There is no such thing as the Kangxi and Qianlong eras

Chapter 245 The Reinforcements' Defeated Struggle
The Jiangxi Provincial Governor, Wan Ning, personally led a large force of over ten thousand men, almost all the local militia recruited by Nanchang Prefecture during this period.

The local militia of over ten thousand men looked menacing, but in reality, they were a completely different story. Wan Ning had to exert tremendous effort just to keep his militia under his command.

The army marched in a very disorganized manner, with no visible formations, and officers and soldiers alike were scattered in groups of three or five.

Holding his binoculars, Fang Jie couldn't help but complain, "Are these Qing dogs here to fight a war, or to have a picnic?"

The Han scouts had already spotted the Qing army, while the Qing army had not yet spotted the Han army.

The commander of Wanning is currently selecting a suitable campsite along the Xiushui River.

Although the fight hasn't started yet, this guy has already made plans to retreat across the river if he can't win.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sound of artillery fire came from the Han army's position, but it wasn't the kind of red-coated cannons; it was portable mortars.

Fang Jie didn't care. Taking advantage of the fact that the Qing army hadn't discovered him, he immediately ordered the mortar team to open fire and bombard them fiercely.

Wan Ning was startled by the cannon fire and had no idea what was happening. He was about to order his soldiers to be careful.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

An explosion occurred at the edge of the Qing army's position.

The mortar shells exploded upon landing, but the explosions were not very powerful, only killing a few unlucky Qing soldiers who were nearby. However, this still threw the morale of the Qing troops in the vicinity into chaos.

"Sorcery! It's sorcery!"

"The traitors are using sorcery! Run!"

The Qing soldiers stationed in the outer perimeter collapsed almost immediately after a single cannon shot, their retreat so rapid that Wan Ning couldn't even react in time.

After the Han army finished their artillery barrage, Fang Jie drew his sword and shouted, "Kill! Kill the Qing dogs and earn merit! Victory for the Han! Victory for the King!"

"May the Great Han Dynasty be victorious! May the Great King be victorious!"

"Killing Qing dogs, you've earned a merit!"

"Dudududuwuwuwuwu~~~~"

The bugler took advantage of the situation to go to a high place and sounded the charge. Thousands of Han soldiers drew their cold weapons and charged toward the Qing army's camp, which was not yet set up.

Moreover, they divided their forces into three routes: one main force of over a thousand men charged straight ahead, while the other two routes, each with five hundred men, detoured to the sides to encircle and block the Qing army's rear.

The Han army was too fast, so fast that the Qing army couldn't react at all. The Qing army had just unloaded the grain from the grain transport ships and hadn't even chosen a campsite when they were suddenly attacked.

Wanning's main force was still intact at this time. The previous round of artillery bombardment by the Han army had only scattered a hundred or so Qing soldiers, and the Qing army still had a huge force of tens of thousands of men.

With 10,000 men against 2,000, is the advantage in my favor?
They really ripped me off!

The Qing army consisted of 10,000 newly recruited local militia, completely disorganized and prone to panic in battle. Furthermore, the commander-in-chief, Wan Ning, was a civil official, specifically a Manchu civil official. One can only imagine the fighting strength of such an official leading such an army.

The Han army was smaller in number, but its two thousand-plus soldiers were elite troops trained day and night. Their military discipline was far superior to that of the Qing army in Huguang, not to mention these local militias who were not even considered regular troops.

"Quickly, form ranks, form ranks, prepare to meet the enemy!" Wan Ning hurriedly issued the military order.

But by this point, the Han army had already charged forward. It was uncertain whether the Qing army could even form a proper battle formation, let alone whether they could hold them off.

"Raise your spear and thrust!"

"Archery Battalion, fire freely!"

The Han army issued orders in an orderly manner.

The Qing army finally began to assemble, but it was too late.

The Han troops charging from the front fell behind, while a 500-strong Han army flanking from the flank charged directly into the weak point of the Qing army's flank position with their long spears.

