Chapter 368: War drums urge the sky, beacon fires in the southwest
Chapter 368: War drums urge the sky, beacon fires in the southwest
The morning light has not yet broken, and the sky is still a deep blue-purple.
The two camps of Luchuan and Ming army watched each other on the east and west sides of Dajing River.
In the silence of the night, each of them is brewing.
Luchuan Camp is like a huge black fortress.
It is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and is magnificent. The gate of the village is wide open, soldiers are lined up, armor is flashing, and it shines a cold light under the faint starlight.
All over the camp, battle flags fluttered, whistling in the wind.
The bonfires lit up the soldiers' resolute faces.
They were either busy sharpening their knives or nervously checking their bows and spears. There was a sense of oppression in the air.
The firemen were busy shuttling back and forth.
The huge iron pot was placed on the blazing firewood, steaming.
The aroma of porridge and meat intertwined, adding a bit of fireworks to the camp that had just experienced a great war.
The long siege of Dingbian City had caused the morale of all the soldiers to drop.
In particular, the elite vanguard troops were almost all wiped out in the siege.
This made some soldiers and generals start to worry about the war that would happen in the near future.
They were scattered in various corners of the camp, looking at the food in their bowls with heavy hearts.
They all knew,
This meal may be the last meal in their lives.
Once the war begins, the entire Oigawa will become a meat grinder, ruthlessly oppressing anyone who enters it.
In the northeast corner of the Luchuan camp, the heavy elephants were awakened by the Luchuan soldiers.
Buckets of food were poured into the trough.
The soldiers drove the elephants to eat.
Today's meal is particularly rich. The trough contains not only grains, fruits and vegetables, but also some carefully prepared vegetables.
Such as elephant grass and palm reed,
The elephant's long trunk rolls up all kinds of food and stuffs them into its mouth.
He was eating so happily that his eyes were narrowed.
This made the soldiers who were raising the elephants nearby feel distressed for no reason.
A skinny soldier kept stroking the elephant and whispering in its ear:
"Eat slowly. If you win, you can have such rich food every day."
The elephant's ears fluttered gently, and its huge head swayed slightly.
It seemed like he understood and was expressing his joy.
The soldier also smiled and continued:
"Ada, you are a little stupid and afraid of pain.
Don't rush to the front, hide among your companions,
The Ming people have bows and arrows specifically designed to target you. If you are shot by an arrow, you will be in so much pain that you cannot move.
If someone tries to drive you away, don't just go forward foolishly.
They all treat you like an animal, and there is no reward for being the first to rush.
What if something goes wrong? What will I do? "
As he spoke, the skinny soldier's eyes were already filled with tears, and he was sobbing.
The tall elephant seemed to sense his sadness.
The huge trunk handed him a piece of elephant grass and nudged him.
The soldier burst into laughter and gently touched the elephant's lowered head.
"Eat, eat. Eating well will give you strength. I don't have to go to the battlefield."
He continued to murmur:
"Ah Da, Xiao Wu and Xiao Qi are already dead, you have to be careful.
If it really doesn't work, just run to the mountains and forests and hide there honestly.
When the war is over, come out again and they won’t do anything to you.”
At this moment, a loud roar sounded not far away:
"What are you all mumbling about?"
Some soldiers who were staying near the elephant raised their heads quickly.
His body shuddered, and he looked towards the camp entrance with some fear.
There stood a big man.
He was the commander in charge of the elephant troops, named Jamukha.
He held a long elephant hook in his hand, and the stick was straight.
At the front is a sharp curved hook made of fine iron. You only need to chop it lightly towards the elephant.
The sharp curved hook can pierce the elephant's skin and hook its flesh, and is usually used for elephant taming.
Jamukha took the elephant hook in his right hand and tapped it gently on his left hand.
The light sound of clapping and his light footsteps,
The many elephant soldiers present were terrified.
Some elephants that were feasting on their food began to move uneasily.
Some dodged backwards and some closed their eyes in fear.
Zhamuhe was very satisfied with their performance. He sneered and said in a cold voice:
"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking.
As long as the elephant is alive, you have value and can continue to survive in the barracks.
But today I want to tell you that four-legged elephants are hard to find, but two-legged people are everywhere!
