Huangming

Chapter 455 Gathering Momentum and Observing Changes, Rushing to Suppress the Rebellion
Dai Wangfu.

The stone lions outside the vermilion gate were scorching hot from the sun.

As Wang Weigang approached the gate of the mansion, he saw more than a dozen ebony carriages parked in the side alley. The edges of the silk embroidered with gold thread were visible through the gaps in the carriage curtains, and the nameplates hanging on the carriage shafts were inscribed with the words "Fan Family of Shanxi Merchants" and "Wang Family of Datong".

These were among the most prominent wealthy merchants and gentry in Datong Prefecture.

It's obvious that these people came to petition the King for a replacement because of the civil unrest in Zuoyun County.

Their fertile fields and shops are mostly located around Zuoyun, so if the displaced people cause trouble, their interests will be the first to be affected.

A barely perceptible sneer appeared on Wang Wei's lips as he adjusted the jade belt around his waist, stepped into the mansion, and then went to the inner hall.

In the hall.

Prince Zhu Naijun of Dai was reclining on a grand chair covered with a white tiger skin, his white hair tied up with a jade hairpin, but his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

To Wang Wei's surprise, Zhu Dingwei, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, was also there.

"Wang Wei, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Datong, pays his respects to Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wang Wei knelt down, lifting his robe, his voice respectful, yet without the slightest hint of panic.

"Hmph! You still know how to come!"

Zhu Naijun slammed his hand on the table.

"The civil unrest in Zuoyun County has escalated to the point of attacking the county government and killing the county magistrate. I warned you long ago to keep an eye on those displaced people, but you just sat there and did nothing!"

He pointed to the letters on the table, his tone becoming increasingly urgent.

"Look! The Fan family's two hundred hectares of fertile land in Zuoyun have been occupied by refugees, and the Wang family's silk shop has been burned down. These people are all paying tribute to me!"
Half of the farmland and shops in this prince's mansion are managed by them.

Do you want me to starve?

Wang Wei knew perfectly well that the "tribute" mentioned by the Prince of Dai was nothing more than the gentry who, by taking advantage of his status as a member of the royal family, forcibly seized the people's fertile land and then sublet it to wealthy merchants, collecting 30% of the rent every year.

Those shops, operating under the name of the Prince Dai's Mansion, evaded taxes and made a fortune.

When Zuo Yunmin caused chaos, these chains of interest were broken, and the Prince of Dai was naturally extremely anxious.

He slowly rose, cupped his hands, and said:
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

I have already sent my son-in-law Liu Zhenbang with 500 servants to suppress the rebellion in Zuoyun, and I have also sent Zhu Chongwei with 3,000 men to quell the unrest.

However, the number of refugees is so large that it will take some time to clear them out.

Furthermore, I have 20,000 elite soldiers under my command, stationed in Datong Prefecture, Polu Fort, and Yanghe Guard. If any rebels dare to come, I will make sure they never return.

"I guarantee the safety of Datong Prefecture with my own head!"

He spoke these words with conviction, his eyes brimming with confidence.

Sure enough, Zhu Naijun's expression softened somewhat, though he still frowned.

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Civil unrest is like weeds; the longer it's left unchecked, the more rampant it becomes. It needs to be quelled as soon as possible."

"Your Majesty is right."

Wang Wei changed the subject, his tone becoming more enticing.

"However, this civil unrest is not entirely without its benefits."

"benefit?"

Zhu Naijun was stunned, and even Zhu Dingwei behind him raised his head to look at Wang Wei with a puzzled look in his eyes.

Wang Wei took two steps forward, lowering his voice even further:

"Your Majesty, think about it, so many people have died in Zuoyun County."

The land under the names of the county magistrate, the bailiffs, and the tenants would become ownerless land.
Some of these lands are excellent irrigated fields, while others are close to the main road. If Your Majesty were to seize the opportunity to reclaim them and then sublet them to wealthy merchants, the annual rent could increase by at least 30%, which is no small sum!

