Chapter 10: Strategy

Qu Zhenhan indeed fell into his trap. He stood up and said with utmost respect: "I shall adopt the best strategy and carry it out, and I hope Liu can provide guidance to help me achieve great success!"

At that time, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom swept through Jiangnan, and the two local governments in Wenzhou discussed the establishment of militia forces. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qu Zhenhan established a militia bureau at Hongqiao to oversee the nearby militia groups, which grew to over 500 people. He also secretly connected with local gentry to manufacture weapons and prepare for an uprising.

"Even if there are five hundred people, how can they leave half of them on the sea? In reality, only half a battalion can be of use to me!" Liu Chang had already boldly drunk a bowl of clear wine: "Only half a battalion! As long as I and Captain Jie go to the west and return, let alone half a battalion, I could gather a whole battalion!"

In history, the Red Turban Army only held the city for seven days before suffering defeat. However, during this time, thanks to the miracles brought by Liu Chang, the Red Turban Army not only secured a large amount of grain and military supplies in Yueqing, but also won the hearts of the people in Xixiang, recruiting several hundred new soldiers

This is the reason why Qu Zhenhan and these wealthy individuals are completely disillusioned with the Qing Dynasty. However, these pirates from Guangdong are now objects that can be utilized. Qu Zhenhan and Jin Peiquan originally thought that joining forces with the Guangdong boats would be like adding wings to a tiger, but they did not expect that Liu Chang would pour such a cold bucket of water on them. Jin Peiquan immediately said: "In any case, Master Ge San is a great figure at sea, and he can at least muster around ten ships and five hundred men!"

Jin Peiquan is the strategist for Qu Zhenhan. In the past, he likened himself to Zhang Zifang and Liu Bowen of Qu Zhenhan. Even this time, Qu Zhenhan's uprising was entirely the result of his meticulous planning and coordination. Naturally, he had a set of strategies: "Liu, please check; General Qu, please wait a moment; I will go and retrieve the map for a detailed analysis."

Thus, Jin Peiquan appeared confident: "With maps and books, our army's provisions and supplies are fully equipped. Commander Qu also practices benevolence in Weng County, and wherever the military might reaches, we can issue orders and establish control. Inspector Liu, what do you think..."

He believed his plan was brilliant, but unexpectedly, Liu Chang shook his head. Over there, Qu Zhenhan had already become anxious: "Liu Jian, is there any flaw in County Magistrate Jin's strategy?"

He lacks insight and only became the sentry leader due to his kinship with Qu Zhenhan. Liu Chang does not take him seriously and, while eating meat, asks: "By the way, General Qu, has that Sun fellow's letter of allegiance arrived yet?"

Taiping County is the later Wenzhou County, belonging to the Ning-Shao-Tai Circuit of Taizhou Prefecture, while Leqing County belongs to the Wenzhou Circuit of Wenzhou Prefecture. He analyzed the pros and cons of this situation in detail: "If we do not enter Taizhou, then the Qing demons from Taizhou will not turn around to deal with us. Although they are only a few dozen miles apart, one belongs to the Wenzhou Circuit and the other to the Ning-Shao-Tai Circuit, and they will never interact. Taizhou Prefecture absolutely does not wish to help Wenzhou Prefecture in times of trouble. Even if they do respond, it will take at least a month."

The stationed troops in Yueqing are under the Yueqing Coordination, which oversees two battalions: one battalion is stationed in the county town, and the other in Panshi Town. However, to the north of the Yueqing Coordination area, there is also the Dajing Battalion, which is directly under Wenzhou Town and is not subject to the control of the Yueqing Coordination. The locations of these three battalions are scattered throughout the entire county.

