Amidst the rumbling of cannons, the savage soldiers passed through the city. Flames and blood had long since drowned everything.
In the continuous struggle and roar, Zhe Keqiu, who had already been seriously injured, finally drooped his head and stopped moving. Chen Shiqun's laughter gradually became hoarse. When he looked back, he saw a group of Mongolians escorting the captives to the high walls of Fuzhou and then pushing them down in rows.
The entire city seemed to have collapsed and fallen amidst the explosions and flames.
Over the past few years, he had fought and dealt with Zhe Keqiu and his Western Army. The nearby scenery and people had long since melted into his heart and become a part of his memories. At this moment, he finally understood that from today onward, all of this would no longer exist.
Just like his dead wife, daughter, and family.
Just like the fallen Central Plains and the Wu dynasty.
By now, he also knew that Emperor Zhou Yong had escaped and that the Wu dynasty had finally collapsed. Sometimes, when people were in the midst of the upheaval of the world, they would find many changes unbelievable. However, at this moment, when he saw the scene of a city full of commoners being slaughtered, he finally came to a realization after a moment of confusion.
The upheaval of the world was vast and mighty. This was an irresistible force. How could a mere Fuzhou be spared?
In the midst of the raging wind and flames, the Khan named Jamuka walked over, his laughter heavy and heroic. There were tears in Chen Shiqun's eyes. He raised his hands high and knelt down toward the Khan's figure.
Behind him, his family had been destroyed, his people had died, and his people had scattered. The small northwest had become a wasteland. The vast lands of the Wu dynasty were collapsing in blood and fire, and the Jurchen beasts were wreaking havoc in the world. History would never turn back. At this moment, he could only adapt to the changes and make the last choice he could make as a Han.
He would offer the world to the conquerors from the grasslands.
*****
At the same time that the small figure named Chen Shiqun made a terrible choice in the northwest where no one had any scruples. The Crown Prince of the Wu dynasty, who had just succeeded the throne, was using the last bit of national fortune of the dynasty that had lasted for more than two hundred years to make a desperate counterattack in Jiangning that shocked the world.
On the seventh day of the ninth lunar month, more than 100,000 city guards rushed out of Jiangning City. The mutiny of the crowd was like a plague, breaking out in a vast area that spanned dozens of miles.
After more than two months of siege, the millions of surrendered soldiers were shrouded in the merciless coldness of the Female Zhenren and the pressure of being transferred to the battlefield to die at any time. As more and more areas of the Wu dynasty collapsed and surrendered, the surrendered soldiers of Jiangning had no way to rebel and no way to escape. They could only wait for the judgment of their fate in torment every day.
The new Emperor of the Wu dynasty had succeeded to the throne, but he was unable to save them from disaster and fire. However, as the white banner of Zhou Yong's death fell, and on the seventh day of the New Year, the dragon banner of death was raised, this was the signal of their last chance, and it flashed through everyone's hearts.
Of course, such an opportunity was not an opportunity to fight the Jiangning garrison. The place where millions of soldiers were stationed was vast and far away. If they really fought, it would probably take a day and a night. Many people were still circling around the periphery of the battlefield. However, as the signal of war appeared, all kinds of rumors swept across the entire battlefield in almost an hour. Then, with the incitement and thoughts of "seizing the opportunity to escape" or "fighting them to the death", it turned into an uncontrollable riot that broke out on the battlefield.
Soldiers who were not even fully equipped with weapons rushed out of the wooden walls that surrounded them. With all kinds of thoughts, they rushed in different directions. Not long after, they were swept up by the vast and mighty tide of people and began to run involuntarily.
The soldiers who had killed their way out of Jiangning caught the edge of the surrendered army, shouting and driving them westward. On this day, the millions of people were more like a flock of sheep. Some people lost their direction, while others, under the orders of their hot-blooded officers, continued to advance westward.
The first batch of surrendered soldiers that approached the Jurchen camp chose to flee, and were then ruthlessly suppressed by Zong Fu's troops. But not long after, the main force of the Subduing Sea branch led by Jun Wu and Han Shizhong charged in wave after wave. Zong Fu was flustered and exasperated, but after noon, more and more surrendered soldiers of the Wu dynasty charged toward the flanks and rear of the Jurchen camp.
This was the last bit of courage that the Wu dynasty soldiers had mustered. Wrapped in a tide-like charge, they were constantly shaken and annihilated by the artillery fire of the Jurchen people. On the frontline of the battlefield, the Subduing Sea branch and the Jurchen vanguard clashed continuously. With Jun Wu's encouragement, the Subduing Sea branch even seemed to have the upper hand, forcing the Jurchen army to retreat again and again.
In the south of Jiangning, the Beiwei army led by Yue Fei was like a hungry wolf. With an almost frenzied offensive, they shredded the relatively loyal Han army of the Central Plains to the Jurchen people. Then, with the enormous pressure of the cavalry, they drove the surrendered Wu dynasty soldiers to charge toward Wanyan Zongfu. As of a quarter to three in the afternoon, the Beiwei army had cut through the tide-like frontline and extended the fiercest attack to Wanyan Zongfu.
