Chapter 71

The presence of doubts is unimportant; the key is that the siege of Yangzhou has been lifted, and the military pressure on Nanjing has greatly diminished.

There is no need to worry that the Jianghuai rebels will unite in Yangzhou and march straight toward Nanjing.

This is good for the overall situation, but entirely different for individual officials.

The various departments that had prepared to settle their accounts suddenly found their plans could no longer proceed.

“Your Excellency, since the siege of Yangzhou has been lifted, should we continue delivering the strategic supplies we previously dispatched?”

Yin Dengjia asked nervously.

If the strategic supplies had been physically issued, whether we recalled them now or continued sending them could both be justified.

But the problem is that the Ministry of War’s promised strategic supplies existed only on paper.

The distance between the two places is so short; if there had truly been that much in supplies, they would have already been handed over to the defenders.

Not only is this accounting for strategic supplies a mess, but the reinforcements dispatched were also purely paper troops.

Yet compared to the reinforcements, the strategic supplies are even more problematic, involving not just the Ministry of War but also the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Navy.

The supplies were never fully issued from the treasury to begin with, and passed through countless hands along the way.

Balancing the books again won’t be easy.

You can delay for a while, but not forever.

The Five City Military Command differs from other departments; the Nanjing Ministry of War cannot influence their promotions, and since they’re operating on foreign ground, we have no leverage over them.

Marquis WuYang has pressed multiple times; if we still can’t produce the supplies, the case might soon reach the Emperor’s court.

“Quickly notify your subordinates to deliver part of the promised strategic supplies, and for the shortfall, say the siege of Yangzhou has been lifted and the Ministry of War must prioritize reinforcing other regions.”

Send a few articulate men over—don’t offend them.

Those fellows are now heroes, at their most arrogant moment; don’t stir up trouble.

“Send word to Senior Minister Xu—conditions have changed; he must come immediately to take charge.”

Tian Zhisheng reiterated.

Now the Ministry of War is in the wrong; the weapons and equipment promised were never delivered even after the fighting ended.

Combined with the bad debts left by previous officials, it cannot withstand imperial investigation—low-key handling is the best choice.

Subsequent problems must be balanced out elsewhere.

Deep inside, Tian Zhisheng couldn’t help but feel regret.

If he had known the Five City Military Command could fight, he should have redirected the settlement efforts toward Taizhou and Nantongzhou earlier.

But such thoughts could only remain thoughts.

Before the rebellion escalated, the strategic importance of those two places was inferior to Yangzhou, and even if reinforcements had been sent, the supplies allocated would have been limited.

Now, in this round of multi-party maneuvering among the Pure Stream faction, the eunuch faction, and the noble and imperial kin groups, the Pure Stream faction has fallen completely on the defensive.

If the Pure Stream’s senior leaders don’t come soon to take charge, they will lose all voice in handling affairs in the Huai region.

…

Huai’an City.

“Damn it!”

“Don’t think you can fool me!”

“Even the useless Five City Military Command defeated the rebels—what does that make us?”

Zuo Guangen roared.

It wasn’t that he looked down on the nobles; he had dealt with them too often to misunderstand them.

They had some ability, but to claim that a few thousand troops could crush hundreds of thousands of rebels was pure fantasy.

In combat effectiveness, the Five City Military Command couldn’t even match the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Eastern Depot.

As for the hastily conscripted youths, Zuo Guangen simply ignored them.

A bunch of farmers who had just put down their hoes, with no training whatsoever, their combat effectiveness might not even match the rebels’.

They might be passable for defending a city, but launching a direct assault on rebel encampments? Pure fantasy.

“Senior Minister Zuo, please calm down.

The men below didn’t intend to deceive you—the siege of Yangzhou really has been lifted.

The Five City Military Command really did cut down many rebel soldiers’ heads.

The battle report sent by Marquis WuYang is largely accurate, though they omitted the critical details of how it happened.

And we played a part in it too.

