in2ebook Chapter 477 Xie Jingchun Makes a Meritorious Deed
Chapter 477 Xie Jingchun Makes a Meritorious Deed
Gu Zheng quickly shook his head, "I really don't know! I'm just a lowly soldier, the kind who stands guard at the city gate at night..."
"I've said everything I can say, there's really nothing else..."
"Can you let me go? I really just want to go home. My home is on the south slope of the city... My mother is waiting for me..."
Xie Jingchun did not respond, but simply raised his hand and waved it.
Two soldiers immediately stepped forward and dragged Gu Zheng away.
Gu Zheng struggled and shouted, "Didn't you say that surrendering would save your lives?! You broke your promise!"
The next morning, the snowfall subsided slightly, but the sky remained overcast.
Gu Zheng was locked in an abandoned warehouse on the west side of the camp.
The house had no iron locks, and was guarded by only two soldiers.
He leaned against the wall, crouching down and peeking out.
He still harbored a glimmer of hope and kept thinking about finding a chance to escape.
But the more he looked, the colder his heart became.
In the distance, dozens of large water vats were neatly arranged on an open ground, and soldiers were taking turns carrying water. Some were busy sealing the vats, while others were carrying wooden buckets to pour water into the temporarily dug irrigation canals.
The canal stretched all the way to the front camp, leading directly to the front line.
In addition, many soldiers were reinforcing wooden shields and wet blankets, and preparing fire-retardant powder.
Daliang, the commander's tent in the city.
As night fell, the charcoal fire in the brazier crackled and popped.
Li Wuyang leaned against the low couch, holding a cup of warm wine in his hand, his expression arrogant.
After listening to his subordinate's report, he chuckled softly, his laughter filled with sarcasm and disdain.
Xie Jingchun, that idiot, is still just a child.
Of Xie Yanli's sons, this one was the easiest to deal with. He was young, impulsive, and passionate, but lacked common sense.
Before he could finish his drink, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside.
Immediately afterward, soldiers outside the tent cried out in alarm, "Your Majesty! The Great Jin army... the Great Jin army has attacked the city!"
"What?! They've attacked the city?!"
Li Wuyang suddenly stood up, his voice rising abruptly.
The soldier knelt on the ground, his face as pale as paper.
A moment later, Li Wuyang suddenly turned around, kicked over the low table behind him, and cursed through gritted teeth, "Didn't they already believe Gu Zheng's story? Shouldn't they have prepared for a few more days? Why are they attacking now?!"
Lin Yuan City is situated on flat terrain, open on all sides, and lacks natural barriers.
If they want to hold out to the death, they need a large army to suppress the rebellion and sufficient food supplies.
Unfortunately, after these past few months of fighting, both supplies and troops have suffered heavy losses.
Whether it's mobilizing supplies or troops, it all takes time.
That's why he resorted to this desperate measure, sending Gu Zheng to mislead the Jin army.
I thought Xie Yanli would definitely believe that story, and that we could at least buy ourselves another three to five days. But now it seems... damn it!
Night fell.
The cold wind whips up the banners like a battle song, and the flames of war rage beneath the walls of Linyuan City.
Xie Jingchun stood on horseback in front of the Great Jin army, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the firelight.
His expression was calm, and his gaze was sharp.
He held a gun in one hand, the tip pointing diagonally forward, and raised the other hand high, giving a deep command: "Archers, suppress the city walls! Left flank, flank the rear! Vanguard, listen to my command—"
"attack!"
The sound was like thunder, bursting through the air.
Behind him, ten thousand troops responded and moved, their armor clashing and their battle cries shaking the heavens.
He remained unmoved, his gaze fixed firmly on the city wall, as sharp and piercing as an eagle soaring through the sky.
Despite his young age, he was already a capable young general.
Shouldering the weight of a thousand troops, with the nation and its people at heart.
The bugle sounded loudly, and the battle cries suddenly arose.
