Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 382 Ambush
As a former general of the Zheng army, Zheng Hongkui's experience in the army is enough to enable him to make an accurate judgment of the current situation.

If Zheng Hongkui hadn't lost the power struggle with his eldest brother and the support of the rest of the Zheng family, he might have already held a higher position in the Zheng army. But now, he must choose this risky path and join Zhu Cilang.

"If I'm not mistaken, Hong Xu is a brave man, but his troops are far inferior to our elite." Zhao Dong's tone was full of confidence, even with a hint of contempt. "His army has many flaws in its armament. Although its combat power is not weak, if it faces an elite force like us, I'm afraid it will not be enough to compete with us."

However, Li Xiaolin did not underestimate Hong Xu. He remained vigilant and said, "Perhaps we need to create some illusions and reveal some flaws to make Hong Xu mistakenly believe that he has a chance of winning. Although he is brave, he probably wouldn't dare to attack without the certainty of victory."

Li Xiaolin's words were deep and powerful, and he always maintained a cautious attitude. Although Hong Xu's troops were not as strong as theirs, as a former brave general, his caution and courage were enough to make everyone wary.

Zheng Hongkui's heart trembled slightly upon hearing this. He said with a firm look, "General Li, if you don't mind, I am willing to lead my troops on a quick march. As long as there is a certain distance between our two armies, Hong Xu will definitely think that we are deliberately leaving him open to lure him out of the city. At that time, he will undoubtedly see this as a good opportunity to counterattack."

Zheng Hongkui's words radiated confidence, his decision made almost without hesitation. He fully understood the significance of his move: not only to gain an advantage on the battlefield, but more importantly, to solidify his position in the hearts of the Ming generals. He had just chosen to defect, and while the surrender of the southern cities of Zhangzhou Prefecture was a significant achievement, it hadn't completely dispelled his doubts.

Although Zhang Mingzhen had promised to forgive the past, he was, after all, a man of power and scheming, and who knew when he would turn against him? Therefore, Zheng Hongkui was eager to consolidate his position by making new military achievements.

"Okay, in that case, let's follow this plan." Li Xiaolin's voice was steady. He didn't say much, just nodded, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

Although Zheng Hongkui's decisiveness and strategic vision seemed a bit short-sighted, he was undoubtedly a reliable ally in this complex war.

Wu Yao and Liang Chao, two of the Jinyiwei's accomplices, were a former pirate and salt smuggler, respectively. Despite their humble origins, they quickly established themselves within the Military Intelligence Department through their exceptional courage and years of experience in the underworld. Both have now risen to the rank of Flag Commander, each commanding over thirty soldiers and holding significant military positions.

Regardless of whether they were born into the world of pirates or salt smugglers, they all relied on their excellent martial arts skills with swords and guns and their fluent underworld jargon to infiltrate Hong Xu's army, gain his trust, and successfully become his internal supporters. Upon seeing Wu Yao return, Liang Chao immediately stood up from the old tree he was leaning against and whispered to his militiamen to get out of the way.

These militiamen were just rough, unrefined folk from some local area. Seeing Liang Chao stand up, they didn't dare to neglect him and made way for him. Liang Chao crouched down and walked in front of Wu Yao. His eyes were sharp as torches, scanning the surroundings to make sure no one else could hear. Then, in a very low voice, he said, "The bird has returned to its nest. Mission accomplished. No problem."

Wu Yao looked around and confirmed that there were no enemies nearby before calmly saying, "The intelligence has been passed back to the Lord. The few miscellaneous soldiers under Hong Xu pose no threat at all. Once he is defeated by Li Xiaolin, we must retreat as soon as possible."

His tone was brief and calm, revealing the sophistication of a veteran. Liang Chao, upon hearing this, showed a hint of disdain on his face, and muttered, "Damn it! Our mission isn't that easy. We can't be too aggressive in the rear, nor can we charge too far forward. Those bastards in the field army fight so ruthlessly. If I die at their hands, I'll never rest in peace."

"I'll be responsible for keeping a close eye on Hong Xu's movements. If the situation changes in any way, we'll charge forward with our men and evacuate immediately after." Wu Yao's gaze was as cold as frost, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He never liked to talk nonsense, and his attitude towards missions was always vigorous and decisive. He gripped the hilt of the knife at his waist tightly, thinking about his next steps.

