Chapter 1020 This Group is Formidable
Lao Huihui had subtly sensed for a while that Mr. Bai commanded more than just the meager forces concentrated at Xiaolangdi.
Xiaolangdi was merely a naval base; it didn't cultivate vast farmlands or engage in significant commerce. By what means could Xiaolangdi alone continuously supply provisions for his thousands of cavalry indefinitely?
Surely, a much more substantial patron stood behind Mr. Bai.
He just hadn't imagined this patron would be so incredibly powerful!
It felt strange. This group's ambitions had to be vast; they might even be a rebel force more formidable than the Chuǎng Wang himself. Their methods, however, were vastly different from the Chuǎng Wang's crude, grassroots approach.
Lao Huihui decided he had to see for himself.
His three thousand elite cavalry began an arduous trek over the mountains.
His entire force consisted of cavalry, and mountain travel was incredibly difficult. Their warhorses were easily injured on the slopes, and this arduous journey was truly taking a toll on the elite cavalrymen.
But if they didn't keep moving, the imperial forces would encircle them. They had to grit their teeth and push through, no matter the cost.
Zuo Liangyu, burning with a desire for revenge, hated Lao Huihui more than anyone, but even he couldn't traverse such difficult terrain and was forced to abandon the pursuit, to say nothing of the other imperial detachments.
Lao Huihui finally shook off all the imperial troops and entered Shangnan County's territory.
Following the intelligence officer's instructions, he bypassed the county town and villages, arriving at Yinyang Gully, north of Shangnan County. Having crossed too many mountains and traveled too far, everyone was exhausted, and provisions were running dangerously low.
If they didn't receive aid now, he would truly have no choice but to raid imperial cities and loot government granaries once more.
Lao Huihui sent out a scout, who, dressed in ordinary hunter's clothes, crept out of the gully and slipped into Shangnan County town.
Upon arriving at the barracks of Luo Xi, the Shangnan military commander, he was immediately invited inside as soon as he stated his purpose.
Luo Xi himself met with him. "Lao Huihui is currently in Yinyang Gully?"
The scout nodded. "We urgently need provisions."
As he spoke these words, he felt a certain apprehension. If Luo Xi turned out not to be an ally but an enemy, Lao Huihui's army would not only fail to get supplies but would also be attacked by imperial forces. That would truly be extremely perilous.
But the scout's worries were unnecessary. Luo Xi chuckled twice. "The Heavenly Lord already gave orders; I've been waiting for you for a long time. We've prepared a large amount of provisions for you. I'll have the supply convoy depart immediately; you can lead them there."
The scout was overjoyed.
Still, he harbored some vigilance. If he were to lead back not a supply convoy but an army, that would be betraying his general. He had to be absolutely sure.
An hour later, the scout saw clearly: Luo Xi had indeed dispatched only a supply convoy. The convoy consisted entirely of grain carts, with only two soldiers assigned to escort each. This meager force posed no threat whatsoever to Lao Huihui's three thousand elite cavalry.
Only then did the scout relax and, feeling confident, led the transport team into Yinyang Gully, delivering the provisions into Lao Huihui's hands.
It was only then that the cautious and anxious Lao Huihui finally lowered his guard. Seeing the substantial provisions now in his possession, his trust in Mr. Bai and his people deepened.
"Good. Into Shangluo Pass, we advance towards Xi'an."
With a single command from Lao Huihui, the three thousand elite cavalry began their westward advance along Shangluo Pass...
They hadn't gone far when they saw a gray cement road below the mountain, cutting through Shangluo Pass and heading towards Wuguan Pass. The cement road was bustling with merchants, all sorts of vehicles, and strange, large iron carts, carrying abundant goods as they traversed the route.
Upon seeing this bustling official road, Lao Huihui and his subordinates were all utterly bewildered.
"How has the official road changed so drastically?"
"What strange thing is this gray, hard road?"
"And huge iron carts are running on it!"
Lao Huihui declared, "Everyone, pay attention. This Shangluo Pass is clearly no longer the one we knew. The changes here are immense, and we must be extremely cautious."
They dared not step onto the cement road, threading their way instead through the forests alongside the cement official road. After a short trek, they soon arrived at Wuguan Pass.
Lao Huihui immediately spotted the colorful banners fluttering atop the walls of Wuguan Pass.
"Ah? It's the colorful Heavenly Lord banner!" Lao Huihui exclaimed, overjoyed. "Indeed, Wuguan is theirs."
He quickly dispatched a scout to inform Wuguan Pass.
Not long after the scout left, the gates of Wuguan Pass opened, and soldiers, their chests embroidered with images of the Heavenly Lord, emerged. They cordoned off the official road several li away from Wuguan Pass in both directions, prohibiting merchants and travelers from passing, thereby creating a vacuum zone both in front of and behind the pass.
Lao Huihui quickly led his army through Wuguan Pass...
Under the guidance of the Wuguan soldiers, Lao Huihui's army safely entered Shaanxi territory. They immediately turned, leaving the official road, and once again plunged into the forests.
Once they had vanished from sight, the Wuguan garrison lifted the temporary blockade of the official road, and merchants and travelers could resume their normal passage.
Hiding in the mountains, Lao Huihui watched the cement official road below resume its bustling traffic, with ox carts, horse-drawn carriages, and large iron carts once again traveling along it. It was as if his army's passage through the pass moments ago had never happened, and his heart was filled with awe. "This group's organizational and management capabilities are incredibly strong," he marvelled. "They effortlessly blocked several li of official road, allowing us to enter Shaanxi without a soul knowing. The imperial court couldn't even manage such flawless road closures."
His subordinates nodded. "That's right," one agreed. "If the imperial court wants to close a road, they can't manage it at all. The soldiers are lazy and unwilling to apply themselves, and they'll take bribes from merchants, quietly letting their own people through. The result is a restricted area riddled with holes."
Lao Huihui said, "These people are becoming more and more inscrutable. Let's continue our advance and go check out Tianzhu Mountain, as they instructed."
The elite cavalry continued to march. They marched and marched, and it wasn't long before they reached Tianzhu Mountain.
They had assumed that these mysterious people would arrange a desolate mountain as their hiding place. But to their surprise, Tianzhu Mountain bore no resemblance to a desolate wilderness. From a distance, the mountain was dotted with temples, houses, factories, and farmlands...
This was surprisingly a rather bustling place.
Lao Huihui was a little confused. "How could they arrange for us rebels to be stationed in such a bustling place?" he wondered. "Aren't they afraid the people here will leak the news?"
As he was pondering this, an old man approached from afar. This old man was quite robust and rode steadily on horseback. He rode up, chuckling warmly. "I am Luo Xi's father," he announced.
Lao Huihui responded, "Ah? Old General Luo, I presume."
Old Luo said, chuckling heartily, "The Heavenly Lord has now entrusted this old man, myself, with the interim management of Tianzhu Mountain. Since the general has arrived, I will make all the arrangements from now on."
Lao Huihui nodded and followed behind Old Luo.
The group reached the foot of Tianzhu Mountain, where a massive estate stood—Luo Xi's ancestral home. Taking a path up the mountain beside the estate, they had just reached the mountain path entrance when they saw a colossal gate. Upon it was written: "Tianzhu Mountain Labor Reform Camp".
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