Huangming

Chapter 435 A Rash Provocation, International Attention (Bonus Chapter for 1600 Monthly Tickets!)
Outside Xuanfu City.

Beiying.

The twilight light, like a layer of dusty gauze, shrouded the tents scattered across the mountains and fields.

The newly recruited soldiers gathered in twos and threes in the camp. Some of them were still wearing tattered civilian clothes and clutching rusty rifles with unpolished tips.

Some squatted on the ground, gnawing on dry rations, grumbling and complaining that the tents were drafty.

A few seasoned veterans leaned against the tree trunk, secretly taking out their wine jugs and sipping their liquor.

This "army" of 10,000 looked like a dark, endless mass at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it was all a loose, unreliable structure.

Hei Yunlong stood on the earthen slope, hands on his hips, looking at the scene before him with a grin that almost reached his ears.

"Brother-in-law! Your 'spreading wealth and distributing grain' strategy is absolutely brilliant!"
In just a few days, more than 10,000 new soldiers were recruited!

Adding in the old guard of Xuanfu Three Guards and Wanquan Left Guard, we now have 40,000 troops!

He pointed to the throng of people in the camp, his tone arrogant, his voice rising several decibels:
"Look at this! There are so many people. Even if the imperial court sends reinforcements, we can overwhelm them with sheer numbers!"
What are we afraid of, Chen Ce?
In my opinion, once the people of Datong and Shanxi respond, we should march straight to Beijing and let His Majesty experience the might of our Xuanfu troops!

As he spoke, he proudly smoothed his sideburns, as if he could already see himself being ennobled and appointed as a general.

The submissiveness she had shown in front of Wang Guoliang was nowhere to be seen. At this moment, all she could think about was the power of numbers, and she didn't even notice Wang Guoliang's tense face beside her.

"There are many people, but most of them are a mob."

Wang Guoliang sighed softly.

"What's wrong with a mob?"

Hei Yunlong turned to look at Wang Guoliang and said with a smile:

"Even at my worst, I can still wield a knife! When defending the city, if I stand on the city wall, even the imperial soldiers will be afraid!"

"Defend the city?"

Wang Guoliang gave a bitter smile.

"Do you think the imperial court will give us a chance to defend the city?"
Qi Jin's southern troops were survivors of the Liaodong battlefield, Chen Ce's Sichuan troops were good at attacking fortified positions, and there was also the Shenji Battalion of the Beijing Garrison.

"As soon as they arrived, they bombarded the city with firearms, then their elite troops scaled the walls. Could these new recruits withstand that?"

He paused, then his gaze drifted northeast, towards Datong, and his tone became more anxious:
"More importantly, there has been no reply from Datong and Shanxi so far."

We shouted "Let's raise the banner of righteousness together," but they completely ignored us.

Without their support, we are fighting alone. Forty thousand men may seem like a large force, but in reality, we are like caged birds trapped in Xuanfu City.

Hei Yunlong's smile froze for a moment, but he remained defiant:
"They might be on their way! After all, this is a serious matter of treason, we have to think it over..."

"consider?"

Wang Guoliang interrupted him, his voice tinged with anger.

"Why didn't Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye consider it? They directly led their troops to Bao'an Prefecture to join Ma Shilong!"

Hei Yunlong opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but was silenced by Wang Guoliang's gaze.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the situation seems to be going very well for him.

The people of Xuanfu all revolve around him.

But this is just an illusion.

In Xuanfu.

Those who submit to him now are merely relatives and those bound by shared interests:
The military commander of Geyubao was his son-in-law, and he only secured his position by relying on him.

The garrison commander of Nanshan in Chaigoubao was his cousin, and he had saved him from making a mistake in his early years.

Most of the officers in the Xuanfu Three Guards were promoted by him, and the guerrilla commander of the Wanquan Left Guard was one of his former students...

These people followed him simply because they were afraid that they would suffer the same fate if he fell from power.

But what about those who aren't related by blood?

Zhou Tong of the Eastern Route and Zhao Chengye of the Southern Route had long seen through the fact that "treason" was a dead end, and immediately sided with the court upon receiving news from Ma Shilong.

