The Great Rebel at the End of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 068 Ambush

The two units successfully joined forces.

Gao Yingxiang had just settled into his camp and hadn't even warmed his seat when he heard that Zhou Lun had obtained three thousand dan of grain from Shenmu without firing a single shot. He was taken aback at first, then a smile spread across his face, a joy he couldn't hide, even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

To be honest, Gao Yingxiang hadn't expected Zhou Lun's plan to go so smoothly.

When Zhou Lun proposed this plan, he nodded with the thought that "it wouldn't hurt to give it a try," without really expecting Zhou Lun to be able to pull it off.

Unexpectedly, not only did Zhou Lun manage to obtain the grain, but more importantly, the news of the rebel army's decision to march south was also smoothly leaked to the government.

"Are you sure Qiao Daonan will follow the plan from now on?" Gao Yingxiang sat in the tent, holding a bowl of water in his hands, and couldn't help but ask again.

Although he had secured the grain, he was more concerned about the government's reaction. If this move went well, things would be much easier later on.

Zhou Lun, sitting to the side, smiled slightly upon hearing this, his tone resolute: "Uncle, please rest assured. Since Qiao Daonan can implement the strategy of 'repelling the enemy with grain,' he will surely fabricate a story about it to claim credit with his superiors and cover up the truth completely."

In the past, Zhou Lun's judgment might have been somewhat speculative. But now, he was almost 100% certain.

Zhou Lun was no ordinary man. He understood the intricacies of officialdom far better than people like Gao Yingxiang. Although it was still the Ming Dynasty, not the later era, the principles remained the same. Thousands of years had passed, and they had never changed.

As Jin Yong, the author of "The Deer and the Cauldron," once said, "Deceive your superiors but not your subordinates; that is the true essence of being an official."

Since Qiao Daonan was willing to accept Zhou Lun's conditions, once Zhou Lun withdrew his troops, he would inevitably unite with all the officials, big and small, in Shenmu to come up with a flawless explanation to appease his superiors. As for how exactly he would do it, even a fool could guess the gist of it.

Once Qiao Daonan's report and the news of the fictitious "great victory at Shenmu" spread, the government troops in the north will definitely not sit still and will inevitably react.

Moreover, when Zhou Lun was bargaining with Qiao Daonan, he intentionally or unintentionally revealed that the rebel army had decided to march south. Based on his judgment of Qiao Daonan, he was certain that the report would clearly state this matter.

Based on the timeline, Wang Jiayin's troops should have already broken camp and headed south. They set off around the same time as Gao Yingxiang's northward march, almost simultaneously.

Wang Jiayin had a large army under his command, marching south in a grand and imposing manner that was impossible to conceal. Coupled with Zhou Lun's actions in Shenmu and the corroboration of Qiao Daonan's report, how could the government not believe him?

Gao Yingxiang listened to Zhou Lun's analysis and nodded secretly, his opinion of Zhou Lun rising even higher.

If things really go as Zhou Lun planned and predicted, then the rebel army will have the upper hand. This would be extremely beneficial to their grand plan to march north to Fugu.

"Pass on my orders!"

Gao Yingxiang no longer hesitated, stood up, and said loudly, "Summon all the leaders to come to me immediately for a meeting!"

"Yes!" Liu Zhe and Huang Long replied in unison, and quickly went out of the tent to relay the order.

Before long, Li Wanqing, Li Shoutian, Wang Er, Zhao Sheng and others, having heard the news, rushed over. Li Wanqing stepped into the tent and immediately saw that Zhou Lun had already arrived. He was slightly taken aback and his gaze lingered on Zhou Lun's face for a moment.

Gao Yingxiang waved his hand, inviting everyone to sit down. He didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point about why he had gathered everyone here.

According to Zhou Lun's judgment, the report from Shenmu should have already reached Fugu by now. The government troops in Fugu, upon learning that the rebel army's attack on Shenmu had failed, resulting in heavy losses, and that they had no choice but to abandon their campaign and head south, would inevitably take action.

Moreover, Wang Jiayin's troops have already marched south, and this news will soon spread far and wide. Under these circumstances, the government troops in the north will certainly not remain indifferent. They will most likely follow suit and march south, intending to join forces with the government troops in the south to launch a pincer attack on the rebel army from both the north and south, and annihilate the rebel army in one fell swoop.

Zhou Lun's true plan was to first use Wang Jiayin's troops to threaten Shenmu, and then use this rebel army as a pawn to mislead the government troops.

Zhou Lun and Gao Yingxiang had already discussed this: the government troops in the north numbered around five thousand, or possibly more. With the current strength of the rebel army, it would be very difficult to confront this government army head-on.

Moreover, the government troops were stationed in Fugu County, giving them a significant advantage in terms of terrain, allowing them to both attack and defend. Although the rebel army outnumbered the government troops considerably, the difference in equipment and combat effectiveness between the two sides was too great.

If we want to go north, we must hold onto Fugu; this is the key.

Without Fugu, Gao Yingxiang's troops would have no base to march north, let alone plot against Shanxi. Only by reclaiming Fugu could the rebel army have a chance to grow. However, the government troops in the north were a major obstacle; without eliminating them, the plan could not be implemented.

Attack Fugu directly? Not only had Zhou Lun not considered it, but even Gao Yingxiang hadn't thought of it. To attack Fugu, defended by thousands of government troops, with such a small force of militia was practically suicide.

