Chapter 1011
: The Army Heads South
Chapter 1011: The Army Heads South
There was a faint light in the sky, and the army camp was dimly visible in the wilderness. There was deathly silence all around, with only the occasional footsteps of patrolling soldiers passing by.
suddenly,
The sound of rapid horse hooves broke the silence, and a scout galloped straight towards the commander's tent.
"Report——"
The hoarse voice cut through the silence of the early morning.
In the tent,
Zhang Jinyu, who had not yet gotten up, suddenly heard this voice and was startled. He cursed inwardly, thinking that they were coming so early in the morning and would not let him sleep well. He had no choice but to throw off the quilt, get up, put on his robe and boots, and walked out of the tent.
at this time,
The sky was turning pale, and wisps of morning light passed through the thin clouds and gently shone on the vast wilderness. The faint golden light shone on the military tents in the camp, giving them a hazy outline. It was a good day.
not far away,
The scout had just arrived, dismounted, and knelt on one knee, eager and excited.
"My Lord, General Hu has led his troops back. The city of Linyue has been burned down by the bandits. Scouts have been dispatched to follow the bandits. Some troops have retreated to Dingzhou and Zhaozhou in the mountains. Among them, Zhaozhou is flying the flag of the Taiping Sect, while Dingzhou is flying the flag with the word "left". General Hu saw that the bandits had retreated south into the mountains and did not pursue them. He led the army back and marched all night, and will soon return to the camp."
The scout's eyes were red and his breathing was rapid, obviously he had not slept all night. Hu Shoucheng must be quite capable to be able to command troops like this.
"Okay, come on, take them down to have a good rest and reward them."
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
Ning Bian nodded to the personal soldiers behind him, and someone led this person back until Zhang Jinyu put on the sleeves of his robe and put his clothes together. It was a mess. Every time he changed clothes, it was troublesome.
"My Lord, since the enemy troops have withdrawn, and Dingzhou and Zhaozhou are in the mountains, I think they are not easy to capture. Are you still going to the south?"
"Why go? Since we are in the mountains and the road is difficult to walk on, why suffer this hardship? As for Dingzhou and Zhaozhou, I also know that the two cities are small and have many unruly people. It is useless to come. You let them take it, then leave an excuse. Wait for Hu Shoucheng to return to the camp and let them stay and have a good rest. We will set off and head straight to Runan City. Let General Duan and General Yin lead the army first."
Zhang Jinyu buttoned up her clothes in boredom. It was a piece of clothing that was so complicated to design. No wonder those who had affairs in the past were caught. It took them so long just to put on their clothes. It would be strange if they were not caught. After finally buttoning up her clothes, she waved her sleeves.
"My Lord, who will be the one to take over Qinzhou City?"
Ningbian was a little stunned. If the army was taken away, who would defend Qinzhou?
"Didn't I tell you before to let the Linyuefu garrison commander Qin Yunjiang lead 10,000 troops to garrison Qinzhou, and let Gu Ping's troops go back to defend Chenzhou County City. As for Song Yutian, let him stay in the county city for the time being and plunder the landowners. Those rich landlords will have buried silver, so let him dig it out."
Zhang Jinyu fixed her robe and put on her cloud-bottomed boots. She was finally done.
"Uh, yes, Lord, I will pass the order to General Song. Lord, when will we set out today?"
Ning Bian supported the Marquis and carefully entered the tent.
The person inside heard the noise and had already prepared to get up. He returned to the table, poured a bowl of tea to moisten his throat,
"Let's set off after we finish our meal. Oh, by the way, there is one more thing. The messenger just said that the flag of Zhaozhou is the Taiping Sect, while the flag of Dingzhou is the left character. Is that correct?"
Zhang Jinyu had just taken a few sips of tea when he suddenly remembered what the messenger scout had said. How come the people in Dingzhou were not from the Taiping Sect? Who was this person surnamed Zuo? Could he be the Left Protector of the Taiping Sect? It didn't make sense. They couldn't have walked out of the mountains in such a short time.
"My Lord, there is too little information, and I don't know. The Taiping Cult has a left protector in the upper echelons, but escaping from the county town is a long way to go, and even if you can get out, it will not be done in a short time. Maybe the left protector's men will come to support you."
Ningbian was also unsure. Logically, the enemy army's flags should all be the same, but they showed the word "left". Obviously, something was fishy. The two of them thought the same thing and remained silent.
now,
The curtains in the east rustled, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin yawned and walked out from behind the curtains. Seeing that the Marquis had already taken a seat, he asked;
"My Lord, why did you get up so early?"
