In the secret council convened by King Parakesari of the Makuda kingdom, only the minister Kannabiran and the army chief Thadantholan were present.
“It has been five years since the Mullai kingdom occupied thirty villages of our country, along our northern border. We now have a great opportunity to reclaim them. At present, Mullai is engaged in a war with Parijatha country on their eastern frontier. If we strike now, Mullai won't be able to resist us. What do you say?” asked the king.
“We can launch an attack, Your Majesty! But our northern border is mostly mountainous. Our troops will have to climb uphill. Since the troops of Mullai country are stationed on the high ground, it will be easier for them to spot and strike our forces. Therefore, we must carefully choose the right place for the attack” said the army chief Thadantholan.
“Is there such a suitable place?” asked the king.
The army chief remained silent.
The king looked at the minister.
“Your Majesty, launching an attack from our border would be extremely difficult” said the minister hesitantly.
“Did I summon you both here just to hear that it’s impossible for us to attack Mullai country?” the king asked angrily.
He continued, “Right now, since a war is being fought on Mullai kingdom’s eastern border, all its forces will be concentrated there. On its southern border - specifically, the area belonging to our country occupied by them - there won’t be many troops. If we don’t launch an attack now, when will we reclaim our lost land?” said the king, in a tone of frustration.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty! We shouldn't underestimate the enemy. We must understand the enemy's options first. There’s one key person missing from this meeting. Without getting the information from him, it wouldn’t be wise to take any decision” said the minister.
After thinking for a moment, the king said, “You must be referring to the head of the spy unit. Fine. If he is in the palace, summon him immediately!”
“No, Your Majesty. He is currently involved in gathering routine intelligence from our spies inside the enemy kingdom. He is not in the palace right now. Before leaving the palace, he informed me that he would return with all the necessary information in two days. My request is that we reconvene after he returns,” said the minister.
The king silently nodded.
Three days later, the meeting was reconvened, in which the head of the spy unit was also present. He shared the information gathered by him from the spies, in detail.
“According to the information provided by the head of the spy unit, the king of the Mullai kingdom is attempting to make peace with the Parijatha kingdom. His troops have been widely deployed across the occupied parts of our country. Though they may be fewer in number, if we attack from our border, all of them will regroup at the border and strike us back. What can we do in this situation?” the king asked the minister, in a tone that now carried exhaustion and helplessness.
“I have a plan, Your Majesty! The Korai river flows through the western region of the Mullai kingdom. This river is shared by both the Mullai and the Shenbaga kingdoms. Mullai has very few troops stationed there - only a handful of soldiers, as confirmed by our spies. Shenbaga is our ally. Though it has no enmity with Mullai, the two countries are not on friendly terms, either. So, with the permission of the Shenbaga king, we can send our soldiers by boat along the Korai river and have them enter the occupied territories through the western border. They can encircle the Mullai troops stationed there. If we do that, the troops of Mullai country won’t be able to resist us. At the same time, our forces can also advance from the south. I have already discussed this plan with the army chief. He agrees that this plan is executable” said the minister.
The king, visibly thrilled, responded, “Excellent plan, Minister! I must admit, I was disappointed with you, when you delayed the discussion last time by pointing out several obstacles. But now, I understand the reason for your reservations about my proposal. Your proposal, which considers the importance of selecting the right place for the attack and a clear understanding of the enemy's options, before our deciding to act, is truly commendable.”
Section 2
Knowing the Right Place
idam kaNda pin alladhu.
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