Chapter 513 Departure
Chapter 513 Departure
Is it not worthy of the name? Inside the military tent, the generals were stunned.
However, soon, another general suddenly shook his head:
"At this point, do you still dare to underestimate this Zhao Shijun?
Although you and I are in the local area and in the army, we don't know many things about the court, but even if we only know from the rumors we have heard, we should know that Envoy Zhao is definitely not a person who seeks fame and reputation. "
"So? Do you think it's true? He is the key figure in this great victory?" asked the military officer before.
He nodded and looked up at Xue Shence very seriously:
"Privy Councilor, although I cannot understand how someone who has never led an army or fought a war can do this, I think that Your Majesty does not need to deceive everyone at this time and use such a major event to gild the coin."
Xue Shence looked at the general. He remembered that he was a deputy general of Linfeng Military Mansion.
During the Taicang Silver Mine case, he had led elite troops and followed Zhao Duan to investigate the case and even blocked the city.
"Zhao Shaobao is a rare hero. Moreover, I have also witnessed the power of the new firearms of the Shenjiying. It is not surprising that they have made such achievements. I don't want to hear similar doubts again."
Xue Shence gave the final verdict.
Some people who were originally unwilling to accept the situation, seeing the "God of War" act like this, had to swallow their words, and the shock in their hearts became more intense.
How many people in the whole court, civil and military officials, could receive such high praise from Privy Councilor Xue?
"Spread the news widely. This great victory is enough to boost the morale of the entire army."
Xue Shence made arrangements and immediately returned to the topic:
"The danger in Qingzhou has been resolved, and reinforcements from the Beijing camp will arrive soon. Now on the east and west fronts of Linfeng, Prince Jing is taking a defensive separatist stance, but Prince Mu still wants to annex the country. We should gather our troops and repel the enemy.
Now that I am here, I will not allow the rebels to extend their claws even an inch further!"
The soldiers were filled with passion and stood up to respond:
"I will do my best to defend Linfeng!"
……
……
South of Taicang Prefecture, Ningjiang County.
As a strategic location on the western front of the Huaishui River, this county town has fallen into the hands of Yunfu Mu Wang's rebels for many days.
However, if you walk in the city, you will find that apart from the slightly solemn atmosphere, inevitably shrouded by the shadow of war, the entire county is still functioning as usual, shops on the street are open as usual, and people walk on the street as usual.
The city was in good order, without any sign of chaos.
At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums was heard on the main road in the city. A team of Yunfu soldiers marched into the city and headed straight for the county government office.
The people consciously retreated and hid on both sides of the road, looking at the army with both respect and fear.
In the center of the army, a middle-aged civil servant sitting upright on a chestnut horse was particularly eye-catching, surrounded by armored soldiers holding guns and halberds.
Only this person was wearing a scarlet scholar's robe, a Confucian cap on his head, reins in both hands, and a soft armor over the scholar's robe.
In the gap between the two layers of soft armor, there is space for storing objects. A corner of a military book with a blue cover is exposed. The edges are rough, indicating that the book is often read.
Suddenly, a galloping horse came from the front of the team. The middle-aged man raised his hand and the marching team stopped.
The messenger dismounted and held the letter in both hands:
"General! Scouts report that Xue Shence has arrived at Taicang Prefecture from the east..."
Is Xue Shence here? Su Dan's expression became serious. He glanced at the generals beside him who changed color. He was not afraid at all and sneered:
"Don't be fooled by the title of 'God of War'. He is too busy to handle the two fronts. He has to deal with both the east and west fronts. He has ordered all the generals to come to the county government..."
far away.
On the dark roof of a four-story restaurant in the city, a woman dressed in black, with cold eyes and an almost ghostly look, stood on a raised roof.
The sun was scorching and the sky was blue with floating clouds, but for some reason, the pedestrians on the street below ignored the woman in black, as if they had never seen her.
The woman looked calmly at General Su Dan in the army from afar, her face expressionless.
But if Zhao Duan was here, he would be shocked, because the appearance of this woman in black was 80% similar to "Yuxiu", the second disciple of Tianshi Mansion.
It's just that as a Taoist master, Jade Sleeves has an ethereal and light temperament.
This woman, on the other hand, was eerie and had a very cold look in her eyes.
"Hehe, Sister Rong, this Su Dan is really capable. It's no wonder that the prince and Zhao Shixiong fought for him. It's only been a few days, but he has firmly grasped Ning Jiang in his hands, and he can also suppress the border troops whose banditry is stronger than their military spirit...
No wonder, he was entrusted with important tasks and was at the forefront of the western front. Could he really compete with Xue Shence?
Unfortunately, he is a bit strange. He is clearly a military commander, but he likes to pretend to be a scholar all day long."
At the edge of the roof, a young man's hand grabbed the tile, and without any effort, a nimble figure leaped up.
The boy, who was about seventeen or eighteen years old, was very thin, but his arms were extremely long, his eyes rolled around, and he looked very smart.
