Late Ming Dynasty: Starting with the overthrow of the county magistrate, a rebellion was launched to

Zhang Da kept his word. After writing the three letters in Nanyang City, he couldn't wait to leave the city and head to Sanya Road.

It's called a road, but it's actually a narrow pass. The pass is built against the mountain, with steep cliffs on both sides, and only two riders can pass side by side in the middle.

Zuo Guangxian had already led his troops to wait outside the camp. Upon seeing Zhang Da arrive, he immediately clasped his hands in gratitude and bowed.

"I am deeply honored by the presence of Your Excellency, the Vice Commissioner! I have failed to properly greet you!"

Zhang Da dismounted, not even bothering to brush the snow off his shoulders. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zuo Guangxian, he suggested that he go and inspect the defenses of the pass.

Zuo Guangxian dared not be negligent and led Zhang Dayan to inspect the pass...

After the inspection, Zhang Da kept his promise and remained in his army.

Three days passed in this way.

During these three days, Zhang Da did not display the official authority of a military supervisor, nor did he sit in his tent issuing orders. Every day before dawn, he would get up and patrol the defense line with the soldiers, repeatedly urging them to reinforce the fortifications and train diligently.

The weather in Henan was indeed much colder. Zhang Da stood there in the freezing wind, shouting to the soldiers who were shivering from the cold.

"Brothers! Li Zicheng will be here soon. Sanya Road is the north gate of Nanyang. Every drop of sweat we shed today, every stone we lay today, will save us a drop of blood and a life tomorrow!"

Zhang Da said similar things every day. At first, the soldiers saw that this young vice commander was not arrogant and spoke honestly, so they worked diligently despite the cold. However, these soldiers could not even get enough to eat, let alone have thick clothes to keep warm.

In such cold conditions, a person's willpower gradually dissipates.

Even if Zhang Da shouted slogans, he couldn't muster any enthusiasm...

By the fourth day, the situation had worsened, the weather had become increasingly severe, a north wind carrying blizzards howled in, the world was covered in white, the temperature plummeted, and water froze instantly.

Winter clothing was extremely scarce in Henan; Zhang Da tried carefully to send people to find some, but they couldn't find many pieces.

Suffering from both cold and hunger, the soldiers could no longer hold on.

The soldiers building the fortifications gripped the cold bricks and shovels, their fingers quickly turning purple and black from the cold. With the slightest pressure, their fingertips cracked open, blood seeping out and instantly freezing into icicles that stuck to the bricks and stones. A single tear would strip away a layer of flesh.

At this moment, both the cavalrymen in training and the generals were clearly struggling to withstand the cold wind, shivering and complaining.

"This damn weather is freezing! It's so cold it's like our bones are about to break! What kind of construction work can we possibly do?!"

"We can't even get enough to eat or wear, how can we defend ourselves against thieves? We'll probably freeze and starve to death before the bandits even arrive!"

"They said Li Zicheng would arrive in ten days, but how many days has it been? We haven't even seen a shadow of him! Damn it!"

"The magistrate insists that the rebel leader is attacking Nanyang, but he's probably wrong. We're just suffering here for nothing!"

The voices of resentment grew like weeds in the cold wind, gradually turning from whispers into blatant complaints.

This is still a slightly more civilized way of cursing; Zhang Da would want to kill someone if he heard the uncivilized version...

The morale of the troops, which had been bolstered by Zhang Da's personal presence at the front lines, gradually crumbled amidst the bitter cold, hunger, and the seemingly endless wait.

Zhang Da panicked too, so he stood on the high point of the pass, resisting the urge to jump.

He had no real power base in the army; he only managed to keep things under control by relying on Yang Sichang's token, accurate judgment, and his presence at the front lines.

The soldiers and officers obeyed his orders entirely because of the greatest threat: Li Zicheng's attack on Nanyang.

But once Li Zicheng doesn't come, he, as the supervising officer, will become a clown, not only unable to control the various armies, but probably even ordinary soldiers will no longer give him a second glance, his status will be comparable to that of a paramecium...

What frightened him even more was that if the soldiers, believing that Li Zicheng would not come, relaxed their defenses and abandoned their lines, then when Li Zicheng suddenly attacked, the Sanya Road would surely collapse at the first touch, and Nanyang City would fall as well...

That night, Zhang Da dreamed of this worst possible ending.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Zhang Da woke up with a start, clenched his fists, and cursed a couple of times.

On the fifth day, Zhang Da took off his blue round-necked robe, then secretly picked up a dagger and deliberately cut several large slits in the sleeves and collar of the robe, tearing it to shreds. He then grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it on his clothes...

