Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

When Chen Jie led the Ximen Hall to occupy the capital and fought fiercely with the army under Prince Ning, Li Mu.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, rapidly expanded his power.

Furthermore, he took the lead in cooperating with the Japanese and obtained a batch of advanced Japanese weapons.

Simultaneously,

Through the Gossip Association, he purchased heavy machine guns, heavy artillery, and other weapons from Westerners.

At that time, the Northwest Army under Prince Ning, Li Mu, was strong and well-equipped.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, led his troops from Wanzhou to attack Yichang, thus tying down the army of Li Mu, the King of Ning.

in fact,

At the very beginning, Prince Ning, Li Mu, did not take Prince Shu, Li Chuang, seriously at all.

The Shu army did not actually want to fight the Northwest Army; it only sent troops symbolically as a way to restrain Prince Ning, Li Mu.

After settling in Yichang Prefecture, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, truly began to grow and expand.

Fortunately, after Prince Ning, Li Mu, suffered a defeat in the capital, he retreated to the Northwest, and the balance of power began to shift towards Prince Shu, Li Chuang.

And so, the two sides eventually lived in peace and even had some collaborations.

of course,

Both sides have their own ulterior motives and cannot possibly trust each other.

When the Kwantung Army's Oyama Iwao entered the Hanzhong area, he led 300,000 elite Kwantung Army troops and infiltrated from the Guangdong and Guangxi regions.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was filled with vigilance at the arrival of the Japanese Kwantung Army.

but,

He hasn't had a chance to engage in in-depth cooperation with Daisanyan yet.

Unexpectedly, Ximentang's army set off from Jinling and headed straight for Jiujiang Prefecture.

In the following days, Ximentang fought with increasing ferocity. After recapturing Jiujiang Prefecture, he even occupied the three major towns of Wuchang, Hanyang, and Hankou, causing the Kwantung Army to flee in disarray.

Judging from this trend, Dashan Rock is likely to be completely destroyed.

At this time,

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, could no longer sit still.

He immediately led 100,000 elite troops, along with his son Li Xiang and key generals, on a rapid march from Yichang Prefecture to Tianmen County.

Encircle and annihilate Dashan Rock!
This is the banner raised by Li Chuang, the King of Shu, seemingly wanting to pledge allegiance to Ximen Tang.

The King of Shu had always been a vassal king guarding the southwest of the Great Qian Dynasty, and his position was hereditary.

Originally, Li Chuang had a large and well-equipped army.

However, after Li Zheng ascended the throne, fearing that the power of Li Chuang, the King of Shu, was too expanding, he took the lead in sending a large army to fight a major battle with him.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, lost more than half of his elite troops and had to retreat to Tianfu to rest and recuperate.

After so many years, it has finally recovered a bit of its vitality.

After Li Zheng of the Daqian Dynasty died, the power of Li Chuang, the Prince of Shu, began to expand rapidly.

Although the Ximen Hall began to rise and swept across the eastern coastal areas of the Daqian Dynasty.

However, none of this affected the development of Li Zicheng, the King of Shu.

His current troop strength and weaponry are stronger than those of Prince Ning, Li Mu, and he commands an army of 800,000.

This is why, after Li Zicheng led his troops out of Wanzhou, he quickly occupied Yichang Prefecture, and after stabilizing his position, he planned to continue expanding his territory.

Ximentang defeated the Kwantung Army under the command of Dashanyan in Hankou Prefecture.

For a while,
Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, felt that the time to reap the benefits had come.

then,

He led troops from Yichang, intending to join forces with Ximentang to besiege Dashanyan.

After resting and reorganizing in Tianmen County, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, personally led an army of 100,000 to Xiaogan.

Because his two generals, Zhuo Mingyi and Peng Lie, had not yet arrived in Xiaogan.

Therefore, Chen Jie first met with Li Chuang, the King of Shu, to discuss how to encircle and annihilate Dashanyan.

Since Oyama Iwao still had more than 300,000 troops under his command, if they were not surrounded, they would continue to weaken the strength of the Kwantung Army.