Put away your little thoughts.
In today's battle, if these beasts don't work hard, all of you will die."
Zamuhe walked slowly along the long corridor.
Suddenly, his eyes focused and he looked at an elephant that was looking at him.
He turned around and walked over. The tall and thin soldier immediately knelt on the ground and wailed:
"Sir, sir, Ah Da is still a child and doesn't understand things. Please don't bother with him."
Zamuha came up to the tall and thin soldier and looked down at him.
With a hint of disdain on his face, he kicked the soldier in the chest, sending him flying backwards.
"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You're always grumbling to the animals. What a waste!"
As he said this, Zhamuhe threw the elephant hook in his hand hard and nailed it hard into the thigh of Ah in front of him.
The sharp corners of the hook pierce into the flesh and hold it firmly.
A look of cruelty appeared on Zamuha's face, and he pulled hard!
Moo——
The elephant kept roaring, and its long trunk rolled up and rose into the sky!
The huge body quickly took two steps forward to alleviate the pain caused by the elephant hook.
Seeing this, Zhamuha sneered and took two steps back again.
The palm of the hand pulled hard, and bright red blood oozed out from the joint of the elephant hook.
Ah Da felt pain and wanted to move forward again.
But the huge fence had blocked its body, preventing it from moving forward.
The flesh and skin were pulled out into long strips.
The inherent wrinkles have smoothed out and disappeared.
The great pain made Ada keep taking steps, dong dong dong, the sound of heavy footsteps continued in his ears.
But it can't relieve this pain.
At this time, the tall and thin soldier rushed over again.
He hugged Zhamuhe's thighs, crying and begging for mercy!
"My Lord, my Lord, Ah Da will work hard, please let it go, let it go."
The elephant kept roaring. Zhamuhe pinched his ears impatiently, then pulled out the elephant hook and cursed:
"You damned bastard, making such a big noise."
After the elephant hook was pulled out, Ah Da retreated and squeezed into the corner.
He lowered his head and dared not raise it.
The tall and thin soldier kowtowed repeatedly, shouting words like "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir".
Zamuhe was very satisfied with his performance. He sneered and looked around.
Wherever he looked, whether it was an elephant or a soldier,
They all lowered their heads and dared not to look.
"Humph, that's right. If you want to be a beast, you must be aware of being a beast.
The army gives you food, but it buys your lives.
"Go to the battlefield and give it your all. If you lose this battle, you will die!"
Zhamuha snorted coldly, turned around and walked away, shaking off the blood stains on the elephant hook as he walked.
There was silence in the elephant camp for a long time, with only soft sobs echoing.
Compared to the huge Luchuan camp, the Ming army camp was small and compact.
Although the 30,000 cavalrymen were less numerous than Luchuan, they were well disciplined and had high morale.
The layout of the camp is ingenious, shaped like a long snake.
There was a gap on the side that was left early for the following army.
The camp was also brightly lit, with smoke rising from the kitchen, and the aroma of rice and meat filled the entire camp.
The warhorse neighed from time to time.
The soldiers, dressed in light iron armor and holding spears and sharp blades, carried out the final preparations for the battle in an orderly manner.
Both his face and movements were tense, appearing calm and solemn.
The sky gradually turned pale,
The first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the vast land of Oi River.
The generals of both sides stood on high platforms, staring in the direction of their opponents.
The drums are faintly beating, the trumpets are beginning to blow,
The military camps of both sides suddenly became solemn and filled with pre-war anxiety.
As the smoke from the cooking stove died down, the soldiers left the camp.
The wind and clouds seemed to freeze because of the impending war.
Mu Ying was wearing black armor, sitting high on his warhorse.
Thirty thousand elite cavalrymen spread out behind him like a steel torrent.
The faint light of the morning sun shines on the warriors' armor, reflecting a cold and dazzling light.
Every piece of armor was stained with morning dew in the morning light, foreshadowing the coming slaughter. The warhorse seemed to sense the tense atmosphere in the air.
Pawing restlessly, breathing heavily,
The horse's mane fluttered in the breeze like black flames.
Mu Ying was wearing armor, and the red tassel on his helmet rustled violently in the wind, like a burning fighting spirit.
