Whale Falls and Becomes a God

Chapter 189 The Bereaved Dog
Three or four hundred miles north of Jiangdu lies the encampment of Yuwen's rebel army.

During the Jiangdu Mutiny, the Yuwen clan suffered the heaviest casualties. Not only did Yuwen Huaji, the leader of the three Yuwen heroes, die in battle, but the Heavenly Ancestor Yuwen Bodhisattva also died in battle. Many other Yuwen clan elders and members also perished, leaving the clan severely weakened and crippled.

However, the rebels are still led by the Yuwen clan, with the four top clans of Yuan, Liu, Pei and Sima as their subordinates, and other smaller families, gangs, and generals as their secondary forces.

Putting everything else aside, Yuwen Chengdu alone was enough to keep all the powerful families and forces from provoking or causing trouble, and even the Supreme Celestials dared not act recklessly. Not to mention the assistance of the two outstanding figures, Yuwen Zhiji and Yuwen Shiji, as well as many members of the Yuwen clan.

More importantly, apart from the families accompanying the various factions, the rebel army consisted mostly of elite troops and a small portion of veterans from Guanzhong. They were all elite, highly capable, and elite soldiers with extremely strong combat power.

Logically speaking, with such a powerful military force, the journey back west should have been smooth.

The rebels underestimated the chaotic world, with countless refugees and bandits constantly harassing them along the way. They also underestimated the powerful and influential Wagang Army, led by Wei Gong Li Mi and his Pushan Gongying. The Wagang Army blocked the rebels' westward retreat, preventing them from breaking through their defenses multiple times. Helpless, the rebels had no choice but to return to Jiangdu to settle down, rest, and regroup before seeking another way out.

This can be considered a consequence of the rebels' own actions. They lost their legitimacy and were branded as rebels, which had a significant impact on both sides' military and civilian populations.

"General Tianbao is back!"

"Quick pass!"

At the announcement, the rebel generals and representatives of various forces spontaneously gathered at the main tent in their camp.

In fact, these rebels received intelligence when Yuwen Chengdu was defeated and led his army away, but they still needed Yuwen Chengdu to tell them and make the decisions, especially regarding the rebels' next move and where they would go in the future.

With their return west unsuccessful, various rebel factions are already rife with undercurrents and their own agendas, and recently there have been frequent deserters and stragglers leaving.

However, the rebels are still powerful and strong, and with the invincible Yuwen Chengdu in charge, they have not truly collapsed. They are all looking for their own way out, but they are like rootless duckweed, and their hearts are restless.

"hiss……"

Yuwen Chengdu, a tall and imposing man clad in golden armor, drew everyone's attention as soon as he entered the tent, and a collective gasp of astonishment arose.

The shattered armor and bloodstains on Yuwen Chengdu's shoulder blades were still clearly visible and conspicuous.

In everyone's memory, this was the first time Yuwen Chengdu had been injured. It was the time when Yuwen Chengdu had single-handedly charged into the vast Wagang Army, where he was besieged by dozens of Wagang generals. He had killed twenty or thirty generals and countless Wagang soldiers before retreating unscathed.

Now, the invincible Yuwen Chengdu has been injured, his undefeated status broken, and many people are starting to have designs on him!

"Brother! Has that good-for-nothing Xiao Ying really become that strong? He actually managed to team up with Dugu Fenghuang to defeat you? It was mainly thanks to Wushuang Fenghuang, right?"

Without waiting for Yuwen Shiji and Yuwen Zhiji to inquire about the specific details, Yuwen Chenglong incredulously questioned first, saying that he was quite familiar with the deputy commander of the Empress's Imperial Guard, who was an important pawn and means for the Yuwen clan to win over and get close to Empress Xiao.

However, Yuwen Chenglong only approached Xiao Ying on the orders of his clan. Although they seemed to be kindred spirits and he took the initiative to befriend her, he actually looked down on Xiao Ying, after all, there was a huge gap in their personal abilities and strength!

