Ning Wang's rebel army blew up the bridge and ran for a while. Just as they were about to stop and take a breather, the soldiers behind them suddenly chased up again. What was even more frightening was that the officers and soldiers were running away. There was only one soldier at the front, but he dared to brandish his spear and charge into the crowd.
King Ning's army was surprised and surprised. They didn't expect the soldiers to cross the river so quickly, and they didn't expect the soldiers to be so fearless … No, to be precise, they were so eager to rush forward and die. King Ning's army, who had been humiliated by these people, was about to surround and kill this' madman ', only to see more and more' madmen 'chasing after them.
As the saying goes, the arrogant are afraid of the reckless, and the reckless are afraid of the reckless. King Ning's army was originally a defeated army. They didn't have the courage to stop and fight with their lives. They could only pull themselves together and continue the marathon. King Ning's army was defeated along the way. The soldiers of the imperial court chased after them. King Ning's army didn't have the heart to resist at all. They killed countless corpses along the way.
Fortunately, King Ning's army had rested for a while after crossing the river. They had recovered their strength and the soldiers caught up with them in one breath. Although they chased King Ning's army to a sorry state, the distance between them gradually widened.
When King Ning's army escaped to Tiger Hollow, they finally got rid of the soldiers. They stopped to roughly count the number of soldiers. In this hasty battle, there were countless casualties and escapees. They actually lost twenty thousand men and horses. What was even worse was that the two vanguard commanders appointed by King Ning after he ascended to the throne, Ling Tai and Wu 24 Si were both killed in battle.
Ling Tai was killed by the cannon while Wu 24 Si was hit by the steel ball flying needles from the explosion of a grenade. He was in so much pain that he had to perform 'plucking scallions from dry land'. Commander Wu was jumping up and down when he was shot into a sieve by the soldiers.
When King Ning saw such a miserable state, he couldn't help but feel grief welling up in his heart. He burst into tears, tears and mucus flowing down his face. At the side, Liu Yangzheng, Li Shishi, Li Ziran, and the other assistants were doing their best to persuade him. The Grand Duke of the Red Jasper Association, Wang Sengyu, Li Zuotong, Yang Qing, and the others were silent. Each and every one of them was dejected.
Liu Yangzheng was worthy of King Ning's literary courage. King Ning's army was defeated so miserably, but he still maintained a vigorous revolutionary spirit of optimism. Quoting from the classics, he talked about the ups and downs experienced by those who achieved great things since ancient times. He also encouraged him by saying, "If Heaven wants to bestow a great responsibility on a man, he must first suffer his will."
As Liu Yangzheng spoke, she was so moved that her eyes were brimming with tears. That beautiful mouth of hers that was as bright as a lotus flower caused Ning Wang to gradually stop speaking and reinvigorate himself.
Looking at the low morale of the troops, King Ning climbed up a boulder with the help of Liu Yangzheng. Just when he wanted to mobilize the troops and reinvigorate the morale of the whole army, he didn't expect that before he could open his mouth, the cavalry of the imperial court who had made a detour to rush over came out from the side.
The terrain of Jiangnan was not suitable for large cavalry movements. It was difficult to move in ravines, lakes, mountains, and swamps. In addition to the narrow terrain of the Tiger Hollow, the cavalry could not launch a charge. Their combat effectiveness was actually limited. However, the psychological deterrence of their sudden appearance made King Ning's troops who were in a state of panic.
'Zhuge Yangzheng' was also out of ideas when he saw this scene. The only thing he could think of was to escape! King Ning, who had just climbed up the boulder, hurriedly climbed down again. He mounted a horse and left. King Ning's army was of one mind, competing to escape. They were defeated like the Yellow River bursting through its banks.
However, the soldiers of the imperial court were cavalry after all. No matter how difficult the road was, it was still faster than people running. After leaving behind countless corpses, King Ning had no choice but to order the Third Grandmaster of the Red Embellished Society, Yang Qing, to lead the troops to stop the enemy. Fearing that Yang Qing would not be able to win the battle or have second thoughts, he left behind his eldest daughter, a scholar from Nanchang who was proficient in the four arts, chess, calligraphy, and painting to fight the enemy with him. He led the enemy and continued to escape south.
King Ning's army was as anxious as a stray dog. By the time they reached the vicinity of Anqing, Wu Hanchao, who had personally led people to secretly follow them from behind since they went around the city, had already rushed back to the city. He led three thousand civilian soldiers and set up an ambush around Niutou Mountain and Tongshan Mountain. As soon as King Ning's army arrived, huge boulders and logs rolled down the mountain, killing and injuring thousands of King Ning's army.
King Ning was furious. Seeing that there were not many soldiers on the mountain, he immediately drew his sword and was about to order his men to attack the mountain. Li Shishi hugged him and tried to persuade him, "Your Majesty, Anqing is afraid of Your Majesty's attack and will not dare to send out a large number of soldiers. There won't be too many soldiers on the mountain. They are harassing us here to obstruct Your Majesty's journey and to cooperate with the imperial court's army. We cannot be entangled in a battle right now. If we wait for the imperial court's army to catch up, we will inevitably lose our momentum. There is no need to pay attention to them. We should continue forward and escape back to Jiangxi. Only then will we have a fighting chance! "
Hearing this, King Ning was suddenly enlightened. He ignored Wu Hanchao's provocation and harassment on the mountain and continued forward. Wu Hanchao's troops were few; seeing that he was not willing to be fooled, he could only watch him escape.
