To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 440 There is no place for prostitution

Fusu keenly noticed the change in Zhang Fan's expression, his heart tightening. He quickly asked, "Teacher, is there something wrong with the terrain of Gaoque Pass?"

Zhang Fan didn't speak, but instead pointed his finger at the map twice.

"The terrain is good, but its Achilles' heel is too obvious!"

Zhang Fan raised his head. "The first priority for an army's encampment is water. Look at the markings on this map; the water sources near Gaoque Pass mainly rely on two streams to the north and west!"

"However, both streams originate from the Great Green Mountain to the north. And the north is precisely the direction from which the Xiongnu people reside!"

Zhang Fan's finger traced the stream southward. "If I were the Xiongnu general, I wouldn't need to launch a full-scale attack on the pass. I could simply send troops upstream to cut off the water flow, or throw in large quantities of cattle and sheep carcasses, rotting flesh, and poison. Our 50,000 troops inside Gaoque Pass would be without water within a day, and there might even be a plague!"

Upon hearing the word "poisoning," both Mo Feng and Fu Su gasped in shock.

If the 50,000-strong army were to run out of water, it would be a catastrophic disaster!

"What should we do?"

Fusu asked anxiously, "What if we head south to fetch water?"

Zhang Fan's finger landed on a water source marker south of the pass: "The nearest clean water source to the south requires crossing the rift valley and traveling straight for thirty li! It's too far. Once the army goes to war, the water-fetching team will be extremely vulnerable to attack."

Zhang Fan took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening.

"Since the streams to the north and west are controlled by others, let's assume they've been cut off or polluted. The lifeline of our 50,000-strong army depends solely on this water source to the south!"

Zhang Fan made a quick decision and drew two circles on the map, one on the east side and one on the west side of Gaoque Pass.

"Pass on my orders! Upon arrival at Gaoque Pass, immediately detach troops. At least ten thousand elite soldiers must be sent to extend the defensive line to the east and west of Gaoque Pass and establish camps!"

"Secure the entrances to the mountain paths on both sides firmly and set up the perimeter fence! This is to prevent them from bypassing the main pass of Gaoque to intercept our water-fetching team or pollute the water source to the south!"

Upon hearing this, Fusu was immediately shocked, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"Teacher, you are insightful and far-sighted, strategizing and winning battles from afar! I have learned a great deal!" Fusu stood up and bowed deeply to Zhang Fan.

Mo Feng sat in the carriage, munching on dried meat, and said nonchalantly, "Hey, I wonder what Gaoque Pass looks like!"

We haven't seen a single person along the way. When we get there, will there not even be a secluded place?

If I had to go without food for several months, it would be really tough!

Hearing this, Zhang Fan and Fu Su were speechless.

Fusu glared at him: "This is the border of Qin, a bitterly cold place where soldiers can hardly even get a hot meal. How can you call this the land of misty willows?"

If you really can't hold it in anymore, just go beyond the Great Wall and catch a few she-wolves to relieve your boredom!

"That's a lie. There's no mother wolf here... cough cough, just kidding, just kidding." Mo Feng coughed twice and changed the subject.

Zhang Fan ignored Mo Feng's jokes, leaned back on the bearskin cushion, and listened to the sound of wind and snow outside the car window, feeling content.

As for the weakness of the water source at Gaoque Pass that he just pointed out on the map, it was not something he discovered on his own!

It is an inference given by strategic experts from the Modern Spacetime Bureau 749!

Spanning over a thousand years, the geological features of the Qin Dynasty differ greatly from those of modern times.

Because the exact direction of the ancient stream could not be determined, the 749th Bureau Staff Department gave the safest contingency plan!

Assuming the water source at the front is destroyed, we must protect the water supply route at the rear, extend the defensive lines on both flanks, and eliminate any possibility of being attacked!

"With the brains of China behind me advising me, if we lose this battle, I might as well just find a block of tofu and smash my head against it."

Zhang Fan picked up the hot tea.

……

Two days later.

The Qin army of 50,000 arrived at its destination.

When the army marched into Gaoque Pass, the scene before them stunned everyone.

Zhang Fan lifted the carriage curtain, revealing a desolate landscape.

As far as the eye could see, there were no trees, not even a clump of shrubs.

Although a layer of snow had accumulated on the ground, kicking it away revealed only blackened hard soil and gravel underneath, without even a single blade of grass!

A fierce wind swept through the rift valley, whipping up sand and snow that stung our faces.

Looking inside Gaoque Pass, apart from the central military camp fortress built of rammed earth and huge stones, which was relatively sturdy, the surrounding scenery was heartbreaking.

Thousands of border guards live here, most of them poorly clothed and emaciated.

The so-called houses were nothing more than dug-out pits or makeshift shacks on the leeward slope.

These buildings could collapse at any moment in the wind and snow.

"This is too bitter!"

Fusu felt a pang of sadness as he looked at the children who were scrutinizing the army.

The eldest son of the Qin Emperor had been pampered since childhood; he had never seen such a miserable state.

"Zhao Ben, the border general of Qin and garrison commander of Gaoque Pass, pays respects to the eldest son! Pays respects to the immortal master!" A Qin general, accompanied by several lieutenants, came forward and knelt on one knee in front of the carriage.

"General Zhao, please rise!"

Fusu stepped forward and helped him up. "The soldiers guard the border, their efforts are commendable. Father Emperor sent us here to fight alongside you and pacify the northern frontier!"

Zhang Fan alighted from the carriage, immediately took out his military tally, and took over the defense of Gaoque Pass.

Following the instructions of Bureau 749, the first thing he did upon entering the pass was to send 10,000 men to set up camp at the mountain passes on the east and west sides to protect the route for fetching water from the south.

After the arrangements were made, the army stood ready inside Gaoque Pass.

Two days passed, and apart from the north wind, no trace of the Xiongnu was seen outside the pass.

It was very quiet outside the pass, and the Xiongnu people did not appear for a long time.

Until the evening of the third day.

A fast horse galloped from the south and rushed into Gaoque Pass.

"Report! Urgent military report from the central army!"

The messenger dismounted and raised the bamboo tube with both hands.

Inside the command tent, Zhang Fan and Fusu opened the military report.

"Immortal Master, what did Commander Meng say in his letter?" Mo Feng leaned closer.

Zhang Fan scanned the bamboo slips: "The Xiongnu have indeed been spotted in the central plains! Commander Meng said in his letter that 50,000 Xiongnu cavalry are maneuvering between Wuquan and Yuanyang, intending to attack the central army's Jiuyuan camp!"

At the end of his letter, Meng Tian inquired whether Gaoque Pass and Yunzhong County should send troops to encircle the enemy from the east and west flanks, now that they had fallen into the trap.

Upon hearing this news, Fusu was overjoyed!

"I didn't expect the Xiongnu to be so impatient and enter the encirclement!"

Fusu slammed his hand on the table. "Teacher, the opportunity is fleeting. I suggest sending the main force eastward to support Commander Meng and capture these 50,000 men!"

Mo Feng drew his longsword: "Immortal Master, give the order! I want to go and pick off a few more enemies!"

Zhang Fan didn't share their joy.

He stared at the bamboo slips in his hand, then looked at the military map on the wall, his brow furrowed.

Something's not right...

Zhang Fan muttered to himself, his expression strange.

"Teacher, something's not right? The enemy has entered the encirclement. Isn't this what we predicted?" Fusu asked.

"The number of people is wrong, and the logic is flawed!"