You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 337 had good intentions, but its execution was flawed.
Wu Jun's morale plummeted to its lowest point.

The main camp's command tent.

Liu Xuanchu looked ashen-faced, repeatedly wiping his sword. It was his suggestion to go alone, but now it had turned out like this, and he was too ashamed to face the prince.

"How to do?"

"I will atone for my sins against the Prince with my life. It was my idea to abandon Jiangxi, and I will take full responsibility for it."

"Let's put aside whether they live or die for now; the key now is how to take down this strange castle."

"Can we take it?"

Ma Bao shook his head.

"But the prince's army should be arriving soon, what should we do?"

The two were dejected.

Suddenly, a general rushed into the tent.

"Report! Eight Banner troops are attacking!"

Ma Bao rushed out of the tent and climbed the watchtower in the camp. He saw dust rising in the distance, and at least a thousand riders were galloping in, driving away his own scouts.

Our infantry quickly formed ranks.

The cavalry did not charge headlong into the square formation; instead, they roared away and kept watch from a distance.

The intervention of the cavalry meant that their attempt to encircle the enemy had failed.

……

The Southern Expeditionary Army Camp of the United Empire.

Jiang Qingyun was overjoyed and got up to pace back and forth inside the tent.

“Good, good. Father Nan, you have done a great job. You have fully demonstrated the scientific level that a Jesuit disciple should have. I see the brilliance of God in you.”

"Your Excellency, I would like to go to the artillery unit to check on the operation of the light field guns again."

"You've worked hard, go ahead."

The little charlatan blushed with excitement after being inspired by the big charlatan.

After Nan Huairen left the main tent, Jiang Qingyun pondered for a moment and an idea came to mind.

"Someone is coming."

"The end will be here."

"Proclaim to the world that the imperial court has appointed Ma Bao as the governor of Anhui, Liu Xuanchu as the provincial treasurer of Anhui, and Wang Fuchen as the governor of Hubei. Make sure to spread the news as widely as possible."

"As ordered."

Changsha City.

The garrison of the north city watched as a knight galloped towards them, then shot an arrow onto the city wall. Upon pulling it off, they found a narrow strip of paper wrapped around it, which read: "If Wang Fuchen surrenders, he may become the governor of Hubei."

The defending soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment.

"General Wang Fuchen, the Grand Secretary's promise to you will remain unchanged for a hundred years."

"The imperial edict is here."

After shouting three times, the knight hung a bright yellow imperial edict on a nearby deer fort and then rode away.

Outrageous?
Is it reasonable?
Is it rough?
As long as it works, that's fine.

Xiao Jiang likes to put things that everyone is afraid of but dares not say out loud on the table, then shout them out and analyze them repeatedly until the audience can't take it anymore and starts fighting each other.

……

Wu Jun's main camp.

A troop of Eight Banner soldiers roared in and launched a barrage of arrows from a great distance. A row of arrows stuck in the ground, and the yellow silk tied to the shafts fluttered in the wind.

"The Grand Secretary has decreed that General Ma Bao, for his exceptional loyalty and bravery, shall be appointed Governor of Anhui."

A crossbowman standing guard behind the fence watched this bizarre scene unfold and muttered to his companion, "What are they shouting about?"

"It seems like they're trying to persuade us to surrender."

A short while later, several officers rode out of the camp and retrieved all the arrows.

Inside the big tent.

"You appoint me as the Provincial Treasurer of Anhui, and you as the Governor of Anhui?"

Ma Bao and Liu Xuanchu could hardly believe their eyes. Their first thought was, "This is too absurd!" Their second thought was, "Oh no!"

Liu Xuanchu threw the imperial decree down.

"Old Ma, he's trying to sow discord."

"I know, it's too outrageous, the prince won't believe it."

"Old Ma, not necessarily."

The tent suddenly fell silent, and Ma Bao stared at Liu Xuanchu in disbelief.

“Old Ma, think about it. We disobeyed military orders first and missed the decisive battle later. No matter how you look at it, we don’t look like good people. Instead, we look like we’ve taken bribes from the North and are doing things for them.”

