Chapter 320 Pre-War Remarks
Soon, the curtain was lifted, and Jiang Yongkang walked in with his men to report the general situation on the battlefield ahead.
After they set up camp here, they have been resting there for a day and a night.
Seeing victory in sight, the soldiers became impatient and came to ask when the war would start.
Xu Zhenying said, "Luo Qingzhou is still adjusting his firearms. Let's wait a little longer. Xingyuan Prefecture is right behind us, so our food supply won't be a problem. I'm telling everyone, don't think about launching a surprise attack. Keep your mind in good shape for the last few battles."
Jiang Yongkang nodded. Although he had been a general in the East Territory for several years, he was already accustomed to giving orders.
But once he returned to Xu Zhenying, he naturally became the one who obeyed orders.
After all, at least half of his skills came from Xu Zhenying's teaching.
Xu Zhenying is his master, his partner, but also his teacher.
"When will Liu Dazhuang and his men arrive? I remember he still has 50,000 troops there."
"Many places in the west haven't been paved with cement roads, so the march will naturally be slower. I just received a letter saying they will definitely arrive today."
"And what about the rest of the firearms?"
Their vanguard troops marched quickly, but their firearms could not withstand the bumps and had to be transported slowly.
Therefore, only the first five firearms were split up and delivered in advance, with the remaining firearms still to come.
As a technical consultant, Luo Qingzhou naturally had to accompany the army.
At the moment, restoring these firearms will keep him busy for several days.
But Xu Zhenying said, "Wutai is enough. I'll leave the rest in the East. There are still three states over there who are still resisting stubbornly. If we don't have firearms to suppress them, I'm afraid it will be difficult to advance."
"Wutai?" Jiang Yongkang frowned, not quite understanding how Wutai could be enough.
How could Wutai be enough to face the city of Bianjing?
Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "The power of this firearm has been unleashed. The people of Fengxiang Prefecture are already frightened. We only need one to shock them. If this first shot is fired well, they will fall without a fight."
Chang Zizai immediately volunteered, "Your Highness, I've heard that firearms are incredibly powerful and can penetrate city walls! When we were training at the West Mountain Camp in Jinzhou Prefecture, we always heard noises coming from the back mountains. The people in the north are already familiar with them, but we soldiers in the west have never handled firearms before!"
Xu Zhenying knew that Chang Zizai had made many outstanding achievements on the western battlefield, and Liu Dazhuang also reported that he was smart and agile in combat, so Xu Zhenying transferred him to Xingyuan Prefecture early.
Seeing Chang Zi's eager expression, and seeing that he was only seventeen or eighteen years old, with a youthful and energetic appearance, Xu Zhenying smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'll give you the first shot. You have to learn from Dean Luo carefully these few days to avoid missing the target on your first shot!"
Chang Zizai smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed into a line, and he quickly promised: "Your Highness, I will definitely study hard!"
In the evening, Liu Dazhuang led an army of 50,000 over mountains and hills and finally succeeded in joining forces.
At the same time, Xu Huijia and others also came.
For this Northern Expedition, Jinzhou Prefecture sent out all its troops. Except for Xu Yinxi, Fang Xun, Fang Ningmo, Mo Jinchun, and the Xu family members who stayed behind in the base camp, almost everyone else went out.
The eastern front was commanded by two iron ladies, Liu Pan and Wang Sanniang.
On the west side, Lu Fei led new generals including Zhu Kui and Ren Chuang.
If you really think about it, these two people are not newcomers. Zhu Kui has fought for more than ten years and is considered a veteran.
Ren Chuang is the first batch of male soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture. Although he may lack experience, his fighting strength and brainpower are outstanding.
The war in the west was basically just to wipe out the remaining forces of King Zhoushan, so Xu Zhenying withdrew 50,000 troops, anticipating that there would be no unexpected situations in the war in the west.
At this moment, in the camp, the old members of the Xu family team, Ming Xiaoshuang, Zhao Qiaonian, Liu Dazhuang, Xu Huijia, Qian Zhenniang, as well as the later developed Lin Lao, An Peilin, Zhang Wanjun, Zhang Qiuchan, and members of the secretariat, are all in place!
The war is about to break out——
In the evening, Xu Zhenying's tent was extremely lively.
