Chapter 62: Hong Xianhe Rebels Against Zheng

The battle between the two sides was extremely fierce. Under the bombardment of artillery and other heavy weapons, the Marshall allied forces followed closely behind the tanks, advancing step by step toward the west gate of Bozhou City.

The soldiers of the defending 339th Division could only rely on Bazooka rocket launchers to attack the tanks and then try to pick off the remaining infantry, but such efforts yielded virtually negligible results.

When Qian Jiushan heard about the situation on the front lines, he finally understood why the troops under Xue Yi, who had previously defended this area, had suffered such heavy casualties in such a short period of time. It was because the firepower of the Marshall allied forces was simply too overwhelming.

......

Just as the massive battle against the Marshall allied forces erupted in Bozhou City, a startling upheaval took place far away in the rear base of Luzhou City.

Under the command of Chief of Staff Huang Han, Hong Xianhe's 12th Corps used the ancient ruse of increasing cooking fires to deceive the 3rd Corps sent by Zheng Zelin to monitor them.

By the time Jiang Long, commander of the 1st Army of the 3rd Corps, realized what was happening, all more than ten thousand men of Hong Xianhe's 12th Corps had already withdrawn entirely from within Luzhou City.

"A bunch of good-for-nothings! A bunch of utter fools!"

Upon hearing Jiang Long's report, Zheng Zelin flew into a rage, feeling extremely furious that his subordinates had actually allowed the entirety of Hong Xianhe's 12th Corps to escape.

Standing before him, Jiang Long did not even dare to take a deep breath, because it was indeed his own negligence that had allowed a full force of over ten thousand men to slip away right under his nose, leaving his own troops numbering in the thousands completely unaware.

"In which direction did they go?"

Regaining his composure somewhat, Zheng Zelin put down the intelligence report, slumped heavily into his chair, and asked coldly.

Stepping forward, Jiang Long replied, "Reporting to the commander, according to our scouts' reconnaissance, Hong Xianhe's force of over ten thousand men is currently moving toward Qianlin City. It seems they intend to occupy Qianlin City as their stronghold."

Hearing this, Zheng Zelin frowned deeply. "Qianlin City? It turns out Hong Xianhe had indeed planned to rebel long ago. Since Qianlin City borders the territory of the Chu faction, it seems they have made thorough preparations."

While Hong Xianhe's escape undoubtedly infuriated Zheng Zelin, the news transmitted back from Zheng Zehai in Huangzhou City provided a considerable measure of comfort.

Upon arriving in Huangzhou City, Zheng Zehai, in coordination with Song Pu, had quietly and seamlessly taken control of all four subordinate armies. Huangzhou City could now be said to thoroughly belong under Zheng Zelin's command.

Just at this moment, a staff officer-looking figure hurriedly rushed in from outside.

"Commander, Commander!"

"What is it?" Zheng Zelin asked with a trace of impatience.

"Commander, it's bad," the staff officer said, catching his breath before continuing. "According to freshly arrived intelligence, Commander Liang Yi of the 11th Corps has also fled Luzhou City with his guard regiment, heading in the direction of the 12th Corps that just escaped."

"What? Liang Yi has fled as well?"

This was something Zheng Zelin truly had not anticipated. Unlike Hong Xianhe, who had originally joined the Zheng faction as a reckless man of rough-and-tumble origins, Liang Yi came from a merchant background. He was an extremely shrewd individual and had previously been a standout among the various corps of the Zheng faction.

Zheng Zelin genuinely never expected that Liang Yi would also forsake the Zheng faction. Yet, matters having reached this point, Zheng Zelin could only let out a long sigh. "Very well, very well. Let them all go. Those who follow different paths cannot make plans together."

"Since they have left, Jiang Long, you and Lin Cheng are to lead your soldiers in coordination with the 18th Corps to take complete control of all the other armies. There must be no chaos in Luzhou City under any circumstances."

"Furthermore, summon Chief of Staff Lu Sheng to me. I have matters to discuss with him."

