Chapter 353

“Please!”

Qin Tianrui said coolly.

He had long heard of Bai Yifeng’s name, but only of his infamous deeds.

If not for the upcoming battle requiring cooperation between both sides, he wouldn’t have bothered at all.

In an instant, a scholar dressed in a blue lanshan robe was brought over by personal guards.

“Student Bai Wenyi, pays his respects to the Regional Commander!”

The young scholar bowed with a respectful hand gesture, neither humble nor arrogant.

“You also bear the surname Bai? Who is Bai Yifeng to you?”

Seeing the young man’s distinguished bearing, Qin Tianrui asked casually.

“He is my father.”

The moment Bai Wenyi spoke, Qin Tianrui’s pleasant expression vanished.

The butcher’s son—no matter how capable, they were not of the same path.

“Did Bai Yifeng send you here to discuss a joint offensive to retake Anqing?”

Qin Tianrui asked coldly.

The commander’s sole order for this mission was to feign an attack on Anqing.

But as a general with ambition, he didn’t merely wish to fulfill his orders.

Anyone with basic military sense knew Anqing’s strategic value in this campaign.

When opportunity presented itself, he naturally sought to seize Anqing.

“As my lord says, my father sent me here precisely to discuss a joint offensive.”

Bai Wenyi replied immediately.

It wasn’t just Qin Tianrui who sought the glory of retaking Anqing—Bai Yifeng wanted it too.

There were many poorly disciplined armies, but the militia forces were especially shunned, mainly due to their lack of battlefield achievements.

If the militia could slaughter enemies on the battlefield, the gentry wouldn’t care about the deaths of common folk.

Yet the militia’s record was mediocre, while their plundering of civilians was top-tier, driving many into the rebel ranks.

Recognizing the core issue, Bai Yifeng had begun to change.

He strengthened militia training while seeking opportunities for victory.

Compared to their early days, the militia had significantly improved in discipline and combat effectiveness.

But entrenched prejudice made everyone blind to their changes.

After all, the main battlefield forces were mostly those Li Mu had personally trained.

Every unit’s discipline was among the best in the world.

Even if civilian disturbances occurred, they were swiftly handled and earned widespread praise from gentry and commoners alike.

The militia had initially neglected discipline, and later tried to reform—but internal nepotism became the greatest obstacle to enforcing order.

When problems arose, everyone helped cover them up.

Even though Bai Yifeng repeatedly emphasized discipline, enforcement at the lower levels was always weakened.

With such a stark contrast, the militia’s changes were directly interpreted by officials and gentry as fear of the new Viceroy.

To reverse this passive situation, the entire militia urgently needed a major victory to prove their worth.

“This is simple. We act together. Five days from now, we jointly attack Anqing.

If the rebels send reinforcements, we encircle the city and strike the relief force, breaking their momentum.”

Qin Tianrui immediately proposed his battle plan.

Having served under Li Mu for so long, he was long accustomed to efficient problem-solving.

When units coordinated in battle, a mere nod was enough—everyone willingly cooperated.

All the arguments he had prepared went unused.

For Bai Wenyi, accustomed to bureaucratic delays, this candid exchange was genuinely unfamiliar—he stood frozen in place.

“What? Do you have a problem?”

Seeing Bai Wenyi remain silent, Qin Tianrui asked in confusion.

His battle plan was based entirely on reality.

In five days, both armies could reach Anqing’s gates; joint assault posed no issue.

If the rebels reacted slowly, forty thousand Huguang militia plus his Jiangxi First Garrison could easily capture Anqing Prefecture.

Choosing joint operations meant the militia’s lives were expendable—they could be used as cannon fodder in the assault.

“No!”

“But, Regional Commander, joint operations are a matter of great consequence—I must return and report to my father first...”

Before Bai Wenyi finished, Qin Tianrui rolled his eyes.

No decision-making power? What’s the point? Pure waste of time.

On the battlefield, speed is paramount. Delaying decisions like this is asking for disaster.

“Then go back and report quickly!

Whether it happens or not, let your father send a clear answer soon.

Opportunities vanish in an instant—we have no time to waste.”

Qin Tianrui said with clear disdain.

The welcome banquet he’d planned was now canceled.

The sight of Bai Wenyi gave him no reason to entertain him.

Perhaps the man had some ability, but his conduct was clearly that of a civil official.