Seeing that Prince Jin's eyelids were slack, it was obvious that he had not woken up yet. Zhang Jinyu couldn't help laughing and shook his head.
"Just now, the scouts reported that the enemy army has retreated south into the mountains. General Hu led the cavalry to turn back. After the meal, the army set off and headed straight for Runan City without stopping!"
There was no hiding the fact that the army could not stay here for long. There was no village in front and no shop behind.
"If it's urgent, who will guard Qinzhou?"
The King of Jin remembered the Marquis's initial arrangements, and tried to ask whether the troops of General Gu Ping of Jingnan should be arranged to stay behind.
"Your Highness, the most important thing now is to contain the White Lotus Sect. Since Beijing Prince Shui Rong has held back the main force of the White Lotus Sect, we cannot go back on our word. Jingnan still needs Jingnan generals to stay behind. Qin Yunjiang will lead 10,000 troops to guard Qinzhou for vigilance. If there are any changes in the southern cities again, there will be a buffer time."
Zhang Jinyu picked up the tea bowl and filled it with hot tea for His Royal Highness Prince Jin. It is said that drinking tea in the morning is relaxing, which is absolutely true.
"Everything is up to the Marquis, but I am a little worried. Although most of the bandits were wiped out during this southern expedition, the high-ranking officers of the bandits were not captured, including the leader Chu and several Dharma protectors. In particular, there is no news about Yu Shiyuan, the governor of Jingnan, and the officials of the county. Don't you find it strange?"
The King of Jin took the tea bowl and sipped the tea carefully. He felt a little depressed. His father had instructed him to surround and kill the bandit leaders when necessary. Now the Marquis was going to withdraw the army and there was no possibility of going south. If he did so, his efforts would be in vain.
Zhang Jinyu sat there listening, groping at the edge of the porcelain bowl in his hand. After listening to King Jin's words, he sighed softly. He also wanted to catch all the thieves in one fell swoop, but so far, he has never had the chance. Not to mention that the thieves will escape, who can find them after entering the mountains?
Even if they were to contain the White Lotus Sect this time, they had no plan in their heart. Xihe County was so large that they could hide in any of the mountains. In addition, there were many sects and people from all walks of life. It was also connected to the west bank of the canal, so there were loopholes everywhere. Perhaps, it would be futile to contain them this time. Once this idea came to mind, it could never be extinguished.
"Your Highness, after the bandit leader has entered the mountain, even if a god came, he might not be found. It is not appropriate to send a large army to pursue him in Lingnan. In addition, the White Lotus bandits have already entered Xihe County. If we do not march north, if Prince Beijing Shui Rong fails to hold on and loses the county, the situation in Xihe County will deteriorate or even affect Fuling County, which will be irreversible."
Rather than explaining, it is better to talk about the consequences. Looking at the attitude of His Royal Highness Prince Jin, it is obvious that there is a secret order from the palace. It is not difficult to guess, but it is impossible to do it.
Zhou Ding was restless and hesitant. What the Marquis said made sense, but thinking about the situation in Xihe County, he sighed in his heart.
"Everything will be done as the Marquis said. We will march north to wipe out the high-ranking members of the White Lotus Sect. I heard that the leader of the White Lotus Sect is the first disciple of the previous leader. The Imperial City Secret Guards have already found out that this evil woman is called Bai Shuiyue. She is cruel and ruthless. Although she is not well-known in the martial arts world, she should not be underestimated."
"Bai Shuiyue is a good name, but it's a pity that following a thief is not a good idea. The White Lotus Sect is very cautious and never recruits outsiders into the upper echelons. They are all adopted from childhood or follow each other as master and apprentice. In this way, who can detect them? But don't worry, Your Highness, since they have gone from the dark to the light, they will not be able to escape."
Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but sigh. They were all old hands. If they really wanted to run, they couldn't be caught. But in the early years, how did the two Dukes of Ning and Rong surround and kill these high-ranking bandits? I remember there was also a saint. Was it Bai Shuiyue in disguise? He asked in confusion;
"Your Highness, I have a question for you. Do you know the answer?"
"Please speak, Lord." The King of Jin turned his head and put down his tea bowl. He didn't know what the Lord wanted to ask.
