[{"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-84":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},2364353,4623,"Chapter 84: Decisive Battle","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-84",84,"\u003Cp>The appearance of the volley guns left the rebel army stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than a quarter-hour of fighting, the rebels suffered over a thousand casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a devastating cost was clearly beyond what a rabble could endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The endless cries of pain further shattered the morale of a force already low in spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless soldiers dropped their weapons and turned to flee back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, even the execution squads were overwhelmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Wu, the enemy’s defenses are too tight—we simply can’t break through!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young commander in charge of the assault bowed his head in shame before Wen Jianshao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw it all myself—do you think I need you to waste my time with this nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troops are starting to break—order the gongs to sound the retreat immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Wen Jianshao kicked out with his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flaw in the family militia lies here: the main commanders are all relatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you wanted to punish them severely, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We originally planned to win a victory to boost troop morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, the battle had barely begun, and we’d already handed the enemy a fresh batch of heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the way we’ve been fighting, we don’t even know if we can breach their camp—but our own army is certain to collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The offensive halted, but the moans of the wounded continued without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send the children up to carry the wounded back—the imperial troops won’t target children!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment’s hesitation, Wen Jianshao ordered grimly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wounds from firearms are not easy to treat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At another time, he would have ordered mercy killings for the wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not now—this is precisely when morale is at its lowest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordering the killing of wounded men outright would provoke too much hatred and risk mutiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if everyone knew the wounded couldn’t be saved, they still had to appear to be doing everything possible to save them, to calm the restless troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As seconds ticked by, one wounded soldier after another was carried back from the battlefield, yet Wen Jianshao’s face showed no trace of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep inside, he desperately wished the imperial troops would slaughter the children carrying the wounded—this would ignite the entire army’s shared fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the enemy soldiers merely shouted warnings against carrying weapons, showing no intention to stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one point, he had even considered sending these child soldiers into battle to see if the imperial troops would kill them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But seeing the terrifying stares his own troops fixed on him, Wen Jianshao ultimately abandoned this horrifying idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only reason he could compel able-bodied men to fight was because of their families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without this vulnerability, no one could guarantee these men wouldn’t turn their weapons against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the imperial army’s camp, which had just won a minor victory, joy filled every corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soldiers gathered in small groups, discussing how much reward money they would receive after the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they felt a flicker of sympathy for the rebels’ plight, they quickly cast aside this extra emotion for the sake of their own pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Li, aren’t you planning a night raid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marquis of Wuyang asked, visibly excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After experiencing the battlefield up close, he felt not only the brutality of war, but even more so, exhilaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having succeeded once before, he was especially eager for a night raid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord, the enemy has suffered a heavy blow—tonight is precisely when their vigilance is highest; a night raid is unsuitable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebel commander just committed a grave battlefield blunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By dragging back so many wounded, tonight their camp will be filled with wailing—their soldiers won’t be able to sleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let our troops rest well tonight; when the enemy soldiers are exhausted, that’s when we strike!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Mu’s explanation, the Marquis of Wuyang’s eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These battlefield details were never recorded in military manuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without elders to teach by word and example, mastering them through personal trial and error could not be accomplished overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, even those who had studied these lessons rarely applied them flexibly on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over thousands of years of civilization, our ancestors had stepped into every possible trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All military tactics were nothing new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If merely reading military texts could absorb and internalize such knowledge, warfare would have long since become a battle of gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More likely, since everyone understood the tactics, every stratagem would be obvious, and defenses would be prepared in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commanders could only return to simplicity: build solid camps and fight slow, grinding battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the rebel camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wounded’s moans drove Wen Jianshao to distraction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally meant to rally morale, this effort had instead plunged troop spirit even lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The imperial troops’ firearms are devastating—does anyone have a plan to break them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Jianshao asked, frowning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Wen, this enemy force is unlike any imperial troops we’ve faced before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides their devastating firearms, their battlefield coordination is orderly and precise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When one line fires, another immediately steps forward—their firepower is nearly endless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their camp layout is also carefully constructed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No such army exists in the Jiangnan region—they’re almost certainly elite troops from the capital garrison.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To defeat them, we cannot use our old tactics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, they’re few in number—we can use a siege strategy instead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they run out of food, we’ll crush them in one decisive blow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-robed scholar’s strategy was met with instant cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the commanders, such a humiliating daytime battle was better avoided if possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A siege is indeed a viable tactic, but the enemy has reinforcements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to our intelligence, these imperial troops come from the Five City Military Command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This force is only a portion of their total strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten li away, there are two other imperial units.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the distance, if we don’t intercept them, they’ll link up by tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If all their troops are this elite, splitting our forces will make this battle far harder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Jianshao said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he received this news, his entire body went numb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial troops were utterly deceitful—they could have advanced together, yet chose to split into three columns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such proximity now, he dared not order a retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the rebels’ poor discipline, if they fled while the imperial troops pursued, they’d collapse instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main force had only just departed from Gaoyou and wouldn’t arrive for at least three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, they had to hold out for three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we lost prematurely, the court’s influence would ensure no shortage of traitors to guide them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With internal collusion, Xinghua County would surely fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the enemy held the city, even the main army’s arrival wouldn’t help much in the short term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without defeating the imperial forces one by one, forcing the court to offer amnesty was nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To oppose the entire empire from a single corner offered no chance of victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, they’d have to follow the hardliners’ advice: abandon all property, burn the boats, and march west to attack Fengyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Wen, when did you get this news? Why weren’t we told?