Chapter 236 You Will Definitely Lose to Pei Xingju
Inside the military tent.
Pei Xingju was sitting at his desk reading the court newspaper, his left shoulder open, revealing his arm, while a military doctor was applying medicine to him.
Across from him, Xue Gang stood with his arms folded, looking at him quietly and curiously.
He stared at her like this for a long time before Pei Xingju said, "Ask if you want to."
"What's wrong with you?" Xue Gang was puzzled. "You could have clearly dodged that arrow, so why did you go for it?"
He had seen clearly from behind at the time that Pei Xingju, with his skills, could definitely dodge Liang Jinxian's arrow. Furthermore, he had subconsciously tilted his head when the arrow came, but it still hit his shoulder.
Pei Xingju was injured, and the Pei family army was in chaos. They dealt with the situation hastily for half an hour and then sounded the drum to withdraw.
"Luckily the arrow only hit your shoulder. Otherwise, if you died before you could even begin your campaign, how could we continue this battle?"
Seeing Pei Xingju remained silent, Xue Gang curled his lips and said, "What's on your mind, can't you tell us?"
"I have my own plans for military affairs, and there is another matter that I need you to do." Pei Xingju said.
"You don't want me to contact people in the city to find out the whereabouts of Miss Zhuang, do you?"
Pei Xingju remained silent, and this was indeed what he meant.
"It's already this late, and you're still concerned about a woman? Pei Xingju," Xue Gang said, "I didn't expect you to be such a romantic!"
"The Pei family army must lose the first battle." Pei Xingju put down the official report and said bluntly.
Xue Gang paused: "What do you mean?"
Pei Xingju explained, "Liang Jinxian has stationed a large number of troops at Qiaoguan. Qiaoguan is strategically located and is easy to defend but difficult to attack."
"I still... don't understand." Xue Gang scratched his nose.
"Liang Jinxian intends to drag out this battle," Pei Xingju said. "He has ample food and fodder, so naturally he's not worried about losses. But the Pei army can't afford to waste time. If the battle stretches too far, the Pei army will inevitably become exhausted, and Liang Jinxian can use this as a precarious opportunity to win. His primary goal, however, lies elsewhere. The Dan Kingdom to the north has already stationed troops at the border, ready to dispatch when the time is right."
Xue Gang was surprised when he heard this: "So, you want to paralyze Liang Jinxian by losing the first battle?"
Pei Xingju nodded: "I need to resolve the Changguo issue as soon as possible. The court can't wait, and she must be scared after so much time has passed."
"I understand." Xue Gang nodded. "Don't worry, I'll contact the people from Xuanzhao Pavilion to find Miss Zhuang right away."
Pei Xingju nodded, stood up and walked to the map, his eyes falling on the place circled in red - Qiaoguan.
"I don't have much time left," he said, "I want her to return safely as soon as possible."
.
In the dimly lit chamber, a candle burned quietly on the table. Zhuang Wan lay on the couch, her brow furrowed, as if she had dreamed of something unpleasant.
After a while, she murmured and struggled to wake up.
However, as soon as I opened my eyes, I was caught off guard by a pair of affectionate eyes.
It’s Leung Kam-hin.
If she went back, she would definitely be scared to death, but she has gotten used to it in the past few days.
Liang Jinxian is an absolute lunatic. He would appear in front of her from time to time, sometimes telling her about his childhood, and sometimes talking about him and his original body.
"Why are you here again? Aren't you busy with the war between the two countries?"
Zhuang Wan was genuinely curious; she had never seen such an idle monarch. Liang Jinxian was acting like a king, playing house, completely disregarding everything.
She sat up, supported herself with her hands, and moved back twice to lean against the bedpost. However, when she looked down at the clothes she was wearing, her face suddenly showed horror.
Is this...a red wedding dress?
I don’t know if it’s because of the light, but the wedding dress is an eerie red, especially in this dim secret room, it looks particularly eerie.
