Chapter 20 Chapter 20 How could there be an ambush here

Lin Ye quickly shook his brother's hand, signaling him not to act rashly. However, the soldiers around him were at a loss as to whose orders to follow. Just as they were hesitating, the sound of horse hooves suddenly rang out from the forest.

Looking up, I saw a group of soldiers in red cloaks, holding spears, rushing towards me. In the distance, I could vaguely see a blood-red flag fluttering in the wind, with the word "Chen" written on it in large letters.

Then Lin Guan immediately realized that these were not the imperial guards, but the Shen family army that had been stationed in the coastal area all year round.

The Shen family army was renowned far and wide, and the Jiangnan region, being close to the coast, made its name even more famous. But why were the Shen family army here? Lin Guan had no time to think, and could only command his soldiers to prepare for resistance.

But they had already traveled all the way and were exhausted, while the other side was well-rested. Moreover, there was a huge disparity in strength between the two sides. After only a stick of incense had passed since the two sides met, the 40,000-strong army that Mu Conghao and his men were so proud of was completely defeated.

On the other hand, the Shen family army was well-trained, and General Shen Kangning was very strict in his military discipline. In addition, they had extensive combat experience in resisting Japanese pirates, and these soldiers who had never experienced combat could not compete with them.

The young man in the lead raised his spear high and shouted, "Those who surrender now, I will spare your lives."

Lin Guan had never seen the young man in front of him, but he was born in the Shen family and was able to command many generals at such a young age. The only person who could be considered was Shen Ze, the eldest son of the Shen family.

It's widely rumored that Shen Ze began learning the Shen family's spearmanship at the age of five, and is also well-versed in military manuals. He's been constantly mentored by General Shen, Duke of Wei, and is his designated successor.

Seeing him now, I can only say that the rumors are true. Shen Ze waited for his enemy to tire himself out, and used the terrain to his advantage, laying an ambush in secret. He is a rare general.

But Lin Guan also has his own blood. If he surrenders directly like this, what is the difference between him and a deserter?

Lin Guan shouted, "Stand up, pick up your weapons, we will never surrender."

As soon as this voice came out, the 40,000-strong army in Jiangnan felt a backbone, and most of the soldiers quickly picked up their weapons, but there were still a small number of people who fled everywhere because they were afraid of the reputation of the Shen family army.

Seeing this, Lin Guan drew his sword. In an instant, the sword flashed, blood spurted out, and a soldier who was trying to escape fell to the ground.

"Pick up your weapons. If anyone tries to escape again, you will suffer the same fate as him." Lin Guan shouted coldly.

He usually values his soldiers, but at a moment like this, those who escape would surely drag down the morale of the entire army. For the sake of the overall situation, he had to act this way.

Chen Ze looked at the person in front of him with great interest. With just a few words and a few glances from him, the army that was on the verge of collapse was actually reorganized.

When faced with deserters, he acted decisively without hesitation. Even after discovering an ambush, he was able to quickly seize control of the situation. He's a rare general, but it's a pity he met me.

At the same time, Shen Ze felt somewhat puzzled. Logically, such a person would act cautiously. If he saw that the terrain ahead was suitable for an ambush, he would definitely send people to check it out. How could he just let the army march forward?

Although Chen Ze had some admiration for the person in front of him, they were now on the battlefield and they were enemies. Chen Ze would never show mercy to his enemies.

Then, the young man jumped on his horse, holding a spear, and headed straight towards the forest canopy.

Lin Guan reacted quickly, raising his sword to block the boy's first attack. However, the Shen family's spearmanship was known for its fierceness and swiftness, known for its "spear like a dragon, force like a tiger."

Shen Ze was worthy of being the most outstanding descendant of the Shen family. He had adjusted the speed and frequency of his spear attacks based on the original Shen family spear techniques, achieving a combination of hardness and softness, leaving Lin Guan with no way to defend himself.

In just half an incense stick of time, Lin Guan was knocked off his horse by Shen Ze. Shen Ze sat high on the horse's back, holding the spear against Lin Guan's neck.

"If you surrender now, this general can spare your life and let these soldiers go." Shen Ze tried to persuade Lin Guan.

But Lin Guan just laughed at himself and said, "My skills are inferior to his. I am convinced of my defeat by General Shen. But since we each serve our own masters, how can the general spare my life? If the general insists on doing so, I will have no face to live in this world."

"But these soldiers are innocent. I hope the general can spare their lives." Lin Guan saw that the battle was already decided, with no chance of recovery. He felt hopeless. Just as the sword had slashed through the deserter's neck, so too had his own life been cut short by the same sword.

Seeing his brother die in battle, Lin Ye burst into tears. Although he was usually afraid of death and cautious, now that his respected brother was gone, he would not live in vain.

Throughout his life, he learned calligraphy and practiced martial arts like his brother, and finally ended his own life like him.

Chen Ze looked at the bodies of the two men on the ground and felt a little regretful. The other party was an opponent worthy of respect. He ordered the soldiers to bury their bodies properly.

At the same time, Mu Conghao, under the cover of his trusted associates, was preparing to escape from the edge of the battlefield. He thought his movements were so subtle that they would not attract attention, but he did not know that his movements had already been seen by Shen Ze.

