The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 345 Cherry Blossoms in February
More people gathered together, waiting for the next wave to depart. The starving people who came with Zhu Dalang and the men and women who were taken hostage by the Bian army had become equipment, just like Sun Ru and Ma Yin.

On the mound, Zhu Dalang and his troops simply watched and waited.

They calculated how many more people would be needed to exhaust the royal army to its limit before they could launch a powerful final attack.

These days, sieges and sieges are destined to be long and tedious, unless the defenders are unprepared, the garrison is weak and runs away quickly, the terrain is posed by a fatal threat such as water shortage, or the attackers lack patience.

In the Battle of Changshan, three commanders from Hedong—Yan Bao, Li Sizhao, and Li Cunjin—were defeated or killed.

In the Battle of Luzhou, Zhu Quanzhong also defeated Kang Huaizhen, Li Si'an, and Liu Zhijun.

Most of these Bian soldiers had participated in the turmoil and battles since the time of Quan Zhong, and the torment and madness they had endured were several times greater than what was happening here.

Behind Zhu Dalang, over a hundred large drums beat incessantly, shaking the earth. The sounds of archery, chariots, digging tunnels, and setting fires mingled together, making it difficult to distinguish words. Although they were already numb from the fighting, the generals sitting on the mounds of earth still watched with excitement.

The most fortified city of Tongguan has fallen, leaving only a pile of wooden and stone fortifications without foundations.

With a little more effort, the Tongguan Pass will be open soon! If it's open in the morning, we can reach Chang'an by noon.

Zhu Dalang lay back in his tiger-skin chair, arms around his head, leisurely watching the battle. He laughed and said, "Wang Congxun is a corrupt official, and Li Moyun has betrayed us and joined the One-Eyed Dragon's ranks, and then surrendered to the court—the three-surname Cai traitor. I don't know where they get so much loyalty! If they join us, do you think we'll lose a military governor? Even if we grant them Guanzhong, what difference will it make! What a pity!"

Amid the noise, his mutterings were only vaguely heard by the crowd, who still laughed and cursed.

They've tried to persuade them to surrender many times. Logically, at this point in the war, with neither Jie nor Zhou in sight, the rebels should have already turned on their superiors, beheaded their officers, and opened the gates to guide them. But the army didn't rebel, and their attempts to persuade them to surrender were futile!

What Jie and Zhou could give was nothing more than that, and we can give back to them too. At worst, we'll be their family.

Why should a good man worry about not having a wife? Go out and fight, make a name for yourself, and it's easy to remarry and have children. Just think about what Liu Bang and Hou Jing did.

Oh, how foolish!

It's really exhausting to have them both stay like this.

One of the captains couldn't contain himself and stepped forward to speak: "Brother, the city gate has fallen, and all that's left are some dilapidated stockades. Why don't we just go and slaughter those Li family children and all those officials as soon as possible... If you agree, I'm willing to go into battle!"

“Loyalty! Honesty! Commendable…” Zhu Dalang’s tone shifted, and he shook his head: “But we warriors are precious. How could I bear to use you to exchange your lives for those of these peasants and boiling water?”

He patted his aching knees: "The royal army still has resilience... Once that resilience wears off, I will personally charge to the front! Jie and Zhou are still determined to destroy us. At this time, protecting even one more soldier is like preserving more resources for the military government. Let's fight this battle!"

The captain bowed his head: "We are all grateful for your kindness to the soldiers, sir... but fighting a war mostly depends on the people, and we who sit and watch are always getting restless..."

From beneath the mound, a large herd of mules galloped towards them like the wind. They didn't even glance at the approaching Bian army, but waded straight through. Those who couldn't avoid them were struck by swords from their mules.

Upon closer inspection, one could see the wretched state of the mule train, their hands severed and their armor tattered. Their armor was covered in knife wounds and blood, and their mounts were also riddled with cuts. Behind them followed a group of government soldiers, leaning on canes and supporting each other, staggering along, numbering about six or seven hundred.

