Han Youniang was wielding a wind and fire stick, together with the cannoneers who had abandoned the cannon and picked up their sabers and spears to defend the city wall against the enemy. From time to time she would pay attention to Yang Ling. Seeing him unexpectedly pick up a spear and pounce on the Tatars, she was almost scared out of her wits. Her husband was a scholar, his body was weak, perhaps he would not even be able to defeat an ordinary strong man, how could he be a match for these Tatars who killed without blinking? Her stick flew up and swept the shoulder of a Tatars who had just leaped onto the city wall, knocking him down, and then she ran after him.
On the battlefield, the battle between the enemy and himself was not too flashy, it was the simplest and most direct hacking and stabbing movement. However, as soon as they exchanged blows, Yang Ling realized that it was not the case at all. His strength and speed simply could not be compared to these people who had been galloping on the battlefield all year round. A Tatars man wielding a saber had just swept his broadsword across a soldier's neck. Taking advantage of the momentum, he chopped the spear in Yang Ling's hand away.
With a stern shout, the broadsword chopped down from above. Yang Ling watched the broadsword chopping down from above, in his heart he only thought, "It's here, I am going to die again. Where is Young-niang?" He could not evade, and he did not want to evade either. In the moment before his death, he only wanted to see Young-niang one more time.
He only turned his head halfway, but he saw it. He saw Han Youniang pouncing on him like a female leopard protecting its cub. The cloth wrapped around her head had fallen off, her braid was flying in the wind, her face was as red as a peach blossom.
The man and the stick were almost in a straight line. 'Whoosh!' the end of the staff swiftly and violently struck the top of Yang Ling's head. 'Clang!' the broadsword that was about to strike the top of his head was struck by Han Youniang's slanted tip on the surface of the blade. The broadsword that was chopping straight down was deflected, leaving a deep cut on the ground.
Han Youniang arrived. As soon as her left shoulder touched the ground, she took advantage of the momentum and rolled forward. She got up and with a 'bang!' the staff struck the Tatars on the chest. The strength of the staff was so great that the man staggered back several steps. Before he could stand firm, Han Youniang twisted her waist and took two steps forward. 'Slap, slap, slap!' the staff struck like the wind, the left neck, the right neck, the forehead, the genitals. The staff struck like a violent storm, the man did not even have the chance to throw himself down and howl.
Yang Ling was also dumbstruck. He saw Han Youniang's staff twirling around, holding the middle of the whistle staff, the tip of the staff swept past Yang Ling's chest, creating a sudden gust of wind. As she turned around, her hand had already slipped to the end of the staff. Like a flying leopard's tail, the entire staff ruthlessly struck the Tatars' throat. Yang Ling clearly heard the sound of the throat bone breaking. Unexpectedly the staff sent that huge body flying, flipped over the top of the city wall, and fell down the city wall.
Each of her moves was fierce and awe-inspiring, her staff technique was fast and ruthless, dazzling people's eyes. Her footwork was even more vigorous and powerful. She saw another head appeared on the top of the city wall, the tip of the staff pointed forward, like a spear, the staff struck between the man's eyebrows. That man did not even see the enemy clearly before he fell face up.
Han Youniang withdrew her staff and retreated to Yang Ling's side. Her knees went soft, she almost knelt down on the ground. Hastily she propped the staff on the ground to stabilize her body. Yang Ling was watching with his mouth agape; seeing her little face had turned deathly pale, with sweat beading on her forehead, he was so scared that he hastily held her up and said, "Young-niang, what happened? Where are you injured? Where are you injured? "
With a trembling voice Han Youniang said, "Xianggong, Young-niang is alright, it's just that … that saber strike scared me to death. Wu, wu, wu …" The person in question was not injured at all, but she was so scared that she cried bitterly.
Only now did Jiang Bin realize that this young girl with outstanding martial art skill was actually a girl; he thought she had just killed someone, hence she was scared. Brandishing his saber, he chopped down several Tatars in succession. He laughed aloud and said, "What are you afraid of? The first time Father went to the battlefield, his legs were cramped. It was the sentry who grabbed my neck and forced me to charge forward. Just kill a few more and you won't be afraid anymore."
In this battle, her fighting spirit was aroused, unexpectedly she leaped onto the city wall and kicked down an enemy chief who had just climbed up. The saber in her hand hacked wildly. 'Crack, crack, crack!' several times in succession, she managed to chop the wooden ladder tied with ropes. Several Tatars who were halfway up the ladder screamed miserably and fell down.
For a moment arrows flew down the city wall like rain, shooting toward Jiang Bin. Standing on top of the city wall, Jiang Bin brandished the sabers in his hands so that the wind and rain could not penetrate his sabers, unexpectedly he was able to parry all the arrows. Seeing the general's divine bravery, the morale of the soldiers, who were already frightened, was greatly boosted. For a moment they were able to suppress the Tatars' attack.
Supporting Yang Ling, Han Youniang said, "Xianggong, quickly go to the Yue Lou."
Yang Ling stomped his foot in annoyance. Damn it, he really could not lift it with his hands, he could not carry it with his shoulders, it was useless at all. Other than throwing stones down the wall, even those bows and arrows were not something that a person like him, who had never touched anything before, could play with.
Yang Ling was aware of his own limitations; just now he was nearly hacked to death by someone's saber. Seeing with his own eyes Han Youniang was scared to that extent, he did not try to show off anymore; he had no choice but to obediently retreat to the Yue Lou. Before he left, he anxiously asked, "I did not expect your martial art skill to be this good. What kind of staff technique is that?"
