The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 401 Personal Arrival
Yangwuyu.

It was windy in the valley.

Cultivating land in the cold wind is no easy task; every day, they also have to fetch water from the river behind the village.

"Ouch."

Someone slipped and fell, spilling the two buckets of water they were carrying on their shoulders onto the ground. Their cotton robes were soaked through, and they shivered in the cold wind.

"Is everything okay?"

"Are you OK."

His companions asked in unison.

The man, his nose running from the cold, stared blankly at the two overturned buckets on the ground. Suddenly, he cursed, "We're nothing like soldiers. We're just doing manual labor. We're not even as good as other manual laborers. Although they work hard, they don't have to risk their lives."

"Alright, alright." A companion offered to help retrieve the overturned bucket and reassured, "Let's go back first, or you'll catch a cold."

"I just don't accept it, why should I?"

The man cursed angrily, but with his captain by his side, he knew the captain disliked his remarks. After cursing a couple more times, the soldier looked at the captain with concern.

The captain ignored them and stared blankly into the distance.

A line of cavalry approached from afar.

Carrying the banner of the Marshal's Mansion, one of them was wearing "golden armor"!
It inherits the gold-lacquered mountain-patterned armor from the Ming Dynasty.

The military town of Datong had more than one set of gold-lacquered mountain-patterned armor, but only one person wore the sun and moon flag: the military governor.

"General Jiejie is here."

The captain muttered subconsciously. The soldier who had just finished speaking breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the captain was ignoring him. "Anyway, we soldiers are so dedicated and hardworking, what kind of general is coming?"

Everyone looked over.

"salute!"

The captain shouted loudly, leading his comrades to make way, putting down their water buckets, and standing at attention, all raising their heads in unison to watch the approaching cavalry.

"Bahhhhh."

One after another, cavalry units passed by.

It was clearly the Royal Guard.

The arrogance radiating from those faces, the smugness that was irritating to look at, was something that no other battalion could emulate except the Royal Guard.

"Thanks for your hard work."

As Wang Xin rode past on horseback, he nodded to the group of soldiers and left them with a message.

"We!" the captain shouted with courage. "It's not hard work."

"It's not hard."

The other soldiers joined in the shouting.

Wang Xin couldn't help but smile.

The cavalry came and went quickly, and eventually they all passed by, leaving the soldiers behind to eat dust.

"Cough cough."

"Grandma is a bear."

"I can barely breathe."

"Ahem, just now... I think I saw General Jie smile?"

"Really?"

The squad leader excitedly confirmed it.

The soldier who had initially complained hesitated for a moment, thought hard, and then said firmly, "He did laugh. The commander laughed after hearing what we said."

"hey-hey."

"hehe."

When ordinary people let out a simple, honest laugh, they don't even know what they're laughing at; they just genuinely want to laugh from the bottom of their hearts.

"Even the general has arrived."

The captain waved his hand and shouted, "Run forward!"

Of course, they couldn't run anymore, but everyone quickened their pace and no one slacked off. They immediately became disciplined and obeyed orders without question. The captain didn't care about the feeling; all he could think about was getting back as quickly as possible.

On the other side of the mountain.

The sun and moon flag fluttered.

As the golden-armored figure moved, "waves" formed in the valley.

"General!"

"mighty!"

The soldiers shouted enthusiastically.

"Boom, boom, boom."

The war drums sounded, and the soldiers who were beating them put their full strength into each strike, shouting "Hey!" as sweat began to pour down their foreheads and their bulging muscles seemed about to burst out.

"General!"

"mighty!"

From outside the valley to inside the valley.

With the golden voice, a deafening roar resounded wherever it moved, seemingly shattering everything in the valley.

"Zhou Jun is mighty!"

Wang Xin raised his arm, a smile on his face, and looked gratefully at the soldiers.

"Marshal is mighty!"

Upon receiving the response, the soldiers raised their heads, strained their necks, and roared desperately, the veins on their necks bulging like dragons.

"Boom, boom, boom."

"Dong dong dong dong."

As the commander-in-chief arrived at the central command tent, the soldiers in the distance began to pound their long spear shafts.

"Dong dong dong dong."

"Dong dong dong dong."

"Bang bang bang."

The spearmen had spears, and the shieldmen had shields; they struck their shields with the flat of their blades.

The sounds of spears striking the ground, blades striking shields, war drums, and chariots pounding all converged into one, rhythmically reverberating throughout the valley, before finally soaring into the sky like a dragon.

The soldiers didn't know how to express their excitement, so they tried everything they could to prove themselves to the commander.

"General!"

Qi Shan Nian's eyes were filled with eager anticipation.

From a sentry officer in the Hexi Camp to a first-class battalion guerrilla general today, having followed the commander for so long, he has found himself rarely seeing the commander due to his promotion, yet his feelings for the commander have not diminished.

On the contrary, the fact that the General's Mansion remained steadfast despite the natural disasters and man-made calamities only strengthened Qi Shannian's resolve.

The world.

Is there anything more perfect than the Marshal's Mansion?

"You boy!"

Wang Xin reached out and punched Qi Shannian in the chest, the iron plate on his armor branding his hand.