Once Da Shanyan scattered the army, they fled to the Hanzhong region and caused chaos everywhere.

For Ximentang, this would have endless consequences and cause him great trouble.

Ximentang didn't have the resources to suppress the roaming Kwantung Army, so when he heard that the Shu King Li Chuang wanted to cooperate with him, Chen Jie naturally had no objections.

of course,

He agreed to meet with Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, also wanting to see if he could directly recover the southwest.

This time, the two met outside of Xiaogan Prefecture.

Chen Jie didn't mind any meeting place. With his current martial arts skills and the support of his men, he didn't need to worry about meeting anywhere.

However, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was very worried about his safety.

This was his first meeting with Prince Qian, so he was naturally very cautious and refused to go into Xiaogan Prefecture.

So they chose an open space outside Xiaogan Prefecture, set up a tent and a table, and used it as the place for the two sides to meet.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was over sixty years old and quite tall and strong.

Unlike the average man in Southwest China, Li Chuang had a fierce appearance, looking like a powerful general at first glance.

His eyes were gleaming, deep, and quite calculating.

From the moment Chen Jie saw the other person, he could tell that this person was no ordinary individual.

He was protected by four top-notch experts.

Unblocking Meridians and Strengthening Qi!

That's right,

These four top experts were actually super strong individuals who had mastered the Qi Condensation Technique.

Although only one of them was at the late stage of the Meridian Opening Qi realm, the other three were at the early stage.

But it was enough to shock Chen Jie.

Isn't it said that most of the super strong people in the Great Qian Dynasty are in the Imperial Palace?

The powerful cultivators with the Tongmai Gangjin technique, who are rarely seen except in the imperial palace, were extremely rare in the martial arts world.

Chen Jie only encountered Miao Feng, a powerful expert at the early stage of the Meridian Opening Qi, in the prison on the small island.

The second group consisted of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals of the Hidden Sect and the forces of the Hongmen.

Unexpectedly, four of them suddenly appeared beside Li Zicheng, the King of Shu.

Unbelievable!

Could these experts all be members of the Brotherhood?
It is possible!
The Brotherhood is as famous as the Hongmen in the underworld, with many masters.

Standing beside Li Chuang, the King of Shu, was his son, Li Xiang.

Li Chuang had many children, but Li Xiang was one of his most beloved sons and held a very high position in the Shu army.

Li Xiang looked Chen Jie up and down for a moment, then snorted disdainfully.

It's clear that he's arrogant, disdainful of others, and self-righteous.

Perhaps because he was spoiled from a young age, he has a sense of superiority.

He even knew that Chen Jie was now the Qian King of the Great Qian Dynasty, wielding great power.

but,

Li Xiang didn't take Chen Jie seriously at all; he didn't think this young man could do anything to him.

Only someone who is arrogant and haughty from a young age would exhibit such ignorance.

Chen Jie didn't even bother to look at Li Xiang.

From Li Chuang's attitude towards Li Xiang, it can be seen that although he loved this son, he absolutely did not consider him as the successor to the title of "King of Shu".

After everyone had met...

Because Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was one rank lower than Chen Jie.

Therefore,
The King of Shu was the first to bow to Chen Jie, saying, "Your humble servant greets the King of Qian!"

Chen Jie smiled calmly and said, "Sit down!"

King Li Chuang of Shu looked Chen Jie up and down, took a deep breath, and said:
"The younger generation is truly formidable! Prince Qian is so young, yet he has already achieved so much. I admire him greatly!"

"The future of the Great Qian Dynasty still depends on you young people."

"We old bones are no longer useful; it's time for us to retire!"

His tone gave off a thought-provoking feeling.

There was some感慨 (gǎn kǎi, mixed feelings), some self-deprecation, and mostly confusion about the future.

Since Ximen Tang moved into the capital and assisted the Crown Prince Li Heng in ascending the throne.

Chen Jie had no good feelings towards the regional princes.

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was a man who valued personal gain above all else and never cared about the bigger picture.

years ago,
When the Eastern Fleet attacked Shandong and occupied Weihai.

