Myths Begin From Boys' Gong

Opportunities always arrive unexpectedly and quietly.

Meng Zhao's initial thought was that he must not be the first to stick his neck out, to be a pioneer for the king, and to use his own strength to deplete the dynasty's resources and benefit others.

In fact, he did a very good job, managing his own power, consolidating his foundation, and constantly strengthening himself. Only in this way can he be at ease and make his own choices in any environment and any situation.

Three months after the Zhang family was wiped out, several other forces, similar to the Zhang family and also from powerful and aristocratic families, launched a rebellion, raising the banner of "purging the court of corrupt officials." Their momentum was overwhelming, sweeping across the country like a surging river, and the imperial army could not match them, collapsing almost at the first sign of trouble.

These forces clearly recognized that the Tianyuan Dynasty was now in its twilight years, with its prestige and strength greatly diminished.

In the twilight of this dynasty, the past history was transformed into classic images, lingering in the minds of ambitious men.

The world is in chaos, heroes rise up, powerful figures vie for supremacy, the land is so beautiful, and countless heroes have fallen before it.

In the past, they submitted to the Tianyuan royal family, but that did not mean they had no desire for resistance or ambition. It was just that in the past, the power was no longer there and their strength was insufficient, so they suppressed these ambitions. Now that the situation has changed, they have not been blessed by Heaven and have instead suffered the consequences.

Naturally, they made the same choice as the Zhang family: to fight, with no turning back under such overwhelming momentum.

The simultaneous uprisings of these families, and their successive defeats of the imperial army, instantly wiped out the imperial court's momentum and prestige in defeating the Zhang family.

Previously, they could rely on quelling the rebels and intimidating the masses, but this method is clearly no longer effective.

Moreover, once a dynasty shows signs of decline or weakness, those who are secretly hiding will seize the opportunity to strike while the dynasty is down, and will never give it another chance to rise again.

Therefore, following the uprisings of these powerful families, more than a dozen other forces, large and small, rose up in Tianyuan territory.

This also includes the definition army led by Meng Zhao.

Meng Zhao proclaimed himself General of the Righteousness, and with the slogan of punishing the wicked and tyrannical ruler, he raised an army of 50,000 and started an uprising in Hebei Province.

What appears to be a small-scale skirmish is actually a hidden force, revealing only the surface of its power while concealing its true strength, which is impossible to fathom.

The so-called "punishing the wicked and eliminating tyrants" was the guiding principle of their army, but it was not the only one; it was just a core and early guiding principle.

In this way, we can unite people's hearts, give everyone a clear direction, and greatly reduce the confusion and bewilderment caused by being at a loss and having no goals.

In this respect alone, they are far superior to those rebel armies that simply raise troops to fight, burn, kill, and plunder.

Those were less a righteous army and more bandits; they were just a mob.

Moreover, since Meng Zhao's army did not declare its intention to seize the world from the beginning, it would reduce the hostility and targeting from other rebel armies.

The only ones he offended were the Tianyuan Dynasty and the emperor, but for Meng Zhao, who was already in rebellion, this was like a gentle breeze and posed no threat whatsoever.

It's not that a dynasty with such resources and accumulated strength is incapable of dealing with people like Meng Zhao; rather, the floodwaters are leaking everywhere. If you try to patch one part, you lose another, leaving you powerless to do so.

Furthermore, in addition to the initial ideological program, Meng Zhao also made a decision that was quite different from the usual roving pattern of rebel armies.

He established a shogunate, recruited wise men and heroes, and granted them official positions, creating a small but complete court. At the same time, he promised the common people that he would not harm them in any way, not only strictly prohibiting his subordinates from plundering the people but also severely cracking down on those who caused trouble at this critical juncture, maintaining stability, consolidating his foundation, and winning the hearts of the people.

With these two preparations in place, the vast Hebei Province had effectively been seized by Meng Zhao, becoming a base that could be maintained.

In particular, the terrain of Hebei Road is quite good, with mountains and passes on both the east and west sides. By securing important passes, one can achieve a situation where one man can hold the pass against ten thousand.

The southern side is adjacent to a waterway, but under Meng Zhao's wise planning, a navy with considerable potential and ability has been formed and a water fortress has been built, making it equally difficult to break through.

Only to the north lies a flat plain, where Meng Zhao has deployed a large number of troops to build defensive fortifications in key cities and implemented a scorched-earth policy.

He and several generals were directing operations at the front, while his small court, led by a few loyal men, was stationed at the rear, ensuring logistical stability and providing continuous support for their great war.

First came the Zhang family, then Meng Zhao's army. The imperial court harbored deep resentment towards Hebei and its people.

Therefore, after Meng Zhao raised his army, he quickly dispatched an elite force of 30,000 men to quell the rebellion.

The main problem is that Meng Zhao is an unknown figure, and it is said that he was a beggar who grew up eating food from many families. Compared to the Zhang family, who have been operating in Hebei Province for many years, anyone would think that the former is a rabble, while the latter is the real threat.

The fact that 30,000 troops could be sent was considered sufficient by the officials of the court. In fact, the main reason for the strong crackdown was that Meng Zhao's slogan of punishing the tyrannical and wicked ruler was quite eye-catching.

If it were someone else's true opinion, sending even 10,000 men would be considered a great favor to Meng Zhao, let alone 30,000.

After all, in some people's eyes, the General's Mansion and the Army established by Meng Zhao were just a makeshift organization, no different from those peasant uprisings, and far less troublesome than those caused by real aristocratic families.

However, reality delivered a resounding slap to the faces of the court officials.

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, not long after the New Year, Meng Zhao led his troops in a surprise attack on the imperial army's camp. He took the lead, wearing heavy armor and wielding a horse-slaying sword, leading five hundred heavy cavalrymen to break through the imperial army's camp and kill the general commanding the army.

In a single battle, 30,000 soldiers were defeated, 8,000 were killed or wounded, and 20,000 were captured, shocking the surrounding regions.

There are several reasons for such a great victory.

Firstly, Meng Zhao possessed unparalleled martial arts skills and always took the lead. As the general, he was the courage of his soldiers. He was unmatched and dominated the battlefield. Naturally, the soldiers behind him were also fierce and vigorous, with high morale and invincible.

Secondly, Meng Zhao's choice was also quite cunning. He chose to launch a surprise attack during a time when everyone had a tacit agreement not to fight, which naturally increased his chances of winning.

Thirdly, and very importantly, Meng Zhao has strong battlefield command capabilities.

He was not a commander like Han Xin, but a brilliant general like Xiang Yu or Ran Min. He had a keen sense of the battlefield, made decisive commands, and controlled more than 10,000 troops as if they were his own limbs, thus achieving the final victory.

It was in this battle that Meng Zhao truly made a name for himself, making a significant and memorable appearance on the chessboard of the chaotic Tianyuan era.

Thus, from an unknown nobody, they rose to become a stock with unknown potential, gaining the capital and prestige to contend for supremacy. (End of Chapter)