The Bloody Jiangnan War Begins
We'd been lingering in Daming Prefecture for over half a month. Besides Xu Ning, we'd also been secretly keeping an eye on other potential candidates, but with limited success. Most of the Liangshan veterans, whether due to the difficulty of disobeying military orders, lingering fantasies about Song Jiang, or family ties, hadn't expressed any clear intention to leave. The few who privately complained and expressed pessimism about the southern expedition were mostly low-level leaders, not the core talent we needed to lead the charge.
Seeing that the time was ripe and that staying in Daming Prefecture for too long might lead to unexpected events, we decided not to stay any longer and left quietly. We did not return to Erxian Mountain, but turned southeast according to the original plan and headed for Taihu Lake, the core area of our secret stakes in the south of the Yangtze River.
What I saw along the way was a stark contrast to the harsh cold of the north. Though winter was here, the water towns of Jiangnan still retained a touch of moist greenery, with small bridges flowing and boats plying. On the surface, it seemed peaceful. However, a closer look revealed many unusual features. The number of official ships plying the river had increased significantly, often manned by soldiers. Some towns had seen significantly strengthened defenses, with inspections becoming more stringent. Rumors of the "traitor Fang La" were spreading among the people, silently spreading a sense of panic and unease.
We traveled cautiously along the way, avoiding major official roads and large towns, and took waterways and country roads. Finally, we arrived at Xishan Island in Taihu Lake before the end of the year.
Lu Renjia had already received our secret message and was waiting in person at a secluded fishing village dock. Having not seen him for a long time, he had become thinner, but his eyes were more shrewd and capable. Seeing us, especially Yiqing, he was so excited that he quickly led us to the tea house he had purchased.
The teahouse sat on a gentle slope on Xishan Island, facing the water and backed by mountains. From the outside, it looked rather shabby, as if long abandoned due to poor management. But once inside, a different world was revealed. The house was sturdy, with a hidden cellar in the backyard and a small dock leading to the lake. Following Yiqing's instructions, Lu Renjia had set up some simple maze formations, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach and spy.
"Brother, Miss Bu, you've had a hard time traveling!" Lu Renjia finally breathed a sigh of relief in the safe secret room and quickly served hot tea. "The situation in Jiangnan is about to turn into a storm!"
"Junior Brother Lu, sit down and talk slowly." Yiqing gestured to him not to be polite.
Lu Renjia sat down and began his report with a solemn expression, "The imperial court has issued an order to attack Fang La. Song Jiang's Liangshan army has been appointed as the vanguard, and is expected to arrive south of the Yangtze River after the spring. Fang La's forces are gaining momentum, having already occupied six prefectures and fifty-two counties, boasting a force of a million. He also has many talented individuals under his command, such as 'Baoguang Tathagata' Deng Yuanjue, 'Shi Bao', 'Si Xingfang', and others, none of whom are easy to deal with."
He pulled out a more detailed map of Jiangnan, densely marked with numerous new markings. "According to Senior Brother's instructions, I have stepped up my preparations after receiving a letter from Daming Prefecture. In addition to the three existing strongholds, we've established two more contact points near Qingfengling in Muzhou and Dusongguan in Shezhou, under the guise of opening mountain goods stores and foot shops. We've also stockpiled a supply of food, medicinal herbs, and warm clothing. At the Hangzhou warehouse, we've also opened up several hidden waterways leading to the Qiantang River's estuary."
He was extremely efficient and in a short period of time he had established a preliminary network of strongholds in Jiangnan.
"What about manpower?" Yiqing was most concerned about this issue.
Lu Renjia's face showed a hint of difficulty. "This matter... is progressing a bit slowly. It's really hard to find someone who meets the requirements and is absolutely reliable. Currently, apart from the occasional messages from Brother Shi Jian, and a few mute servants and honest local villagers hired at a high price to handle peripheral chores, I am still the only core person. There is no news from General Xu Ning in Daming Prefecture yet."
This was to be expected. Finding someone who shared the same ideals and could be trusted with life and death was the most difficult part.
"That's alright, there's no rush." Yiqing didn't blame him. "The most important thing right now is to ensure that these strongholds can remain hidden and function effectively during future wars. Have you arranged all the talismans?"
"We've already placed 'Concealment Talismans', 'Warning Talismans', and 'Water-Repellent Talismans' in key locations according to Senior Brother's instructions," Lu Renjia said quickly. "However... if the battle gets intense and the evil spirits surge, the effectiveness of these talismans might be greatly reduced."
"Just do your best." Yiqing nodded and asked, "How are your contacts with overseas merchants? Are the sales of glass mirrors going smoothly?"
"It's going smoothly! Very smoothly!" Lu Renjia's spirits brightened at the mention of this. "The demand for glass mirrors among foreign nations is enormous; supply simply cannot keep up! We recently traded two more batches, and the funds we received are more than enough to support our current expenses and future expansion. It's just that... the production speed can't keep up, and the transportation risks are increasing."
"I have my own plans for the production. You need to be more cautious about transportation. It's better to make less profit than be exposed." Yiqing warned.
"Junior brother understands."
After listening to Lu Renjia's report, the situation in Jiangnan and the strength we had secretly accumulated became basically clear. We were like spiders lurking in the shadows, quietly weaving a small web, waiting for the arrival of the destined devastating storm.
