ChangNing’s Imperial Army

On the second day, in the morning, Zhuang Yong packed up and brought his soldiers with him to Mount Hulu, on the southwest part of Yanping Island. This was the drill tactic that he drew up, hence, naturally, it could not be changed easily. According to the plan, Bai Shangnian was in charge of overseeing the central army, commanding the combat soldiers to lay out a defense on Yanping Island.

There were almost 20,000 soldiers on Yanping Island. Shen Leng wanted the probability of winning by a surprise move to be almost zero. Fortunately, both parties knew that for their impending battle, they would not be crossing swords during the drill. Only the soldiers were earnestly preparing for the war. Coming in contact with the higher-ups made them feel worried. They were simply waiting for the people who should die to die, and the people who should get promoted to promote after this battle.

When Zhuang Yong was on his way there, he received the news about Bai Shangnian sending someone over, saying that General Bai’s physical condition suddenly got worse, and he started vomiting blood the night before. Before daybreak, his soldiers immediately got on the boat with him to look for a physician.

Zhuang Yong merely grunted; he did not have any other response. However, he wanted to laugh.

At the laborer’s camp, the official registrar of the Navy, Dou Huainan rushed back hastily. The moment he entered the room, he looked for some water and drank two cups of it before he caught his breath. “Zhuang Yong has already set off. He will arrive at the bottom of Mount Hulu in half an hour’s time.”

“Half an hour?”

Zhang Baihe paced up and down. Suddenly, he stopped. “Get them to kill him now.”

“What?”

Dou Huainan was shocked. “According to the plan, they will only be attacking after Zhuang Yong has climbed up the mountain.”

“There’s no need for that.”

Zhuang Yong beckoned to the people outside to go in. “You are all General Bai’s trusted aides. Today’s battle not only concerns your life and death, it also concerns the general’s honor and reputation. After we finish making use of those water bandits outside, today will mark the start of the meteoric success in your career. If there are any slip-ups, next year today will be our death anniversary. I’m afraid there will not be any sacrifices in front of our graves.”

His voice gradually became louder as he became more worked up. “Since ancient times, people who succeed in doing great things are not afraid of sacrificing their lives. The more dangerous it is, the greater the reward. Today, all of you walked to the very front. When the time comes, where the general gives out rewards, you will be at the front too. Attaining glory and great future prospects in the face of danger; we will sound the bugle now, and get those water bandits to charge up the mountain to kill Zhuang Yong.”

One of them asked, “How can we get those water bandits to trust us?”

Zhang Baihe said, “Let me do it.”

He walked out quickly. He saw a gong hanging outside the door, and hence, he took it down and hit it multiple times. Shortly after, several water bandits gathered around.

Zhang Baihe looked extremely furious – somehow he was able to summon any emotion he wanted. He climbed onto a higher ground and gestured for everyone to be silent. Thereafter, he started crying out loud. The water bandits were so scared that they started talking amongst themselves, wondering what happened.

“I let everybody down!”

Zhuang Baihe lifted his head abruptly. He had a sad look on his face. “I’m the one who let everybody down. I initially thought that I was able to bring everyone with me and take the road to success, and have a bright future, and that you will no longer have to live your lives as fugitives, wearing the military uniform, having an official post, and allowing your family to live well in the future. However, I did not expect us to be deceived. I did not expect that the Navy’s commander, Zhuang Yong, to be such a ruthless person!”

“It’s him!”

Zhang Baihe lifted his hand and pointed in the direction of Mount Hulu. “Last night, he said he wanted to drink some wine with all the commanders, and discuss more about how to incorporate all of you into his troops. He even made a solemn vow that he would arrange military duties for all the commanders in advance, making each and every one of them a general. In the end, all the commanders did not suspect a thing and happily enjoyed the feast. However, he set up an ambush. Zhuang Yong is a vile person who betrayed us and broke the trust. We have to seek revenge for the commanders and kill Zhuang Yong, the evil traitor!”

His sorrow turned into a resolute will to fight. “We cannot resign to fate just like that. I know that currently, Zhuang Yong just reached the bottom of Mount Hulu and is preparing to plan out how to encircle and attack us. It’s our last chance. Everybody, follow me to Mount Hulu and hack Zhuang Yong to death, taking revenge for the commanders!”

“Revenge!”

“Revenge!”

“Revenge!”

Immediately, the crowd became worked up. Zhang Baihe stood on the higher ground and called out loud, “Charge over and kill! It’s time to take revenge!”

He leapt down; the crowd charged towards Mount Hulu immediately, like the tide. After Zhang Baihe leapt down, he turned around and followed along the corner of the walls and hid behind the room. After he waited for the crowd to charge out of the main door, he returned and instructed Bai Shangnian’s subordinates. “We need some people to lead. Charge all the way to the front. As long as they see that there are people who dare to take action, they will follow suit. Today’s battle is depending on all of you. Right now, I am going to meet with General Bai and steal the Navy’s battleship. After you have completed the mission, immediately enter Mount Hulu and hide. Shortly after, The general’s elite troops will capture all the water bandits. Wait for everything to quieten down before you come out, in order to avoid harming the innocent.”

Those people answered and drew out their swords, chasing after the water bandits.

Zhang Baihe turned around and took a look. He realized that Dou Huainan had disappeared. He cursed in a soft voice before leaving quickly. He did not dare to look for Bai Shangnian. Based on his conjecture, Bai Shangnian was no longer on Yanping Island. That old fox wanted to ditch everything as far away from himself as possible. Zhang Baihe did not believe that he himself was able to escape unscathed after everything ended.