The Ministry of War of the Imperial Court originally planned to send 100,000 troops to resist the Japanese invaders.

However, at the most critical moment, Li Zicheng, the Prince of Shu, launched a rebellion, forcing Emperor Li Zheng to abandon his military campaign for fear of internal strife.

This even includes Ximen Tang's defense of the Dagukou Fortress in Tianjin against the invasion of the Western Allied Forces.

The Ministry of War originally planned to reinforce the Zizhu Forest with 300,000 troops.

Finally, it was the sudden dispatch of troops by Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, and Li Mu, the King of Ning, that caused the plan to reinforce the troops at Zizhulin to be shelved.

From a broader perspective, Li Zicheng, the Prince of Shu, was a troublemaker for the Great Qian Dynasty.

in addition,

The army under Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, had very poor discipline, not much better than the Kwantung Army at Dashan Rock.

They burned, killed, looted, and committed all sorts of atrocities!
His army was also driven by self-interest, seizing whatever it could wherever it fought.

The Shu army set off from Wanzhou to Yichang, passing through Badong County, where they were stationed.

Li Chuang demanded money and grain from the magistrate of Badong County.

The magistrate of Badong County said to Li Chuang, "The Shu army is too numerous. Badong is a small place. Where can we get food? Even if we do have food, we must ensure that the people can get through the winter."

Upon hearing this, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was furious, feeling that the magistrate of Badong County was disrespecting him.

then,

He personally ordered the Shu army to massacre the city and loot Badong County, then led his army away triumphantly.

Later, when they arrived in Yichang Prefecture, the Shu army used the same tactics again, causing bloodshed throughout the prefecture.

This shows that

The Shu army was notorious for its poor discipline and its penchant for using the most extreme methods to achieve its goals.

In the area where Hanzhong and the southwest meet, the people were so frightened by the arrival of the Shu army that they hid everywhere.

Over the years, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, not only purchased the most advanced weapons on a large scale, but also continuously expanded his territory.

He has several very distinctive characteristics.

The first is arrogance and conceit.

As his army grew stronger and his weapons became more advanced, his desires began to swell.

His son, Li Xiang, was arrogant and disdainful of everyone, which was actually closely related to Li Zicheng, the King of Shu.

The second is bluffing.

He knew very well that if he wanted to firmly occupy the southern part of Shu, he had to demonstrate the prestige and value of the Shu army.

He can only be at peace when the world is in turmoil.

The Great Qian Dynasty only accommodated him and gave him benefits in order to stabilize the situation.

of course,

Occasionally cooperating with the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty and joining forces with Ximen Tang to wipe out the Japanese is the best opportunity to ask for benefits.

As long as one acts with discretion, one can achieve merit and even conspire for mutual benefit with Ximen Tang.

More importantly, he had another purpose in quickly sending troops: to prevent Ximen Tang from annihilating all of Dashanyan's Kwantung Army.

It was necessary to leave behind a Kwantung Army to keep the southwestern, western Hunan, and Hanzhong border regions in turmoil.

Despite his burly appearance, Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was actually quite meticulous.

He mastered the art of maintaining a balance of power among the various factions in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Once he cooperates with Ximentang to encircle and annihilate Dashan Rock, he will withdraw his troops if necessary, giving the Kwantung Army a way out and allowing them to retain some fighting strength.

in addition,

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was bluffing at the major surrounding powers and the imperial court.

What he liked most was to give everyone the impression that the Shu army was strong and well-equipped. He was ambitious and loved to show off whatever weapons he bought.

Not to mention,
His bluffing was quite effective in deterring Prince Ning, Li Mu, and other vassal kings.

Even the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty was very wary of him.

Anyone who wants to mess with him should think twice about the consequences.

Just like this time, when Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, led an army of 100,000 from Yichang Prefecture to Tianmen County.

He boasted an army of 300,000, a grand and imposing force, as if he wanted everyone to know.

Chen Jie had specifically investigated and learned about Li Chuang, the King of Shu, and knew that this guy liked to boast.

