Chapter 228 Red Rain
Xiao Kai had never expected that Xiao Beiheng would play this way.
Originally, the Jingzhou Army under his command and Xiao Beiheng's Dingbei Army had similar strengths, both numbering over 30,000 men. However, with Xiao Zhuo's 30,000 surrendered soldiers, his strength immediately increased to nearly 70,000, giving him an advantage over Xiao Beiheng.
He came to attend Xiao Beiheng's banquet because he was confident that his military strength far outnumbered the enemy's and that he had a famous sword to protect him. When he saw that Xiao Beiheng was only wearing a red robe and no armor or weapons, he naively believed that the other party had no intention of harming him.
When everything was going smoothly, Xiao Beiheng suddenly gave him a blow. Not only did he have to surrender Jingzhou, he also wanted to take his head.
Although he was angry, he didn't understand where Xiao Beiheng's confidence came from.
There were 70,000 soldiers outside the city, and he was wearing heavy armor and carrying the Yanque Sword. How could Xiao Beiheng, unarmed, have the courage to provoke him?
In short, this completely pissed him off, and he overturned the table and drew out the Yanque sword regardless of everything.
"Xiao Beiheng, die." He roared and swung his sword at Xiao Beiheng.
Xiao Beiheng's gaze fell on the Yanque sword that was as bright as autumn water. A trace of fear flashed across his eyes, and he quickly stood up and retreated.
The Yanque sword slashed down diagonally, barely glancing past his clothes. It first cleaved the jade pendant dangling from his waist in two, then split the table in front of him in two. The dishes and drinks on the table slid down, splattering everywhere.
When the generals of the Dingbei Army and the Jingzhou Army in the tent saw this, they also shouted and drew their swords to fight together.
Xiao Kai's first strike missed, and he was about to pursue. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the strength in his body began to pour out like a flood.
"It's...it's poison!" he shouted in horror.
I was obviously very careful and brought my own food and wine, so why did I still fall into Xiao Beiheng's trap?
This poison wouldn't cause him any pain, but it would gradually weaken him. When he could no longer swing his sword, he would be a lamb to be slaughtered.
Xiao Kai looked up at Xiao Beiheng, who was standing opposite him. He looked at him with a teasing look, as if to say, so what if you are so careful.
In this situation, even if he was impulsive, he knew he had to leave. This was the Dingbei Army's main camp. A gentleman's revenge is never too late. While the poison was taking effect and he still had strength, he could seize this opportunity to break out and then lead the army back for revenge.
Having made up his mind, he was about to turn around and attack, but the old man behind Xiao Beiheng flashed and blocked his way, striking him with one hand.
"Don't block the way." Xiao Kai swung Yan Que and slashed at the inconspicuous old man in front of him.
The old man, with white hair and beard, actually dared to block the road.
The old man crouched down and quickly dodged his sword. He flicked his finger at Xiao Kai's elbow, and Xiao Kai felt his entire arm go numb in an instant. He could no longer hold Yan Que, and the old man snatched the sword away from him.
"Impossible." Xiao Kai was shocked.
The old man used only one move to snatch his Yanque sword away. Although his arms were weak from the poison, he still couldn't believe that he could snatch his sword in such a short time.
He was not a mediocre person and could clearly see that the old man's skills were superb. He was a master he had never seen in his life.
"Master Ji's sword is indeed as sharp as ever," Xiao Beiheng laughed and clapped his hands, "He is worthy of being the world's number one swordsman."
Hearing this, Xiao Kai immediately knew the identity of the old man.
Ji Zhong, once the most renowned swordsman of the Great Yan Dynasty, possessed unparalleled skill. Emperor Yongde paid a large sum of money to invite him to the palace to teach Xiao Zhuo the art of swordsmanship. However, after Xiao Zhuo was deposed, his whereabouts were unknown. Unexpectedly, he was recruited by Xiao Beiheng.
No wonder Xiao Beiheng dared not wear armor or weapons. It turned out that Ji Zhong was protecting him from behind.
Xiao Kai lost Yan Que and had no weapon in his hand. In panic, he caught a glimpse of a table next to him, picked it up with one hand and threw it to Xiao Beiheng, then turned around and ran away.
Xiao Beiheng had already taken Yan Que from Ji Zhong. Seeing that Xiao Kai was still fighting like a trapped beast, he sneered, and the sword flashed, cutting the flying table in half.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xiao Kai tore a hole in the tent and jumped into the rain outside. Seeing the general flee, the Jingzhou army generals in the tent also gathered at the torn hole, trying to retreat with Xiao Kai.
