Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

"Wuling County?" Gao Wengui said the name of this place without hesitation. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, as if there were countless stories and memories hidden behind this name.

Wulong County, a place with a long history, originally had a majestic name - Wulong, which was established in the first year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty, that is, in 618 AD. At that time, Wulong was like a giant dragon rising into the sky, standing on the bank of the Wujiang River, guarding this land. But in the tenth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, it merged with Pengshui County, as if the wings of the giant dragon were bound. Fortunately, in the thirteenth year, it regained its independence and changed "dragon" to "long", implying the abundance and prosperity of this land. So, there is the current name - Wulong, which is under the jurisdiction of Fuling, like a dazzling pearl, inlaid on the north bank of the Wujiang River.

Wulong County is located in the north of Wujiang River, a hundred miles away from Fuling. The mountains there are undulating and shrouded in clouds and mist, like a moving landscape painting. At this time, Gao Wengui was full of worries. He looked at the map in front of him. The winding mountain roads were like giant dragons, entrenched on the earth, which made people feel afraid.

"Let's make a feint to the east and attack in the west!" Li Dingguo looked confident, his eyes gleaming with confidence and wisdom. He seemed to have seen the dawn of victory, and that light illuminated his resolute face.

"Early tomorrow morning, I will lead the army to Wangjiang Pass and confront the Ming army openly in order to disperse their forces." His words were full of determination and strength, as if he was already standing on the top of Wangjiang Pass, waving the flag of victory.

“As for you, you will personally lead the Tianwei Army, travel by land, cross mountains and rivers, and go directly to Wulong. Once we capture Wulong, we will have warships, and then we can rush down the Wujiang River and suddenly appear between Fuling and Wangjiang Pass, cutting off their communication. Then we can work together to deal with the Ming army’s navy.” His plan was like a sophisticated net, with every detail carefully considered.

However, Gao Wengui was not happy when he heard this, but worried. He looked at Li Dingguo, his eyes full of worry and uneasiness. The land route from Fengdu to Wulong is not easy to travel, and it is full of dangers. The mountain road is rugged and wild animals are everywhere. If you are not careful, you may fall into an irretrievable situation.

"General Li, look at what's marked on the map. The distance from Fengdu to Wulong is three or four hundred miles, and it's all rugged mountain roads with wild beasts roaming around. It's hard to carry the equipment we use for siege. Even if we get to Wulong, the soldiers will be exhausted. How can we fight?" Gao Wengui's face was full of worry, and his fingers tapped lightly on the table, as if looking for a glimmer of hope for this difficult journey.

Li Dingguo smiled and asked him: "Who said we must have siege equipment?" His smile was full of mystery and confidence, as if he had already grasped the key to victory.

Gao Wengui was stunned, his eyes full of doubt and confusion: "How can we take Wulong without equipment?" There was a slight tremor in his voice, as if he had already anticipated the upcoming difficulties and challenges.

Li Dingguo smiled mysteriously, pulled out a box from under the table, and opened it for Gao Wengui to see. The box contained not cold instruments, but carefully drawn maps and detailed plans. Those maps were like puzzle pieces, spelling out every corner of Wulong; those plans were like a bunch of keys, opening the door to victory.

……

Two days later, the sky was as blue as a mirror and the sun was shining on the earth, as if it had put on a layer of golden battle robe for the upcoming battle.

Li Dingguo led his army as the vanguard, starting from Fengdu and heading straight for Wangjiang Pass. His figure was upright and resolute, like an unshakable mountain. His army was like a giant dragon, winding forward with great momentum.

Zhang Xianzhong walked slowly behind with his baggage and family, his steps steady and calm, as if everything was under his control. The navy was at the end, with hundreds of ships sailing upstream, a spectacular scene. Those warships were like sharp arrows, pointing straight to the sky, as if they were going to take the whole world into their pockets.

When they reached Wangjiang Pass, the river was so turbulent that the warships could not move forward, so they had to drop anchor and stop. The river was like a raging dragon, rolling and roaring, as if it wanted to swallow everything.

The soldiers of the Dashi Army used small boats to pull the ropes, pulling the warship forward little by little. Their figures swayed in the river, like fallen leaves, struggling to move forward amid the roar of the dragon. Suddenly, a whistling sound came from the air, and the alert soldiers were hit by arrows first, and then the soldiers pulling the ropes were also hit and fell one by one. The arrows fell like raindrops, carrying the breath of death, which made people feel terrified.

In the dense forest, shadowy figures flashed by. They were the figures of the Ming army, who shuttled through the dense forest like ghosts, waiting for the best time to attack.

"The Ming army is coming! Retreat!" the soldier who was not hit by the arrow shouted. There was a hint of fear and anxiety in his voice, as if he had already sensed the impending disaster.

