"Brother Stick Hammer, wake up! Big Stick Hammer! Stick Hammer, Stick Hammer, Big Stick Hammer! "Big Stick Hammer's snores were like thunder. When he was finally shaken awake, he said angrily," What's wrong? F * ck your mother, father hasn't had a good night's sleep since we started beating him in Fengyang. He didn't even break a bone after this round of beating. His bones are all broken, yet you're so energetic. What are you doing? "
The bodyguard grinned and whispered, "Brother Stick Hammer, I just woke up at night and saw the High Duke still standing in the courtyard without moving. It's almost daybreak, it scared me to death. You're close to the High Duke, why don't you go and talk to him? I don't dare to say anything."
"Ah?" Big Stick Hammer jumped up. "You little brat, why didn't you say so earlier?" He hurriedly put on his clothes and looked out the window. He saw the faint light and became even more anxious. "The High Duke told us to go to sleep, and I thought he was resting too. Tell me, what's going on?"
After putting on his clothes, Big Stick Hammer put on his shoes and slipped out of the house. In the front hall, Yang Ling was still standing there. It was foggy, and the fog was thick. Yang Ling stood in the curling fog, lonely like a ghost.
Big Stick Hammer walked behind him and deliberately walked heavier. Yang Ling acted as if he didn't hear it. Big Stick Hammer quietly turned to the side and was shocked when he saw Yang Ling's face. He hurriedly went forward and held Yang Ling's shoulder. He said in panic, "High Duke? High Duke? "
After a night's work, Yang Ling's face had become unusually haggard. He was only wearing a scholar's robe, with a corner of a cloth tied around his head. His hair was covered in a layer of frost, looking silvery and shiny, as if his hair had turned white. That kind of mental and physical exhaustion, as if he was about to collapse, could be seen clearly even by a crude person like the big club.
"Don't shake me, don't shake me." Yang Ling was exhausted. He squeezed out a sentence that sounded like a moan. The big cudgel did not dare to move immediately. He worriedly asked, "High Duke, you … you …"
"I don't dare to think about her, but all I can think about is her," Yang Ling said coldly, "I should go see Pan 'er, but I don't dare to see her. What happened to Lian 'er last night? Is she still alive and has been ravaged by the mad bandits, or has she become a cold corpse, abandoned in the mountains and eaten by wild wolves and dogs? "
Yang Ling slowly turned his head, and Big Cudgel took a step back in shock. Yang Ling looked like he was dead, and only his eyes were flashing with a strange flame, looking especially scary.
Big Cudgel began to tremble. "High … High Duke, the heavens help the good. Maybe … maybe he has already escaped. You … Don't be so scary. Besides … Madman Zhao is the most particular about thieves, he … his people will definitely abide by the rules. "
Yang Ling smiled, his smile was especially bleak. "If the soldiers were to be chased and defeated to such an extent, there would be no military discipline to speak of. As the Grand Commander, he can kill his entire family and take credit. Will Lian 'er still be safe and sound?"
Yang Ling looked like he was crying and laughing as he said, "If by the time I see her, she has already become an unrecognizable corpse, how do you want me to live, how do you want me to live?"
He suddenly grabbed the big cudgel, and the strength in his hand became strangely strong. Big Cudgel felt pain in his arms, but he did not dare to resist and was shaken like a leaf. Yang Ling said with a fierce expression, "Tell me, in a war between two armies, what is the use of a woman? Will there still be people who will bring her along? Either kill her or let her go. Why would they bring a captive when they are escaping? Tell me! Why did you lie to me! "
Big Cudgel was almost scared to tears. He suddenly howled, "We … we will immediately send out troops to avenge Furen, and kill them all!"
"Send out troops?" The ghostly fire in Yang Ling's eyes burned even brighter. "Yes! Send out troops! We will send out troops! "
He raised his head, his eyes staring straight at the patch of white mist.
"You are like the bright moon, I am like the mist, the mist follows the moon and hides in the sky. Only because of you looking back, I think of you in the morning and evening. My soul follows you to the ends of the earth, the belt of my clothes gradually loosening, I do not feel bitter. I sigh that time is like the morning dew, when will I hold the mud to my lord's house? After thirty six moons, I will dance for you. "
The words of love that came from the infatuated heart of a girl echoed in his ears. Yang Ling suddenly closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He squeezed out two murderous words from between his teeth, "Send out troops!"
