The next day, the warm sun hung high in the sky.
The fleet sailed along the river day and night and arrived at the area of Hanyang, less than a hundred miles away from Ezhou. The Xiliang Army on the troop transport ships was ready to go. All kinds of landing equipment were ready, and even the cannons were loaded. When the soldiers arrived at the city, they would tear the last face of the four eastern kings.
On the commander's ship, Nightingale carefully scanned the situation of hundreds of ships with binoculars. Occasionally, she would report to Xu Buling in the room when a flag came.
In the room, Xu Buling was neatly dressed. He walked beside the bed and looked at the map of Luotian County. Sometimes he looked back with a doting smile in his eyes.
Behind Xu Buling, Ning Qing Ye was lying on her side facing the wall. Her smooth shoulders were exposed outside the spring quilt. Her cloud-like long hair was loose, and her delicate face was a bit cold. She still refused to get up.
At first, Ning Qingye wasn't angry that Xu Buling had done something to him after some hesitation last night. But because he had accidentally said the word "needle," the gentle lover in front of him had instantly turned into a jerk.
No matter how good Qing Ye was at martial arts, she was just a girl who had just reached the peak of her life. Even if her body could bear it, her heart could not. Later, she even forgot where she was …
Ning Qing Ye showed a little grievance in her eyes. Compared with the torture, she was actually more worried about what people outside would think. Chen Sining lived not far away. She did not know if she had heard the noise. Nightingale must have heard the noise, but she did not know what she thought of her …
Xu Buling looked at the map for a moment. Seeing that it was getting late, he put down the map and shook Qing Ye's shoulder.
"Yeye …"
"Hey."
？？
Xu Buling's expression froze, and then he raised his hand.
Pa —
Ning Qing Ye did not move. Anyway, it did not hurt. She pulled up the spring quilt and ignored him.
Xu Buling shook his head and turned Qing Ye to face him. He said softly,
"It's my fault. Get up and eat something. It's almost noon. "
Ning Qing Ye's face was cold. She turned her head and did not look at Xu Buling.
"If I don't go out, I will starve to death. I told you to be careful, but you have to be so rash. Nightingale must have heard it. Maybe Miss Chen heard it too. Also, there are many people on the ship. How can I go out and meet them? "
Xu Buring's eyes were filled with helplessness as he turned his face over. "Qingye, was it because I didn't know the severity of the situation and made you unable to get up? If so, tell me, and I will bring you the meal … "
Ning Qingye narrowed her eyes slightly and was about to sit up to prove that she hadn't been knocked down, but on second thought, she felt that Xu Buring was trying to provoke her. She snorted softly and said, "So what if I can't get up? In any case, I'm not going out. You can go and do your work. "
"I only arrived in the afternoon. I'm not that busy …"
Xu Buling smiled gently. He glanced at her and raised his hand to lift the spring quilt. He was ready to get on the bed.
Ning Qing Ye's expression changed. She immediately became obedient. She turned her head and covered herself with the spring quilt.
"Hold on, I … I'll get up."
Xu Buling was satisfied. He took the clothes and put them in Qing Ye's hand. Knowing that Qing Ye was shy, he did not look at her. He turned around and went to the study outside.
Ning Qing Ye was relieved after Xu Buling went out. She frowned and rubbed her sore waist. Then she raised her hand to take the clothes next to her.
After putting on the clothes, Ning Qing Ye thought of something. She quickly lifted the spring quilt and wanted to find the handkerchief Xu Buling put under her yesterday. Unfortunately, she could not find it.
"Why is this guy …"
Ning Qing Ye pursed her lips. There was a hint of shame and anger in her eyes, but she was too embarrassed to ask Xu Buling for it. She thought about it and pretended that she did not notice anything. She folded the quilt seriously …
…..
After bidding farewell to the White Emperor in the morning, one thousand miles of River Tomb was repaid in a day.
Although Ezhou was more than two hundred miles away from Yueyang, the water in the spring river was warm. The fifty thousand Xiliang Army arrived in the blink of an eye.
In the afternoon, the atmosphere among the soldiers on the three hundred ships gradually became serious. Shields, wooden bridges, and other equipment for disembarking were prepared. The transport ships were also equipped with cannons and wheels. At that moment, they were pushed to the deck and fixed so that when they arrived at the battlefield, they could bring out the full extent of their firepower.
On the ship, Chen Sining put on her armor in the room. She carefully checked the defensive equipment on her body. She also wore the soft armor that she brought from the Nanyue Palace under her armor. It was almost invulnerable.