In one fell swoop, a large gap was bitten into the flank of the Qing army's position. The Qing army's flank position collapsed like an ant hole breaching a dam, and the situation became uncontrollable.

"Sir, something terrible has happened! Our flank has collapsed!"

Hearing the anxious report from his trusted general, Wan Ning was stunned. He had only been concerned about the Han army in front of him and had not paid any attention to the enemy on the flanks.

The key issue is that the Han army on the flank numbered only five hundred men, while the Han army had tens of thousands of soldiers.

Is it really reasonable for 500 people to overwhelm tens of thousands?
It's reasonable, of course it's reasonable, what's unreasonable about it?
Don't forget Fang Jie's Han army, which was led by Yang Fang. They had been fighting alongside Yang Fang since last year and had already adopted some of Yang Fang's military tactics.

Historically, Yang Fang's most valiant military campaign was when he personally led a few guards to charge into a White Lotus Rebellion force of tens of thousands of men, and won, successfully annihilating the White Lotus Rebellion.

Fang Jie's conditions were much better than Yang Fang's. The 500 Han soldiers were well-equipped, well-trained, and in high spirits. On the other hand, the Qing army was not only weak in combat but also lacked morale and cohesion.

Such an army would struggle even in favorable circumstances, and the fact that it didn't surrender on the spot when facing adversity was thanks to Wanning's willingness to pay its soldiers, which at least managed to win over some of their morale.

Seeing their flank torn open by five hundred Han soldiers, the thousand-plus Han soldiers charging forward were like a sharp dagger piercing the chests of the Qing army. The only flank that hadn't yet succumbed to chaos was now engaged in battle with the remaining five hundred Han soldiers.

The Qing generals on the flanks were at least somewhat courageous and eager to make a name for themselves, so they actually dared to launch a counter-attack against the Han army.

then……

He watched as his own troops, two or three times the size of his own, were routed by a mere five hundred Han soldiers.

"The rebels are coming!"

"Run!"

Good heavens, the rout was incredibly fast, so fast that even the general commanding the flanks didn't realize how they had lost.

They launched their own attack, and inexplicably, their army, several times larger than their own, collapsed completely, leaving no room for recovery.

The Qing general wanted to turn around and look at the banner in Wanning, but he saw that the banner had fallen down at some point.

It wasn't that Wan Ning died, but rather that his personal guards, sensing the danger, carried him away.

"My lord, leave quickly!"

Several loyal guards carried the stunned Wan Ning away.

The flag bearers responsible for carrying the banner, seeing that even the provincial governor had run away, naturally also turned tail and ran.

Who cares about the imperial banner anymore?
Without the banner, the Qing army completely lost its command center, and its collapse naturally happened even faster.

The Han army was like a pack of wolves that had wandered into a sheepfold; Qing soldiers were everywhere, waiting to be slaughtered, and battle achievements were everywhere.

There was no other way; such easy battles were indeed rare. Over ten thousand local militiamen seemed like a lot, but they were all rubbish. Jiangxi was not known for its fighting prowess and rarely fought, and now they were facing such an elite, modern army like the Han army.

It's perfectly normal to be defeated and crippled in an instant. On the contrary, if they can't win, then Yang Fang has no choice but to intervene and deliberately let the enemy escape.

Wan Ning's personal guards ran incredibly fast, carrying and helping him onto the boat in a short run. Many Han soldiers followed in pursuit, defeating several local Qing soldiers who tried to escape by boat, then rowing onto their boats to chase after the Qing soldiers who had jumped into the river to swim.

Regardless of whether these Qing soldiers were local militia or civilians, one cannot be merciful on the battlefield. The Han army charged and fought while shouting for those who knelt down to surrender and were spared. Those who still tried to escape had to be caught and killed. Even if they couldn't be caught, they had to be forced to run for their lives and exhaust their strength.