Han Youniang blushed; she bashfully said, "Father taught me, Young-niang does not know." Seeing him enter the Yue Lou, Han Youniang was relieved. She immediately picked up her staff and rushed back to fight side by side with Jiang Bin. As long as the Tatars opened up an opening, their saber and staff would be as swift and fierce as thunder. Soon, they would be able to suppress the Tatars.
Yang Ling had seen Jiang Bin's bravery with his own eyes, but he did not expect that Han Youniang's martial art skill was also so outstanding. With the Wind and Fire Staff in her hand, she chopped and swept. The staff's shadow flew in the air, dancing like a flood dragon. He really did not expect that the usually soft and timid little girl would now bare her fangs and brandish her claws like a fierce lion.
Yang Ling clenched his fists, his heart was very excited. He secretly made up his mind that if he could survive today, he must learn this set of staff technique from her. As he watched, his blood was boiling. Someone next to him patted his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw the Registrar Wang coming over, his face black and blue. Yang Ling had been smoked by the gunpowder until only the whites of his eyes were left. The two of them looked like a pair of little ghosts.
He moved closer to Yang Ling, but his eyes were fixed on the officers and soldiers who were fighting everywhere, as if he was observing the enemy's situation side by side with him. He quietly said, "Advisor Yang, you did not do anything wrong. This was a choice you had to make. None of your colleagues will say anything, but … you have to be careful of the Deputy Ma."
Yang Ling was startled, and also quietly said, "Why should I be careful of him?"
The Registrar Wang revealed a smile that looked like he was crying. He said, "The Deputy Ma is a low-ranking official. What right do you think he has to be on the same level as the Magistrate?"
He coughed twice and quickly said, "The Deputy Ma of our Ming Destiny are all secret agents of the Imperial Bodyguard. It is better to be careful."
"The Imperial Bodyguard?" Yang Ling was shocked. He had thought that the Imperial Bodyguard were the Emperor's Imperial Bodyguards. He did not expect that a postmaster cum director of the granary could be connected to the Imperial Bodyguard. Ming Destiny's intelligence network was really developed.
Thinking of his relationship with Deputy Ma, he was somewhat relieved, but he still said with some dissatisfaction, "The people below the city obviously cannot live. Even if they can live, after weighing the pros and cons, tens of thousands of lives and dozens of lives, can't they tell which is more important?"
The Registrar Wang laughed dryly and sighed. "Unless the Imperial Censors and Imperial Censors sitting high up in the capital are all pulled up to the top of the city wall, I'm afraid they won't think so." With that, the Registrar Wang quietly moved away.
Yang Ling turned back to take a look, only to see Magistrate Huang and Ma Yicheng standing together, talking about something. When their gazes met, Yang Ling saw the concerned look in Magistrate Huang's eyes. He immediately understood that Magistrate Huang had purposely kept Ma Yicheng busy so that the Registrar Wang would come over and tell him this.
He had some doubts in his heart. "I saved his son. Are all the Imperial Bodyguards so cold and heartless? Since Magistrate Huang told me this, he must want me to find a chance to express my goodwill to him. Cough! Anyway, I don't have long to live. I can die, but I can't pay for it. Otherwise, how can my Young-niang survive? "
My Young-niang? Thinking of this, the number one miser in the world felt his heart tremble. He looked up at the edge of the city, only to see Han Youniang's back waving the whistle stick, two black braids hanging down to her buttocks swaying behind her.
Right this moment, Patrol Inspector Liu raised his bow and shouted in a loud voice, "The Tatars are beaten back, the Tatars are beaten back." Magistrate Huang, Deputy Ma and the others, who were talking, rushed forward together. They saw the Tatars were retreating like the tide, while they were retreating unceasingly shooting sharp arrows toward the top of the city wall, covering the soldiers who were climbing the siege ladders.
Yang Ling saw they were advancing and retreating in an orderly manner, neither panicked nor disorderly. Although he did not understand battle formation, he could see that the Tatars were gathered together in a disorderly manner, vaguely forming several offensive formations. He could not help but blurt out, "What are the Tatars doing? As long as they attack for a while more, they might be able to reach the top of the city wall. Why did they suddenly retreat? "
Squad Leader Wang laughed aloud and said, "Advisor Yang, do you think the Tatars are not afraid of death? These damn dogs have been killed by us until their flesh hurts. "
Yang Ling felt something was not right, but he could not tell what it was. Compared to the several high-spirited civil officials, his train of thought was relatively clear. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly called out, "Not good! Are they going to attack the Eastern and Western Gates? We have just pulled out a portion of people from the two gates, where is the strength list? "
By this time Jiang Bin had also rushed back. It was a very cold day, he had already taken off his battle gown, his arms were bare, the twin sabers in his hands were already bent, the upper part was badly mutilated. Listening to Yang Ling, he said, "They won't, the roads between the Eastern and Western Gates are narrow, normally the city gates are not open. We are few in number, they will not be able to send a large number of men and horses to fight. But I think the Tatars must have some tricks up their sleeves."
Han Youniang rushed back. The building was crowded with laoye daren, it was not convenient for her to come in, hence she stood by the door looking at Yang Ling. Her cheeks were crimson, her hair was wet and stuck to her forehead. Yang Ling smiled at her and took two steps forward. With his hand cupping his eyes, he looked down the city wall.
On the snowy ground, the Tatars soldiers parted to make a path, in the middle were four galloping horses, dragging two blackened objects toward the front of the city wall. Before Yang Ling had time to point out his discovery, Jiang Bin was like a rooster whose neck had been chopped; he jumped up and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Damn it! It's the Tian Di Li Fierce Cannon! "
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