The county seat of Anping Prefecture, Dongyang County.
As Chu Chen and Princess Xin Yue arrived outside the city gates, they saw a welcoming procession of civil and military officials.
"Your subjects pay respects to His Highness the Fifth Prince."
"Rise, let's enter the city first," Princess Xin Yue replied calmly, lifting the carriage window.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Soon, the entourage entered the yamen.
Chu Chen read out the imperial edict written by the Empress, then let them examine it personally before taking it back.
Having verified their identities and authority, the generals and officials bowed again.
Princess Xin Yue recalled Chu Chen's instructions on the way and asked, "Rise, there's no need for excessive ceremony. First, tell me about the current war situation."
"Yes, Your Highness."
A middle-aged general in armor spoke, "Fifteen days ago, scouts patrolling the border detected unusual movements of the Chen army. The Chen army, claiming to have 300,000 troops, is heading towards our border."
"Seven days ago, they officially entered our national borders, and I reported this matter to the capital."
"General Wang Wei, the Zhen Dong General, has already led 30,000 border troops to the front line to intercept the enemy, buying time for scorched earth tactics in the rear. The remaining 20,000 soldiers are guarding Dongyang County, Pingyang County, and Anzhi County, assisting in the evacuation of the local populace."
Thirty thousand, my heavens, how can we win this?
Princess Xin Yue's face turned pale, somewhat intimidated. She quickly asked, "Then, how many combat-ready troops do we have?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, the Zhen Dong General commands 30,000, Pingyang County has 5,000, Anzhi County has 5,000, and Dongyang County has 10,000, for a total of 50,000 standing border troops."
"If we include the evacuated civilians and county soldiers from the two counties, plus the county soldiers of Dongyang County, we have a total of 60,000 well-trained combat troops."
"If the situation becomes unfavorable and leans towards a siege, we can mobilize another 30,000 young men to assist in the defense."
"Therefore, this minister suggests that Your Highness temporarily focus on defending the city and await reinforcements from the capital to plan a counter-offensive."
The middle-aged general answered without hesitation, seemingly well-prepared.
Even with civilians and county soldiers, it's only 90,000. How can we fight this?
Princess Xin Yue did a quick mental calculation of the numbers, unsure of what to do. She turned to Chu Chen for help.
Chu Chen understood immediately and said, "May I know the name and position of this general? I am Chu Chen."
"This humble subordinate is Gao Le, a General of Xuanwei, rank three. Greetings, Eunuch Chu."
Gao Le bowed respectfully, but a hint of disdain flickered in his eyes.
"So it is General Gao. Greetings," Chu Chen replied indifferently, cupping his fist in return.
He then asked, "The Princess has asked me to inquire on her behalf: as the seat of Anping Prefecture, is Dongyang County well-supplied with provisions? If we are to defend the city, how long can we hold out?"
"Furthermore, are the army's armors complete? Do we have surplus armors to expand the army temporarily?"
"How long can the provisions for the evacuated civilians and the original residents of Dongyang County last?"
"Is the city's water source intact, and have arrangements been made for the repair of the city walls?"
Chu Chen's questions went straight to the point, asking about crucial matters.
Gao Le was slightly taken aback, seemingly surprised that the eunuch beside the princess was so knowledgeable about military affairs, unlike other eunuchs.
After a moment of thought, Gao Le replied, "As the prefectural seat of a border commandery, Dongyang City has always stored enough military rations to supply an army of 50,000 for at least three years. There are no issues with the water source; there are many wells in the city drawing from underground water."
"As for armors, we don't have many surplus ones, only some reserves. However, this subordinate believes we can collect ironware from the populace and melt it down to forge more."
"The city walls have been maintained annually due to their constant presence on the frontier, so there are no issues. As for the civilians' provisions,"
Gao Le looked towards the prefect beside him.
"Ah, regarding that, the civilians from the other two counties evacuated in haste, so this subordinate is unsure of their provisions. However, the provisions for the residents of Dongyang County are sufficient for two months."
"This official has sent people to verify the grain and flour shops in the city. The supply should be enough for the current population of over 100,000 for half a year."
The prefect wiped the sweat from his forehead, his entire demeanor filled with nervousness and fear.
An ancient county typically had around twenty to thirty thousand people. Two counties would be about fifty thousand. The provisions brought by these fifty thousand evacuated civilians certainly wouldn't last half a year, let alone the people from the villages and towns who also evacuated.
This meant that military rations would have to be distributed, effectively meaning Dongyang County could only hold out for half a year?
Half a year? What a joke! Relying on reinforcements? Don't even think about it.
Chu Chen's heart sank. He pondered for a moment and then asked, "Then, how many troops does the Chen army actually have? Don't tell me they really have 300,000 just because they claim it."
"According to subsequent detailed reconnaissance, while not as many as 300,000, there should be around 150,000."
General Gao Le let out a cold snort, casting a displeased glance at the prefect. This fellow was never like this before. Now that war was upon them, he discovered such a significant oversight.
Chu Chen thought for a moment and asked, "Does the Zhen Dong General Wang Wei have any operational plans?"
"The General said that the enemy's forces are vast. He is leading 30,000 troops to delay and intercept, buying time for the rear, and then awaiting the arrival of Princess Xin Yue to recruit and train troops in the rear. The main focus will be on defending the city."
"Dongyang County, as the seat of Anping Prefecture, has city walls twelve meters high. The surrounding terrain is crisscrossed with rivers, making it inconvenient for troop and supply movement. To enter our heartland directly, they must first capture Dongyang County, which is located on a plain."
"By then, with our eighty to ninety thousand soldiers relying on the city walls, holding out should not be a problem."
General Gao Le's confidence grew as he spoke.
These words also reassured Chu Chen and Princess Xin Yue considerably.
Ten times the enemy surrounds, five times the attack, as stated in Sun Tzu's Art of War.
Currently, the Chen army's actual attacking force was only twice that of their well-prepared forces. With the city walls helping to widen the casualty gap, it should be quite stable.
Understanding the situation and realizing it was not as dire as reported, Princess Xin Yue and Chu Chen felt relieved.
Having just arrived and only now understanding the situation, and having no prior combat experience, Chu Chen did not intend to immediately take direct leadership under Princess Xin Yue.
Instead, he arranged for the recruitment of seven thousand new soldiers within the city. He then assigned his previously trained five hundred soldiers and two hundred auxiliary troops to act as squad leaders, training them.
Next, he assigned dozens of his personal guards to serve as officers responsible for command. The personal guards had battlefield experience and could impart their knowledge.
This method of experienced soldiers training new recruits aimed to form a combat-ready force in the shortest possible time.
A few days later, three thousand troops and some provisions were sent from the neighboring three prefectures, making the defensive situation appear even more secure.
However, the more secure they felt, the more likely unexpected events were to occur.