Schemes of the Noble Households Chapter 71

As July approached, the weather became increasingly hot. There was a severe drought in Xuzhou, Zhongzhou and other places, and there had been no rain for several months.

The Jin army advanced rapidly all the way, successively defeating the armies led by Yan generals Murong Li and Murong Zang, and entered Wuyang.

Huan Wen ordered the army to take a short rest and not to approach Fangtou. At the same time, he sent Yuan Zhen, the governor of Yuzhou, to attack Qiao County and Liang State, to dig open the stone gate and connect the food and military roads to prevent the army from getting into trouble if the clean water was blocked and reinforcements were not available.

At this point, Huan Wen's plan to send troops had been largely completed. He only had to enter Fangtou and force the King of Yan to cede land and seek peace. Then he could return to the south in triumph, use the threat of the Northern Expedition to force the Jin Emperor to abdicate, and ascend the throne.

During the army's rest period, the chief clerk of the central army was counting the battle results. When he saw the official document delivered by the vanguard right army, he put down his pen in disbelief and rubbed his eyes.