Wu Qian, who is in charge of the western route, has not yet made a statement, clearly observing the situation. Once the imperial army gains the upper hand, they will definitely be the first to turn around and attack him.

Thinking of this, Wang Guoliang felt as if a stone was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

He recalled the days a few days ago when he wrote his indictment at the General's Mansion.

Although he was apprehensive at the time, he still held onto the hope of "redeeming himself through meritorious service." Even if he lost his official position, at least he could save his family's lives.

But now?

Because of Hei Yunlong's actions, the charge of murdering the imperial envoy was confirmed, and the banner of rebellion was forcibly raised, leaving no way back.

He turned his head to look at Hei Yunlong beside him, who was still dreaming of "seizing power in the capital," and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

There was hatred, helplessness, and a touch of despair.

If it weren't for his brother-in-law's impulsive killing of Zhang Heming, he wouldn't be in this predicament now.
"Brother-in-law, what's wrong with you? Why are you suddenly acting like a woman, so timid and hesitant?"

Wang Guoliang snapped back to reality, his gaze sweeping over Hei Yunlong, his tone carrying a hint of pent-up impatience:
I don't want to say it a third time:

When you're out in public, you should be addressed by your official title!

He was already troubled by the situation, and Hei Yunlong's disrespectful way of addressing him only made him more upset.

The reason he ended up like this is because of his clueless brother-in-law.

Hei Yunlong was rebuked, but he didn't dare to get angry. Instead, he smiled and cupped his hands in a playful gesture, his voice even carrying a hint of coquetry at the end:

"I understand, I understand, brother-in-law of the town."

"I'm just trying to get close to you, so I can't be all high and mighty all the time."

"You..."

Seeing his stubbornness, Wang Guoliang swallowed back the rebuke that was on the tip of his tongue, and finally let out a long sigh.

He waved his hand, his tone turning serious, and got straight to the point:

"That's it.

Stop talking nonsense.

I sent you to investigate the situation in Jizhou and Bao'an Prefecture. How is it going?

Several days have passed; it's impossible for the imperial court to have no reaction at all.

We don't even know the enemy's details; we won't even know how we died!

When serious matters were mentioned, the smile on Hei Yunlong's face vanished instantly. He straightened his back, leaned forward, and lowered his voice, which carried a hint of seriousness:

"Over in Jizhou, veteran generals like Chen Ce, Qi Jin, and Liu Qu have all made moves."

The scouts I sent reported that the soldiers of Jizhou were gathering in one place from various garrisons, their banners obscuring the sky. Judging by the length of the ranks, there were probably more than ten thousand men, all elite troops who had fought against the Jurchens before.

He paused, swallowed, and then continued:
“The situation in Bao’an Prefecture is more complicated.”

Zhou Tong of the East Route and Zhao Chengye of the South Route, those two old foxes actually dared to oppose us and led their troops to join Ma Shilong.

Ma Shilong also conscripted soldiers from Yanqing Guard, bringing the total to over ten thousand. They are currently training around Bao'an Prefecture, and it seems they intend to wear us down.”

"Ten thousand... a little over ten thousand..."

Wang Guoliang repeated the two numbers in a low voice, his fists clenching unconsciously.

His frown deepened.

The enemy may appear to have only 20,000 men, but they are all elite troops from the Beijing Garrison and Jizhou Garrison, as well as veteran border soldiers brought by Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye. In terms of combat effectiveness, they are far superior to the ragtag group that we have hastily assembled.

The newly recruited more than 10,000 soldiers couldn't even hold their swords properly. They were barely able to defend the city, let alone go out into the open to fight. They would just be throwing their lives away.

Seeing his shifty eyes and increasingly grim expression, Hei Yunlong quickly stepped forward and earnestly advised:
"General, don't worry too much!"

They were a large group, but it would take them at least three or four days to travel from Jizhou to Xuanfu.

Let's take advantage of these few days to eliminate Ma Shilong of Baoan Prefecture!

Winning this battle would not only cut off the imperial army's vanguard but also deter the hesitant generals in Datong and Shanxi.

If they see we can fight, they might dare to rebel in response!

These words were like a pebble thrown into Wang Guoliang's melancholy heart.

He looked up at Hei Yunlong, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes before they gradually brightened.

Yes!

