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

Chapter 339 Buried in the Chishui River

The Chishui River is not wide, but its current is rapid.

After a muffled clap of thunder on the horizon, large raindrops suddenly began to fall.

"It's raining."

It's raining.

The soldiers went into their tents, and the ferry was temporarily moored at the shore. Guo Zhuangtu frowned as he looked at the chaotic scene.

"Only three boats? How long will it take to cross?"

"There are more than a dozen ferries coming from upstream tomorrow, they'll deliver supplies along the way. Old Guo, it's raining heavily today, let's go back, have some food and drinks, and chat a bit?"

"Okay."

Guo Zhuangtu glanced at the river water that was so close at hand, and sure enough, the blood-red water surged down the riverbed.

Ah ~
Chishui River!
……

Guo Zhuangtu and Zhang Yong hid in their military tent, listening to the pattering rain while drinking a little wine. The only snacks they had were fried peanuts, smoked meat, and salted fish.

The two drank and talked about the war.

"I really can't understand it. How did the Ming Dynasty lose its empire?"

"Being the prince's son-in-law really changes one's perspective."

"I'm serious."

"why?"

There are too many traitors.

Zhang Yong did not respond, because the concept of "traitor" could encompass 7% of the important figures in the world today.

Guo Zhuangtu realized he had spoken out of turn while drunk, sighed, and stood up.

"I'm going to check the sentry posts. You drink by yourself."

"it is good."

Guo Zhuangtu was very wary throughout the journey, and he made no attempt to hide it. Zhang Yong was well aware of this as well. Before the two families joined forces to attack Chengdu and kill Governor Li Guoying, there could be no real trust between them.

The night rain was drizzling, making the air unusually damp.

Nothing happened all night.

Aside from the restless neighing of the warhorses, there were too many snakes in the area.

……

The next day.

Zhang Yong woke up inside the tent and opened the tent flap.

"General!"

"Didn't sleep all night?"

"General Guo instructed us to guard this place to prevent snakes from crawling in at night."

"Thanks for your hard work."

Zhang Yong nodded, donned his protective gear, and trudged through the mud to the ferry crossing to wait for the upstream ferry. A dozen or so Wu soldiers followed him, ostensibly as guards, but in reality, as escorts.

The rain stopped.

The air was still humid.

When the soldiers set off from Yunnan, they had almost run out of rations.

I waited for half an hour.
Finally, the fleet appeared on the upper reaches of the Chishui River. The soldiers cheered loudly and rushed to the riverbank to receive supplies.

Zhang Yong happily took a few more steps forward, waving frequently.

suddenly~
A row of musketeers stood up in unison on the first ferry, their gun barrels gleaming.

The next second, they all spewed out flames.

……

All the ferries fired their guns, and the Wu army, caught off guard, suffered heavy casualties and fled in disarray.

Chaos erupted at the ferry crossing.

Zhang Yong was extremely fierce; he managed to kill three veteran Wu soldiers with just a single sword.

"General, board the ship."

The soldiers on the deck threw the rope with all their might. Zhang Yong cut the Wu army flag at the ferry crossing, then grabbed the rope and jumped into the river.

A dozen or so feet away.

Guo Zhuangtu roared angrily.

"Archers, listen to my command, kill Zhang Yong."

"Fight back, fight back!"

Boom~
Before the words were even finished, the ferry opened fire.

Although it was just a small breech-loading cannon, it still caused huge casualties to Wu's army.

"General, danger! Retreat immediately!"

"The prince has entrusted his entire fortune to me. I have no right to back down. Kill! Fight your way out of the encirclement!"

……

on the deck.

A sharp-eyed captain spotted Guo Zhuangtu and immediately ordered his men to act.

"All musketeers, listen to me! Do you see that man over there?"

"I see it." "Load it quickly."

Several dozen breaths later~
"Everyone, aim at that guy over there, get ready, fire."

Three breech-loading cannons and more than 30 matchlock guns simultaneously spewed out flames, weaving a dense network of fire.

Guo Zhuangtu was caught off guard and hit by three shotgun pellets, bleeding profusely.

The guards dragged him back.

With their commander falling to the ground, morale of the army plummeted.

