[{"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-76":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},2364345,4623,"Chapter 76","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-76",76,"\u003Cp>Inside the prefectural Ya .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ministry of War has sent an urgent order, pressing us to march and crush the rebels in Taizhou. What are your thoughts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang asked, holding the military order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dayu has a tradition of civil officials controlling the military; theoretically, the Ministry of War can command all armies nationwide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Five City Military Command is somewhat special—it possesses a military structure while also assuming partial functions of a local government, and has long answered directly to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the Marquis of Wuyang came south as an Imperial Commissioner. Whether to accept the Nanjing Ministry of War’s orders became a murky matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander, Nanjing is deliberately provoking us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yangzhou’s situation has just stabilized; we cannot rashly launch external campaigns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I say we simply ignore them. The excuses are ready—they haven’t even delivered one-tenth of the weapons and equipment they promised!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yawei said dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dayu employs a dual-capital system; though the two capitals appear equal in status, real power lies with the northern capital’s Six Ministries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nanjing Six Ministries exist mostly as a backup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They have a voice in all matters, but when decisions must be made, Nanjing’s Six Ministries are powerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the northern capital, Nanjing is mostly a retirement ground for officials who lost power struggles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the Two Huai rebellions, they wouldn’t even have the chance to issue orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such an office holds little deterrent power over noble-born officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Zhao, that’s wrong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ministry of War issued a military order—how can a general disobey?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Nanjing provoking us, that’s merely your own biased assumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I say we march immediately, clear the rebels in Taizhou, and restore peace to the realm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander Rong jumped up to rebut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At every prior military meeting, the Marquis of Wuyang and the five Battalion Commanders had privately discussed and made decisions outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had accumulated deep resentment among the nominal officers, including Commander Rong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After repeated efforts, they finally gained the right to attend the meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, they naturally had to perform, to demonstrate their abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their view, five hundred soldiers could crush hundreds of thousands of troops; the rebels were surely just a rabble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t even be called an army—just a mob of rioters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When our army advances, the enemy will surrender at the mere sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Commander Rong is so capable, then let him lead the troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We don’t expect you to clear the Taizhou rebels—just retake a few counties, and we’ll have given Nanjing something to show!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yawei sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebels may be a rabble, but Yangzhou’s defenders are no better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Problems were not obvious during city defense; once they left the walls to fight in open battle, all hidden flaws would surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Zhao’s suggestion is excellent—if Commander Rong leads the troops, he’ll surely crush the rebels at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he secures this military merit, even Consort Rong will have reason to smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m sure Commander Rong won’t refuse such a chance to prove himself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Battalion Commander added mockingly from the right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before joining the Ya , he had been at odds with Commander Rong and had frequently fought him outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, every time he won a brawl outside, he’d return home to be beaten black and blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several such setbacks, he learned the truth: someone had snitched on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, the grudge between them solidified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After joining the Five City Military Command, for the sake of his career, they set aside past grievances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t stop him from enjoying his old rival’s humiliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A formally appointed Commander was a major figure in the capital; a nominal Commander was just a figurehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His real power was less than that of a practical Company Commander in the Ya .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they were being polite, they called him Commander Rong; when not, they wouldn’t even let him enter the Ya ’s gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, I’ll go—do you think I’m afraid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prepare fifty thousand troops—I’ll lead them out tomorrow to crush the rebels and restore peace!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Commander Rong spoke, countless mocking glances turned toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander Rong, Yangzhou doesn’t have fifty thousand troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though we claim a hundred thousand on paper, even counting all yamen runners, the city has barely ten thousand infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those conscripted youths don’t even have proper weapons—can you really expect them to charge into battle with firewood sticks?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How about this: you lead seven thousand troops, but publicly claim fifty thousand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu added smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an unspoken agreement within the Five City Military Command: after the Marquis of Wuyang spoke, the Battalion Commanders would take turns responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though privately competitive, they maintained unity when facing outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the meeting, the Marquis had hinted they should find a way to drive out these annoying figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seven thousand it is—I’ll lead the troops out tomorrow, and you’ll see what real warfare looks like!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander Rong forced a calm tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Publicly cornered, he couldn’t lose face—no matter if he could crush the rebels, he couldn’t lose his Qishi .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander, mighty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander, Baqi !”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the Wankuzidi  who were egging each other on, the Marquis of Wuyang’s face turned green with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Five City Military Command, there could be only one Commander—and that was him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A nominal nobody dared to stand equal to him? Pure suicide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among imperial relatives, there were ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial consorts had expiration dates; with so many beauties in the harem, any one could fall from favor overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he, the imperial uncle, was permanent—the Emperor could replace consorts, but not his mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well, it’s settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow, Commander Rong will lead the provisional battalion and Yangzhou’s official troops into battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I won’t interfere in how the campaign is fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But within half a month, you must retake three counties and open the road to Taizhou!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang smiled pleasantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Five City Military Command’s strength, retaking three counties and opening the road to Taizhou was no challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sending seven thousand of the city’s ten thousand troops proved his seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was: the elite troops of the Five City Military Command were precisely the three thousand-plus not sent out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the earlier Yangzhou defense, the Battalion Commanders had already filtered the soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truly combat-capable troops had been kept for themselves; the force being sent out now was all trash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A trash army under a trash commander—if they still defeated the rebels, it would defy heaven itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the path of betraying allies, they were going further than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord, are we going too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A portly middle-aged man asked belatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander Rong leading troops? He could cheer him on—but actually going into battle? No way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They all moved in the same circles; he knew exactly what his buddy was made of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re all colleagues—merit belongs to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How can Deputy Commander Che be sympathizing with rebels, unwilling to serve the court?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis’s cutting words silenced the Wankuzidi  who had been thinking of backing out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sympathizing with rebels, refusing to serve the court—no one could answer that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1188,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","2e81b47f9aecbfd7d00d572457949ad98c179557bb2dd72fa313f54eee15e48e","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-77","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-75",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]