Lin Tian was unaware of the events in Xianyang, and even if he were, he wouldn't have paid them any mind.
He truly didn't concern himself with those ministers. If anyone dared to oppose him in the future, he wouldn't hesitate to obliterate them.
This was the advantage of holding military power. With it, he possessed the confidence to handle any situation.
Therefore, at this moment, Lin Tian was still engrossed in devising a strategy to breach the Wei capital, Daliang.
"General, Daliang's city walls are too high and thick, and their moat is exceptionally deep. A direct assault is clearly unfeasible. We can only resort to flooding them!"
"Indeed, General. Flooding is the most foolproof method. Your humble subordinate agrees with using water to conquer Daliang!!"
Lin Tian had previously proposed the water-flooding strategy, and thus, many of the generals now concurred with this approach to take Daliang.
However, this was the method Lin Tian least desired to employ.
It was because such a method was exceedingly time-consuming. It would require excavating a canal to divert upstream water and then flood Daliang.
Naturally, there were also those who disagreed with this plan.
"Inconceivable. This method consumes too much time. According to my calculations, it would take at least a year, possibly up to three years, before we can fully inundate Daliang!"
"Such a prolonged duration is clearly unwise, especially now, with so much external criticism aimed at the General."
"Over time, this will inevitably affect the General's reputation!!"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
They had all heard the rumors circulating outside. Particularly after they had spent over half a month without capturing Daliang, or even engaging in battle, it led many to believe that Lin Tian had encountered an insurmountable obstacle and had exhausted his strategies.
After all, Lin Tian's previous campaigns against various states were swift and decisive. Even when faced with challenges, he never found himself in a situation where he had no recourse but to wait idly, utterly baffled by a city.
These men were all Lin Tian's subordinates and were obligated to consider his well-being. Therefore, they did not wish for such gossip to tarnish Lin Tian's reputation.
"Then, what should we do?"
"If only someone could infiltrate the city and open Daliang's gates!!"
"Infiltrate? How can we infiltrate? Their moat is so deep, and their walls so high. Even if our men swim across the moat, they cannot scale the city walls. In the water, there is no leverage, and any disturbance would immediately alert the Wei soldiers!"
"Unless we can fly in!!"
The notion of secretly entering Daliang was not something they had overlooked. They had even dispatched soldiers to test its feasibility.
Within the moat, they found no purchase for their grappling hooks. Even with makeshift wooden supports, they could not throw them high enough. Moreover, a single misstep could result in a fall into the water, creating a commotion and drawing enemy fire.
Regarding scaling the city walls, they were truly at a loss. Some had even contemplated filling Daliang's moat to create a path to directly assault the city gates. However, the soldiers on the ramparts were not mere decorations. Upon spotting anyone approaching, they would unleash a barrage of arrows. Under such circumstances, filling the moat was an impossible feat.
Therefore, after this suggestion was made, everyone grew somewhat dejected.
However, upon hearing the final statement, Lin Tian's eyes brightened.
"What was the last thing you said?"
"Fly, fly in?"
"Yes! We cannot climb, but we can fly in!!"
At this time, the concept of airplanes was nonexistent, and no one had ever flown. The most people were aware of was likely 'flying over walls and walking on rooftops,' a legendary ability attributed only to peak martial artists. Ordinary soldiers were incapable of such feats; even Wang Wu and his ilk could not achieve it. As for truly flying, that was a capability only possessed by mythical immortals. They, as ordinary soldiers, were far from being immortals. Thus, when Lin Tian spoke of flying into Daliang, many were bewildered.
"Fly, fly in? How can we fly in?"
"Have you seen 'feng yuan'?"
Feng yuan, or kites, existed in ancient China. During the Qin Dynasty, kites were already in use. However, at this time, they were not made of paper but of cloth. Such kites were naturally beyond the reach of ordinary families, but the concept was not entirely unknown. After all, young ladies from wealthy households enjoyed flying kites.
Lin Tian's mention of kites at this juncture prompted deep contemplation.
"General, are you suggesting the feng yuan is for...?"
"Small kites can fly, so let us construct large kites capable of carrying people. Using the evening breeze, we can fly into Daliang!"
The "large kites" Lin Tian envisioned were essentially rudimentary gliders. They might not have been exceptionally sturdy or capable of long-distance glides, but flying into Daliang was entirely feasible. Once soldiers infiltrated Daliang and opened the city gates, it would be a simple matter for the Great Qin army to storm the city.
The others, upon hearing Lin Tian's words, found them utterly unbelievable. Such an idea had never occurred to strategists like Han Xin or Li Mu. They could not fathom how Lin Tian's mind worked to conceive such a plan.
It must be said that the general knowledge and understanding of the people at this time were rather limited. Often, it was not a matter of insufficient intelligence but rather a lack of broad vision and experience. Consequently, their methods for solving problems were extremely restricted.
It was only after Lin Tian proposed this strategy that they considered it an ingenious idea. However, since Lin Tian asserted its viability, they were duty-bound to execute it.
As a result, Lin Tian summoned skilled craftsmen and a contingent of soldiers from the army, rapidly constructing the gliders he envisioned. Although his gliders were rudimentary compared to those of later generations, Lin Tian was highly satisfied upon seeing their completion.
"Indeed, this is how it should be!"
"With a little practice, our soldiers will master the essential techniques and effortlessly enter Daliang!"
"Meanwhile, another portion of our forces will stand by outside the city. As soon as Daliang's city gates are opened, we will immediately secure the gates and signal the main army to swiftly attack Daliang City!!"
Daliang's city gates were drawbridge gates. Once opened, if Lin Tian's soldiers held them, his army could easily enter Daliang.
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