Xu Zhen didn't dare to neglect the meaning of Lin Rong's words. He hurriedly shot out a whistling arrow. There was a rustling sound in the distant forest. Countless soldiers appeared in the dark and hurriedly retreated.
"Husband, why did you retreat?" Qin Xian 'er asked, which also represented Xu Zhen's thoughts.
Lin Wanrong's face was solemn. He pointed at the billowing smoke in the north and said slowly, "Xiao Xu, what do you think that is?"
"It should be the smoke from the explosion of gunpowder …" Xu Zhen's expression suddenly changed. He said in shock, "General Lin, are you suspecting that we also have gunpowder here?"
Lin Wanrong nodded and didn't say anything. Cold sweat trickled down Xu Zhen's face. Since the enemy had set up gunpowder in the north, there was no reason for them to ignore the south. The forest where people were hiding was deep and dense, and there were many blind spots. There were many blind spots that were difficult to search. If someone had really buried gunpowder, once it exploded, the flames would take advantage of the wind, and thousands of our brothers would be buried here.
The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. Lin Wanrong patted his shoulder and comforted him, "Xiao Xu, don't blame yourself too much. We are humans, not gods. It's inevitable that we make mistakes. We just need to learn from them. I only thought of this place because I saw the fireworks in the north. "
Xu Zhen nodded gratefully, and his expression quickly returned to normal. A rider galloped into the camp from afar. The messenger jumped down from the horse and hurriedly cupped his fists. "Reporting to the two generals, Lord Xu has ordered me to report that a large number of enemies have suddenly appeared in the north of the city. There are several thousand of them and they are extremely fierce."
Thousands of people? Lin Wanrong was also shocked. He hurriedly asked, "Who are they? Did they come from inside the city? "
The messenger hurriedly replied, "These people are dressed in black, and they don't have flags. They didn't come from inside the city, but from the periphery of the army. They are fast, and they are very strong. They are in a stalemate with our army. There are also more than two hundred fearless men of sacrifice who rushed into our camp with gunpowder strapped to their bodies. The situation is very tragic. Lord Xu deduced that these people were very likely to be death warriors trained by the other party. This time, they have turned out in full force to assist the big fish in breaking out of the encirclement. I ask the two generals to make early preparations. "
Lin Wanrong nodded and didn't say anything. Then, he heard an even more violent explosion from the north. Flames soared into the sky, and the momentum was even stronger than before. Even from so far away, he could still hear the sounds of intense fighting.
"Reporting!" Another rider galloped over. The second messenger panted as he jumped off his horse. "Reporting to the two generals, there has been a sudden change outside the north gate!"
"Hurry up and speak!" Lin Wanrong shouted.
The soldier cupped his fists and reported, "Gunpowder suddenly ignited outside the north gate. By the time we arrived, three to four hundred men in black had charged out from underground and were fiercely attacking our army."
"Underground?" Xu Zhen asked in confusion.
"Yes!" The messenger replied, "According to Lord Xu's deductions, there is no need to worry. These people had dug a tunnel under the city wall, buried the gunpowder, and had been hiding for many days. Right now, the two groups of enemies are trying their best to get close, and from the looks of it, they are trying to cover the big fish's escape. "
Lin Wanrong smiled. "When the brothers were charging, did anyone see the big fish?"
The messenger hurriedly shook his head. Lin Wanrong snorted but didn't say anything.
The explosions at the north gate were getting fiercer and fiercer, and the shouts of the soldiers rushed into their eardrums. From the momentum, it seemed like the enemy was going to fight to the death. Xu Zhen worriedly said, "General, looking at the situation over there, it doesn't seem to be fake. Should I send someone over to take a look?"
"There's no need," Lin Wanrong smiled and waved his hand, "Lord Xu is guarding the north gate, there won't be any trouble. On our side, however, there is something unusual. "
"Our side?!" Xu Zhen curiously asked, "General, where did this come from?"
Lin Wanrong sighed, "Little Xu, the north has gunpowder and cannons, they are fighting fiercely, but what about our side?"