After King Ning was killed, the army no longer knew which way was north, south, east, west; they ran as far as they could see. By nightfall, they had escaped to a lake. By this time there were only about thirty thousand soldiers left. Other than those who lost their lives or were captured on the battlefield, there were also quite a few who saw that the situation was not good and ran away into the underbrush or the forest, getting away without a trace.
Li Shishi saw ahead of them was a lake, next to it was a patch of reeds. The moonlight was like muslin, a light fog enveloped the lake; it was indeed a good place to set up camp. Moreover, the army was extremely tired, it would be difficult for them to continue. Thereupon he said, "Your Majesty, in your subject's opinion, we'd better rest here for the night. The imperial court's soldiers and horses are also made of flesh and blood, they do not have the ability to pursue us endlessly.
Since we have broken through their encirclement, even Anqing has been left behind, we are safe for the time being. Your Majesty need not be discouraged, victory and defeat are common for soldiers. We still have troops stationed in Jiujiang and Nankang. If we gather them together and fight again, if we can achieve a great victory, our hegemony may not be unattainable. "
King Ning looked around and sighed. "Jiujiang and Nankang are not dangerous places that can be defended, it's hard to use them to protect ourselves. The only plan now is to mobilize the troops from Jiujiang and Nankang to reinforce us. Zhang Lun, immediately send someone to mobilize the troops and bring the princess, the prince, and all of their family over. I will not be at ease leaving them in that empty city."
Zhang Lun, who was previously the Administrative Envoy of Jiangxi for Ming Destiny and was now the Minister of War for King Ning's Shunde Imperial Court, said with a long face, "Your Majesty, the night is hazy here, it's hard to distinguish between right and left. If we don't know where we are, how are we going to send a messenger and where are we going to get the troops from Jiujiang and Nankang to receive us?"
Liu Yangzheng also said, "Your Majesty, let's first let the soldiers set up camp and cook. Also, we can send people to scout around and find out where we are. It won't be too late to send someone to send a letter to Jiujiang after that."
King Ning nodded his head heavily and sighed. "My heart is in a mess and I really don't have any ideas. My two subjects, please do as you see fit."
Liu Yangzheng and Zhang Lun cupped their hands and retreated. They went to instruct the soldiers to set up camp and fetch water to cook. The soldiers fetched water from the lake and chopped reeds to use as firewood, lighting up bonfires everywhere. The red light made the troops that were originally in low spirits look a little livelier.
King Ning pulled himself together and put on a calm and composed look. Accompanied by Wang Shengyu, Li Zuotong, and the others, he patrolled the camp and consoled the soldiers. When they reached the end of the lake and were about to turn back, a sharp-eyed imperial bodyguard saw the shadows of a few ships stealthily sailing over on the misty surface of the lake. He couldn't help shouting in shock, "There's an ambush! There's an ambush! Run! Run! "
One of Wang Shengyu's new disciples was already frightened. He was originally a mountain bandit and in his shock, he even shouted slang. He raised his arms and shouted, "The water is rising, let's fight shoulder to shoulder!"
"Fight your mother!" Wang Shengyu raised his hand and slapped him. Although Grand Master Wang's history of success was that of a charlatan, it did not prevent him from understanding the basic military principles: King Ning's army was originally a motley crew. After repeated defeats, especially when the enemy was personally led by the Son of Heaven, it had caused a serious psychological deterrence to the soldiers.
If it was daytime, it might be possible to escape. But now it was nighttime. Once the order was given to escape, the soldiers would not be able to find their commander. It would be good if they could escape for a night and still have three thousand soldiers by the time dawn came. Now it was impossible to escape anymore. The only way was to fight to the death.
Wang Shengyu held his saber and shouted, "The night is hazy, it is difficult for the soldiers to use their firearms. Come, follow me and charge forward. Gather all the archers, don't let them go ashore!"
The Red Tassel Society still had some loyal followers. When they heard Grand Master Wang's call, they immediately picked up their sabers and spears and followed him to the shore. The Red Tassel Society's disciple who was charging at the front murmured and took out the Red Tassel Society's incision incantation. He shouted, "Red Tassel World, Grand Sun Consummation, respectfully invites Patriarch to come to me! Iron brows, iron eyes, iron shoulders, not the slightest bit of communication … "
Someone on the boat on the lake was also shouting, "Brothers, Liang Qingzi, sweep, bite, take advantage of the darkness to have a good rest!"
Wang Shengyu was stunned when he heard this incantation. "Are these the soldiers of the imperial court?"
He hurriedly shouted, "Don't shoot, don't shoot!"
Ning Wang Jun's army didn't have many archers to begin with. They loosely released a few arrows. Wang Shengyu shouted and the archers stopped. Wang Shengyu shouted towards the surface of the lake: "Who is on the other side? Quickly report your name, don't make a mistake! "
Just as he finished shouting, a surprised voice shouted from the other side, "Is it Wang Shengyu, Big Brother Wang?"
Wang Shengyu said in surprise, "It is Wang, who are you?"
"I am Da Gouzi!"
Both sides shouted at each other to confirm each other's identity. Torches were also lit on the boats. The first boat slowly rowed over. When it reached the shore, a few people jumped off the boat. The first person's face was clearly illuminated by the fire. It was King Ning's Navy Vice-Commander-In-Chief, Da Gouzi. Wang Shengyu couldn't help but be overjoyed. In a few strides, he rushed over, two pairs of strong hands tightly clasped together.