"This dress..." She widened her eyes: "Did you help me change it?"
Seeing her eyes full of anger, Liang Jinxian smiled softly, neither saying yes nor no.
"Liang Jinxian, are you sick? This isn't a horror movie, why are you asking me to wear red?"
Liang Jinxian continued to laugh, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Zhuang Wan was really angry. This kind of anger was like when you hysterically punch cotton but the other party feels no pain and just laughs at you.
She hurriedly checked her body carefully to see if there was anything wrong.
At this time, Liang Jinxian said: "It was the palace maid who changed it, not me, you can rest assured."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Wan breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know what kind of incense was burning in this secret room, but at a certain time, she would fall into a drowsy sleep and even enter her original body's dream. If someone came in and did something during this time, she would be completely unaware.
"Then why did you dress me in red? Don't you think it's scary?"
"You said it, red clothes suit you and bring you wealth."
"..." Zhuang Wan muttered, "You've already locked me up here, how can I expect to be rich?"
"You want to go out?" Liang Jinxian said, "Soon. Once I defeat Pei Xingju, we'll get married right away."
"You're just being too optimistic," Zhuang Wan said, unceremoniously, "You only managed to win against Pei Xingju at the city gate because he was injured. From now on, you'll definitely lose to him."
"Really? But what if Pei Xingju loses?"
Zhuang Wan frowned and looked at him. "What do you mean? Did you do something?"
It’s no wonder that Zhuang Wan was worried. Pei Xingju lost his memory for half a year because of the poison on the arrow. If it happens again, they may not win the battle.
Liang Jinxian chuckled softly, "You don't need to know these. You just need to know that Pei Xingju will definitely be defeated by me."
He stood up and took two steps, then suddenly stretched out his arms. "As long as Pei Xingju is severely defeated, the Dan cavalry will surely march south, and the entire Dazhao will be in turmoil. Within two years, Dazhao will be destroyed."
"I, Liang Jinxian, will become a powerful and wise emperor, and you..." He turned to Zhuang Wan: "You will be my queen."
"Well, are you happy?" he asked.
Zhuang Wan couldn't be happy; she felt a little unsure. Liang Jinxian was so determined to win, so he must have some tricks up his sleeve.
Suddenly, she remembered what Liang Jinxian had planned with Prince Wenle of Lu. Zhuang Wan had already told Pei Xingju about this, and she didn't know whether he had made a foolproof plan.
But if there was a perfect plan, why did they lose the first battle?
Zhuang Wan's mind suddenly became confused. The dream she had just had was too depressing and made her physically and mentally exhausted. Now she had no clue what to do when she thought about it again.
At this moment, someone came in quietly: "Your Majesty, a letter from General Shen."
Upon hearing this, Liang Jinxian took it.
He leaned closer to the candlelight and unfolded the letter, and soon the corners of his lips curled up.
"Guess what the letter said?" He turned to ask Zhuang Wan. Without waiting for her answer, he continued, "Pei Xingju must have been seriously injured. Our Changguo troops only made a slight probing move, and the Pei family army retreated dozens of miles."
"What's with the invincible Pei Family Army? I think it's nothing more than that!" His eyes suddenly filled with emotion: "As long as I, Liang Jinxian, defeat Pei Xingju and the Pei Family Army, I will be able to become famous. Hahaha..."
He laughed wildly, then suddenly stopped and ordered, "Send the order to General Shen immediately and tell him to act according to the plan."
Zhuang Wan's heart skipped a beat. "Plan? What plan?"
"I can't tell you what the plan is," Liang Jinxian reached out and gently stroked her hair. "Just wait, wait for the good news of my great victory!"
.
In August of the Xiyou year, Dazhao and Changguo led tens of thousands of troops to confront each other in the Qiaoguan Plain.
The wind was howling, the flags were fluttering, the dust was flying noisily due to the restless hooves of the war horses, and the battlefield was filled with a tense atmosphere.