In this generation, the Yuwen clan was controlled by Yuwen Shu, the Left Guard General and Duke of Xu during the Sui Dynasty, who was the direct line. Yuwen Shu was fortunate; his three sons, Yuwen Huaji, Yuwen Zhiji, and Yuwen Shiji, were all outstanding individuals who entered the court and held high positions of power. They were known as the Three Heroes of Yuwen, which further enabled him to control the Yuwen clan, one of the four great clans.

By the third generation, the invincible Yuwen Chengdu emerged, making Yuwen Shu's direct line even stronger and more stable, firmly controlling the discourse.

Yuwen Chenglong and Yuwen Chengxiang were the younger brothers of Yuwen Chengdu, and both were sons of Yuwen Huaji. Although they were not as dazzling as the invincible Yuwen Chengdu, they were still extraordinary, one a martial artist and the other a scholar, and could be considered first- or second-rate generals and scholars!
Despite the Yuwen clan's notorious reputation, they were full of talented people and had great power; otherwise, they would not have become one of the four great clans!

"Hmm! One should look at a person with new eyes after three days of separation! Prince Jingwu is indeed very strong now, and should be the strongest general in the Sui army!"

Yuwen Chengdu paid no attention to the strange looks from the crowd, nor did he intend to belittle his opponent. He calmly nodded and replied. After a pause, he frowned and continued:
"The strength of the Prince of Jingwu is estimated to be around a million catties, which I cannot easily defeat or take down! As for the Peerless Phoenix... she's just so-so. She can only rely on the Dugu Clan's 'Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens' to harass me with speed, and she can't confront me head-on!"

"A million catties? Really?" The stocky and short Yuwen Chenglong blurted out with wide eyes.

Even most of the people present were shocked, thinking they were hallucinating.

Those present were either traitors or close associates of the Sui Dynasty, and they were naturally familiar with Empress Xiao and Deputy Commander Xiao, so it was hard for them to accept it for a moment!
However, everyone present knew Yuwen Chengdu better and knew that given his personality, he was disdainful and incapable of lying. Although it was hard to believe, no one doubted what Yuwen Chengdu said!
Yuwen Zhiji frowned and muttered, "Does he really have the strength of a million jin? Then, apart from Chengdu, no one in our army can rival him!"

“That’s right!” Yuwen Chengdu nodded in agreement without further explanation and sat down in the first seat on the left.

"Chengdu! How are your injuries? Are Prince Jingwu and the Peerless Phoenix really that powerful enough to hurt you?" Yuwen Shiji asked with considerable concern.

Yuwen Chengdu is now the pillar and spiritual leader of the rebels, and he must not be lost. Otherwise, the Yuwen clan will lose control of the rebels, and the rebels will collapse!
Yuwen Chengdu raised his cup and drank heartily, but replied calmly with a half-smile, "It's nothing! Just a minor injury, it has no effect whatsoever. It was Chengdu who deliberately injured himself! Otherwise, even with Prince Jingwu and Wushuang Phoenix, they could only hold me back for a short time, but they couldn't do anything to me!"

"Intentional injury?! Why?"

Everyone was taken aback, and the rebel general Ma Ju blurted out a question in confusion.

The crowd was simply taken aback, but none of them doubted what Yuwen Chengdu said or questioned whether he was just being stubborn. This was the power and personal charisma of Yuwen Chengdu!

"Our army is attracting too much attention! General Tianbao is too brilliant, and is constantly being watched by countless forces, even the whole world. Every move we make is under scrutiny, and is even subject to excessive analysis and speculation. This is not a good thing for our side!"

Yuen Biao, the representative of the Yuen clan and strategist of the rebel army, responded slowly and thoughtfully, also explaining to everyone.

