"Subjugation Crusade?" Miao Yi narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Which side of the Subjugation Crusade?"
He had summoned the Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders in preparation to get rid of them. He wanted to take control of the central army first, and then use them to get rid of the Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders. He didn't expect the news to be leaked. However, this was within his expectations. He was mentally prepared for it. There were too many people, and he didn't have the time or the conditions to take any precautions. It was understandable that the news would be leaked, but he didn't have the time to worry too much before, nor would he worry as much as Yang Qing did. He never hesitated when it was time to take risks. He wanted to catch everyone off guard as soon as everyone thought it was impossible for him to make a move since he had only been here for a day. The most important thing was to capture the central army first.
When the Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders heard the news, they sensed the danger they were in and guessed that someone wanted to get rid of them, so they quickly gathered their men to protect themselves.
Which side of the Subjugation Crusade? Nian Su expressed his stance silently, thinking, 'Of course I'm going to use you as the target of the Subjugation Crusade.'
However, he was anxious inside. He was only a centurion before, but now he had the chance to skip over the 'normal' threshold and be promoted to the Deputy Commander of the central army. In the blink of an eye, he had been promoted two ranks. This kind of opportunity didn't come by often. If the Ten Eagle Banners turned the tables, then everything he had just gained would be for naught. However, the ten thousand men in the central army were not a match for the Ten Eagle Banners' army of over a hundred thousand.
Miao Yi didn't say much, and calmly continued to watch everyone excitedly gather their men.
Two Deputy Commanders and eleven Deputy Generals were promoted in one go. This meant that there would be a series of people getting promoted. With dozens of people getting promoted, the atmosphere was pretty good.
Commander: Xu Tangran; Deputy Commanders: Nian Su, Mao Yujun (female); Deputy Generals of the Eleven Wolf Banners: Cai Linxian (female), Yuan Anle, Liu Yibo, Yin Liji (female), Zhuo Han, Shang Yuanting, Gong Haotian, Song Yanyu, Zhong Shen, Wen Xin (female), Zhao Mugui.
Among them, Cai Linxian, who had a cultivation at the Cailian Second Grade, was chosen by Xu Tangran to be his Deputy General. She was quite a beauty. Even though she wasn't as pretty as Xue Linglong, it was hard to not suspect Xu Tangran's intentions. She was just a widow. Her husband was also a member of the Black Tiger Banners, and died in battle. She became a widow.
After the allocation of manpower was completed, the structure of the entire central army was completely reshuffled. After the various parties finished reporting, Xu Tangran took charge of the situation below. Then, he cupped his fists and reported, "Grand Commander, the reorganization of the central army is complete. We are only lacking a few dozen people."
He felt much more at ease now. The central army had been reshuffled. With the suppression of the Great Commander's aura, he might be able to control it. He was secretly delighted.
After looking through the name list, Miao Yi said, "I'll make some more adjustments. Yang Qing, Yang Zhaoqing, Yan Xiu, and Hai Pingxin will all be under your command. They won't be holding any posts for the time being. They'll be following my orders. As for the missing posts, I'll ask the higher-ups to fill them. "
As for the Left and Right Supervisory Guards, their subordinates did not have the authority to replenish their manpower, and the Black Dragon Division did not have the authority to casually pull people in. Only those at the highest level of the army would have the qualifications to select their men. After verification, they would be assigned to the Imperial Guard Army. They wouldn't let any random people in. Furthermore, the control over the establishment of personnel was also very strict. They wouldn't accept any idle positions. Miao Yi could only temporarily assign Yang Qing and the others to Xu Tangran's command. He didn't want to give them positions now because he wanted to stabilize the morale of the central army. It wouldn't be good to take up other people's positions. Once the matter of the Ten Eagle Banners was resolved, there would naturally be a lot of positions that could be adjusted.
"Understood!" Xu Tangran acknowledged.
Miao Yi said, "The central army will first raise the Black Tiger Banner. Yang Qing, we have destroyed their grand hall. Go and discuss with Sect Master Bai about the matter of rebuilding it. This is a private land bestowed to them by the Heavenly Court. We will compensate them for what we have to. Also, borrow another suitable place from Sect Master Bai to settle down. Then, we'll set aside another place to settle the central army. Those above the rank of Deputy General, come with me to discuss the matter. "
The collapsed grand hall on the mountaintop couldn't be restored for a while. The group of about a dozen people found another courtyard to discuss the matter.
After a short while, Xu Tangran led the Deputy Commanders and a group of Deputy Generals out. They quickly blended into the central army's ranks and gave their orders.
Soon, everyone in the central army took out their Star Bells to communicate with the outside world. They were all contacting the people they knew in the Ten Eagle Banners and relaying the situation here. Not only did they tell them about the execution of Kang, Yao, Pei Laiming, and the others, but they also told them about the reorganization of the central army and the promotion of many people. They said that the Grand Commander had issued a decree to remove the Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders from their positions. He also advised the Ten Eagle Banners' troops to capture the Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders and their trusted aides. The Grand Commander promised that those who performed meritorious deeds would be promoted according to the central army's standards …
In the starry skies, the Ten Eagle Banners' hundred-thousand-strong army was galloping at full speed.
The Ten Eagle Banners' Commanders formed a group at the front. Their expressions were grave as they communicated with each other through voice transmissions.
"The two Deputy Commanders are already dead. Are we really going to use military force?" Commander Li Zhiyuan sighed.
