Chapter 464: I'm Going South to See
Hequ County!
Li Daoxuan, in his form as the Puppet Heavenly Lord, sat perched on Bai Mao's shoulder armor, his gaze fixed on the solitary city in the north.
Hequ County had indeed become an isolated fortress.
Over twenty thousand government troops, their nineteen camps encircling Hequ, had formed a formidable ring, severing all contact between Wang Jiayin's forces and the outside world.
Such was the consequence of proclaiming himself king!
Wang Jiayin had once boasted command of three hundred and fifty thousand troops, yet now, only a hundred thousand or so remained loyal.
After all, roving bandits were just that—roving bandits. To expect them to uphold "jianghu loyalty," to understand the strength in unity, or to grasp the wisdom that a bundle of chopsticks is harder to break than a single one? That was pure fantasy. If they truly comprehended such principles, they would cease to be mere bandits.
Bai Mao let out a soft sigh. "Heavenly Lord," he murmured, "not long ago, Brother Wang Er and I were riding with Wang Jiayin's men. Now, to see him so thoroughly encircled by the imperial army, I can't help but feel a flicker of... well, you know..."
Li Daoxuan extended a spherical, plush hand, reminiscent of a cartoon cat's, and patted Bai Mao's cheek, but offered no words.
Shaanxi Grand General Wang Cheng'en approached with a retinue of his men, pointing emphatically at the besieged city. "Where are those shield wagons I ordered?" he boomed. "How many have you completed?"
A subordinate rushed forward. "We have five already, sir!" he declared.
The subordinate scurried away, as if eager for commendation. A short while later, a group of government soldiers wheeled out five massive shield wagons.
This was Bai Mao's first encounter with a shield wagon. It resembled a colossal wooden wall, mounted on four wheels. In combat, soldiers would slowly push it forward from behind its formidable barrier, completely shielding them from enemy arrows and firearms. Not a single man behind it would be harmed.
He pictured five such shield wagons advancing in unison, protecting soldiers across a vast expanse. If he were defending against them, seeing these colossal wagons bearing down, he wouldn't know how to possibly counter.
Bai Mao leaned in, his voice hushed. "Heavenly Lord," he said, "these shield wagons seem incredibly effective against our musketeers."
Li Daoxuan simply smiled. "Cannons," he stated.
He uttered only those two words, then fell silent.
Bai Mao grasped it in an instant. What muskets couldn't shake, cannons could obliterate. A single shot aimed at that thick wooden barrier would instantly tear it apart.
However, at that very moment, Wang Cheng'en boomed, "Last time, the Shaanxi Grand General Wang Guoliang suffered a defeat to Wang Jiayin, who seized two Western cannons. They are now positioned within Hequ County, and shield wagons alone won't get us through."
At this, Bai Mao was stunned. "Wang Jiayin has cannons now?" he exclaimed. "Then what are we to do?"
Li Daoxuan responded, "Cannons against cannons!"
Indeed, Wang Cheng'en turned to his subordinate. "Where are the cannons I instructed you to procure from the local officials?" he demanded. "Have they arrived?"
The subordinate nodded eagerly. "They'll be here any moment, sir! The Governor of Shanxi has sent us four Western cannons... we can use them to counter the rebels' artillery."
Wang Cheng'en declared, "Excellent! Use the cannons to protect our shield wagons as they push forward."
Bai Mao seemed to have a sudden realization. He whispered, "Heavenly Lord, it seems that in battle, one must also consider flanking the enemy's lines to destroy their artillery. For that, cavalry would be ideal, wouldn't it?"
Li Daoxuan's plush head gave a subtle nod.
Bai Mao grinned. "Heh, I think I'm starting to get the hang of warfare."
No sooner had his pride swelled than he heard Wang Cheng'en's crisp command: "Set up several rows of chevaux de frise here, protected on both flanks. Station archers and crossbowmen behind them, and place the Western cannons we've been allotted between the two rows of obstructions."
