Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 190 A Hundred Rivers Appear on the Road, No Way to Join the Army

The twelve garrisons in Shaanxi Province are frequently dispatched.

The soldiers of Tian Ce donned their armor and prepared for battle, awaiting the moment to set out.

An impending storm loomed over Jiayuguan and the entire Shaanxi province.

The proclamation of the Jingnan Rebellion spread like wildfire, and many busy people turned to leave their homes with young and strong men, heading towards various prefectures, counties, and towns.

The entire province of Shaanxi was practically in an uproar.

"Old folks, where are you going?"

"His Highness Prince Su wants to punish the traitors, what difficulty is there to be overcome? Let us respond to His Highness Prince Su's call!"

The person asking the question choked, and asked incredulously, "To quell the rebellion in accordance with Heaven? Prince Su wants to quell the rebellion in accordance with Heaven??"

"Yes, that's it."

"Hiss, you're discussing this so openly, aren't you afraid of being punished by the court?" A passerby wearing a straw hat and a raincoat felt his scalp tingle. This matter was of great importance, how could they discuss it so blatantly?

The imperial court still has some deterrent power.

The sprightly old man was being tugged at by a young man behind him, who was trying to stop him from saying more.

He understood the principle that too much talk leads to mistakes.

Unfortunately, the old man scoffed dismissively, "The imperial court?"

Before the old man could speak further, the young man behind him quickly advised, "Forget it, Dad, don't argue with him. If we get there late and the garrison stops recruiting, then we've come all this way for nothing."

"Oh right, I almost messed things up."

The group quickly drove the oxcart away.

The man who had spoken earlier exchanged a glance with the man in the straw raincoat, and both knew that things were serious.

King Su issued a proclamation to the world, demanding that the emperor quell the rebellion.

The entire Shaanxi province has been notified that Tian Ce, Cang Yun, and the Twelve Guards of Shaanxi are preparing for war and frequently deploying troops, with their forces pointing directly at the capital. In the short time they were stunned, dozens of chilling auras flashed past overhead or in the distance.

"Am I late?" the man wearing a straw hat and raincoat said in a low voice, then pulled down the brim of his hat and hurried away.

The next moment, several figures emerged from behind a few large trees on the official road.

"With his profound cultivation level and mysterious movements, this person may have other motives. We should send someone to keep an eye on him."

"Yes."

The figures quickly disappeared.

The man who had initially asked for directions was left behind, taking a deep look at the now-empty spot, a mysterious smile playing on his lips: "Ubiquitous and omnipresent, is this the most elite intelligence force under Prince Su, the Xuanjia Secret Guard?"

"It's really fun."

"Unfortunately, I don't care about the change of power; I only want to know where the Water and Fire Dragon Balls are!"

"If we could obtain the Water and Fire Dragon Pearls and combine them with the power of the Demon Dragon Pearl of the Chamu Clan, let alone a terrestrial immortal, even a terrestrial celestial being might be within our reach."

"Li family..."

The figure murmured to himself, took a step, and instantly covered dozens of feet in the air, as if shrinking the earth to an inch, demonstrating an extremely astonishing level of cultivation and lightness skill.

However, on a mountain behind him, several figures calmly watched his departing figure.

The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind.

The oriole is not the ultimate winner, because there is also the eagle.

"Who is this person?"

"Meng Baichuan was originally the head of the Wan Du Hall. Two years ago, he, Shangguan Yun, Qiu Tangbai, the head of Qiushui Manor, and others suddenly disappeared from the martial arts world. It is said that they were in pursuit of a treasure and have not shown their faces in the martial arts world for two years."

"According to the intelligence from the secret guards, this person may be after the Dragon Balls."

The report from the secret guards caused the leader to frown and show surprise: "You mean, he came for the Water and Fire Dragon Pearl?" "Yes."

The secret guard reported the facts truthfully.

He also revealed that Zhu Jinzhen had previously informed the secret guards to search for the Water and Fire Dragon Pearl throughout Shaanxi.

As for the true whereabouts of the Water and Fire Dragon Balls, even the secret guards have little knowledge of them.

“Interesting. Let’s keep a close eye on him. If we can get our hands on the Dragon Ball, we can present it to His Highness after he succeeds in his campaign. His Highness will surely reward us handsomely.”

"Understood." The secret guard nodded.

Even if their Heavenly Stem Commander didn't say anything, the Secret Guard would keep a close eye on Meng Baichuan, who had slipped out of the picture.

"What a troubled time!"

"Even the Water and Fire Dragon Balls have appeared."

The man shook his head, took a step forward, and like a breeze blowing across a lake, ripples spread across the surface, dispersing the afterimage he left behind. If he didn't have other important matters to attend to, he would definitely have a good chat with Meng Baichuan.

……

Jiayuguan, Lanzhou Prefecture.

The people in both places were in an uproar.

The two garrison commanderies and thousand-household garrisons were packed with people.

"His Highness Prince Su wants to quell the rebellion in accordance with Heaven's will, so why doesn't he want us?"

"The Twelve Guards of Shaanxi are all at full strength. His Highness has no intention of expanding the army. What's the use of you all standing here? Disperse! Disperse!"

"Are all the local garrisons full?"

"nonsense."

The commander of the Lanzhou Garrison rolled his eyes.

The Twelve Guards of Shaanxi have been expanding every year, and were already at full strength two years ago. Although they have been recruiting new soldiers in the past two years, it has only been an expansion after weeding out some corrupt elements.

"Sir, what about the Tian Ce Mansion? Can we go there to join the army?" someone asked, unwilling to give up.

These words drew eye rolls from the crowd.

"Wang Lao Er, what are you thinking? If the garrison doesn't want anyone, do you think the Tian Ce Prefecture will?"

"Yes, how long has it been since the Tian Ce selection?"

"Alas! My son was supposed to go in the last Tian Ce selection, but his mother couldn't bear to part with him, so it was delayed and he missed it!" An old man slapped his thigh in anger.

They were so close to getting on the good side of Prince Su, joining the army to rise up and quell the rebellion, making meritorious contributions, and escaping the peasant class.

Unfortunately, his daughter-in-law seemed unable to bear seeing his family's rise to prominence and interrupted it!

"My lord, I've heard that the Cangyun Army has hundreds of thousands of iron cavalry. They must need logistics soldiers, right? I, Tie Niu, am not good at anything, but I am strong enough to carry a shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain for ten li (a unit of distance) without stopping. I also have some farming skills. Do you think I can handle this?"

"No need, they don't need it." The garrison commander waved his hand dismissively.

Before the man named Tie Niu could continue speaking, he bluntly said, "Besides, it's no use asking me. I'm just a garrison commander, not part of the Cangyun Army, and I have no way of knowing anything about what's going on there. Asking me is pointless."

"I'll say it again, all five thousand-household posts in our Lanzhou Garrison are full."

"If you want to join the army, go ask somewhere else."

The garrison commander was rolling his eyes so hard they almost reached the sky.

As the garrison commander of Lanzhou Garrison, he understood better than ordinary people how rare this opportunity was for Zhu Jinzhen to seize power and suppress the rebellion. It was a case of too many monks and too little flesh.

Let alone the fact that the five major thousand-household offices are already full, even if they weren't, it wouldn't be a turn for ordinary people!

Do these commanders, or those in charge of a thousand or a hundred households, not have any able-bodied young men, like their sons or nephews, to fill the ranks?
(End of this chapter)