel, a drainage ditch built by the previous dynasty, which leads directly to the moat. This channel is usually sealed with iron railings, but due to years of disrepair, the railings have rusted away."

"Students sent men to investigate; the culvert is about three feet wide and four feet high, large enough for one person to crawl through. It's about three hundred paces from the moat entrance to the city's exit."

Zhao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"you mean……"

"The students volunteer to lead elite troops to infiltrate the city through the hidden channels, launch a night attack on the east gate, and open the city gate for the main army."

The tent erupted in uproar once again.

"absurd!"

The Tianjin garrison commander jumped out again.

"The culvert is narrow and pitch black; how can we march an army there? Even if we manage to sneak into the city, how can a mere few dozen men possibly capture the city gates? It's clearly suicide!"

"What the general says is very true."

Lu Yan said calmly.

"Ordinary methods would indeed be difficult to succeed. But I have three powerful tools to ensure this plan's absolute success."

"Oh?" Zhao Yan became interested, leaning forward slightly. "Tell me about it."

"Firstly, torches made of grease."

Lu Yan took out a torch covered with thick pine resin from his sleeve.

"The culvert is damp and cold, and ordinary torches easily go out. This torch, coated with pine resin and butter, is moisture-proof and windproof, and can burn for half an hour. The students have already sent people to scout it out; the water in the culvert is no more than three feet deep, so carrying the torch forward will not be a problem for illumination."

He handed the torch to his personal guard and then took out an iron ball the size of a fist.

"Secondly, the earth-shattering thunder."

"This object contains gunpowder and iron filings. When the fuse is lit, it explodes after three breaths. Its kill radius is three zhang (approximately 10 meters). In the narrow confines of a city gate, one pellet can kill more than ten enemies."

The generals in the tent looked at each other, clearly having never seen anything like it before.

Thirdly, the flintlock musket.

Lu Yan then took out a short gun.

"This gun does not use a matchlock; it is fired with flint. Within ten paces, a single shot is fatal. Each student militia member carries two, making them invincible in close combat."

He handed the pistol to his personal guard, then stepped back, bowed, and said:

"With these three powerful tools, I am 80% confident that I can capture the East Gate."

Zhao Yan didn't speak, but stared at the few things on the table, his eyes flickering.

The tent was completely silent.

After a long silence, Zhao Yan spoke.

"You say you sent people to investigate the underground channel, but do you have any proof?"

"have."

Lu Yan took out a piece of paper from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

"This is a sketch of the culvert drawn by a student, showing the location of the entrance, the direction of the channel, and the orientation of the exit. Also…"

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"The students have a secret agent in the city. Last night, news spread that the water gate guards have been withdrawn, leaving only two men. Xu's army is running out of food, morale is low, and several trusted men are plotting an escape. Something big is bound to happen within three days."

Zhao Yan's eyes suddenly lit up.

Is this really true?

"This student would not dare to deceive Your Excellency," Lu Yan said calmly. "If I utter even the slightest falsehood, I am willing to accept military punishment."

Zhao Yan stood up, walked up to Lu Yan, and looked him up and down.

How many people do you need?

Eighty people are enough.

"Eighty men?" The Tianjin garrison commander sneered. "Eighty men think they can take the city gate? Do you think the defenders are made of clay?"

"General, you are unaware of the situation," Lu Yan said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "A night raid relies on surprise; too many men only increase the risk of being spotted. Eighty men are enough to control the city gates. Once the gates are opened, the army can swarm in, and Yuncheng can be captured."

"Then how do you need the army to cooperate?" Zhao Yan asked.

"The students only need to have the main army wait outside the city. Once the students have captured the city gates, they will use fire arrows as a signal, and the main army will immediately attack, launching a coordinated attack from within and without, to breach the city in one fell swoop."

Zhao Yan pondered for a moment, then asked, "What if we fail?"

"If we fail, the student will atone with his life."

Lu Yan's voice was calm, yet carried a resolute air.

"The students are willing to sign a military pledge: if we fail to breach the city, we will bring our heads to you."

The tent fell silent once more.

Zhao Yan stared at Lu Yan for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

"Very well! A head to be brought before me, indeed!"

He turned and walked back to the desk, picked up a pen, wrote a few words, stamped the seal, and handed it to Lu Yan.

"I grant your permission. At midnight three days from now, you will lead your troops into the city through the water gate. After the city falls, the credit will go to you."

"Thank you very much, Your Excellency!"

Lu Yan bowed and accepted the warrant stamped with the official seal.

"However..." Zhao Yan changed the subject, "I will send someone to follow you."

He turned to look at the generals in the tent.

Where is Kong Youde now?

"Your subordinate is here!"

A burly military officer stepped forward. It was the Liaodong battalion commander that Lu Yan had been observing for the past few days.

"You take your men and follow Lu Yan," Zhao Yan said. "If what he says is true, you will be the ones who deserve the most credit. If he's just spouting nonsense..."

He gave Lu Yan a cold look.

"Rectify the law on the spot."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

Kong Youde clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, then turned to look at Lu Yan with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Lu Yan met his gaze and smiled slightly.

"Commander Kong, I've long admired your name."

"snort."

Kong Youde snorted coldly, "Don't try to get close to me. I only follow military orders, not personal favors. If you dare to try anything funny, I'll be the first to chop you up."

"Commander Kong, rest assured," Lu Yan said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Since I dared to make this pledge, I am confident. Three days later, we will fight side by side. After the city falls, I will not steal your credit."

Kong Youde was taken aback, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

This frail scholar actually has some courage.

"Fine, I'll trust you this once."

He patted Lu Yan's shoulder hard, so hard that Lu Yan almost lost his balance.

"I'll fight you to the death in three days!"

……

As Lu Yan stepped out of the central command tent, he let out a long sigh of relief.

The first step was successful.

Zhao Changying stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Boss, has the deal been reached?"

"It's done."

Lu Yan's face betrayed no emotion. "Governor Zhao has approved my plan. We'll begin in three days. After the city falls, you can choose any craftsmen and ironware you like."

Lu Yan looked up at the sky; the sun was blazing overhead, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

"But let's go back to camp first and see if Fan Fu has any news. We still need to confirm the contact information in the city."

He turned and walked towards the camp, his shadow stretching long in the sunlight.

Three days later, it will be the moment of the decisive battle.

Yuncheng, wait for me.