Wang Fuchen, the left commander of the navy, was sitting on the second boat, looking at the shore with a telescope, his eyes flashing with calmness and wisdom. He immediately ordered: "Use flags to notify all units to stop first and wait for General Li's infantry to arrive before taking action." His voice was steady and powerful, as if a single order could stabilize the turbulent river.

A general asked: "We also have many archery experts, why don't we catch up and strengthen our military power?" There was a hint of confusion and doubt in his voice.

Wang Fuchen rolled his eyes at him and said, "Those Ming soldiers are dressed strangely, wearing rattan armor. They are obviously Jian Mingxiao's Xidong soldiers. Even if there is no ambush, our navy is no match for them in this forest. Let General Li handle the matters on the ground, and we just need to concentrate on the naval battle." His words were full of confidence and composure, as if everything was under his control.

The general suddenly realized what was going on and looked at the two banks. The mountains on both banks were undulating and shrouded in clouds and mist, like a moving landscape painting. However, beneath this beautiful painting, there were endless murderous intentions and challenges hidden.

Not long after, Li Dingguo's vanguard troops arrived, led by General Jin Tongwu and 5,000 infantry and cavalry. Their figures were like a stream of iron, rolling in with great momentum. Each of the 5,000 infantry and cavalry was a carefully selected warrior, and their eyes were shining with determination and courage.

The organization of the Dashi Army, although it imitated the Ming Dynasty, was somewhat different. The army was divided into many camps, and those who entered the camps were all righteous troops. At its peak, there were 120 camps, and each camp was led by a general. Those generals, each of them was a general who had experienced many battles, and their figures were like towering mountains, standing tall on this land.

Above the generals were the governors and generals. In normal times, the governors and generals were in charge of their own battalions, but when fighting, Zhang Xianzhong would authorize them to command other battalions. This organization not only ensured the flexibility of the army, but also ensured the combat effectiveness of the army. Every general could display his talents and wisdom on the battlefield.

Jin Tongwu's battalion was Li Dingguo's direct line of troops, so he was naturally the vanguard. His figure was upright and resolute, like an unshakable mountain. Each of his soldiers was full of admiration and trust in him, as if he was their soul and leader.

With Jin Tongwu protecting them on the shore, Wang Fuchen's navy began to move forward again. The warships were like giant dragons, tumbling and roaring on the river, as if they wanted to take the whole world into their pockets. The river water was also shocked by their momentum and became docile and obedient.

The soldiers on the north bank had a hard time walking. They had to beware of arrows from the dense forest and rocks. The arrows flew through the air like ghosts, carrying the breath of death. However, the soldiers were not afraid. Their eyes flashed with determination and courage, as if they were ready to fight for this land.

The waterway was relatively flat, and the boatmen pulled the ropes hard, and the warship quickly passed through the rapids. The warship floated and moved forward on the river like leaves. However, at this moment, just as the soldiers adjusted the sails and prepared to speed up, the infantry waved flags to warn.

"Enemy attack!" the sailor on the deck shouted loudly, with a hint of fear and uneasiness in his voice, as if he had sensed the impending disaster.

The navy soldiers immediately picked up their weapons and looked ahead vigilantly. Their eyes flashed with determination and courage, as if they were ready to fight for this land. However, at this moment, two sand ships came from upstream, one large and one small, both with high sails. The sand ships were the main type of ships for inland transportation in the Ming Dynasty because they could sail in shallow waters and had many sails and could sail against the wind. However, this type of ship had a large draft area and was a bit slow. However, at this critical moment, they appeared in the sight of the Dashi Army like ghosts.

Many of the navy ships in eastern Sichuan were converted from civilian ships, and these two were no exception. Although they were crude, they were full of fighting power, like sharp blades waiting to pierce the enemy's heart.

Zeng Ying stood at the bow, holding a bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right hand, looking at the enemy ship that had just come from the rapids and sneered. His eyes flashed with coldness and cruelty, as if he had already included the entire river in his range.

The river is so wide and the troops on the shore are limited. Even if Zhang Xianzhong has a navy ten times larger than ours, he can only come one ship at a time. This is a good opportunity for an ambush! Zeng Ying's heart was filled with pride and confidence, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

He ordered the ship to sail diagonally towards the first warship of the Dashi Army. The warship was tumbling and roaring on the river like a giant dragon, but it could not withstand Zeng Ying's attack.

Bang! Whoosh! The firearms and bows and arrows on the shore fired at the same time, but unfortunately they all missed. The arrows fell like raindrops but could not penetrate the defense line of the Dashi Army. Zeng Ying was used to this situation and didn't care. He knew that the key to this battle was not these arrows but his tactics and wisdom.

