Without hesitation, Lu Bu replied, “Of course not!”

Even without the Red Hare, she was more than capable of entering Luoyang.

To Lu Bu, she exuded a confidence that few could match.

As he spoke these words of conviction, he felt his spirits soar to the extreme.

Thinking of their previous victory over Dong Zhuo’s advance troops causing havoc in Luoyang, Lu Bu couldn’t help but feel impassioned.

Exactly!

Heroes like Lord Qiao didn’t need the Red Hare to make a name for themselves.

Even riding an ordinary horse wouldn’t diminish her role as the top leader of this force, fulfilling this crucial task.

Only such a hero could impress Lu Bu so much that he would willingly serve as a vanguard under her command.

To claim ownership of the Red Hare, he truly needed to stand out more, especially by seizing Dong Zhuo’s head on the day they stormed Luoyang!

The thought of riding such a magnificent horse into battle filled Lu Bu’s heart with excitement.

Although at the military council the next day, he realized that issuing a command for the army to march south wasn’t such a straightforward matter.

The map of Sili Province lay before them like a curtain.

Qiao Yan used the end of a spear shaft to mark the position of Luoyang.

“We claim to have thirty thousand troops, but in reality, we have three thousand cavalry and eight thousand infantry. Given the iron mining situation in Bingzhou, all cavalry are armored, with two thousand iron-clad infantry, and the rest in leather armor. Another ten thousand handle logistics and miscellaneous military tasks.”

“Dong Zhuo’s Liangzhou army, although some are under General Huangfu’s control, those directly under his command number at most four to five thousand.

Now that the Northern Army’s five divisions are under his command, his total troops number between twenty thousand.

If he mobilizes his old troops from Liangzhou and recruits in the capital, he could muster about fifty thousand.

This is the current manpower disparity between us.”

Dong Zhuo’s previous attempt at a high-risk maneuver had failed, so he couldn’t continue to let Qiao Yan exploit such an advantage.

They had to engage in a serious battle.

Luoyang is a crucial city, and its stockpile of armor is certainly not insignificant.

Qiao Yan, relying on borderland reserves and her control over iron mines as the governor, can only say she isn’t at a major disadvantage in this regard, without much advantage either.

Her only edge lies in using Bingzhou’s grain stores as backup and the cooperative relations with Hedong aristocrats, which ease her military supply pressures.

On the other hand, Dong Zhuo—

“He probably hasn’t considered the various famines, plagues, and droughts since the Yellow Turban Rebellion that have reduced production. Mobilizing 50,000 troops in peak condition isn’t easy for him.”

So, in a prolonged conflict, Qiao Yan actually holds the advantage.

She continued, “Moreover, their geographical advantage—after the defeats of Niu Fu and Guo Si, Dong Zhuo will definitely position his forces outside Luoyang, staunchly defending against our attacks. It’s like the eight passes during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, blocking us—”

“With our troops currently stationed at Jiguan, we only need to guard against three directions.”

She pointed her gun west of Luoyang, “Defend Hangu Pass, to prevent our army, aided by Hedong aristocrats, from descending westward from Mangshan, passing through Minchi and Xin’an, coming from the west.”

Of course, Qiao Yan never planned to take this route.

The display of welcome by the Hedong aristocrats was meant to mislead Dong Zhuo into expecting a potential flanking maneuver.

But this route is too long.

Mangshan starts westward from the current location of Sanmenxia.

If they were to go straight from Jiguan outside Zhiguan to this place, the military supply lines of the door guards could never keep up, even if they reached Hangu Pass, they would already be exhausted!

So, if Dong Zhuo wants to defend against her rapid attack, he should control the other two passes.

“The other two places, defend Xiaopingjin and Mengjin, to guard against us crossing the river and heading straight for Luoyang from this section of Mangshan Pass.”

When Lu Bu went to Luoyang to deliver an edict earlier, he took this route.

At that time, there were few people, and crossing the river was relatively easy.

But considering the passes at that time and their own numbers now, he couldn’t see any advantage.

Even though north of Xiaopingjin there is a river island that can serve as a transfer point, the rivers at these two locations are relatively narrow and indeed the easiest positions to be attacked.

But the Yellow River itself is a natural military barrier!

Even someone like him, who relies on intuition in warfare, understands this quite clearly.

He asked, “Junhou, earlier you mentioned the disparity in strength between our side and Dong Zhuo’s, and now you say we can only take these easily defensible but hard-to-attack positions. Isn’t this boosting his morale at the expense of our own prestige?”

“Xianxian, you’re mistaken,” Jia Xu, who had cooperated with him in Suiyuan City for a year and had promised Qiao Yan on that day with five peaks, acted more proactive in the spring and winter of autumn, and Lu Bu also counted two sentences

“Earlier, Lord Qiao mentioned our ten thousand elite soldiers. On Dong Zhuo’s side, not only is his force complex, but he needs to defend at least three chokepoints, and also keep enough troops to guard against a counterattack from the capital. So, those defending Xiaopingjing or Mengjing would at best match our numbers.”

Lu Bu scratched his head, feeling clearer with this explanation.

With equal numbers, and given Lord Qiao’s undefeated record in battles with ample armor, they weren’t at a disadvantage.

“That’s just the first point. “

“Secondly, last night Lord Qiao ordered General Zilong to intentionally let Niu Fu go.