Wan Ning had already boarded the small boat, and his personal guards were all rowing with all their might. They were rowing very fast, and with so many fleeing soldiers on the water, they were able to slow down the Han army's pursuers. After rowing for more than an hour, they finally shook off the Han army's pursuers.

With the Jiangxi Provincial Governor of Wanning gone, Fang Jie's greatest victory in this battle has vanished.

However, the gains were already considerable; tens of thousands of local militia from Nanchang Prefecture were wiped out in a single day. The Han army captured more than four thousand prisoners, and countless others were killed, jumped into the river, went missing, or scattered.

Wan Ning escaped, but all ten thousand local militia have already been sent away. If even one-tenth of them managed to escape back with him, that would be a miracle.

The loss of so many combat troops at once, even if these troops were trash and no match for the Han army in open field battles, they were still a local militia!
If used for defending the city and protecting themselves, a garrison of tens of thousands of men would always cause some trouble for the Han army.

In addition, Governor Zhang Chengji went to Ruizhou and other prefectures and counties to recruit soldiers, planning to first gather the remnants of the Green Standard Army in southern Jiangxi, then join forces with the local militias gathered in Nanchang Prefecture, and finally form an army of tens of thousands to directly attack the Han army.

If you lack combat strength, use your numerical advantage to win.

But now, all the plans are probably going to fall through.

The Qing army suffered a crushing defeat. Tens of thousands of local militia in Nanchang Prefecture were all lost, and even the provincial governor of Wanning almost didn't make it back. The morale of the army was severely damaged.

……

Jianchang County.

The magistrate of Jianchang County was lying on the city wall, watching the Han soldiers who were showing off their power and coming to persuade him to surrender.

Upon hearing the news of reinforcements arriving that morning, the county magistrate was not pleased; instead, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if something bad was about to happen.

It was only noon when the Han army began to return to their camp, bringing back hundreds or even thousands of prisoners, many of whom were still wearing their uniforms and looked dejected.

The magistrate of Jianchang County, who had been on tenterhooks since morning, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Outside the city, Han soldiers were still loudly urging people to surrender through megaphones: "Listen up, fellow villagers! The Qing reinforcements from Nanchang Prefecture have all been defeated by us. Surrender now! Don't fight for those corrupt officials and gentry anymore. We, the Han army, are not bad people. We are the army of the Great Han, here to help you people."

The clerk and registrar standing next to the magistrate suddenly changed their expressions.

The yamen runners and guards surrounding them all gave them meaningful looks.

The advisor reacted quickly, turning around to run away, but after only two steps, he was slashed to the ground by a soldier, followed by several more blows.

The registrar pleaded, "Spare me, I'm willing to surrender..."

Before he could finish speaking, a knife was plunged into his abdomen, and the blade was even turned around once, as if afraid he wouldn't die.

The magistrate glanced around and asked with difficulty, "Could I do it myself?"

The soldiers exchanged glances, and the leader nodded: "Consider it repayment for the kindness of the lord in giving us food."

"Dangdang!"

A knife was thrown over.

The magistrate picked up the knife, looked at the wary eyes of the soldiers, took a deep breath, and then slit his own throat.

Blood gushed out, and the magistrate lay on the ground convulsing. Before he was completely dead, the leader of the soldiers who had given him the knife couldn't wait any longer and took out his own knife to cut off the man's head.

This is the county magistrate's head; if we hand it over to the Han army, it will at least be considered a merit.

Jianchang County changed its flag, Nanchang Prefecture lost its northern gateway, and Nankang Prefecture became an isolated city.

……

De'an County.

The news traveled at a similar speed here. Fang Jie specially dispatched 500 soldiers to escort more than 1,000 Qing soldiers to De'an County for a public parade.

The Han soldiers followed suit, shouting through loudspeakers. They didn't need to exaggerate; they simply said that the reinforcements from Nanchang were gone. Jianchang County had also surrendered, and De'an County was now an isolated city. Whether they surrendered or not was up to them.