Chen Sining was Xu Buling's bodyguard. She just followed him and would not let her go to war. However, Chen Sining's personality was like this. She was extremely steady and would always consider safety first. Even if she knew that she would not go to war, she still made full preparations. She even prepared the long spear for the horse and placed it on the weapon rack in the room.
The war was about to start. Although Chen Sining was not the commander-in-chief, she was far more worried about the upcoming battle than Xu Buling. Seeing that Xu Buling did not come out when they were almost there, she was a little puzzled. She went to the platform outside the study and knocked on the door.
"General?"
Soon, the door opened.
Xu Buling walked out of the room in the robe of a prince. When he saw Chen Sining, who was fully armed, he smiled and said,
"The commander-in-chief is Yang Zunyi. General Yang won't give us a chance to go to war. Why are you covering yourself so tightly?"
Chen Sining looked at the armor on her body. "It's the rule to wear armor during wartime. It's fine if you don't wear armor, but as a bodyguard, how can I not wear it? We're almost there. Where's Qing Ye? "
Xu Buling looked back. Qing Ye had already put on her armor, but she had no intention of coming out. Instead, she was hiding from Chen Sining. He could only smile and said,
"She's busy with something. Let's go down."
Chen Sining did not think too much. She put her hand on the saber at her waist and followed behind Xu Buling. As she walked, her armor made a clicking sound. She really did have the aura of a general.
The two of them came to the deck of the commander's ship and stood at the bow. General Yang Zunyi was already using the command flag to order the troop carriers to disperse and form a formation to land in batches. This was to prevent them from being ambushed when they arrived.
The Xiliang Army had been living in the yellow sands of the Western Region for a long time. In fact, they had no experience in fighting on the water. Even if they had the absolute advantage, Yang Zunyi was still very serious and cautious. He discussed the possible changes that might happen at any time with a dozen military advisers and advisors.
War was not a child's play. When the cannons were fired, it meant that blood would flow like a river and corpses would float for thousands of miles.
Chen Sining gradually became a little nervous in this tense atmosphere. She looked at the desolate mountains and plains along the river and asked softly, "It's too quiet.
"It's too quiet. We haven't even encountered a ripple until now. Will something go wrong?"
Xu Buling's expression was calm, as if he had a card up his sleeve. However, this was only for the generals under him to see. In his heart, he was also secretly thinking about all kinds of possible changes.
After careful consideration, Xu Buling shook his head.
"I won't."
Chen Sining nodded and didn't say anything else. She just stood in front of him and observed the situation by the river with a telescope.
As the fleet moved forward at high speed, buildings gradually appeared by the river. As the main battlefield of the two armies, there were no civilians along the river. There were only scattered military camps and beacon towers. The further they went downstream, the more buildings they saw.
After driving into the territory of Ezhou City, they heard the sound of war drums from afar. On the other side of the river was the endless garrison of Dongyue Army. The city walls, arrow towers, and pillboxes were connected. The complete fortifications made Yang Zunyi frown slightly.
However, the strange thing was that Dai Yue had already beaten the war drums, but there was no sound on the other side of the river. They could only see densely packed soldiers standing behind the fortifications. There wasn't even a ship on the river.
Great General Yang Zunyi was a little baffled. He looked carefully and after confirming that it was not a trick, he said,
"Your Highness, you're not even coming out from the opposite side. Are you preparing to hide in your turtle shell and take a beating?"
Xu Buling was also slightly puzzled. Even if they didn't come out to fight in the water, they should at least put a few ships outside as scouts. This was too clean. He thought for a moment.
"There's no need to go ashore. Stop on this side of the river. First, use the cannons to bombard the city walls and pillboxes. Wait until there's a gap and the army's morale is in chaos before we cross the river and land."
Yang Zunyi was prepared to fight like this. An inch longer was an inch stronger. If they could stand where the opposite side couldn't hit and fight head-on, who would directly run up to fight? He raised his hand, and the herald waved the flag.
More than three hundred troop transport ships lowered their sails and lowered their anchors. Twenty cannon ships ran to the center of the river and maintained a distance of more than one kilometer. After ensuring that the ballistae and catapults couldn't hit them, they lined up in a row and aimed their cannons at the Dong Yue River bank. With a single order, they could launch an ultra-long-range attack.
The formation had not been set up yet. From the binoculars, it was obvious that the Dong Yue soldiers were in chaos. Almost everyone was retreating or looking for cover. Just from their well-practiced dodging movements, it was obvious that they were troops under the Chu king.