On the side, a large banner with the word "Mu" stood between heaven and earth.
The whistling wind blew past, creating ripples in the air.
His deep eyes stared forward.
His eyes were as sharp as a hawk locking onto its prey, and contained the determination to win!
The spear in his hand was pointed diagonally at the ground, and the tip of the spear flashed coldly in the sunlight, full of sharpness!
The Ming army was divided into three teams, with Mu Ying leading the front team, the commander-in-chief Ning Zheng leading the left team, and Tang Zhao leading the right team!
The warhorse's head was raised high at this moment, with an attitude of looking down on the world.
The cavalrymen had already unsheathed their swords and spears, flashing with cold light.
Like the stars in the night sky, so densely packed that it's frightening.
Each of them is like a taut bowstring, full of strength.
As long as Mu Ying gave the order, they would sweep forward like a strong wind.
Use Luchuan’s blood and courage to write their glorious victory.
On the west side of the Oi River, there was a thick atmosphere of solemnity and murder, as if even the earth was shaking.
Mu Ying was at the forefront of the battle formation, feeling the countless fiery eyes behind him, and shouted:
"Now we are deep in the enemy's territory and we are fighting them. If we win, we will live, but if we lose, we will die.
We have received great favors from our Lord, and today is the day to repay them.
I have made an agreement with you all: those who make contributions will be rewarded, and those who fail will be killed!"
The messengers scattered throughout the army rushed to tell each other,
The huge speaker is placed in front of the face, and it does not hesitate to use its voice!
For a moment, neat and orderly shouts rang out from the army!
Morale is high!
East of Oi River,
The Luchuan battle formation also stretched endlessly, like a fortress made of steel and giant beasts.
The most eye-catching thing is the more than one hundred war elephants in the front.
Each of these war beasts is covered in heavy armor.
The armor shone with a cold and hard metallic luster under the sunlight.
Like flowing mercury, it protects the huge body of the war elephant tightly.
There is a short spear on each side of the war elephant.
The shaft of the short spear is thick and solid, and the tip of the spear shines coldly like a fang.
On the broad back of the war elephant stands a sturdy battle tower.
These battle towers are built of tough wood and have sophisticated protection all around.
On the battle tower, Luchuan's elite soldiers stood proudly, wearing light and flexible armor.
He held the strong bow tightly in his hand, and the bowstring trembled slightly in the breeze, as if he couldn't wait for the upcoming battle.
Their eyes were fixed on the Ming army opposite, like cheetahs!
At the front of the war elephants, Luchuan King Silunfa stood high on the most majestic war elephant.
He wore a gorgeous golden crown on his head, which shone brightly in the sun.
It seems to highlight his supreme status.
As always, he was wearing gilded armor, with armor plates made of fine steel tightly connected.
As neat and rhythmic as fish scales, every inch shines with dazzling light.
The shoulder guards are raised high, like an eagle spreading its wings ready to fly.
The heart-protecting mirror is like a bright sun, located in the center of the armor.
There is a faint halo flowing, hot and intense.
This kind of attire made him particularly conspicuous in the Luchuan army.
Countless soldiers looked over here, their eyes filled with enthusiasm!
That is their ruler and their king.
Today, under the leadership of the king, the Ming army will be defeated and crushed!
On the Oigawa battlefield, the air had already frozen, and every grain of dust held its breath.
Suddenly, the desolate sound of a horn broke the silence like an ancient sad song.
It seems to be blowing from the depths of time, bringing with it endless vicissitudes and sorrow.
The sound of the horn trembles and circles in the wind,
Every note is like a weathered old man telling the cruelty and ruthlessness of war.
It lingers in every warrior's heart, making them purse their lips!
at the same time!
The rapid sound of war drums rang out like a rainstorm.
The war drums seemed to be beating like thunder gods in the clouds.
Each blow carried a tremendous force, hitting the earth's chest hard.
The drum surface bounced violently under the heavy blows of the drumstick, making a deafening roar.
It was like the roar of an angry beast, or like surging waves, mercilessly beating against the rocks!
The rapid rhythm is like the soldiers' wildly beating hearts!
The sounds of trumpets and drums intertwined together, echoing on the battlefield, shaking the earth slightly!