But these cavalry and infantry, with the exception of a few, all the mule soldiers only had one hand, and like all the infantry, they had no nose or ears!

Everyone's cheeks and mouths were covered in black scabs, and their faces were tattooed with official seals such as "thief convict," "Bian dog," "bastard," and "you've entered your mother's womb."

There were no flags, and no bugle calls could be seen.

They headed straight for the mound where Zhu Dalang was hanging, dismounting from their saddles as far as they could, throwing away their weapons and armor, and stumbling as they climbed up.

The soldiers on the mound had forgotten when, where, and who they were; their eyes were just staring blankly.

Which army suffered such a crushing defeat?

"Who goes there!" several generals shouted, rushing down like the wind. A buzzing sound immediately rose from the defeated army. Those still intact wept, while the wounded soldiers, their ears and noses cut off, shuffled and cried out as they tore off their clothes, limping towards the mound of earth!
After stripping off his clothes, it was discovered that his chest and buttocks were also covered with ink seal script that read "I have always enjoyed being fucked."

The inscription also includes the official seal of the craftsman and the signature of the craftsman.

Zhu Dalang suddenly stood up, scrutinizing the miserable appearance and words on the defeated army's body, his chest heaving like an inflating balloon.

"What's going on!" Several generals helped them up, only to find themselves trapped among the defeated troops. The soldiers were shouting, cursing, and crying, demanding water, food, and medical help. Everyone was stretching out their hands, mumbling incoherently, and some were pointing westward incessantly.

Their expressions varied, but their expressions were all identical – utterly terrified!

A junior officer from the mule-running army rushed forward and fell to the ground beneath the banner: "Defeat! Utter defeat at Wuguan! Of the four yamen generals, Zhu Youlun is already dead! We were all wiped out at Qingni Ridge! Apart from the dead and the captured, the rest are all here!"

"The King of Wu is so cruel. He castrated us, made us write, and then released us, only to have us deliver a message to my brother, saying that he is going straight to Bianliang and will crush our whole family and the entire city!"

"The King of Wu?" The generals looked at each other, then shouted, "Which King of Wu?"

"That's the eldest son of Jie and Zhou! His name is said to be Li Jingshen, the son of Consort He!"

what?
"Swoosh!" Yuan Zheng strode forward, his steel knife pressed against the junior officer's neck, his expression extremely fierce: "The military government has already inquired about this coward. He's a complete coward. What kind of skills does he have to kill Zhu Youlun and Huang Wenjing and crush your forty or fifty thousand men!"

The junior officer, who had been curled up on the ground sobbing, suddenly cried out in protest, choking back sobs as he gasped for breath: "We've been fighting for years, who doesn't know this principle!"

"It was Li Jingshen. He led over ten thousand infantry and cavalry, along with more than ten thousand Turkic, Tibetan, and Uyghur tribal troops, all well-armored elite soldiers! We've been fighting at Huashan Road and Qingni Ridge for a long time, and our morale has waned. On the seventeenth, we launched our routine attack on Qingni Ridge, but unexpectedly, a large number of infantrymen emerged from the dense forests on both sides of the pass and attacked from both sides. Seeing the situation was dire, we withdrew all our troops to our camp, but it was too late!"

"As soon as the gates were opened, iron hooves came galloping in. Guo Meng, Geng Tong, and Xiao Xiu also led their troops out of the city and the village. We fought and retreated, but the local militia and civilians were inexperienced and were defeated in no time, and they were driven to collapse along with us."

"Afterwards, the royal army took advantage of the situation to launch a counterattack on our camp. We were slaughtered and only ten thousand warriors were left. We fought hard for half a day, but we were outnumbered and collapsed again."

"And then, the entire army was wiped out!"

"Twenty thousand reinforcements?" Seeing the miserable state of these defeated soldiers, even if it meant that Jie and Zhou had returned with their entire army, Minamoto no Masaru believed it.