The fleeing King Ning's infantry and the defeated King Ning's navy met up by this unknown lake. The two of them asked each other a few pleasantly surprised words. Da Gouzi hurriedly ordered his subordinates to pull the troops over while he hurriedly went to see King Ning.
King Ning had long since retreated far away under the protection of his bodyguards. He didn't know how many troops the court had set up here and was trembling in fear. He heard Wang Shengyu shout, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, great news, it's Vice-Commander-In-Chief Da Gouzi and our troops!"
When King Ning heard that the navy troops that he had lost contact with had found their way here, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. He hurriedly went to the lake and the two sides exchanged pleasantries. After Da Gouzi's troops were defeated, because the ships on the river were everywhere, the court's navy spent too much effort attacking and capturing them, which hindered their marching speed. Da Gouzi took the opportunity to lead the ships in the rear to escape, escaping all the way here.
They led the ships from the river to this lake and stopped on the other side. The army had just set up camp when they discovered that there were fires everywhere on the other side in the fog. They thought that the soldiers were stationed here. Da Gouzi was worried and was afraid that if he slept all night, the exit to the lake would be blocked by the soldiers so he personally brought people to investigate.
After a round of questioning, Da Gou Zi still had more than four hundred boats and twenty thousand men and horses. With the two armies joining together, there was a total of fifty thousand soldiers. Ning Wang was reassured. He asked Da Gou Zi where they were. Unfortunately, Da Gou Zi had snuck here under the cover of the night and hadn't had time to find out where they were.
At this time, a few spies that had been sent out to gather information hurriedly ran back and said, "Your Majesty, Eldest Grandmaster, Vice-Grandmaster, we've found a wooden house up ahead. We've captured two locals."
The soldiers escorted an old man and a young man to the lakeside. King Ning looked up and down and saw that it was a short man in his thirties who was holding the hand of an eleven or twelve year old child. They looked like a pair of father and son. This pair of father and son had been captured by the 'soldiers' without rhyme or reason and looked extremely panicked and frightened.
King Ning put on a smiling face and said amiably, "Don't be afraid, I am the Shunde Emperor of Ming Destiny. I've led the troops to suppress the north and passed by here. The night is so hazy and the fog is so thick that I can't tell right from left. Let me ask you, what is this place? "
The commoner replied with fear and trepidation, "This … this place is called Huang Shiji."
As soon as King Ning heard this, he was enraged. With a 'qiang' sound, he drew his sword out of its sheath and swung it down. The commoner was as timid as a skinny chicken, knowing that the sharp sword was stabbing towards him, he was extremely frightened but didn't know how to dodge and was immediately chopped to the ground by this sword.
King Ning was shocked and anxiously said, "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?"
King Ning's anger had not subsided and he pointed his finger and scolded, "Such a small commoner dares to mock me, Wang Shiji? Is it because my precious sword is not good? "
As soon as the child saw that his father had been killed, he cried and threw himself forward but was held down by Da Gouzi. One of Da Gouzi's hands was even bigger than his head, how could he move when he was held down. The child opened his mouth and bit him. Da Gouzi felt the pain and loosened his hand, wanting to brandish his knife to chop him. The child leapt up and with a 'pu tong' sound, he had already dived into the lake and disappeared without a trace like a fish.
Zhang Lun stammered, "Now that this commoner mentioned it, subject actually thought of this place. This place is called Huang Shiji, not Wang Shiji. Most southerners' accents cannot distinguish 'huang' and 'wang', that's why there's this mistake."
Only now did King Ning understand. But the person had already been killed, how could he admit his mistake. He flicked his sleeve and said, "No matter what, this ignorant commoner's words are really too unlucky. Humph! Now that we know the geography, it's easy to handle. Generals, follow me back to the camp and we'll discuss in detail. "
The civil and military officials were silent and followed the furious King Ning back to the main camp.
Li Ziran walked a few steps and quietly stopped. Gazing at the misty lake surface, he was lost in thought, "King Ning is a hopeless fool! A mere commoner's words can cause him to be so afraid. If it wasn't for the fact that his heart was so terrified that he was in a state of panic, how could he be like this? Ai! It's a pity, it's a pity that father endured for half a lifetime and painstakingly managed. In the end, he couldn't help walking the path of seeking instant success and fell for Yang Ling's treacherous scheme.
If not for this, father could calmly raise his troops in the north and unite with the White Coat Army to restrain the border army and the capital camp. Then Jiangnan would be empty. Although King Ning was useless, he would definitely be able to control half of it and contend against Beijing.
Now that the north has been pacified, the imperial court can concentrate all its strength to suppress the rebellion in the south. King Ning and Zhu Chenhao have Zhu Di's ambition, but they don't have Zhu Di's talent. Their troops are just a bunch of mobs and can't be compared to the armored elites trained by the Prince of Yan and Northern Yuan for years. Once the Zhengde army arrives, it will collapse. Can this flag still be used? "
Li Ziran was endlessly worried. In his heart, he had already determined that King Ning wouldn't be able to achieve great things. Staying by King Ning's side was no different from courting death. But in his heart, he still held on to a sliver of hope and couldn't bear to leave now. Moreover, the Maitreya Sect's roots were in the north. Now that it had been completely wiped out by the imperial court, where could Maitreya Sect go if they left King Ning?
