Hoarse shouts of "kill" could be heard, and the smoke of the beacons could be heard. The battle at Lone Dragon Hill seemed to have reached a climax without any warning on this afternoon.
The situation on the battlefield was chaotic. Wu Yong hurried to the main tent and found out that Song Jiang had ordered several leaders to go to the rescue. They dashed away with great momentum.
After asking, he found out that not long ago, Luan Tingyu had pretended to be defeated to lure Suo Chao. The surrounding Zhu Village troops had lured the Liangshan troops away by relying on the familiar terrain. Then they took advantage of the time difference and used their superior forces to surround and block the road. More than forty crossbows shot in turn. The sudden appearance of such crossbows on Dulong Gang's Pantuo Road was the most advantageous. The Zhu Village could be said to have sent out all their elites. Lin Chong and the others went to rescue and were already fighting on the road.
Before they finished talking about the situation, new news came. Luan Tingyu had steeled his heart to stop Lin Chong and the others on the road. Over a thousand people had surrounded Suo Chao and captured him and his three hundred subordinates. They were now moving towards the Zhu Village. In such a battle, even if the Zhu Village had the upper hand in capturing people, they would still suffer great losses. In the past few days, they had not dared to fight to the death. But now that they were capturing people like this, Wu Yong frowned, knowing that it was inappropriate.
This unforeseen event happened very quickly. In normal times, even if Suo Chao was captured, at least in Wu Yong's view, it was normal. Ning Yi's so-called 'famous' side was only an impression created by the later Water Margin. If the two sides were to really fight, other than Luan Tingyu and the Zhu brothers, the Zhu family village naturally had other villagers and instructors who were more skilled in martial arts. In a back and forth battle, as long as one side also injured the other side's strength, it wouldn't be strange for someone to be captured.
But since this afternoon, all these strange things added together, there seemed to be some clues. Wu Yong did not believe that there was anything that could shake the situation of this battle. But the various explanations he heard in the afternoon surfaced in his mind. The two interrogations in the Zhu Village, the assignment of the mission, the release of the captives, and the news of Suo Chao's capture. No matter what they did, it could not have been so quick.
But if the other party wasn't blinded by desperation and was doing something in an orderly manner, the situation might not be the same … Some possibilities began to provoke the dangerous line in his mind.
"Primeval Thunderbolt Palm Technique …" He muttered the name that suddenly popped up in a low voice and suddenly made a decision.
"Brother Gongming, tell our brothers to get ready. From now on, we'll attack the Zhu Residence!"
Because of this order, the situation of the entire Lone Dragon Mound suddenly rose to a peak that had never been seen in the past seven days!
Vaguely, he remembered that person saying, "You have to take it, even if you don't want to …"
If you really did it, let's see how you're going to handle it …
*****
The vanguard of the soldiers was like a tide.
On Mount Liang's side, Wu Yong's sudden and decisive judgment had caused the Zhu Jia Village's side to be shocked and chaotic.
After Luan Tingyu, Zhu Biao, and the others had retreated into the village, the Liangshan leaders had gathered together and assumed a posture of seizing the position. This had truly shocked the people in the village. The various fortifications and traps on Lone Dragon Mound had almost been destroyed. There were only some remnants near the village. Liangshan had not yet attacked by force because the losses from attacking by force would be too great. But at this moment, it seemed that the capture of one more leader had caused the other party to suddenly explode. Everyone was scared out of their wits.
Even Ning Yi, who was standing on the outer wall of the village in a strategizing manner, squinted at this scene. He was a little puzzled. "What's wrong with them?"
In just a moment, the villagers surged toward the outer wall. They had already begun to prepare for defense under the orders of Zhu Long and the others. Luan Tingyu and Zhu Biao had just returned from fighting outside and were injured. They were a little surprised when they rushed up the wall of the village at this moment. If Liangshan really did not care about their lives and acted recklessly, the Zhu and Hu Village would definitely not be able to hold on in the end. They were just happy that they had captured three hundred people. At this moment, Zhu Biao was holding a steel spear. He looked at Ning Yi and said, "You've done a good job. They're going to attack by force!"
"Third Young Master, don't talk nonsense!" Luan Tingyu glanced at Ning Yi. "We've just captured someone, but the other party has such a big reaction. This means that Young Master Lei's plan is effective. They're afraid! This is a good thing! "
"A good thing is to let the village be destroyed two days earlier!"