He subconsciously looked towards Wuguan Pass and into the pass, as if behind the mountains, countless Han and non-Han troops from Yong and Liang were marching menacingly back to Chang'an, and Emperor Li would suddenly appear on the walls of the Forbidden Valley.

"Useless idiots!" He whipped the defeated soldiers across their faces: "Four useless fools! Four pairs of useless fools! Forty thousand useless fools! You caused the loss of thirty thousand of my soldiers, what crime should Zhu Youlun be punished for!"

In their plan, 30,000 troops, along with other rabble, would be enough to take over Wuguan.

In fact, after more than half of the garrison came to support Tongguan, the situation was almost completely resolved.

But unexpectedly, such a result was achieved in the blink of an eye.

Yuan Zheng was so angry that his teeth were itching.

"No, no." The junior officer quickly shook his head: "We only lost 20,000 soldiers."

"Where are Gao Jichang, Huang Wenjing, and Jia Sheng? They're not dead, so why haven't they returned?"

"He led over ten thousand troops into Bo Chang'an!"

"Wh...what?" Yuan Zheng's vision went black. The tall, thin man staggered a few times, barely managing to stay upright by holding onto Zhu Dalang's banner.

The prerequisite for the King of Wu to send reinforcements to Wuguan is that Chang'an has already been pacified.

In other words, Gao Jichang and his group are also finished...

He clung to the flagpole, trembling slightly, his fists clenched tightly, his thoughts drifting to another place.

He hadn't even thought about the defeat at Wuguan Pass, let alone the situation at Tongguan Pass.

"How could this be... How could this be? Armored Tibetans, their fighting strength can still rival mine... My family's judgment, passed down through generations, can never be wrong... How could the warriors of the Gui Army surrender to the Tang? Could it be that the generals and ministers of the Eastern Army and the ministers of the Eastern Army and Western Army alliance have all been subdued by the Emperor?"

He swept his gaze across the defeated troops, his voice low and deliberate as he spoke each word: "Those Tibetans, weren't they wearing chainmail, felt hats, clothes in red, white, or black, carrying swords, able to walk or ride... and some of them could even speak Chinese?"

"no!"

Don't be afraid, the Gui army is still by Emperor Li's side. Those who came with King Wu were just small tribes that had surrendered.

The other officers had no desire to continue fighting the defeated army. They turned and ran back to the mound, beckoning everyone together to gather around Zhu Dalang. They shouted in a flurry of angry chatter, "The Wu King's army is about to march straight to Bianliang!"

"The Zhongwu Army, the Yicheng Army, and the Weibo Army might cooperate to seize the city."

"And that bastard Yang Shouliang, depending on how things change, will he stab us in the back? What should we do... Damn it, we're finished!" "If we can't conquer Chang'an, our Bianfu is doomed! At this point, whether Bianliang is good or bad, what does it matter!"

"Let's take Tongguan quickly... I really can't sit still any longer..."

"Big Brother made a mistake this time, he hired the wrong person..."

The ashen faces stared at Zhu Dalang, some of them so arrogant they were practically ready to shout, "Give the order!"

********
It was Wuguan! It was a crushing defeat at Wuguan!
At this time, Shao Zan was not by Zhu Dalang's side. He was not part of the Bian Army's small group and could only be considered a bandit from the second Bian Army. He quietly led the Heyang soldiers, squatting on the edge of the mound, eating and sleeping when there was no fighting.

Hearing the commotion on the mound, his expression changed, and he looked toward the commander's flag.

His subordinates also came closer and looked at the scene with him: "Commander Shao, what's going on this time?"

Shao Zan remained silent.

Being treated like a dog is unacceptable in such a chaotic world. If you are weaker than others, you can only obey their orders.