"Why should the general come?"

Qi Shannian had already received the message and said earnestly, "As long as the commander gives the order, let alone the mere ten thousand troops at Ningwu Pass, even if the Taiyuan army comes, I can hold them off!"

"I believe!"

After entering the main tent, Wang Xin turned around and said with a smile, "But simply holding the position isn't enough."

The generals were taken aback.

Qi Shannian was overjoyed and asked, "Are we going to take Shanxi?"

Peng Shizhi and the other officers were so surprised that their mouths dropped open. Could it be that the Marshal's Mansion was finally going to decide to rebel?

The group didn't resist the idea, but they were still somewhat disappointed by the unprovoked rebellion.

Peng Shizhi believed that a rebellion should have been launched long ago. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and then looked at Wang Xin firmly, saying, "If you want to attack Shanxi, please let me be the vanguard. I dare to pledge my military commitment."

"Not that much."

Wang Xin shook his head. "The Marshal's Mansion is considering swallowing up Zhou Wen's troops and taking over more land in order to save more disaster victims."

The crowd looked at each other, unsure whether to rebel or not.

Although they had doubts, they figured they should just listen to the Marshal's Mansion. Everyone remained calm, and no one objected.

Wang Xin had confidence in his men, but having confidence was one thing, and letting them know why they were fighting was another, so some things had to be made clear.

Cognition determines one's thoughts. Thoughts determine everything.

The same group of people, after their mindset changes, can transform from a disorganized mob into a solid iron fist.

"Although the reform in Daizhou came late, it has yielded fruitful results. It has not only solved the problem of self-sufficiency, but also made a slight surplus, which can accommodate more disaster victims. With more disaster victims, we can reclaim more wasteland and rebuild the water conservancy projects that have been abandoned over the years."

Everyone's eyes lit up; this was the best news they had ever heard.

As long as there is hope, it means that this path is viable. With the leadership of the General's Mansion, they do not believe that they cannot overcome any difficulties.

"Having gained mature experience, we need more land in Taiyuan or Shanxi. The goal is still to protect our homeland." Wang Xin looked at the familiar and unfamiliar faces and patiently said, "Human lives are at stake. We cannot allow large numbers of our compatriots to starve to death while the rich feast on meat and wine."

What kind of ideas attract what kind of people.

At the same time, although the treatment and other benefits of the military governor's mansion were not inferior to those of the imperial court on the surface, in reality they were much worse.

Any official could command a large number of servants, take away large sums of money, and even suppress a business at will, all for the sake of face and to show off.

But the military governor's office was not an option.

The Jiedushi Mansion operates entirely in accordance with rules and regulations.

Anyone who breaks the law is no different from an ordinary citizen; they will be punished as they should be. They will not be treated differently from ordinary citizens just because they are from the Jiedushi Prefecture.

This is also a privilege of the government.

When officials break the law or even commit crimes, of course, they protect each other, often turning big problems into small ones and small problems into nothing. The people are used to this, and even if they are dissatisfied, what can they do?

In short, from all aspects.

The kind of ideas, coupled with the corresponding conditions and measures, will ultimately attract certain kinds of people, create a certain kind of environment, and exert completely different kinds of power.

The generals then had no more doubts.

Many people looked intently at the commander, for the commander had given them hope.

What kind of morale could be as high as that of the Marshal's Mansion?

With such high-spirited soldiers, what general would lack confidence?
"Then fight."

"We annihilated Zhou Wen without hesitation."

Qi Shannian spoke at the opportune moment.

“Even if Zhou Wen wanted to take back Daizhou and came with a large army, he would never have imagined that our attitude would be so resolute.” Peng Shizhi pondered for a moment, looking very confident, “and he would never have expected that we were already going to eliminate him.”

No one had an opinion.

"One side is well prepared, while the other is unprepared. Not to mention, I have confidence in my brothers. After the commander-in-chief arrived in person, we saw the reaction of the soldiers outside. If we fight, we will surely win!"

Another officer, Li Biao, was overjoyed.

Although the troops outside the pass could not be recalled in time, and the Xuanfu Army in the east could not be easily mobilized, the support of 9,000 soldiers from Daizhou, 1,000 personal guards brought by the military governor, and several thousand troops from Shuozhou opposite Ningwu Pass was sufficient.

Even if Zhou Wen brings all the remaining Taiyuan troops, we are confident that we can defeat him by taking advantage of the terrain of Yangwuyu.

The Taiyuan Army originally numbered 120,000, but after Zhang Jifu reduced the army, it numbered 60,000.

Actually, the cuts were for vacancies.

The outcome is hard to say. Outsiders don't know exactly how many troops the Taiyuan army has, and even the cabinet probably doesn't know. But it's definitely not 60,000. Ningwu Pass took more than 10,000 troops, and they suffered another major defeat.

The military strength of Daizhou was no more than 10,000.

After analyzing the situation from both a logical and emotional perspective, Zhou Wen could only lead about 30,000 troops.

Datong Town and Taiyuan Town.

Shuozhou is opposite Ningwu Pass.

