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

In this letter, Zhang Xianzhong not only appears more flustered but also less like a ruthless warlord.

It seems like he's been traumatized by the beating?

After reading the letter, Li Dingguo let out a soft hum, clutching the letter with a mixture of anticipation and relief in his heart.

Zhang Da... this lowly and common name is now known to almost all military strategists in the interior, except for those in Liaodong.

Whether it was defeating the Ming army, devising a plan to break Li Zicheng, or offering strategies to trap Zhang Xianzhong, he was eventually appointed by the imperial court as the Deputy Military Commissioner of Baoqing, overseeing the military and political affairs of four counties and one prefecture, making him a veritable warlord of Huguang.

They are all highly commendable individuals who will be recorded in history.

Moreover, he was the same age as Li Dingguo...

After hearing Zhang Da's reputation, Li Dingguo would inevitably compare himself to him to some extent.

"When heroes are absent, even petty men rise to fame!"

Li Dingguo used these kinds of words to comfort and encourage himself.

He desperately wanted to prove himself, but when the news of Zhang Da's assassination reached him, unlike his adoptive father's excited cheers, his first reaction was only a sense of loss...

Until this letter arrived

"Could it be that Zhang Da is really not dead?"

Li Dingguo muttered to himself, a fierce fighting spirit flashing in his eyes.

Previously, they had fought each other from afar, each serving their own master. He was trapped in eastern Sichuan, while Zhang Da was stationed in central Hunan, and they had never been able to confront each other directly. Now, finally having the opportunity to face each other, Li Dingguo felt no fear whatsoever; on the contrary, his blood was boiling. If he could defeat Zhang Da here, sever Yang Sichang's arm, and intimidate the government troops and powerful figures in Huguang, his name, Li Dingguo, would surely resound throughout the land, making him the most valiant general under his adoptive father!

Hehe, then let's fight!

"General," a personal guard stepped forward and whispered, "where should we go? Baoqing's terrain is complex. Our army is new to Huguang and unfamiliar with the geography. A hasty interception could lead to an ambush. Moreover, Zhang Da has been operating in Baoqing for a long time and has deep roots there. Our army has been on a continuous march for days and is exhausted. It might not be wise to fight him head-on..."

Li Dingguo glanced at the guard, presumably he had also heard of Zhang Dazhi's story, and a hint of fear appeared on his face.

Fear before the battle even begins! How can this be allowed?

Li Dingguo then raised his hand to stop talking, dismounted, and ordered his personal guards to bring a map of Huguang and spread it on a bluestone.

The cold wind swirled the blueprints as he bent down to examine them closely, his fingertips slowly tracing the boundaries of Baoqing Prefecture...

Baoqing Prefecture is located in the heart of central Hunan, bordering Hengzhou to the east and Changsha to the north. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and embraces the Zi River in the middle, making it a strategically important location.

Baoqing has been known as "Ironclad Baoqing" since ancient times.

Within its borders, the Xuefeng Mountains and Yuecheng Ridge extend in all directions, with numerous passes and strategic locations, including Baima Pass, Jukou Pass, and Fengmuling Pass, all of which are easily defended and difficult to attack.

Moreover, this place has been greatly managed by Zhang Da, with tax reductions and land redistribution. It is likely that the people's hearts have already been won over, and it has long been a united front.

Wait, if Zhang Da were alive and wanted to send troops to aid the imperial court, where would he go?

Li Dingguo stared at the map, trying to think carefully about how to deploy troops from Zhang Da's perspective.

"Zhang Da's base is in Shaoyang and Wugang, where his troops and supplies are all gathered. This time, when he sends troops out, he will definitely go north along the official road, either through Xinhua or Wugang, into the heart of Huguang, to cut off the Great Western Army's supply lines and form an encirclement with the government troops..."

Where is the godfather going to hit?

This area is densely populated with feudal lords, possesses vast tracts of fertile land, and has accumulated immense wealth. It is both a coveted target of the Great Western Army and a place that Zhang Da must defend.

Zhu Qifeng, the Prince of Min of Wugang, was arrogant, extravagant and licentious, and had seized countless farmlands. It is said that he has been purged by Zhang Da, and the power of the princes in Baoqing has been greatly reduced.

The Prince of Gui in Hengzhou and the Prince of Ji in Changsha remained the wealthiest men in the land, and were Zhang Xianzhong's primary targets.

He probably wanted to help those two kings.

If that's the case, sending Zhang Da's troops north would not only threaten the Great Western Army's grand plan to attack the vassal kings, but it could also form an encirclement with the Huguang government troops and Zuo Liangyu's forces, trapping the Great Western Army on the border of Hunan and Hubei, leaving them in a dilemma.

Li Dingguo's gaze turned towards the southeast of Xinhua County, to a place called Huaqiao Pass.

This place borders Xiangxiang County of Changsha Prefecture to the east and Xinhua City of Baoqing Prefecture to the west, guarding the vital passage of the official road in central Hunan. The mountains on both sides are undulating and densely forested, with a narrow passage in the middle that is the only way for the troops of Baoqing to go north.

The mountains are steep and densely forested, making them ideal for ambushes. They can advance or retreat as needed, allowing them to wait in ambush and defeat a larger force with a smaller one.

Li Dingguo was increasingly satisfied with what he saw, and secretly exclaimed that Heaven was on his side.

"Heh, I've followed my father into battle since childhood, and I'm well-versed in military strategy. In terms of tactics and martial prowess, how could I possibly be inferior to that Zhang Da? It truly proves my point: in times without heroes... that Zhang Da is nothing more than someone who has gained a reputation by defeating soldiers with no fighting spirit and no manners among the vagrants!"