If we sit idly by now and wait to die, we will only be able to wait for the imperial army to surround us.

If we take the initiative and capture Baoan Prefecture first, we can not only eliminate the threat of Ma Shilong, but also win the support of other border towns through the victory, which may really break the deadlock.

This is something to be admired internationally!

but
Wang Guoliang was only happy for a short while.

Hei Yunlong's words had indeed tempted him, but after calming down and thinking about it, although Ma Shilong's 10,000 men were a mixed bunch, they were supported by Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye's old subordinates, as well as the remnants of the Beijing Garrison as the backbone. It would be no easy task to wipe them out in a short time.

If time drags on and the imperial army arrives, the troops that went out to attack the city will likely be like throwing meat buns to a dog—gone and never to return.

"Is the commander-in-chief worried that Ma Shilong's troops will be difficult to deal with?"

Hei Yunlong, with his sharp eyes, noticed Wang Guoliang lost in thought and immediately stepped forward, offering his services:

"This humble general is willing to lead an army to Bao'an Prefecture to deal with him!"

Wang Guoliang turned his head upon hearing the sound, his gaze landing on Hei Yunlong's face.

He slowly shook his head, his voice tinged with helplessness:

"You? You're too hasty and inflexible. You didn't do a very good job of instigating the mutiny at the West Camp last time."

How can someone so reckless be entrusted with such an important task?

"How was I reckless!"

Hei Yunlong's face flushed red with anxiety. He clenched his fists and took half a step forward, lowering his voice but sounding even more agitated.

"Ma Shilong has only been in Xuanfu for a few months."
Zhou Tong from the East Route and Zhao Chengye from the South Route followed him only because they were afraid of being implicated by the General Headquarters and wanted to protect themselves; they might not actually be convinced of his authority!
As for the Yanqing Guard troops he mobilized, the guerrilla general Xue Yuan and I have a life-or-death friendship.

Back then, he was surrounded by Mongols at Dushikou, and I led fifty cavalrymen to charge into the enemy lines and rescue him!
He is under Ma Shilong's command this time, but he has no choice in the matter. I only need to send someone to deliver a message to make him defect before the battle, and Ma Shilong's defenses will be in chaos!
"Then we'll attack from both sides, and a resounding victory will be a piece of cake!"

As he spoke, his eyes shone with an astonishing light. He pointed to the location of the Yanqing Guard garrison on a simple map inside the tent:

"Xue Yuan has two thousand men guarding the west gate of Bao'an Prefecture. As long as he opens the gate and lets us in, Ma Shilong will be unable to defend both ends, and no matter how many soldiers he has, it will be useless!"

Wang Guoliang's gaze followed his fingertips to the map, his brows gradually relaxing, a barely perceptible glint flashing in his eyes. He had forgotten that he had cultivated a vast network of connections in Xuanfu over the past thirty years.

From lieutenant generals and guerrillas down to garrison commanders, countless people have benefited from his kindness or had their interests intertwined with his.

The Beijing garrison troops that Ma Shilong brought were elite, but how many of his former subordinates from Xuanfu were truly clean?
These are all things they can take advantage of.

"How sure are you?"

Wang Guoliang's tone finally became more serious.

Seeing that his attitude had softened, Hei Yunlong quickly toned down his eagerness and his expression became serious:

I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure, but I'm at least 70% sure.

Xue Yuan owes me a life, and he will not refuse as long as the letter is delivered.

As for Zhou Tong and Zhao Chengye's men, as long as we first destroy the banner of Yanqing Guard, they may not actually fight to the death when they see the situation is not good.

After all, nobody wanted to die with Ma Shilong.

With a 70% chance of success, given the current situation, this is already considered the optimal solution amidst the risks.

Wang Guoliang remained silent for a moment, then finally made up his mind:
"Alright, I'll give you ten thousand men."

Seven thousand are veterans from the Xuanfu Three Guards and the Dushi Battalion, while three thousand new recruits are doing odd jobs. You must be cautious and not underestimate the enemy.

"Thank you, General Xie!"

Hei Yunlong was overjoyed and clasped his hands in a salute. He couldn't hide his excitement and turned to go and muster his troops.

"and many more!"

