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

As Zhang Da roared out his last words, his voice shook the Zi River and resounded through the sky!

The soldiers below the stage were taken aback at first, but then the confusion, resentment and anger that had been building up in their hearts were instantly ignited. At this moment, after Zhang Wen, Zhou Wenqu and others raised their arms and shouted, the entire army raised their swords and shouted in unison.

"Defend our land and our homes! Fight to the bitter end!"

"We will not return until the bandits are defeated!"

"Our lord is mighty! Baoqing will surely triumph!"

Thirteen thousand soldiers roared in unison, their shouts rising higher and higher, soaring into the sky. Swords and spears were raised, armor clanged, and their previously low morale instantly boiled over like a raging fire, almost burning away the chill of early spring.

The river wind grew stronger, the banners fluttered wildly, and the Zi River surged with waves, as if cheering on this righteous army defending their homeland.

Standing on the reviewing stand, Zhang Da looked at the roused soldiers, and a trace of relief finally appeared on his pale face. The pain of being poisoned for days and his wounds bursting open seemed to have dissipated in the earth-shaking shouts.

His hand holding the knife was as steady as Mount Tai, and his gaze was piercing, pointing straight south towards Hengzhou.

"Pass on my order—" Zhang Da brandished his sword, his voice echoing across the land, "All troops, march forth! Rush to the aid of Hengzhou! Annihilate Feng Shuangli!"

The bugle sounded, and the drums and gongs resounded.

Thirteen thousand people marched along the official road on the banks of the Zi River toward Hengzhou in a grand procession.

Dust billowed, banners blotted out the sun, and blue turbans and white robes intertwined with black armor and red tassels, stretching as far as the eye could see.

However, just two hours after the army began its southward journey along the official road, and while Zhang Da was still marveling at the overwhelming momentum of his army, a sudden commotion broke out just after they passed Fengmuling Pass.

The marching speed of the troops slowed down significantly. The vanguard scouts came galloping from afar, dismounted, knelt on one knee, and spoke with a hint of urgency.

"My lord, something terrible has happened!"

The scout, pale and panting, reported, "Our vanguard reached ten miles from Huaqiao Pass and discovered that the pass has been occupied by bandits! The rebels have set up a triple defense line in front of the pass, consisting of caltrops, barbed wire, and trenches. The pass is heavily guarded, with numerous flags fluttering everywhere. They have clearly been waiting here in ambush!"

Zhang Da was taken aback, then frowned, inwardly alarmed:

Did Feng Shuangli actually anticipate this move? Wasn't he launching a fierce attack on Qingcaoqiao in the northern suburbs of Hengzhou? How could he have divided his forces to occupy Huaqiaoguan ahead of time, cutting off my supply lines?

If he does that, will he still have troops? Wait a minute!

What if it's someone else?

Zhang Da thought to himself, "This is bad. What if Zhang Xianzhong sends another troop specifically to stop me? Wouldn't that mean all my efforts are in vain?"

"What's the bandit army's banner? Is it Feng Shuang, the Minister of Rites?" Zhang Da asked in a deep voice, his hand unconsciously pressing on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

The scout quickly shook his head: "My lord! It's not the Feng banner! We risked getting close and vaguely saw a large 'Li' character embroidered on the banner above the pass! Moreover, the soldiers below the pass are all dressed in the uniforms of veteran Sichuan troops; they are definitely not coerced refugees!"

"The Li banner?"

Zhang Da's pupils suddenly contracted, his face instantly darkened, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

Even if Zhang Da wasn't a time traveler, he still knew who the most famous general with the surname Li was in Zhang Xianzhong's army at that time...

Zhang Da immediately reined in his horse, signaling the army to halt on the spot. He dismounted and walked to a flat bluestone by the roadside. Zhou Wenqu quickly ordered his men to spread out the "Huguang Map" he carried with him.

Zhang Da squatted down, his fingertips darting across the map as he rapidly searched his mind for all the generals with the surname Li under Zhang Xianzhong, checking and eliminating them one by one.

Which one surnamed Li is it at Huaqiao Pass?!

First was Li Dingguo. One of Zhang Xianzhong's four adopted sons, he was known as the General of Anxi, and was nineteen years old, the same age as Zhang Da.

It goes without saying how fierce and knowledgeable he was in military affairs. He was a man of strict military discipline and unparalleled bravery in the army. He was Zhang Xianzhong's number one general and a future pillar of the Southern Ming Dynasty, a peerless general who defeated two famous kings and shook the world!

