I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 100: Dividing Forces for Expansion, the Arrival of the Ming Army
After witnessing the dynasty's miraculous ability to bring forth crops and achieve a bumper harvest in winter, many scholars and literati in Weiyuan County finally began to try to integrate into the Salvation Army system, hoping to join the Salvation Army as officials.

However, they only realized it at this moment.

The dynasty did indeed continue to recruit scholars and intellectuals.

However, it is now completely different from what it was originally.

In the beginning, the dynasty could not grant official titles to the emperor on a large scale; it genuinely wanted to recruit scholars and intellectuals to serve as officials.

But now, if they want to become officials in the militia system, they need to start from the bottom, like village chiefs.

Faced with this situation, many scholars and intellectuals backed down.

They simply couldn't bring themselves to go to the countryside and deal with a bunch of peasants.

However, many impoverished scholars who already lived in the countryside began to try joining the agricultural cooperatives.

The dynasty did not exclude these people; after investigating them and finding no bad deeds, they allowed them to join the agricultural community.

As for becoming a village chief, they need to make contributions to the village and be elected by the villagers.

After all, the other village chiefs all came to power in the same way, so the dynasty naturally wouldn't make an exception for them.

Of course, as respectable scholars, they are highly respected, and as long as they work diligently, they can generally gain the villagers' approval.

After that, they will need to find ways to develop the village and achieve sufficient political accomplishments.

As most people gradually returned to the cause, the bright yellow national fortune within the territory of the People's Salvation Army gradually intensified.

At the same time, the golden power gathering above the dynasty became clearer, gradually forming threads that continuously converged towards the center, transforming into a faint golden sphere.

However, this pale golden sphere was somewhat ethereal and elusive, like smoke and clouds.

Furthermore, it is mixed with countless bright yellow national fortunes, making it appear chaotic and indistinct, and its transformation is still a long way off.

After achieving a great harvest in Weiyuan County and basically winning back the hearts of the people, the dynasty finally mobilized troops again on November 22nd and began to expand outwards.

First, Li Yu's troops were reinforced by another 3,000 soldiers, bringing the total strength to 4,000.

The troops marched out of Hezhou and westward to occupy places such as Jishi Pass and Guide, relying on the Yellow River and Tao River to defend against possible Ming army attacks from the Shaanxi Provincial Military Command, as well as Lanzhou and Zhenluwei.

Wang Erniu was appointed as the garrison commander of Huining. He was reinforced with 2,000 more troops, bringing the total to 3,000 to rescue the people and defend against possible attacks from Zhenluwei and Pingliang Prefecture.

Wang Shi and Li Shu each reinforced their troops by 3,000, for a total of 8,000, and marched south to occupy Qin'an, Lixian, Chengxian and other places, completely taking over Gongchang Prefecture. They also stationed troops there to guard against the Ming army coming from the east.

Wang Dahu reinforced his troops by 4,000, bringing the total to 5,000. He then marched south to attack Minzhou Prefecture and capture Pingding Pass, Xigu City, and other places.

Then, relying on Hengshui and Baishui, they would join forces with Wang Shi, who occupied Wenxian, and Li Shu's relief force to defend against possible attacks from the Sichuan-occupied Tibet Xianjiezusi, Qimingzusi, Long'an Prefecture, and Qingzhou.

In fact, because the conflict between the Ming Dynasty and the Tusi had always existed, the dynasty was not too worried about the two Tusi, Zhanzang Xianjiecusi and Qimingcusi. The only ones that needed to be mainly guarded against were Long'an Prefecture and Qingzhou.

However, with Wang Dahu leading 5,000 extraordinary soldiers to save the people, the dynasty doesn't need to worry too much unless tens of thousands of troops are mobilized from the entire Sichuan province.

In addition to mobilizing troops in these three directions, Wang Chao promoted Chen Ying to the position of garrison commander of Shouyang Pass, leading a thousand soldiers to suppress any possible unrest within Gongchang Prefecture.

He was promoted to garrison commander of Jiehe Pass in Wuping, leading 2,000 troops to suppress possible unrest within Lintao Prefecture. At the same time, together with Li Yu, he was to guard against possible attacks from Lanzhou and Zhenluwei.

