As the sun set, groups of soldiers entered and exited the barracks, carrying out the routine change of guard. Far away, in the depths of the forest, two men were lying on the branches of a tall tree, observing. There was nothing unusual in the barracks, the number of soldiers entering and exiting the barracks was the same as usual.
The soldiers wore red battle jackets and felt hats with red tassels. They were armed with shields, crossbows, spears, musketeers and all sorts of weapons, mainly used to defend the mountain pass.
In fact, this mountain pass was one of the Eight Paths of Taihang, the most heavily guarded. The number of soldiers stationed here and their combat power far exceeded that of ordinary mountain passes. Even if the White Shirt Army were to break through, they would not walk right into the trap and choose to enter the mountains from here. However, the barracks still had to maintain its routine defense.
The changing of guard left the gate and the guards began to move out spears, antlers and thorny bushes. The people in the forest signaled to the back and the people observing them from afar quickly turned and left. The two people on the branches were still quietly like two geckos, their grey robes sticking to the bark of the tree. One would not be able to detect their presence if they did not look carefully.
Dusk gradually descended, the stars, the moon, the wind started to turn cold, and the barracks fell into silence. In the second watch period, the Taiyuan Militia soldiers quietly left the barracks, leaving behind an empty barracks.
There were a total of 15,000 Maitreya believers, divided into front, back, left, middle and right armies according to the military system. They were also secretly divided into 12 incense halls according to the Maitreya Sect's rules, controlled by the 12 incense hall masters. These people were the backbone of the Maitreya Sect's painstaking efforts over the past decade.
On the hill of the Taiyuan Militia's barracks, someone gathered a lantern and waved it at the dark forest. After a while, the other side also sent out the same signal. Honest Cheng led the vanguard troops over quietly. They led their horses and walked through the forest, the rustling of their footsteps startling a flock of birds.
Occasionally, there were the cries of owls and cuckoo birds. In the dark sky, the stars and moon were not bright. You Qingyu and a few others went up to greet them. In the darkness, both sides met and whispered a few words before You Qingyu led them back. At the foot of the mountain, the camp that was supposed to be as sturdy as steel opened up, allowing Honest Cheng's 1,200 men to successfully pass through the camp.
Only when they appeared on the barren plains and confirmed that there was no one lying in ambush did Honest Cheng signal towards the top of the mountain. The rest of the White Shirt soldiers swarmed out and rushed down the mountain like tigers and wolves. They had already recovered their strength and obtained enough arrows from the militia. Once they returned to the plains, they would be a terrifying force that no one could underestimate.
Li Fuda was not here. He was currently at the encampment of the Taiyuan Guard. Even though he had spent two years using various means such as bribery, entrapment, and placement to replace more than half of the generals in the Taiyuan Middle Guard with his own men, he could not guarantee that those soldiers, who usually cursed the imperial court when they had no pay and were grateful to Lord Zhang Yin, who pleaded for the soldiers, would still bow their heads and obey his orders once they heard that he was going to rebel and that he was the famous Maitreya Cult Master.
Based on his current strength, he believed that he could half entice and half oppress them to control the entire Taiyuan Guard. However, it was obvious that such a force could not take on such an important force. He only needed to divert them at the right time to chase after Red Lady's troops. Then, he would lead his followers to retreat from the chaotic battle and return to attack the Jingjing Inn.
Red Lady's troops finally left safely. Like a flood dragon entering the sea, they entered the boundless night. Soon after, the Taiyuan militia's defense area was on fire everywhere, tents and fences were pushed down, antler racks and barricades were kicked over, creating a chaotic scene. The White Shirt Army launched a surprise attack on the militia and successfully broke through the encirclement.
In fact, the second watch period wasn't too late. However, how could there be any entertainment at night? There weren't many lanterns and torches for the soldiers to use. The Jingjing Inn barracks had long been immersed in darkness. Suddenly, several fast horses broke the tranquility of the night. Under the faint moonlight, the silhouettes of several riders could be seen galloping towards the gate.
"Who is it? Halt! " Out of nowhere, a few figures suddenly leapt out of the originally deserted gate and stood behind the fence, shouting loudly. They were holding shields, sabers, spears, bows and arrows. Clearly, this was a combat team with long and short weapons.