Bai Mao stared.
He suddenly realized that the meager bit of military wisdom he'd just acquired had likely been practiced to perfection by the imperial army long ago.
"What now?"
Bai Mao was somewhat flummoxed.
Li Daoxuan explained, "So, war isn't won with petty cleverness, but with sheer wealth. You can't break their four-cannon artillery line? No matter. Just array fifty cannons and blast them to smithereens. Strategy, tactics, and leadership merely add polish; true victory or defeat is ultimately decided by national power. And national power stems from the inventions of scientists and the toil of the common people, never from plunder..."
Bai Mao listened, understanding some, yet only partially. But one thing became unequivocally clear: the Heavenly Lord held utter disdain for those who merely plundered, lacking the capacity to create.
He whispered, "Heavenly Lord, is Wang Jiayin utterly doomed this time?"
Li Daoxuan raised his hand, poised to perform a mystical calculation, but then realized—ah! His spherical, plush hand had no fingers to 'pinch'! He couldn't even complete the full display of divine power.
Forget it, no need for theatrics. He'd just state it plainly: "He won't die this time."
Bai Mao was greatly surprised, but having navigated the world for so many years, he was no fool. After careful thought, he pieced it together: "Though the government forces hold the advantage, they number only twenty thousand. That's enough to defeat Wang Jiayin, yes, but not to corner him to his death. Twenty thousand men, stretched in a circle around the county town, will be thin and vulnerable everywhere. As long as Wang Jiayin isn't a complete idiot, he'll surely concentrate his hundred thousand troops at a single point and break through the siege."
Li Daoxuan, seeing the man's growth, felt a quiet satisfaction. "Very good, very good," he thought. Then he said aloud, "His hardened bandits will certainly escape, but the old, the weak, and the women and children will be left behind. Prepare to receive another batch of surrendered rebels."
Bai Mao nodded. "Understood, Heavenly Lord!"
"Oh, and try to earn some merit," Li Daoxuan added, a mischievous chuckle rumbling from him. "Get yourself a promotion, try to secure an official position within the Ming army."
Bai Mao blinked. "Huh? Me? Really become an official?"
"Truly!" Li Daoxuan insisted. "Become a high official, and you can raise private armies..."
Bai Mao's eyes widened in understanding. Raising private armies—that was precisely how the Gao Family Village Militia had been formed! This would allow the militia to legitimately integrate themselves directly into the official Ming ranks.
The Heavenly Lord was toying with mortals once more.
So, how should I, a mere mortal, go about earning great merit?
Bai Mao began to ponder.
"South!"
Li Daoxuan uttered but a single word, then said no more.
Yet Bai Mao seemed to grasp something profound. His spirits lifted. He stepped before Wang Cheng'en, clasped his fists, and declared, "General, your subordinate requests permission to venture south and investigate."
Hequ County was unequivocally to the north, yet Bai Mao had requested to go south.
Wang Cheng'en internally scoffed: *This fellow is terrified of death and seeks to evade battle.*
Bai Mao had joined Wang Cheng'en's forces under the pretense of a "rich scion seeking military accolades." In the general's estimation, he was nothing more than a pampered dilettante, so his fear of death and desire to avoid combat were hardly surprising.
The man, after all, came with the recommendation of Liang Shixian, the veritable 'patron' who supplied their provisions. Though Wang Cheng'en found him distasteful, he had no choice but to indulge him. He let out a sigh. "Go hide in the south then!" he said. "Just... go quietly. Don't make a scene, or you'll demoralize my troops."
Bai Mao bowed, then slipped away from the encampment, heading south alone. In a secluded valley, he located a perfect ambush point along a narrow pass. He concealed himself in the shadows and drew out a fowling piece.
The fowling piece he held outwardly resembled those carried by the imperial soldiers, yet internally, its barrel was rifled. This single detail made it vastly superior to the smoothbore muskets wielded by the government troops.
He settled the fowling piece before him and waited in silent anticipation...
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