In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1030 National Affairs are Family Affairs

The troops of the Zhongdu Garrison suddenly appeared.

The scene suddenly became weird.

Some generals, unaware of the truth, showed delight, believing it to be reinforcements.

Some generals with deep backgrounds and some knowledge of the situation looked increasingly grim.

The wealthy people in the arena almost cheered as they watched the garrison troops charge and slaughter the rebels.
The raging fire in the camp seemed insignificant.

Xu Zengshou watched as the black-armored cavalry charged rampage through the rebel ranks, seemingly invincible.
A sense of apprehension arose in his heart.

Although the soldiers of Yingtianwei were all elite troops, they were still quite different from the elite troops of Zhongdu Garrison.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the swarming black-armored cavalry had routed the rebel army, leaving them in disarray.
The once orderly battle formation scattered.
They became independent and fought their own battles, with the largest squads consisting of no more than a hundred people.

What worried Xu Zengshou even more was that these Zhongdu soldiers were still constantly cutting into the battlefield.

The group was divided from 500 to 100, and then from 100 to 50.

Finally, when only three or five rebels remained, they were easily killed.

Like slaughtering chickens and dogs.

This tactic can both control casualties and maximize the results of the battle!

Xu Zengshou was very familiar with this; on the Beiyuan battlefield,
Lord Lu once led 20,000 soldiers and used this method, when he was facing the central army of the Northern Yuan royal court!

He later asked Lord Lu,
The other party only said that he learned it from military books, but did not specify the exact source.

Seeing this kind of battle tactic again today, Xu Zengshou was filled with doubts.

Could it be Lord Lu who has arrived?

However, Xu Zengshou quickly dismissed the idea.

After the black-armored soldiers defeated a small portion of the enemy army, they began to slowly regroup, and a figure emerged from the ranks.

The man was dressed in black armor, the edges of which were inlaid with gilded cloud patterns, and a long tiger-head sword hung at his waist.

His tall stature exuded an extremely strong sense of oppression!

More importantly, the black and gold patterns on his helmet unsurprisingly confirmed the visitor's identity as a marquis!
The moment Xu Zengshou saw clearly who it was, he knew.

Zhou Dexing, the Marquis of Jiangxia and the Commander-in-Chief of the Zhongdu Garrison!
Upon seeing him, Xu Zengshou suddenly tensed up.

The suspicion against the Zhongdu Garrison Command has not been completely cleared, and it cannot be said that they were completely uninvolved in the plot to murder the Crown Prince.

Xu Zengshou took a deep breath, his hair standing on end.

Whether the newcomer was friend or foe, he couldn't tell at the moment!

As Zhou Dexing appeared, more and more rebels recognized him.
The battle formation, which still had some fighting strength, collapsed instantly.

Some even knelt down and begged for mercy, crying out for their lives, "Lord Marquis, spare my life!"

Xu Zengshou picked up his telescope and looked at Zhou Dexing through the battlefield.
They discovered that the other person was also observing with a telescope.
Upon noticing his spying, Zhou Dexing waved his hand as if to greet him.

Xu Zengshou also raised his hand in response.

At this moment, Li Fangying, covered in blood, rushed over carrying a long knife, her voice urgent and her expression astonished:
"General, who are these people? Are they reinforcements?"

Xu Zengshou shook his head:
"The leader should be Marquis Jiangxia, but as for whether they are enemies or friends, I can't say for sure."

"Marquis Jiangxia?"

Upon hearing this name, Li Fangying immediately tensed up.

Although he was unaware of the rumors surrounding the Zhongdu Garrison Command, he held the title in awe.

Those appointed as the garrison commanders are all His Majesty's trusted confidants and highly respected individuals.
In the eyes of these younger generations, it was like an insurmountable mountain.

Xu Zengshou noticed the fear in his eyes, shook his head helplessly, and gave the order:
"Quickly gather the wealthy households and retreat slowly towards the south entrance."

If things go wrong, evacuate immediately!

