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Chapter 690: Striking a Rock with an Egg

Zhang Fengyi clearly wasn't fond of the informal address, her brows furrowing slightly. "General Deng, you're here too? Weren't you sent to Laizhou in the northeast to deal with Kong Youde's rebels?"

Deng Qi chuckled raucously. "This old man made a great effort at Laizhou and was returning triumphantly to Sichuan. Halfway back, I heard the bandits had besieged Huaiqing Prefecture. The Ministry of War dispatched me here to lift the siege, but by the time I arrived at Huaiqing, I found out the bandits had already fled into the mountains. Now I've come up empty, so I'm temporarily holed up in Xiuwu County. "

He scowled with impatience. "This godforsaken place, not even a bird bothers to relieve itself here. I wanted to ask the magistrate for some grain in the county town, only to find there aren't even two people left in the whole place."

He spoke with crude candor. "Got any spare grain? Share some with me, and I'll pay you back when I return to Sichuan."

Zhang Fengyi cursed inwardly: *You'd pay back? Only a fool would lend you grain.*

She shook her head. "Our Sichuan White Pole Soldiers are also returning from the Liaodong battlefield. We don't have much grain left ourselves; not enough even for our own men. I can't lend you any."

Deng Qi grumbled, "Damn it, everyone keeps saying they have no grain, no grain, no grain! How are my soldiers supposed to fight without food?"

Zhang Fengyi, not wanting to hear his complaints, asked, "I just came from Wen County, a bit far from the battle. Do you know the rebels' current movements?"

Deng Qi scoffed, "How the hell would I know?"

As they spoke, a rider on a swift horse galloped towards them. The rider tumbled from the saddle, his face etched with extreme panic, shouting, "Ah, it's wonderful to find both generals here! Please, I beg both generals to quickly provide aid!"

Zhang Fengyi's expression tightened. "What happened?"

Deng Qi, however, muttered curses. "Where do they need me to rescue now?"

The messenger quickly relayed, "After the rebels vanished into the Taihang Mountains for a time, they suddenly reappeared a few days ago. Chuang Wang crossed the Taihang Mountains and showed up in Hebei; Yan Zhenghu is occupying Jiaocheng, pressing towards Taiyuan; Shang Tianlong is holding Wucheng, advancing on Fenzhou; Zijing Liang and the West Camp Eight Great Kings are attacking Qinzhou and Wuxiang..."

Zhang Fengyi gasped, "Oh no!"

Deng Qi laughed heartily. "Hahaha, they're spreading out again, spreading out again!"

Zhang Fengyi turned, glaring at him angrily. "What the hell are you laughing at? We need to provide aid, and quickly. Where do you intend to go?"

Deng Qi sneered, "Aid for what? With no grain, I'm not going anywhere. First, I need to find some food."

The rider was frantic. "How can you say that?"

Deng Qi waved a hand. "Fine, fine, I'll just pick a random place to help. I'll simply head to Hebei. There should be grain there. I'll forage some along the way, then deal with the rebels who've run into Hebei."

With that, Deng Qi turned and walked away, cursing under his breath, a stream of Sichuanese vulgarities spilling from his mouth.

After a moment of serious consideration, Zhang Fengyi said, "Taiyuan and Fenzhou are too far; I can't reach those places. Qinzhou and Wuxiang, however, are closer. I'll go to their aid."

Li Daoxuan, who had been sitting in the carriage, suddenly sprang out. "General Zhang, you heard what he said! The ones attacking Qinzhou and Wuxiang are Zijing Liang and the West Camp Eight Great Kings. Those are the main rebel forces! Zijing Liang is currently their leader, and the West Camp Eight Great Kings are notoriously brutal. You only have a thousand soldiers; perhaps it's best not to challenge such powerful enemies directly."

After Wang Jiayin's death, Zijing Liang had become the rebel chieftain. His main army consisted entirely of fierce border veterans. With Zhang Fengyi's meager forces, engaging Zijing Liang was indeed ill-advised.

Zhang Fengyi, however, shook her head. "We cannot abandon cities just because the bandits are strong. The common people who are being plundered are hoping for the imperial army to rescue them. Although the bandits are powerful, we are not without a chance. We just need to hold them off until the main armies of Zhang Zongheng, Zuo Liangyu, and Xu Dingchen arrive."

Li Daoxuan sighed softly. She had a point. *Now I finally understand how Zhang Fengyi died! Striking a rock with an egg indeed.*

*It seems Houjia Village must be in either Qinzhou or Wuxiang.*

Since he now knew the general direction, there was still a chance to save her.

*Which of my territories is closest to Qinzhou and Wuxiang?*

Li Daoxuan settled back into the carriage, then instantly jumped his consciousness out of the box. He opened his map software, searched meticulously, and quickly found the answer.

Qinzhou and Wuxiang were in central Shanxi, and the closest area under Li Daoxuan's control was... Pingyang Prefecture.

Currently, Wang Er and Bai Mao, two formidable generals, were stationed in Pingyang Prefecture.

Bai Mao even held the official rank of a thousand-household commander, allowing him to lead troops legitimately.

*It's decided then!*

Li Daoxuan's consciousness leaped towards Pingyang Prefecture in a flash—

It was cold, December, very cold.

But it was a dry cold, without snow.

Dou Wenda, the prefect of Pingyang, wore a grim expression as he perused the imperial gazette. Bai Mao sat beside him in military uniform, while Wang Er, disguised as his subordinate, stood half a step behind Bai Mao.

Dou Wenda sighed. "The bandits have come again. They suddenly emerged from the Taihang Mountains, splitting into several routes, once again throwing Shanxi into chaos. Alas... Look, they've already reached Qinzhou and Wuxiang, only two hundred *li* from us."

"Commander Wang, you must be prepared in the coming days. Send out more scouts," Dou Wenda said with a worried look. "I truly fear waking up one morning to find Pingyang Prefecture already besieged by the bandits."

Bai Mao nodded. "Don't worry, I will defend Pingyang Prefecture well."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Puppet Heavenly Lord, sitting on his shoulder, stirred. It leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Prepare to march troops. Go to the aid of Qinzhou and Wuxiang."

Upon hearing this, Bai Mao instantly changed his tone. He turned to Dou Wenda and declared, "I just had a thought. Hiding inside the prefectural city to defend is too cowardly; it's not what soldiers like us should do. Since the bandits have already reached Qinzhou and Wuxian, soldiers like us should take the initiative to attack and defeat the enemy a hundred *li* away!"

Dou Wenda was stunned! This was no small shock. He grabbed Bai Mao's arm. "General Wang, please don't be reckless! You are only a thousand-household commander, with barely a thousand men under your command. The ones attacking Qinzhou and Wuxiang are Zijing Liang's main forces..."

Bai Mao puffed out his chest. "A true man fears no honorable death on the battlefield. Prefect, you lead the local militia to guard Pingyang Prefecture; your humble commander will be back shortly."

Dou Wenda pleaded, "Don't do this! Stay and defend the city! You can't abandon us. Pingyang Prefecture cannot do without you."

Bai Mao replied, "Prefect, you seem to have forgotten that your humble commander is not the Pingyang garrison commander, but a thousand-household commander who came from Shanxi specifically to encircle and pursue the rebels. It would be against regulations for me to remain stationed in Pingyang. I must resolutely pursue the rebels to fulfill His Majesty's expectations of me."

Dou Wenda was speechless, tears welling in his eyes.