[{"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-90":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},2364359,4623,"Chapter 90: Cavalry","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-90",90,"\u003Cp>Central command camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at the distant battlefield, having found not even the enemy’s tail, Marquis Wuyang couldn’t help but sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To pursue the enemy, you absolutely need cavalry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Battalion Commander, you’ve kept so many retainers—why not raise a cavalry unit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the question, Li Mu felt deeply awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who wouldn’t want to raise a cavalry unit if they had the means? The problem is, they simply can’t afford it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warhorses are far more precious than soldiers—they don’t just eat grass, they need grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their rations are higher than those of infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The daily maintenance of cavalry equipment is also a substantial expense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to infantry, cavalry is a gold-swallowing beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Yu Dynasty, the cost of one cavalryman is roughly five to ten times that of an infantryman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smaller the cavalry unit, the higher the cost per soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not every mission is as profitable as the Yangzhou assignment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For most of the time, military officers are stuck doing grueling, low-pay work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone like Li Mu, a Battalion Commander of the Five Cities Garrison, supporting dozens of infantrymen is easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But supporting dozens of cavalrymen could bankrupt him at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true power of cavalry only emerges when it’s organized in large numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few isolated cavalrymen can only perform reconnaissance duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such an expensive troop type—losing even one would break your heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, aside from the border generals who constantly fight the Hu people, few officers raise cavalry as retainers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Organized cavalry units are primarily funded and maintained by the imperial court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord, your servant is poor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To form a cavalry unit, individual strength is too weak—we must pool the resources of the garrison.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu spread his hands and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This answer clearly didn’t satisfy Marquis Wuyang, but it was the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s simply too hard for a single officer to raise a full cavalry unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even an organization like the Five Cities Garrison, if it wanted to form a cavalry unit, could only assign quotas to its officers and have them share the burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example: the Commandant leads by raising fifty cavalrymen, the Deputy Commandant raises thirty, wealthy Qianhus raise fifteen, poor Qianhus raise five, and Baihus raise two…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Force the quotas, and a cavalry unit could be assembled quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cost? Officers’ personal incomes would plummet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might force them to squeeze local merchants harder, harming regional economic development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were a local garrison system without sufficient funds, even forced quotas would struggle to raise a cavalry unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Garrison quotas are fixed, and the Ministry of Revenue strictly controls military spending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court won’t approve adding a cavalry company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We can’t trouble the Emperor with every matter—some problems, as ministers, we must solve ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyang shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear he was fixated on cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one knew if it was a passing thought or a real plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu didn’t care much about Marquis Wuyang’s ideas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no vacant posts in the Five Cities Garrison; his next promotion would take him elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Five Cities Garrison ever formed a cavalry unit, that would be the headache of whoever succeeded him—not his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Lordship’s advice is sound—if conditions allow, I will certainly train a crack cavalry unit for the court!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu immediately replied in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No general ever complains about having too many troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he ever transferred to a wealthy garrison, he wouldn’t mind building a cavalry force himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Yu Dynasty, owning fifty cavalrymen made a Battalion Commander the most prestigious among his peers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one commanded five hundred cavalrymen, even a Commandant would be invincible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one commanded a thousand cavalrymen, one would surely be a Regional Commander—and among the most powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one commanded five thousand cavalrymen, one would be the most formidable military clan in the Great Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One would wield real influence in court, shaping imperial military policy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one commanded over ten thousand elite cavalry, it wouldn’t just be political clout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could dominate the court—or secede and rule a region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, the entire court would tread carefully, and even the Emperor would lie awake in anguish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have heart!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyang nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether a cavalry unit could be formed didn’t matter—what mattered was having the right attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yangzhou City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Wenyue, upon hearing the news, was nearly enraged to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Five Cities Garrison arrived too quickly—his efforts had been rendered useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a few hours’ delay would have let his official documents be posted, earning him considerable prestige in court and among the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reality was cruel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the rebels driven off, claiming to stand and die with Yangzhou now seemed contrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His plans had been ruined, yet he still had to greet the gentry with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanking them for their timely rescue, his inner bitterness was plain to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the triumphant Marquis Wuyang, Xu Wenyue seethed at this “life-saving favor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had clearly been here all along—delaying his arrival until now was clearly meant to mock him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gut told him the rebel impostors spotted last night were also Marquis Wuyang’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For city guards hundreds of meters away to instantly recognize a wanted fugitive was an improbable event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Marquis Wuyang refused to enter the city for the victory banquet, citing pursuit of stragglers—otherwise, the embarrassment would’ve been worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This guy was born to ruin me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing off the Five Cities Garrison’s army, Xu Wenyue couldn’t help but mutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, don’t let such trifles anger you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyang is indeed detestable, but his reach is limited—he’s not our true enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you waste too much energy on him and ignore the eunuch faction lurking behind the scenes, that would be a fatal mistake!