Chapter 337: Du Wenhuan’s Fury
Chapter 337: Du Wenhuan’s Fury
Yan’an Prefecture!
Three Boundary Governor Yang He arrived beneath Yan’an Prefecture’s walls at the head of a large army.
The troops behind him were no ordinary force. Their commander was a man named Du Wenhuan, who excelled in both archery and horsemanship, mastered military strategy, and was well-versed in “The Commentary of Zuo”, various schools of ancient philosophy, and the poetic styles of the Six Dynasties and Early Tang periods. He authored works including “Essays from Mount Taixia,” “Survey of the Five Sacred Mountains,” “Morning Mist Musings,” “Comprehensive Interpretation of the Six Secret Teachings,” “Selected Works of Taixia,” “Eight Streams Collection,” and “The Complete Works of Dao Wu.”
He was a man of exemplary military and literary talents.
During the Wanli era, Du Wenhuan repeatedly defeated Mongolian tribes and later earned great merit suppressing the rebellion of She Chongming in Chongqing.
He was a formidable warrior, possessing both capability and numerous battlefield achievements.
This time, when Yang He came to the northwest to oversee the operation against the roving bandits, Du Wenhuan happened to be claiming illness and resting at home. Yang He personally sought him out, inviting him to join specifically for bandit suppression.
They had pursued the largest bandit force, led by Wang Jiayin, from the northern borders, chasing relentlessly until they reached Yan’an Prefecture.
Arriving before Yan’an Prefecture, the desolate landscape along the way made Yang He sigh involuntarily. “Four years of severe drought, not a single grain harvested, supply lines failing… Starving soldiers and starving commoners, over half have turned to banditry…”
Du Wenhuan, however, focused on something different. He lowered his voice. “Your Excellency Yang, on this journey, we passed several county seats overrun by Wang Jiayin. Have you noticed these counties have no city walls anymore?”
Yang He: “Hmm? You’re right. Why no walls?”
Du Wenhuan: “The counties originally had walls. After Wang Jiayin broke in and pillaged, the bandits demolished the walls before leaving.”
A question mark slowly formed above Yang He’s head: “?”
Du Wenhuan: “Walls aid defense. The bandits destroyed them during their withdrawal to facilitate their next raid.”
Yang He: “Utterly outrageous! We must catch up to Wang Jiayin swiftly and apprehend this lawless reprobate.”
Just as he spoke, a fast rider galloped up. The messenger dismounted urgently and reported: “After capturing Huangfu, Qingshui, and Mugua, Wang Jiayin seized Fugu. Bandit leader Shen Yiyuan occupied Xin’an, Ningsai, Liushujian Forts, and other strongholds. Shen Yiyuan’s brother Shen Yikui besieged Qingyang and took He Shui…”
Hearing “Ningsai,” Du Wenhuan’s face darkened, his entire body trembling. “Ningsai… Ningsai is my ancestral home!”
The messenger lowered his voice: “General Du… your clansmen… were almost… all killed by Shen Yiyuan.”
Du Wenhuan was furious!
Hearing this, Yang He couldn’t help but deeply furrow his brows. “Here we are pursuing Wang Jiayin, yet Shen Yiyuan rises elsewhere, Bu Zhan Ni rampages fiercely near Luochuan… With all Five Troop Divisions having Entered the Capital to Serve Wang, our forces are utterly insufficient to suppress all these roving bandits.”
Du Wenhuan was furious!
Yang He: “Given the situation, it seems we must resort solely to appeasement.”
Du Wenhuan was furious!
Yang He: “Issue my command: all local commanders, prefectural magistrates, and county magistrates are to appease the roving bandits with the promise of high offices and riches, enticing them to surrender. I will personally issue pardons to them and formulate settlement policies.”
Du Wenhuan, still furious, shouted: “Deputy Minister Yang! Did you not just hear? These bandits slaughtered my family! Yet you plan to appease them? Issue them pardon documents? Did my Du family members die for nothing?”