Meanwhile, the dynasty itself led 5,000 troops to attack Taozhou Guard, and then relied on the existing defensive cities of the Ming army to guard against possible attacks from the Duogansi Pacification Commissioner's Office and the Sichuan Axidongzu Commissioner's Office.

The Duogansi Pacification Commission was actually the XZ of later times. By this time, it had basically broken away from the control of the Ming Dynasty, and the Axidongcusi was not very close to the Ming army.

Therefore, these two places do not require a lot of effort to defend.

They would never risk their lives to attack for the sake of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, leaving behind only a battalion of a thousand soldiers would be more than enough.

Faced with the People's Salvation Army, which had been training almost daily for months and possessed extraordinary supernatural abilities, the Ming army, which had long been complacent and neglected its training, was naturally no match for them.

Whenever the Ming army showed signs of strong resistance, the dynasty would fire an arrow, and even the most fortified city gates and fortifications would be breached in one strike.

Including Wang Dahu and others, once they can mobilize the entire army's iron-blooded killing intent and the true energy of the soldiers, they can also unleash a super-powerful attack. Perhaps they are not as powerful as Wang Chao, but with their combined strength, they can definitely forcefully break through the city gate.

Under such circumstances, the People's Salvation Army naturally advanced with unstoppable momentum, sweeping all before it.

Before Ning Wenyuan, the magistrate of Li County, could even leave Gongchang Prefecture with his petition for help, the city had already been breached by Li Shu.

However, Magistrate Ning Wenyuan showed some loyalty and integrity at this time. He did not surrender after the city fell, but instead hanged himself in his residence.

As for his body, it was taken to the outskirts of the city and cremated along with the bodies of other Ming soldiers.

Although he appeared to have some loyalty and integrity, he was also corrupt and oppressive to the people when he was in Li County. It was already a favor that he wasn't beheaded and whipped again.

Naturally, there would be no admiration for his integrity or any elaborate burial for him.

Well, to the militia, that wasn't about high moral character; it was about using death to escape punishment.

By December, when Governor-General Wu Zhiwang received the imperial edict and began to mobilize troops to advance westward, the Dynasty Salvation Army had almost completed its initial strategic objectives.

The dynasty had begun leading the main force back, leaving only two battalions of soldiers to guard against possible attacks from the Duogansi Pacification Commissioner's Office and the Axidongcuo Commissioner's Office, and to clear out the remaining Ming army remnants.

When Governor-General Wu Zhiwang traveled upstream along the Tao River, passed through Xi'an and Fengyang, and arrived at the border of Gongchang Prefecture, the dynasty had already returned.

Furthermore, in various places in Minzhou Guard, Gongchang Prefecture, and areas west of Hezhou, Wang Dahu and his comrades have already promoted many members of agricultural communities to official positions through appointment documents issued by the dynasty.

Although we haven't fully grasped these areas, it no longer affects the overall situation.

With the army left behind to save the people, and the ability to observe the nation's fortunes and identify where the problems lay, even if some people still harbored feelings for the Ming Dynasty, they could no longer stir up any trouble.

The only thing they need to face is external enemies.

Currently, it is the 50,000-strong Ming army led by Wu Zhiwang.

If they can defeat the Ming army led by Wu Zhiwang, the dynasty will be able to have some time to recuperate and rebuild, and may even be able to launch a new offensive and expansion.

Standing on the city wall of Gongchang Prefecture, Wang Chao observed from a spiritual perspective that the entire territory of the Salvation Army, from the center eastward, was covered with a rich national fortune, which gradually weakened westward and southward, becoming increasingly heavy with a gray-black aura. Beyond the area slightly east of the center, the national fortune rapidly dimmed and eventually dissipated, indicating that the Salvation Army's territory had been breached.

On the other side, Wu Zhiwang led a mighty army of 50,000 men into Gongchang Prefecture and headed straight for the prefectural city.

The simplest way is by water, going upstream along the Wei River, starting from Qin Prefecture, passing through Fuqiang and Ningyuan, and then you can reach Gongchang Prefecture.