"Why is there such a heavy fog?" Madman Zhao frowned. He was not in the mood to comb his beard, which was messy and messy, standing straight like a hedgehog. His eyes were also bright red. "The heavy fog is very beneficial for our army to break out of the encirclement, we can fish in troubled waters. But with such a heavy fog, once we go the wrong way … I hope the fog will be gone by the time we reach the riverside."
"Second brother, third brother, inform everyone to prepare for action."
"What about those who are injured?" Zhao Pan asked carefully.
Zhao Sui hesitated for a moment, then he gritted his teeth and said, "Those who can follow, follow. Otherwise, escape by yourselves in the fog and find a way out. We … we can't care so much anymore."
Zhao Pan stomped his feet and left in a hurry.
Hong Niang slowly walked to Ma Lian'er's side, and Ma Lian'er immediately stood up. Hong Niang was still dressed in black, but there was a snow-white cloth tied on her head. It was unknown whether she was wearing it for her father who had been avenged, or for her husband, Yang Hu.
"You are very obedient, you have been very well-behaved this night." She said to Ma Lian'er in a sweet voice.
Ma Lian'er smiled obediently, "Sister Hong's righteousness is as high as the clouds, you are an extraordinary woman in the Lulin Forest. With your words, how can I not believe you?"
Hong Niang looked at her from top to bottom and sighed softly, "The rich gentry look down on us, we also look down on the rich gentry. Looking at you now, the rich gentry are not all mediocre and useless people who only know how to suck the blood and sweat of the common people. "
Ma Lian'er smiled and said softly, "Whether one is a thief or not, it doesn't mean that one is good or bad; whether one is rich or poor, it also doesn't mean that one is good or evil. Sister Hong, if we met in another place, maybe we would become very good sisters. "
Hong Niang's expression changed, she stared fixedly at Ma Lian'er for a moment, and then she said indifferently, "Impossible, we are not the same kind of people." She turned around and was about to leave, but after thinking for a moment, she turned around again. She untied the sword hanging on her waist and handed it over to Ma Lian'er, saying, "A horse, a quiver of arrows, a bow, and my dagger, take them with you."
She smiled in disdain and said, "Don't look at us as bandits, my people still talk about morality. Sometimes, the soldiers are greedier and worse than us bandits! Your appearance is too beautiful, since I have let you go, I will do my best to protect you, don't let the soldiers trample on you on the road. "
"You … you are giving me your sword?" Ma Lian'er was a little stunned. The woman in front of her had always adhered to the life principles and morality that she recognized. As a woman, Ma Lian'er could understand why she gave her a weapon, but giving her a sword was a bit strange. She could see that this sword was a treasure sword, it must be Hong Niang's favorite thing.
Hong Niang turned around and faintly said, "This is a good sword, it has been with me for many years. Today's battle will be a bloody battle. If I can't break out of the encirclement, it will either be sent to a pawnshop by some small soldier, or … it will be buried with me to rust and rot. I brought disaster upon myself, the sword is innocent, I hope you can treat it well. "
"Then … what will you use?"
"To kill the enemy on the battlefield, of course it is a long spear and a big knife, that is refreshing!" As soon as she finished speaking, Red Lady picked up a long handle machete that weighed more than 20 jin from the tripod on the side. Without even turning her head, she said, "We are going to break camp immediately, wait for us to leave before leaving!" Finished speaking, she left in large strides.
Ma Lian'er stuck out her tongue, "What a ferocious Yang Chaohu!"
For some reason, Ma Lian'er, who had always been arrogant, suddenly felt a sense of pity for this great thief Hong Niang, who seemed to be a hundred times stronger than her, as if she was a hundred times weaker than herself. As a woman, Hong Niang's life and fate were many times more difficult than hers. She looked so strong, but she was really helpless, struggling under the arrangement of a strong fate.
As she said, people like her, who were born to live at the bottom of society, had been struggling and fighting with fate since they were born …
On the Phoenix Ridge, Liu Hui stood on a big stone and looked down the mountain. It was difficult to see the figure in the fog. Liu Hui couldn't help but be overjoyed, the sorrow accumulated because of the death of Liu Qi and Qi Yanming was swept away, "The sky is covered in fog, it is the only chance to break out of the encirclement."
He jumped off the stone excitedly and shouted, "Quick, get up, get up, the fog is covering the sky, it is a good chance to break out of the encirclement. As long as we kill our way out, we still have a chance to live!"