"No man's land..."

Zhu Naijun's eyes suddenly lit up.

His greatest love in this life was land. He already owned tens of thousands of acres of farmland, but he could never have too much.

The thought of gaining hundreds of acres of fertile land out of thin air completely calmed his anger, and even made him breathe more rapidly.

Seeing this, Wang Wei pressed his advantage, saying:

"And then there are those wealthy merchants and gentry."

They are terrified of the refugees now and will surely come to the king for protection.

The king only needs to say, "I will have General Wang quell the rebellion as soon as possible," and they will surely send generous gifts to put their minds at ease.

Last year, the Fan family gave me 5,000 taels of silver in order to rent 100 hectares of land from me.

They've lost two hundred acres this time, and they'd probably be willing to pay tens of thousands of taels to beg Your Majesty for help!

"Tens of thousands of taels..."

Zhu Naijun's mouth stretched into a wide grin.

He looked at Wang Wei with admiration in his eyes: "I never expected that you, the general, would not only be good at leading troops, but also know how to make money!"

"It's all for the King."

Wang Wei bowed and said, his tone carrying just the right amount of respect.

"As long as Your Majesty is willing to protect me, I will be able to find more ways to make money for Your Majesty in the future."

For example, the iron mines and salt wells of Datong—as long as Your Majesty nods, I can get those mine owners and salt merchants to pay Your Majesty an extra 50% in 'tribute' each year.

Zhu Dingwei, who was standing to the side, frowned even more deeply and moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but was stopped by a look from Zhu Naijun.

At this moment, the old king was preoccupied with land and money, and had no time to care about his son's thoughts.
He immediately made a decision: "Don't worry! As long as you don't escalate the situation to the point where the imperial court will hold you accountable, I will protect you!"

As he spoke, he instructed the young eunuch to fetch paper and pen:

"I will write two letters now. One is to the garrison eunuch Zhang Wei, saying that you are a 'loyal and brave general' who is doing your best to quell the rebellion, and ask him to speak well of you to His Majesty."

Another letter was sent to Xiong Tingbi, telling him not to push you too hard.

"Suppressing the rebellion cannot be rushed; it must be done gradually to avoid creating even greater chaos."

Wang Wei chuckled inwardly.

Once these two letters were written, the Prince of Dai was completely tied to him.

When Xiong Tingbi investigates later, the Prince of Dai will not only be implicated, but will also have to help cover for him.

He knelt down again, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Majesty! I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations, quell the rebellion as soon as possible, and seek more benefits for Your Majesty!"

Zhu Naijun smiled and waved his hand: "Get up. Tell me more about these ways to make money in the future."

He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write a letter.

Wang Wei stood up and glanced at Zhu Dingwei out of the corner of his eye.

The Crown Prince of Dai was pale, and his eyes showed worry, clearly indicating that he did not agree with his father's actions.

He sneered inwardly; there was no use in worrying about a prince who had no real power.

Soon, Wang Wei took his leave.

now.

The wealthy merchants and gentry outside the mansion were still waiting. When they saw Wang Wei come out, they all crowded around him, asking questions all at once:
"General Wang, what did His Highness the Prince of Dai say?"

Wang Wei stopped, a faint smile appearing on his face:

"Rest assured, everyone, His Highness the Prince of Dai has promised to quell the rebellion in this town as soon as possible. However, quelling the rebellion requires military funds, so we hope that you will all do your part for the country."

Upon hearing this, the gentry's expressions changed slightly, but they dared not refute it.

They knew this meant they would have to "bleed".

Seeing their embarrassed appearance, Wang Wei felt even more smug:

The Prince of Dai covets land, the gentry covet stability, and he covets military power; the waters of Datong will only become more and more murky.

And he can reap the greatest benefits from this murky water.

the other side.

Xuanfu.

After two months of management by Xiong Tingbi.