Xu Zhen's brows sank for a moment before he nodded, "Our side is somewhat quiet — —"
"Not quiet — — it's frighteningly quiet!" Lin Wanrong snorted, "The old saying is good, a dog that bites doesn't bark, a dog that barks doesn't bite. The fiercer the fighting over there, the more worried I am! Xu Zhen, pass on the word, tell the brothers to be on their guard, hold their posts, and at the first sign of trouble, immediately attack! "
"Yes!" Xu Zhen responded. He immediately sent someone to pass on General Lin's orders.
Qin Xian 'er slowly massaged his shoulders and said in a soft voice, "Husband, if Cheng Wang really wants to escape from our side, then you tell him. Where will he choose to start? "
"This, I can't guess." Lin Wanrong leaned back in his wheelchair and gave a long sigh. He grimaced, "The most effective method, is to start with me."
The night grew darker. The torches in the camp burned brightly. Thousands of soldiers took their positions, waiting for the sudden situation that they didn't know when. It was a pity that things didn't go as they wished. The sounds of fighting from the north became even more intense. Xu Wei's urgent reports flew in one after the other. But the south gate was abnormally quiet. Even the sound of a mosquito's wings could be heard.
Not just Xu Zhen, even Lin Daren's own patience was about to run out. Looking at the thick dust and smoke outside the north gate, he couldn't help but frown. Did I really guess wrong?
Tick tock, tick tock. Suddenly, the crisp sound of hooves came from the distance and startled Lin Wanrong out of his thoughts. He hurriedly raised his head to look and saw a troop of people coming from the distance. There were about two hundred people, all dressed as soldiers. The person at the front was a red-clothed taijian. The taijian had a panicked expression as he galloped on his horse. He raised a yellow piece of silk in his hand and shouted in a sharp voice, "The imperial edict has arrived, Lin San, receive the edict — —"
Imperial edict? Lin Wanrong stilled. It was already this time. What kind of imperial edict could the old tutor give?
The taijian galloped on his horse, his riding posture very practiced. The two hundred soldiers behind him charged like a whirlwind. Lin Daren waved his hand and shouted in a dignified manner, "Wait — —"
The soldiers in the camp had been waiting for this order for a long time. Hearing General Lin's shout, the three hundred archers rushed forward. The repeating crossbows in their hands emitted a faint light as they aimed at the people in front of them.
"Neigh — —" The taijian gave a long shout and turned his horse around. The soldiers behind him also stopped in an instant. They were only thirty to forty zhang away from Lin Wanrong's camp.
Lin Wanrong looked carefully and saw that these two hundred people were all wearing helmets and armor. Their robes were very loose and their waists were bulging. He didn't know what they were carrying.
Seeing Xu Zhen's army aiming their bows and waiting in formation, the red-clothed taijian had an angry expression. He shouted in a sharp voice, "Lin Daren, what are you doing?! Are you going to refuse the imperial edict? "
"Look at what you're saying. How could an honest person like me dare to refuse an imperial edict?" Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "This eunuch, which palace are you in charge of? How come I've never seen you before? May I know your surname? "
The red-clothed taijian angrily said, "I am a deacon under Eunuch Gao Ping in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. My surname is Duan and my given name is Qin. I even saw you the last time Lin Daren entered the palace. What, could it be that Sir Lin suspects my identity? "He waved the imperial edict in his hand with great force, his expression extremely arrogant.
"General Lin, it seems to be real." Xu Zhen's eyesight was very good. He could clearly see the words "imperial edict" on the silk cloth.
"Really?" Lin Wanrong laughed and shouted, "Eunuch Duan, why did you bring so many people when you came out to announce an imperial edict?"
Eunuch Duan snorted, "The city gates are sealed and it's not peaceful outside. His Majesty specifically ordered me to bring some troops. Lin Daren, are you going to accept this imperial edict or not? If you refuse, I'll go back directly and report to His Majesty. "
Lin Wanrong laughed, "I accept it, of course I accept it. However, Eunuch Duan, I'll tell you a secret. "
"What secret?" Eunuch Duan pulled on the reins of his horse. The troops behind him gradually approached the camp. Xu Zhen raised his hand and the archers raised their crossbows a bit higher. Murderous intent could be seen as they forced the other side to stop.
