Chapter 36 : The Proclamation Against the Rebels
Chapter 36: The Proclamation Against the Rebels
The spring breeze of April brushed past Yili County, and the Black Soil Hills were now a sea of lush green.
Layer upon layer of terraced fields stretched upward like stairways to the heavens, gleaming with an oily luster beneath the sunlight.
Fan Kang stood atop the ridge, gazing at the vibrant scene before him, momentarily dazed.
“This... this truly is...”
He rubbed his eyes, half afraid the sight before him was merely an illusion.
In a place like Anxi Prefecture, seeing such thriving crops was nothing short of a miracle.
In the past, farming had always meant worrying about raging sandstorms or lamenting the barren soil.
But now, with a single Black Soil Hill, all those troubles had vanished.
“Lord Prefect! Lord Prefect!”
A hurried cry came from the distance.
Dr. Wang Yanzhi, the agronomy scholar, ran toward him, clutching a handful of rice seedlings.
The old academic, who was usually the epitome of composure and propriety, no longer cared that the hem of his official robe was splattered with mud.
“Look at these rice ears!”
Dr. Wang’s beard trembled with excitement. “The fertility of the Black Soil Hills far exceeds all expectations! This subordinate estimates that the yield of this harvest will reach at least eighty million shi!”
“How much?!” Fan Kang nearly bit his tongue.
According to the land-contract policy established by Jiang Zhaoming, the commoners cultivated government land according to population quotas under the guidance of agricultural officials.
After the harvest, the government took seventy percent, and the people kept thirty percent.
Once this policy was enacted, the enthusiasm of the populace soared beyond measure.
Eighty million shi.
That figure meant the government’s share alone would exceed fifty million shi this season.
When the news reached Anxi City, Jiang Zhaoming only glanced at the memorial, confirmed its accuracy, and set it aside.
All his attention at that moment was focused on the massive sand table before him.
On the sand table, black flags representing the Black-Armored Army and blue flags representing the Queshe Army had already advanced to the southern region of Cangbei County.
The area lay 3,700 li from Anxi City and 4,300 li from Cangbei City.
From a logistical standpoint, the Prefectural Alliance actually held the advantage.
Jiang Zhaoming’s slender fingers lightly tapped the edge of the sand table.
The forces under his command were considerable: eight thousand Black-Armored Cavalry, nearly twenty thousand Queshe soldiers, fifteen thousand Prefectural troops, twenty thousand Bandit-Subduing soldiers, thirteen thousand Luntai troops, and fifteen thousand Beiting cavalry.
A total of forty-three thousand cavalry and forty-eight thousand infantry — all well-trained elite soldiers proficient in military formations.
As for the Cangbei rebels, their numbers had swelled considerably, now exceeding eighty thousand, including six Divine Power Realm generals — a force that could not be underestimated.
The only relief was that most rebels were hastily recruited and lacked discipline and formation compared to the Prefectural Alliance.
On the ever-changing battlefield, discipline and morale were paramount — the true lifeblood of any army.
If the two sides clashed head-on, Jiang Zhaoming was certain the Prefectural Alliance would annihilate the enemy with overwhelming force.
His fingers unconsciously brushed the edge of the sand table, his gaze fixed on the area representing Loulan’s direction.
What truly concerned him was the Blue Wolf Army, which had entrenched itself in the Western Regions for many years.
According to intelligence from over a decade ago, the Blue Wolf Army possessed eight Divine Power Realm generals, fifty thousand wolf warriors, and forty thousand wolf cavalry.
The number made Jiang Zhaoming frown.
That was old information — ten years outdated.
After a decade of development in Loulan, the Blue Wolf Army’s current strength was anyone’s guess.
What puzzled him most was that, given their might, if the Blue Wolf Army allied with the Cangbei rebels to launch a pincer attack, it would spell disaster for the Prefectural Alliance.
Yet strangely, according to the spies’ reports, aside from a brief appearance during the capture of Cangbei City,
that mysterious army had vanished completely, not taking a single step beyond Loulan since.
“What on earth are they scheming…”
Jiang Zhaoming narrowed his eyes, the flickering lamplight casting mottled shadows across his face.
Just then, Gu Landa approached quickly, presenting an urgent sealed letter, the wax imprinted with the character “Wan.”
Jiang Zhaoming’s brows lifted slightly as he tore it open.
The iron-hooked, silver-stroked handwriting nearly pierced through the paper:
“To His Highness: Your servant Wan Donglai begs forgiveness. The western front of Anxi is locked in stalemate; this servant cannot leave his post. But Your Highnes may rest assured — so long as this servant stands, the wolfish foes of Loulan shall not dare make a single move. Wishing Your Highnes peace and victory.”
The letter trembled faintly in Jiang Zhaoming’s hand.
This mysterious First Divine General of Anxi — like the elusive Anxi Army under his command — remained shrouded in mist.
“Landa, do you know the current state of the Anxi Army?” Jiang Zhaoming suddenly asked.
Gu Landa, who had been about to leave the hall, gave a bitter smile. “Your Highnes, apart from the occasional reports from General Wan, the Anxi Army is as if...”
“As if it doesn’t exist.”
Jiang Zhaoming finished her words, his expression complex as he gazed toward the western horizon.
Were it not for the tangible fortune Wan Donglai had sent, even he might have doubted the army’s loyalty.
The candlelight over the sand table flickered, reflecting in Jiang Zhaoming’s deep eyes.
After a long moment, he exhaled softly. “No matter. As long as the Blue Wolf Army dares not act rashly, that is news enough to gladden us.”
At those words, Gu Landa’s ears perked in curiosity about the contents of the urgent report.
But before she could ask, Jiang Zhaoming suddenly rose and said, “Landa, draft a Proclamation Against the Rebels for this prince!”
Gu Landa’s heart jolted.
Were the two armies that had long faced each other across the Cangbei River finally going to war?
She dared not delay a single moment, sitting swiftly before the desk below Jiang Zhaoming and, guided by his voice, began to write.
Taking a deep breath, her brush danced like a serpent and dragon.
As Jiang Zhaoming’s firm, sonorous words filled the hall, fierce and commanding sentences took form upon the parchment:
“...The Cangbei rebels have colluded with foreign enemies, bringing calamity to the common people... Now this prince dispatches the Royal Army, swearing to scour their dens and cleanse their halls...”
The ink of the proclamation had scarcely dried when it was posted upon the Prefectural City’s announcement board.
Copies bearing the same words were transmitted across the lands by spies using communication talismans.
Within half a day, this declaration of war spread like thunder across the ten eastern counties, shaking the heavens.
In the counties still suffering under rebel occupation, when the commoners secretly read the proclamation, flames of hope rekindled in their eyes.
At the frontline camp, Cheng Yaojin tore open the missive, a ferocious grin spreading across his rugged face.
“So it’s finally begun!”
He turned and roared to his guards, “Pass down the orders! Proceed as planned!”
On the southern bank of the Cangbei River, war drums thundered.
The engineers of the Prefectural Army, Bandit-Subduing Army, and Luntai Army worked through the night, erecting floating bridges and arrow towers.
Beneath the cover of darkness, two cavalry divisions of the allied forces silently split into separate paths.
The Black-Armored Heavy Cavalry joined with the Queshe Army, their combined forces flowing westward like a black torrent.
Meanwhile, the Beiting cavalry swept eastward like silver lightning.
Before the enemy could even react, these two formidable columns would cross the river — striking deep into the rebels’ rear and delivering a single, fatal blow!