Chapter 620 – Urgent Report from Chenzhou, The World Calls for the King (Part 4)
Winter war?
Big brother, the New Year is just around the corner! Have you checked the lunar calendar?
New Year, do you understand what that means?
They promised a seven-day holiday for the festival, right?
Did a dog eat it?
A winter war—even if it’s a lightning strike, with no breaks along the way, it’ll take at least three to five months to wrap things up.
That means they’ll be fighting into spring!
If luck is on their side, they’ll celebrate the New Year in the military camp; if not, while others feast, they’ll be fighting with their lives on the line.
While others enjoy the New Year’s Eve dinner, they’ll be busy collecting heads, tangled with dead bodies.
Feng Zhen imagined the scene after conquering Chengde County and felt a sharp pain in his chest; his eyes rolled back, and he let out a dramatized gasp, collapsing onto the mat. With his naturally frail constitution and his foolish indulgence in Cold Food Powder, his complexion turned pale.
His sickly state truly looked like a crisis brewing, his frustration rising.
However, he could pull the wool over others’ eyes, but not Jiang Pengji’s.
Jiang Pengji, seemingly oblivious, asked him directly, “Where have you been gallivanting around these past few days, causing your kidney deficiency?”
Can’t even sit still—doesn’t that mean back pain and kidney weakness?
Feng Zhen nearly gasped out of frustration; in desperation, he could only feign a look of utter despair, glaring with dead fish eyes as he crawled back up.
Ever since arriving at this den of wolves and leopards, he stopped taking Cold Food Powder, gave up alcohol, let alone seeking out any ladies.
Waaah, the lord even accused him of kidney deficiency! Feng Zhen felt utterly wronged.
“Lord, winter battles during the festival might not be appropriate. Firstly, it’s near the New Year, and soldiers would want to reunite with their families; separating them now is rather cruel. Secondly, the icy roads make marching difficult, and the troops are already weary, so it’s truly not a suitable time to mobilize.”
Right now, it’s an agrarian society, and military timing is closely tied to farming cycles.
Spring is for spring plowing, and if they delay because of war, they might lose the whole year’s harvest—what will they eat next year, the northwest wind?
Summer is for summer planting; with the crops not ready and the heat blaring, it’s also not the best time for battle.
Winter is too cold, especially in northern regions. The snow and ice make it exceedingly hard to fight and march.
Whether offensively or defensively, winter warfare is simply self-inflicted suffering.
Calculating all of this, the most suitable times to go to war are right after spring plowing, before summer planting, or after autumn harvest, before the start of winter.
And now?
With the New Year approaching, is this weather really right for fighting?
Feng Zhen’s words had merit, but the situation was exceptional; they had no choice but to engage in battle.
Feng Jin automatically ignored the “clowning around” Feng Zhen. Initially, he had a very poor impression of this libertine, but after careful understanding, he realized he wasn’t all that bothersome, particularly since Feng Zhen also experienced the pains of overtime; seeing him with a life worse than death felt oddly balancing for Feng Jin.
He cupped his hands and stepped forward to report, “I think Zixiao’s suggestion is indeed a good strategy. Under the lord’s governance this year, autumn harvest was quite fruitful, and the county granaries are stacked with rice. The military camps have no shortage of supplies. Now, while it’s winter, the soldiers have been tirelessly honing their skills and are quite elite. If we go to war, the loss in combat capability won’t be significant. Furthermore, with woolen shirts now common, each soldier has two sets to change into, plus the leather armor and protective gear distributed by the lord, even with the current weather, marching and fighting won’t be hindered. I believe this plan is feasible!”
Winter battles are indeed tough, but everything has its pros and cons.
Though the soldiers find winter offensives exhausting, doesn’t that mean the Red Lotus Sect is also feeling the strain?
If we compare the stormy snow to a negative condition, Jiang Pengji’s troops suffer a ten percent reduction in effectiveness, but the Red Lotus Sect’s effectiveness drops by fifty percent!
