Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

He then followed Yue Fei in attacking the powerful bandit Cao Cheng, leading 3,000 troops to chase Cao Cheng until he had nowhere to run, forcing Cao Cheng to surrender to Han Shizhong.

He was then ordered to rebuild the Vanguard Army, completely quell the chaos in Fujian and Guangdong, and actively restore production after the war.

Unfortunately, he was dismissed from his post by Qin Hui, and the people of Lingnan built a shrine to worship him.

The Vanguard Army, which Han Jing personally built, was the top elite force in the Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi regions at the time, known for its strict military discipline and willingness to fight to the death.

However, before they could even engage the Jin army, the army's morale collapsed due to Han Jing's dismissal, and they were forgotten in history books.

Until the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, more than a hundred remnants of the Cuifeng Army held out in Chaozhou, making it the last prefecture city to fall in the Southern Song Dynasty.

After General Ma Fa organized the evacuation of the people, his entire family committed suicide to die for their country.

Han Jing in this timeline also has a fascinating upbringing.

He first recruited soldiers in Shanxi to serve the emperor, intending to go to the capital to eliminate the "traitor Zhao".

Upon receiving news of the Song-Jin alliance, he was so angry that he stayed in Shanxi to fight guerrilla warfare against the Jin army and was subsequently incorporated into Zhang Guangdao's second-line troops.

When the army was expanded, Han Jing was transferred to Hebei to serve as a garrison officer, and he led troops in the second-line troops under Yue Fei.

Two years ago, after graduating from military academy, he was promoted to the third rank of the Hunan Garrison Army (commander of the third regiment).

Although this man's archery and horsemanship skills were far inferior to Yang Zaixing's, he possessed remarkable talent in training soldiers and governing the people.

Chapter 3688 Military Academy

"So it's Senior Han going to Annam with you?" Zhao Kang was overjoyed.

Since the establishment of the military academy in the Ming Dynasty, Han Jing has been recognized as the top student, a prodigy who scored full marks in all subjects.

Han Jing cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yu."

Zhao Kang said, "Senior, you're stationed in southern Hunan. I've wanted to visit you for a long time."

Han Jing said, "This humble general has received orders to accompany Your Highness to Guangxi."

“Three hundred soldiers were selected from General Yang Zaixing and expanded into a new army of three thousand men to go to Annam.”

Zhao Kang asked, "Recruit new soldiers locally to expand the force?"

"It's not about recruiting new soldiers, but about recruiting retired veterans from Guangdong and Guangxi. They can be trained for a month and then go into battle," Han Jing explained.

For others, being transferred to Annam was tantamount to being exiled.

Han Jing was extremely happy. He dreamed of making a name for himself, but he had always been in the second-line troops and had very few opportunities to do so.

He was not anyone's right-hand man, and being transferred to Hunan meant he had no battles to fight.

Although he is now going to Annam, he can both fight and earn merit, and become a trusted general of Prince Yu.

Zhao Kang pulled Han Jing aside and whispered, "The only student in the Ming Military Academy to get full marks in all subjects was transferred to Hunan a couple of years ago, which puzzled many people."

"So it turns out His Majesty had planned this all along, having Senior Han familiarize himself with the southern terrain and climate, and to come with me to govern Annam!"

Han Jing had only recently come to this understanding, and exclaimed sincerely, "Your Majesty is truly a wise and far-sighted ruler, a peerless sage!"

A civil official arrived by boat: "Your Highness, Mr. Xie is ready and can depart for the south at any time."

"Officials, doctors, interpreters... are all in place."

"Mr. Xie is a man of great talent," Zhao Kang asked. "May I ask your esteemed name?"

The civil official quickly replied, "I dare not accept such a title. My name is Qin Xin, and I am from Guizhou."

"I once listened to His Majesty's lectures and followed His Majesty to the capital. While in Hanzhong, I was appointed as the county magistrate. A few years ago, I was promoted to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

Zhao Kang seemed to understand what was going on.

Qin Xin, who is right in front of me, is a true hero who helped the emperor rise to power, but he was thrown to Annam. He must have done something wrong.

