Chapter 122: If You Like It, Your Husband Will Pluck It for You

To strengthen his position, Yang Ye initiated a land reform movement in Caozhou. Through the radical approach of "slaying local tyrants and redistributing land," he won the hearts of the peasants and rapidly assembled an army of tens of thousands.

He promoted those who had profited most and acted most ruthlessly during the land movement to the rank of squad leader. Beyond military duties, these men were tasked with supervision and indoctrination, interspersed among the main force so that every hundred soldiers had one such overseer. "Enticement through profit and precise organization"—these were the two most effective methods Yang Ye used to reshape the armed forces under his control.

Although Caozhou bordered Liangshan, it had not seen much conflict, and the local populace was not particularly bellicose. None of the local landlords possessed armed forces comparable to the Zhuang family or Zengtou City, so Yang Ye’s land seizures faced little resistance. By the time "Double Whip" Huyan Zhuo entered the city, the situation in Caozhou had been settled, and it had become a stronghold firmly under Yang Ye’s command.

Huyan Zhuo held Yang Ye in high esteem. His cousin’s performance on the battlefield was nothing short of brilliant—far exceeding his expectations. Yang Ye had not only taken the vital stronghold of Caozhou with a mere fifteen men but had also managed to build an army from scratch, recruiting defectors and rebels to amass tens of thousands in a remarkably short time. Such a feat was truly "doing the impossible." Among the one hundred and eight leaders of Liangshan, none could compare; even a veteran general like Zhong Shidao would struggle to match such an achievement. It was as if Chen Qingzhi, the "White-Robed General" and military genius of the Southern Dynasties, had been reborn. With such a brilliant and courageous general to assist Liangshan, Song Jiang’s grand ambition might actually be realized.

Now that everything was prepared, it remained to be seen whether He Taiping, currently attacking Puzhou, would fall into the trap Yang Ye had set for him. Just as Huyan Zhuo was lost in these excited musings, he ran into Yang Ye, who was hurrying out. A quick inquiry revealed the good news: He Taiping’s rescue force had departed Puzhou and was marching on Caozhou.

Yang Ye’s seizure of Caozhou had been highly efficient. He had taken the city in a single night and changed the flags. After capturing Gao Yanei, he immediately sent men disguised as government troops to gallop to Puzhou and report the news to He Taiping. Yang Ye knew that by the time he began his sweeping land reforms, He Taiping would have already learned of the fall of Caozhou and the capture of Gao Yanei.

With the military situation urgent, they did not delay, immediately summoning the officers to the prefectural office. Because the city walls of Caozhou had been severely damaged by a giant on the night of the assault and were no longer defensible, they could not rely on fortifications to deal with He Taiping. They had to engage the enemy outside the gates in a large-scale field battle.

Yang Ye, well-versed in military classics, and Huyan Zhuo, with his rich combat experience, carefully reviewed the military map of Caozhou hand-drawn by Jin Mengji. They both chose the same location for the decisive battle: Shagou Ridge.

Without delay, the reinforcements from Jiaxiang County and the newly reorganized troops in Caozhou, totaling tens of thousands, marched out together. They established a series of camps on Shagou Ridge. Flags flew in order, and the soldiers stood ready, sharpening their weapons, awaiting the arrival of the punitive force from Jinan Prefecture.

He Taiping was not happy. Gazing at the crumbling walls of Puzhou and the victory that had been within his reach, he felt like weeping. He did not want to lead his troops to Caozhou, but he had no choice. Just as Yang Ye had anticipated, He Taiping had a compelling reason to come: as long as Gao Yanei was in the hands of the Liangshan forces—and as long as he remained alive—He Taiping could not afford to ignore the situation. Even knowing it was a trap, he had to jump in.