A soldier said timidly, "Brother Liu, where are we going? I don't know if the other two groups have conquered Nanjing. Are we still going to Nanjing?"
Liu Hui was startled and thought for a moment, "If they have conquered Nanjing, these soldiers would have already gone to Nanjing. How could they be trapped at the foot of the mountain? We … we will rush to the river, follow the river, find the ships that were abandoned yesterday, and cross Jiangxi! "
On the other side of the Yangtze River, at the pier in front of Yinying Village, the two brothers, Xie Zhongcai and Xie Zhongbao, were lying side by side in the grass.
Xie Zhongbao said, "I think it is about time. There are not many people guarding the ships. They are all local strong people and a few county bailiffs. There are boats all along the river, we don't need too many. Isn't there a Matoukou and three small islands on both sides of the river? If we build a few big boats and connect the islands, it will not be a problem to cross the bridge with a hundred thousand soldiers."
Xie Zhongcai snorted and said, "Easy for you to say. As soon as there is movement here, He County's soldiers will attack. We have less than a thousand people on this side of the river. We will leave two hundred for Lao San and the women and children hiding on Wutong Mountain. Eight hundred people will have to build the bridge and deal with the soldiers. It will be difficult."
"Bullsh * t! Why don't you choose something nice to say? " Xie Zhongbao had no respect for his big brother, who was born a little earlier than him. "How many soldiers does He County have? Of our eight hundred people, other than the three hundred or so who know how to sail and sail from Shanxi, the rest are all elite soldiers from the old stockade. Besides, by the time they attack, people will already be coming from the other side of the river. What right does he have to fight?
Besides, don't you know what kind of place this is? Zhao Xiucai has some skill. Not only did he choose a place to build a pontoon bridge, he even gave the village a good name. Have you heard the storytellers talk about the Three Kingdoms? Pang Tong, nicknamed Young Phoenix, died at Luofeng Hill. There is a lot of knowledge here. This place is called Yinying Village. Yinying is Yinying, right? Ying 'er will definitely be fine. "
"You can go have your fortune read. Hurry back and call the troops. We will move immediately. Damn, we could still see the lights clearly last night, but now the sky is covered in fog. We can't see the other side at all. I hope they don't get lost. "
Xie Zhongbao didn't say anything else. He quietly retreated and went back to call the troops hidden in the forest. Xie Zhongcai sighed and muttered to himself, "I didn't expect this ambush to be used. Ai! Nanjing City wasn't conquered in the end. I heard that Liu Qiyi encountered a natural disaster along the way and suffered countless losses. I wonder what happened to Ying 'er and Yang Hu's troops. "
At this time, Madman Zhao's troops had already begun to move to the riverside. The thick fog became the best camouflage, but it also hindered their movements. Madman Zhao tried his best to maintain a straight path to avoid deviating from the direction of killing. In this way, he would have to kill anyone who stood in his way and forcefully open up a bloody path to escape.
Fortunately, the troops from Huguang and Jiangxi had not arrived yet because of the night and the thick fog. Most of the troops near Nanjing had already gathered at the foot of the stone city. In particular, no one would have thought that he would charge straight to the Yangtze River. Therefore, the west road was the weakest. The thick fog also hindered the various troops from transmitting information and coordinating with each other. Thus, this charge was exceptionally smooth.
In the military camp outside of Ban Qiao Village, a few soldiers in charge of sentry duty were holding their guns and swaying gently in the thick fog. Occasionally, a few murmurs could be heard. It was the wee hours of the morning and also the time when people were about to wake up and were very sleepy. One of the colonels gave a long yawn and said listlessly, "I'm so tired. Today, the army will surround us and finish off the White Shirt Army. Then we can have a good sleep."
Another was about to reply when he suddenly listened for a moment and said curiously, "What's this sound? Is it going to rain? There's a muffled thunder."
The colonel's expression changed. "It's the sound of horse hooves. Whose troops are mobilizing the defense? Why didn't they inform us? … Not good, quickly warn us! "
The gong sounded and the war drums rumbled. The panicked soldiers grabbed their swords, spears, and shields and ran out of the tents in a mess. Before they could get into a neat formation, a wave of sharp arrows whistled through the air. Countless arrows pierced through the air and split the fog that covered the sky and the sun like a storm.