The originally peaceful battlefield was instantly ignited by these two sounds.
It turned into a murderous battlefield, with tension and frenzy filling every corner.
The Ming army and the Luchuan army were like two angry peaks facing each other.
The momentum that is ready to go is like a flood that breaks through a dam, ready to explode at any moment!
Si Lunfa, the ruler of Luchuan, raised his elephant soldiers high, stood up suddenly, and swung the long sword in his hand forward:
"My fellow tribesmen, kill!"
The Luchuan War Elephants took the lead in launching the charge.
Their mountain-like bodies crushed forward like heavy battering rams.
With every step, the ground shook violently.
Cracks spread from the feet of the war elephants to the surrounding areas, as if the earth was groaning in pain.
The infantry followed closely, their steps firm and powerful,
The sword and shield in his hands collided with each other, making a crisp and powerful sound.
At the same time, Xiping Hou Mu Ying swung the spear in his hand, his eyes were like lightning, and his voice was cold!
"Ming army, charge!"
The sound of horse hooves is as dense as a sudden rain.
Thousands of cavalrymen galloped forward like a steel torrent, with fearless flames burning in their eyes.
The spear in his hand flashed with cold light, and the tip of the spear pointed straight to the sky, like a moving steel forest.
The trembling of the earth spreads outward,
Oijikawa is like a peaceful lake.
When the two sides began to charge and kill each other, it was like throwing countless stones into it!
The ripples spread outwards and soon reached Dingbian City.
In the Luchuan camp on the south side of Dingbian City, a group of people stood in front of the entire camp.
You Dafeng and Qin Yuanfang raised their heads abruptly and shouted:
"coming!"
The group of people looked tense, squinting their eyes to comprehend carefully.
Slowly, they also felt the earth shaking and could vaguely hear shouts and screams in the air!
Lu Yunyi pursed his lips, looked forward, and spoke in a cold voice:
"Send a message to Wu Fuliu and Ajumiao to kill all the people from Luchuan in the camp, leaving no one alive!"
"Order the entire army to be ready to go. Without an order, no action shall be taken!"
"Yes!" The messenger ran quickly with a tense face!
As the flags were waved, the originally extremely quiet 'Luchuan Camp' suddenly became lively.
There was a sudden shout of killing, followed by the sound of knife handles colliding.
Finally, there were screams.
The smell of blood began to spread, but it soon disappeared under the breeze.
Dingbian City, because of the thick and solid walls,
They felt the earth shaking the latest, but their reaction was also the most intense!
Deng Zhizhong had already put on his armor again, with one hand still hanging around his neck.
After feeling this kind of shock, he released all his ferocity without hesitation.
He drew out the long sword in his hand and shouted:
"Brothers, follow me!"
The next moment, the gate on the east side of Dingbian City burst open.
The sound of fierce horse hooves rushed out from the dark and deep city gate.
Following them came the tall and mighty black-armored cavalry.
The soldiers on horseback did not spare their strength at this moment and headed towards the heavily guarded fortifications ahead.
Everyone was filled with determination, with the belief that they would die in their eyes!
At the South Gate, Mu Sheng was still holding a saber.
He rushed out first, and his cavalry was like a sharp arrow.
It penetrated deeply into the Luchuan battle formation that was within reach!
The soldiers behind him began to spread out like ants.
Holding various equipment for destroying fortifications in their hands, they rushed forward without caring about their lives!
Almost at the moment of contact with the enemy, blood splattered, people and horses fell to the ground, and the tragic battle began.
The west gate looks almost the same as the north gate.
As soon as they touched the ground, a desperate fight began!
The story of exchanging injuries for lives was spread yesterday.
The troops in Beijing are the elite of the Ming Dynasty. It takes more than just a bunch of effort for them to execute such a strategy!
The world suddenly became noisy at this moment.
Dingbian City, which had been quiet for just one night, suddenly became lively, and the transition from offense to defense was even more intense than ever before.
In the distance, the armies of two countries were fighting each other, and the shouts of killing overwhelmed the sky!
This scene made Lu Yunyi, who was standing on a high place, feel a surge of emotion.
He stared sharply at the Dingbian battle formation in front of him. Victory or defeat depended on what was in front of him.
(End of this chapter)