"It is said that the White Lotus Sect has a leader and a saint, one bright and one dark. Since the leader is this evil woman, I wonder who the other one is. Could it be that the leader is pretending to be two people to confuse the court and the martial arts world?"
"This is not impossible. The secret guards have sent news that the White Lotus Sect has always been led by this leader, and has never seen the so-called Saint Girl. Perhaps, as the Marquis said, one person pretends to be two people to confuse the public."
The King of Jin was obviously stunned, and then he suddenly realized. No wonder the Imperial City Bureau invested so much manpower and so many people died, but they only managed to get a spy inside. They still haven't found out who the so-called saint is. Some people even said that they haven't seen her for more than ten years. It seems that it is really as the Marquis said, one person is two people.
"If that's true, the Marquis' words have awakened the dreamer. If that's the case, if we can catch this evil woman, we will definitely solve the White Lotus Sect's scourge completely."
Seeing the look of sudden enlightenment on King Jin's face, perhaps what he said was right.
At this time, the curtain was opened, and Song Da had already walked in with his men, carrying a food box. He came in front of the two and bowed deeply.
"I pay my respects to His Highness, Lord Marquis,"
"It's so early in the morning, why are you asking for leave? Get up."
Zhang Jinyu glanced at Song Da, who had a strong body of fat, and had lost a lot of weight. He was doing his best.
"Thank you, Lord Marquis, thank you, Your Highness. I got up early and had time to supervise them. I stewed some meat for Your Highness and Lord Marquis to nourish their bodies. Hurry, bring them over, be quick."
With a flattering look on his face, he urged the people behind him. The soldiers bowed and walked carefully to the table and brought out the food. The aroma of meat filled the air, and there was also a plate of steamed buns. This was not as simple as getting up early.
"Dalang is thoughtful. Today the army is setting out. You have worked hard. Let the vanguard Yang Shixiong immediately organize the troops and lead the way. The baggage camp will gather a part and follow immediately. The rest will follow the central army. Dalang has made great contributions in this southern expedition. This marquis and His Highness have seen it. After you go back, you will be a third-class man for the younger generation. "
The so-called third-class man is a noble title. Although it is the lowest, it is still a member of the circle. These words made Song Da tremble with excitement and immediately knelt on the ground.
"I thank the Marquis and His Highness. I have no way to repay you. If Your Highness or the Marquis ever send me anywhere, just tell them that I will be happy to die for you."
Seeing that his long-cherished wish was about to come true, how could he not cry with joy? His eyes turned red and he almost cried. The King of Jin seemed to understand the Marquis' intention and said something as well.
"No need to do that. As long as you are loyal to the court and do your job well, I will not hesitate to reward you."
"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Lord Marquis,"
He kowtowed again, and Zhang Jinyu waved his hand, asking him to get up.
"Okay, just keep this to yourself, and don't make a fuss. As for the baggage, leave some food and grass for General Qin to use for garrisoning Qinzhou. Dalang will still need to take care of the journey north to Runan."
"Yes, Lord, I have already made arrangements for the baggage. Those who are preparing to transport food in the direction of the county city can directly transport it to Runan City, so that the army will not be short of food. However, the road to Xihe County is difficult, so it may be slower."
Looking at Song Da, talking casually about the matter of transporting grain, Zhang Jinyu was moved. He felt that what has been lacking since ancient times is talent. If it weren't for this southern expedition, there really wouldn't be so many capable people. He stood up and walked to Song Da, stretched out his hand and gently patted Song Da's arm.
"Okay, go ahead,"
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
Song Da nodded quickly, responded, bowed and led his people to retreat, as if he had a lot of feelings in his heart. Zhang Jinyu turned back, took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised venison and put it into his mouth. His mouth was full of meat fragrance and tender juice, which showed that it was stewed well.
The King of Jin also had a complicated expression while eating. He had many things to ask, but he didn't know how to start.
"My Lord, I admire your way of employing people."
"Your Highness, no one is perfect, and I am only helping you. By the way, since the White Lotus Sect has spies in the Imperial City, does the Taiping Sect have any secret agents in the imperial court? Do you know how many people with the surname Zuo are among the high-ranking members of the Taiping Sect?"
After eating a few large pieces of meat to fill my stomach, I remembered the flag of the Zuo family in Dingzhou, so I asked,
King Jin looked puzzled. Who could it be, Zuo?
Outside the camp, a melodious horn sounded, and the army set off.
