The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 40 Zhao Sheng, the Lamp Lighter

Seeing Lu Tao's inner turmoil, his second-in-command couldn't help but speak up, his voice hoarse:
"Manager, isn't the Li family giving us too much credit by asking us to cause trouble for the border troops?"

Lu Tao frowned, gazing at the undulating mountain silhouettes in the distance, and sighed.

"Yes, it's always the Ming army chasing us all over the mountains. How could we possibly have the chance to attack the border troops? It's really going against the natural order."

Yang Yongxiang scratched his head and made a suggestion:
"Why don't we go ask Brother Zhao Sheng? He's in the village right now, maybe he can come up with some ideas."

Lu Tao nodded. Sending his own men to fight the border troops head-on? That's practically suicide!

The border troops are all ruthless characters who have tasted blood on the battlefield. There are more than a thousand of them, and we would have to send at least ten thousand men to fill the gap, and we still might not be able to win!

It just so happens that Zhao Sheng is in the village. This guy is a scholar with a quick mind, so perhaps he can point him in the right direction.

Without further thought, he hurriedly climbed down from the stockade wall and rushed back to the Hall of Gathering Righteousness.

Inside the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, Zhao Sheng, the lamplighter, had been waiting for a long time. Although his blue cloth robe was somewhat worn, it could not hide the scholarly air between his brows.

Zhao Sheng, a native of Qingjian, came from a poor family. During the day, he would carry a hoe to work in the fields, and at night he would stay at the Petroleum Temple in the east of the village, studying by candlelight. In the end, he managed to pass the imperial examination and become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations).

Logically speaking, a scholar with such perseverance might be able to pass the imperial examination and become a successful official in the future.

Unfortunately, God did not wish.

Because he was reading by lamplight in the temple, Zhao Sheng was caught by the yamen officials, who accused him of lighting the lamp at midnight to imitate the story of "Huang Chao lighting the lamp," implying that he harbored treacherous intentions and wanted to rebel.

(This is a story from a Ming Dynasty vernacular novel, about Huang Chao secretly creating a military treatise in a temple.)
In order to curry favor and receive a reward, the officials actually wanted to exchange his head for silver.

So Zhao Sheng really rebelled, and even came up with a nickname: "Lighting the Lamp".

Later, he led a group of brothers through the mountains of Qingjian, suffering repeated defeats. Finally, he joined Zhang Cunmeng, a man from Mizhi who was known for his mud-free nature, and became a team leader.

This is a bizarre story, but it is a true one.

In comparison, Liang Zhongshu's use of a seditious poem to convict Lu Junyi in "Water Margin" seems so logical.

So sometimes when you see these rebels, you can't help but think that "Water Margin" might not be a novel, but rather a work of documentary literature.

Because compared to history, the plot in the novel is still too conservative.

Seeing Lu Tao enter the hall with a worried look on his face, Zhao Sheng took the initiative to ask:
"Chief Lu, who is this Jiang Han? How did he end up at odds with the Li family?"

Lu Tao shook his head and sighed:

"I don't know either. I've only heard from the Li family that he came from the border army in Yansui Town and had about a thousand men under his command."

"hiss--"

Zhao Sheng gasped.
"Border troops?! Chief Lu really wants to fight them?"

"Yes!" Lu Tao gritted his teeth, his tone resolute.

His daughter was still with the Li family, which was his only remaining hope and also his wife's wish; he had to go.

Lu Tao felt that this was how his life was going to be. Even if he became a mountain bandit, he had no interest in remarrying. He only hoped that his daughter could live a good life.

Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly. Lu Tao was a loyal and righteous man, brave and daring, and good in every way.

Unfortunately, his only weakness lay with the Li family, forcing him to obey their orders. As an ally, Zhao Sheng was not someone he could easily dissuade.

So Zhao Sheng nodded and didn't argue:
"Since Chief Lu has already made his decision, I will not try to persuade him any further. I can only say please be careful."

