Chapter 549: with translation of chapter title

The civil officials of Hezhou are indeed somewhat unruly.

I'm not exactly sure when this trend started, Chen Wuji, but it seems that after Qin Feng and Li Run arrived, things have gradually gone off the rails in an outrageous way.

Before, they were relatively rule-abiding, to the point of being described as sticking rigidly to old ways.

Cheng Zhiheng and the others would only occasionally let their thoughts wander a bit, coming up with something the civil officialdom couldn't accept.

But ever since Qin Feng and Li Run became the two ringleaders, this has spiraled out of control, with crooked tactics popping up constantly, and the civil officials hardly seem like civil officials anymore.

If this bunch were placed elsewhere, they would certainly be collectively resisted by the civil officialdom.

Chen Wuji turned these matters over in his mind a full circle, while the dispute between Qian Fugui and Chen Baojia over sending troops remained unresolved.

Qian Fugui laid out a basketful of reasons, trying to seize the chance to attack Wenkou Town, but Chen Baojia wouldn't budge, repeating over and over: "I have more cavalry, I'm more suited, you'd better not say another word."

This move of his packs the same punch as the line, "You've been hit by a monkey."

Though it's just a light sentence, it left Qian Fugui speechless.

"My lord, perhaps you should decide!" Qian Fugui said helplessly, "Although I have few cavalry, I still want to go to Wenkou Town; siege warfare really isn't my forte."

Chen Wuji asked, "Which of you has more new troops under your command?"

"Me!" Qian Fugui said.

"Then you go to Qingzhou," Chen Wuji said.

"You've seen the tactics they drafted; for us, the battle at Wenkou Town is uncertain. Although what Lu Ping'an says is sound and he shows eagerness to join forces with our army, this doesn't fully guarantee that Lu Ping'an won't turn around and attack us."

"Therefore, the force sent to Wenkou Town must be able to fight and retreat, and must always be ready to block enemy reinforcements, supporting our attack on Qingzhou."

"Do you understand what I mean? Cavalry is indeed better suited for this fight; I'll still keep you as the vanguard, but not for Wenkou Town—rather for Qingzhou."

Qian Fugui felt a bit down, but after hearing Chen Wuji's reasons, he didn't insist further.

"Deputy General obeys the order!" He rose to his feet and gave a strong, solemn fist salute.

Chen Wuji raised his hand to stop him, "Don't rush to obey yet; I haven't finished speaking."

"This time you go to Qingzhou, you're not just the vanguard; you must also oversee the overall situation and command from the front. So don't rush headlong this time."

Qian Fugui blinked, "My lord, you're not going?"

"I'm going to Wenkou Town!" Chen Wuji shook his head.

"Lu Ping'an has warmly invited me; I ought to give him face. Our Hezhou forces are few and weak; if we only send Chen Baojia's detachment, wouldn't that sound a bit hollow? I need to go see Lu Ping'an in person."

"Having spoken boldly, to send half our troops to assist him would be no child's play!"

Qian Fugui, already unhappy, became even more so.

He shrank his neck, and for the first time he felt a little timid.

"My lord, let me be the vanguard—I have no problem with that now—but to let me survey the whole situation and command from the front feels a bit hasty; I… might not be up to it!" Qian Fugui said.

Chen Wuji smiled, "You're not afraid of heaven or earth—what's there to fear about this small matter? I'll let Jingxuan go with you, but in military affairs you'll still be in charge."

"I… also feel a bit unsure about this," Qian Fugui muttered.

As vanguard he's eager more than anyone, but when it comes to directing combat, just thinking about it leaves him feeling utterly unsure.

He's never done this before; he can't even imagine how to go about it.

Chen Wuji didn't listen to his nonsense, saying directly, "This is settled then—Old Yang isn't in Hezhou, so you're the only one fit for this; besides you, there's no one else."

Qian Fugui's mind suddenly shifted, "My lord, call Old Yang back, and I'll swap places with him!"

"After we leave, Old Yang needs to hold Hezhou," Chen Wuji said.

"Lu Ping'an's recent moves, while reasonable on the surface, carry some strangeness; we must guard against him luring us out to steal our peaches and then counter‑attack Hezhou. Here, too, only Old Yang is suitable—you can't expect Qin Feng and those civil officials to brandish swords on the walls and direct battle, can you?"

Qian Fugui suddenly withdrew into himself.

"It really is one radish per hole, but the hole I'm in as a radish isn't quite right." He muttered lowly, clasped his hands, and said, "Deputy General obeys the order—I'll grit my teeth, shoulder the burden, and get it done; it seems I really can't avoid going to Qingzhou."

Chen Wuji laughed and scolded, "Don't put on that sour face with me. When you first led troops as vanguard and charged into battle, it was far harder than now. Back then you shouted louder than anyone; how is it that with higher skills and more troops under you, you've become timid?"

"My lord, back then I only had a few hundred men; now a single order of mine can affect the lives of tens of thousands—how could I act lightly? Moreover, if I lose this battle, it will impact the whole situation; I truly feel unsure, the pressure is huge." Qian Fugui said.

Chen Wuji solemnly said, "I need to tell you: we mustn't think about losing, but we also shouldn't fear defeat. On the battlefield, circumstances change in an instant; even the ancient gods of war have known loss, yet in battle one must be bold yet careful, after battle summarize and reflect, and the four words 'unorthodox and orthodox, strategy and tactics' should be kept firmly in mind."

"Yes!"

"Don't burden yourself with pointless anxiety; relax and go fight." Chen Wuji said.

"Besides, Qingzhou is not only a fortified city; it's the seat of Nan Jun prefecture, the most prosperous place in the whole Nan Jun. With just your eight thousand troops, I feel uneasy. Then I will draw three thousand veteran soldiers and three thousand new recruits from Old Yang's command to reinforce your forces."

"A force of fourteen thousand, plus Jingxuan's assistance—I believe you can chew through Qingzhou's hard bone; go ahead and do it!"

Qian Fugui lifted his spirits and accepted the order in a deep voice.

Next, Chen Wuji slowly issued the orders.

Summon Yang Tiejiang to return to Hezhou to hold the fort, overseeing provisions, with Yuan Dingcheng and Li Run as his aides.

Conscript five thousand laborers from Qing County to handle grain and fodder transport for the two armies heading to Qingzhou and Wenkou Town.

After the meeting concluded, the already sizable force of Hezhou sprang into swift motion.

Coincidentally, Qin Feng, who was in Qingzhou, gathered the laborers in less than five days and sent them to Hezhou.

And after receiving the military order, Yang Tiejiang left a detachment to assist Xu Zengyi still in Guangyuan Province, then hurried back at once.

Speaking of which, his men and the letter returned together.

"Old Yang, this letter seems unnecessary for me to read now; you know the people you've recommended, so just appoint them directly." Chen Wuji said, "Originally there was supposed to be a ceremony, but I've decided to skip it for now."