The soldiers could vaguely see those familiar faces through the fluttering green curtains.
If someone is attentive, they will definitely recognize that the person sitting in this tent can be said to be the top leader of the entire Jinzhou Prefecture, and even the core of the entire Jinzhou Prefecture.
There were layers of guards outside the tent, the atmosphere was solemn, and there was a sense of tension as if facing a powerful enemy.
But inside the tent, everyone was having fun.
It is natural to be extremely happy to meet old friends.
The two sisters, Zhang Wanjun and Zhang Qiuchan, were one in the north and one in the east. Now that they finally met again, they naturally hugged each other and talked endlessly.
Zhao Qiaonian was the last one to join and had stayed in Jinzhou Prefecture since then. He had never met these old people, so as soon as Zhao Qiaonian entered the tent, he immediately became friends with Liu Dazhuang and the others.
Somehow, Xu Huijia's position was right opposite Qian Zhenniang.
Their eyes met naturally, and Qian Zhenniang smiled slightly, then looked him up and down, and said in a polite yet distant tone, "Are you back?"
Xu Huijia was originally leaning back in the chair, with her legs spread apart and sitting there with her arms and legs spread wide open.
At this moment, Qian Zhenniang was looking at him with a smile. For some reason, as soon as he saw her eyes, he felt something was wrong with his whole body.
He calmly closed his legs and then sat up straight, as well-behaved as a child in a primary literacy class. Even in response to Qian Zhenniang's politeness, he would only lower his head, stare at the shoe and say "hmm".
Chang Zizai, however, laughed silently beside him and fell backwards.
Interesting, really interesting.
I didn't expect that General Xu Huijia, who was so brave and daring on the battlefield and who would chop with a sword, would have such a shameful side.
Qian Zhenniang frowned slightly and looked at Chang Zizai.
He was a very young guy.
He doesn't even look like a soldier.
He had very white skin and a thin figure, like a little monkey. Although he had a childish face, his eyes were extremely sharp, and it was obvious at first glance that he was not someone to be messed with.
Chang Zizai greeted him openly: "Minister Qian, I am Chang Zizai."
Qian Zhenniang also smiled. "I've heard of you. I've read all your reports of victory. You have flexible battle plans and a sharp mind. General Liu Dazhuang praised you a lot."
Well, now Qian Zhenniang has made Chang Zizai feel embarrassed.
Among them, only Mr. Lin and Zhou Houfang seemed a little out of place.
After all, they joined the Xu family late, and they did not have the friendship of selling soap together with the old members of the Xu family's political team. The two of them sat separately and said a few words from time to time, which did not seem abrupt.
Xu Zhenying seemed to be in a good mood tonight. Seeing that the tent was packed with people, she was in a trance and returned to the days in Lan County six years ago.
Then she smiled and said, "Now that I think about it, it seems like we haven't been together like this for a long time."
Liu Dazhuang laughed, "That's right. Ever since His Highness occupied Jinzhou Prefecture, our group of old members have been traveling all over the country to conquer the world. It's been several years since we've gathered together in such a complete group."
Zhao Qiaonian said, "The most fortunate thing is that no one is missing a single piece of meat, and no one is lost. Especially those of you who are fighting on the front lines—"
Qian Zhenniang said in a daze, "Yes. Now we just need Master Xu and Feng'er."
When Feng'er, whose life or death was uncertain, was mentioned, everyone fell silent.
As if realizing that her words had somewhat ruined the current atmosphere, Qian Zhenniang quickly smiled, "But Feng'er has always had good luck. Plus, with His Highness's protection, she will definitely be able to turn danger into safety."
"That's right. No news right now is the best news. We have people in the harem too, and who knows where that girl might be hiding right now."
This is Mr. Lin’s voice.
Xu Zhenying sighed. She was naturally extremely anxious, but Xu Huiming was in Bian Jing. His letter was urgent and he was obviously anxious and angry. Their people must be searching for Feng'er all over the capital.
The situation in Bianjing City is now unclear, and their secret agent has been discovered by Zhou Mian. They are now unable to protect themselves, but still insist on looking for Feng'er.
She was hundreds of miles away, and all she could do was worry and do her own thing.
"Let's talk about the siege first." Xu Zhenying restrained her expression, and everyone in the room immediately looked at her intently.