During the rebellion, many of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s hidden agents in the Huai region slipped into the rebel ranks.

When Marquis WuYang launched his night raid, our people incited internal brawls in the rebel camp, triggering a mutiny.

Fortunately, their luck held: the raiding party stumbled straight into the rebels’ grain depot.”

Gu Yuansong explained casually, making Zuo Guangen even more frustrated.

The process of war doesn’t matter—the court only cares about the outcome.

Whether the Five City Military Command won by strength or by luck, it doesn’t change their claim to the victory.

Marquis WuYang, an imperial kin, led a few thousand noble scions and defeated hundreds of thousands of rebels.

I, a eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, commanded far more troops, was besieged for days, and only escaped thanks to the Capital Garrison’s intervention.

In comparison, I look utterly incompetent.

In the Great Yu Dynasty, imperial kin and eunuchs hold power only through the Emperor’s favor.

Both are tools the Emperor uses to balance the court, and they inherently compete with each other.

Because of Marquis WuYang’s special status, all previous tactics for undermining rivals are now unusable.

With military merit and the Emperor’s support,

this campaign might allow the long-dormant imperial kin faction to finally speak up in court.

The noble faction will surely seize the chance to secure positions for their own scions and expand their base of influence.

The risky Huai salt case, which the eunuch faction had been pursuing, has yet to yield

“You Embroidered Uniform Guard are really capable—why didn’t you lift a finger when Huai’an was under siege?”

After venting, Zuo Guang’en’s anger had largely subsided; this wasn’t really the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s fault.

Coordinating with imperial troops to crush the rebels was their very duty.

The high-level power struggles were completely secret to those below.

On the surface, the eunuch faction and the noble kin were political allies.

At least on the issue of the Two Huai salt administration, they stood together.

“I spoke out of turn just now—don’t take it to heart, younger brother.”

“Those noble kin were just born lucky; unlike us poor souls, we have to fight and claw for everything.”

On the battlefield, a bit of luck is only natural.

Since they defeated the rebels, let them press on—quickly mobilize and join the Capital Garrison to quell the rebellion!”

Zuo Guang’en’s mystical explanation instantly won everyone’s approval.

Luck is simply beyond control.

If you’re born into the right family, you’ve already won ninety percent of life.

The remaining three percent comes from effort, seven percent from fate.

…

Capital Garrison.

Since lifting the siege of Huai’an, the Capital Garrison hadn’t fought a single proper battle—every day they chased after the rebels like tails.

The rebels, having suffered heavy losses, were now like birds frightened by bows—refusing outright to engage.

Facing such an opponent, the entire Capital Garrison lost its temper.

The rebels were fighting on home ground, far more familiar with the terrain.

Those who couldn’t keep running died on the road; those who survived, under threat of death, all became marathon champions.

“Brother Jing, the bandits’ morale has collapsed—they’re scattering in all directions.”

All are small bands; even if we catch them, we won’t achieve much.”

“Other rebel forces still await suppression—let the local authorities handle these remnants.”

Li Yuan, Marquis of Zhenyuan’s proposal startled Marquis Jing Guoliang—yesterday he’d insisted on eradicating evil completely, and now he’d reversed his stance so quickly.

But recalling the battle report from Yangzhou, he instantly understood.

After the Five City Military Command defeated the rebels outside the city, they’d surely launch a counteroffensive.

Even if they themselves didn’t want to move, others would force them to.

Their own sons’ true caliber was best known by these elders.

Holding Yangzhou, a major city, might be fine—but taking the field against enemies would surely cost them dearly.

Ants can kill an elephant; once surrounded by overwhelming enemy forces, those few retainers wouldn’t help at all.

Those who’ve endured the baptism of war are entirely different from those who’ve never seen blood.

Noble youths who could defeat rebels on their own were worth increased investment.

Even if we couldn’t produce a great general of the age, cultivating a cohort exceeding the average level of Dayu’s officers was still very possible.

(End of Chapter)