Out of consideration for past favors, the emperor suppressed the case and sent the suspect far away to Annam to atone for his crimes.

There was also Xie Hong, the chief civil official assigned to Zhao Kang, who had already risen to the rank of Right Provincial Administration Commissioner.

He probably committed a crime, but it wasn't particularly serious. It's a pity that he was sent to Annam.

Bai Qi, along with his wife and children, personally saw them off, while Zhao Kang, with his civil and military entourage, headed straight for Guangxi.

Yang Zaixing had been waiting in Yongzhou for a long time. Pointing to the five hundred soldiers, he said, "These are all unmarried men. Please treat them well, Your Highness Prince Yu."

"I will never betray you!" Zhao Kang said, cupping his hands in greeting.

Zhao Kang idolizes his father and deliberately imitates him in every word and action.

Sometimes his acting skills seem clumsy, but they don't offend people; he has a courteous and respectful attitude towards scholars.

……

The commanders of Guangdong and Guangxi had already received orders from the Ministry of War to begin recruiting retired veterans in various prefectures and counties.

Don't bring up resettlement or reassignment; that wasn't common practice in ancient times.

Take the late Northern Song Dynasty as an example. The Western Army recruited men from good families to fight, and theoretically, the resettlement allowance was ten strings of cash per person.

When the war ended, they were discharged and sent home, receiving at most some rations, but not enough for their military pay and resettlement allowance.

There's no such thing as resettlement for veterans; they all go back to their hometowns to farm.

The Ming Dynasty provided ample military pay; anyone who dared to withhold rations or pay would lose their head!

For this reason alone, the soldiers had no complaints.

Every year during conscription season, many farm boys eagerly sign up, not only to receive pay but also to learn skills and broaden their horizons in the army.

After being discharged from the army, he returned home to farm, showing his honest nature.

Many resourceful veterans also sought employment with the government as constables or police officers. Others worked as guards for wealthy families or even as protectors for merchant caravans.

Especially in border areas, many caravans that need to transport goods across borders particularly like to recruit veterans.

They would also provide armor and weapons for veterans—in border provinces, in addition to firearms, civilians were allowed to own leather armor and crossbows, as long as they did not have iron armor, ballistae, or crossbows.

The situation was similar along the northern border, and the southern provinces were no less severe.

Veterans from Hunan, Sichuan, and Guangxi often escorted caravans to barbarian territories.

Veterans from coastal provinces preferred to work for maritime merchants. They were not sailors, but rather guards on merchant ships.

In this era, there were no security escort agencies; merchants had to recruit their own people!

When the imperial edict was issued, demobilized soldiers from Guangdong and Guangxi flocked to sign up, but unfortunately only those under the age of thirty were recruited.

Moreover, there are only 2500 slots available, which are not many when allocated to various prefectures and counties, and candidates must compete in martial arts to be selected.

500 elite Guangxi field troops and 2500 retired veterans—this is Zhao Kang's directly subordinate force.

The two-month training in Yongzhou mainly focused on getting the soldiers to work together; they didn't need to start training from scratch in terms of military formations or martial arts.

They landed by boat in Vinh Yen Chau (Ha Long City, Vietnam). It was winter, the weather was not hot, and the rainy season had passed.

Chapter 3689 A Stubborn Resistance

Chen Kai, an Annamese official who went to Luoyang to file a complaint, ran outside the city and shouted:

"The traitor Du Yingwu plotted to murder the king and the crown prince, depose the queen, seize power, defile the palace, and kill loyal officials."

"Now Empress Dowager Du is furious and has invited heavenly troops from the Ming Dynasty, vowing to eliminate the traitors and rebels."

"Are you still going to resist stubbornly?"

The prefect and the garrison commander stood facing each other atop the city wall.

After Du Yingwu took sole control of the government, he promised many benefits to civil and military officials.

Aside from the ostracized court officials and political enemies, most civil officials and generals accepted reality.

They do not support Du Yingwu taking power, but they will not stand up to oppose him either.

But now the Ming army has arrived, and they're even using Empress Dowager Du's name.

With such a legitimate reason, the civil and military officials of Yong'an Prefecture had no desire to resist.

