Chapter 383: Smoke of War Rises

“Marquis, this good news must be shared with the Annan people.”

Li Sanqi said with a grin.

With ample preparation, from the moment the great battle erupted, the Annan Kingdom fell into Li Mu’s trap.

The current situation had driven the Annan King to madness.

If he learned that Dayu had quelled the Jiangnan rebellion, the Annan King’s pressure would intensify further.

The highest form of warfare is to defeat the enemy’s strategy.

Intimidation is also a vital tactic.

The more panicked the enemy, the more likely they are to make mistakes.

“Hmm, good news must certainly be shared.”

“But not now.”

By now, the men we sent over should have completed their landing.”

Wait another ten days or so, and the Annan King will receive news of rebellions erupting across his homeland.”

Then we’ll deliver this grand gift all at once.”

Issue orders: all troops prepare for invasion of Annan.”

All recruited physicians must be assigned to every company.”

Verify every single medicine—anyone whose section fails will lose his head.”

Everyone must memorize the guidelines for operations in Annan; they must be strictly enforced upon arrival.”

Li Mu immediately issued the orders.

Throughout history, the greatest challenge for Central Plains dynasties to conquer Annan has always been terrain and climate.

Terrain cannot be changed, but climate can be adapted to.

After years of development, the “miasma” in Annan has weakened somewhat.

As long as you avoid deep mountains and dense forests, and stay in densely populated areas, the problem is manageable.

Li Mu had no clever solution to counter the miasma, but he had many crude ones.

Simple-minded tactics: drain the swamps, cut down every tree along the march route.

If possible, burn them again.

A barren stretch may be uneco-friendly, but it works.

No matter how many mosquitoes or insects there are, after this treatment, most will be dead.

To ensure the plan’s success, Li Mu spent a fortune purchasing vast quantities of fire oil.

Step by step, advance steadily.

Once we cross Liangshan and push the front to the heartland of Hanoi, conditions will improve greatly.

…

“Regional Commander, the Marquis has sent a military order.”

Zhang Ning took the secret order from the messenger and his expression darkened slightly.

“Issue orders: the army returns to Guangdong for rest and reorganization.”

They had come from Jiangnan to reinforce, expecting to shine on the Guangxi front, only to have their plans altered mid-march.

No choice—soldiers live to obey orders.

The order demanded they rapidly replenish manpower for amphibious assault, clearly indicating a dual land-sea advance.

At nearly the same moment, the other two garrisons returning with them received identical orders.

The war machine of the Two Guangs was fully activated.

…

“Execute the Yue Emperor! Equalize the land!”

Amid the rebel slogan, fire spread toward Hanoi.

Pirates burned, killed, and looted ahead, creating masses of refugees.

The landing rebels followed behind, recruiting soldiers and raising arms against Yue.

The explosive political slogan terrified officials and gentry within the city into trembling.

“Prefect, the rebels are advancing fiercely—the defenders are about to break!”

The private secretary cried in panic.

Ningping Prefecture had suffered misfortune after misfortune: first pirate raids, now rebel siege.

To hold the prefectural city, Ruan Wenyu was forced to abandon his outlying territories and concentrate all defenses on the city.

Against the burning, killing, and looting pirates, the garrison still mustered courage to fight to the death.

But with rebels attacking, everything changed.

The reward silver the Prefect had promised last time had never been paid.

Compensation for fallen soldiers had been paid out at only one-tenth—resentment festered throughout the ranks.

After the enemy raised the slogan “Equalize the land,” the defenders’ loyalty collapsed.

“Huang Garrison Commander, where are your men?”

Ruan Wenyu demanded sharply.

“Master, you guessed right.

Huang Garrison Commander was killed by an arrow from nowhere while inspecting the walls.

The army is now in chaos—no one is in command.”

The middle-aged constable’s flattery landed squarely on a hoof.

With the garrison commander dead—likely assassinated by his own men—what was the point of fighting?

“Get out!”

“Stay away from me!”

Ruan Wenyu kicked him away.

He regretted it immediately—normally, a lowly constable meant nothing to him.

But now, in wartime, the city could fall at any moment; offending local power brokers was wildly irrational.

Yet the official’s pride prevented him from apologizing to a lowly constable.

“What are you staring at? Get packing—tomorrow you’ll escort me out of the city.

With your record of bullying the weak and seizing women, do you really think the rebels will spare you?”

Ruan Wenyu scolded with forced arrogance.

Reason told him: the more desperate the situation, the more he must project strength.

The garrison’s morale was shattered—he could do nothing.

He had withheld pay and grain out of necessity.

To fund the northern campaign, the court had drained vast sums of money and grain—the treasury was empty.

To keep the yamen running, he had levied three additional taxes, pocketing two-tenths for himself.

The remaining eight-tenths: five-tenths went to clerks and local gentry, three-tenths after administrative costs went entirely to bribing superiors.

His predecessor had collected taxes through the year fifty; he merely added five more years.

All were historical problems—he never imagined those lowly peasants would dare rebel.

If the city couldn’t be held, he must flee.

In recent months, many officials had lost cities; the court was too busy to pursue them all.

Compared to others who lost cities, at least he had held off a pirate attack.

With some maneuvering, he could get posted elsewhere and resume his privileges.

“Your Excellency is right—I’ll gather my men at once.”

His words sounded sincere, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Ruan Prefect could flee and resume his power elsewhere.

But the clerks like him could not.

In the entire Great Yue Empire, clerks were all local tyrants.

Outsiders, in unfamiliar places, could never stand firm.

Leave his hometown, and he was nothing.

Take his accumulated wealth elsewhere, and he’d be devoured down to the last crumb.

But he had wronged too many people in the city—no one could guarantee none of them had joined the rebels.

Once rebels stormed the city, executing a notorious clerk like him would be the perfect way to win popular support.

Ruan Prefect, equally notorious, was at least an official—with political value.

Recruiting such officials could reduce resistance in future cities.

“Master, this man is untrustworthy!”

As the middle-aged constable departed, the green-robed private secretary stepped forward to warn.

“Hmm!”

“Immediately gather the retainers—we’ll disguise ourselves as civilians and slip out with the crowd.”

Ruan Wenyu gave a decisive order.

He might lack administrative skill, but escaping was instinctive.

Long before the rebel army laid siege to the city, he had secretly planned his escape route.

If not for fear of imperial retribution, he would have fled already.

After the enemy surrounded the city, he held out with the garrison for three days—he believed he had fulfilled his duty.

As night fell, the group slipped quietly out of the Prefect’s yamen.

At this time, the Fucheng was in complete chaos.

Wealthy families in the city, aware the situation was dire, fled under cover of darkness.

On the road, Ruan Wenyu encountered several acquaintances.

(End of Chapter)