The soldiers who were not prepared in time fell like grass under the rain of arrows. The military camp immediately fell into chaos. The generals pulled out their swords at their waists and shouted loudly. They organized the troops and stopped the momentum of the defending troops falling into chaos. But what followed closely was another wave of arrows. The chaos could no longer be controlled. The sound of horse hooves thundered. Madman Zhao's two thousand cavalry vanguards had already charged into the military formation. Battle cries sounded like thunder in the fog. There were figures slashing and killing everywhere.
More than two thousand cavalry were like a sharp knife. They cut the Ming Army's main camp, which did not have as many people as them and was not in an effective attack formation, into two halves. Then they viciously charged towards the back of the camp, leaving behind a mess of corpses and fresh blood.
The army swept past like a gust of wind. This military camp was quickly disintegrated by their lightning attack.
Madman Zhao held a large knife and led the middle troops in charging. Before this, the battles in the camps they had charged through were unusually fierce. But the closer they were to the river, the easier it was to fight. Some camps were almost easily broken through without any effort. It looked like these camps were at the back and there were a few lines of defense in front of them so they were very careless.
If that was the case, it should be very easy to attack the riverside. However, the fleeing soldiers would definitely spread the news, and more and more soldiers would be chasing after them. It would take time to cross the river, and the real bloody battle would also take place by the riverside.
Besieged on all sides, fighting with their backs to the wall! With a bow on his shoulder and a saber in his hand, the awe-inspiring Madman Zhao looked like the Overlord of Chu who was at the end of his rope but was unable to fall.
※ ※ ※
The raging waves beat against the shore and rolled up a thousand piles of snow.
Xie Zhongcai and Xie Zhongbao successfully built a pontoon bridge. With the help of the three small islands, one big and two small, that stood side by side in the river, the people crossing the river could be buffered on the small islands. So the speed of crossing the river was unusually smooth. Miao Kui could be considered to be well-versed in military affairs and had many military achievements at the northern border. It was a pity that he had lost Jingzhou due to his carelessness this time. Because he could not personally go to Jiangdong to defeat the enemy, he did not care about the strategy of sealing the river to control the enemy. As a result, he could not completely wipe out the stubborn bandits in Jiangdong.
At this time, the thick fog had not receded. Madman Zhao had already crossed two thousand men. The soldiers of He County heard the alarm and moved out. Halfway through, they were ambushed by Xie Zhongcai's troops and were defeated. Madman Zhao's two thousand men crossed the river. Even if the position at the pier was stabilized, it was already too late for the government to mobilize troops to attack.
But at this time, the pursuers from all sides had also arrived. On the banks of the Yangtze River, bugles were blown and war drums shook the sky. Arrows were concentrated like rain, crisscrossing each other like shooting stars. It was a magnificent sight. Amidst the whistling wind, there were deafening shouts, roars, screams, and cries of terror … The tragic battle slowly unfolded in this daze.
The sand by the river was soft and it was difficult for the warhorses to move. The White Coat soldiers dismounted and fought. They formed a semicircle and firmly protected the temporary river crossing pier. The pontoon bridge was their only hope of survival. They would not allow anyone to take it away.
As for the pursuing soldiers, especially those who were shouting and waving flags from different routes, they joined in. In the thick fog, it was hard to see how many people there were. It imperceptibly increased the psychological deterrence of the White Coat soldiers and boosted the morale of the soldiers.
Both sides charged and killed each other. The surrounding soldiers were like huge waves that constantly slammed against the boulders by the side of the rock. They surged up, retreated, and surged up again, leaving behind a pool of blood. Zhao Pan, Zhao Gao and Madman Zhao each led an army to block a direction. Like a huge boulder, no matter how hard the waves hit, they would not take a step back. Both sides fought until the sky turned dark, the earth turned dark, and the sun and moon lost their light.
"Kill!" With a wave of his saber, another two heads fell to the ground. Madman Zhao was also somewhat exhausted. He suddenly staggered and fell two steps forward. A soldier saw the opportunity to swing his saber and ruthlessly chopped down on his head.
"Watch out, big brother!"
Clang! An ear-piercing sound was heard as an iron rod knocked away the saber. Zhao Pan rushed over and held onto Zhao Sui. With a sobbing voice, he said, "Big Brother, my men are almost finished. Third Brother and I will hold them off, you take your men and retreat." Zhao Sui panted and took a few steps back. He turned his head to look at the endless stream of people crossing the river. Seeing that another two thousand people had crossed, he could not help but smile.
