Chapter 1656: Start the War

Smoothing out the surging depression, Magistrate Di said: "Magistrate Chen, what is the purpose of your coming here?"

"You didn't come specifically to cut off our heads and flatter your new master, did you?" Magistrate Jiang was still yin and yang.

"Magistrate Di, Magistrate Jiang, you and I were colleagues once, don't you know my character? I am truly thinking for the two Magistrates, so I came over to discuss a good strategy with the two Magistrates. Why the cold words?"

"Magistrate Jiang just has a hasty temper. Since Magistrate Chen has been a colleague for many years, you should be clear. At present, Wang Yan has cut off our retreat. You, Magistrate Chen, an old colleague and friend, are facing us with weapons and going in the opposite direction. It is inevitable to complain a few words."

Magistrate Di laughed and mediated in the middle. He often did this.

"Alright, alright, I'm old and can't stand. Sit down, drink tea, and talk. We have plenty of time now, so we can chat slowly."

Immediately, the three sat down and discussed tea for a while. Even Magistrate Jiang had no movement, as if it wasn't him who was irritable just now.

Magistrate Chen said: "At present, the Huoshan army cuts across the north and south of the Yangtze River. To the west of Xiang-E is Bashu, and to the east is the Heavenly Kingdom. Magistrate Jiang just called himself a turtle in a jar, which is not a false statement. The plan for today is for the two Magistrates to stop fighting and surrender."

"What nonsense is Magistrate Chen talking about?" Magistrate Di laughed. "Just said, your family, Magistrate Chen, has left the capital, but the families of the two of us are still there.

Now that Wang Yan has raised troops, you are also clear that my Great Qing has long had a response, and the army will go south in a few days. Even if Wang Yan can hold it, don't forget, Magistrate Jiang and I still have 100,000 troops, not without the power to fight back. There are only more than 10,000 troops guarding the north of the river. How long can they hold? The Yangtze River is so long, can he guard it all?

If you say cut off my supplies, that's even more of a joke. Don't forget, there is the Heavenly Kingdom in the east. They don't participate in the war, but they didn't say they wouldn't sell us supplies. Besides, there is the sea south of Guangzhou, which is still in our hands, and supplies can be sent over. In addition, there is Shi Dakai in the west. This Wing King of Five Thousand Years is not a person to be trifled with."

Magistrate Jiang scraped the foam with a teacup: "Magistrate Di's words are very true. Now we are sitting firmly on the fishing platform. In my opinion, it is not us who should be anxious, but you who should be the most anxious. Magistrate Chen, boarding a sinking ship, ruining your future, losing your life, and implicating your descendants, you must consider clearly."

Magistrate Chen glanced at him and drank tea calmly: "Whether it's a good ship or a sinking ship, the ship has already sailed. The old man is not good at water, sinking ship is death, jumping off the ship is also death. Only when this ship sails well can one live."

He put down the teacup. "Are the two Magistrates determined to be enemies with Huoshan?"

"Isn't what Magistrate Di said enough?" Magistrate Jiang smiled, took a sip, and spat out the tea leaves.

"What Magistrate Di said about the east, west, and south, the most serious one is the Wing King of Five Thousand Years, who is advancing towards the territory with tens of thousands of troops, and it is a desperate soldier with the strongest will to fight. However, he has long been blocked by Huoshan and has retreated an inch. Perhaps the two Magistrates don't know that at this time, Shi Dakai is estimated to have defected to Huoshan.

In the final analysis, he cannot return to the Heavenly Kingdom, nor can he defect to the Great Qing, and he is a lone desperate soldier. If Huoshan were not strong, it would be fine, but Huoshan's strength is not weak. He cannot take Bashu, nor can he take other places. Except for defecting to Huoshan, he has no other choice. What about the remaining Heavenly Kingdom and the south? In the final analysis, the two Magistrates still feel that the 100,000 troops in their hands can compete with Huoshan."

"Can't they, Magistrate Chen? Huoshan is strong, but our 100,000-strong army, plus the firearms sold by Wang Yan, and the firearms given by foreigners, other materials, although lacking, are just enough. What if Shi Dakai is incorporated? Tens of thousands of people at most, do you dare to use them with confidence? Magistrate Chen, what else can you teach me?"

Magistrate Di and Magistrate Jiang were calm, as if they had already won.

Magistrate Chen shook his head: "Then let's stop here today. Let's fight first, and we'll talk later."

"Oh? Magistrate Chen is very confident. Is there any big killer?" Magistrate Di showed a sudden realization. "Artillery! He has long built artillery, and it is said that the quantity is not small. In Bashu, neither my Great Qing nor the Heavenly Kingdom has found out the true power and output of the artillery.