The armor gleamed in the night, and shouts, the clash of weapons, and the roar of engines intertwined into a symphony of battle.
Xie Jingchun suddenly spurred his horse, pointed his spear, and charged forward, with his personal guards close behind.
On the city tower, rows of torches were lit.
Xie Jingchun's gaze met Li Wuyang's, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
If it were the old him, he might have actually been fooled by that deserter from Daliang.
But now, he will no longer easily trust others.
He noticed the flaw from the beginning and then discussed with his father to devise two plans.
First, feign a ceasefire and observe the situation to stabilize the enemy's forces; second, secretly order the army to prepare for a surprise attack from the flank, launching a fierce assault under cover of night to catch them off guard!
Xie Jingchun pointed his spear and shouted, "Beat the drums! Attack the city!"
"boom--!"
The war drums thundered, and the bugle calls resounded through the night sky.
"Whoever breaches the city gate will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold! Follow me!"
At his command, warhorses neighed, cavalry charged forward, siege ladders lined the city walls like a forest, and torches illuminated the sky.
Flames illuminated the sky atop the city walls, and shouts of battle echoed like thunder.
Li Wuyang stood on the high platform, his battle robes pulled tight, his face ashen.
Flames roared beneath the city walls as the Jin army surged forward like a tidal wave, like a tiger descending a mountain, closing in on the city gates.
"Your Majesty, it will be too late if we don't leave now!" The lieutenant rushed forward, panting heavily, his forehead covered in blood. "The enemy's offensive is too fierce; we can't hold on any longer—"
Li Wuyang stared intently at Xie Jingchun's military flag in the distance, his fingertips trembling inside his sleeve.
Xie Jingchun, I'll remember this grudge.
-
The battle lasted all night.
We finally captured Lin Yuan City.
The flags were changed on the city walls, the drums thundered, and the morale of the Jin army was greatly boosted.
Inside the military tent, Xie Yanli stood with his hands behind his back, observing the battle situation on the sand table.
Shen Xingjian and Xie Jingchun walked in together in military uniform, smiling as they said, "Our Chun-ge'er made the greatest contribution in this battle."
Xie Yanli also turned to look at Xie Jingchun, his eyes full of gentleness, "You did a really good job, you won this battle beautifully."
Xie Jingchun's ears turned red, somewhat embarrassed.
"It was the lieutenants who commanded well; I only used a little of the tactics my father taught me..."
Shen Xingjian stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder with a smile.
"Don't be modest. Remain calm in the face of the enemy and fight decisively! This is not something that just any young man can do! Your Highness, your son is truly a military talent."
Xie Yanli looked at him with a smile, "You are indeed very talented. You didn't win by luck, you won by skill. Keep up the good work. The war is not over yet."
Xie Jingchun nodded emphatically: "Yes!"
The wind rustled the corner of the tent, revealing the boy's clear eyes and upright posture, like a pine tree.
Great Jin Dynasty.
When the battle report reached the capital, Gao Xian was overjoyed.
When the imperial decree was proclaimed, Xie Jingchun, having discerned the enemy's plot before battle and achieved outstanding merit, was appointed General Anyuan, rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and a brocade robe.
The court officials were in an uproar; the young man's first battle and subsequent appointment as a general had shaken the court and the country.
Shou'an Palace.
Meng Wanqing had given birth several days ago, and the birthing process was extremely taxing.
She was already frail, and now she is even more extremely weak.
He had a persistent high fever for several days and coughed up blood repeatedly.
The imperial physicians were at a loss; they administered dose after dose of herbal medicine, but they were still unable to suppress the illness.
The Empress Dowager was extremely worried and stayed in the palace almost every day.
She held Meng Wanqing's hand tightly and whispered, "Wanqing, hold on a little longer. You are Che'er's mother. You can't let anything happen to you!"
Meng Wanqing on the bed was barely breathing, her eyes were unfocused, and her face was ashen, almost transparent.