Chapter 1116: Mass Mobilization
Wang Er rolled his eyes at Prince Rui.
But this time, the eye-roll held a touch less disdain.
The seventh year of Tianqi, that was precisely the year Wang Er of Baishui County had risen in rebellion, killing the magistrate.
Shaanxi had suffered a terrible drought, and the people could barely survive.
Wang Er still remembered the reason for his rebellion: Chengcheng County Magistrate Zhang Yaocai’s brutal tax collection, treating starving villagers as less than human. He also recalled sneaking to Gao Family Village to steal water, only for the Heavenly Lord to bestow upon him a small mountain of flour. Happily carrying the flour back to his village, he heard that his fellow villagers' seed grain had been stolen.
In that moment, fury had surged within him.
Recalling it now, he couldn't help but sigh with deep emotion.
He had never expected that here in Hanzhong, this "dead money-grubber" Prince Rui would actually provide seven thousand taels of silver for disaster relief. This was truly unforeseen. Suddenly, the image of the miserly prince loomed much larger in his estimation.
Wang Er couldn't help but ask, amazed, "Someone as fond of money as you, would actually part with it?"
Wang Er was speechless.
Prince Rui continued, "Those who aren't proactive in earning, who lazily stick to their meager lot and avoid work, who don't rack their brains to earn every last copper coin... and then are tight-fisted when spending, unwilling to part with a single penny for this or that — such a pathetic wretch, this prince disdains to be!"
Li Daoxuan, who happened to be co-sensing through the embroidery on Wang Er's chest, overheard this remark and immediately felt a stab in his heart. *Damn it, Prince Rui, you little brat, you're aiming those words straight at me, aren't you?*
*I'll beat you!*
Just then, Zhao Guangyuan, the Regional Commander of Hanzhong, spoke up, "This general has discussed the matter with the Prefect and His Highness Prince Rui. We cannot ignore the bandits hiding in the Micang Mountains. We've decided to dispatch troops to search the mountains and utterly eradicate this band of outlaws."
Only then did Wang Er understand why they had sought him out. "You want my militia to operate alongside you, to jointly search the mountains?"
"Indeed!" Zhao Guangyuan affirmed. "The Micang Mountains cover a considerable area, with dense forests and crisscrossing ravines. Our combined forces are insufficient, so we'd like to ask for your assistance."
Wang Er snorted coldly. "You don't need to ask. I would have searched the mountains anyway."
Zhao Guangyuan and the other two were overjoyed. If Wang Er refused to act, with their meager troops, they wouldn't dare venture into the mountains to confront the bandits.
Just then, Wang Er added, "My searching the mountains will be sufficient. There's no need for you to get involved; you'd only get in the way."
The Prefect, Zhao Guangyuan, and Prince Rui were speechless.
The atmosphere grew rather stiff.
"Hold on," Zhao Guangyuan interjected. "The Micang Mountains are not small. You only have two thousand five hundred men under your command. How can you possibly search the entire mountain range? We still need to cooperate fully, each leading a contingent of troops, and set up a proper encirclement..."
"No need!" Wang Er declared. "Your few men won't be much help. I have my own ways of summoning assistance."
Zhao Guangyuan grew slightly annoyed. "Hey!"
The Prefect quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Um... Instructor, please don't be like that... General Zhao's soldiers are quite formidable..."
Wang Er's tone was unyielding. "I have plenty of manpower; I don't need your paltry numbers."
Zhao Guangyuan exploded in anger. "There's a limit to how much you can look down on people!"
He, a dignified Regional Commander, and the son of the renowned general Zhao Shuaijiao, to be so scorned by a mere militia instructor – he was so furious he wanted to overturn the table.
Just then...
*Woo!*
A train whistle blared, and the great train *chug-chug-chugged* into view once more.
The militia encampment was pitched not far from the railway. As the train rolled past the camp, many hands suddenly extended from the windows, waving continuously towards the tents. "We're here! Militia, we're here!"
"The militiamen are here!"
"We've come to help you!"
People shouted from every single window on the train.
The train was packed, carrying over a thousand people, all reserve militiamen. The moment the train came to a complete stop, they swiftly leaped off.
Their discipline was far looser than that of the regular militia. After disembarking, they didn't form ranks but instead, a large throng surged noisily towards the camp's main entrance, giving the guards a rather sloppy salute.
Then, a clamor of voices began announcing their affiliations. "Bamei No. 1 Factory militia reporting for duty!"
"Xigang No. 2 Factory militia reporting for duty!"
"Xigang No. 3 Factory militia, commanded by Sun Chuanting, here to support the front!"
...
Zhao Guangyuan, who had been simmering in anger, turned his head and saw over a thousand new troops arriving outside. His mouth fell open in astonishment.
He hurried out of the camp, stood at the entrance, and demanded of the militiamen, "Who did you say sent you?"
"Shaanxi Governor Sun Chuanting!"
Zhao Guangyuan argued, "A militia sent by the Governor? Then they should be assigned to me, the Regional Commander of Hanzhong, for command!"
"No, we were ordered to report to Instructor Wang and follow his command."
Zhao Guangyuan spluttered, "Why?! I am a Regional Commander, the descendant of a renowned general, skilled in military strategy! Why are these troops not assigned to me, but to a mere militia instructor?"
The militiamen paid no heed to his complaints, continuing their noisy self-introductions. Someone even yelled, "Train, hurry back to Xi'an! Many more are waiting for you!"
One militiaman, seeing Wang Er emerge, quickly reported to him, "Instructor Wang, the Chang'an Automobile Factory's militia has also arrived. They didn't come by train, but in vehicles produced by their own factory."
Wang Er was delighted. "Really? Excellent! After transporting the troops, those vehicles can be repurposed for logistical support."
Zhao Guangyuan listened, utterly bewildered. "What 'things'?"
However, half a day later, he finally understood.
On the cement highway to the northwest, a throng of solar-powered buses and steam automobiles appeared. They were much smaller than the train, and their carrying capacity far less, with each vehicle only able to transport a dozen or a few dozen people. But their sheer numbers were immense, unlike the single large train.
Hundreds of steam automobiles and solar-powered buses *rumbled* forward, each dropping off anywhere from a dozen to several dozen people, instantly adding another thousand-plus to the ranks.
And this was clearly not the end.
The great train made a second run, and the automobiles also began their second trip...
Thus, the troop numbers continued to swell.
More and more, an endless stream...
Eventually, temporary encampments, spreading out from Wang Er's camp, occupied an area several *li* in circumference.
The Prefect of Hanzhong, Zhao Guangyuan, and Prince Rui watched, utterly dumbfounded.
This was their first time witnessing such a large-scale militia mobilization, and their first time seeing such massive troop transport.
It was only then that they realized they couldn't intervene in this battle at all. With the meager forces at their disposal, they wouldn't even be enough to assist this colossal militia.
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