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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 137: Mobilizing Troops
No one present looked at Wei Fusi, especially since Yang Jishan had firmly restrained him and covered his mouth, with tears streaming down Yang Jishan's hand.
Yang Jishan felt some disgust but still whispered in Wei Fusi's ear, "Brother Wei, given the circumstances, that tyrant will not spare you. It would be better to join us in creating the Great Undertaking; wealth and glory in the future will surely not be lacking for the Wei Family."
Wei Fusi, a mere scholar, was no match for Yang Jishan. He was firmly locked in place, unable to move or speak, only able to listen to the so-called proclamation he had supposedly written.
Yang Xuangan's voice grew louder as he read: "Factions incite each other, bribery runs rampant, accepting the words of the treacherous while silencing the righteous, endlessly spreading falsehoods. Soldiers fill the ditches with bones; north of the Yellow River, there is not a wisp of smoke for a thousand miles; between Jianghuai, it is overgrown with weeds!"
The proclamation denigrated the prosperous era that the current emperor took pride in, and the crowd cheered enthusiastically. Those who had been arranged beforehand praised loudly while Wei Fusi felt himself growing weak and powerless.
Yang Xuangan handed the proclamation to someone else while continuing to read: "Xuan Gan has received the nation's grace and holds the position of General. The late Emperor's edict states: 'Good descendants shall assist me; wicked descendants shall be dismissed.'"
"Thus, I report this edict above and follow the people's will below, abolishing this debauchery and establishing a wise governance. With hearts united across the seas and responses from all nine provinces, soldiers act as if avenging personal grievances; common people strive for righteousness. The will of heaven and human affairs are clearly understood."
"Alone guarding a solitary city, how long can one endure? I wish for the common people to be considered; let the state be our heart. Do not cling to trivial matters that bring personal grief. Who speaks of the nation? Once it reaches this point, I write with tears flowing, my words lacking substance!"
"Yang Gong is mighty!"
Yang Xuangan immediately commanded: "Have this proclamation copied a thousand times and distributed to all counties under heaven. Ji, you lead people to shoot this letter into Luoyang City."
"Yes!"
Yang Xuangan began redeploying troops. After defeating Wei Wensheng, he learned that the emperor's army was trapped in Zhuojun due to food shortages, which slightly eased his urgency.
After the civil and military officials dispersed, Yang Xuangan's confidants remained for important consultations. No one paid attention to Wei Fusi, who had slumped onto a chair in tears; it was already tacitly accepted that he was one of their own.
However, Li Mi, who had remained silent until now, suddenly pointed at Wei Fusi and said: "Wei Fusi has never been an ally; he has always maintained a watchful attitude. If you wish to achieve the Great Undertaking, how can you keep such a person by your side in charge of important matters? If we allow him to discern right from wrong, we will surely be misled by him!"
Yang Xuangan knew that using Wei Fusi to divide Li Mi would inevitably cause dissatisfaction from Li Mi. However, once they obtained Luoyang City, they would have no choice but to rely on Wei Fusi as a stepping stone; it was impossible to simply give him an empty position as a ruse.
"Master Fa, after this incident, Brother Wei will no longer hesitate. We will unite our efforts and succeed together; what do you think?"
Li Mi sighed: "We are already weaker than the court's strong army. We originally had unity of purpose; what benefit is there in such coercive schemes?"
Yang Xuangan turned his gaze towards Wei Fusi. "Brother Wei, given the circumstances, why act like a child?"
Wei Fusi slowly sat up. "The troops are still insufficient. We must immediately seize Yongfeng Granary to distribute grain to the people and recruit young men. I will contact my relatives in Luoyang City to see if we can eliminate Fan Zigai."
Hearing this, Yang Xuangan was overjoyed. "Good, let us proceed with your plan!"
...
Meanwhile, Li Jian Cheng had already begun his march, leading an army of ninety thousand straight towards Luoyang. He instructed the Prince to order the Ministry of War to draft a command to summon Dan Xiongxin and Qin Shubao from Zhang Suduo's command.
Li Jian Cheng knew well how brave Yang Xuangan was; while it might be an exaggeration to call him a reincarnation of a great conqueror, he was undoubtedly one of the fiercest generals of the age, charging into battle and cutting down enemies with ease.
In the absence of Zhang Hutan, Li Jian Cheng naturally needed to call upon a fierce general for protection. In warfare, temporary victories or defeats were inconsequential; what mattered most was survival.
While waiting for the two generals to arrive, Li Jian Cheng slowed his march and took the time to write a letter to the Emperor. He expressed his gratitude for the Emperor's trust and explained the situation: his soldiers lacked training, especially the commoners.
The rebel forces had undergone numerous battles and had become elite troops. He would risk his life but dared not act recklessly and jeopardize national affairs. Thus, he continued to train his men while reassuring the Emperor that the traitors could not win the people's hearts and would not last long. He urged the Emperor to take care of his health.
Unbeknownst to Yang Guang, who had yet to receive the letter, Dai Wang Yang You felt relieved seeing Li Jian Cheng's slow advance. If he truly intended to join forces with Yang Xuangan, he would be acting hastily rather than complicating matters.
Li Jian Cheng's departure from Chang'an meant freedom; messages that once required secret passages could now be handled directly. Although the troops were not entirely under his command, as long as they did not rebel, no one could take them away before Yang Xuangan subdued the region.
First was Zhang Hutan's side; although they lost a small portion of their supplies due to Goguryeo's pursuit, they managed to bring back most of their weapons and armor.
Weapons were manageable, but armor for men and horses was rare. Over the years, Li Jian Cheng had only gathered about a hundred sets of horse armor, yet this time there were at least four or five thousand sets available.
It was puzzling why the Emperor specifically ordered so much horse armor for what seemed like a siege battle; perhaps he planned to enter the city in triumph with thousands of armored cavalrymen as a show of power.
While cavalry armor might not have been particularly effective against the swift Turks, it still held significant offensive power during battles in Central Plains when two armies clashed.
With so much horse armor available, there was even less need to mention infantry armor; what was lacking now were soldiers—his own troops.
Although Li Jian Cheng had placed his people in various locations, over time, they all harbored their own concerns. For instance, Zhai Rang of Wagang, who once eagerly sought information on every matter, now only sent a greeting after a long silence.
If it weren't for the presence of other confidants in Wagang, Li Jian Cheng would have no idea how things were developing there.
Ah, human nature—people tend to remember the good while forgetting the bad. After reading the latest news from Wagang, Li Jian Cheng lowered his gaze.
It was easy to kill Zhai Rang, but over time, everyone changes; killing would never end.
It was better to focus on accomplishing tasks first; once that was done, the rest would resolve itself.
Chang'an and Luoyang were not far apart. Although he had slowed his pace, he soon arrived at the front lines where Wei Wensheng's eight thousand remnants were stationed not far ahead.
Wei Wensheng requested him to lead troops for defense, but Li Jian Cheng only brought his personal guards. Upon entering the camp, he noticed the morale was low; the courage of these eight thousand soldiers had vanished.
In a real fight, they might not even be as brave as those young commoners who were stepping onto the battlefield for the first time. Wei Wensheng welcomed everyone, and Li Jian Cheng first paid his respects to his father.
Li Yan glanced at Wei Wensheng before speaking a few words to his son. They did not discuss family matters; instead, they spoke of their duty to the country since His Majesty had taken action against traitors.
……………
(End of Chapter)
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