"It's better than waiting for death like before!" Luan Tingyu laughed and cupped his hands at Ning Yi. "Young Master Lei, do you have any other plans? If not, I will defend according to the usual situation. "
Ning Yi was still looking at the gathering of Liangshan's people. He looked at Luan Tingyu and said, "If there's no plan, how long can Instructor Luan defend?"
"If Hu Village is willing to contribute, it won't be a problem to defend until the day after tomorrow. If they want to destroy the village, they'll have to pay several times the price. We can only resist forcefully. If Liangshan can't bear this loss, they might retreat. "
This was Luan Tingyu's plan from the beginning. If Lone Dragon Hill tried its best to resist, when Liangshan was unwilling to bear the loss, it might be safe. Unfortunately, the continuous days of fighting did not make the other party flinch. His attitude towards Ning Yi was lukewarm previously. However, after seeing the changes in Liangshan, it was obvious that he was much friendlier. Ning Yi smiled and said, "Then I still have some ideas."
He told Luan Tingyu and Zhu Biao the plan. After the two left, Zhu Chaofeng, Zhu Long, and the others came over. He then asked Zhu Long to prepare to bring Suo Chao, Qin Ming, and the other Liangshan chiefs. "If the other party insists on attacking forcefully, then please push these chiefs to the front. If they want to attack forcefully, then kill them one by one."
It might not be possible to pin the change of the situation on the other party's loyalty. When Zhu Long left, Zhu Chaofeng said, "Did Young Master Lei expect them to attack forcefully?"
However, Ning Yi shook his head and smiled. "How could I have guessed that? I haven't fought against Wu Yong before. Looking at his steady style these few days, he's obviously a righteous person. I really didn't expect this. "He hid behind the big shield and looked outside." Let's wait and see … "
*****
The setting sun was like fire. The drums were beating.
Wu Yong's decision just now could not be said to be indecisive. At this time, under the fiery setting sun, the military camp was ready to turn out in full force. Wu Yong and Song Jiang looked at the frontline from outside the tent. In fact, in Wu Yong's heart, he was also waiting for the arrival of updated information.
After the order just now, he had been weighing the pros and cons of the situation in his heart. It was just that the chores that happened today were not worth it. However, there was no need to change the order. The army here was not ready yet. On the Zhu family's side, the sound of killing rang out. The other party moved first! Wu Yong's gaze was fixed on that side. After a while, someone came to report the situation.
"Luan Tingyu, Zhu Biao, and the others led a team to attack, and then they … they seem to be releasing people …"
"What?" Song Jiang asked, and the spy had to repeat it. The other party fought and ran at the same time. Occasionally, they released two or three of their captured brothers. This made the leader at the front a little hesitant. He did not know what the other party was up to, so he could only come back to ask.
Song Jiang looked at Wu Yong. Wu Yong opened his mouth. After a moment, a complicated smile appeared on his face. He gritted his teeth and said, "Overt … plot?"
*****
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the fiery sunset, the sound of drums rang out. The soldiers of Liangshan spread out and gathered. The people on the Zhu family's side surged. In the distance, Luan Tingyu and the others continued to attack, and the sound of killing could be heard. In the evening, the atmosphere of confrontation finally rose. Everyone's heartstrings were stretched taut. On both sides of the battle formation, there was a solemn waiting.
On the road and hillside a stone's throw away from the Zhu family's village, groups of soldiers gathered. The generals rode their warhorses, and the atmosphere was bleak. The leadership of the battle was obviously in their hands. Crossbows were set up on the walls of the manor. The people gritted their teeth, feeling uneasy. At this moment, no one could predict the direction of the development of the matter. Even the person in charge of the matter, as the leader of the matter, was fighting in his heart.
The dull confrontation lasted for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea …
Without warning, the sound of drums stopped.
In the camp far behind Liangshan, the man named Wu Yong put down his hand. "Today … we will temporarily withdraw our troops."
"They … are withdrawing their troops?" On the city wall, when they heard the signal to withdraw from the Liangshan army's battle formation, and then the Liangshan generals gradually spread out and returned, they were somewhat dumbfounded. But soon after, they cheered in surprise.
