Li Zuo Che analyzed the enemy and our forces, as well as the terrain. He believed that the Han army had traveled a thousand miles for supplies, and its soldiers were hungry and tired. Furthermore, the valley of Jing Xing was narrow and long, preventing chariots and horses from advancing side by side. It was a position suitable for defense, not attack. As long as they held their ground, they would be invincible.
However, the commander of the Zhao army did not agree and was resolute in his decision to fight. Unexpectedly, the Han army took advantage of the situation, attacking from both front and rear, resulting in a great defeat.
Zhao was annihilated. Han Xin recognized Li Zuo Che as a capable individual and offered a reward of a thousand gold pieces for his capture.
When Li Zuo Che was escorted to Han Xin's grand hall, Han Xin immediately untied him, had him seated facing east, and treated him with the respect due to a teacher. He even sought his advice on strategies for conquering Qi and Yan.
Li Zuo Che analyzed the enemy and our forces once more, proposing the excellent strategy of "winning a hundred battles with surprise." He argued that the Han army's soldiers were fatigued and their combat effectiveness was greatly reduced. If they were to force a fight against the Qi and Yan armies, the outcome would be difficult to predict.
It would be better to cease military operations, govern the people of Zhao, pacify the populace, and send envoys to persuade them to surrender through the display of military might. Then, Qi and Yan could be pacified.
Han Xin adopted Li Zuo Che's plan, and Yan surrendered without a fight.
...
"Your subject, Tan Dao Ji!"
"Your subject, Li Zuo Che!"
"We pay respects to the Divine Emperor! May His Divine Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!"
In the study, Tan Dao Ji and Li Zuo Che had already appeared, kneeling on one knee and respectfully bowing.
"Tan Dao Ji is hereby enfeoffed as General Who Conquers the Barbarians, Deputy General of the Golden Griffin Legion!"
"Li Zuo Che is hereby enfeoffed as Military Advisor of the Sky-Splitting Rhinoceros Legion!"
Wei Zhong Xian opened the imperial edict and said sternly.
"Your subject expresses his humble gratitude for His Majesty's imperial grace!"
Tan Dao Ji and Li Zuo Che knelt on both knees and bowed respectfully!
"Rise!"
Yang Hao said faintly.
"Thank you, Divine Emperor!"
The two rose and walked to the sides.
"Divine Emperor, news has been received from the eastern border. Several powerful divine energy signatures have crossed our divine dynasty's border and are rapidly approaching Chang'an City!" At this moment, Mao Xiang, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, hurried in from outside the hall and reported.
Several powerful signatures?
"Summon Ye Fei!"
Yang Hao frowned. It had finally come to this. The clash between the Great Han and the Eight Great Families of the Central Plains, starting from the Blood Sea Coffin, to the surprise attack on Chang'an by a branch of the Hong family. Now, the matter of Ye Fei had attracted the attention of the four branches of the Hong family.
He wondered if those coming were from the branch lineages or the main lineage!
"Your subject, Ye Fei, pays his respects to the Divine Emperor! May His Divine Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!" Ye Fei's expression was solemn, his body somewhat stiff as he entered the hall. He dared not raise his head as he knelt in prayer towards the front.
The fact that the Great Han Divine Emperor had gained the submission of such a fierce general as Wang Yan Zhang demonstrated the Divine Emperor's power, making him extremely apprehensive.
"Ye Fei, I have just received news that several extremely powerful divine energy signatures from the Central Plains have entered our Great Han territory and are rapidly approaching Chang'an City. Ye Fei, who do you believe it to be from the Central Plains!"
Yang Hao's expression was unreadable.
"Several powerful signatures?"
Ye Fei lowered his head, beads of cold sweat on his forehead, his eyes trembling slightly. When he surrendered to the Great Han, he had already explained the ambush by the Eight Great Families of the Central Plains years ago. At that time, the Ye family had declined, and his appearance brought a glimmer of hope to the Ye family. However, it also put pressure on some of the beings from the Eight Great Families of the Central Plains. In order to further suppress the human race, over a dozen beings led by Jiang Zuo Tan and Hong Yun ambushed Ye Fei, inflicting heavy damage upon him, which led to his self-inflicted demotion and the sealing of half an era.