His gaze gradually turned to the extreme north. There was a chaotic battle outside the Great Wall. If it was in normal times, it would be difficult for him, a Han, to penetrate the Meng people. But now … troubled times produced heroes. These barbarians used the Han as ministers and brains since ancient times. If the Maitreya Sect wanted to make a comeback, could they borrow the power of the Meng people?
Li Ziran pondered as he walked. His heart gradually became clear. King Ning, I'll just support him for a while. If I can protect him, I'll protect him. If I can't, I'll just abandon him and go out. The vast world beyond the Great Wall is a situation where many heroes are fighting for hegemony. People like me, who are well-versed in both the pen and the sword, will naturally be like a fish in water. If the Maitreya Sect wants to make a comeback, could they borrow the power of the Meng people?
* * *
King Ning's army continued to retreat at dawn. Both the land and water armies retreated to Poyang Lake and met with the reinforcements of Jiujiang. For a moment, their morale was high. King Ning boarded a ship with more than a hundred concubines and beauties. He spoke to the soldiers of the three armies who stood solemnly, "Emperor Taizu Gao's ancestral teachings said, 'If the ruler is not clear, a group of people who play with power, the vassal kings must raise their troops to clear the side of the ruler.'"
"Now, the Hongzhi Emperor is not clear. In order to seek a Crown Prince to stabilize the country, he was deceived by the thieves and fostered a child. He died of a sudden illness and did not announce the truth. As a result, the power of the country was stolen by outsiders. I received the Empress Dowager's secret order to raise my troops to clear the royal family. I acted according to the ancestral teachings and have a good reason to do so! "
"All of you are the generals who protect the country. Once the traitors are eliminated, all of you will be meritorious officials who will enjoy endless glory and splendor. Don't look at our army's hasty response to the battle yesterday, which caused us to lose the initiative and was taken advantage of by Zhengde. But our army is well-equipped and our foundation is not damaged. On the other hand, what about Zhengde? This traitor is incompetent in governing the country. He only knows how to use his troops to build up military might. As a result, there are endless wars inside and outside the country. Our national treasury is empty and on the verge of collapse. Although we are strong for a while, it will be difficult to last for long! "
He took three steps forward and leaned on the railing of the ship. In a loud voice he declared, "This is Poyang Lake. In the past, Emperor Taizu Gao fought Chen Youliang here to determine the winner. They fought fiercely for thirty-six days and won a great victory. Thus, the ownership of the world was determined. Today, we will also fight a decisive battle to the death with Zhengde's traitor army. If we win this battle, we will take the capital and pacify the world! "
He waved his hand. King Ning's imperial bodyguards carried boxes to the first deck of the ship. They opened the lids and poured the contents onto the deck. Gold ingots, silver ingots, pearls, precious stones, under the sunlight, they emitted thousands of strands of auspicious air. The officers and soldiers in front of the lake were mesmerized for a moment. Everyone was drooling.
King Ning said proudly, "I want to fight a decisive battle to the death with Zhengde here. On the day of the decisive battle, everyone must kill the enemy with all your might. The one who leads the charge will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold! Anyone who is injured will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold! Once the battle is over, I will reward you as promised. Do the soldiers of the three armies have the confidence to fight? "
"Yes! Yes! Yes! " The Mountain Bandit Army, Water Pirate Army, and Magic Stick Army all felt their blood boiling. The cannon fodder cheered excitedly, and the thunderous sounds of "have" were mixed with many "want". Pairs of eager and determined eyes stared at the gold, silver, and jewelry piled up on the deck. Zhu Chenhao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
When he turned around, his face immediately darkened. His hands trembled slightly. It wasn't that his heart ached for the wealth that King Ning's residence had accumulated for a hundred years. It was because when the princess and the others rushed over from Jiujiang, they also brought bad news. Li Sen sent out his troops from Huguang and divided them into three groups. They came from Xiushui, Shangli, and Lianhua respectively. The troops from Liguang and Fujian had already broken through their southern defense line and captured Nan 'an, Gan Zhou, and Zhejiang. The encirclement was gradually shrinking.
And Zhengde personally led the elites from the north and south. They were aggressive and overbearing. How could the battle at Poyang Lake be compared to the battle between Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang? Whoever lost that battle would lose the kingdom. Now, if he lost, he would lose his life. But what if Zhengde lost? They only needed to retreat from Nanjing and wait for the other armies to attack.
This was a desperate gamble. What he was gambling on was not the kingdom. He was gambling on the craziest revenge of a gambler who knew he was going to lose. If I, Zhu Chenhao, am finished, you, Zhengde, won't have an easy time either.
The army of the court finally arrived. Not only did Zhengde personally lead the elites from the two capitals, but Wu Wending and his son also led the Anqing garrison and killed their way down.
King Ning's army stood with their backs to the lake. They placed all of the cannons on the battleships and used iron chains to connect the boats to form a wall. The land army dug earth to make trenches and built stone walls to block the Ming army's firearms. It looked like they were going to use the cannons to attack and the infantry to focus on defense. They were going to wait for a chance to fight.
What surprised them was that when the Ming army reached the lake, they stopped advancing as if they had something to rely on. King Ning stood at the bow of the boat and watched the Ming army's actions in the distance. He couldn't help but feel puzzled.
King Ning asked curiously, "What does Zhengde mean? Does he want to trap our army here until we die? "
The people around him also felt it was strange. Li Ziran's expression suddenly changed. "Not good, the Ming navy!" he exclaimed.
