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Chapter 1646 Heaven's Kingdom Attack
Upon hearing gunshots and shouts of killing, and seeing someone attacking Wang Yan with weapons, the displaced people panicked after a brief moment of astonishment.

Fearing being drawn into the battle and losing their lives for no reason, they scattered instantly.

Wang Yan ignored the men wielding knives who were attacking him from all sides, and went straight for the group that had been shooting at him from the shadows. These men all deserved to die, but there was a proper order to their deaths…

While Wang Yan was being surrounded and attacked, the patrol personnel who were maintaining order and the people participating in training in the training ground all noticed the commotion and immediately grabbed their weapons and ran over to rescue him.

Thus, a double encirclement was formed: Wang Yan's men surrounded the assassins, and the assassins, in turn, surrounded Wang Yan. By this time, Wang Yan had killed more than ten assassins. And that was with him holding back; otherwise, such a short time would have been enough for him to kill all the assassins.

"Want to commit suicide?"

Wang Yan stood in the middle of the field, leaning on his sword, looking at one of the leaders of the assassins. "No need. What secrets do you have? Those who come to kill me at this time are the White Lotus Sect and the Heaven and Earth Society. They all work for the Taiping Army."

I won't torture you. There's a lot of work to be done in Huoshan. You're all in good health, and you've endured so much hardship and eaten so much food. It would be a waste for you to die. Keep living."

With just that one simple sentence, the assassins, who still had some resistance left, immediately became obedient.

Although they came prepared to die, they weren't true suicide squads. Seeing Wang Yan single-handedly kill over a dozen men, they snapped out of their daze. With the area heavily surrounded, escape was impossible. Wang Yan offered them a way out, which they accepted.

At this moment, Zhao Erhu rushed over in a panic and kicked one of the assassins away.

"Brother, it must be those damned White Lotus Sect! We have a deep grudge against them."

Wang Yan walked over and personally helped the man up: "Just talk, why did you kick him? Do you think I don't know it's the White Lotus Sect? Their army has already attacked, do you think you can defeat hundreds of thousands of people?"

"But we can't just let them run rampant like this, can we?"

"Of course not. As the saying goes, once or twice is acceptable, but three or four times is not. The White Lotus Sect keeps taking advantage of us. We have to give them a response, or they'll really think we're made of clay. Go, pass on my order to organize five hundred men and come with me to Lu'an, Shucheng, and Hefei."

Wang Yan had already been lenient by enduring two battles; he didn't want to hinder his own development by engaging in endless fighting with the White Lotus Sect. Now that he had a considerable foundation, it was time to get serious, and he certainly wouldn't hold back anymore.

Over the next two weeks, Wang Yan divided his forces into three groups, personally leading one group straight to Hefei. Just as he had said before, he searched for officials and merchants in the city, looking for traces of the White Lotus Sect from them, and then captured one to lead to a chain of others, killing hundreds of people planted by the White Lotus Sect.

Unlike the previous retaliatory actions in Xinyang, which were intended for the merchants, this time the actions were for the Qing court and the Taiping army.

The troops were divided into three routes, each completing its mission with minimal casualties, almost completely eradicating the White Lotus sect's presence in the area. The combat effectiveness, discipline, disregard for Qing laws, and fearlessness towards the Taiping army displayed during this process are all noteworthy.

Especially after such a long period of peaceful development, Wang Yan now has several thousand men under his command. The escort agency has branches in several major cities in the Central Plains, and its logistics routes cover almost all major cities north of the Yangtze River. Every day, over a thousand people are escorting goods across the land north of the Yangtze.

In fact, their reputation had already been established for some time, because all forces that had robbed their goods or killed their people had suffered even more severe retaliation, making them virtually unrestrained. Just at the end of last year, a group of bandits in Shanxi robbed their goods. Wang Yan personally led a team of nearly a thousand men to surround a large bandit den of more than five hundred men. The two sides fought in the mountains for ten days, and all the bandits were killed.

This gang of bandits had been entrenched here for several years, and the government had tried to suppress them more than once, but the more they were suppressed, the stronger they became.

In the midst of such chaos and war, Wang Yan's personal involvement in the brutal crackdown on the White Lotus Sect has had a significant impact...

After fighting his way out, he returned to the peaceful Huoshan to make various arrangements.

Although he built a bandit den in the mountains, he couldn't really just hide there.