Not to mention anything else, Wang Yan still has a hand in keeping secrets. We are like a sieve here, with no secrets at all. Look at others, they operate seamlessly. If it weren't for bad luck, if it were when the Great Qing was still outside the pass and the Chuang King was dominating, maybe Wang Yan would have really succeeded."

"The two Magistrates don't have to look at me like this. This battle is not for me to fight. The two might not know that I have already handed over the military power and am specializing in government affairs. This time it is because I have old ties with the two Magistrates that I came here to mediate. Since the words are not speculative, the two Magistrates think they have reliance, so let's wait until after the fight."

Magistrate Chen walked away directly and crisply, and crossed the river by boat.

Leaving Magistrate Di and Magistrate Jiang, looking at each other.

Magistrate Jiang said hesitantly: "The one surnamed Chen is determined, is there any conspiracy? Magistrate Di, Wang Yan is the best at buying and infiltrating. Bashu and Shangan are lessons from the past. Why don't we check our subordinates again?"

"Can you check it?" Magistrate Di shook his head. "It's all at this time, where do we have the energy to check so much? We can only see the move and dismantle the move. I don't believe he, Wang Yan, is a god. With just that little military strength, can he turn the sky over? Magistrate Jiang, rather than thinking about those useless things, you and I should think about how to fight this battle."

"Magistrate Di is good at using troops. This battle is nothing more than enemies from the west and north. Looking at the one surnamed Chen, who is determined, we should defend first. After all, for so many years, those bandits and guards under Wang Yan, although they haven't fought any big battles, those small battles cannot be underestimated, and they are still very capable of fighting. Wang Yan himself said that the soldiers under his command are all seeds of officers, and his firearms are sufficient, so we should be careful."

"Magistrate Jiang is mature and prudent. Now that we are separated in the south, we must work together to help each other and watch and help each other. Only in this way can you and I overcome the difficulties together and break that Huoshan Wang Yan."

"Magistrate Di, rest assured, I naturally have a count at this time."

"Good, then we will be the same as before. I will guard the north here, and you go to guard the west."

"Good."

Magistrate Jiang responded crisply, although it seems now that because the north is blocked by the Yangtze River, it is better to block Wang Yan's troops from going south. And the west is a mountain, and at the same time, it is connected to Bashu early, and there are many roads from there, so Magistrate Jiang has to work harder to fight. But there is a reason for such an arrangement.

In fact, it was Magistrate Jiang who fought the Taiping Army in the north before, but later because of the unhappiness between him and Magistrate Chen, Magistrate Chen defected to Wang Yan and deliberately sold Magistrate Jiang, giving him a ruthless one.

Later, in order to coordinate the contradictions between the two sides, Magistrate Di took the initiative to propose changing defense with Magistrate Jiang. Magistrate Di was still very particular about this, because the pressure in the north was greater at that time.

It's just that the situation has changed now. Although the enemy has changed, and although Magistrate Jiang is quite shameless, Magistrate Di opened his mouth to maintain the original situation, and he just recognized it, without any complaints...

Shi Dakai surrendered.

Or more accurately, defected.

As Magistrate Chen said, he had nowhere to go. The troops under Wang Yan were very combative. He failed to break into Bashu in one go and was surrounded. It was Zhao Erhu, who was in charge here, who remembered that Shi Dakai was also an righteous army against the Qing, and had awareness, so he didn't do it directly, but reported it to Wang Yan, asking Wang Yan to decide.

Otherwise, Zhao Erhu's power was very large, and he could kill if he acted on his own...

Shi Dakai was a heroic person, strong in body, and now he was in his prime. However, good fortune makes people, and Shi Dakai, who was less than thirty years old, was rough-skinned because of years of marching and fighting, and the chaos in Tianjing gave him a heavy blow, making him very vicissitudes. Later, he was defeated and surrounded, and now he had to surrender. The spirit of the whole person was beaten away by the great changes in a short period of time.

The Shi Dakai that Wang Yan saw didn't look like Shi Gangdang at all.

Wuchang, by the Yangtze River. Wang Yan wore a bear skin cloak, played with a small red mud stove, drank canned tea, and poured tea for Shi Dakai sitting opposite.

"Victory and defeat are common things for soldiers. The general should look at it more openly. The general is in his prime and can still do many things. Why indulge in yesterday's mistakes and be unable to extricate himself?"

"I am already a dog of a lost family..."

"The general's words are wrong. What is important for a person is his own ability. You have fought for many years, are a famous ever-victorious general, and assisted the Heavenly King in managing military and political affairs without any omissions. If it weren't for the Heavenly King's deliberate restraint, you could have done better. This ability is all your own, and no one can take it away. Also, you left the Heavenly Kingdom, and what was the result? One call and a hundred responses! At first, there were only a few thousand people, and now you have tens of thousands!"