"Neigh ~" The galloping warhorses suddenly stopped. The warhorses neighed and stood up. Before the front hooves of the horses touched the ground, one of the riders jumped off the horse. His movements were extremely vigorous. The soldiers guarding the gate couldn't help but praise, "Good skill."
That person hurriedly took two steps forward and anxiously reported, "We are the imperial bodyguards of Commander Zhang of the Taiyuan Guard. We have an urgent military matter to report to Lord Imperial Envoy."
"Don't move. Hand over your waist token!" An officer sheathed his saber and opened the fence gate a crack. He walked to the antler rack and extended his hand. The soldier hurriedly took out his waist token and presented it with both hands. The officer took it and looked it over carefully. He said, "The barracks are restricted areas. You are not allowed to enter or leave at night. You are not allowed to ride horses. Unequip yourself and enter the barracks alone. Everyone else is not to move."
The soldier made a sound of agreement. He unsheathed his saber and handed it to another rider. He entered the barracks empty-handed. Under the strict supervision of several archers, the officer examined the soldier from head to toe. He waved his hand and said, "Follow me!"
The soldier followed behind the officer and hurriedly came to the gate of the imperial envoy's residence. The imperial bodyguards at the gate conducted another strict examination before bringing him in. They had him wait in the main hall while the bodyguards of the fu went to the back to pass on the message.
After a while, Yang Ling walked out from the back of the hall, wearing a robe and a pair of shoes. Judging from his appearance and the angry expression on his face, he had just fallen asleep. "What urgent military matter to report at this time? Could it be that the White Shirt Bandits have broken through? "He said impatiently as soon as he entered the main hall.
The bodyguard at the side shouted, "This is the High Duke. Hurry up and greet him!"
The soldier hurriedly went forward and bowed. "I am An Dongshan. Greetings to the High Duke. High Duke, something bad has happened. The White Shirt Army has broken through."
Yang Ling laughed at the sky. "Hahaha, they have been trapped for a long time. What fighting power do they have? Break through? Isn't that suicidal? Whose defense division are they attacking now? "
That soldier stuttered: "Returning to the Duke, they … they attacked the Taiyuan Militia's defensive area. These militia have no experience in battle formations, so their defense at night was not tight. Caught off guard, the White Clothed Bandits trampled over their camp and scattered the militia. Now they have broken through the camp and are heading straight for Tian Qing Gou."
"What?" The smiling Yang Ling was shocked. He said angrily, "No matter how useless the militia is, they still have fifteen thousand people. How could they be attacked by five thousand White Shirt Bandits? Useless! Really useless! They deserve to be killed! They all deserve to be killed! "
Yang Ling flew into a rage. He panted. "Tianqing Ditch? They are trying to escape from Tianqing Ditch back to Taihang Mountains. There are only three thousand defense troops there. They did not expect them to break through. This … this … you are the subordinate of Lord Zhang of Taiyuan Guard? What is the situation now? "
"High Duke, Taiyuan Guard's defense division is adjacent to the Taiyuan Militia. After hearing the news, Lord Zhang immediately gathered his troops and left the camp. They are now chasing after the White Shirt Army."
Yang Ling let out a sigh of relief. He then said angrily, "What about the militia?"
"The militia … it is their first time fighting a war. Once they were overwhelmed, they were immediately defeated. They scattered in all directions. Their generals are gathering the remaining soldiers."
Yang Ling gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Damn it! Jiang Nan Yan and You Qingyu, that pair of useless people, deserve to die! "
He hurriedly took two steps forward. He pointed his halberd and shouted, "Go back immediately. Tell Zhang Yin that we cannot let Red Lady break through Tianqing Ditch and escape back to Taihang Mountains. We must hold them back. This duke will immediately send troops to help. As long as Red Lady does not escape, it will be a great merit for him. Go quickly, go immediately!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The soldier took advantage of the situation and stood up. He cupped his fists in acknowledgment and retreated out of the hall. He turned around after leaving the hall. His footsteps paused for a moment. He then heard Yang Ling's angry roar coming from the hall. His roar was like thunder. "A caged bird can also disappear without a trace? How am I going to explain this to His Majesty! A bunch of bastards! "
The soldier could not help but reveal a trace of a complacent smile. He quickened his pace and walked out. Behind him, Yang Ling was still shouting at the top of his lungs. "Go quickly. Call Commander Luo here immediately. Gather the troops and horses and set off to pursue and kill them! I, Yang Ling, have fought everywhere and have never lost a battle. I did not expect that after going through such great storms and waves, I would actually be defeated in this small ditch. Which bastard sent the useless militia to suppress the bandits? "
Liu Da Bang Chui whispered, "Duke, they have gone far away. I cannot hear you."
