“Huben 1st Army Commander Lu Fei greets Your Majesty!”
In the Jinling Province Grand Camp, Lu Fei gave Xiao Ming a military salute. After occupying Jianzhou, Lu Fei handed Jianzhou City over to Lei Ming, and he and Luo Xin led their respective armies back to their garrisons.
According to the original intention of the military reform, each army corps had its own area of responsibility, much like contemporary military regions, each with its own operational objectives.
During the northern expedition, Lei Ming could not cope with the barbarians alone, which was why Lu Fei and Luo Xin went north. After the war ended, Lei Ming’s army corps could defend the six cities, so Lu Fei and Luo Xin led their troops back. Everyone performed their respective duties.
Now, with the war against the south about to begin, Lu Fei would naturally undertake the main offensive task. At the same time, he also transferred Luo Xin’s three divisions. Thus, Jinling City now had a total of 60,000 men.
“Rise!” Xiao Ming looked at Lu Fei, and at the same time stopped Luo Xin’s polite formality. He said, “How are your preparations coming along?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, everything is ready. We can cross the river south at any time,” Luo Xin said with great confidence.
Xiao Ming nodded. He looked at the soldiers who were lined up in two rows to welcome him. These soldiers held their Falcon breech-loading rifles at an angle. Hanging from their bodies were circular pouches, each with a small hole, containing paper cartridges.
Each cartridge belt held a full one hundred and twenty rounds. During battle, soldiers could quickly take cartridges from their hanging pouches and fire from any position.
In addition, the soldiers’ cloth shoes had been replaced by black leather boots, and steel helmets were worn on their heads. Coupled with their dark green tunics, their military appearance was very imposing.
Xiao Ming’s smile grew richer as his gaze swept over the soldiers. He had actually conceived the idea of steel helmets long ago, and the military machinery department had also been designing steel helmets.
However, in the northern expedition against the barbarians, an army that basically had no firearms, steel helmets were not necessary. But it was different for the southern army. This southern expedition, he would probably face large-scale firearm combat.
Therefore, while producing Falcon firearms, he also required the production of steel helmets. This type of steel helmet had a curved surface. If an enemy bullet did not hit the center of the steel helmet, due to its curved surface, it would mostly deflect, which was his reason for equipping steel helmets, as it could reduce soldier casualties.
Coupled with the current progress in Qingzhou Province’s medical science, if not hit in the head, the casualties caused by the current level of firearms would be fewer than the wounded.
After inspecting the Jinling Province Grand Camp, Xiao Ming composed himself. Everyone went together to the General Staff Department in the grand camp. A sand table of the Jiangnan region had already been created there.
Through the sand table, they could clearly see the situation of Li Chuyuan and the merchants’ council.
“Your Majesty, after four months of fierce fighting, Li Chuyuan captured Wuxian. However, although the merchants’ council lost Wuxian, it consumed a large amount of Li Chuyuan’s forces. The State of Chu lost forty thousand men here, almost half its strength. Now Li Chuyuan is planning a direct attack on Suzhou.”
Lu Fei pointed to the battlefield area near Suzhou, explaining the current situation to Xiao Ming.
After a pause, Lu Fei continued, “Besides Wuxian, Jiaxing and Songjiang were also attacked by Li Chuyuan, but Li Chuyuan suffered defeats in both places.”
Luo Quan frowned. “It seems these two factions are indeed evenly matched. But what does this mean?”
As he spoke, Luo Quan pointed to areas like Jianning and Guangzhou.
Luo Xin said, “This is news just sent by the secret guards. In these places, merchants are responding to the merchants’ council, and they are now organizing local militias to contend with the powerful families.”
“This Cao family indeed has some capability. However, Jianning and Guangzhou are commercially prosperous, with many wealthy merchants. It’s not surprising that they support the merchants’ council,” Xiao Ming said calmly. “But if that’s the case, we must prioritize eliminating the merchants’ council, after all, the establishment of the merchants’ council is intricately linked with Western forces.”
After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I have already discussed this privately with Li Chuyuan. According to our timeline, he will invite me tomorrow to assist him in suppressing the rebellion. In my opinion, we and Li Chuyuan will first eliminate the merchants’ council forces, and then we will seize the opportunity to deal with the powerful families of Jiangnan.”
Niu Ben and the others nodded. This was their strategy for this southern expedition: pulling one over to their side and fighting the other, ultimately devouring those who remained.
Having settled this matter, everyone returned to prepare.
Xiao Ming, meanwhile, moved into the Jinling Province temporary imperial residence with his consorts. Immediately, five thousand imperial guards from Qingzhou Province meticulously protected his residence.
The next day, Li Chuyuan, as agreed, arrived in Jinling Province with Sima Hao.
Unlike his usual arrogant and domineering demeanor, the current Li Chuyuan looked disheveled. Sima Hao, though dressed neatly, clearly showed fatigue on his face.
For them, life was getting harder and harder. The State of Chu was now embroiled in war everywhere. Powerful families and merchants were fighting fiercely, and the common people had also joined the two factions, attacking each other.
He was now very glad he had purchased many firearms from Xiao Ming. Otherwise, their family property would have long been seized by the rebels instigated by the merchants’ council.
Moreover, as the war progressed, although they seemed evenly matched on the surface, they were gradually losing their popular support.
Many common people, who had been oppressed and bullied by powerful families for hundreds of years, sided with the merchants’ council. If this continued, they would only face defeat.
So, Sima Hao had no choice but to abandon his persistence and agree to Li Chuyuan seeking help from Xiao Ming. For him, now, as long as the merchants’ council could be completely eliminated, everything else could be discussed later.
“Your Majesty…”
In the main hall of the temporary imperial residence, Li Chuyuan “plop” knelt down upon seeing Xiao Ming. Then he crawled to Xiao Ming, tightly embracing Xiao Ming’s leg, “The State of Chu faces this great calamity. I hope Your Majesty can save your humble prince, and it would not be in vain for my humble prince’s loyalty to Your Majesty.”
Xiao Ming’s face showed a look of pity, but in his heart, he was already blooming with joy. He cooperated with Li Chuyuan and said, “The State of Chu is a feudal state of the Great Yu Empire. Now that the State of Chu is in trouble, the imperial court naturally cannot stand idly by. After all, the State of Chu is also territory of the Great Yu Empire!”
Although Sima Hao was unwilling in his heart, having to ask Xiao Ming for help, he could only nod in submission.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty hadn’t intervened, your humble prince might have already been in mortal danger,” Li Chuyuan said.
Xiao Ming nodded. He seized the opportunity and said, “If that’s the case, then you will remain in Jinling Province. Although the merchants’ council is powerful, it is no match for me. You will be safe here.”
Li Chuyuan breathed a slight sigh of relief. This was what he came for. This was also their agreed plan: as long as he remained in Jinling Province, his life would be safe.
And Xiao Ming could then use him to issue orders to the State of Chu, killing two birds with one stone.
Sima Hao’s mouth hung open in astonishment. He hadn’t expected such a turn of events. He only felt as if the sky had collapsed.
The novel has already been fully translated up to the final chapter. You can access it on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/caleredhair