My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 267 Any conspiracy or trickery is just a paper tiger
1858 7 Month 21 Day.

Xianxia Pass is located north of Pucheng, Fujian.

The pass is majestic and the road is long, with layers of mountains and peaks.

Three days ago, Shi Zhenji's vanguard swiftly captured this strategic location, known as the "key to Zhejiang and the throat to Fujian."

Since Pucheng, the northern gateway to Fujian, had long been controlled by Yang Fuqing's troops, and the main force of the Qing army was firmly tied down by Shi Dakai's army in Quzhou, Zhejiang, the defenses here were unusually weak. This allowed Shi Zhenji to break through six passes almost without bloodshed, opening the way for his army to enter Fujian.

After capturing Xianxia Pass, Qin Yuan did not rush to march south.

Through the system map, he had discerned that Yang Fuqing's troops were still active within Jianning Prefecture and showed no signs of immediate northward withdrawal or unusual relocation.

This gave him a precious chance to catch his breath.

He ordered his troops to set up camp along the Xianxia Pass line, resting to recover from the fatigue of the forced march over the past few days, while patiently waiting for the troops still scattered throughout various prefectures and counties in Zhejiang—such as Changshan, Kaihua, Jiangshan, and even Chuzhou Prefecture—to come and join him.

At the same time, he sent out multiple messengers to contact Yang Fuqing in Pucheng in the name of "Wing King". They spoke earnestly, reiterating the common goal of resisting the Qing, and striving to stabilize this force that had deep roots in Fujian.

Regardless of whether Yang Fuqing had received Hong Xiuquan's edict, Qin Yuan had to buy time first.

Within five days, people from all sides arrived one after another.

After all the troops had assembled and undergone initial reorganization and inspection, Qin Yuan finally had a clear understanding of the strength he commanded.

Among them, the core of the Wing Palace's direct line was directly commanded by Right Protector Chen Hengrong and Vanguard General Fu Zhongxin, numbering approximately 40,000.

These 40,000 troops were the main force besieging Quzhou City.

The Shi clan's strength, led by the brothers Shi Zhenji and Shi Zhenchang, numbered approximately 30,000.

The veteran Yu Zi'an team has about 10,000 men.

The troops of early generals such as Peng Dashun and Zhu Yidian numbered approximately 25,000.

He Mingbiao commanded a navy and land forces of approximately 20,000 men.

The outer allies of the Heaven and Earth Society, led by Lin Caixin, numbered between 20,000 and 30,000, but their combat effectiveness varied and their discipline was lax.

The total strength was close to 150,000! However, due to the Taiping Army's tradition of bringing their families, after deducting the elderly, weak, women and children, the number of soldiers capable of fighting was only around 100,000, while the true elite force was only about 70,000 to 80,000.

How to lead this large and diverse team is the most pressing issue facing Qin Yuan.

He knew that without a unified guiding ideology, strict discipline, and clear goals, this large army would be easily disintegrated in adversity.

That evening, after the troops had cooked their meals and rested briefly, Qin Yuan ordered an expanded military conference, attended by nearly a hundred generals at the army, division, and brigade levels.

"Your Highness, the commanders of the army, divisions, and brigades have almost all arrived. One brigade under Commander He lost its way on the return journey, but some brothers from the Heaven and Earth Society have contacted Commander Lin to fill the gap."

Shi Zhen often reports on the situation of each department. Now he is firmly bound to Qin Yuan's side and serves as the Left Protector.

"Zhenchang, please sit down." Qin Yuan gestured for Shi Zhenchang to sit down, his gaze sweeping over every face in the room—whether weary, confused, or expectant—before posing a seemingly simple yet crucial question: "Brothers, I'd like to ask, why did you all join the Taiping Army in the first place?"

Upon hearing the question, the tent fell silent at first, then various sounds arose.

The fierce general He Mingbiao was the first to shout, "Because following the Taiping Army means we can rebel! I don't want to put up with the wrath of those corrupt officials anymore!"

Yu Zi'an, who grew up in the Taiping Army, said loudly, "In order to build a little paradise on earth, so that everyone can have enough to eat and live a good life!"

Shi Dakai's cousin, Shi Zhenji, said in a deep voice: "Because the Manchus rule us now! They treat us Han people as slaves. Only by overthrowing them can the Han people stand tall!"