Xu Buling shook his head inwardly. He knew that there was no longer any suspense in this landing battle. Just as he was about to give the order to bombard and wait for Runner Qin to leave hatefully, something suddenly happened on the opposite side.
At the Dong Yue defensive line, the "Qin" flag that had been planted above a pass was suddenly lowered. The Dong Yue soldiers behind the defensive line also erupted in cheers, as though they had won a great battle. Their cheers filled the air, and the Xiliang Army on this side was a little stunned.
Xu Buling frowned and asked Yang Zunyi not to give the order to bombard. After waiting for a while, he saw a water gate in the middle of the defensive line open, and a small fishing boat sailed out.
The fishing boat was only about ten feet long and didn't carry any ordnance. In front of it was a muscular man dressed in cloth clothes, holding a commander's sword as he stood at the bow of the boat. Behind him was a subordinate who was rowing the boat. He held the "Xu" flag in one hand and used the other to row the boat.
He shouted from afar, "Don't fire! We're on the same side! Don't fire … "
"…"
The fifty thousand Xiliang Army soldiers, who had been ready to launch, were all speechless.
Yang Guanyu had boarded the boat and was preparing to be the vanguard to land. Seeing this scene, he took off his helmet, threw it to his deputy, and turned to return to the cabin.
Chen Sining was puzzled. She walked in front of Xu Buling.
"What is the other side doing? Are they sending an envoy to negotiate? "
"They're surrendering. What else can they do?"
Xu Buling was actually relieved. After all, thousands of people had died. Who would want to create thousands of orphans and widows in the world if they could avoid seeing blood?
Chen Sining was puzzled. "The other side's defense is impregnable. They surrendered just like that?"
"If they didn't surrender, the land would have been leveled before nightfall."
Xu Buling raised his hand and let the commander ship sail to the center of the river. He looked down at a small boat below.
When the Chu general Qin Jing arrived below the commander ship, he raised his sword, bowed deeply, and said in a clear voice,
"Qin Jing, the defeated general, greets Your Highness. Your Highness, with the power of the Celestial Being, your army has arrived at the city. There is no suspense about the outcome of this battle. The two sides of the river belong to the same race and are compatriots. In order to avoid the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers, I am willing to hand over my sword and open the city gate to welcome Your Highness into the city. I only hope that Your Highness will treat the people on both sides equally and not kill. But as a general of Chu, Qin Jing surrendered without a fight. It is a disgrace to the ancestors and the King of Chu. I have no face to live in this world … "
As he spoke, Qin Jing unsheathed his sword and slashed it across his neck.
However, whether it was a show or a real one, Xu Buling could not let Qin Jing commit suicide. If Qin Jing surrendered and asked to die in front of him, who would dare to surrender?
Xu Buling jumped and landed in front of Qin Jing. He raised his hand and held Qin Jing's arm. Then, he said all kinds of polite words.
First, he praised Qin Jing for loving the people like they were his children and for being able to distinguish between right and wrong. Then, he gave all kinds of rewards to the soldiers on the river bank. The strong men who were forcibly recruited could receive pension money and go home on the spot. Before he finished, cheers erupted from the defense line of Dong Yue. The city gate was opened. They were happier than the Xiliang Army who did not have to fight …
…
"Bastard!"
The next day, in the temporarily rebuilt Dong Yue Palace at the foot of White Horse Mountain in Hangzhou, Dong Yue Emperor Song Shaoying suddenly threw the urgent battle report on the ground and cursed.
"One hundred and fifty thousand soldiers have been preparing for nearly half a year. Relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, the commander surrendered without even firing an arrow. He might as well continue to run. Even a dog tied to the river will bark. Qin Jing is the descendant of a famous general, but he is not even as good as a dog … "
The angry rebuke reached the ears of more than a hundred officials. Everyone had different expressions, but they all understood that this was the helpless rage of a desperate situation.
Qin Jing had surrendered without a fight yesterday, and the effect it brought was almost destructive.
One winter last year, the officials of Dong Yue had been under great pressure. They knew that the Xiliang Army would attack. They might not be able to win, but no matter how great the pressure was, at least they did not fight. The battlefield was ever-changing, and there might be other variables. Dong Yue had a Liaoxi Army that was no weaker than the Xiliang Army, and they might be able to hold their ground.
But now, Qin Jing had more than a hundred thousand Chu soldiers. He did not even fire an arrow, and directly used half a year's worth of preparation to feed the enemy. Xu Buling was magnanimous, and gave Qin Jing a rank, dismissed all the strong men, and gave them silver so that the people who were forced to enlist could go home and reunite.
When this news spread to the defense line behind, the consequences could be imagined.