However, if the government troops in the north are not dealt with, Fugu cannot be captured, and the subsequent plans will be impossible to proceed.

So Zhou Lun gave Gao Yingxiang a suggestion. It was simple: pretend that the rebel army was divided, use Wang Jiayin's main force as bait, and set a trap to lure the government troops in the north to move south.

It was because of this plan that Zhou Lun went to Shenmu first, using the pretext of an attack to demand supplies.

To be honest, Zhou Lun wasn't entirely sure he could get the supplies. But his purpose in doing so was to give the government the wrong impression: that the rebel army was short of food and preparing to march south, which was why they were trying their luck in Shenmu first.

The fact that Shenmu actually provided supplies was a pleasant surprise. More importantly, this opportunity allowed news of the rebel army's southward advance to be smoothly leaked to the government.

Furthermore, Zhou Lun led his troops directly south after leaving Shenmu, a fact witnessed by those on the city walls. Once they left, Shenmu would undoubtedly send scouts out to investigate. Add to that Wang Jiayin's main force marching south without any attempt at concealment, and this series of events would inevitably create a misconception for the authorities.

The misconception is that the rebel army as a whole moved south and expanded.

Once this news reaches the north, the government troops in Fugu will certainly be restless. They will likely launch a surprise attack southward, intending to join forces with the government troops in the south to launch a pincer attack on the rebel army.

Another important point is the report from Shenmu County.

If Qiao Daonan, in order to cover up the truth of his "sending grain and retreating troops," exaggerates the achievement of the fictitious "great victory at Shenmu" and reports it to his superiors, then the government troops will have another misconception: the rebel army is very weak, and tens of thousands of troops cannot even take down the small town of Shenmu, so there is nothing to be afraid of.

Once this news reaches the ears of the government troops, they will inevitably have their own thoughts. Coupled with their eagerness to make a name for themselves, the government troops in the north will likely make a decisive move south and launch an offensive against the southward-advancing rebel army.

This was Zhou Lun's true purpose.

He and Gao Yingxiang agreed to meet at Gaohanling, precisely for this reason. Gaohanling was a large area, densely covered with mountains, forests, and valleys, making it easy to conceal the troops.

Furthermore, this location is not far from the only route south from Fugu. Once the government troops march south from Fugu, they will inevitably take this route. At that time, the rebel army can ambush the southward-bound government troops here and deliver a heavy blow. Once they defeat or even annihilate this government army, they can not only easily recapture Fugu, but also ensure the safety of the rebel army for a long period of time afterward.

"King Chuang! Let me lead the attack this time!"

After listening to Gao Yingxiang's explanation and arrangements, everyone present became excited, their eyes lighting up. Who couldn't understand? If they could defeat the government troops in one battle, what would that mean for their righteous army? Needless to say?

Wang Er was by nature a man who loved to fight and was eager to fight. How could he restrain himself? He immediately stood up abruptly, making the chair wobble, and started shouting at the top of his lungs.

Gao Yingxiang was taken aback and subconsciously glanced at Zhou Lun.

Actually, his main target was Zhou Lun's forces. After all, Zhou Lun's elite old troops were the strongest fighters. If he were to allocate another capable rebel force to ambush and attack the government troops marching south, the chances of success would be much higher. But before he could even bring it up, Wang Er eagerly jumped in. This put Gao Yingxiang in a difficult position.

"King Chuang!" Seeing Gao Yingxiang hesitate, Wang Er became anxious and patted his chest, vowing, "As long as King Chuang lets me be the main attacker, I, your brother, will not disappoint you! If I fail, I'll bring my head upon myself!"

The slap landed on his chest with a loud thud, as if he were ready to risk his life.

Gao Yingxiang hesitated for a moment, then carefully spoke, "There's no need for the head. You can take on the lead attack, but..." He paused, his tone softening, "Taking on the lead attack is extremely dangerous. The number of government troops heading south is considerable, and they're not ordinary troops. Brother Wang's courage is commendable, but with only your small force, I'm afraid..."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" Wang Er retorted, raising his voice even higher, "The mere government troops are nothing! My troops are well-rested and ready to fight; we will surely win! Does Your Majesty not trust Wang Er?"

These words were spoken with absolute certainty and conviction, and everyone in the tent heard them clearly.

Gao Yingxiang glanced at Wang Er's flushed face, then looked around at everyone in the tent. After a moment's hesitation, he finally nodded: "Alright then!"

He straightened up, his voice steady and powerful, and issued orders one by one.

"Wang Er's troops will be the main attackers, while Zhao Sheng and his brothers will be the secondary attackers, assisting Wang Er's brothers in the battle."

His gaze turned to Li Wanqing: "Brother Li, your troops will set up an ambush in the rear. After the Wang brothers and Zhao Sheng brothers engage in battle at the front, you will launch a surprise attack from the rear to cut off the government troops' retreat. What do you think of this arrangement?"

"I will obey the King's orders!" Without thinking, Li Wanqing stood up abruptly and, together with Wang Er and Zhao Sheng, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gao Yingxiang.

The three men stood tall with their chests ramrod straight, their eyes gleaming, and their entire bodies radiated an irrepressible fighting spirit.

Gao Yingxiang saw this and a gratified smile appeared on his face. He nodded in satisfaction.