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Chapter 888: Submit a Memorial Against Them

Tens of thousands of rebels stretched before them, tens of thousands more pressed from behind, and arrows rained down relentlessly from the slopes on either flank.

Witnessing the overwhelming scene, Cao Wenzhao's heart sank with a grim realization.

Without aid, relying solely on his own forces, he might very well meet his end in this ravine.

The Guanning Iron Cavalry hoisted their shields, forming a tight circle, backs pressed together, their defenses braced against the relentless volley of arrows descending from the hillsides.

Their superior equipment proved a blessing; any ordinary garrison unit would have been annihilated by such a devastating hail of arrows.

Liu Chenggong and Wang Xi, convinced of their impending doom, let out a long, regretful sigh. "Generals Cao," Liu Chenggong managed, his voice weak, "to rescue us, you've plunged yourselves into this desperate situation... We are truly sorry."

Cao Bianjiao gritted his teeth. *Will reinforcements even arrive?* he wondered grimly. *And that Henan Governor, Fan Shangzheng, he'd better not be a feckless fool... Otherwise, my uncle and I will both perish in this valley.*

As the thought crossed his mind, he instinctively cast a glance to the northwest. His eyes widened. *Huh?* In the distant sky, two Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloons drifted closer, unmistakable against the horizon. They weren't far at all.

Cao Bianjiao's spirits soared. "Hold on!" he roared, his voice cracking with renewed hope. "Brothers, hold fast! Reinforcements are almost here!"

Chuǎng Wang's rebels, positioned at the mouth of the valley and facing inward, stood firm. But then a sound from behind made them turn. "Ah, more government troops!" one of them bellowed.

"It's the Henan Governor's men!"

Rebels, after all, were still rebels. They fought well enough when conditions favored them, but the moment the tide turned, caught in a pincer attack, they instantly descended into chaos.

Bai Yuan wasted no words. "Open fire!"

The Flintlock Rifle soldiers unleashed a devastating volley. A deafening roar of fire erupted, and Chuǎng Wang's men crumpled en masse, cut down where they stood.

A panicked cry rose from the rebels: "It's *that* unit! The strange Flintlock Rifle soldiers!"

"Damn it all!" another yelled. "This time we won't fear them! Our hidden forces are still in position!"

From the hillsides flanking the valley, numerous rebel archers cautiously emerged.

But these hidden positions had long been observed by the Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloons, their locations meticulously charted onto maps, and swiftly relayed to the ground troops via bamboo tubes.

The Flintlock Rifle soldiers were poised and ready.

The moment the archers emerged from cover on the slopes, the Flintlock Rifle soldiers unleashed a barrage on both sides. Rebels screamed as they were struck, tumbling down the rocky hillsides.

Bai Yuan's voice cut through the din: "Don't advance recklessly! Secure your positions before moving forward!"

In truth, he needn't have uttered the command. The Dao Xuan Tian Zun had long ingrained a core principle in his followers: "Never risk your lives merely to prove your heroism; safety is paramount."

The Flintlock Rifle soldiers, prioritizing their own security, held back from immediately charging the valley mouth to relieve Cao Wenzhao. They left no opening for a surprise attack, instead raining fire upon the hillsides, pinning down Chuǎng Wang's archers to the point where not a single head dared to rise.

"Hold steady!" the order rang out. "Then, a slow advance."

Two thousand seasoned veterans began their methodical push forward.

Meanwhile, the three thousand greenhorn Flintlock Rifle soldiers kept their weapons trained on the flanking hillsides.

The rebels barricading the valley entrance were instantly battered, their formations collapsing into a desperate, writhing mass.

Inside the valley, the beleaguered Guanning Iron Cavalry now heard the distant roar of Flintlock Rifles.

"Reinforcements!"

"Flintlock fire! So many Flintlock Rifle soldiers!"

Cao Wenzhao felt a surge of energy. "The Henan garrison soldiers are surprisingly well-equipped, boasting so many Flintlock Rifles!" he exclaimed. "With this combined attack, the rebels are bound to break ranks. Guanning Iron Cavalry! Now is our moment to strike!"

