Chapter 518: Chenliu Mutiny
Chapter 518: Chenliu Mutiny
On the third night, three pontoon bridges appeared on the Yellow River. King Yang Ling of Qi led 30,000 cavalrymen across the Yellow River overnight and rushed towards Chenliu County.
On the seventh day after setting out from Luoyang, the emperor's fleet finally arrived at Chenliu County. That night, the emperor's fleet docked for the night as usual.
On the dragon boat, Emperor Yang Guang and Empress Xiao were playing chess opposite each other, while their eldest grandson Yang Tan, who was only four years old, was sitting obediently beside them.
"Neng'er, have you visited your father?" Yang Guang asked with a smile.
"Reporting to Grandfather, I go to see you every day."
"How is your father?" Yang Guang touched his grandson's head lovingly.
"Um"
Yang Dan thought for a moment and said, "Daddy can eat and sleep well, he's in good health!"
Yang Guang threw his head back and laughed out loud, and Empress Xiao opposite him also laughed.
At this moment, an eunuch came forward and whispered something to Yang Guang. Yang Guang's face changed and he stood up and walked out of the cabin.
Standing outside was the chief guard on duty, General Yu Wenzhi. When he saw the emperor coming out, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we have spotted some bandits ten miles away, about one or two thousand of them."
The fact that the Guanlong nobles instigated Qi Wang Yang Liang to rebel through Qiao Zhongkui was extremely secretive. Only a few key figures knew about it. Even Yuwen Shu didn't know about it, let alone Yuwen Huaji. Yuwen Huaji didn't take it seriously either, but only informed the emperor to be careful.
Yang Guang nodded and said, "Inform Qu Tutong and Zhang Xutuo to kill all these bandits. Don't disturb my interest!"
As soon as Yang Guang finished speaking, an eunuch reported: "Your Majesty, General Zhang Xutuo urgently requests an audience!"
"Announce him to come in!"
Not long after, Zhang Xutuo hurried over. The Qianniu Guards led by Yu Wenzhi were the close guards of the dragon boat, while Zhang Xutuo and Qu Tutong led the left and right Wuhou Guards as the outer guards.
Zhang Xutuo bowed and said, "Your Majesty, thousands of bandits of unknown origin have appeared outside. I think this place is relatively close to the Wagang Mountain where the bandits hide. It is very likely that the Wagang bandits are trying to attack Your Majesty."
Yang Guang said somewhat displeasedly: "General Yuwen has already told me to annihilate them all. No need to report to me again!"
Zhang Xutuo continued, "I am concerned about your Majesty's safety. We are not sure how many bandits there are. To prevent any of them from escaping and risking assassination, I and General Qu Tu both suggest that your Majesty's fleet dock at the west coast."
Yang Guang nodded, "Alright!"
Zhang Xutuo bowed and left in a hurry. Yu Wenzhi's face looked really ugly. Zhang Xutuo was only an outer guard. According to the rules, he could not bypass the personal guards and report directly. But Zhang Xutuo did not follow the rules and actually bypassed him, stealing the limelight from Yu Wenzhi.
The dragon boat started to move, and the trackers pulled the ropes to let the dragon boat slowly move towards the west bank. The big ships behind it moved towards the west bank one after another.
An hour later, the sleeping Emperor Yang Guang was pushed awake by the eunuch, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
"What's the matter?" Yang Guang asked in a daze.
"Prime Minister Yang and Prime Minister Xiao urgently requested to see me, saying that someone was rebelling."
Yang Guang sat up with a start and immediately ordered, "Put on your clothes!"
Two palace maids hurried forward to put on Yang Guang's outer robe. Yang Guang walked to the outer cabin. Yang Su stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Qu Tutong sent a message that His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi has arrived with 20,000 cavalrymen and is now ten miles away."
Yang Guang's eyes widened and he said angrily, "I didn't summon him, what is he doing here?"
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi said that he had received information that the Wagang bandits had attacked the emperor, so he came to the king's aid. That's why General Qu Tu was in a difficult situation and sent someone to inform us!"
Yang Guang frowned and said, "Just let him come alone, the army is not allowed to approach!" "The problem is that His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi must lead the army to protect His Majesty."
"What on earth does he mean?"
