Chapter 114: Useless When a man's body loses its appeal...

Three days later, the roar of cannons and the sound of soldiers charging pierced the night sky.

Fires lit up the river surface, illuminating Lin Meiju's pale face.

The rebels attacked the city.

The atmosphere in the military camp was solemn. In the main tent, several officials were pointing at a sand table, discussing something heatedly.

Shen Changfeng sat at the top, not quite sitting very straight, but no one dared to relax.

A few days ago, the rebels dispatched elite troops disguised as a passing merchant caravan, approaching the ferry in foggy weather to request passage. Just then, the enemy dispatched light cavalry to assault Fancheng's west gate. Their attack was so fierce that the gate was in danger. As the Fancheng soldiers rushed to reinforce the city walls, the elite troops launched a counterattack, seizing the ferry. Meanwhile, the enemy, taking advantage of the shallow autumn and winter rivers, constructed numerous rafts and dispatched soldiers to address surface obstacles, wading through the water to cut down massive wooden stakes and setting fire to the iron locks across the river, clearing a path for the following naval forces.

Shen Changfeng had used this trick so many times that he didn't even let anyone out to fight.

As the ferry's death squad engaged, they realized something was amiss. At first glance, they were filled with the elderly, the weak, and the sick, and it looked as if they were about to take the battle. But then another wave of soldiers surged forward, their faces growing more and more grim. How could they be seen fighting in haste? Glancing down, they saw the merchant ship they had come from, ablaze. Suddenly, an easterly wind picked up, pushing it upstream and heading straight for the navy hidden in the thick fog.

Seeing the flames shooting into the sky, the navy, overjoyed, thought their surprise attack had succeeded. They ordered a charge, but halfway through, they discovered that Xiangfan and Fancheng were both silent, with no fleets dispatched to meet the enemy. The navy commanders hurriedly ordered a retreat, but it was too late. The merchant ship exploded with a roar, and flames shot into the sky, capsizing several of the leading battleships. The thick fog made it difficult to see anything, and the loud explosions masked the order to retreat. The ships behind them didn't notice anything unusual, and by the time they realized what was happening, they were already engulfed in flames. Their retreat couldn't keep up with the speed of the flames, and the formation was in chaos. Soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons and fled. Those who managed to reach shore after falling into the water were met with a barrage of arrows before they could even regain their balance. From then on, Xiangfan City had destroyed most of the rebel navy without a single soldier having to fight.

The King of Chu was furious after suffering two consecutive setbacks. He hated himself for not poisoning Shen Changfeng's wine at that time, but he also knew that he could not chew this mad dog bone, so he turned the focus of his attack to the ferry connecting to Xiangyang.

The Fancheng County Magistrate was filled with worry. He said, "The rebels' offensive has intensified over the past two days, bombarding the ferry crossing day and night. Although the ferry crossing walls were reinforced beforehand, they're being torpedoed like crazy. I'm afraid they won't hold out for much longer!"

The ferry commander was also very puzzled. He had been stationed in Fancheng for over ten years and knew the danger. He said, "If the rebels succeed in seizing the city, they can build a pontoon bridge, block the river with warships, and besiege Xiangyang, cutting off Xiangyang's support to Fancheng. Fancheng will fall without a fight."

The expression of the person at the top did not change, he remained unmoved.

Several local officials exchanged glances, and the commander gritted his teeth and said, "The enemy's morale is rising, while ours is becoming increasingly uneasy! If the ferry is lost, no one will be held responsible! We cannot delay any further!"

Jiang Jin, standing by, frowned at his tone. Shen Changfeng had previously explained his reasons for not moving his troops, but these people simply ignored him. Seeing the rebels approaching, they panicked and repeatedly questioned the Fu Bo Army's actions. This time, they all gathered in the main tent, seemingly to question and demand accountability.

Jiang Jin glanced at the captain, "The general has his reasons for doing this! We, his subordinates, are just listening. The captain's tone... if you don't know the truth, you might think you are the one taking over the military affairs of Fancheng!"

The captain was immediately enraged. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "I'm only thinking about the overall situation! The thieves' ladders are almost reaching the city walls. How can I not be anxious?"

Jiang Jin was also provoked and cursed, "It was the same in previous operations. You guys refused to agree to anything I said! You guys are bullying yourselves into the local tyrants' nest, pointing fingers at us at every turn. It's clear that you don't trust us!"

