Chapter 84 The Great Melee: Great-Grandfather's Dearest Grandson~
"So fast?"
A flash of white light appeared before Zhu Di's eyes, and when his vision returned, he was already standing in front of the gates of Songyang City. In front of him was a dark mass of enemy troops, and behind him, the city gates were tightly shut, with no one to meet him.
"Uncle, let go!"
A clear, youthful voice rang in his ears. Zhu Di glanced sideways and saw a young silver-armored general being held by the arm of a composed man. The young man's brows were furrowed with pride, and his ring-pommel sword gleamed coldly in the moonlight, making him look like a wolf cub whose hind legs had been restrained.
"To cure the disease, we must first observe the situation." The man's voice was deep, and beneath his armor, a murderous aura forged in the crucible of countless corpses and seas of blood could be faintly seen.
Zhu Di's eyes sharpened—Wei Qing and Huo Qubing!
Bugles sounded from the distant enemy lines. These mere few thousand enemy soldiers could never have imagined that tonight their opponents would be Bai Qi, Wei Qing, and Li Shimin…
There are even more…
Qin Shi Huang.
Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, was still wearing his court robes. He was being protected by Meng Tian and Meng Yi as he stood at the city gate. In the dim shadows, nothing could be clearly seen.
However, Zhu Di still saw Qin Shi Huang's tall figure and the sharp angles of his face that could cut through the night. Qin Shi Huang noticed Zhu Di's gaze and slowly raised his head to look directly at Zhu Di. He did nothing, yet it was enough to make others gasp for breath.
Is this Qin Shi Huang?
In addition to the Meng brothers, Qin Shi Huang's army also included General Wang Jian. As a veteran general, he analyzed the general situation with just a few glances.
"Move the crossbows forward! Light cavalry to flank from both sides!"
An aged voice broke the tense atmosphere with a command. Wang Jian, his hair and beard white, spoke with a booming voice, clarifying the battle situation in a few words. He directly conveyed the next steps to the soldiers. The remaining men were all elite Qin soldiers, all of whom had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. They knew that this mission was different, so there was little time for them to be surprised or confused.
They had only one mission: to ensure that the glory of victory would forever belong to the Great Qin!
The Qin warriors moved at the command, their movements so synchronized that they seemed like clones of the same body—except for one hesitant, dark-faced man.
“General,” Hei Fu rubbed his hands together and leaned closer, “Aren’t we really going to say hello to Lord Wu’an and the others? After all, they’re all from Qin…”
We are both from the Qin Dynasty, even though we have been separated for so many years.
But we were family hundreds of years ago, so we should at least greet each other, right? Maybe we can even help each other out.
This is Hef's idea.
"Idiot!" Wang Jian almost fell off his horse. "Do you think this is visiting relatives?!" He looked at Hei Fu with exasperation, wishing he could give him a slap right then and there.
And you even greet me?
I'll greet you my foot!
This is a battle fought by separate teams, each fighting for their respective dynasty.
There is no question of cooperation.
Regardless of whether it was Lord Wu'an Bai Qi or anyone else, even if King Zhaoxiang of Qin came, Wang Jian wouldn't have time to greet him.
However, despite saying that, Wang Jian still glanced at Bai Qi's troops. He was shocked by what he saw. Who was that old man? Why did he look so much like King Zhaoxiang of Qin?
When he was young, Wang Jian once saw King Zhaoxiang of Qin from afar. With just that one glance, the young Wang Jian remembered that face deeply. It was an extremely old face with white temples and deep lines between his brows. People said that King Zhaoxiang of Qin was as majestic as a god, but Wang Jian, who saw him in person, was not intimidated by the king's majesty. Instead, he could not forget those eyes.
King Zhaoxiang of Qin's eyes were very different from those of Ying Zheng; they were more reserved and shrewd.
Bai Qi slightly turned his head and his eyes met Wang Jian's. Both were famous generals from the Qin state and the Qin dynasty, and both made great contributions to the Qin dynasty. The difference was that Wang Jian died a peaceful death.
"I know you." Bai Qi spoke, his voice not loud, but it reached everyone's ears. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Bai Qi sitting on his tall horse, looking calm and composed. He didn't take the thousands of enemy soldiers opposite him seriously at all.
It's only a few thousand people.
If it weren't for the 50,000 yuan, Bai Qi wouldn't even have wanted to take action; why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?
