The newly cut branches crackled in the fire, and green smoke rose into the sky. In the darkness of the night, the tents on the mountain were dotted with the light of the bonfire.
On the night of the 16th of September, 45,000 soldiers of the Wu Feng Camp were stationed a hundred li west of Pingjiang, in a mountain called Six Paths Liang.
It was the end of autumn, and the nearby mountains and fields still appeared peaceful, but the camp was filled with a gloomy atmosphere. The Wu Feng Camp was one of the weaker units in the Wu dynasty army. Originally, it was stationed in Jiangxi and other places, and their basic mission was to station fields and suppress bandits. Many of the soldiers were farmers. After the reform in the year of Jianshuo, the status of the army was raised, and the Wu Feng Camp strengthened its formal training. The elite troops gradually began to have the ability to bully and humiliate the villagers — this was also inevitable in the struggle for power between the army and the civil officials.
The increase in the strength of the army and the numerous conflicts with the surrounding rural gentry and civil officials laid the foundation for Yu Gusheng to become a local tyrant. In all fairness, the status of the generals in the two-hundred-plus years of the Wu dynasty continued to decline. The past few years had become the most comfortable period of Yu Gusheng's life.
When the Wu dynasty collapsed, he understood that the situation was stronger than he was and led the army to Jinghu Road. Of course, in his heart, he had the idea of fighting for a way out in this heaven and earth overturning change. However, the mood of the soldiers in the army might not be as high.
Some of the soldiers found it hard to believe that the Wu dynasty had fallen and that the Jin were commanding the army. As for the large amounts of money and grain going to the Jurchens after the autumn harvest, and their group being driven over to fight the Black Flag, some of the soldiers were nervous and afraid. Although the army had been strict during this period of time, and many people had been executed and many middle-level officers had been replaced to stabilize the situation, as they moved forward, discussions and confusion were unavoidable every day.
The 16th of September was also such a simple night. They were still over a hundred li from Pingjiang, so there were still several days before the battle. The soldiers in the camp gathered in groups, discussing, confused, and sighing … Some talked about the fierceness of the Black Flag, others talked about the legendary wisdom of the Crown Prince …
"Who knows … where the Emperor will come from to kill us …"
"In a few days, he'll surround the Black Flag. He's someone who doesn't care about his life. Even if he dies, he'll tear off a piece of his opponent's flesh. If we really meet him … we'd better protect our own lives … "
Not long after the discussion, the camp entered a curfew. Even though everyone was anxious and made their own plans, there was still some time before the war, and they could still sleep peacefully for a few days.
September 17th, early in the morning, a quarter to three in the morning. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The camp was completely quiet, only the lookout towers and the patrolling torches of the soldiers could be seen. Located on the mountainside southeast of Six Paths Bridge, under the roughly built watchtower, two figures stealthily approached from the inside of the camp.
Not long after, the two guards on the sentry tower collapsed one after another.
At the same time, Chen Fan led a thousand men to the woods east of Six Paths Liang. He hid in the bushes and observed the shape of the military camp.
Yuwen Feidu, who was carrying a spear on his back, was also crawling in the grass. He put away his binoculars and said, "The sentry tower has been replaced."
Chen Fan nodded, then looked up at the moon in the sky. Across the mountain ridge, on the other side of the military camp, there was also a team gazing at the moon in the dark. This team had more than six thousand men. Ji Qian 'er, Zhuo Xiaofeng, and other generals were keeping track of time.
At the foot of the mountain to the southeast, Chen Fan led the first team out of the woods and went along the hidden mountain ridge towards the sentry tower that had already been replaced. There was only a temporary camp in front of them. Although the sentry towers and lookout points were placed in order, the road behind them became a blind spot after a sentry tower was replaced by a guard at the southeast side of the camp.
As they approached, Yuwen Feidu climbed up the sentry tower and occupied the high ground. On the west side, the six thousand Black Flag soldiers began to advance cautiously according to the plan.
The night was at its darkest moment. Suddenly, there was a scream in the night, and no one knew who was shouting in the dark. Then, a loud bang shook the mountain. A warehouse of gunpowder at the back of the military camp was ignited. Black smoke rose into the sky and the air wave blew the tents away. Someone shouted, "Night attack!"
"The Black Flag Soldiers are coming!"
The guards on the sentry tower raised their binoculars and saw shadows rolling in from the east and west sides of the camp. On the east side of the camp, countless people had entered the camp and the fire had ignited the tents. The soldiers awoke from their sleep and rushed out of their tents in panic. They saw flames flying in the sky and a fire arrow flew up to the flagpole in the middle of the camp and ignited the commander's flag.
The explosion of the camp was unstoppable.
The battle of Jing Lake had begun.
*****
On the morning of September 17th, Zhuo Yongqing and Qu Qing led the team to Six Daoliang. On the way, they saw a few fleeing soldiers. After asking around, they realized that the battle with Wu Feng Camp had come to an end.
Under the morning sun, the smoke of war had already subsided in Six Paths Ridge, and only the smell of blood still lingered. The military camp's supplies were still in good condition. This battle had captured more than six thousand people, and they were being guarded in the valley on the west side of the camp.
After Zhuo Yongqing and Qu Qing arrived, a few more teams arrived. The seven thousand soldiers led by Chen Fan suffered less than a hundred casualties in the battle last night. Zhu Jing of Juling County had sent out scouts to collect the captives and transport the supplies.