Xuanfu is no longer the border town that was half a year ago, with refugees everywhere and dilapidated city defenses.

On a tributary of the Sanggan River south of the city, dozens of newly built waterwheels began to turn, the water splashed up by the wooden wheels falling into the fields on the bank, moistening the newly planted late rice and sweet potatoes.

On the ridge of the field, farmers dressed in coarse cloth shorts are bending over to weed.

Most of them were refugees who had returned from the grasslands or mountains. Now they had been allocated newly reclaimed land, their taxes had been halved, and they could receive seeds distributed by the government. Their faces no longer showed the sorrow of the past, and they were only full of energy to work hard.

The market outside the governor's mansion was even more bustling.

People queuing to buy rice in front of the grain store held copper coins in their hands, no longer having to eat coarse grains mixed with tree bark as they used to.

The clanging of hammers echoed from the blacksmith's shop as the craftsmen busied themselves making farm tools and occasionally forging weapons for the border troops.

The aroma of tofu wafted from the corner shop. The owner was a refugee who had fled from Shaanxi and had now settled in Xuanfu. His business was thriving.

According to statistics from the prefectural government, the population of Xuanfu has increased from 600,000 when Xiong Tingbi first arrived to 750,000.

Among the newly added 150,000 people were locals who had fled famine, refugees from Shanxi and Shaanxi who had sought refuge in Xuanfu, and even some Mongolian tribesmen who were tired of wandering the grasslands and voluntarily surrendered, willing to cultivate the land here.

"At this rate, Xuanfu will truly become the Jiangnan of the North in less than two years."

Strategist Zhou Wenhuan stood under the corridor of the military governor's mansion, looking at the bustling scene outside the window, and couldn't help but sigh to Xiong Tingbi.

He held a newly compiled land reclamation log in his hand, which read, "20,000 hectares of new arable land have been added, and the sweet potato planting area has exceeded 5,000 hectares."

Behind these figures lies the result of Xiong Tingbi investing all the money obtained from confiscating property into improving people's livelihoods.

They took solid steps in everything from water conservancy projects and seed purchases to building granaries.

Xiong Tingbi was sitting at his desk reviewing official documents. Upon hearing this, he simply nodded indifferently, without any hint of pride on his face.

"Only when the people are at peace can the border troops be stable. Xuanfu is the gateway to the nine border regions, and its foundation must be firmly established."

He had barely finished speaking when hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

A guard, drenched in sweat, rushed into the hall, holding an envelope sealed with wax, and knelt on one knee.

"Lord General! A secret letter from Zhang Wei, the eunuch in charge of Datong, delivered by express courier!"

Zhou Wenhuan quickly stepped forward to take the secret letter, carefully removed the sealing wax, and handed the letter to Xiong Tingbi.

Xiong Tingbi put down his vermilion pen, unfolded the letter, and quickly scanned it.

It was clearly written in the letter:

The peasant uprising in Zuoyun County has spiraled out of control. Refugees stormed the county government office and killed the magistrate, Guo Guang. Zhang Tianlin, a refugee from Shaanxi, led a group of more than 20,000 people and also incorporated some deserters from the garrisons. They are now moving towards Datong Prefecture.

Although Wang Wei sent people to "suppress" the unrest, it was merely a bluff. He secretly allowed the refugees to grow stronger, and there were even rumors that Wang Wei's son-in-law, Liu Zhenbang, had secretly sent messages to the refugees, inciting them to cause trouble.

Xiong Tingbi's brows gradually furrowed.

He had anticipated that Wang Wei would make some underhanded moves, but he hadn't expected that the other party would actually dare to incite a popular uprising, even at the cost of plunging Datong into chaos, just to force him to send troops.

"You should take a look too."

Xiong Tingbi handed the secret letter to Zhou Wenhuan.

Zhou Wenhuan took the secret letter from Xiong Tingbi, glanced at it briefly, and his expression darkened.