At this point, Wanyan Zongfu's flank defense line had fallen, and the hundreds of thousands of Jurchen soldiers had finally retreated westward and southward. The battlefield was filled with blood, and it was unknown how many Han people had died in this large-scale war …
…
The autumn wind rustled. In the south of Jiangzhou City, when Xi Yin saw the news of the battle that had just been transmitted, his hand that was holding the paper trembled slightly. He pursed his lips tightly and his gaze became fierce.
Beside him, carts after carts of provisions were entering the city. Under the supervision of the soldiers, the convoy of provisions that came from the south extended as far as the eye could see.
Wanyan Qingjue, who had come to pay his respects, was waiting behind him. This young prince of the Jin Kingdom had made great contributions in the previous battle. He had gotten rid of the image of a playboy who was tainted by nepotism. Now, he was also rushing toward the direction of Changsha to persuade and incite the surrounding forces to surrender and send troops to Changsha.
Xi Yin slowly read out the information in the intelligence report.
"… At the end of the battle, Zongfu's army retreated more than 40 miles. The troops led by Yue Fei, Han Shizhong, and the others chased after them all the way until late at night. Nearly 30,000 people were killed, injured, or missing … Useless." Xi Yin slowly folded the paper. "Regarding the situation in Jiangning, I had already warned him not to treat the Han people who surrendered as human beings. Sooner or later, he would be devoured. Lao San seemed obedient, but in fact, he was extremely stupid. He dragged millions of people into the battlefield, thinking that he had humiliated these Han people. He said something about melting Jiangning into molten iron … If he did not do such a stupid thing, Jiangning would have been finished. "
Xi Yin's words were spoken slowly, but Wanyan Qingjue knew that his master was already in a great rage. He pondered for a moment. "If that's the case, the new emperor of the Wu dynasty has broken through the crisis in Jiangning. Master, do you want to go back … and help those two … "
"It's not going to happen." Xi Yin shook his head. "In the area of Jiangnan, those who surrendered have expressed their stance one after another. The decline of the Wu dynasty is just like an avalanche. Even if some places want to surrender, it's hard to say whether the army in Jiangning can hold on …"
"But those millions of Wu dynasty troops …"
Let's not talk about whether or not they would dare to go back. The autumn harvest is over, and now most of the military provisions in Jiangnan are in my hands. The new Emperor has guarded Jiangning for three months. Whether or not he can still feed the people is a problem. You don't have to worry about this. When Zong Fu and Zong Bi regroup, Jiangning will not be able to defend. The new emperor's only chance is to leave Jiangnan and bring Zong Fu and Zong Bi around. If he wants to find a place to defend to the death, there won't be another chance to cut off all means of retreat. " Xi Yin paused. Two strands of uneven white hair floated in the mountain wind. "What makes me sigh is that the battle power of our Jurchen people has waned. The fact that we are no longer what we were in the past has finally been revealed by that group of wastrels. Just wait and see, that person in the southwest is good at propaganda. The matter of 120,000 Han soldiers defeating a million Jurchen people will soon be talked about."
Wanyan Qingjue said, "But at this time, I believe that these words are powerless to reverse the situation. However, Master … the Han army of the Wu dynasty has no morale to speak of. Even if we send millions of soldiers to the southwest this time, I'm afraid it will not have much effect on the Black Flag Army. This disciple is worried … "
"Driving a donkey and cooking an eagle, each has his own method." Xi Yin shook her head. "Master has already said that Zong Fu is wrong. How could he be as stupid as him? The land of Jiangnan is vast. With the fall of the Wu dynasty, everyone will seek to protect themselves. In the future, our Great Jin will be in the north and will be beyond our reach. Rather than expending great effort to force them to death, it would be better to let the various warlords split up and let them kill themselves. As for the southwest war, I will treat it fairly, with clear rewards and punishments. As long as they can be of some use on the battlefield, I will not be stingy with rewards. You people, don't rely on your status as nobles of the Great Jin to have your eyes at the top of your head. You must know that an obedient dog is much better to use than a dog that resents you. "
Wanyan Qingjue bowed. "Teacher's teachings, Qingjue will engrave them in my heart and never forget them."
Xi Yin waved her hand. "All right, go. When you go to Changsha this time, you must be careful. I heard that several batches of the Huaxia army are already heading that way. You are of noble status, so take care to protect yourself when you move."
"Please be at ease, Master. In these last few years, Qingjue has not the slightest bit of arrogance or contempt toward the Huaxia army. This time, I will definitely not let you down … as for those batches of the Huaxia army, Qingjue has already prepared to meet them!"
After saying these words, he soon took his leave under Xi Yin's watchful gaze. He led a troop of more than a thousand people away from Jiangzhou and set out on a journey. Not long after, on the other side of the mountains, he once again saw the traces of Yin Shuche's army moving. Between the rising and falling mountains, the army and war banners stretched out like a surging stream of iron.
This was the heroic spirit of the Female Zhenren on her path to rise to power. Wanyan Qingjue gazed from a distance, his heart filled with heroic spirit. He knew that the older generation would slowly pass away. Soon, the heavy responsibility of protecting this country would fall on their shoulders. At this moment, he felt proud that he could still see this heroic sight.
