The sky was gloomy. It was the end of the first lunar month and the ground was covered with snow. The wind that blew across the city was getting colder.
The Spring Warehouse in Gaizhou City was covered with icicles, making it look like a fortress. White silk hung outside the warehouse and patrolling soldiers walked past the wall with long spears with red tassels in their hands.
A group of soldiers returned on horseback from the side of the road outside the warehouse. The leader was General Wei Cheng, who was in charge of the Spring Warehouse. He was anxious as he rode on the horse. When they were about to reach the gate of the warehouse, they heard a rumbling sound and the icicles fell from the houses nearby and shattered on the road. Spring had arrived. That was the most common scene in recent times.
When they arrived at the gate and was about to order the soldiers inside to lower the gate, the soldiers on the top of the gate suddenly sensed something and pointed to the front. Some people were coming from the other end of the road. First, it was the cavalry, then the infantry. The spacious road was crowded.
The leader of the group looked gentle and took out a badge. "Are you General Wei Cheng? I am Guan Song of the Chang Ning Army. I am here to help with the defense of the Spring Warehouse. "
"The Chang Ning Army." Wei Cheng's face darkened. "How can the Chang Ning Army be in charge of the Spring Warehouse? I only listen to Lord Fang's orders. "
"The order was that the army should be the leader during the war. The Spring Warehouse is an important place for the army. Now that there are Jurchen spies trying to sabotage it, I am here. General An has talked to Lord Fang Qiong about this and he has agreed. If you don't believe me, you can ask him. "
"If there is no order …"
"This is critical! I don't have time to waste with you. Open the gate! "
A cold light flashed and the leader on the horse had already pulled out his steel blade. Then, rows of knights unsheathed their blades and the formation of spears behind them pointed at Wei Cheng's group. The soldiers in the Spring Warehouse were already moving. The cold wind whimpered and blew across the sky of Gaizhou City.
Wei Cheng looked at the blade. The soldiers on the wall behind him pulled out their bows and arrows, but they still looked weak in front of the army. His expression changed as he looked at the blade. After a while, he pulled out the blade and pointed it forward.
"Gaizhou City is behind us and the Spring Warehouse is in the city … Lord Jin has just passed away. Are you trying to rebel?"
The cold blades confronted each other and the street was filled with murderous intent …
…
On the 21st of the first month, on the 22nd, Prince Jin, Tian Shi, died. The news spread throughout the land of Jin. In the following days, the atmosphere at the north bank of the Yellow River was somber and chaotic. The undercurrent under the water had become so intense that it could not be suppressed. All the officials and forces, big and small, made their own choices in anxiety.
It was going to rain in Jiaocheng.
Lin Zongwu stood under the eaves with his hands clasped behind his back. His huge figure was like a Buddha, giving the old man who was drinking tea not far away a great sense of oppression.
"After Tian Shi passed away, the people's hearts became unsettled. On my end, the people who have been coming and going recently all have ulterior motives. Some want to rope me in, some want to attach themselves to me, and some want to persuade me to surrender to the Jurchens. Elder Chang, I've been suppressing a fire in my heart recently. What are you planning by asking me to go and threaten them? "
"I have no bad intentions, I have no bad intentions, Sect Leader!" The old man with the surname Chang waved his hand and tried to clarify his intentions. "Think about it, Sect Leader. On the 21st of the first month, the families of Jin will meet. On the 22nd, Prince Jin will die at the hands of the Jurchens. Shu Wan, a woman, is guarding the city gate. She is ruthless and short-sighted. Although Yu Yulin has an army, he can't control all the forces. The land of Jin is going to be chaotic …"
The old man cupped his hands. "My Chang family has been operating in the land of Jin for many years. We also want to protect ourselves, Sect Leader. If the land of Jin is in chaos, the people will be plunged into misery and suffering. How can my family be an exception? Therefore, even though Prince Jin has passed away, someone else will be forced to take over. Not to mention that Prince Jin's faction is now led by a woman, who can't convince the masses. Although Wang Juyun and his troops claimed to have a million men, they were outsiders. Moreover, the million beggars were also defeated. The Black Flag Army has some prestige, but how can a mere ten thousand people stabilize the situation in the land of Jin? The hands of Ji Qingli and the other bandits are stained with blood. The alliance meeting is just a bonus. Now that there is no hope of resisting the gold, I'm afraid they will leave quickly. After thinking about it, only Sect Leader has millions of followers in the Great Radiant Sect. Whether it is martial arts or reputation, you can convince the masses. If Sect Leader doesn't go to Wei Sheng, I'm afraid Wei Sheng will be in chaos … "
"Hmph." Lin Zongwu snorted. "If Wei Sheng is in chaos, won't it be even more chaotic if I join in? Old Chang, the Jurchens are coming. If you seek to protect yourself, won't you become a traitor? "
"Sect Leader, it's impossible, it's impossible. The Chang family is also a reputable family. If your words spread out, my Chang family will be scolded by the people in the land of Jin …" The old man said and anxiously knelt on the ground to persuade him. "Sect Leader, it's normal for you to suspect me, but … no matter what, someone has to clean up the situation in Wei Sheng. This way, if you don't want that position, at least go to Wei Sheng. As long as you show your face, everyone will have a backbone … "
Lin Zongwu turned to look at him. After a moment, he said, "I don't care what you're planning. I don't want to pursue the matter today. But Elder Chang, your whole family is here. If there comes a day when I find out that you're here for the Jurchens … At that time, no matter when you are, I'll wipe out your entire family. "
He said these words word by word. The body of the old man who was kneeling on the ground trembled, but he didn't refute him. Lin Zongwu said, "Go, Elder Chang. I don't have any other intentions. You don't have to take it to heart."
