On the night of the fifth day of the tenth lunar month, Jiang Dahai's troops received the support of Chai Guozhu, who was sent by the imperial court. They successfully launched a mutiny and captured Li Hualong alive. The forty thousand elite soldiers of Ji Town were able to seize Yangzhou City, and Jiang Dahai's troops successfully stationed themselves in Yangzhou. They controlled the region, and requested Xiao Ruxun for the next step of their operation.
Ye Mengxiong finished reading the battle report in amazement, then he told the astonished crowd, "Li Hualong has been captured alive, and Yangzhou is now under the control of our army. Chai Guozhu, the forty thousand elite soldiers of Ji Town have surrendered."
Some of the people in the hall turned pale with fright, some were shocked, and some were secretly delighted. Xiao Ruxun could see all the expressions of the people in the hall. Even the worried expression on Yuan Huang's face was noticed by Xiao Ruxun.
After pondering for a moment, a confident smile once again emerged on Xiao Ruxun's face.
"That's great! The outcome has been determined! Once my main force arrives at Nanjing, we will meet up with the navy and the elite soldiers of Ji Town. Then, we can assemble the army and march north, and launch a punitive expedition against the Shen rebels! Gentlemen! The merit of rebuilding the world for Daming, I will share it with all of you! "
The scene was peaceful and harmonious.
After the crowd dispersed, Xiao Ruxun asked a few other important people to discuss the schedule of departure for Nanjing, and other matters. Then, he pulled Ye Mengxiong's hand, saying that he wanted to have a drink with Ye Mengxiong and reminisce about the old days. He also pulled Yuan Huang along to reminisce about the days of hard work.
His words made Yuan Huang and Ye Mengxiong sigh endlessly.
Yuan Huang also took the opportunity to apologize to Xiao Ruxun. He expressed that he had spoken too harshly the other day and did not control his words well. He asked Xiao Ruxun not to take it to heart.
Xiao Ruxun also smiled and said that he had overreacted. It was just that he couldn't control the grief and indignation in his heart when he was persecuted by Shen Yicheng, so he couldn't control his emotions and brought trouble to Yuan Huang. Xiao Ruxun expressed his apologies. In his eyes, Yuan Huang was like his teacher, so he respected Yuan Huang very much.
Ye Mengxiong admired Xiao Ruxun's humility.
The atmosphere was great.
After Yuan Huang and Ye Mengxiong left, Xiao Ruxun allowed Mei Guozhen, who had been hiding behind the screen, to come out.
"I'm very sorry, Duke Mei. Right now, I can only let you continue to suffer. Duke Ye Mengxiong has seen you before. Now that the important matter has not been resolved, I can only let you continue to hide your identity. When we attack the capital and eliminate that Shen traitor, His Majesty will issue a decree to restore the reputation of you and General Ma."
Mei Guozhen shook his head and smiled.
"Ji Xin, you don't have to worry about me. I understand. Even if I am innocent, I shouldn't stand out now. After all, I was also one of the people who caused Duke Ye to suffer injustice back then. In other words, I gave those imperial censors a reason to attack Duke Ye. I'm sorry for this."
It seemed that Mei Guozhen was somewhat regretful for causing Ye Mengxiong to have no choice but to seek refuge in the south.
Xiao Ruxun smiled and said, "Duke Mei, don't worry. Once the important matter has been resolved, I will help you and Duke Ye resolve this matter."
Mei Guozhen smiled and nodded.
"Ji Xin, it's all thanks to you."
After saying this, Mei Guozhen sighed and left through the back door.
After Mei Guozhen also left, Xiao Ruxun summoned the guard at the door.
"Go and call Zhang Wu."
"Yes!"
The guard quickly called the commander of Black Water, Zhang Wu.
Black Water, which started with thirty people in Myanmar, had now grown to a scale of several thousand people. Not only were they responsible for the exchange of important information, but even some military information was handled by Black Water. To be able to do this, Zhang Wu's contribution couldn't go unnoticed.
Therefore, Xiao Ruxun usually kept Zhang Wu by his side. Whenever he encountered something, he would personally order Zhang Wu to handle it, not letting others handle it.