Zhang Xianzhong's army had few firearms and they were of poor quality because the Southern Ming did not have many firearms.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, on the rivers, the weapons and equipment of the navy were like the armor of the warriors, with many types and characteristics. Let's talk about those good guys for close combat first. There is the iron sickle, which is shaped like a huge sickle, shining with cold light, specially used to hook and cut the cables of the enemy ship, or directly chop the enemy, like the fangs of a giant beast, which makes people afraid; there is also the bamboo pole gun, the gun shaft is made of selected bamboo, looks like a spear, and the front end is inlaid with a sharp iron tip, like the fangs of a poisonous snake, specially used to pierce the enemy's armor, making it painful; the fishing hook, when the two ships are close, is like the claws of the devil, hooking the enemy ship, so that even if they want to escape, they have no power to escape; of course, there is also the indestructible shield, which is a must-have to protect oneself from the pain of arrows, like a warrior's breastplate, making the soldiers fearless on the battlefield.

In medium-range combat, the navy would use weapons such as pear-shaped darts, dart spears, and iron arrows, like meteors in the sky, throwing them far away to kill the enemy invisibly. These weapons drew beautiful arcs in the air, carrying the melody of death, and accurately shot at the enemy.

When it comes to long-range attacks and other ingenious gadgets, there are even more. Cannons, falcons (a kind of cannon introduced from a distant country), hand guns, crossbows are all conventional weapons, but there are even more amazing ones, such as poison felt and fireworks paper balls. Once thrown onto the enemy ship, smoke and fire will immediately fill the air, like the flames of hell, making it impossible for the enemy to see the road and fight back. The spray gun is like an enlarged hand gun, carefully made of bamboo, and can spray flames several feet away. Once sprayed onto the awning and sails, it will immediately burn, with flames and heat waves. If there is poison mixed in the gunpowder, the poisonous smoke will disperse, and the enemy will be like being in a poisonous fog, suffering unbearably.

On the battlefield, two huge ships were sailing side by side. The four Portuguese cannons of the Ming army opened fire at the same time. The bullets poured out like a rainstorm and hit Wang Fuchen's ship. Then, the Ming army threw poison felt, fireworks paper balls, spray guns, Kowloon boxes and other things. The enemy ships screamed, but not many people were injured, because the soldiers of the Dashi army hid in the sturdy side of the ship. The thick hull was like a shield, blocking most of the attacks.

In this naval battle, the hundred-shot bullets were frequently used, but the artillery of the late Ming Dynasty, except for the huge Red Cannon, could not sink the large ship. Although the Red Cannon was extremely powerful, it could only damage the ship but could not completely destroy it. Most of the casualties of the navy were caused by the burning or sinking of the ship, and the soldiers were helplessly swallowed by the river and buried in the waves.

The Dashi Army was not to be outdone. Although they had relatively few long-range weapons, they had a wide variety of medium and short-range weapons. They took advantage of the gaps between the Ming army loading artillery and fought back with bows and arrows, darts, stones, lime pots and other things. The two sides fought fiercely on the water. When the long-range weapons were used up, the boats got closer and closer, and finally they just fought hand-to-hand. The hooks hooked the enemy ship, and the soldiers gathered on the side of the ship and fought fiercely. Seven or eight soldiers of the Dashi Army wanted to jump onto the other side's ship, but they were blocked by the iron sickles and bamboo poles of the Ming army. The two sides fought back and forth, evenly matched, and the battle was extremely stalemate.

"Burn their sails!" the general of the Ming army shouted, his voice reverberating across the battlefield like thunder. Upon hearing this, the blowtorch operators immediately lit their blowtorches and sprayed towards the sails of Wang Fuchen's ship. Flames shot up into the sky, thick smoke billowed, the Dashi army was forced to retreat again and again, and the Ming army also quickly lowered their heads to avoid the scorching heat waves. But Wang Fuchen was well prepared. He used a large bamboo pole to prop up a wet quilt in front of the sails, and the wet quilt acted like a shield, blocking the flames.

When the battle was fierce, another ship of the Dashi Army approached, and the Ming soldiers jumped onto the deck with a hook. The Ming soldiers were so scared that they shouted for help. Zeng Ying threw down his bow and arrow, picked up his spear and went to rescue the other side. But the enemy attacked in turns, and Zeng Ying was very busy. His figure shuttled across the battlefield like a flash of lightning.

The Ming army ships upstream were drifting downstream like galloping wild horses, and Wang Fuchen's fleet also took the opportunity to cross the rapids and arrive at the battlefield. One advantage of naval warfare is that large ships have an advantage. Large ships can dive into small ships, using their sturdy and tall hulls to rush around, devouring everything like a giant beast. Small ships can only dodge quickly or throw burning objects at large ships, trying to use flames to block the attack of large ships.

Hundreds of ships on the river were fighting in a chaotic battle, like boiling water. On land, infantry and cavalry were also fighting fiercely, with dust flying and swords flashing. The terrain in eastern Sichuan was complex, and the roads were of varying widths, making it difficult to deploy troops. Both sides mostly fought in columns. Jian Mingxiao took advantage of the terrain and did not fight Zhang Xianzhong in an open area. The Xidong soldiers he led shuttled through the mountains and forests like flying, and their arrows never missed their targets. The soldiers of the Dashi Army fell one by one, like ears of wheat being cut down.