"Oh? Cough, cough. Bring me some water. "Yang Ling took the cup and moistened his throat. He smiled and said," Did I pretend well? "
Liu Da Bang Chui chuckled and gave him a thumbs up. He said, "Like, just like the real thing. I clearly knew it in my heart. I was scared just looking at it. When that kid goes back and talks about it, Li Fuda will definitely believe it without a doubt. "
The smile on Yang Ling's face disappeared. He glared at Liu Da Bang Chui and said in a low voice, "I will lead my men and leave. I will leave this camp to you."
Liu Da Bang Chui straightened his back and boldly said, "Don't worry, Duke. Although Da Bang Chui has always caused trouble for you, I will not be careless in such an important matter. If I make a mistake, you can chop off my head!"
Yang Ling patted his broad shoulders, nodded, and said, "Yes, the path that leads to the peak of the mountain is a dead end. There is a cliff at the top of the mountain, but it is also your only path of survival. If you escape to the top of the mountain, you will be able to hold them off for a while. When my men return, they will be able to rescue you.
However, you must grasp the timing well. Li Fuda will definitely arrange for his spies to watch me leave before he can lead his troops to attack the camp. At the same time, I will need to gather the other troops. This trip will take at least two hours. You must hold on for a while. Not only do you have to think of a way to protect yourself, but you also have to fight bravely to make Li Fuda believe that you are protecting the most important person.
Li Fuda is as cunning as a fox. If your response makes him suspicious, he will definitely escape before I return to form an encirclement. If you can't wipe them out in one battle, they will become another group of bandits that will bring disaster to the world. "
Liu Da Bang Chui also became serious. He pursed his lips and nodded solemnly. He did not say anything else.
At this moment, Miao Kui and Commander Luo, who were dressed in military attire and bright armor, walked in side by side with their hands on their swords.
Yang Ling turned and asked, "Has everything been arranged?"
Both of them nodded in unison. Yang Ling raised his eyebrows and said in high spirits, "Good. The 'Capturing the Tiger' plan will now begin!"
He waved his hand and shouted majestically, "Set off!"
"… What are you doing? Why aren't you moving? "
Miao Kui and Commander Luo looked at each other with a strange expression. Miao Kui pointed at him and said embarrassedly, "High Duke, your clothes?"
"Ah?" Yang Ling looked down and saw a set of white shirt and pants with a green robe draped over it. He was barefoot and wore a pair of shoes. He could not help but laugh dryly, "Uh … Everyone, please wait for a moment. I'll go change my clothes. I'll be right back!" As he said that, he hurriedly ran to the back with his shoes on.
* * *
The silent military camp sounded the drums and bugles. The lanterns and torches were as bright as day. After three rounds of cannons, the gate was opened. The barricade spears, antlers, and other anti-enemy equipment were moved to the side. A large group of officers and soldiers ran out of the Jingjing Inn military camp. They were like a fire dragon on the rugged mountain road, winding straight into the distance.
"How many people are there?"
Far away, on a mountain peak, a few Maitreya followers stood there and coldly watched the movement in the direction of the military camp. They looked at the long fire dragon whose head and tail could not be seen.
One of them estimated for a moment, then said with a smile, "Looks like Yang Ling is really angry. The Jingjing Inn has eight thousand guards, and he has brought three thousand elite soldiers with him. From the looks of it, he has sent about six thousand men, and there will not be more than five thousand soldiers left in the camp."
Another person laughed and said, "The leader has a wonderful plan. Yang Ling has the nickname of Killer Star, but isn't he still being led by the nose? Keep an eye on them. When they are completely gone, send a signal to the leader. "
The fire dragon at the foot of the mountain went far away. Suddenly, a light flashed a few times on the mountain peak and then returned to a dark color. If someone saw it at the foot of the mountain, they might think that it was the stars in the sky or their eyes were playing tricks on them.