Such planning is akin to child's play. In Wenzhou Prefecture, the Min troops were the first to issue a report, and a very small number of internal supporters were immediately captured by the Qing army. Subsequently, the support from places like Yongjia Nanxi and Taizhou continuously declared failure, leaving only the headquarters of the Red Turban Army in the Hongqiao area. They could only attempt a desperate strike, forcibly attacking the city of Leqing

In fact, he is also unclear about what constitutes the best strategy, but regardless of the suggestions put forth by Qu Zhenhan, he always claims that they are merely moderate strategies

Currently, the Red Turban Army has seemingly taken the city of Yueqing with ease, having killed Deputy General Yao and defeated the Yueqing Alliance. However, in reality, not to mention the Dajing Camp, which is not under the control of the Yueqing Alliance, even the Panshi Camp, which is subordinate to the Yueqing Alliance, remains intact. Moreover, even the Green Camp stationed in the county city has a significant number of troops dispersed in the surrounding flood-prone areas, and has not suffered any losses

To understand these black pig breeds that have been eliminated by the market in later generations, one must recognize that pork is truly delicious. Liu Chang is enjoying it greatly, while calling out to Qu Zhenhan: "Qu Shua, after a long day of organizing, you should also have a taste!"

During the reign of Emperor Daoguang, in the 28th year, there was a minor victory that allowed for the bestowal of honors and the wearing of flower plumes. However, most of the time, the Green Camp soldiers were utterly incapable and did not dare to protect the coastal populace. Last year, a group of pirates from Guangdong roamed the seas, even capturing several soldiers from the Green Camp.

It is unclear where he found a rather flawed map, which lacks contour lines and only features dozens of place names of varying sizes, yet he began to explain the current situation to Liu Chang and Qu Zhenhan.

However, thanks to Liu Chang's miraculous signs, he now sees a glimmer of hope, and thus begins to point out details on the map bit by bit

For an entire century, the Qing Dynasty consistently employed policies to deceive the populace, leading to an unprecedented regression in society. By the mid-Qing period, even the level of rebellion had significantly declined. Jin Peiquan's scheme was to first seize the city of Wenzhou.

The Green Camp soldiers, after considering a slight retaliation, heard that among the pirates there were even British pirates hired from Hong Kong, who were well-armed. This immediately dispelled their plans for revenge, and instead, they decided to use money from books to ransom back the Green Camp officials and soldiers who had been kidnapped.

Qu Zhenhan was blown up into the air by him, while Qu Jie dropped his chopsticks even faster: "Uncle Zhenhai, if we follow you to kill officials and rebel, just having enough meat to fill our stomachs and enough wine is worth it! How exhilarating! How exhilarating!"

He continued to speak incessantly: "Developing towards Taizhou is a last resort! While Taizhou certainly has the heroes and brave men we have previously contacted, this time the uprising has been exposed. Ultimately, how much strength remains is uncertain for all of us. As soon as we enter a state of peace, we will immediately face attacks from the entire Qing army in the Ning, Shao, and Tai regions!"

Liu Chang responded affirmatively and then asked, "Very well, since that is the case, then we are family!"

Liu Chang glanced at him and thought to himself: "You are truly a good fool!"

Liu Chang spoke very reasonably, and Qu Zhenhan had already put down his wine glass, listening intently. After a long while, he said: "Then we shall not go to Taizhou; we will still base ourselves in Yueqing"

This is a mediocre strategy, not the best strategy! Liu Chang said bluntly: To achieve an unparalleled hegemony, one must first adopt the best strategy

Liu Chang immediately said: "To forge iron, one must be strong oneself. Now that we have food and supplies, and our military needs are secure, with benevolence practiced in both warm and cold places, why rely on the strength of others? How much strength does the Guangdong fleet really have?"

In other words, the main force of the Green Camp soldiers in Yueqing County still exists; only more than two hundred Green Camp soldiers stationed in the county town have surrendered due to the circumstances. However, Jin Peiquan remains optimistic: "Next, we will advance northward, first eliminating the Panshi Camp and opening up the sea route. We have already established contact with the Tiandihui boats from Guangdong at sea, allowing us to unite as one. Then we will head towards Taiping County in Taizhou, where we have our people in Huangyan and Yuhuan. At that time, we can sweep across the entire island..."

