[{"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-93":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},2364362,4623,"Chapter 93: Breakout","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-93",93,"\u003Cp>Taizhou City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the start of the third day, the siege and defense turned the city into a crumbling ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ancient, neglected city walls collapsed in multiple places under the government troops’ artillery fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only through the soldiers’ desperate efforts were the breaches barely sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To hold the line, the battle supervision units were stretched to their limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each day, more than a hundred soldiers were killed by their own officers’ blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the rebel forces fully realized the dire situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the shift in his subordinates’ morale, the Huang brothers, who had long planned to flee, now lost all will to hold out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brothers, I, Huang, am incapable of leading you to defeat the government troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am ashamed of your trust—I apologize to you all here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know you all realize: the fall of Taizhou is now inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cannot lead you to overthrow Great Yu, nor will I force you to stay and die with this city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These chests before you contain treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of it, our recent gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never distributed it to you because I intended it as capital to seize the heavens, to lay a foundation for our descendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the tide has turned—it seems Great Yu’s Mandate has not yet ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To defy Heaven is folly; all guilt rests on me alone, not on you brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These treasures will be divided among you all shortly—consider it your parting fee for our brotherhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take this money, leave Yangzhou, this land of sorrow, and vanish into obscurity!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spend it wisely—it will see you through the rest of your lives, and not in vain for our brotherhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight, I will lead the breakout, and carve a blood path for you all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more empty words—I’ll drink this last cup with you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Renlong spoke with a grim, tragic air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching this point had utterly surprised him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His current sorrow was less about inspiring loyalty and more about deep uncertainty for the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others could vanish, start new lives elsewhere—he, as rebel leader, could not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the rebellion was crushed, the court would never stop hunting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local gentry everywhere despised a man like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too many people in the land wanted him dead; now, he could trust no one beside him completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General, when you’re dead, your cock points to heaven; if you live, you live forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re past the point of talking about splitting up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All under Heaven belongs to the Son of Heaven—wherever we run, even in hiding, where can we truly escape?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t forget every one of us has blood of government officials on our hands—they won’t spare us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since we raised our banners, has the court ever once offered amnesty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what we do, the court will exterminate us utterly—so let’s just fight them to the death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Taizhou can’t be held, we’ll find another place to rebel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jiangnan rice-bowl isn’t suited for rebellion—then go to the barren northwest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps most of us will die on the road, but if we keep fighting, someone will live to see Great Yu fall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scarred man declared with bold spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this performance was doomed to be useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once morale is shattered, no few words can restore it—otherwise, “broken troop spirit” wouldn’t exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those indifferent to the situation knew the massive Two Huai Uprising was nearing its end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebel forces across the land had been crushed one by one; their own shattered remnant had no chance to turn the tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now deep autumn, the climate no longer hindered the government troops’ combat effectiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven’s timing, geographical advantage, human unity—the rebels held none of them. What could they use to overthrow the court?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing morale could not be reversed, Huang Renlong lifted his bowl and drained the wine, then hurled it to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a loud “crash,” he coldly ordered: “Distribute the money!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a rebel commander who had feared poverty since childhood, had there been any other choice, he would never have given away money already in hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, carrying such vast wealth made escape impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distributing the money served both to buy one final wave of loyalty and to set up decoys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spent over a decade in illicit salt trade, he knew the government troops well—they acted only for profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t a famous figure; soldiers could not recognize him from a wanted poster’s sketch alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little disguise could let him pass as an ordinary soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they couldn’t tell who was the rebel leader, whoever carried the most money became the prime target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One man carrying heavy gold might go unnoticed; a group carrying it would inevitably betray themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his personal guards all carried vast wealth, the government troops would easily mistake them for rebel leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the plan failed, traveling light always meant faster escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Taizhou, men, women, and children totaled nearly a hundred thousand—government troops couldn’t capture them all in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can’t outrun government soldiers, just outrun your comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s happening outside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu, jolted awake from sleep, urgently asked his guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, the rebels are breaking out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Li Mu abandoned sleep entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Issue orders—prepare all troops for battle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he gave the order, he immediately rose and donned his armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though in this Taizhou siege, he had played the role of a bystander and reserve force,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, without orders from Marquis Wuyang, he had no need to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fellow officers in charge of the assault didn’t want him meddling in the main battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on a battlefield, caution