At this time, Xiao Cong could no longer bear it and said, "Your Majesty, two or three thousand bandits are meaningless. What's important is the 20,000 cavalrymen of the King of Qi. What on earth does he want to do by leading his army from Anyang?"
Yang Guang's face turned pale instantly, and he gritted his teeth and cursed: "This bastard!"
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of fierce horse hooves not far away, and then Yu Wenzhi came running to report, "Your Majesty, a cavalry of 10,000 people is coming from the south?"
Yang Guang asked angrily, "Why didn't Qu Tutong and Zhang Xutuo resist?"
"Your Majesty, they are going to intercept the Qi King's cavalry!"
Yang Su had also led the army to fight in many battles. He immediately realized, "Oh no, the King of Qi is trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain!"
Yang Guang almost fainted. His second son led an army of 20,000 to lure over Qu Tutong and Zhang Xutuo's outer defense troops. Another 10,000 troops he had ambushed were coming to kill him!
At this time, faint screams were heard outside. The guards and cavalry were fighting, but fortunately, the fleet was anchored on the west bank and the other side could not come over.
Yang Su was very experienced. He immediately said anxiously: "Although the river is wide, it cannot stop the enemy's arrows. Your Majesty must get off the boat immediately and stay away from the enemy's crossbows!"
Xiao Cong also said: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Yang is right. The army is in chaos and nothing can be done!"
Yang Guang nodded and ordered: "Order everyone to disembark and retreat westward!"
Dozens of cavalrymen ran along the way to deliver the message, "The emperor has ordered everyone to disembark and retreat westward!"
Yang Guang took the empress and his family off the boat and evacuated westward. Officials, eunuchs, palace maids and guards also got off the boat and fled westward.
The general who led an army of 10,000 was Yang Ling's confidant Liang Pusa. Yang Ling used Qiao Zhongkui's strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain and successfully lured the main force outside. Liang Pusa, who was ambushing in the south, took the opportunity to attack.
Yang Ling's order to Liang Pusa was to control the emperor, but the emperor's fleet was parked on the other side of the canal, and there were soldiers blocking the way. The two sides engaged in hand-to-hand combat, and the situation began to get out of control.
The pampered Qianniu Guards were no match for Yang Ling's cavalry and were beaten back step by step. At this time, Liang Bodhisattva discovered that some people had disembarked from the ship on the other side, but they could not get through. He immediately became anxious and ordered, "Shoot!"
Thousands of cavalrymen shot arrows at the canal fleet together. The arrows rained down on the fleet. The palace maids and eunuchs who were running slower were shot and fell to the ground, screaming. Perhaps the arrows knocked out the lights and candles on the ship, and several large ships began to burn.
At this time, Zhang Xutuo led 20,000 troops to fight back. Zhang Xutuo received a report that cavalry were attacking the fleet. He realized that they had fallen into a trap. He immediately led 10,000 troops to fight back and fought fiercely with Liang Pusa's 10,000 cavalry.
As fierce fighting broke out along the canal, Qu Tutong's 30,000 troops and Yang Ling's 20,000 cavalry, who were in a state of confrontation, finally clashed. Spears stabbed, arrows flew, and a great battle broke out in the wilderness east of Chenliu County.
At the same time, Yuwen Shu led an army of 100,000 and rushed towards this side from Sanshili. The fleet was a hundred miles long, and the 150,000 guards were too dispersed.
Yang Guang took the empress, grandson, and officials to a mound a few miles away. They could no longer run, so they had to hide on the mound and tremble. In the distance, shouts of killing shook the sky. His grandson Yang Dan pointed to the canal in the distance and said, "Grandfather, the ships are on fire!"
On the canal, dozens of large ships, including the emperor's dragon boat, were on fire. The rebels on the shore fired rockets at the fleet.
Yang Guang's face turned ugly. His own son actually launched a coup. No! This was not a coup, this was a rebellion.
At this time, the army led by Yuwen Shu finally arrived. Seeing that the mutiny had failed, Yang Ling had to order a withdrawal.
"Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang!"
The gong for retreat sounded, and the cavalry retreated to the northeast like a tide, and soon ran away, leaving the river and the shore in a mess.
(End of this chapter)