Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Anshunwei, central Guizhou.

This is a small basin nestled among towering mountains, usually quiet and still.

But today, the entire Acropolis is like a pot of boiling water, filled with restlessness and a chilling atmosphere.

Outside the city, on the drill ground, an army of about five thousand men was preparing to set off.

They did not have the uniform military attire of the Beijing garrison's Divine Martial Army; their clothing was somewhat haphazard, including cloth clothes, leather armor, and some even wearing woven armor characteristic of the Miao region.

But their eyes were exceptionally sharp, and their movements were agile, clearly indicating that they were a group of elites who had been walking on the edge of life and death for many years.

The leading general, around thirty years old, with a dark complexion and a burly build, wore a dark red battle robe and had a long sword at his waist. He was none other than Ma Qiancheng, the commander of the detachment personally appointed by Xiao Chen.

He was the son of Ma Douhu, the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu in Sichuan. He followed Qin Liangyu in battle from a young age and was deeply versed in the true teachings of the White Spear Army.

"General!"

Lieutenant General Deng Zhilong rode up, his face beaming with excitement. "The provisions and weapons are all loaded! As per His Majesty's decree, three hundred loads of compressed biscuits, two hundred boxes of sealed meat cans, one thousand Yuanfeng rifles, and fifty cartloads of ammunition! Everything is in place!"

Ma Qiancheng nodded, grabbed a water bag next to the saddle, and took a big gulp.

He looked at the soldiers boarding the vehicle in the distance. Although the soldiers were dressed in different armor, their weapons had all been replaced with the Yuanfeng Type 1 flintlock pistols, and their backpacks were stuffed with the legendary "iron biscuits".

"Your Majesty is truly a divine being."

Ma Qiancheng exclaimed, "These guns are more than ten times better than our old muskets! And these rations are so thick they could be used as bricks, but they can be soaked in water and eaten—they're very filling! With these, our five thousand men are equivalent to our old ten thousand-strong army!"

"Of course!"

Deng Zhilong chuckled. "I've heard rumors in the capital that His Majesty is a deity descended from heaven, bringing with him divine objects. By the way, General, is this really all we have? Mu Tianbo has at least twenty or thirty thousand troops in Yunnan, plus those chieftains and Burmese. Can we handle them?"

"What's there to be afraid of!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Ma Qiancheng's eyes. "His Majesty said we are a flanking force, the spearhead! We don't seek direct confrontation, only speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness!"

He leaped onto his warhorse, drew his sword, and pointed it at the commander's flag embroidered with the characters "Qin" and "Ma" in the center of the training ground.

"Pass on the order!"

"The first team, led by me personally, will travel along the newly constructed 'Guizhou-Yunnan Post Road,' with our destination—Qujing! If we encounter small groups of bandits along the way, we'll simply run them over! If we encounter large enemy forces, we'll detour! Our objective is to alert the enemy on the outskirts of Kunming!"

"The second team, led by Deng Zhilong, will take the back roads and infiltrate south of Dianchi Lake to cut off the grain supply lines around Kunyang! Remember, only burn the grain, do not attack the city!"

"The third team will consist of 500 elite light cavalry, all dressed in Mu family uniforms (either captured or copied), impersonating Mu Chengzong's subordinates, infiltrating Kunming, and waiting for an opportunity to contact Lord Shen Dong to coordinate the movements within the city!"

"All troops, listen to my command!"

Ma Qiancheng's voice boomed like thunder, "This time, we will not march with fanfare or fanfare! We will be like a pack of wolves, silently infiltrating the mountains, and then—suddenly pounce and bite the enemy's throat!"

"Let's go!"

"roar--!"

More than five thousand soldiers erupted in suppressed, low roars.

They quickly boarded the mules and modified carriages that had been prepared beforehand.

These vehicles all use modular packers designed by Zhao Tie, carrying standardized supply boxes, making them look compact and efficient.

With Ma Qiancheng's command, this peculiar army, like a long gray serpent, swiftly disappeared into the towering mountains west of Anshun.

Meanwhile, in Chenzhou Prefecture, Huguang Province.

A more elite team, under the cover of night, is advancing rapidly southwest along another newly built "Chenyuan Post Road".

This force consisted of only eight hundred men, all of whom were light cavalry. The horses were tall, the men wore light armor, carried long spears on their backs, Yuanfeng spears at their waists, and had specially made long, rectangular food bags hanging from their saddles—filled with compressed biscuits.

The leader was a young captain named Zhao Shuaijiao.

He received direct orders from Mo Qi: take Zhaotong in northeastern Yunnan within three days at all costs!

"Brothers, cheer up!"

Zhao Shuaijiao reined in his horse, turning back to look at his weary but determined subordinates. "Behind us lies His Majesty's new laws and billions of taels of silver in Yunnan copper! That old dog Mu Tianbo wants to cut off His Majesty's financial lifeline; we'll cut off his legs first!"

"Yes!" the eight hundred cavalrymen responded in unison.

"Speed ​​up! Take the Chenyuan Post Road, bypass Guiyang, and head straight for Zhaotong! Remember, this post road was personally supervised by His Majesty; the road surface is smooth, and the bridges are sturdy. We must utilize the speed of cavalry! Let those chieftains hiding in the mountains see what the cavalry of the Great Xia is all about!"

The horses' hooves shattered the night dew, and the eight hundred riders, like arrows released from a bow, launched a lightning-fast attack along the flat new post road towards the heart of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

In Yongning, Sichuan.

Another army, under the banner of "punishing the rebels," also began to move slowly. Although it was a large force, it deliberately avoided the main roads and made it look like it was going to attack the Wumeng chieftain, successfully attracting the attention of Mu Tianbo's forces in the Dali direction.

The three flanking forces, like three red-hot daggers, took advantage of the darkness and the convenience of the newly built post roads to silently cut into the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

At this time, Mu Tianbo was still in Kunming, dreaming of establishing his own independent regime and plotting how to use the military power of the Toungoo Dynasty to force the court to recognize his rule over Yunnan.

He would never have imagined that Xiao Chen's counterattack would come so quickly, so cunningly, and so—modernly.

The troops marched out of Qianzhong, and thunder suddenly struck.

The tranquility of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is about to be completely shattered.

The outcome of this battle will directly test the first drop of blood that bears witness to the results of Xiao Chen's reforms, and will also determine the fate of the southwestern border of the Great Xia Empire.