The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 91 Hou Jing
Fengzhou, Liangquan County.

The roaring mountain torrents merged into the turbulent water of the old channel.

On the eastern plains, people were marching in the pouring rain, young men pushing wheelbarrows and women holding children.

Someone was carrying a few chickens and ducks on a shoulder pole, leading a sheep in his hand, and followed by two yellow dogs.

Someone was dragging two calves and cursing loudly.

There were also scholars who seemed to have read a few books of sages, looking up and letting the heavy rain wash over them. Suddenly, an old man who was skinny as a skeleton fell dead in the mud, and his son slapped his wrinkled face and cried bitterly.

"The rebels are coming!" someone shouted.

Everyone looked back.

On the iron chain bridge, a large group of warriors in brown clothes were howling and crossing the river quickly. The generals looked at the fields under the rain curtain and pointed. The soldiers divided into several groups and chased after them. They were lightly dressed and took off their armor. They had eaten well all day and moved swiftly, like a group of lions.

"Son is gone—" The son stopped crying, put down his father's body, picked up his two children and ran away. Other people also ignored their property and quickened their pace amid the howling.

The abandoned baby girl sat in the mud and cried loudly, and a large group of cavalry came roaring and trampled her into powder.

The pigs and sheep that were thrown away screamed in unison.

The black dog who had lost sight of his owner was looking around everywhere.

"Puff!" The bearded head flew up, and the old woman stared at her little grandson beside her.

The boy picked up a hatchet and fought the warrior.

"Crack!" The cavalryman passed by and chopped off his head with a knife.

The woman screamed as she was trampled underfoot, letting the beast soldiers on her body ravage her. One by one, the men were beaten to their knees and were strung together with ropes by the beast soldiers to be taken away. If they were lucky enough to survive the trench filling process, they might be able to join them and become a member of the beast soldiers in the future.

Those who dared to resist were killed on the ground.

The beast soldiers swept across the plains like a tide, and the overwhelming righteous army was carrying out the cleansing of the city. Recently, the situation was very tense, and large groups of Han and Tibetan rangers and scouts frequently entered the country, appearing in Liangdang County, Sansong Mountain, and Skull River, and dozens of bloody battles broke out with them.

The saint leads 50,000 soldiers to attack!

This made the Ganyi Army, who had already decided to leave Hanzhong for a happy life, speed up their departure. The people of Fengxing and Xingzhou were in dire straits and it was useless to stay there. It was better to move to the wealthy Xingyuan Prefecture. But before that, they needed to make meat jerky, collect "consumables" and food, and make logistical preparations - and then head straight to Baoshui, cross the river and go south. To this day, the city cleaning has been going on for five days and five nights, and there is no one left in the city.

There should be enough food for the retreat to Hanzhong.

As for the troops.

There were more than ten thousand soldiers including the Yamen troops, garrison troops, branch state troops and united troops.

Together with the large number of able-bodied men they temporarily captured, there were more than 30,000 people in total, and the bandits were extremely powerful!
In Xingzhou to the south, there are still thousands of wild beasts "working". After they finish their work, I don't know whether they will choose to join the main force or go somewhere else.

These are all the soldiers in stock.

Actually, it was not the case that he could not control these killers. Some of them were the miscellaneous Hu people from Daibei who followed Mancun into the pass to defend the king and were then taken to Fengzhou. Some were the surrendered soldiers of Huang Chao's army that Mancun received during the siege of Huang Chao by the various troops, or the defeated soldiers of Jing, Ling, Xia, and Chen. Some were the imperial guards that Mancun led when he was a general in the Shen Ce Army, and they followed him to Fengzhou after he moved to the post.

Some are the remnants who escaped from Fengxiang.

Ninety percent of the warriors here have served for more than ten years and have fought countless battles. They don't like Mancun because he is cruel and murderous. But Mancun also dislikes the army. When he came to Shu from Wai Zhai Lang, he only brought his trusted men, more than 2,000 people he could control.

On the bridge, a group of generals looked gloomy.

"How much food was stolen?"

"The untouchables ran away too quickly, and only about 2200 men and women, hundreds of cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, and more than a thousand chickens, ducks, and cats were captured."

"Where is the imperial army's punitive force?"

"If we stop at Huanghua and continue to advance despite the rain, we will reach Liangquan City in the afternoon."

"The royal army has camels and horses stretching for more than ten miles, and the baggage is extremely heavy. Why not gather the best troops to fight the saint?"

If they could win, they would march all the way to the capital and enter Chang'an. The people of Fengxing and Xingzhou had been levied by them for nearly ten years, and they were worthless except for making meat jerky and filling the trenches.

It’s better to rob the saint!

