Chapter 2197 - Encircling Yanxi Mountain

Li Wu's interrogation required minimal effort. Yet as merely Li Sanjiu's bodyguard, he possessed scant valuable intelligence. He confirmed roughly two thousand Yao tribal warriors had deployed to Lianzhou, despite claims of "five thousand elite soldiers." They possessed reasonable weaponry but virtually no armor, limited firearms, and minimal gunpowder. The headmen placed little faith in firearms. Beyond such basics, he offered nothing substantial. However, the work team extracted from him one critical uprising catalyst: salt.

Upon assuming his post as Governor-General of Liangguang, Xiong Wencan had commenced military reconstruction. Reconstruction demanded capital. The capital-raising mechanism naturally involved "extracting from the populace." Salt, inevitably, featured prominently.

Consequently, salt prices had climbed steadily for years. The Yao territories, situated deep inland, produced no salt, depending entirely on Han merchant supplies. Yao region salt invariably commanded premium prices—Han peddlers charged far above market rates. Exchanging a fat chicken for a single jin of salt proved commonplace. Recently, prices had doubled again, forcing numerous pai and chong settlements to subsist on bland fare. Resentment festered deeply. Li Sanjiu had merely exploited the opportune moment.

When the Council of Elders seized Guangzhou, combat erupted across Guangdong. Salt trade routes severed; coastal salt could no longer reach inland markets, propelling prices higher still. Within Lianzhou city, certain salt merchants had exhausted stocks while others hoarded for extortionate profits. Salt prices throughout the Lianzhou region had soared to extraordinary levels. In Yao territories, salt became unavailable regardless of payment—roads proved too perilous for merchants to risk transport. In truth, the Eight Pai Yao rebellion's primary spark was salt stockpiled within Lianzhou city.

Salt—perpetually salt. Huang Chao recalled academic papers documenting how the Great Wattle Gorge Yao Rebellion had erupted precisely because certain Guangxi tusi chieftains and local officials monopolized salt commerce, inflaming social tensions. Throughout Huang Chao's experience, whether addressing Li uprisings in Hainan or Yao rebellions in Liangguang, two primary catalysts existed: first, inequitable trade terms with Han populations; second, harsh living conditions coupled with minimal productivity. Under such combined pressures, mountain-dwelling minorities resorting to violent plunder for survival proved hardly surprising. Temporary military suppression could manage circumstances briefly, yet given sufficient time, the cycle would inexorably recur.

Addressing root causes remained premature. Huang Chao extracted the Lianyang Region Economic and Cultural Development Outline from his satchel—that document he'd reviewed innumerable times—before returning it. He'd authored this blueprint personally, drawing upon Hainan experience while referencing poverty-alleviation materials from the original timeline.

Truthfully, the Lianyang region's population pressure ran far lighter than in the old timeline, with environment well-preserved. Though mountains dominated while flatlands proved scarce, substantial wilderness awaited clearance. Inland river transport proved remarkably convenient, with abundant resources anticipating development. Compared to Hainan counties where he'd previously served, this locale qualified as prosperous.

"Provided peace can be maintained, this region demonstrates tremendous potential."

Though timelines differed—this "Lianzhou" wasn't the Lianzhou Huang Chao originated from—his affection for this territory had never wavered.

Yet the Eight Pai Yao problem weighed constantly upon his mind. He understood clearly: whether the Lianyang region could achieve lasting peace depended entirely upon successfully pacifying the Yao.

The so-called Eight Pai Yao constituted the collective designation for Yao populations inhabiting territory between Lianzhou and Lianshan. Han people termed their larger villages pai, smaller ones chong—hence "Pai Yao." The eight largest settlements—Majian, Junliao, Libadong, Huoshao, Dazhang, Nangang, Hengkeng, and Youling—alongside numerous smaller villages generated the expression "Eight Pai, Twenty-Four Chong," yielding the name Eight Pai Yao.

Unlike neighboring Han clan villages, individual pai didn't necessarily contain singular surnames—Nangang Pai, for instance, housed the Deng, Tang, Pan, and Fang surnames. Among the Eight Pai, the three eastern ones—Nangang, Hengkeng, and Youling—fell under Lianzhou's direct jurisdiction, designated the "Prefecture's Three Pai," "Eastern Three Pai," or "Outer Three Pai." The remaining five occupied Lianshan County territory, known as the "County's Five Pai," "Western Five Pai," or "Inner Five Pai."

The Pai Yao represented a settled Yao branch exhibiting relatively advanced social organization and production levels, rendering them somewhat more formidable militarily than nomadic "Mountain-Wandering Yao." The pai maintained mutual independence without central authority, thus although Pai unrest occurred annually, comprehensive uprisings engaging all Eight Pai proved relatively rare. Historically, Eight Pai Yao rebellions would persist until finally suppressed during the Qing Dynasty's Shunzhi reign.

"This operation demands swiftness and decisiveness!" Huang Chao murmured.

During predawn hours, troops commenced pontoon bridge construction. With Dafa launches serving as tugboats, despite sunrise remaining two or three hours distant and working solely by torchlight, bridges achieved rapid completion. One pontoon bridge employed over a dozen collected riverine small boats as floats; the other utilized inflated ox-hide bladders transported with the army. They connected via cables, anchored by wooden stakes on both banks, planked with boards.