Gao Bo immediately found Chen Xu to discuss what to do.

Chen Xu remained relatively calm: "This must be a psychological warfare tactic by the Han traitors. Those prisoners must be civilians captured by the Han traitors in disguise."

These words might be useful for fooling the gentry and wealthy families in the city, but using them to fool a county magistrate is clearly a misuse of language.

Gao Bo said urgently, "Magistrate, don't worry. You are the magistrate of De'an County, and I am the assistant magistrate of De'an County. We are both officials appointed by the imperial court. As long as you don't surrender, I won't surrender either."

"..."

Chen Xu was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "If the Han traitors can be so confident, Jianchang County is very likely already lost. Without Jianchang County, even if the Han traitors are lying, and the reinforcements haven't been defeated by them, it will be difficult for them to make their way north. De'an County is indeed an isolated city. Not only De'an County, but Nankang Prefecture has also become an isolated city. Moreover, Jianchang County is very close to Nanchang Prefecture, so it's impossible for it to have surrendered without a reason..."

The words were quite clear, and Gao Bo immediately fell silent.

Not long after, Chen Jincheng came to see Chen Xu: "Your Excellency, the Han traitors are now very powerful and are using psychological warfare tactics to disrupt the morale of our county's troops. If we let this go unchecked, De'an County will surely fall sooner or later."

Although Chen Xu knew that Chen Jincheng had ulterior motives, he thought it was only to compete for merit and protect the Chen family's property. He never imagined that the Yimen Chen family would also turn to bandits.

Chen Xu asked, "What brilliant idea do you have?"

Chen Jincheng said, "I think we should go out of the city and fight the bandits. We don't need to fight a real battle. As long as we can frighten the Han bandits and blunt their morale, we can revitalize our army's morale."

This sounds absurd, but it's actually quite true. In any normal war, the defending side will rarely hold a city to the death. Although a city may seem impregnable, it's all about psychological warfare. Money and supplies are secondary; sufficient money and supplies are useless. What matters most is the morale and the spirit of the defending troops.

The saying "a city that is defended for too long will inevitably fall" means that if a city is held for a long time without fighting, the morale of the troops will gradually decline until the city is suddenly breached by the attacking side, or the city is simply overrun by internal strife and surrender.

Therefore, if you want to defend the city for a long time, it is inevitable to go out of the city and fight a few battles. You don't have to actually defeat the enemy. A small victory or a draw can boost morale.

Some clever generals would even lay ambushes outside the city before defending it, as a form of support.

A successful ambush not only dampens the morale of the attacking enemy but also gives the defending troops hope of holding the city, thus maintaining their morale.

Chen Xu hesitated. He knew that not fighting was definitely not an option; otherwise, internal collapse would occur sooner or later. But what if they went to war and couldn't win?
Chen Xu frowned and said, "Although the Han traitors are bandits, their military discipline is impeccable and their fighting strength should not be underestimated, while our army consists of mostly new recruits..."

He didn't finish speaking, but shook his head, seemingly unwilling to risk leaving the city.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jincheng cupped his hands and continued to add fuel to the fire, saying, "We don't need to fight the Han traitors in real combat, and we don't even need to fight during the day. We can take advantage of the night to select a few hundred elite soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the Han traitors, burn their camp, and throw them into chaos, while our army can retreat calmly without any risk."

After hearing this, Chen Xu was actually a little tempted.

Seeing that Chen Xu was still hesitating, Chen Jincheng simply knelt down and said, "This student is willing to be the vanguard and pledges his loyalty! I hope that the magistrate can save the many gentry in this city."

After saying this, Chen Xu had no excuse to refuse, and even Gao Bo was looking at him intently.

Chen Xu nodded emphatically: "Alright, in that case, tonight you will select two hundred elite soldiers, not too many, to go out of the city, set fire to the enemy camp at night, and return after one strike!"

(End of this chapter)