Chapter 764: Stationing at Wuguan Pass
Henan Province...
Having just endured the Yellow River’s devastating breach, Henan, in the sixth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, was once again afflicted by a severe drought.
The autumn brought no harvest, and planting wheat proved impossible. The fields lay bare of green grass, and nine out of ten households stood vacant. Amidst this desolation, a measure of rice fetched five silver *qian*; those who toiled a full day couldn't earn enough for a single meal of rice; some subsisted on grass roots and tree leaves; husbands abandoned wives, mothers deserted children; selling a child brought barely enough for a few meals; some hanged themselves in barren groves, willingly filling ditches; others starved by the roadside; clad in rags and with hunger-pinched faces, begged for alms; many perished, their heads laid together in death; some sealed their homes with mud and fled with their meager belongings; and there were even instances of kin devouring kin.
Into this desperate tableau, the rebels returned!
Like an army of locusts, the rebels arrived, brandishing swords and knives. They had intended to storm the villages and plunder them thoroughly, but upon witnessing the widespread desolation in Henan's countryside, they couldn't help but be startled.
"Brother Chuǎng Wang, we can't steal anything from these villages." Meng Hu reported. "The common folk of Henan are poorer than we are, damn it."
Chuǎng Wang heard the report and was somewhat baffled. "What are we to do? We have an army of over a hundred thousand, and we need food."
"We still need to attack cities." Chuang Jiang piped up from the side. "Brother Chuǎng Wang, allow me a word. Given the current size of our army, plundering villages and civilians is utterly pointless now. How many common folk would we have to rob to feed over a hundred thousand men? We can only seize the imperial cities and open the government granaries. As for these farmers and ordinary people, not only should we stop robbing them, but we should actively recruit them, bringing them all into our army. Only then can we continue to grow and capture more cities."
Chuǎng Wang listened and agreed that it made sense.
The bandit army launched attacks on multiple fronts, and county seats across western Henan fell one after another.
The rebels' power surged once more!
Their vanguard pointed directly at Wuguan Pass...
Tianzhu Mountain.
The common folk living at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain, upon hearing news that the rebels might be approaching, were thrown into a panic.
But they didn't wait for the rebels; instead, they first awaited the logistics and supply convoy from Gao Family Village.
As soon as this convoy arrived, the residents of Shanyang County found themselves blessed.
Without a word, Li Daoxuan immediately issued an order: each family would receive five measures of grain.
This was to calm the people's fears first.
This move, once enacted, proved remarkably effective, as expected. The common folk instantly ceased their panic and became incredibly obedient and cooperative.
Everyone temporarily set aside their farm work and began constructing various defensive fortifications. They dug trenches and foxholes, transforming the villages across Shanyang County into something resembling the fortified warrens from tales of tunnel warfare. Everything was prepared, awaiting the enemy's arrival.
Then, the news arrived!
The rebels had arrived. After wreaking havoc throughout Henan, the rebel army, which had originally dwindled to just over a hundred thousand men, had once again swelled to a quarter of a million strong.
With formidable troops and mounts, they successively captured county towns.
With their forces strengthened, the rebels grew arrogant again. Instead of hiding in the mountains and forests at the borders of the four provinces as expected, they marched directly towards Wuguan Pass.
"The rebels are almost at Wuguan Pass," Luo Xi rushed into the Medicine King Temple, exclaiming loudly, "Brother Zheng, this is bad! The rebels are about to reach Wuguan Pass. Wuguan Pass is the gateway to Shaanxi. If the rebels breach Wuguan Pass, they can re-enter Shaanxi. What should we do?”
Upon hearing this news, Zheng Gouzi couldn't help but spread his hands in bewilderment. "The rebels are that brazen? They're not even taking the mountain paths, but directly using the main roads, daring to charge Wuguan Pass head-on?”
Luo Xi: "The rebels must have calculated that Hong Chengchou is tied up with the Mongols in Guyuan, with no time to deal with them. Shaanxi's military strength is depleted, so they dare to attack Wuguan Pass directly.”
"Alright, then we'll move to Wuguan Pass,” Li Daoxuan said with a smile, stepping out of the carriage. "We chose to station ourselves in Shanyang County precisely because of its central location, making it convenient to reinforce any surrounding area. Wherever the rebels go, we follow.”
At Li Daoxuan's command, the militia immediately sprang into action.
From Tianzhu Mountain to Wuguan Pass, it was only a distance of a hundred *li*.
Everyone hastened their pace, and running and running, in just over a day's time, Wuguan Pass came into view.
Luo Xi said, "Look, Wuguan Pass. We don't see any bandit soldiers wreaking havoc on the pass. This pass is still in the hands of the government troops.”
Padi Tu: "But I don't see any government troops either.”
As soon as he said that, Luo Xi was a little bewildered. "How peculiar? This is the gateway to Shaanxi, a strategically vital location since ancient times. There should always be a contingent of government soldiers permanently stationed here; where are they?”
Padi Tu: "Pffft, ha ha ha! They've fled, they definitely have.”
Luo Xi wiped his brow.
Just then, scouts from the Gao Family Village Militia appeared on Wuguan Pass, waving from the pass walls to the main force in the distance, signaling that the path was clear and safe to proceed.
Everyone quickly accelerated their pace and rushed into Wuguan Pass.
Once inside the pass, they saw that, indeed, the entire Wuguan Pass was deserted!
There wasn't a single government soldier. Of course, nor were there any common folk. The local residents of Wuguan Pass, seeing the government troops flee, naturally wouldn't be so foolish as to remain. They had all taken their families and sought refuge in the nearby mountains and forests.
Luo Xi found himself both exasperated and amused. "This general guarding the pass is even more cowardly than I am! While I might run after a defeat, I certainly wouldn't flee before a single blow was struck. Doesn't this fellow fear the Emperor's wrath?”
Zheng Gouzi chuckled, "Fleeing only gets you dismissed; losing a battle means death. It's just as well the government troops are gone, it makes it easier for us to operate.”
The Gao Family Village Militia immediately began to ascertain their defensive positions.
Just as when they were stationed in Luoyang, they first scouted their positions and marked them, so they would know exactly where to be when the bandit army arrived.
Luo Xi and his household guards felt they had little to do. The group could only mill about behind the Gao Family Village Militia...
"Um... Brother Zheng, could you perhaps find something for my men and me to do?”
Luo Xi said, a little awkwardly, "After all, I'm the one who invited you to help, yet I haven't done anything myself. It just doesn't feel right.”
"Move aside,” a militia soldier said, coming from behind and nudging Luo Xi away. "Don't block the path.”
Luo Xi: "...”
This was quite awkward. Then, in a flash of inspiration, he suggested, "How about my men handle scouting and reconnaissance? We're quite good at that.”
"That's not a bad idea,” Zheng Gouzi chuckled. "Have some of your men go up to the watchtowers and keep lookout from high ground. Additionally, send a few men out east from Wuguan Pass, to scout a distance towards Henan. If they spot the rebel army, they should immediately return and report.”
Luo Xi was overjoyed. "Excellent! I can finally be of use!”
After all, he had a hundred and fifty household guards under him. Moreover, these household guards were considered elite troops. The household guards of Ming generals were always elite; there were no weaklings among them.
Several of these household guards ascended the watchtowers. Others ventured out of Wuguan Pass, dispersing into the surrounding area, to embark on the rather auspicious task of scouting.
Comments