Whether Tongguan Pass is captured or not, it doesn't matter who wins or loses between Zhu Dalang and Emperor Li; it would be best if they both died! As long as he can survive and retain some of his capital, as long as Zhu Dalang, who is weighing on his head, is dead, he refuses to believe that he has no chance to turn the tables!

As long as I can survive this meat grinder!

What are Zhu Dalang and the others arguing about? Has their old hideout in Bianliang been ransacked, or...?

Although Shao Zan's expression was blank, his heart was filled with warmth.

Wuguan! I hope it's a crushing defeat at Wuguan!

I hope Zhu Dalang falls from power soon!

A large group of officers were still shouting at Zhu Dalang. Although they were far away, Shao Zan was still able to understand a few of their words.

"Wuguan... the tattoo... that's an insult to me! You dog emperor, I'll curse your mothers for three generations!"

"The Wu King's army! They are on the Wuguan Road, heading towards Luoyang and Bianliang!"

Was it Wuguan? It was a major defeat at Wuguan!
Shao Zan's heart pounded, but he calmly withdrew his head and chewed on a biscuit, saying, "Keep quiet for now. As long as we don't get into trouble or face military law!"

*******
The generals and ministers were in an uproar.

Zhu Dalang paced back and forth in the crowd with his hands behind his back, seemingly tormented by something.

Just then, another group of people galloped over from Huangxiang Slope. As they approached, it was another defeated army. From a distance, their panicked expressions and soaking wet bodies could be seen, suggesting they had either swum across the river or arrived by boat.

Upon reaching the mound, an infantry colonel quickly climbed it, immediately surrounded by the chaotic generals and ministers. Someone whispered, asking what new military intelligence was coming from. The colonel, his face grave, whispered, "Gao Jichang's advance on Chang'an was defeated; five thousand elite troops were either killed or rebelled. The remaining forces fled to Tongguan, where they joined Huang Wenjing and Jia Sheng. He sent me to report that Prime Minister Zheng Yanchang is leading troops to reinforce them—twenty thousand bastards!"

"The three captains asked whether we should return to the outside world. They insisted on staying inside the pass, in case Emperor Li's main force returned and we were attacked from both sides, we would be completely wiped out."

Yuan Zheng swayed again, biting his lip to steady himself, and asked urgently, "Are they ragtag soldiers, or Emperor Li's vanguard?"

The infantry colonel shook his head repeatedly: "I don't know."

"That's enough!" Zhu Dalang suddenly stopped and shouted.

Everyone looked up at the tall, thin Zhu Dalang, who was sitting down in a tiger-skin chair.

Despite the string of bad news, he remained unfazed.

"What Wu King's Brigade? What Sage's Main Force!"

"The Western Sea is so far away. Cavalry and small units can return quickly, but large units are absolutely impossible! Legionary operations have always been cumbersome. Even tens of thousands of people cannot return to Chang'an from the Western Sea in ten days or half a month. They have fought countless battles. Can't you remember this principle?"

The generals could only watch helplessly.

Being able to remain calm in the face of adversity is certainly a sign of good character, but the Wuguan army was ultimately crushed!

The strength and combat effectiveness of the troops under the King of Wu were readily apparent.

Now that fresh reinforcements have arrived, we must immediately come up with a solution to adjust the battle situation.

Zhu Dalang surveyed the vast village within the city walls.

The one closest to them could be seen from afar, a figure in a red robe approaching – it was Wang Congxun, recovering from his injuries.

Zhu Dalang withdrew his gaze, unfolding the map of Guanzhong on the table: "Sound the retreat! Withdraw all the local militia and have them dig tunnels. Tomorrow we'll feast the soldiers! Add meat and extra food. And tell that bastard Congxun that I'll make him die for the city when it falls tomorrow!"

It's better to deal with this bastard sooner rather than later!

"Where should our main force attack?" Zhu Dalang asked.