Li Ziran's words reminded everyone that the Ming infantry relied on their sharp firearms to attack like a hot knife through butter. They had suffered too many blows from the Ming army. Every time they remembered the Ming army's swift and fierce attack at the beginning of the battle, they felt a lingering fear. They only cared about defending against Fan Ming's valiant infantry and forgot that the Ming navy's advantage was much better than their land army.
How could they not use such a powerful fleet and use their land army to fight the enemy? King Ning's expression changed. "Quick!" he said. "Untie the iron chains immediately. Have the fleet spread into a defensive formation to prevent a surprise attack from the Ming army!"
It was already too late. The Ming army's warships had moved south at the same time as the land army. They had already sailed into Poyang Lake from the Yangtze River. Other than Peng Shaosha's warships, all of Zhengde's escorts along the way from Jingshi had sailed over and entered Poyang Lake with great power. King Ning's fleet used iron chains to lock the boats across the lake shore. It was even more stupid than Cao Cao's' Chain Trap 'in the past. Peng Shaosha's fleet only needed to sail past in order and did not need to change their formation. The rain of cannon fire would not be wasted at all on King Ning's warships.
Emperor Zhengde was afraid that King Ning would use a scoundrel trick again. In order to gain the upper hand on moral grounds, the warships were also prepared with a few ancestors recorded in Zhu Yuanzhang's genealogy: Zhu Zhongba, Zhu Bailiu, Zhu Sijiu, Zhu Chu, Zhu Wusi. A series of numbered ancestors' memorial tablets were all placed in the ship's hold as backup. There was even the memorial tablet of the Song Dynasty's great philosopher Zhu Xi. This was because Zhu Yuanzhang, in order to climb up to a famous ancestor, once believed that the Song Dynasty's Zhu Xi was one of his ancestors. It was only because it was so long ago that the genealogy was lost and could not be completely verified.
However, his preparations were completely useless. King Ning's navy was utterly defeated. They only cared about running for their lives. How could they still have the mood to compete with him on whose ancestor's seniority was higher?
The Ming army's cannons fired in unison. King Ning's navy, who did not have time to unlock the cannons to deal with the enemy, could not fight well. Many of the warships were shot and caught on fire. The fire was fueled by the wind. Once it started, the 'beep, beep, beep' became more and more intense. The large ship that Zhu Chenhao was on was also caught on fire.
For a moment, the pirates were in an uproar. At this moment, the war drums thundered and the bugles sounded. The Ming army on land launched their final attack. Thousands of soldiers and horses charged forward. On the water and on land, there was a fierce battle.
In the middle of the Ming army, Zhengde and Yang Ling, wearing thick clothing, sat in a carriage with their hands tucked in their sleeves. In front of them were two large stoves. Beside them stood a line of young eunuchs, each of them holding a stack of handkerchiefs. Zhengde lazily leaned against a brocade cushion with a blanket on his knees. He took a handkerchief to wipe his nose and then handed it to the young eunuch to take another one. He said, "Today's battle is like Mount Tai pressing down on an egg. Zhen predicts that King Ning will lose without a doubt."
"That's right, Your Majesty. But Peng Shaosha's cannon was too inaccurate. How could it hit King Ning's warship? Your Majesty has promised the soldiers' pay, we are all counting on King Ning. If the ship sinks, or if the soldiers take advantage of the chaos and steal the gold and silver, Your Majesty will break your promise to the army. "Yang Ling also had a dispirited expression as he said.
Emperor Zhengde humphed and laughed, "There's no harm. After we wipe out the judge's army, Zhen will personally go to Jiangxi. King Ning's mansion must be removed from the border defense. The Imperial plantation's fields, servants, palaces, and the like will all be taken care of. Zhen will not treat these soldiers unfairly."
He looked at Yang Ling and curiously asked, "Yang Ling, your snot is about to flow into your mouth, why don't you wipe it?"
With a bitter face, Yang Ling said, "Your Majesty, this subject's nose is still swollen. It hurts badly when I wipe it. I have to be gentle. This subject's bones are sore. How is Your Majesty's dragon body?"
Zhengde sighed and said, "Dragon body? Even a dragon body can't stand the cold water. Zhen is sleepy. Someone, bring Zhen a bowl of ginger soup and brown sugar water. Zhen will sleep for a while after drinking it. I really can't hold on any longer. My beloved subject, you also have a bowl. "
In a short while, a little eunuch brought in two bowls of ginger soup. The ruler and his subject sat in the carriage with the curtains lifted. Looking at the fierce battlefield in the distance, they sipped the soup while their noses flowed … …
* * *
Zhengde's nose was running while King Ning's tears were flowing.
The soldiers were retreating step by step. They had lost all will to fight. The morale that was boosted by money had completely collapsed under the bombardment of cannons. Especially when the warship he was commanding started to catch fire. The soldiers began to scatter in all directions.
Most of his subordinates were heroes of the pugilistic world. People of the pugilistic world understood the principle of 'where there's life, there's hope' better than others. No one would risk their lives for wealth that they could not enjoy.
In order to stop the deserters, Liu Yangzheng, Zhang Lun, Li Shishi, the Grand Heavenly Master, and the others personally disembarked from the ship to supervise the battle. But after Li Shishi killed a few of the deserters with his saber, the deserters became enraged, and with a single slash of his saber, Li Shishi's heart turned cold. Liu Yangzheng and the others were so frightened that they only dared to shout 'kill the enemy', and no longer dared to kill the deserters.
Seeing this, Li Ziran waved his sword to supervise the battle as he moved further away. When he was far away from the crowd, he immediately changed into a soldier's uniform and disappeared among the deserters.