When the light went out, another light continued to light up in the distance on another mountain peak. After an unknown period of time, a fire dragon came from afar and its target was the Jingjing Inn.
"Stop! Who is it? " Although the commander-in-chief was not in the camp, as a permanent military stronghold, the soldiers were still vigilant enough. Suddenly seeing a large group of people rushing over with torches, the soldiers guarding the camp immediately shouted and asked.
The people who rushed over did not stop. The cavalry at the front increased their speed when they heard the shout. The Centurion guarding the gate was an experienced veteran. He did not check the identity of the other party and immediately shouted, "Shoot! Sound the alarm! "
"Bang, bang, bang!" The warning sound was loud and a few sharp arrows were shot. Then, a shadow flashed in front of them and a few soldiers fell down amidst the screams. A piece of flesh was scraped off the Centurion's thigh. He cried out in pain and rolled to the side.
Although he did not see it clearly, he knew that the other party had thrown a javelin. The javelin was heavy and with the speed of the galloping horse, the shield in his hand could not pierce through it. It was impossible to use his weapon to block it. He covered his thigh and shouted, "Someone is attacking the camp!"
Although a few of the people on the galloping horse were shot down by the sharp arrows, the others had already rushed in front of them. They did not care about moving the antlers and the barricades, but instead carried their swords and went around the obstacles and rushed to seize the gate. The Centurion only shouted once before a black shadow rushed over like a galloping horse. He slashed with his sword and blood splattered everywhere. Then, he kicked his corpse to the side.
The soldiers patrolling the camp heard the noise and rushed over to fight with them for the gate. Because Yang Ling had just led the troops out, the whole camp was in an uproar. The rest of the soldiers had not gone to sleep and immediately rushed out when they heard the alarm.
In order to be suitable for attack and defense, the camp had been set up with one, two, and three lines of defense. The outermost layer had already been broken through by the Maitreya Sect's regimental training team. They did not know the exact number of the other party and could not blindly rush out to fight. The defending City Commander, Wang Hong, made a prompt decision and immediately launched a counterattack at the second line of defense.
The bugle horns sounded and a cruel night battle began. The crazy Maitreya believers all knew that the large house built against the mountain behind the third line of defense was the imperial envoy's field office. The current Emperor Ming Destiny was there. If they killed him, the world would fall into chaos.
If they killed the Emperor, the prophecy of the Maitreya Buddha descending from the sky and becoming the main world would come true. The Cult Master's words filled everyone with a crazy desire to fight. Without any encouragement, they rushed forward to welcome the rain of arrows from the soldiers like a tide.
You Qingyu rushed to the front with a long red tasseled spear in his hand. He moved back and forth like a roaring poisonous dragon, stabbing several soldiers to death. More than a dozen of his trusted followers raised their spears and followed beside him, trying to open a gap. But even though Branch Leader You's Kung Fu was extremely high and the fierce soldiers around him were also brave, they were immediately suppressed the moment they rushed up the wall of the second line of defense.
Although the martial arts skills of the soldiers on the defensive wall were not as good as his, but in such a densely packed battle, especially in the middle of the night, skills were not very useful. No matter how high one's martial arts skills were, when six or seven long spears came from all directions like lightning, they would not be able to parry them. If they wanted to jump up, they would become a living target. The only way to break out of this situation was to retreat, because the spear in their hands could only be used to lift and stab, it was impossible for them to dance around and protect themselves from wind and rain.
You Qingyu was forced to retreat to the edge of the wall by several spears. Two black shadows suddenly rolled over and attacked his feet under the cover of the spears. Under the illumination of the fire, two steel sabers swung out two pale red halos and swept toward his legs. This was the combined attack of the saber and shield user and the spear user. The two sabers were powerful. You Qingyu had no choice but to jump back and jump down the wall.
Standing on the top of the wall, the City Secretary shook his spear and stabbed a Maitreya follower who was howling and waving a saber at him, and then wiped the sweat on his face. As far as the eye could see, there was a sea of torches before him. They were like the surging tide of the Milky Way, and the frenzied shouts were like the howling of the mountain winds. The enemy's formidable impetus was terrifying, and based on the situation, their military strength far surpassed his own.
