There were two main groups of bandits in Yuzhou. The group that fled into Zhuque Mountain eventually chose to surrender to the Zhenxi Army.
And in the Xuanwu Mountains in the east of Yuzhou, there was another group of bandits, with a population of about 250,000.
The 250,000 bandits in Xuanwu Mountain were different from the bandits in Zhuque Mountain who were divided into more than a dozen groups. They all took orders from a bandit leader named Xue Wu.
Xue Wu was originally a captain of the Yuzhou wing army. Later, he was framed by his superior because he opposed Shangguan's killing of an innocent person and taking credit for it. In anger, Xue Wu killed Shangguan and led 500 wing soldiers to join the bandits.
Xue Wu was over two meters tall, with broad shoulders and a strong waist, natural strength, and outstanding martial arts. With the support of 500 soldiers, he soon became the leader of one of the gangs of bandits.
When the Zhenrong Army was clearing out the bandits in Yuzhou, Xue Wu not only kept avoiding the Zhenrong Army, but also took the opportunity to absorb the bandits who were dispersed by the Zhenrong Army.
This caused the number of bandits under Xue Wu's command to expand rapidly. In just over a year, it reached the current number of 250,000, and almost half of them were young and strong men.
Upon learning that the 300,000 bandits in Zhuque Mountain had surrendered to the Zhenxi Army, Xue Wu immediately gathered the bandit leaders under his command.
"I'm sure all of you brothers are aware that the 300,000 righteous soldiers from Suzaku Mountain have voluntarily surrendered to the Zhenxi Army.
I called all of you brothers together today to hear your opinions on what we should do next?" Xue Wu said to the bandit leaders in a deep voice.
As soon as Xue Wu finished speaking, a bandit leader named Du Bao said loudly: "Captain, we now have two paths before us.
One way is to follow the example of the rebel army in Zhuque Mountain and surrender to the Zhenxi Army.
Another way is to quickly enter Meizhou and join forces with the 700,000-strong army led by Yuan Tianhu, the leader of the rebel army in Meizhou.
We don't have much food left, and we can't keep hiding in the mountains."
At this time, a bandit leader named Ding Qing frowned and said, "Although Yuan Tianhu has 700,000 men, I'm afraid that less than 300,000 of them can fight.
Perhaps there is no need for the more than 300,000 troops of the Zhenxi Army, Ganyang Army and Huaide Army. Only the Jingwu Town and Chaowu Town led by Prince Yong'an can destroy Yuan Tianhu's 700,000 volunteer army.
If the 250,000 of us go there, it would be like jumping into a fire pit.
I think it's more reliable to join the Zhenxi Army. I heard that the rebels who surrendered to the Zhenxi Army were all relocated to Xizhou by the Zhenxi Army."
Du Bao and Ding Qing were originally the captains of the garrison troops under Xue Wu. After following Xue Wu to become bandits, they became Xue Wu's right-hand men.
Du Bao nodded and said, "In fact, I also think that joining the Zhenxi Army is a good way out. Although the Zhenxi Army is under the order of the imperial court to enter the pass to fight against the rebel forces in the northern states.
But the Zhenxi Army is essentially a vassal state, and if we join the Zhenxi Army, we shouldn't be subject to liquidation by the imperial court."
Then more than a dozen bandit leaders spoke one after another, and basically agreed to surrender to the Zhenxi Army, feeling that joining forces with the 700,000 volunteers in Meizhou would be a dead end.
Xue Wu considered for a long time, and finally followed the advice of the bandit leaders under his command and decided to lead 250,000 bandits out of the mountains to join the Zhenxi Army.
On the morning of March 6, 391 in the Daliang calendar, Xue Wu led 250,000 bandits to Tuchuan County, Yuzhou. At this time, the Zhenxi Army, Ganyang Army and Huaide Army had marched to the county seat of Tuchuan County.
The 30,000 troops of the Left Guard of the Zhenrong Army, led by Li Zhe, the commander-in-chief of the Left Guard of the Zhenrong Army, arrived at Tuchuan City and joined forces with the three border armies of Zhenxi, Ganyang and Huaide.
Prince Chen Su of Yong'an originally requested that the Zhenrong Army send two guards to join the army formed by the court to suppress the rebellion.
However, after Li Zhe discussed with his father Li Rui, he decided to send only the left guard of the Zhenrong Army, and then draw 10,000 wing army troops and 20,000 civilian laborers from Zhaoning County to follow the Zhenrong Left Guard to the expedition.
As for Li Rui, the Grand Commander of Zhenrong Protectorate, he claimed to be ill and stayed in Binwu City.
Upon hearing that another group of bandits in Yuzhou had come to Tuchuan City to surrender to the Zhenxi Army, Li Zhe, the commander of the Zhenrong Army's Left Guard, said to Sun Hao, Cao Tingjin, and Fan Cheng with emotion: "The bandits in Yuzhou are basically concentrated in Zhuque Mountain and Xuanwu Mountain.
First, the 300,000 bandits from Mount Suzaku surrendered, and now even Xue Wu from Mount Xuanwu has surrendered, so the bandits in Yuzhou have been completely pacified."
Cao Tingjin, the Grand Commander of the Ganyang Protectorate, then said with a smile, "If the bandits in other states could be as bad as the bandits in Pizhou and Yuzhou, then we would have it easy."
Fan Cheng, the Grand Commander of Huaide Protectorate, followed up by saying, "They are all citizens of Daliang, so it would be better if we could kill fewer of them.
I just wonder if Xizhou can settle the millions of bandits from other states?"
Sun Hao, in a good mood, nodded and said, "If we can truly solve the problem of those millions of bandits without bloodshed, even if it means draining all the money and food from the Zhenxi Protectorate, I will do my best to settle those millions of bandits in the counties of Xizhou."
Sun Hao was in a good mood because no matter which group of bandits came to surrender, they all specifically stated that they wanted to surrender to the Zhenxi Army.
By sending back the 250,000 bandits from Xuanwu Mountain, the Zhenxi Army would have sent back almost one million bandits, which was equivalent to adding one million Liang people to the Zhenxi Protectorate.
Soon Sun Hao met the bandit leader Xue Wu who led 250,000 bandits to surrender. What surprised Sun Hao was that the bandit leader's combat power value was as high as 99 points, and his wisdom value was not low either, reaching 83 points.
"I wonder what Brother Xue Wu's plans are for the future? Would you like to join the Zhenxi Army and serve this commander-in-chief?" Sun Hao asked Xue Wu with a smile.
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