The banners were thrown into disorder, the warhorses neighed mournfully in pools of blood, and the stench of blood permeated the air. In the western sky, the burning clouds were reduced to ashes. The darkness was like a living beast, opening its huge mouth and swallowing the sky.
On one side of the field of vision was the mountain-like walls of Zhenjiang. On the other side of the darkness, the battle inside the city was still going on. On this side of the field, the originally orderly Jurchen camp was now shrouded in chaos and disorder. Catapults were toppled to the ground, and the explosions from the bombs were still raging.
In the places that were soaked by the fire, the figures running in the chaos were illuminated. The soldiers carried stretchers and rescued their broken companions from the collapsed tents and equipment. Occasionally, a staggering enemy would wake up from the chaos, and a small-scale battle would break out. The surrounding Jurchens would surround the enemy and chop them into pools of blood.
Not long ago, a fierce battle had broken out here. It was evening, and after confirming Crown Prince Jun Wu's position, Wanyan Xiyin was about to give chase when the five thousand elite cavalrymen of the Beiwei Army suddenly arrived and launched a fierce and determined attack on the flank of the Jurchen camp's defensive line.
The Jurchen army of tens of thousands had gathered in Zhenjiang. In order to attack the city, they hadn't built many fortifications. But they weren't completely defenseless in the face of the cavalry suddenly charging at them. The infantry quickly formed a formation and the cannons changed direction as much as possible. In theory, any rational Wu dynasty army would choose to confront or retreat, but the cavalry only slightly changed direction on the field and then charged at the fastest speed possible.
In the past eight or nine years, the cavalry that had invested the most in the Beiwei Army was probably one of the most elite troops of the Wu dynasty. But the Mountain Butcher Guards had dominated the world and had never been looked down upon like this. In the face of the cavalry, the phalanx formation didn't hesitate to surround them. What followed was a fierce battle where both sides risked their lives. The charging cavalry made a slight detour and plowed a large bloody path on the side of the phalanx formation.
As the sun set in the west, a portion of the blindfolded warhorses charged toward the Jurchen camp as if they were expendable goods. The dismounted infantrymen chased after them. Yue Fei's figure was like blood as he hacked and killed his way through, attempting to rush toward Wanyan Xiyin's flag. On the opposite side, Wanyan Xiyin instantly understood the crazy intentions of the opposing general. The two sides had fought in Xiangfan. At that time, the Beiwei Army was at a disadvantage in front of the Mountain Tu Wei and was beaten back several times. At this moment, his beard and hair stood up and he raised his sword.
"Yue Pengju — — ignorant brat, I'll skin you!"
Now that Zhenjiang City had fallen, Wanyan Xiyin had practically grasped the bargaining chip that would determine the fate of the Wu dynasty. But the subsequent obstruction of the Mountain Slaying Guards in Zhenjiang City made him somewhat lose face. Of course, these were all minor details. If it were just some other incompetent generals of the Wu dynasty who had come, Xi Yin probably wouldn't feel insulted. When it came to insulting insects, all he needed to do was crush them to death. But this Yue Fei could be considered a famous general with a keen eye among the generals of the Wu dynasty. He was good at using troops.
At this time, even though half of the Mountain Tu Wei had entered Zhenjiang, there were still at least twelve thousand elite Jurchen soldiers by Xi Yin's side outside the city. There was also the support of a portion of Yin Shu's troops on the side. Yue Fei had led five thousand elite cavalrymen to attack with no regard for their lives. His strategic goal was very simple: he wanted to kill him directly outside the city in order to recover the territory that the Wu dynasty had already lost in Zhenjiang.
This kind of risk of disregarding life and death and driving the entire army to follow him was certainly admirable from an objective point of view. But when placed right in front of him, it was more or less a slap in the face when a junior general made such a gesture to him. On one hand, he was angry. On the other hand, it also aroused the ferocity and bloodlust he had when he was fighting for the world. On the spot, he took over the command of the generals below him, boosted their morale, and charged forward, vowing to cut down this junior who stroked the tiger's whiskers and leave the Wu dynasty's best troops on this battlefield.