The armies of both sides were well-equipped, well-organized and ready for battle.
As the charge horn sounded, the soldiers rushed towards the enemy like a tide. Suddenly, shouts of killing rang out on the battlefield, and a fierce fight began.
Yan Sheng, a soldier from the Chang state, fended off the attack with his shield in hand and then, panicking, closed his eyes and fired a spear. The moment he closed his eyes, his heart was filled with extreme tension; this was his first time on the battlefield.
He could no longer remember why he went to the battlefield, but he instinctively did not want to die and instinctively resisted any weapon that approached him.
Suddenly, a stream of blood splashed over from the side, splashing onto his face. The nauseating smell of blood rushed into his nose. His legs and feet trembled, and for a moment he even wanted to abandon his armor and run away.
But the shouts and cries of killing continued, cold lights flashed, and the smell of blood filled the air. The entire battlefield fell into chaos, and the sounds of killing, shouts, and the sound of horse hooves resounded through the sky.
If you don't want to die, you have to move forward bravely. This is what he heard General Shen say before going to the battlefield.
Yan Sheng wiped the blood off his face and continued to rush forward trembling.
There were many other Changguo soldiers like him. Although they had been training for a long time, this was their first time on the battlefield. Moreover, they were facing the renowned Pei army. Although the Pei army had been defeated in their first battle, they were still unable to stop their bravery. In a short while, Changguo was at a disadvantage.
Just when Yan Sheng thought he was going to die on the battlefield, he suddenly saw white foam coming out of the mouth of the warhorse in front of him, with its front hooves raised high, and it ran wildly as if driven by some force.
The faces of the Dazhao soldiers turned pale, and they panicked and tried to control their horses, but it was all in vain. The horses rushed into the team without control, charging around, and some were thrown heavily to the ground by the horses; some tightened the reins but were still thrown to the ground, and others fled in all directions to avoid the mad horses.
This sudden accident disrupted the formation of the Pei family army, and in just a moment, the battlefield was out of control.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "The Pei family's army has escaped! We have won!"
Yan Sheng turned around and saw that Dazhao had already sounded the drums and began to withdraw his troops. Bewildered for a moment, he joined the crowd in shouting, "The Pei army has escaped! We have won!"
The cheers were as loud and clear as the waves of the sea, reaching the ears of Liang Jinxian who was watching from the top of a nearby mountain.
He stood on the top of the mountain in military uniform, with a smile on his lips and a look of pride in his eyes that showed he had already secured victory.
It seems that his plan was successful.
The war horses of the Pei family army were induced to become sick, and they really ran madly. After fighting for only half an hour, the Pei family army began to be defeated.
He took a long look and his gaze fell on a carriage among the fleeing army.
There, the injured Pei Xingju was sitting in the car.
What a pity!
He felt a little regretful that he couldn't witness Pei Xingju being defeated.
"General Shen," he said after a moment, rubbing his hands together, "Quickly organize the troops, I want to pursue them myself."
General Shen stood aside with a frown in silence.
General Shen, whose name was Shen Yuanji, was a general from the Chang State. Despite his graying hair, he always harbored dreams of restoring his country. He had secretly trained his troops for years, relying on funds collected from Hezhou by Liang Jinxian. Drawing on his youthful combat experience, he felt that the current situation was not normal.
"Your Majesty," he said, "the war is going too smoothly. This is not good."
"What's wrong with that? I saw the Pei family army lose the battle with my own eyes, so how can that be wrong?"
Liang Jinxian's face darkened.
He didn't like anyone disobeying him. He had endured enough in Dazhao over the years. Now he was the emperor of Changguo, the emperor above everyone else.
"Your Majesty, have you forgotten the strategy we discussed earlier?" Shen Yuanji said, "The Pei army is incredibly brave. If we engage them head-on, we will undoubtedly lose. The only way is to drag this battle out, wear down their forces, and then attack them when they're off guard."
