Chapter 123: Aren’t We Being Too Arrogant This Way?

Sancha River.

“So, Wild Boar Skin has ended his war in Joseon,” Yang Xin said as he poured wine.

He was on the deck of a riverboat at the moment. The table before him, laden with dishes, swayed slightly. Behind him, the cabin was filled with grain. A seemingly endless line of riverboats, similarly loaded with supplies, was ready to depart.

In fact, everything had been prepared before his arrival.

Even the three thousand cavalry and five thousand infantry led by Zhao Shuaijiao had already set out north from Shenyang. Chen Yujie had specifically come to Niuzhuang to prepare the boats and goods, waiting for Yang Xin’s arrival so they could set off north together. Barring any mishaps, they would reach Laomi Bay within half a month. Zhao Shuaijiao’s army would not garrison the already-burned Kaiyuan. They would wait at places like Qingyun Fort and Qinghe Pass for the supplies from this fleet. Then, according to plan, they would build a small bastion on the banks of the Liao River.

Of course, that depended on the situation.

“Daišan passed through Zhenjiang and returned to Jianzhou seven days ago. Mao Wenlong ambushed his rear guard, beheaded over a hundred, and coincidentally captured Tong Yangzhen alive. He has already been sent to the Capital City for public display.”

“Loyal ministers of the Great Ming in Joseon sent people to report. Li Hun likely made some secret agreement with Wild Boar Skin, promising to contribute a certain amount of grain annually in exchange for Wild Boar Skin’s troop withdrawal, and also to smuggle grain to him. Wild Boar Skin gained a lot from this trip to Joseon. He greatly replenished both grain and population, and even incorporated some surrendered Joseon troops. He is currently adding Joseon ‘Booi Niru’ under the Eight Banners.”

“These Joseon ‘Booi’ are familiar with firearms.”

“Moreover, Wild Boar Skin captured quite a few cannons.”

“Therefore, Military Commissioner Xiong estimates his next move will be to attack Jin Taiji again.”

“This trip is not only for you to transport military supplies but also to intimidate him and steady Jin Taiji’s morale. Although they defended Yehe City last time, many died, and there is some internal resentment.”

“After all, they intermarry with the Jiannu.”

“According to reports from people we bribed in Yehe City, from the perspective of the various clan leaders under Jin Taiji, instead of fighting endlessly with the Jiannu and losing clansmen repeatedly, it would be better to simply make peace. Or, even if not peace, at least not cooperate with us in battle anymore.”

Chen Yujie said.

“Don’t worry about that. Once the Silver Mine appears, they won’t think that way anymore,” Yang Xin said.

This was inevitable.

The Yehe and Jianzhou tribes had long intermarried. They shared customs, beliefs, and even their language was almost the same. Fighting like this, where both sides suffered, would eventually make some clear-headed people see the problem.

But this issue was easiest to solve.

Once the Silver Mine appeared, it would be settled.

On one side was Wild Boar Skin, determined to seize it. On the other was the Yehe Tribe, unwilling to share. The two sides would have no possibility of reconciliation. There was only one Silver Mine. The Yehe Tribe could live comfortably off it, but sharing with the Jiannu would certainly not be enough for everyone. Then, the war would no longer be about Jin Taiji and his brothers refusing to submit to Wild Boar Skin. It would be a war between the entire Yehe Tribe and the Jianzhou Tribe. All Yehe people would fight for the Silver Mine.

However, the collusion between Wild Boar Skin and Li Hun was troublesome because it meant Wild Boar Skin got a stable grain supply. Joseon might not be rich in grain, but they could obtain it through trade with the Great Ming or even Japan.

Especially with smuggling.

The Shanxi Merchants and the like would surely love such a safe transit point.

The solution to this was also simple: just have the Ming Army control Zhenjiang Fort.

But that was very difficult.

In the original history, Mao Wenlong did capture Zhenjiang Fort by surprise, but the Jiannu quickly retook it. Ultimately, being unable to defeat the enemy was useless. Xiong Tingbi’s efforts to reorganize the various armies in Liaodong had only resulted in them being barely capable of putting up a fight. That meant if Wild Boar Skin launched a major attack again, he could probably barely hold them off even without Yang Xin’s intervention. But if it came to a real field battle with Wild Boar Skin, relying solely on the generals’ combined Household Troops, which numbered at most around ten thousand, they would still lose. Although Sichuan Army and Zhejiang Army troops had arrived by now, they only added about ten thousand soldiers capable of field combat for Xiong Tingbi. Wild Boar Skin had sixty thousand such soldiers. This didn’t even account for the fact that the Ming armies were entirely fragmented, with virtually no coordination between them.

In short, there was no hope in field battles.

At best, they could only hold their ground defensively. Moreover, Xiong Tingbi lacked the power to change more.

What he could achieve was limited to this, because further changes would involve touching things he dared not touch.

“Never mind all that. Let’s focus on our own tasks first!” Yang Xin said.

Just then, a large group of cavalry came galloping from the direction of Majuanzi City. Soon, they stopped at the riverbank. The leading officer, on horseback, pointed his riding crop at the boats on the river. Immediately, the soldiers dismounted and boarded the nearest boats to begin searching.

Chen Yujie and Yang Xin exchanged a glance and stood up immediately.

“General Zhu, what is the meaning of this?” Chen Yujie asked with a stern face.

