[{"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-62":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},2364331,4623,"Chapter 62: Tenfold Encirclement","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-62",62,"\u003Cp>Huai’an City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The capital troops are still dawdling—what the hell are those aristocrats up to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zuo Guang’en’s furious question made all the eunuch faction’s underlings tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew the truth: last time, during the Ministry of War’s personnel appointments, they had outmaneuvered the aristocrat faction, and the aristocrats were surely waiting for a chance to settle the score.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the capital troops arrived at the battlefield, they deliberately slacked off—that was the aristocrat faction demanding retribution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If both sides could reach an agreement, the capital troops would immediately start fighting. If negotiations collapsed, they could always intervene after Huai’an fell—there was no rush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as it didn’t disrupt the Emperor’s salt monopoly reforms, the gain or loss of a single city meant little to the aristocrats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the eunuch faction couldn’t afford that—they were the ones who provoked the Jianghuai gentry into rebellion. If they failed to swiftly regain control, the Pure Stream faction would seize on this incident without mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since these eunuch elders were still inside Huai’an City—everyone valued their lives, still had plenty of wealth and glory to enjoy, and had no desire to die so early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abandoning Huai’an and fleeing would carry too terrible a political cost—they’d be lucky to survive without being stripped of everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Chancellor, the aristocrats are squeezing us now only for profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their demands aren’t too extreme, we might as well agree—for the sake of the greater good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yuan-song offered his counsel gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eastern Depot was now powerful, and even the Embroidered Uniform Guard had to rely on them. But fundamentally, their relationship remained one of cooperation, not subordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he answered only to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others dared not voice it outright—but Gu Yuan-song could say it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullshit about the greater good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One day, my will shall be the greater good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those damned aristocrats only know how to bully the honest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time’s promise wasn’t fulfilled because the civil officials fiercely opposed it—I couldn’t force the hundred officials to agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had any guts, they should go after the civil officials, not pin the blame on me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zuo Guang’en ranted incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After venting his resentment, reason regained control, and Zuo Guang’en had no choice but to seriously consider the aristocrats’ demands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the early days of the dynasty, the Directorates controlled by the aristocrats had the authority to appoint and remove military officers below the third rank, and held heavy influence over appointments above the third rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, these powers were gradually eroded by the Ministry of War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, any appointment or removal of officers below the third rank required prior approval from the Ministry of War, followed by the Grand Secretariat’s seal and the Directorate of Ceremonial’s red annotation before taking effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More often than not, the Ministry of War would simply take over the Directorates’ duties, drafting their own list of officers to be reassigned and submitting it directly to the Grand Secretariat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for appointments of officers above the third rank, they had become entirely matters of court nomination, with the Emperor making the final decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aristocrat faction wanted to place many of their own descendants into the southeastern armies—but they couldn’t follow the current procedure, or the Ministry of War would surely block them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine! Just a batch of blank military appointment documents—tell them I approve!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zuo Guang’en gritted his teeth and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issuing blank appointment documents before the Ministry of War or the Grand Secretariat had approved, with no known candidates—this was clearly against protocol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this ever came to light, it would trigger a massive uproar in court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pure Stream faction hated him with a vengeance; they’d jump at the chance to strike if given such a ready-made weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But last time’s broken promise had severely damaged mutual trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many promises they made, the aristocrats now refused to act until they saw the rabbit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they later honored the agreement and implemented the aristocrats’ officer appointments, they could retroactively complete the proper procedures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the procedures couldn’t be completed, the aristocrats would simply fill in the names on the blank documents and send their sons straight to their posts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zuo Guang’en realized it clearly: his reputation was already ruined; making it worse wouldn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could just go on the offensive afterward, using the hunt for rebel remnants as an excuse to launch a political purge against the Pure Stream faction first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can’t solve the problem, solve the person who created it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliminate all opponents, and no one would dare question his procedural violations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yangzhou City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, the enemy is taunting us below—insults are vile!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Dagé said indignantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard them—they’re calling us cowardly turtles and cursing the commander’s entire family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s there to get angry about? Let them insult us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issue orders: ignore their taunts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone feels uneasy, they can shout back from the city walls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu said indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few insults meant nothing—he had a strong enough mind to endure them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, they were cursing the commander’s family—what did that have to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yangzhou was a large city; no matter how loud the chaos outside, the Marquis of Wuyang inside the inner city wouldn’t hear a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you don’t hear it, it might as well not exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A competent subordinate must never burden his commanding officer with such trivial annoyances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the rebel army’s behavior, they’d clearly watched too many operas and still imagined the defenders would come out to duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t realize that with the spread of firearms, dueling had been rendered obsolete by the times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After internally sneering at the rebels, Li Mu turned his attention to enjoying the scenery atop the city gate tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grim atmosphere of war added a peculiar charm to the misty, rainy Yangzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebel camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Generals, the enemy commander is a turtle—taunting won’t work. Prepare for assault!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had besieged Yangzhou for nearly half a month; aside from Huang Renlong’s initial outburst, the rest had been pure stalemate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, the number of rebels gathering beneath the city surged dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew the exact troop count, but judging by the size of their encampments, it was certainly no less than three hundred thousand—publicly claimed to be one million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theoretically, this met the condition of “tenfold encirclement,” but practically, they couldn’t achieve annihilation, and even breaching the city proved extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The army included men, women, children, and elders—the proportion of able-bodied men was low; many had brought their entire families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the greatest flaw of raising forces centered on local clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a secure rear, everyone had to carry their families along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander couldn’t refuse—otherwise, his soldiers might mutiny at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Zong, Yangzhou’s walls are strong; our siege equipment is insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The southern rebel forces just captured Nantongzhou—why not build more siege weapons while waiting for them to reinforce us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A middle-aged man dressed like an accountant suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Cui, time is not on our side!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The capital troops have begun moving—Huai’an’s rebels won’t hold out much longer; defeat is inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial reinforcements are arriving from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we don’t quickly take Yangzhou and seize Nanjing before imperial aid arrives, the battles ahead will be far harder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai explained helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Negotiating strategy with a bandit chief made him feel suffocated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet most rebel leaders were poorly educated—he had to endure the frustration and teach them slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, I agree with Master Zong—we should assault Yangzhou as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The daily consumption of supplies by this army of hundreds of thousands is enormous; our logistics can barely sustain twenty days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Renlong spoke slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His position as Alliance Leader was earned by supplying the army’s grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, he’d felt quite proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But within days, that pride vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grain consumption was simply too great—even controlling Taizhou City, supplying this much food weighed heavily on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. For the sake of Alliance Leader Huang, we’ll attack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Cui said grumpily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever takes your hand is bound by obligation; whoever eats your food is bound by duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, righteousness must be upheld.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1373,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","2413640656596f7d4d45ebc588397c6c023909569f28ae4b2accf9a3d2e4827d","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-63","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-61",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]