You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 109 Closing the Door to Catch the Thief
A cold mist hung over the Qiantang River, and someone reported that Fang Jie was nowhere to be seen.

Fang La's face darkened. Wang Yin said, "Your Majesty, Fang Jie has a volatile temper. We must have said something to him, and now he's going to find those three thousand Song soldiers."

Shi Bao cursed, "They're all cavalry, even if we could beat them, we couldn't catch up, you idiot!"

Fang La waved his hand and said, "Enough talk. Once we take Hangzhou, we'll avenge Fang Jie!"

Fang La's men had already built a high platform on the hill outside the city, offering a panoramic view. The four outer fortresses of Hangzhou's city wall were arranged layer upon layer on top of it.

Flags were hung all over the city walls and fortresses. The soldiers, small as ants, patrolled and stood guard on the walls and fortresses.

The city walls of Hangzhou are sturdy.

There were highly skilled cavalry to the west and imperial guards to the north, but neither of them were able to get close.

Fang La found it strange, but he couldn't figure out why.

Fang La was also an outstanding person. He was able to develop so many believers from a servant and sweep across half of the southeastern country. He was by no means an ordinary person.

However, he never held an official position.
I don't know how bad people can be.

"Once we break into Hangzhou, we won't have to fear those monstrous cavalry anymore!" Fang La sighed inwardly.

He himself had encountered Chen Shao's troops and found that he was no match for them.

The Song Dynasty's elite border troops could use infantry formations to counter cavalry charges, but how could his refugee army resist?

Let alone forming ranks, in the heat of battle, many people have trampled their own people to death.

The city's defenders had become numb and indifferent, while the rioters attacking the city below were as fearless and reckless as zombies.

The water of the Qiantang River had long since turned blood red.
From the beginning of the siege, Fang La drove away his followers and even more civilians to launch repeated attacks on the walls of Hangzhou, sparing no effort to cover the fields with ointment.

He was bloodthirsty and determined to take Hangzhou. As for what would happen next, he would deal with that later!
Moreover, Fang La firmly believed that the government troops were weak and easy to bully, and that only the cavalry were powerful. He thought that once Hangzhou was captured, people from all over the country would rise up in response to him!

Hundreds of Manichaeans, in a chaotic frenzy, held their long shields aloft, forming a square formation and desperately holding the city wall. There were few logs and stones left to roll on the wall, and all the houses that could be demolished had been torn down. They were just about to dismantle the city wall and push it down. Arrows were scarce, and what they had left to do was pour large buckets of boiling water down on them.

Boiling water dripped through the gaps in the shield, scalding the hands of the Manichaean followers who were holding the shields. They screamed in agony, but dared not let go.

Around them, several siege engines were burning fiercely. The defenders had already used their precious rockets against these large siege engines. Around the siege engines, the bodies of civilians with torn clothes were scattered everywhere. Once these civilians retreated, they could not be stopped. Those in front would mercilessly push those behind into the moat.

This long moat was filled with rotting corpses, emitting a nauseating stench. Many who were still alive were slowly struggling in the pile of corpses, trying to crawl out, but only one in a hundred could survive.

Countless hands scratched at the trench arm, leaving long marks. Looking down from above, it looked like a jungle of vengeful spirits!
Below the city wall, several siege ladders were cut down, and the refugees who had swarmed to attack the city were driven down. They could only gather in this array of shield towers. Anyone who dared to go in and disrupt the formation, disturbing the believers who were digging at the city wall under the shield towers, was mercilessly cut down and stabbed.

These refugees dared not retreat nor advance, and could only wander around. Some picked up things on the ground and threw them onto the city wall, but they couldn't get them up there at all. The others could only grit their teeth and wait to die.

The mess that was pouring down from the city walls—if it didn't hit me, I was lucky; if it did, it didn't matter. What difference would it make whether I lived a few more days or a few less?
Fortunately, King Ming led everyone to have a good time these days. Those officials were beheaded, they lived in their own houses, and their wives, daughters, and even their mothers took care of themselves.

So what if I die? What's there to be afraid of?
At this moment, Wang Yin had also personally rushed to the foot of the city wall. He was only wearing half armor, with no protection for his arms and legs except for his chest and back. Together with a group of brothers who had risked their lives for each other, he was desperately digging at the base of the city wall. In the previous days of attack, the area under the city wall had already been dug up like a giant rat's nest.

After a heavy rain a few days ago, the weather became much softer. Under the cover of night, the soldiers on the city wall lowered ropes and filled in some gaps with broken stones and large logs, but they did not completely fill the gaps.

At this point, the refugees went on a frenzied digging spree.