"Li Fuda is as cunning as a fox and as insidious as a wolf. Most of his trusted subordinates are experienced Jianghu people. Therefore, as bait, you not only have to bear the first wave of strong attack pressure alone, but also can't tell the soldiers in detail in advance. They can't act naturally, and the overly strict defense will scare them away.
The important task of luring the snake out of the hole is given to you. This task is very heavy and bloody, but only in this way can you draw out all his hidden forces and catch them all at once. Only in this way can you avoid greater losses and casualties. City Secretary, you are an experienced general, you should understand what I mean. "Yang Ling's heavy words rang in his ears again.
"Don't worry, High Duke. No matter how brave his Maitreya Xiang Army is, they have not been trained for long. With my thousands of battle-hardened soldiers, they will be able to hold on until you return. No matter what, we will hold on until you return." The City Secretary answered confidently.
But now that he had seen them face to face, he realized how terrifying this army called Taiyuan Regiment Training was. It was just an armed militia, but it had a terrifying aura that even a regular army could not match.
Those half-civilian, half-soldier people were not afraid of death. They completely ignored their companions who were stabbed, shot, and chopped to death around them. They only cared about waving their sabers and spears as they charged forward.
The corpses of their companions were like piles of rubble under their feet. Not only did they not look at them, they did not even frown when they stepped on them. Even veterans who had been through hundreds of battles were not as callous as them.
The steel sabers were still swinging wildly in the darkness, mercilessly tearing through flesh and bone as if they were chopping vegetables. The long spears shuttled back and forth like poisonous dragons, piercing through the bodies of the other party. There were also cold arrows whistling through the air.
The number of deaths among the regiment training soldiers far exceeded the number of soldiers defending the camp, but the successors still swarmed forward like a tide. There were already many places where the regiment training soldiers had charged up and were entangled with the soldiers in melee combat.
The City Secretary steeled his heart and gave the order to retreat to the last pass. The band gave the order, and the soldiers at the back began to retreat, seizing the advantageous spots of the third line of defense to start a defensive formation.
The soldiers who were fighting for their lives on the front line could no longer retreat. As soon as they turned around, a saber would be on their necks. They could only grit their teeth and brandish their sabers with bloodshot eyes, trying to buy time for their comrades with the idea of killing as many as they could.
The battlefield was cruel like this. Sometimes, retreat was for the sake of attacking. Sometimes, sacrificing some people was to eliminate more enemies at a smaller cost. Justice did not protect wealth, and kindness did not command troops. As the commander in chief, he could not be merciful when he needed to be cold-blooded. This was the merciless battlefield of life and death.
The Maitreya Xiang Army's morale was greatly boosted after taking down two lines of defense. They shouted like a tide and continued to attack the last line of defense. "Kill the Emperor! Kill the Emperor! " Their shouts encouraged them, but the defenders behind the line of defense were confused. Where was the Emperor here?
"If this line of defense is breached again, then we can only retreat to the imperial envoy's temporary residence. I am now injured and dead, and only have a thousand men and horses left to fight. I don't know how long we can last if we retreat to the temporary residence. Will the High Duke and Lord Luo be able to return in time? The High Duke left behind three thousand Iron Guards. We can only rely on you for the next step. "
The City Head sighed and turned his head to look. He saw a soldier with a bright yellow battle robe draped diagonally over his shoulders hurriedly run out of the temporary quarters. "Sir Wang, please hold on for a little longer and then retreat into the imperial envoy's temporary quarters. General Liu asked me to tell you that you have done a good job. When they are all in battle, it will be the time when they are completely annihilated! "
※ ※ ※
Li Fuda hurried over.
Yang Ling's army was moved away from Jingjing Inn and headed straight for Tianqing Ditch. At this time, Li Fuda was commanding the army to attack the White Coat Army, while the White Coat Army was attacking the pass of Tianqing Ditch. Both sides were crammed in a narrow and long ravine and could not deploy all their forces. Only the soldiers facing the enemy in front could fight with the other side. It was difficult to exert the advantage of having more troops.