“Assistant Commissioner Chen, Zhu, in my humble capacity as garrison commander of Sancha River, am here to perform my duty. I just received a secret report that these boats are hiding contraband, intending to smuggle it out under the guise of transporting military supplies. Therefore, I have come specifically to search them. I apologize for any offense, Assistant Commissioner Chen, Deputy Commander Yang. If the report proves false, I will host a banquet to apologize. We are all serving the court. I trust you two understand my position,” the man said with a fake smile.

“General! There are large quantities of tea hidden on these boats!” a soldier shouted from one boat.

“This boat has silk! And sugar!” another soldier yelled from a different boat immediately after.

“Assistant Commissioner Chen, surely the brothers in Kaiyuan don’t need silk, do they?” General Zhu said with a laugh.

Chen Yujie, his face full of anger, wanted to speak but was stopped by Yang Xin.

“And you are?” Yang Xin asked.

“I am Zhu Shichang, hereditary Commander of the Dingbian Forward Guard. Currently, I serve as a Brigade General under Regional Military Commander Chai in Liaoyang, tasked with defending Sancha River, preventing raids from western barbarians, and suppressing smuggling. Deputy Commander Yang, do you have any explanation for this? To my knowledge, you are transporting military supplies? The supply list for the Kaiyuan garrison doesn’t seem to include items like silk, white sugar… and what is this? Pepper? So much pepper. The brothers in Kaiyuan are living quite well, aren’t they?” Zhu Shichang said with a cold laugh.

“General Zhu, we are both reasonable men. Why be like this?” Yang Xin said.

“Deputy Commander Yang, since you put it that way, let’s be clear. You transporting military supplies is fine, we brothers have nothing to say. But don’t take away our livelihood just to make a fortune for yourself! Liaodong is a poor place, not like inside the pass. Brothers here rely on border markets for a living. What you are shipping to Kaiyuan, boat after boat, probably isn’t just military supplies, is it? You’ve got a good business going, using military transport as a cover for smuggling. Even if you are from the Imperial Guard and highly favored by His Majesty, you can’t think Liaodong has no one to stand up to you, can you?” Zhu Shichang said.

“What do you want then?” Yang Xin asked.

“I don’t want much. I just want Deputy Commander Yang to leave behind what shouldn’t be transported!” Zhu Shichang said, sitting straight on his horse and looking at him.

“Just you?” Yang Xin sneered.

“Cast off!” he then said to the boatmen.

The boat owner looked at them fearfully. Yang Xin glared. Two boatmen, who had long heard tales of him, hurriedly began untying the mooring ropes.

“Who dares to leave?” Zhu Shichang shouted.

The boat owner desperately signaled the two boatmen with his eyes.

This was a fight between immortals; ordinary folks like them dared not get involved. Zhu Shichang, needless to say, was from a powerful Liaoyang family, a hereditary Commander of the Dingbian Forward Guard for over ten generations, a true local power. Yang Xin was also no pushover. Not to mention his previous great achievements, just his Flying Fish Robe and official rank of Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would have put him above Zhu Shichang inside the pass. But in Liaodong, the emperor was far away, and these local families held great power.

The two boatmen looked at each other.

“Continue!” Yang Xin said.

The two boatmen glanced at each other and continued untying the ropes.

They were, after all, too young.

Yang Xin’s legendary stories were known to everyone in Liaodong. Young people all saw him as an idol. Being on the same boat with their idol, they were almost like fanatical fans. Of course they would listen when Yang Xin spoke, especially since he was their employer.

“Looking for death!” Zhu Shichang roared angrily.

He then raised his Long Spear and thrust directly at one of the boatmen.

However, the next moment, Yang Xin appeared beside that boatman, grabbed the spear, and yanked hard. Zhu Shichang’s spear flew from his grasp instantly. Before he could react, Yang Xin was beside him. Then Yang Xin leaped up, turned in mid-air, and reached for his neck. Zhu Shichang cried out in alarm and hurriedly drew his saber. But unfortunately, the speed difference was too great. His Goose-Quill Saber was only half-drawn when Yang Xin’s right hand clamped onto the back of his neck from behind.

“Get down!” Yang Xin then shouted.

As Yang Xin descended, Zhu Shichang, whose neck was gripped, had his head slammed towards the ground by Yang Xin’s hand. The moment they landed, Yang Xin bent over sharply and, using the momentum, drove Zhu Shichang’s head straight into the muddy riverbank. In the blink of an eye, the entire head disappeared into the mud. But Zhu Shichang’s nightmare wasn’t over, because the next moment, Yang Xin pulled his head out like pulling a radish. The poor Zhu Shichang expelled the mud that had filled his nostrils and instinctively let out a shriek, but the shriek was cut short.

Because Yang Xin shoved him back in…

“Cast off!” Yang Xin sneered, looking at Brigade General Zhu with his head stuck in the mud.

He then jumped back onto the boat.

The soldiers on the bank were as silent as cicadas in winter.

Luckily, two Personal Guards stepped forward and pulled out the now-unconscious General Zhu. By then, General Zhu’s face was completely caked with mud. The two Personal Guards had to immerse him in the water to wash him off, as if washing an oversized water chestnut just pulled from the mud…

“Isn’t this being too arrogant? We are smuggling, after all!” Chen Yujie said cautiously.

He realized that after over half a year apart, Yang Xin’s style had become even more violent.

“Who says we are smuggling?” Yang Xin said.

With that, he took a scroll from inside his robe and stuffed it into Chen Yujie’s hand…