Dong Yue claimed to have millions of soldiers, but most of them were strong men and government soldiers who were forced to join the army. They were of the same race as Xi Yue, and did not have any national or family grudges. Knowing that they could not win, they could throw down their weapons and take the silver home. The position of the general would not change, and the country could still be unified. Who would be willing to die?
As to whether Dai Yue's surname was Xu or Song, what did that have to do with the people?
Less than two hours after Qin Jing surrendered, the garrison general of Huang Mei County defected. Next was Huai Ning County, who defected faster than the Xiliang Army. The general of Huai Ning County was afraid that Luzhou would receive the news and detain them, so he rode his horse to the camp of the Xiliang Army to surrender. Only Tong City was still forcing the soldiers to defend. But the small walls of Tong City would not be able to hold for half a day. How could they fight?
Once Tong City was lost, behind it was the main camp of the four kings of the east, Luzhou. The only usable Liaoxi Army in Jiangnan was stationed there. That was the military fortress at the frontline of Dong Yue, and the last direct battlefield for Dong Yue.
Because if Wang Chenghai lost, Dong Yue would not have a regular army. If they relied on the government soldiers and militia to fight the Xiliang cavalry, they probably would not even need cannons.
Seeing that the situation was so clear, Zhou Kai, the head of the Zhou family of the Chu land, moved in front of the king of Chu, Song Zhengping, and whispered,
"King, it is not that Father-in-law has no backbone, but the situation has reached this point, and the people are hurt. If we had made a decision earlier, the Song clan would not have been erased from the world. Why don't you persuade His Majesty?"
Using the safety of the people as an excuse was naturally polite words. What did the lives of the people have to do with the families? As a large family with roots in the Central Plains, what they feared the most was to stand on the wrong side when the world was in chaos. The Zhou family had roots in the Chu land for hundreds of years, and finally stood in the position of a second-tier family. If they climbed a little more, they would be on equal footing with the five families.
With such a large family business in his hands, Zhou Kai's mind was very clear. If he was not the father-in-law of the king of Chu, he would not have come to Hangzhou. Even if he came, the Chu land had actually left a branch family member, who had now joined the Xu family.
The advantage of betting on both sides was that the family would not be wiped out, but the disadvantage was that the family business would at least be halved. From a second-tier to a third-tier, it would take at least a hundred years to accumulate again. If they could peacefully unite at this time, the Zhou family could reduce a lot of losses. Not to mention other things, they could definitely get back a lot of the Chu land property that the Xu family had seized. When they attacked Hangzhou, there would be nothing left.
The king of Chu, Song Zhengping, had actually been at odds with the three eastern kings from the beginning. Song Ji flipped the table and refused to pass the throne to him, so he turned to the three eastern kings and had always been used as cannon fodder.
In fact, Song Zhengping could see the current situation and knew that the chances of winning were very small. Also, with Qin Jing's vote, he did not have a single soldier under him. Even if he won, he would not get any benefits. If he lost, he would have to accompany the three eastern kings and be loyal to the Song clan.
But Song Zhengping was a vassal king of the Song clan, not a high-ranking official. A high-ranking official could keep his position if he voted, but as a king with the surname Song, if he voted, he would definitely be imprisoned in Chang 'an for the rest of his life. He might even die of illness in a few years.
Moreover, the land that the Song clan had painstakingly fought for fell into the hands of others. Even if Song Zhengping was not the emperor, how could he not have any reluctance in his heart?
Song Zhengping frowned, thought for a while, and then said softly:
"Wang Chenghai led the Liaoxi army to defend Luzhou and still has the strength to fight. Isn't it courting death to persuade the emperor now? Let's wait and see."
"Alas …"
…
After the Xiliang Army disembarked from Luotian County on the 19th, nearly 200,000 government soldiers also quickly boarded boats to cross the river and assembled in Luotian County. It almost took them only two days to establish a foothold. Then they divided into two groups and went down the river to recover the cities that had long given up resistance. After running for more than 400 miles, they finally met an opponent who did not surrender and dared to resist.
On the 1st of March, outside Tong City on the north bank of the Yangtze River, the roar of cannons was earth-shattering. Under the bombardment of hundreds of cannons, the city wall, which was not very high, collapsed little by little. The defending generals and desperate soldiers who vowed not to surrender could only stand on the wall and take the beating, without any strength to fight back.
Most of the city was built along the river. No matter which stronghold it was, there was a water gate. Twenty cannons anchored on the river and fired cannons. The Xiliang Army pushed the cannons to attack from the shore. Gunpowder and shells were tilted on the city wall as if they were free of charge. There was still a steady stream of supply ships arriving from the rear.