Commander Wang Likun said solemnly, "Are you still unclear of Niu Youde's intentions? He obviously summoned us for a meeting today to get rid of us. Otherwise, why would he attack the two Deputy Commanders? Fortunately, we received the news first. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what would happen if we ran into him. "
Commander Meng Huan said, "We are old subordinates of the two Deputy Commanders. We also hold the military power of the Ten Eagle Banners. If Niu Youde wants to control the Ten Eagle Banners, how can he let us continue to hold the military power? We only have two paths to take now. We can either voluntarily give up our military power and submit to him. Perhaps we can save our lives. Or we can use military force to completely make him a mere figurehead and let us control the Black Tiger Banners. "
The few of them fell silent. No one would be willing to voluntarily give up their military power when they had the upper hand. Li Zhiyuan looked at the others' reactions and sighed. "It seems like we can only take the path of military force."
The few of them nodded. Commander Ye Xunqiu said, "We don't know what's going on in the central army."
Commander Xia Yungao said, "We can't get in touch with Pei, Wu, and Heng. They should be dead. I don't know how they lost their lives despite having so many men under their command. The others have repeatedly tried to contact them, but they haven't responded. If I'm not wrong, the central army has turned on us. "
Wang Likun snorted. "A bunch of spineless fellows. So what if they've turned on us? Can the central army stop our army of a hundred thousand?"
"What happened at the back?" Meng Huan asked in a deep voice.
The few commanders looked back and saw that many of the men behind had taken out their star bells and were trying to contact someone.
"What's going on? Who allowed you to contact the outside without permission? "Wang Likun shouted.
One of the subordinates flashed over and said with an ugly expression, "Sir, there's news from the central army. Everyone wants to know what's going on so that they can report it. Who knew that the central army is trying to persuade them to surrender!"
"Stop!" The few commanders quickly turned around and ordered the marching army to stop.
Wang Likun said in a deep voice, "What did they say?"
"Before the two Vice Commanders were executed, they left a confession. They confessed that the three Deputy Generals and the Ten Eagle Flags Commanders were plotting to usurp the throne. The three Generals Pei, Wu, and Heng, who were in charge of the central army, had been shot dead by the central army. The central army has been reorganized, and many people have been promoted. "Now, the Great Commander has ordered the central army to send a message to the Ten Eagle Flags. They want … want …"
"Don't stammer. What do they want?"
"They want the Ten Eagle Flags Commanders to capture ten commanders and their trusted aides. The Great Commander has promised that those who make contributions will be promoted in the same way as the central army …"
The ten commanders' expressions darkened. Wang Likun flashed into the marching army and grabbed the arm of a person who was holding a star bell. He shouted, "Speak, what's going on?"
That person replied meekly, and it was almost the same as what the previous person had said.
The ten commanders asked people one after another, but they all got the same answer. This wasn't important. What was important was that they could already see the restlessness in some people's eyes.
The ten commanders came back and met. Wang Likun gritted his teeth and said, "Ridiculous! We haven't done anything. We haven't even investigated. What right does he have to say that we are plotting to usurp the throne? What right does he have to remove us from our positions? Who gave him the right to act so recklessly without following the rules? If everyone acts so recklessly like him, the entire Left Military Supervisor will be in chaos. We should join hands to complain to the higher authorities! "
Ye Xunqiu's face darkened. "Complain? What are you complaining about? We haven't even met him face to face. How do you know that he didn't act according to the rules? He can completely deny it. It's just his subordinates spreading rumors. He didn't really give the order. Moreover, can you use the words of the star bell as evidence? We can push the blame away from the people in the middle army. The problem is that if one or two of us heard the news, we might not believe it. Now that so many people have received the news from the middle army, the people below will think that we have already been removed from our positions. By the time we bring our men to the scene, who knows how chaotic the people below will be. Niu Youde is obviously trying to lower our morale. Once we rush to the scene and see that many people in the middle army have been promoted, and we bring our men to the scene, it will be confirmed that we are remonstrating. When the time comes, Niu Youde will issue an edict to dismiss us. Pei, Wu, and Heng are examples. Do you think that no one below will dare to make a move against us? "
The few commanders' faces turned ugly. Xia Yungao gritted his teeth and said, "Bastard! Despicable and shameless. How dare he disrupt the morale of our army. He should be executed! "
Li Zhi Yuan sighed. "We have underestimated him! This Niu Youde really lives up to his name. No wonder he can overturn the clouds and rain in Heaven's Street. "
Meng Huan said hatefully, "He is just taking advantage of the fact that he is a Senior Commander!"
With just a single rumor, the ten commanders were immediately forced into a dilemma...
Dusk was about to fall. Within the defensive array, the soldiers in the middle army would occasionally take out the star bell. The Ten Eagle Flags constantly sent people to contact them, reporting their movements. When Miao Yi heard the news, his lips curled into a smile.
"Senior Commander, the troops of the Ten Eagle Flags will arrive in about fifteen minutes!" The Vice Commander of the middle army, Nian Su, came to report once again.
As the Ten Eagle Flags' hundred-thousand-strong army gradually approached, the atmosphere became increasingly tense.
Miao Yi calmly said, "Pass down my order. Open the formation gates. All soldiers in the middle are to follow me out into formation and prepare for battle!"
"Ah!" The people around him were shocked. They hurriedly tried to dissuade him, "Senior Commander, you mustn't do this. We are outnumbered and outnumbered. We should immediately ask for orders from the Black Dragon Division to stop the Ten Eagle Flags from acting recklessly …"
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