"My lord, the situation is worse than we anticipated."

"Zhang Tianlin has already gathered 20,000 men. If this continues, it may affect the entire Datong Prefecture, and even attract Mongolian tribes to take advantage of the situation. We must set off as soon as possible to aid Datong!"

"rush to the rescue?"

Xiong Tingbi raised his head, his eyes showing no sign of panic.

"Datong Town has 80,000 soldiers, and Wang Wei has 20,000 elite troops under his command. Can a mere 20,000 refugees really shake Datong Prefecture?"

He stood up, walked to the map of the nine border regions hanging on the wall, and pointed to the area north of Datong.

"Heh. The threat to Datong has never been the refugees within its borders."

Zhou Wenhuan followed his finger and saw the words "Tumed Tribe" and "Ordos Tribe" marked on the map, and suddenly realized what it meant.

The Chahar tribe had already been severely weakened in Liaodong and was no longer a threat.

However, the Tumed and Ordos tribes still possessed fighting power. They remained entrenched on the grasslands north of Datong, keeping a close eye on the Ming Dynasty's border towns.

Once Datong falls into chaos due to popular uprisings, these Mongol tribes will inevitably raid southwards, leading to internal and external troubles, making the situation truly difficult to manage.

"Is Your Excellency worried that the Mongol tribes might take advantage of the situation and invade?" Zhou Wenhuan asked.

"It's not just a matter of worry, it's a matter of taking precautions."

Xiong Tingbi's tone was resolute.

"Wang Wei's plan to instigate a popular uprising was nothing more than to force me to send troops and get me bogged down in suppressing the rebellion, so that he could take control of the military in Datong."

But he miscalculated a little.

If I send troops now, it may seem like I'm suppressing the rebellion, but in reality, I'll be cleaning up his mess and giving him an excuse to demand military pay from the court, thus covering up his embezzlement of supplies.

"Furthermore, the reason why the refugees were able to grow stronger was entirely due to the king's indulgence."

I want to see if he dares to actually let the refugees storm Datong Prefecture.

If it really comes to that, his time as deputy commander-in-chief will be over.

"To destroy a person, one must first drive them mad. This strategist is waiting for that moment when he goes completely insane."

Zhou Wenhuan understood Xiong Tingbi's thoughts, but still had concerns:
"But what if Zhang Tianlin's refugees really get out of control and harm innocent civilians..."

"Don't worry," Xiong Tingbi interrupted him, his tone resolute.

"No matter how crazy Wang Wei is, he wouldn't dare let Datong Prefecture really fall."

His farmland and shops are all in Datong, and the interests of the Prince of Dai are also in Datong. They will definitely take action to suppress the refugees at the last moment.

What we need to do now is not to rush to quell the rebellion, but to make thorough preparations.

And
He had a thought in his mind that he didn't voice.

After the peasant uprising, the border troops suffered losses, and the power of the gentry and local strongmen weakened, making it easier to restore order to Datong.

As for the sacrifices involved.
In Xiong Tingbi's view, it was a last resort.

but
There are too many people in the Ming Dynasty now, so a few deaths and injuries are not necessarily a bad thing.

He turned back to his desk, picked up the vermilion brush, and wrote down a military order:
"By order of General Ben, the border troops of Xuanfu shall immediately assemble, with 5,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry, to stand by in the city and Wanquan Right Guard respectively, with provisions and weapons prepared. They must complete preparations for the expedition within five days and be ready to be dispatched at any time."

In addition, scouts were dispatched to closely monitor the movements of the Tumed and Ordos tribes north of Datong, and to report immediately if Mongol cavalry were discovered moving south.

Send another secret letter to Zhang Wei, instructing him to continue monitoring Wang Wei's movements, record any evidence of his condoning of the popular uprising, and lest he alert Wang Wei.

The guards received the order and quickly left.

Looking at Xiong Tingbi's composed profile, Zhou Wenhuan felt completely at ease.