Lin Wanrong chuckled. "It's a simple secret. Eunuch Duan, why is the attendant uniform you're wearing from last year? All the attendants and maids in the palace have changed into new clothes at the beginning of spring this year. They were personally made by our Xiao Family. Even the servants sweeping the floor have been changed. What, Eunuch Duan, you don't know? "
"So that's what happened. I know, I know. Of course I know!" Eunuch Duan smiled embarrassedly, "His Majesty had me announce the imperial edict today. It was a bit rushed and I didn't have time to change. I'll definitely pay attention next time! Lin Daren, can you accept the imperial edict now? "
"Yes —" Lin Daren nodded with a smile. Eunuch Duan was overjoyed. He was about to step forward when he saw Lin Daren wave his hand, "However, I have a condition!"
Eunuch Duan anxiously said, "What condition?!"
"The condition is simple to say." Lin Wanrong held back his laughter, "I want Eunuch Duan to strip naked and come here alone to announce the imperial edict —"
Eunuch Duan knew that his identity had been exposed when he heard this. His face instantly turned ferocious as he pulled open his shirt. He angrily roared, "For His Highness, we will take Lin San's head. Kill —"
He threw the imperial edict away. His left hand held the reins while his right hand held the torch. The horse beneath him galloped away. The two hundred people behind him followed his example. They all tore off their clothes and tied thick cloth belts around their waists. Black powder could be faintly seen on the belts. The long fuse was tied to the torch, ready to be ignited at any time.
"Kill …" More than two hundred people seemed to have gone crazy. Their eyes were red as they backhanded their sabers and stabbed the buttocks of their horses. Under the pain, the war horses were like meteors as they charged toward the camp.
"Gunpowder …" Qin Xianer cried out in surprise. Xu Zhen was shocked when he heard this and anxiously shouted, "Shoot …"
More than three hundred archers. The crossbows were like a swarm of locusts, flying toward the enemy's cavalry.
"Ah —" The dozens of riders on the opposing horses were hit by the arrows, but they didn't seem to feel the slightest pain. They tightly held onto the reins, not letting their bodies fall.
"Cunning dogs!" Xu Zhen understood that these riders' legs were tied to the horses' bellies. Even if they were shot dead, their bodies still followed the horses as they galloped. The gunpowder tied to their bodies was quickly ignited by their companions.
"For His Highness, we must kill Lin San …" The distance of three to four hundred feet was covered in an instant by fast horses. More than two hundred people roared at the same time. They ignited the gunpowder on their bodies and charged toward Lin San's camp. The deafening rumble made people's eardrums tremble.
The crossbows fired one after another. In the blink of an eye, more than half of the two hundred people were dead or injured. The horses carried the corpses back to the camp. Rumble, rumble, rumble. The sound of gunpowder igniting shook the earth. It was useless to just shoot people. General Lin didn't panic and shouted, "Brothers, shoot the horses' legs!"
The moment his voice fell, the crossbows whistled through the air and shot toward the horses' legs. This move was indeed effective. The horses at the very front were overturned, and the knights at the back mercilessly trampled on them. The explosions of gunpowder were continuous, and in the midst of the soaring flames, countless armors were scattered, and flesh and blood were flying everywhere. More than two hundred men and horses formed a sea of fire, and like lit firecrackers, they exploded one after another.
Finally, six or seven horses passed through the sea of fire and entered the camp. In the fierce explosion, dozens of archers were buried.
"Kill —" The battle had not ended yet. A few miles away from the camp, a horn suddenly soared to the sky. This was followed by the sound of horses' hooves stomping on the ground.
A scout rushed into the camp and reported, "General, ten miles away from our army, a large number of people and horses suddenly appeared. There are more than two thousand of them!"
"Really?" Xu Zhen was shocked. He looked at Lin Wanrong with admiration in his eyes. "General, it is as you expected. The big fish is heading south! Two thousand people and horses is really a lot. This should be his final trump card. "
Lin Wanrong nodded and sighed. "The fiercer thing is yet to come. Xu Zhen, tell the brothers to be more careful. Cheng Wang is not that easy to deal with."