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-robed scholar asked, his face pale with anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re all on the same boat—how could such vital information be withheld?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had we known enemy reinforcements were nearby, I would have opposed starting this battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I received this news only after the battle ended.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exact situation of the enemy reinforcements still requires further reconnaissance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s pitch black now—we can’t determine anything clearly; more information will come tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Jianshao explained patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scouts were all unlucky conscripts who’d received no professional training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when no enemy was near, the flaw wasn’t obvious—but now it was fully exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the threat of their families, these men would have vanished the moment they left camp, let alone returned with intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they were forced into service, don’t expect them to work with any real effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanting to assign his trusted men to the task, they hadn’t even left the camp before they began complaining incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The retainers beside him were all used to luxury and comfort—they weren’t the type to handle hard labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fiercest fighters in the Wen army were still those salt smugglers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, those elites were all in the main force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if his clan sent men over, he couldn’t control those bastards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The families who rose in rebellion together were proof—unable to intimidate their salt smugglers, they lost all command after the revolt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The worst-off family was even wiped out by their own men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To crush the crisis in its cradle, the Wen clan never let these men expand their influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Wu, if that’s the case, then strengthen our defenses!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard that in the big battle near Yangzhou, Huang Renlong was defeated because the imperial troops launched a night raid on his camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial troops that defeated them came from the Five City Military Command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy excels at night raids—we must keep watch day and night, leaving no opening for them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man in the blue robe said helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reason told him the Wen family’s situation was dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true elite of the Dayu Dynasty were the frontier troops; the capital garrison was merely well-equipped and had seen almost no real combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Five City Military Command was just a police force for maintaining order—it couldn’t even be called elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, even this unremarkable army could crush the rebels with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the day, the enemy’s main problem was insufficient manpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had a few thousand more men, they’d have charged out of camp the moment the rebels sounded the retreat, wiping them out in one blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the current situation, the court had merely extended one finger—and the rebels were already cornered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To shake the foundations of Dayu’s realm was pure fantasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep inside, he privately regretted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had boasted himself a descendant of the Dragon-Slaying Art, yet failed to understand the grand scheme of the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The claims that imperial authority had declined and the empire was on the verge of collapse were all illusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people’s suffering was real, but the people had always suffered in every dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising one’s arm and calling forth a thousand heroes—all of it was a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hardship doesn’t mean rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Seven Great Families rose in arms, only the outlaws of the Two Huai regions were dragged in involuntarily; everywhere else remained stable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few of the civilians who joined the rebellion did so willingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without holding their families hostage, it would’ve been hard to get them onto the battlefield at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized this too late—getting on the pirate ship was easy; getting off was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast to the rebels’ unease, Li Mu slept unusually soundly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, as the first light appeared on the horizon, the smell of roasting meat began to spread through the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frankly, Li Mu couldn’t stand eating meat in the morning, but the soldiers loved it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even if they were dragged out of bed in the middle of the night for meat would they complain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before a major battle, improving the rations was military tradition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For common soldiers, each pre-battle meal might be their last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under favorable conditions, commanders always tried to give their men a good meal before issuing combat orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The troops of the Five City Military Command were undoubtedly lucky—they served under a commander accustomed to grand affairs, who wasn’t overly sensitive to numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When allocating funds, he did so generously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strategic supplies were procured directly by the officers, bypassing civilian officials entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commanders like Li Mu, who sought advancement, never withheld soldiers’ pay; rations were always high, never low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the soldiers were busy eating, he had already climbed the watchtower to observe the rebel camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the lazy patrols across the way, Li Mu couldn’t help smiling—opportunity had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Issue orders: prepare all units for battle. Full assault at the third hour of the morning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alert the messengers: as soon as battle begins, light the beacon fires.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Attacking a tired, complacent force doesn’t require great skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom, boom, boom, boom…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the third hour of the morning, thunderous drums sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barricades blocking the camp gates were swiftly moved aside, and soldiers marched out in perfect formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though numbering only a thousand, their momentum crushed the tens of thousands of rebels, as if a vast army had charged forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Wu, disaster! The enemy is attacking!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Jianshao, who hadn’t slept all night, nearly collapsed upon hearing the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you standing there for? Organize the defense immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Order the archers out—suppress the enemy first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The panicked orders came too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the rebels reacted, the battle had already begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shields formed the front line, protecting the soldiers’ vital points, leaving only narrow gaps for spears to thrust through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Musketeers fired through the gaps; any rebel soldier who drew near was instantly riddled with bullets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tightly packed formation advanced relentlessly forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The poorly defended rebel camp could not withstand the imperial advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing the dire situation, Wen Jianshao gathered his courage and prepared to lead his personal guard to halt the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could get close, a stray bullet struck his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because it was beyond effective range, the bullet only pierced halfway—it hurt like hell, and he screamed in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander’s injury plunged the already chaotic rebel camp into deeper disorder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a loud “crash,” the towering commander’s banner suddenly toppled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone shouted—and the panicked soldiers began fleeing in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Jianshao shouted through the pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was all in vain—the rebel army’s morale had shattered; they had no will to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conscripted soldiers now only wanted to flee with their families; they had no intention of dying for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Wu, the situation is beyond saving—order a retreat now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if we hold off this enemy, our flanks are being surrounded by overwhelming forces—we’ll be annihilated if we wait any longer!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2348,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","1dfdbefe30ed6f7d2b0c701c2f2bf9af8698bb60591c5c624335f4399cc3c4b2","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-85","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-83",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]