The general of the Dashi Army charged forward with his sword brandishing, his figure was as brave and fearless as a tiger. The soldiers followed behind, shouting and rushing forward. But the Xidong soldiers turned around and ran, shooting arrows as they ran. The Dashi Army could not catch up, and their morale gradually dropped. The general hurriedly ordered the archers to contain the enemy, and the infantry to outflank from both wings. But the Xidong soldiers only shot the archers, and ran away after a few arrows. The Dashi Army chased several times without results, and began to get scared. In addition, the main force had not yet arrived, and they were even more panicked. The Xidong soldiers took the opportunity to counterattack, and the Dashi Army was defeated and fled, scattering like a flood.

Grandmother, the important passes on the Huangcao Mountain are now like candles in the wind, shaky and unable to be defended. Our logistics troops and heavy weapons were swept away like leaves swept away by the rapids. Now, we can only rely on the ancient bows and arrows to barely supply the soldiers on the front line, just like using a trickle to irrigate the dry land. In this urgent situation, we have to be busy counting the rising number of casualties and arranging compensation matters. Every heart is as heavy as a lead block.

At the foot of Huangcao Mountain, the autumn wind was bleak, and General Ma Wannian looked particularly resolute. He was urgently reporting the grim military situation to Governor Jian Mingxiao. Upon hearing this, Governor Jian Mingxiao frowned, his eyes full of doubts and worries. He looked at the retreating Dashi Army soldiers, and a storm was set off in his heart: When had Zhang Xianzhong's army been so embarrassed in the past? How could it collapse at the first touch, like loose sand?

Just as he was full of doubts, a messenger came running like a gust of wind, bringing rare good news: "Report to the Governor, General Zeng Ying led the navy to defeat the bandits, killed thousands of enemies, burned dozens of enemy ships, and the enemy was frightened and has abandoned their ships and fled!" Jian Mingxiao felt a little relieved when he heard this, as if a ray of light had appeared in the dark clouds. However, this peace did not last long. He immediately thought of something else and hurriedly unfolded the yellowed map, carefully examining every inch of land and every pass in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

"Further upstream from Fuling is Changshou, but we cannot ignore that Wulong is also a key place!" Jian Mingxiao's tone was full of unquestionable seriousness. He turned to look at his nephew Qin Yiming, his eyes flashing with expectation, "Yiming, how many warships does our navy have in Wulong?" Qin Yiming frowned, pondered for a moment and replied, "Not many warships, only more than ten, but..."

"But what?" Jian Mingxiao's tone revealed a hint of urgency.

"But there are many merchant ships in Wulong. I heard there are nearly a hundred of them!" There was a hint of imperceptible worry in Qin Yiming's words.

Jian Mingxiao's face suddenly changed when he heard this, and cold sweat dripped down. He suddenly realized why the enemy no longer attacked with all their strength. It turned out that they intended to contain the main force of our army, especially the navy! Once Wulong fell into the hands of the enemy, those merchant ships could be transformed into sharp blades to attack the rear of our navy, and attack from the front and back. Even if the navy was not completely wiped out, it would be seriously injured. Once the navy was lost, Zhang Xianzhong could enter the empty land at will and outflanking everywhere!
Thinking of this, Jian Mingxiao made a prompt decision: "Pass the order down, the navy will immediately retreat to the west of the intersection of the Yangtze River and the Wujiang River, and the rest of the troops will hold on to Huangcao Mountain!" As soon as the order came out, Jian Mingxiao stared in the direction of Jiangguan and prayed silently in his heart: "Zeng Ying, you must withdraw in time!"

……

Outside Wulong City, the autumn wind was a bit chilly. A group of horses disguised as a merchant caravan approached silently. The leader was Gao Wengui, a general with a stern face and sharp eyes. When the soldiers guarding the city saw this scene, they immediately became nervous, holding weapons and bows and arrows, ready for battle.

"Stop! Who are you?" a sergeant of the Ming army shouted loudly, with irresistible majesty in his voice.

Gao Wengui bowed his hands, respectfully but calmly: "Sir, we are merchants, and this is our travel permit." The Ming Dynasty stipulated that ordinary people could not travel more than 100 miles, and if they exceeded that, they had to apply for a travel permit from the county government. Although this rule was gradually ignored later, merchants still had the habit of carrying it with them just in case.

The sergeant took the pass, looked at it carefully, and frowned: "You came from Fuling, why didn't you take the water route?"

Gao Wengui remained calm and replied, "The waterway has been occupied by the bandits. We have no choice but to take the land route." When the sergeant heard this, his heart skipped a beat. He vaguely felt that something might have happened to Jian Mingxiao again.

He looked at the horses carefully. They were all fine horses that Zhang Xianzhong had plundered from various places. They were strong and had strong load-bearing capacity. They looked normal. So he asked again, "What goods are you transporting?"

