Meanwhile, Lin Fan hurried to the Imperial Army camp to confer with the generals of the Shuofang Army.
Lin Fan looked at everyone with a serious expression. At this moment, the generals of the Shuofang Army had also received the news from the eunuch who had delivered the imperial decree from the palace, and their expressions were solemn.
Looking at the generals in the tent, Lin Fan said, "Your Excellencies, you are all aware of the current situation. Foreign tribes have invaded our Great Wei's territory in the western regions, and the Western Army is no match. Therefore, the Shuofang Army has been dispatched to the western regions."
"Though strong, those who violate the Great Wei shall be annihilated. The enemy this time is a formidable foe, but we must display the might of the Great Wei and never allow foreign tribes to act arrogantly on our territory!"
"Yes!" the generals responded in unison.
Lin Fan continued, "This expedition will traverse thousands of miles to the distant western regions. Most of the soldiers of the Shuofang Army have never been to the western regions before, so the commanders of each unit must boost morale and make thorough preparations."
"The imperial court and local governments will fully support our army. Please prepare any necessary supplies as soon as possible."
"Yes." Wu Jinqin cupped his hands and accepted the order.
Lin Fan then instructed, "Our entire army will be dispatched for this expedition. Our brothers have just pacified the south not long ago. You must prepare the brothers for a prolonged stay in the western regions and handle your family affairs properly."
Lin Fan had always paid attention to the condition of the soldiers, especially the morale of the low-ranking soldiers, who were often overlooked but were actually the most crucial component of an army.
Many times, miracles of defeating a larger force with a smaller one occurred, partly because the smaller force was full of fighting spirit, and partly because the larger force, despite its apparent strength, had low morale and could collapse at the slightest touch.
Therefore, Lin Fan deeply understood the impact of morale on an army's combat power. The Wei kingdom provided the soldiers with the utmost security, which allowed the Wei army's combat effectiveness to remain at a relatively high level, thus solidifying the Wei kingdom's position as the foremost among all nations.
Sima Cuo, under the tent, stepped forward and asked Lin Fan, "Your Highness, regarding the foreign tribes we are to face, do you know how many troops they have?"
Lin Fan pondered for a moment and said, "According to the battle reports, the enemy likely has no less than two hundred thousand men, and they are continuously reinforcing."
Sima Cuo's expression became solemn, "Does that mean these foreign tribes defeated the Western Army with only two hundred thousand men?"
The faces of the Shuofang Army generals turned grim. The generals of the Shuofang Army were well aware of the combat effectiveness of the Western Army.
It was known that the Western Army was famous for its formidable fighting strength. Although they were slightly inferior to the Shuofang Army in terms of troop deployment and weaponry, the bravery of the Western Army was recognized by the Shuofang Army generals.
Moreover, the Western Army numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Even if some of them were on the payroll without actually serving, or if their combat effectiveness was lower, the majority of their fighting strength was still guaranteed.
These foreign tribes, with their numerically inferior force, defeating the Western Army was indeed a formidable enemy.
Seeing the grim expressions of the generals, Lin Fan explained, "Actually, the Western Army was not defeated in a head-on confrontation, but was ambushed by the foreign tribes. They suffered considerable losses this time."
Lin Fan deliberately smiled and said, "Our Shuofang Army is the strongest army in the world. Surely, you are not intimidated by some unknown foreign tribe?"
The generals of the Shuofang Army recovered their composure. Sima Cuo said, "Your Highness jested. It has always been others who fear us, when have we ever feared others?"
"Exactly, exactly! This time, I will personally cut down that foreign general and make sure they never dare to invade our Great Wei's territory again!" Wu Tao boomed.
The atmosphere in the tent became lively again, and the generals made boastful declarations.
Lin Fan nodded with satisfaction, seeing this. It was not good to be afraid before battle. They had not even engaged the enemy in the western regions yet, and already they were showing fear.
Afterwards, the generals returned to their respective units to reorganize their troops. Lin Fan kept Wu Jinqin behind alone.
Lin Fan instructed Wu Jinqin, "It is right to have a fighting spirit, but you must be cautious when you go to the western regions. The Western Army's combat effectiveness is not weak, yet they were defeated by the foreign tribes."
"On one hand, the Western Army was careless. On the other hand, the foreign tribes this time are cunning and difficult to deal with. When you lead your troops, you must be prudent. Stabilize the situation first, and do not underestimate the enemy or advance rashly."
Those who were dispatched this time were all Lin Fan's trusted confidants, and he could not afford to be careless.
Wu Jinqin solemnly replied, "Your subordinate receives the order!"
Lin Fan had great confidence in Wu Jinqin. Wu Jinqin had always been steady in his military operations and should not be ambushed.
Lin Fan thought for a moment and said to Wu Jinqin, "Some people in the imperial court have proposed that you stabilize the situation in the western regions and avoid engaging the foreign tribes, thus delaying them. What do you think?"
Wu Jinqin frowned slightly at this, "If that were the case, we might be passively attacked. Moreover, given the terrain of the western regions, as long as the enemy has enough patience, they can inflict many casualties on us."
The land in the western regions was mostly desert and wasteland, with few mountains and no easily defensible strongholds. If the Wei army wanted to hold its ground, it could only choose those cities.
However, there were no easily defensible cities in the western regions, making it difficult to fight a defensive war there.
Previously, the tribes on the grasslands lacked siege capabilities. But the foreign tribes now clearly possessed considerable siege capabilities.
Lin Fan nodded and said, "You are right. That is why I have rejected this plan. Once you reach the front lines, all matters will be decided by you. You do not need to consider other things."
"You do not need to think about the overall situation. I will handle these matters. You only need to make your own judgment based on the situation in the western regions."
"Whether to defend or attack, the decision is yours."
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness."
Lin Fan himself was a general who led troops in battle, so he knew that such matters could not be taken lightly. No one knew how to handle the situation better than the generals on the front lines.
Therefore, Lin Fan would naturally not interfere with anything from the rear and make commands. If any minor manipulation led to the loss of these armies, Lin Fan would have no one to blame.
Lin Fan considered for a moment and said, "Last time, when we pacified the south, the logistics were tampered with. You must pay extra attention to these matters this time to prevent such incidents from happening again."
"Your subordinate understands."
Wu Jinqin naturally knew about such matters and would pay extra attention to them even without Lin Fan's reminder.
Although, in Wu Jinqin's opinion, the incident last time had been uncovered, and no one would dare to act again this time, but who could say for sure? Who knew if there would be someone incredibly audacious?
The entire imperial army camp was a scene of bustling activity, with soldiers preparing for the expedition. The dark clouds of war once again loomed over Hongdu.