Zhou Zongliang, the governor, did not say anything. He knew his own weight and how chaotic the Ganyi Army was. Rebellion would lead to death - whether he rebelled against the emperor and entered Chang'an. Or he rebelled against the commander-in-chief and attacked the neighboring vassal. He could just cultivate the land and feed the people in Fengzhou, and make the people prosperous, so there would be money and goods. But he insisted on doing this beheading thing! The Qi soldiers who were rebellious next door were slaughtered, but he really didn't take it seriously. Do you think the emperor is far away and the court is weak, and it can't deal with more than 10,000 of you?

Unfortunately, although he knew the pros and cons, the soldiers would not listen, especially those cannibals who were born from thieves. The only difference between them and wild beasts was that they were covered with human skin. Unfortunately, the public outcry led him to a dead end from which there was no turning back. This world is crazy.

Zhou Zongliang became angrier and angrier as he thought about it. Veins popped out of his forehead. He glared at the generals and angrily cursed, "You bastard! You bastard! I was killed by you idiots! I said long ago that being a captain would be enough. But you guys encouraged me day and night to stay here and attack Hanzhong. Now that the army has just set out, the royal army is here to attack me. I am in a dilemma whether to stay or go. What can I do?"

"Zhou Zongliang!" Wang Yu, the military commander of Langdang, raised his eyebrows and shouted, "How can you be the only one in the army who can stay behind? Don't be ungrateful."

He was born as a nest general.

After Huang Chao was defeated, he fled to Fengzhou and became a bandit. Later, he was recruited by Mancun. He originally planned to take the lead himself, but he was afraid that his origin as a bandit would attract the attention of the court and be surrounded. However, he did not expect that the same result would occur even after he pushed Zhou Zongliang. Now Zhou Zongliang does not want to do it anymore. If he delays any longer, he may be able to escape...

Thinking of this, Wang Yu showed his fierceness, and the other generals also put their hands on the hilts of their swords and stared at Zhou Zongliang dully. Their eyes, which were wide open, lost their focus at the same time, like cock-eyed, as if they were entering some extreme state.

"The governor is cowardly, and his words and actions embarrass the governor. Kill him." Li Gongdi, a brave and heroic general who also came from a common background, said angrily.

"Everyone is not panicking yet, what are you afraid of?"

"No problem. Kill him and keep him for later use. Cut him into fat slices and take them with you. Look at his big belly. He can make more than ten liters of ointment."

"Hehe, eat him."

"We appointed him as the successor. It's fine if he can't get any money to reward us, but he still makes sarcastic remarks when the war is about to start. What's the point of having a successor? We were really blind at the beginning! We should have followed Mancun into Shu to fight Wang Jian."

"I have never heard of killing a general. We are only killing a coward."

Bang!
Amid the clamor, Zhou Zongliang suddenly attacked, knocked a lieutenant to the ground, and said ferociously: "I'm going to eat you first!" He bit his neck directly, making his mouth full of blood.

"If you leave any consequences, you will rebel!" shouted Li Gongdi, the brave general of the army.

Dozens of military officers rushed forward, surrounded Zhou Zongliang and chopped him with their swords. The flesh and blood splashed on the faces of the beast soldiers, but they remained unmoved and chopped wildly with excited expressions. Amidst the noisy sounds of clang, clang, clang, the defender died.

It’s not outrageous, this is the basic operation of warriors.

In the sixth year of Qianfu, Zhang Kai and Guo Ying, the chief military officers of Hedong, arrested several criminals and put them in jail. Then the troops inside and outside Taiyuan rebelled, burned the city, and killed the people. Jiedushi Li Kan was forced to follow the rebels and ordered the arrest and execution of Kai and Ying. On the day of execution, Kai and Ying said to the onlookers: We were ordered to quell the rebellion. Is this our fault?
The soldiers thought so too and became very angry again!
He "ordered" the restoration of Kai and Bing to their official posts, then rushed into the official residence and chopped into mud more than 30 civil servants and generals who tried to discipline the soldiers in front of Li Kan. Then he split up and massacred the families of more than 30 people to prevent future troubles.

This was ten years ago.

At this point, the Ganyi Army only killed the governor Zhou Zongliang, which was reasonable, right? After all, the governor scolded them a few times...

After killing Zhou Zongliang, the warriors held up Zhou Zongliang's bloody head and asked, "Who wants to stay behind? Lead us to fight against the king's army or take over Hanzhong."

Hearing this, Wang Yu, the vagrant general, and Li Gongdi, the brave general, all bowed their heads. If he was not to be the successor, he could still stand in the crowd and act arrogantly with everyone. If he became a governor, wouldn't he become a toy to be manipulated? "Li Gongdi, the brave general, once served Huang Chao as a general. He beheaded Cheng Zongchu, the governor of Jingyuan, and established him, finally settling the major events."

