weaving

"Military matters wait for no one. Now that the strategy has been determined, please, Commander-in-Chief, order the troop deployment!" Li Fu was clearly somewhat anxious.

"Old Li, you didn't get enough of a fight yesterday, why are you in such a hurry!"

Li Fuming glared at Wang Pu and said irritably, "You're something else...you're something else...you've had your fun."

He clasped his hands together and addressed the Earl of Yongning, who sat at the head of the commanding position, and said loudly, "I am thinking of the king's affairs. My heart is truly sincere, and I only wish to quell the bandits as soon as possible and restore a bright and clear world to the people of the Central Plains."

"What's the point of all those fancy words when the world is in full bloom?

Wang Pu continued relentlessly, "What do we join the army for? Isn't it to earn merit, get promoted, and receive rewards? So... if you want to kill bandits and earn merit, just say so. It's not shameful."

He even dragged Chen Yongfu into it: "General Chen, don't you think so?"

Chen Yongfu had no intention of getting involved in this mess, so he naturally wouldn't fall for Wang Pu's trick. He simply smiled and replied, "General Wang is right, and General Li is also very reasonable."

As he spoke, he clasped his hands in a fist and pleaded with the Earl of Yongning, "Commander, please give the order."

While they were joking, the Earl of Yongning had been pondering his strategy. Now he had a preliminary plan in mind. His bright eyes swept over everyone in the command tent before he said, "Gentlemen, in yesterday's battle, although we cut down Li's banner and drove back his main force, the soldiers of my division fought very well..."

This battle has established the reputation of my Brave and Resolute Army, and demonstrated the fighting spirit that the Ming Dynasty's imperial troops should possess. I, the Admiral, have already submitted the victory report to the court and the Emperor, to request rewards for all those present and for the tens of thousands of soldiers who fought and bled. I believe that rewards will surely be bestowed within a month.”

"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief... Thank you, Commander-in-Chief..." A chorus of thanks echoed from inside the command tent.

Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng, waved for everyone to be quiet before continuing, "However, in yesterday's battle, our soldiers fought very hard, suffered many casualties, and consumed a lot of gunpowder and cannonballs."

However, it is difficult for us, and it is even more difficult for the bandits. Our soldiers are exhausted, and the bandits are even more tired. Our soldiers have suffered casualties, and the bandits have suffered casualties several times greater than ours. Their food supplies are already running out.

Furthermore, our division is riding high on morale after yesterday's battle, and our troops are ready to fight. On the other hand, the morale of the rebel army collapsed the moment Li Zicheng's banner was cut down, and they have no will to fight anymore.

When he said this, his voice rose considerably: "After you return to camp, you must convey this comparison to every soldier, so that every soldier knows that the enemy's morale has collapsed and their fighting spirit has plummeted. As long as the soldiers fight bravely on the front lines and defeat the enemy, it will be today."

"Here!"

Where is Xu Jinyong?

"Your humble servant is here!" Xu Jinyong strode forward and bowed deeply in the middle of the empty space.

"Jinyong, you have always stayed by my side, responsible for protecting me, and have never had the chance to fight on the front lines. Do you feel wronged?"

“Protecting the commander is a great responsibility, more important than killing the enemy. I do not feel wronged.”

"Haha..." After a hearty laugh, the Earl of Yongning said, "How come you've become so slick? If you feel wronged, just say so..."

"I'll give you the chance to kill the traitors right now."

Before Xu Jinyong could explain, he continued, "Xu Jinyong, you will lead the Imperial Guards of Weiyuan Camp, along with Generals Wang and Li, to join forces with Zhi Ce and Guo Dong to attack the bandit camp at Zhuxian Town."

"Yes!" Xu Jinyong's voice was loud, and his booming voice made everyone's eardrums hurt.

Wang Pu and Li Fuming then stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your subordinates receive the order."

"Among the three of you, all actions are under the unified command and coordination of Xu Jinyong."