"Evacuate?"

Li Fangying was taken aback:
"General, these rebels are so incompetent, how can they possibly defeat the garrison's army?"

Before she could finish speaking, Li Fangying's voice abruptly stopped.

He suddenly realized a possibility, and his pupils contracted sharply.

He didn't speak, but only looked into Xu Zengshou's eyes.
The moment their eyes met, they received an affirmative answer.

Li Fangying gripped the blood-stained long knife in her hand.

He turned and ran wildly towards the camp, shouting at the same time:
"Everyone, assemble!"

"Take the goods and horses and retreat!"

The wealthy man and the soldiers who had just extinguished the fire were stunned when they heard the order, not knowing what had happened.

Upon seeing this, Li Fangying quickly added:
"Swords and spears have no eyes, and the war is not over yet. Let's retreat first and not drag the army down!"

The wealthy households immediately realized what was happening.

Master Zhang was taken aback, then waved to the two soldiers who were helping to put out the fire:
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! You all need to get back to your units. We can manage things here ourselves. Don't delay the battle!"

Despite this, the two soldiers did not leave.

Instead, they pulled the carriage, carried their luggage, and headed south without saying a word, constantly urging Master Zhang to bring his family to follow.

The entire camp went from being tense and desolate to bustling with activity in an instant.

Fortunately, the battle at Nankou went smoothly, thanks to the flintlock muskets.
The attacking thousand-plus rebels were quickly killed, far less fierce than the attack at Beikou.

Although the retreat formation was somewhat disorganized

Seeing the wealthy households begin to slowly leave, Xu Zengshou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He clearly remembered Lu Yunyi's instructions.

Even if all two thousand soldiers are wiped out, these wealthy households must not be lost!
Xu Zengshou gathered his thoughts and began to organize his soldiers.

He did not lift the alert, maintaining a state of wartime readiness, and even fortified the camp.
However, the object of caution
They have been replaced by elite troops from the Zhongdu Garrison Command.

As for how long he could hold out, he himself didn't know.

Having experienced the fierce battle just now, Xu Zengshou had come to realize his own limitations.
He was not a rare genius general, just an ordinary person.

Perhaps family tradition can give them a temporary advantage.

But they were no match for a marquis like Zhou Dexing, who had fought his way up in real battles!
Thinking of this, Xu Zengshou gripped the long sword at his waist tightly, blood seeping from between his fingers, but his eyes grew even more resolute.
Even if he lacked military talent, he was by no means a coward!
Even when facing Jiangxiahou and the elite troops of Zhongdu,

He dares to fight!
Time passed slowly, the fierce shouts of battle gradually subsided, and the battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

On one side, Xu Zengshou led the Beijing army, which was on high alert.

On one side, the rebels were hiding everywhere.

There were also soldiers from the Zhongdu Garrison, who stood quietly after killing the enemy, their gazes toward the capital's army carrying a strange look.

The warhorses on both sides seemed to sense something amiss.

They pawed at each other restlessly and snorted, as if a great battle was about to break out!
"Pfft-"

The last long sword fell from above, severing the head of the last rebel soldier, and the scene fell into complete silence.

Marquis Zhou Dexing of Jiangxia looked at the two men brought before him with a strange expression, carrying a hint of inexplicable meaning:

"Who gave you the audacity to openly mobilize troops in Fengyang territory?"

Zou Chuanqiao, with his white beard, was pinned to the ground by soldiers, half of his face covered in mud.

Upon hearing this, he looked up in disbelief and shock.

He couldn't understand why the garrison's troops would be here.

This rumored kindred spirit,

Why would they suddenly intervene and even launch a sneak attack from behind?
Beside him, his son, Zou Zeyang, was ashen-faced, half of his arm severed, a gruesome scar across his face, and his eyes filled with despair.

It's over, it's completely over now.

However, compared to his father, he was more composed.
Having considered the possibility of failure before taking action, they now face the outcome with composure.

