"…Five years ago, I was transferred to the position of Prefect of Tanzhou. When I arrived in the capital, I was summoned by Lord Mei after a poetry gathering. Search: \(¨Complete¨Book¨God¨Station¨) to read high-quality literature for free. The old man told me at the time that the Miao region was extremely troublesome, with many problems. He instructed me to be cautious. At that time, the Xiaocang River War had just ended, and the Black Flag's strength was greatly reduced, but the three-year war with the Jurchens had indeed demonstrated a tenacity that shook the world."

"…This Miao region originally belonged to the Overlord Saber lineage within the Black Flag. They had earlier launched the Yongle Rebellion following Fang La, and had remained dormant ever since, until the Xiaocang River War began, when they made significant moves. In the fifth year of Jianshuo, the Overlord Saber's main force moved west to prepare for the Black Flag's escape south at Xiaocang River. Besides family members, those left in the Miao region numbered no more than ten thousand combat-ready soldiers, but even so, I never underestimated them…It's a pity that later developments did not go as I expected. The troubles of the Ji Sun family are not in Zhuanyu, but within the walls of the Xiao family…"

Ju Ling County. Autumn was approaching, and the entire garden was golden. In the most luxurious restaurant in the county town, women were playing elegant tunes to add to the atmosphere. A middle-aged official in his forties held a wine cup and spoke to the burly, rugged-looking military general across from him. There was occasional self-deprecation in his words, but his tone was quite sincere.

"…After I was transferred to Tanzhou, I reorganized the military affairs, made friends with various parties, and inquired about news from the Miao region, setting a plan to first seal them off and then exterminate them. However, in the eighth, ninth, and tenth years of Jianshuo, I dispatched troops five times, mobilizing as few as eighty thousand and as many as two hundred thousand soldiers each time. But in the end, those who were holding me back… were the people closest to me."

The middle-aged official waved his hand slowly, "Three years! Five times! Every time without success. This side said to fight, but on the southwest side, everyone started negotiating business. After the business was negotiated, they started making trouble in private and drawing manpower. Everyone thought they were getting a great deal from that Mr. Ning. I was in a lot of pain, brothers, I was not lazy… During that summer in the ninth year of Jianshuo, Zhu Xiong, you let me down."

The rugged-looking general across from him raised his cup: "Drink."

"…No more talk, drink."

The two clinked glasses. The middle-aged official's face was red, and he poured more wine: "I know that I, Yin Changxia, came to persuade you today, and given your personality, Zhu Xiong, you must look down on me. But, on a larger scale, you and I are both officials of the Wu Dynasty. I am the Prefect of Tanzhou, and you should be under my control. It's a pity that the Wu Dynasty is already in decline. Everyone has their own ideas. It doesn't matter. Today, I, Yin, am only here as a friend. If you can listen to what I say, then listen; if you can't, then forget it."

The official named Yin Changxia spoke with the smell of alcohol in his breath. Tanzhou of the Wu Dynasty was later Changsha City, and the location of the Jinghu South Circuit. As the Prefect of Tanzhou, he was originally one of the highest-ranking officials in the provincial capital. Ju Ling was just a small county near Tanzhou, nominally under Yin Changxia's control. Yin Changxia spoke these words under the influence of alcohol, so the Zhu-surnamed military officer raised his cup in apology: "Lord Yin, you are too serious. I will punish myself with three cups, three cups."

"Drink together." Yin Changxia drank three cups with the other party, then slapped his hand on the table. "I said just now… that you, Zhu Xiong, must look down on me. It doesn't matter. The Black Flag Army said that I, Yin, am a traitor. What is a traitor? Is it a traitor to oppose them? Zhu Xiong, I am also a Han Chinese, an official of the Wu Dynasty, and a parent official governing Tanzhou. I… made a miscalculation, I admit it! For five years governing Tanzhou, I have more than fifty thousand men under my command, but I have never been able to enter the Miao region once. What's the reason? No one listens, I admit it!"

He waved his hand, "Having dealt with them for so many years, I underestimated their combat power! In June when they came out, they said they'd break Changsha and then break Changsha, that they'd attack Linxiang and then attack Linxiang. The city defenses were a complete mess, and some people even opened the gates for them. I admit it too. The world has changed. The Hua Xia Army is powerful, and the Jurchens are also powerful. We have been left behind. I can't accept it, but what's next, Zhu Xiong?"

