Chapter 996: Time to Deal with Him
Lao Huihui was slightly startled by the news.
"Zuo Liangyu?"
Zuo Liangyu, the imperial general tasked with relief and suppression in Henan, had recently carved out a formidable reputation for himself across the region.
Lao Huihui’s intelligence network, sourced from various rebel factions, gave him a far deeper understanding of Zuo Liangyu than the imperial court possessed.
To the court, Zuo Liangyu commanded a mere three thousand soldiers, many of whom were 'ghost' entries on the payroll, bringing his true strength to less than two thousand. Yet, with this meager force, he had consistently routed the rebel marauders, earning him a reputation as a diligent and highly capable general.
To the rebels, however, Zuo Liangyu was a relentless predator, constantly absorbing their ranks. He would defeat one rebel band, secure their surrender, and swell his own army. Then, he’d crush another, offering them the same terms to further expand his forces.
Now, this ambitious general commanded not only three thousand official troops but also a formidable force of nearly ten thousand former rebels.
“That imbecile Zuo Liangyu,” Lao Huihui muttered, unable to suppress a low curse. “Why is he coming after us? What exactly does he hope to achieve?”
“Perhaps he intends to absorb us,” a subordinate murmured quietly. “We are, after all, a highly capable frontier cavalry force.”
As he spoke, the awaited supply convoy appeared on the horizon!
The convoy from Gao Family Village emerged onto the main road outside Yanling County. It wasn't delivering supplies via the village’s usual advanced vehicles, as Lao Huihui wasn’t yet privy to the secrets of Gao Family Village’s automotive technology.
Instead, they relied on traditional ox-carts and horse-drawn wagons to transport the grain.
Lao Huihui hurried forward to greet them, clasping his hands in deference. “Many thanks, Mr. Bai,” he declared. “You’ve never once failed to deliver the promised provisions.”
The captain of the transport team hopped down from his wagon, a wide grin on his face, and bowed respectfully to Lao Huihui. “And you, General, have likewise upheld your word,” he replied. “We are well aware that your forces have committed no atrocities against the populace during this time.”
With greetings exchanged, Lao Huihui swiftly waved his hand, instructing his subordinates: “Quickly, unload the grain! Zuo Liangyu will be upon us any moment.”
“Oh?” the transport captain exclaimed, surprised. “Zuo Liangyu is on his way?”
Lao Huihui nodded. “Indeed! To be frank, we weren’t as discreet as we should have been on our journey to collect these provisions, and Zuo Liangyu’s scouts detected our movements. Just moments ago, a report confirmed he’s already leading his army to intercept us. Our plan was to finish loading the supplies and make a swift retreat, avoiding any confrontation.”
The captain clicked his tongue, a silent acknowledgment, though he’d initially intended to say nothing further. But then, the embroidered image of the Heavenly Lord on his chest suddenly spoke, a low voice emanating from it: “Ask him why he’s reluctant to engage Zuo Liangyu.”
The captain’s spirits immediately soared. The Heavenly Lord was here!
He swiftly turned to Lao Huihui. “General,” he inquired, “what is your reason for not wishing to fight Zuo Liangyu?”
Lao Huihui responded, “Since I’ve accepted your provisions, I naturally have no desire to be counted among your adversaries.”
“Us?” The captain shook his head. “Zuo Liangyu and we are not, in fact, allies.”
“Oh?” Lao Huihui’s brows furrowed. “Aren’t you aligned with the imperial court?”
The captain let out a knowing chuckle.
The embroidered Heavenly Lord’s voice dropped, hushed and conspiratorial. “Inform him that while he may spare other imperial officers, Zuo Liangyu... well, Zuo Liangyu is fair game. Let him fight as he pleases, with no holds barred.”
The captain, having received his divine instructions, chuckled once more before faithfully relaying the Heavenly Lord’s exact words.
Lao Huihui’s expression cleared with understanding. “Ah, so you, gentlemen, have a grievance with Zuo Liangyu?”
With the Heavenly Lord’s directives echoing in his mind, the captain replied, “A grievance, perhaps not in the traditional sense, but our supreme leader harbors a deep disdain for Zuo Liangyu. He is precisely the kind of corrupt warlord who perpetrates every conceivable evil, never touching a single act of kindness. Such a man is abhorrent to both heaven and humanity.”