Instantly, Ma Bao felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head. Yes!

He disobeyed military orders, abandoned Jiangxi, acted on his own initiative, and forcibly kidnapped his own forces, luring all of his main forces to Changsha. As a result, when the decisive battle was about to begin, he himself did not arrive.

Liu Xuanchu seemed to see through Ma Bao's thoughts and even said something in a low voice.

"We also lost the prince's son-in-law."

Ma Bao's hair stood on end instantly.

"What should I do?"

“I will write to the prince immediately to explain, but explanations are inadequate; we need to prove our loyalty with concrete actions.”

"What practical action?"

"Split up and cross the Luoxiao Mountains to join the Prince's army."

The next day.

Ma Bao ordered 3000 soldiers to cross the Luoxiao Mountains without any supplies, demonstrating their loyalty.

……

Hengzhou Prefecture.

Supplies were piled up like mountains, and soldiers were swarming like clouds.

This place serves as both a logistics hub for Wu's army and a transit station for the main force. Currently, it has assembled 8 field troops, 5 garrison troops, and over 3000 civil and military officers.

Accompanying family members numbered 2.

After a tender moment, Wu Sangui and Chen Yuanyuan attempted to release the pressure before the decisive battle by using the Zhou ritual.

Chen Yuanyuan was a shrewd woman; she could clearly sense the unease, fear, and anxiety hidden deep within the man's heart through the strength of his movements.

The women of the Qinhuai River are sensitive and insecure throughout their lives.

"My lord, what's wrong?"

"It's alright, the situation is excellent, our army will definitely win, a great victory."

"Congratulations, Your Highness."

Chen Yuanyuan's heart sank to the bottom. Oh no, this ship is sinking. She has to consider jumping ship. If she were 20 years old now, jumping ship would be easy, and changing ships would be as simple as drinking a glass of water.

But I'm already 40, which is worrying.

What's more terrifying than age is that there are fellow travelers on the opposite boat. Fellow travelers understand each other best, and they hate each other the most. Liu Rushi would never let herself board that boat.

……

"My beloved concubine, what are you thinking about?"

Before Chen Yuanyuan could speak, hurried footsteps came from outside.

"Your Highness, urgent military report."

The person who came was actually his sworn brother, Li Benshen.

Wu Sangui rushed to the door, took the urgent military report from Ma Bao in Pingxiang, and felt as if the sky had fallen after reading it.

Disturbed, Chen Yuanyuan watched as Wu Sangui's face turned a deep shade of liver, followed by a string of vulgarities.

"You damned bastards, Liu Xuanchu deserves to be torn to pieces, and Ma Bao deserves to be killed a thousand times. I'll chop them up piece by piece."

"Your Highness, calm down."

Li Benshen disregarded social hierarchy and stepped forward, forcefully grabbing Wu Sangui's arm.

The two men looked at each other.

Wu Sangui involuntarily
"Your Highness, this is a matter of great importance; please make a decision quickly."

"What do you propose?"

“We still have over 100,000 soldiers. Even if Ma Bao doesn’t come, we still have the strength to fight. Your Highness, please calm down. Over 100,000 troops need you.”

"Okay, okay."

Wu Sangui seemed to have grasped at a straw.

"I still have over 100,000 troops, with ample weapons and provisions. I am very confident and have the victory in my hands. I will conquer the Central Plains."

"Your Highness, I believe Ma Bao is trustworthy."

"How do you explain his actions? He forcibly hijacked my will. I didn't want a decisive battle in the first place! At least not now!"

“Your Highness, now that things have come to this, why not order Ma Bao to lead the army across the Luoxiao Mountains? If he is loyal, he will obey.”

What about the supply train and artillery?

“Discard them all. Ma Bao commands our army’s elite infantry. Weapons are not important. As long as these veterans can come back, that’s all that matters. The weapons we have stored in Hengzhou are enough to arm another 5 soldiers.”

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Wu Sangui hurriedly returned to his room, took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and began writing a reply.

(End of this chapter)