"Marshal!"
Zhang Wu saluted.
"Well, Zhang Wu, I'll give you a task. Immediately send a reliable man to Yangzhou Prefecture to find Jiang Dahai. Ask him to arrange for the thirty thousand elite soldiers of Ji Town under Chai Guozhu's command to go south towards Jiangzhe. Also, support Zheng Ying's troops in Ningbo Prefecture. Combine the two troops and hand them over to Zheng Ying's command.
Immediately mobilize the troops, don't stop, don't hesitate, make sure they start the operation before I arrive in Nanjing. Also, arrange for two land reform working groups to go with you. Send them to Ningbo and hand them over to Xie He. Let Xie He make the unified arrangements and speed up the operation. This matter is confidential. No one can know except me, especially Mr. Yuan and Mr. Mei. Keep a close watch! "
"Yes! This subordinate understands! "
Zhang Wu immediately went to do it.
At the moment, these things couldn't be disclosed. They must block the news, especially not to let Ye Mengxiong and the others know. As for the future …
Let's talk about it later!
On the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month, the army was reorganized. Xiao Ruxun led the main force down the river to Nanjing. Along the way, all the cities they encountered surrendered at the first sign of trouble, or stopped resisting under Ye Mengxiong's persuasion. None of the cities persisted to the end and put up a tenacious resistance.
It was the same for the army. They either collapsed at the first encounter and surrendered, or laid down their weapons and surrendered, or came to the Zhennan Army to ask for surrender and a full meal.
Therefore, the number of the army snowballed.
In order to ensure the fighting capacity of the army and the problem of food supply, Xiao Ruxun decided to treat them differently.
Along the way, all of the soldiers that Xiao Ruxun had taken in had been screened according to strict criteria. The strong and able-bodied youths were incorporated into the main force, while the weaker ones were all thrown into the logistics transport team to transport rations, or directly thrown back to the garrison to farm the land that the army had taken back.
Meanwhile, those who joined the main force had to go through a comprehensive ideological education.
Before this, Xiao Ruxun's ideological education stopped at the level where the lower-level officers of the Zhennan Army would lead them to sit around a tall fire and tell them stories of the past.
But now, it was different. Not only did the officers have to tell the stories of the past, the surrendered soldiers also had to tell their own stories.
It was commonly known as a grievance gathering.
In any case, before the night came to rest, the officer who had been a veteran of the Zhennan Army would bring his surrendered soldiers to sit around the fire. Each person would be given a bowl of wine and some food. Everyone would sit together and chat.
First, they would listen to the officer talk about his original identity as a refugee and how he was reborn under Marshal Xiao's leadership. Then, under the officer's guidance, the soldiers who had been recruited soldiers or soldiers from the garrison station would also tell their own stories of the past.
How they had been captured as able-bodied men, how they had been oppressed and humiliated by the leaders of the garrison station and the local scholars, how they had starved, how they had not received military pay, how they had wanted their families to be ruined, and how they had no future.
Then, the officer would cry with them. They would hug each other and cry bitterly. Then, they would drink the wine in one gulp and look forward to a better future.
Following under Marshal Xiao, they would have food to eat, meat to eat, wine to drink, and military pay. Marshal Xiao loved his soldiers like his own children. He had never mistreated his soldiers or embezzled military pay. In every battle, he would do his best to treat every wounded soldier and brother, never giving up on any of them.
As they spoke, they cried. Then, everyone cried together. The resentment in their hearts was expelled along with the sad tears. The resentment that had accumulated in their bodies for many years was finally released, making them feel as if they had been reborn.
Then, the officer concluded.
As long as they followed by Marshal Xiao's side and became his soldiers, they would definitely be able to live a good life. They would have meat to eat, wine to drink, military pay, and they could even be human beings!
Of course, the officers had to add that, more importantly, they had to abide by the military discipline set by Marshal Xiao.
Everyone in the Daming Army knew that Marshal Xiao was extremely strict with his troops. He showed no mercy to soldiers, officers, or even generals who did not abide by military discipline. They also told the stories of those who had lost their lives because they did not abide by military discipline in Myanmar to intimidate these soldiers.
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