Yin Changxia reached out and tapped the table: "In June, Chen Fan and his men killed their way out, saying they would kill me as a sacrifice to their banner. I had no choice but to hide. The nearby gentlemen all said they wanted to unite with the Black Flag to resist the Jin, saying it fiercely. Yu Daya of Pingjiang can't wait to go to the southwest and kneel before Mr. Ning. They said Mr. Ning was a saint in Pingjiang County, and Xiangxiang and other places also said they wanted to surrender to the Black Flag. What a pity, by August, it was different."

"Zhu Xiong, in June, I lost Changsha, Linxiang, and other places and hid. In August, I started to come out, and all places responded, starting to oppose the Black Flag. Do you think I, Yin, have such an appeal?" Yin Changxia shook his head, "I, Yin, am insignificant. Zhu Xiong, to tell you the truth, the people of Xiang are strong and dare to be the first in the world. I, Yin, am an outsider and can't move you. Those who can truly move everyone are those people outside…"

He sighed slightly as he said this, looking out the window of the restaurant.

Beyond the small courtyard, outside was Ju Ling's gray and black county town and streets. Ju Ling was the location of later generations' Liuyang, and it was not a large city at the moment. At first glance, it didn't show the splendor and prosperity, but even so, there was a quiet atmosphere in the coming and going of pedestrians. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the trees, yellow leaves fell, insects chirped, beggars rested on the roadside, and children ran past…

Yin Changxia said: "In August, Wanyan Xiyin of the Jurchens had already issued an order to attack Jinghu. Guo Baohuai, Yu Gusheng, Li Touhe… the three armies add up to nearly two hundred thousand, right? They will be the first batch to arrive, followed by an army of hundreds of thousands of men. Behind them sits the veteran Jurchen general, Yin Shuke. They attacked Lin'an and made adjustments, and are now on their way. Zhu Xiong, what's here?"

He smiled sarcastically: "The Black Flag troops in the Miao region are slightly inferior to those at Xiaocang River that year. More than ten thousand men came out and occupied Changsha and Linxiang. They had a great time. Next, hundreds of thousands of troops will come, and they won't be able to beat them. They will return to the mountains. Even if they have backbone and endure to the death, no one standing on their side will survive. The Northwest back then is still a wasteland now."

The Zhu-surnamed general across from him nodded: "Yes, it's not easy to handle."

"Moreover, the Jurchen's God of Grain, Wanyan Xiyin, is different from the two princes in the east." Yin Changxia drank a cup of wine, "A veteran general who founded the country is the most troublesome. They are not like Zongfu and Zongbi, driving people to fight. Instead, they have set the rules for rewards and punishments early on. Those who can win and those who have made contributions will have land, people, weapons, and artillery. What are they implying? One day they will return to the north. At that time… Zhu Xiong, to say something rebellious, the Jurchens would be happy to see everyone in the south divide the land and be crowned kings. This is the best for them. Everyone is unwilling to fight for the Jurchens, but to fight for themselves, or for the Wu Dynasty… to tell the truth, everyone can still fight a little."

The general across from him took a sip of wine: "Is this considered fighting for the Wu Dynasty?"

Yin Changxia's hand holding the cup froze for a moment. After a while, he took the wine pot and drank several cups in a row, saying in a low voice: "Zhu Xiong, this doesn't count, but in this situation… how can you let everyone say it… The late emperor abandoned the city and fled, Jiangnan was completely defeated, and they all surrendered. The new emperor is determined to revitalize, which is great. News came a few days ago that Wanyan Zongfu was defeated in Jiangning, but what's next? I don't even know how to escape… Zhu Xiong, let everyone in the world rise up and kill towards Jiangning to drive back the Jurchens. Do you think… is it possible?"

He shook his head: "Jiangnan has knelt down, more than a million people, attacking their own crown prince. Jiangnan West Circuit, tens of thousands more surrendered. The most prosperous area of the Wu Dynasty, the Jurchens have taken advantage of the autumn harvest. Who doesn't want to go all out and fight? I've been in Tanzhou for a few years, and I also wanted to go all out against the Miao region… That's how the world is. A few days ago, I personally met Yu Daya in Pingjiang. Did you think I persuaded him? He saw it long ago. When the Jurchens come, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people in Pingjiang will all die. Zhu Xiong, those are the common people outside."

"If it weren't for this group of Black Flags, everyone wouldn't die. The Jurchens wouldn't regard this place as a thorn in their side. One thousand Black Flag troops, Zhu Xiong, a million people will have to be buried with them. What did the common people do wrong?"