Wang Guoliang suddenly called out to him, his tone becoming serious.

"Remember, if we can win this battle, that would be best; but if things are not going well, we should retreat immediately and not fight head-on."

Our current confidence does not come from how many battles we win, but from holding Xuanfu.

If they can hold out for a few months, Datong and Shanxi will respond, and the imperial court will be unable to afford the depletion of its food supplies, so it will naturally consider pacifying them.

If you lose these 10,000 veterans, we'll truly have no way out.

Hei Yunlong paused, turned to look at Wang Guoliang, and seeing his serious expression, which didn't seem like a joke, he suppressed some of his impetuousness and nodded earnestly:

"Understood, sir! If the battle turns against us, we will not linger!"

That night, the military camp outside Xuanfu City was brightly lit with torches.

Hei Yunlong personally mustered his troops. Seven thousand veterans, dressed in neat armor, with long swords at their waists and spears in their hands, stood silently under the moonlight.

Most of the three thousand new recruits carried bows and arrows and dry rations, their faces showing some tension.

Black Cloud Dragon, riding a black horse, surveyed the front of the formation and shouted in a loud voice:

"Come with me to Bao'an Prefecture first thing tomorrow morning!"

If we win, each person will receive ten taels of silver!

A glint of light flashed in the veterans' eyes.

Ten taels of silver is equivalent to their annual salary.

The new recruits whispered among themselves, their faces showing a hint of anticipation.

The next day.

Before dawn, as the first light of day appeared in the east, Hei Yunlong led 10,000 troops toward Bao'an Prefecture.

The horses' hooves pounded the sand, raising clouds of dust, and the procession, like a long black dragon, wound its way along the official road.

Hei Yunlong walked at the front of the group, holding a riding whip in his hand, pondering how to contact Xue Yuan and how to arrange a pincer attack.

He felt confident that he would win this battle and make his brother-in-law look at him with new respect.

now.

the other side.

On the city tower of Baoan Prefecture New City, the summer breeze, carrying the moisture from the Yanghe River, made the red tassels on Ma Shilong's armor sway slightly.

He rested his hand on the battlements, his gaze fixed on the southeast.

That was the official road leading to Xuanfu. At this moment, only a few scouts were seen passing by in the distance on the deserted road, but he could smell the gunpowder smoke of an impending battle from that silence.

"General, scouts report: A large army of about ten thousand men is moving out from the direction of Xuanfu, their banners are marked with the character 'black,' and they are heading towards Bao'an Prefecture!"

The guards behind him hurried forward, their voices tinged with urgency, the intelligence reports they carried still covered in dust from the road.

Ma Shilong took the intelligence report, his brows furrowed.

He muttered to himself, "Wang Guoliang finally couldn't resist and sent such a brute..."

Despite this, there was not a trace of disdain in his eyes.

Although Hei Yunlong was reckless, he had been in Xuanfu for a long time and was familiar with the surrounding terrain. He also had many local veterans under his command, making him a formidable opponent.

He turned and walked down the city wall, saying to his personal guards:

"Order: Zhou Tong, Zhao Chengye, Xue Yuan, and Jiang Wu, to proceed to the garrison headquarters for a meeting immediately!"

"Yes!"

The guards received the order and immediately went to inform the people who had been summoned.

Half an hour later.

Inside the main hall of the Bao'an Prefecture New City Garrison Office.

The flickering candlelight cast a play of light and shadow on the map of Bao'an Prefecture on the table.

The generals lined up on both sides according to their rank, each with a different expression.

Zhou Tong, clad in black iron armor, placed his hand on the long sword at his waist, his brows furrowed with eager anticipation.

Zhao Chengye was dressed in plain clothes and appeared somewhat cautious.

Xue Yuan stood in the corner, a faint smile playing on his lips, but his eyes kept glancing toward the door.

"Everyone."

Ma Shilong got straight to the point.

"Hei Yunlong has led more than 10,000 men out of Xuanfu, and his target is our Bao'an Prefecture."

The reason I've called you all here today is to discuss how we should fight this battle.

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Wu stepped forward first, bowed, and said:

"Xiezhen! Bao'an Prefecture New City is really hard to defend!"

