Handing the army to someone like Su Huai spelled inevitable disaster for the Third Prince.
The mon folk suffered greatly from Su Huai’s actions, which clearly indicated a loss of control and reckless desperation to turn the tide in his favor. His forcible recruitment of soldiers and seizure of wealth only fueled public discontent and provided ample grounds for condemnation.
True to expectations, Su Huai wasted no time in launching an assault.
He ordered his men to aggressively expel the recently conscripted civilians. Armed with weapons, they led the charge while the actual Su family army followed closely behind.
These moners, who had only recently resumed peaceful lives before being thrust into battle, had no time to prepare. Terrified and coerced by sword-wielding soldiers, they fled in panic. They lacked the training and mindset for bat, being easy prey.
In this dire situation, they were akin to lambs facing slaughter. Their trembling hands struggled to wield weapons against the perceived "enemy army," with fear paralyzing their every move.
Zheng Sangge led his army into battle and immediately recognized that the forces charging at the front were not posed of Su Huai’s trained soldiers.
Typically, in situations where civilians are forcibly conscripted, they are not simply ordered en masse to charge into battle like Su Huai did. Instead, they would be integrated among trained soldiers.
Approximately 40% of the genuine soldiers were interspersed with the untrained civilians, advancing together. The heat of battle and the intense atmosphere spurred some to muster the courage to wield their weapons against the enemy, while others were propelled by the chaotic environment, instinctively joining the fray.
However, no one conducted operations quite like Su Huai.
Perhaps Su Huai pletely misunderstood the rationale behind military strategy. His approach was limited to forced recruitment and coercing civilians into battle.
Without effective leadership and experienced soldiers to provide guidance and example, expecting civilians who had never handled weapons or experienced bat to engage in battle seemed utterly impractical.
As Zheng Sangge and his forces waited to engage, the sight of disciplined formations, gleaming weapons, and the tense, hostile atmosphere struck terror into the hearts of the untrained civilians at the forefront. Despite being driven forward by those behind them, fear paralyzed their steps.
In confusion, they turned and fled to the sides, triggering a panicked retreat among their patriots.
No one dared to advance.
The regular army at the rear of the formation belatedly realized the chaos unfolding at the front. They shouted urgently, attempting to restore order and discipline to the fleeing ranks.
However, reality proved otherwise.
Amidst the chaos of tens of thousands of people, restoring order was far from simple.
Zheng Sangge and his rades laughed heartily, swiftly organizing a skilled cavalry unit of about 200 riders. They thundered forward, creating havoc within the ranks of Su Huai’s army.
Following this, the infantry advanced, initiating a decisive charge that shattered the Su family’s forces, sending them into disarray...
Su Huai teetered on the edge of madness.
He retreated in shame to Hangzhou City, where he executed several of the forcibly conscripted individuals as a harsh warning to others, berating them fiercely.
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