Everyone was covered in mud, even Wang Yin. He crawled into the city wall and kept loosening the rammed earth foundation. Others used baskets and sticks to throw the mud outwards. The sound of heavy impacts came from the shields protecting them, along with the sound of large buckets of boiling water being poured down. Many people screamed in pain as the boiling water flowed down the gaps in the shields, but no one slowed down.

The battle for Hangzhou was so fierce that many people had long lost the sense of life and death. In such a chaotic world, dying after making a scene might not be such a bad thing!
It's better than feeling stifled, being exploited by thieves like Zhu Mian, and starving to death in an empty house.
-
Suzhou.

Tan Zhen looked at the map, his expression dark and unreadable.

The candlelight occasionally shone on him, revealing a dark and frightening face.

Yuwen Xuzhong looked at him and said softly, "Lord Tan, if the situation weren't so dire, no one would want things to be like this."

Tan Zhen nodded and said, "We can't let the thieves roam around anymore."

He made up his mind: "Order the navy to enter Hangzhou from the east gate!"

That night, dozens of Song Dynasty warships set off from Yanmen Port, heading towards Hangzhou by waterway.

Fang La's fortifications on the Qiantang River crumbled at the slightest impact.

At dawn, a huge cheer erupted from the top of Hangzhou city walls as the water gates were opened to let the navy in.

One of the captains of the victorious army went straight to the Hangzhou prefectural government office after disembarking from the warship.

After being informed, he went to the side of Prefect Zhao Ting.

Zhao Ting was extremely excited. He stepped forward and shouted, "You've finally arrived! You've finally arrived! Where are the imperial army? Quickly wipe out these rioters!"

"Your Excellency, Lord Tan has something to say to you."

Zhao Ting hesitated slightly, then immediately led him to the inner hall.

The captain lowered his voice and said, "Your Excellency, most of the imperial troops are currently in Hebei and cannot march south for the time being. We are also unable to help with the siege of Hangzhou."

Zhao Ting gripped the captain's robe, his fingers trembling. "What should we do?"

He had heard about the ruthless methods the rioters used against officials.

The captain said, "Now, the only option is to protect the Prefect's family and escape on a naval warship."

"Escape?" Zhao Ting hesitated. "There are still a million shi of grain, hundreds of thousands of civilians, and some soldiers in Hangzhou."

"If Your Excellency is determined to defend to the death, Lord Tan will not force you. Moreover, I am willing to submit a memorial to the court on Your Excellency's behalf, praising Your Excellency's bravery and fearlessness in sacrificing yourself for the country!"

"Martyred for his country?" Zhao Ting's expression changed, his eyes glazed over.

That’s all!

The Song Dynasty did not execute scholar-officials!
Zhao Ting gritted his teeth and said, "I'll listen to Master Tan. When will the arrangements be made?"

"Let's leave tonight."

The night was as still as water. Outside the other walls, Fang La continued to urge the refugees to attack the city day and night.

He himself hadn't slept well for several days, his eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at the Hangzhou city wall with the fervor of a gambler.

Suddenly, shouts came from the city wall. Before Fang La could even show his ecstatic expression, he saw someone cut the ropes of the gate.

The wooden door slammed down, crushing the people below into a bloody pulp.

Fang La suddenly turned around, shook Shi Bao's shoulder, and shouted in his usually loud voice, now hoarse and shrill, "Kill! Kill our way into Hangzhou!"
-
The Song Dynasty's navy is now unmatched in the world.

This stems from their strong shipbuilding capabilities.

The navy stormed out of Hangzhou, their ships soaked in tung oil until they were black, and covered with thick buffalo hides.

The slender hull extends countless dark oars, like a centipede gliding across the lake.

The naval fleet that had just entered the city sounded its drums again, and six warships, twelve fighting ships, and more than thirty small boats sailed out from both flanks.

The navy arrayed itself in a grand formation, with warships in front, fighting ships in the middle, and small boats behind, before the drums and gongs sounded in unison.

It seemed as if they were deliberately trying to let everyone know that the navy had broken out and abandoned Hangzhou.

Soon after, news spread that Prefect Zhao Ting had fled with all his family and treasures on a naval warship.

All the military officers, from Zhao Yue, the Inspector General, down to the lowest rank, brought their families and wailed at the entrance of the water fortress, demanding that the navy take them with them.

Inside the warship, Zhao Ting looked at the scenery on the shore and suddenly felt uneasy.

The news spread too fast.
This is very wrong!

It seems that rumors of my escape have already spread even before I've started to flee.

Some arrows began to fly towards them, and Zhao Ting quickly shrank back.

Looking at his family in the cabin, he calmed down a bit. Whatever, it's better than dying in the city!
The cabin contained everything that Prefect Zhao Ting wanted to take with him, but he refused to take even one more person with him.

It even included a huge water tank with several koi fish opening their mouths and blowing bubbles. These were Zhao Ting's feng shui fish, meant to bless him with promotions and wealth.

