Chapter 954
: Taiping Sect Retreats South
Chapter 954: Taiping Sect Retreats South
It's getting late,
The sunset is like blood,
Under the city of Daliang, there was still the desolation and chill after the battle. In the dim light, one could still hear some miserable wails from the battlefield, which made people shudder. A few crows fell from the sky as if no one was around, and landed on the corpses under the city, calling a few times, which made the scene even more terrifying.
As both sides sounded the gong,
The remaining remnants of the army withdrew from the battlefield one by one, without any signs of life.
Inside the Taiping Sect's tent in the south of the city, the atmosphere was heavy. The Taiping Sect's carefully planned strategy of heading north to attack Tongzhou City had been crushed by the defeat in the encounter at Anyang, like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard. It was an unspeakable nightmare.
I never thought that the imperial reinforcements would have such a strong fighting force. The cavalry outside the pass was simply unstoppable. Therefore, after breaking through here, there are still more than 50,000 elite guards of the Taiping Sect. When combined with the 50,000 elite guards from before, there is still the strength to fight.
After a day of rest,
I'm afraid the imperial army will march south today, so we can't delay any longer.
In the big tent,
The atmosphere was heavy and depressing. The heavy curtains almost completely blocked out the light from the outside. There were only a few ox-horn lamps swaying around. The dim light barely illuminated the small space in the tent, making people feel even more depressed.
Many guardians and flag owners, either sitting or standing, all looked extremely heavy-hearted. Some even had fear in their eyes. Since the Taiping Religion started the uprising, they had been so powerful in the interior of the country. But now, a great defeat had shaken their foundations. They had not expected the imperial army to be so resilient. The figure of Luo Yunhou leading the troops to charge was chilling.
"I went north this time on my own accord, and I have caused trouble for you all."
The leader Chu, who was sitting in the main seat, was the first to break the silence. His voice was a little hoarse, and he was more of a self-blame. He looked at Zuo Feng, the former commander of the crown prince, who was sitting in the east. He opened his mouth, and finally smiled bitterly.
"Brother Zuo, now that things have come to this, I still need you to explain to His Highness. The imperial court reacted quickly to this battle, mobilizing the army without hesitation, and using Marquis Luo Yun from outside the Great Wall to lead the troops. There was almost no hesitation. And the one who faced him head-on, if I remember correctly, was the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard. He was a trusted general of the retired emperor. How could he follow him south and infiltrate Marquis Luo Yun's army?"
These questions were not considered interrogations. Many people were puzzled. The group of soldiers who blocked the official road and fought to the death were shocking.
Zuo Feng's left arm was injured, wrapped in a brocade bandage with traces of blood seeping out of it. His face was as pale as paper and looked extremely ugly. He was ordered to lead his troops northward, but almost all of Linshan County's 100,000 new troops were gone, and there was no way to talk about what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had told him to do.
How can I go back and explain to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? The encounter that day shocked him deeply. The so-called veteran soldiers in the Beijing camp, their battle formations and armors, have already reached the pinnacle. Wang Ziteng’s training is not in vain. He struggled to get up, bowed with effort, and said;
"Master Chu, now that things have come to this, it is better to think of a way to retreat. The soldiers I left in Weizhou, south of the capital, have almost disappeared. The remaining ones are insignificant and cannot affect the overall situation. The main force of the court will definitely go south today. It is possible that they will retreat to Linshan County City on the way. Then, Master Chu must contact the White Lotus Sect, otherwise the consequences will be unpredictable."
Zuo Feng did not intend to run away first. Not to mention the injuries on his body, even if he left, he had to know the movements of the Taiping Sect and the imperial army. Weizhou was still in the final stages, so it was better to buy more time.
"Thank you for your understanding, Commander Zuo. I have already sent a secret letter to the White Lotus Sect. I think the White Lotus Sect will not sit idly by. Huaizhou still has 50,000 soldiers. If possible, we can use them for the time being. They will arrive in three days."
"That's good."
Zuo Feng, supported by his deputy general, sat down with difficulty.
then,
The tent was once again filled with silence and numbness, when someone shouted,
"Master Chu, this battle cannot be entirely blamed on you. The enemy was well prepared and extremely cunning. We were ambushed by them. We were unintentional and it was inevitable that we would be defeated. But the brothers fought bravely."
The former guardian Wei Siyuan shouted with a red face. In this battle, almost all of his old camp's troops were killed.
"Yes, Master, you have tried your best. We brothers cannot kill him. We have to accept it. This is not the only time we will fight. Linshan County has already repaired the city walls and defenses. At worst, we can kill him once more to let the court know what it means to defend a city."