"After this is over, we can exchange some advice." Bai Qi rarely asked for advice from others, mainly because he really wanted to know how Wang Jian managed to survive under the emperor and die a peaceful death, and also...
Bai Qi's gaze shifted to Qin Shi Huang; it seemed that Wang Jian's boss was even more difficult to deal with than his own.
Everyone was already looking at Bai Qi, and when he shifted his gaze, everyone followed suit.
All eyes turned to Qin Shi Huang.
The most intense gaze, however, belonged to King Zhaoxiang of Qin. So tall, handsome, wise, and powerful! Oh dear! He's truly my great-grandfather's beloved grandson! I've missed you so much! ^_^
On one side, a heartwarming scene of grandfather and grandson unfolds, while on the other side, in Huo Qubing's army, Wei Qing pulls Huo Qubing, who is always ready to charge, back while also protecting Liu Che in the ranks.
"Your Majesty, this is really unreasonable." Wei Qing was exhausted and had to speak softly. Emperors from other dynasties all came in their ceremonial robes, treating this as a diplomatic occasion. How could they be recognized as emperors if they didn't dress formally?
But Liu Che was different. He dressed up as a soldier and started cosplaying. His current attire was no different from that of an ordinary soldier. The only difference was that the other soldiers were all centered around him and protecting him.
It made me feel a bit constrained.
"Wei Qing, you don't need to worry too much about me. Just do what you need to do." Liu Che didn't care at all. Anyway, he came here to establish a relationship with the gods, and would the gods just stand by and watch her die?
That's definitely not...
"Whoosh—"
A stray arrow grazed Liu Che's temple and embedded itself in the earthen wall behind him. The Imperial Guards around him instantly tightened their formation, forming a human wall around him. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Huo Qubing broke free from Wei Qing and charged into the enemy ranks like an arrow released from a bow: "Han warriors, follow me and kill—!"
Wei Qing's vision went black, and he immediately arranged for someone to escort Liu Che to the city gate as well.
The flames of war illuminated half the sky. Li Shimin's black armor, stained with blood, was still splattered with blood, yet he laughed as he drew his bow and nocked an arrow. The arrow pierced the air, pinning the bandit flag bearer three hundred paces away to a haystack.
"What a fine arrow!" Zhu Di had just beheaded an enemy general with his sword when he saw this and raised an eyebrow. "I never thought I would be able to witness Brother Li's archery skills with my own eyes one day."
Li Shimin shot through the ropes of another siege ladder with a backhand and said loudly, "If you have seen me pacify Hebei with three arrows at Hulao Pass back then—" Before he could finish speaking, Yuchi Jingde suddenly rushed in from the side, his iron whip sweeping across and breaking the enemy soldier who was attacking him in half.
Zhu Di's pupils contracted slightly—Yuchi Jingde's brute strength was truly ferocious!
Entering enemy territory was like entering an empty field; they were like ferocious beasts, knowing only how to slaughter.
On the other side of the battlefield, Qin Qiong wielded his double maces like silver dragons, causing the rebel army to fall like waves of wheat wherever he passed; meanwhile, Zheng He's troops unleashed a volley of bronze firearms, exploding into sprays of blood amidst the enemy ranks. The two emperors simultaneously narrowed their eyes, secretly comparing the changes in combat power brought about by the gap in eras.
This bronze hand cannon is truly a fine piece of equipment.
It seems that technological progress is still necessary. Li Shimin secretly put the creation of the Divine Machine Battalion on the agenda.
The Tang Dynasty team fell behind, and Cheng Yaojin in the Tang Dynasty team couldn't stand it anymore.
"Your Majesty, watch closely!" Cheng Yaojin suddenly roared, swinging his Xuanhua axe in a full-moon arc, cleaving the battering ram in two. Those nearby were also sent flying to the ground. Those behind Zhu Di gasped in shock; the force was beyond human limits!
Zhu Di narrowed his eyes slightly. Was this... a way of giving him a warning?
"Interesting." Zhu Di suddenly untied his bow and arrows, nocking three feathered arrows at the same time. "I wonder if Brother Li recognizes this arrow formation?" Before he finished speaking, the arrows whistled out in a triangular formation, piercing through the smoke of the battlefield and accurately piercing the throats of three enemy generals, who all fell to the ground.
Li Shimin clapped his hands and laughed: "Fire three arrows at once? I can do that too—"
"ah!"