Bringing such habits into the army would severely undermine combat effectiveness.

He might bluff the rebels, but against a real enemy, he wouldn’t even know how he died.

…

Evening, Wu Army camp.

“Have we confirmed the strength of the enemy force that has advanced deep into our territory?”

Marquis Fang Yuxuan asked with concern.

For this counteroffensive, the entire Wu state had poured out its resources.

Fu Haoxuan had transferred his three most elite troops directly under Fang’s command.

Combined with allied units, his total force now exceeded one hundred thousand.

On paper, it was more than enough for a major campaign.

“My lord, according to scouts’ reports,

the enemy forces are the Huguang militia and Jiangxi First Garrison.

The former numbers roughly forty thousand, led by the Butcher Bai Yifeng.

The latter is a full-strength regiment of the false dynasty, with twelve thousand troops, commanded by the false dynasty’s fierce general Qin Tianrui.”

Yuan Baifeng replied immediately.

Compared to the enemy, they held a clear numerical advantage.

Moreover, they were fighting on home ground, where local forces could provide substantial support.

“The false dynasty is audacious beyond belief—sending such a small force deep into our territory.

Do they truly think Wu has no generals left? Utterly outrageous!”

Though he cursed loudly, Fang Yuxuan was inwardly delighted—as if victory itself was waving to him.

“My lord, Bai Yifeng’s tens of thousands of militia are nearly equal in combat power to our troops.

The real concern is Jiangxi First Garrison. Though newly formed, its commander is no ordinary man.

Whoever Li Zei entrusted with such responsibility must be highly capable.”

Yuan Baifeng offered a cautious reminder.

As a strategist, he had studied enemy tactics extensively.

Generals who had served under Li Mu always had their strengths.

Though their combat power fell short of our elite troops, they still surpassed other imperial forces significantly.

“Naturally!

Before I departed, the Emperor himself warned me to proceed with caution.

Li Mu and Zheng Ruitao are both renowned generals of the false dynasty. This deep advance may well be their trap.

Whether it’s a trap or not, I will turn their plan against them and swiftly annihilate this invading force.

Issue orders: send spies to closely monitor imperial troops near Jiujiang and Nanchang. Report any movement immediately.

Also, contact the Anqing garrison—order them to seal the gates and prepare for battle. Do not let the enemy find any opening.”

Fang Yuxuan issued his orders immediately.

Whether politically or militarily, Wu needed a victory.

Had the enemy not split forces and advanced deep, they wouldn’t have known where to launch their counterattack.

Now that the opportunity had come to them, they had to seize it, regardless of risk.

…

Since the great war began, nearly a month had passed, yet Hangzhou City remained impregnable.

Gazing at the towering city walls, Jing Guoliang wore a frown.

So far in the rebellion-suppressing campaign, only Hangzhou remained; with its fall, he would truly deserve the title of Viceroy of Fujian and Zhejiang.

Yet Hangzhou’s strategic value was too high—the rebels would abandon other regions but refuse to surrender Zhejiang’s political and economic heart.

They had deployed heavy forces near Hangzhou to resist the imperial troops.

After a series of battles eliminating nearby strongholds, they finally reached Hangzhou’s gates—only to suffer a crushing setback.

“Your Excellency, we cannot press the assault any further.”

Jing Yifeng spoke in persuasion.

To capture Hangzhou, the imperial army had suffered nearly three thousand casualties.

If there were signs of victory, such losses might be acceptable.

Yet despite the brutal fighting, the city remained unmoved.

They had tried every siege tactic imaginable—none had worked.

Efforts without hope are the most despairing of all.

“Hmm.”

“Hangzhou is indeed hard to take.”

“Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll give you one garrison’s troops, plus the twenty thousand stationed in Songjiang, and you march north straight for Suzhou.

The navy will coordinate with you—create enough pressure to make the enemy feel Nanjing is no longer safe!”

Jing Guoliang said slowly.

The original plan had been to take Hangzhou, link it with Songjiang, then launch a northern campaign against Suzhou and Ying Prefecture.

Now the situation had changed—Hangzhou remained stubbornly out of reach, so they must activate the contingency plan and seize Suzhou first.

He himself had no confidence they could capture Suzhou quickly.

Yet before the war began, the senior nobles had agreed: if they couldn’t swallow the rebels whole, they’d nibble away their territory bit by bit.

Since the war began, though no major front had broken through, the imperial forces had gradually reclaimed over twenty counties.