Gao Wengui pretended to be mysterious and whispered, "Silver."

"Silver?!" Upon hearing this, the sergeant's eyes widened. He turned around and counted the boxes on the horse, secretly calculating in his heart, how much silver this must be!
The sergeant decided to check it himself: "I have to see the goods."

"Please do as you wish, sir." Gao Wengui replied respectfully, with a barely perceptible cunning glint in his eyes.

The sergeant signaled the soldiers on the city to strengthen their vigilance, and he walked to the first horse. Gao Wengui took the opportunity to pretend to scratch his head and gently scratched the horse's butt with the blade hidden between his fingers. The horse was frightened, raised its front hooves high, and kicked its hind legs. The boxes were scattered all over the ground, and the white silver was exposed, shining with an attractive light in the sun.

This scene shocked everyone! Especially Wu Chang. After confirming that these were indeed silver, he realized that Wulong City was in danger!
The horses seemed to be infected and became frantic, with silver scattered everywhere. Gao Wengui deliberately fell to the ground and shouted, "My silver!" He was actually deliberately creating chaos.

"Hurry up and grab the silver! Whoever picks it up will own it!" Someone shouted, and the situation got out of control. Passing merchants, mountain people, farmers, and even the guards on the city walls couldn't help but rush down to grab the silver. Gao Wengui was secretly happy when he saw this, but pretended to be heartbroken on the surface. He even deliberately found an excuse to leave for a while, so that the guards on the city walls would relax even more.

At this moment, the disguised members of the caravan began to quietly approach the city gate. They suddenly drew out their short knives and stabbed the horses' buttocks, causing the horses to run even more wildly, and the scene became even more chaotic.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, more than a hundred people rushed into the city gate with swords in hand like tigers descending from the mountains. At the same time, soldiers of the Dashi Army also swarmed in from the far side of the mountain road, wielding swords and hacking at them. As the incident happened suddenly, the city gate was quickly breached.

In fact, Li Dingguo and Gao Wengui's plan could have been simpler, just encircling the city with a large army, and the defenders would naturally surrender. But they still chose this complicated method, probably to capture Wulong more safely.

However, they were also very tired. After all, the army had marched more than 300 miles in two days and was exhausted. But Gao Wengui did not rest. He immediately organized his troops to plunder weapons and food in the city, and ordered the defenders to open the sluice gates and seize the warships.

These warships were driven into the Wujiang River, and Gao Wengui began his looting plan. Whether it was a merchant ship or a civilian ship, as long as it could carry people, he robbed it. In half a day, he had robbed enough ships for 5,000 people.

After a night's rest, Gao Wengui led 5,000 elite soldiers, boarded dozens of warships, and sailed down the Wujiang River, heading straight for Wangjiang Pass! Their figures stretched out in the morning light, like sharp sword shadows, pointing directly at the heart of the enemy.

Zeng Ying received Jian Mingxiao's order, but he was not in a hurry to retreat. He closed his eyes, and his thoughts surged like a tide. He thought for a while. His heart was churning: "I, Zeng Ying, as a general, how can I escape without fighting? If this matter gets out, where will the court's face be? What will the people of Shu say? My soldiers, those brothers who fought side by side with me, how will they view me? Where should I put my weather-beaten old face?"

The warriors under his command were eager to fight Zhang Xianzhong. If he suddenly ordered a retreat, the morale of the army would plummet, and the army's will would be like a candle in the wind, swaying and about to die. At this moment, his fierce general, the guerrilla general Yang Zhan, approached quietly with a smile on his face and asked softly: "General Zeng, do you plan to teach Zhang a lesson before retreating?"

Speaking of Yang Zhan, he was a hero in the late Ming Dynasty. He was given the title of Marquis of Huayang and the posthumous title of "Zhonghui". His bravery and wisdom were praised by people. Back then, when Lin Xiaofeng was ten years old, Yang Zhan stood out in the military examination with his extraordinary martial arts and ranked third. As time went by, he and Cao Xun led 3,000 elite soldiers to guard Chengdu. Although the troops were outnumbered, they were unfortunately captured and faced life and death. However, Yang Zhan was both wise and brave. He took the knife in his hand on the execution ground, jumped into the river, and miraculously escaped to heaven.

After that, he recruited soldiers and vowed to fight Zhang Xianzhong. He first defeated Feng Shuangli, and although he was defeated by Sun Kewang, he soon made a comeback and defeated Liang Yixun and Liu Wenxiu, and recovered four states in Shuzhong, which frightened Zhang Xianzhong and made him flee with his treasures. Yang Zhan pursued him relentlessly until he reached the mouth of the Pengshan River, beheaded Zhang Xianzhong's brother, burned his warships, and sank his gold and silver treasures to the bottom of the river. The amount was so huge that no one knew.

