Chu Chen quickly shook his head and said somewhat angrily, "Perhaps there's some misunderstanding between us, but you can't be so self-deprecating."
"Zhu An is quite skilled at defending cities. Letting him stay to defend Daliang City, I believe, would be very easy."
"Even with only fifteen thousand troops, defending Daliang City against Wei's army of a hundred thousand would not be a problem."
"Moreover, we have those Wei ministers within the city; we have many bargaining chips."
"If the situation becomes truly critical, you leading ten thousand troops would also serve as a crucial backup."
"Although you only have ten thousand, by continuously attacking and harassing the Wei army, you can prevent them from forming an effective unified force."
"Your ten thousand troops will be like a stabilizing force, ensuring that we achieve our objective in this battle."
Hearing this, Li Mengdie couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled, unsure if Chu Chen truly meant it or if he was trying to deceive her.
"Do you genuinely believe I am suited to lead these ten thousand soldiers in the outer battle?"
Chu Chen nodded, speaking with great certainty, "I am absolutely sure. The key now lies in your own decision: do you want to listen to me, or do you want to stick to your own idea and be the main general of Daliang City?"
Li Mengdie let out a soft snort, "Even if I stick to my own idea, I'm afraid you wouldn't support me, would you? Wouldn't I be trying to draw water with a bamboo basket, only to end up with nothing?"
Chu Chen pondered for a moment and then nodded, "You are correct. I will indeed not let you defend the city, nor are you suited for it. However, rest assured, I will not hold any grudges against you because of past events."
"Report! General, the Wei army has received news of our attack on Daliang City and is rushing towards it."
A Jin Yi Wei reported loudly from outside, his voice deafening.
Chu Chen nodded. After the messenger left, he turned to Li Mengdie and said, "The fighting here is almost over. The situation remains extremely grave, and we must fight with our backs against the wall."
"My army of over seventy thousand troops will depart in batches tomorrow, taking the same route back to Handan."
"The ones who will truly face the first major battle are you. Today, you will lead ten thousand troops and fight until the last batch of our army departs."
Li Mengdie blinked in surprise, "What is the purpose of doing this?"
"The Wei army hasn't arrived yet. There might be spies around Daliang City, but their numbers won't be too great."
"My ten thousand troops can't possibly go to such great lengths for such a minor task, can they?"
Chu Chen, however, shook his head, "This is not a minor task. I'm asking you to handle it because it is extremely important. Think about it, what conditions do the Wei army need to rush here?"
"They must closely monitor our army's movements. Only then can they come with peace of mind."
"If their spies discover that our army has already departed and transmit the message, they will hesitate and might even have to divide their forces to protect Zhao."
"In that case, our chances of capturing Handan City would significantly decrease."
"Therefore, we want them to feel secure and boldly come to reinforce Daliang City, even to the point of engaging us in a decisive battle at Daliang City."
Hearing this, Li Mengdie thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I will lead my men to search for spies everywhere now, ensuring that not a single piece of information leaks out."
A smile returned to Chu Chen's face, "Remember, you must ensure that within a hundred-mile radius, there are no suspicious individuals."
As he spoke, Chu Chen handed the military token and general's seal to Li Mengdie.
Upon receiving the tokens, Li Mengdie immediately began mustering her troops for the search.
She divided her ten thousand soldiers into three groups: she herself would lead three thousand, while the other two deputy generals would lead thirty-five hundred each.
Each group would search outside for a full day, with the second group taking over.
The reason for this arrangement was, of course, to avoid frequent handovers that could lead to loopholes.
Fortunately, the soldiers under Li Mengdie were all elite fighters, capable of sustaining a day and night of effort without issue.
Chu Chen, on the other hand, divided his seventy-five thousand soldiers into five teams, with each team further divided into five smaller units, all departing in batches via back roads towards Handan in Zhao.
The reason for taking back roads instead of heading directly to Handan from Wei was to avoid encountering the Wei army and their spies.
Although this route was slightly longer, it ensured safety and prevented information leaks.
Zhu An's fifteen thousand troops were also organized efficiently. Ten thousand were assigned to defend the city, while the remaining five thousand were tasked with maintaining order within the city and protecting the various officials.
Although the numbers were not large, by holding these key individuals, it would not be too difficult to maintain control of Daliang.
After listening to Zhu An's plan, Chu Chen nodded, quite satisfied.
"Your plan is excellent, but it must be strictly implemented."
"If the Wei army truly attacks, you can divide your forces into three groups: one to defend the city, one to maintain internal order, and one to rest, rotating them."
Zhu An cupped his hands and said, "Marshal, please rest assured. Even with only fifteen thousand men, I will definitely be able to defend this magnificent Daliang City."
Zhu An appeared full of confidence when it came to defending the city.
Chu Chen did not inform Zhu An about Li Mengdie's ten thousand troops. This was to ensure that Zhu An would focus on defending the city and not place his hopes on Li Mengdie's ten thousand, thus providing a double layer of security.
The Wei army was stationed outside Handan City. The camp remained brightly lit at night, indicating preparations for departure.
"Report, Commander, the Yunyue Kingdom's army is surrounding our capital, and it's estimated that a battle is imminent. Should we return to reinforce immediately?"
A deputy general rushed to the Wei commander's side from a distance, asking with great anxiety.
The Wei commander, however, smiled and shook his head, "Has the battle truly begun? Chu Chen wouldn't have failed to consider that we would reinforce, would he?"
The deputy general's expression grew more anxious, "Commander, it looks like the battle is truly about to start. Chu Chen has only sent a woman, leading three thousand soldiers, to initiate the attack."
Upon hearing this, the Wei commander's expression turned grim.
"What? They intend to attack the city with only three thousand soldiers? That's highly unlikely."
The deputy general scratched his head, "But Commander, this woman defeated Li Yuanba. Her martial prowess is not to be underestimated."
The commander was stunned, "Defeated Li Yuanba? How is that possible?"
The deputy general nodded and respectfully replied, "Commander, it is absolutely true. This woman is truly formidable."
The commander's expression grew increasingly serious. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Very well, we will pack up immediately. Not a moment can be wasted."
Hearing this, the deputy general immediately responded, "Yes, Commander. I will issue the order at once."
Within half a day, the Wei army had packed up and was rushing towards Daliang City!
At this moment, Chu Chen's army had also begun to set off in batches, heading towards Handan!