Transmigrating to the Primordial Era as a Peerless Great Witch, Changing Fate in the Primordial Worl

The foremost military general was named Zhou Yu.

This man was about thirty years old. He was originally a low-ranking officer in the Yangzhou Green Standard Army who had not achieved his ambitions. He was skilled in archery and horsemanship and well-versed in military strategy.

What's even more remarkable is his considerable knowledge of firearms use and new tactics.

However, due to his upright character and lack of scheming, he was never given an important position.

When Wei Xiaobao inspected the city's defenses and reviewed the troops, he noticed that Zhou Yu's small squad of soldiers, though poorly equipped, were disciplined and well-trained, forming a stark contrast to the undisciplined soldiers around them.

When summoned for an audience, Zhou Yu spoke eloquently and insightfully about the defense of Yangzhou, the surrounding situation, the shortcomings of the army, and even the possible future war situation, far surpassing that of ordinary military generals.

Wei Xiaobao was overjoyed and immediately appointed him as "Deputy General of City Defense," jointly in charge of military power with Governor Shi Poyan.

Zhou Yu displayed remarkable military talent, assisting Wei Xiaobao.

In a very short time, using the existing garrison of several thousand troops in Yangzhou and the five hundred personal guards brought by Wei Xiaobao as the core,

They quickly recruited, reorganized, and trained, expanding the new army in Yangzhou to a staggering 150,000 men.

An army of 150,000.

This is not a figurehead, but a real field force with relatively good equipment and high-intensity training every day.

This number is not limited to the Qing central government, which possesses a vast system of Eight Banners and Green Standard Army.

Apart from the three powerful warlords Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, and Shang Kexi, no single prefecture in the country could afford to support them.

Behind this lies Yangzhou's astonishing wealth accumulation and efficient mobilization system.

Every day, the sounds of battle echoed from several large camps outside Yangzhou.

Zhou Yu combined traditional tactics with his understanding of firearms to develop a completely new operational manual.

The soldiers not only practiced swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship, but also focused on training in formation coordination and civil engineering.

Although this new army has not yet been tempered by the real blood and fire of the battlefield, its fierce and valiant spirit is far beyond that of ordinary local garrison troops.

Even Shi Poyan, a seasoned veteran who initially harbored doubts about Zhou Yu, this "junior," was completely convinced and willingly served as his deputy after witnessing firsthand the results of the new army's training and Zhou Yu's ability to train and command troops. He then fully cooperated with Zhou Yu.

In just two years, under Wei Xiaobao's absolute trust and delegation of power, Li Shi and Zhou Yu, one a civil official and the other a military commander,

Like the most precise gears, it drives the massive machine of Yangzhou to run at high speed.

Yangzhou was not only a prosperous commercial city, but its city walls were also raised and reinforced, and defensive fortifications such as bastions and artillery emplacements were secretly constructed.

The city streets were widened, public health was improved, and new workshops and warehouses sprang up.

The entire city, from the inside out, exudes a unique character that is vibrant, orderly, and subtly sharp.

Such rapid development could not possibly escape the notice of various forces around the world.

One hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, towering city walls, ruthless and elite troops, and unparalleled wealth.

Although Yangzhou was still nominally a prefecture of the Qing Dynasty at this time,

However, its demonstrated strength and independence have made it impossible for anyone to ignore.

It is like a rapidly growing, spiky hedgehog, making people both envious of its wealth and wary of its sharpness.

In an instant, the entire world of The Deer and the Cauldron, from the Forbidden City to the Prince of Pingxi's Mansion in Yunnan,

From the Mongolian yurts on the grasslands to the Zheng family's fleet in Taiwan, all sides were shocked.

Countless spies, agents, merchants, and wandering monks flocked to Yangzhou under various guises, attempting to uncover the secrets of its rise.

A consensus quickly formed among the top leaders of all parties:

The miraculous rise of Yangzhou was not entirely due to its geographical location or wealth base, but rather to the fact that the young city lord was projected into the body of Wei Xiaobao.

This person not only has a reputation for bravery in capturing Ao Bai, but also a keen eye for recognizing and employing talent.

The two men he discovered, Zhou Yu and Li Shi, one a military strategist and the other a scholar, possessed talents that could be described as "unparalleled."

With the help of the two, Wei Xiaobao was able to transform Yangzhou into an impregnable fortress within just two years.

While shocked, the powerful figures from all sides couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

The fact that a local prefecture could develop to such an extent without large-scale wars or direct support from imperial power is chilling, demonstrating its remarkable governance, organizational capabilities, and potential.