Now, in this northern campaign, even if Suzhou’s entire territory couldn’t be taken, reclaiming even part of its prefectures and counties would count as victory.

Besides pushing hard from Songjiang, he also planned to nibble at Huizhou and Ningguo prefectures bordering Hangzhou.

For the imperial army, whether they could effectively occupy these regions didn’t matter—only that they deny the rebels their qianliang.

This strategy of accumulating small victories into overwhelming pressure would wear the rebels down the longer it lasted.

By the time the rebels realized it, they’d have no choice but to fight a decisive battle.

“Your Excellency, rest assured—I shall not fail you.”

Jing Yifeng immediately pledged.

In terms of commanding troops and fighting, his abilities were no less than adequate.

Back when he followed Li Mu in Guangxi, he often chased down the rebels.

But now was no longer an age of pure warriors—generals must not only fight, but also learn to raise their own qianliang.

His deficiency here made him appear weak when operating independently.

Yet in this era, training a capable general was difficult; Jing Guoliang had not abandoned his clan brother.

In times of chaos, the ability to fight was the greatest asset.

Other shortcomings could be compensated.

In recent years, the Li family’s rise had been too swift, threatening their position within the military.

Even as allies, such a situation was not what they wished to see.

Appointing Jing Yifeng to lead the northern campaign was, in truth, giving him an opportunity.

If he could advance triumphantly and seize Nanjing, with the Jing family’s standing at court, a marquisate after the war would be assured.

If he failed, he’d have to share the glory of recapturing Nanjing with other noble families.

The final rewards would depend entirely on individual contributions.

Even within the noble faction, competition ran fierce.

After the Li family stepped back, other clans entered the race—the Jing family merely held an early advantage.

“Hmm.”

“Do your best—but if you cannot take Suzhou, don’t force it.

At this point, it’s better to forgo victory than suffer a crushing defeat.

Time is on our side—we can outlast the rebels.”

Jing Guoliang warned earnestly.

Failing to win a great victory meant losing the chance at a title—but still advancing held hope.

Ever since Li Mu became Provincial Military Commander of Guangdong and Guangxi, that dormant post had been reopened.

With the Jing family’s strength and Jing Yifeng’s own merits, securing a provincial command after the war would not be difficult.

If fortune favored them, and the noble faction gained the upper hand in court struggles, they might even aspire to the position of Viceroy.

These core posts brought their clans value no less than a title.

…

The Army Camp.

Hearing the news brought by his son, Bai Yifeng’s brow tightened.

He commanded forty thousand troops and was the Emperor’s personally appointed Commander of the Militia—surely he should dominate any cooperation.

Qin Tianrui’s status was special—he came from the Xingguo Marquisate; his refusal to yield was understandable.

But no matter his rank, when it came to joint operations, he should have consulted him first.

To present a battle plan outright was clearly to disregard him.

“Qin Tianrui really said that?”

Bai Yifeng confirmed again.

Coordination among imperial forces had always been a problem.

If they ignored him, cooperation would inevitably falter.

Whether to cooperate with Qin Tianrui had suddenly become a thorny dilemma.

“Father, how could I lie at a time like this?”

Bai Wenyi replied immediately.

The news he brought was a verbatim report—no added embellishment.

Qin Tianrui was the most likely heir to the Xingguo Marquisate—he wouldn’t lightly provoke a powerful enemy.

“Brother, don’t you know Wenyi’s character?

If Qin Tianrui weren’t arrogant and reckless, the two sides would have discussed this thoroughly.”

A middle-aged man spoke up.

Compared to the unfamiliar Qin Tianrui, he clearly trusted his nephew more.

“Hmm.”

“Wenyi, it’s not that I don’t believe you—it’s just that this matter is too grave.

Coordinating with the Jiangxi army to attack Anqing was ordered by the Zhenyuan Marquis.

Our militia’s position is already awkward; if we refuse to carry out the Viceroy’s orders, our situation will only grow worse.”

Bai Yifeng explained at once.

He still held high hopes for this son.

Had he not made so many enemies, he would have arranged for Bai Wenyi to study under a great Confucian scholar and prepare for the imperial exams long ago.

“Father, I understand—this matter cannot be taken too seriously.

But given Qin’s attitude, should we really cooperate with him?”

Bai Wenyi asked with concern.

(End of Chapter)