The defending army of Tong City could not defeat the Xiliang Army in the city, nor could they defeat the Xiliang Army outside the city. It looked like a fierce battle, but in fact, both sides did not meet the enemy, so there was nothing to say.
On the shore of the river, the commander's ship was docked upstream. Many generals and advisors were holding 'Monoculars' and enjoying the splendid night view as if they were watching fireworks. Yang Guanyu even opened a bet on how long Tong City could last under the bombardment.
As an 'advisor', Qin Jing stood among the generals of the Xiliang Army. Looking at the scene which was much bigger than before, he was almost desperate. In his heart, he was somewhat glad that he was not the one standing on the wall of Tong City.
People always died in war. Xu Buling did not like to enjoy the despair of his opponents. Seeing that Tong City had lost, he returned to the study and opened the map to look at the next march route.
Chen Sining had become numb to the irresistible battle. After all, there was nothing to see in a one-sided battle. She and Qing Ye sat together in the study and helped Nightingale deal with a lot of affairs.
The cannons outside lasted for about an hour. Then the war drums sounded. The infantry of the Xiliang Army began to attack the city wall which had almost collapsed.
Xu Buling glanced out of the window. Before the Xiliang Army changed the flag on the top of the city wall, a fast ship suddenly ran down from upstream.
Xiao Qi, dressed in the clothes of the prince's wife, stood on the deck under the close protection of the guards of the mansion. She shouted from afar,
"Husband, husband —"
The tower ship and the troop carrying the supplies were together. They were only a dozen miles away from the main army in the front line. But for the sake of safety, Xu Buling never let the tower ship come to the front line.
Seeing Xiao Qi rushing over, Xu Buling's face changed. He jumped out of the window and landed on the heavily guarded deck with a light touch on the river. He held Xiao Qi's arm and said,
"What's wrong? What are you doing here? "
While talking, Xu Buling pulled Xiao Qi into the cabin.
But to Xu Buling's surprise, Xiao Xiang 'er was also in the cabin.
Xiao Xiang 'er's almond-shaped eyes were full of anger. She was so anxious that she stamped her feet. Seeing Xu Buling coming over, she quickly ran to Xu Buling, pulled his arm and shook it,
"Song Siming, that bastard, dared to hurt the members of my Xiao family. Go and kill him quickly. Even the Jiang family doesn't dare to hurt the Xiao family. The Song family has only been in power for 60 years. They are nothing. If Song Siming dares to hurt the members of my Xiao family, I will make sure that the Song family will be exterminated …"
Her delicate voice kept reprimanding, and even her beautiful face turned livid, which was rare.
Xu Buling frowned. He comforted Xiang 'er and looked at Xiao Qi,
"What's wrong?"
Xiao Qi was in charge of the intelligence of the army, and she also had her own intelligence network. She looked angry and said coldly,
"The spy has just risked his life to send back news that there has been an accident in Luzhou City. The King Wu, Song Siming, and Wang Chenghai have captured the people in the city and forced them to climb up the city wall. Ting 'er and Second Uncle have also been invited to Luzhou City. They must be used as a threat to stop you from attacking the city."
Xiao Xiang 'er's almond-shaped eyes were burning with anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "They are really despicable. What should we do?"
Xu Buling's face darkened when he heard this. There was no need to guess why they captured the people and the members of the Xiao family. The four kings of the eastern region were desperate.
Originally, both sides claimed to be the legitimate Dai Yue, and Xu Buling also had to bear the infamy of "usurping the throne", so he was slightly in the wrong. Now that the four kings of the eastern region had captured the people under their jurisdiction as human shields, they had directly lost their righteousness and the people's hearts. It was no less than drinking poison to quench thirst.
But the four kings of the eastern region were shameless in a desperate situation. Xu Buling had a great advantage, but he could not ignore the righteousness. This was indeed a big trouble.
Xu Buling was silent for a moment and said,
"Don't worry. Break camp and set off immediately. We will go to Luzhou first to see the situation. Under the general situation, the people and civilians of Jiangnan have no intention of fighting. I will try to persuade them to surrender."
Xiao Xiang 'er still wanted to say something, but she was stopped by Xiao Qi. After all, things had come to this point. There was no other way but to first test the pressure with the soldiers.
…
Two days later, in Luzhou.
From Tong City to Luzhou was a large plain of more than 150 miles. The 30,000 Xiliang Army marched day and night with the Prefectural Army. They advanced by land, cleared the remaining checkpoints along the way, and arrived at the west side of Luzhou.
