Chapter 823: Building a defensive line, Fan Zeng goes north

"My king, we can't just sit there and wait for death, right? We have to find a way to deal with it."

At this time, Long Qie, who was sitting below him, also became a little impatient and said anxiously.

"Of course, sitting and waiting to die is definitely not my style. Although we cannot fight Han Xin head-on for the time being, we can take advantage of the terrain, set up an ambush, lure the enemy deep into our territory, and give them some trouble."

Xiang Yu smiled slightly, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and then he said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, you have an idea! The northern part of our Guangque County is in a dangerous position with many mountains and forests, and the southern part is even more crisscrossed with rivers and lakes connecting to Jiangdong. It is a good place to set up an ambush."

"Besides, the advantage of our Jiangdong Chu Army lies in the navy. On the water, if Han Xin dares to come, he will never return!"

When Gonggong heard this, his eyes lit up and he said excitedly.

Most of his skills are in naval battles. He had been badly beaten by Yang Jian in land battles before, which always made him feel resentful.

In this battle of Quezhou, if Yang Jian dared to continue fighting with me on the water.

When the time comes for the naval battle, he will definitely let Yang Jian see what cruelty is!

Then, Xiang Yu paused, and his calm gaze slowly swept across the faces of the generals, as if he was considering his next words.

He coughed lightly, the sound was not loud, but it was enough to instantly calm the noise in the tent.

"As for whether the Jiangdong Chu Army will fight a decisive battle with Han Xin's Jiuxiao Army in Quezhou, or whether they have other plans, this matter... still needs to be considered in the long run."

Xiang Yu spoke slowly, his tone revealing an unprecedented caution.

"Although we are brave, wisdom and strategy are also indispensable on the battlefield."

"This decision concerns the future of our Jiangdong Chu Army and cannot be made lightly."

At this point, a complex look flashed in Xiang Yu's eyes. He recalled the previous disastrous defeat in Wenzhou. The unforgettable sense of frustration forced him to re-examine his decision-making methods.

"I have decided to wait for my father-in-law Fan Zeng, the think tank of the Jiangdong Chu Army in the rear, to come and discuss it with him before making a final decision."

Xiang Yu's words revealed an unprecedented expectation for Fan Zeng.

The previous disastrous defeat finally made Xiang Yu, who had never wanted to listen to Fan Zeng's preaching, realize the importance of Fan Zeng, the brain of the Jiangdong Chu army.

It also made him realize that Fan Zeng was not only the brain of his Jiangdong Chu army, but also an important pillar for him to consolidate his foundation in these chaotic times.

"Father Ya is wise and far-sighted. I believe he will be able to find a clear way out for me."

There was a deep confusion in Xiang Yu's eyes, as if he had already seen Fan Zeng's old face and the scoldings uttered from his mouth.

Upon hearing this, all the generals looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.

Although they also believed in conquering everything by force, the previous battle of Wenzhou not only woke up Xiang Yu, but also woke them up.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Gonggong spoke first, his voice revealing a sincere sense of relief. It was rare that Xiang Yu could realize the importance of Fan Zeng at this critical moment.

"Yes, my king, Fan Zeng's father is very wise. With him, our Jiangdong Chu army will surely turn defeat into victory!"

Long Qi also echoed, with excitement flashing in his eyes, as if he had already seen the scene where the Jiangdong Chu army, under Fan Zeng's planning, defeated Han Xin's Jiuxiao army.

Unlike Xiang Yu, Xiang Yu was the leader of the Chu army in Jiangdong. He could be willful and ignore Fan Zeng's words.

But Long Ju and his men were not like that, and were often taught a lesson by Fan Zeng.

Therefore, Long Ju was both afraid and respectful of Fan Zeng. Ji Bu, who was standing below, also smiled slightly, secretly pleased that Xiang Yu, who had always been brainless, finally began to pay attention to wisdom.

This was undoubtedly a turning point for the Chu army in Jiangdong.

As long as Xiang Yu can continue to maintain his respect and desire for wisdom, the future of the Chu army in Jiangdong will surely be bright.

If Xiang Yu could really be kept in this state, although it would be a bit immoral, Ji Bu still believed that it was worth it to exchange the lives of 60,000 to 70,000 Jiangdong men for a more normal brain for Xiang Yu!
"Your Majesty, Han Xin's army has approached Guangque County, and the vanguard has made contact with our army."

Just then, a spy hurried into the tent, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a hurried voice.

Xiang Yu stood up suddenly after hearing this, and the heavy table seemed to tremble slightly because of his action. "Good! You came just in time!"

Xiang Yu said in a deep voice, a gleam of determination flashing in his eyes.

"You guys should hurry to the frontline, build fortifications based on the terrain, and set up defenses. You must delay Han Xin's army's advance as much as possible!"

He then turned around and gave orders to Gonggong, Longqie and others.

Gonggong, Long Qie and others took the order and left. The camp suddenly became much emptier.

Xiang Yu stood alone in the center of the tent, staring at the map, with flames burning in his pupils.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a few days have passed.

During the past few days, Gonggong and others led the soldiers to work day and night to build defense lines, dig trenches, and set up roadblocks, turning the entire northern part of Guangque County into a series of fortresses.

Xiang Yu always stayed in the center of the army, keeping a close eye on the movements on the front line and thinking about strategies to deal with Han Xin.

At this moment, a burst of rapid horse hoof sounds came from far away, breaking the silence in the tent.
"Your Majesty, Lord Fan Zeng has arrived!"

A messenger jumped off his horse, walked quickly into the tent, knelt on one knee, and reported loudly.

When Xiang Yu heard this, he was shocked.

Fan Zeng, a person whom he both respected and depended on, was like a savior in his heart at this moment.

He hurried out of the tent and saw Fan Zeng, covered in dust and with a tired look on his old face, walking towards him quickly.

After stabilizing Quezhou, Fan Zeng had already returned to Jiangdong to take charge. However, upon hearing that Xiang Yu had suffered a great defeat, he immediately rushed north from Jiangdong to Quezhou.

He did not dare to stop at all along the way, and rushed to Guangque County to meet Xiang Yu in a dusty manner.

Fan Zeng was seen covered in dust and looking a little haggard, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your hard work."

When he saw Xiang Yu, he did not preach or scold him as Xiang Yu had expected. Instead, he smiled slightly, with a hint of comfort in his tone.

Xiang Yu was stunned. He never expected Fan Zeng to say that.

He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"Father, I...I lost."

After a moment, he slowly spoke.

When Fan Zeng heard this, his expression did not change much. He looked Xiang Yu up and down, and a hint of imperceptible concern flashed in his eyes.

At this time, Xiang Yu was at the lowest point in his life. The disastrous defeat in Wenzhou hit him hard, but Fan Zeng also understood that this was the critical moment in Xiang Yu's growth.

(End of this chapter)