He walked nervously to the fish tank, grabbed some fish food, and tossed it in. The koi, eagerly awaiting their arrival, splashed and jostled, creating several sprays of water. "Please, may this time everything go smoothly for me."

In December, Hangzhou fell.

The navy escorted Prefect Zhao Ting on his escape, arriving at Tan Zhen's camp outside Suzhou.

Amidst a thicket of swords and spears, Zhao Ting arrived at the main tent. As soon as he entered, he saw Tan Zhen, with several generals and civil and military officials from Zhejiang standing on either side.

He knew half of them, including the transport commissioner Chen Jian.

Just as he was about to step forward to pay his respects, Tan Zhen suddenly shouted in a deep voice, "How dare you, Zhao Ting! As the head of a prefecture, why did you abandon Hangzhou and flee instead of defending the city?"

"I"

"Deserting in the face of battle and abandoning Hangzhou, this is a heinous crime! Guards, take him out and execute him!"

"Please forgive me! How dare I abandon the city! I have been holding out alone for over a month... I am under orders to retreat, I am under orders to retreat!"

With a bang, two Victory Army guards stepped forward and struck him on the neck with a hand chop, and Zhao Ting immediately lost consciousness.

Then he was taken away, put into a prison cart, paraded through the streets of Suzhou, and finally beheaded in the bustling city.

When Fang La entered Hangzhou, Tan Zhen dropped his pretense and immediately issued a decree: the court's funds had been embezzled by corrupt officials who deceived their superiors and oppressed their subordinates, causing hardship in the southeast.

The ringleader was Zhao Ting, who has been beheaded. Zhu Mian and his son were also dismissed from their posts and taken to Tokyo for trial.

Then, with lightning speed, he ordered that any soldiers in Zhejiang who were cowardly and afraid to fight should be executed!
Tan Zhen not only commanded the Imperial Guards to quell the rebellion, but also actively mobilized the troops in Zhejiang and promoted several well-performing officials, thus launching a counter-offensive.

His power as the governor was boundless; many people toiled for decades without ever getting a promotion, but he could do it with a single word.

Even many officials in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces racked their brains to take the opportunity to give gifts, hoping to buy some military merits and get promoted.

If this were in the Northwest, Tan Zhen would have done it, since everyone does it; Chen Shao's official position was bought, after all.

However, this is a very sensitive time, and he must quell the rebellion as quickly and effectively as possible, so as not to hinder Xuan Shuai's campaign against Liao.

Therefore, Tan Zhen was unusually impartial this time, and instead of taking the opportunity to amass wealth, he truly promoted some capable officials.

On Chen Shao's side, the situation is much the same.

The refugees from Fuyang city, seeing that Chen Shao's troops did not kill anyone, flocked to the vicinity seeking refuge.

Nowadays, there are scattered Manichaeans everywhere, who often incite groups of people to rebel and kill anyone they see.

The innocent children were still playing and frolicking among the shacks, while the adults, having enjoyed so much peace and quiet since Fang La entered Hangzhou, had naturally relaxed and were able to chat amongst themselves.

People were discussing the civil unrest: which important figures had died, which wealthy families had been destroyed, and how miserable their families were.
Those who have received an education are especially the center of attention.

Most of the time, they talked at length while the other farmers sat around listening.

They didn't say anything new, just cursed Zhu Mian and Zhao Ting. They heard that the court had abolished the "tribute bureaus" in Suzhou and Hangzhou, stopped the "flower and stone tribute" levy, and dismissed Zhu Mian and his son from their official posts.

Everyone felt uneasy; the one who should have been killed was Zhu Mian, not Zhao Ting!
The women in each household were preparing wild vegetables and firewood. Although there was a daily porridge, the wild vegetables and tree bark they gathered were mixed together to barely keep people alive.

Chen Shao had no shortage of military rations, and he would send people to deliver some every day.

This made the people start talking about Chen Shao's good deeds again, and gradually his achievements in conquering the Northwest were also publicized.

As expected, this was all done by Chen Shao's men who infiltrated the crowd and spread the word quietly.

One of the reasons for Fang La's uprising was that the imperial court had plundered the people of Jiangnan to curry favor with the two barbarian tribes in the northwest, the latter being the Western Xia.

Upon learning that the commander of this life-saving army was also a hero who had recovered the Northwest, everyone's admiration for him grew even stronger.

Later, the story became increasingly bizarre, with everyone saying that Western Xia had long been destroyed by Chen Shao. Didn't they see that many of the rescue troops were barbarian soldiers?

Regardless of whether they were optimistic or pessimistic about the future, everyone shared the same sentiment: as long as the imperial court broke through Hangzhou and killed Fang La, their own family's lives would most likely be saved.

