"Ah, General Wei."
Kong Li looked up at Wei Bao and said, rising to help Wei Bao up.
"Sit!"
"Thank you, Grand Protector."
Kong Li looked at Wei Bao and asked, "It's so late, why aren't you inspecting the barracks? Instead, you've come to the Prefectural Governor's mansion. Is there something important?"
After Kong Li returned, Wei Lin naturally ceded the Prefectural Governor's mansion to Kong Li for his office, while Wei Lin moved to another residence to work.
Kong Li was now not only concerned with the military affairs within Ningxia Prefecture City but also with its residents. Many people had fled to Ningxia Prefecture City during this time, and Kong Li had to constantly monitor their situation, ensuring these civilians did not become a burden on Ningxia Prefecture.
Wei Bao looked at Kong Li and said, "Grand Protector, this subordinate believes that prolonged defense is bound to lead to defeat!"
"These past few days, this subordinate has been fighting the Romans on the city walls. This subordinate believes that these Romans are different from past enemies; their resolve is even lower than that of our Great Wei soldiers."
Wei Bao said earnestly, "Although the prefecture city is a strong fortress, it is not an impregnable one. If it continues to be besieged by the enemy, it will be breached sooner or later.
This subordinate has read many military books and has never seen a city that cannot be conquered, only a matter of time. As long as the enemy keeps attacking like this, we will eventually be unable to hold on.
Moreover, the tenacity of the Roman soldiers has truly exceeded our expectations, causing enormous casualties. We have already suffered nearly twenty thousand casualties.
The enemy has been attacking the city continuously, and coupled with the constant harassment at night, our soldiers are all exhausted. If we continue to persist like this, there will be serious problems!"
Listening to Wei Bao's words, Kong Li fell into thought.
Kong Li could maintain his position as Grand Protector and earn the respect of these martial men, so he naturally understood matters of strategy and battle.
Kong Li understood the principle of "prolonged defense leading to defeat," but...
Kong Li looked at Wei Bao and asked, "General Wei, do you wish to launch a sortie to engage the enemy?"
"The Grand Protector is wise." Wei Bao said earnestly, "It will take some time for the reinforcements to arrive. We must find a way to preserve our strength during this period.
If we continue to be depleted like this, it will be greatly detrimental to our defense.
We originally hoped to rely on the outer armies to exert pressure on the Romans, but now our army is locked within the city, where is there any room for maneuver?
How can the plan to coordinate with the forces outside the city to fight the enemy be realized?
In this subordinate's opinion, the only way to break this stalemate is for our army to march out and meet the enemy, to directly deliver a resounding blow that instills fear in the enemy regarding our city's defenders, and then for the outer armies to advance and defeat the enemy."
Kong Li listened to Wei Bao's words and pondered silently.
"Grand Protector, prolonged defense is bound to lead to defeat!" Wei Bao said sincerely.
Kong Li sighed and said, "Very well, it seems this is the only course of action now."
"Then let the army march out to battle the enemy, but," Kong Li's tone grew serious, "this sortie is merely to attract the enemy's attention, not to fight a decisive battle. You must grasp the balance, do you understand?"
"Understood!" Wei Bao replied solemnly.
Kong Li gazed into the distance, unsure whether his decision was right or wrong.
...