The cannons fired fiercely and the cannons fired fiercely. The Ming soldiers who rushed up brandished their swords and spears fiercely. But the number of King Ning's rebels who died in their hands was less than four thousand. Those who jumped into the lake and drowned were more than ten thousand. The rest of the rebels ran left and right, trying to find a way out.
At this time, the Vice Governor of the King Ning Navy, Da Gouzi, was hurriedly driving a small boat to escape. He was fighting the enemy on the water. When he saw the situation was not good, he immediately drove a small boat to escape. The soldiers were busy dealing with the King Ning's warship by the lake. They only fired a few cannons and did not chase after them.
But among the cannons, one of the cannonballs hit the center of the boat, creating a large hole. The lake water flowed backwards. Although they had escaped from the main battlefield and no one was chasing after them, the lake water flowed back fiercely. They could not even stop it. Now, they were about to sink.
He had brought three people with him. Two of them were killed by this cannonball. The remaining one was barely breathing and did not look like he would survive. Da Gouzi had been pierced in the right rib by a piece of wood and was also heavily injured. But his life force was strong enough. You Ziqiang held on and tried to find a way out.
A small island appeared about one li in front of them. But the lake water was heavy and the boat could not move. Da Gouzi had no choice but to abandon the small boat and jump into the water. Using his incomparably terrible swimming skills, he swam towards the small island.
Even though he was heavily injured, Da Gouzi's physical strength was strong. Using one hand to dog paddle, he actually got closer and closer to the shore. There was a child standing on a protruding rock on the shore. Clearly, the distant cannonball sound had attracted his attention. He was currently gazing into the distance. Da Gouzi, whose waves were half a day high, naturally attracted his attention.
Da Gouzi also discovered his existence. Da Gouzi was already exhausted. Seeing there was someone on the shore and a small boat tied to the reef, he could not help but be ecstatic. He said, "Little brother, hurry and save me. Uncle has gold and silver to reward you."
That child was not very old. He was only eleven or twelve years old. He stared fixedly at Da Gouzi and suddenly seemed to recognize him. His eyes immediately emitted a hateful light. This child was the fisherman's son who was hacked to death by King Ning at Huangshiji because he pronounced the name of the place "Wang Shengji". After he jumped into the water to escape, he fled here and sought refuge with his older sister who married him here.
At that time, Da Gouzi was standing next to King Ning to stop him from pouncing on his father. He even pulled out his knife and wanted to kill him. This person had a pair of large eyes with more white than black. He had an extremely wide mouth. It was very easy to recognize him. The child remembered his appearance. Da Gouzi did not remember who this child was. He had killed countless people in his life. How could he remember a child's appearance?
The child carefully looked at him again. Suddenly he leapt up. Like a small fish, he fiercely plunged into the icy cold lake water. The surface of the water only splashed a few waves.
Da Gouzi's legs were cramping. Even though he was very close to the shore, to him it was as far as ten thousand miles. Seeing that the child's swimming ability was so good, Da Gouzi could not help but be ecstatic. He struggled with all his might and said, "Hurry, hurry and save me. I have a large sum of money to thank you."
Unexpectedly, once the child plunged into the water, he completely disappeared. Da Gouzi struggled with all his might, waiting for someone to save his life. He was stretching his neck with all his might to paddle towards the shore. Suddenly he felt his two ankles tighten. It was as if something was entangling them. Da Gouzi was shocked. He had just let out a scream when his entire person disappeared from the surface of the lake.
The lake water quickly smoothed out the scratches. After a while, a string of bubbles suddenly appeared on the surface of the water. Then it became calm again.
The guards on King Ning's warship had removed all the planks to prevent the chaotic army from getting on. King Ning and Zhu Chenhao stood high up at the bow of the ship. They saw fire all around them. The army was defeated. Especially since it had just entered winter, the wind was strong. The flames were everywhere. There was no way to put out the fire. Peng Shaosha's warship had already come close to help close combat. His secondary warship was already fighting fiercely.
King Ning's tears streamed down his face. He hurriedly ran into the cabin. He sobbed and said, "My beloved concubine, my power is gone!"
The cabin was filled with his concubines, sons, daughters, guests of honor, daughters-in-law and people close to him. When they heard this, there was a burst of crying. King Ning's concubine Lou Suzhen was the granddaughter of Jiangnan's Neo-Confucian grandmaster Lou Liang. Her poetry and ancient techniques were the best in Jiangxi. She was a famous talented woman. She had long known that her husband had the intention of rebelling. She had tried to dissuade him time and time again. However, King Ning was blinded by greed and ignored her. As someone's wife, what could Concubine Lou do?
Now that King Ning's army had been defeated, there was no turning back. Concubine Lou could only say with tears in her eyes, "Qie had bitterly advised Your Highness before. Don't betray the grace of the country. Your Highness didn't listen, which led to today's ending. Your Highness betrayed His Majesty. Qie can't bear to betray Your Highness. "
She walked to the bow of the ship. She saw countless soldiers everywhere. Shouts of killing shook the heavens. She couldn't help but say mournfully, "Drawing a tiger slaying a dragon laments the old painting. Until now the ten feet of lake water has flowed away all my tears. "Finished speaking, she jumped into the water and committed suicide.