"Roger!" Xu Zhen cupped his fists and said to the scout, "Quickly pass down the order. He said to the scout, "Quickly pass down my orders. Get into formation. The Divine Strategy Battalion's archers will take the front. The cavalry and infantry battalions will spread out according to the formation. All soldiers are only allowed to advance and not retreat. Those who disobey will be dealt with according to military law! "
"Roger!" A few scouts hurried off. Xu Zhen's face was flushed with excitement. Qin Xian 'er suddenly asked, "Husband, how did you recognize that fake eunuch?"
Lin Wanrong shook his head and said with a smile, "He can only blame himself for being too arrogant. A eunuch who usually does not leave his house or step out of his room is even more handsome than me when he rides a horse. Damn it, is there still justice in this world? "
Xu Zhen laughed loudly. Why didn't I think of that? A damn eunuch would be pretty good if he could ride a donkey. How could he know how to ride a horse?
Qin Xian 'er sighed ruefully. This husband of hers looked like he was all smiles, but in reality, he was very knowledgeable and intelligent. He knew the physics of the world and understood the various states of the human heart. His greatest strength was that he could see the fine details that others could not. It looked like he used tricks, but it was the accumulation of life. It was his most genuine ability. As the saying went, one could see a person's heart through the fine details. This was the reason why he would never lose.
"Husband, you are the most incredible person in the world. Xian 'er loves you to death," Miss Qin said affectionately as she hugged his shoulder.
"General, should we go to the front?" The rumbling of the cannons caused the ground under their feet to tremble. Knowing that the enemy had entered the range of the cannons, Xu Zhen's heart itched and he volunteered to Lin Wanrong.
"Don't panic." Lin Wanrong faintly waved his hand, "No matter how loud the battle outside is, it's all an illusion. It's to attract our attention. The big fish doesn't come out of the water. It's pointless to fight. "
Xu Zhen seemed to understand, "General, there is one thing that this general hasn't understood. All the city gates are closed. How did the big fish escape?"
Lin Wanrong smiled and nodded, "At the beginning, I didn't know, but Cheng Wang's escape route from Xiang Guo Temple reminded me. If my guess isn't wrong, he has operated in Jing City for many years and must have prepared an escape route. There is a large lake in the garden of his wang fu. The so-called Dragon Palace under the lake should be the base of operations that he runs. The Dragon Palace must have tunnels that lead out of the city. This is his last escape route. "
Xian 'er smiled and said, "I understand. You told Gao Qiu to spread the news that a Dragon Palace had been found in the wang fu and told him to use explosives to blow up the entrance. This is to scare the tiger and lure the snake out of its hole, forcing him to escape."
"Smart!" Lin Wanrong smiled and praised.
"But General, there is still one thing I don't understand." Xu Zhen frowned and said, "Why didn't you blow up the bottom of the lake and go in to capture him, but instead lure him out?"
"There are two reasons." Lin Daren said seriously, "One, that underground Dragon Palace is his territory. We don't know the geography. If we charge in, he could secretly bury some gunpowder inside and fight to the death with us. If it explodes, it wouldn't just be for us, it would be a great disaster for the people in the surroundings. Two, Cheng Wang has operated for many years and has a strong foundation in Jing. Luring him out would expose more of his wings. Who is the clown and who is the loyal pillar, it would be clear. Look, the people that he has hidden in the shadows, wouldn't they all be exposed? Only by cutting the weeds and removing the roots can we prevent any future troubles. "
These words caused Qin Xian 'er to be enlightened. All the previous problems had been solved. Qin Xian' er pulled Lin Wanrong's large hand and said seriously, "Husband, only now do I understand why Li Tai risked his life to invite you to go north with him. In China, no one is a match for you in a battle of wits and courage. "
"Furen, don't praise me like this, I will be shy." Lin Wanrong laughed and didn't seem serious.
"Annoying." Miss Qin covered her lips and laughed lightly. She tapped a finger on his forehead, her large eyes blinking. "Husband, when you come back from the north, I will fulfill one of your wishes. Are you willing?"
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