Xihe County,
Under Yangping City,
The soft light of the early morning shone into the tower. In the end, the imperial army was defeated. The White Lotus Sect took less than two days to conquer the city. Unfortunately, most of the imperial officials fled, which made the Right Protector extremely dissatisfied.
Fortunately, there was only one fire in the city, and a large amount of supplies and food were left intact, enough for the army.
On the tower,
Facing the first ray of sunshine, Bai Shuiyue did not smile at all. She took the secret letter from her hand, and a trace of loneliness of an ordinary woman flashed across her beautiful face. After all, she left a way out.
Looking at the rolling canal, many ships were slowly retreating eastward, with a hint of mockery on their lips.
"Sir, we don't have much time left. It is said that Junior Sister has a deep fortune. It is true. Junior Sister's seed has beaten the master Chu who is known for his scheming. He can't fight back. Even the nobleman has to retreat."
As he said that, he handed the secret letter to the right protector beside him. Ying Xian was a little surprised. He took the secret letter from the leader's hand and opened it. He saw that it was a letter from Qinzhou. The imperial army had already moved south, the Taiping Sect burned the city and retreated south, and the main force of the Taiping Sect was annihilated in Linshan County City, and the defenders of Huaizhou City retreated to Linzhou, etc. This was,
Ying Xiancai's eyes suddenly widened. This meant that they were going to completely withdraw from Jingnan. And the 50,000 troops led by Zhu Tang were going to reinforce the Taiping Sect's garrison in the county city. Why would they go to Linzhou?
"Master, Master Chu of the Taiping Sect actually retreated. This is unlike Master Chu to do. There is another thing. Linshan County City is a strong city. The Taiping Sect will never give it up. The young marquis must have used some secret method to capture it in such a short time."
After thinking for a long time, Ying Xiancai still couldn't figure out what the secret method was. In the past, attacking a city always cost human lives. Even though the White Lotus Sect and the Taiping Sect could dominate the south of Beijing, they simply led refugees and used them as slaves to consume the strength of the officers and soldiers, and then used the elite troops to take it down in one fell swoop. If they really couldn't take it down, they would have to give up.
But the leader Chu of the Taiping Sect does not seem like a careless person. He would definitely deploy heavy troops in the county city to stop the enemy and buy time. But why did it turn out like this? It is puzzling.
"Humph, you will give him a lot of prestige. We have attacked cities before. Even if that guy has a good army, sufficient food, and a lot of siege equipment, he can capture a strong city in a few days. There must be some method we can't think of, or perhaps an insider method."
now,
Standing on the top of the city, Bai Shuiyue, the leader of the White Lotus Sect, always felt a little confused, especially when she thought of what her junior sister had said: sometimes, you don't have to follow the old path. Humph, after being a lady of honor for several years, you don't even know your last name.
"Master, it's unlikely. At this point, most of the traitors are dead, not to mention opening the city gates. Right now, we have the supplies in Yangping City. In Runan, because of the people from Qinzhou and Huaizhou, there are still more than 100,000 slave soldiers. I order that if the court officials and soldiers threaten Qinzhou, they can abandon Qinzhou and return to Runan City. In this way, Runan will have more than 30,000 elite soldiers."
They could give up Qinzhou and Linzhou, but not Runan City, because Runan was an important town connecting the north and south. If they lost it too quickly, the troops left in Xihe County would not have enough time to turn around.
Ying Xiancai's face looked a little ugly. What he could think of, Bai Shuiyue could not think of. According to the swiftness of Luo Yunhou's military operations, perhaps, he would reach Runan within three days. Not to mention the motley crowd in Runan, even if their number doubled, it would only be a bonus.
"Don't think about anything. We still have 130,000 elite troops and 200,000 slave soldiers in Yangping. Gather the troops immediately and hide 30,000 soldiers in the stronghold behind Qingfeng Village. Send 10,000 soldiers to build the stronghold and transport supplies. In addition, the largest mountain in Xihe County, Ma Pingshan, has already been gathered under our command. The remaining 100,000 troops can be scattered there. Gather weapons and swords, and we can also become a martial arts sect. In this way, no one will know about it."
There was an inexplicable look in Bai Shuiyue's eyes. If the Taiping Sect could stop the imperial army before, then the White Lotus Sect would sweep across Xihe County with all its strength, and then hold a meeting in southern Beijing. If not, they could only use the strategy of escaping from the shell to conceal the truth.
(End of this chapter)