At the border of the shantytowns, a spontaneously formed black market gradually began to bustle. Those who had fled with some belongings were moving in and out of this black market, hoping to exchange their possessions for something of better value.

Around these refugee villages, Chen Shao also set up a small outpost to monitor them and prevent them from causing trouble.

The soldiers inside the fortress were now lazily patrolling the refugee village in squads.

Every refugee who came to them respectfully made way for them. Just a few days ago, these men with weapons were the source of chaos; whether soldiers or bandits, everyone avoided them like the plague!

Here, these warhorses gave them a way to survive; they were their guardians.

Wherever they are, those rioters dare not come; if they do, they will be quickly killed and scattered.

In the era of cold weapons, the supplies required to support a force of 5,000 men and more than 10,000 warhorses were staggering.

It often required two to three thousand porters to accompany the army, and the logistics team also consisted of several hundred vehicles and a supply train with thousands of livestock.

The supply forces required are unimaginably large. On the roads of Jiangnan, an oxcart can only carry seven or eight hundred catties, and a donkey can only carry less than two hundred catties at most.

If there isn't enough livestock, people have to fill in. Traveling two hundred miles takes three or four days, and you need to eat a lot along the way. Only a large-scale operation can make up for it. Without several hundred large animals, plus tens of thousands of laborers for transport, it's absolutely impossible to sustain the effort.

Fortunately, Chen Shao used a caravan; professional workers are fast and much more efficient than laborers.

The refugees his men intercepted were all bandits who had plundered the Zhejiang region and were rich in money.

Chen Shao used these spoils as payment to the caravan.

Today, as the New Year approaches, Chen Shao ordered the slaughter of pigs and sheep to celebrate the New Year. He then distributed some of the grain from the grain transport to the soup kitchens, instructing them to also stock up on extra rice.

The people of Jiangnan are also fortunate; they're getting relief grain from the Northwest.
I wonder what they must be thinking. They live in a land of plenty, yet the streets are littered with the corpses of the starving. Do they hate Fang La for his rebellion, or the corrupt officials, or perhaps they hate the court and the incompetent emperor?

Of course, I dare not say what comes next.

Inside the central command tent, Chen Shao rubbed his hands together vigorously. Although this was Jiangnan, the winter wind was still bitterly cold.

My face and hands were covered in chapped cuts; a little oil was applied and that was it. My joints had become enlarged.

He looked at the military report sent by Tan Zhen and suddenly sneezed violently. He jumped up, rubbing his hands and feet, which were already numb from the cold, and cursed loudly, "So cold!"

Mei Zang Pang Ge, accompanied by several personal guards, had been silently watching over him. Upon hearing Chen Shao cursing, they hurriedly gathered around him, saying, "General, are you cold? Quickly return to camp to rest. We have some hot ginger soup; we'll bring it to you!"

Chen Shao waved his hand and said, "Fang La has already been captured. We must be the first to break in, otherwise we will not get any of the loot Fang La has plundered in Hangzhou!"

"We must seize the position first thing tomorrow morning. Tan Zhen says he wants to attack the city from the water fortress, but that's not a safe bet. The most important thing now is not to capture Hangzhou, but to prevent them from escaping!"

Mei Zang Pang Ge said, "Didn't the commander send Wu Jie to guard Muzhou? As long as they can't escape into the mountains, they can't escape our cavalry's pursuit on this flat land of Jiangnan."

Wu Jie was originally a lowly soldier in the Xihe Army. After Liu Fa was defeated, he fled to Hengshan and was recruited by Wu Jie.

After several successful defenses of the stronghold, he miraculously survived and was promoted to captain. During the campaigns against Yanzhou and Youzhou, he repeatedly distinguished himself in battle and was promoted beyond the usual ranks.

Chen Shao sighed. He was actually a little worried about the grain and silver tribute in Hangzhou, but upon closer reflection, the campaign against Liao had not yet begun.

If someone were to openly seize this, it would truly constitute a rebellion.

Take whatever you can get!

Tan Zhen wasn't stupid; he had fought alongside Tong Guan in the Northwest for over a decade, so it was impossible for him to be bribed.

In minor matters, he might still consider their past relationship, but if things really turned ugly, the eunuch would definitely turn on him.

This time, Fang La's uprising was somewhat mitigated by his participation and changes in the court.

Historically, he truly swept through the southeast, occupying six prefectures and fifty-two counties in less than three months.

This time, thanks to Tan Zhen and Chen Shao's tacit agreement, Fang La was "imprisoned" in Hangzhou, cutting off his path of expansion and minimizing the harm.

Chen Shao walked to the fire, rubbed his hands together, and suddenly thought to himself that he was truly Tong Guan's lucky star.

Coach En, I hope you can achieve some different results.

(End of this chapter)