Upon hearing this, Wang Pu and Li Fuming exchanged glances. Although they were somewhat unwilling, they dared not disobey the military order of the Earl of Yongning. They could only clasp their hands and bow in unison, saying, "Yes, sir."

Despite their close ties with the Earl of Yongning, they are not officially part of the Yongyi Army. Although they hold the rank of General of a Garrison, in the eyes of the Earl of Yongning, Zhang Cheng, they are not even as good as a deputy general within the Yongyi Army.

"Xu Jinyong, after you lead your troops to join forces with Zhi Ce, all actions will be under the command and coordination of Chen Zheng." "Yes, sir!"

The Earl of Yongning then turned to Liu Chengzhu and instructed him, "Chengzhu, write a letter to Zhice and Guodong. The military command for attacking Zhuxian Town should be decided by the two of them in consultation with Chen Zheng. If there are any disputes or indecision, Chen Zheng shall make the final decision on the spot!"

"Yes."

"The rest of the generals will remain at the Dragon King Temple. Let's put more pressure on Li Zicheng. I want to see how long this Li Zicheng can hold out."

"Chen Yongfu, you will lead Hu Zichen and his cavalry to the left to support our left flank."

"Here!"

"He Zhenxiong, you will lead your cavalry to the right flank to support our right wing."

"Here."

“You must remember that our attack today is a feint, intended to distract Li’s main force and prevent him from returning to Zhuxian Town. If the enemy attacks, we must not engage them in prolonged battle. After a brief engagement, we should fight and retreat. If the enemy pursues us closely, we should retreat back to the Dragon King Temple camp for defense.”

"Here."

The Earl of Yongning nodded and then called out loudly, "Where is Chen Zhong?"

Upon hearing the voice, Chen Zhong stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Chen Zhong is here!"

"Chen Zhong, you will be the vanguard commander. Lead the infantry and wagon troops to form a battle line three miles away from the rebel Shanche Li camp. If the rebels do not move, I will not move either. I only need to fire a few cannon shots occasionally."

If the enemy attacks, bombard them with wagons, guns, and cannons; if the enemy's offensive is fierce, have each battalion cover each other and retreat in shifts, remembering not to get surrounded by the enemy.

"Here!"

The Earl of Yongning glanced at everyone once more and said, "The rest of the troops will remain in the central army and await orders."

"Alright, everyone go back and prepare. After breakfast, each battalion will set off immediately."

"Here."

…………

"Commander-in-Chief, the troops from Datong and Shanxi have been transferred to Zhuxian Town. If Li launches a major counterattack, we may not have enough troops!" Sun Shixiang reminded them after the generals had left.

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng glanced at him and said with a faint smile, "It's alright. The enemy's morale has been low. Even if Li dares to launch a counterattack, we can hold out for several days with our fortified camps and wagon formations."

He turned his gaze toward Shancheli Village and said with a hint of disdain, "Moreover, most of the bandits are unarmored. Even if we run out of cannons and gunpowder, we have nothing to fear in close combat!"

Sun Shixiang was well aware of what the Earl of Yongning had said. However, as his advisor, he had to report any potential dangers to the Earl of Yongning in advance, as it was his duty.

“Zhuxian Town has the main forces of the Tengshe, Qinglong, and Baihu battalions, plus troops from Datong and Shanxi. Their military strength already surpasses that of Longwangmiao. Taking Zhuxian Town shouldn’t be a problem,” Sun Shixiang added.

"Judging from troop strength alone, we are not particularly superior, but in terms of combat power, taking Zhuxian Town should be inevitable. The rest depends on the number of casualties." Hu Yiwen was also very confident about attacking Zhuxian Town.

The Earl of Yongning said with a smile, "If we take Zhuxian Town, the rebel army will surely collapse!"

"Looks like we need to prepare for 'catching the pig'."

"Catching pigs?" (End of Chapter)