The one who spoke was Tang Zheng, the leader of the Five Elements Banner. He was the first to lead the troops in this breakout, tearing open a gap in the ambush blocking the road.
As the two talked, the tense atmosphere in the tent relaxed, and there was no longer the suffocating feeling. Chu Yiyue, sitting in the main seat, looked back with deep eyes and murmured,
"At this hour, they should be here by now."
His eyes narrowed, he shook his head, glanced at everyone, and said;
"No matter what, we have lost this battle and suffered heavy losses. Even if we inflict heavy casualties on the imperial army, we have lost. For now, we should retreat a step and not stay for long under the city of Daliang. If we stay behind to block the troops, we will immediately retreat to the county city."
Many people agreed with this idea of leaving, but the left protector Zuo Ling and the right protector Du Shaoqing looked unhappy. If they left, the people who died before would not have died in vain. In addition, Chenzhou City sent about 100,000 slave soldiers. Although they were all refugees, they still had the spirit to kill the imperial court soldiers. In addition, Daliang City was already crumbling. In a few days, the city would be broken.
"Master, you are right. We have suffered so much loss, and the court must have suffered a lot. The 30,000 guards from Linshan County have arrived today to escort the 100,000 slave soldiers from Chenzhou. And you have ordered to bury sulfur and kerosene under the camps on both sides of Daliang City. The arrangement has been completed. If you want to tell your subordinates, we are fighting with the court right under Daliang City."
The right protector Du Shaoqing had a gloomy and cruel face. He had not even fought. He had spent all his energy to mobilize the army from the rear and had already arrived at the city. One hundred thousand slave soldiers, plus the fifty thousand elite soldiers in his hands, and the fifty thousand guards brought by Master Chu, were enough to fight. He did not believe that the court still had so much strength.
"Yes, Master Chu, we fought hard in yesterday's battle, but the imperial court only won a miserable victory. If the imperial court's troops arrive here today, it means they haven't rested yet. We can wait for them to tire themselves out and ambush them. We may be able to win. Master Chu, please consider this."
How could the Left Protector retreat? The decision to march north was also his responsibility. Zhou Xiu had 10,000 troops, but now they were gone, and it was unknown whether they had met with any misfortune. The nearby Daliang City was like an insurmountable mountain, standing there despite the raging waves. Wang Ziteng would not retreat, so what could he do?
The firm words of the two men made the generals in the tent waver again, as if what they said made sense. If the ambush was successful, perhaps they could turn defeat into victory.
"Ahahaha, rest? That's easy for the two guardians to say."
The former guardian Wei Siyuan sneered and immediately retorted;
"Everyone, if Daliang City has been taken by us, relying on this city as a pincer attack, this decisive battle is still feasible. But now, this city is still in the hands of Wang Ziteng. Even if he is defeated again and again and loses his main force, the Lu family has been operating here for generations. Who can believe that he has no soldiers?
In addition, my sect has just been defeated, morale is low, and food and grass are insufficient. Although we say that we have 100,000 slave soldiers, our elite troops are less than 100,000 at most, and our troops are still in Linshan County City. If we use our own weaknesses to attack their strengths, once we are surrounded, it will be difficult to escape."
These words were spoken mercilessly, alerting everyone. The former guardian was absolutely right. The weapons and armor they had were already lost on the battlefield. Without the advantage of weapons and armor, how could they fight?
"Well, that's a good point. What do you think?"
Chu Yiyue nodded in satisfaction. Fortunately, he had been told before.
"Master Chu, and all the brothers in the sect, if we don't retreat now, it will be too late. We should return to the county city first, and then leave some troops to defend the city, and the main force will continue to withdraw to the south, leaving enough buffer time to deal with the imperial court's troops. If we are trapped in one place, think about how the White Lotus Sect ended up in a dead end."
Everyone present here knows how the White Lotus Sect was defeated. They were trapped to death in the county town.
"Protector, if we really want to leave, it will be easier said than done. With so much baggage, weapons, and wounded, we can only withdraw to the county town at best. I'm afraid it will be too late to move in a short time."
The flag master smiled bitterly. Many things are not easy to do with just one mouth. Wei Siyuan said with a sinister look on his face;
"Then send them all to the county city and leave them to defend the city. Once we withdraw, we will complete the supply in the county city and move south overnight. Only one general will be left behind to command all the troops in the county city. We will defend as long as we can, and there will be no reinforcements unless the main force of the White Lotus Sect moves westward."