Just as the Dingbei Army was about to pursue, Xiao Beiheng stopped them, saying, "Hold on, this prince has obtained his famous sword, and now is the time to test it."
He calmly plucked a hair from his head, hung it above the edge of Yan Que's sword, and stared at it intently.
The generals of the Jingzhou Army took advantage of this opportunity to flee through the gap. The generals of the Dingbei Army shouted, "Your Highness, they've escaped!"
Xiao Beiheng ignored him, spread his fingers apart, and his hair fell lightly, split in two on the blade of the Yanque sword and swept away by the wind.
"It's indeed a good sword!" Ji Zhong exclaimed.
Xiao Beiheng laughed heartily, swung the Yanque Sword, and rushed into the rain. Suddenly, a series of screams rang out outside the tent.
By the time Ji Zhong, Lin Kui and others followed out with the generals of the Dingbei Army, more than ten generals of the Jingzhou Army had all fallen in the rain. Blood continued to spurt out from the broken limbs scattered on the ground, completely dyeing the rainwater on the ground red, as if a red rain had just fallen.
Xiao Beiheng was walking towards Xiao Kai with a sword in hand. Raindrops continuously hit the Yanque Sword, turning into strings of water droplets that rolled down from the tip of the sword.
Xiao Kai's right leg, stabbed by Xiao Zhuo, hadn't healed yet, and the poison had taken its toll, leaving him sprawled in the muddy water, his hair dripping wet and plastered to his terrified face, making him look utterly miserable.
When he looked around, he saw that everyone around him had been killed by Xiao Beiheng, with only one confidant left. This was the one who had brought him food and wine before.
"Send warning rockets!" he shouted at his confidant at the top of his lungs.
This was his last resort. The confidant kept the rockets used for signaling. Once they were fired, the Jingzhou army in the city would know he was in danger and would immediately attack the Dingbei army.
The confidant remained unmoved and slowly said, "General, you still haven't figured out why you were poisoned?"
"So it was you, so..." Xiao Kai raised his finger in despair and pointed at the man tremblingly, "When did you betray me?"
Lin Kui walked up to Xiao Beiheng with an umbrella, opened it to shield him from the rain, and said with a smile, "Let me answer for you. I gave him this poison when I entered the city to advise the general."
Xiao Kai remembered that when Yongwei City was blown up by Xiao Zhuo's gunpowder, Lin Kui came to the city and told him Xiao Zhuo's secret, and said that if he could not defeat Xiao Zhuo, this strategy could save his life or even kill Xiao Zhuo.
He was quite grateful at the time, but he never expected that while Lin Kui was helping him, he was also planning to harm him.
I really can't imagine it.
He looked up and saw Xiao Beiheng walking slowly towards him, and finally understood that with his poor brain, it was impossible for him to compete with the man in front of him.
"Wait, wait," he knelt on his knees, raised his hands and forced a smile, "Beiheng, my last name is Xiao too. For the sake of our brotherhood..."
After Xiao Zhuo knocked him down, he said that they were brothers with the same surname, and he would spare his life and take him to the capital to be sentenced by Emperor Yongde.
He hoped Xiao Beiheng would be as magnanimous as Xiao Zhuo. As for Jingzhou and Liangzhou, he would give them to Xiao Beiheng. When people face the critical moment of life and death, they will find that wealth and glory are not as important as life.
It’s a pity that he never understood until his death that Xiao Beiheng was not Xiao Zhuo.
A flash of sword light passed by, and Xiao Kai's huge head left his body, spun several times in the air, fell into a mud puddle, and bounced twice.
"Take Xiao Kai's head and go to Yongwei to issue an order. If you don't surrender, no one will be spared."
After Xiao Beiheng killed Xiao Kai, there was no expression on his face. He just held the Yanque Sword in front of his eyes, looking from top to bottom, with love overflowing on his face, as if he was looking at his own child.
Ji Zhong, standing beside him, also exclaimed in admiration, "I have seen countless swords in my life, and now that I have seen a truly famous sword, I have no regrets in my life."
Xiao Beiheng turned Yan Que sideways and gently wiped the sharp edge of the sword with his wet sleeve:
"Master Ji, now that I have obtained the Yanque Sword, can I fight Xiao Zhuo?"
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