With a shortcut available, Wu Zhiwang naturally wouldn't bother climbing mountains and wading through rivers by land.

In an instant, the entire Wei River was filled with fluttering banners and bustling boats.

While they were going against the current, the dynasty was going with the current, although it was faster than Wu Zhiwang and his group.

However, Wu Zhiwang and his group were closer.

Just as Wang Chao and his men passed through Ningyuan, Wu Zhiwang led his army to Qinzhou.

At this time, the commander of Qinzhou was Wang Shi, who had taken over many counties in Gongchang Prefecture, so he had sent out a lot of troops.

Today, the People's Salvation Army led by Wang Shi only has a little over 1,100 men.

Wang Shi stood atop the city wall, looking at the densely packed enemy troops outside the city, and the warships that stretched across the Wei River for miles around, his brow furrowed deeply.

Although the entire People's Salvation Army possessed great strength and superhuman abilities, they relied heavily on the city walls for defense.

However, Wang Shi was still uncertain about the outcome when facing the Ming army of 50,000.

This isn't just a matter of one against ten; it's one against fifty.

In addition, this was his first time facing a large-scale siege, and his first time defending a city, with the disparity in troop strength between the two sides being enormous.

Wang Shi was naturally unsure of himself and worried that he would be unable to fulfill the important task entrusted to him by the leader.

Fortunately, he had also learned from the intelligence personnel that the dynasty was on its way at high speed.

He only needs to hold out for two or three days to receive reinforcements from the dynasty.

As a result, he felt a bit more at ease.

After Wu Zhiwang led his army to the city, he did not set up camp but directly ordered his army to begin attacking the city.

After all, they came by ship, so there was no issue of a long and arduous expedition for them.

"All soldiers, heed my command: Attack the city!"

"dong dong dong"

As the messenger waved the command flag and the drums resounded throughout the army, the soldiers immediately charged toward the Qinzhou city wall with shouts of battle.

"Kill!"

"kill!"

"rush!"

"The first to scale the walls will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver and promoted one rank."

"Whoever beheads the enemy general will be rewarded with five hundred taels of silver and promoted three ranks."

In an instant, many people became eager, carrying ladders and running forward as fast as they could, hoping to be the first to climb the city wall.

Wang Shi first looked solemn as he glanced at the Ming army charging towards him from below.

Then he raised his head and looked at the enemy's banner hundreds of meters away, and the general leading the banner. He couldn't help but change his expression slightly. If only the leader or Li Yu were here.

With the leader's archery skills, a mere few hundred meters would surely kill him on the spot, and he might not even be able to leave behind a complete corpse.

Although Li Yu's archery skills are not as good as the leader's, he is the only person so far to have inherited the divine power of archery.

These people mostly chose to form formations or use close-combat techniques such as swords and spears.

Close-combat techniques such as swords and spears are derived from the sword techniques of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

However, unlike the legendary Seventy-Two Speeds of the Earthly Fiends swordsmanship, the dynasty made certain modifications to it.

It is through supernatural powers that one can gain deep control over the weapon in hand, amplify power with true qi, and unleash supernatural powers such as sword qi and saber qi.

This is less about swordsmanship and more about mastery of melee weapons.

Therefore, the dynasty referred to it as "mastery of melee weapons".

Generals like Wang Shi, Wang Dahu, Wang Erniu, and Li Shu have mostly chosen [mastery of melee weapons] as their supernatural ability.

After all, close-combat weapons are more suitable for leading troops into battle.

Moreover, this [Melee Weapon Mastery] skill is not limited to swords, spears, or halberds.

As long as it's a weapon in your hand, you can control it at will, and it will hit exactly where you point it.

Of course, this doesn't mean that using supernatural powers will grant you profound martial arts skills.

It doesn't even qualify as a skill.

This is more like a divine control over things.

Once the mind locks onto the target, and the supernatural energy flows freely, the weapon will strike the target directly in the most concise and clear way.

Direct and straightforward.

The hand holding the weapon merely served as a link connecting supernatural powers and true energy.

As for the application of skills, such as swordsmanship and other martial arts techniques, those require training and learning.

(End of this chapter)