"Wang Yu has been a bandit for more than 20 years following Huang Chao. He has fought in the north and south and conquered the two capitals. I am willing to serve him as my master."

"White-haired military envoy Xue Tao..."

The beast soldiers talked at once and recommended several people, but without exception, they were like ostriches encountering their natural enemies and did not dare to make a sound.

"A bunch of cowards!" The beast soldiers spat thick yellow phlegm into Li Gongdi's nose.

"I want to be the last one left behind by the Righteous Army." A soldier nearby raised his hand.

That's it. The beast soldiers were tired and didn't want to bother with him anymore. If this person was too lame, disobedient, or abusive, they could just replace him with another one.

"What's your name?"

"Hou Jing."

"We pay our respects to the queen." Everyone bowed and shouted casually.

"You were so cruel to Duke Zhou just now. Now I am in charge of you. Will you obey my orders?" Hou Jing asked coldly.

"This is natural."

"Obey what is right, disobey what is wrong. Listen to what is good, disobey what is bad."

"Okay!" Hou Jing nodded and said, "Then I will give the order now, line up."

Li Gongdi, Wang Yu, Xue Tao and others, together with the soldiers present, quickly formed a line.

"The king's army has many men and is in high spirits. If we go out, we will surely be defeated. But our army is short of food. We have to kill civilians for food if we raid the city. Defending the city is also seeking death. I have followed your wishes and will temporarily avoid the attack and seize Hanzhong. Last time I received a report that the main force of the Xingyuan army followed Yang Shouliang into Shu and did not return. Only more than 2,000 old and weak were left behind. If we take it in one battle, we can use the local wealth to train soldiers and engage in farming. I will make friends with the powerful at home, build vassal states outside, and serve the emperor as a loyal subject. Who can harm me!" Hou Jing said with eyes as big as copper bells, full of energy.

"I obey your orders!" The beast soldiers didn't understand anything about training soldiers or farming. They only cared about whether they could have fun in Hanzhong. Whoever wanted to stay in Fengzhou could stay there!
"Please mount your horse, Rear Admiral!" As per custom, several lieutenants brought the war horses and helped Hou Jing onto them.

In the distance, several shogunate officials holding umbrellas shook their heads.

Killing officials, deposing masters, changing commanders are all like child's play, what a bunch of crap!
Nowadays, it was common for small-time minions, even illiterate soldiers and bandits to serve as provincial governors or Jiedushi.

A fisherman in Qinhua Army suddenly had an idea to become an official. He ran to the city and patted his chest fiercely in front of the warriors. The people immediately arrested the governor and beheaded him, and supported the fisherman as their leader. It doesn't matter what your background is, and it doesn't matter whether you can read or not. Once the opportunity comes, as long as you are brave and the warriors accept your promise, it will be fine. If a few more good brothers join, the future will be limitless.

------

On the third day of September in the first year of Jingfu, after two days of rest at Dasan Pass, the rain stopped a little, and the sage ordered the entire army to take ten days of dry food and continue to march south. The baggage base was set up at Dasan Pass, and the civilians were no longer with them. The army only brought some camels, mules, draft horses, donkeys, and their corresponding grooms to carry weapons, heavy armor, arrows, medicinal materials, dry food, beans, and other materials.

As for the 8000 war horses of the four cavalry armies, they are not used for transportation or load-bearing, but for combat. You must maintain your strength at all times and take good care of the horses.

On the afternoon of the third day of the Lunar New Year, the army arrived at Huanghua County, but the city was already deserted. Scouts reported that the Ganyi Army had crossed the Gudao River and fled eastward.

There is no way to catch up today.

The soldiers marched here from Dasan Pass in the rain, and no one fell behind, no one deserted, and no one caused trouble. The saint's painstaking efforts over the past year were worth it. As a commander, you must also consider everyone and take care of everyone's feelings. Forcing tired soldiers to go out in a hurry to kill the enemy and gain merit is neither in line with human nature nor in accordance with military strategy.

Anyway, the weather was bad, the rain was continuous, the roads were muddy, and the rebels could not run far even if they were one day earlier. Moreover, the saint still had 4000 cavalrymen, each with two horses, so what if they were to lose a hundred miles!
"Report! The five scouts under the command of the envoy Mo Zangqiqi reported back that the rebel army had swept through Liangquan County, and there was no one left in the area."

"Got it. Let him follow the rebel army and not attack before the main force arrives." The saint warned.

He was no longer as dumbfounded as before about the atrocities committed by the rebels. Things had already happened, and he had come to save people as quickly as possible. What he could do next was to completely eradicate this group of people, and make their genes disappear from the population forever. This would be a merit.