Hundreds of ships that were fully loaded with soldiers entered the Nest Lake on the south side of Luzhou almost without any hindrance along the interconnected river, with the cannons clearing the way.
Luzhou was the most important military stronghold of Dong Yue. More than two hundred miles behind it were Jinling and Huainan. After occupying it, they could directly approach the hinterland of Jiangnan, Suzhou and Hangzhou. It was a flat plain with almost no danger to defend.
Before Song Ji died, the only legacy he left to the four kings of the eastern region was the Liaoxi Army. Most of them were stationed here, and it was the only hard bone to bite in the whole Dong Yue.
The Liaoxi Army was the main force of Dai Yue. It fought against the Right Prince of Northern Qi in the Land of Quiet Cloud all year round. From the quality of the soldiers to the armor and ordnance, they were not inferior to the Xiliang Army. As the troops directly under the jurisdiction of Chang 'an, they were even treated better.
If they fought head-on on the plain, the Xiliang Army and the Liaoxi Army would have a hard time winning. If the Liaoxi Army defended the city and the Xiliang Army attacked the city, the Xiliang Army would not be able to take it down. Otherwise, the Northern Qi Army would not have been blocked outside the pass for so many years. This was also what the four kings of the eastern region still relied on.
However, the Xiliang Army had the artillery, a great weapon of attack and defense. Under the condition that the quality of the troops was equal, they had no enemies and no allies. Therefore, the fifty-fifty chance of victory was completely pulled into a ten. It was because the Liaoxi Army was so powerful that they understood that they could not win this battle.
On the third day of the third month, the sky above Luzhou was covered with dark clouds, and the atmosphere on the ground was somber.
Riding the Wind Horse, Xu Buling came to a hill three miles away from Luzhou. He stood on a hill and looked at the distant Luzhou city wall with the other generals.
Outside Luzhou city, arrow towers stood in great numbers, and the battlements and trenches turned the land into a complicated maze. The Liaoxi Army soldiers in excellent armor were waiting inside and outside the city wall.
On top of the city gate, King Wu Song Siming sat on a chair, frowning.
Commander-in-chief Wang Chenghai put his hand on the sword and stared coldly at the endless black tide pressing on the city wall. There was no fear on his face, only the calmness and indifference that a general should have.
Wang Chenghai was born in a poor family and climbed to the position of Liaoxi Governor step by step. He was a loyal follower of Song Ji, which could be seen from the fact that Song Ji sent his parents, wife and children back and let him decide whether to stay or leave.
In Dai Yue's court, there were always a few officials who were loyal to the Song clan. They were so loyal that they were willing to sacrifice their whole clan for the Song clan. This might be blind loyalty, but no one could change these people's belief of 'loyalty to the army to serve the country'. Wang Chenghai was such a person.
In fact, General Xu Lie was like this in those days. He was a high-ranking official and made great contributions to the emperor, but he didn't rebel. He did it for the sake of repaying Emperor Xiaozong's appreciation and turning a butcher into a marquis.
Beside Wang Chenghai, in addition to the Liaoxi Army soldiers who were ready for battle, there were also densely packed people, men and women, old and young. Their hands and feet were tied together and tied to the city wall with ropes. Their cries drowned out the noise of the two armies fighting against each other.
More than a dozen elders of the Xiao family, including Xiao Ting and Xiao Mo, had their hands tied behind their backs. Standing beside Wang Chenghai, they kept cursing, but their voices couldn't be heard.
Seeing this scene, the soldiers of the Xiliang Army, who had already lined up in battle outside the city, also cursed the Liaoxi Army for being useless and unworthy of being called men.
The Liaoxi Army was silent. They just held the bows, crossbows, sabers and spears in their hands, waiting for the commander-in-chief's order.
They might feel guilty, but professional soldiers only obeyed the commander-in-chief's order. Even if there was a mountain of daggers and a sea of flames in front of them, they would not hesitate to give the order. If they didn't have such a cold and cruel will to fight, how could they be qualified to be the main force of Dai Yue?
Wang Chenghai might not want to do this, but he had to do this for the Song clan and to defend Luzhou.
Only in this way could he restrain the invincible artillery of the Xiliang Army. Only by fighting the Xiliang Army head-on could his army ensure that Luzhou would not be lost.
Chen Sining stood beside Xu Buring. When she saw this scene, she was so angry that her lungs were about to explode.
