BSI Chapter 055 Appeasement
Chapter 055 Appeasement
Newlywed Zhou Lun had no leisurely "honeymoon" time. Just two days after his wedding, the rebel army held an emergency meeting.
Upon seeing Zhou Lun's arrival, everyone revealed meaningful smiles.
Gao Yingxiang, in particular, looked at Zhou Lun with a more meaningful expression than usual. Li Wanqing and Zhao Sheng even teased Zhou Lun a few times, and Zhou Lun smiled and chatted with them. After a while, when everyone had arrived, Gao Yingxiang, who was in the main seat, coughed, and the room immediately fell silent.
"We have news from the leader of the Northern Kingdom," Gao Yingxiang said.
Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, Gao Yingxiang continued, "The men I sent have returned with news. The Fugu rebels are currently stationed in Shenmu. Upon learning that we are going to join them, Chief Wang strongly urged us to head north as soon as possible to join them!"
"Shenmu?" Everyone was taken aback. Shenmu is south of Fugu. Why would Wang Jiayin go there all of a sudden? Could it be that he's planning to head south?
Zhao Sheng couldn't help but ask about it, and everyone else shared the same question. Gao Yingxiang said he wasn't entirely clear on the specifics, but it was certain that Wang Jiayin was in Shenmu.
Moreover, it wasn't just Wang Jiayin, but also the various rebel groups that had surrendered to the north before them.
Among them were Yichuan Wang Zuogua, Yanchuan Hun Tianwang, Luochuan Heisha Shen, Jingbian Shen Yiyuan, Suide Buzhanni, Mizhi Xichuan Wang Zishun, Miao Mei, Feishan Hu, and others. Their forces were formidable, having amassed nearly 20,000 men, who were currently resting in Shenmu.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Wang Er exclaimed excitedly without hesitation. "It's only four hundred li north of Mizhi to Shenmu. Since Chief Wang is in Shenmu, and we were already going there to join him anyway, and Chief Wang is now inviting us to meet him north, we should set off as soon as possible!"
"That's right!" Huang Long nodded in agreement. "The journey from Mizhi to Shenmu isn't far, and besides, we've traveled all this way to meet up with Chief Wang. Now that we've made contact, there's no need to stay here any longer; we should head north as soon as possible!"
Aside from Wang Er and Huang Long, the others expressed the same suggestion. At this moment, Gao Yingxiang turned his gaze to Zhou Lun and asked him what he thought.
Zhou Lun thought for a moment and said, "What the leaders said earlier is correct. Besides, our original plan was to go north to Fugu to join forces with Chief Wang's troops. Since King Chuang has already sent people to contact them, and Chief Wang's troops are currently in Shenmu, it is natural for us to go north to join them."
He paused, then continued, "Besides, judging from the news from the south in the past few days, a large force of government troops is already gathering. Our troops are advancing north, with the government army following closely behind. If we continue to stay here, battle is inevitable. It would be better to take advantage of the government army's inability to catch up and quickly break camp north to join forces with Chief Wang's troops. At that time, both our momentum and military strength will be greatly enhanced, and we will not fear even if the government army attacks!"
Gao Yingxiang pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.
He was well aware of the situation of the government troops in the south.
Since joining forces with Zhao Sheng in Qingjian, the rebel army has expanded further, now boasting a total strength of over ten thousand, making it a formidable force. However, Gao Yingxiang also understands that the rebel army is ultimately just a rebel army, not a real army. Not to mention that it has only been established for a short time, the army consists of ordinary people who followed the uprising, and its training and equipment are far inferior to those of the government troops.
Although the Ming Dynasty's garrison system has collapsed and the garrison troops are no longer as strong as they used to be, even so, the elite troops drawn from the garrisons in various places, plus their armed forces, are still far superior to ordinary militias.
Moreover, the government troops in the south also have a relatively elite battalion. This battalion is much better equipped than the garrison troops, and its training is also excellent. Its combat effectiveness is not much worse than that of the border troops.
After the two forces joined together in Anzhai, their total strength reached about five thousand men, and they rushed towards them along the route the rebels had taken north. According to previous intelligence, they were not far away.
The rebel army numbered over 10,000 against the government troops numbered 5,000. Literally, the rebels outnumbered the government troops. But war is not about numbers.
How much fighting power did those peasants in the rebel army, who had just put down their hoes and picked up weapons, actually possess? Others might not know, but surely Gao Yingxiang, as their leader, was well aware? This force was passable against small groups of government troops; with their superior numbers, they could easily win by overwhelming them. But when it came to a head-on confrontation with a government army of this size, Gao Yingxiang had absolutely no confidence.
Fortunately, the government troops were also very cautious, and were equally worried about losses.
They followed the rebels, deliberately keeping their distance and not launching any strong offensive. For now, they were simply following the rebels' route, taking advantage of the opportunities to recapture counties such as Anding and Qingjian that had been previously captured.
But who could guarantee that the government troops wouldn't suddenly launch a fierce attack? Gao Yingxiang wasn't going to place his hopes on the government troops. His current inaction was only temporary; if the situation changed, given the government troops' marching speed, they could arrive in just a few days. If this major battle broke out, Gao Yingxiang had absolutely no chance of winning.
Zhou Lun was right. Whether looking at the initial plan or judging from the current situation, the risks of staying here far outweighed those of continuing north. Besides, Shenmu wasn't too far from Mizhi, only about 400 li away. If the rebel army moved quickly, they could arrive in seven or eight days; even if they moved slowly, it would only take ten days.