Yin Changxia said these words with tears in his eyes. Zhu Jing, the Xiang Army commander with a rugged appearance, stood up and looked at the scenery outside the window, muttering to himself: "Yes, ten thousand people against a million…"

"It's not just the life and death of those ten thousand people." Yin Changxia sat at the table and ate, wiping his face, "It's also the life and death of a million innocent people. From Yu Daya in Pingjiang to Lou Xian in Miluo, and Liu Qusheng, everyone has decided to avoid it. Zhu Xiong, only Ju Ling is left in the east. You have more than ten thousand men under your command, plus the forty to fifty thousand people in Ju Ling. When Guo Baohuai and the others come, you won't be able to stop them… Of course, I'm just stating the difficulties. Zhu Xiong, look at the people outside. Let them die for the bandits of the Black Flag? I'm not willing."

Zhu Jing, who had a rugged appearance, pressed his hands on the windowsill, frowning and looking into the distance, not speaking for a long time. Yin Changxia knew that his words had reached the other party's heart. He pretended to eat the dishes on the table casually, suppressing the nervousness in his heart.

When Chen Fan attacked Changsha, Linxiang, and other places in June, Yin Changxia's first reaction was naturally to counterattack. Who knew that the Hua Xia Army would pass through the passes one after another in a few days? He hadn't even figured out who had betrayed him when Changsha and Linxiang were opened. Linxiang was breached at night, and it was said that the bandit leader Chen Fan led people directly towards him to take his head. Yin Changxia fled in disarray, his clothes disheveled, and hid outside for two months, afraid to show his face.

In August, Wu Qimei, Lord Mei, who now held a high position in the small imperial court in Lin'an, wrote a letter to him, and he dared to come out and persuade the surrounding parties. At this time, the Jurchens' momentum pressed directly on Tanzhou, and because the Hua Xia Army's strength here was too small to completely unite the surrounding forces, many people were afraid of the million-strong army that could kill them at any time. When Yin Changxia came out to persuade them, the two sides hit it off and decided to try to stay out of the conflict between the Jurchens and the Hua Xia Army as much as possible.

Even if they couldn't completely stay out of it, they had to find a way out for the tens of thousands of innocent people under their rule.

Right now, as long as he could persuade Zhu Jing to give up Ju Ling, the road east of Tanzhou would be completely open.

He had indeed fulfilled his responsibility as the parent official of Tanzhou.

That's what he thought.

In the sunlight outside the window, the fallen leaves were about to run out.

The general named Zhu Jing looked out the window and remained silent for a long time.

"Lord Yin, you grew up in Jiangnan, right?"

"My ancestors were from Suzhou," Yin Changxia said.

"When the Central Plains fell, I was a pig butcher in Bianliang." The general, who was rugged-looking and slightly fat, looked at the autumn scenery outside and said quietly, "Later, I followed everyone back to my hometown to escape the disaster, and only then did I start to be a soldier. I saw how hundreds of thousands or millions of people died when the Central Plains fell. Lord Yin is fortunate to have lived in Jiangnan all his life."

"…During the search of the mountains and the sea, I also saw how people died…Therefore, they must not be allowed to die without value."

"Yes, they must die for a purpose." Zhu Jing slammed his fist into his palm, "I was a pig butcher in Bianliang. As a pig butcher, I always had to deal with people from both the legal and illegal worlds. Sometimes I had to fight people with knives. There's a saying in the underworld: 'If you're not ruthless, you can't stand firm.' It makes sense… It's been ten years since the Central Plains fell. Lord Yin's words today really made me realize that even if I hide in a small place like Ju Ling, the way those millions of people died miserably back then has finally caught up."

The corners of Yin Changxia's eyes twitched: "…Zhu Xiong, this… can still be avoided…"

"Lord Yin, why is it that those who are trying to avoid it are always the Han Chinese?"

"You're… going down a dead end. This is not something you can do alone…"

"Two years ago, I, Zhu, broke the Shuangqiao Fort. That fort was in the mountains, easy to defend and difficult to attack. In the past two months, I've cleaned it up. If Ju Ling can't be defended, I'll take people into the mountains, just like you said about the Miao region, and endure to the death."

Zhu Jing turned his head. The man, whose name was quiet but whose appearance was rugged, had a look in his eyes that was so crazy that it frightened him. Yin Changxia stood up: "You, you're…"

"Yesterday, Chen Fan brought troops to borrow a road from me. What he said made sense. If the army is still like it used to be, it will never be able to defeat the Jurchens. The Black Flag Army doesn't force slippery characters like Yu Daya to join because it's useless even if they do. Only those who can stand at the front when the world is in despair can be brothers."