Lin Caixin, who came from the Heaven and Earth Society, also shouted: "The Taiping Army is a force capable of great things! They can overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming, allowing everyone to share in wealth and prosperity!"

The answers varied, but they all revolved around the most basic demands: "resisting oppression," "seeking survival," and "pursuing wealth and status."

But Qin Yuan didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said.

There is no national revival yet, and it is already quite remarkable that these insurgents were able to throw themselves into a war that they were trying to change their own destiny.

“Good, very good.” Qin nodded slowly: “Everyone who joined the Taiping Army had one consensus: that is, to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and establish a world where everyone is free from oppression, and everyone has food to eat and land to cultivate.”

He paused, then raised his voice, "This world, in the classics of our Chinese culture, has a name—the Great Harmony!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have recently reread history books, and I have found that throughout history, there have been only two instances of peasant uprisings that have truly succeeded."

"First, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, led his old brothers from Pei County to defeat Xiang Yu's aristocratic group and establish his rule over the world."

"Secondly, there is Zhu Yuanzhang, who rose from humble beginnings as a beggar. He led a group of old brothers from Huaixi from south to north, pacifying the warlords, driving out the Yuan dynasty, and recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, which had been lost for four hundred years. He enabled the Huaixi army, which rose from the Jianghuai region, to create an unprecedented feat of unifying the north from the south with the momentum of sweeping across the world, restoring the glory of China and reunifying the country."

"Based on this point alone, I think Zhu Yuanzhang can be called one of the greatest emperors of all time!"

These words were a revelation to many generals who were not well-educated, giving them a more profound understanding of Zhu Yuanzhang's achievements.

Qin Yuan pressed his advantage: "Isn't the Qing Dynasty just like the end of the Yuan Dynasty? Beset by internal and external troubles, the people are suffering!"

"That's why we were able to fight our way from Jintian Village all the way to Tianjing and establish our rule in the southeast!"

"This has proven to the world that the Qing dynasty's fate was sealed, and its defeat was only a matter of time!"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere inside the tent became lively, and the generals' faces showed excitement.

Indeed, Zhu Yuanzhang had no beginning, yet he still managed to seize power, overthrow the Yuan Dynasty, and establish Nanjing as the capital of the Great Nation, just like today. Moreover, without figures like Chen Youliang, overthrowing the Qing Dynasty would certainly not have been a problem.

Then their good days will begin.

But this raises another question: if that's the case, why did Shi Dakai leave?

They looked at Qin Yuan with suspicion.

But Qin Yuan showed no emotion. His voice turned deep as he posed a sharp question: "But have you ever seen a dynasty that, before the world was even settled, was so eager to kill its meritorious officials and kill each other?"

"Did Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang ever commit such a heinous act against their brothers-in-arms before they became emperors?"

His gaze was piercing, and his voice was icy: "How did the Eastern King Yang Xiuqing die? Why did the Northern King Wei Changhui dare to launch a brazen attack on the Eastern King's residence? Does the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan really know nothing about this?"

Qin Yuan no longer intends to wear the cloak of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Continuing to wear it is merely to provide these wavering people with another source of hope.

Before anyone could react, he slammed his hand on the table and revealed the truth with a startling statement: "I am here today to tell you all the truth!"

"The Eastern King was killed by the Northern King at the behest of the Heavenly King. He also wrote to me and the Prince of Yan, Qin Rigang, with the help of Marquis Chen Chengrong as an inside agent, to jointly kill the Eastern King and his cronies."

These words shocked everyone in the tent!

Even Chen Hengrong and Fu Zhongxin, the most loyal of the princes, widened their eyes. Although they had suspected it before, the impact of the confirmation made by the Prince of Yi himself was still enormous.

However, Qin Yuan wanted to destroy Hong Xiuquan's authority in the Heavenly Kingdom right here. He continued, "The great cause has not yet been accomplished, and people are already fighting for power and profit. Even if the Eastern King is somewhat arrogant, it is not to the point that brothers kill each other."

"When I received the letter that day, I wanted to return to Tianjing to mediate, but Wei Changhui took the initiative and slaughtered tens of thousands of people in the Eastern Prince's Mansion!"