Wang Jiayin's side now has a large and powerful force, and with the addition of his own troops, the combined strength of the two forces will swell to more than 30,000. With so many people banding together for mutual support, they will have a greater chance of dealing with the government troops coming from the south.
More importantly, Shaanxi was not a place to stay for long. Gao Yingxiang never intended to stay in Shaanxi for long. His real purpose in going north, besides meeting up with Wang Jiayin, was to enter Shanxi from Shaanxi.
With this in mind, Gao Yingxiang made up his mind and decided to head north as soon as possible.
He immediately announced his decision to head north.
No one objected to this decision; everyone expressed their support. Gao Yingxiang then made arrangements for the various units to march north. Although Wang Er once again volunteered to serve as the vanguard to clear the way for the righteous army, Gao Yingxiang did not agree this time. Instead, he specifically selected Zhou Lun's unit to lead his troops as the vanguard.
Following Zhou Lun's troops were Zhao Sheng's forces, providing logistical support for Zhou Lun's vanguard. Next came Gao Yingxiang's central army and Wang Er's troops, with Li Wanqing's forces bringing up the rear.
Li Wanqing and Zhao Sheng both said they had no problem with this arrangement, and Zhou Lun naturally had no reason to object.
Gao Yingxiang's arrangement clearly indicates that he has entrusted Zhou Lun with the most important vanguard mission.
Zhou Lun had served as the vanguard on the previous journey to Qingjian, so it was quite normal for him to be the vanguard again. Moreover, he had just married Gao Yingxiang's niece, Gao Guiying; their relationship was different, so it was natural for Gao Yingxiang to treat him differently. Furthermore, Li Wanqing and Zhao Sheng were both Zhou Lun's sworn brothers, so they naturally wouldn't object to their own brothers serving as the vanguard.
The only one who was unhappy was Wang Er.
He had originally planned to make a name for himself this time, but things didn't go as planned. Seeing Zhou Lun get the vanguard position, Wang Er was extremely envious.
However, he himself was also aware that with Zhou Lun's marriage to Gao Guiying, Zhou Lun's status in the rebel army had changed.
Now, not only do Li Wanqing and Zhao Sheng support him, but even the chief leader Gao Yingxiang looks at him differently. Although he is still nominally under Li Wanqing's command, from today onwards, Zhou Lun is showing signs of becoming independent and forming his own army. In a few days, he might even be on equal footing with him.
After making the arrangements, Gao Yingxiang told everyone to get ready as soon as possible.
Zhou Lun and the others stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and accepted the order before leaving one by one. Just as they were leaving, Gao Yingxiang called out to Wang Er, who was walking at the very back.
Wang Er didn't know why Gao Yingxiang had called him, so he stopped and turned around. Gao Yingxiang got up from his chair with a smile and walked over to him in a few steps.
"Brother Wang, I'm sorry to trouble you this time. It's not that I didn't want you to be the vanguard, but I have another important use for you!"
"What did the King of Chuang say...?" Wang Er was taken aback and looked at Gao Yingxiang with some confusion.
Gao Yingxiang held his hand, speaking earnestly: "Among our righteous army, if we're talking about bravery and daring, the Wang brothers are undoubtedly the leaders! When we attacked Anding, if it weren't for you leading the charge and launching a fierce attack, Anding wouldn't have been so easily captured. The Wang brothers are unparalleled in bravery, and their courage is extraordinary. To be honest, they are comparable to Huo Qubing during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, and Zhao Zilong during the Three Kingdoms period!"
"This...this is...this is...this is...hehehe..."
Wang Er was instantly overjoyed. Gao Yingxiang had flattered him so much, praising him as a fierce general like Huo Qubing or Zhao Zilong. How could he not be secretly delighted? The slight dissatisfaction he had felt earlier vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of closeness and pride towards Gao Yingxiang.
Wang Er had always been a big fan of Gao Yingxiang, and he had come to join him because of him. Now that Gao Yingxiang valued him so much and praised him so highly, he was naturally very excited.
Gao Yingxiang continued, "The reason I had the Wang brothers act alongside the central army is because the central army is of paramount importance to the entire army. I don't trust anyone else to be in charge; only by having the brothers protect the central army can we be truly secure. This is a task that no ordinary person can undertake. After much thought, I believe that among all the units in the entire rebel army, only the Wang brothers are capable of fulfilling this responsibility."
"That's why I made today's arrangement." At this point, Gao Yingxiang hesitated for a moment, then spoke frankly to Wang Er, "I know you want to be the vanguard, but for the sake of the overall situation, that's why I'm having you lead the army to protect the central command. If you really don't want to, I won't force you. Regarding the vanguard position..."
"What are you saying, King Chuang!" Before Gao Yingxiang could finish speaking, Wang Er patted his chest and said, "King Chuang thinks highly of me, Wang Er, and has appointed me to guard the central army. This is an honor for me. How could I, Wang Er, not appreciate such a favor?"
"I, Wang Er, am determined to be the central army's bodyguard! With my troops protecting the central army, Your Majesty, you can rest assured!"
"Good! Good! I knew you were a loyal and courageous man, and a wise and capable general. With you two brothers here, I can rest easy. How could I not be at ease? So, I entrust the safety of the central army entirely to you, brother?"
"No doubt about it! Just you wait and see, King Chuang!" Wang Er pounded his chest, his face full of pride, and he was as excited as if he had been injected with chicken blood.