With a thunderous roar, the Guanning Iron Cavalry unleashed their full, unbridled fury!

They surged towards the valley's choked entrance, and in an instant, the rebel ranks were shattered, sent sprawling.

Li Zicheng, the "Dashing General," was stunned. "Old Eighth Squad!" he bellowed. "Hold them back!"

He personally led his Old Eighth Squad—composed of his Mizhi countrymen, the elite core that would one day form the Fengtian Changyi Battalion of the Great Shun Dynasty—to stand against the Guanning Iron Cavalry...

Yet, it was all for naught. The Old Eighth Squad, too, proved no match for the Guanning Iron Cavalry. With a coordinated double charge from Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao, they were instantly shattered and routed.

The siege of Luanma Ravine was finally broken.

Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao, at last, burst free from the valley.

Outside, the rebel forces were in full collapse, hounded by Bai Yuan's Flintlock Rifle soldiers, scattering like frightened rats and scrambling desperately up the surrounding slopes.

Cao Wenzhao let out a surprised sound. "Bai Yuan?"

Cao Bianjiao blurted, "This is utterly unbelievable!"

Cao Wenzhao remarked, "Bai Yuan's robes are still pristine white, even after such fierce combat."

Cao Bianjiao stared, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. "Uncle!" he exclaimed, "Are you kidding me? You're marveling at the color of his clothes? Shouldn't you be astonished that these numerous Flintlock Rifle units are actually militia?"

Cao Wenzhao blinked. "Ah? Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case. I assumed these Flintlock Rifle soldiers were part of the Henan Governor Fan Shangzheng's forces. To think they're Bai Yuan's militia... that truly is preposterous."

Cao Bianjiao sighed. "Uncle, when will you ever focus on what truly matters?"

By then, the rebel forces had completely dispersed. Liu Chenggong and Wang Xi's units, saved by Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao, had also managed to escape the deadly trap. Fan Shangzheng's Henan soldiers finally caught up, rather belatedly, and began tending to the wounded.

The accompanying military medics carefully extracted the arrows from Liu Chenggong and Wang Xi, applying poultices to their wounds. The two severely injured generals closed their eyes, resting wearily on their stretchers.

Cao Wenzhao took a few steps toward Fan Shangzheng, then abruptly pivoted, approaching Bai Yuan with a respectful clasp of his fists. "Mr. Bai," he declared, "we are deeply indebted to your timely intervention. Without your aid, I, Cao Wenzhao, would undoubtedly have met my end in this Luanma Ravine."

Bai Yuan simply smiled. "A mere trifle," he replied with a modest wave of his hand.

Cao Wenzhao gave him a long, appraising look before turning to the two stretchers. He tapped the edge of Liu Chenggong's, his voice deep and stern. "You had only three thousand men, yet you insisted on confronting hundreds of thousands of rebels. Wasn't that simply courting death? You forced several divisions to rush here to rescue you..."

Liu Chenggong barely managed to pry open one eye. "We never anticipated," he rasped weakly, "that the rebels' fighting strength would have increased so dramatically... Before, in Shaanxi and Shanxi, *we* were the ones... chasing *them*."

Wang Xi, too, spoke up, his voice strained. "The crucial point is... the Emperor... commanded... that the rebels must be suppressed within six months... Six months!"

Cao Wenzhao stiffened. A long, weary sigh escaped him. "Six months? How is that even remotely possible?"

Wang Xi’s voice flared with indignation. "For such... an impossible... order... Liu Honglie, Ai Wannian, Liu Guozhen—they all perished... Every single one of them..."

Nearby, Bai Yuan subtly tugged at Fan Shangzheng's sleeve, murmuring, "Quickly, submit a memorial against them. Accuse them of dissatisfaction with the Emperor's imperial decree and harboring rebellious intent."

Fan Shangzheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Mr. Bai," he sighed, "this is hardly the time for jesting! Alas! His Majesty is ignorant of military matters and unaware of the true state of the rebels. He simply issues arbitrary commands on a whim. What are we to do?"