The two gangs immediately started swearing at each other, forgetting the rules for a moment, and everyone was arguing with red faces.

"The thief king's intentions are clear. He has no intention of conquering Fancheng! The Fancheng ferry is just his springboard. What he wants is Xiangyang! All our forces are concentrated at the ferry, but we're hiding in the city like turtles in their shells! What are we waiting for? For the ferry to disappear?! For Xiangyang to fall?! For the King of Chu's letter of surrender?! Then, we'll shed a few hypocritical tears and pretend to be forced to surrender for the sake of the people of Fancheng?"

"The ferry crossing hasn't reached that point yet! We just didn't take the initiative to attack, but the resistance on the city wall didn't decrease at all! Are your eyes fixed on the leather swallow?! Didn't you see the rolling stones, the kerosene, and the brothers fighting back desperately? You are a turtle! Your whole family are turtles! You thousand-year-old turtle can only yell, how many times have you been on the city wall?! Damn it! We did all the dirty and tiring work, and you bastards are not grateful, and you guys are spewing shit at me!"

The Fu Bo Army was an outsider, and the local officials already had some grudges against them. At this time, the crowd was furious, and as they kept cursing, they became more and more angry and gradually deviated from the topic.

Someone shouted, "This critical moment is not the time to dwell on personal grudges!"

The Fu Bo Army asked: "What do you mean?!"

“Everyone knows that General Shen has a grudge against Lord Song!”

Jiang Jin and others were so angry that their teeth were itching. Even Chen Yue couldn't help but frown. It was clear that Shen Changfeng was deliberately allowing the enemy to cross the border, putting Xiangyang in trouble.

"Our general isn't such a petty person. Who came up with the idea of ​​raiding Nanyang? And who saw through the navy's plot to launch a night raid? You don't see anything the general has done, and you only use unfounded rumors to slander others. You old scoundrel, you're just chewing maggots and acting like a scoundrel!"

"Without Lord Song's support, how could you have launched such a surprise attack? If Lord Song hadn't paid you, your tattered armor would have been pierced through long ago! And what's the result? How did you repay him? After the success, you took all the military credit! And now you're repaying kindness with ingratitude! How dare you respond, you idiot bastard!"

The Fu Bo Army were all from humble backgrounds, and they cursed at people in a very dirty way, but the officials in Fancheng often mingled in the market, and were no pushovers either. For a moment, saliva was flying, and they greeted each other's three generations of ancestors and grandchildren, with the words "father", "mother", and "grandson" repeated one after another.

With a "clang" sound, I don't know who drew the knife first.

The man who had been pressing his forehead to rest opened his eyes, and the noise in the tent suddenly became quieter.

Shen Changfeng's pupils, as dark as a cold pond, scanned the chaos before him one by one. Everyone who was touched by his captivating gaze had a dull expression. The people of the Fu Bo Army lowered their heads first and retreated to their original positions. The general and others also had embarrassed expressions on their faces and returned to their seats with stiff hands and feet.

Shen Changfeng slowly stood up, and everyone straightened their backs at the same time.

The tent became quiet, and the sound of the charge became clearer and clearer, one wave higher than the other, and more and more exciting.

The flames dyed the sky red, but they couldn't suppress the sternness in his deep brows. The roar of cannons behind him was so intense that even the military tent trembled slightly from the turbulent air currents. But his voice was calm and composed, without any fluctuations. The civil and military officials present gradually regained their composure—this man stood right here. Even if half the sky collapsed, he would be as unmoved as the ground beneath his feet.

Amid the increasingly intense explosions, Shen Changfeng issued the first military order to attack.

Jiang Jin was extremely excited and full of confidence when he was called upon to lead his troops. He was the first vanguard to go into battle! And it was a night raid on the enemy camp!

Jiang Jin suddenly knelt on one knee, clasped his fists above his head, and said in a resounding voice: "I obey your orders! We will win the first battle! I will not let you down!"

Shen Changfeng smiled slightly and said, "No, I want you to lose."

That night, Jiang Jin led two thousand elite troops, sneaking into the darkness behind the enemy camp. Just as they reached the edge of the camp, they suddenly saw flames rising to the sky ahead. The rebels swarmed out like locusts, catching Jiang Jin and his men off guard. However, he was no coward. Although he realized he had fallen into a trap, he did not lose his composure. Instead, he became more courageous as the enemy continued to fight, determined to fight to the death.