"No! Everyone can leave, but I can't! It was my idea to lead the army to the east to take over Nanjing. I was the one who caused the annihilation of Liu Liu and Yang Hu, leading our men into a hopeless situation. But there is still one brother who has not crossed the river. I, Zhao Sui, will not leave! "
"Big brother!" Zhao Pan stamped his feet anxiously.
At this time, Red Lady's silhouette flashed and dashed over from the direction of the pier. She said, "Xiucai, the speed of crossing the river is still too slow. Why don't we abandon the warhorses and only ferry the men?"
"No!" Zhao Sui was furious. He shouted, "The horses are our only hope. Without the horses, how can we fight our way back? Even if we cross the river, we will still be trapped and surrounded. It's just a matter of a few days. Cross one man and lead one horse. Even if half of us die here, at least the other half can survive. "
Red Lady gritted her teeth and nodded heavily. She said to Madman Zhao who was sweating profusely, "Fine! I will defend. You are the commander. We cannot afford any mistakes. Bring the men and cross the river first. "
"Get lost!" Madman Zhao was like a mad tiger. He stared at Red Lady with his bloodshot eyes. She staggered and said, "I, Madman Zhao, am a man. How can I run for my life first and let a woman block a knife for me? I asked you to lead the men across the river and take charge of the situation on the other side. Why did you come back? "
Red Lady was also furious. "You bastard Xiucai! I, Red Lady, do not know how to lead the troops. If you want our brothers to live, you better cross the river quickly and leave this place to me. I will guard the ferry. I am a woman, not any worse than a man like you!"
Madman Zhao laughed bitterly and said, "Lead the troops? Lead what troops? At this juncture, if I still want to rebel, then I, Zhao Sui, am really crazy. You are the king of the mountain. You know how to survive in the mountains better than me. Bring the surviving brothers into the mountains and find a way for them to live. "
"Ya!" Madman Zhao let out a thunderous roar. He dashed forward and helped a few of the soldiers who were blocking in front of him. The huge blade in his hand produced a shrill sound of wind. He swung three spears and cut off a few fingers of a soldier. Amidst a series of screams, the blade flashed and rushed into the gap. He turned around and blood splattered everywhere. The blazing blade flashed past the necks of the three gunmen who could not retreat in time. Three heads flew high into the air.
Madman Zhao retreated again. In just a short moment, his thigh was stabbed by a bamboo spear. Fresh blood flowed out. Red Lady raised her eyebrows. She raised her right foot and picked up a spear from the ground. Just as she was about to charge into the enemy's formation, she was pulled back by Madman Zhao.
He turned around and looked at the front that Zhao Pan was responsible for defending. It was already infiltrated by the soldiers. Both sides were in a stalemate as they began to push inwards inch by inch. Because another batch of troops had crossed over, there was a space left. The ringing horses that had expanded into a semicircle to cover the retreat of the inner troops could no longer withstand the continuous attacks from the soldiers.
Madman Zhao pointed to the front and said, "You guys go. Command the troops defending the front to retreat step by step. Do not panic. We will shrink the defensive circle and the inner troops will hurry to cross the river!"
Red Lady answered and hurried over with Zhao Pan.
As the fog gradually dissipated, the first ray of sunlight was about to appear. They could already see more than a hundred steps ahead. At this moment, a shout came from afar. The left flank that Zhao Gao was defending suddenly felt the pressure lessen. It seemed that the rear of the soldiers had loosened up. Zhao Gao was startled. He looked into the distance and happened to see a flag with the word 'Liu' waving in the air. The pattern was obviously the flag of the White Army.
Zhao Gao could not help but be overjoyed. He suddenly shouted, "It's Liu Qi's troops. Liu Qi's troops are coming. Brothers, kill!" When the exhausted ringing horse bandits heard this, their spirits were lifted. One after another, they roared and summoned their remaining courage to kill the soldiers.
Liu Hui was already in this position. It was not that he was unwilling to throw down the flag. It was just that when leading an army to fight, there must be a command. Their communication tools were not as complete as the soldiers'. They had all kinds of flags, musical instruments, lamps, and so on. But in a chaotic battle, all they could see was a mess of soldiers. Without a flag, their own troops would definitely scatter. Therefore, the flag had to stand tall.
Taking advantage of the fog, he stealthily chose a direction and slowly made his way to the foot of the mountain. He suddenly attacked and broke out of the encirclement and went down the river. Although the soldiers surrounding the mountain could not clearly see where they were going and could not mobilize their troops to attack in time, the entire army was on high alert. The soldiers who were resting were all neatly dressed and ready to attack. They did not dare to be the slightest bit negligent. Therefore, when they heard the alarm, their counterattack was extremely timely.