When the King of Shu was forced to retreat to the capital of Tianfu by the imperial court, his army numbered less than 200,000.

However, he dares to claim to have a million-strong army and keeps clamoring to fight this and that.

Many people who were unaware of his true nature were actually intimidated by him and dared not provoke the Shu army.

Simultaneously,

Many powerful families in the Great Qian Dynasty willingly gave him money to help him consolidate his power.

His generals also understood this principle well; they all loved to boast and exaggerate.

unfortunately,

Chen Jie didn't buy into that at all and wouldn't be so polite to him.

in addition,

He knew more about Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, than anyone else.

"Your Majesty, you flatter me. I was simply fortunate to receive the late Emperor's favor, which allowed Ximen Hall to grow and achieve its current status!"

"However, you are absolutely right about one thing!"

"The future of the Great Qian Dynasty belongs to the young; those who grow old should retire!"

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, was merely jokingly saying that he was getting old and it was time for him to retire.

but,

Unexpectedly, Chen Jie spoke frankly, which made Li Chuang lose face.

"Hmph! You—!"

He narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly.

He seemed to sense Chen Jie's dissatisfaction with him from Chen Jie's tone.

this moment,
His anger was ignited, and he thought to himself, "You're just a young man who's only recently risen to a high position, how dare you point fingers at me?"

but,

He realized that Chen Jie's martial arts skills were exceptionally high, and that Ximen Tang's fighting prowess was too strong.

So he had to take a deep breath and hold back his anger.

"Prince Qian, I won't say anything more. The elite Kwantung Army under Da Shanyan's command has already withdrawn to Yingcheng."

"What are your plans now? If you don't welcome us, then we're going back right now—!"

Chen Jie smiled calmly and said:

"The elite Kwantung Army under Daiyama Iwao's command has been routed by our Ximentang and suffered heavy losses."

"The entire city of Yingcheng is now trapped. The next step is to encircle them and trap them!"

"This time, we must annihilate them completely."

King Li Chuang of Shu frowned and said:

"Prince Qian, don't underestimate the Kwantung Army. The 100,000 elite Kwantung Army troops under Da Shanyan's command have not been mobilized at all!"

"Dashanyan is a man who plans carefully before acting; he is by no means easy to deal with."

"Although Ximentang is very strong and has invincible artillery, its numbers are too small."

"Dashanyan now occupies Yingcheng, with 300,000 troops under his command, defending the city."

"Even with our 300,000-strong Shu army, we dare not make any rash moves in the face of the elite troops under Da Shanyan's command."

"It will be very difficult for Ximentang to completely annihilate the Kwantung Army. Once they break through and escape, it will cause endless trouble for the entire Hunan, Hanzhong, southern Sichuan and the Northwest."

"Prince Qian should be cautious before launching an attack and must not be careless!"

Chen Jie showed no respect whatsoever to Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, and said with an air of domineering arrogance:

"Ximentang has never relied on sheer numbers in battle. Back in the Dagu Fortress, our two thousand men still routed the Western Allied Forces, sending them fleeing in disarray!"

"This time, in the recapture of Hanzhong, didn't our Ximentang also achieve a victory with fewer troops, capturing Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang?"

"The Kwantung Army under Oyama Iwao's command is terrified. This time, if we surround them, we are confident that we can wipe them out."

"Since the King of Shu wants to cooperate with Ximen Tang, I have only one request: to hand over the military power of the Shu army."

Surrender military power!

Li Zicheng, the King of Shu, wanted to cooperate with Ximen Tang to suppress the Guandong Army.

His aim was to gain greater benefits and stabilize the situation in southern Sichuan.

in addition,

He also had another goal: to get all the supplies and silver dollars that the Kwantung Army had seized during this period.

So far, he is unaware that Daisanyan has already given all the looted supplies to Ximentang.

but,

Chen Jie naturally wanted to seize control of the Shu army without bloodshed, given that the army had come to him.

Once Chen Jie has control of the military, he has plenty of ways to incorporate the Shu army into his own forces. (End of Chapter)