Fu Shanhe

Chapter 520 The Great Victory at Xuzhou
"The general will get the order!"

Deputy General Liu readily agreed.

This scene was exactly what he wanted to see.

As expected, the Marquis of Hanshui did not disappoint him; his first move terrified the Liaodong army.

Even a fierce general like Shi Jingming was intimidated and couldn't muster the courage to confront him.

He's got all the opportunities in his hands. If he doesn't manage to wipe out this Liaodong army this time, all his previous efforts will have been for nothing.

After seeing Shi Jingming off, Deputy General Liu quickly gathered his confidants and got to work.

……

"What's going on? Why are the enemy forces catching up so quickly?"

After walking only a dozen miles, Shi Jingming realized something was wrong.

The vanguard, numbering over ten thousand, was left to cover the rear.

Even the most useless creature can last for several hours.

But no sooner had they left than the enemy caught up, and their planned, orderly retreat turned into a complete rout.

"General, now is not the time to delve into these matters."

The central army has been attacked by the enemy and is now in chaos. We must escape this perilous situation first!

The captain of the personal guards hurriedly tried to persuade him.

The hasty retreat severely impacted the command structure of the Liaodong Army.

In their haste to escape, the soldiers rushed forward, and the current situation was one of the soldiers not knowing their generals and the generals not knowing their soldiers.

Unless they wait where they are, given the current chaotic situation, even if they send someone to find out what's going on, it will be difficult to get the information to them.

As Shi Jingming hesitated, the shouts of battle grew closer and closer.

The captain of the personal guards made a snap decision, and without caring whether Shi Jingming was willing or not, he led his men to escort the general away.

For safety reasons, even the banner was put away.

Such a maneuver was indeed advantageous for escaping, but it also dealt a fatal blow to the demoralized Liaodong army.

In an era lacking communication, the commander's flag served as a landmark on the battlefield.

When the soldiers saw the commander's flag, they knew that their commander was still alive, and they felt a sense of hope.

Now that the commander's flag has been lowered, the already panicked Liaodong soldiers are even more panicked.

Most soldiers lacked the ability to distinguish directions, and without the commander's flag to guide them, they randomly chose a direction and ran forward during the evacuation.

The original plan to evacuate north has now turned into a flight in all directions.

……

"A sinner..."

"Brother Liu, please rise!"

Before Vice General Liu could finish speaking, Li Sanqi hurriedly helped the man up.

The reason this war was won so smoothly is entirely due to the defection of the rearguard general; otherwise, today's gains would have been reduced by more than half.

The political gains outweighed the military victories.

From this day forward, the whole world will know that among the generals of the Liaodong Army, there are still loyal and righteous men who are devoted to the imperial court.

The momentum that the Shi family had built up was directly shattered by the shock.

Before it becomes clear how many loyalists there are in the Liaodong army, even if local gentry and powerful families were willing to cooperate with the Shi family, they will now choose to halt their efforts.

If nothing unexpected happens, the internal conflicts within the Liaodong Army will intensify in the near future.

In order to purify the ranks, the Shi family will inevitably carry out an internal purge, dragging out and eliminating the loyal ministers of the Great Yu hidden within the ranks.

However, loyalty and treachery are not written on one's face, and how to identify them is highly subjective.

Internal purges will inevitably affect the interests of other military families in Liaodong.

If internal conflicts are exacerbated by the slightest misstep, even the Shi family's allies may turn to the imperial court.

Li Sanqi was unaware of the political turmoil, but he knew that the first person to defect must be treated favorably.

Once Deputy General Liu is properly appointed, there will be countless Deputy Generals like him in the future.

"General, you have been too kind to me; I am unworthy of such treatment!"

"I'm so touched," said Deputy General Liu.

Loyalty to the Great Yu Dynasty does not mean one will not plan for oneself.

Besides military ability, interpersonal skills were also an important factor in his ability to rise to the rank of deputy general in the Liaodong army.

At present, the Marquis of Hanshui's faction is the only powerful force in the army. If a general like him who has defected wants to do well, he must know his place.

Just because Li Sanqi can call him brother doesn't mean he can actually take advantage of him.

If you accidentally offend the enemy, the battlefield is so chaotic that accidents can easily happen.

"Brother Liu is deeply mired in the mire, yet he manages to emerge from it unsullied, which is truly admirable."

The details of this battle should have been truthfully reported to the Marquis so that Brother Liu could be rewarded.

I can't guarantee anything else, but a garrison commander-in-chief is definitely a must!

Li Sanqi immediately agreed.

To set a benchmark, one cannot be stingy.

He was a deputy general before he defected. Now that he's back in the court's camp, he'll definitely be promoted and given a higher rank based on his merits.

The Great Yu Dynasty strictly controlled the granting of titles, and those who did not achieve extraordinary feats were basically ineligible for a title.

He might not be granted a noble title, but he would certainly be promoted.

When the imperial court bestowed their rewards, everyone would be a general of the Great Yu at the same rank, the only difference being the value of the honor.

To go further, it's no longer a matter of merit, but involves the political system.

