Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 221 Help

The demon thief's greatest asset is his navy.

Although this naval force is not their entire force, defeating them would severely damage the demon thieves' confidence.

The morale of the bandits in Xingpu and even Shanyin would collapse.

Without a navy, even if Sun En had twice the number of troops, he would still be no match for the Northern Army. Liu Laozhi was a famous general of his time, who had dominated the country for more than ten years. Although Liu Daogui and Liu Yu were not quite as good as they were at the moment, they were still first-rate generals in Jiangzuo.

"How exactly do we fight? Tell me quickly!" Liu Zun said impatiently.

Tan Daoji glanced at Liu Daogui, who nodded slightly before he said in a deep voice, "Fire attack! Load dry firewood onto rafts and bamboo floats, rush over, surround and burn them!"

It's simple and direct, but the chances of success are extremely high.

In this kind of weather, even if the ship was covered with raw cowhide, it could not stop hundreds of fire rafts from burning.

"How come you're so smart?" Liu Zun laughed heartily.

Gao Xun also said with admiration, "The Tan family of Gaoping is indeed extraordinary."

Liu Daogui also discovered that Tan Daoji was a rare talent, young yet brave and resourceful, with unlimited potential for future achievements. Among his peers, only Liu Zhong could rival him.

In this era, the aristocratic families had become corrupt, but heroes emerged from humble backgrounds and commoners.

"Since you came up with the plan, I'll leave it to you to carry out!" Liu Daogui wanted to mentor him.

"Your subordinate obeys!" Tan Daoji readily agreed.

After displaying their power for a while, the dozens of warships on the river retreated to the south bank, set up a naval camp, and prepared for a surprise attack by Liu Daogui.

This action, in turn, exposed their guilty conscience.

They control the water; if it were Liu Daogui, he would have already stormed the north bank.

In fact, Sun En was also a man without great ambition. He had already risen up in rebellion, yet he cowardly appointed himself "General Who Conquers the East"...

They didn't even utter a single slogan of rebellion; they burned, killed, and looted everywhere, no different from bandits.

Tan Daoji led able-bodied men to Tianmu Mountain overnight to cut down trees and bamboo. Carrying Liu Daogui's banner, even the surrounding mountain people came out to help. Bundles of wood and bamboo floated down the Longxi River and drifted to Liangdu.

In less than three days, the wood, bamboo, and hay piled up like mountains.

Even the elderly, the weak, women, and children came out to help, doing what they could.
Liu Daogui witnessed the power of human nature. The young and strong men worked diligently and conscientiously, building bamboo rafts and wooden rafts in their households.

Tan Daoji oversaw the overall situation, with clear division of labor. Seven or eight thousand people worked together in an orderly manner.

With such heavy labor, Liu Daogui asked Li Damu to bring over some pigs, sheep, and fish from the rear so that they would have the strength to work after eating and drinking their fill.

The aristocratic families took it for granted to flatter those above them and never paid them any attention. If they failed to serve them properly, they would offend them.

But if you treat the people and soldiers well, they will treat you sincerely in return, even at the cost of their lives.

Putting himself in their shoes, Liu Daogui was always very generous to them.

"Dao Ze has the discerning eye to recognize talent; Tan Daoji possesses the abilities of a great general," Gao Xun praised highly.

“We have plenty of capable generals in Jingkou, but they have never had a chance to rise to prominence. Now that the world is in chaos, they have a chance to use their talents.” Liu Daogui was not just making things up.

Meng Longfu, Liu Guangzhi, Liu Huaishen, Liu Huaisu, Xiang Jing, and Liu Muzhi were all heroes.

However, due to the Nine-Rank System, they could only become commoners, and those who did well could only become corrupt officials of the eighth or ninth rank, or serve as lackeys for the gentry.

Today, Jingkou has emerged as a new force.

Liu Yu and Liu Daogui were among the best.

“Jingkou…Beifu…” Gao Xun seemed to be deep in thought.

By the fifth day, more than 500 small rafts piled high with dry grass and firewood were hidden in the reeds.