If the White Coat Army broke through Tianqing Ditch first, they could take advantage of the darkness to escape into the green mountains. It would be difficult to catch up. If the pursuers broke through their line of defense before they broke through the pass, they could wipe them out here. Of course, Li Fuda would not let this bait to lure the tiger out of the mountain die so easily.
This time, it was Taiyuan Left Guard and Taiyuan Middle Guard that were mobilized to encircle the White Coat Army. Li Fuda moved the Taiyuan Middle Guard that he controlled to the front and used the narrow terrain to make it difficult to spread out. He ordered the Taiyuan Left Guard to find a way to climb the dangerous peaks on both sides and control the enemy from above. This mountain was incomparably dangerous. There were only a few woodcutters and mountain people. The Taoist wanted to move an army up in the dark, and it would take at least two hours.
Meanwhile, Li Fuda's troops were passively dealing with the situation, waiting for Yang Ling to arrive. Yang Ling's army had really arrived. He had already passed down the order for the other surrounding troops to rush over without stopping. They had to wipe out the White Coat Army at Tianqing Ditch. Li Fuda was overjoyed when he heard the news.
Seeing that the Taiyuan Guards were not doing well, Yang Ling immediately moved his troops to the main attack position. Li Fuda took the opportunity to withdraw his troops and observe the enemy's formation. Taking advantage of the change in formation and the battle raging, Li Fuda quietly left the main force with a group of trusted aides and returned to the Jingjing Inn that he had been worried about.
When he arrived, Jiang Nan Yan and You Qingyu had already broken through the last line of defense. The remaining soldiers hurriedly retreated to the imperial envoy's temporary quarters.
"How is the battle?" Li Fuda asked hurriedly as soon as he arrived.
Jiang Nan Yan hurriedly went forward to report, "The soldiers guarding the camp have a tight defense and are resolute in their counterattack. However, they hastily responded to the battle and did not prepare well. From the situation just now, it is clear that they did not anticipate the sudden appearance of our troops. I was just about to organize an attack on the temporary quarters."
Li Fuda heard about the situation of the battle between the two sides and completely relaxed. His identity was very secretive. Even his ancestors had bribed the Zhang family and filled in his pseudonym, Zhang Yin, on the genealogy records. Unless Yang Ling had the secret help of a ghost or god, it was impossible for him to discover his true identity. Naturally, he would not have been able to predict tonight's sudden mutiny.
But even so, the paranoid Li Fuda was still instinctively worried that there would be a trap. Now, from the situation reported by Jiang Nan Yan, what he was worried about did not happen. He could not suppress the excitement in his heart. Pointing to the large courtyard under the dark shadow of the mountain, he said, "Order people to attack the temporary quarters. Light the kindling and throw it into the courtyard."
A group of Xiang soldiers shouted and rushed forward. Another group of soldiers began to look around for the kindling. Suddenly, on the dark and silent high walls of the temporary quarters, shadows flashed continuously. A few short military orders were heard, "Kill!"
Arrows were fired like rain. "Pu, pu, pu …" A series of dull and light sounds were heard. It was the sound of sharp arrowheads piercing through flesh. It was like rain hitting a withered lotus. The Xiang soldiers who were charging at the very front screamed and fell.
"Tuk, tuk, tuk." Someone raised his shield and shouted, "There is an ambush on top of the wall. Archers, return fire. Saber and shield bearers, attack."
The well-trained Xiang soldiers raised their shields and carried ladders as they rushed to the top of the wall under the cover of the sudden rain of arrows. In reality, under such a dense rain of arrows, it was impossible for anyone to stand on top of the wall and shoot arrows.
"Boom! Boom, boom! " Suddenly, a strange object that was spewing smoke and fire was thrown out from the top of the wall. It exploded when it landed on the ground. Immediately, the sharp sounds of all kinds of sharp weapons slicing through the air rang out continuously. The sound was faint and indistinct, like the wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves. That was the hand grenade that was distributed by Yang Ling's personal army. After it landed on the ground and exploded, the various kinds of steel balls, iron pieces, and needles inside shot out in all directions. The area of damage was astonishing. Moreover, it was impossible to block it with a shield.