No matter how large the Annam Protectorate was, in terms of political administration, it was only equivalent to a province of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Unless he is transferred to another province, he has no chance of getting the position of admiral.

Things are different now than they used to be.

Ten years ago, most generals would have chosen to be transferred to other posts for career advancement.

But right now, the north is in complete chaos. Smart people know that after the Liaodong army rebelled, the era of chaos has begun.

Those who pinned their hopes on the restoration of the imperial court were mostly those caught up in the situation and unable to see the bigger picture.

How long the Great Yu Dynasty can last depends entirely on how loyal the Marquis of Hanshui is to the court.

Once the last Optimus Prime chooses to abandon it, a change of dynasty will be imminent.

Only someone with a screw loose would abandon the readily available merit of following the emperor and run off to seek the illusory revival of the Great Yu Dynasty.

"Thank you for your patronage, General. This humble general..."

Deputy General Liu hurriedly responded.

Promotion and titles are for the future.

Until the imperial court's appointment is issued, the relationship between the two parties remains that of superior and subordinate.

Even if everyone becomes a general in the future, it doesn't mean they are equal in status.

The difference between generals in the Great Yu Dynasty was greater than the difference between a person and a dog.

Leading a ragtag group of a few hundred men, one can become a garrison commander; commanding tens of thousands of elite troops, one can also become a garrison commander.

Essentially, this was not a permanent position; it was only due to the frequent wars in recent decades that the imperial court allowed military officers to serve as commanders-in-chief for extended periods.

The troop strength under the command of a general can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands.

It depends on the meaning above. As long as the imperial court allows it, there are cases where a general can control an army of hundreds of thousands.

However, in such cases, the commander-in-chief usually holds several honorary positions as well.

The two exchanged polite words, but the situation on the battlefield became increasingly clear.

Humans are blindly obedient animals. The mass defection of the rearguard to the enemy dealt a severe blow to the soldiers of the Liaodong Army.

After their beliefs collapsed, many people, seeing that they couldn't escape, also gave up and surrendered.

The chase continued until nightfall, and the Liaodong army, which had narrowly escaped, was now in a state of panic.

Looking at the scattered group around him, Shi Jingming felt like crying.

This battle was lost so unjustly.

From beginning to end, neither side engaged in a major battle, nor even a proper decisive battle, yet the Liaodong army was defeated in a muddled manner.

If someone were to compile a record of this battle, they would be a cautionary tale in military history.

However, when facing such a formidable enemy for the first time, any general in the Liaodong Army would not perform much better.

The tactics employed by the loyalist army were completely beyond comprehension.

Although the Liaodong army was also equipped with a large number of firearms, they were ultimately operating in the manner of the cold weapon era.

The gap between the two sides is not only in weaponry and equipment, but also in tactical concepts.

If you know in advance how powerful the enemy is, you should take immediate action if you see any unusual movements by the enemy's artillery.

Anyway, the hit rate of long-range bombardment artillery is limited, so even if people stayed in place to be bombed, not many people would actually die.

However, he panicked from the start, constantly changing military orders under the instigation of his subordinates, leaving the soldiers in the camp confused and disoriented. "Damn Zhou Qihai!"

"That son of a bitch Liu Conghan!"

"I'll curse your ancestors for eight generations!"

After reviewing the day's battle, Shi Jingming couldn't help but curse loudly.

Although he, as the commander-in-chief, should bear the main responsibility for this defeat, shirking responsibility is a required course in officialdom.

Since a teammate betrayed us, the blame for the defeat must be shifted to them.

In particular, Liu Conghan's defection was not permitted.

If we don't clean house quickly, more Liu Conghans will emerge, which will seriously shake the Shi family's foundation in the military.

"General, now is not the time to be angry."

"As soon as it gets light, the enemy will catch up again. We can't stay here for long."

Seeing that the commander-in-chief had lost his composure, the captain of the personal guards who was by his side hurriedly tried to persuade him.

The more critical the moment, the more we need a pillar of support.

Having not experienced many setbacks, Shi Jingming's performance today was undoubtedly substandard.

If the head coach has lost his composure, what are his subordinates supposed to think?

Roaring and cursing are signs of incompetence on the battlefield.

No matter how fiercely you curse, the enemy won't hear a word; it will only disgust your own people.

"Rest for half an hour, then continue on our way!"

After thinking for a moment, Shi Jingming gave the order.

Nighttime is not a good time to travel; one can easily lose their way if they are not careful.

When it comes to escaping for your life, speed is of the essence.

No matter which direction you run, you have to get rid of your pursuers first.

Deep down, his resentment towards Zhou Qihai surged to its peak.

The cavalry responsible for blocking the enemy actually fled first.

What's even more unacceptable is that these bastards didn't even take him, their commander, with them when they were fleeing for their lives.

……

At midnight, the Xuzhou government office was still brightly lit.

The generals of the Yu army were busy taking stock of the battle results.

Cao Zirui, who was recruited into the government, was naturally among them.

Despite feeling physically tired after all the busy work, I couldn't help but feel great.

The Liaodong rebels, who had besieged Xuzhou for many days, were swept away by the government troops like autumn leaves in the wind, once again confirming his judgment.

