The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

East of Mengyuan Town, the vast earthen plateau is covered with soldiers and armor, and the battle lines are filled with dazzling red.

The neat formations marched forward in unison to the sound of bugles and drums, their synchronized steps causing the ground to tremble slightly. Under the command of the flags and drums, the various divisions of the Jingnan Army advanced slowly.

The Jingnan Army's formation was deployed in three lines.

Three divisions, totaling 60,000 men, were deployed at the front line as the vanguard.

From the north side of the earthen plateau east of Mengyuan Town, all the way to the south, are the Seventh Division of Henan Town, the Fifth Division of Henan Town, and the Sixth Division of Henan Town.

The Fifth Division of Henan Town is a line infantry division, and it has completed its re-equipment.

The central force consisted of the 5th Infantry Division of Henan Town, commanded by Li Dingguo. As the vanguard, and due to the open terrain, the troops were organized into units of 1,000 men each, forming a large linear formation.

The 7th and 6th Divisions of Henan Town on both flanks, being situated on a hilly plateau, were organized into units of about 500 men each, forming a linear formation.

They were respectively commanded by generals Ai Nengqi and Liu Wenxiu.

The three divisions' formation was also arranged in two lines, half in front and half in the back.

The units are spaced fifty paces apart, and the two companies of each division are spaced fifteen paces apart to the left and right, allowing them to support each other with flanking fire.

The cavalry units, such as the scouts, in each battalion were deployed in areas where the three divisions were connected.

The second line of the main formation consisted of the three divisions, which served as support for the vanguard.

From north to south, they are: the First Division of Hanzhong Town, the Imperial Guard Division of Hanzhong Town, and the Second Division of Hanzhong Town.

The three divisions together have a total of 36,000 soldiers.

The First Division of Henan Town originally had 20,000 soldiers. Eight thousand soldiers were transferred to the Fifth Division of Henan Town under the command of Li Dingguo, bringing the total number to 20,000.

The troops from both lines were all deployed on the hillside area east of Mengyuan Town.

The third line was the central command formation of the Jingnan Army, serving as the army's reserve force.

The army consisted of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions of Henan Town, and the Third and Fourth Divisions of Huguang Town, totaling nearly 80,000 people from six divisions.

Due to its strong military strength, the central army formation was arranged in three echelon lines across a vast area below the slope of Mengyuan Town, forming a convex formation that protruded forward, which was advantageous for both defense and counterattacks.

At the very front of the convoy was the Third Infantry Division of Huguang Garrison, led by Zuo Liangyu.

At the same time, this is also the location of the central banner of the Jingnan Army.

Beneath the crimson central banner, Hu Zhiyi stood solemnly on horseback.

Hu Zhiyi wore a helmet with three flags and the sun and moon shining brightly on it, and his gaze under the brim was calm yet sharp.

He wore a scarlet official robe embroidered with a qilin pattern underneath, and an exquisitely crafted fish-scale armor that reached his waist, the armor plates gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the dim sunlight.

The armor worn by Hu Zhiyi was more symbolic than practical.

As the commander-in-chief of an army, he commanded an army of nearly 200,000 men.

If Hu Zhiyi still needs to personally take to the battlefield, then the situation has reached an irreversible point, and even if he wears the strongest armor, it will be of no use to the overall situation.

This is why most commanders of large armies do not wear overly thick armor.

The chief of staff accompanying the army in this battle was reporting to Hu Zhiyi on the specific deployment of the Shun army.

"Most of the forts in Mengyuan Town have been destroyed. The Shun army left ten low forts in the west of the town, each guarded by a thousand soldiers, all of whom were elite veterans of the Shun army."

Before sunset yesterday, the first to break into Mengyuan Town was the 5th Infantry Division of Hanzhong Town, commanded by You Shiwei.

The entire camp and fortifications in Mengyuan Town had been burned to the ground by Li Zicheng and completely destroyed. Rebuilding them would not be a task that could be accomplished overnight.

The front of Mengyuan Town is about four li in width, or more than two thousand meters in distance, with ten western bastions resembling a giant python lying across the Loess Plateau.

The winter wind whipped up fine snowflakes, swirling across the open plateau and sweeping over the withered grass stems.

"The Shun army established ten low-lying bastions on the western edge of the region, with each bastion about a hundred paces apart. They could support and assist each other, with a total strength of about ten thousand men."

The Shun army's bastions were fortresses made of rammed earth, only a few feet high, with walls covered with ditches of varying depths.

The flag bearing the character "闯" (meaning "break through") planted on the top of the fort fluttered in the wind, and figures could be vaguely seen moving behind the crenellations.

"On the western slope, the Shun army was also deployed in three lines, arranged in a linear formation on the slope. However, Li Zicheng placed the central army in the middle of the slope, with a total of 60,000 troops."

"There are more than 70,000 soldiers on both sides of Mengyuan Town."

"Whether it's the central government or the two wings, they can all provide support to the Mengyuan Town platform in the central government."

The Shun army's deployment was like a sieve, completely sifted through by the infiltration of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Moreover, they captured the Shun army's main camp in the foothills east of Mengyuan Town.

