[{"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-383":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},2364652,4623,"Chapter 383: Smoke of War Rises","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-383",383,"\u003Cp>“Marquis, this good news must be shared with the Annan people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Sanqi said with a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With ample preparation, from the moment the great battle erupted, the Annan Kingdom fell into Li Mu’s trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current situation had driven the Annan King to madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he learned that Dayu had quelled the Jiangnan rebellion, the Annan King’s pressure would intensify further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The highest form of warfare is to defeat the enemy’s strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intimidation is also a vital tactic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more panicked the enemy, the more likely they are to make mistakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, good news must certainly be shared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But not now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the men we sent over should have completed their landing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait another ten days or so, and the Annan King will receive news of rebellions erupting across his homeland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then we’ll deliver this grand gift all at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issue orders: all troops prepare for invasion of Annan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All recruited physicians must be assigned to every company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Verify every single medicine—anyone whose section fails will lose his head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone must memorize the guidelines for operations in Annan; they must be strictly enforced upon arrival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu immediately issued the orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout history, the greatest challenge for Central Plains dynasties to conquer Annan has always been terrain and climate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terrain cannot be changed, but climate can be adapted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After years of development, the “miasma” in Annan has weakened somewhat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as you avoid deep mountains and dense forests, and stay in densely populated areas, the problem is manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu had no clever solution to counter the miasma, but he had many crude ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple-minded tactics: drain the swamps, cut down every tree along the march route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If possible, burn them again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barren stretch may be uneco-friendly, but it works.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many mosquitoes or insects there are, after this treatment, most will be dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ensure the plan’s success, Li Mu spent a fortune purchasing vast quantities of fire oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step by step, advance steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once we cross Liangshan and push the front to the heartland of Hanoi, conditions will improve greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Regional Commander, the Marquis has sent a military order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ning took the secret order from the messenger and his expression darkened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Issue orders: the army returns to Guangdong for rest and reorganization.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had come from Jiangnan to reinforce, expecting to shine on the Guangxi front, only to have their plans altered mid-march.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No choice—soldiers live to obey orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The order demanded they rapidly replenish manpower for amphibious assault, clearly indicating a dual land-sea advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At nearly the same moment, the other two garrisons returning with them received identical orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The war machine of the Two Guangs was fully activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Execute the Yue Emperor! Equalize the land!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the rebel slogan, fire spread toward Hanoi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pirates burned, killed, and looted ahead, creating masses of refugees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The landing rebels followed behind, recruiting soldiers and raising arms against Yue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosive political slogan terrified officials and gentry within the city into trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prefect, the rebels are advancing fiercely—the defenders are about to break!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The private secretary cried in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ningping Prefecture had suffered misfortune after misfortune: first pirate raids, now rebel siege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To hold the prefectural city, Ruan Wenyu was forced to abandon his outlying territories and concentrate all defenses on the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against the burning, killing, and looting pirates, the garrison still mustered courage to fight to the death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with rebels attacking, everything changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reward silver the Prefect had promised last time had never been paid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compensation for fallen soldiers had been paid out at only one-tenth—resentment festered throughout the ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the enemy raised the slogan “Equalize the land,” the defenders’ loyalty collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huang Garrison Commander, where are your men?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Wenyu demanded sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you guessed right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Garrison Commander was killed by an arrow from nowhere while inspecting the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army is now in chaos—no one is in command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged constable’s flattery landed squarely on a hoof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the garrison commander dead—likely assassinated by his own men—what was the point of fighting?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stay away from me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Wenyu kicked him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He regretted it immediately—normally, a lowly constable meant nothing to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, in wartime, the city could fall at any moment; offending local power brokers was wildly irrational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the official’s pride prevented him from apologizing to a lowly constable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you staring at? Get packing—tomorrow you’ll escort me out of the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With your record of bullying the weak and seizing women, do you really think the rebels will spare you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Wenyu scolded with forced arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reason told him: the more desperate the situation, the more he must project strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The garrison’s morale was shattered—he could do nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had withheld pay and grain out of necessity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To fund the northern campaign, the court had drained vast sums of money and grain—the treasury was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To keep the yamen running, he had levied three additional taxes, pocketing two-tenths for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining eight-tenths: five-tenths went to clerks and local gentry, three-tenths after administrative costs went entirely to bribing superiors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His predecessor had collected taxes through the year fifty; he merely added five more years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All were historical problems—he never imagined those lowly peasants would dare rebel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the city couldn’t be held, he must flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent months, many officials had lost cities; the court was too busy to pursue them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to others who lost cities, at least he had held off a pirate attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With some maneuvering, he could get posted elsewhere and resume his privileges.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency is right—I’ll gather my men at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words sounded sincere, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Prefect could flee and resume his power elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the clerks like him could not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the entire Great Yue Empire, clerks were all local tyrants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outsiders, in unfamiliar places, could never stand firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leave his hometown, and he was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take his accumulated wealth elsewhere, and he’d be devoured down to the last crumb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had wronged too many people in the city—no one could guarantee none of them had joined the rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once rebels stormed the city, executing a notorious clerk like him would be the perfect way to win popular support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Prefect, equally notorious, was at least an official—with political value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recruiting such officials could reduce resistance in future cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, this man is untrustworthy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the middle-aged constable departed, the green-robed private secretary stepped forward to warn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Immediately gather the retainers—we’ll disguise ourselves as civilians and slip out with the crowd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Wenyu gave a decisive order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might lack administrative skill, but escaping was instinctive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long before the rebel army laid siege to the city, he had secretly planned his escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for fear of imperial retribution, he would have fled already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the enemy surrounded the city, he held out with the garrison for three days—he believed he had fulfilled his duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As night fell, the group slipped quietly out of the Prefect’s yamen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, the Fucheng was in complete chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wealthy families in the city, aware the situation was dire, fled under cover of darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the road, Ruan Wenyu encountered several acquaintances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1217,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","b22f8d1da5000b9ea8e4f5fe9293da140542b330817787522ca0cde29369940a","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-384","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-382",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]