For the upcoming battle, Liu Xiu actually wanted Gu Xiao to bring more generals and soldiers.
But Gu Yi refused.
Only bringing Lai Xi and two thousand troops.
In history, it was indeed Lai Xi who accomplished this surprise attack with two thousand troops.
But now things are different.
Who, according to various records, is the one under Liu Xiu most keen on surprise attacks? Gu Xiao!
This task falls to none other than Gu Xiao!
The army quickly set out.
Because the objective this time was a surprise attack, few knew the specifics of the army's route.
But Gu Yi did not let down his guard either.
It was fortunate that there were only two thousand troops.
Although Gu Xiao's leadership abilities were average, he could at least manage two thousand soldiers.
Not to mention having the famous Lai Xi there.
The army marched all the way, heading straight for Longyou.
And Liu Xiu's preparations for this battle didn't stop there.
There was also Ma Yuan.
This person, who once came to help Kui Xiao to see how Liu Xiu was doing, was originally stationed in the Three Auxiliaries region for farming, but this time took the initiative to submit a memorial, wanting to persuade the generals under Kui Xiao.
Liu Xiu agreed immediately, even giving him five thousand troops.
....
The Longyou region belonged to the Western Province, which was Liangzhou State.
It is a key area connecting the Central Plains to the West River Corridor and the Western Regions.
The topography of Liangzhou is high in the southwest and low in the northeast, with Long Mountain at the southeastern boundary of Liangzhou, making the terrain generally easy to defend and hard to attack.
The purpose of Gu Xiao's mission was to take a detour for a surprise attack.
Although the difficulty of the Longyou region is not as famous as the Shu Road, achieving the mission perfectly is rather extraordinary.
They not only had to clear the paths through the mountains but also had to guard against enemy scouts.
It was a matter of life and death.
Gu Yi kept a close watch on everything, wanting to minimize the risks.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
Danger was inevitable.
When the Gu family began to rise on a different path, these were the challenges they had to face.
Everything comes with a price; as long as you gain something, there must be corresponding sacrifices.
The Gu family was no exception.
The army marched onward, and after a short while, they passed the easiest roads, and it increasingly became more difficult.
As the leader, Gu Xiao naturally didn't need to clear the path.
But as a commander, he had other responsibilities.
That was to stabilize the morale of the troops.
The military's morale was the hardest to maintain during such long treks and mountain journeys, with uncertainty lying ahead.
Quite often, Gu Xiao had to take personal risks.
Demonstrating exemplary behavior as the commander to maintain the soldiers' confidence.
However, fortunately, Gu Yi utilized all modern training methods, and the soldiers accompanying Gu Xiao this time were almost all his veterans.
The combat capability of these troops could be considered the elite of the Great Han.
Each of them was a veteran of many battles.
Many had followed Gu Xiao through thick and thin.
And under Gu Yi's deliberate training, their obedience now far surpassed other armies.
Thus, the morale was naturally more stable.
Days passed by.
As the army entered the mountains, their marching speed slowed considerably.
It must be said, Lai Xi was indeed worthy of being one of the renowned generals in history.
Although he didn't make it into the list of Yuntai Twenty-Eight Generals, his skills were certainly not lacking.
If there was no interference from Gu Yi.
His abilities far exceeded those of Gu Xiao.
As the situation became increasingly difficult, Lai Xi gradually and unknowingly took over the main responsibility of the army.
Gu Yi wouldn't have any complaints about this.
Who is Lai Xi?
A figure noted in history.
And as for himself?
Though he had the vision of a modern man, it was unrealistic to expect Gu Yi, a graduate who had never been involved in military affairs, to lead two thousand troops through hardships.
That's why Gu Yi brought Lai Xi, hoping he would bear the burden.
Of course, Lai Xi's attitude toward Gu Xiao never changed.
In the Great Han, no one would dare to provoke this great general highly valued by Liu Xiu.
He only made some timely suggestions.
And the army slowly progressed under such circumstances.
...
Junyi.
Inside the military camp.
Feng Yi felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.
He had been confronting Kui Xiao for quite a while, and although he gained some advantages each time.
Confronting the defensive terrain of Long Mountain, he still couldn't break through, despite using all possible methods.
Even someone with his intellect felt a bit of despair.
If even he felt this way, the other generals felt even worse.
"Hmph!"
"If I can breach the city one day, I swear I will annihilate the whole Kui Xiao clan!"
Wu Han gritted his teeth, full of anger.
His mood was evidently worse than Feng Yi's.
Such a prolonged standoff isn't just a trivial matter for these generals.
It was more than just mental pressure.
The most crucial part was that they couldn't let their guard down even for a moment.
For Kui Xiao could attack at any moment.
They had to remain constantly vigilant, yet they couldn't break through no matter how hard they tried.
This made Wu Han feel very frustrated.
The other generals felt the same way, this battle was indeed quite stifling for them.
If it continued like this.
The Han Army would eventually be worn out, losing its edge.
"General, do you have any strategies?" Wu Han asked Feng Yi once again.
"Alas."