"Your Majesty, do you still remember what I told you before?" During the meal, Zhazhu came over and asked in a low voice.

Along the way, Zhazhu told the Saint many precautions for outdoor chases, which made the Saint dizzy. Fortunately, he had a gift of photographic memory in his previous life, and brought it with him after his soul traveled through time and space: "Ask."

"The rebels met us halfway, their will was strong, and our army attacked us three times without success."

"The cavalrymen will be stationed at the rear on the left and right to prevent the enemy from pursuing them. The infantrymen will retreat slowly in columns. They will not lower their flags or make any noise. Anyone who makes a noise or shouts will be shot immediately."

"When camping in the wild, how do we guard against camp howls and night attacks?"

"When marching and camping outside, select nimble, short people who are good at running, and have them patrol the valleys and rivers near the camp in the morning and evening. To prevent the camp from being raided, the soldiers must not know the number of troops and food supplies, so as to avoid being captured or caught alive and being known by the enemy. Secondly, soldiers are not allowed to walk around in the camp, so as to avoid seeing through the structure of the camp. They are not allowed to gather and talk, so as to avoid sharing what they have..." the sage replied.

"What should I do if I lose the battle and am being chased by the enemy?"

"The whole army was routed and defeated. The commander must change horses, ride camels or donkeys, and not war horses, which are heavy and easy to fall over..."

"What should I do if I can't tell the place or find my direction when I'm running for my life in the rain or snow?"

"Every time you go to a place, you have to select a guide."

"The enemy is chasing us relentlessly and getting closer and closer to us. How can we escape?"

"Up the mountain."

"Have you memorized the locations of the nearby mountains?"

"remember."

“What if we don’t have time to go up the mountain?”

"..."

Zhazhu asked dozens of questions without hesitation. Seeing that the saint answered fluently, he was reluctantly relieved and then explained some important matters again in detail.

He really liked the Saint - he didn't have the bad temper of his former master, Li Situ, who would always shout and kill people around him. He was considerate, kind-hearted, gentle, quick-witted and eager to learn. He didn't discriminate against the barbarians, and didn't mind his smelly feet when sleeping with him. In short, it was very comfortable to get along with the Saint, so he was willing to teach him how to fight a pig - although the Saint was only a small governor of Jingzhao now, he believed in the Saint's potential.

After giving some instructions, Zhazhu drank some mare's milk and said, "It's not that I don't believe it, I just want to hear the saint explain it to me again."

On the fourth day of September, the rain stopped and the sky was gloomy. The army set out at dawn, passing through Liuba County and intercepting the rebel army from the north. By noon, the main force of the brigade had passed Hanliuhou Terrace. A long dragon of sergeants in red and black armor walked across the rugged mountain road and stepped onto the field full of wild flowers.

But it’s a great autumn with the cool weather!
On the fifth day, the army rested for a night in the rocky valley on the east bank of the Beizhan River. Scouts also kept sending news that more than 20 miles ahead was the famous Baoshui River. The rebel army had no idea how much baggage they had brought with them, and they had been climbing the less than 100-mile thoroughfare for three or four days but still hadn't reached it. Damn it, could it be that they knew that the royal army was blocking the road ahead and took a detour?
At dawn on the sixth day, the enemy finally arrived! The envoy Mei Zang Qiqi came over with disheveled hair and was slashed three times, and the deputy envoy Amonan had lost all his clothes. It turned out that the enemy was busy capturing people and looting food and grass, so they were moving slowly.

"The rebel army has taken men and women with them along the way. There are tens of thousands of them, countless of them. Their soldiers are strong, and we suffered losses. More than 200 scouts were killed or wounded, and I was almost captured alive." Mei Zang Qiqi said angrily, gritting his teeth.

The generals laughed.

"Can we do without the Zang family? It's really embarrassing. Let's go back to the mountains and herd sheep." Long Jiedu's ten generals, Xifeng Shuolihe, shook his head.

Crazy... The Saint frowned upon hearing this.

"The rebel army will reach Baoshui by noon at the latest. The enemy outnumbers us. Please retreat for a while." Zhao Fu was also surprised when he heard this and advised. The core force of the rebel army with more than 10,000 soldiers is enough to fight, and now there are many civilians in the middle. If we are not careful, we will suffer a great defeat!
"Don't worry, brother." Although the saint was also a little panicked, which could be seen from his many unconscious little movements, he still forced himself to remain calm and comfort his brother-in-law.

Different from the three victories at Qishan, Meibize and Changchun Palace, which were more or less opportunistic, this time, the royal army had 14000 soldiers, and the core backbone of the enemy was also more than experienced soldiers, leaving almost no loopholes for you to exploit.

The real test of the saint is here!
(End of this chapter)