"I just went out for a tour and found that the soldiers under me are eager to fight and can't wait to march north. Now I want to tell you that it will take a long time to win the battle in the north. Don't even think about launching a surprise attack. You don't have to worry about weapons, military supplies, and food. Now that the war is going on at home, Xingyuan Prefecture is rich, so food is not a problem."
Qian Zhenniang also said, "That's right. It's not just Xingyuan Prefecture, but also Jinzhou Prefecture and Qianzhou Prefecture. These prefectures were the first to come to us, so they developed early and the people are living a good life. Before I left, I heard that many people spontaneously organized to collect the autumn grain and then handed over a portion to the government, saying that it was to support our war on the front line. We haven't made a decision on this matter yet, but it shows that the people are very supportive of the Northern Expedition!"
Elder Lin said, "Your Highness, even if our Jinzhou Prefecture is wealthy, it would be better to end the war as soon as possible. We can't keep using our own people to support the army."
If he were still an official in the Great Zhou Dynasty, Mr. Lin would never dare to say this.
Who dares to say that the emperor personally leading the army to war is a waste of money and manpower?
Mr. Lin was targeting the fact that Xu Zhenying would never be convicted for the words spoken by his subordinates.
When we talk about things, we must just talk about the facts.
It is said that partial listening leads to blindness, and Xu Zhenying also likes to have different voices in the court.
Xu Zhenying's face showed no anger, only a slight frown. "I know many of you don't agree with the slow and steady approach. You just want a quick victory. I admit that for us, this will minimize consumption and financial pressure. However, I think you have overlooked one point. A quick victory will inevitably mean a large number of casualties—"
Chang Zizai stood up immediately and said, "Your Highness, a soldier must die on the battlefield. The people have raised us for so long, and it is our duty to go into battle and kill the enemy. None of the soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture are afraid of death!"
The remaining military representatives, such as Zhang Wanjun, Xu Huijia, Liu Dazhuang and others, also stood up and expressed their stance, "Your Highness, we are not afraid of death!"
Xu Zhenying stared at them. "Of course I know that none of our Jinzhou Prefecture soldiers are cowards. But if there's a way to minimize casualties, why not use it? I often say that when it comes to siege tactics, attacking the city is inferior, while conquering the heart is superior. And when I say reducing casualties, I mean not only our own casualties, but also the casualties of the enemy. That's what we call the enemy."
Chang Zizai and the others frowned slightly, seeming somewhat dissatisfied. "Your Highness, we cannot be soft-hearted in battle. We must kill our enemies completely, so why should we avoid casualties? If that's the case, then why fight?"
Elder Lin stroked his beard and glanced at Xu Zhenying, then explained with a smile, "So, His Highness is His Highness, and you are you. You bunch of young fools are far inferior to His Highness."
Chang Zizai looked at Mr. Lin in dissatisfaction.
"Don't you think about it? The victory or defeat of this Northern Expedition is obvious. Soon, Fengxiang Prefecture across the way will become our territory, and the people across the way will become your subjects. Is it wrong for your Highness to care about your subjects in advance?"
The others were stunned at first, and then they were still a little dazed.
That being said...it's not that there aren't any problems, but there's something a little weird about it.
Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "That's the truth. The winner is obvious, so there's no need to commit more murder. The people in this city were once you. It's not easy for them to live in troubled times. They also have the right to pursue happiness. They haven't killed anyone, so they deserve to live well. Being able to attack the city without killing anyone is a test of our governance."
Elder Lin added, "That's right. How could you possibly know that the people over there aren't united with us, waiting for us to rescue them from their dire straits? Don't view the people of Bianjing as enemies; view them as our allies, our people. It's like Yu thinking of those drowning under heaven, thinking of those drowning himself; and Ji thinking of those starving under heaven, thinking of those starving himself. That's why they're so anxious."
There was silence in the room for a while.
This coincides with Xu Zhenying's long-held philosophy of "attacking the city with minimal casualties."
Yes, Your Highness has always emphasized the word "benevolence", which is why they encountered little resistance when they captured cities.
There are even precedents where ordinary people secretly helped them capture cities.
Xu Huijia then asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, if you have any good ideas for attacking the city?"