"After I entered the city, who would have thought that Wei Changhui would be so ruthless as to want to kill me too!"

"I escaped by sheer luck, but my family and hundreds of people in the Prince's mansion in Tianjing were slaughtered in retaliation!"

"Afterwards, in order to quell public anger, the Heavenly King killed Wei Changhui and Qin Rigang, but this was nothing more than sacrificing pawns to save the king and killing them to silence them!"

He surveyed the entire room, his voice filled with grief and indignation: "In Hong Xiuquan's eyes, we brothers who fought for his empire were nothing more than pawns that could be used or discarded!"

"The Eastern King has rendered great service and deserves to be killed! I, Shi Dakai, command a large army and also deserve to be killed!"

"Today it's the Eastern King and me; tomorrow, which of you here will be next?!"

These words were like ice water poured over their heads, completely waking all the generals from their illusions of "heaven," and a profound fear and chill spread through them.

The sacred halo of Hong Xiuquan as the "Heavenly King" shattered in the face of bloody facts.

Nearly a hundred Taiping Army generals of mid-level and above, whether they were direct subordinates of Yi Dian, relatives like Shi Zhenji, generals like Peng Dashun and Zhu Yidian, or even leaders of the Flower Flag Army like Lin Caixin, were all utterly shocked.

The bloodshed and bizarre nature of the Tianjing Incident has always been a heavy burden on the hearts of all Taiping soldiers.

Various speculations and rumors circulated secretly within the army, but never before had a prince, with such certainty and resolute tone, pointed the finger directly at Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan!
"Your Highness...is this true?!" The old general Peng Dashun's voice trembled. He had experienced the flames of war in Jintian and once held an almost sacred faith in the "Heavenly King".

Qin Yuan's face was solemn, yet filled with an undeniable air of authority: "It is absolutely true! I, Shi Dakai, swear to the heavens that if I utter even the slightest lie, may I be struck down by the heavens and condemned by both gods and men!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, taking in every face that was either shocked, angry, or bewildered.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Qin Yuan suddenly stood up, his voice becoming firm and powerful: "We are raising an army to drive out the Tartars, restore China, and build a utopian world where everyone has food to eat, clothes to wear, and land to cultivate!"

"Instead of pledging loyalty to a tyrant who distrusts his brothers and persecutes meritorious officials!"

"Today, I, Shi Dakai, hereby swear!" His voice resounded through the roof tiles, "Our goal remains unchanged: to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and revive China!"

"But we will never repeat the mistakes of Tianjing!"

"Our army is no longer the private army of any one person, but a righteous army fighting for the common people and for the rejuvenation of China!"

He looked intently at the crowd and said, "Those who are willing to continue following me, Shi Dakai, for this goal, I, Shi Dakai, thank you!"

"From this day forward, we will share both fortune and misfortune, entrust our lives to each other, and work together to create a great cause!"

"If anyone thinks my words today are outrageous and still wishes to return to Tianjing, I will not make things difficult for them, but will provide them with travel expenses and escort them out of the country with courtesy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, silence fell over the pass once again, but this time, an undercurrent of decision-making was brewing within the silence.

After a brief silence, Chen Hengrong was the first to draw his sword, kneel on one knee, and shout hoarsely, "This humble general, Chen Hengrong, swears to follow Your Highness to the death! Let us create a great cause together!"

Immediately afterwards, Fu Zhongxin, Yu Zi'an, and other loyal generals knelt down one after another: "We swear to follow Your Highness to the death!"

Shi Zhenji and Shi Zhenchang exchanged a glance and knelt down without hesitation: "Brother, the Shi brothers will never betray each other!"

After a brief hesitation, generals such as Peng Dashun and Zhu Yidian gritted their teeth and knelt down, saying, "We are willing to follow the Wing King and create a new world!"

Seeing the tide turning, Lin Caixin and other leaders of the Taiping Army also expressed their willingness to follow suit. Looking at the generals kneeling before him, Qin Yuan knew that from this moment on, he had truly severed his ties with Hong Xiuquan and the old Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

He is no longer just a runaway "Wing King," but the leader of a new force with independent goals and a program.

"Brothers, please rise!" Qin Yuan gestured for them to stand, then decisively ordered, "Now that we have reached a consensus, we should implement new policies!"