Chen Ze jumped off his horse and came to Mu Conghao with a spear in hand. His tone could be described as gentle, but it frightened Mu Conghao into a cold sweat: "Where are you going, Your Highness Prince Huai?"

The spear in the young man's hand was still stained with blood, making it look very creepy. Mu Conghao had never seen such a scene before. He trembled with fear and said tremblingly, "How dare you! I am a prince appointed by the late emperor. You can't do anything to me."

When Shen Ze saw the other party mention the late emperor, a cold light flashed in his eyes. He raised the spear in his hand and then stabbed it heavily into the ground.

Mu Conghao was startled by the other party's sudden action, and he lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground. Seeing this, his confidants hurried forward to help him up, while the others drew their swords and looked at Shen Ze cautiously.

Chen Ze ignored them, his tone cold and icy, making people feel as if they were falling into an icy cave: "So what if you were personally appointed by the late emperor? Now that the late emperor is long gone, can Your Highness the Prince of Huai still ask the late emperor to crawl out of the imperial mausoleum to make decisions for you? If so, then I will respectfully await the late emperor's arrival."

Shen Ze's tone was filled with sarcasm and disdain. He showed no reverence for the late emperor, but rather hatred. Seeing this, Mu Conghao's confidant shouted, "How dare you disrespect the late emperor?"

"So what if he disrespects the late emperor? An emperor like him will be criticized by future generations thousands of years later." Shen Ze chuckled.

At this time, Mu Conghao suddenly remembered why Chen Ze had such great hatred towards the late emperor Mu Shaoqi.

Like Shen Ze, his father had shown exceptional military talent since childhood. If he were still alive, he would surely be a renowned general.

However, the late emperor, fearing that the Shen family's achievements would overshadow his own, had his father poisoned at a palace banquet. Everyone knew this, but no one dared to speak out, and in the end, the late emperor could only casually blame the incident on spies from the enemy country.

Later, Duke Shen Kangning of Wei personally returned to the capital to retrieve his son's remains. With his hair graying, he personally carried his son's coffin back to the Shen family land. Shen Ze's mother was already six months pregnant at the time. She was heartbroken after giving birth to Shen Ze and died early.

Everyone speculated whether Duke Wei would rebel, but then the Japanese invaded. After a hasty burial of his son, General Shen donned his armor, took up the Shen family's heirloom spear, and personally headed to the front lines.

He fought wars all over the world throughout his life and was well aware of the suffering of the people. For the sake of the people of the world and the so-called overall situation, he could only swallow his anger.

He felt guilty towards his son, so he took extra care of Shen Ze over the years. When Shen Ze grew up, he learned why his parents died, but by then the previous emperor had passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne.

This old incident has nothing to do with the current emperor. When it happened, the Sixth Prince was still in the cold palace.

But Mu Conghao is different. He is the most beloved son of the late emperor, and it is he who should pay for the sins committed by the late emperor.

As for why Chen Ze suddenly led his troops to ambush here, it has to do with Mu Congmo's plan.

The moment Mu Congmo guessed that Prince Huai was colluding with Duke Han, he set up the chess game.

He first revealed his identity to Hongting and went to the authorities to report the case. Mu Conghao would definitely lose his patience. But now Song Ji had already been replaced by the Shadow Dragon Guard who was good at disguise. The real Song Ji was already dead.

When Song Ji proposed increasing taxes in Jiangnan, Mu Congmo could no longer tolerate him. Furthermore, he often frequented brothels, which provided the Shadow Dragon Guards with an excellent opportunity to act.

It has been seven years since Mu Congmo ascended the throne. Moreover, the Shadow Dragon Guards are spread throughout Daliang. The claim that there are no Shadow Dragon Guards in Jiangnan because of the will of the previous emperor is just to confuse the ministers.

And how could he have happened to meet Man Ziling when he went out? His people had already found out what happened that year and where Man Ziling was hiding. Even if Gu Shiyan hadn't been attracted by the piano music that day, he would have taken the initiative to ask.

The Prince of Huai had his own private army and the garrison in Jiangnan. If he wanted to mobilize troops from nearby, the Shen family army was undoubtedly the best choice. So he sent Yong Zhou to Minzhou in advance with a secret order, asking General Shen to send troops to ambush.

The moment the Shen family received the secret decree, Shen Kangning wanted to let one of his deputy generals lead the troops to come, but Shen Ze knelt directly in front of the former and begged for the matter.

Seeing that the other party was so determined, Mu Conghao did not resist. He knew very well that without the clear order from his royal brother, the other party could not do anything to him. Instead, he had to provide him with good food and drink.

But he was obviously unsophisticated and unaware of the countless ways Shen Ze could torture him in secret. At this moment, he was just a prisoner, no longer the high and mighty prince he used to be.

"Come here, take our Prince Huai away and serve him well. Don't be negligent." Chen Ze emphasized the word "serve" very much, and his confidants naturally understood the meaning.

Soon two people came forward and made a gesture of invitation to Mu Conghao, saying, "Your Highness Prince Huai, please follow us."

There was excitement in their voices, as if they had thought of something interesting. However, Mu Conghao thought it was because it was their first time meeting the royal family, and in his heart he despised them, thinking they had never seen the world.

But Mu Conghao didn't know that what was waiting for him would be endless torture, and this night would become his nightmare.