Liu Hui fought and escaped along the river. By the time he killed his way here, he was already an arrow at the end of its flight. There were only eight hundred warriors left. Their sudden attack did not affect the strength of the soldiers of the imperial court at all. It was just that their sudden attack caused confusion in the minds of the soldiers who did not know what was going on.
He also saw the flag of the Zhao family army in the encirclement. He wanted to rush over and join up with them. But when these eight hundred people were thrown into the crowd, they were like a small boat in the vast ocean, drifting here and there with the endless waves. They could capsize at any time. How could they have the strength to kill their way into the encirclement? At this time, the soldiers who had been chasing them all the way from the foot of Phoenix Ridge had also killed their way over. The soldiers and ringing horses were mixed together. The long river bank was covered with the corpses of both sides.
※ ※ ※
Yang Ling's army was divided into five groups. They were separated by more than two miles. They covered the sky and covered the earth. It was as if Mount Tai was pressing down on an egg. They set off from Nanjing City and headed all the way to the south. Banners fluttered, drums sounded, and a murderous aura filled the air.
Yang Ling's army was as silent as a cicada in winter. They saw that Yang Ling had changed into the armor of a general. He was wearing a golden helmet and silver armor. He held a long sword and a gun at his waist. He took the lead and rushed to the front.
There were three thousand bodyguards around him, but none of them dared to run in front of him. It was not that they did not want to protect the High Duke in front of him, but the High Duke thought that they were a hindrance. Whenever there was someone in front of him, he would be anxious. He did not say anything and urged his horse to rush to the front. The bodyguards were worried and rushed in front of him again. Yang Ling immediately lifted the reins and moved forward again. It was like a race. The team behind him was left too far behind. Seeing this situation, the bodyguards did not dare to rush again and had to obediently follow behind the horse.
Three thousand light cavalry, wearing only light breastplates, divided into two wings to form a Yanling formation. They guarded Yang Ling's flanks and followed him forward. Their armors were bright and their saddles were neat. They looked very powerful and majestic.
The fully armored knights, under the flags fluttering in the wind, had short swords on their waists and bows hanging diagonally. In their left hands, they held a cowhide cavalry shield painted with ancient beasts. In their right hands, there was a lacquer spear with a long blood-red tassel pointing to the sky. On the triangular blade made of fine steel, the blood grooves were visible, flashing with a sinister light.
These were only the riders within a hundred steps of Yang Ling. Looking into the distance, they were all shrouded in the fog that had already started to thin. One could only vaguely see the neat formation of their army and their surging killing intent, but they could not clearly see how many people there were.
"The High Duke is crazy. He wants to go to the battlefield himself!" This was the unanimous opinion of the three thousand bodyguards. Therefore, everyone's mood was very heavy, incomparably heavy. Who had seen the High Duke brandishing a spear or a stick? Could he play with such a thing? If there was an accident, wouldn't he be causing trouble for them? Therefore, before the battle, every soldier was already very afraid.
Liu Da Bang Chao stared closely at the slightly abnormal Marshal. He had already discussed with a few of his closest bodyguards that he would take responsibility for any consequences. Once the enemy appeared, he would immediately knock the Marshal unconscious. Then, the three armies would move out. When the High Duke woke up and wanted to vent his anger, he would use a spear to stab the corpse. It would be safer that way.
In the silent middle army, only the sound of orderly footsteps could be heard. Like the rhythmic beat of a drum, it stepped on the hearts of every soldier. In front of them was a stone bridge. Half of it was visible in sight, while the other half was still hidden in the illusory fog. At this moment, a series of crisp and clear sounds of horses galloping could be heard. The horses were galloping so fast that the hooves could be heard clearly on the bluestone surface of the bridge.
With a 'hong' sound, shields, spears, and bows were raised. The elite cavalrymen on the left and right were in position. Liu Da Bang Chao raised his stick, calculating how much strength he was going to use. In the fog, a black horse appeared with a white figure on the horse. When the bodyguards saw that it was a person in white, they became even more nervous. With a 'creak' sound, they drew their bows into a full moon and pointed their crossbows forward.
However, Yang Ling's body shook. He suddenly used all his strength and roared, "Stop!"
