Utefue War of Independence

**The Utefue War of Independence** also known as the **Utefue's Conquest** or better known in history as the **Zhang's Rebellion** was a large armed uprising that took place in Western Utefue. The rebellion successfully toppled the colonies of the Neu-Eden Empire, and caused immense economic devastation and loss of life that became one of the major long-term factors in the collapse of the Neu-Eden Empire.

The movement was formed by Zhang Lioh and, numbered approximately 400,000 soldiers, peasants, mercenaries and pirates alike. Unlike the Royalist Rebellion, though, the movement initially had no clear goals or objectives aside from criticism of the Neu-Eden government. However, the rebels were provoked into taking direct action against the Neu-Eden Empire following a series of ecological disasters. Sometime during the fight, the Xioah River burst its banks, flooding hundreds of thousands of square miles and causing immense loss of life within Harvest Valley. The Neu-Eden government slowly began cleaning up after the disaster, but were unable to provide effective aid as government finances had been drained during the current Royalist Rebellion, and the ongoing slaughter of any Neu-Eden authorities. The damage created by the disaster had still not been repaired when, the river burst its banks again, drowning thousands and devastating the fertile province of Jiangsu. At the time, the Neu-Eden government was trying to negotiate a deal with the Eastern powers, and as state finances had been so severely depleted, the regime was unable to provide effective relief aid. This enraged the rebel movement, who blamed the other royalists for contributing to Utefue's troubles, and increasingly viewed the Neu-Eden government as incompetent and cowardly in the face of the other world powers.

Zhang Lioh took direct action by launching attacks against government troops in central Utefue. By the summer, the fast-moving rebel cavalry, well-trained and fully equipped with modern firearms, had cut the lines of communication between Neu-Eden and the mainland armies fighting the Horotsukawa rebels in the south. Neu-Eden forces were badly overstretched as rebellions broke out across Utefue, allowing the rebel armies to conquer large tracts of land and gain control over economically vital areas. The rebel army fortified their captured cities and used them as bases to launch cavalry attacks against Neu-Eden troops in the countryside, prompting local towns to fortify themselves against rebel raiding parties. This resulted in constant fighting which devastated the previously rich provinces throughout Utefue.

The Neu-Eden government sent the Heretic Empire General, Ashton Juliuan, who had recently crushed a large Hirajō rebel army, to defeat the main rebel army that was headed to the Monazawa Colony. Ashton Juliuan's army captured several fortified cities and destroyed most of the rebel infantry. Upon reaching the colony, it was already being torn down by the rebel army. Zhang took notice of the incoming army, and waited for the impending fight. During the fight outside the ruined colony, the majority of Zhang's army was being killed off. Unlucky for Zhang, he was killed by Ashton in a one on one fight. However, the rebel movement survived as help from Grentin Empire commanders arrived to take control of the rebel forces, and the bulk of the rebel cavalry remained intact. Ashton's infantry-based army could not stop the fast moving cavalry from devastating the countryside and launching surprise attacks on Neu-Eden troops instead. Years later, Ashton Juliuan and his bodyguards were ambushed by Neu-Eden troops and killed, depriving the government of its best military commander. The Neu-Eden regime sent General Mason Longhart to take command of Neu-Eden imperial forces, providing him with modern artillery and weapons, purchased from the remaining colonies at extortionate prices. Mason's army set about building canals and trenches to hem in the rebel cavalry — an effective, but slow and expensive method. Mason was removed from the post after the rebels broke one of his defense fronts. During this time the rebel movement split into two — south rebels stayed in central Utefue and north rebels sneaked close to Yanese. Towards the end of the war, Mason's troops had lost much territory they previously captured from the rebels, and General Mason's army was crushed by the combined forces of Grentin Empire imperial troops and the remaining rebels while trying to hold Yanese from the rebels and the other royalists. The remaining Neu-Eden army left Utefue after losing two prized generals to the rebels, and the heirs to the Neu-Eden throne were executed following the take over of Yanese.