He Taiping was not a soldier; he was a civil official. He knew nothing of military affairs, but he understood the rules of the bureaucracy perfectly. In the bureaucracy, process and form were far more important than substance. It was not just about the outcome; attitude was paramount. If He Taiping ignored Gao Yanei to focus on taking Puzhou, he knew what the corrupt Marshal Gao would think: "This fellow values merit over my son! How can such a man be trusted?" Without the Marshal's approval, even a victory would be a disaster, bringing endless trouble.

Saving Gao Yanei was a matter of capability, but going to save him was a matter of stance and allegiance. In the bureaucracy, you could be vague about many things, but never about where you stood. On issues of allegiance, there were only two paths: you die, or I live. Thus, despite his resentment toward the Gao family, he had to mobilize his army and rush toward Caozhou.

He Taiping held onto a shred of hope. He was on good terms with Yun Tianbiao and knew his capabilities. He believed that even if the Liangshan rebels had managed a lucky victory, they would have suffered heavy losses. The force attacking Caozhou couldn't possibly be large or elite. His own troops, meticulously trained by Bai Jie, were superior to the Puzhou garrison; surely they could defeat these rebels. He comforted himself: *Even if I don't take Puzhou, if I retake Caozhou and save Gao Yanei, it will still be a great achievement.*

The government army, with Wei Yangyin as the vanguard, marched aggressively, accompanied by the stunning beauty Bai Jie—the wife of another man. They arrived at the burial ground Yang Ye had prepared for them. Shagou Ridge was rugged, with low hills and deep gullies, highly unfavorable for cavalry. Bai Jie, well-versed in military tactics, frowned the moment she entered the ridge. She sent out scouts to check for ambushes, but before they could move, a loud gong sounded. Suddenly, the hills were swarming with rebels. The sheer number of them terrified He Taiping.

He Taiping’s civilian cowardice flared up, and he wanted to retreat, but Bai Jie, with her sharp military eye, stopped him. She realized that the tens of thousands of rebels were not proper soldiers; they were merely peasants in armor. "Though they are many, they are but ants," she sneered, drawing her sword. "Cavalry, dismount! Infantry, use your pole-blades! We shall pierce right through them!"

Her words stirred the Jinan troops into a frenzy. Wei Yangyin, the vanguard, stripped to the waist, pounded his chest so hard he coughed up blood before charging with his iron spear. A chaotic melee erupted on Shagou Ridge.

Under normal circumstances, a skilled soldier would easily defeat ten peasants. Bai Jie was confident she could crush them. However, the battle did not go as planned. The amateur peasant soldiers held their ground. They used a simple but effective formation that adapted to the hilly terrain and maximized their collective strength.

Yang Ye had trained them in the "Mandarin Duck Formation," famous from Qi Jiguang’s era. A squad of twelve, with shield-bearers, long-spearmen, musketeers/archers, and short-blade support, perfectly combined weapons of different lengths. It was a miracle of collective coordination—the "newbie" army was holding off the elites.

As the battle stalemated, Yang Ye appeared on the highest peak. He handed his command flag to Huyan Zhuo, drew his Seven-Treasure Saber, and shouted, "Brothers, follow me!" He moved like a tiger among sheep, his blade flashing. Behind him followed the two "Rouge Tigers," Wu Song, Mi Ding, Yuan Lang, Shan Tinggui, and Wei Dingguo. With these legendary warriors joining the fray, the balance of power shifted.

Yang Ye then used a special item—a "Taoist Rune." A beautiful goddess appeared in the sky, dancing and scattering a rainbow-colored mist. A miraculous rain fell, healing the Liangshan soldiers' wounds and boosting their morale to a peak. The government forces collapsed. Bai Jie, seeing the tide turn, used a "Ground-Shrinking Talisman" to vanish, leaving He Taiping to flee for his life.

Just as He Taiping thought he had escaped, a troop of cavalry charged out. The leader, with a leopard’s head, round eyes, and a tiger’s whiskers, rode a black steed and wielded a serpent-spear. It was Lin Chong. He Taiping let out a final, mournful cry—"My lord has come!"—before the spear swept across his throat. A fountain of blood sprayed out, and He Taiping fell into the darkness of the void.