In less than half an hour, the most intense confrontation in the entire Zhenjiang battle took place on this field. The confrontation between the two sides was like a monstrous wave of blood crashing into each other, and a large number of lives evaporated in the first instance. The Beiwei Army advanced fiercely and fearlessly. The Mountain Tu Wei's defense was like an iron wall. On one hand, it blocked the Beiwei Army's advance, and on the other hand, it surrounded them from all directions, trying to limit the opponent's space to move.
In this short period of time, Yue Fei led his troops to carry out several attempts. Finally, the entire path of battle and slaughter passed through the Jurchen camp. Nearly half of the soldiers were lost in this large-scale assault, and in the end, they could only find a way to escape. The casualties of the Mountain Tu Wei elites who failed to stop the Beiwei Army were even more tragic. None of the Jurchen troops dared to chase after the blood-stained cavalry until they swaggered away.
Wanyan Xiyin's face gradually turned from angry to gloomy. Finally, he clenched his teeth and calmed down to clean up the mess. With the Beiwei Army's desperate attack, the plan to catch up with the Jun Wu Army was also delayed.
The road from Zhenjiang to the south was full of people fleeing for their lives. At night, the road, the field, and the canal were lit up like a long dragon. Some people stopped by the bonfires to rest for a while, and soon set off again, hoping to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible.
It was almost midnight when Yue Fei, Wenren Bu 'er, and the others met up with the Crown Prince's troops. In the previous fierce battle, his body was also injured in several places, in the middle of his shoulder and forehead, and now his whole body was covered in blood. He was wrapped in bandages, and his whole body was filled with a murderous aura, which caused people to feel fear when they looked at him.
"I'm late to help Your Highness." Yue Fei and Wenren Bu 'er had known each other for a long time, so he just greeted her politely. "I heard that Your Highness was wounded by an arrow. How is he now?"
"His Highness's wound isn't deep. His internal organs are slightly injured, but it's not a big deal. It's just that he hasn't slept a wink since the Jurchen troops attacked the city. I'm afraid he'll need to rest for a few days. " Wenren said, "His Highness is still in a coma and hasn't woken up yet. Would you like to see him?"
"It's a great fortune for the Wu Dynasty to have such a ruler. Since His Highness is unconscious and covered in blood, I won't go. It's a pity … that I didn't kill Wanyan Xiyin … "
As they walked through the camp, Wenren Bu 'er looked around and said, "I've heard about your bravery and how you killed Arubao. It's inspiring, but … you charged at Wanyan Xiyin with half of the cavalry. Some people in the camp say that you were too reckless …"
Both of them were related to Ning Yi and trusted subordinates of the Crown Prince. Wenren said this in a low voice, but it wasn't a reproach. In fact, she was just informing Yue Fei. Yue Fei's face was solemn and gloomy. "After confirming that Xiyin attacked Zhenjiang, I guessed that something was wrong. So I led more than five thousand cavalrymen and rushed here immediately. Unfortunately, I was too late. When the news of Zhenjiang's fall and the Crown Prince's injury reached Lin 'an, I was afraid that there would be great changes in the world. I guessed that the situation was critical and I had no choice but to do this … I was still hoping for a fluke. Brother Wenren, you have to deduce the situation in the capital city … "
As a general, Yue Fei was most aware of the rapid changes in the situation. When he said this, Wenren Bu 'er's face also became solemn. "… Two days after the city was breached, the Crown Prince ran around and encouraged the morale of the people. The soldiers inside and outside Zhenjiang sacrificed their lives for him. When the Crown Prince was injured, there were too many people around. Not long after, not only did the army march forward bravely, but the people also cried for the Crown Prince and rushed to the Jurchen troops. I know that the first priority is to block the news, but when I saw the scene, I couldn't help but feel emotional … Moreover, it was really difficult to block the news at that time. "
He paused. "After things calmed down a little, I sent a letter to Lin 'an and also told the general about the battle of killing Arubao. Now I only hope that the Princess's Residence can still control the situation … Although the Crown Prince was obsessed with the matter in Zhenjiang and refused to leave, but as a close official, I couldn't dissuade him, which was also a big mistake. If there is a day when things calm down, I will write a letter to ask for forgiveness … Actually, thinking back, at the beginning of the war last year, the Princess had told me that if there was a day when the situation was dangerous, she hoped that I could forcibly take the Crown Prince away from the battlefield and protect him … At that time, the Princess had expected it …"
When he said this, he closed his eyes in pain. In fact, as a close official, how could Wenren Bu 'er not know what was the best choice? But in the past few days, Jun Wu's actions were really moving. That was the process of a young man's real growth and transformation into a man. After this step, his future would be limitless. When he became the Emperor in the future, he would definitely be the hero that the Confucian people dreamed of, but it naturally contained danger.