The city was hastily repaired three years ago. The highest point of the city wall is only two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), the battlements are sparse, there are less than a hundred muskets for guarding the city, and even rolling stones and logs are not enough to cover half of the city wall.

They might be able to handle small groups of bandits on ordinary days, but against an army of ten thousand, they probably wouldn't last a month!

Why defend the city?

Zhou Tong slammed his hand on the table, interrupting Jiang Wu, his voice booming.

"We have over ten thousand men under our command, including my three thousand Yongning soldiers, Zhao Canjiang's three thousand Shunsheng soldiers, plus General Xue's Yanqing Guard and Jiang Shoubei's garrison, all of whom are armored soldiers!"
Hei Yunlong's force of over ten thousand men is roughly the same size as ours. Are we, as a dignified government army, afraid of him?
"Leave the city and form your battle lines; engage him in open battle, and one battle will decide the fate of the world!"

Zhao Chengye shook his head and stepped forward, saying:
“General Zhou is brave, but he is too reckless.”

Although our troops are not weak, Hei Yunlong has been in Xuanfu for a long time, and most of his soldiers are local veterans who are familiar with the terrain.

Moreover, Commander Chen and Commander Qi from Jizhou are already on their way and will arrive in five days at most.

In my opinion, it would be better to abandon the new city and retreat the entire army to the old city of Bao'an.

The old city walls were three zhang high, surrounded by a moat, and had ample food supplies, enough to hold out for five days.

Once the main force arrives, we can launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside; how can we not break through the Black Cloud Dragon's defenses?

"Retreat to the old city?"

Xue Yuan suddenly spoke, his tone somewhat dismissive.

"Although the old city is fortified, it is too far from the post road."

If Black Cloud Dragon bypasses the old city and cuts off our connection with Ji Town, then the reinforcements will not be able to find us, and we will not be able to wait for the reinforcements. Wouldn't we be sitting and waiting for death?
In my opinion, it would be better to simply abandon Bao'an Prefecture and withdraw the entire army to Yongning.

Yongning is a large city with strong walls and abundant provisions. More importantly, it's General Zhou's territory, where the people are loyal. Defending Heiyunlong will be a piece of cake!

His words seemed reasonable, but they actually concealed his selfish motives.

Yongning is farther from Xuanfu. If we retreat there, it would be like Ma Shilong being afraid of Hei Yunlong.

However, the people present did not notice this and took it as a prudent opinion.

After listening to the debate and fully understanding everyone's opinions, Ma Shilong slowly spoke:
"Retreating to Yongning would demoralize the entire army."

We are government troops. If we abandon the city and flee before even engaging in battle, what will the soldiers of the Nine Border Regions think of us?

Retreating to the old city might allow us to hold our ground, but it would hand over the initiative to Hei Yunlong. If he were to divide his forces to plunder the surrounding fortresses, we would be powerless to stop him.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the assembled generals, his tone becoming resolute:

"Zhou Tong! You will lead your 3,000 Yongning soldiers to garrison Bao'an New City, reinforce the city's defenses, and hold the Yanghe waterway. You must delay Hei Yunlong's siege!"

"Xue Yuan! You will lead 3,000 troops from Yanqing Guard to garrison the old city of Bao'an, forming a pincer movement with the new city. If the new city is attacked, you will send troops from the flank to contain it!"

"Zhao Chengye! You will accompany this town and lead four thousand men to set up camp at the foot of Jiming Mountain outside the new city, and form ranks according to the terrain."

If Hei Yunlong attacks the city, we will send troops out of the camp and catch him off guard!

"Remember, we don't need to win, we just need to hold out for three to five days!"
Three to five days later, the armies of Commander Chen and Commander Qi will surely arrive, and that will be the day Wang Guoliang is beheaded!

"As ordered!"

The generals responded in unison, their voices resounding.

Zhou Tong, Zhao Chengye, and Jiang Wu clasped their hands in greeting and accepted the order, their faces full of fighting spirit.

Only Xue Yuan, as he bowed his head to accept the order, had a fleeting glint of cold light in his eyes.

Ha ha.

His task is far more complex than simply "guarding the old city."
PS:

Bonus chapter with 5400 words.

I'm begging for your minimum monthly votes!!!
(End of this chapter)