The Qing Dynasty went to great lengths to prevent the Han people from rebelling, and the defensive arrangements within the small county of Yueqing fully reflect the principle of "mutual restraint between large and small"

Good! Qu Zhenhan has already taken his seat, and he does not lose his small local tyrant demeanor: "If it weren't for the need to command the entire army, I would personally slaughter these few pigs, what a pity!"

The pork of this era is not the Ukrainian large white pig or the Dutch pig, but rather the authentic local Wenzhou native pig, the genuine small black pig. Although the breed is considered inferior, with slower growth and lower lean meat ratio, the quality of the meat far surpasses that of these later advanced breeds

However, the enticing aroma of the pork stirred his appetite, and he did not hold back, directly picking up his chopsticks

In the fourth year of Xianfeng, he dispatched Jin Peiquan to Nanjing, where he received the appointment as the commander of the Zhejiang Eastern Rainbow Army from the Eastern King Yang Xiuching. It can be said that everything was in place, just waiting for the launch.

Qu Zhenhan opened a bottle of aged wine, sipping it slowly. He is now a person of status and naturally cannot indulge like ordinary people, eating meat in large chunks and drinking wine from big bowls: "It has already been delivered; we have dealt with a highly unpopular foreign commissioner. From now on, he is considered one of us, so Liu Jian should not scrutinize him too closely in every matter."

After he took a bite of the fatty meat, he asked, "By the way, Commander Qu, as a newcomer, there is something I should not mention, but it concerns the overall situation, and I cannot help but speak out. May I ask, Commander Qu, where is our Red Turban Army headed today?"

Qu Zhenhan and Jin Peiquan had long been planning their uprising. They, along with Ni Tingmo and others, were local landlords and gentry in the Hongqiao area. They began to devise this plan as early as the third year of the Xianfeng era.

He placed all his hopes on the Min troops recruited by Wenzhou Prefecture to initiate an uprising, hoping that these Min troops would be the first to rise up and capture the city of Wenzhou Prefecture. Subsequently, the regions of Yongjia and Nanxi River would respond by raising their own forces, and finally, the Red Turban Army would rise up, ultimately restoring the two prefectures of Wenzhou.

The Guangdong pirates, known as the Yue boats, have been harassing the waters off Wenzhou for many years. They have some connections with the Tiandihui, and although their strength is not formidable, they maneuver freely on the water. Over the past few decades, the Wenzhou Green Camp soldiers have almost always fled in fear upon encountering them, showing no courage to engage in battle.

He himself does not even believe this. Although Master Ge San is a prominent figure in the Guangdong boat scene, he only has about seven or eight boats and two hundred men under his command, and he definitely cannot muster five hundred people.

Before long, the pig's head meat was ready and served on the Eight Immortals table. Qu Jie, the captain of the personal guards, quickly took a few bites before Liu Chang, exclaiming repeatedly, "Delicious! Delicious! What a great pig's head!"

It is unclear what he meant by "what a pity." Beside him, Jin Peiquan had already opened his mouth to say: "How can this be? You are the one who sits on the throne, destined to be a noble person facing south while we handle such trivial matters!"

Qu Zhenhan is a person of considerable depth, well-versed in literature; however, when it comes to articulating grand principles, he still lacks a bit of finesse. Therefore, he gestured towards Jin Peiquan and said: "Let County Magistrate Jin discuss the plans of my Red Turban Army! With the recent assistance from Tian Jiangliu, the restoration of all of Zhejiang is within reach"

He pointed out the enemy and friendly situation in Yueqing County on a somewhat inaccurate map. Currently, the Red Turban Army can roughly control the area from Hongqiao, the hometown of Qu Zhenhan, to Yueqing County Town. Qu Zhenshan, Qu Zhenhan's brother, is stationed in Hongqiao, but the Red Turban Army has not yet been able to control the entire Eastern Township.

Strictly speaking, the situation of the Red Turban Army is quite dire. Up to now, they have only controlled a little over half of Yueqing County. The several groups that initially responded from the periphery have not had time to react, and Jin Peiquan's original strategy can now be considered completely bankrupt