"From this day forward, our army shall be renamed the Restoration Army, with the primary mission of restoring China and expelling the Tartars."

"I, Shi Dakai, will no longer be the Wing King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but the Commander-in-Chief of the Restoration Army!"

He then announced the reorganization plan that he had long kept in mind.

The First Army of the Restoration Army: Commander Shi Zhenji, with three divisions under its command.

The Second Army of the Restoration Army: Commander Chen Hengrong, comprising three divisions.

The Third Army of the Restoration Army: Commander He Mingbiao, with three divisions (including the naval division) under its command.

The Fourth Army of the Restoration Army: Commander Fu Zhongxin, with three divisions under its command.

Each army was allocated 36,000 men, with any shortfall to be made up by drawing troops from its own elite units.

A General Logistics Department was established, headed by Shi Zhenchang, to oversee all non-combat personnel, their families, and supplies.

This time, Qin Yuan paid a heavy price, sending his own elite troops to join various divisions to address the imbalance in combat strength.

At the same time, it strengthened control over the divisions.

In exchange, Qin Yuan instructed these army commanders to select 500 clever individuals from their respective units to participate in the newly formed training regiment, where Qin Yuan and Yu Zi'an would be jointly responsible for their instruction.

Upon hearing that they could receive personal instruction from Qin Yuan, the students reacted strongly, and the number of applicants was very high.

After the conference, Qin Yuan left behind the four newly appointed army commanders and deputy army commanders and convened a core meeting.

Qin Yuan said earnestly, "You are all old brothers who have been with us since the Jintian Uprising. Now that we have officially announced our break from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, once the news spreads, the whole country will be in turmoil."

“Yang Fuqing will definitely take some action after hearing this.”

Qin Yuan said without pausing for a moment, "Right now, you have two main tasks."

"First, reassure the people below and explain our future route clearly."

Upon hearing this, Shi Zhenji asked, "Your Highness, whether the Taiping Army or not is not that important. What is important is how we proceed after leaving Zhejiang and entering the deep mountains and forests of Fujian. This is the most pressing concern for the entire army."

Qin Yuan looked at him: "What do you think we should do?"

Shi Zhenji said directly, "Go from Fujian to Guangdong, take over Guangdong, and then take over Guangxi. We can proceed slowly. Even if we are no longer subordinate to the Heavenly Kingdom in the future, we can still act as a buffer to take over the South. With the wealth and power of the South, we can stand on equal footing with the Qing court."

Qin Yuan nodded approvingly and said, "Zhenji, you have indeed made progress over the years and have great insight. If it is only a three-way competition between my Restoration Army, the Taiping Army in Tianjing and the Qing court, this is indeed the best strategy."

"But you've overlooked a crucial factor—"

"Foreigners."

A sharp glint flashed in Qin Yuan's eyes: "Do you still remember the war the British started twenty years ago?"

"Without that war, our lives as Chinese people wouldn't be so difficult. Now, these British, together with the powerful nation of France on the European continent, are wreaking havoc along the coast of Guangdong. If we go to Guangdong, we will first have to face these foreigners' powerful ships and cannons. Do you think we can defeat those foreign devils with our current equipment?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Zhenji and the others immediately became serious. They had dealt with foreigners before and were well aware of the effectiveness of their firearms.

With foreigners involved, how could they possibly take over Guangdong so easily?

Without Guangdong, how could Guangxi alone possibly withstand the numerous local militias that plagued the Qing Dynasty?

Fu Zhongxin, with his mature and composed demeanor, asked, "Your Highness, Commander, what do you think we should do?"

Qin Yuan pointed south: "Fujian is a base we must take over!"

"The mountains here are layered, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. There is a sea to the east, with ships coming and going, making maritime transport convenient and preventing it from being blocked by the Qing demons."

"With the Wuyi Mountains blocking the way to the west, and Jiangxi being a key area garrisoned by the Taiping Army, there was a sufficient strategic buffer."

"There is no need to worry about the north and south. The Qing army is not strong; they are mainly concerned about guarding against foreigners."

"As long as we hold Xianxia Pass and Fuzhou in the north, the Qing army in Zhejiang will not be able to get through."

He paused, then pointed towards Taiwan: "After we take Fujian, we can follow the example of Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) and cross the sea to Taiwan!"

