Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 203 Pursuit of Gao Yan
Upon receiving news that Zhu Wen and Duan Hongyan had led 6,000 herdsmen northward, Gao Yan withdrew without a fight, handing over Chaozhou and Xunzhou, along with the surrounding counties, to the rebel army.

The rebel soldiers, who had been holding their breath, suddenly felt as if they had punched a kapok tree, unable to vent their anger.

The people of both states also raised their sleeves and arms, filled with rage, determined to seek revenge on Gao Yanjun for their dead relatives and friends.

Gao Yan has already fled, and the thugs and ruffians who previously helped Chen Liqing and Bo Chulong torture and plunder the gentry are now in deep trouble.

The angry townspeople first gathered the group together and threw stones at them. Then, regardless of whether they were dead or alive, they were all impaled on two-zhang-high sharp wooden stakes, leaving these scoundrels to slowly experience the feeling of the stakes piercing their bodies under the scorching sun.

After they are completely dead, crows will peck at their flesh and eyeballs, and then build nests and lay eggs in the remaining skulls.

When these scoundrels were "recovering stolen goods to fund their campaigns," they often used clamps to crush wealthy and middle-class people, causing their skulls to split open or even their eyeballs to pop out. Now, being punished in this way is a fitting retribution.

In the back-and-forth of repeated political movements, vigilante violence will inevitably escalate step by step due to the intensification of hatred.

During their retreat north, the barbarian tribes captured several wealthy women and tried to offer them to Gao Yan, but Gao Yan politely declined.

Gao Yan wasn't completely devoid of sexual desire; when he was in a good mood, he would spend a lot of money to buy the virginity of some prostitutes.

But in the military camp, he felt that discussing military strategy and human nature with the unassuming Qian Liu was much more enjoyable than going out to play with women while covered in sweat.

Moreover, in Gao Yan's eyes, these rich heiresses were nothing more than ordinary beauties, and compared to Hua Wang You Di, they were like dirt on the ground.

As for the Flower Queen—such a peerless beauty—Gao Yan had considered it before. But since he lacked the strength, he didn't bother to think about it anymore.

If I ever become a powerful figure, I might as well get my hands on this woman—but to prevent her from causing trouble, I can cripple her martial arts and sever all her tendons. She'll just be a beautiful plaything; I won't touch her at all.

"You guys can divide it up," Gao Yan said calmly.

The barbarian warriors immediately showed expressions of extreme gratitude, thanking them profusely as they departed.

In order to win over the barbarian tribes in the mountains of eastern Guangdong, Gao Yan promised that when he took charge of Lingnan, he would adopt the "methods of the Northern Qi".

What is the "Law of Northern Qi"?
Gao Yan's ancestor, Emperor Shenwu of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Gao Huan, in an effort to reconcile the conflict between the Han and Xianbei people, addressed the Xianbei as follows: "The Han people are your slaves. The husbands till the land for you, the wives weave for you, they supply you with grain and silk, ensuring your warmth and sustenance. Why do you treat them with such contempt?" He addressed the Han people as follows: "The Xianbei are your guests. They fight for you for every bushel of grain and bolt of silk they receive from you. Why do you resent them?"

In this narrative, although Gao Huan tried his best to bridge the contradictions between the two, he ultimately relied on the military force of the Xianbei people and regarded the Xianbei warriors as his base.

In Lingnan, which was governed by Li Tiao, the Hu people, mostly wealthy merchants, used their money to bully the Han people. However, the Han people's discrimination against the barbarians was no different from that in other places.

Gao Yan promised to establish a "barbarian guard" based on the barbarian tribes, allowing them to achieve a status higher than that of the Han people.

How could this not excite the barbarian tribes and make them yearn for it?

As for whether or not the promise can be fulfilled—Gao Yan doesn't care, since the barbarian tribes are easy to fool anyway.

If he could annihilate Huang Chao's army and capture the elite troops of the rebel army, he would have the trump card to contend for supremacy. At that time, it wouldn't make much difference whether he used Lingnan or other places as the basis for his hegemony.

……

Zhu Wen and Duan Hongyan's occupation of Chao and Xun prefectures was met with an even warmer welcome from the people, and they quickly obtained ample food supplies.