Liu Daogui sent men on horseback to Yuhang at top speed, agreeing to attack that night.

The people of the Three Wu regions grew up in the water and were far better swimmers than the Northern Army. Many young men, after having their fill of meat soup, even volunteered to sail around and attack the warships.

“This great battle has nothing to do with you all, why bother…” Looking at the more than one hundred men in front of him, Liu Daogui was deeply moved.

They were all disheveled, ragged, and without even a pair of straw sandals, yet they were utterly devoted to each other. "Soldier, you may not know this, but they killed our parents and drowned our children. This is an irreconcilable hatred. We only beg you, soldier, to give us a chance to avenge them!"

"We've eaten the rations for so many days since joining the army, and we've given nothing in return but our worthless lives. You can't look down on those who join the army."

"That's right. We're better at maneuvering boats than walking. We'll charge forward, set off a fire, and dive into the water. What can those demons do to us?"

"I've heard that the Generalissimo's Army is fair in its rewards and punishments. If we burn the warships, I wonder if we'll receive any reward?"

Everyone chatted amongst themselves, completely ignoring the enormous structures on the south bank.

If Liu Daogui still refuses after all this has been said, then he would be being pretentious.

"Yes, after you all return, each of you will receive ten shi of grain! If you are wounded or killed in battle, each of you will receive twenty shi, which will be given to your families. I will take your children back to Jingkou to raise them!"

From a practical standpoint, letting them take the job is the best option.

Ten bushels of grain, if saved, would be enough for a family of three to eat for a year.

"Done!"

"Me too! I'm going too!"

"It's worth dying for so much grain!"

With such a generous reward, brave men will surely come. Those young men who had been standing by and watching quickly followed.

Being able to fight for a way out for his family dispelled their fear of death.

Liu Daogui glanced at everyone and nodded in agreement.

As the setting sun cast a crimson glow beneath the western mountains, a cool breeze swept across the river. This was the most pleasant time in the Jiangnan water towns, where the green hills and clear waters appeared especially enchanting in the night.

However, such a beautiful land could not escape the ravages of war.

A drumbeat startled the egrets that were foraging in the shallow waters by the shore. They spread their white wings and flew into the twilight sky.

In an instant, a murderous aura filled the heavens and earth.

The resounding drums shattered the last rays of dusk, while the mournful bugle calls added a touch of desolation and sorrow.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The soldiers' battle cries shook the plains.

The north wind whistled southward, and the waves on the river surged, as if two forces were locked in battle.

"Daoze, the northwest wind is rising! This is Heaven's help to you!" Gao Xun was overjoyed.

In the height of summer, the wind direction is unpredictable. Liu Daogui reached out and felt the direction the wind was blowing from. It was indeed a northwest wind, and he couldn't help but laugh, "The heavens are on our side, we will surely win this battle!"

Sometimes, a bit of luck is indeed needed to accomplish great things.

Such a commotion alerted the opposite bank, which quickly spurred its warships to sail towards the center of the river. The large ship also stood across the river, domineeringly overlooking the north bank.

Under the banner bearing the character "Sun," archers and crossbowmen thronged, resembling a giant hedgehog.

"Attack!" Liu Daogui drew his sword and roared at the warship.

"Kill!" Shouts rose from the reeds to the west, and bamboo rafts and wooden boats rushed out, heading towards the center of the river like arrows released from a bow.

"Is that Tan Daoji?" Gao Xun looked at the bamboo raft at the forefront, on which stood a tall figure holding a large shield and commanding the young men behind him.

"A general should disregard life and death!" Liu Daogui said in a deep voice.

These days, everyone is risking their lives; no one is an exception. After all, civilians are not soldiers, and their momentary bravado cannot last.

Therefore, they must have a great general to lead them.

Bamboo rafts and wooden boats drifted downstream from the northwest with the wind. Soon, bursts of firelight ignited, illuminating the gradually darkening river surface.

The warship blocking the way was the first to catch fire, and the sailors on board jumped into the river to escape. The warship, however, was swept downstream by the river current and the northwest wind at an extremely fast speed...

(End of this chapter)