"Aren't we following our strategy now?" Liang Jinxian asked. "You said you were testing Pei Xingju's troops, and you did. Now, you've successfully induced the horses to become ill as planned. The Pei family army is in chaos right now. If we don't seize the opportunity now, when will we pursue them?"
"Your Majesty, this is Qiaoguan, a dangerous place," Shen Yuanji advised. "Pei Xingju fled westward, but to the west lies a gorge. The mountains on either side of the gorge form a natural barrier, ideal for concentrated defense and attack. If we rush in rashly, we will surely be blocked and may even suffer casualties."
He continued, "Pei Xingju is cunning and treacherous. He must have a plan for retreating so quickly. As the saying goes, never pursue a desperate enemy. You must not act rashly at this moment, Your Majesty!"
"Of course I understand General Shen's concerns," Liang Jinxian said grimly. "Our previous strategy did work out, but you've seen the current situation. Pei Xingju is seriously injured, and his army's morale is unstable. This is the time for us to pursue our victory. What about the canyon? History records numerous canyon battles where the outnumbered defeated the larger force. Pei Xingju's rout today is a perfect opportunity. God is helping me!"
"His Majesty......"
"Alright!" Liang Jinxian waved his hand. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Stop trying to persuade me. The time, the location, and the people are all right. Time is of the essence."
"Or," he asked slowly, "General Shen has been in retirement for many years and is afraid to go back to the battlefield?"
"I--" Shen Yuanji blushed.
Although he was a general of Chang State, he was only a minor deputy general. He had never personally led troops in battle. Although he had doubts in his heart, he still did not have the confidence to refute Liang Jinxian.
"Shen Yuanji obeys orders!"
"I will be here!"
"I order you to quickly gather your troops and give chase!"
Shen Yuanji paused, gritted his teeth and accepted the order: "Yes!"
.
This is destined to be a brutal battle.
When Liang Jinxian led his troops to the canyon excitedly, where was the Pei family army?
The entire canyon was cold and silent, without even a trace of a horse. The wind blew silently through the cliffs, bringing a hint of coolness. Crows circled low in the sky, croaking, like a mournful song echoing through the canyon.
This scene suddenly made people panic.
Liang Jinxian stared at the empty canyon for a moment, a drop of sweat slowly dripping from his forehead, and then he shouted, "Retreat!"
But it's too late.
The setting sun was blood-red, the air was filled with smoke, and the Chang soldiers cried and fled in despair. They were powerless to fight back against the Pei army's overwhelming force.
The flag of Xinchang State was in tatters and trampled by countless soldiers. The ground was piled with corpses, and the entire canyon was dyed red with blood.
Liang Jinxian watched all this unfold, beginning to realize that this battle was irreversible. With a swipe of his spear, he killed several of the pursuers and, protected by Xichang, Xizhu, and the others, fled in panic.
.
In the Changguo Palace, when Xue Gang and his men hurriedly found the secret room, they were stunned for a long time.
"I'm a step too late!" He looked worried. "I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Pei Xingju."
After pondering for a moment, he asked again, "Where's Liang Jinxian? Can you find any trace of Liang Jinxian?"
Liang Jinxian was defeated in the canyon, and the Pei army rushed all the way to Shuzhou City and then the Changguo Palace. Xue Gang and his men searched for a long time before finding the secret room, but they were still a step too late.
"Keep looking!" he ordered, "Make sure you find it before sunset."
.
On this side, Liang Jinxian and Zhuang Wan were running westward, with Liang Jinxian's remaining army of less than 10,000 people behind them.
"Liang Jinxian, it's not too late for you to surrender now!" Zhuang Wan turned around and shouted, "Look at the exhausted soldiers behind you. Do you want to kill them?"
Liang Jinxian remained silent, his eyes gloomy. He held the reins with one hand and held Zhuang Wan with the other, running forward desperately.