The old man stood up and bade farewell. In the end, he still hesitated. "Sect Leader, when will you …"
"Scram!" Lin Zongwu's voice was like thunder as he gritted his teeth. "Who are you to interrupt my decision!?"
After saying this, the old man fled. Lin Zongwu stood there with his hands behind his back. Not long later, Wang Nantuo came in and saw Lin Zongwu with an unprecedentedly complicated expression.
"It's going to rain."
He only said this in a low voice.
Not long later, it started to drizzle. The cold was biting into the bones.
…
The huge ship was slowly sinking.
It was peaceful.
Night gradually fell. In the small city, a chaotic atmosphere was spreading.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! " Heavy sounds rang out rhythmically along with the strikes of the hammers. In the courtyard that was burning with raging flames, steel knives that had been tempered a hundred times were being formed. Shi Jin was shirtless as he looked at the sparks flying off from the blank knives in front of him. Like the other blacksmiths, he was immersed in the process of forming the steel knives in front of him.
The small volunteer army was temporarily gathered here with his call as the center.
One of the assistants of the volunteer army who followed Shi Jin was called Li Honggu. She was Shi Jin's companion from the Red Summit. At this moment, she was outside gathering more than a hundred people from the volunteer army. After entering the courtyard where ironware was being forged, Shi Jin sat at the side and used a towel to wipe the sweat off his body. He rested for a short while. He had a stocky build and had countless scars on his body. He looked at the flames with a cold gaze and was in a trance. He had an iron-blooded aura.
"Dragon King, everyone has been gathered."
"Oh." The light in Shi Jin's eyes became gentler as he raised his head. "Is there anyone who wants to leave?"
"Everyone is only asking where you want to go, Dragon King."
"I've thought about it …" Shi Jin said, paused, and then said, "Let's go to Wei Sheng."
The woman nodded and frowned a little. Finally, she couldn't help but say, "Didn't Dragon King say that you don't want to go near that kind of place …"
After the Red Summit, especially after Lin Chong's death, Shi Jin was no longer willing to participate in the big and complicated power struggle. He also had many taboos about Wei Sheng, the core of Prince Jin's power. Of course, he didn't care about others using his reputation to do some good deeds. Although he only had more than a hundred people under him at the Fenyang Alliance Meeting, he was famous. Tian Shi also specially invited him. Although he didn't go, he sent a representative to support this matter.
Now that Tian Shi was dead, Prince Jin's power was like a group of dragons without a leader. The situation of Wei Sheng was the most sensitive. Li Honggu didn't understand why Shi Jin suddenly changed his mind, so she asked. Shi Jin stood up, nodded slightly, and said, "Let's go save people."
"Save people?"
"Yes … Prince Jin died fighting against the Jin. Now that the situation is ruined, I'm afraid the people who followed him will also be punished. General Yu and that female minister Lou Shuwan are following Tian Shi. I'm afraid the situation is quite dangerous now. "
In the firelight, Shi Jin put on his clothes and picked up the iron rod. "Prince Jin died fighting against the Jin. I can't repay him. These loyal officials shouldn't suffer because of this. Although I'm not good at military affairs and interpersonal relationships, I still have my life. If the situation of Wei Sheng is bad and chaos breaks out, I will risk my life to at least protect them. "
"… I think, if Old Hero Zhou was still alive, he would do the same thing."
The Dragon King's figure left the courtyard where he forged iron, flickering in the light. He explained his thoughts in front of the hundred or so men gathered outside, and gave them a chance to choose again.
No one chose to leave.
That night, the group left He Shun and set out on the road to Wei Sheng. The light of the torches swayed on the ground in the night. In the next few days, people continued to gather in Wei Sheng because of the name Eight-Arm Dragon King. Like a remnant star, it emitted its own light in the dark night …
…
In Wei Sheng, dark clouds pressed down on the city.
The Heavenly Palace occupied a vast area. However, because of the war last year, after Tian Shi personally led the army, Lou Shuwan decisively reduced all the unnecessary expenses in the palace. At this time, the huge palace seemed empty and cold.