Wei Siyuan suddenly saw the crisis. The imperial court's route of sending troops and tactics were exactly the same as before, except that the White Lotus Sect was replaced by their Taiping Sect.
Everyone fell into deep thought after hearing what the Dharma Protector said. This plan was too shocking. Why was it so urgent? Only Zuo Feng, who remained silent, was full of admiration. He had never thought that the Taiping Sect was full of talents.
"Master Chu, all the heroes, what the Guardian said is reasonable. Time waits for no one. Once the court decides to send troops, it will definitely not be just these people. Although I don't know the exact number, Marquis Luo Yun and King Jin have about 300,000 troops this time. Linshan County is connected to Chenzhou, so it doesn't make much sense to leave them. But Weizhou is a strategic place connecting the north, south, east and west. Your Highness has left a lot of food and grass there. I will take the initiative to send all of them to Master Chu. How about it?"
With Zuo Feng's words, retreat was a foregone conclusion, but whoever stayed behind to defend the city would surely face death.
"Okay, since Sect Leader Chu has already thought of a way out, then I will stay behind to defend the city. The 50,000 Sect Guards and the 100,000 slave soldiers who came to support us will all stay behind. How about that?"
The voice was cold and emotionless. Zuo Ling stood up and looked coldly at Sect Leader Chu who was sitting in the main seat. Everyone was a little stunned. Everyone knew Zuo Ling's identity. He was the Sect Leader's brother-in-law. How could they let him stay? Du Shaoqing quickly persuaded him.
"Left Protector is in a serious state. Just replace him with someone else. How can you stay? Sit down quickly. Stop joking."
I found a step and consoled her.
"Master Chu, I, Zuo Ling, have been planning for the great cause of the sect for many years. How can I be worthy of your cultivation if I flee now? The county city has sufficient soldiers and food. As long as there are enough soldiers, I can hold them back. How about that?" Chu Yiyue said with some determination, which made him look very ugly. He was in a dilemma and wanted to persuade them, but Commander Zuo smiled and spoke again, praising them.
"Haha, you are a real hero, Master Chu, even if the city is broken, it doesn't matter. There is a secret passage behind the county governor's office. There are a lot of weapons and food supplies stored inside, as well as a passage out of the city. The exit is in the valley of the Anyang Mountains in the west. Even if we can't win, we can still escape."
"Oh, there is such a thing. As far as I know, the valley to the west of the county town is not close."
There was some fear in Chu Yiyue's eyes. It was not just not close, but there must be a distance between them.
"Ahaha, it's not close, Master Chu, if you have been digging for ten years, these are still considered close. Protector Zuo, you and I both have the surname Zuo, it's rare to come across this, this is the secret passage map, you keep it."
Zuo Feng took out the secret passage blueprint and handed it over. Zuo Ling's eyes lit up. He took it with a fist and opened it to see that it was indeed a miracle. He actually dug out such a hidden place. It was obvious that the prince had big plans. There were more than one person who had such an idea.
At this moment, the messenger outside the tent shouted;
"Report. Master, the scouts have reported that the imperial army has already moved south and is still 20 miles away."
"What? You're coming so fast. Everyone, go back and lead your troops. Withdraw. Left Protector, I'll leave all my 1,000 cavalrymen to you. Keep them as a backup and wait for the right opportunity."
Chu Yi Yue really didn't want Zuo Ling to stay. He was trapped outside the isolated city with no reinforcements. Even if there was a secret passage, he couldn't ensure safety. But things had come to this point and there was nothing he could do. Time was running out!
"Master Chu, rest assured. I will not act rashly. Without the county city to delay, the imperial army will not be able to stop us!"
"Okay, everyone, let's go."
Rongguo Mansion,
Another idle day has passed.
at dusk,
The Rongguo Mansion lit up the lanterns, and even decorated the front yard with lanterns and colorful lights to create a festive atmosphere.
Inside Rongqing Hall
Grandmother Jia's eyes flickered, and she had already arranged all matters, set up a banquet, and waited for everyone to come and eat.
thinking about it,
People came quickly. Madam You walked in slowly first. She was wearing a light gauze dress with dark purple satin embroidery. She walked into the hall carefully with small steps. She was no longer tired from the Ningguo Mansion and the father and son of the Zhen family. After resting for a while, she felt much better. She looked radiant and the depression between her brows was much relieved.
Upon entering the door,
Then he greeted Lady Jia and said:
"Grandfather, what great event has happened today? Look at how energetic you are today, even more energetic than that young man!"