In the first year of the Yongli reign, Yang Zhan defeated the Qing army in Ziyang and Jianzhou, and was feared by all. However, due to internal disputes, he was eventually framed by Li Qiande, the assistant minister of the Southern Ming military, and the Southern Ming army was greatly damaged. Imagine, if there were no such internal struggles, the Southern Ming might have been able to continue its national destiny and fight against the Qing Dynasty. However, history is ruthless, and the Southern Ming eventually came to an end amid internal and external troubles. Reading Gu Chengzhi's "History of the Southern Ming", one can't help but feel deeply moved.

Zeng Ying stared at Yang Zhan and asked, "Do you mean the same thing?" Yang Zhan nodded firmly, "That's right. Although Zhang's infantry and cavalry are strong, their navy is far inferior to ours. This is a good opportunity to counterattack and we must not miss it."

Zeng Ying's mind suddenly became clear after hearing this, and he discussed with Yang Zhan the strategy to defeat the enemy.

……

At the same time, Gao Wengui, the general of Tianwei Camp under Li Dingguo, led 5,000 elite troops and sailed down the Wujiang River, heading straight for Wangjiang Pass. When he reached the confluence of the Yangtze River and Wujiang River, he ordered the warships to slow down and use his clairvoyance to spy on the enemy. In front of Wangjiang Pass, the warships of both sides were already engaged in a fierce battle. The Ming army was fighting and retreating, and the Dashi army was chasing them closely, and it seemed that they were about to approach Gao Wengui's troops.

"Brothers, this is the time to make achievements! Hoist the sails and charge!" Gao Wengui gave an order, and the warships rushed forward like an arrow.

However, when the two armies were only an arrow's distance apart, something strange happened. The warships of the Dashi Army suddenly changed their flags to the Ming Army's. Gao Wengui's heart tightened, knowing that there was a trick, but he quickly calmed down and looked downstream with his clairvoyance. He saw the authentic Dashi Army warships slowly approaching, with the flags on the ships waving, sending him a secret signal.

It turned out that Li Dingguo had already anticipated Zeng Ying's retreat, and specially sent Wang Fuchen to secretly monitor him. Whenever Zeng Ying made a move, Wang Fuchen followed closely behind, and everything was under Li Dingguo's control.

Gao Wengui made a prompt decision and ordered all the warships to line up across the river and drop anchor to confront the Ming army, intending to delay time and wait for the main force of the Dashi army to arrive. "Once the main force of the Dashi army arrives, the Ming army will be defeated without a doubt!"

On the battlefield, opportunities change rapidly, and a general's slightest thought often determines the direction of the battle. In such a naval battle, Gao Wengui faced a dilemma: either to line up the warships horizontally to cut off the Ming army's retreat and implement encirclement; or to use the warships to contain the main force of the Ming army and prevent its retreat, and then attack from both sides when the Dashi army arrived.

Gao Wengui chose the former, but ignored the fact that his troops were not the main navy of the Dashi Army, but a fleet that was temporarily assembled, mostly merchant ships with weak protection.

As the two armies clashed, the sound of cannons rumbled, and then they engaged in close combat. The Ming army adopted a sophisticated tactic and attacked in two directions: Zeng Ying led one to contain Wang Fuchen, while Yang Zhan led another to fight with Gao Wengui.

The Ming army's tactical arrangement was brilliant: large warships were in front to lure the enemy, while small warships shuttled between them, throwing fireworks and paper balls, kerosene pottery jars at the enemy ships, and then igniting them with rockets. While the enemy was busy putting out the fire, thousands of arrows were fired at the enemy ships, and the offensive was like a tide.

Zeng Ying and Yang Zhan commanded calmly, especially Yang Zhan's side, which caused very few casualties to Gao Wengui's fleet. Because Gao Wengui's ships had all dropped anchor and could not move. Yang Zhan stood on the main ship and commanded calmly: "Move the left wing and aim at the small boats!" He also reminded the soldiers: "Don't underestimate the small boats. When killing the enemy, you must also protect yourself." So the soldiers overturned the small boats to open a passage, and then surrounded the large ships, set fire to the enemy, and were invincible.

By the time Zeng Ying reached Gao Wengui's ambush while fighting, Yang Zhan had already burned more than 20 enemy ships. When Wang Fuchen arrived with the main force of the Dashi Army, Gao Wengui's troops were gradually losing strength. Zeng Ying and Yang Zhan took the opportunity to retreat upstream.

They retreated all the way to Fuling. Zeng Ying heard the news and found that Governor Jian Mingxiao was waiting anxiously in the city, as if he had something urgent to discuss.

In the lobby of Fuzhou Prefecture, the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it. Jian Mingxiao, the governor-general of four provinces, Long Wenguang, the governor of Sichuan, and Wang Xingjian, the prefect of Chongqing, sat on chairs carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, with serious expressions and a majesty that could not be underestimated. However, amid this majesty, there was also a hint of worry that was not easily detected.