Xu Zhenying laughed, "Our Jinzhou Prefecture soldiers are renowned for their formidable military prowess. Why not try to defeat the enemy without a fight? The firearms should be fully commissioned within the next two days. Once these five firearms are deployed in front of the formation, do you really think the Fengxiang Prefecture troops will initiate an attack?"
Liu Dazhuang said, "Their defenses are insufficient. If a real fight breaks out, they'll only get beaten. So if I were Deng Quan'an, I'd stay indoors and wait for reinforcements from the imperial court."
"That's right, so we have to capture Fengxiang Prefecture before the imperial army arrives."
Elder Lin smiled and looked at Xu Zhenying, "Judging from the way Your Highness is talking, you must have a solution."
Xu Zhenying asked, "Is Dean Luo still in the warehouse checking firearms? Tell him to hurry up and get one out first. Oh, and I remember Zhenniang brought a group of young cadres from Jinzhou Prefecture, didn't she?"
Qian Zhenniang immediately said, "That's right. Liu Jianlin is leading the group. There are about fifty or sixty of them. They all volunteered to come here for training."
"Very good. Find something for them to do tonight. Have them write a few hundred notes, each briefly describing the situation in Jinzhou Prefecture. Write about universal education, healthcare, smallpox vaccine, and so on. Then we'll randomly send them to people in the city and see if we can encourage the people to join us."
Someone immediately asked, "Now that the gates of Fengxiang Mansion are closed, how can we get them in?"
Zhang Wanjun immediately understood and asked with a smile, "Does Your Highness need archers?"
Xu Zhenying nodded approvingly at her, "Wanjun really understands my intentions. Go and pick twenty archers to prepare."
Seeing everyone looking at her, Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "Okay, you'll know the situation tomorrow."
After dinner, Xu Zhenying took a walk around the camp.
But she saw that the entire hilltop was filled with their people, with flags flying, at least hundreds of thousands of people, which was almost all of her military force.
Xu Zhenying felt a little emotional.
She started her business in Lan County six years ago. During these six years, she conquered thirteen states and even had hundreds of thousands of like-minded partners. Now that she has crossed this mountain, she may be about to embark on a new journey.
Thinking about it now, it still feels like a dream.
She thought of Li Zhaodi.
I thought of Feng'er, whose life or death was uncertain.
Xu Zhenying walked slowly, descending from the highest point of the mountain, always followed by members of the security team.
Yan Xuesong followed her silently about a hundred or two hundred meters behind her. With her as the leader, they formed a team like a wolf pack. Even though Xu Zhenying was very relaxed, Yan Xuesong always looked around vigilantly since the last assassination incident at the gate of Qiongzhou Prefecture.
She noticed someone approaching quietly, and when she turned around, she found it was Jiang Yongkang.
The wariness in Yan Xuesong's eyes faded, and he saluted Jiang Yongkang with a fist salute.
In fact, Jiang Yongkang is her superior.
Jiang Yongkang was in charge of the Military Affairs Department in name only. Although Mo Jinchun was usually in charge, Jiang Yongkang's reputation still frightened people like them who were soldiers.
Jiang Yongkang waved his hand and said to her, "Stay away. She doesn't like you following her too closely."
Yan Xuesong said "yes".
Jiang Yongkang strode forward to greet him, and then saw that Xu Zhenying came out wearing thin clothes. Although it was a bit hot in early summer, it was still cool at night in the mountains.
After a slight hesitation, Jiang Yongkang took off his cloak and handed it to the man.
Xu Zhenying stood at the top of the mountain where the wind blew, the mountain breeze blew a strand of hair on her forehead, and her eyebrows and eyes were very clear under the moonlight.
She shook her head, "It's not cold."
Jiang Yongkang stared at her and said, "Put it on. I just took a shower this afternoon, so this cloak isn't dirty."
Xu Zhenying laughed when he saw his serious explanation, "I'm not that pretentious."
"I didn't say you were pretentious." Jiang Yongkang said, putting the cloak on her, "You just like to be clean."
Xu Zhenying had no choice but to let him do whatever he wanted.
I don't know when this young guy became so fussy.
I don't even know when he grew so tall.
Although Xu Zhenying had never treated herself badly in the past few years, it seemed that no one in the Xu family was very respectable, including her of course.
According to the standards of her previous life, she was only about 1.63 meters tall, which was already the limit.