Although this roar wasn't as forceful as Zhang Fei's, it still scared the people around him. The hand of a soldier beside him trembled, and he hurriedly raised his crossbow, shooting an arrow into the thin mist. Liu Da Bang Chao was just about to swing his stick. When he heard his order, he reflexively retracted his arm and almost fell off his horse.
Yang Ling stared at the front, his eyes glistening with tears. That figure, if it wasn't that little demoness who killed people, who else could it be?
When the horse was halfway across the bridge, the person in white on the horse also suddenly discovered the dark mass of the army standing still. She was so shocked that she suddenly pulled the reins. The healthy horse neighed loudly and stood on its hind legs. Then the bowl-sized horse's hooves stepped forward and with a 'keng' sound it stood there motionless.
"Soldiers in front, don't shoot. I am the sister of Nanjing's guerrilla general Ma Ang, not a bandit in white." Ma Lian 'er was also frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. If she was shot by ten thousand arrows, it would be too unjust to die. After she finished shouting, she did not dare to move and stood there quietly.
Yang Ling's eyes were wide open. He smiled. There were tears in his smile. His pale cheeks were as red as the morning sun. He suddenly spurred his horse forward and rushed towards the bridge.
In the fog, there was a horse dressed in white. Her clothes fluttered in the wind. Her beauty was picturesque, like an ice plum blossom and snow lotus.
Liu Da Bang Chao raised his stick and stared blankly at the Duke riding his horse over alone. A moment later, under the thin fog that floated from the river, the two figures on the bridge suddenly hugged each other.
Liu Da Bang Chui opened his big mouth and laughed foolishly. Cheers like a tsunami spread throughout the army, rising and falling one after another. The beauty's clothes were as white as snow, making the three armies smile happily. Their heavy burdens could finally be unloaded.
※ ※ ※
The beach had already been killed by both sides. Corpses were everywhere, the soil was turned over, and the trenches were filled with blood. Zhao Pan had already died in battle. Liu Hui's remaining army saw that there was no hope of breaking through and changed to harassment and destruction to buy time for Madman Zhao. Although they were quickly chopped into meat paste, they also bought some time for the Ringing Horse Army. More people crossed the river.
There were still more than a thousand soldiers who had not crossed. They had been compressed into a small irregular ring by the Ringing Horse Army and were still struggling.
Madman Zhao raised his broadsword and found Red Lady who was sweating profusely. He said in a hoarse voice, "Quickly go, cross the river immediately and lead the troops to leave immediately. Otherwise, the officers and soldiers on the other side of the river will surround us."
Red Lady stood on the ground with her spear and panted: "What about you?"
"Just go, I will leave last and cut the pontoon bridge. Go quickly, don't be a hindrance here. No matter how capable you are, you can't become a man. I, Madman Zhao, have no reason to walk in front of a woman. Go, go quickly. Only you and I can hold the army back. Otherwise, we will collapse and be killed by the soldiers! Let's go! "His last roar was with all his might.
Red Madame was swung around with all his strength, her already weak body was flung away. She stamped her feet and hastily said, "We don't have many men and horses left, let's cross the river and cut the bridge to break out of the encirclement." Finished speaking, she rushed toward the pontoon bridge.
Yang Ling's army had arrived. Standing on a sand slope one and a half miles away from the river, Yang Ling stopped his horse and observed for a moment. He gently waved his horsewhip and casually said: "Call our archers over and use their crossbows to block the pontoon bridge to stop the Ringing Horse Army from crossing the river. Attack and kill them all on the river bank. "
Following Yang Ling's orders, the powerful crossbows that were originally used to defend Nanjing were carried up the sand dune. Four people were in charge of one crossbow, and there were a total of thirty crossbows. Each crossbow shot three bolts at the surface of the river.
Zhao Gao's body was soaked in blood; he had bravely killed seven soldiers in a row. His vision darkened and he was completely exhausted. As a result, one of the soldiers took the opportunity to cut off one of his arms. He screamed in pain and staggered back several steps. The people around him quickly rushed forward to stop the enemy. Honest Cheng ran over and supported him. Madman Zhao rushed over and said: "Second Uncle Cheng, help my brother cross the river. Let's go!"
Honest Cheng carried Zhao Gao towards the pontoon bridge. Zhao Gao struggled and said: "No, put me down. I want to live and die with Big Brother." Honest Cheng did not allow him to say anything and carried him onto the bridge. Zhao Gao turned around and saw that Madman Zhao's shoulder had been shot again. He glared at him and shouted, "Big Brother!"