Then, with his bare hands, he picked up a heavy brick, bent down, and personally carried the bricks to build a low wall.

Zuo Guangxian was shocked upon seeing this and quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"My lord! How could I trouble you with such a trivial matter? Please put it down, I will take care of it!"

Zhang waved his hand and said in front of everyone.

"The soldiers are suffering in the cold wind. As the supervising officer, how can I hide comfortably in my tent? I share the hardships with my brothers and we build defenses together so that we can hold this Sanya Road! As long as we hold the pass and achieve the greatest merit, I, Zhang Da, guarantee with my life that I will petition for the general's soldiers to receive their due reward, supplementary rations, and generous cotton-padded clothes!"

When the soldiers saw Zhang Da, covered in rags, personally carrying bricks to build the wall, their resentment inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

The complaints gradually subsided, and the soldiers gritted their teeth, picked up their tools again, and continued building fortifications and training their troops...

The stability of Sanya Road is merely superficial.

News from other defense zones in Nanyang kept coming in, each one increasing the pressure on Zhang Daxin.

On the evening of the fifth day, Chen Yongfu sent a messenger on horseback to report from the Neixiang Pass.

"My lord! The soldiers in Neixiang are suffering from cold and hunger, and their resentment is boiling. Rumors are spreading that the rebel leader will not attack, and they are unwilling to defend the pass any longer. I cannot quell the unrest, and I humbly request your guidance!"

On the morning of the sixth day, Liu Hongji from Fangcheng urgently reported...

"Commander Zhang! Many of my soldiers have deserted, saying they are suffering from the cold and hunger. With the enemy troops not yet arriving, there's no point in continuing to defend; and without food and winter clothing, there's a risk of mutiny!"

Ma Jinlu of Wuyang, Wang Dingguo of Nanzhao, and even Huang Degong, who came to their aid from Yunyang, all sent messengers with identical messages.

Exhausted and freezing, Zhang Da felt like dying when he saw all this. At that moment, he wished he could go live and show these people his miserable state.

With a pale face and slightly trembling hands, Zhang Da also began to doubt himself.

Could it be that Li Zicheng was truly a fool?

If Li Zicheng doesn't attack soon, the defenses will collapse on their own...

Left with no other choice, Zhang Da could only repeatedly assure the various envoys, swearing oaths and pleading his innocence.

"Li Zicheng will arrive within ten days, without a doubt! You all must maintain morale and strengthen defenses. Any negligence will be punished according to military law!"

He even made a solemn oath to the envoy.

"If the rebel leader does not attack Nanyang, I am willing to resign from my position as military supervisor and leave myself to Governor Yang's disposal!"

Even so, the unrest in various places has not subsided, but has only been barely suppressed.

The pressure was like a tidal wave, washing over Zhang Da's mind again and again. During the day, he forced himself to boost morale and personally build defenses, but at night he tossed and turned in his tent, unable to sleep, his mind replaying the events. Every time he felt that Li Zicheng would definitely attack Nanyang, then he would doubt it, and then he would continue to replay the events...

In just seven days, Zhang Da visibly lost weight, as if all his energy had been drained away, like a ghost struggling to stay afloat.

Finally, on the afternoon of the seventh day, a turning point appeared.

A scout, covered in snow and panting heavily, tumbled and collapsed in front of Zhang Da, who was working.

"My lord! Urgent report! The rebel army... the rebel army has moved!"

Zhang Da was stunned for a moment, then, as if seeing a beam of light, he suddenly grabbed the scout by the collar.

"They're here? Where are they? Are they heading towards Nanyang? Are they heading straight for Sanya Road?!"

Zuo Guangxian and his generals all gathered around, holding their breath and staring intently at the scout, waiting for the answer that would determine their fate.

The scout, panting heavily, his face filled with disbelief, stammered, "No, no... the main force of the rebels... marched out from Lushi and Yiyang, banners flying everywhere, a massive display of force, their flags pointing directly... directly towards Luoyang! Not Nanyang!"

"boom--"

These words struck Zhang Da like a bolt from the blue!

How could this be... how could this be...

A tremendous shock, despair, fear, and resentment surged into his mind like a tidal wave, overwhelming Zhang Da's nerves, which had been taut for seven days.

Before the soldiers could strike, before the officers could utter another sarcastic remark...

Zhang Da felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, the world spinning around him, a suffocating feeling in his chest, and a buzzing in his ears. He could no longer hold on, his body went limp, and he fell straight backward.

"Lord Qianshi!"

"Lord Zhang!"