Bai Qi's formation was like a bulldozer, sweeping away and engulfing those opposite them, leaving only a scream behind. The two emperors were speechless. Zhu Di stroked the musket and murmured, "This god of death... is even more terrifying than the historical records describe."
If the god of slaughter could be personified, it would undoubtedly be Bai Qi.
The blood of bandits and soldiers mingled with the cold night wind, splashing onto Bai Qi's face. The screams around him were incessant; they had never imagined they would die so simply and brutally before they arrived.
They didn't even have time to learn Bai Qi's name.
In the darkness of night, these screams carried far. The people of Songyang County kept their doors and windows tightly shut, not daring to even lift their heads, praying to their ancestors to bless Magistrate Jiang and let him win.
They can finally eat their fill.
Please don't take anything out of their stomachs.
Among the thousands of people, there were some capable individuals who, after exchanging two blows with a young man, were knocked off their horses with a single spear thrust, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out blood, their internal organs shattered, yet they remained unconvinced.
He has never lost.
Everyone says he can become a great general, why...?
"What... is your name?" He had to know the boy's name; he wanted to die knowing the truth.
His voice was weak, sustained only by a single breath.
Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, only the young general stared intently at him, offering his answer: "Jiang Boyue of Tianshui."
Never known before…
He wanted to speak, but blood blocked his throat and nasal passages, and he could no longer utter a word. He lay on the battlefield, gazing at the starry night sky.
Didn't we say we were sure to win?
Why did he die?
Wang Laohu thought the same thing. Looking at the dwindling ranks of his troops, he couldn't help but shout, "Where's Jiang Yuanshan? Didn't you say there were fewer people in Songyang County at night? Didn't you say you were sure to win?"
One by one, the bandits died on the battlefield.
The battlefield has become much emptier.
At this moment, Zheng He finally had time to look around and wonder where Wei Zhongxian was.
On the city gate tower, Wei Zhongxian led a team of Imperial Guards, escorting Jiang Yuanshan, who was bound hand and foot, out slowly. The Embroidered Spring Blade was held to the neck of the mastermind behind the scenes.
"I congratulate Magistrate Jiang," Wei Zhongxian said with a venomous laugh, his high-pitched voice piercing the night. "This scoundrel tried to escape through the side gate, but I caught him red-handed—"
Jiang Ge's gaze fell on Jiang Yuanshan, who was bound hand and foot to the side. Just a moment ago he was showing off his power, but now he was a prisoner.
As soon as she looked up, Wei Zhongxian understood what she meant.
"Follow me to protect the local people and prevent the bandits from harming them." Wei Zhongxian led the Imperial Guards away.
I had just stepped downstairs when I ran into Zheng He.
Wei Zhongxian waved his hand, signaling the Embroidered Uniform Guard to continue their operation.
Zheng He's eyes were deep. He hadn't been to Songyang County for the past few days, but after hearing the news, he realized that Wu Shifu's death might be related to Wei Zhongxian.
But why?
This person was a friend of Magistrate Jiang. Why would Wei Zhongxian target him?
This was something Zheng He couldn't understand at all.
Wei Zhongxian slowly straightened up. His face, which was usually plastered with a fawning smile, now revealed a hint of sharp authority. He gently stroked the hilt of his embroidered spring knife, the python pattern gleaming dimly in the moonlight.
“Lord Sanbao,” Wei Zhongxian chuckled, his voice still high-pitched but no longer concealing its sharpness, “have you ever considered… that killing Wu Shifu was actually at the behest of Magistrate Jiang?”
Zheng He's pupils suddenly contracted.
--impossible.
“No, Magistrate Jiang…” Zheng He shook his head. Magistrate Jiang was very kind and benevolent to the people. How could he collude with someone like Wei Zhongxian?
Why would such a treacherous and wicked person gain Magistrate Jiang's favor? He must have bewitched Magistrate Jiang.
Seeing Zheng He's appearance, Wei Zhongxian suddenly chuckled: "Does Lord Sanbao really think that Magistrate Jiang is content to be a minor official for the rest of his life?" He turned his head and stretched out his hands, the night wind whistling and blowing his python robe.
“If we weren’t short of eggs, we would also like to try what it’s like to be an emperor.”
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Author's Note: Bronze hand cannons already existed during the Hongwu era. Which dynasty do you think won? [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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