Although King Ning was a scoundrel, he loved and respected Concubine Lou very much. Seeing her jump into the water to commit suicide, King Ning couldn't help crying out in grief. He threw himself to the bow of the ship and cried, "Beloved Concubine! Beloved Concubine! "
In his desperation, King Ning wanted to jump into the water to follow her. But the loyal old official of the palace rushed forward and hugged him. He could only lean on the railing and cry bitterly.
The concubines in King Ning's palace were all as beautiful as flowers and as beautiful as jade. They knew that their Highness was rebelling. Once it failed, none of them would have a good ending. Now that Concubine Lou had sacrificed herself and they heard the 'pi pi pi pi pi' sounds, the fire was getting closer and closer. They thought it would be difficult for them to escape. Thereupon they all went to the bow of the ship and used their sleeves to cover their faces and jumped into the water to commit suicide.
Countless pitiful beauties turned into ghosts in the water. King Ning and Zhu Chenhao stared blankly with tears in their eyes. They couldn't think of any other way. All of King Ning's ships were in danger. Some were caught on fire, some were attacked by Peng Shasha's pirates who jumped onto the ships and started a massacre. They were forced to jump into the lake in an attempt to escape.
Many of them didn't know how to swim to begin with. Now that it was winter, the water was cold to the bone. Not long after jumping into the water, their limbs became numb from the cold. King Ning's army of sixty thousand, more than thirty thousand of them drowned. On the surface of Poyang Lake, armors, weapons and floating corpses could be seen everywhere. They piled up together like a floating island on the water.
Peng Shasha saw many women in colorful clothes jumping down from King Ning's big ship. He was afraid that King Ning would also jump into the water and commit suicide, making it difficult to find him. Hastily he ordered his men to break open the secondary ship. He steered the ship closer and personally led his men to board the ship to capture King Ning.
The imperial concubines, palace maids and eunuchs who were not able to jump into the water scattered in all directions. Peng Shasha carried his shiny steel axe and rushed to the bow of the ship. He saw a long-bearded man wearing a dragon crown and a dragon robe sitting on top of a large pile of jewels and gold. His eyes were filled with tears and he was as dumb as a wooden chicken. Peng Shasha couldn't help but exclaim in joy: "King Ning has been captured! King Ning has been captured! "
The personal guards around Peng Shasha shouted in unison. When the soldiers of King Ning's army who were still fighting and fleeing heard that King Ning has been captured, they didn't even have the courage to resist. One by one, they abandoned their weapons and surrendered.
King Ning and his guests of honor and princes were tied up tightly by Peng Shasha's pirate soldiers. Like leading cattle and sheep, they were led out of the ship and escorted to the shore. King Ning looked up and saw his Prime Minister, the Minister of War and his grandmasters were all tied up and standing on the shore of the lake.
King Ning heaved a long sigh. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he said: "In the past, King Zhou of Shang listened to women's words and led to the destruction of the world. But because I didn't believe in women's words, my country perished. It's the opposite from the past. It's too late to regret. Consort Lou, oh Consort Lou, you didn't betray me, but I betrayed you! A virtuous wife at home will not bring disaster to her husband. How can I, Zhu Chenhao, be an exception? "
※ ※ ※
If he uses a virtuous wife well, not only will his family not suffer disaster, he will also be able to build a career. While King Ning was weeping over his own ending and Yang Ling was dozing off in the warm carriage, his virtuous wife Cui Ying 'er was marching on the desert.
Cheng Qiyun had always insisted that Cui Ying 'er should rely on Fire Sieve because the allied forces of Fire Sieve and Wa seem to be the strongest at present. But this kind of alliance, when the final victory is achieved, will split due to mutual interests and once again evolve into a kind of internal strife.
The earlier they get involved, the stronger side will benefit the most. Moreover, it will be enough to form a deterrent to Bayan Meng, making him not dare to use his full strength against the Duoyan Guards. But Cui Ying 'er believes that it is easier to gain the other party's approval by sending charcoal in snowy weather than adding flowers to brocade. Now that Bayan has just reclaimed his territory and is about to usher in a harsh winter, his power is still not stable. Right now, he is the one who most craves support.
Once a Han troop of nearly ten thousand people is used by Fire Sieve and Wa Meng, the possibility of an alliance is far lower than the possibility of being used. Fire Sieve will treat them as refugees who cannot establish a foothold in the Pass and are forced to flee to the outside of the Great Wall. Fire Sieve will drive them to fight Bayan and reap the spoils from the sidelines. At the same time, being far away from the Duoyan Guards will make it inconvenient to hand over the spoils of war and obtain the necessary supplies.
But Bayan is different. He is in urgent need of allies and is the most sincere person to cooperate with. Therefore, he does not dare to let his allies bear the heavy responsibility alone to avoid losing the hearts of the people. Relying on him is a shortcut to quickly gain the approval of the nomads outside the Great Wall and integrate into their ranks. So, he insists on inserting himself between Bayan and the Duoyan Guards.
Cheng Qiyun is well-read and has been in the brothel and officialdom for a long time. She is good at protecting her own strength and taking advantage of the situation to the greatest extent. Although Cui Ying 'er is illiterate, she has seen and heard of the bloody fights for territory and territory in the Lulin Forest since young. She has gained the wisdom she needs from the bloody experience.
At present, it seems that Cui Ying 'er's style of living in the Lulin Forest is more to the taste of these barbaric heroes outside the Great Wall. Her troops have repeatedly attacked and robbed Bayan's tribe. At the same time, in order to conceal her identity, she has repeatedly looted the tribes belonging to the Duoyan Guards and had some small scale battles with both sides. Her boldness and valiant fighting strength quickly attracted Bayan's attention.