Zhu Jing showed his white teeth: "General Chen is a true hero, crazy to the extreme. I, Zhu Jing, admire him very much. I, Zhu Jing, not only want to join, but I also want to guard the more than thirteen thousand people under my command. I don't care about a single one of them. In the future, they will all be trained and reorganized by the Hua Xia Army. Lord Yin, you came here today and said a lot of things, but you were so stingy. I, Zhu, will let you die in peace."

"Chen Fan, you…" Yin Changxia's mind was in chaos for a moment. He was able to come here in person because he had obtained reliable information and guarantees. Who knew he would encounter such a situation? He took a deep breath to calm his chaotic thoughts: "Chen Fan borrowed a road from you… What road did he borrow, and where is he going…"

"Like you said, Yu Gusheng and Guo Baohuai are coming. General Chen is going to meet them."

"He only has more than ten thousand men. It's not enough to defend Changsha and Linxiang. How can he send troops—"

"Haha, Lord Yin is right. He only has more than ten thousand men. What's the point of guarding two cities, waiting for a million troops to come… Lord Yin saw it, right? The Hua Xia Army are all lunatics. If Chen Fan hadn't borrowed a road from me, I really wouldn't have been able to make up my mind to capture you, Lord Yin, to sacrifice to the banner…"

The sunlight shone into the window, and even the dust in the air seemed to be filled with ominous energy. The music in the room had long stopped. Yin Changxia looked out the window, and in the distance, there were pedestrians walking. He calmed himself down, trying to make his gaze righteous and serious, and knocked his hand on the table:

"You're all crazy. It doesn't matter if you don't take your own lives seriously. But what about the tens of thousands of people in Ju Ling! What about the millions of people in Tanzhou and Jinghu South Circuit! How dare you take them to their deaths! What right do you have—to do such a thing!"

His voice was deafening. Zhu Jing looked at him and licked his tongue.

"So, if they don't want to, they have to pick up their knives and try their best to kill me—there's always no other way in this world."

**************

In the distance of the mountain stream, a small village was rising with cooking smoke, and red leaves were falling on the top of the mountain. A large, amiable monk wearing a cloak walked up the mountain along a small path, greeting several people by the mountain camp.

Waiting for the fat monk at the edge of the camp were Zhuo Yongqing and the injured Qu Qing. Upon seeing the other party, Zhuo Yongqing's face was a little unfriendly: "Good you, surnamed Feng, you dare to come! I just found out that you personally betrayed us at Yu Daya's place—such a big thing without discussing it in advance!?"

"Hero Zhuo, calm down. I heard that Brother Qu was injured, so I brought some top-quality wound medicine." The fat monk had a friendly face, took out a packet of wound medicine from under his cloak, and presented it to Zhuo Yongqing in a tribute-like manner. Zhuo Yongqing subconsciously took it. After taking it, he felt that something was wrong, and it wouldn't be good to lose his temper like this.

Since dozens of commando teams had killed their way out of the southwest at the beginning of the year, Zhuo Yongqing's side had received the most attention and was the most special. A team led by Qu Qing and Zhuo Yongqing walked in the open, while one or two teams would support them in secret. Feng Zhen, nicknamed "Honest Monk," was a well-known intelligence peddler in the Jinghu South and Jiangnan West areas. For the past nine months, he had been secretly supporting Qu and Zhuo, helping them scheme against many people. The relationship between the two sides was good, but of course, there would occasionally be emergencies.

Feng Zhen had a smile on his face: "The situation was urgent, and there was no time to discuss it in detail. Yin Changxia's people had been contacting Yu Daya in secret many times, and Yu Daya was tempted. There was no choice. I could only go with the flow and simply arrange for the two of them to meet. Didn't I immediately notify you when Yu Daya sent troops to chase after you? It was a close call. I knew that with Brother Qu and Brother Zhuo here, nothing would happen."

"Nothing would happen? If we had reacted a little slower, they would have surrounded us, three thousand, no… four thousand against two hundred! Even if we reacted, we turned around and fought a thousand…"

"Only a little over a thousand, no problem, small scene, Brother Zhuo, it's not the first time you've encountered it… Listen to my explanation, listen to my explanation, I can't help it. Yin Changxia is very vigilant and timid. If I don't give him a little sweetness, he won't take the bait. I brought him and Yu Daya together, and then it's much easier to organize his itinerary. I arranged for him to meet Zhu Jing a few days ago. If I didn't calculate wrong, this guy threw himself into the net and has now been arrested."

"…Is Zhu Jing reliable?"