This strategist appeared to be holding back his troops, but in reality, he had already laid a trap, guarding against the Mongol tribes outside and waiting for Wang Wei to slip up inside, taking every step carefully.

"Wait, then."

Xiong Tingbi murmured softly, his eyes flickering.

"It won't be long before we settle accounts with Datong properly."

And north of Datong.

In the southeast corner of Datong Youwei City in Youyu County, there stands a mansion.

This was the residence of Lieutenant General Zhu Chongwei.

At this moment, Zhu Chongwei was sitting in the hall, holding a military order that had just been delivered.

The military order was personally written by Wang Wei, the deputy commander-in-chief of Datong:
"The peasant uprising in Zuoyun County has spiraled out of control. Right Guard Commander Zhu Chongwei is hereby ordered to immediately lead 3,000 troops south to quell the rebellion without delay."

"absurd!"

Zhu Chongwei slammed the general's order on the table.

He stood up and paced back and forth, his face full of confusion and anger.

Youwei City is located northwest of Datong, within the territory of Shuozhou, and is more than 100 li away from Zuoyun County.

Polu Fort is located within Zuoyun County. Wang Wei's son-in-law, Liu Zhenbang, has four thousand soldiers guarding it. It should be Liu Zhenbang who sends troops first, not an "outsider" like him running errands!

"General, this is Deputy Commander Wang's order..."

Captain Zhao Wu of the personal guards stood aside and spoke cautiously.

He had followed Zhu Chongwei for many years and knew his general's temperament.

Zhu Chongwei was from Yulin, Shaanxi. He rose from a common soldier to a lieutenant general through military merit. What he hated most was nepotism and using public office for private gain.

Since Wang Wei took office as the deputy commander of Datong, he has always treated Youwei as "outsider territory." His military pay and provisions are always 30% less than those of other garrisons. This time, he pushed the most troublesome task onto him again to quell the rebellion. It is obvious that he is bullying him.

Zhu Chongwei stopped, his voice filled with frustration:
"That son of a bitch, Wang Wei!"

Wang Wei's son-in-law is living a comfortable life in Polu Fort, and he wants me to lead the brothers of the Right Guard to my death?

Zuoyun County is only ten miles away from Polubao, which Liu Zhenbang could reach with a wave of his hand, yet he asked me to transfer troops from the Right Guard.

Isn't this blatantly trying to manipulate me?

Three months ago, Liu Zhenbang had made three trips to Datong Prefecture to apply for funds to repair the city's defenses, but Wang Wei always made excuses about "tight military pay" and then gave Liu Zhenbang five thousand taels of silver, saying it was to "strengthen the granary of Polu Fort".

Now that a popular uprising has broken out, I'm suddenly thinking about the troops of the Right Guard!

Zhu Chongwei grew angrier the more he thought about it, feeling as if a fire was burning in his chest, making his temples throb.

"General, shall we go and quell the rebellion?"

Zhao Wu asked again, his voice even lower.

Wang Wei, as the deputy commander-in-chief, held military power in Datong. His open defiance of orders would have unimaginable consequences.

Zhu Chongwei clenched his fists tightly, took a deep breath, and suppressed his anger.

"Can we not go?"
Even if Wang Wei is a scoundrel, a military order is a military order.

"But we can't just swallow this anger."

Wang Wei made me unhappy, so I'll have those rioters pay him back!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wu felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew that the general was going to vent his dissatisfaction with Wang Wei on the refugees.

"Give me the order!"

Zhu Chongwei turned around, his tone resolute.

"Immediately assemble all available troops inside and outside the city, totaling three thousand men, with five hundred cavalry in the lead and two thousand five hundred infantry following behind, carrying three days' worth of rations, and depart promptly at dawn tomorrow!"

The next day at dawn.

As dawn broke, the east gate of Youwei City slowly opened.

Three thousand soldiers were lined up in neat rows, with cavalry in front and infantry carrying spears and shields behind.