"It shouldn't be him. Didn't the court say that he should be at Daning Pass in eastern Sichuan right now, launching a feint attack with Sun Kewang to tie down Zuo Liangyu's main force?"

Growing up brought a silent sigh of relief.

There was also Liu Wenxiu, whose original surname was Li, but at this time he was leading troops to attack the fiefdom of the Prince of Jing in Qizhou, Hubei, which was far away in the eastern part of Hubei, and it was impossible for him to appear at Huaqiao Pass in central Hunan.

Li Wanqing, nicknamed "Shooting the Sky," was from Yan'an, Shaanxi. He joined Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai in their early uprisings and was a veteran of the Thirty-Six Camps. However, he had already fallen out with Zhang Xianzhong in the eleventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign (1642), and was currently entrenched in the border region of Henan and Hubei, not part of Zhang Xianzhong's main force. It's impossible for him to suddenly appear in central Hunan…

There were also people like Li Qifeng, Li Zhan, and Li Yijing... all of whom were civil officials or demoted officials, without military power. They should not have commanded troops, let alone led troops to defend strategic passes...

Li Shihua and Li Yingyuan were minor officers under Zhang Xianzhong, holding low positions and commanding less than a thousand soldiers. They had neither the courage nor the qualifications to lead an army alone to defend Huaqiao Pass and block Zhang's 13,000-strong army.

Finally, there was a subordinate general surnamed Li under Feng Shuangli. However, this was highly unlikely. Feng Shuangli himself was busy attacking Hengzhou and couldn't spare the time, and none of his generals had the strategy and courage to set up an ambush there in advance.

"Then who the hell could it be?!"

Zhang Da was extremely agitated at this moment, having considered every possible candidate with the surname Li.

In the end, however, only Li Dingguo remained who truly possessed the ability, military power, and strategic acumen to independently command thousands of elite troops and devise a plan of defense to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.

Could it really be him?

Zhang Da's fingertips trembled slightly, and his face darkened.

It's Li Dingguo... It really is Li Dingguo?! But isn't he in Sichuan?

Zhang Da felt a chill seep into his bones, and his wounds seemed to start hurting terribly again.

Others at this time may not know how terrifying Li Dingguo is, but he comes from the future and knows better than anyone else.

Li Dingguo can be considered the most valiant general of the late Ming Dynasty, having twice defeated a famous prince, a feat that shook the world.

Li Dingguo joined Zhang Xianzhong's uprising at the age of ten and became famous at a young age. He was seven feet tall, with a handsome face, and was exceptionally brave in battle, earning him the nickname "Little Yuchi".

At just over ten years old, he was able to charge into enemy lines alone, slay generals and seize flags, displaying unparalleled bravery in the entire army;

He fought in Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan, experiencing countless battles without ever being defeated.

What's most terrifying is that he was knowledgeable in military strategy and tactics. He didn't just blindly charge into battle; instead, he skillfully used risky tactics, terrain, and ambushes, making him a true commander.

What terrified Zhang and sent chills down his spine was the prospect of Li Dingguo's future military achievements, which he had personally witnessed in history books.

In the sixth year of the Yongli reign, Li Dingguo led an army of 80,000 to launch a northern expedition against the Qing dynasty.

The Jingzhou victory resulted in a major defeat of the Qing army and the recovery of most of Hunan.

The Battle of Guilin resulted in a major defeat of Kong Youde, the Prince of Dingnan (the first general to surrender at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the commander-in-chief of the Qing army in the southwest). Kong Youde, having nowhere to turn, committed suicide by self-immolation, and the entire Guangxi region was liberated.

The great victory at Hengzhou was achieved through an ambush and annihilation, with Prince Jingjin Nikan (grandson of Nurhaci and the most valiant general of the Qing imperial family) killed in battle.

Within a year, two famous kings were defeated, shaking the world!

The Qing court was shaken and at one point considered abandoning the seven southwestern provinces and retreating to the Central Plains. The morale of the Ming army soared, and Han people throughout the land responded enthusiastically.

Besides him, who else could be considered the number one war god of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties?

If Zhang Da had encountered him, then it would make perfect sense—he didn't defend the feigned attack in eastern Sichuan, but instead personally led his elite troops, lightly armed and simple, to occupy Huaqiao Pass in advance, waiting in comfort to keep Zhang Da firmly outside Hengzhou!

Just like his style.