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Chapter 1200: They're Fighting!

Chuǎng Wang, Li Yan, Li Guo, and Liu Zongmin were leading their small army of a little over a thousand men on a arduous journey through the Dabie Mountains.

Thanks to their recent days of "practicing benevolence and righteousness," the rebel army had grown to fifteen hundred. Chuǎng Wang no longer allowed looting or killing, instead choosing to treat the common people kindly. They only raided official garrisons and imperial granaries for supplies. Though their numbers were still modest, Chuǎng Wang felt his army was gaining a new kind of strength.

Laughter often echoed among the soldiers, a stark contrast to the sighs and despair that had previously filled their ranks, reflecting their confusion about the future.

Chuǎng Wang couldn't help but admire Li Yan, who had given him the idea of "practicing benevolence and righteousness," allowing him to rise again from utter despair.

"Report, Big Brother, White Hat Town is just over the next ridge," a scout announced.

White Hat Town was situated on the southern slope of the Dabie Mountains, to the southwest of the third branch of the Tianyang mountain range.

As Chuǎng Wang emerged from the Dabie Mountains, he found himself approaching this small town.

Chuǎng Wang asked in a low voice, "Does the town have an official storehouse?"

"I don't know about a storehouse, but..." the scout's face took on a strange expression, "a large army has just occupied White Hat Town."

"No... it doesn't quite look like it," the scout replied. "They're constructing defensive fortifications within the town, as if they intend to hold someone back."

Chuǎng Wang's interest was immediately piqued. "Come on, let's go take a look from the mountainside."

He brought only Li Yan, Li Guo, and Liu Zongmin, his three closest confidants, to the mountain slope, where they lay prone on the summit, peering down at White Hat Town below.

Indeed, a large army, numbering no less than ten thousand, occupied the town.

However, only a small fraction of these soldiers wore official uniforms. The rest were dressed in a somewhat motley assortment of clothing.

Chuǎng Wang immediately spotted a thousand members of the Gao Family Village Militia among the crowd.

He would never forget their distinctive attire. "It's that strange firearms unit! How did they end up here?"

Li Guo mused, "They couldn't possibly be chasing us. Our numbers are too small now; it wouldn't be worth a specialized firearms unit pursuing us specifically."

Chuǎng Wang glanced up at the Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloon floating above White Hat Town and nodded. "With so few of us scattered across the vast Dabie Mountains, even their large Kongming lanterns couldn't spot us. They're definitely not here for us. In any case, let's just observe for now."

From his vantage point, he watched covertly.

The peculiar firearms unit was directing other troops in building defensive structures.

The town's walls weren't particularly high, and the small White Hat Town couldn't possibly accommodate over ten thousand soldiers, so they were also setting up defenses outside the town.

Chuǎng Wang saw them stacking stones and mud to create low walls, only half a man's height.

These low walls weren't just a single layer; there were multiple, staggered layers that fanned out from both sides of the town, extending far into the distance, covering a wide area.

Li Guo remarked, "They've turned perfectly flat ground into these low walls. It'll be impossible to form battle ranks this way."

Chuǎng Wang nodded. "They don't need to form ranks. They want these staggered low walls so their flintlock riflemen can hide behind them to shoot. Enemy arrows and firearms will be blocked by these walls, and charging warhorses will also be impeded."

Li Guo considered this carefully, realizing the truth of it.

Chuǎng Wang continued to observe. The strange firearms unit was also digging trenches in the ground, rows upon rows of ditches that encircled the small White Hat Town, forming layer after layer of defensive rings.

Li Guo looked on, somewhat bewildered. "How exactly are we supposed to fight against them?"

Chuǎng Wang closed his eyes and shook his head. "Aside from bombarding them with cannons, I can't think of any way to counter their tactics. In fact, even cannons wouldn't be very effective; those ditches on the ground are too convenient for dodging shells. With this setup, they're practically invincible."

Li Guo uttered a surprised, "Huh?"

Chuǎng Wang let out a long sigh. "This must be the power of advanced weaponry. Because they possess those strange flintlock rifles, they can employ such tactics. We, on the other hand, lack those firearms. When we fight, we must array our armies, so we cannot dig ditches or build low walls; otherwise, it would only hinder our own formations."

Li Guo remained utterly confused.

At this moment, the most bewildered was Li Yan.

He didn't understand much about combat, but he was primarily observing the discipline of this army.

This massive army had settled in White Hat Town and was digging ditches and the like. Given the usual disposition of government troops, they would likely force the common people to do the digging or wall-building. However, this army was not doing so.

They did not harm a single civilian. In fact, while dispatching men to dig, they also sent others into the town to reassure the populace and distribute gruel to the needy.

This kept the townspeople's morale remarkably stable, and the entire town exuded an aura of calm and order.

Li Yan exclaimed, "Wait! This... army uses the same strategy as us: practicing benevolence and righteousness."

Chuǎng Wang's brows furrowed deeply.

He had long known that his opponents were powerful in battle, but he hadn't expected them to be so advanced in their strategy as well. This strange firearms unit seemed to have always been "practicing benevolence and righteousness," while he had only just begun to do so after meeting Li Yan. Compared to them, he was truly far behind.

He had lost on both fronts: combat power and strategy.

"Look, another army is approaching!"

Liu Zongmin pointed to the west.

Chuǎng Wang turned his head and immediately recognized them. "Zuo Liangyu!"

Zuo Liangyu's army was easy to identify: the central contingent of three thousand government troops, all in bright, well-maintained armor, presented the image of a regular imperial force. However, surrounding these three thousand were hordes of disorderly, pacified bandits.

There was no discipline whatsoever!

Even Zuo Liangyu's own three thousand government soldiers lacked discipline, let alone the surrounding bandits, who were a chaotic, noisy, dust-raising, and haphazard mess.

This massive army halted outside White Hat Town.

Zuo Liangyu burst into laughter, addressing White Hat Town: "Shi Kefa! A civilian leading troops is truly amateurish. Do you even know how to fight? Building low walls everywhere and digging ditches—are you putting on a circus act?"

Chuǎng Wang muttered, "This fellow still doesn't know the might of the firearms unit; he can't understand the flintlock riflemen's deployment."

Zuo Liangyu's loud voice carried across: "Listen up, everyone! Shi Kefa, as the Governor of Anqing and Luzhou, has illegally led his army into Huguang. He must harbor rebellious intentions! I, Zuo Liangyu, am loyal to the imperial court and cannot stand idly by. I resolve to eradicate this rebellious faction and uphold the law!"

The bandits burst into laughter. "Hahahaha!"

Zuo Liangyu waved his hand forward. "Attack!"

From the government army's formation, two large cannons were rolled out.

But before the artillerymen could even finish loading, White Hat Town opened fire first. "Boom, boom, boom!" Those individual, portable small cannon barrels spewed forth angry flames. Exploding small grenades flew towards Zuo Liangyu's artillery position.