Having said this, Zheng Zelin suddenly felt a throbbing headache. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples incessantly.

Soon, Lu Sheng arrived. As the former chief of staff of the 3rd Corps, he was a man deeply trusted by Zheng Zelin.

"Lu Sheng, you've seen the latest intelligence report from the information department, haven't you?" Zheng Zelin called Lu Sheng over specifically to discuss the matter of Hong Xianhe's defection.

Lu Sheng nodded. He had also just learned that over ten thousand men of the 12th Corps had defected and fled Luzhou City. Such news was nothing short of adding frost to snow for the current Zheng faction.

"Commander, what are your intentions?" Lu Sheng asked.

"Alas, the Zheng faction nowadays is truly teetering in the wind and rain," Zheng Zelin sighed, thinking within himself that if his second brother Zheng Zeliang were still alive, none of these ghost troubles would exist, and he himself could simply rest easy as a corps commander.

"Even so, in these troubled times, if we do not teach those who dare to defect from the Zheng faction a lesson, the world will look down upon us."

"My intention is to dispatch the 11th Army, the 14th Army, and the 54th Army, led by Sun Dehai, to advance on Qianlin City and annihilate Hong Xianhe."

It had to be admitted that Zheng Zelin was also a ruthless man. In his heart, he was fully prepared to wipe out Hong Xianhe's rebel forces, and in one stroke, he mobilized three entire armies of troops.

Lu Sheng pondered for a moment. "Commander, are you intending to use the opportunity of annihilating Hong Xianhe to concurrently weaken the military strength of Sun Dehai and Han Gun? That way, the crisis in Luzhou City can be resolved as well."

"Indeed. Hong Xianhe has rebelled, but we cannot afford to lower our guard against these two, Sun Dehai and Han Gun, either. In times like these, there is no one who can be truly trusted," Zheng Zelin sighed and said.

"However, Commander, what if Sun Dehai is not sincere about suppressing the rebellion, but instead colludes with Hong Xianhe or sets up a rival regime of his own?" Lu Sheng's concern was not without reason.

"No matter. I will have someone place Sun Dehai's family under control within Luzhou City to serve as a bargaining chip. If he fights sincerely, then everything is negotiable. But if he fails to put his heart into it, do not blame me for being ruthless. Sun Dehai is no fool; he knows the stakes involved."

Zheng Zelin played this hand masterfully. By ordering Sun Dehai to advance on Qianlin City to suppress Hong Xianhe while simultaneously holding his family hostage, he could weaken the forces under both Sun Dehai and Han Gun—truly a brilliant move killing two birds with one stone.

Following this consultation and decision, the orders were issued to Sun Dehai's 5th Corps and Han Gun's 9th Corps. Although the two men felt some aversion to such orders, they still obeyed and dispatched their troops toward Qianlin City.

This was a perilous move by Zheng Zelin, and he was gambling on just how much sense of allegiance they still held toward the Zheng faction.

Fortunately, Zheng Zelin won the gamble. Both Sun Dehai and Han Gun were capable of rebelling, but mindful of their past loyalties and years of history with the Zheng faction, they chose to obey Zheng Zelin's commands. Of course, this ultimately doomed the two of them to tragic fates in the future.

Meanwhile, Hong Xianhe in Qianlin City never expected that Zheng Zelin would actually dare to dispatch three armies to annihilate him, believing firmly that no one would dare to launch a punitive encirclement under the current circumstances.

Consequently, Hong Xianhe deployed his defenses within Qianlin City and engaged the approaching troops of Sun Dehai. However, Qianlin City could hardly compare to Luzhou City with its towering walls and deep moats; after a few rounds of artillery bombardment, it was already battered into ruins.

After several days of stalemate, Hong Xianhe knew deeply that his meager force was no match for Sun Dehai. Thus, he once again staged the ruse of increasing cooking fires, leading his remaining remnant troops right under Sun Dehai's nose to cross the border between the Zheng and Chu factions and defect to Chu Lei of the Chu faction.