Chapter 1195: Wage Increase PlanChapter 1780: Strategic Deployment

"There is a general named Liu Zhao at Yuet Yeung Pass. This man is an old veteran of Yuet Yeung Pass, extremely skilled in defensive warfare. His commanding style is steady and reliable, adept at executing superior orders and achieving their intentions. What do you think of this man"

With Wu Qingcang's suggestion, Li Chen's mind flashed with a person.

He shook his head and said, "That's not right. The defense of Suiyang County is different from that of Yueya Pass. All sorts of situations are completely different. Most importantly, we can't send a too overly cautious general to defend it. We need someone with a certain amount of flexibility."

Having seen Li Chen reject the candidates he himself proposed, Wu Qingcang then put forward several other names of generals. Among them were veterans like Liu Zhao and young rising stars who had distinguished themselves recently, but Li Chen rejected them all one by one.

This left Wu Qingcang speechless.

"Your Highness, have you already found a more suitable candidate" Wu Qingcang asked.

Wu Qingcang immediately frowned.

"What do you think, Wu Shuai" Li Chen asked.

"These two, in terms of both ability and seniority, are certainly qualified enough. But there can only be one commander-in-chief. To whom does the Prince belong" Wu Qingcang asked.

Li Chen smiled and said, "Wu Shuai, do you think because your younger brother, Wu Banshan, is also among the candidates, you feel it's necessary to avoid any appearance of favoritism So even though this palace is seeking your opinion, you still choose not to speak directly, but instead ask me about my intentions"

"Wu Qingcang laughed and said, 'One should still avoid suspicion where it's necessary. This battle is extremely important. If we succeed, then we can gain great prestige and the hearts of the people in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. But if we fail, I fear it will be a death sentence.'"

"Winning entitles one to rewards, losing demands punishment; this is self-evident. This palace doesn't dwell on that. What truly matters is who is more suitable."

Li Chen frowned slightly and said, "Wu Ban Shan is steady and experienced in defending the city, but he still lacks agility."

"Speaking of which, Li Chen glanced at Wu Qingcang and smiled, "If you weren't the commander-in-chief of the entire army, the most suitable candidate would actually be you. But if you were stationed in Suiyang County to defend the city, it would be a waste of your talent. This battle in Suiyang County is not just about defending the city. It requires a ruthless and experienced understanding of the battlefield and timing. You need to know when to pursue, when to hold firm, and when to retreat. When retreating, you also need to ensure that the Liao army doesn't turn towards Yulin Prefecture. We need to keep them tightly pinned down, forcing them to be led into Wolong Mountain. These things can't be solved by simply relying on defensive combat skills."

Wu Qingcang smiled and said, "If it were possible, I would really hope to be a garrison general, without so many worries."

After the laughter subsided, Li Chen addressed Wu Qingcang: "In fact, I have a preference for you to lead with Wu BanShan as the main force and Su Pingbei as his deputy, working together as a team."

Wu Qingcang raised an eyebrow and said, "The two have very different personalities and command styles. How can they possibly get along"

Li Chen said indifferently, “That depends on Wu BanShan's abilities. I have given him the power to employ people; whether he can manage them well is his business... After this battle, there will be many places where troops need to be deployed. You can’t stay trapped at Yueya Pass forever.”

Li Chen's words revealed two important pieces of information.

The first is that Li Chen is already laying out the subsequent national strategy.

Second, Wu Qingscang will be a crucial part of Li Chen's new strategy!ao insists on his own way, then this palace...At this point, Su Jinpa took out a scroll of bright yellow from his bosom.That brilliant yellow scroll was adorned with a unique and intricate pattern. No...