Although there was a significant gap between Jiang Zuo Tan and Ye Fei back then, half an era had passed. The beings who had ambushed him back then, such as Jiang Zuo Tan, Hong Yun, Hun Yin, and Chu Yu, had all become Grand Elders of their respective branch lineages, each possessing the realm of Creation Divine Venerable. They were terrifying. Now, although Ye Fei was worthy of attention from Jiang Zuo Tan and the others, he was no longer the threat and pressure he was half an era ago.
"Divine Emperor, when I roamed the planes, I also learned much about the Hong family's four branches defecting to Zhu Long. Looking at the true foundation of the Eight Great Families of the Central Plains, the Wang, Gu, Zhan, and Jian families are overwhelmed with handling their affairs and have no intention of managing external matters. It is unlikely that they would visit the Great Han at this critical juncture. The Hong, Jiang Zuo, Hun, and Chu families, their main lineages are struggling to resist and are likely too preoccupied to pay attention. In my opinion, only the branch lineages of the Hong family's four branches have a high probability of launching a surprise attack on our Great Han's Chang'an." Ye Fei stated.
"The branch lineages of the Hong family's four branches? Ye Fei, do you know the cultivation realms of these branch lineage beings?"
Li Zuo Che asked in a low voice.
"Jiang Zuo Tan, the Grand Elder of the Jiang Zuo family's branch lineage, is the most powerful being among the branch lineages of the Hong family's four branches. Even when I was at my peak, suppressing him was quite difficult. Chu Yu, the Grand Elder of the Chu family's branch lineage, wields an iron fan and is renowned throughout the land, possessing a refined demeanor. The third is Hun Yin, the Grand Elder of the Hun family's branch lineage. This person is extremely cunning and rarely shows himself. I do not know much about him. The last one is Hong Yun, the Grand Elder of the Hong family's branch lineage. I heard that he only stepped into the Creation Divine Venerable realm thirty years ago. It can be said that Hong Yun is among the latter in terms of cultivation talent among these four branch lineages!" Su Dan Novel Network
"If these four branch lineage beings were to launch a surprise attack on the Great Han, I estimate that it would be led by these four. The ambush against me back then was their meticulously planned scheme. The main lineages of the Hong, Jiang Zuo, Chu, and Hun families are all engrossed in their cultivation and strategizing, rarely interfering in worldly affairs. It is these branch lineage beings who operate and execute for these main lineages!" Ye Fei explained carefully.
"Four Creation Divine Venerables?"
Yang Hao smiled faintly.
"Divine Emperor, among the branch lineages of these four families, only these four have reached the Creation Divine Venerable realm. The rest are mostly ordinary individuals, not worth worrying about!"
Ye Fei bowed respectfully.
...
"Hmm? Is this true?"
In an unknown city within the Central Plains, Zhan Qian Shan, an elder of the Zhan family's branch lineage, suddenly stiffened and turned back to ask.
"What, Brother Qian Shan, would I, Wang Fu, lie to you!"
Wang Fu, an elder of the Wang family's branch lineage, changed his expression and stopped.
"Brother Wang Fu is not mistaken. Decades ago, if it weren't for a mysterious scroll in the Great Han that slew a strand of Zhu Long's primordial spirit, Brother Wang Fu and I would not have had the fortune to stand before you. However, in just a few years, the Great Han has swept across the Western Frontier, Northern Wilderness, Southern Marsh, and Eastern Reaches. In my opinion, it will be annihilated soon as well. With such a vast power, how can the branch lineages of the Hong family's four branches allow it to develop further!"
Jian Lan, an elder of the Jian family's branch lineage, exclaimed, his tone becoming increasingly grave.
"Jiang Zuo Tan and the others are likely restless. In my opinion, we must jointly report to our main lineages. Now that the Hong family's four branches are so powerful, and Zhu Long's primordial spirit is rapidly recovering, we must unite all forces that can be united!" Zhan Qian Shan's expression became serious.
"Brother Qian Shan is right. Even our four families' combined efforts with Yun Yi could not gain any advantage over the Hong family's four branches!"