Zeng Ying, also known as Master Zeng, bowed and looked towards Long Wenguang. He wondered in his heart: Shouldn't Lord Long be guarding Changshou? Why did he come here? You know, Zhang Xianzhong's army is already marching towards Changshou like a wolf! His eyes revealed a hint of confusion and anxiety.

Long Wenguang noticed Zeng Ying's doubts, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, as if he could see through his thoughts. He said slowly: "Don't worry, brother Zeng. Sun Kewang's troops are still more than 200 miles away from Changshou. And from Fuling to Changshou, the mountain road is only 60 miles. I will take a shortcut back tonight." His voice was steady and powerful, like a warm current, trying to soothe Zeng Ying's anxiety.

Zeng Ying was dissatisfied, but he could only smile and sit down again, picking up the teacup to drink tea to hide his embarrassment. His fingers gently stroked the teacup, and his eyes revealed a hint of helplessness.

At this time, Jian Mingxiao spoke, his voice was steady and powerful, like an irresistible force: "My Lords!" He looked around. Although there had been good news from both land and sea recently, there was no joy on his face. Instead, he looked more solemn.

He continued, "I used to recruit soldiers from all over the place, but the results were not good. Now I finally found the reason." His tone revealed helplessness and anxiety.

"Oh?" Long Wenguang immediately perked up when he heard this, sitting up straight with his eyes wide open, as if he wanted to take Jian Mingxiao's words in word for word. The others were the same, except Zeng Ying, because Zeng Ying's navy was limited in size, and even if the number of people doubled, it could only be used as a reserve army for training.

Someone suggested asking Zeng Ying to help recruit troops, but the ideal was full of hope, but the reality was very skinny. People came for Zeng Ying's reputation, and if he didn't lead the troops himself, they would soon disperse. It was like a beautiful bubble that burst at the touch of a button.

Long Wenguang bowed and asked, "Governor Qin, please tell us in detail!" His tone was full of eagerness and expectation.

Jian Mingxiao first glanced at Zeng Ying, then sighed and said slowly: "The problem is that the people are not on the side of the court." His tone revealed helplessness and sorrow.

"How is this possible!" Upon hearing this, Long Wenguang stood up in shock, as if struck by lightning. "The court has exempted the entire country from taxes for one year and abolished corvee labor. We recruit soldiers according to the court's rules. We first give them five taels of silver as a settling-in fee, and then one tael and six cents of salary every month." His voice was full of confusion and anger.

"This treatment is already good!" he continued, "Why are the people still not satisfied?" His tone revealed helplessness and indignation.

Jian Mingxiao sighed again and explained, "Actually, it's not like that. The court exempted the land tax, but most of those fields were in the hands of the gentry and landlords, and the people just rented them. Regardless of whether the court collects taxes or not, the landlords' land rent will not be reduced by a penny." His tone was full of sympathy for the people and indignation towards the gentry and landlords.

"So the people are still suffering! They even hope that Zhang Xianzhong can come so that they can use him to get rid of those gentry and landlords!" As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present changed their expressions. It turned out that Jian Mingxiao had called everyone to a meeting overnight for this reason.

So, what should we do next? Everyone fell into deep thought, unable to find a good solution for a while. The atmosphere in the hall became more solemn, as if even the air had frozen.

Zeng Ying smiled bitterly upon seeing this, and his smile revealed a hint of helplessness and bitterness: "My lords, this is really not the people's fault. The tax and labor service exemptions by the court have little to do with the people. Those people who rent land see no hope at all, and they cannot survive when they encounter a disaster." His tone was full of sympathy and understanding for the people.

"That's why they hope that we fail quickly so that Zhang Xianzhong can come and kill those gentry and landlords and divide the land equally!" As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the lobby became solemn again.

Long Wenguang turned to Zeng Ying and asked, "Brother Zeng, how did you manage to recruit soldiers? None of us could do it. We paid a lot of money, and I even gave more in private." His tone was full of doubt and confusion.

Zeng Ying thought for a moment and said, "Maybe the people think I'm a good person and are willing to follow me to seek a way out." His tone revealed confidence and determination.

Jian Mingxiao glanced at Zeng Ying and asked, "General Zeng, do you mean that we are not good people?" His tone revealed dissatisfaction and doubt.

"No, no..." Zeng Ying quickly waved his hands to explain, "What I mean is that the people have received my favors and trust me. They are willing to follow me to build achievements and share the glory in the future. When I become a high-ranking official and make a fortune, I can also buy land and rent it out. The court will exempt my taxes, and I will also exempt theirs." His tone was full of longing and expectation for the future.

"This may seem like trust, but it's actually driven by interests," someone sighed. As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the lobby became solemn again.

"But I never lied to them," Zeng Ying added, his tone revealing a firmness and sincerity.

After hearing Zeng Ying's words, Jian Mingxiao, Long Wenguang, and Wang Xingjian all nodded to show their understanding. Their eyes revealed their admiration and recognition for Zeng Ying.