“Of course it’s Jin Gou. Beyond the forest lies only a stone fortress, sturdy but not large!” Yuan Zheng replied without hesitation, “Give me 20,000 soldiers, and I’ll eliminate Fu Cunshen. How about it?”

Liu Chongxin added, "The entire army must be prepared with shovels and gunpowder. We need to dig tunnels, fill them with gunpowder, and set the city ablaze before we can break through. Simply taking lives and holding out is not how you fight a war."

“I don’t need you to teach me!” Yuan Zheng snorted coldly.

"Go!" Zhu Dalang nodded, his large hand stroking across the Tongguan fortresses, the Yellow River, and the banks of the Wei River: "The remaining 60,000 troops will be divided into three parts, and I will personally lead 30,000 to attack the fortresses..."

The meeting concluded with the following plan: The main force would focus on besieging Jingou and Lianzhai, while the remaining troops would cross the river and enter through the Wei River, joining forces with Huang Wenjing and Jia Sheng's troops to attack Tongguan from the rear. Alternatively, they could advance into Hezhong Prefecture, find a ferry crossing within its borders, and then march from Zuofengyi to Chang'an.

The day of defeat at Tongguan was the day Bianfu was destroyed.

If Emperor Li's main force were absent, and he only had a bunch of ragtag people to deal with him, he wouldn't even be able to handle such a wretched place. Bianliang would end up like Chang'an did back then... No, even so, Zhu Dalang didn't resent Emperor Li.

A true man takes success or failure into his own hands and strives for it; why blame fate or others?

Living in this day and age, he was already mentally prepared.

The next day, January 20th, the Bian army began its advance.

********
When the more than 100,000 troops of both Han and non-Han ethnicities, led by the sage, returned to Jincheng Palace from the Western Sea in a grand procession, it was the 25th day of the first month.

The following day, he dispatched the military governor of Pinghai Army, Mozang Qiqi, with an army of 30,000 to return in order.

On the 27th of the first month, the emperor went to the Lingxiao Palace to receive court congratulations and held a grand banquet for his officials, mainly to reassure the Tibetan officials and those who had surrendered.

Zha Zhu reported that Zhang Chengfeng had been defeated and killed, the allied forces had entered Shazhou, and Cui Xuan, along with Zhang Shouxin, Song Huixian, and others, were on their way to pay homage to the emperor. The Guiyi Army was thus quelled, simply and easily.

Ultimately, the Guiyi Army and Zhang Chengfeng only had this much strength, yet they dared to rebel. Did they really think the expeditionary force was just a joke?

A flea on top of the bedding, it's asking for trouble!

On the 28th, the imperial court issued an edict, bestowing upon Zhang Shouxin the title of Marquis of Dunhuang as a reward for his pragmatism and Zhang Yichao's achievements. Song Huixian was promoted to the rank of Zhaoyi, and the five powerful women of the Cao, Yin, An, Kang, and Zhang families were each granted the titles of Xizi and Hujun. While the Zha Zhu army was still at large, they could be easily annihilated, and the powerful families and leaders of the Han and Tibetan tribes in Guazhou and Shazhou were ordered to relocate to Zhaoling and Qianling.

On the first day of the second lunar month, amidst the chilly air and cherry blossoms still in bud, the imperial carriage returned home. On the Didao Road, Consort Zhao, Zhao Ruozhao, Da Cui, Long Ci, and the other women displayed their superb horsemanship.

But after showing off her horsemanship for a while, the imperial concubine suddenly said that she had just given birth and was weak. Ah Zhao was overjoyed to have another daughter. The emperor looked towards Pipa Mountain in Jincheng and named her Li Pipa.

"If you're weak, then don't ride." The sage jumped off the carriage, mounted the horse, reached out and pulled Ah Zhao up, then put his arm around her waist and sat her in front of him.

“Ah Zhao, I’ve made you lonely these days.” The couple rode together on one horse, and the sage whispered in his ear, “ashamed.”

"Not a decent person!"

(End of this chapter)