Chapter 337: Du Wenhuan's Fury
Yan'an Prefecture!
Yang He, the Supreme Commander of Shaanxi's three border regions, led a large army to the walls of Yan'an Prefecture.
The army behind him was no ordinary force. Its leading general was Du Wenhuan, a man skilled in horsemanship and archery, adept at military strategy. He was versed in "Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals," widely read in various schools of thought, and a poet skilled in the styles of the Six Dynasties and early Tang. His extensive writings included "Collection from Taixia Cave," "Overview of the Five Peaks," "Casual Writings on Consuming Mist," "Extensive Meanings of the Six Military Strategies," "Selected Taixia Collection," "Collection of Eight Streams," and "Complete Works on Military Tactics."
He was a complete master of both civil and martial arts.
During the Wanli era, Du Wenhuan had repeatedly defeated Mongol tribes and later earned great distinction for quelling She Chongming's rebellion in Chongqing.
He was a formidable man, possessing both exceptional ability and impressive military achievements.
When Yang He arrived in the Northwest to oversee the campaign against the roving bandits, Du Wenhuan was recuperating at home, feigning illness. Yang He specifically sought him out, coaxing him from his retirement to lead the bandit suppression.
The two had relentlessly pursued Wang Jiayin, the largest contingent of roving bandits, all the way from the northern frontier until they reached Yan'an Prefecture.
Upon reaching the walls of Yan'an Prefecture, Yang He saw nothing but desolation along the way. He couldn't help but sigh, "Four years of severe drought, no harvest, disrupted transportation. More than half of the starving soldiers and civilians have joined the bandits...."
Yang He blinked. "Ah? Yes, that's right. Why are there no walls?"
Du Wenhuan explained, "The county towns originally had walls, but after Wang Jiayin breached and plundered them, the bandits tore down the walls upon their withdrawal."
A slow, dawning realization flickered across Yang He's face. "Why would they do that?"
"Walls are advantageous for defense," Du Wenhuan continued. "The bandits destroyed them upon retreating so that the next time they come to plunder, it will be far easier."
Yang He exclaimed, "That's utterly preposterous! We must pursue Wang Jiayin as quickly as possible and capture this lawless villain!"
No sooner had he spoken than a swift horse galloped towards them. The rider dismounted, nearly tumbling from his saddle, and urgently reported, "After taking Huangfu, Qingshui, and Mugua, Wang Jiayin has now captured Fugu County! The bandit chief Shen Yiyuan has seized Xin'an, Ningsei, and Liushujian. And Shen Yiyuan's brother, Shen Yikui, is besieging Qingyang and has already taken Heshui...."
The moment "Ningsei" was uttered, Du Wenhuan's face darkened, and his entire body trembled. "Ningsei! Ningsei is my home!" he bellowed.
The messenger lowered his voice. "General Du's clansmen... were almost entirely... wiped out by Shen Yiyuan."
Du Wenhuan exploded in rage!
Yang He listened, his brow furrowing deeply. "We are pursuing Wang Jiayin here, but Shen Yiyuan has risen again elsewhere, and Bu Zhan Ni in Luochuan County is causing fierce trouble. With the generals of the five garrisons having gone to the capital to defend the emperor, our current forces are simply insufficient to suppress all these roving bandits."
Du Wenhuan was seething!
Yang He continued, "As things stand, it seems our only option is a full-scale pacification."
Du Wenhuan was still fuming!
Yang He declared, "Issue my command: all local garrisons, prefects, and county magistrates are to make every effort to appease the roving bandits. Promise them high positions and generous stipends, invite them to surrender. I will personally issue them pardons and devise a plan for their resettlement."
Du Wenhuan, beside himself with fury, roared, "Lord Yang, did you not just hear me? These bandits massacred my clansmen, and yet you want to appease them? You'd even issue them pardons? Are my Du family members to have died for nothing?"