Hu Zhiyi also dispatched a group of scouts to the mountains to set up observation posts in order to spy on the Shun army's troop deployment.

These scouts were almost all local hunters from the six Pacification Commissions who lived in the mountains and hills year-round. Many dangerous places that ordinary people could hardly climb were almost indistinguishable from flat ground under their feet.

The information reported by the chief of staff is a compilation of information from various sources, containing the most accurate and relevant data.

"Within the Shun army's fortifications, each fortification is equipped with a Frankish officer..."

The chief of staff reported on everything, big and small, and they had almost completely grasped the intelligence of the Shun army.

It was no secret how many cannons, cavalry, and infantry were on the left and right flanks of the Shun army, in the central army, and inside the fortresses.

Hu Zhiyi remained calm and composed. This intelligence even included how many Mongol and Qiang cavalrymen were in the Shun army, and the lives of the Taijis and chieftains of each tribe were also thoroughly investigated.

This has reached a terrifying level.

As the chief of staff reported, the expressions of the officers and soldiers of all ranks following Hu Zhiyi became increasingly serious.

As elite officers of the Jingnan Army, they had naturally heard of the power of the Intelligence Division.

They also knew how much trouble the new policies implemented in Jiangnan had caused. News came not long ago that the number of people implicated had reached nearly 20,000.

But now, through the information reported by the chief of staff, they realized that they had underestimated the capabilities of the intelligence division.

As they exchanged glances, their worries were palpable.

During the period of stagnation in Kaifeng, everyone also received two to three months of military officer training at the newly established Kaifeng Military and Political University.

In addition to learning military skills, students will also be taught history and politics during their studies.

One of the lessons was about the reasons for the establishment and function of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern and Western Depots, as well as their impact.

Intelligence agencies are necessary, but if they are not restricted, they could lead to endless troubles.

The Intelligence Bureau is now a powerful force. After annexing the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard and confiscating all the former Eastern Depot's forces, its power has been strengthened to an unprecedented degree.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot have indeed lost their former power due to the suppression by the civil official group. However, even a dead tiger cannot be put down. All the spies and informants buried in various places were put into use after selection.

With massive amounts of money being poured in and continuous investment being made, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is now a completely different force from what it used to be.

Even today, there are members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the military.

In recent days, some military officers have even been investigated and punished because of the evidence submitted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Several officers who were corrupt and accepted bribes have even been dealt with by military law in order to rectify the conduct of the three armies.

Although the arrest was not carried out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it was the Military Law Department that apprehended and tried the suspect.

However, the intervention of the Embroidered Uniform Guard still caused concern and anger among the generals of the Jingnan Army.

It is indeed true now. Those people are not necessarily sympathetic, but there is no shortage of personal vendettas in this world, and wrongful convictions are not uncommon.

In the past, they were comrades-in-arms, bound by blood, fighting side by side, but now they have gradually become adversaries.

A silent undercurrent surged in the hearts of the Jingnan Army generals.

However, Hu Zhiyi did not discover any of this.

As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, Hu Zhiyi's attention was always focused on the great battle at hand.

Of course, even if he discovered the undercurrents, Hu Zhiyi would not be distracted from the war.

"Beat the drum." After listening to the report from the military advisor, Hu Zhiyi did not issue any complicated battle orders, but simply raised his riding whip and flicked it forward lightly.

"Advance."

Hu Zhiyi's tone was calm, without even the slightest sense of urgency that a major battle was imminent.

He had already made all the necessary preparations before the war, and all that was needed was for the army to carry out his plan.

He would only need to issue orders again once the battle had begun and the situation started to change.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The deep, resonant sound of war drums echoed across the eastern plains of Mengyuan Town, each beat like a muffled thunder rumbling from the depths of the clouds, even causing the air to tremble.

"Tiger!"

The response from the 6th Vanguard Division was earth-shattering; the soldiers' Adam's apples bobbed and their chests resonated.

Countless pairs of military boots pounded through the snow-covered plateau, their steps perfectly synchronized, leaving heavy echoes on the snow-covered ground.

Under the precise command of flags and drumbeats, the divisions of the Jingnan Army moved forward slowly, as if guided by their own arms, like a red tide steadily surging across the snow-covered plains.

The highly organized crowd moved forward resolutely under the guidance of the military flag.

The first battles broke out on the left and right flanks of Mengyuan Town.

The infantry artillery of the First and Second Divisions of Hanzhong Town opened fire first.

The flashes of gunfire tore through the dim light of the battlefield, and thick smoke instantly filled the air.

The shells whistled through the cold air and crashed onto the distant plateau.

Under the continuous roar of artillery, and with the cover of this artillery fire...

Nearly 40,000 line infantrymen from the two divisions, carrying bayonets and rifles, slowly advanced, steadily moving forward across the undulating mountain plateau.

The cold, menacing bayonets reflected the chilly morning light, illuminating the resolute faces of the Jingnan Army soldiers.

But this time it's not on the plains.