Along the way, they encountered civilians fleeing for their lives. Seeing the army, the civilians knelt down in fear on the roadside. One woman was squeezed into a ditch while holding her child, and the child cried loudly.
When the people learned that Liang Jinxian had fled after being defeated in the battle, they looked at him as if he were an enemy.
I don’t know how long they ran like this, but the army only stopped when it was almost dark.
The moment he stopped, Liang Jinxian fell off his horse and fell to the ground. Everyone rushed to see him, but he scolded them and made them retreat.
He just lay on the ground, motionless like a corpse.
Zhuang Wan rode a horse all the way, climbed down with trembling legs, and then walked over.
Hearing the noise, Liang Jinxian opened half an eye and glanced at her.
"Are you very proud?" he asked.
"Why should I be so proud?" Zhuang Wan said, "I've known for a long time that you were defeated by Pei Xingju."
"Why are you so sure that I will lose to him?" Liang Jinxian sat up.
"Because... he's the male lead."
Liang Jinxian looked puzzled, not understanding what the man meant. He chuckled softly, the sinister look in his eyes disappearing, returning to the cynical look he had previously displayed in the capital.
However, at this moment, Liang Jinxian was no longer as noble as the prince of the Duke's Mansion, but looked a little down and out.
"Where are you taking me?" Zhuang Wan looked around. It was desolate everywhere. There were high mountains in the distance, with snow on the tops.
"No matter where we go, at least we can't let Pei Xingju find us." Liang Jinxian chuckled softly, "Although I lost to him, I still won in one way."
Zhuang Wan curled her lips: "Is this interesting to you?"
"What?"
"I'm telling you, your life is quite contradictory."
Liang Jinxian said nothing.
"Liang Jinxian," Zhuang Wan suddenly said, "You don't actually want to be emperor, do you?"
Liang Jinxian stopped laughing: "What did you say?"
Recalling the scene where Liang Jinxian stood on the city wall and looked at his mother, Zhuang Wan continued, "You actually don't want to be emperor at all. You just want revenge."
"But..." she asked, "What exactly is the hatred in your heart? Do you understand?"
Liang Jinxian narrowed his eyes: "What do you want to say?"
Zhuang Wan: "Have you ever considered that the hatred in your heart isn't actually your hatred, but your mother's hatred?"
"Your hatred isn't the hatred of the people of Changguo, but your mother's own hatred?"
"You've been indoctrinated with hatred since childhood, but did you understand what hatred was when you were young?"
The smile on Liang Jinxian's lips was cold: "Don't think you understand me."
Zhuang Wan lazily sat down nearby and added, "It's been sixteen years since Changguo was destroyed. The people have long since recovered from the war sixteen years ago. They should have been living in peace and contentment, but your revenge has shattered their lives. Many people have been born with the surname Dazhao and may not be willing to support you as emperor. Therefore, your hatred is not the hatred of the people at all."
"And you, born in the Xinguo Mansion, have never witnessed the destruction of Changguo, the flames of war, the separation of family members, or the mountains of corpses. Where does your hatred come from?"
"If you want to hate someone, you should hate Duke Xin and the environment you were born into, instead of dragging the people of Changguo down with you..."
As soon as she finished speaking, her neck was strangled fiercely.
Liang Jinxian stared at her with a frown: "I told you, don't think you understand me."
Zhuang Wan pried his wrists apart with all her might and continued, "You could have lived a good life, but your hatred ruined it. Because of your mother..."
A murderous look flashed in Liang Jinxian's eyes, and he exerted force with his palms.
Zhuang Wan breathed with difficulty, slowly closed her eyes, and her toes left a long mark in the mud.
Her brain was gradually deprived of oxygen, but she spoke in a hoarse voice, "Stop... If you still have any conscience... spare these innocent people."
The world slowly became blank, and Zhuang Wan seemed to see a beam of light shining down from above her head. The light was so dazzling that it made her dizzy.
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