[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers":3,"chapter-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-353":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Restoring the Mountains and Rivers",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364622,4623,"Chapter 353","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-353",353,"\u003Cp>“Please!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui said coolly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long heard of Bai Yifeng’s name, but only of his infamous deeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the upcoming battle requiring cooperation between both sides, he wouldn’t have bothered at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, a scholar dressed in a blue lanshan robe was brought over by personal guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Student Bai Wenyi, pays his respects to the Regional Commander!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young scholar bowed with a respectful hand gesture, neither humble nor arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You also bear the surname Bai? Who is Bai Yifeng to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the young man’s distinguished bearing, Qin Tianrui asked casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He is my father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Bai Wenyi spoke, Qin Tianrui’s pleasant expression vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The butcher’s son—no matter how capable, they were not of the same path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did Bai Yifeng send you here to discuss a joint offensive to retake Anqing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander’s sole order for this mission was to feign an attack on Anqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as a general with ambition, he didn’t merely wish to fulfill his orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with basic military sense knew Anqing’s strategic value in this campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When opportunity presented itself, he naturally sought to seize Anqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As my lord says, my father sent me here precisely to discuss a joint offensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Wenyi replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just Qin Tianrui who sought the glory of retaking Anqing—Bai Yifeng wanted it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many poorly disciplined armies, but the militia forces were especially shunned, mainly due to their lack of battlefield achievements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the militia could slaughter enemies on the battlefield, the gentry wouldn’t care about the deaths of common folk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the militia’s record was mediocre, while their plundering of civilians was top-tier, driving many into the rebel ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recognizing the core issue, Bai Yifeng had begun to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strengthened militia training while seeking opportunities for victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to their early days, the militia had significantly improved in discipline and combat effectiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But entrenched prejudice made everyone blind to their changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the main battlefield forces were mostly those Li Mu had personally trained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every unit’s discipline was among the best in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if civilian disturbances occurred, they were swiftly handled and earned widespread praise from gentry and commoners alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The militia had initially neglected discipline, and later tried to reform—but internal nepotism became the greatest obstacle to enforcing order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When problems arose, everyone helped cover them up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Bai Yifeng repeatedly emphasized discipline, enforcement at the lower levels was always weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a stark contrast, the militia’s changes were directly interpreted by officials and gentry as fear of the new Viceroy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reverse this passive situation, the entire militia urgently needed a major victory to prove their worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is simple. We act together. Five days from now, we jointly attack Anqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the rebels send reinforcements, we encircle the city and strike the relief force, breaking their momentum.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui immediately proposed his battle plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having served under Li Mu for so long, he was long accustomed to efficient problem-solving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When units coordinated in battle, a mere nod was enough—everyone willingly cooperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the arguments he had prepared went unused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Bai Wenyi, accustomed to bureaucratic delays, this candid exchange was genuinely unfamiliar—he stood frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Do you have a problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Bai Wenyi remain silent, Qin Tianrui asked in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His battle plan was based entirely on reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In five days, both armies could reach Anqing’s gates; joint assault posed no issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the rebels reacted slowly, forty thousand Huguang militia plus his Jiangxi First Garrison could easily capture Anqing Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Choosing joint operations meant the militia’s lives were expendable—they could be used as cannon fodder in the assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But, Regional Commander, joint operations are a matter of great consequence—I must return and report to my father first...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Bai Wenyi finished, Qin Tianrui rolled his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No decision-making power? What’s the point? Pure waste of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the battlefield, speed is paramount. Delaying decisions like this is asking for disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go back and report quickly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it happens or not, let your father send a clear answer soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opportunities vanish in an instant—we have no time to waste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui said with clear disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The welcome banquet he’d planned was now canceled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight of Bai Wenyi gave him no reason to entertain him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the man had some ability, but his conduct was clearly that of a civil official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing such habits into the army would severely undermine combat effectiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might bluff the rebels, but against a real enemy, he wouldn’t even know how he died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evening, Wu Army camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have we confirmed the strength of the enemy force that has advanced deep into our territory?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Fang Yuxuan asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this counteroffensive, the entire Wu state had poured out its resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Haoxuan had transferred his three most elite troops directly under Fang’s command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with allied units, his total force now exceeded one hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On paper, it was more than enough for a major campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, according to scouts’ reports,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the enemy forces are the Huguang militia and Jiangxi First Garrison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former numbers roughly forty thousand, led by the Butcher Bai Yifeng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Baifeng replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the enemy, they held a clear numerical advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, they were fighting on home ground, where local forces could provide substantial support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The false dynasty is audacious beyond belief—sending such a small force deep into our territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do they truly think Wu has no generals left? Utterly outrageous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he cursed loudly, Fang Yuxuan was inwardly delighted—as if victory itself was waving to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, Bai Yifeng’s tens of thousands of militia are nearly equal in combat power to our troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real concern is Jiangxi First Garrison. Though newly formed, its commander is no ordinary man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever Li Zei entrusted with such responsibility must be highly capable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Baifeng offered a cautious reminder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a strategist, he had studied enemy tactics extensively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generals who had served under Li Mu always had their strengths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though their combat power fell short of our elite troops, they still surpassed other imperial forces significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I departed, the Emperor himself warned me to proceed with caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu and Zheng Ruitao are both renowned