She cursed, "They are all from the Central Plains. How can they use women and children as shields? Only foreign barbarians would do this kind of thing. Do they have no shame? "
The generals around Xu Buling were all cursing. Xiao Qi and Xiao Xiang 'er forced themselves to follow them. Standing behind the guards, they did not hide the anger on their faces. Xiao Xiang' er pointed in the direction of the city wall and said angrily,
"Song Siming, Wang Chenghai! If you dare to touch the people of the Xiao family, I'll slaughter your whole clan! "
Her voice was loud, but it was clearly inaudible to the city wall several miles away.
Xiao Qi clenched her fists tightly and maintained her composure. She waited for a long time until the Xiliang Army was ready to attack the city, but there was still no movement from Luzhou City.
Yang Zunyi came to Xu Buling's side and asked with a frown, "Your Highness, the other side is going to defend to the death.
"Your Highness, the other side wants to defend to the death. What should we do?"
Xiao Qi gritted her teeth and said, "There is no such thing as a war without death.
The Four Kings of the East have committed an unjust act, and our army can't do anything about it. After this, they will scold the Xiao family and attack the city with artillery. There is no need to worry. "
Xiao Xiang 'er's expression changed. She said anxiously, "Ting' er and Second Uncle are on the city wall. How can we attack the city with artillery?"
Xiao Qi's face was cold. "The soldiers of the three armies can die, but the people of the Xiao family can't die? How can we be soft-hearted on the battlefield … "
Xu Buling raised his hand and stopped the two sisters from arguing. He pondered for a moment and rode his horse toward Luzhou City.
"Husband!"
Xiao Qi was anxious. She wanted to stop him but was stopped by Chen Sining.
After all, as long as Xu Buling didn't go under the city wall, no one could hurt him with his extraordinary martial arts.
The atmosphere inside and outside Luzhou City was extremely oppressive.
Under the gazes of tens of thousands of soldiers, Xu Buling walked out of the Xiliang Army's formation alone and slowly walked to a stone's throw away from Luzhou City's city wall.
"Xu Buling, you coward, shoot at him! Why are you still dawdling outside the city when you're already here? Do you expect them to let me go? Even I can see the situation. Can't a blockhead like you see it? "
On the city wall, Xiao Ting's furious curses could finally be heard clearly. From time to time, he spat in Wang Chenghai and Song Siming's direction.
When Xiao Mo and the other elders of the Xiao family came to Luzhou City, they already knew that they wouldn't be able to return. Every dynasty would die. The Xiao family had lived through three dynasties and had seen many desperate situations. As long as the members of the Xiao family didn't die out, it wouldn't be a big deal.
The people on the city wall obviously knew what they were going to face. Some cried and some begged, but their voices were pitifully small in the confrontation between the two armies.
Xu Buling rode the big black horse and stopped a stone's throw away. With a cold face, he looked at Wang Chenghai, Song Siming, and the soldiers of the Liaoxi Army above and said coldly,
"I'm Xu Buling. I'm not here to negotiate with you today. I'm just here to tell you one thing."
His voice was like a great bell and spread to the two armies.
Wang Chenghai's eyes were cold and unmoved. The soldiers on the city wall heard Chu Chu's words clearly, but they also remained silent.
Song Siming's eyes were full of hatred. He cursed,
"Xu Buling, you're a traitor. You've rebelled against your superiors and tried to usurp the throne. Even if there's only one soldier left in the Song clan, we won't let you succeed."
"So what if I tried to usurp the throne?"
Riding on the Wind-chasing Horse, Xu Buling glanced at the Liaoxi Army above the towering city wall.
"You can't stop me. No one can stop me. There's no one in the world that I don't dare to kill, and there's no one that I can't kill. Before I attack the city, I'm here to tell you that I'm attacking Luzhou to put down the rebellion of the four lords and let Dai Yue reunite the country, so that millions of people in the world won't have to suffer from war. The people on the city wall are also people. If they die here today, the Liaoxi Army will take the blame, and I'll avenge them later. "
Xu Bu ordered his horse to move slowly, his cold eyes sweeping over the soldiers on it.
"The Liaoxi Army is the main force of the imperial court. All the soldiers are recorded in Chang 'an. Some of them may be missing, but they're all there, including your birthplace, family, parents, wives and children. If you don't believe me, I can tell you. "
From his bosom, Xu Buring took out a letter that had been delivered by an express courier from eight hundred kilometers away.
"Liaoxi Army, Youzhou Garrison, Wulie Camp, Sergeant Chen Ping, from Chen Village, Gu 'an County, Youzhou. Father Chen Wulang, mother Wang, elder brother Chen An, son Chen Daniu.
