Chapter 768: Afraid of What?
Lian Guoshi, Luo Xi, Zheng Gouzi, and Padi Tu sat together.
Mass-produced Model Three also quietly took a seat in a corner of the conference room, deliberately keeping a low profile, choosing not to sit at the main table or engage in direct conversation with Lian Guoshi.
Lian Guoshi declared, "General Luo, I appreciate your defense of Wuguan Pass. The rebels have withdrawn now, most likely retreating to Shangnan County. As Shangnan County remains under Shaanxi's jurisdiction, I, as the governor, must continue the pursuit."
The moment he uttered those words, a palpable awkwardness settled among those gathered.
Li Daoxuan, too, furrowed his brow.
He had brought his forces here specifically to block the rebels' entry into Shaanxi.
But it was clear he was a step too late. By the time he received news of the rebels advancing on Wuguan Pass, Shangnan County had already fallen; it was too late to save it. He had barely managed to secure Wuguan Pass itself.
In a sense, it could be considered a strategic failure.
Li Daoxuan couldn't help but sigh, acknowledging the immense difficulty of defense. It was no wonder their ancestors had built the Great Wall. Only by completely encircling one's territory with a vast, unbroken wall could one truly guard against the enemy's elusive and unpredictable assaults.
Luo Xi glanced at Li Daoxuan, seeking his counsel. He had by now realized that Zheng Gouzi and the others also deferred to Li Daoxuan's command.
Li Daoxuan nodded subtly in his direction.
Only then did Luo Xi turn to Lian Guoshi, saying, "This subordinate... *cough*... I, of course, have no objection."
With their discussion concluded, everyone immediately rose. Leaving only a small contingent of local volunteers to guard Wuguan Pass, they promptly set off along the Shangluo Road, advancing southeast—
Shangnan County.
By this time, Shangnan County town, like many others breached by the rebels, lay in utter ruin. Its walls had been torn down, the common people suffered heavy casualties, and those who survived were forcibly conscripted by the rebel army.
Sweeping King and Full Sky Star, defeated, retreated to Shangnan County. No sooner had they arrived than they encountered the Chuǎng Wang's main army, which had caught up from behind.
Two hundred and fifty thousand rebel troops converged once more, forming an impossibly vast army. The small county town couldn't possibly contain them, so the land outside stretched for miles, teeming with rebel soldiers.
Sweeping King and Full Sky Star entered the main tent, their faces clouded with misfortune. "Brother Chuǎng Wang," Sweeping King announced, "we've suffered a defeat; Wuguan Pass blocked our advance."
The Chuǎng Wang let out a sound of surprise. "A mere Wuguan Pass," he questioned, "was enough to halt your advance?"
Sweeping King replied, "The Wuguan garrison was using some unknown type of firearm; they fired with inexplicable speed..."
The moment those words left his lips, the Dashing General, standing behind the Chuǎng Wang, took a step forward. He commanded, "Explain in detail."
Full Sky Star quickly recounted the Battle of Wuguan Pass.
In truth, the battle had begun swiftly and ended even more rapidly, leaving him little to describe. He could only exaggerate the enemy's firearms, embellishing their capabilities with fervor.
The Dashing General's expression grew serious after hearing the account. "Those strange firearm soldiers again?" he mused.
He turned to the Chuǎng Wang, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture. "Brother Chuǎng Wang," he implored, "please heed my words."
The Chuǎng Wang grunted, "Go on."
The Dashing General explained, "These peculiar firearm soldiers, with their exceptionally rapid firing rate and numerous ranks, are not a new phenomenon to us. We've encountered them multiple times: in northwestern Shanxi's Pinelyang Prefecture, at the head of the Dragon Gate Bridge, during the Hejin river crossing operation, in Wenshui County, and Luoyang City... time and again, these firearm soldiers have appeared."
The Chuǎng Wang exclaimed, "Now that you mention it, you're right."
The Dashing General produced a map, pointing out the locations where they had encountered the firearm soldiers. He then drew an arc connecting these points, stretching from northwestern Shanxi all the way to Wuguan Pass, creating what looked like a circular boundary. "Observe," he urged, "these firearm soldiers we've faced operate within a distinct range..."
Several rebel leaders gathered closer to examine it, each letting out a surprised murmur.
Everyone began to grasp the implication.
The Dashing General placed his finger precisely in the center of the map, directly on Xi'an. "These peculiar firearm soldiers," he explained, "operate with this location as their central base. Their range of activity is limited; they cannot stray too far from this core. This could be due to stretched supply lines, or perhaps their forces aren't yet sufficient to cover a broader territory..."
The Chuǎng Wang murmured, "I see."
The Dashing General continued, "Therefore, if we wish to avoid further encounters with these strange firearm soldiers, we should distance ourselves from this region as much as possible. My suggestion, then, is to abandon the advance into Shaanxi and instead pivot our forces southward."
Sweeping King scoffed, "Won't that make us seem utterly cowardly?"
The Dashing General retorted, "If you're eager to play the hero, by all means, go. But I have no taste for bravado."
Sweeping King mumbled under his breath, "I certainly don't."
The Chuǎng Wang hesitated. His defining trait was his utter lack of one, and confronted with such a dilemma, he found himself utterly incapable of making a decision.
Just then, a sinister voice cut in from the side. "Dashing General," it sneered, "aren't you overestimating these firearm-wielding enemies? You're boosting their morale while undermining our own prestige! Shaanxi is where your rebellion began, your homeland. Now, with two hundred and fifty thousand troops under your command, you're afraid to go home? That's utterly spineless! Haven't you heard the saying, 'To return home rich and famous is like parading in fine clothes at night'?"
The moment these words were spoken, everyone turned to look. The speaker was a fierce bandit named Yi Dou Gu.
This Yi Dou Gu was a new rebel leader, only recently incorporated into the main rebel army in Henan.
For the past few years, Henan had been ravaged by both drought and flood, a veritable hell on earth, making the people's lives unbearable. Thus, Yi Dou Gu, alongside his close comrade Wa Guanzi, had risen in rebellion, attracting a massive following of refugees.
When the rebels from Shaanxi and Shanxi happened to enter Henan, they naturally joined forces.
Although they were newcomers, their status as Henan natives gave them an advantage. They operated like fish in water within Henan Province, and virtually all the Henan people they conscripted willingly followed them. This swelled their numbers to forty or fifty thousand, and they genuinely didn't hold veteran rebels like the Dashing General in high regard.
Most crucially, neither Yi Dou Gu nor Wa Guanzi had ever faced Gao Family Village's firearm soldiers in battle.
Ignorance breeds fearlessness!
Yi Dou Gu declared, "You may be afraid of these so-called firearm soldiers, but I, Yi Dou Gu, am not. Leave these fellows to me; I'll deal with them."
The Dashing General warned, "Don't be reckless."
Yi Dou Gu scoffed, "We'll see who dies first."
Just as the two finished speaking, a scout burst into the tent. "A report, esteemed leaders!" he panted. "Shaanxi Governor Lian Guoshi is leading that peculiar firearm soldier unit straight towards Shangnan County! What are our orders?"
Without a moment's hesitation, the Dashing General responded, "Brother Chuǎng Wang, we must retreat south into Yunxi County. Those Shaanxi troops will then be unable to pursue us."
Yi Dou Gu, however, scoffed, "Afraid of what? I'm staying right here, I'm not going anywhere! We'll slaughter every last one of those gutless Shaanxi soldiers, then march straight to Xi'an!"
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