The Maitreya Xiang soldiers, who did not expect that there would be such a sharp firearm in the world, stood too close together. This series of explosions caused hundreds of people to fall to the ground. There were even more who were injured and screaming in pain. Jiang Nanyan was shocked and said, "This … could this be the strange firearm that Yang Ling used to deal with the White Shirt Army in Shandong?"
Li Fuda, however, became excited. He grabbed Jiang Nanyan's shoulder with one hand. He was so carried away that he lost some control. Jiang Nanyan felt as if his shoulder was grabbed by a vice and actually felt some pain. "That's right! This is the strange firearm that they developed. Haha, we made the right bet this time. We really made the right bet. That boy Zhengde must be in the temporary quarters! He must be in the temporary quarters! "
Li Fuda laughed out loud. He did not care about the believers who were rolling on the ground. He ordered sternly, "The Son of Ming Destiny, Zhengde, is in this house. Attack and kill Zhengde. The world will be ours. Quick, go to the barracks and collect door planks, blankets, and use them as shields by soaking them in water. Collect as many things as you can to ignite the fire and throw them into the courtyard! "
Yang Ling had led his army to chase after the White Shirt Army. The temporary quarters was empty. His personal soldiers who carried the most powerful firearms did not follow him out of the camp. What were they doing here? Naturally, it was to protect someone who was more important than Yang Ling. Who else could it be?
There was only a wall between them. The Son of Ming Destiny was there. Soon, he would become a human head in his hand. Then, he would carry this bloody human head step by step to the throne of the Emperor. He would become the emperor worshiped by all the people in the world. He would become the Maitreya Emperor.
The burning desire made Li Fuda crazy, and it also made the Maitreya believers who were intoxicated by the upcoming great victory crazy. The sound of bowstrings trembling, the roar of shouts, the sound of bodies falling to the ground, the sound of firearms exploding, the sound of sharp arrows entering bodies, the sound of arrows hitting shields, and the sound of screams and wails were like a crazy symphony played by this group of crazy people.
The defensive power of the walls had already weakened, and there were thousands of corpses strewn across the ground. Scattered sparks could be seen from the burning bedding, tables, and chairs. Li Fuda was just about to unleash another round of attacks when a horse galloped over from afar. "Report! Leader, Yang Ling's army has discovered that something is amiss and is returning to camp urgently."
"How far is it?"
"More than 20 miles."
"20 miles …" Li Fuda looked at the wall that had been soaked with blood. It was a short and insurmountable natural moat. The more they defended and refused to give up, the more he believed that the emperor was inside. Could it be that they failed at the last step and retreated at this time?
Who would be willing! As long as they attacked and killed Zhengde, it would be a hundred times easier to seize the world. If they didn't kill him now, they might not be able to kill him in the future even if they worked a hundred times harder. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After a moment of hesitation, Li Fuda's face became firm. It was quiet around, only the sound of the torches flapping in the wind could be heard. "We can't retreat! We have to kill our way in! As long as we kill Zhengde, the reinforcements will lose their morale, and we can still rush out. If Zhengde doesn't die, we will face a series of hard battles. Brothers, victory or defeat depends on this one move. At all costs, seize this Imperial Headquarters and kill them all! "
"Kill! Kill them all and leave nothing behind! " The red-eyed Maitreya Xiang Army repeated his words crazily and began to launch the last round of charge. Shields, doors, quilts, and other protective equipment were all abandoned. They used their flesh and blood to pave the way forward. Bows, javelins, torches, smoke balls, and everything that could be thrown were thrown into the yard.
The storehouse in the front courtyard was on fire. The fire was monstrous, reflecting a red light and ferocious faces. On the left wall, a few brave Xiang soldiers appeared and were fighting with the soldiers inside the wall.
"Boom!" The sturdy paulownia wood door was knocked down along with its frame. The earth trembled. After a moment of silence, the soldiers of the Zhu Xiang Army, who were ecstatic, began to howl crazily. They grabbed their weapons and rushed in.
Yang Ling's reinforcements were getting closer and closer. Li Fuda's Xiang soldiers were also attacking the Imperial Headquarters. More news arrived. With this post and this mountain as their target, soldiers appeared from the north, east and west to rescue the Emperor. The nearest one was less than ten li away. If they did not retreat now, they would not be able to break out of the soldiers' encirclement.
