Chapter 76: Pitting Teammates in Progress

In the yamen.

"The Ministry of War sent an urgent order, urging us to send troops to sweep away the rebels in Taizhou; what are your opinions?"

The Marquis of Wuyang asked while holding the military order.

The Great Dayu has a tradition of civil officials controlling military generals; theoretically, the Ministry of War can command the country's army.

However, the situation of the Wucheng Infantry Division is a bit special; it both possesses military establishment and concurrently functions as part of the local yamen, and has long been directly responsible to the Emperor.

The Marquis of Wuyang came south this time as an Imperial Envoy. Whether to accept the order of the Nanjing Ministry of War has become a muddled account.

"Regional Military Commissioner, Nanjing is deliberately looking for trouble.

The Yangzhou situation has just stabilized; how can we easily send troops abroad.

I think we should just ignore them; the reasons are ready-made. The weapons and equipment they promised haven't even been given one-tenth!"

Zhao Yawei said disdainfully.

The Great Dayu Dynasty adopts a two-capital system; nominally, the status of the northern and southern capitals is equivalent, but in reality, the one holding the power is the Six Ministries of the northern capital.

The existence of the Nanjing Six Ministries is more of a backup.

They have a right to speak in various affairs, but when it comes to making decisions, the Nanjing Six Ministries don't work.

Compared to the northern capital, Nanjing is mostly a place for officials who failed in power struggles to retire.

If there were no Lianghuai rebellion, they wouldn't even have the opportunity to issue orders.

Such a yamen can hardly exert deterrence on noble descendants.

"Company Commander Zhao, this is wrong!

The Ministry of War issued a military order; how can a general not obey it?

As for Nanjing looking for trouble, that's just your wishful thinking.

I think we should hurry and send troops to sweep away the rebels in the Taizhou region and return peace to the world!"

Regional Military Commissioner Rong jumped out to refute.

In previous military meetings, the Marquis of Wuyang and the five major company commanders would privately discuss and make decisions.

This caused deep resentment among a group of nominal officers, including Regional Military Commissioner Rong.

Under this background, they definitely had to perform and show their abilities.

In their view, five hundred soldiers could defeat tens of thousands of troops, so the rebels must be a group of mobs.

They couldn't even be considered an army; they were purely a group of chaotic people.

Once the army killed them, the enemy would surrender at the wind.

"If Regional Military Commissioner Rong is so capable, then just let him lead the troops.

I don't expect you to sweep away the Taizhou rebels; just recovering a few county towns is enough to give the Nanjing side an account!"

Zhao Yawei's mockery was followed by Tang Company Commander on the right, who added a knife.

Before entering the yamen, he was at odds with Regional Military Commissioner Rong and had privately made appointments to fight.

It's a pity that every time he won the fight outside, he would be beaten up after returning.

After suffering a few losses, he figured out the truth; it turned out that someone had reported him.

One after another, the grudges were formed.

After entering the Wucheng Infantry Division, for the sake of his official career, the past grudges were put aside.

However, this did not affect him watching his old rival make a fool of himself.

The officially appointed Regional Military Commissioner is a figure in the capital, but a nominal Regional Military Commissioner is purely a look-alike.

The real power in his hands is not as good as a real-power company commander in the yamen.

When giving face, everyone calls him Regional Military Commissioner. When not giving face, one can even not let him enter the yamen door.

"Go then, I'm not afraid!"

"Prepare fifty thousand troops; this Regional Military Commissioner will send troops tomorrow to wipe out the rebels and return peace to the world."

As soon as Regional Military Commissioner Rong's words came out, he immediately attracted countless mocking gazes.

"Regional Military Commissioner, Yangzhou doesn't have fifty thousand troops.

Don't look at us claiming to have a hundred thousand troops; in reality, counting the yamen runners, the whole city only has ten thousand infantry.

Those young and strong recruited people don't even have a decent weapon in their hands. You can't let them follow you to the battlefield with fire sticks, right?