In particular, he has invested a great deal in Huoshan, including steel mills, gun workshops, and other chemical plants, all of which he built up bit by bit with great difficulty, and of course he doesn't want to damage these foundations.

Therefore, his immediate priority is to make some arrangements on the main roads and trails around Huoshan. Whether it's the Qing court or the Taiping army that attacks, he'll have to fight a few battles first to see how things go.

Of course, he didn't only have one factory in Huoshan. After all, he knew all along that this area was definitely a war zone and he was bound to get beaten up. So how could he put all his hopes on Huoshan? He always tried to be as prepared as possible.

That bandit den was a last resort, but it was also an open and aboveboard way to show off to the enemy, to make them hesitant to act, and to make them realize whether it was worth it. This was also part of putting pressure on the enemy.

If you can avoid going into the mountains, then of course it's best not to. The mountains simply don't have the same picturesque scenery as the area around Huoshan County...

Just as he went out to take revenge on the White Lotus Sect and returned to set up defenses, an even more earth-shattering piece of news arrived.

Jiangning fell.

From the fall of Wuchang in January to the fall of Jiangning, less than three months passed...

Upon receiving this news, a subordinate informed him that Taiping Army members had come to visit, and Wang Yan did not refuse to meet them.

The woman who arrived was slender and had delicate features, but she was dressed as a man.

"This humble woman, Su Zixuan, greets Master Wang."

She greeted him with a respectful bow, smiling broadly, "Sir, you're in high spirits! The fighting outside is raging, and you're here eating hot pot."

"It's raining today, so it'll be more comfortable to eat something hot. It's just that you Taiping rebels never pick the right time. Last time you tried to assassinate me, it was raining, and today you're coming to see me, it's raining again."

"Is that so? Uncle Wang may not know, but all the way to Jiangning, it was sunny and clear. But after crossing the river, it's been raining non-stop. If you ask me, it's because the Qing government is tyrannical and not tolerated by Heaven. Uncle Wang, you are a man of great talent, you should make plans as soon as possible."

As they were talking, Su Zixuan sat down opposite Wang Yan, started preparing the dipping sauce with her chopsticks, and began eating the hot pot.

Wang Yan asked with a smile, "Is the Taiping Army out of manpower? Or did you come here to use your beauty to seduce me?" "Oh dear, I thought you, Master Wang, were different from other men and had no prejudice against women, but it turns out you're just a vulgar man."

"Don't you know that all the farm girls in Huoshan can read and write? There are even well-educated girls who work as accountants. And foot binding, that filthy thing is gone now. Anyone who dares to bind their child's feet will have their parents hung up and whipped."

Su Zixuan gave a noncommittal laugh and then said, "Sir, you say that I am here to use my beauty to seduce you, but to tell you the truth, compared to the Heavenly Kingdom, I'm afraid Lord Wang's power is not as great as the Heavenly Kingdom's efforts."

Wang Yan put the sliced ​​meat into the pot: "They just sent someone to assassinate me, and you come here to mock me. Do you really think no one is going to kill you?"

"Of course the master dares to kill, but hasn't the master already dug out and killed all the White Lotus Sect members in Lu'an, Shucheng, and Hefei? He must have vented his anger, so he won't make things difficult for a little woman like me."

"The previous sentence was about who said women are inferior to men, and the next sentence is about women being delicate?"

"I just want to gain some advantage and get things done."

Wang Yan chuckled: "Stop talking nonsense and get down to business."

"The important thing is for you to think carefully about the future. Can the Qing government be trusted? Look, in less than three months, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom marched from Wuchang to Nanjing. You may not know this, but Nanjing has now been renamed Tianjing, and it will be the capital of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the future."

Su Zixuan spoke with unwavering conviction, "Now, an army of 500,000 is stationed in Jiangnan, and soon we will cross the river to launch a northern expedition, conquer the Central Plains, expel the Tartars, and restore China. This magnificent momentum is unstoppable. Uncle Wang, you must think carefully. If you make a mistake at this time, even the best situation will be ruined in a single day!"

Do you think this so-called heavenly kingdom can last?

"You think it can't last?" Su Zixuan stopped eating the meat and looked up at Wang Yan, wanting to hear what profound opinions this man from humble beginnings could have.

Wang Yan's rise to power was too rapid. As his sworn enemies, the White Lotus Sect had long been investigating him. However, in such times, chaos and upheaval were commonplace. Wang Yan's first appearance was in Yangzhou, where he abducted a woman, which was later confirmed to be Zhao Erhu's doing. After that, there was no further news about him.