"In the Jinghu area, he should be the most reliable. Deputy Commander Chen has also asked about Zhu Jing's situation in detail. Speaking of which, he borrowed a road from Zhu Jing yesterday, and he should be not far from us now…"

Feng Zhen said in a low voice, pointing to the back of the mountain. Zhuo Yongqing frowned: "Yu Gusheng and Guo Baohuai are not far from us either. Together, they have about a hundred thousand men. How many men did Deputy Commander Chen bring?"

"Seven or eight thousand, maybe." Feng Zhen said with a smile, "So I'm also here to deliver orders. It's time to gather according to the plan."

The men saluted each other. Zhuo Yongqing turned his head back. The setting sun was shining on the mountain stream with cooking smoke. The people living in peace and prosperity in the village probably couldn't feel anything. He looked at Qu Qing and touched the still painful injuries on his body. For the past nine months, the two of them had been taking turns getting injured like this, but this mission was finally about to turn from small-scale operations to large-scale gathering.

"It's finally going to start." He breathed a sigh of relief and said only that.

**************

It was about to start… such a thing, in that army that had been killing its way here, there was not much feeling.

The sky gradually darkened, and Yu Gusheng led more than 45,000 men of the original Wufeng Battalion to set up camp early in the mountains. After entering the territory of Jinghu South Circuit, this army began to slow down. On the one hand, it moved forward steadily, and on the other hand, it was waiting for the arrival of the Guo Baohuai and Li Touhe armies, which were moving slightly slower.

After nightfall, Yu Gusheng took his son Yu Mingzhou to inspect the camp. As they walked, the father and son discussed the military strategy this time. As Yu Gusheng's eldest son, Yu Mingzhou had been determined to lead troops since he was a child. This year, Yu Mingzhou was twenty-one years old. He was tall and clear-headed and had been regarded as the unicorn of the Yu family since he was a child. At this time, the young general wore a suit of armor, a long sword at his waist, and talked eloquently with his father.

Compared to Yu Gusheng, who had been struggling in the Wu Dynasty's rotten military system for a lifetime, the young Yu Mingzhou encountered the worst of times and the best of times. Although the world had fallen, the status of military men was gradually increasing. Yu Mingzhou no longer had to do things by looking at the faces of scholars like his father did for a lifetime. At this time, Yu Mingzhou's gestures and expressions showed spirit and vigor, and revealed the most satisfying appearance for Yu Gusheng as a father.

"…According to my son's idea, the first step in attacking Tanzhou is not to cross the Pingjiang and Ju Ling lines… Although in Tanzhou, our side has many people and the surrounding areas have gradually surrendered, it is still difficult to be sure of victory against the Black Flag Army, even with tens or hundreds of thousands of rabble. For now, those who arrive first should try as much as possible not to be defeated one by one, but to win over the surrounding forces, stabilize the front, and advance slowly…"

"…In order to explain to the Jurchens in the rear, my son will prepare a memorial for this matter, and it is best for my father to hand it over to the God of Grain. The Jurchen God of Grain is a hero of the time and will surely understand the necessity of this strategy. Of course, on the surface, he will definitely urge us. At that time, our team and the teams of Lord Guo and Lord Li will have formed a line, and the troops in the nearby areas will have been reorganized…"

"…In fact, there are some other considerations in the middle. Although the world has fallen now, there are still many people who are concerned about the Wu Dynasty. Although our side has no choice but to go to war with the Black Flag, according to my son's consideration, it is best not to be the first army to shed blood, and not to appear that we are rushing to sell our lives for the Jurchens. In this way, many things in the future will be much easier to say…"

The autumn wind was pleasant, and the campfire was burning. Yu Mingzhou's words made Yu Gusheng nod from time to time. After inspecting the central army camp, he praised the steady style of his son's camp. Although it was still far from Tanzhou at this time, those who would be generals should be cautious and attentive at all times. With a son like this, although the world was in decline today, he also had a bit of comfort in his heart.

…

Just as Yu Gusheng was inspecting the peaceful camp, Chen Fan was taking a short rest with his men in the dark mountains. He was in a depression in the mountain wall, holding a fire folder and carefully looking at a piece of information he had just received.

Ji Qian'er came in from outside, carrying a small bag of dry food: "How is it? Are you really planning to go over tonight? Is it a bit rushed?"

"Since I was a child, my master told me that if you know yourself and your enemy, you will win every battle." Chen Fan handed the information and the fire folder to his wife in exchange for the bag of dry food. He was also slightly lost in thought for a moment, with a strange expression.

"I'm still meeting… such detailed enemy intelligence for the first time…"