Zou Zeyang slowly raised his head, looked at Jiang Xiahou, and asked in a trembling voice:
"My lord, this matter was done entirely by my own efforts and has nothing to do with my family."

Those brothers who followed me in this rebellion,
They were also misled by this humble general; I beg Your Highness to spare their lives.

Zhou Dexing slowly turned his head, looking at Zou Zeyang with a subtle expression:

“Zeyang, you are a commander of the garrison, over thirty years old, with a bright future ahead of you. Why do such a foolish thing and implicate so many brothers?” Zhou Dexing said, pointing around as he spoke.

Following his finger, everyone looked and saw limbs and severed bodies scattered all over the ground. The wounded rebels were struggling on the ground, looking miserable, which made people's scalps tingle.

Under the moonlight, the bright red blood turned dark, like a deep pool in a valley, adding an eerie touch for no apparent reason.

Zou Zeyang lowered his head deeply, his broken wound numb and unable to feel any pain.

Because at that moment, he was utterly despondent.

"say!"

Zhou Dexing urged him again, and Zou Zeyang slowly raised his head, his face filled with resentment, and he spoke through gritted teeth:
"My lord, you promoted me, and my life and fortune are all in Fengyang Zhongdu."

Now the imperial court wants to move the capital and reduce the power of Zhongdu.

You can tolerate it, but the brothers can't!

"Do you know what? When I went to see them, they joined without saying a word as soon as I mentioned this matter."

Do you think they're showing respect to their subordinate?

They all thought they were working for Your Excellency, which is why they were so selfless!

The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room froze.

Jiang Xiahou's face darkened, but he quickly regained his composure.

His gaze swept around and he found that the soldiers lying in pools of blood were all looking at him, their eyes filled with expectation, shock and disbelief, and deep down, a profound disappointment.

Zhou Dexing sighed softly, then turned to look at Zou Zeyang and said in a deep voice:

"I do indeed harbor resentment toward Your Majesty's decision to move the capital to Guanzhong."

But this great Ming dynasty was built by me and my old brothers, who fought alongside His Majesty, sword by sword and spear by spear.

Even if we were to split up, it would be an internal matter between us brothers.

You people, so deeply entrenched in suffering,

"How dare you presume to take the lead and make decisions for me? How absurd!"

Zou Chuanqiao suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with confusion, his voice anxious:
"My lord, there are some matters that you are unable to handle yourself. We can take care of them for you!"
The imperial court could not move the capital; establishing the capital in Yingtian was the long-cherished wish of the people!

Now that His Majesty is determined to do things his own way, how can you not stop him?

Even if it's for the sake of brotherhood, they shouldn't have stopped us!

Zhou Dexing looked at him indifferently.
A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes as he said softly:

"Where the main hall of the house should be placed is none of your business, servants."
These matters are family affairs between this Marquis and His Majesty.
No matter how much the brothers quarrel at home, they always stand united against external enemies.

Those who try to turn the tables on you deserve even harsher treatment!

Zou Chuanqiao suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock.

It turns out that Marquis Jiangxia was not neutral; he actually had such thoughts in his mind.
In his view, moving the capital was merely a family matter between brothers.

The next moment, Zhou Dexing seemed unwilling to linger any longer, and gently waved his hand, giving a casual instruction:
"Chop them all up, and bury the bodies on the spot."

Don't let others notice anything amiss and disturb passing merchants.

Zou Zeyang remained calm.
Zou Chuanqiao suddenly looked up, his voice urgent:

"My lord! My lord, you can't kill us!"

We still need you!
Spare my life, and we'll serve you like slaves, doing all the dirty and hard work!

Zhou Dexing seemed to have lost patience with explaining and waved his hand again.

Two soldiers immediately stepped forward, drew their long swords, and slashed them hard at the heads of the two men.

"Puchi-"

The two heads fell to the ground without any hesitation.

The soldiers present all looked on with strange expressions.

The Zou family was a prominent and powerful family in Fengyang, but now they were being killed at will, like insignificant ants.

