The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it was almost impossible to dissolve.

A few scattered stars, gleaming coldly, were fixed on the sky.

On the boundless plain, the cold wind howled in the darkness, swirling snowflakes.

However, beneath the thick darkness...

On the plains west of Yangzhou, the firelight from bonfires and torches, scattered like stars, stretched out like a galaxy reflected on the ground.

The flickering flames meandered across the wasteland, sometimes gathering, sometimes dispersing, illuminating the entire frozen earth with a faint glow.

The starry sky on earth contrasts sharply with the cold stars in the heavens.

Gunfire erupted in the cold night, wave after wave, and flashes of light flickered between the outlines of the bastion.

The People's Army's offensive surged forward like a tidal wave, with dark figures advancing under the illumination of cannon fire and gunfire.

The defenses of Shandong Town had collapsed, and the remaining flags lay fallen in the blood and mud.

However, the remaining Jingnan Army soldiers still guarded the fortress.

Shouts of battle mingled with the dying wails, echoing back and forth inside and outside the fortress walls.

The bastions built by the People's Army were not like the war fortresses of 18th-century Europe that maximized the firepower of guns and cannons; they were not even in name only.

Although Chen Wang allocated a large amount of money to the Hanzhong Garrison Arsenal, and the arsenal's output did indeed steadily increase, a large portion of it had to be allocated to other weaponry.

The current artillery is insufficient to equip the entire army. A division in Shandong Town has only eighteen 4-jin cannons and six 5-jin cannons.

These cannons were all used on the front lines of the battlefield.

The artillery used by the Jingnan army defending the fortress was still the tiger crouching cannon and breech-loading cannon from the Ming army's inventory.

The reason why the Wanmin Army was difficult to conquer was that the Jingnan Army would quickly gather troops to provide reinforcements after a short period of time.

However, after losing their cavalry and infantry support, these bastions, guarded by only about a hundred men each, began to be taken down one by one by the People's Army.

The Jingnan Army's fortifications, scattered across the plains, are like reefs scattered throughout the sea.

"Wan Sheng!"

Under the boundless night sky, countless soldiers of the Wanmin Army surged towards the reefs like waves.

The lights of Yingye twinkled like a galaxy across the plains of western Yangzhou, reflecting in Chen Wang's eyes.

The north wind howled, whipping up countless banners in the darkness, the fluttering sound echoing in Chen Wang's ears.

The sound of hurried footsteps came from below the observation platform and then approached Chen Wang from behind.

Chen Wang did not turn around, but continued to observe the battle situation in the distance.

"No reports were received at night. Seven of the ten bastions that our army had previously occupied in the west have fallen."

A rustling sound came from the central command observation platform, and all the staff officers stood up.

Hu Zhili's voice also rang out behind Chen Wang.

"The Shandong garrison suffered heavy casualties. According to statistics, more than 4,000 infantrymen were killed or wounded, with only about 2,000 remaining. Only about 300 were still capable of fighting, and most of them were exhausted."

"More than 40% of the cavalry were killed in action. There are still more than 3,000 cavalrymen left, and they still have the strength to fight, but most of them are exhausted and cannot be relied upon as the main force."

"The First Guards Battalion managed to hold its ground by relying on the Jia 3 and Jia 5 bastions, but the Wanmin Army's offensive was relentless and the front line was in constant danger."

"Our troops are exhausted from prolonged fighting..."

Hu Zhili didn't finish his sentence because he saw Chen Wang raise his right hand.

"casualties."

Chen Wang narrowed his eyes slightly, still not turning around. He lowered his right hand again, tapped the railing in front of him lightly with his knuckles, and said calmly.

"It has never mattered."

Hu Zhili opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but looking at Chen Wang standing alone in front of the railing, looking at Chen Wang's back, he couldn't say a word.

"What I'm about to say, I've said to Chen Gong before, and I've also said to Zhiyi before, and now I'll say it to you again."

Chen Wang slowly turned around, his sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, immediately falling upon him.

Hu Zhili paused slightly, the firelight reflecting in Chen Wang's eyes, still shining brightly in the darkness.

"To be generous but unable to command, to love but unable to give orders, to be chaotic but unable to govern—this is like a spoiled child, unfit for service." This is a timeless saying from Sun Tzu's Art of War, a wise saying for leading troops.

To sum it up in four words: "A compassionate general cannot command an army."

A biting north wind swept in from the north, whipping up countless banners and causing the blazing fire on the watchtower to flicker.

The lights flickered and grew dimmer, while the howling wind grew even more menacing.

In the flickering light, Chen Wang's figure appeared even more stern and cold.

"Necessary sacrifices are essential for survival."

"On the battlefield, to save lives, you have to kill them."

"Whether you're a soldier or a colonel..."

"When I was a soldier and eating rations, I already thought that sooner or later this day might come."

Chen Wang's voice was calm, as if he were narrating something perfectly ordinary.

"When you and I joined the army, don't tell me you never thought you might die one day."

Chen Wang did not continue the conversation in any further.

The war continues, and this is a necessary test to pass in order to become a truly qualified officer.