Zhang Yixin, in charge of defense, saw the unusual bravery of this dark-faced young general and unconsciously took a few more glances, thinking: This is a talented person, we must capture him alive and make him serve our army. Zhang Yixin asked his attendants for his name and was about to recommend him to the King of Chu, who was watching the battle from a high platform, when he suddenly heard the talented person shout, "The wind is strong, run!" Then he took off on his horse and ran away, causing the rest of the troops to panic.

The King of Chu was delighted and laughed heartily, "You arrogant little brat, nothing more than that! Pass on my order! Rise up the cavalry and pursue them immediately! Leave no one alive!"

Zhang Yixin hurriedly advised him to be careful of a trap. The King of Chu had suffered several defeats before and had gained nothing from sieges for days. Now he finally tasted victory and was very happy. How could he listen to any advice?

Zhang Yixin also knew that his soldiers had been attacking for a long time but had not been able to take the city, and they urgently needed a victory to boost morale, so he instructed the pursuing generals to be extra careful.

The cavalry general led his men in pursuit all the way without incident. They chased with increasing enthusiasm and were about to force the fleeing soldiers into a dead end when they suddenly heard a commotion behind them. Chaos began to appear at the rear of the team!

At the same time, the soldiers in front who had thrown away their armor and weapons suddenly stopped running and put on a ferocious look. Jiang Jin led his men to fight back again.

Attacked from both sides, the cavalry's formation was thrown into disarray. The cavalry commander remained calm and immediately ordered a retreat. Before he could finish his words, a sudden roar of killing erupted from both wings. The cavalry led by Qingsong and Chenyue launched a simultaneous attack. By this time, the rebel cavalry had already left the camp and could not receive timely support. In the end, over a thousand soldiers were trampled to death by the horses' hooves, and over three thousand were wounded. All of them were captured in Fancheng. This marked the first battle between the two factions. The King of Chu's campaign failed, and the rebels' morale was severely damaged. They began to doubt that Fan and Xiangyang were an impassable barrier.

Shen Changfeng knew that this was just the beginning.

Next, Zhang Yixin and others will certainly advise the King of Chu to speed up, not to fight to the end, and to move quickly south to Nanjing to compete for the throne.

So Shen Changfeng secretly sent a letter to Zhang Yixin.

Unfortunately, this letter was intercepted by the King of Chu's spies. At first glance, it was completely incomprehensible. It began with a few lines of Jingzhou slang, two lines of a children's song from Lingnan, and half a limerick, signed with a dog's paw print. The more bizarre it was, the more suspicious it became. The King of Chu suspected it must contain some hidden code and sent someone to decipher it. While the spies couldn't understand the code, they did understand the most obvious acrostic.

The Black Turtle's plan is brilliant.

The King of Chu recalled the previous defeats and gradually began to doubt. Shen Changfeng was not a poisonous insect in his stomach. How could he guess his thoughts and plans so clearly?

The way the King of Chu looked at Zhang Yixin gradually changed. Whenever Zhang Yixin put forward a new proposal, he would consider it again and again. The more anxious Zhang Yixin was to persuade him to go south, the more hesitant the King of Chu became.

As Shen Changfeng expected, the King of Chu temporarily suspended his plan to march south, and even led his troops to retreat in the past few days and set up camp in another place.

Fancheng was given a chance to rest and recuperate.

But Shen Changfeng also knew that it was only temporary. The news from the court was despairing - the army had not yet set out.

Needless to say, that group of people must have been arguing with each other for a long time.

Even Shen Changfeng, who was used to many storms, couldn't help but sigh softly when he received this report.

"Hold!"

Fifteen days! Fifteen days! How could he possibly survive these fifteen days?

Unless someone had already led troops to Fancheng before then, he would have to wait another fifteen days. However, without an imperial decree, leading troops to battle without authorization would be a life-threatening undertaking, and no one would go to such lengths for him.

The situation cannot be reversed by relying solely on the support of the small number of troops nearby.

The wind from the river gradually grew stronger, giving him a headache.

He sighed, looked down, and suddenly found a soft little rabbit hat at his feet.

Xiao Man'er put her hands behind her back, frowned, and followed him in pacing, muttering to herself as she walked and sighing from time to time.

Shen Changfeng's brows relaxed and he laughed.

Xiao Man'er held his thumb, shook it gently, and called him in a long, baby voice: "Second Uncle..."

