Jinghu is turbulent, so we need to suppress and support the troops
Jingxi Road, Zhang Qing’s residence.
The camp was nestled against the backdrop of a mountain and beside a river. Banners fluttered in the autumn breeze, yet a subdued atmosphere prevailed. Promised food and fodder supplies from the local government were repeatedly delayed, and those that arrived were often inferior, leading to growing resentment among the soldiers. Even more pressing was the arrival of a document from the Privy Council, specifically ordering Zhang Qing's troops to "take immediate action to suppress the rebel forces of Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao active in the Dongting Lake area."
Inside the central army tent, Zhang Qing, Hu Sanniang, Wang Ying, and Zhu Wu, who had come on the pretext of discussing the matter (his base in Hebei was relatively stable, so he came as a private visitor), gathered in front of the sand table.
"Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao, relying on the waters of Dongting Lake, have sailed freely, gaining widespread support among the oppressed fishermen and farmers. The government forces have suffered heavy losses in their numerous encirclement and suppression efforts." Zhu Wu pointed to the numerous islands dotted across the sand table, his brow furrowed. "The imperial court's actions are clearly threatening to use Zhong and Yang to weaken our forces."
Wang Ying was impatient and shouted, "Those bastards! They're asking us to fight for our lives, but they don't give us enough food and wages! We can't fight this war!"
Hu Sanniang glared at him and said to Zhang Qing, "General, a head-on fight is absolutely not a good strategy. Not to mention the unpredictable outcome, even if we win, how many of our brothers will be left?"
Zhang Qing remained silent, his gaze darting across the symbols representing the rebel forces on the sand table. He recalled Qiongying's secret letter's advice to "combine suppression and appeasement to preserve strength," and her mention of the "finance and food" crisis. A plan gradually crystallized in his mind.
"We must fight, of course." Zhang Qing finally spoke in a steady voice, "Otherwise, we won't be able to explain ourselves to the court. But there are certain rules for how to fight."
He pointed at several key waterways on the sand table. "Zhong Yang's forces have advantages in water warfare and geographical advantages. Our army is not good at water warfare, and a strong attack will only lead to heavy losses. However, they also have weaknesses—they are scattered, and they have accumulated a lot of wealth and food over the years, which are stored in fortifications on various lakes and islands."
Zhu Wu's eyes lit up. "Brother Zhang, what you mean is... avoiding the strong and attacking the weak, using the name of suppressing bandits as a pretext to... replenish food and money?"
"That's right!" Zhang Qing nodded. "We should select strongholds with relatively weak defenses but abundant reserves, and use our elite troops to launch a surprise attack and achieve a quick victory. We can not only seize money and supplies to replenish the army and appease the soldiers, but also report our achievements to the court and demonstrate our loyalty. At the same time, we should focus on besieging and appeasing the main forces of Zhong and Yang, avoiding direct confrontation."
"Great!" Wang Ying slapped his thigh. "I can get the job done, get some benefits, and save my brothers from dying!"
Hu Sanniang also nodded in agreement: "This plan is feasible. It just requires careful planning and accurate intelligence to ensure a successful strike."
"Leave the intelligence to me," Zhu Wu said. "I can try to contact some friends in the martial arts world and find out the true situation of Zhong Yang's various forces."
With the plan in place, Zhang Qing immediately took action. On the one hand, he reorganized his troops and horses, assuming an active war preparation posture to deal with the court and the military supervisors; on the other hand, he carefully planned with Zhu Wu, Hu Sanniang and others and selected a target.
The first operation targeted a water stronghold called "Heiyu Dang" on the edge of Dongting Lake. According to information Zhu Wu had gathered, the stronghold was relatively isolated and sparsely defended, but because it controlled a small section of an important waterway, it was quite wealthy due to the tolls it collected from passing ships.
On a dark and stormy night, Zhang Qing personally led Hu Sanniang, Wang Ying, and five hundred elite soldiers, boarding a fleet of requisitioned fishing boats and sampans, and quietly infiltrated Heiyu Pond. The battle was decisive, catching the rebels defending the village by surprise and crushing them with minimal resistance. Zhang Qing ordered that only the stubborn leaders be executed, while all captured common soldiers were released and a small amount of money and food was distributed, stating that the imperial court (actually, he) would only punish the ringleaders and spare those who had been coerced.
In this battle, countless amounts of money, food, and military equipment were seized, greatly alleviating the army's supply pressure. Zhang Qing distributed most of the captured items as rewards to his officers and soldiers, and turned a small portion over to the court to report his achievements. This indeed won him a commendation from the court and greatly boosted the morale of his soldiers.
The initial victory further solidified Zhang Qing and his men's strategy of "suppression to support the army." Over the following months, they repeated this strategy, targeting several similar rebel outposts, each time achieving fruitful results. As for the core areas of Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao's influence, they maintained their distance, occasionally engaging in light engagements to maintain a "suppression" posture.
This strategy proved remarkably effective. Zhang Qing's army's financial and food problems were greatly alleviated, their morale was steadfast, and their strength was even secretly enhanced. The imperial court, seeing his "repeated military exploits," temporarily relaxed its pressure, even reimbursing some of the previously overdue grain and fodder.
When the news reached Yuncheng, Qiongying was overjoyed. Zhang Qing had perfectly implemented the principle of "preserving strength" and found a way to strengthen himself in difficult circumstances. This proved that their strategy was feasible!
She immediately replied, praising him but also reminding Zhang Qing to be cautious and not over-stimulate the main forces of Zhong and Yang, lest they invite frenzied retaliation. She also informed Zhang Qing of the latest developments in Jiangnan and overseas, particularly the fact that Boss Zheng and his men had secretly begun building the first seagoing vessel in Dengzhou, named "Polang."
However, just when the situation seemed to be improving, an urgent secret report from Tokyo was delivered to Zhang Qing and Qiongying at the same time through Lu Junyi's channel.
The Emperor has officially issued an edict appointing Tong Guan as Envoy to the Jiang, Huai, Jing, and Zhejiang Routes, overseeing the military and political affairs of the southeast and launching a full-scale campaign against Fang La! The main force of the Liangshan Army has been placed under Tong Guan's command and will soon march south! Zhang Qing's troops are also among those being mobilized. They must conclude the battle in Jinghu within a limited timeframe and advance eastward to reunite with the main force!
The dark clouds of war finally descended completely.
The real test is about to begin.
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