For the next few days, we retreated to the Xishan Island teahouse, rarely leaving the house. Yiqing began using the materials he had brought to create more powerful talismans. He also taught Lu Renjia some simple techniques for utilizing spiritual energy and maintaining formations to strengthen the stronghold's defenses. I assisted Lu Renjia in collating intelligence gathered from various sources, attempting to analyze Fang La's movements and the Liangshan army's possible offensive routes.
Winter passed and spring arrived, the canal thawed, and willow branches sprouted. The tense atmosphere was like a bowstring that gradually tightened, and finally, with a thunderclap, it broke!
In the spring of the third year of Xuanhe, Song Jiang led the Liangshan army across the Yangtze River and entered the Jiangnan region. The campaign against Fang La officially broke out!
Initially, the battle seemed to be going smoothly. With the momentum of their victory in the northern border, the Liangshan army advanced with unstoppable force, conquering Runzhou, Xuanzhou, Huzhou, and other cities, heading straight for Fang La's stronghold, Muzhou.
With frequent reports of victory and awards from the imperial court, it seemed as if everything was moving in a direction favorable to Liangshan. However, the information we received through Lu Renjia's secret channels was far from optimistic.
"Although the Liangshan army is brave, the terrain in Jiangnan is complex and densely networked with waterways. Fang La's army, relying on the terrain, is elusive, launching surprise attacks and ambushes. Although Liangshan won, it was a pyrrhic victory, with many casualties." Lu Renjia frowned as he read the latest battle report. "Furthermore, it seems... an epidemic has begun to spread among the army."
Epidemic! I was shocked. Jiangnan was a land of malaria, with a large army gathering there and poor sanitary conditions, an outbreak of plague was almost inevitable! In the original novel, this was also one of the main reasons for the Liangshan army's heavy non-combat casualties!
"Can you tell what kind of disease it is? How is it spreading?" Yiqing asked immediately.
"According to reports from our informants at the front, the symptoms are mostly fever, vomiting, and rashes on the body. It seems to be... typhoid fever?" Lu Renjia said uncertainly.
Typhoid fever! In this era, it is almost synonymous with death!
"Are there any medicines that are effective among the herbs we have stockpiled?" I asked hurriedly.
"There are some medicinal herbs that can treat colds, clear away heat and detoxify, but if it is really a large-scale typhoid fever, I'm afraid... it will be a drop in the bucket." Lu Renjia sighed.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew heavy. We had carefully prepared for the dangers of war, but we felt powerless against this invisible disease.
"Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate." Yiqing was silent for a long time, then slowly said, "Compile a list of all the herbs we have that are suitable for the symptoms, set aside some, and try to send it to the Liangshan army under the name of 'an unknown merchant expressing gratitude for the soldiers' hard work'... Perhaps, we can save a few lives."
This is a helpless move, but it is the only thing we can do at the moment.
However, the cruelty of the war soon exceeded the scope of what medicine could provide.
Not long after, the first bad news came - Liangshan veterans, "King Kong in the Clouds" Song Wan and "Touching the Sky" Du Qian, were shot to death during the attack on Runzhou!
When the news came, we were all silent. Although Song Wan and Du Qian were not top-notch martial artists, they were, after all, among the original founders of Liangshan. Their deaths in battle seemed to be a signal, foreshadowing that this southern expedition would be a road paved with blood.
Then, bad news came one after another.
Cao Zheng, the "knife-wielding ghost", died of illness in the army.
Wang Dingliu, known as the "Living Flashing Woman", died from a poisoned arrow in Xuanzhou.
Yu Baosi, the "God of Dangerous Roads", was killed by a flying knife in Huzhou.
…
The names of those who once laughed and laughed loudly and drank heartily in the Liangshan gathering hall have now become cold black words on the list of casualties. Every time I receive a battle report like this, my heart sinks a little.
This is just the beginning! The real purgatory is still to come!
One day, Lu Renjia rushed into the secret room with a pale face and a secret letter in his hand. His voice was trembling: "Brother! Miss Bu! It's bad! Wulong Ridge... Wulong Ridge is in great battle! Liangshan... Liangshan has lost nine leaders!"
Nine?! I stood up suddenly as if struck by lightning!
"Who are they?!" Yiqing's voice was also slightly hoarse.
Lu Renjia unfolded the secret letter, his hands shaking so much that he could barely hold the paper. "'Standing Tai Sui' Ruan Xiaoer, 'Jade Banner' Meng Kang, 'Gibbon' Hou Jian... and... and 'Golden Spear' Xu Ning!"
Xu Ning?! He also...died in battle?!
My vision went dark, and I almost staggered, barely holding on by the table. That man in the Daming Prefecture's wounded camp, his face sallow, his coughing fits, yet he still exuded the fortitude of a soldier... ultimately couldn't escape this calamity? Did he never use the jade pendant we left behind? Or... never even had the chance to use it?
A huge feeling of powerlessness and sadness instantly overwhelmed me. We had worked so hard for so long, laid out the plan, and left a way out, but we still couldn't change the unstoppable wheel of fate?
Yiqing closed his eyes, and for the first time, his face showed clear regret and fatigue. He slowly opened his eyes and looked out the window at the vast Taihu Lake. After a long while, he uttered a heavy word:
"Bloody Jiangnan... has begun."
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