Why do I say this?
Let’s analyze.
Jiang Pengji has captured many enemies; after the screening, most were sent to Xiangyang County to mine iron.
She sought out ironworkers and craftsmen to reference current armor specifications and designed a set of military gear while ensuring safety and defense, all while minimizing weight and saving materials for more armor and weapons.
Not counting the nearly ten thousand new recruits from Yang County, the original twenty thousand soldiers mostly donned newly defensive armor, their weapons standardized and considered “elite.” In contrast, the Red Lotus Sect’s members are mostly ragged and defenseless, wielding a collection of weapons such as long poles, kitchen knives, axes, carrying poles, machetes… some even brandishing rocks, while many fight barehanded.
In terms of numbers, while the Red Lotus Sect boasts a terrifying one hundred thousand members, in terms of combat capability, Jiang Pengji’s elite can take down ten of them.
Similarly, when fighting in winter, they occupy a clear advantage, not to mention she has a spy like An Huan within their ranks.
Feng Zhen still wanted to struggle for those seven days off, saying, “But…”
Wei Ci chimed in, “The lord trains troops specifically in harsh winter and scorching summer. Winter warfare is indeed challenging but not impossible.”
Feng Zhen felt utterly hopeless.
Feng Jin continued, “If we can conquer Chengde County before spring, we can catch up with the spring plowing.”
A successful spring plowing means there’s hope for a good harvest that year.
The food from Wanzhou County is enough to support any battle they engage in.
Wei Ci grinned, “If we can capture all of Wanzhou before calling for the king, perhaps the lord’s title might change to Wanzhou’s Governor.”
Speaking of forces, Jiang Pengji would definitely rank among the top three among those calling for the king.
The Emperor of Dongqing is in need of assistance, and he’ll surely sweeten the deal.
Jiang Pengji is already, in essence, the Governor of Wanzhou; if the emperor sweetens the deal, it would mostly make her position legitimate.
A youthful governor not yet of age, there’s no other like him.
Not mentioning Dongqing, even in the prior dynasty of Daxia, you’d be hard-pressed to find a second.
Feng Jin raised an eyebrow, a smile creeping on his lips.
At this rate, the situation looks promising.
Chongzhou borders Wanzhou, and with Hujun involved, once Liu Zhi retreats to the shadows, it means Jiang Pengji would occupy a third of Dongqing’s territory. The greatest threat—Beijiang has already suffered severe damage due to the Horse Plague and can’t move south; Jiang Pengji’s expansion goes unchecked.
Feng Zhen lifted a hand to his forehead, muttering, “I’m still thinking about the seven days off for the New Year.”
Wei Ci whispered, “Once we finish this, we can rest.”
Feng Zhen scoffed, “If I believe you, I might as well read my name backward.”
Their conversation couldn’t escape Jiang Pengji’s ears, and she mercilessly struck a blow to Feng Zhen’s heart.
“Why would I need a holiday to enjoy the New Year alone, with no lovely wife or concubine at home? What’s the point of a holiday during the New Year if it’s just me by myself?”
Feng Zhen: “…”
Ouch! That hit hard, lord!
Though he’s a single dog, that doesn’t justify stealing his holiday.
Jiang Pengji ruthlessly exposed the truth, laying the bloody reality before Feng Zhen.
She added, “Furthermore, during the New Year’s seven-day break, all entertainment establishments are closed. Where will you find fun? You’ll still be at home alone, how boring! If you’re busy with administration, at least the kitchen can prepare three meals a day for you. Going home? You’re planning to starve to death?”
Feng Zhen: “…”
No matter how desperate Feng Zhen felt, the winter war was a done deal.
In just two days, Feng Zhen’s head collided with the towering desk, weakly declaring.
“I’d rather eat Cold Food Powder and die happy than tire myself to death at this desk…”