No one dared to easily "stir up trouble" unless they were absolutely certain of a complete falling out or there was a greater conflict of interest.

In the two years that Yangzhou City has been developing in an orderly manner and consolidating its strength, Wei Xiaobao himself has never slacked off in the slightest.

Aside from handling major matters that required his decision, listening to reports from Li Shi and Zhou Yu, and making strategic decisions, he devoted almost all his remaining time to rigorous martial arts training, which combined internal and external cultivation.

The "Invincible Vajra Divine Skill" has broken through to the fourth level. The skin, muscles, and bones of the whole body are more resilient than refined iron, and ordinary swords and knives cannot hurt it in the slightest. The power has increased dramatically.

His Vajra internal energy has become increasingly refined and profound, and he has firmly stepped into the Innate Realm. Moreover, due to his extremely solid foundation,

The power of Vajra Qi and Blood is also astonishing, and its true combat strength far surpasses that of others of the same level.

Among the 72 Shaolin arts, he mainly studied fist techniques, palm techniques, and a superior lightness skill, all of which he had mastered.

With his cultivation of both internal and external strength, his power grew like a snowball, becoming increasingly unfathomable.

The two years were not without its share of turmoil.

In the martial arts world, there are always some self-important or manipulated so-called "prodigies" and "heroes."

Or perhaps they heard that Yangzhou was wealthy and came to "beg for alms."

Or perhaps they were secretly instigated by certain forces to test and disrupt things.

However, whether these people openly challenged him or secretly attempted assassination, without exception, they were all easily dealt with by the projection of Wei Xiaobao using swift and decisive methods.

Most of them didn't even manage to force him to reveal his face before being dealt with by his increasingly elite personal guards.

Wei Xiaobao's fame gradually spread throughout the martial arts world, but with an added layer of mystery and ruthlessness.

The people of Yangzhou lived in peace and contentment, and commerce flourished; life seemed peaceful and serene.

But outside of Yangzhou, the entire world was thrown into complete chaos and war broke out about a year after the projection of Wei Xiaobao returned to Yangzhou and took over as the city lord.

The first to launch an attack were the border regions.

The Tibetan lama forces and the Galdan tribe of the steppes seem to have received some kind of strong support.

Under the banner of "avenging Ao Bai" and "expelling the Manchus," they stationed troops on the border and constantly harassed the area.

Following this, the Heaven and Earth Society, an anti-Qing organization that had been operating covertly, believed the time was ripe.

They began to move from underground to semi-public, making connections everywhere and inciting Han Chinese to resist.

They successfully persuaded three Han Chinese princes who occupied the south: Wu Sangui, the Prince of Pingxi in Yunnan; Shang Kexi, the Prince of Pingnan in Guangdong; and Geng Jingzhong, the Prince of Jingnan in Fujian.

These three princes, who held considerable military power and harbored rebellious intentions against the Qing court, finally decided to rise up in rebellion after seeing the seemingly powerful anti-Qing forces and receiving various promises of support from the Heaven and Earth Society.

Wu Sangui raised the banner of "Revive the Ming Dynasty and Expel the Manchus," and Shang Zhixin and Geng Jingzhong also responded.

The long-suppressed nationalistic sentiments of the Han people were ignited, coupled with the numerous discriminatory policies implemented by the Qing government after entering the Central Plains.

Issues such as land enclosure, the escape law, and the forced hair-shaving and clothing-changing laws had long harbored deep-seated resentment.

Seeing that the three feudatories, who held military power, had rebelled, Han landlords, gentry, and even some Han generals of the Green Standard Army, who were unwilling to be suppressed, also took the opportunity to rise up, either establishing their own fiefdoms or joining the three feudatories.

For a time, an anti-Qing wave swept through several southern provinces.

Behind all of this, there is a crucial factor: the support of top-tier military power.

The mysterious and powerful "Divine Dragon Cult" and its leader, Hong Antong, whose martial arts skills are said to have reached the "Great Perfection of the Innate Realm," have publicly expressed their support for the anti-Qing forces.

Although Hong Antong himself rarely took direct action, his very existence served as a significant deterrent, negating any advantage the Qing court might possess in terms of top-tier martial arts experts.

This emboldened Wu Sangui and others to take a desperate gamble.

Therefore, the generals of the Three Feudatories launched a three-pronged attack from Yunnan, Guangdong, and Fujian, with their armies clashing and their horses galloping fiercely.

The Qing government's rule in the south was already relatively weak, and caught off guard, it lost dozens of cities in succession, creating a climate of fear and panic.

The Qing Dynasty is about to descend into chaos.