As long as Li Zicheng holds Huaqiao Pass and waits for the enemy to tire themselves out, no matter how many strategies Zhang Da devises, he will find it difficult to cross the line.

"Pass down the order!" Having made up his mind, Li Dingguo stood up straight, his voice steady and resolute, yet also extremely bold, resounding throughout the army: "The entire army changes course and heads towards Xinhua Huaqiao Pass!"

The guard was taken aback and quickly asked, "General, aren't you going to Zhushan to meet up with the Commander-in-Chief? If the situation on the Commander-in-Chief's side becomes critical, our absence might jeopardize the overall situation."

No prospects!

"My godfather ordered me to block Baoqing's troops, so I will use Huaqiao Pass as a fortress and wait here for Zhang Da to come to me."

Li Dingguo's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, his tone firm and unwavering, "This location is superb. With our troops ambushed here, no matter how cunning Zhang Da is, or how well-equipped and well-supplied his army is, he won't be able to cross this line. Set off immediately, day and night, and seize the pass before Baoqing's troops arrive, gaining the upper hand!"

Since Li Dingguo had already said that, the soldiers couldn't say anything more.

The army immediately changed course, no longer heading east to Zhushan, but instead turning southwest and heading straight for Huaqiao Pass.

The vanguard traveled day and night, rushing for two days and nights, and finally arrived at Huaqiao Pass at dawn on the 27th.

It was just dawn, and the morning mist shrouded the mountains. The pass was quiet and deserted. This place was originally under the jurisdiction of Baoqing Prefecture. Zhang Da had been busy reorganizing his troops and recovering from an assassination attempt, so he had not deployed a large force here. He had only left a few dozen local militia to guard the pass. When they saw the arrival of thousands of troops from the Great Western Army, with banners obscuring the sun and swords and spears like a forest, they were so frightened that they abandoned the pass and fled, scrambling towards Shaoyang to report the news.

Li Dingguo occupied Huaqiao Pass without losing a single soldier.

"Great location! Great location!"

Ancient maps were naturally not very precise, and it was already quite difficult for generals on military campaigns to understand even a fraction of them.

So when Li Dingguo personally arrived at Huaqiao Pass and saw the terrain, he exclaimed, "Heaven has not failed me!"

The area around Huaqiao Pass is mostly mountainous terraced fields with sparse villages, making it easy to conceal large armies. It is also not far from the Zi River waterway, so if the battle goes against them, they can retreat downstream and move freely!

Even... even though Huaqiao Pass is long and narrow, it is not conducive to the deployment of a large army. Although Zhang Da has elite troops under his command, he is unable to make full use of his numerical advantage.

In addition, there are three auxiliary passes around Huaqiao Pass, which can support each other and form a defensive system: Huangni Pass to the left, Shanmu Pass to the right, and Longtan Water behind...

The three locations can form a defensive system by supporting each other, and the terrain is connected, with the beginning and end echoing each other. Even if Zhang has a large army and many generals, as long as Li Dingguo is determined to hold on, even a god would find it difficult to break through in one fell swoop!

"Great! This is truly a stroke of luck!"

Li Dingguo was increasingly satisfied with what he saw, and the joy on his face was truly hard to conceal.

Upon entering the pass, Li Dingguo immediately began deploying defenses, arranging his 5,000 troops flawlessly. For example, 500 swordsmen and shieldmen guarded the main gate of the pass, and he used huge stones to block narrow passages, erected chevaux-de-frise and barbed wire, and built defensive fortifications.

For example, a thousand archers and musketeers would occupy the mountains on both sides, commanding the valley from a high vantage point, waiting for the enemy to enter the valley;

For example, two thousand elite troops would be ambushed in the mountains and forests, while the remaining troops would be stationed at the pass behind the mountain as a reserve force, stockpiling food and water in preparation for a long-term defense...

Under Li Zicheng's personal supervision, the soldiers felled trees, piled stones, dug trenches, and set up ambushes with swift and orderly movements.

They worked until noon, when the morning mist dissipated and the sun shone brightly on the mountains.

The defenses of Huaqiao Pass have been completed. The pass is heavily fortified, with flags flying everywhere and ambushes deployed in all directions, like a lurking beast waiting for its prey to come to its door.

Li Dingguo stood at the Huaqiao Pass, his hand resting on the bluestone city wall, gazing towards Baoqing Prefecture. The morning sun pierced through the thin mist, casting its light upon the rolling mountains. The Zi River, like a ribbon, meandered southward, and even the city of Shaoyang seemed faintly visible.

The cold wind whipped his cloak, making it flutter loudly. The young general, with his cold and stern expression, felt something was amiss despite his burning fighting spirit. So he summoned his subordinates and generals.

"Gentlemen, our actions are more than enough to restrain Zhang Da... However, merely restraining him would be a disservice to our five thousand soldiers who have traveled such a long distance, and it would also be a waste of this excellent terrain!"

Li Dingguo then discussed the matter with his generals for another while.

……

……

After an unknown amount of time, Li Dingguo finally discussed and devised a better strategy with his generals. Exhausted, Li Dingguo stepped out of the tent and watched as the large blue silk banner of Huaqiao Pass slowly rose, embroidered with a huge "Li" character, proudly fluttering in the cold wind of Hunan and Hubei, motionless.

Li Dingguo gazed into the distance, silently reciting in his heart:

Zhang Da, come at me if you dare!