A group of Chinese soldiers gathered on one side of the battlefield. Although they all looked happy, their discipline was still strict. All the departments were still tense. This was a sign that they were preparing for a prolonged battle.
Zhuo Yongqing and Qu Qing attended the battle meeting. Other than Chen Fan, Ji Qianer, Zhuo Xiaofeng and other generals who originally belonged to the 29th Division, there were also a few leaders who came from the southwest. Other than the "Honest Monk" Feng Zhen who was still active outside, half of the teams that were sent out before the New Year had gathered around Chen Fan's side.
Although Chen Fan was the nominal Deputy Commander of the 29th Division, he was actually in charge of the military affairs of Miao Jiang. He was a middle-aged man in his forties. He didn't look too old. Usually, he was calm and even had a hint of laziness and sunshine. However, the moment after the battle, the blood stains on his armor had not yet faded and there was a fierce aura in his face. If there were old people who had participated in the Yongle Uprising here, they might find that Chen Fan's temperament was somewhat similar to Fang Qifo's on the battlefield.
After washing his hands and face, Chen Fan shook off the water stains on his hands. He rubbed his palms together and asked someone to place the map on the table that had been confiscated.
"… Last night, the camp was bombed. Most people escaped to the east. Yu Gusheng and his son brought a few thousand people. We are sure that they went to the northeast. Guo Baohuai is a hundred miles away with fifty thousand people. He might be slightly stronger than Yu Gusheng. Then there is Li Tou He, which is further to the southeast. The two groups have a total of a hundred thousand people. "
He tapped his finger on the map a few times.
"… Defeat them before the Silver Sorcery arrives."
*****
Feng Zhen rode his horse all the way to the east. In the afternoon, he arrived at an abandoned village in the east of Pingxiang. There were already people gathered in the village.
He was fat and full of meat. Both he and the horse were exhausted from the long journey. When he arrived near the abandoned village, he didn't go in rashly. Panting, he went up the mountain behind the village. A middle-aged man who looked like an old farmer was already waiting there.
"Comrade Feng, thank you." The man looked sad. His voice wasn't loud, but the way he addressed Feng Zhen was quite formal. Feng Zhen bowed to him, but he didn't dare to be disrespectful. There were many heroes in the Chinese army, but there were also some crazy people. The man in front of him was one of them.
His name was Tian Song. He used to be a hardworking and simple blacksmith in Bianliang. Later, he was taken to the north for the Shame of Jingping and was rescued by the Chinese army. Although he looked sad and simple at the moment, Feng Zhen knew how ruthless he was when it came to killing enemies.
After the two chatted for a while, they walked down the mountain. When they reached a hidden ridge halfway up the mountain, Tian Song dismissed the guards arranged here and took out the binoculars and handed them to Feng Zhen. Feng Zhen looked down at the village below and saw that many people in the village were wearing the armor of Female Enlightened Beings.
Tian Song took out a small album and said, "There are no problems with the armor. The 'Young Prince' has also been arranged. This plan has been prepared for a few years. When Wanyan Qingjue was mining in the mountains, Xiao He had been imitating it. It seems that there is no problem this time. Comrade Feng, if the 29th Division's plan has been decided … "
His voice was low and even a little weak, but only from the deepest part of his tone, Feng Zhen could hear the passion hidden in his voice. He saw the "Young Prince" giving orders in the crowd below, and after watching for a while, he finally spoke.
"Guo Baohuai has already been arranged. Theoretically, Guo Baohuai will be attacked first, then Li Touhe. Marshal Chen hopes that you can act according to the circumstances and act when you are confident. What we need to consider at present is that although the young prince has been targeted by Senior Fu Lu since he set off from Jiangzhou, for the time being, I don't know how long he can hold them back. If you go to Li Toouhe first, and the young prince is alerted and sends someone over, you will still be in great danger.
"Yes, that's right." Tian Song nodded beside him.
Feng Zhen sighed in his heart. He had roamed the Jianghu all his life and had seen countless desperadoes. Those who were slightly more normal would mostly say the principle of "seeking riches in danger", and those who were a bit crazier would say "it's worth it". Only people like Tian Song, who looked sincere and sincere, had probably never considered the risks he spoke of. He said, "Everything is still based on your own judgment and act according to the circumstances. However, you must pay attention to your safety and try to take care of yourself."
"Of course." Tian Song nodded, and a calm smile appeared on his wrinkled face. "We will bring Li Touhe's head back."
By the time they were done, it was already close to evening. The leader of the team, who looked like an old farmer, walked towards the abandoned village. Not long after, this team of "young princes" and martial arts experts set off in the direction of Li Tou He in the southwest.
Feng Zhen got on his horse and continued to head northeast. Fu Lu and a group of people from the Underworld were still entangled with Wanyan Qingjue. Before Wanyan Qingjue realized that something was wrong, he was responsible for stirring up the waters even more.
At the same time, Yu Gusheng and Yu Mingzhou, who had been fleeing for their lives, had already met up with the scouts sent by Guo Baohuai.
Over the years, the various plans and trump cards that the Huaxia army had made were gradually revealed.
In the eleventh year of Jianshuo, in the middle of the ninth month, as the Zhou Dynasty gradually collapsed. Before many people realized what was going on, the 29th Division of China, under the leadership of Chen Fan, only had a little more than ten thousand soldiers. Only half of them left Changsha and marched eastward. This was the prelude to the Battle of Jin Lake.
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