However, right now they only needed to stretch out their hand and they could capture the Emperor. The goal they had dreamed of for half a lifetime was right in front of them. How could they give up? If they captured him, they could force the imperial army to open a path. Even if he died in the chaos, it would be enough to disrupt the morale of the other troops and create a way out of their loose defense line. Breaking out of the encirclement was much easier than killing Zhengde.
Right now Li Fuda was like a crazy gambler. Even though he usually looked calm and composed, but when the biggest temptation in his life was presented in front of him, he could not help but place the biggest bet.
Li Fuda drew his saber and shouted, "Kill our way in and capture the Emperor alive. Order the three armies, charge!" Finished speaking, he took the lead and rushed toward the Imperial Headquarters. The saber in his hand was like lightning, releasing dazzling silvery light. Wherever the saber light went, it swept away everything in its path. All the Xiang soldiers were also fighting with their lives on the line, like mad tigers.
Even the bravest and most skilled border soldiers could not withstand this flood and were forced to retreat step by step. Every soldier's body was stained with blood. It was the enemy's, their own, and their comrades'. They looked like evil spirits. Fortunately they still had a few grenades. Seeing Li Fuda personally leading the army to kill their way in, the Xiang soldiers were unstoppable. They immediately threw the grenades and ran toward the central hall.
This kind of unpredictable and terrifying hidden weapon had already made the Maitreya followers suffer in the battle just now. The speed and power of the explosion made even an expert like Li Fuda nervous. As soon as he saw the smoking grenades rolling out, he immediately flew and dodged behind a pillar.
"Boom!" Even though he was hiding behind a pillar, a spinning piece of metal still whizzed past his head. It cut his headscarf, causing his long hair to fall down. There were even a few strands of hair that were cut off. A few Xiang soldiers who were caught off guard screamed and fell to the ground. Li Fuda was furious. He raised his saber and led Jiangnan Yan and a few other experts to quickly rush toward the backyard.
At this time, there were already fires everywhere, illuminating the Imperial Unit as bright as day. Li Fuda and the others did not meet any resistance along the way. Li Fuda could not help but be surprised. This place was already surrounded, Zhengde could not escape even if he had wings. This mountain pass military camp was built on the mountain, it was even more impossible for there to be a hole through the mountain. Did he give up resistance and surrender?
In front of them was the main living room of the backyard. Li Fuda flew into the living room and saw the curtains spitting out flames, burning extremely quickly. The paper pasted on the window lattices and the cushions on the tables and chairs were also spitting out flames. The living room in front of them was empty, there was only a square table in the middle. On the table, there was a huge memorial tablet with white words on a black background. There was a row of big words on it: "Maitreya Cult Leader Li Fuda's bones are buried here!"
Li Fuda's face turned snow white in a flash. He was not afraid of death, nor was he afraid of any threats. An ambitious person who had taken killing the Emperor and seizing the country as his duty since he was young, what else could strike him? There was only one thing, and that was that his ambition had been mercilessly thwarted.
Jiangnan Yan and the rest of his trusted aides also rushed into the living room. As soon as they saw the memorial tablet that was half the height of a person, they immediately understood what had happened. They were just immersed in the ecstasy of obtaining an absolute victory. Suddenly faced with this kind of reality, they stood there and could not say a word.
At this moment, Li Fuda seemed to have suddenly aged ten years. The tip of his saber slowly drooped down to the ground, leaving a trail of blood. The tongues of fire were roasting his face in all directions, it was as if even his hair was about to be burnt. Amidst the burning sound of the raging fire, he clearly saw another row of small words beside the big words on the memorial tablet: "Dear friend Ming Destiny State Duke Wei Yang Ling stands solemnly."
In the midst of the spitting flames, Li Fuda suddenly felt like he was a moth flying into a flame. There was no need to hold on to any luck. From the beginning to the end, it was simply a trap. The most laughable thing was that this trap was not dug for him by Yang Ling, but a pit that he had dug himself and asked Yang Ling to bury him.
With a loud "Ah!", the saber stirred up a gust of wind. The two halves of the memorial tablet and the square table exploded with a bang, flying to the sides. Li Fuda pointed his saber forward, his long hair flying, his eyes crimson red.
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