[{"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-388":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},2364657,4623,"Chapter 388: The Battle of Shenglong","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-388",388,"\u003Cp>“My life is right here—if you’ve got the guts, come take it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Yufeng immediately taunted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trapped in the enemy’s encirclement, with only this ragtag remnant under his command, breakout was hopeless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a general of Đại Việt, he intended to use the last glow of his life to buy as much time as possible for the main army’s escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this self-deception fooled others—it fooled no one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy forces they had exhausted themselves to pin down amounted to no more than a single guard battalion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest of the Yu army was still chasing the main force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet with the nation in peril, he had to do something—otherwise he could never die in peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep inside, he harbored bitter resentment toward Hu Xinbo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d eaten too well and had nothing better to do than provoke Đại Việt—pure suicide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the previous emperor’s reign, so much preparation had been made, yet they still chose to remain behind the scenes, inciting the White Lotus Sect to fight Đại Việt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staying behind the scenes and standing out front were two entirely different things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you didn’t personally step onto the battlefield, even if exposed, you could simply sacrifice a few scapegoats and bury the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Đại Việt would not open a new front while beset by internal turmoil and external threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the border clashes that had occurred before, they were commonplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past century, both sides had clashed every few years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was right or wrong had long since become a tangled mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Shi, you may not care for yourself, but you must think of your soldiers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their families are waiting for you to bring them home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebel Hu Xinbo has acted wickedly—he dared to proclaim himself emperor and launched an invasion against the Celestial Empire; his crimes are unforgivable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than follow him to the grave, better to turn from darkness to light…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the middle-aged man finished speaking, an arrow flew down from the hill and landed ten meters in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ruan Yunxiang, you damned traitor—I’m ashamed to be named alongside you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Yufeng couldn’t help but curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed his deputy had died on the battlefield and had mourned him in silence for a long time—he never imagined this man had become a traitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had his arquebus ammunition not run out and had the enemy not been beyond bow range, he would have killed the traitor on the spot to steady morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shi Yufeng, you old bastard, if you’re tired of living, just slit your own throat—why drag others down with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All my brothers up here are listening: the Celestial Empire orders that those who lay down their arms and surrender shall be pardoned for all past offenses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you resist to the end, not only will you die, but your nine clans will be punished as traitors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before you decide, think of your wives, children, and elderly parents.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This old scoundrel Shi Yufeng wants to preserve his own reputation by dragging your entire clans to death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be fooled by his false benevolence—take one wrong step, and your whole lineage will be exterminated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Yunxiang pleaded desperately for surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mere two or three hundred broken soldiers held no military value to Đại Việt—but politically, they were immensely significant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reclaim Annan, brute force alone was insufficient; he needed to win over some locals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once these men surrendered, it would set the precedent for organized defection by Đại Việt troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After minimal reorganization, these remnants could become Đại Việt’s best allies in ruling Annan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t listen to his lies—the Yu army can’t break through…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish, an arrow pierced Shi Yufeng’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why… old man…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had imagined many ways to die—but never by his own men’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General, forgive us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re old and fearless of death, but we’re not ready to die yet!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brothers, don’t look at me like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This arrow wasn’t fired just for me—it was fired for all of you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t mind dying, but if our families are dragged into this, the guilt would be unbearable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t want to let a moment of rage doom your entire clan, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The big man’s explanation quickly drained much of the anger building in the men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a time like this, loyalty and righteousness came at a terrible cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this moment, the deep-seated fear of Đại Việt was instantly awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thud… thud… thud…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of weapons dropping echoed one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With courage gone, the will to resist vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the age of clans, one could die—but the clan must not perish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one dared gamble that Đại Việt, once victorious, would not launch a massive purge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chancellor’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is there cannon fire in the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Ziyan, hosting a banquet, was startled by the sudden explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chancellor, the sound seems to come from the South Gate—there’s cannon fire from the west too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Cui Ziyan’s face turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shenglong City was the capital of Đại Việt; its artillery was strictly controlled—no one could fire without orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either a mutiny had broken out within the city, or the enemy had breached its walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Report!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chancellor, disaster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are… so many enemy troops outside… they…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messenger’s grim news silenced the banquet; guests all turned pale as if performing Sichuan opera face-changing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy had reached Shenglong City—this was a matter of life and death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many present had fled their hometowns precisely to escape war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the enemy had arrived, even the last illusion of peace was about to vanish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin, you’re in charge of intelligence—don’t you have anything to say now that the enemy stands at the imperial gates?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Ziyan demanded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the emperor away from the capital, he had been handling all military and civil affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the situation had deteriorated, he bore undeniable responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was going down, he wouldn’t let others escape unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First on the list was Lin Zeliang, in charge of intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy had reached their doorstep without any prior warning—negligence was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chancellor, for the enemy to reach us, they had to pass through many regions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, two major camps were stationed near Shenglong City to guard the imperial palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many troops, even if they couldn’t stop the enemy, they should have sent word.