Many people fled during Gao Yan's massacre. Many hid their food and wealth in cellars, granaries, or even caves in the mountains, making them difficult to obtain through search and torture.

In order to gain the protection of the bandits and help them take revenge, the people voluntarily offered up these resources.

"General, you must avenge us!"

"That scoundrel Gao Yan is no official of the court. Even the An Lushan Rebellion's devastation of the region couldn't compare to this scoundrel's!"

"My poor, delicate daughter, like a flower bud, was violated by five or six barbarians. In the end, her lower body was torn open, and she bled several liters of blood before dying... She was only eleven years old!" A woman with a jade hairpin in her hair wept bitterly. Her clothes were plain, and the jade hairpin was of rather ordinary quality, clearly indicating that she was not from a wealthy family.

The soldiers of the peasant army were so enraged that they were practically grinding their teeth to powder.

Those comrades who remained in Chaozhou and Xunzhou were all killed by Gao Yanjun and their bodies turned into mounds of corpses. A united front of hatred and hatred was formed between the rebel army and the Han people of eastern Guangdong.

Infected by each other, a chorus of shouts for battle arose, which was precisely what was meant by "morale being up to par."

A faint look of worry appeared in Zhu Wen's eyes.

Gao Yanjun has already fled into the vast mountains north of Chaozhou.

This mountainous region is characterized by its towering peaks and complex terrain, making it a rarely visited area for Han Chinese.

With the help of the barbarian chieftains, Gao Yan can thrive in this area. If our side rashly attacks, we will easily find ourselves in a passive position.

Before launching his raid, Gao Yan gathered the barbarian tribesmen, precisely because he had anticipated this.

In order to win the hearts and minds of the Han people in Lingnan, the rebel army also took on the responsibility of protecting them.

If we do nothing in the face of the people's enthusiasm and indignation, we will pour buckets of cold water on their passionate hearts.

Gao Yan's actions have drawn Zhu Wen and the others into a situation where they know there is a trap, but they have no choice but to fall into it.

"Back then, Marshal Yan was also killed by us in these mountains," Zhu Wen said to Duan Hongyan.

"Doesn't this show that our mountain warfare capabilities are also quite impressive?" Duan Hongyan was positive about going into battle.

Zhu Wen fell silent and pondered.

Huang Chao sent him and Duan Hongyan north to deal with Gao Yan. If Zhu Wen delayed the battle, it would not only demoralize the people and soldiers of the two prefectures, but also displease Huang Chao.

With the morale of the army and the people in their hands, they had gained popular support. Gao Yan was located in the mountains north of Chaozhou, where he had the assistance of the local barbarian tribes, which gave him a geographical advantage.

There is a chance of winning in war, but there are also risks.

But is there any way to win without taking any risks?
Faced with the soldiers' overwhelming calls for battle, Zhu Wen knew that this time he probably wouldn't have the final say.

Apart from Lan Suting, Zhu Zhen, and Zhu Wen, who all maintained a cautious attitude, everyone else hoped to deal with Gao Yan as soon as possible.

To deal with a treacherous, cunning, and slippery character like Gao Yan, the most effective way to severely damage him is to get involved and break his trap from within.

Go ahead to dangers.

"We are sending troops here for the sake of the people of the two prefectures. I hope you will mobilize the local militia and set up outposts every few miles, with scouts stationed there. Use beacon fires as signals. If our army is in trouble, please do your best to support us!" Zhu Wen solemnly instructed the leading figures of the two prefectures.

He couldn't entrust his safety entirely to these gentry, so he left Huo Cun with a small number of elite troops behind, ready to come and meet him with the militia should anything happen.

He then said to his generals, "When going on campaign, we should carry more wheelbarrows similar to the 'wooden ox and flowing horse,' which can be used to transport supplies and for defense when encountering the enemy."

During the Battle of Songzhou, Xue Shuai Qi Kerang also used "wooden oxen and flowing horses" as obstacles to block the grass army's pursuit and cover the retreat of the government troops.

More calculations lead to victory, less calculations lead to defeat. Since he was going to fight on an unfamiliar battlefield, Zhu Wen had to be extremely cautious.

He had made every effort in planning, and the remaining factors for the success or failure of the battle depended on the performance of the three armies on the spot.

(End of this chapter)