Chapter 245: Guyuan Mutiny

Hearing the words “urgent military intelligence,” Li Daoxuan’s gaze subtly sharpened as he followed the messenger’s hurried steps.Soon, the man dashed into the county office.

Liang Shixian was handling trivial matters in the main hall when his servant burst in, shouting frantically, “Master, disaster! Disaster has struck! Guyuan’s troops have mutinied! Rebel forces are advancing this way…”

“What?”

Liang Shixian leapt to his feet instantly. “What happened? Explain!”

The servant cried out urgently, “The border army’s pay has been withheld. The court has delayed their wages for three full years. Guyuan’s border forces rebelled! Some joined the roaming bandits, while others demanded their unpaid wages and marched toward Xi’an!”

These words sent chills down Liang Shixian’s spine. The border army—it was the border army!

The border troops’ ferocity made ordinary bandits seem utterly insignificant in comparison.

Just how terrifying would their uprising be?

Liang Shixian pressed urgently, “What did the Provincial Governor say?”

Servant: “I inquired in Xi’an. Provincial Governor Hu Tingyan of Shaanxi and Provincial Governor Yue Hesheng of Yansui are blaming each other. Each claims this is the other’s responsibility. The two governors are locked in pointless argument, completely ignoring the rebel threat!”

Liang Shixian: “…”

Li Daoxuan: “…”

One on the ground, the other in the sky—both fell silent.

The Clerk crept forward anxiously, face clouded with fear. “Dong Weng, will the Guyuan rebels storm our Chengcheng County?”

Liang Shixian: “I must give this careful thought.”

Being knowledgeable in many matters, Liang Shixian instantly activated strategic analysis mode in his mind. Guyuan’s position, Xi’an’s location, Chengcheng’s placement—the intervening terrain and official roads spun like a whirligig through his thoughts before suddenly ding, the answer arrived.

Guyuan lay northwest of Xi’an, while Chengcheng existed northeast of Guyuan. The three formed a triangle. Rebels traveling directly from Guyuan toward Xi’an couldn’t possibly pass through Chengcheng.

Liang Shixian exhaled in relief. “Rest easy. Guyuan’s rebels won’t come here.”

Just then, a galloping horse charged into the county office. The rider dismounted with breathtaking agility, fluid as drifting clouds—it was Patrol Officer Fang Wushang, striding hastily into the hall.

He shouted the moment he entered, “Disaster strikes! Guyuan’s troops have mutinied! Rebels are surging toward Xi’an!”

Liang Shixian: “Officer Fang received word too?”

Fang Wushang nodded grimly. “The border army is no mere bandit mob. This crisis spells serious trouble. Magistrate Liang, we must plan how to resist these rebels.”

Liang Shixian: “Stay calm, Officer Fang. I’ve analyzed the situation—they won’t reach Chengcheng County. No need for alarm.”

He briefly explained his triangular theory.

Fang Wushang snapped angrily, “Magistrate Liang, do you recall the He Yang bandit Fan Shanyue? When he invaded Chengcheng from Heyang County, you drew a straight line between the counties and rashly concluded he’d enter via Quangou Village. What happened? Fan Shanyue instead attacked through Zhengjia Village and Gaojia Village! Thankfully, Gaojia Village’s militia was well-prepared and held him off with rolling logs and stones, or the consequences would’ve been catastrophic!”

Liang Shixian: “Ah!”

Fang Wushang: “Hmph! Warfare isn’t child’s play drawing lines on maps!”

Liang Shixian stood speechless.

Li Daoxuan grew intrigued now. Would Guyuan’s rebels truly come? Better research this online first.

Swiftly, he found this line on Baidu: “Guyuan troops attack Jingyang and Fuping…”

These two place names were utterly unfamiliar to him; he had no idea where they were. He had no choice but to open a certain map application again. After typing “Jingyang,” he was startled to find it extremely close to Xi’an, practically right outside the northwest gate of Xi’an city.

He then searched for “Fu Ping County” and couldn’t help but frown.

Fu Ping County was northeast of Xi’an, separated from Chengcheng by just the distance of one county seat. And the name of that county seat was actually quite famous: Bai Shui County.

That’s right. The hometown of Bai Shui Wang Er.

A sense of foreboding rose in Li Daoxuan’s heart.

The historical records only mention rebels attacking Fu Ping County, but can historical records be completely trusted?

Fu Ping County and Chengcheng were so close together. Was it possible that the rebels had actually also surged into Chengcheng, but because the disturbance wasn’t severe, the historical records simply omitted that part?

The historical records from the period of the Peasant Wars of the Late Ming Dynasty were utterly chaotic.

Li Daoxuan shifted his view to the backyard of the Chengcheng Bookstore. Gao Yiye was still staying there temporarily.

Life here for Gao Yiye was monotonous and dull, leaving her listless and uninterested all day long.

Li Daoxuan spoke softly, “Yiye, return to Gaojia Village immediately.”

Gao Yiye snapped her head up, overjoyed, “Can I go back?”

“Mhm!” Li Daoxuan said, “Go back quickly and notify Instructor He about the Guyuan garrison mutiny. Tell him to organize the civil corps and be prepared for battle at any moment.”

Gao Yiye had no idea how serious the Guyuan garrison mutiny was. Her face showed no fear; instead, she became happy, “Haha! I can finally go back to Gaojia Village!”

She dashed outside. Ground Rabbit and a troop from the civil corps were practicing martial arts outside. As soon as Gao Yiye emerged, she called out, “Let’s go, let’s go! We’re going back to Gaojia Village!”

Ground Rabbit was ecstatic, “We can go back?”

It seemed even this rabbit found the county town boring.

The group hurried further outside. Mr. Wang and a few companions were still selling books out there. The two fellows who had been punished for stealing steamed buns and were working there as laborers were also present. Gao Yiye went over and whispered a few words to Mr. Wang.

Mr. Wang was also startled. He waved at the two bun thieves, “Alright, you can leave now. The work you’ve done these past few days has paid off the debt for those two buns.”

Upon hearing they were being told to leave, their expressions instantly twisted. Though they had been punished to work here, the bookstore had been giving them meals—giving them meals, giving them meals! Important things must be said three times.

Suddenly being told to leave now, how could they bear it?

With a thump, both knelt down, “Sir, please take us with you. We’ll work like oxen or horses for you, we only ask for something to eat!”

Such occurrences were quite commonplace for people from Gaojia Village!

Originally, they found it laughable that someone would willingly become a “labor offender,” but now they only felt heartache and couldn’t find it funny anymore.

Mr. Wang helped them up, “Fine, come with us.”

The group quickly headed out… soon passing through the city gates and leaving the county town.

The old soldier guarding the gate immediately ran towards the county office, “Reporting to County Lord Liang Shixian, all members of the Li Family from the bookstore have left the city.”

Liang Shixian’s face turned grave, “The Li Family’s information really is fast. I only just received news here, and they already knew too. I was still hoping to ask for their help, but they just fled like that… truly…”

Fang Wushang’s mind flashed with the image of Ground Rabbit. “Hmph,” he snorted, “What’s coming this time are border troops. That ragtag bunch from the Li Family might barely pass for fighting bandits, but against border troops, they’d only be wiped out. We never needed their help to begin with.”

Liang Shixian said, “That’s not entirely fair. More people mean greater strength. Sigh, I hope they can still lend a hand.”