Liang Chao nodded, but the worry on his face did not completely dissipate: "If Hong Xu is gone, we won't be able to get close to Zheng Sen's army, and all our previous ambush will be in vain. His life is more important than anything else now."

Wu Yao didn't refute Liang Chao's words, but he had some thoughts in his mind. As the other party said, if they lost Hong Xu, they would not be able to contact Zheng Sen's army. All their plans would be meaningless, and all their previous preparations would be wasted.

"Don't worry, we will definitely protect Hong Xu's life." Wu Yao said this, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "He can't escape or die under our noses."

The determination in his words made Liang Chao feel slightly relieved. Wu Yao never spoke in a pretentious manner. He was always straightforward and his powerful aura could be felt in just one sentence.

"We've already arranged our support on Li Xiaolin's side, and everything is well-measured. As long as we act according to plan, Hong Xu won't die." Liang Chao patted Wu Yao's shoulder, his eyes full of confidence: "As long as we hold on to this step, the rest of the operation will proceed smoothly."

Wu Yao was silent for a moment, then nodded: "We are not only trying to save Hong Xu's life, but also to take this opportunity to get close to him and gain his trust in us."

He gazed into the distance and said in a deep voice, "The troops Hong Xu led along the way are only remnants of a defeated army, and they are being pursued closely behind. This is the opportunity we can take to approach him, win him over, and make him trust us. By then, he will surely let down his guard, and we can gradually gain greater initiative in the process."

Liang Chao nodded slightly, already making a plan in mind: "No matter what, we have no way out. If we don't seize this opportunity, we will have no chance again after everything in Fujian is settled. In this case, we have to go all out and do our best to seize this opportunity."

There was a gleam of determination in both of their eyes.

"Hmm." Liang Chao pondered for a moment and nodded, his tone revealing a hint of deep thought: "By then, although Hong Xu will be a member of the army, he will not be the one in charge. If we are not confidants, I am afraid it will be difficult to even know the specific movements of the military. We may even be assigned to guard the city in a remote place. In this case, it will be a wasted trip."

Liang Chao's eyes were calm and sharp. He had already considered the subsequent action strategy in his mind. After several rounds of deductions, his thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning and he came to a nearly perfect judgment.

This level of game is often not resolved solely by military strength and force, but more by intelligence control and strategic deployment. Whether they can obtain accurate intelligence in a timely manner has become the key to their fate.

"Right." Zhou Ang, who was with Liang Chao, nodded and said, "The situation is becoming increasingly complex. Hong Xu's actions seem premeditated. He's not only trying to stop Zheng Hongkui's army, but he also seems to be using this opportunity to completely eliminate his enemy." Zhou Ang said with a hint of disdain, "Zheng Hongkui is quite confident. He even dared to fall into such a trap. He deserves it."

Liang Chao gently waved his hand, signaling Zhou Ang not to be too impatient. "Although our relationship with Hong Xu is complicated, he is still a general after all. There is no need to make too many comments for now."

He paused for a moment, a cold look flashing in his eyes as he spoke, "If he really intends to inflict a heavy blow in this valley as he wishes, then we must see if he can withstand Zheng Hongkui's arrogance."

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly came from the hillside ahead. Liang Chao and Zhou Ang were instantly alert and turned to look in the direction of the sound.

Soon, they spotted a familiar figure—it was Hong Xu, accompanied by several personal guards. Hong Xu was standing in the half-human-high bushes on the hillside, his eyes scanning the front sharply, as if observing how Zheng Hongkui's army would enter their carefully arranged ambush.

At this time, Zheng Hongkui's vanguard had entered the ambush area, and the scouts galloped along the river valley. Although there were only six of them, they moved very fast, as if trying to find potential enemies.

Hong Xu stared at the six riders closely. Although he had doubts in his heart, he had already deployed all his scouts to ensure that every detail was under control.

"As expected," Hong Xu thought to himself, his brows slightly relaxed, and he let down his guard a little: "Zheng Hongkui hasn't made any special arrangements since he accelerated his march today. It seems he didn't expect us to attack so soon."