Moments later, the city gates swung open.

Zhao Kang did not personally intervene; such a minor matter could be left to Xie Hong.

Xie Hong, accompanied by Annam official Chen Kai, ordered the garrison commander to bring 200 soldiers with him and put the prefect in charge of procuring provisions.

They then marched towards the mouth of the Taiping River. The Annamite navy, which had already been defeated by the Ming navy once, hastily surrendered and helped transport soldiers and provisions.

Arriving at Wuan Prefecture along the Taiping River, the city gates were also opened quickly.

……

Thang Long Palace is in complete chaos.

While Du Yingwu was gathering troops, he also sent envoys to sue for peace.

He planned to cede territory in exchange for the Ming Dynasty withdrawing its troops.

If reconciliation is truly impossible, then let's have a fight.

If defeated, they would lead the remaining troops to the Ailao Mountains.

They also took the two-year-old king and his baby brother with them.

Inside a mansion within the city, ministers including Wu Dai, Yang Siming, and Su Xiancheng were holding a secret meeting.

Wu Dai said, "Your Majesty is far-sighted. When you offered your mother to marry the Empress Dowager, you foresaw that there would be treacherous villains causing trouble."

"Now that Empress Dowager Du has invited heavenly troops from the Ming Dynasty, it is the time for us to rise up."

"You should all reason with him about the greater good and try to persuade the Imperial Guards to defect, so as to prevent Du Yingwu from resorting to desperate measures and murdering all of His Majesty's children!"

“After Du usurped power, he rewarded the soldiers of the six armies and promoted many of his confidants,” Yang Siming said. “To rashly instigate a rebellion against the Imperial Guards would probably backfire.”

Su Xiancheng was a mature and prudent man: "It would be best to win without bloodshed."

“I went to probe Du’s intentions and persuaded him to return power to the emperor and establish the third prince (the baby) as the new ruler.”

"This also gives Empress Dowager Du and the Ming Dynasty an explanation, and perhaps it can persuade the Ming Dynasty to withdraw its troops."

"The entry of foreign troops, even if they were invited by Empress Dowager Du, would do more harm than good to our Great Yue."

Yang Siming asked, "Are you afraid that the Ming army will come and you won't leave?"

Su Xiancheng said, "Even if the Ming army leaves, countless people along the way will still be plundered."

Everyone agreed.

When Yang Zaixing withdrew his troops last time, he emptied the entire Thang Long Prefecture.

The barbarian soldiers in Guangxi, as well as the defeated troops from Annam, plundered several prefectures and counties, leaving them still unrecovered.

Wu Dai said, "We still need to prepare for both possibilities..."

Just then, a commotion broke out outside, and the ministers who were plotting something changed drastically.

"The traitor Wu Dai colluded with foreign troops and wreaked havoc on Da Yue. His crime deserves to be punished!"

A group of Annamese imperial guards rushed in, killing people and looting everything in sight; only young women survived.

Several ministers were so frightened that they fled by climbing over the wall, only to be captured and killed by the imperial guards both inside and outside the wall.

Wu Dai stood in the courtyard and angrily rebuked, "Even if you don't remember the late emperor's kindness, do you think you can withstand the Ming army?"

"For both public and private reasons, you'd better lay down your weapons... uh!"

An arrow struck him squarely in the chest, and Wu collapsed to the ground in agony.

The Imperial Guard general sneered, "What kindness did the late emperor do for us?"

"He reduced the army and cut military pay, making military officers subservient to civil officials."

"They even attracted the Ming army, who abducted the people of Thang Long Prefecture. My father-in-law's entire family was taken to Guangxi... They were all killed!"

A hail of arrows was unleashed, turning the ministers into pincushions.

In the eyes of the Annamese soldiers, Du Yingwu already had a bit of a "god of war" aura.

In the first battle, Annam faced an attack from four countries. All the other generals suffered heavy defeats, but Du Yingwu alone broke through the combined forces of Champa and Zhenla.

In the second battle, barbarians from Vientiane (Laos) invaded, and Du Yingwu led his army to kill generals and capture prisoners.