Zhu Chongwei rode a black horse, wearing black iron armor and a steel sword at his waist, his face as cold and stern as frost.

"set off!"

With his command, the procession marched out of the city gate in a grand procession, heading southeast towards Zuoyun County.

The troops marched very quickly along the way.

When passing Pohubao, Zhu Chongwei reined in his horse.

This fortress was harassed by Mongol cavalry last year, and most of the fortress walls collapsed, leaving only a few old, weak and disabled soldiers to guard it. When they saw the Right Guard troops passing by, they hurriedly knelt down to greet them.

Zhu Chongwei didn't linger; he merely glanced at the dilapidated fortress wall, and his heart sank even further.

If even the border fortresses are in this state, then Datong's defenses must have been completely wrecked by Wang Wei long ago.

As we passed through Canhu Fortress and Shahu Pass, the wind gradually picked up.

The wind at Shahu Pass is the fiercest, whipping up yellow sand that lashes against the soldiers' armor with a whooshing sound, making it impossible for them to open their eyes.

Zhu Chongwei wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and glanced at the roadside.

Occasionally, one could see the corpses of refugees, their clothes tattered and their bellies shrunken like paper, clearly having starved to death.

He frowned, his anger subsiding slightly, replaced by a heavier feeling.

Further south, the closer you get to Zuoyun County, the more displaced people you'll find.

Most of them were ragged civilians, leaning on wooden sticks, slowly making their way towards Zuoyun County, their eyes filled with numbness and despair.

Upon seeing the Right Guard's troops approaching, the refugees hurriedly hid by the roadside, some even kneeling on the ground, begging for "something to eat."

"General, these refugees..."

Zhao Wu rode closer and asked for instructions in a low voice.

Zhu Chongwei reined in his horse, looking at the kneeling refugees with a complex expression.

"Ignore them! Speed ​​up and get to Zuoyun County as soon as possible!"

The army continued its advance.

A few hours later.

"General, if we go another ten miles south, we will reach Shili River. After crossing the river, we will reach Santunbao, which is a good place to set up camp and rest."

Zhao Wu rode forward and pointed to the faint outline of the river ahead.

Shili River is a natural barrier to the north of Zuoyun County. Although it is not the dry season, the pebbles on the riverbed are exposed due to the drought. Only a thin stream meanders through the middle, which can be easily waded across.

Although Santunbao was just a small border fort, it guarded the main road to Zuoyun County. Inside the fort, there were also abandoned military quarters, which were just right for the soldiers to rest.

Zhu Chongwei nodded and waved his hand: "Speed ​​up the march! We must reach Santunbao before nightfall!"

The team started moving again, heading towards Shilihe.

It was already dark when we arrived at Santunbao.

This small fortress was much simpler than the Right Guard City. The walls were only two zhang high, and part of the walls had collapsed with a gap, through which wild grass sprouted and swayed gently in the evening breeze.

Most of the abandoned military quarters inside the fort had open roofs, but at least they could keep out the wind. Zhu Chongwei had them cleaned up, which made it possible for three thousand soldiers to be stationed there.

"Zhao Wu, you take two hundred men to guard the fort gate, and send ten scouts in five groups to infiltrate the area around Zuoyun County to investigate the rioters' defenses, numbers, and weapons. They must report back within half an hour!"

Zhu Chongwei had just settled the troops when he immediately issued orders.

He knew that although the refugees were a mob, their numbers were more than ten times his own. If he attacked rashly without understanding their situation, he would likely suffer a great loss.

"The last general takes command!"

Zhao Wu clasped his hands in agreement and quickly turned to make the arrangements.

Zhu Chongwei walked to the fort wall and looked in the direction of Zuoyun County.

As night deepened, a few faint lights shone from the distant county town, like campfires lit by refugees camping outside the town.