Later, no matter how much she supplemented her nutrition, her weight could not continue to rise.
She had no choice but to increase her body fat percentage to make herself stronger.
But Jiang Yongkang was at least 1.8 meters tall, which was considered a tall stature in ancient times when material resources were scarce.
The two people stood at a higher point on the hill, looking at the large area of tents below.
Perhaps because the expedition was imminent, Xu Zhenying's mood was a little turbulent. She pointed down and asked, "Old Jiang, how do you feel?"
Every time Jiang Yongkang heard Xu Zhenying call him "Old Jiang", he always had a strange feeling.
After all, he is only twenty years old now, but calling him like this makes him seem very old, as if they have been fighting side by side for decades.
However, it is better than "Minister Jiang".
At least this "Old Jiang" is the only one who is honored and favored in Jinzhou Prefecture.
Jiang Yongkang coughed softly, "I don't feel anything. I just feel like we're camping in the mountains. The trees are dense here, and it's summer with little rain. If I were Deng Quanan, I would definitely use fire. But I've already taken people to check around this afternoon. There's plenty of water in the Wan River. Even if it's a fire attack, we can handle it."
Xu Zhenying frowned, "You really don't understand romance."
"I know what you want to say." Jiang Yongkang smiled, "We will soon complete our mission. Your Highness, are you so excited that you can't sleep?"
Xu Zhenying laughed, "I don't have the habit of opening a bottle of champagne midway."
"Opening champagne halfway?"
"Well... it's like celebrating halfway through a business venture."
"Why do you always have so many weird ideas?" Jiang Yongkang stared at her blankly, "Actually, I wanted to ask this many years ago—"
Xu Zhenying interrupted him, "Don't ask. If you ask, I'll have to think of how to lie to you."
Jiang Yongkang was speechless, then said helplessly: "Well, even if you didn't tell me, I would have guessed that you have a special origin. Who knows, maybe you are really a god from heaven."
Xu Zhenying smiled. "Strictly speaking, I am indeed from heaven. As for whether I am a deity, I don't know. What brings you here?"
Jiang Yongkang said, "Like everyone else, I was a little excited about the Northern Expedition starting tomorrow and couldn't sleep. I wanted to go out for a walk, but I saw you."
Two people stood side by side, the moonlight gently falling on their shoulders.
"You've fought for so many years, and you get nervous before a battle?"
"Things are different now than they were before. After all, these might be our last few battles. Besides, we're about to return to Bianjing City. When we left Bianjing City, we were in such a mess, completely destitute, escorted by escorts, exposed to the wind and rain all the way, like stray dogs. And now, we're going back... Seeing old friends always makes you feel different."
"Old friend?" Xu Zhenying smiled. "But your former lover in Bianjing?"
"They were just some bad friends. I used to be a playboy with them when I was young, and we had some ridiculous times. But they must have started families and built careers long ago. Thinking about it now, I still think those were the best times. Both parents were alive, the family was rich, and there were no worries."
"Why, are things not going well these days?"
"It's not bad. It's just... I miss the days when my parents were still alive. If my parents were still alive, I wonder how happy they would be to see me making great achievements now—"
Xu Zhenying was speechless for a moment. She turned her head to look at the man beside her, but saw a look of loneliness on his face.
Only then did Xu Zhenying realize that she was not the only one who felt lonely in this world.
"When we return to Bianjing City, you can repair the tombs of your parents, open an ancestral hall, and redress the grievances. If your parents are still alive, they will surely smile in their graves when they see how successful you are now."
"Yes." Jiang Yongkang's voice was a little low. "The dead are gone, and the living must continue to move forward. Besides, we usurped the throne of the Great Zhou Dynasty together, and I have completed my revenge."
Jiang Yong recovered and looked at her again, his eyes heavy, "Speaking of which, I am very grateful to you."
"Thank you for helping me get revenge?"
Jiang Yongkang nodded, "Without you, there would be no me, and I wouldn't be where I am today."
Xu Zhenying patted his shoulder, her eyes sparkling like sparkling diamonds: "Young man, you paid."
"Money comes from external things. Hundreds of thousands of taels of silver may sound like a lot, but it is absolutely impossible to manage a court with it. Your Highness, I have always been grateful to you in my heart."
Xu Zhenying smiled, "There's no need to talk about this between you and me."
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