He squatted on the roof like a monkey, with a handleless dagger in his hand fluttering like a butterfly. He looked at the officials riding horses in the distance, marveling at them.
The black-clad woman named Nie Yurong turned back with a cold look:
“Although we, Xiuyizhizhi, are not on the same path as Su Dan and his group of generals, we all serve Prince Mu and can be considered half colleagues.
Now we have been ordered to hide in the city, not only to assist the army in attacking the city, but also to monitor Su Dan and his gang, and to kill them in advance if they have any rebellious intentions. So..."
The boy squatting on the roof curled his lips and sank down:
"I know, I have to hide well and not show my face, so as not to be noticed. But Sister Rong, you are standing much more obviously than me."
Nie Yurong said coldly:
"The magic I practiced can ensure that I can hide in broad daylight. Can you do it?"
The young man named Sikong drooped his eyebrows and complained:
"I see. The monk from the Shenlong Temple was right. Why didn't I notice that you were so fussy before? Where's the female assassin who was proficient in assassination? You're almost like an old nanny.
If you are like this, then the sister you are looking for, Sister Rong, must be even more nagging. Oh my god, if we really find her, won’t we have two old ladies, and the noise will be terrible?"
Nie Yurong had a blank expression on her face. She suddenly swung her right hand and a green paper crane shot out like a dart, hitting the young man between the eyebrows!
He cried out, and rolled off the roof like a ball. At the critical moment, Sikong grabbed the eaves with one hand and climbed up again:
"Just ignore what I said, I didn't say it!"
In the assassin intelligence organization "Xiu Yi Zhi Zhi" secretly cultivated by Prince Mu's Mansion, only a very few people know that Nie Yurong, who is the "Xiu Yi Envoy", has a sister who was separated in childhood.
It’s a pity that there is no news from him. He probably died in the banditry back then.
Nie Yurong said coldly:
"We intercepted and killed a shadow guard, and got the news that Zhao Duan has been appointed as the 'Grand Commander of the Rebellion Suppression' and led his troops south to Linfeng. He will most likely come to the western battlefield."
While speaking, the young Sikong spread out his palm, and in his palm, the green paper crane that had just hit his forehead unfolded and floated in front of him.
A smudge of black ink was quickly drawn on the paper, almost like a sketch, to depict a portrait of a handsome man with a smile.
"Is this the empress's husband? Bah, he really looks like a pretty boy." Sikong spat.
Nie Yurong stood on the top of the roof with her hands behind her back, the sun blazing above her head. Her voice was as cold as ice:
"Send the message. Once he enters the western front, I want to know his movements immediately."
Sikong was stunned for a moment, nodded, and grinned coldly:
What is King Zhao? If Sister Rong spots him, he will surely die.
Do you know the value of "Shadowless" Nie Yurong, who ranks first on the "Xiu Yi Zhi Zhi" assassin hunting list?
……
……
Capital city, Tianshi Mansion.
"when--"
"when--"
The sound of the bells rolled across the city, indicating that the beheading at Caishikou had ended. Today, Caishikou was crowded with people who had come to see the execution of Li Yanfu and Prince Heng and his son.
The entire Yu Kingdom was in turmoil, and the Tianshi Mansion became the last peaceful place.
"Master, are you looking for us?"
Deep in the courtyard, three disciples, Yuxiu, Gongshu Tianyuan and Jinjian, pushed the door open and saluted towards Zhang Yan, who was standing with his hands behind his back under the big banyan tree.
The old Taoist priest's loose robe hung on the ground, and his long hair, which was tied in a bun, was stuck horizontally on a branch:
"Zhao Duan is about to go to war. Yuxiu, Jinjian, you two should go with him."
what?
The three disciples were stunned at the same time, and the female Taoist nun frowned:
"Master, are you ordering us to protect him? But this involves the internal strife of the royal family. Is this a move..."
Yuxiu was not opposed to this arrangement, as it gave her a chance to observe the "Son of Heaven and Earth" more.
But she thought that it was understandable to save Zhao Duan last time, but now that he was going to the battle, she had to protect him, which was breaking the rules set by the Taoist priests of all generations.
Zhang Yan turned around, his narrow eyes filled with wisdom:
"You don't need to protect him, nor do you need to get involved in the royal family's civil war. But if someone wants to break the rules, you should stop them."
What does that mean... Jin Jian blinked his confused eyes, not understanding.
Yu Xiu was stunned for a moment: "Master, do you want us to deal with the White Clothes Sect? The Fashen Sect? Or, Master, do you think the Shenlong Temple will still intervene?"
The Baiyi Sect is an organization of evil sorcerers, and the Tianshi Mansion has the mission of hunting down and killing evil demons.
As for the Shenlong Temple... although Xuanyin fled and the main temple was destroyed, there are still a large number of "remnants" of the Shenlong Temple remaining in various places within the territory of Yu State.
Zhang Yan laughed and said:
"Xuan Yin, the bald donkey, doesn't dare to act rashly because of the agreement between heaven and man, but if his disciples do something small, it will also ruin the reputation of the entire cultivation world, right?"
