Sichuan was in utter chaos.
The province was mountainous, the terrain layered with ridges, ravines, dense forests, and winding paths that twisted like coiled serpents. For regular armies that relied on supply routes and structured formations, such geography was exhausting and restrictive. For rebels, however, it was ideal.
A rebel force could disappear into one mountain range, scatter into the woods, crawl through brush and stone, then emerge from an entirely different direction. They did not fear losing their way.
After all, if one had no fixed destination, one could never truly be lost.
Ever since Chuǎng Wang killed the Sichuan Regional Commander Hou Liangzhu, there were no longer any proper provincial forces capable of holding the line. Aside from the White Pole Soldiers, no legitimate military unit in Sichuan possessed the discipline or mobility to counter the rebels effectively.
Chuǎng Wang quickly divided his army into multiple columns and launched simultaneous offensives.
Zhaohua fell.
Jintang fell.
Jianzhou, Shifang, Pengxian, Pixian, Xindu, Xichong, Suining, Zitong, Mianzhou, Xinfan, Wenjiang, Jiangyou, Zhangming, Luojiang, Deyang, Hanzhou. One after another, prefectures and counties were swallowed.
Throughout the region, messengers rode desperately toward Chengdu. Horses foamed at the mouth, riders half-collapsed in their saddles. Reports piled up like snow in winter.
Inside the governor's office, Wang Weizhang listened from dawn until dusk.
"Report. A rebel faction has appeared in the mountains near Zhaohua. We cannot identify which army."
"Report. Mantianxing attacked Luojiang but was repelled by defenders."
"Report. Guo Tianxing stormed Suining and killed more than three hundred villagers."
"Report. Huntianxing has moved toward…"
"Enough!" Wang Weizhang cried out, his voice strained. "Stop reporting disasters. Tell me where the White Pole Soldiers are. Where are they now?"
A subordinate knelt and replied, "They intercepted rebels at Pengxian and achieved a great victory. Immediately afterward, they rushed to Pixian and forced another withdrawal. Before they could rest, they received urgent news from Xichong and hurried there. Then Luojiang, Deyang, Hanzhou. They are pursuing rebels without pause."
Wang Weizhang's heart tightened.
It felt as though the White Pole Soldiers were touring Sichuan in circles. When they suppressed the west, the east ignited. When they rushed east, trouble flared in the north. The province was too vast, the rebels too scattered.
He swallowed a mouthful of cold noodles. There was no liangpi here. Only plain cold noodles. Even food had lost its comfort.
"What about the Ministry of War?" he demanded. "Have reinforcements been dispatched?"
The subordinate hesitated. "The Minister of War, Zhang Fengyi, has taken poison and died. The ministry is in complete disorder. Officials are competing for the vacant position. At such a time, no one is truly handling military affairs."
Wang Weizhang inhaled sharply. For a moment, he felt as though the entire realm was collapsing from the center outward.
Elsewhere, under filtered sunlight in roadside grass, Ma Xianglin lay flat on his back.
The light flickered across his armor. It should have been a peaceful scene. Instead, it was heavy with exhaustion.
He turned his single eye toward the White Pole Soldiers who had followed him through countless campaigns. Many lay sprawled in the grass, breathing heavily, some staring blankly at the sky.
They were loyal.
They were fierce.
But they were tired.
Zhang Fengyi lay down beside him and sighed deeply. "The soldiers must rest for several days. If we continue running like this and encounter a strong rebel force, we could be wiped out."
Ma Xianglin knew he was right. The White Pole Soldiers had been chasing fires across the province without pause. If they met Chuǎng Wang's elite forces now, the consequences would be unpredictable.
"Find a city we can defend," Ma Xianglin said quietly. "We rest properly. Send someone to inform my mother. Ask if she can gather reinforcements."
In Shizhu, on Wan Shou Mountain, at Wan Shou Zhai, Qin Liangyu stood in silence, gazing into the distance.
Zhao Sheng, known as Dian Dengzi, had just finished teaching farmers improved chili cultivation techniques. When he entered the hall and saw her expression, he immediately sensed something was wrong.
"General Qin," he asked, "what has happened?"
She explained the situation in brief but heavy terms. Rebels everywhere. The White Pole Soldiers overstretched. No aid from the court. The Manchus pressing at the borders. The Ministry of War paralyzed.
"How can the White Pole Soldiers alone hold Sichuan?" she murmured.
Zhao Sheng felt helpless. Such matters were beyond his understanding.
Then he heard a faint voice beside his ear. It came from the embroidered figure of Dao Xuan Tianzun on his chest, audible only to him.
"We will send troops to assist her."
Zhao Sheng's eyes lit up.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun has arrived," he whispered inwardly.
Li Daoxuan's voice continued calmly, giving instructions.
After listening carefully, Zhao Sheng raised his head and said to Qin Liangyu, "General, there is still one force that can help."
Her eyes sharpened. "Which force?"
"The militia that once fought bandits alongside your son and daughter-in-law in Shanxi."
Qin Liangyu looked surprised. "That formidable militia? Xianglin and Fengyi have mentioned them. They say the militia is disciplined and fierce. However, militia are not regular troops. They defend their own homeland. Why would they travel thousands of miles to fight elsewhere?"
Her concern was realistic. Even regular troops often fought desperately only in their own provinces. Once moved elsewhere, they became lax, sometimes even harming the local population.
Zhao Sheng replied steadily, "This militia is different. They are not restricted by court bureaucracy. They can move freely. More importantly, they possess a strong sense of righteousness. They will not refuse to aid the people of Sichuan."
He added, "Besides, rebels have destroyed checkpoints across the land. The old travel pass system has collapsed. People move without restraint now."
Qin Liangyu nodded slowly. "If they are willing to come, I will treat them generously."
"There is no need for generous gifts," Zhao Sheng answered. "When they arrive, simply declare them to be under your command. That will avoid unnecessary trouble."
"That is easily done," she replied.
Zhao Sheng said he would draft a letter of invitation.
In reality, Li Daoxuan had already shifted his consciousness back to the village.
He turned to Cheng Xu and gave a concise order.
"Deploy forces. Enter Sichuan."