On the south bank of the Cang River, the river beach is wide. In the ice and snow, the soldiers of the three guards of Heqin, Xinyang and Silu gathered in an orderly manner, ready to attack the enemy.
King Li, in full military uniform, slowly surveyed his vast army, boosting morale and shouting, "God bless you, great work!"
The Ninth Prince finally got what he wanted. He put on his armor, excited but also nervous. He responded to his elder brother and shouted:
"God bless Dagan!"
A large group of soldiers responded and shouted in unison: "God bless Dagan!"
In an instant, the roar shook the earth and was as powerful as a rainbow.
Guo Honglei was leading a warhorse, with a long sword on his waist and a resolute look in his eyes.
Prince Li continued to shout: "We will win this battle!"
Guo Honglei remained unshakable and calm, echoing with tens of thousands of his comrades, "We will win this battle!"
"We will win! We will win!"
"The Northern Ape will eventually perish!"
The roar reached the sky, deafening and echoing across both sides of the Cangjiang River.
The Xinyang and Silu guards were ordered to provide assistance and obey the orders of Commander Heqin. Dou Yong brooked no room for argument and sternly ordered, "Listen carefully! The Heqin Cavalry Battalion will lead the charge. Once the enemy defenses on the north bank are breached, the Heqin crossbowmen and infantry will charge in immediately."
"Xinyang Guards, after annihilating the enemy troops along the coast, will be responsible for capturing Chujie County."
"Silu Guards, strictly guard the south bank and stand by."
"Yes!" The three deputy commanders took the order and went to act separately.
In a blink of an eye, at the order of the deputy commander of Heqinwei, all the soldiers of the Cavalry Battalion mounted their horses, turned their horses' heads, and the horses with horseshoes spread their hooves, stepped on the ice several feet thick, crossed the Cangjiang River, and galloped towards the north bank.
On the south bank, several war drums were lined up in a row. Several strong men clenched their red-painted hammers and beat the drums at the same time, "Dong Dong Dong~"
Encouraged by the sound of war drums, the cavalry battalion led the charge, rapidly advancing into the distance, with the crossbowmen and infantry following closely behind, looking for an opportunity to charge.
Guo Honglei was an excellent rider. He led more than a thousand of his men and rode towards the north bank. "Gee!"
"Boom, boom, boom~" The cowhide war drums beat faster and faster, always in unison. The drumbeats were powerful and loud, inspiring people and urging the vanguard border troops to the north bank.
Soon, the Dagan border troops arrived at the defense line set up by the enemy on the north bank.
The Xiaoqi Battalion was personally commanded by the commander, and all rewards, punishments, and appointments were decided by Dou Yong. There were five small leaders in the battalion. Guo Honglei was one of them. His jaw clenched, he drew his long sword, urged his horse forward, and shouted, "Kill!"
"kill--"
The cavalrymen were all wearing heavy armor, even their faces were covered, leaving only their eyes exposed. They drew their swords in unison, and the sound of killing shook the heavens.
Guo Honglei showed no fear and was agile. He took the lead in blocking the rain of arrows, clearing the barricades, crossing the ditch, and finally engaging in close combat!
There were flashes of swords and shadows of blood, and the sharp and piercing sounds of weapons colliding violently. There were shouts, cries of pain, heads falling to the ground, broken arms and limbs... The splattering blood gradually dyed the white snow red. The originally white snow was trampled back and forth by the troops of both sides, and the battlefield was extremely dirty.
Guo Honglei gritted his teeth, raised his sword and swung it with unparalleled bravery. The blade kept dripping with blood, and his whole body was also splashed with the enemy's blood, with a murderous aura that was captivating.
After half an hour of fierce fighting, the vanguard successfully captured this section of the coastline. According to the pre-arranged military orders, the Heqin crossbowmen and infantry followed, guarding the fortress and clearing out the remaining enemies, taking the opportunity to tear the small gap into a larger one to facilitate the arrival of the rear army.
Guo Honglei and his men continued their advance without stopping, advancing into Yongzhou. Behind them, the Xinyang Guards, who had been ordered to attack Chujie County, worked closely with them.
At this moment. Heqin County Government Office
The back court was very quiet, and the charcoal in the incense burner in the bedroom was glowing red day and night.
Jiang Yushu's instep was so swollen that she couldn't wear shoes. She leaned on a cushion, holding a book in her hand, but she didn't turn a page for a long time. She stared blankly at the patterns embroidered on the curtains.
The half-open door creaked, and footsteps were heard. A maid named Xiaoxi asked respectfully, "Mammy, where is it?"
"I'll do it. I'll just carry it in." Nanny Pan took the tray and thanked her politely. "You've made another tiring trip. Go back now. There's a lot to do this year. I know you're busy."
Xiaoxi shook her head. "No, no, no! My wife has ordered me to concentrate on serving Madam Guo and not to rush into anything else."
"We have nothing to do here right now, you can take a rest."
"Why!"