Not only did Bayan not treat her as an enemy, but after observing them for a period of time, he made a decision that shocked all his subordinates. Instead of making an enemy out of this ferocious tiger, he would form an alliance with him and use him for his own use!
Now, Cui Ying 'er, who has changed her name to Yang Ying, has just handed over a batch of cattle and sheep slaves to Cheng Qiyun's secret contact point. She has also received some rations for her subordinates to bring back to the main camp. Meanwhile, she has led over a thousand bodyguards to negotiate with Bayan.
On this grassland, there are a few sparse small tribes belonging to the Bayan and Duoyan Guards. This area is where the forces of Steadfast Guard and Bayan intersect. Due to the ambiguous attitude of the leader of Steadfast Guard, there has been no conflict between the two sides.
However, this place wasn't peaceful either. Large and small groups of mounted bandits often looted everywhere. Among these mounted bandits, there were genuine mounted bandits from the prairie as well as Red Lady's subordinates. Speaking of power, her mounted bandits were naturally the most powerful. Red Lady was skilled and bold, so she didn't put the dangers she might encounter along the way in her eyes.
In front of them, there is another small tribe. The first snow has just fallen. The snow is not heavy, but it has covered the entire grassland with a layer of silver. From afar, the white Mongolian yurts are not eye-catching. Now that they have come closer, they can see that there are twenty to thirty Mongolian yurts scattered on the grassland.
What is eye-catching is that the tribe is built on a mountain. On a low mountain, there is a forest of white birch trees. The leaves have fallen, leaving only the white trunks of the trees. At least a thousand strong Mongolian horses are tied in the forest.
Red Lady waved her hand and stopped the advance of the large group. This place has not reached the place where Bayan agreed to negotiate. It is very strange for a small tribe to have a thousand strong horses. Moreover, there are warriors standing solemnly beside these horses. Obviously, these are not the horses raised by the tribe. Rather, there is a big tribal chieftain or some other kind of big figure paying a visit here. That's why there are a thousand imperial bodyguards following them.
Red Lady thought inwardly, "If we directly walk in front, once a misunderstanding is caused, it will inevitably lead to a big battle. Today we have important things to do. Should we go around or go straight ahead?"
She swept her gaze and saw that the warriors in the birch forest have mounted their horses one after another and raised their weapons. Obviously, they have also noticed their existence and strengthened their guard.
Red Lady faintly smiled. Just as she was about to order the whole army to turn around and go forward, suddenly there is a burst of battle cry from a distance. Looking into the distance, she saw five to six hundred war horses madly pouncing towards the small tribe. The warriors on the horses brandished all kinds of weapons and made whistling and screeching sounds.
Although the horse bandits of the prairie and the soldiers belonging to the various tribes are all dressed the same, but from their performance, Red Lady immediately concluded that this is a group of horse bandits. A group of several hundred horse bandits can already be considered as a very powerful force.
At this time, that group of horse bandits also discovered Red Lady's cavalry who are waiting in battle formation. Seeing that the opposite party's troops are stronger than theirs, this group of horse bandits also felt a little weak. But now it is already impossible for them to turn around and leave. Their vanguard has already stepped into the territory of the tribe.
The warriors guarding at the foot of the mountain panicked. Obviously, they thought that Red Lady's troops and that group of several hundred horse bandits are on the same side. Therefore, they only separated a few hundred horse bandits to fight against that group of horse bandits. The rest of the people suddenly rushed over and guarded in front of a Mongolian yurt, staring at Red Lady's troops in battle formation.
Red Lady didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This blunder was really a bit inexplicable. She robbed people every day, and today, with great difficulty, she finally stopped being a horse bandit, but unexpectedly, she encountered other horse bandits robbing her.
The number of people who were separated to stop the enemy is equal to that of the horse bandits. Although they can resist them, they can't stop all of them.
When the horse bandits saw so many people suddenly appear in front of them, which is very different from the information they gathered yesterday, they also felt scared in their hearts. But now, the arrow on the bowstring has no choice but to be released. They can only brace themselves and rush forward. They have already trampled through two Mongolian yurts, and the herdsmen inside rushed out crying.
Red Lady quickly made a judgment. Although she doesn't know who those warriors who look very valiant and good at fighting belong to, she can see that their equipment is still relatively good. Moreover, their fighting strength also doesn't seem to be weak. She came to the prairie without any foundation, so if she wants to fish in troubled waters, it doesn't seem to be harmful to make friends with the chief of a big tribe.
Red Lady pinched her chin like a man and calculated for a while. Then, she lightly smiled, elegantly pointed her right index finger forward, and said in a clear voice, "Go, assist this tribe and take down that group of horse bandits for me!"
When Feng Lei heard this, he took the lead and raised his snow-white Zhanmadao high. His warhorse drew an arc in the air and circled around that group of horse bandits. The five to six hundred people behind him whistled and raised their swords, spears, and sticks, following behind Feng Lei like a whirlwind.
Inside the Mongolian yurt that was guarded by hundreds of strong soldiers, two guards rushed in and reported anxiously, "Reporting to Your Highness, two groups of horse bandits suddenly attacked from outside. Your Highness, please leave with us quickly!"
Yin Qiqi Ge turned her head and her delicate eyebrows wrinkled. She reprimanded the imperial guard, "Can't you see that I am busy? You can't even deal with small horse bandits? "
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