Chapter Seven: The Initial Campaign into Henan

Before long, Li Yan caught up with Hong Niangzi.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, Hong Niangzi paused, narrowed her eyes, and turned around. Looking at the smiling Li Yan, she said coldly, "What is it? Does Commander Li intend to reorganize my troops as well?"

"Certainly not that, Hong Niangzi. I came to discuss the imperial army invading from Shandong," Li Yan said with a gentle smile.

Hong Niangzi scrutinized him and replied slowly, "If the imperial troops want to fight us, we fight back. What is there to discuss? Don't tell me you, Li Yan, want to kill and burn only to accept an imperial pardon?"

"Fighting is a given. As for surrendering to become an official, I lost that desire long ago. It is just that this time, there is something suspicious that led me to discover something quite interesting. Hong Niangzi, are you familiar with a man named Liu Zeqing?"

...

It was May, and the weather was sweltering. The Yellow River channel was clear, and Zhu Cilang had assembled a fleet of a hundred large ships. They headed west in a grand procession, signaling the official start of the Shandong Garrison’s campaign to suppress the rebellion in Henan.

Aboard the fleet, in addition to Zhu Cilang's three thousand soldiers, were five thousand frontline troops from the Shandong Garrison.

The river transport on the Yellow River was smooth, and the army soon approached the borders of Henan. However, when the fleet reached Dongming County, it was forced to halt. Scattered small, fast boats bearing the banners of the rebel "Chuang" army had begun to appear on the previously calm surface of the Yellow River.

In response, Zhu Cilang ordered an investigation into the enemy's situation.

On Zhu Cilang’s flagship, the various commanders involved in the pacification campaign gathered. Behind Zhu Cilang stood Chang Zhilang, Old Seventeen, Liu Sheng, Liu Zhen, and Liu Quan. On the other side were the commanders of the Shandong Garrison: Liu Zeqing, Ruan Yingzhao, and Liu Kecheng.

Standing at the highest point of the deck, the men looked toward the hazy distance, all of them frowning.

Beside Zhu Cilang, Zhang Zhen reported the intelligence: "My Lord, the situation ahead has been confirmed. Dongming County has indeed been seized by the rebel forces of Hong Niangzi and Li Yan. Furthermore, they have blocked the river at Dongxu Town with iron chains. I have also heard that Li Yan is rushing to build fire ships; they have prepared hundreds to block our passage."

After Zhang Zhen finished, Chang Zhilang suggested, "My Lord, why don't we go ashore on the north bank and march to Kaifeng by land? It is only a hundred miles away; switching from water to land transport is a minor inconvenience."

Zhu Cilang’s expression shifted.

But Liu Zeqing raised an eyebrow, putting on a show of desperate eagerness for battle. He spoke loudly, "Supervisor, we cannot simply ignore the rebels under Li Yan and Hong Niangzi. The rebels on the north bank may be weak and easy to bypass, but if our army maneuvers nearby, our supply lines will be in danger. If we keep a safe distance, the long march will exhaust the troops and force us to conscript even more laborers."

Zhu Cilang looked at Liu Zeqing closely.

Whatever Liu Zeqing’s true motives were, Zhu Cilang would not dwell on them for now. But the man did have a keen eye, and his words were not without merit.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhu Cilang said, "The rebels in Dongming County must be defeated!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Quan immediately shouted, "My Lord, our artillery can be mounted on the ships for now to strike the enemy’s vessels."

Liu Zeqing, hearing this, beamed with excitement and requested to fight: "My troops can also perform boarding maneuvers."

Zhu Cilang slowly shook his head.

Naval warfare and land warfare were two different domains; Zhu Cilang did not have the ability to conjure an entire navy out of thin air.

"Liu Quan," Zhu Cilang ordered, "you will provide artillery cover first, allowing our troops to land and recapture Dongming County."

"Yes!" Liu Quan received the order and withdrew.

Liu Zeqing stood by, eager and watching Zhu Cilang.

But Zhu Cilang fixed his eyes on Liu Zeqing’s mask of loyalty and courage, smiling as he said, "When the time comes, I will have to trouble Commander Liu to lead the landing and clear out the remnants."

Liu Zeqing straightened up and accepted the order: "Yes!"

In his heart, however, Liu Zeqing was cursing furiously.

While the landing might not be a desperate beach assault, the art of war dictated that attacking an army while it was crossing a river was a grave danger. If his troops were struck while landing, even elite soldiers would suffer a humiliating defeat.

*At least... I still have a backup plan...* Liu Zeqing maintained a look of fearless loyalty, seemingly intimidated by the three thousand elite troops serving as the督战队 (enforcement squad) behind Zhu Cilang.

But in reality... he was filled with silent grievances.

After hasty preparations, a modified artillery ship detached from the fleet. Protected by several warships filled with archers, it slowly approached the wharf at Wusheng Town on the south bank.

Sure enough, as the ships flying the imperial banners drew near, six or seven civilian boats of varying sizes swarmed out from the wharf.

On the artillery ship, Liu Quan’s expression was solemn, and sweat had gathered on his forehead.

"Brothers, these are civilian boats; they won't take many hits. Remember everything we practiced! These four Falconet guns are the foundation of our artillery battalion’s glory! Fire this shot well, and Lord Qin will surely reward us." Liu Quan stammered through his pre-battle pep talk.

The artillerymen responded in a somewhat ragged chorus: "Yes, Commander!"

Among them, Li Jun took a silk-wrapped gunpowder charge, inserted it into the Falconet, and with the help of another soldier, loaded an iron ball.

Nearby, a veteran with an aged face carefully adjusted the range: "Too little... too much... Oh, what was it that Lord Qin said... I can't remember... This is range-finding..."

Li Jun silently pushed the old soldier aside and used his thumb to measure the distance.

Before long, Liu Quan also finished adjusting a Falconet and shouted, "Ready... Fire!"

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

On the riverbank, Hong Niangzi dismounted and stared intently at the shells slamming toward the approaching boats, frowning slightly.

Beside her, Li Yan smiled. "Hong Niangzi, the men in the vanguard are all excellent swimmers. Even if their boats are destroyed, they can swim back."

No sooner had Li Yan spoken than a flash of red flame erupted from the muzzles. A black speck flew across the distance and landed beside the rebel warship, kicking up a spray of water ten feet high.

Seeing this, Hong Niangzi smiled faintly.

Simultaneously, all four Falconet guns on the imperial ship fired in unison.

This time, two iron balls chained together flew out. As the chained balls spun through the air, they created even larger splashes.

But this was only the first result.

At a distance of barely a hundred paces, the three chained projectiles spun and tore into the three rebel ships.

A chorus of screams rang out as the spinning iron balls turned everything they struck into a bloody mist, leaving behind severed limbs and shattered wreckage.