Chapter 1826: Defend Our Land, Not an Inch to the Enemy

ore. Every year, my family is the top taxpayer in Weihaiwei, accounting for 10% of the total tax revenue collected from commerce alone.Zheng Bao Rong grew increasingly aggrieved as he spoke. He knelt...Chapter 1826: Defend Our Homeland, Grant the Enemy Not an Inch

It's the depths of winter, and I find myself once again amidst towering mountains. The temperature around me is undoubtedly below freezing – not just enough to freeze water instantly, but a chill that could be deadly if you're not adequately prepared.

Inside the tent, facing the scrutiny of all the commanders, Cheng Fuzhao felt as if he were in a furnace, with thousands of flames shooting at him, ready to roast him alive.

Though the pressure was immense, he didn't hesitate for even half a second when faced with Li Chen's question.

"Reporting Your Highness, the specific amount of materials transported by officials in the fiefdom to the Liao army is... innumerable."

"The scale is too large, the number too great, to even calculate a specific figure. But what can be confirmed now is that most are strategic materials, such as tung oil, arrows, swords, halberds, armor, etc. Truly essential items for survival, such as grain, are extremely scarce, almost non-existent. This is because grains like rice and flour have a short shelf life, so even King Ning himself wouldn't store much. What managed to fall into the hands of the Liao army is even rarer."

Along with those supplies came a large number of local officials who, fearing retribution from the court afterward, had taken the supplies as credentials and defected to the enemy. Currently, within their fiefdoms, there is chaos, with no one able to control the situation. Similarly, outsiders have no way of knowing what is truly going on inside these fiefdoms.

Cheng Fuzhao brought devastating news, but amidst the tragedy, there was a glimmer of hope.

The territory was in chaos, a large number of officials fled with supplies to join the Liao army. This gave the Liao army a chance to breathe and made this battle, which had originally been a sure victory, even more unpredictable. The only good news was that there wasn't much grain among the supplies, which was the most urgently needed by the Liao army.

Li Chen looked up at Wu Qingsang and said in a deep voice, "Wu Shuai, this can also explain why the Liao army suddenly launched a general attack, and the offensive was so fierce, and there were so many arrows and tung oil covering Lu Fengpo."

Wu Qingscang's expression was as serious as it could be, and he nodded. "It seems that many plans need to be rearranged."

"These, give them to Wu Shuai."

Even at the most critical juncture, Li Chen still maintained the utmost trust in Wu Qingcang.

At the same time, Li Chen bowed to all the generals inside the tent and said: "My lords, the situation on the battlefield has changed drastically. There has never been a war that could be guaranteed victory in history, and this battle has continued to change at the critical moment. As the saying goes, plans can't keep up with changes. Now many arrangements need to be rearranged. The combat strength of the Liao army will be much stronger than we previously estimated. This means that many of our previous arrangements that consumed Liao army resources have become useless."

“But no matter what, this battle concerns the stability of the country and its people, and directly determines the ownership of land north of the Yangtze River. One battle will decide the glory and shame for a hundred years. The Great Qin Empire has never faced such a crisis since its founding. It is not in my hands, but in your hands. I urge you all to unite as one and defend our land, not giving the enemy even an inch!”

Li Chen's heartfelt words immediately ignited the confidence of the generals present. They simultaneously cupped their fists and bowed to Li Chen, saying: "Your Highness, please rest assured, defending our homeland is our duty!"

Hearing the oaths that almost tore the tents apart, Li Chen was immensely pleased and nodded. "All military affairs depend on all of you. This palace is responsible for clearing away all other obstacles for you."

After he finished speaking, the voice of Huangji Tian arriving from outside rang out. Li Chen immediately took Cheng Fuzhao and proactively went out to greet him.

The next arrangement, without Jin Jun, won't work.l.He even began to regret impulsively coming to the capital."Let's go!"Yelü Shenxuan decisively said, "This is not a place to stay long. Li Chen has already warned us, we should leave immediately."Say...