Those who had previously hesitated to surrender to the Southern court have now fallen silent.

Judging from the fighting strength shown by the loyalist army, even if they joined the rebels, they could only hold out for a few more days at most.

It was only a matter of time before Xuzhou was recaptured by the government forces.

If Xuzhou is lost, the Liaodong army can still retreat, but the locals will be doomed.

Rebellion can lead to the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Even if one doesn't consider oneself, one must consider one's clan and relatives.

With so many people involved, the lower-ranking officials won't lose their heads, but exile is inevitable.

The officials of Dayu were very firm in their stance on this matter; even if the imperial court were willing to make an exception, the local officials would still deal with it seriously.

To avoid another rebellion, they preferred a significant reduction in the population under their rule rather than leaving any potential threats.

All the unstable elements were sent to Southeast Asia, where the Annam Protectorate took them all in.

As a result, even after so many years, the number of labor camps continues to increase.

"Please trouble you, Lord Ma, to report the results of the battle to everyone."

After speaking, Li Sanqi handed the official document in his hand directly to Ma Wenbo.

Although the authority of the imperial court declined and the voice of the military supervisors became less and less in the army, they still had to maintain appearances.

"Everyone performed very well in the daytime battle."

I will not go into the specific battle achievements of each unit.

Those who perform exceptionally well will be rewarded by the imperial court, while those who perform only moderately will continue to strive for improvement.

According to the compiled data, the daytime attack routed 50,000 enemy troops, including 8,000 beheaded and 13,000 captured.

With fewer than three thousand casualties, it can be said that the victory was a great one.

In particular, the return of Vice General Liu with 10,000 troops played an absolutely crucial role in this battle.

Everyone's battle achievements have been registered and recorded.

If no one finds this meaningful, we will later send someone to report to the imperial court and request commendations for the generals.

As he spoke, Ma Wenbo glanced at Cao Zirui.

If it weren't for the poor performance of his troops on the battlefield, the casualty figures could have been reduced by half.

The lack of specific battle results was also to save face for them.

Regardless of the special composition of the Xuzhou garrison, higher casualties are acceptable.

Compared to the number of enemy casualties, the biggest gain from this battle was that it thwarted the rebels' southward strategy.

With the city of Xuzhou held, the imperial court's plan to build a defense line along the Yangtze and Huai Rivers was largely successful.

The smiles on everyone's faces showed that they were very satisfied with the battle.

As for the spoils of war, they were first come, first served.

The captured troops were barely able to be captured by the loyalist army, but the other friendly forces could not. The battle report did not specifically mention it, and Ma Wenbo selectively ignored it.

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Excellency. We have no objections."

After glancing at everyone and seeing that no one jumped out to question him, Li Sanqi said with a smile.

During the daytime battles, he was the one who led the troops, while the others played a supporting role.

Their influence within the military is naturally the greatest.

Bringing everyone together for a meeting is purely a political necessity, not a genuine attempt to solicit opinions from the public.

……

"What vanguard was defeated?"

Looking at Zhou Qihai, who was apologizing, Shi Jingfeng asked incredulously.

The rebels in Xuzhou were a bunch of scoundrels. It would be a piece of cake for them to march south and seize Xuzhou with an army of 50,000.

The sudden news of defeat was completely unexpected.

"Prime Minister, at the crucial moment of capturing Xuzhou, the Marquis of Hanshui's loyalist army suddenly attacked."

I personally led the cavalry to intercept them, but the enemy's fighting strength was too strong. We fought desperately and only managed to hold them off for a day.

After the Marquis of Hanshui's troops arrived at the battlefield, they launched a fierce attack the next day.

Because we were not used to the enemy's tactics, our army suffered heavy losses instantly.

In the chaos, the commander adjusted the strategic deployment multiple times…

Zhou Qihai explained with a mournful face.

All the content is true and I am not afraid of verification.

He merely embellished his statement slightly, then subtly sowed discord between Shi Jingming and Shi Jingming.

"Adjusting strategic deployments multiple times" may seem like a proactive approach to counter the enemy, but those familiar with military affairs know that this is a major taboo in warfare.

The worst thing on the battlefield is to change orders frequently. If the commander-in-chief keeps making strategic adjustments, the troops below simply don't have time to adjust.

Executing orders hastily will only make things a mess and create opportunities for the enemy.

"I understand. You may go and rest now!"

Shi Jingfeng said coldly.

His intuition told him that things weren't that simple.

Although Shi Jingming lacked political acumen and often did some ridiculous things, he still possessed military capabilities.

Even if they encountered a powerful enemy, the 50,000-strong army would not have been unable to hold out for even a day.

Even if defeated, a retreat should be carried out in an orderly manner to preserve some of the troops.

The main general hasn't returned yet, but the subordinate general responsible for blocking the enemy has run back. This doesn't seem normal at all.

However, as the leader of the Liaodong Army, he had to consider the interests of all parties and could not make conclusions based on personal feelings.

"The general will get the order!"

Zhou Qihai hurriedly replied.

……

(End of this chapter)