SWDnovel Chapter 121 The Way of a Great General
Chapter 121 The Way of a Great General
Li Sheng rode his horse to the city gate.
The city gate slowly opened, and Liu Wu walked out with several personal guards.
Only when he got closer could Li Sheng see Liu Wu's appearance clearly.
He had been stabbed at least several times, but his strong armor saved him from death. An arrow was still lodged in his left arm; though the shaft had been broken off, the arrowhead remained embedded in his flesh. His face was covered in blood, making it impossible to tell whether it was his own or the enemy's.
Liu Wu stood ramrod straight, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears.
"General..."
Liu Wu knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse.
"Your subordinate... Your subordinate has failed the general, and has not protected his lord well..."
Li Sheng dismounted and helped him up.
"Don't speak. Doctor! Doctor!"
The medic rushed over and began treating Liu Wu's wounds. Li Sheng stood to the side, looking at Liu Wu's tired face, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.
Liu Wu was, after all, an old brother who had fought his way up from Siyang Township.
He doesn't blame Xiaxiang County for the problems that occurred.
"General."
Liu Wu gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and spoke intermittently.
"Those aristocratic families in the city... took advantage of the night to open the city gates... letting in quite a few soldiers... Your subordinate... Your subordinate reacted quickly... and led men to retake the city gates... but quite a few still escaped inside... There are still remnants in the city... Your subordinate has already sent men to seal off four streets..."
Li Sheng pressed down on his shoulder.
"Stop talking, I know everything. You did a great job. Leave the rest to me, you just focus on recovering."
Liu Wu then closed his eyes and let the military doctor treat his wounds.
Li Sheng stood up, his gaze sweeping over the prisoners kneeling on the ground, then looking at the people peeking out from inside the city gate.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
This time, he will not be merciful.
When he captured Xiaxiang, he was in a hurry to march north to attack Siwu and did not have time to settle accounts with the powerful clans and gentry in the city. Those people surrendered on the surface, but secretly they colluded with the government troops outside the city, working together from the inside and almost taking back Xiaxiang.
He remembered this lesson.
"Pass on the order!"
Li Sheng's voice was as cold as iron.
"Each battalion enters the city and seals off all the residences of the gentry and powerful families. Search and investigate each house one by one. Anyone involved in the rebellion will be executed. All their property will be confiscated, and all their clansmen will be incorporated into the ranks of vagrants and sent to do hard labor on the canals!"
"promise!"
The generals all accepted the order in unison.
Li Sheng paused, then added.
"Tell the brothers, only punish the ringleaders, do not harm the innocent. No one is allowed to enter the people's houses, and no one is allowed to take their belongings. Anyone who dares to take advantage of the chaos will be dealt with according to military law!"
"promise!"
Two thousand elite troops filed into the city.
Soon, shouts from the Taiping army rang out in Xiaxiang City.
"The Taiping army is entering the city! All households must close their doors and not go out!"
"Search for traitors! All irrelevant personnel, stand back!"
Li Sheng rode his horse along the main street of the city, his gaze sweeping over the tightly closed doors and windows.
He could sense that someone was watching him from behind those doors.
There was fear, awe, and also relief.
Those who were fortunate were naturally the civilians who did not participate in the rebellion; as for those who did participate, they were probably regretting their choice at this moment.
But it's too late to regret it now.
It's not that I didn't give them a chance.
When he captured Xiaxiang, he said that the Taiping Army would not disturb the people, take their property, or rape women. He also said that as long as people lived honestly, the Taiping Army would not harm anyone.
They don't believe it.
They thought they were just talking nice words, that the Taiping Army were just thieves, and that as long as they colluded with the government troops, they could take back what they had lost.
Now they know.
Li Sheng is a man of his word.
His statement that he would "not disturb the people" was true. His statement that he would "not take any property" was also true. But his statement that "those who participate in the rebellion will be killed" was equally true.
Three days later, the rebellion in Xiaxiang City was completely quelled.
Seven powerful clans participated in the rebellion, and more than thirty of their leaders were executed, their blood staining the execution grounds a deep crimson.
Their entire property was confiscated, and their clansmen were incorporated into the ranks of refugees and sent to work as laborers on water conservancy projects.
Those kneeling on the execution ground cried out their innocence before their deaths, saying they were forced or misled.
Li Sheng did not listen.
He stood at the entrance of the county government office, watching those being escorted to the execution ground, his face expressionless.
"General."
Li Shi walked over from behind and said in a low voice.
"The seven aristocratic families had more than two thousand shi of grain confiscated, and they also had a lot of money, enough for us to use for a while."
He came from Siwu County. Liu Wu's letter requesting help was sent not only to Xiapi, but also to Siwu County to the north.
The day after Li Sheng arrived to provide support, he also came from Siwu.
Li Sheng nodded.
"Give half of this grain to the brothers in the army. These brothers have fought alongside us to the death to defend the city, and we cannot treat them unfairly."
Li Sheng rewarded them with the intention of building this army into a unique and mighty force of this era.
Ordinary armies, besides receiving their pay, occasionally engage in activities like robbery and plundering. He was determined to prevent this from happening. He didn't expect them to be like the People's Army of later generations, but at least they should emulate the Yue Family Army.
Only by maintaining iron discipline can a strong organizational capacity be maintained; this cannot be achieved through faith alone.
"promise."
Li Shi turned around and made the arrangements.
Standing at the entrance of the county government office, Li Sheng gazed at the streets and alleys of the city gradually returning to order, silently summarizing the gains and losses of this battle.
This time, he made a mistake.
Yes, he knew he was not perfect and would inevitably make many mistakes, big and small, on his path to conquering the world.
However, making mistakes is not a problem. What is important is to learn from them afterward. Only in this way can we make up for our shortcomings and become a great general.
After thinking it over, Li Sheng realized that all of this stemmed from his own impatience.
After conquering Xiaxiang, he rushed north to attack Siwu without consolidating his rule, which gave those powerful clans an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
If it weren't for Liu Wu's quick reaction and resolute defense, Xiaxiang might have really been lost.
If he loses his position, all his previous efforts may be in vain.
He remembered this lesson.
When you conquer a new city, the first thing to do is not to rush into expansion, but to thoroughly purge and completely control it. Only by stabilizing the people's hearts and eliminating the opposition can the city be considered truly captured.
Otherwise, even if we capture a city, it will only be a dead city that could be lost at any time.
He turned around and walked back to the county government office.
Although the situation in Xiaxiang has been quelled, the government troops who fled are still there, as are the civilians who did not participate in the rebellion but harbor doubts. He needs time to completely stabilize Xiaxiang.
As for westward expansion...
Li Sheng's gaze fell on the vast land on the west side of the map, and he remained silent for a moment.
hold on.
Once he has laid a solid foundation, then we can discuss conquering the Central Plains.