But it is precisely because he didn't have one that it proves Wang Yan came from a poor background; he was a homeless vagrant. Otherwise, if he had even a house, traces of his activities would have been found.

So they guessed that Wang Yan had learned this skill from somewhere, possessed great strength by nature, knew how to conceal his abilities, and was also daring and reckless. Thus, once his strength matured, he couldn't resist the temptation to act...

“I see contempt for me in your eyes.”

Wang Yan glanced at him. "I've heard that all those 'Wangs' are uneducated, and many are illiterate. You despise me, so why do you believe they can succeed? Are you saying that different people are different, right?"

Do you know how many men I have? Nearly five thousand. More than three thousand of them have learned to read and write, practiced martial arts, and some have even studied drawing... You should know these things, after all, some of your men are among them. These three thousand men can be dispersed into officers. The Taiping Army is nothing more than plundering the common people. Do you think I can't plunder? Do you think I can't plunder? Look at the refugees outside.

But I digress. Let me tell you more about the Taiping Army. From their uprising to now, in less than three years, they had marched all the way from Guangxi to Nanjing, boasting an army of 500,000. Although the south of the Yangtze River was not yet pacified, they had few rivals left and had essentially occupied half of the country. Reaching this point was already considered a great success, and their names would surely be recorded in future history books.

Do you think they might become complacent, start to enjoy their wealth and status, or even begin to seize power, leading to mutual discontent and ultimately conflict, causing the alliance to crumble on its own?

“You haven’t seen them, you don’t know. I watched them fight their way from Guangxi. They are all heroes. I can’t say what will happen in the future, but at least for now, I think they are fine. I’m not afraid to tell you, the Heavenly Kingdom is already planning a northern expedition and a western expedition, which will pass through your area.”

Su Zixuan ate the hot pot meat with ease, and raised her eyebrows in surprise, "It tastes very good, Grandpa will eat it."

Wang Yan shook his head: "I just want to stay here and earn money peacefully, and live a good life with my brothers. I don't want to fight the Taiping Army or the Qing Dynasty. I can even buy some grain for you, so we can all get rich together. But if you insist on forcing me, then I have no choice but to fight a real battle."

Go back and convey my message: if they want to attack me, they're welcome anytime. Let's see if the Taiping Army has the teeth to bite.

"Sir, your men are indeed full of officer foes, but in the end, they still lack guns, cannons, and armor. The Heavenly Kingdom has marched north and has nothing to lack. Once war breaks out, it's not something that can be stopped just like that. Sir, please think it over."

"How do you know I don't have guns, cannons, or armor? Bringing these things out would be tantamount to rebellion. The Qing court wouldn't be able to avoid attacking me then. Whether I have them or not, you'll find out when you come and fight me. At worst, I'll just lead my men into the mountains, and when we run out of food and water, we'll fight the Taiping Army. Anyway, if there are too few of them, the Taiping Army is no match for me; if there are too many, it's not worth it. Let's see who can't hold out."

"Uncle Wang is a very straightforward person, and he speaks very clearly. Don't worry, I will definitely report the truth to the Heavenly King."

Su Zixuan sighed and shook her head repeatedly, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn't, and continued eating her meat.

However, she didn't get any questions; instead, she saw Wang Yan eating meat and drinking wine heartily.

"Why are you looking at me? Want some wine? Pour yourself, it's authentic Shaoxing Nu'er Hong. I wonder what kind of mess the Taiping Army has made over there."

During wartime, the evil in human nature is unleashed to its fullest extent, leading to large-scale and organized looting and harm. Both the Taiping Rebellion and the Qing Dynasty committed numerous tragedies.

Su Zixuan poured himself a drink, took a sip, and said to himself, "Sir, now is the perfect time. Even if you don't surrender to the Qing court or to us, wouldn't it be better to raise your own troops and occupy a territory than to be like this now? The Qing court's fate is sealed, and it's time to send it on its way. After we destroy the Qing court, we can discuss things between our two families."

"Stop trying to seduce me. I have my own plans." Wang Yan waved his hand. "If you have nothing more to say, then hurry up and leave."

"Sir, you're so heartless! You won't even let this young lady finish her meal? Am I not pretty enough?"

"Then don't leave."

"Uh……"

Upon hearing Wang Yan's words, Su Zixuan was momentarily speechless. She could only watch Wang Yan eating meat, trying to discern from his expression whether he was telling the truth or lying...

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