Yang He tried to reason, "But the generals of the five garrisons are gone, and we don't have enough troops. At this moment, to quell the roving bandits, only pacification can—" Du Wenhuan, boiling with anger, cut him off. "Fine, fine, Supreme Commander, if you wish to appease them, then do so! I, your humble subordinate, will personally confront these villains, fighting them to the death to avenge my slaughtered kin!"
With that, Du Wenhuan turned and walked away.
His household guards and personal retainers immediately followed. In the blink of an eye, a large contingent of elite soldiers and capable officers departed with Du Wenhuan. No matter how Yang He called out, they did not return, utterly disregarding his authority.
Yang He was left with only a group of incompetent soldiers, shivering in the cold wind.
After making a detour through Xi'an, Feng Juan, the Magistrate of Heyang County, found his way back to Gao Family Village.
Although the closest route from Chengcheng County back to Heyang County should have been through Quangou Village, the fastest way between two points wasn't always a straight line; it was "the one with a train."
Thus, Gao Family Village, despite being a considerable detour, had paradoxically become the shortcut to Heyang County.
San Shier, Bai Yuan, and Gao Yiye came out together to welcome Feng Juan into the village. They settled into the assembly hall of the Gao Family Village Fortress.
"This official handed Fan Shan Yue's head to the governor, and the governor was most pleased," Feng Juan said, though his words of joy were contradicted by a heavy, somber expression, revealing not a hint of happiness.
San Shier and Bai Yuan immediately sensed another complication. "What's wrong?" San Shier asked in a low voice. "Why the long face?"
Feng Juan sighed. "After finally dealing with Fan Shan Yue, and having received your assistance and the promise of grain for Heyang County, I should indeed be joyful. However, during my trip to Xi'an, I received truly terrible news."
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.
Feng Juan explained, "Wang Jiayin of Fugu County is escalating his rebellion. A few days ago, he began moving south along the Yellow River. The scoundrel actually has a fleet of boats now and dispatched them to attack Hequ County in Shanxi, directly across the Yellow River!"
A ripple of shock went through the listeners.
Outside the diorama box, Li Daoxuan listened, his brow furrowing slightly. "Are they starting to wreak havoc on Shanxi now?" he mused. "Well, the timing is about right. Though the late Ming peasant uprisings began in Shaanxi, within a few years they had shifted into Shanxi. After devastating Shanxi, they moved towards Huguang and Sichuan, eventually paralyzing half of the Great Ming Empire."
Feng Juan's expression remained grim. "Shanxi's General-in-chief, Wang Guoliang, deployed Western cannons on the walls of Hequ County, bombarding the bandit vessels. He managed to repel Wang Jiayin's assault, for now."
San Shier, knowing little of military matters, couldn't help but ask, "The bandits are attacking Hequ County; that's still quite a distance from Heyang County. Lord Feng truly has no need to fret. This is what we call 'worrying needlessly about imaginary problems.'"
Bai Yuan interjected, "Administrator San, that's where you're mistaken. Traveling by land and traveling by river are two entirely different speeds. If the bandits are attacking Hequ County today, they could well be attacking Heyang County's Qichuan Ferry tomorrow!"
San Shier gasped, "Ah?"
Bai Yuan pulled out a fan, flicked it open with a flourish, and adopted a peculiar expression. "This, Administrator, is what we call 'a thousand li journey completed in a single day!'"
San Shier covered his face. "Master Bai, when you talk like that, I just want to punch you!"
Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you recognize that it's an annoying habit? I was merely mimicking your style just now."
San Shier was speechless.
Feng Juan said with a distressed expression, "Master Bai is absolutely right. Since Wang Jiayin of Fugu County now commands a fleet, he could strike Qichuan Ferry at any moment. My Heyang County has only just been ravaged by Fan Shan Yue and hasn't had a chance to recover. If Wang Jiayin attacks again so soon, I have neither the Western cannons of Shanxi's General-in-chief nor a formidable militia to defend the county. I truly don't know what to do, alas...."
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