The best friend in the world, Xiao Man'er, consciously reached for the candy bag on his saddlebag and took out the last candy. Halfway through handing it to her, he remembered that Xiao Man'er had been with Lin Meiju these days, so he retracted his hand.

Shen Changfeng squatted down and said, "Xiao Man'er, I'm going to ask you a few questions. I'll give you some candy after you answer them."

Xiao Man'er was almost dizzy by the candy in his hand, and her mouth was almost full of the candy. Hearing him say that, she swallowed, retracted her tongue, and said okay.

Shen Changfeng licked his dry lips, feeling a little anxious, and asked, "Eleventh Lady, has she mentioned me to you?"

Xiao Maner nodded a few times.

Shen Changfeng was overjoyed and hurriedly asked, "What did she say?"

Xiao Man'er mumbled a few words and said, "...Okay, I said I want to eat it... Can you give me this candy?"

Shen Changfeng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He took the candy away a little and repeated the question: "Eleventh Lady, what did she say about me?"

Xiao Man'er sobered up a little, thought for a moment, and said, "I didn't say anything about you."

Shen Changfeng felt a little disappointed and asked again: "Then...did she mention the seventh day of the New Year? Lord Song, Prefect Song, or Li Linyuan."

Xiao Maner shook her head.

Shen Changfeng felt that it was a bit absurd to try to get information from a three-year-old child, so he had to give up. "So what has Eleventh Lady been busy with these days?"

"Eleventh Lady treats patients in the pharmacy during the day and asks me to play in the yard. At night, she treats the aunts and grandmas at home. Their bellies are so big, like they are holding a ball, and it moves! Eleventh Lady says that there is no ball inside, but a brother or sister, but I can't see or hear my brother or sister talking..."

Shen Changfeng thought that Lin Meizhu must have set up a place at home as a delivery room for women.

The following talk was a bit trivial, obviously just floating around, "Shiyi Niang also does needlework, little socks, I also want a pair of tiger-head shoes, Shiyi Niang is so fragrant and soft, I like her to soothe me to sleep..."

Shen Changfeng agreed deeply, shook his little ally's hand, and thought to himself: If Lin Meizhu can coax me to sleep...

"Eleventh Lady likes to look at the moon, sometimes for a long time..."

Xiao Man'er's eyes began to dart around, and Shen Changfeng wiped her saliva with the towel around her neck, intending not to embarrass her. Finally, he made another request: "Okay, then tell Shiyi Niang more about my good points."

Xiao Maner listened carefully, looked up at his eyes, and asked seriously, "What's so good about you?"

Shen Changfeng said, "I..." and then suddenly stopped talking.

This is a very important answer. Shen Changfeng compared carefully, what is better about himself than Chuqi?

He was demoted to a lowly official position. Although he was now a lieutenant general, Chu Qi still had the status of a junior tutor. Although it was an honorary title, it could still put him several levels higher than Chu Qi.

He was born into a poor family and was a commoner whose name was removed from the imperial book, while Chuqi was a descendant of a famous and loyal family.

In terms of talent, Chuqi stood out from the crowd, winning three first prizes in the imperial examinations and being chosen as the third place in the imperial examination by the emperor. When I was studying, I relied on my cleverness and ignored the advice of my teachers.

In terms of looks, Chuqi was a handsome young man, but I, on the other hand, had scars from years of marching and fighting. Who wouldn't be terrified? Lin Meizhu's indifference that day was enough to tell. She had lost interest in her own body. Maybe she even found it disgusting. When a man's body loses its appeal...

Shen Changfeng tightened his jaw and lowered his head.

As for family wealth… Shen Changfeng was well-versed in military preparations. Lin Meizhu had donated three thousand taels, and even with the silver from the other gentry, it still wasn't enough. Where did the money come from? Chuqi didn't say, but Shen Changfeng knew it well. Chuqi must have used his own private treasury.

Even the armor he wore and the broadsword he used were bought with their silver. Chuqi even bought new armor for the cavalry's warhorse. The Fubo Army also had it, and so did Ah Chou. The armor was made of the finest steel, and ordinary swords and axes would leave at most a white mark on it. It was incredibly expensive.

But Shen Changfeng didn't even have enough money to buy candy.

Shen Changfeng put the candy in his hand into Xiao Man'er's hand, stood up and sat on the cart, with a gloomy face, and completely fell silent.