Huangming

Chapter 328 The Emperor Leads the Army Personally, the Decisive Battle of Qufu

The Ming army camp was set up on the banks of the Sishui River, ten miles outside Qufu City. Compared with the vast, chaotic camp of the rioters inside the city, it was like two completely different worlds.

The camp walls were built of rammed earth and were covered with large flags bearing the character "Ming" and the flags of the various camp generals. They fluttered in the wind and looked very neat and orderly. Even the spacing between the tents looked as if they had been measured with a ruler.

At the camp gate, guards stood watch with halberds, and the soldiers patrolling back and forth moved with steady steps, their armor plates clanging crisply and orderly.

The supply battalion, armory, and wounded soldiers' battalion each performed their duties, and the rising smoke from their cooking fires revealed a sense of order and discipline.

This is the kind of aura that only a battle-hardened army can cultivate.

This shows that Yuan Keli was indeed a skilled commander.

Three days have passed since the Ming army set out.

Over the past three days, the number of rioters around Qufu has been increasing, like flies drawn to the smell of blood.

Leaving aside the original 100,000 rebel troops inside the city, three more large camps have sprung up outside the city, each crammed with 20,000 to 30,000 refugees wrapped in red turbans. From a distance, the densely packed tents stretch for miles, giving the city a rather imposing presence.

But upon closer inspection, one would discover the superficiality behind this grand display: the camp didn't even have a proper fence, and manure and horse droppings were piled up everywhere.

Most of the so-called "righteous army" members were dressed in rags, with only one in a hundred able to wear complete armor, and their weapons were a motley collection.

Hoes, sickles, and wooden sticks made up the majority of the weapons; decent knives and spears were hard to find.

At this moment, the Ming army's central command tent was brightly lit.

Vice Minister of War Yuan Keli sat upright behind his desk, on which lay a detailed map of the area surrounding Qufu. He lightly tapped a few passes on the map with his finger, his gaze as calm as a deep pool.

More than ten generals stood solemnly beneath the tent, all of whom were core figures in the Shandong military and political system.

Who are Yang Zhaoji, the Shandong General Commander; Mao Wenlong, the Tianjin Naval Commander; Deng Shaoyu, the Marquis of Dingyuan, and others listed?

The Shandong Military Command, with its eighteen guards and seventeen garrisons, should theoretically have 100,000 military households. However, by the Tianqi era, only 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers were available for battle, and most of them were old, weak, or disabled.

In this campaign to quell the rebellion, Yuan Keli did not deploy many of the derelict garrison troops, but instead selected three elite units:

The Tianjin Navy has 2,000 men, all of whom are elites skilled in naval warfare. Although they have been transferred to land for auxiliary defense, their combat strength is still considerable, even though it is not their specialty.

The 20,000-strong Beijing garrison was composed of skilled warriors selected from the three major garrisons in the capital. Equipped with firearms and heavy armor, they were the main force in suppressing the rebellion.

Although the original commander of the Shandong Provincial Governor's Battalion of 3,000 men had been imprisoned and sent to the capital, they still maintained strong combat capabilities as the elite troops directly under the governor's command. The soldiers hoped that by doing good deeds in suppressing the rebellion, they could reduce the punishment of their old superior.

In addition, General Yang Zhaoji of Shandong also led his 5,000 troops to the scene.

This unit was stationed in Jinan, Yanzhou and other places. Although it was not as elite as the Beijing garrison, it was familiar with the terrain of Shandong and was an indispensable asset.

As for the garrison soldiers, most of them were used for logistics.

"Everyone."

Yuan Keli raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the generals under his command. His voice was not loud, but it carried immense weight.

"The rebel army has gathered in Qufu. There are three camps outside the city and 100,000 inside. They seem to be numerous and powerful, but in reality they are a mob."

"Moreover, there are already inside agents within the city."

Yuan Keli's voice resonated powerfully within the tent.

"We will attack the city tomorrow and surely wipe out the Fragrance Sect rebellion in one battle!"

His gaze swept over the generals under his command, and his tone became more serious: "The longer this rebellion drags on, the more people will be caught up in it. It has now reached nearly 200,000. If it is allowed to spread further, it will shake the very foundation of the Ming Dynasty. Things have come to this point, it's time to put an end to it."

Having said that, he picked up the command arrow and began to issue orders: "Twenty thousand infantrymen of the Beijing Garrison, immediately set up camps at key points and build defensive lines. We must plug all gaps and not let a single traitor escape!"

"Marquis Dingyuan, Deng Shaoyu, obey my command!"

"The general is here!"

Deng Shaoyu stepped forward and clasped his hands in agreement.

"You will lead your cavalry on the left flank. At dawn tomorrow, advance swiftly with your hands gagged. Once our main force engages the enemy, immediately charge from the flank and rear, making sure to separate the three enemy camps outside the city so that they cannot support each other from both ends!"