After returning to Wei Sheng, Lou Shuwan first killed Tian Shi's father, Tian Biao. Then, she chose a useless side hall in the Heavenly Palace to work. Ever since the rebellion against the Jin began last year, too many people had been killed and too much blood had been shed in this palace. Sometimes, looking out from the door, one would feel that this huge palace hall was like a ghost town, with countless wandering souls and wild ghosts wandering outside, seeking their lives.
The whole situation was slipping into the abyss.
If it was Lou Shuwan in the later period of Tian Hu's era, her power was based on the common interests within the system. When Tian Hu wanted to kill her, with the secret activities of the Huaxia army, the guarantee of Yu Yulin's military power, and the huge chain of interests within the system, Lou Shuwan completed the feat of killing Tian Hu and pushed Tian Shi to power.
With the help of Tian Shi and Yu Yulin, Lou Shuwan pushed for the rebellion against the Jin. However, it was also this rebellion that broke the chain of interests within Prince Jin's system. Tian Shi's rallying had increased his control over the army, but this control was lost with Tian Shi's death. Now, Lou Shuwan no longer had a heavy trump card in her hands. She could only rely on some brave soldiers who were determined to resist the Jin, as well as the Jin army under Yu Yulin's control.
However, among them, even those who were determined to resist the Jin didn't mind Lou Shuwan's downfall.
Thus, after separating from the Lonely Pine Inn, Yu Yulin began to mobilize his troops to plunder resources from various places. He also lobbied and deterred the various powers, ensuring that he could grasp the basic territory in his hands. Lou Shuwan returned to Wei Sheng and resolutely killed her way into the Celestial Pole Palace. It was true that she couldn't use this attitude to rule the Jin army for too long, but her previous determination and madness could still intimidate a portion of people. At the very least, when they saw Lou Shuwan's attitude, those who were rational would understand that even if she couldn't kill everyone in front of her, the first power that stood in her way would be skinned alive by this crazy woman.
The Jurchen forces had already begun to move within the Jin army.
Although the snow had yet to melt, and the Jurchen forces from the north had yet to launch their attack, it was only a matter of time before they attacked. As long as one understood this, the huge blow of Tian Shi's death caused too many powers to choose to side with the Jurchen. Although some powers hadn't expressed their stance, they had already begun to seize control of various passes, cities, and warehouses. The generals of some large and small clans in the army had already begun to express their stance. Division and conflict had begun silently and violently. Over the past few days, the reports from various places had caused people to tremble in fear.
This was the coercion of the general trend. Under the pressure of the Jurchen army, it was like the snow melting under the spring sun. It was simply impossible to resist. Over the past few days, Lou Shuwan had constantly divided the powers in her mind. She had sent people to lobby or threaten them, hoping to preserve enough bargaining chips and strength. But even the guards near Wei Sheng had already begun to split up and choose sides.
Zhan Wu of the Chinese army was also running around — in fact, the Chinese army was one of her trump cards. If it wasn't for this flag being erected here and the fact that it was impossible for them to side with the Jurchen forces, the few large clans near Wei Sheng would have already begun to use weapons to talk.
On the second day of the second month, the dragon raised its head. That night, it rained in Wei Sheng City. All the snow on the trees and eaves had already fallen. When the ice and snow began to melt, it was bone-chilling cold. It was also on this night that someone quietly entered the palace and sent a message, "… Duke Liao sent a message. He wants to talk …"
When Lou Shuwan killed Tian Hu, the Jin faction was supported by three large clans: the Yuan Clan of which Zhan Xia was the head, the Tang Clan of Tang Shun, and the Liao Clan of Liao Yiren. Later on, when they began to resist the gold, the Yuan Clan obstructed them and Lou Shuwan led the army to slaughter them. Now, the Liao Clan and the Tang Clan had both taken action in the military and the government, but the Liao Clan was the main faction that wanted to surrender. Now that they wanted to talk, the scale of their private connections should be quite considerable.
Lou Shuwan took a deep breath.
"Alright, then let's talk."
The cold rain fell on every corner of the dark palace. Outside the palace, countless confrontations had already taken shape. A violent and fierce confrontation could begin at any time.
Blood flowed like a river …
A huge ship was sinking.
*****
Jurchen, Shu Su's camp.
Wanyan Xiyin and General Shu Su walked out of the central tent and saw that the entire camp was already being organized. He cupped his hands towards Shu Su.
"The ice and snow haven't melted yet, so the attack is a bit hasty. However, Jin is already in chaos. If we hit them hard, we can force them to make a decision early." He paused for a moment, then added, "The Black Flag Army is strong, but with the general, it will be easy. This battle is crucial. General, take care. "
Shu Su's face was filled with the will to fight. "If we can't defeat him, Shu Su will bring his head to see me."
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