It's cruel and heartless.

But that's reality.

The bloody reality.

"Our army is exhausted from long battles, but is the Wanmin Army not exhausted as well?"

Chen Wang turned his head back and stopped looking at Hu Zhili.

"The casualties of the Wanmin Army are far greater than ours."

“Li Yan…”

"We can't hold on any longer..."

Chen Wang glanced at the railing in front of him and said slowly.

"He risked almost everything he had to break through the western front."

"The Yichang Battalion, the Shenji Battalion, and the Fengrui Battalion all went out at once. In the end, even the Xiaoji Battalion under their command was sent out."

In the final moments, in order to stabilize morale and completely break through the western front, Li Yan even personally led his armored cavalry in a charge.

The Wanmin Army captured the western front at dusk, but the war is still not over.

Li Yan ordered his troops to work day and night, eager to expand their advantage.

Zheng's fleet felt like a thorn in their side; if the Wanmin Army showed even the slightest sign of defeat...

Zheng's fleet would swarm in like sharks smelling blood...

"Li Yan has put all his chips on the table and revealed all his cards."

"Now……"

Chen Wang surveyed the entire burning battle line.

The western front was brightly lit, illuminating the entire plain as if it were daytime, and loud shouts echoed across the plain.

On the southern front, the Wanmin Army launched frequent raids, and lights were scattered across the plains like stars.

On the eastern front, large detachments of the Wanmin Army are advancing.

Li Yan has abandoned everything.

During this period, the Wanmin Army continued to reinforce its troops, and a total of more than 400,000 soldiers gathered in the entire Jiangbei region.

In Yangzhou city, the Wanmin Army left behind nearly 40,000 corpses, and later in the western suburbs, they lost more than 20,000 lives.

After a series of bloody battles, the Wanmin Army suffered more than 60,000 casualties.

Having suffered over 120,000 casualties, the Wanmin Army still boasts nearly 300,000 troops and maintains an absolute numerical advantage.

However, the nearly 30% casualty rate had brought the morale of the Wanmin Army to rock bottom.

If such casualties had occurred all at once, the Wanmin Army would probably have collapsed long ago.

The Wanmin Army was in high spirits at this time.

But it was merely a last gasp before it died down.

The victory on the western front gave the generals and officers of the Wanmin Army a glimmer of hope for victory.

It was this glimmer of victory that revived the morale of the Wanmin Army, which had plummeted to rock bottom, to an incredible degree.

Victory seemed within reach.

"How many troops do we still have available?"

Chen Wang tapped lightly on the railing and asked the central army staff officer who was standing to the side.

"The First Division of Shandong Town suffered nearly 7,000 casualties, with 3,000 cavalry and 500 infantry available." The collapse on the western front severely weakened Shandong Town.

If it weren't for Gao Jie's final charge, which saved the day from collapse and blocked the first wave of the Wanmin Army's elite battalion's attack, giving them a chance to catch their breath, the situation would have been different.

I fear that the main force of the First Division of Shandong Town will be completely annihilated on the western front.

"The fourth, fifth, and sixth divisions of Henan Town suffered nearly 5,000 casualties, with 16,000 cavalry remaining and 15,000 infantry combined."

The Henan garrison had three divisions, totaling 36,000 men, half cavalry and half infantry, all of whom were surrendered soldiers from the Western Army.

They received far less training than those in Shandong Town, so their combat strength was naturally inferior to that of Shandong Town.

However, Henan Town, which guards the eastern front, has a strong military force and can take measures against the relentless offensives of the Wanmin Army.
"The Fourth Division of Hanzhong Garrison suffered nearly 2,000 casualties, but still had 3,500 cavalrymen, and together with the infantry, it had nearly 15,000 men."

The Fourth Division of Hanzhong Town was on the front line, facing attacks from the Changyi Battalion and ordinary infantry of the Wanmin Army.

The training level of the Hanzhong garrison troops was the best among all the garrisons. They were well-equipped and fully armored. The Fourth Division was composed of the original garrison troops under the Hanzhong Guard, all of whom were veterans of many battles.

Therefore, even though they bore the brunt of the main attack from the Wanmin Army, their casualties were not significant.

"The total number of casualties among the Central Army Guards was 96. The casualties were mostly from the 1st Guards Infantry Battalion, and the losses were mainly due to the retreat on the western front and the interception of the pursuing troops."

The two battalions of guards infantry directly under the command had previously been used as a last resort and reserve force, so they had not been deployed to the battlefield much, and naturally there were no casualties.

Although the Imperial Guards Cavalry Battalion frequently launched attacks, they were basically deployed to the battlefield at critical moments each time. As a result, after several days, they suffered only a dozen or so casualties.

"Based on the information gathered by the various battalions during night raids, the Wanmin Army has deployed a total of 100,000 troops on the western front."

"The Shenji Battalion under the Wanmin Army suffered heavy casualties, its organization was destroyed, and its number was not seen in subsequent battles."