"Then we shouldn't let that good-for-nothing Xiao Ying benefit! Wouldn't that just let him step on my glory to become famous and powerful?" Everyone suddenly realized and had their own thoughts, but Yuwen Chenglong muttered indignantly.

“He certainly has the ability! He is also the most suitable candidate!” Yuwen Chengdu’s tone remained calm, as if he was simply stating a fact, which had nothing to do with him.

“Uh…” Yuwen Chenglong was speechless. Based on the fear and intimidation he had felt since childhood, he did not dare to argue with Yuwen Chengdu any further.

"To conceal our strength, divert the world's attention, and make them more feared, thus secretly suppressing and weakening them, is a worthwhile sacrifice!"

Yuen Biao nodded in agreement, analyzing the situation. He paused, looked at Yuwen Chengdu and Yuwen Shuangjie, then surveyed the crowd, continuing, "Since the Sui army is far stronger than we imagined, Jiangdu is not a suitable target for a direct assault, and it would be very difficult to capture. What are your thoughts? We certainly need a foothold to plan for the future!"

"Alas...the world is unpredictable! We underestimated the people of the world, especially the Wagang Army!"

Yuwen Zhiji sighed deeply, admitting his team's mistake first. After a pause, he looked around at everyone and continued:
"Jiangdu was originally the best target, but also the most difficult! Now that Jiangdu is no longer suitable, we are left with only two paths..."

"Either advance eastward and capture Hailing City!"

"Either head north and attack the Jianghuai region!"

In reality, during the internal discussions within the Yuwen clan, it was revealed that the rebel army's recent loitering around Jiangdu, seemingly with nowhere else to go but to seize the opportunity to attack Jiangdu and intend to regain control of it, was merely a deliberate illusion created by the Yuwen clan.

From beginning to end, the Yuwen clan had no intention of returning to Jiangdu. First, Jiangdu was a city with high walls and thick walls, and the cost of attacking it would be too great, no less than breaking through the Wagang defense line. The rebels could not afford such losses. Second, the rebels had lost the hearts of the people in Jiangdu. Even if they were to capture it at any cost, it would not be a stable place and would not be suitable for recuperation and stable development.

Secondly, the Yuwen clan's initial goal was to restore their kingdom, while Jiangdu was merely an economically important city, not a political center, and geographically unsuitable for stability and development. The Yuwen clan, controlling the Xiaoguo Army, desired either a divine capital or a demonic capital.

Finally, whether it was the Jiangdu Rebellion or the tyranny of the Sui Emperor, both events made the Yuwen clan, who were favored and trusted ministers of the Sui Emperor, notorious and completely lost the hearts and support of the people.

From any perspective, Jiangdu, which seemed to be the best way out, was actually the worst. Even without Empress Xiao defending the city, the Yuwen clan would not have wanted to go back, as that would have been mired in their own predicament (PS: This is also true in history; without a stronghold, the rebels would not have returned to Jiangdu).

Therefore, Yuwen Chengdu seemingly casually went alone to snipe, intercept and challenge the Prince of Jingwu, and then changed his target accordingly. This was mainly to give the rebels an explanation and a reasonable reason!

As Yuwen had predicted, after Yuwen Chengdu's defeat, everyone consciously gave up the idea of ​​returning to Jiangdu. Yuwen didn't need to explain much; everything went smoothly, naturally, and reasonably!

Yuwen Chengdu's deliberate injury was not the wish of the Yuwen clan, but rather Yuwen Chengdu's own initiative. However, it was a good thing, as it had a better effect and achieved multiple benefits at once!
"The Fengming Army is currently attacking Hailing City. Regardless of which side wins, it shouldn't be difficult for our army to advance eastward, capture and occupy Hailing City. There's a high probability we'll succeed! However, from now on, we'll be squeezed in a corner by various major powers, making it difficult for us to develop!"

