GBP Chapter 73 A lot of doubts
Chapter 73 A lot of doubts
Inside the Tang army camp, General Feng led his troops slowly toward the area defended by the Chang'an garrison.
"General Feng, the Tang Dynasty has benefited greatly from your assistance. Such a timely act of kindness is truly invaluable." Gao Xianzhi warmly greeted General Feng with great respect.
Feng bowed slightly, looking somewhat tired: "General Gao, you flatter me. I only chose to join the Tang Dynasty because I did not want to be with the enemy in the midst of turmoil."
Gao Xianzhi nodded slightly, then invited Feng Jiang into the tent to discuss the next steps.
At the same time, it was dusk, and Cheng Zhang stood in the distance, watching Feng Jiang's troops slowly approach, his brows slightly furrowed.
“General Cheng, Feng’s arrival is timely. Doesn’t this give us a better chance of winning?” Li Yi, the deputy general beside him, looked at Cheng Zhang’s indifferent expression with surprise and asked softly.
"That's true, but Feng's arrival was too sudden, and his decision to betray his old friend at this time is rather perplexing." Cheng Zhang vaguely sensed that things were not so simple.
That night, the camp was brightly lit, and Cheng Zhang, Gao Xianzhi, and Feng Jiang gathered together to discuss the upcoming battle plan.
"Now that General Feng has joined our side, could you provide us with specific information about An Lushan's army?" Cheng Zhang gently put down his teacup and looked at General Feng.
Feng Jiang pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "An Lushan's army is demoralized and there are already signs of retreat. If we take advantage of this opportunity to launch an offensive, we can completely crush them in one fell swoop."
Gao Xianzhi scrutinized General Feng's expression, frowning slightly: "General Feng, it is truly fortunate that you were able to escape An Lushan this time. But I would like to ask, I wonder if you and An Lushan had any subtle, undetectable inside dealings?"
Feng was slightly taken aback, then hurriedly shook his head: "That's not true. Since I chose to pledge allegiance to the Tang Dynasty, I have severed all ties with An Lushan."
The atmosphere inside the tent immediately became heavy.
Gao Xianzhi remained silent for a moment, then patted Feng Jiang on the shoulder: "In that case, let us work together to defend against the enemy."
Cheng Zhang, standing to the side, remained secretly vigilant, suppressing his slight suspicion of General Feng, though some doubts still lingered in his mind.
In Chang'an at this time.
Lee Hyung breathed a slight sigh of relief from the urgency of the situation, but he was still not completely at ease.
“Your Highness, General Feng has joined our Great Tang, and victory is now within our grasp.” Gao Shi stood to the side.
Li Heng nodded slightly: "I dare not be careless, but I hope that we will all do our best to help our Great Tang defeat the enemy."
Meanwhile, in the Flying Swallow Camp.
"Feng Jiang has indeed surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. It seems we must take immediate action." An Lushan frowned, his fists clenched tightly.
An advisor whispered a reminder: "General, it's not wise to gamble everything now. Let's try a different approach."
An Lushan looked around the tent and said, "Next, we must use our backs to our side and not let the enemy reap the benefits."
The following morning, the Tang army regrouped, preparing to launch an even fiercer attack on the enemy.
"Soldiers, An Lushan's forces are not as strong as before, and victory is within reach!" Cheng Zhang, mounted on his warhorse, swept his gaze firmly over the soldiers.
"We will fight to the death to defend the territory of our Great Tang!" The soldiers, with their morale soaring, launched an unstoppable charge against the enemy.
On the walls of Chang'an, Li Heng watched the battlefield unfold, his fists clenched. "Today's battle must cripple An Lushan!"
Meanwhile, in Li Mao's residence, upon receiving news of the victory at the front, he appeared deep in thought.
"Your Highness, the enemy has retreated; it seems the situation is settled," Afu whispered from the side.
Li Mao nodded slightly, but he was not without worry: Was General Feng's stance genuine or not? If he was not careful, it could lead to endless troubles.
The war drums thundered, and the area outside Chang'an was in an uproar.
After fierce fighting, the Tang army finally gained control of the battlefield. An Lushan's troops retreated in disarray, their morale plummeting.
"General Feng, it is thanks to your great help that we were able to achieve this victory." Gao Xianzhi dismounted and expressed his gratitude to General Feng.
Feng smiled somewhat awkwardly and said, "General Gao, you flatter me. I only wanted to do my part for the Tang Dynasty."
However, Cheng Zhang still felt somewhat uneasy.
"General Feng, you have been infiltrating An Lushan's army for many years, and there must be some remnants among them. It is impossible for them to immediately return to the Tang Dynasty entirely. Please be careful," Cheng Zhang warned, and General Feng nodded in agreement.
While General Feng's arrival brought great benefits to the Tang army, Cheng Zhang remained cautious in dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
"Keep a close eye on General Feng's movements in the coming period," Cheng Zhang secretly instructed his personal guards.
After the situation stabilized somewhat, Li Heng held a victory banquet to reward the meritorious officials.
"Gentlemen, we have all defended the territory of our Great Tang in this battle. Let us drink to our hearts' content!" Li Heng announced loudly, raising his cup with a smile.
The soldiers, in high spirits, shouted and raised their glasses in unison, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
Just as everything seemed to be settling down, Li Heng's gaze pierced through the bustling crowd, penetrating the night outside the window, and looked down at the fireworks and stars: "We still need to be best prepared."
"What are your plans, Your Highness?" Gao Shi noticed the worry in Li Heng's expression and asked in a low voice.
"Regarding the follow-up actions, even though the situation is still under my control, there can be no hesitation amidst the dangers and perils," Li Heng whispered.
"This General Feng's background might just be a cover." Li Heng's gaze pierced through the curtain, looking at the star-studded sky.
At the celebration banquet, amidst the clinking of glasses, the underlying doubts did not completely dissipate.
After a round of toasts and drinks, Feng declined Li Heng's invitation, citing official business, and slowly walked out of the main tent.
He came alone outside the camp, gazing at the starry sky, his mind in turmoil. Although he had sided with the Tang army, his heart was still heavy with heavy emotions.
Not long after, Gao Shi also came out of the banquet. Seeing that General Feng was alone, he went up to greet him: "General Feng, are you also drinking alone here?"
Feng Jiang snapped out of his daze and forced a smile: "Grand Secretary Gao, I just happened to wander here to get some fresh air and clear my head."
Gao Shi asked softly, "You have done a great service for the Tang Dynasty, so you don't need to care too much about the opinions of the soldiers in Chang'an. Look, victory is right in front of us."
Feng nodded, looking tired: "Human hearts are unpredictable, which is frustrating."
Feng's ambiguous words made Gao Shi realize that he still had concerns, and he couldn't help but recall Li Heng's instructions.
The Tang Dynasty strategist lowered his voice: "General Feng, even so, we should not be completely without worry. A man of few words is always successful. Let us work together."
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Gao." Feng said no more.
In a shadowy corner some distance away, Cheng Zhang silently observed everything, his complex feelings towards Feng Jiang deepening. Although Feng Jiang had clearly chosen sides, Cheng Zhang still felt a vague unease, as if a shadow looming over Feng Jiang was difficult to dispel.