Yuxiu understood and clasped her fists: "Disciple will obey the command."
After saying this, seeing that Jin Jian beside her was stupidly motionless, she stretched out her right foot from under her skirt and gently kicked Jin Jian. The confused young priestess then followed suit:
"Disciple...obey the law!"
"Eh? What about me?" Gongshu Tianyuan beside him was anxious, and the short and fat priest blinked his eyes:
"Master, I trust Second Senior Sister, but Junior Sister is sleepy all day and her eyesight is not good. How dangerous is it for her to go to the battlefield with her? I'd better let Senior Sister go."
Jin Jian was unhappy, he pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and put his hands on his waist: "Who are you saying is not good enough?"
Gongshu Tianyuan refused to give in: "You can't do that. This time the army is marching and the imperial court is using firearms. Do you understand firearms?"
Jin Jian choked and his momentum weakened: "I... don't understand."
Gongshu Tianyuan smiled slightly:
"Most wars take place during the day. If you sleep during the day, when a war really breaks out, others will have to take care of you. Do you think that's right?"
Jin Jian felt as if he had been shot in the knee. He stepped back and said weakly, "No...it shouldn't be."
Gongshu Tianyuan put his hands on his hips, laughed loudly, and delivered the final blow:
"There are many men in the army, and I am a woman after all, which is inconvenient. Many things should be done by men. What can you do if you follow me? Can you change your sex?"
Jin Jian felt as if struck by lightning. At this moment, he felt that he had become shorter. The figure of Gongshu Tianyuan in front of him became infinitely taller, even more majestic and huge than Luo Shan.
It makes me look so insignificant and I have no chance of winning at all.
The old Taoist priest silently watched the two bickering and said unhappily:
"Master has made up his mind. Jade Sleeve and Golden Tablet will go together, and you stay behind."
Gongshu Tianyuan's momentum collapsed in an instant, and his smug look disappeared completely.
He only felt the golden tablet rapidly enlarged, covering the sky and blocking out the sun, making him feel like he was looking up to a mountain:
Damn it, it’s a backer, she has a backer!
Zhang Yan sighed tiredly and threw a roll of blueprints in his sleeve to him:
"Zhao Duan sent it to me. He said that during the Qingzhou Campaign, the Shenji Battalion summarized the advantages and disadvantages of firearms and came up with new ideas for improvement. I'll give it to you to improve."
Brother Zhao's new design? Gongshu Tianyuan was overjoyed and said:
"Senior sister and junior sister work together, what a perfect match."
"roll!"
"Okay."
……
……
In an inn somewhere in the State of Yu.
Xu Jianwen, wearing a cloak, sat by the window, quietly examining the secret report.
After a long while, the Second Prince threw the secret report out of the window with his fair and well-proportioned hands, and the paper was shredded in mid-air by the invisible energy.
"What a great Third Sister... What a great Zhao Duan..."
Xu Jianwen murmured softly, and it was hard to tell whether his tone expressed admiration or disappointment.
"Your Highness..."
In the room, Qi Yuchun and Ren Kun, two senior executives of the Kuangfu Society, looked at each other:
"Now that the Empress has stabilized the situation and the Qingzhou troops have been badly defeated, should we..."
"Keep hiding and wait for the opportunity." Xu Jianwen answered without hesitation.
Qi Yuchun, former commander of the Imperial Guards, said:
"During this period, traitors like Yun Xi, Lin Yue Bai, Wu Ling, etc. have been attacking everywhere and destroying our branches. If we continue to passively take the beating, I'm afraid the society will fall apart..."
Xu Jianwen smiled and didn't care:
"They are just chess pieces that can be thrown away at any time. If they want them, just give them to them. Zhuang Xiaocheng was able to see it clearly at the beginning. Why don't you understand it?"
The two were stunned, thinking that if the society was destroyed and there were only a few people left, how could they help His Highness regain power?
Or does His Highness have other plans?
Xu Jianwen suddenly asked, "Where's that guy Guhuo? Hasn't he appeared recently?"
The Earth Magician Ren Kun said:
"After he heard that the empress had a battle in Baihua Village, he said he had something to do and ran away in a hurry."
Ran away? What did you do?
Xu Jianwen frowned and waved his hand:
"Ignore him."
……
……
At the end of this summer, a beheading at Caishikou announced the beginning of the imperial court's counterattack.
Just three days after Li Yanfu's death, the Shenjiying and Wujunying troops marched towards Linfeng in a mighty force.
Another day, we arrived at Fengdao, the territory of Taicang Prefecture.
On a certain official road, in a rickety carriage, Zhao Duan exhaled deeply, woke up from meditation, opened his eyes, and a flash of lightning flashed in his pupils.
As if he had had a nightmare, he subconsciously raised his hand and touched his chest. Inside his open robe, he was wearing a dark red half-body armor.
The armor seemed to contain a raging fire, and the black human face mark on the front looked like a ghost.
"Zoroastrianism... it's okay to encounter it in a dream..."
(End of this chapter)