Free Web NovelChapter 1227: Chapter 1209: The Tide of History
After Zhao Shen and Zu Ti met in Jiangbei, Zu Ti handed the Central Army vanguard to Zhao Shen to lead the battle. He crossed the river from another route into Jiangnan.
Unlike Zhao Shi, who played guerrilla warfare with light cavalry, igniting flames everywhere deep in the enemy camp, Zhao Shen’s vanguard general aimed to genuinely capture the cities under Wang Dun’s control and hand them over to manage before advancing further.
It was necessary to maintain close ties with the Central Army and the rear army. Therefore, he had a dedicated radio and a simple generator to communicate separately with Zhao Hanzhang and Zu Ti.
However, his tactics were unique; he preferred not to push steadily forward but loved to attack only strategic locations and employ flanking maneuvers, thereby isolating officials who were less committed to resisting, or were forced to rely on Wang Dun but lacked firm resolve.
When they realized they were isolated and couldn’t win, the rear army would arrive, prompting them to surrender the city.
For the rear army, it was simply handing over heads and military merits, as they eagerly seized city after city.
Therefore, Zhao Shen maintained a good relationship with the army, and whenever there was a need to replenish supplies, military equipment, and combat personnel, they responded quickly without delay.
Zu Ti was surprised that with such tactics, the casualties were not significant. As of now, Zhao Shen had only replenished his troops once, sending mostly injured soldiers.
Because of the quick siege speed, unpredictable army movement routes, and Wang Dun’s loss of popular support, this army’s situation remained elusive.
Yet, with a Zhao Family Army trailing behind, he was aware, regardless of his decision to abandon Jiangnan and shift to Guangzhou, he couldn’t allow his authority to be so challenged.
Also, since the Zhao Family Army had crossed the river, he needed a major battle to boost morale.
Wang Dun released false information and instructed his subordinate general to retreat from Guangchang County, allowing them passage while he led his troops for an ambush en route from Guangchang to Shouyang.
Zhao Shen remained enigmatic, but after capturing Guangchang County, instead of divining, he dispatched five routes of scouts to investigate the surroundings.
The five routes of scouts found nothing.
Zhao Shen furrowed his brow and ordered, "Search again!"
Again, no anomalies were discovered.
After pondering, Zhao Shen trusted his own judgment. If there were hidden forces along the way... After scrutinizing the map, he decided to exert more effort, dispatching Pingxin with two thousand men to conspicuously detour to Poyang, while he secretly led the main force southeast toward Luo’an.
Wang Dun didn’t manage to ambush anyone but wasn’t discouraged, immediately leading the main force along a shortcut to Poyang for interception.
The two sides encountered each other outside Poyang, engaging in battle. With just two thousand men, Pingxin was highly mobile and didn’t need to necessarily win. His orders were, "Preserve the maximum combat capability."
Upon realizing they couldn’t win, he seized the opportunity, sounded the retreat, and swiftly fled.
Since there were only two thousand men, and previously they showed great momentum, Wang Dun suspected there was a trap ahead; these two thousand men were feigning defeat, luring them in. He stopped his general and said, "Don’t pursue the desperate; let’s return to Poyang."
The immediate priority was Nanchang; they must capture Nanchang in Yuzhang County to lead the troops southward.
Seeing they weren’t being pursued, Pingxin secretly followed them from behind, occasionally and intermittently harassing them. Whenever they turned around, he’d flee.
This further convinced Wang Dun’s subordinate generals that Zhao Shen intended to lure them in. But Wang Dun was skeptical, turning and asking the scout, "Have you found traces of their main force?"
The scout replied, "We are in the same area; we have investigated the traces left after their departure, and the number of earth stoves could supply about forty thousand people."
Wang Dun’s eyebrows furrowed even tighter, and moments later, his expression changed, exclaiming, "No, this is a feint."
If they still had over forty thousand people, how could it be that every time they attacked, it was always the same group?
Sometimes they came to provoke twice in one day.
Wang Dun would always send generals to fight, but he always supervised the battle. He had a good memory, becoming quite familiar with this mouse-like army that occasionally emerged.
"The main force is not here; these two thousand men are attracting our attention. They..." Wang Dun’s brain raced, quickly deducing they were headed to Yu Han County, gritting his teeth, "They must have gone to Luo’an, then Yu Han, from Yu Han heading to Nanchang..."
That was much closer, avoiding his sphere of influence.
Luo’an County’s magistrate hadn’t surrendered to Wang Dun; instead, he tore up Wang Dun’s letter and openly submitted a memorial to King Langya, declaring Wang Dun a traitorous minister.
Back then, Wang Dun’s focus was on Jiankang, thinking that if he captured Jiankang, these minor magistrate’s opposition would be futile, thus he ignored these rebellious county magistrates.
Unexpectedly, the leniency at that time has repercussions today.
Wang Dun immediately left behind a portion to intercept these two thousand men, ordering the main force to advance rapidly, intending to reach Nanchang within two days.
Meanwhile, Zhao Shen, assisted by Luo’an County’s magistrate, had passed through between Luo’an and Poyang, reaching Yu Han, where part of Dai Yuan’s army was stationed, allowing him to pass through toward Nanchang.
However, at this point, Zhao Shen was no longer in a hurry; he expected Wang Dun outside Nanchang City, planning to encircle Nanchang together with Dai Family Army from Yu Han. That would be the real trap.
Zu Ti was quite pleased upon receiving Zhao Shen’s radio message, immediately ordering the remaining Jiangbei army to cross the river and split into three routes: two routes pursued Wang Dun’s main force in Jiangdong, and one route, alongside Zhao Ju, Mi Ce, and Wang Yifeng, recaptured the cities in Jiangnan that Wang Dun had seized.
Six routes of armies shuttled through Jiangnan and Jiangdong, capturing the cities Zhao Shen hadn’t managed to seize and linking them together.
Zu Ti was quite forceful, not only in Jiangnan, but even the areas around Wu County controlled by the local aristocratic families were entered.
The stationed troops in these areas mostly followed Mrs. Zhou; currently, the head of the Zhou family was Zhou Qi.
His grandfather and father were famous ministers of the Wu Kingdom. After the fall of Wu, his father Zhou Chu entered Jin, reaching the rank of Imperial Censor. Zhou Qi was currently in Jiankang, and after Zhao Family Army entered the city, he had been forced to remain in the city.
Zu Ti asked him to escort King Langya’s family to the capital.
Zhou Qi, being cautious, knew rejecting it was difficult, so he agreed.
Before leaving, he wanted to write a letter to his family.
Zu Ti gladly agreed.
After Zhou Qi’s letter was sent back to Yixing, the Zhou Family Army, which previously ignored Wang Dun’s passing forces, suddenly attacked them, blocking their path. Zhao Shi quickly caught up and left a message for the rear forces.
The two routes of rear forces quickly caught up.
Zhou Qi’s letter was sent out, and while crossing the Yangtze River with King Langya’s family and Wang Dao, he couldn’t help but sigh as he watched the mighty river flow.
The division and unity of the world seemed to be influenced by destiny; only he wondered if his and Mrs. Zhou’s future was also predetermined.
Upon seeing the orderly crossing of the Zhao Family Army, the citizens inside and outside Jiankang City were curious to watch the spectacle, eagerly discussing the matter without showing resentment or disgust. At that moment, he realized Mrs. Zhou should align with Zhao Hanzhang according to the changing tides.
Therefore, when Zu Ti "requested" him to stay in Jiankang City to protect King Langya against Wang Dun’s assassins, he didn’t consider escaping but stayed in accordance with the current situation.