"Master, I didn't..."

Wang Yan waved his hand: "You are the Wing King of Five Thousand Years, and your reputation is very good. The soldiers and civilians under your command all support you. If you couldn't pull out so many people, that would be the problem. I am not good at anything else, but I have a big heart.

Magistrate Chen, you know him. He is now my deputy, assisting me in handling government affairs. Do you think I will let you, this ever-victorious general, hide and be idle? You think beautifully. He is old and can't fight outside, you are still young and can do many things.

You don't have to have other concerns, don't be afraid of being too high to be the master. I have the capacity to tolerate people, and I don't do the rabbit-killing-dog-cooking thing. As long as you don't want to rebel against me and keep my laws, then we will be together for a long time. After all, I am several years younger than you, and we both have to live for decades."

Shi Dakai, who had been in a low posture, looked up at Wang Yan, his straight gaze stinging.

After looking at each other for a few breaths, Shi Dakai arched his hands: "Then thank you, Master. This subordinate will definitely not live up to Master's expectations."

"Drink tea."

Shi Dakai followed the trend, raised the teacup with his rough, black-shining hands, and drank the sweet tea.

And then asked: "I don't know how Master plans to deal with the soldiers under my command?"

"I will give you half to lead, and I will arrange half of the troops for you, scattered and reorganized, and then send you a Assistant Regional Commander." Wang Yan poured him tea. "I believe you understand this point. It's not enough for me to believe you alone. The necessary checks and balances are still needed. In the final analysis, you are the newly arrived Wing King of Five Thousand Years, not Shi Dakai under my Wang Yan."

"I believe that with your ability, you will definitely be able to achieve a career, but you have to achieve a career to let others believe you."

Wang Yan said awkward words and told simple truths.

No matter what, it is impossible to hand over tens of thousands of troops to a newcomer without restrictions. Let alone Shi Dakai, who has a good reputation, no one can do it.

"Where am I going to fight?"

"Magistrate Jiang. Your troops are not far from there. Have a good contest with your old rival. In order not to delay the military situation, reorganization and fighting are carried out together. Fight slowly and reorganize slowly."

Seeing the doubt in Shi Dakai's eyes, Wang Yan explained, "First, transfer half of your people for separate training, and then supplement you with half of the troops, commanded by the Assistant Regional Commander I arranged for you. You command him, and he commands the soldiers below. In the process of fighting, continuously draw people from both of your sides to form new units. After simple training and familiarization, intervene in the war little by little.

After fighting for a period of time, this army will be reorganized, and it won't affect anything. It's mainly fighting with the two surnamed Jiang. You don't need to spend too much thought. As long as they have the upper hand, they will definitely chase and fight, but if they are at a disadvantage, they will start thinking about how to preserve their strength.

I have built artillery, you know that. They are all being sent to the front now. When the time comes, you will fire a few rounds, and Magistrate Jiang will be honest."

Shi Dakai responded and nodded, without saying anything else. He really has no heart now. Even if Wang Yan gave him trust, gave him promises, gave him power, and gave him encouragement, he is currently in a stage of doubting life, which is not so easy to adjust.

After leaving Tianjing, Shi Dakai's behavior was a trapped beast fighting, and he never became a climate. Finally, in order to protect his subordinates, he surrendered, was played, and not many of his subordinates survived, and he himself was sliced...

However, with Wang Yan's help, the situation was much better. After all, leaning against a big tree is cool. Although Wang Yan's territory has less tax, the place is large, the population is not bad, and the power is quite strong.

Otherwise, there would be no way to maintain the three-way balance for several years. If it weren't for the Tianjing Incident, this situation might have lasted for a long time without being broken...

Shi Dakai left here and returned to his troops. Only then did he discover that the Assistant Regional Commander Wang Yan assigned to him was Zhao Erhu. At the same time, weapons and ammunition were also quite sufficient, and he also witnessed the power of artillery...

Across the Yangtze River, looking at the Qing army camp opposite, Wang Yan said without looking back.

"Pang Qingyun, the opportunity is given to you. Whether you can grasp it depends on yourself."

Behind, Pang Qingyun, with a stubble of inch hair, knelt on one knee.

"Definitely will not live up to Master's expectations!" Pang Qingyun's voice trembled, and the ladder to the sky finally appeared before his eyes.

"Go." Wang Yan waved his hand.

So Pang Qingyun stood up and walked away quickly.

A moment later, the rumbling sound of artillery roared, and the Qing army camp on the other side of the river was blown into flowers.

And in the north of the river, under the cover of artillery fire, the soldiers took countless boats and forcibly crossed the river to land...

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who tipped, voted for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and silently read the book for their strong support! ===== CHAPTER 1657 =====