After saying that, Zhao Sheng shut up. He had no intention of getting involved. They couldn't even defeat the garrison troops, let alone the border troops.

Seeing Zhao Sheng remain silent, Lu Tao grew anxious:

"Please sir, teach me!"

"After this is done, I will not take any of the weapons, armor, or provisions that the Li family provides; I will give them all to you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

Lu Tao has held sway over Yangta Mountain for many years, remaining steadfast not only because of its strategic location but, most importantly, because of the Li family's covert support. The Li family played a crucial role in Lu Tao's rise from a starving peasant to a powerful bandit leader.

The Li family not only provided intelligence, but also various equipment and weapons, many of which were standard military weapons, including armor, long swords, and even tiger-squatting cannons.

With this equipment, Lu Tao built an elite old battalion of more than 500 men, and with the addition of some refugees, he repelled the government troops that came to suppress him several times.

These equipment were something that Zhang Cunmeng and Zhao Sheng had been envious of for a long time.

They repeatedly analyzed the reasons for their failures and always believed that it was due to insufficient equipment. They didn't even have a full set of leather armor, which caused their brothers to fight timidly and fear death.

Zhao Sheng thought to himself that if he could get his hands on this equipment, his stronghold's strength would definitely improve significantly.

Thinking of this, his eyes darted around, and he nodded, saying:
"Chief Lu, this is feasible."

The third leader, standing to the side, changed his expression drastically upon hearing this. He hesitated to speak, but not wanting to lash out on the spot, he quickly tugged at Zhao Sheng's sleeve.

Zhao Sheng, however, was completely oblivious, staring intently at Lu Tao in front of him.

Lu Tao frowned upon seeing this, somewhat surprised:

"Aren't you going to ask your boss? You just agreed like that?"

Zhao Sheng waved his hand confidently:

“No problem. My husband always listens to me. If I agree, then he agrees.”

Lu Tao nodded, then eagerly pressed for an answer:

"What brilliant ideas do you have, sir? Do you have a way to defeat the enemy?"

Zhao Sheng slowly began to speak, analyzing the situation:
"Chief Lu, our two main forces combined have six or seven thousand men, plus a few thousand refugees, that's more than ten thousand men, that's enough."

Lu Tao frowned:

“Mr. Zhao, these six thousand main force soldiers are probably no match for those border troops, not to mention those refugees. If they really went to the battlefield, they wouldn’t even be able to hold their swords properly.”

Zhao Sheng smiled slightly, a sly glint in his eyes:
"Chief, let's not confront him head-on,"

“Isn’t Jiang Han farming in Ansai? Let’s send people to spread rumors near Ansai, saying that there is grain in Majia Village, and lure all the starving people there.”

“Arrest a few thousand more of them and drive them all to Majia Village, so that our people can blend in with them.”

"When the time comes, tens of thousands of refugees will flood into Majia Village. I don't believe Jiang Han will be able to sit still then."

"He will definitely have to send troops out to drive them away."

"Once his men show themselves, we'll lead our main force to swarm them and break them apart in the chaos."

"As long as these border troops don't form a battle formation, we can put up a fight with them!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Tao's eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed, clapping his hands repeatedly:
"Sir, you are indeed educated; you have more ideas than us common folk!"

"Let's do as you say, sir!"

Then he turned to his second-in-command, Zhao Yongxiang, and instructed him:

"Second brother, you go! Pick some clever brothers to disguise themselves as starving people and spread the word near Ansai that there is grain in Majia Village. Tell them to go there quickly!"

"Have the third brother lead men down the mountain to capture refugees, and send them all to Majia Village!"

Zhao Yongxiang nodded, accepted the order, and left.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng, who was standing to the side, also cupped his hands towards Lu Tao and said:

"In that case, I will return to Mizhi first and inform my family's manager that we will meet at the foot of the mountain stronghold in ten days!"

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(End of this chapter)