Yang He: “But the Five Troop Divisions are absent. We lack sufficient troops. Appeasement is the only way to quell the bandits right now.”
Du Wenhuan was furious: “Fine, fine! Deputy Minister, appease to your heart’s content! This humble officer will go fight the bandits himself to the death, to revenge the blood of my family!”
With that, Du Wenhuan swung around and strode away.
His personal retainers and house guard instantly followed. In a blink, a large group of elite soldiers and capable officers trailed Du Wenhuan, deaf to Yang He’s calls. They simply refused him the courtesy of turning back.
Yang He was left surrounded only by a group of incompetent soldiers shivering in the cold wind.
…
County Magistrate Feng Jun of Heyang, after making a circuit in Xi’an, drifted back to Gaojia Village.
Though the shortest route from Chengcheng County back to Heyang County should pass through Quangou Village, sometimes the fastest path between two points wasn’t a straight line, but “wherever the train arrives.” Thus, taking the long detour through Gaojia Village was actually the shortcut to Heyang County.
Thirty-Two, Bai Yuan, and Gao Yiye came out together to welcome Feng Jun into the village, seating him within Gaojia Fortress’s conference hall.
“This official presented the severed head of Fan Shanyue to the Provincial Governor. The Provincial Governor was most pleased.” Though Feng Jun spoke of good news, his expression was heavy, showing not a trace of joy.
Thirty-Two and Bai Yuan sensed trouble immediately. They lowered their voices and asked, “What’s wrong? You look so grim?”
Feng Jun sighed. “After finally dealing with Fan Shanyue, and with your promise of grain aid for Heyang County, I should be relieved. Yet during this Xi’an trip, I received very ill tidings.”
Everyone: “?”
Feng Jun: “Wang Jiayin’s rampage from Fugu worsens. Days ago, he began pushing south along the Yellow River. The fiend even commands a fleet now! He dispatched boats to attack Hequ County across the river in Shanxi!”
Everyone: “!!!”
Li Daoxuan, outside the box upon hearing this, frowned slightly. He’s going to start infesting Shanxi? Well, the timing fits. The peasant uprising erupted in Shaanxi, but moved into Shanxi territory within a few years. After devastating Shanxi, they turn towards Huguang and Sichuan, eventually paralyzing half the Great Ming.
Feng Jun’s expression remained grim: “General Wang Guoliang of Shanxi deployed Western cannons on Hequ County’s battlements to bombard the bandit ships. He managed to repel Wang Jiayin’s attack.”
Thirty-Two, unfamiliar with military matters, couldn’t help but ask, “The bandits attacked Hequ, still far from Heyang County. Lord Feng, you truly need not worry. What’s this, if not pointless anxiety?” [Lit. “Worry of the man from Qi”]
Bai Yuan: “Steward Thirty-Two, that’s where you’re mistaken. Overland travel and river travel are entirely different matters. Bandits attacking Hequ today could strike our Qiachuan Port in Heyang County tomorrow.”
Thirty-Two: “Ah?”
Bai Yuan produced a fan, flicking it open with a whoosh, striking an eccentric pose. “This,” he declared, “is what they call ‘covering a thousand li of riverbank in a single day, returning.'” [Lit. “A thousand li of Jiangling in one day”]
Thirty-Two covered his face: “Master Bai, when you talk like that, it makes me want to punch you.”
Bai Yuan: “Oh? So even you recognize that’s an annoying way to speak? I was simply imitating your earlier example.”
Thirty-Two: “…”
Feng Jun added with a deeply troubled face: “Master Bai speaks truly. Now that Wang Jiayin possesses a fleet, he could assault Qiachuan Port at any moment. My Heyang County, barely recovered from Fan Shanyue’s ravages, has had no time to recuperate. If Wang Jiayin strikes immediately… I possess neither General Wang’s Western cannons nor any formidable militia to defend us. I truly do not know what to do. Aiyah…”