Now that the problem has been found, what should we do next? Jian Mingxiao looked at Zeng Ying again, his eyes revealing a sense of expectation and eagerness. He knew that Zeng Ying was a smart person and would definitely be able to come up with a good solution.

Zeng Ying was a little scared, but he still said, "Governor Qin, I think it's hard to recruit soldiers in eastern Sichuan now." His tone revealed a sense of helplessness and heaviness. He knew that this problem was difficult to solve, but he still decided to speak out, hoping to get everyone's help.

"What should we do then?" they asked. Their eyes revealed an eagerness and expectation, as if they hoped to get a good answer from Zeng Ying.

Zeng Ying was silent for a while, then said slowly: "If you want to recruit soldiers, you have to go to central and western Sichuan." His tone revealed a firmness and determination, "Because that is the territory of the King of Shu. If the King of Shu can exempt the people from all or part of the land rent, the people will definitely be grateful for his kindness, and the people will naturally turn to him." As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall became solemn again.

"If we want to be more ruthless, we can ask the King of Shu to announce that he will not allow Zhang Xianzhong to enter Chengdu and promise to exempt the land rent forever." Zeng Ying continued. His tone revealed a sense of determination and decisiveness. He knew that this suggestion was risky, but if it succeeded, he could win the hearts of the people and recruit more soldiers.

As soon as these words came out, Zhu Zhishu, the King of Shu who was far away in Chengdu, suddenly felt a chill on his back and cold sweat oozed out of his forehead. He hurriedly asked the maid to bring a hot towel to wipe the sweat off his face, and then summoned Zuo Changshi to ask, "Has there been any letter from Jian Mingxiao?" His tone revealed a sense of urgency and uneasiness. He knew that Jian Mingxiao was a powerful character and would not let him go easily.

"Yes, he has lost several battles with Zhang Xianzhong recently, including Liangshan and Zhongzhou. He should be confronting Zhang Xianzhong in Fuling now, and the battle situation is still unclear." Zuo Changshi answered. His tone revealed a sense of worry and anxiety. He knew that the situation of the King of Shu was very dangerous. Once Zhang Xianzhong attacked Chengdu, the King of Shu would be finished.

"It must be Zhang Xianzhong who has set his eyes on my property!" After wiping his sweat, the King of Shu felt a little more at ease. "Write a letter to Jian Mingxiao, asking him to defend Chongqing to the death! If you don't have enough money, you can borrow from King Rui." His tone revealed a sense of determination and decisiveness. He knew that now he could only rely on Jian Mingxiao and King Rui.

(Prince Rui Zhu Changhao was originally granted a fief in Hanzhong, but because Hanzhong fell, he fled to Chongqing, taking many of Hanzhong's wealthy families and their families with him.)
"Yes." Zuo Changshi responded and left. He knew that the King of Shu's orders could not be disobeyed.

In the Fuzhou government office, the atmosphere became even more solemn. Zeng Ying's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. Especially Jian Mingxiao, who had just "borrowed" money from the King of Shu, and now proposed rent exemption. Wasn't this challenging the King of Shu's authority?
But...if we don't do this, how can we win the hearts of the people and replenish the troops? The strategy of creating a terrifying atmosphere proposed by Your Majesty before doesn't work here. This is not the capital, not many people read books, and newspapers can't be spread here.

After thinking for a while, Jian Mingxiao finally made up her mind: "Since you have a plan, let's implement it!" Her tone revealed a firmness and determination. She knew that this decision was risky, but if it succeeded, she could win the hearts of the people and replenish the troops.

Long Wenguang warned: "Governor Qin, please think twice! We are all court officials and the King of Shu is a vassal king. If Your Majesty asks for punishment, the consequences will be disastrous!" His tone revealed a sense of worry and anxiety. He knew that this decision would likely cause dissatisfaction and disgust from the King of Shu.

Jian Mingxiao smiled and said, "A real man only cares about right and wrong, not about benefits and losses; only cares about success and failure, not about success and failure; only cares about eternity, not about one's own life! Although I am a woman, I have the ambition and courage of a real man! Moreover, I am the governor of four provinces. Your Majesty has given me the power to act at my convenience. I am sure I can handle this matter well!" Her tone revealed a sense of confidence and determination. She knew that she was capable of handling this matter well.

After that, she walked over to Zeng Ying and poured him a cup of tea. "Zeng Ying, I have heard of your reputation in Shuzhong. Now the court is in a critical moment. You must think of a way to help me!" Her tone revealed a sincerity and expectation. She knew that Zeng Ying was a smart person and would definitely come up with a good solution.

"Even if you don't help me, you have to help the Ming Dynasty and His Majesty!" She said earnestly. Her eyes revealed a firmness and persistence. She knew that she was doing this for the Ming Dynasty and His Majesty. (End of this chapter)