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Huaichang stepped forward to warn him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial relatives and civil officials may feud, but rarely to this extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the current situation, he had reason to believe Marquis Wuyang’s provocations were a cover for the eunuch faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once their attention fixated on Marquis Wuyang, scrutiny of the eunuch faction would inevitably drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor initiated the salt monopoly reform, but the eunuch faction handled its execution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial relatives and meritorious nobles merely assisted, taking their share of the profits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Wuyang’s behavior strongly suggested he was deliberately drawing attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they mistook the primary conflict and kept entangling with Marquis Wuyang, they'd fall right into the enemy's trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Despicable eunuchs—how dare they scheme against me!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Yin Zuo, that bastard, didn’t come to Yangzhou—he must have arranged everything, waiting for me to walk into the trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing goes wrong, the eunuch faction has already extended its tentacles into the salt fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these upheavals in Yangzhou were just their ploy to keep me occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering Yangzhou is easy; leaving is hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I leave now, the world will think I was frightened by the rebels and dared not stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuchs are truly vicious!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prompted by the warning, Xu Wenyue suddenly realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His conflict with Marquis Wuyang was merely about face—mostly pride and emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The salt monopoly reform was the true battleground among the major factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One misstep, and he’d fallen into the enemy’s trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d fixated on Yangzhou as the main salt trading hub, yet ignored the major salt fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, it’s not too late to realize this now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You entered the Two Huai region alone—losing ground on salt production to the eunuch faction is only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We made a mistake earlier, but we can still find ways to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, once salt is produced, it must be sold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geography ensures that future salt trade will always depend on Yangzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watch the salt administration reforms closely and place our people inside—this southern campaign won’t be a failure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Huaichang gently advised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In political struggles, temporary wins or losses mean nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the final outcome is favorable, failures along the way can be entirely ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Wenyue clearly wasn’t as optimistic as he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the old system, controlling Yangzhou meant controlling the lifeline of the salt trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation is different now—the salt administration reforms are imminent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the rules change, Yangzhou, the largest salt trading hub, will inevitably be affected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a state monopoly, salt trade could be entirely regulated by imperial decree to designate official trading locations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the eunuch faction’s standpoint, changing the rules to exclude them is entirely worthwhile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The approaching hoofbeats made the earth tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The enemy’s cavalry is coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, Huang Renliang, who had been leading his troops to flee, felt like spitting blood in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he’d known the imperial troops had such a large cavalry force, he never would have ordered the retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On open plains, two legs can never outrun four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After marching nonstop for over three hours under enemy pursuit, the soldiers were utterly exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving their backs exposed to enemy cavalry was tantamount to courting death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Order the entire army to halt! Push all carts and wagons to the front and form a wagon fort to resist the enemy cavalry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Renliang gave the order with gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reason told him this wasn’t a good choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wagon fort could resist cavalry charges, but it couldn’t stop enemy infantry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the enemy foot soldiers caught up from behind, they’d have no chance to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no alternative—running further would only mean dying faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With their backs exposed, the enemy could simply follow and pick them off one by one until the entire force was annihilated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now they could only hope the enemy infantry arrived slowly, giving them time to hold out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His troops were elite veterans of the rebel army. If there was even a glimmer of hope, Huang Renlong would spare no effort to rescue them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could hold out until the main force arrived, they might still have a chance to fight a decisive battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Renliang’s order came too late—soldiers at the rear were pierced through by arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who dodged the arrow storm were met with cavalry lances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With immense force, men were lifted clean off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Screams of pain made the already chaotic ranks fall apart completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overcome by panic, soldiers ignored orders and scattered wildly in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing all was lost, Huang Renliang abandoned his troops entirely and fled with only a handful of trusted followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reinforcements are here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry up! If we keep moving this slowly, we’ll have done all this for nothing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the cavalry pass by, Zhao Yawei urged impatiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main assault role was hard to secure; he’d finally gotten his chance, only to fail to even touch the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Word would get out, and everyone would laugh at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, it seemed unlikely they’d outpace the cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if they moved faster, they’d still get something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this battle was the Five City Military Command’s purge of its own ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they didn’t take part and let their allies claim all the victories,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Marquis of Wuyang would lose face, and he, as the one assigned the main assault, would surely be treated with suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep down, he only hoped his fellow officers from the Capital Garrison would show some mercy and leave him a few heads to cut—so he could report back with something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1904,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","313b2a4e27cc2e373bc9a70df9f27c7285a64ac3d37fae08bc89b0ebcd1c0486","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-91","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-89",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]