"The last general takes command!"

Yuan Keli drew another command arrow: "Three thousand men of the Shandong Governor's Battalion will follow me as the central force, march straight to the walls of Qufu, and, with the help of our inside agents, breach the city gates first!"

"General Yang Zhaoji of Shandong!"

"The general is here!"

"You will lead your troops as the right flank, working with the Beijing garrison infantry to clear out the surrounding bandit camps. Be sure to proceed cautiously, step by step, and do not give the bandits a chance to regroup!"

"The last general takes command!"

The series of orders were clear and detailed, covering all aspects of attacking the city, blocking reinforcements, dividing and eliminating enemies. The generals were all veterans of the battlefield, and they could tell at a glance that the deployment was ingenious. They immediately accepted the orders.

Just then, Deng Shaoyu stepped forward, his face showing some worry: "Commander Yuan, as the commander-in-chief, you can simply stay in the central command. Why do you need to personally lead the elite troops into battle? Leave the charge to us generals. You must not take this risk!"

The other generals in the tent nodded in agreement. After all, Yuan Keli was already over sixty years old and was the core of this rebellion, so it was really not appropriate for him to personally go into dangerous places.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Keli stroked his long beard and burst into laughter, his hearty laughter carrying the heroic spirit of a seasoned warrior.

"Lord Deng, do not underestimate this old man! Do you think I am really a weak and powerless civil official? When it comes to charging into battle, you youngsters may not be able to match me!"

Those familiar with Yuan Keli's past know that this seemingly frail old man harbors an incomparably fierce and courageous spirit deep within.

Historically, he set off from Suizhou, Henan, to take up his post, and on his way through Jinxiang, he unexpectedly encountered the White Lotus rebels.

At that time, he only had a few dozen servants by his side, but he showed no fear. He immediately put on his armor and led his servants straight to the enemy camp.

The rebel army had never seen an official who dared to fight against overwhelming odds, and they were routed and fled by him.

Later, when he was stationed in Dengzhou and Laizhou, the Lotus Demon and the Eastern Barbarians were causing trouble. In the midst of the critical situation, he remained calm and composed. He first used a surprise attack to blunt the enemy's advance, and then ordered the main army to outflank them and attack their rear, ultimately achieving the victory in suppressing the rebellion in Yanzhou and Laizhou.

Such courage is something even ordinary men would find hard to match.

Although he is now old, his fighting spirit is in no way inferior to that of the young generals on the battlefield.

Yuan Keli's smile faded, his gaze hardening.

"In tomorrow's battle, I will lead the charge and stand with you all! There is no need for further words."

Seeing this, Deng Shaoyu and the others knew that further persuasion would be useless. Instead, they were inspired by their commander's heroic spirit and clasped their fists, saying, "We are willing to fight to the death with Commander Yuan!"

Without further hesitation, the generals accepted their orders and turned to plan for tomorrow's battle.

now.

Inside Qufu city.

The main hall of the Confucius Temple had long been converted into a temporary palace. The sandalwood incense in the incense burner was mixed with the smell of wine and meat, and mingled with the faint noise coming from outside the hall, revealing a chaotic extravagance.

Xu Hongru slumped in a nanmu chair that had been moved from the Duke of Yansheng's mansion. His usually greasy and shiny face was now covered with two heavy dark circles under his eyes, and the bruises under his eyes looked like he had been punched twice.

Ever since the scouts reported that the government army's camp was set up ten miles outside the city, he hadn't had a full night's sleep. Even with a beautiful woman beside him, he couldn't muster any interest. The food and wine on the table tasted like wax to him, and at night he kept dreaming of being bound hand and foot by government soldiers and having his head chopped off with a knife.

"Huang Hu, do you think... the government troops might storm in tonight?"

His hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly, and the wine spilled over the rim, wetting his clothes, but he didn't even notice.

Li Hongji, who was standing to the side, was leaning over and pointing at the map on the table. Hearing this, he straightened up and smiled calmly: "Your Majesty is overthinking it. Look at this map. The government troops set up camp ten miles outside the city and have not moved since. They have even sent out fewer scouts in recent days. This is clearly due to insufficient troops and fear."

"We have 100,000 Heavenly Soldiers in the city, and three major camps outside the city each have 30,000 brothers, totaling nearly 200,000! And the Ming army outside the city? According to our scouts, they number no more than 20,000 at most. 200,000 against 20,000, is there even a need to fight? The advantage is entirely on our side!"

Xu Hongru's brows relaxed slightly, but the panic in his eyes remained: "But...but they are government troops, armed with armor and cannons..."

"No matter how thick the armor is, can it stop the fists and kicks of our 200,000 men? No matter how powerful the artillery is, can it bombard so many brothers?"

Li Hongji interrupted him, his voice suddenly rising.

"Your Majesty is unaware that the grain supplies in Qufu will not last much longer. In a few days, we will starve to death without the government troops even needing to attack!"