How about we make a deal: you lead seven thousand troops to expedition and claim to have fifty thousand troops."

Li Mu followed up.

This is the tacit understanding formed within the Wucheng Infantry Division; every time the Marquis of Wuyang opens his mouth, several company commanders take turns speaking.

Privately, although there is a competitive relationship between the several company commanders, when facing the outside, everyone still tacitly maintains consistency.

Before the meeting, the Marquis of Wuyang gave a hint to find a way to squeeze out these eyesores.

"Seven thousand is seven thousand; this Regional Military Commissioner will lead the troops to expedition tomorrow and let you see what it means to use troops to fight!"

Regional Military Commissioner Rong said with forced composure.

Being set up in front of everyone, he couldn't lose face. Regardless of whether he could suppress the rebellion, he couldn't lose his momentum.

"Regional Military Commissioner is mighty!"

"Regional Military Commissioner is domineering!"

……

Looking at the playboy descendants who were cheering, the Marquis of Wuyang's face turned green.

In the Wucheng Infantry Division, there is and can only be one Regional Military Commissioner, which is him.

A nominal guy also wants to sit on an equal footing with him; it's simply courting death.

Foreign relatives are also divided into three, six, and nine grades.

Favored concubines have a shelf life; there are so many beautiful concubines in the harem, and maybe one day they will lose favor and fall into the dust.

But he, this Imperial Uncle, is lifelong; the Emperor can constantly change favored concubines, but he cannot change his mother.

"Alright, this matter is decided.

Tomorrow, Regional Military Commissioner Rong will serve as the Regional Commander, leading the temporarily organized battalion and the local imperial troops to expedition.

How the battle is fought, this Marquis will not ask.

Anyway, within half a month, you must recover three county towns and open up the road to Taizhou!"

The Marquis of Wuyang said with a laugh.

With the strength of the Wucheng Infantry Division, recovering three county towns and opening up the road to Taizhou is naturally not difficult.

The ten thousand troops in the city, sending out seven thousand, is enough to prove his importance.

The problem is that the elites of the Wucheng Infantry Division are exactly the three thousand-plus troops that were not sent out.

In the previous Yangzhou defense battle, the several company commanders below screened the soldiers of Yangzhou.

The truly battle-worthy soldiers were all included in their own pockets, and the large army sent out this time was all trash.

A trash army matched with a trash commander; if they could still wipe out the rebels, then there would really be no justice.

On the road to pitting teammates, they are going further and further.

"Marquis, we also have to go on an expedition?"

A middle-aged man with a big belly asked after the fact.

The problem lies in the fact that the elite of the Wucheng Gendarmerie happens to be the three thousand-plus troops that were not sent out.

Everyone is mixing in the same circle; he has some idea of the level of his little partners.

"Everyone is a colleague; naturally, there is a share for everyone in making contributions.

Why, Deputy Regional Military Commissioner, are you also sympathizing with the rebels and unwilling to serve the imperial court?"

The Marquis of Wuyang's heart-stabbing words came out, and the playboy descendants who wanted to retreat at the last minute closed their mouths.

Sympathizing with the rebels and unwilling to serve the imperial court; this kind of talk cannot be answered.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 77 =====

If Commander Rong wants to lead troops on an expedition, he can help cheer him on, but as for joining the battle himself, that's out of the question.

Since they all hang out in the same circle, he has a rough idea of what level his little buddies are at.

"We are all colleagues; when it comes to earning merit, naturally everyone gets a share."

"Why are you investigating the Deputy Commander, and even sympathizing with the rebels, unwilling to serve the imperial court?"

Once the Marquis of Wuyang's soul-piercing words were out, the pampered young masters who wanted to shrink back from the battle all shut their mouths.

Sympathizing with the rebels and being unwilling to serve the imperial court—there was no way to respond to such accusations.

(End of chapter)