This man, with his nature of needing to redeem himself where he falls, happens to be Dong Zhuo’s son-in-law.

Since we’re likely to attack from Xiaopingjing or Mengjing, he’s sure to be on one side.”

Jia Xu understood Dong Zhuo’s Liangzhou influence better than anyone.

If Niu Fu wanted to station himself at the Yellow River crossing to defeat Qiao Yan, regardless of Li Ru’s objections, Niu Fu would surely achieve his goal.

At most, Dong Zhuo might assign a more reliable deputy to him.

Thinking back to the scene he witnessed last night with Qiao Yan, where Niu Fu was saved by Guo Si, Lu Bu was deeply impressed.

So, if Niu Fu indeed leads on the opposite side, it could be an advantage for them.

“Thirdly…” Jia Xu rubbed his beard, glancing towards Qiao Yan.

But this third point shouldn’t be said by him.

Qiao Yan smiled, “Thirdly, we don’t need to cross the river yet. We just need Dong Zhuo to divide his troops to guard Xiaopingjing and Mengjing, while we wait across the river. Dong Zhuo’s enemies aren’t just us, and they won’t miss this chance for a counterattack.”

If she revealed all her cards and recklessly crossed the river to attack, why would they wait almost a month after Dong Zhuo took Luoyang?

So far, the surging Yellow River before Mengjing wasn’t a disadvantage for her.

In Luoyang, Dong Zhuo had just received news that his son-in-law Niu Fu suffered a defeat, barely escaping with a small fraction of his troops.

The news didn’t mention the loss of his prized Red Hare horse, failing to deceive Qiao Yan.

Shortly after, he received two more messages.

One concern was that Qiao Yan’s rear forces didn’t seem to be entirely stationed at Jiguan; their whereabouts were unknown.

Combined with her relationship with the aristocrats in Hedong, Dong Zhuo couldn’t help but worry about potential danger to his own rear.

Another piece of news was that Qiao Yan’s main forces were packing up and steadily advancing southward.

Despite their large numbers, their march was not fast. But to reach the Yellow River, even accounting for breaking camp and marching, would only take a day’s effort.

Upon hearing that Qiao Yan had marched out of Hedong, Dong Zhuo immediately dispatched troops to Mengjing to guard it.

He had originally hoped his son-in-law could bring back good news and hadn’t fortified the area completely, but now he had to reinforce it.

Only with enough troops stationed there could he ensure that the advantage of attacking the Bingzhou troops halfway across the river would deter them from attempting a river crossing attack.

This defense line close to the northern banks of the Yellow River would require a capable general.

Just as he was considering Duan Wei for the role, he noticed Niu Fu stepping forward despite his wounds on his face and legs.

“General, let me go!” Niu Fu’s tone showed no weakness. “I was previously defeated by Qiao Yan’s men due to underestimating her strength and being caught off guard. With the natural defense of the great river and sufficient manpower, I will not let her succeed again.”

Hesitating for a moment upon hearing this, Dong Zhuo, for rational reasons, felt he shouldn’t accept Niu Fu’s request.

But emotionally, he had a tendency to reward those who excelled.

Just as he had recently consolidated his position in Luoyang, he quickly dispatched messengers to Liangzhou.

While attempting to bring part of Liangzhou under central control, he arranged for his family to join him in Luoyang, already en route from the direction of Youfufeng.

Though they hadn’t yet arrived, he had already drafted a decree to be reported to the central authorities, intending to elevate his mother to Lady Chiyang and bestow upon his granddaughter Dong Bai the title of Lady Weiyang.

Niu Fu is his son-in-law, so naturally, he has to treat him well.

But Qiao Yan is unlike any opponent they encountered in Liangzhou.

Niu Fu has already suffered a defeat at her hands.

If they allow the enemy to find any opportunity to attack and drag the battle all the way to the walls of Luoyang, Dong Zhuo will be completely on the defensive.

Dong Zhuo gestured with his eyes to Li Ru not to speak, then after pondering, he asked Niu Fu, “Due to the strategic importance of the river crossings, we’ve established Xiaopingjing after the Yellow Turban Rebellion. I intend for two people to go and guard there. Since you haven’t lost your courage after facing Qiao Yan, and are willing to lead the charge, that’s good. But I cannot send you alone to guard.”

“Now, among my several Commanders, choose one to accompany you, and together, guard these two positions.”

Niu Fu’s face lit up, and he promptly replied, “Then please order General Xu Zhonglang to accompany me!”

Xu Zhonglang referred to Xu Rong.

Currently, among Dong Zhuo’s Commanders, it didn’t include Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, Zhang Ji, and others.

Those were considered Colonel Generals and served as deputies during marches.

Promoted to Commanders were Niu Fu, Dong Yue, Duan Wei, Xu Rong, and Hu Zhi.

Niu Fu wanted to redeem himself, but he didn’t intend to act recklessly.

He needed a reliable ally.

This ally, ideally, shouldn’t be too opinionated.

Under Hu Zhi’s command was the fierce warrior Hua Xiong, whose recent temper was quite large.

Duan Wei was the elder brother of the Prime Minister’s predecessor Duan Yan, known for his seniority and virtues.

Dong Yue had average strength and had conflicts with him.

Thus, only Xu Rong remained.