stonecrandall Chapter 1123 The Vanguard, Di Renjie!
Chapter 1123 The Vanguard, Di Renjie!
"Is five thousand men too many?" Xue Rengui pondered. "Large-scale troop movements are easy to expose and put enormous pressure on logistics."
“Five thousand is the upper limit,” Yue Fei explained. “Three thousand are stationed daily, and the other two thousand are for rotation and reserve. This force is divided into ten squads, each with five hundred men, and their equipment, training, and missions are all different. Some are good at frontal assaults, some are good at night raids, some are good at mountain guerrilla warfare, and some are good at city attack and defense.”
He pointed to several key locations on the sand table: "If military intervention is needed, we will send out different squads depending on the situation. For example, if we need to rescue personnel at a certain stronghold, we will send out a squad that is good at raids and retreats; if we need to tie down the main force of the enemy, we will send out a squad that is good at guerrilla warfare; if we need to launch a strong attack on a certain pass, we will send out a squad that is good at assaults."
Xue Rengui added, "More importantly, this army must learn the fighting methods of the Qin world. According to our scouts, their army organization, tactics, and weaponry are all different from ours. If we use the Qin's tactics to fight them head-on, even if we win, it will expose our origins."
The two summoned several veteran generals from the Ministry of War and began to develop a detailed training plan. The training included: learning the flags, commands, and formations of armies from the world at that time; practicing the use of common local weapons; simulating encounters in various terrains; and even studying how to fight against martial artists with high internal strength.
"The most difficult thing is fighting against high-level martial artists," a veteran general admitted. "No matter how brave our soldiers are, they are still just ordinary people. If the other side really has a master who can defeat a thousand troops, we can't win this battle."
Yue Fei pondered for a long time: "Therefore, military action should always be the last resort. But in the event of a last resort, we also have countermeasures—using military formations in conjunction with specially made weapons. I have ordered the Ordnance Bureau to develop equipment such as the Qi-breaking crossbow, tripwires, and smoke bombs specifically designed to counter martial artists. In addition, strategist Zhuge suggested that if we really have to face an opponent of the Grandmaster level, we can use tactics such as fire attacks, flooding, and traps, instead of fighting head-on."
Xue Rengui concluded: "In short, we must be fully prepared militarily, but we must avoid military operations as much as possible. Our goal is to ensure that this emergency response force never needs to be deployed—that is the greatest success."
Of all the strongholds, the mission in Dongyi City was the most complex. On the eve of her departure, Liu Ruyan was alone in her room, repeatedly refining her plan.
Dongyi City is nominally an independent city-state, but in reality, it is jointly "protected" by Nanqing and Beiqi. The forces within the city are divided into five factions: the local officials led by the City Lord's Mansion, the Nanqing forces represented by the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, the Beiqi forces led by the Iron Blood Martial Arts School, and the local merchant families and grassroots gangs.
“The biggest advantage of Su San Niang’s identity is that she is a local,” Liu Ruyan said to herself in the mirror. “A businesswoman who has been widowed for many years and has been working hard on her own will not arouse much suspicion. But the disadvantage is also obvious—women are easily looked down upon in the business world and in the martial arts world.”
She unfolded the map of Dongyi City's power and began to mark: "The first step is to establish a firm foothold within three months. Jinse Workshop should be located at the intersection of the commercial and residential areas, neither conspicuous nor remote. The first batch of goods should mainly consist of Shu brocade and Suzhou embroidery, which are luxury items in the New Year world and can attract the attention of wealthy households."
"The second step is to cultivate relationships with various powerful figures through business." She circled several names.
"The City Lord's steward is a collector of porcelain, so a set of Jingdezhen tea set can be given as a gift; the wife of the president of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is fond of silk, so a limited edition Shu brocade can be provided; the master of the Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy is a connoisseur of wine, so several jars of aged liquor can be brought from the Great Qin..."
“But gift-giving must be done with discretion; it shouldn’t come across as overly obsequious.” Liu Ruyan continued to ponder, “The best approach is ‘accidental discovery.’ For example, when the City Lord’s steward comes to the shop to look at goods, he could ‘casually’ mention a set of unused tea utensils; or when the wife of the Four Seas Guild Master is shopping, she could ‘accidentally’ find a hidden gem in the storeroom…”
"The third step is to establish an intelligence network." This is the most crucial step. Liu Ruyan plans to hire locals as employees to gather gossip and information from the streets. Simultaneously, she will place informants in the city's teahouses, restaurants, and casinos to eavesdrop on conversations. She herself will join the Dongyi City merchants' guild and participate in various social activities.
“The most difficult part is the fourth step—making contact with the government and the higher-ups in the martial arts world.” Liu Ruyan frowned. Although Dongyi City is small, its city lord, Situ Lang, is a remarkable figure. He has managed to maintain independence amidst the conflict between Nanqing and Beiqi, demonstrating extraordinary skill. Furthermore, the martial arts forces within the city are deeply entrenched. The Iron Blood Martial Arts Academy is only the visible representative; several other secret sects also exist in the shadows.
She recalled Di Renjie's advice: "In Dongyi City, don't easily take sides, but you can't not take sides either. The best way is to make all parties feel that you might become one of their own, but not to be certain."
How to achieve this? Liu Ruyan had a preliminary idea: show loyalty to the City Lord's Mansion as a major taxpayer; emphasize the benefits of trade with the Southern Qing forces; demonstrate respect for martial arts to the Northern Qi forces; and highlight the camaraderie among local families. But she had to strike a balance and not become overly friendly with any one side.
The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the window; it was already past midnight. Liu Ruyan blew out the candle, but sleep was not on her mind. She knew that she bore the weight of more than just the success or failure of a shop; she was a crucial link in the entire Qin Dynasty's infiltration plan. If Dongyi City succeeded, it could become a transit point for intelligence from the three kingdoms; if it failed, it could trigger a chain reaction, endangering the strongholds in Lin'an and Yanjing.
“Su San Niang…” she repeated the new name in the darkness, gradually embracing the role. “From today onward, I am you. A widow who has struggled to survive in Dongyi City for thirty years, a shrewd but conscientious merchant, a woman who yearns for stability but is forced to navigate the complex web of various factions…”
Ten days after the cabinet meeting, all preparations were basically complete. Gao Yao summoned Di Renjie to the imperial study for a final audience.
"Minister Di, the departure date is three days from now." Gao Yao did not sit on the dragon throne, but instead sat opposite Di Renjie on either side of the tea table, showing his importance to the matter. "Do you know why I chose you to lead the Green Robe Society as the vanguard for this plan?"
Di Renjie cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I am foolish and ignorant, please enlighten me."
Gao Yao personally poured tea for Di Renjie: "Because you are the one who understands 'measure' best. This infiltration plan is like dancing on the edge of a knife; one step forward and you'll be exposed, one step back and you'll achieve nothing. You need both the courage to explore and the caution to maintain the status quo; you need both the wisdom of strategy and the decisiveness to act. Among all the civil and military officials, only you, Di Renjie, possess all these qualities!"