In an effort to break through the defenses of Shandong Town on the western front, Li Yan treated the Shenji Battalion, which he had painstakingly built up, as expendable resources. He had his supervisory team forcefully push the battalion forward to engage in a firefight with the Shandong Town musketeers, resulting in heavy casualties.

It's normal that the Shenji Battalion's organization was completely wiped out after the battle.

Chen Wang nodded slightly; the battle reports and information he had received so far were not much different from his predictions.

Although the Shenji Battalion was not completely wiped out, it would be absolutely impossible for it to be rebuilt in less than one or two months before it could be put back into the battlefield.

Under the current circumstances, the Wanmin Army naturally cannot afford to wait another month or two.

With the Wanmin Army now having revealed all its trump cards, the Shenji Battalion, a purely firearms unit, has thus withdrawn from the stage of the Battle of Yangzhou.

Chen Wang gently stroked the railing in front of him and asked.

"The Righteousness Camp should have moved its camp as well, right?"

Zhao Huailiang stepped forward and reported.

"The Yiyi Battalion of the Fourth Battalion of the Central Army of the Wanmin Army was transferred from the Central Army to the Western Front at dusk when our army collapsed on the western front."

"That means……"

Chen Wang stopped what he was doing, turned slightly to the side, and said softly.

"The most elite four battalions of the Wanmin Army, apart from the already decimated Shenji Battalion, along with Li Yan's Xiaoji Battalion and the main forces of various units, have all arrived to our west..."

……

The north wind howled, and the banners fluttered in the wind.

Thousands of lights illuminated the western suburbs of Yangzhou.
Li Yan reined in his horse and stood before the battle, his iron armor soaked in blood, the tip of his whip drooping low.

The north wind swept by, its chill penetrating to the bone, yet it could not extinguish the burning passion in his eyes.

The white horse that had been with him for many years pawed restlessly, exhaling puffs of white steam.

Blood soaked through his armor, and the icy north wind blew in like a steel knife scraping his bones.

After months of fierce fighting, a bloody battle that has now raged on, he has staked everything, abandoned everything, struggling in the mire of despair, churning amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Struggling in despair, turning the tide in defeat.

at last……

at last!

Finally, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Jingnan Army is strong.

Chen Wang is brave.

However, the Jingnan Army's forces were ultimately too small.

Chen Wang was ultimately not a true immortal or god.

He is a human being.

To make mistakes is human.

Everyone loses sometimes.

Years of military service and extensive experience have honed Li Yan's ability to remain calm and composed in the face of danger.

However, Li Yan was finding it difficult to control his emotions at the moment.

He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry, he wanted to yell, he wanted to vent.

It's been so long...

He lost too many times, he lost too many times to Chen Wang.

He was unwilling to accept it, he was really unwilling to accept it!
He didn't want to be a puppet on a string, a stepping stone for others' rise to power, or a laughable loser in the annals of history!
He wants to win!
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Looking at the sea of ​​fire before him, Li Yan laughed arrogantly.

He figured it all out; he figured it all out.

He has endured it for far too long.

He didn't want to endure it any longer.

The officers and soldiers of the Wanmin Army around him all glanced at each other, for they had never seen Li Yan like this before.

But at this moment, everyone remained silent.

In the firelight, Li Yan's face appeared to be in and out of focus.

"Chen Wang!"

A chilling killing intent flickered in Li Yan's eyes, which were terrifyingly bloodshot.

The blazing flames danced in his eyes, like the sun high in the sky at noon!

Today, this city of Yangzhou will be the burial place of Chen Wang!

It will also become the place where Li Yan rises to power!

"You can watch me ascend the supreme throne from the afterlife!"

"Hahahaha-"

Just as Li Yan burst into laughter, a sharp, whistling sound suddenly rang in his ears.

A brilliant burst of fireworks suddenly bloomed in the night sky, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

Li Yan's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart pounded violently.

The fireworks were rising from the central command of the Jingnan Army, where Chen Wang was stationed!

"No!"

Li Yan was trembling all over, almost unable to control himself, and his originally high spirits plummeted to rock bottom in an instant.

"No!"

Li Yan's heart collapsed, and he fell into utter despair, screaming madly.

The fireworks that suddenly rose into the sky were undoubtedly a signal.

"Thump! Thump! Thump thump thump!"

The rapid drumbeats echoed across the fields.

Li Yan gripped the riding whip tightly in despair.

All around.

Those places that were originally silent and shrouded in darkness by the night suddenly became filled with countless lights.

One patch after another, one cluster after another, until finally they converged into a boundless sea of ​​fire...

The north wind howled, whipping up thousands of banners.

The bright moon hangs high, illuminating the frost covering the ground.

A crimson fire surged under the night sky, and thousands of torches illuminated the wilderness as red as day.

The dazzling red tide surged and undulated like waves, and one crimson banner after another appeared before Li Yan's eyes.

The heavy footsteps shook the earth, like muffled thunder coming from the depths of the earth.

Amidst the deafening sound of war drums, military songs resounded.

It could still be clearly heard under the dull night sky.

"With everyone united as one, even mountains...can be shaken!" (End of Chapter)