was always wise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to be ready before the commander’s order came than to still be asleep when it arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Marquis Wuyang seemed easygoing, delay a single military order and his temper would turn in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouts grew louder; from the commotion outside, it was clear nearby allied troops were locked in combat with the escaping rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu Dagè, fetch Master Zhou—I need to question him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the chaos, Li Mu suddenly remembered he had a man in his camp who understood the rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Zhou, Captain Li wants you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that title, Zong Guangtai, just awakened, was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his last meeting with Li Mu, he had been restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gut told him Li Mu had spotted his false identity—but for some reason, hadn’t exposed him on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, they hadn’t met again, yet Zong Guangtai’s fear deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who saw through his deception but didn’t expose him must have another motive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d tried fleeing several times, but the camp’s guards were too tight—each attempt failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, may I ask why Captain Li wants me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t wasted his time in camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d learned Li Mu’s background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Great Yu favored scholars over soldiers overall, this rule didn’t apply universally to individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful officer like Li Mu, with such influence and authority, even the Zong family at its peak would not have ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now reduced to this state, the only thing of value left on him was the Zong family’s hidden wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, this wealth was scattered and guarded by multiple people; he himself knew only one location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mostly books—gold and jewels there were astronomical to commoners, but trivial to great clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zong family wasn’t poor—they simply hadn’t foreseen their swift ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their wealth was tied up in property, never transferred in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just go when you’re called.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What does Captain Li want? How would I know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling you ‘Master Zhou’ is me giving you face—don’t start thinking you’re actually a scholar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the soldier’s grumbling, Zong Guangtai’s fleeting courage vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way—Li Mu didn’t care about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lan Shiyeh, who had once regarded him with special favor, now deliberately distanced himself upon realizing there might be an issue with his identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no one offering special attention, Zong Guangtai’s status in the camp became awkwardly precarious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I shall go at once—please, sir, lead the way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai said, trembling with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When one is under someone else’s eaves, one must bow one’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had once been famed throughout Jiangnan, he was now merely a prisoner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he angered the soldier before him, he might well be beaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In past days, he had learned the soldiers’ fists firsthand after failing to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arrived before Li Mu, trembling with dread, and was met by a pair of piercing eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Zhou, have you grown accustomed to life in the camp lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that familiar yet alien voice, Zong Guangtai suddenly lost his balance and nearly collapsed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a prisoner’s life ever be comfortable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hardships he had endured in over thirty years of life paled beside what he had suffered in recent days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the rebel camp, Master Zong had once been above all, untouchable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Battalion Commander, I am getting by.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai forced himself to answer, suppressing the urge to complain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reason told him that complaining would serve no purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His miserable life in the camp could not have happened without the tacit approval of the man before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since Mr. Zhou is still comfortable, there is no need to move you just yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebels are attempting to break out; with your intelligence, you should be able to guess where Huang Renlong will head next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can capture the rebel leader, you will have earned redemption for your crimes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu spoke with a half-smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning on the Great Yu Dynasty as a mighty mountain, he had gathered vast intelligence on the rebel forces in recent days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combining all available information, it was nearly certain that this Mr. Zhou was the missing scholar Zong from the rebel camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deliberately did not expose his identity, because the moment he did, it would be the end of this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a true-blooded second-generation scion of the Great Yu Dynasty, Li Mu could never be entangled with rebels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how brilliant Zong Guangtai was, once his identity was revealed, he must die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only question was whether he would be executed on the spot or handed over to the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Battalion Commander, the rebel Huang Renlong is cunning by nature, with many hideouts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do not know where he will flee now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I know several of his secret lairs—I can provide them to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong Guangtai spat the words through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zong family had been Huang Renlong’s patrons; without their support, he would have remained nothing but a salt-boiler, never rising to power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the little brother they had lifted up turned on them, seized control, and slaughtered the entire Zong household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of his wife, children, and elders, Zong Guangtai’s hatred for Huang Renlong surged beyond control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had to ally with the imperial court, he would see this traitor dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bring ink, brush, paper, and inkstone—Mr. Zhou, write down every secret lair of the rebel leader!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Mu said with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It never hurt to prepare in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If unused, it was merely wasted ink; if used, it was another achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1863,"2026-06-21T08:09:02.410Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","6af45d8e23f0c0c8ef3009b24bfccbfda71ba136210340a626ed6976cf626419","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-94","restoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-chapter-92",391,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frestoring-the-mountains-and-rivers-cover.jpg"]