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yu army only landed three days ago—any unit along the way, if not dead, could have delayed them for days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless the troops we’ve pacified have turned traitor again and let the Yu army straight through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Zeliang hurried to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This blame was too heavy—he refused to carry it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main force had encountered trouble during retreat and failed to return to Shenglong City; the city’s garrison now numbered only thirty thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though seemingly large, most of these soldiers were peasants who had just put down their hoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two camps outside the city were entirely composed of pacified rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were kept outside to use against the Yu army, yet feared they might rebel again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Yu army and the White Lotus Sect have been killing each other—each side drenched in the other’s blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hatred runs deep in their bones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After barely escaping hell, how could they return to serve as dogs for the Yu emperor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Ziyan immediately rejected the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the secret financier behind the White Lotus Sect, since the Guangxi rebellion erupted, Đại Việt had always been allied with the sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew every twist and turn of their feud with Đại Việt by heart—their enmity was profound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>after failing to crush the rebels, Cui Ziyan shifted strategy: military suppression as a supplement, political pacification as the main approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The results were excellent—many rebel units had begun considering surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To date, several rebel forces had already accepted pacification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To eliminate hidden threats, he had deliberately rotated these surrendered rebel units to different postings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two camps outside the city were formed by drawing troops from multiple rebel factions, and their commanders were still his trusted men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, at the banquet, he saw two familiar figures—and nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bai Youlin, Shi Hongjun, you two bastards, how dare you abandon your posts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Ziyan couldn’t help but demand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this critical moment, the commanders of both camps weren’t in their camps controlling the situation—they’d come here to wish him a happy birthday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing had happened, fine; but now that problems had arisen, weren’t they putting him on the fire?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy was at the city gates, yet he was busy celebrating his birthday—this was a clear political disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Emperor returns, he won’t escape punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prime Minister, we’ll return to camp immediately to mobilize troops—we’ll hold the enemy outside the city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Youlin responded first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether they could complete the mission didn’t matter—first, blow the horn, then deal with crossing this crisis later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep inside, he felt deeply wronged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Ziyan might not remember who attended today’s birthday banquet, but those who didn’t come would surely be remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a trusted subordinate, one absolutely couldn’t be absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the political ecology of the Great Yue Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To become an official, first learn to be a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you don’t master human relations, even the wealthiest and most powerful families would crash headfirst into blood and bruises once they entered officialdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone, seize these two negligent officers and hold them until His Majesty’s judgment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Issue orders: have the city’s defenders mobilize immediately—ensure Shenglong City does not fall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this crisis, Cui Ziyan showed a wise side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yu army had reached the city walls so quickly—likely, the two camps outside had defected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t fathom what had caused these men to rebel again, no matter how hard he racked his brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he knew that at this sensitive moment, he absolutely could not let Bai Youlin and Shi Hongjun leave again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they feared punishment and fled to join the Yu army as guides, it would be a disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prime Minister, we’re innocent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prime Minister, we’re innocent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their grievances were ignored by the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even friends and relatives spontaneously kept their distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smart people knew that after such a major upheaval, someone had to be made the scapegoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting too close now might drag them in too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The booming artillery fire continued without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a thunderous “BOOM,” a section of the once-solid wall collapsed, leaving a gap ten meters wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Charge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, the Yu army launched its assault immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching from beyond the battlefield were the Bai Lian rebels, now pacified by Annan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General, give us a chance—let our men join the fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bearded man pleaded to Zhang Ning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering Annan, though they’d killed many enemies, the system of collective punishment was too terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that the policy of awarding military merit by enemy heads—often, even when they killed an enemy cleanly, they couldn’t preserve the head intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To secure full amnesty for their families, they still had to prove themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—you’ll have your chance to prove yourselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once we take the city, I’ll petition Marquis Hou on your behalf for rewards!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ning immediately promised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their rapid advance to Shenglong City’s gates was made possible by these rebel forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had they deceived the Annan court with their surrender, but they’d also brought the lower reaches of the Nine Dragon River under their control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to their cover, the main army had suddenly appeared before the city, catching the enemy off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, Zhang Ning’s head was still ringing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply couldn’t understand how Annan had thought it wise to rely on these surrendered rebels to block the Yu army’s advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even more absurd: they’d taken control of the lower Nine Dragon River region—and done nothing to guard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t be that they assumed these men, as former Bai Lian prisoners, were true believers who lived only to overthrow the Great Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those allowed to join were screened—only those deemed low-risk were permitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hardline Bai Lian fanatics had long been sent to mines for re-education.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief moment of confusion, Zhang Ning quickly sorted out the logic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As someone in the know, he found Annan’s thinking bizarre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from Annan’s perspective, it was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that they didn’t fear these surrendered rebels—they simply lacked troops to guard them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebels’ territories were seized by their own blood and steel—not surrendered on a word of pacification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they were willing to hand them over, there were no troops to station there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they couldn’t, they might as well gamble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Win, and they profit immensely; lose, and they lose nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reduce risk, they even drew troops from multiple surrendered units to form two camps guarding the imperial capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under normal circumstances, such a mixed force of rebel factions would maximize mutual restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bloody slaughter continued; after the first breach, new gaps quickly appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new artillery’s debut, with its dazzling display, declared its place in warfare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the massive cannons keep firing, everyone knew that from today, the nature of war had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before these steel titans, once-impregnable city walls would become meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If solid-shot cannons delivered brute force, the newly armed artillery now delivered vastly increased lethality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to old shells, both the blast radius and explosive power had increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only pity: these new shells were scarce, insufficient to supply the entire army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the urgency of capturing Shenglong City, Li Mu wouldn’t have deployed them at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no choice—sugar production was limited, and the price was simply too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fierce assault terrified the city’s defenders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the conscripted laborers—facing the Yu army like gods of slaughter, they broke quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come back, hold the line for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The defender’s shouts were like the dying struggles of a drowning man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before overwhelming force, no individual could turn the tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the situation was dire, noble-born officers in key positions fled first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The execution squads raised their blades—but ultimately dared not bring them down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2371,"2026-06-21T08:09:04.021Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","b57f9348b9dcde28967dabd907180c88e7aa17afae7e328355fa433f4a06096d","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-389","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-387",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]