Even more terrifying was the sound of battle cries from all sides. The shouts were deafening, and the mountains and fields were in an uproar, as if the enemy was everywhere, covering the entire landscape.

……

This elite cavalry force, built upon the foundations of the Guan Ning cavalry and Mongol cavalry, encountered the most difficult mode of warfare.

The mountains are treacherous and the roads are narrow.

The caravan, stretched for ten miles along the Tea Horse Road, could neither be commanded in unison, nor break out on horseback, nor form a battle formation on the spot; they could only fight in small groups.

The ferry crossing was deserted.

The blood of hundreds of corpses slowly flowed into the Chishui River.

Zhang Yong looked at the misty mountains and forests and smiled excitedly.

"Is everything set up?"

"Reporting to the General, the Governor-General and the Commander-in-Chief have arrived. The Governor-General's troops are on the north bank, while the Commander-in-Chief's troops should have already circled around to the south bank. More than a dozen tribal chiefs in the vicinity have also sent out their troops."

"Have these savages learned their lesson?"

"The Governor has ordered that all spoils of war belong to them."

"Good~"

Zhang Yong breathed a sigh of relief.

More than a dozen ferries were ordered to disperse and anchor, and to blockade the Chishui River by force. Any stragglers of Wu's army who approached were shot and killed.

……

Three hours after being wounded, Guo Zhuangtu died in the dense forest due to excessive blood loss.

Before death.

He left behind a final message: "Each of you break through and go to Guizhou."

After burning his body, the guards scattered like birds and beasts.

However, the order to break out was not conveyed to the entire army, as the entire force was scattered along a mountain path that stretched for 10 miles.

The barefoot, tattooed tribal soldiers fought aggressively, sometimes beating drums, sometimes howling, sometimes launching surprise attacks, and sometimes tailing the enemy. The constantly rolling boulders blocked the mountain path.

In desperation, Wu Jun could only sneak into the dense forest in twos and threes to try and break out on their own.

The tribal barbarians coveted the superior armor, weapons, and warhorses, so they set up numerous traps in the dense forest to kill lone soldiers with arrows and spears.

The hunt lasted for three days and four nights.

The forests are burning.

The Chishui River is churning.

……

20 miles away.

A pass, atop the city wall.

Wang Jinbao personally accompanied the envoy sent by Jiang Qingyun to inspect the results of the battle.

"Sir, the battle situation is now clear. I have deployed 2000 elite troops to guard three nearby passes, ensuring that no one can escape. In addition, 4000 chieftain soldiers and 3000 Sichuan Green Standard Army soldiers are annihilating Wu's rebel army within the encirclement. Please report this truthfully to the Grand Secretary. I am fortunate to have fulfilled my mission."

"Okay, let's wait a few more days to make sure everything goes perfectly."

"Everything is as you say, sir. Although the Chishui River is barren, it produces fine wine. If you don't mind, sir, why don't we have a drink together?"

"Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

The two men drank and chatted, exchanging views on Sichuan and Governor-General Li Guoying.

Finally~
Wang Jinbao picked up his wine bowl: "Please tell the Prime Minister that I am a rough man, I don't understand politics, I only know how to fight."

"Very well!" The envoy picked up his wine bowl. "The court is in dire need of capable people right now. I believe General Wang will have a bright future. I hope you will look after him in the future."

"You're welcome, sir."

A few days later~
News of the great victory in southern Sichuan reached Changsha.

Wang Jinbao and Zhang Yong gazed at the Chishui River, now clear as ever.

"Zhang Yong".

"The end will be here."

Do you know why I acted so decisively?

"This humble general is dull-witted."

"The world is in chaos now, demons are running rampant, morality has collapsed, and people are treated like dirt. Although Wu Sangui was our former master, look at the kind of people he has under his command!"

After a while~
Wang Jinbao let out a soft sigh.

“These people are too cunning and have no bottom line. We can’t win by fighting alongside them. Even if we win by chance, we will lose in the future. That’s why I chose to side with the imperial court.”

Zhang Yong's expression turned solemn as he knelt on one knee.

"This humble general will follow the command of the General!"

(End of this chapter)