Even Luan Tingyu and the others, who were already exhausted from the battle, were startled at first when they saw this scene. Then, they blinked their eyes, and in a daze, they felt relieved.
No one expected that on the eighth day of the fierce battle at Lone Dragon Hill, when the Liangshan army put up a strong offensive posture, it became the first day that they withdrew their troops before the night fell.
Not many people could understand the reason behind such a strange scene.
"Let them linger on for another day …" In the Liangshan army's camp, Wu Yong said to the crowd. In terms of the battle situation, Liangshan was still as strong as before. There was almost no change.
On the other side, Ning Yi exhaled, looked at the sky, and smiled. "Congratulations, everyone. You've lived for another day …" Then, he sighed to the people around him. "Did you see that? It's really amazing. The Liangshan army came and went, and they obeyed all orders. Although I don't know much about war, they could still withdraw all their troops after giving the order to attack. This shows that Boss Song and the others have a strong control over their subordinates. This kind of vigor is really like the sun at high noon … "
Next to him, Wang Shanyue looked at him for a while. "Actually … you have spies over there …"
"Shh." Wang Shanyue's voice was low. Still looking at Ning Yi outside the village, he also gently raised his finger and said in a low and solemn voice, "Of course there are spies. That's a truly controllable arrangement."
"They've released so many smokescreens. If they control them well, they can really consider killing Song Jiang …" Wang Shanyue murmured softly. Ning Yi glanced at him.
"Why do you want to kill Song Jiang?"
He laughed. His words made Wang Shanyue frown. "Then what are you going to do?"
Ning Yi pointed outside the village. In the setting sun was the retreating figures of the Liangshan army. "Look, they're strong and well-trained, and they're obedient. They retreat as they please. Is it because Song Jiang is benevolent and righteous enough, or is it because he's handsome enough?"
"…" Wang Shanyue was not used to Ning Yi's modern teasing, so she couldn't answer for a moment.
"They want to rebel. They're strong enough, and they can rob more things. They know in their hearts that we can't beat them, so they don't care about temporary gains and losses. The entire army is domineering. If the Wu Ruiying meets them outside, they'll probably be wiped out. After killing Song Jiang, a new leader will take over after a small-scale battle. At least until they're satisfied and expand to the extent of Fang La last year, they won't stop. "
Ning Yi's gaze was serious. "Even if it's the best outcome, once Song Jiang dies, everyone will split up unevenly. Those who have already tasted the sweetness won't be willing to be the little bandits they used to be. The trouble in Shandong can be solved for the time being, but after a period of time, I'm afraid that bandits will rise everywhere. When that time comes, it will become even more troublesome. Moreover, there will always be people trying to integrate this force … The matter has to be resolved, and most of them have to die. Moreover, I also have a personal reason to do this. "
"… You have to be able to do it."
"It's a little difficult to think of it, but there's a way." Ning Yi smiled. When he saw Zhu Chaofeng, Zhu Long, Zhu Biao, Luan Tingyu, and the others walking over, he still spoke in a low voice, but he did not avoid the crowd.