Although he felt a little confused, he was filled with excitement and anticipation. Hong Xu's gaze grew more determined, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, as if he had already seen through Zheng Hongkui's tactics. "That son of a bitch Zheng Hongkui looked down on me when we were fighting the Ming army before. Today, I have the chance, and I must show him who is the true ruler of this battlefield."

Whenever Hong Xu thought of the cold and contemptuous look in Zheng Hongkui's eyes when he looked at him, his heart was filled with anger and unwillingness. Today's battle was his chance for revenge.

As his anger grew, Hong Xu began to calmly analyze the situation. The river valley before him was wide, with large exits on both sides, but the low slopes on the south side of the key position were the perfect location for an ambush.

After several rounds of reconnaissance and arrangements, he felt that the time had come. As long as Zheng Hongkui's main force entered this place, he could launch a surprise attack.

"Zheng Hongkui has always been conceited. He won't react easily this time," Hong Xu thought silently, a smug smile on his face. His plan had already been perfectly laid out. From now on, a single successful strike would completely destroy Zheng Hongkui's morale on the battlefield.

However, the situation in the valley gradually changed, and Zheng Hongkui's vanguard began to tense up. Hundreds of soldiers quickly deployed, occupying advantageous positions in the valley. In the distance, flags fluttered in the wind, and Zheng Hongkui's identity flag soon became apparent.

The atmosphere of battle grew thicker, filled with tension and unease. Li Xiaolin stood at the rear of the column, peering past the troops ahead at the approaching Zheng Hongkui army, silently calculating the evolving situation. He understood that in this complex terrain, even the slightest misstep could lead either side into a fatal crisis.

Although the river valley chosen by Hong Xu seemed to be an ideal place for an ambush, it was not perfect - the vast terrain allowed both sides to have greater mobility, especially the hills on both sides of the valley, which, although blocking the view, also brought more uncertainty to the attack and defense.

Hong Xu had originally planned to use this terrain advantage to suppress the enemy, but he hadn't anticipated Zheng Hongkui's increasing marching speed and his preparedness for any unexpected situation. While Zheng Hongkui appeared relaxed and confident on the surface, each of his actions concealed a carefully considered strategic calculation.

Meanwhile, Hong Xu gradually realized that the battle before him was not as simple as he had anticipated. Although the ambush seemed flawless, for Hong Xu, the outcome of the entire battle depended not solely on the ambush's suddenness and the mobilization of troops.

He knew that if the enemy scouts discovered them in time, all his arrangements would be in vain. Therefore, to avoid being discovered by the Hong army's reconnaissance, Hong Xu's troops did not choose the more secluded ridge, but hid about a hundred steps from the river valley.

This distance can maintain sufficient concealment while not completely blocking the enemy's sight. Hong Xu already knew the advantages of an ambush.

His goal wasn't to engage Zheng Hongkui directly in a head-on battle, but to strike a fatal blow while Zheng Hongkui's troops were still incomplete and unable to effectively respond. Despite their strength, the Zheng army was vulnerable to surprise attacks while their formation was still incomplete, especially against Zhang's army, which was adept at cavalry charges. Failure to organize a defense in a timely manner would have been disastrous.

When most of the Hong army entered the valley, Hong Xu's best opportunity to take aim finally arrived. He took a deep breath and waved his hand, and the flag bearer beside him quickly received the order and began to wave the flag in his hand violently.

With a booming cannon shot, flags fluttered on the hillside, and deafening cries of killing echoed throughout the fields. The powerful impact of the Hong army surged from the hillside like a tide, quickly rushing towards the Zheng army's position.

Zheng Hongkui's troops were obviously well prepared. Although the Hong army's attack came swiftly, Zheng Hongkui's troops were not frightened, and the blocking troops were already on full alert.

Even so, the situation remained dire. The terrain here was complex, with narrow river valleys stretching the army's lines out and the troops dispersed. If they encountered a fierce enemy attack, they would probably find it difficult to effectively resist.

Zheng Hongkui knew clearly that although his troops were powerful, their mobility and ability to coordinate operations would be greatly restricted in such a narrow terrain.

(End of this chapter)