As soon as the person arrived, flattering words came over. Jia Mu heard it and hurriedly waved her to sit down, smiling;
"You only know how to make me happy. Whatever you want to say, wait until everyone is here."
Seeing that Madam You looked much better, Grandmother Jia was naturally happy. The Ningguo Mansion was still counting on her to have a baby. Perhaps it was because of this that she looked much more energetic.
"Look at what our ancestors said. It is just like that. How can it be called deceiving people?"
Madam You had a kind face and sat down. Yin Die'er behind her seemed to know something and reached out to support her. She looked very polite, leaving only Grandmother Jia's eyes full of smiles.
What else do you want to say?
But as if it was pre-planned, the eldest grandmother Li Wan, surrounded by a group of old women and maids, also walked in. Li Wan has always been dignified and steady. She was wearing a plain wide robe, with only cloud patterns and elegant plum blossoms embroidered on the cuffs and collar. She still had a wooden hairpin on her head. Her orchid-like temperament was dazzling. She was well-educated and dignified.
"The old lady is fine, the granddaughter-in-law is late,"
Grandmother Jia was filled with emotion, thinking that they had finally made it, and that Lang'er had passed the imperial examination, which was a blessing.
"Stop being so polite. Sit down first. They will be here soon."
Li Wan nodded, her hands unconsciously supporting her abdomen. Nanny Wang and Su Yun and others behind her carefully protected her. Li Wan then sat down. However, Grandmother Jia did not notice such details, because a hearty laugh came from outside.
Wang Xifeng was seen wearing a bright red brocade gown embroidered with colorful red birds, a gold-threaded eight-treasure hairpin with a mutton-fat jade hairpin on her head, and a pair of phoenix eyes. She led the three girls into the house in a hurry. As soon as they entered the house, they were restless and a cheerful voice came,
"Oh, why did Sister You and Sister-in-law come so early today? Could it be that they smelled the fragrance and wanted to taste a few bites to test Sister Liu's cooking skills before we sisters come?"
In a flash,
The atmosphere in the hall became lively. The three girls came in behind them. Yingchun was still the calm and timid person. She stood there in pink clothes without saying a word, which made her look even more delicate. Tanchun was different. She had sharp eyes and wore royal blue clothes, which made her look even more shrewd. Xichun was eccentric. She was imitating Daiyu. She wore a green Zen robe. I don't know what it meant.
"You are a scoundrel, you are the one who talks too much. Come in and sit down first."
"Hey, it's not good to talk too much, just sit down, I'll accompany my sister-in-law."
Without letting anyone arrange for him to do so, he went straight to sit next to Li Wan and even deliberately touched her shoulder, as if he had something to say, causing Li Wan to look back.
Then,
Baoyu and Shi Xiangyun actually followed in one after the other, which made everyone look a little puzzled, but Grandmother Jia didn't care about that.
"My son, you are here at last. Come and sit here."
When Grandmother Jia saw Baoyu, she was speechless and just pulled Baoyu to sit in front of her. Shi Xiangyun sat on the side with her. She didn't say much, just looked at the people around her.
Yuanyang, who was arranging the people outside, came in quietly.
"Madam, the young lady from the concubine's side, and Miss Lin, said they went to the farm to check the account books, and they haven't come back yet, so they can't come."
"Checking the accounts so late at night, where are you checking?"
Grandmother Jia was stunned when she heard this. She had never heard of these things. Did the mansion still need them to check the account books? She glanced at Feng girl unconsciously, only to see Wang Xifeng seemed fine, still drinking tea. This was strange.
"In reply to the old lady, the maid in Miss Lin's courtyard said that she went to the manor of the Marquis's mansion to check the accounts. I didn't ask what they were talking about."
Yuanyang didn't say much. As for matters involving the Marquis' Mansion, she naturally picked up the subject. No one knew about the Yunhai Bank.
"Oh, since it is the Marquis's business, it is also their own business. There are some things that they should learn."
Grandmother Jia's eyes moved. It seemed that the two maids understood. She looked at Baoyu beside her and suddenly felt that Xiangyun was a good girl, but she was still lacking a lot compared to the one from the Meng family. After all, the Shi family was not as good as before, and none of the younger generation of the Shi family was useful. The troops in the army had also been almost diluted. Without an official position, they were useless.
Although the girl from the Meng family was not the daughter of a noble family, she was also a lady from a well-off family. Her father was a new civil servant, and she was really a help to Baoyu. Suddenly, Baoyu's marriage was on his mind a lot, and it could not be delayed any longer.
"Feng girl, have you gone to talk to the matchmaker at the Red Mansion?"
(End of this chapter)