"With this as a naval base and rear base, we can advance to conquer the mainland, or retreat to ensure the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians."

"Once there is a change in the Central Plains, or when the Taiping Army, the Qing government, and the foreigners are all exhausted in their battle, we can then lead our troops westward or northward to the Central Plains, and the great cause of restoration can be accomplished!"

This strategy of "establishing a foothold in Fujian and then expanding eastward to Taiwan" has precedents, avoids premature conflict with powerful foreign enemies, and leaves ample room for development. Shi Zhenji and his companions nodded in agreement, feeling that this plan was mature, prudent, and highly feasible.

This is far more feasible than any grand expedition to Sichuan.

However, Qin Yuan's ambitions went far beyond this.

For him, Taiwan was just a stepping stone; his real goal was the wider Southeast Asia.

However, if the idea of ​​crossing the ocean to explore Luzon were proposed at this moment, it would be nothing short of a fantasy for these generals who were deeply attached to their homeland, and would inevitably cause huge resistance.

Therefore, he must first establish a firm foothold and gradually guide the public with facts and benefits.

"Brothers, our top priority now is to enter Fujian quickly and safely. Once news of our escape from the Heavenly Kingdom spreads, things will surely change on Yang Fuqing's side!"

"So the second thing is to resolve this problem that is close at hand."

After Qin Yuan concluded the meeting, he immediately gave the order: "Shi Zhenji!"

"The general is here!"

"I order your unit to intensify its reconnaissance in the direction of Pucheng. Tomorrow morning, head straight for Pucheng and capture Yang Fuqing."

"Order!"

"He Mingbiao, Lin Caixin!"

"The general is here!"

"I order you two to reorganize your troops and prepare for the southward advance. You must quickly take control of Chong'an, Songxi, Zhenghe, Jianyang, and other places to ensure that all cities except Jianning Prefecture are under our control!"

"Yes!"

Upon hearing that they all had missions, Chen Hengrong hurriedly asked, "Commander, what about our Second Army?"

"Hengrong, your burden is the heaviest." Qin Yuan looked at him and said solemnly, "Once the Qing court reacts, they will definitely send a large number of troops into Fujian."

"Your mission is to lead three divisions of the Second Army to guard Xianxia Ridge and the area approaching Funing Prefecture, and to block all Qing demons coming from the north."

Chen Hengrong's expression turned serious: "Yes!"

Qin Yuan then looked at Zhang Suimou, who was acting as the clerk: "Yuanzai, from now on you will be the chief of staff of our Restoration Army. Be sure to repeat my previous arrangements again."

Zhang Suimou immediately stood up, picked up the documents in his hand, and began to recount Qin Yuan's series of strategic deployments.

At the same time, his evaluation of Qin Yuan rose to a new level.

He did not expect that the defeat in Quzhou would not break this ever-victorious general.

Instead, it strengthened its control over the current army with a military system never before seen.

In addition, the titles such as Training Corps, Staff Department, Logistics Department, and Officer Corps are quite novel.

He regained some hope for this "peasant army".

However, historically...

Koxinga's efforts ultimately failed, and not only was Fujian conquered, but even the isolated island of Taiwan was taken by Shi Lang.

Can this "Restoration Army" truly hold out and rebuild the world?

He knew that Qin Yuan couldn't possibly be unaware of these things.

"Could it be that there's something I don't know?"

While Zhang Suimou was still puzzled, he finished recounting Qin Yuan's strategic plan.

After the meeting ended, Qin Yuan walked out of the tent alone and looked at the starry night sky to the south.

After Pucheng, it will be a battle with the entire Qing court, and also his crucial first step in this game world.

However, it was not in Qin Yuan's nature to entrust his future fate to Yang Fuqing's personal choices.

He now undoubtedly holds the absolute initiative.

Since that's the case, he needs to take over the entire Jianning Prefecture before anyone has a chance to react.

They might even take over the entire Fujian province.

With over 100,000 people at their disposal, this is yet another surprise attack.

Not to mention Yang Fuqing, the entire Qing court would have been caught off guard by the speed at which Fujian had fallen.

As for Hong Xiuquan's schemes and plots?

snort!
In the face of absolute power, any schemes and tricks will seem insignificant.

(End of this chapter)