The surging army advanced westward.
…
To the west of Chengdu, hundreds of miles away, was the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Today, this place was called Tubo.
Tubo had a long history. Since the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, under the hands of Songzan Gampo and a few other kings, there was a short period of great unification. But not long after, it fell into division again. The various feudal vassals on the plateau fought and killed each other. Until now, the glory of the late Tang Dynasty had not been restored.
Dayang, located at the southern end of Tubo, was a medium-sized tribe. Naturally, it had its time of prosperity, but in the recent hundred years, it gradually declined. A few decades ago, a man who pursued the ultimate state of the knife once traveled the plateau and forged a deep friendship with the leader of the Dayang tribe. This man was the master of the Tyrant Saber Manor, Liu Dabiao.
The Dayang tribe, which had a large open iron mine in its territory, had a close relationship with the Tyrant Saber Manor. At one point, they had established a very reliable smuggling channel. Later on, when Fang La revolted, many weapons were secretly transported over from Tubo. However, following the failure of the Yongle Dynasty, the strength of the Tyrant Saber Manor fell into a low. The Dayang tribe in Tubo was also invaded by several tribes nearby. Within a few years, it was almost annexed and removed from the list.
Before the battle of Little Canghe, Ning Yi deployed the troops of the Tyrant Saber Manor to Dayang and stabilized the situation. Later on, the Huaxia army retreated southward. A portion of the elites were sent to Dayang by Ning Yi. On one hand, it was to protect the precious iron mine in Dayang. On the other hand, it was to further train the troops in a closed environment. Later on, more than twenty thousand strong and strong-willed soldiers entered this place. They first defeated a few nearby Tubo tribes and then settled down on the plateau.
In the past few years, the Dayang tribe had suffered from attacks and expeditions from nearby parties. Almost all of the young men in the tribe had died. However, the people of the plateau were swift and fierce. Before all of the men in the tribe had died, no one even raised the idea of surrendering. When the Huaxia army arrived, they were faced with a large number of women and children. In order to survive, the tribes of the plateau and the young soldiers of the Huaxia army also hoped to get married. As a result, the soldiers of the Huaxia army replaced most of the men in the Dayang tribe. Gradually, the two sides became one.
In the past few years, the soldiers of the Huaxia army had trained their bodies and wills on the plateau. They ran across the plains and patrolled the snowy peaks. Batch after batch of soldiers were required to cooperate and survive in the harshest environment. What was used to train their minds was the unceasing mention of the battle of Little Canghe. It was the tragedy of the Northern Lands and the Han people of the Central Plains. It was the humiliation brought about by the Female Daoists who wreaked havoc in the world. It was also the glory of the three counties of Hedeng killing their way out of the Chengdu plains.
Compared to the large amount of training for the administrative members of the three counties, on this plateau, the Black Flag Army led by Qin Shaoqian was even more focused on tempering everything they were born for. Every day, the bodies and wills of the soldiers were tempered into the fiercest and most deadly steel.
Among them, the only thing that could bring them comfort was the warmth brought by the wives and children of the soldiers who already had families. The second thing was the towering Little Canghe War Monument in the Dayang Huaxia Military Square, where the ashes of millions of heroes were buried. Every day, the black monument quietly looked down at everyone, reminding them of the tragic past and the mission they had to bear.
On this day, the low sound of a bugle horn rang out on the plateau.
The soldiers returned from the high snowy peaks and the training fields. With tears in their eyes, they hugged their wives and children at home. They began to gather in the square of the barracks. In front of the huge monument, they placed down certain items that contained the memories of the past: the bloody clothes of their fallen brothers, bandages, armor pieces, broken blades …
This was the requirement of all of them when they came to the plateau. Every soldier had to bring something to remember Little Canghe and remember the bloody battle of the past.
"… One day, when you put down these things, we will walk out of here and collect all the debts of blood from those enemies."
Many things were put down one after another. Eagles flew high up in the sky. Under the sky, rows and rows of solemn square formations silently formed. Their tall and straight figures were almost the same, as straight as steel.
Qin Shaoqian walked up the high platform.
"… The Female Zhenren has destroyed the Wu dynasty and is about to enter Chengdu … Nihan is here!" His voice spread far across the plateau and reverberated in the sky. In the low sky, clouds gathered along with his voice. But no one paid attention to him. The voice of a man was spreading across the earth.
"Everyone!" The voice reverberated. "The time …"
"… has arrived!"
After the voice fell, a loud rumble shook the earth on the plateau, as if a jade dragon that had been frozen for thousands of years was beginning to collapse.
On this day, the seventh army of Huaxia began to leap out of the Tibetan plateau.
…
About a hundred miles away from the encampment of the Huaxia army, Medicine Master Guo received news of the unusual movements in Dayang.
It was quiet all around. He walked out of the tent. It seemed that the lack of oxygen on the plateau made him feel depressed. The vast wilderness stretched as far as the eye could see, and the sky was quietly covered with gloomy clouds.
A shiver started from his tailbone and spread up inch by inch.
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