generals of the false dynasty. This deep advance may well be their trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it’s a trap or not, I will turn their plan against them and swiftly annihilate this invading force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issue orders: send spies to closely monitor imperial troops near Jiujiang and Nanchang. Report any movement immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, contact the Anqing garrison—order them to seal the gates and prepare for battle. Do not let the enemy find any opening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Yuxuan issued his orders immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether politically or militarily, Wu needed a victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the enemy not split forces and advanced deep, they wouldn’t have known where to launch their counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the opportunity had come to them, they had to seize it, regardless of risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the great war began, nearly a month had passed, yet Hangzhou City remained impregnable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at the towering city walls, Jing Guoliang wore a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Hangzhou’s strategic value was too high—the rebels would abandon other regions but refuse to surrender Zhejiang’s political and economic heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had deployed heavy forces near Hangzhou to resist the imperial troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a series of battles eliminating nearby strongholds, they finally reached Hangzhou’s gates—only to suffer a crushing setback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, we cannot press the assault any further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Yifeng spoke in persuasion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To capture Hangzhou, the imperial army had suffered nearly three thousand casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were signs of victory, such losses might be acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite the brutal fighting, the city remained unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had tried every siege tactic imaginable—none had worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Efforts without hope are the most despairing of all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hangzhou is indeed hard to take.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The navy will coordinate with you—create enough pressure to make the enemy feel Nanjing is no longer safe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Guoliang said slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original plan had been to take Hangzhou, link it with Songjiang, then launch a northern campaign against Suzhou and Ying Prefecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the situation had changed—Hangzhou remained stubbornly out of reach, so they must activate the contingency plan and seize Suzhou first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself had no confidence they could capture Suzhou quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the war began, though no major front had broken through, the imperial forces had gradually reclaimed over twenty counties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides pushing hard from Songjiang, he also planned to nibble at Huizhou and Ningguo prefectures bordering Hangzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the imperial army, whether they could effectively occupy these regions didn’t matter—only that they deny the rebels their qianliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strategy of accumulating small victories into overwhelming pressure would wear the rebels down the longer it lasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the rebels realized it, they’d have no choice but to fight a decisive battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, rest assured—I shall not fail you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Yifeng immediately pledged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In terms of commanding troops and fighting, his abilities were no less than adequate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when he followed Li Mu in Guangxi, he often chased down the rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now was no longer an age of pure warriors—generals must not only fight, but also learn to raise their own qianliang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His deficiency here made him appear weak when operating independently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in this era, training a capable general was difficult; Jing Guoliang had not abandoned his clan brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In times of chaos, the ability to fight was the greatest asset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other shortcomings could be compensated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent years, the Li family’s rise had been too swift, threatening their position within the military.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as allies, such a situation was not what they wished to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appointing Jing Yifeng to lead the northern campaign was, in truth, giving him an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could advance triumphantly and seize Nanjing, with the Jing family’s standing at court, a marquisate after the war would be assured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he failed, he’d have to share the glory of recapturing Nanjing with other noble families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final rewards would depend entirely on individual contributions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even within the noble faction, competition ran fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Li family stepped back, other clans entered the race—the Jing family merely held an early advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do your best—but if you cannot take Suzhou, don’t force it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, it’s better to forgo victory than suffer a crushing defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time is on our side—we can outlast the rebels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Guoliang warned earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Failing to win a great victory meant losing the chance at a title—but still advancing held hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since Li Mu became Provincial Military Commander of Guangdong and Guangxi, that dormant post had been reopened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Jing family’s strength and Jing Yifeng’s own merits, securing a provincial command after the war would not be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If fortune favored them, and the noble faction gained the upper hand in court struggles, they might even aspire to the position of Viceroy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These core posts brought their clans value no less than a title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Army Camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the news brought by his son, Bai Yifeng’s brow tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He commanded forty thousand troops and was the Emperor’s personally appointed Commander of the Militia—surely he should dominate any cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui’s status was special—he came from the Xingguo Marquisate; his refusal to yield was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter his rank, when it came to joint operations, he should have consulted him first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To present a battle plan outright was clearly to disregard him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qin Tianrui really said that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Yifeng confirmed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coordination among imperial forces had always been a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they ignored him, cooperation would inevitably falter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether to cooperate with Qin Tianrui had suddenly become a thorny dilemma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, how could I lie at a time like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Wenyi replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news he brought was a verbatim report—no added embellishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Tianrui was the most likely heir to the Xingguo Marquisate—he wouldn’t lightly provoke a powerful enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, don’t you know Wenyi’s character?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Qin Tianrui weren’t arrogant and reckless, the two sides would have discussed this thoroughly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A middle-aged man spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the unfamiliar Qin Tianrui, he clearly trusted his nephew more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wenyi, it’s not that I don’t believe you—it’s just that this matter is too grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coordinating with the Jiangxi army to attack Anqing was ordered by the Zhenyuan Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our militia’s position is already awkward; if we refuse to carry out the Viceroy’s orders, our situation will only grow worse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Yifeng explained at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still held high hopes for this son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, I understand—this matter cannot be taken too seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But given Qin’s attitude, should we really cooperate with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Wenyi asked with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2281,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","d360b37e8e68970bdd7f07bda6820af2cdf7c7f73ab5dac23512d0cf4e95002a","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-354","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-352",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]