As long as Dou Huainan and him died, nobody would know about Bai Shangnian making arrangements for the water bandits to infiltrate Yanping Island. Dead men told no tales.

。

Zhang Baihe ran all the way to the river bank at one go. In one area of a very thick underbrush, he used the branches of a tree and weeds to hide a boat. Not only did he prepare some swords and belongings, he had even prepared some food. One could see how much thought that person put into this operation.

“You want me to be your stepping stone to advance in rank? Wishful thinking.”

Zhang Baihe paddled and left. He used to study and practice martial arts in Yanta Academy. Even though he was not outstanding when it came to martial arts, his physical strength was not bad. Moving both arms, very quickly, the boat headed towards the opposite bank.

And on the other side of Yanping Island, a ship left the river bank and headed in the direction of Nanping River.

Bai Shangnian stood on the prow of the ship and smiled. He knew that at this point, they were already very close to success. Staying or leaving made not much of a difference, but for the sake of making it easier for himself when His Majesty questioned, leaving the island was naturally the better choice. By then, all he had to say was he did not know anything. What could His Majesty do then? At the very most, he would be dismissed from office. When the setup was done, and His Majesty was no longer the emperor, the new emperor would ascend the throne and make him a great general. What was the point of bothering himself so much about all those things?

He was not worried about the crown prince abandoning him after ascending the throne. In the beginning stages of ascending the throne, he would only have one supporter, which was Mu Zhaotong. Hence, his seat was still unstable. He would not have the support of the military as well. Who knew how long he could sit on the throne for? Not to forget what happened to poor Li Xiaoran that year – he traveled thousands of miles to Changan city only to get stopped by 9,000 troops outside of the city.

Without the support of the Bai family, the crown prince’s power would dwindle significantly. Even the empress’ family would not dare to behave impudently. As for Garrison B, which he was in charge of for so many years, how was it possible for him to find a replacement that easily?

As he was thinking up till here, Bai Shangnian was in a much better mood than before. That old fox Zhuang Yong seemed to have sensed something amiss as well, but once they started making a move on Mount Hulu, everything will go according to the plan. Because…

Bai Shangnian’s lips curled upwards. Zhang Baihe was a smart person, but it absolutely would not occur to him that the water bandits would not be the one killing Zhuang Yong. They were only but a mob; a gimmick.

“Do you think you’re the only one planting someone in Garrison B?”

Bai Shangnian laughed coldly. Thereafter, he instructed, “Go faster. I want to leave this goddamn place faster.”

His subordinate immediately answered and hurried the boatman. Faintly, they could hear people yelling. Of course, that was only an illusion. Mount Hulu was on the other side of Yanping Island. How would it be possible for him to hear anything?

At the bottom of Mount Hulu, Zhuang Yong was already surrounded. The water bandits that filled the area saw red. They did not suspect if it was true that Zhuang Yong had killed their commanders. They only knew that if they did not retaliate at this moment, they would very likely be manipulated. Those people were originally dauntless bandits; they killed without blinking an eye. If they did not receive the money and promises, they would very much rather continue being a water bandit, living a free life.

In the beginning, Zhang Baihe told them that the Navy was determined in sending forces to suppress the water bandits, and that the emperor had already sent out a decree, ordering Zhuang Yong to purge all the water bandits in Nanping River and the Grand Canal within a specified time frame. After they heard what he said, they were frightened. And it seemed as though Zhang Baihe opened a door for them, and behind that door was the road to success and wealth. Naturally, every single one of them was happy.

However, everything vanished into thin air a moment ago. Their commanders were killed, and ultimately, the Navy was still going to massacre them. Their ferocious and violent aura appeared once again and their murderous intents were overflowing. They had never hated Great Ning’s officials and Navy as much as they did at this very moment.

“Protect the commander!” yelled the squad leader of Zhuang Yong’s soldiers.

A hundred odd soldiers immediately got into formation. They held up their shields and pulled on their repeating crossbows. They unsheathed their swords as well, completing their three-layer defense formation in the shortest time possible. Even though they did not have a lot of people, their formation looked extremely stable, like a mountain.

The water bandits brandished their weapons and approached them, looking like ghouls and demons.

At this moment, someone came running over clumsily from the other side. He was not far away from them and he yelled out loud, “General, leave! Quickly!”

Zhuang Yong looked out and saw the official registrar of the Navy who was in charge of supervising the project on Yanping Island, Dou Huainan. He was wearing his civil official uniform; as he ran over, he looked like a duck. The sight of that was rather loathsome. However, for him to charge over at a time like this, it made him seem rather brave.

Two of his soldiers looked at each other and opened up a gap in their formation. Dou Huainan panted as he charged in. He bent over as he gasped for air. He looked extremely tired, as though his lungs were about to explode.

“General, you must be careful,” said Dou Huainan after he lifted his head.

Zhuang Yong reached out his hand to support him. “Be careful of?”

Dou Huainan took out a dagger from his sleeve. “Be careful of being attacked!”

At the same time, on Taihu, the ship that Bai Shangnian was currently on was already far away from Yanping Island. It would take them only an hour before they entered Nanping River.

Bai Shangnian’s mood was getting better and better. He was greeted by the breeze on the lake and he took a deep breath. He opened up his arms, feeling exceptionally comfortable and relaxed.

Just at this moment, there was the sound of footsteps behind him, and the sound of something dripping. He turned around and saw a man in white, holding an iron rod in his hand; the iron rod was pointing downwards, as blood was dripping from it. As the blood dripped onto the ground, it created a seemingly piercing sound.

That person looked very young; he was also handsome, except that one of his eyes looked very strange. He was emitting a strange murderous aura.