He pushed Honest Cheng aside and turned towards the shore. A loud buzzing sound was heard as an arrow shot out from a crossbow pierced through his body, leaving a cloud of blood behind as it nailed itself onto the deck of the boat. Honest Cheng shouted: "Zhao Gao!"
He quickly rushed over and carried him on his back. A few 'weng weng' sounds were heard and arrows that could pierce through the city walls flew towards them. Regardless of whether it was a man or a horse, they were all pierced through by these arrows. In an instant, blood flowed like a river.
Honest Cheng saw that the situation was not good and quickly jumped into the river. He did not know how to swim so he jumped into the water and slowly moved towards the island. Zhao Gao's intestines were pierced through and there was no way he could survive.
The people around Madman Zhao were getting lesser and lesser. The crossbows had cut off the last group of people's escape route. He still did not know that his third brother was dead. On the bridge, the corpses of the people and horses were all over the place. It was a sea of red and unrecognizable.
Brandishing the Frenzied Blade, Madman Zhao turned back to the side of the bridge with the arrow still stuck in his shoulder, and shouted, "Broken Bridge! Broken Bridge! Don't let the soldiers chase after you! "
"Ugh!" With an arrow in his back, Madman Zhao almost fell down. He staggered to the bridgehead. On the opposite island, Hong Niangzi saw that he was unable to escape, so she was about to come back to kill him. Seeing this, he could not help but let out a bitter smile. Suddenly he brandished his saber and chopped. After several slashes, the rope tied to the deep wooden stake on the shore was cut by him. The boat smoothly sailed forward, drifting towards the side of the island where the rope was still tied.
More than ten arrows that were used to seal off the shore shot into the air and into the water, causing waves to splash.
"Don't kill him! That person is the bandit leader, Madman Zhao. He must be captured alive! " Yang Ling saw Zhao Sui's figure on the sand dune and quickly ordered. The crossbows that were originally aimed at Zhao Sui moved slightly forward but because of the current, the broken boats were swept away and all of them rushed towards the side of the island. The rest of the bandits could not escape even if they wanted to.
"Please take good care of my wife and daughter!" Madman Zhao didn't know if Red Lady could hear him even though they were separated by such a long distance and the battle cries were deafening to the heavens. He cupped his hands and shouted. After that, he carried his saber and walked back step by step with difficulty. With tears in her eyes, Red Lady gritted her teeth and turned to run.
With the addition of Yang Ling's fresh troops, the stubbornly resisting Rattling Horse Bandits were like snow lions encountering fire. They were already exhausted to begin with, and after exchanging blows with the soldiers, they were all powerless to the point of collapsing. How could they possibly be a match for this pack of tigers and wolves? Madman Zhao was covered with wounds. He was shot in the front and back of his body and the wound on his thigh was very big. No one knew what kind of willpower it took for him to persevere and not take his last breath.
He stood shakily by the side of the river with the help of his saber. Behind him, there were people shouting: "High Duke's order, Madman Zhao is captured alive! High Duke's order, Madman Zhao is captured alive! "With this shout, no one shot at him anymore.
Madman Zhao looked around. He was the only one left alive on the beach. Pairs of greedy eyes were staring at him, as if he was an official hat or a mountain of silver. Madman Zhao could not help but burst out laughing. He did not see Yang Ling who was on the sand dune far away. In front of him were thousands of soldiers and horses. There were people everywhere, far and near. How could he find him?
Madman Zhao swayed a little and suddenly knelt on the ground on one knee. The soldiers who were about to surround him suddenly retreated.
Madman Zhao clenched his teeth and held onto the hilt of his saber as he slowly stood up. He looked coldly at the soldiers and then turned around. Using his saber as a support, he took a step forward and moved his saber forward. Step by step, he moved to the riverside and into the water. Countless soldiers on the shore were speechless. All the sounds of fighting had completely disappeared. Everyone was watching him silently.
The current was getting deeper and faster. He wanted to use his saber as a support to walk deeper but he could no longer support the rapid current with his physical strength. Suddenly a whirlpool rolled over. Madman Zhao, who only had his shoulders exposed, fell forward and disappeared in the torrent.
The Yangtze River flowed east. The once all-powerful Madman Zhao disappeared without a trace in the rolling waves.
Rocks pierced through the sky and the raging waves beat against the shore. The waves washed away many heroes.
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