It was difficult for Wenren Bu 'er to choose between the two, so in the end, she could only follow Jun Wu's will.
Yue Fei sighed. "Brother Wenren, you don't have to do this. As Mr. Ning said, the world needs everyone's effort. Whether it is the Crown Prince or you and I, we have all done our best. Mr. Ning's way of thinking is as cold as ice. Although he is often right, he doesn't leave any marks. Back then, my Master and I had different ways of thinking. My Master was upright and upright, and he ran around for good and evil all his life. In the end, he assassinated Guhan and died. Although he failed, he didn't look back because he believed that in the world, besides human beings, there was also a spirit and righteousness that surpassed human beings. He assassinated Guhan without hesitation because he believed that the Wu dynasty had been passed down for more than two hundred years, and the world would eventually calm down. "
His clothes were speckled with blood. At this point, he smiled. "My Master has been dead for more than ten years, but his spirit is still affecting the world. Although the Wu dynasty is in chaos now, I still believe that in the end, people will give the world a chance of survival. "
After saying this, Yue Fei patted Wenren Bu 'er on the shoulder. Wenren Bu' er was silent for a moment, then finally smiled. He turned to look at the lights outside the camp. "The battle in Zhenjiang is coming to an end, but there are still hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to the south. The Female Zhenren might slaughter them at any time. If His Highness wakes up, he will definitely want to see them have a safe journey, so the troops that have retreated from Zhenjiang are still guarding against this."
"Of course." Yue Fei nodded and then cupped his hands. "My main force will also be here. I won't let the golden dogs hurt the people of the Wu dynasty. Brother Wenren, there is still hope for the world. I hope you will take good care of His Highness. I will do my best to take back the righteousness of the world from the golden dogs. "
In the dim light, the tired two people cupped their hands and smiled at each other. At this time, the scouts who had sent the message and the messengers who had persuaded them to surrender were already on the road to the south …
*****
In Lin 'an, the night was as dark as ink.
Qin Hui woke up from a nightmare. He quietly got out of bed and lit the lamp. There was a knocking sound outside the door, which was only heard when there was an urgent message.
"Your clothes are on the screen …"
Qin Hui couldn't find his robe, so he put on his inner shirt and went to open the door. His wife's voice came from the bed. Qin Hui nodded. "Go to sleep." He opened the door a little, and the servant outside handed him something. Qin Hui took it, closed the door, and went back to get his robe.
"I'll come back later. Go to sleep."
He repeated in a low voice, put on the robe, took the oil lamp, and went to the corner of the room to sit down. Only then did he open the message.
He read the message over and over again for a long time, and his eyes gradually lost focus. He sat in the corner, silent as if he was gradually dying. At some point, his wife got out of bed. "… You have something urgent to do. I'll ask the servant to bring you water."
Qin Hui looked at his wife and wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say. After a long time, he raised the paper in his hand. "I was right. The Wu dynasty is finished …"
Qin Hui often complained like this in the past, but his wife ignored him. When the hot water for washing his face was served, Qin Hui slowly stood up. "Well, I need to freshen up and get ready … I'll have to go over later."
"Where are you going?"
"To the palace," Qin Hui replied, and then muttered to himself, "There's no way, no way …"
With the help of his wife, he meticulously combed his white hair. His face in the mirror looked righteous and resolute. He knew that he had to do what he had to do. He thought of Qin Siyuan, and not long after, he thought of Tang Ke during the shame of Jingping. He said, "You see, I'm a little similar to Tang Qinsou …"
His wife didn't understand what he was talking about.
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