The troops, having rested most of the night, began river crossings. The Fubo Army, Li-Miao Company, and various National Army units all exhibited high morale. However, the Yangshan Provisional Squadron, which had traversed mountain roads all day and arrived merely hours earlier, displayed visible exhaustion. This provisional squadron of Yonghua Yao numbered only approximately eighty men—already excluding elderly and infirm—yet their physical conditioning couldn't match the Fubo Army's. Following extended marching without adequate rest, fatigue manifested clearly.

Huang Chao harbored minimal combat expectations for them—nor did he trust this unit lacking reform and training. Yet their very presence transmitted a crucial signal to the Eight Pai Yao: their alliance with Yonghua Yao had already collapsed. This represented Huang Chao's initial step toward fracturing the rebellious Yao.

As dawn broke, all units had crossed safely. The Fubo Army company covered the artillery team's seizure of North Hill; two National Army squadrons, each accompanied by Yonghua Yao contingents, divided into upper and lower routes, encircling Yanxi Mountain before summit-based Eight Pai Yao could react. The Li-Miao Company deployed south of Yanxi Mountain to observe and defend against both city-besieging Eight Pai Yao and the Lianzhou garrison within.

When Li Sanjiu awakened, he discovered Australians had encircled him completely. Shock registered—reports of Australian pontoon bridge construction had reached him from inception. Li Sanjiu had estimated that even commencing construction at midnight, completion would prove unlikely before the following evening. Given Yao forces' organizational capacity, launching rash night attacks would likely fail while potentially throwing their ranks into chaos. Thus he'd merely instructed men to "continue observing."

He hadn't anticipated that by first light, Song troops had already crossed and encircled the Yanxi Mountain region!

Li Sanjiu, a veteran campaigner, avoided panic. He dispatched men to coordinate with various mountain-based headmen while sending others gathering enemy intelligence.

The news proved mixed. The positive: enemy numbers ran far lower than anticipated—maximally around one thousand, dispersed across multiple positions. Though occupying key chokepoints, they might not withstand concentrated assault from his main strength.

The negative: forces surrounding him included Yao warriors.

Sudden realization struck: had the Yonghua Yao already betrayed him?

This thought sent chills coursing down his spine. Coercing Yonghua Yao into joining the uprising had constituted his "masterstroke"—a feint drawing Australian attention while constraining their movements.

Provided Yonghua Yao hadn't submitted to Australians, even should Australians recapture Yangshan, the Yonghua could still immobilize their forces. Yet the Yonghua had proved so feeble—not merely surrendering Yangshan meekly, they'd followed these Song troops to attack him!

"Quickly arm yourselves—prepare for breakout!" Li Sanjiu issued orders when suddenly someone reported: Li Wu had returned.

"Bring him immediately," Li Sanjiu commanded.

Upon Li Wu's arrival, Li Sanjiu berated him furiously, demanding where he'd been and whether he'd delivered messages punctually.

Li Wu protested innocence, recounting every mission detail. He explained the Australian "Lord Huang, Commissioner for Pacifying and Suppressing Lianyang and Military Governor of Lianzhou" had released him to convey a message.

"What message?"

"This..." Li Wu hesitated, glancing toward surrounding headmen and tianchang gong. "Lord Huang... desires your... immediate surrender... promising your life will be spared..."

Li Sanjiu erupted in profanity. The enemy hadn't merely refused negotiation—they'd pressured Yonghua Yao into submission while now demanding his surrender as well. His clever stratagems had yielded nothing; imminently, he'd forfeit everything.

"Chief! Now proves no time for fury," Li Wu urged. "Song forces possess might and deploy heavy artillery. Should we engage, we'll suffer certainly—we must flee immediately."

This reminder sobered Li Sanjiu. Breathing laboriously, he stated: "Fear nothing—I retain a final stratagem."

That stratagem involved two hundred Junliao Pai warriors concealed on Jinfeng Mountain—originally positioned guarding against the Lianzhou garrison. Should the garrison break the siege, Li Sanjiu planned leading Yanxi Mountain Yao in feigned eastward retreat, luring garrison pursuit. When they reached Jinfeng's southern flank, exposing themselves, smoke signals would dispatch the Jinfeng force charging downward for flank strikes while his main strength wheeled for pincer assault.

Though Australians carried muskets and artillery, they fielded fewer numbers. Should he signal Junliao Pai to descend striking enemy flanks and rear, their deployment would descend into chaos, drawing their attention. Yanxi Mountain Yao could then charge downhill for pincer attacks against Australians positioned north of the mountain, subsequently breaking through amid confusion.

Victory or defeat pivoted on this instant! Li Sanjiu decided immediately. "Quickly—raise black smoke signals!" He added: "Summon all headmen to me immediately!"

The Junliao Pai on Yanxi Mountain ranked among the Eight Pai's most defiant. Whenever the Eight Pai rose in rebellion, Majian and Junliao invariably spearheaded charges. Not only commanding the most able-bodied fighters, they also proved more ferocious and battle-hardened. This force constituted, effectively, Li Sanjiu's emergency reserve.

(End of Chapter)