"Moreover, the Ming army is not attacking now not because they dare not, but because they are waiting for reinforcements! I heard that the elite troops from the Nine Garrisons are being transferred to Shandong. Those are the real elite border troops. Once they arrive, we will have no chance to fight a decisive battle!"

"Then...what should we do?"

Xu Hongru panicked completely and jumped up from his chair.

"We'll have our final battle with them tomorrow!"

Li Hongji slammed his hand on the map, making the wine pot on the table jump.

"Let's send 200,000 men to charge at once, and before their reinforcements arrive, crush those 20,000 government troops in one fell swoop! Then Yanzhou City will be ours for the taking, and the whole of Shandong will be His Majesty's!"

Looking at his confident demeanor, and then glancing down at the dense cluster of red dots representing the rebel army on the map, Xu Hongru's fear gradually gave way to greed.

Yes!

The battle force is 200,000 to 20,000, so the advantage is on our side!

"it is good!"

He gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind.

"As you said, the decisive battle will be tomorrow! Huang Hu, you'll have to take on the vanguard role!"

With a smile on his face, Li Hongji immediately said, "Your Majesty, please entrust this matter to me."

However, after the initial excitement...

Xu Hongru's brows furrowed even more as he stared at Li Hongji, his voice filled with barely concealed unease.

"Huang Hu, how confident are you in this battle?"

He knew exactly what was going on.

If he wins this battle, with the momentum from defeating the main force of the government army, sweeping through Shandong will be just around the corner, and his position as "emperor" will be secure; but if he loses...

That would mean utter ruin; forget about becoming emperor, you wouldn't even be able to keep your head.

This is, after all, a high-stakes gamble with everything at stake, and there is no room for error.

Li Hongji lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then looked up with a solemn expression: "Your Majesty, I am fifty percent confident of victory in tomorrow's battle."

"Fifty percent?"

Xu Hongru seemed to have been pricked by a needle, and suddenly raised his voice, his face turning deathly pale.

"Only 50%? That's far too little!"

He had thought that Li Hongji had at least a 70-80% chance of winning, but he never expected the odds to be so uncertain. His heart sank to the bottom, as if he could already see his own defeat and death.

"Your Majesty, calm down."

Li Hongji bowed and explained, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"When I said we only had 50%, it wasn't because we lacked fighting strength, but because I was afraid the soldiers in the major camps outside the city wouldn't obey orders. Those leaders are all very arrogant, and they only recognize Your Majesty's banner. My status can't control them. If they fight their own way on the battlefield, it will ruin everything."

These words struck a chord with Xu Hongru.

The rebel armies outside the city were not his direct subordinates; they were merely temporarily gathered together under the guise of the Fragrance Sect. In terms of truly unifying command, this was indeed a major problem.

The thought that his life might hang by a thread with the help of these scattered soldiers made Xu Hongru even more panicked. He hurriedly asked, "Then... then what's the best way to solve this? Tell me quickly!"

Li Hongji smiled slightly, then changed the subject: "There is a way, but it's a bit risky. However, if Your Majesty agrees, I'm ninety percent confident of victory!"

"adventure?"

Xu Hongru's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously clenched his fists.

He cherishes his life above all else, and the mere mention of the word "adventure" makes him shudder.

"tell me the story."

He suppressed his unease and urged her on.

"As long as His Majesty personally leads the expedition tomorrow, all problems will be easily solved!"

Li Hongji spoke with a firm and resolute tone.

"With His Majesty personally leading the troops to the front lines, our army's morale will surely be greatly boosted, and even ordinary soldiers will fight to the death. As for those leaders outside the city, seeing His Majesty's arrival, they wouldn't dare to disobey even if they had the guts, and they would definitely obey orders obediently!"

"The emperor personally leading the expedition?"

Xu Hongru gasped and instinctively took a half-step back.

He's never even been on the edge of a battlefield in his entire life. He's fine as a commander, giving orders from behind the scenes, but if you actually asked him to charge into the fray...

Isn't that just asking for death?
On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes; if a stray arrow were to fly by, he would lose his life!
But then he thought, if he won, the whole of Shandong would be his, and he could become a real emperor. How glorious that would be!

Moreover, during the previous attack on Qufu, he stayed behind and all the credit went to Li Hongji. This time, defeating the government troops was a perfect opportunity to establish his authority, and he absolutely could not let someone else steal the limelight again.

Qufu was a fortified city, but it was captured in a single day.

The Ming army may seem formidable, but it might just be a paper tiger.

Xu Hongru stared at the map on the table, gritted his teeth, and said, "Fine! Tomorrow I will personally lead the expedition!"

This is it, we're going to give it our all!

He didn't believe that Xu Hongru couldn't do what Li Hongji could do.

He was none other than Emperor Fu Lie, the restorer of the Zhongxing Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)