He touched the steel sword at his waist, and the resentment in his heart welled up again:
Wang Wei was enjoying a life of leisure in Datong Prefecture, while Liu Zhenbang was watching the show from Polu Fortress. Yet, they insisted on sending him to tackle this tough challenge.

If we cannot win a resounding victory, we will not only lose face in front of Wang Wei, but our brothers will also lose heart.

Half an hour passed quickly.

Five scout teams returned one after another, bringing news of their findings.

"General! There are at least 20,000 rioters outside Zuoyun County. Most of them are stationed outside the east and north gates. The camps are a mess, with no proper tents and many people sleeping directly on the ground!"

"The first scout said, panting, his face still covered in mud, clearly having just crawled back from near the rebel camp."

Their weapons are no good either!
Of the ten people, eight carried hoes and wooden sticks, only a few had rusty kitchen knives or short knives, and there were hardly any decent spears, let alone armor.

From a distance, we could see they had no guards at all; they were either looting grain or arguing, completely unprepared!

Another scout added, his tone tinged with disdain.

"And another thing! It seems they've opened the city's granaries, and a lot of rioters are transporting food to the camp. Carts are coming and going, and there aren't even any checkpoints on the road!"

The five scouts, one after the other, clearly explained the situation of the rioters.

The more Zhu Chongwei listened, the brighter his eyes became.

What a mob!
Despite their large numbers, they were disorganized, undisciplined, and unarmed, lacking even the most basic defenses. Such a force was simply no match for a regular army.

"it is good!"

Zhu Chongwei slammed his hand on the fortress wall, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"The rioters are behaving erratically, looting the county town. They have already committed treason and deserve to die!"
Tonight, we will take Zuoyun County and quell this chaos!

He turned and walked down the fortress wall, summoned his officers and lieutenants, informed them of the scouts' reports, and then said in a deep voice:

"At midnight tonight, the entire army will set out and launch a surprise attack from the north gate of Zuoyun County!"
I led five hundred cavalry as the vanguard and directly broke through their camp.

Each of you lead your infantry and follow up to block their retreat!
Remember, of the grain and property captured in this battle, 30% will be handed over to the army as pay, and the rest will belong to the individual.

Whoever kills the most rebels will plunder the most!

"The general is wise!"

The officers and lieutenants' eyes lit up immediately, and they all clasped their hands in agreement.

They were all people who had fought on the border for many years and were used to "using war to sustain war". Now that they had the opportunity to plunder openly, why would they hesitate?
The order was quickly relayed throughout the entire army.

The soldiers, who were originally exhausted, perked up instantly upon hearing "the spoils belong to the individual".

Zhu Chongwei stood at the foot of the fortress wall, watching the soldiers' excited expressions, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He knew that such "indulgence" might be against the rules, but in the border region, only tangible benefits could motivate soldiers to risk their lives.

Moreover, he wanted more than just to quell the rebellion.

He wanted to show Wang Wei just how capable his troops were.

Liu Zhenbang needs to know how many "benefits" he missed out on.

Furthermore, it is essential to make the entire Datong town understand that the Right Guard's troops are not pushovers to be easily manipulated.

"Zhao Wu, let the brothers eat some dry rations first, so they can rest up and set off promptly at midnight!"

Zhu Chongwei gave the instructions.

"I will finally understand!"

Zhao Wu agreed and turned to arrange the meals.

The moonlight gradually climbed into the sky, shining on the earthen walls of Santunbao and on the excited faces of the soldiers.

Zhu Chongwei gazed in the direction of Zuoyun County, his eyes narrowed, and he snorted coldly:
"Wang Wei, Liu Zhenbang, you wait."

After tonight, you won't get a single penny of benefit from Zuoyun County!

The third watch.

The gates of Santunbao quietly opened.

Three thousand soldiers formed a neat column, with cavalry in front and infantry behind. Their horses' hooves were wrapped in strips of cloth, and they moved with extremely light steps, heading towards Zuoyun County.

(End of this chapter)