Daizhou is opposite Taiyuan.

Regarding Datong Town and Xuanfu Town.

Tiancheng is paired with Huai'an.

There is also Datong Town and the area outside the pass.

Xinzhou.

This place is located between Daizhou and Taiyuan Prefecture.

The camp stretched as far as the eye could see, and even at night it resembled a continuous mountain range, appearing unstoppable.

Zhou Wen went to great lengths to reclaim Daizhou.

"The troop strength in Daizhou is at most 10,000."

Staring at the map and based on the information gathered by his scouts, which had already been sent from Daizhou, Zhou Wen confirmed the strength of Daizhou's troops. He said confidently, "Thirty thousand against ten thousand, the advantage is in our hands."

The generals nodded; no one doubted it.

"It's a pity that Shuozhou in Datong sent additional troops to Ningwu Pass. Otherwise, if we could transfer troops from Ningwu Pass, we could increase the number to 40,000, and victory would be assured." Jiang Heng said with some regret.

Upon hearing this, Yao Baoshan smiled and pointed to the map.

“Datong Town has too big an appetite. Although it has such a large territory, most of it is barren land. Not only is the output limited, but it also has to share the troops. They have strengthened their troops at Ningwu Pass, but Daizhou cannot get reinforcements.”

A circle was drawn on the map.

Yao Baoshan said with envy, "Datong Garrison actually has more than 50,000 troops, which is no less than the troops in our Taiyuan Garrison. They rely on the interests outside the pass. If we could get those interests into our hands, we could support not only 50,000 troops, but even 100,000 troops."

Soldiers in Datong Military Town received high salaries, and even the militiamen were well paid.

On the contrary, the treatment of generals was poor.

Therefore, Yao Baoshan's suggestion was correct. Seeing that everyone was attracted, Yao Baoshan sighed, "The small Datong is no less powerful than us. If we don't take this opportunity to defeat them, we may never have another chance in the future."

Zhou Wenshen agreed, not only because he coveted the benefits of Datong, but also because Zhang Jifu hoped to surpass Wang Xin.

Even if you can't surpass Wang Xin, you can't be too much worse than Wang Xin either.

The two towns had similar troop strength, but Wang Xin was expanding recklessly outside the pass. He could expand northward, but how could I expand?
"Report!"

Someone urgently delivered new military intelligence.

Wang Xin arrived in Daizhou.

Silence fell over the tent; no one had expected Wang Xin to come in person.

It's not that I'm afraid of him.

However, the fact that this person has come shows the importance attached to Daizhou, and the upcoming battles will probably not be easy.

Yao Baoshan said bitterly, "This person is truly audacious."

How dare he not be afraid of a full-scale war with Taiyuan Town? Who gave him the courage? Does he really think the imperial court wouldn't dare to take action against him?

The imperial court was only hesitant to act rashly; if he were truly angered, the court would deal with him just the same way.

"Well done!"

"The imperial court will not tolerate Wang Xin's recklessness. As long as we teach Wang Xin a lesson this time, the imperial court will have confidence and will definitely support us in the next step. Therefore, this is not only about the victory or defeat of the Taiyuan Army and the Datong Army, but also about your future."

Zhou Wen glanced at the generals and said in a deep voice, "We can only win this battle, we cannot afford to lose."

"Here!"

The generals responded.

Even though the Datong army had more cavalry than the Taiyuan army, Yangwuyu was a valley, and the terrain was not favorable for cavalry. No matter what, they did not believe they would lose.

One thousand against three thousand.

Even if we win, we'll suffer heavy losses.

Zhuo Zhi led his second-class battalion from the rear. News had already arrived that a large army had been spotted in the Shilipu area, marching towards Yangwuyu, and would arrive in no more than three days.

"Your defense zone is here."

Wang Xin had already prepared camps and fortifications for Zhuo Zhi and his men.

"what?"

Zhuo Zhi was stunned.

The impregnable Yangwuyu didn't seem to be planning to fight its way out. Wasn't the plan to completely annihilate Zhou Wen? Zhuo Zhi looked at Wang Xin in surprise.

Qi Shannian, standing next to Wang Xin, kept his head down.

Zhuo Zhi was even more confused and asked bluntly, "Although guarding Yangwuyu is a stronghold that can hold off ten thousand men, if Zhou Wen's attack is thwarted, we won't be able to break out even if we hold the outside."

"The key to victory or defeat lies not in Yangwuyu."

Wang Xin said calmly.

Zhuo Zhi gasped in shock. So the fact that the military commander had personally come to Daizhou was just a bait.

Shuozhou.

A single Hongyi cannon weighs over two thousand jin (approximately 1,000 kg).

Ordinary flatbed carts cannot transport goods for long periods of time; specially made flatbed carts are needed. When encountering bumpy roads, a large number of animals and a lot of manpower are required to push or even lift the cart.

The cannons, all dressed in red, had long been transported to Shuozhou and were covered with red cloth to keep them a secret as they entered the city.

Although not everything was handled flawlessly, it did not attract the attention of the Ningwu Pass on the other side, or rather, no one paid any attention to it.

(End of this chapter)