That final declaration, “abhorrent to both heaven and humanity,” was the captain’s own addition!
To him, the phrase was no longer a mere adjective but an objective, undeniable truth.
The Heavenly Lord found this man utterly intolerable!
Thus, his abhorrent nature was beyond doubt.
Lao Huihui let out a knowing chuckle. “Ah, I see! So you gentlemen have an issue with Zuo Liangyu. That simplifies matters. I’ve consistently accepted your generosity, and as the saying goes, ‘take a man’s money, and you shoulder his burdens.’ Consider Zuo Liangyu my way of repaying your benevolence.”
Having stated his intent, Lao Huihui’s voice boomed across the field: “Change of strategy! We will no longer evade Zuo Liangyu. Prepare for battle, all troops! Let us present Zuo Liangyu with a truly unforgettable New Year’s gift!”
The frontier cavalry erupted in roaring laughter. “As you command!” they bellowed.
They swiftly worked, unloading the provisions from Gao Family Village’s wagons with astonishing speed. Each cavalryman secured a pack onto their horse’s back.
Once the Gao Family Village transport convoy had withdrawn, Lao Huihui gave a decisive wave of his hand, and the battle commenced... —
Lu Xiangheng was leading Generals Zu Kuan and Luo Dai, advancing steadily towards Lu Prefecture. As they marched, he meticulously tracked the movements of all other allied units through a constant stream of messengers and scouts.
“Report!” a messenger exclaimed. “General Cao Wenzhao has already reached the vicinity of Lu Prefecture ahead of us.”
“He Renlong, too, has arrived.”
“Gao Jie’s march is somewhat slower, but he will be here within another day.”
“Shi Kefa, leading the Anqing army north, has successfully blocked the rebels’ southern escape routes.”
Lu Xiangheng’s spirits soared. “Excellent!” he exclaimed. “The encirclement is nearly complete. But wait... where is Zuo Liangyu? Where has that man vanished to now?”
Just the mention of Zuo Liangyu’s name now brought a throbbing headache to Lu Xiangheng.
Zuo Liangyu always appeared quite capable, yet at every critical juncture of a major campaign, he was inexplicably absent. Was the man a genius or merely a wastrel?
As these thoughts spun in his mind, a messenger, sweat-soaked and breathless, dashed toward him. “Report!” the man gasped. “Zuo Liangyu... Zuo Liangyu is in grave trouble.”
Lu Xiangheng stared blankly.
The messenger explained, “Zuo Liangyu failed to move directly toward Lu Prefecture as commanded. Instead, he veered off to Yanling County, launching an attack on Lao Huihui.”
Lu Xiangheng’s face darkened with fury. “Outrageous! He defied direct orders? Tell me, did he at least eliminate Lao Huihui? If he managed that, it might just barely redeem his insubordination.”
The messenger stammered, “Well... no, not quite... Lao Huihui led his cavalry fleeing deep into Jia Mountain, with Zuo Liangyu relentlessly pursuing. But, to everyone’s surprise, Lao Huihui’s retreat was a feigned defeat. His Hui cavalry had already laid a cunning trap within Jia Mountain.”
Lu Xiangheng uttered a guttural sound.
“Zuo Liangyu pursued them into Jia Mountain,” the messenger continued, “only to find himself surrounded on all sides by the Hui frontier forces, suffering a crushing defeat. He is now trapped within the Jia Mountain valley, having managed to send a messenger to break through and appeal to the Grand Coordinator for rescue.”
For a long moment, Lu Xiangheng was too incensed to speak.
That man’s insubordination—running off to fight Lao Huihui—was infuriating enough. But to fall for a simple rebel ruse and get himself encircled? Was he completely incompetent? What kind of utterly useless general couldn’t even best a band of marauders?
And the most preposterous part was his nerve to actually demand *Lu Xiangheng’s* aid for rescue.
Lu Xiangheng was desperate to relieve Lu Prefecture; he had no time to concern himself with Zuo Liangyu.
Lu Xiangheng’s face was grim. “Ignore him!” he declared. “Let him extract himself from his predicament. I cannot spare a single man for his rescue.”
Yet, as the words left his lips, a flicker of compassion softened his resolve.
Lu Xiangheng sighed, his resolve wavering. “Zu Kuan,” he conceded, “take your troops and go rescue Zuo Liangyu.”
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