Shunjun positioned his troops at the foot of each undulating hillside.

Apart from a few shells that landed precisely on the slope, causing chaos and screams, the shells were devastating.

The remaining shells yielded little result.

The morale of the Shun army, hidden in the plateau, was greatly restored, and their tense nerves were relaxed a little.

Many people even cheered for this.

Under Shangguan's explanation, they all believed that the Jingnan Army was only able to overwhelm them because of its superior firepower.

Once drawn into close combat, the Jingnan army is nothing but a bunch of weaklings who can't be defeated.

The footsteps of the Jingnan Army, a convergence of forces, grew ever closer, like a death knell striking the hearts of every lurking Shun soldier.

Meanwhile, the Shun army generals hidden in the plateau were also eager to fight, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of tension and greed.

Their emperor has already offered a reward.

The reward for killing a soldier of the Jingnan Army is at least fifty taels of silver!
Ordinary soldiers could even be promoted one or two ranks based on this.

Such a generous reward has never been offered before.

Their emperor brought a large number of carriages and personally opened the treasure chests on many of them.

The gleaming silver ingots and glittering gold coins almost dazzled everyone's eyes.

Wealth is a powerful motivator; nobody doesn't want to get rich...

The sound of hurried footsteps grew closer and louder.

“Closer!”

Someone exclaimed in surprise, but was immediately silenced by the officers' shouts.

The Shun soldiers, who were buried under the slope, gripped their weapons tightly.

The Shun army archers in the back row had already stood up straight, nocked their arrows, and were ready to unleash a barrage of arrows as soon as the crimson hue emerged from the hillside.

The trumpeter had already placed the trumpet to his lips, waiting for the Jingnan army to arrive before blowing the trumpet to signal the release of arrows.

The continuous drumbeats of the Jingnan Army, accompanied by their dense footsteps, were already very close!

A tall, fiery red banner suddenly appeared on the horizon of the plateau, its patterns dancing wildly in the wind.

The airflow sweeping past the corner of the flag carried a string of swirling snowflakes.

All the Shun soldiers' pupils suddenly contracted, and their spirits instantly reached their peak of excitement.

Then came the second side, the third side...

Countless red flags sprouted up one after another like bamboo shoots after a rain, almost covering the entire sky above the hilltop in an instant. The edges of the flags were blurred in the bright light and snow curtain, as if a burning cloud was pressing down.

The Shun army commander standing in the middle of the formation suddenly drew his goose-feather saber from his waist, and a fierce look appeared in his eyes.

First, a row of red tassels gradually rose, and then a brightly lit helmet appeared, revealing pairs of resolute eyes.

All the Shun soldiers in the front row gripped their nearly four-meter-long spears tightly, waiting for the signal to charge so they could leap forward and try to win military merit!
Suddenly, a loud trumpet blared, and the instant the Jingnan Army's formation appeared, hundreds of arrows shot into the air amidst the buzzing of bowstrings, creating a sound like the wind rustling through the trees.

The arrow soared into the air, briefly obscuring the sunlight and snowflakes, casting rapidly moving, mottled shadows on the ground.

The three-barreled gun spat out tongues of fire, and large plumes of smoke rose up, mixed with the lead bullets it fired.

"Five arrows, fire at lightning speed!"

The Shun army officer in the archery corps suddenly swung his saber and loudly issued orders.

More arrows were fired in volleys, rising up like a huge swarm of locusts, and frantically attacking the Jingnan army formation surging up the hillside.

A barrage of arrows rained down, and the eyes of the Shun army were all focused on the densely packed Jingnan army formation pressing down on the hillside.

However, the scene that followed made the fighting spirit and greed in the eyes of all the Shun soldiers in the front row freeze instantly, and then turn into endless horror!

However, none of them witnessed the anticipated mass collapse of the Jingnan army.

The Shun army commander's hand, gripping his sword, trembled incessantly.

The ferocity on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by disbelief and a chilling coldness spreading from the deepest part of his heart.

He opened his mouth, as if to order a charge, but no sound came out.

The Shun army soldiers also had fear in their eyes and horrified expressions.

They witnessed the most terrifying scene of their lives...

On the long plateau, countless heavily armored infantrymen of the Jingnan Army, wearing bright helmets and bright armor, their bodies almost entirely covered in iron armor, stood calmly on the plateau.

The morning light clearly outlined every contour of their steel bodies, and their armor plates reflected large swaths of breathtaking metallic luster under the strong light, like a steel barrier that had suddenly risen.

They stood silently in the halo, like celestial soldiers described in mythology.

Thousands of arrows rained down on them, but most bounced off in vain or were blocked by the thick armor plates, falling helplessly to the ground.

Occasionally, a few powerful arrows might get stuck in the gaps in the armor, but they were unlikely to cause fatal damage.

At the moment the arrows collided with the armor, a few sparks could even be seen flying, standing out conspicuously in the shadows.

That armored jungle, bathed in a hail of arrows and scorched by the sun, remained unmoved, exuding an aura of utter destruction in its silence.

A deathly silence spread across the Shun army's positions... (End of Chapter)