Sergeant Wang Fugui, from Shantou Village, Jianping County, Liaoxi. Father Wang Jicai, mother Zhao, younger brother Wang Duobao … "
Under the dark clouds in the city, the sonorous voice came from the top of the city wall.
After reading all the names on the paper clearly, Xu Buling put away the letter.
"Using the old, young, women, and children as shields is not a good idea. In order to warn the future generations, if the people on the city wall die in vain today, I'll send people to the 200,000 soldiers of the Liaoxi Army, together with their parents, brothers, and children, to arrest them one by one until they are all killed, no matter whether the people on the paper are standing on the city wall today or not."
The garrison on the city wall was still silent.
Wang Chenghai held the hilt of his sword tightly and looked straight into Xu Buling's eyes.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
Ignoring the eyes on the city wall, Xu Buling took the bow and arrow from the side of the horse, drew the bow, and nocked an arrow. The arrow was as bright as the full moon, and like a shooting star, it shot directly at Xiao Ting, who was next to Wang Chenghai.
"Ting 'er!"
"Xu Buling!"
Two urgent cries came from the Xiliang Army's camp in the rear, sad and shocked.
The arrow was aimed straight at Xiao Ting's throat, and even Xiao Mo was stunned.
However, the guards behind Song Siming might be afraid that they would lose their support if the hostage died, so they still raised their hands and caught the flying arrow.
Xiao Ting's face was also full of shock. After all, Xu Buring's arrow was really aimed at his chest. He cursed loudly.
He cursed, "You really shot! At least let me say my last words. I'm not a human. You heartless … "
Without looking back, Xu Buling rode to the Xiliang Army's camp.
Halfway there, he raised his right hand and waved it down.
Boom, boom, boom —
The deafening sound of the cannon came from the Xiliang Army's formation. The city-devouring fire python hit the city wall of Luzhou City. Gravel flew everywhere, and people and horses were shocked.
On the top of the city wall, the tens of thousands of Liaoxi Army soldiers, who had been silent for a long time, were crushed by the deafening sound of the cannon. There was chaos and the scolding of the army supervisors everywhere.
The Liaoxi Army was the main force of Dai Yue. They were afraid of the power of the cannons, but they were not afraid of death. Even if they resisted the bombardment of the cannons, knowing that they would lose, it was not impossible for them to fight to the end.
However, no matter how strong the fighting will of the Liaoxi Army was, after all, human beings. They had families, businesses, parents, wives, and children. They could not be afraid of death, but they could not ignore the life and death of their families. Maybe Wang Chenghai and others could, but most of them certainly could not.
They heard Xu Buling's words, and what Xu Buling said was not a lie. If they dared to be so defensive today, Xu Buling would really wipe out the Liaoxi Army to prevent future generations from following their example.
Xu Buling did not want to do that, but under the general trend, everyone had only one choice — death if they did not advance. As a general, he could not be soft-hearted. It was not that a general should be cruel, but that he should analyze the situation in the most cold-blooded way and make decisions to avoid greater casualties.
Boom, boom, boom —
Several more cannons were fired.
The top of the city wall was in chaos. The soldiers of the Valiant Army Camp who had been called disregarded orders and forcibly untied the people around them.
Many generals ran to Wang Chenghai and begged him to release the people, because Xu Buling did not care about these people's lives. He only wanted to conquer the world. If he continued to put the people on the top of the city wall, it would only increase the psychological pressure of his soldiers. It was better to fight openly.
But if they fought openly, facing the Xiliang Army with hundreds of cannons outside the city, the Liaoxi Army had no chance of winning. They would only die a heroic death.
Wang Chenghai, the Governor of the Liaoxi Army, had been holding the hilt of his sword. He did not say a word, but stared at the back of the receding figure.
It was getting more and more chaotic. A cannonball hit the tower, and the King Wu and Song Siming were forcibly dragged away from the city wall by the guards.
Wang Chenghai did not move. He wanted to give orders to save the situation.
But as long as Xu Buling dared to fire, he would definitely lose. How could he save the situation?
Boom, boom, boom —
After several rounds of cannons, the Liaoxi Army began to be in chaos. Without orders from their superiors, the soldiers, with the tacit consent of the corporal, cut the ropes that bound the people. Some people even cursed the Xiliang Army and Xu Buling for being despicable. But in the chaos on the top of the city wall, their voices obviously could not spread far.
After Yang Zunyi ordered several cannons to hit the city wall, he saw that the defenders were in chaos, so he ordered to start attacking from the water gate.
And this battle also announced the end of the last force of the Dai Yue Song clan in the world …