Yuan Biao shook his head with a wry smile, frankly analyzing the situation, and added, "Although Hailing City is an important city, it is also quite limited. Even if we wanted to build ships to go out to sea and bypass Guanzhong, we don't have enough ships. We might even have problems with logistical supplies such as food and provisions!"

"Hmm! What do you all think?" Yuwen Zhiji shook his head with a helpless smile, then looked at everyone and asked.

Rebel general Xue Liang spat and said, "Then our only target... is Jianghuai, what's there to discuss..."

"Now that the King of Chu in Jianghuai has just died and the situation in Jianghuai is still unsettled, the General Commander of Jianghuai has decisively abandoned the battle at Hailing and is leading his troops back to Jianghuai. This is an excellent opportunity for our army!"

Yuwen Shiji's spirits lifted, and he excitedly and confidently explained, then quickly added, "If our army marches north now and launches a surprise attack on the Jianghuai army, catching them off guard, our chances of victory are quite high! Once the Jianghuai army is defeated on this route, Jianghuai will be within our grasp!"

"Then what's there to discuss or hesitate about? Let's send troops out immediately and ambush the Jianghuai Army! I've had enough of this hopeless, homeless life, where even taking a bath is difficult!" General Ma Ju slammed his fist on the table and shouted impatiently.

Plans can’t keep up with changes!
At this point, the rebels had lost sight of their original purpose and had nowhere to go home. However, this was a battle fought and bled for by everyone involved; it was understandable that they couldn't go back and there was nothing they could do about it. They were beyond reproach and blame.

Reality is cruel, and gradually...

More and more rebels are having second thoughts. Since they can't go back to Guanzhong, they might as well choose another place to dominate and enjoy wealth and glory. That would be better than being a stray dog, right?
"Don't rush, don't rush! The current situation in Jiangnan is indeed extremely favorable for our army. The Sui army and the Fengming army are too busy to help themselves, so it won't be difficult for our army to turn around and annex the Fengming army! However..."

With a goal and hope, everyone's mood eased considerably. Yuen Biao shook his head to reassure them, then reminded them, "Don't forget, everyone, the Wagang Army has been lurking behind our lines, sometimes close, sometimes distant. They are a formidable enemy and we must be on guard!"

Ma Ju's expression froze, and he spat out in a fit of impotent rage, "The Wagang Army... it's the Wagang Army again... isn't it just because they have a lot of men? Once our army stabilizes the Jianghuai region, we'll recruit more soldiers and horses, and we'll wipe them out!"

Not only Ma Ju, but most of the people present were very dissatisfied with the Wagang Army chasing after the rebels.

In fact, the Wagang Army really relied on its large numbers. Whether it was top generals or elite troops, they were clearly stronger than the rebels. This was one of the main reasons why the Wagang Army chased after the rebels but did not fight them. It also had a bit of a "using one tiger to devour another" feel to it.

"Don't worry! As long as we conquer the Jianghuai region and occupy several cities, the Wagang Army will naturally abandon us and leave!"

Yuen Biao, however, remained unconcerned and confidently replied, then looked around at everyone and continued, "Who will draw the Wagang Army's attention and cover their retreat, giving... General Tianbao time to defeat the Jianghuai Army and attack Jianghuai?"

This means they've already eliminated Yuwen Chengdu; they can't afford to waste such an invincible fighting force, can they?
The crowd exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, before finally looking in unison at the two men... Xue Liang and Ma Ju!

The rebel forces are complex, yet also very simple!
The main force consisted of elite soldiers, followed by veterans from Guanzhong, and then their families and other casualties. This applied to both quantity and quality!

The major families are the primary force, followed by secondary families and gangs, and then individuals. It's purely a matter of the size of their power and the number of people they have!

Xue Liang and Ma Ju were originally high-ranking generals and officials in the Sui Dynasty, holding great power and influence, and were very important to the rebellion. Now that they are no longer so important, it is the perfect time to strip them of their power, especially their military power!
(End of this chapter)