Perhaps in the eyes of a great figure like Marquis Jiangxia,
They are nothing but ants; there's no need to worry about the consequences of killing them.

After doing all this, Zhou Dexing looked at the military formation not far away.
Shield bearers still led the way.

Behind them followed long spears, crossbows, and especially eye-catching muskets.

He picked up the telescope and examined it closely, marveling at its magnificence.
"This is what the Ministry of Works and the Governor's Office spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to make? It's truly exquisite!"

At this moment, the adjutant beside him couldn't help but step forward to remind him:
"My lord, this weapon can hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces away, and its range can reach two hundred paces."

You should not approach; there might be danger.

"Hahahaha!"

Zhou Dexing laughed upon hearing this, and said calmly:

"I am an old friend of the King of Zhongshan, and I even held Xu Zengshou when he was a child."
He peed all over me, does he think he's going to kill me?

After saying this, Zhou Dexing flicked the reins, and the warhorse slowly strode away from the ranks and approached the camp.

Seeing this, the lieutenant quickly waved his hand, signaling the others to follow.

A group of over a hundred people slowly approached the camp, raising their command flags from a distance.

Behind the army formation, Xu Zengshou saw over a hundred people approaching through his telescope, and his eyes flashed with suspicion and shock.

Could it be that he guessed wrong?
Was Zhou Dexing really there to help out?

Li Fangying's eyes flickered as she muttered to herself:
"General, if Marquis Jiang Xia is a traitor, should we..."

After saying that, he pointed to the flintlock rifle not far away, the muzzle still tinged with faint gunpowder smoke, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Xu Zengshou stared at him in shock, gaining a new understanding of Li Fangying's audacity, and quickly stopped her:

"Nonsense! Regardless of whether Marquis Jiang Xia is a rebel or not, he is a meritorious official who remains in charge until the court makes a final decision."

If we kill him, we'll truly become traitors!

Li Fangying raised an eyebrow and muttered to herself:
“Then what should we do?
"Why don't you run away and avoid seeing him?"

Xu Zengshou's face darkened, and he cursed:

"Is he a member of the anti-Party or are we the members of the anti-Party?"

What kind of hero runs away at the sight of people!
If he dared to come alone, what do we have to be afraid of?
Come, let's go see him!
Remember, don't say anything carelessly when we meet. If you cause trouble, I won't let you off the hook!

"okay."

Li Fangying didn't care about the reprimand and nodded repeatedly.

Xu Zengshou led a dozen personal guards forward and walked to the front of the army formation.

The shield bearers slowly parted, revealing a blood-stained passage, with the two groups of men standing facing each other no more than ten paces apart.

Xu Zengshou bowed and spoke first:
"Xu Zengshou, Commander of Yingtian Guard, pays his respects to Marquis Jiangxia. May I ask why Your Excellency is here?"

Zhou Dexing sized him up, and seeing his composure and steady gaze, he couldn't help but nod.

"You're getting some of your older brother's style, kid."

As he spoke, Zhou Dexing pulled on the reins.
The warhorse slowly began to move, unexpectedly breaking away from the column and approaching the camp.

Everyone tensed up instantly!
Xu Zengshou gripped the reins tightly, took a deep breath, and decided to take the initiative to meet the enemy.

As they drew closer, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense and eerie, and Zhou Dexing also suppressed his smile.

Only when the two were only three steps apart did Zhou Dexing burst into hearty laughter:
"Hahaha! You little rascal, you have your older brother's caution, but not your father's generosity!"

I know what you're suspicious of.
If this Marquis is a member of the rebels...

"Don't even mention your two thousand men, even twenty thousand men wouldn't be able to leave Fengyang!"

Then, he said:
"The rebellious Zou family father and son have already been dealt with by this Marquis."

Do you want to return to Fengyang City to rest and replenish your military supplies?

Of course, if you wish to continue your journey,

"It's up to you. You can resupply when you get to Henan."

(End of this chapter)