"The current Liangshan is at its strongest against the outside world, but internally, they have countless subordinates. Loyalty and self-awareness are stricter than military discipline, and the hearts of the people are unpredictable. There will be suspicion between the three of them. Whether they should report the matter, whether they should report it first, whether they should wait and see, there will be all kinds of thoughts. If there are thoughts, there will be differences. If 200 people are released, one-third of them will be quarantined, one-third will follow their original leader, and even if something happens, the leader will protect them. The other one-third will be truly protected. "
"There's no lack of smart people everywhere, especially those who can be the leader. My brother has been released, and I know his innocence. Should I confess? After I confess, even if the higher-ups are open-minded, they will definitely be guarded against this time. As long as they see this, they will hesitate, or feel that it doesn't matter if they don't confess. In the future, they will have to hide the person. For the sake of a little benefit in front of them, they will think that they are in the general trend, and it doesn't matter what they do. This is the so-called aspiration, the thief of virtue. "
"Those who go out and confess, and those who don't confess, can be open-minded, but if you confess, will the higher-ups believe you? Those who confess will be in the small house, and no one will see them. Will they say that they are a tough guy, or will they tell the contents of their confession and insist that they are a tough guy? Those who have secrets in their hearts and are completely honest will feel ashamed and bear grudges. Next, those who come out and confess will see those who don't confess, but are unwilling to come out. What will they do if they are recognized? Next, next, how will those who are not captured view those who come back, especially the task I gave them, which involves beheading their companions while they are sleeping. After this news spreads, even if the higher-ups don't pursue it, what will everyone think … If they have a guilty conscience, they can make an issue out of it … "
"If 200 people are released, the ones who are really hidden might be 30 to 40 in the end. Because their identities have been recognized, those who are willing to help us with some small matters might be even fewer. Most people will also choose to wait and see. Who these people are, who does things and who doesn't, even I don't know, and I don't care, as long as there are more or less, it's fine. "
"A dozen people, or maybe a few of them will sneak in, and it won't be considered big. Tonight … Maybe now, the other side has completely figured out what I have done. I don't mind them knowing, and I will show them the truth. The first question is out, next, let's see how that Mister Jia Liang will solve it. Maybe he really is a dragon among dragons, but … at the best timing, they might already be a step too late … "
At this time, the few people from the Zhu family were listening at the side. Ning Yi laughed, then clapped his hands, "But how they do it, that's their business. Brother Wang, Brother Xin Han, this matter isn't over yet. Two hundred people have left, and there are three hundred more here. The workload is too heavy, I can't do it alone, so I need the two of you to help me tonight. In addition, I hope that the few brothers from the Zhu family can negotiate with the Hu family, and bring the soldiers they have captured here as well. If the questions for 200 people are not enough, we can add a few hundred more, and also ask the Hu family to send some knowledgeable and reliable people to identify these people. As long as their names are recorded, these people's families will be tied up. "
After saying this, Zhu Long and the others agreed excitedly. Even if they didn't understand such a complicated strategy, they felt that it was too cunning and full of evil tricks. Zhu Chaofeng, Luan Tingyu, Wang Shanyue, and the others were still thinking about the logic behind it, while Ning Yi turned around and looked in the direction of the Liangshan military camp.
He could now think that, in fact, there might be a moment when that person called Wu Yong vaguely sensed the danger in this situation. That was the premonition of a smart person, and perhaps because of this, he suddenly chose to let the whole Liangshan army prepare to attack the Zhu family at that moment. At that moment, even Ning Yi was a little surprised.
If this idea could really be carried out swiftly, there really wouldn't be much room for Ning Yi to maneuver. Perhaps next, he could only choose to persuade the Zhu and Hu families to break out of the encirclement with all their strength to preserve their strength. If it came to this, he would really be in a difficult situation.
Unfortunately, a smart person would always be a smart person. When time passed, he could calm down and rationally judge the overall situation. The losses were several times greater than before, and the people who were released might cause changes in the most chaotic battle situation, further increasing the losses, and the name of the imperial court should have also reminded him of the possibility of the Wu Rui Camp reaping the benefits of a third party. In the end, he still chose to retreat rationally.
As long as the military discipline was reorganized and these hidden dangers were removed, Liangshan's advantage would still remain. Anyway, the Zhu family village was already in the bag … He should have thought so too. Unfortunately, the external injuries were easy to remove, but the cancer cells would spread quickly …
This was where it was always easier for a smart person to guess than an idiot.
He shook his head, dispelling the lingering fear in his heart. The Zhu family was already exhausted, and the matter had just begun. Liangshan's army was strong, and there might not be enough time, so the situation was not optimistic. He never underestimated others in terms of tactics. If there were any other geniuses on the other side, or if there were any accidents, it was not that he couldn't understand how they could turn the situation around. Psychological pressure always increased bit by bit. Before the last string of trust broke, he still had to do things step by step.
Next, it was up to the other side to solve the problem …
The night wind blew.
Just as Ning Yi said, the problem was out. By nightfall, almost all the generals in the Liangshan camp knew about the situation. The situation was clearly displayed in front of everyone. This was really an overt plot that they had to accept, whether they wanted to or not. The name "Primordial Chaos Thunderclap Hand" had already spread throughout the camp in a short period of time, causing everyone to wonder who this person was.
In the dim light of the bonfire, Guan Sheng, who always had a proper image, slammed his wine bowl on the table.
"Rush out my ass!"
*****
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