Jiang Yushu calmed herself down and turned to see Nanny Pan carrying a tray around the screen. She assumed it was medicine and asked, "Mammy, what kind of medicine is that?"
"It's not medicine, it's bird's nest soup."
Nanny Pan placed the tray on the table beside the couch, opened the lid, stirred it, and explained, "We've finished the box the Cao family sent. I asked the county magistrate's wife to help buy some. It's a small county on the border, so there's no top quality, only second-rate stuff. But it's bird's nest, so Madam, please make do with it. Drink one cup a day as the doctor instructed, it'll nourish your body."
Jiang Yushu closed the book and smiled. "Every day? That would cost a lot of money. Bird's nest, whether high-quality or low-quality, is a precious commodity. Ordinary people rarely buy it."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Pan became anxious. "This concerns the health of you and your child. No matter how much money is spent, it's worth it! If you're short on money, why don't you tell the old lady? She will definitely be happy to help with the care of our legitimate grandchildren."
"I was just saying that. I don't need your help right now." Jiang Yushu rolled over slowly and carefully, saying calmly, "Changping has a large population, and they've been losing money for years. Even if you have mountains of gold and silver, they'll eventually run out. I'm afraid your money is tight."
"Alas, times have really changed! I am sorry to have wronged you, Madam."
Jiang Yushu sat up and took the bird's nest soup. "Compared to the past, everyone's life is difficult. We should all be more open-minded. Life must go on."
Nanny Pan, now elderly and fond of nagging, brought a round stool closer to accompany her, sighing, "Think back then, when the Crown Prince's wife was pregnant, what was the value of premium bird's nest? When she had an appetite, she'd taste a little bit. But when morning sickness came, she couldn't eat it, so she'd just throw it away or give it to others. There was plenty of it in the mansion anyway, so she didn't feel bad at all."
"Who would have thought that when you were pregnant, the mansion would be in ruins? It's so bad that not only can't we eat the best bird's nest, but we also feel bad about 'wasting money'." Nanny Pan sighed and rambled, lamenting, "Poor Second Young Master, he suffered in the army, and his child is even more pitiful, having suffered since his mother's womb—" The old woman suddenly stopped herself, slapped her mouth in frustration, and said apologetically, "Well, look at my mouth, I bring up things that are not related to the topic, please don't blame me, madam."
Jiang Yushu swallowed a mouthful of bird's nest soup, her eyes blank. She shook her head and said with a forced smile, "It's just a casual chat, and it's about the truth. What's so strange about it? Madam is too cautious." Her worries were aroused, and she said solemnly:
"It's the middle of December, and there's only half a month left until the deadline set by the court. I wonder how the battle is going? Has Yongzhou been recaptured?"
Nanny Pan, starting the conversation, was filled with regret as she quickly replied, "Yongzhou has belonged to Dagan since ancient times. The Northern Qiang are bandits, and good will prevail over evil. Young Master and his men will surely triumph! When he returns safely and sees the child, I wonder how happy he will be."
"I hope we can return safely. I've been asking about it every day, but Magistrate Pan and my cousin haven't revealed anything yet, saying it's a secret."
"Don't let your imagination run wild. Young Master and the others will definitely be safe!"
Nanny Pan, fearing she would be lost in sorrow, interrupted her, saying, "Well, the magistrate's wife is so kind and has found a midwife and a wet nurse for us. I mean we must see them first and examine them thoroughly to make sure they're suitable before hiring them. If they're not suitable, we'll reject them and find someone else who's suitable."
Jiang Yushu came back to her senses and asked in surprise, "Nurse?"
"At least one is needed," Nanny Pan advised sternly, "Madam is rather thin and has never been able to gain weight. I don't think her milk will be sufficient by then. It would be best to hire a wet nurse to prevent the child from going hungry."
Jiang Yushu hesitated, clutching the porcelain spoon in her right hand. Her wrist was thin and her fingers were distinctly knuckled. Finally, she sighed, "Ah, it seems we can't save on this either. Madam is the most experienced. You can handle it yourself and hire a suitable wet nurse to avoid a rush when the time comes."
"Okay!" Nanny Pan was confident. "Don't worry, I'll pick someone honest and clean! In fact, even in ordinary families, when a mother's milk supply is insufficient, she will try every possible means, such as increasing milk production or hiring a wet nurse. Who would be willing to let their own flesh and blood go hungry?"
Jiang Yushu nodded in agreement, "As long as I can, I will give my child the best, everything!"
At noon, the county magistrate and the minor officials left the front hall one after another.
Before we knew it, light snow began to fall from the gloomy sky.
Pei Wenfeng put aside his official duties for the time being and returned to the back office to have lunch and take a short rest.
Whenever he passed by the courtyard next door, he couldn't help but slow down his pace, glanced at it, hoping to see his cousin.
However, the more recent years have passed, the more anxious and irritable Jiang Yushu has become. She has a sore waist and swollen feet. In addition, it is often windy and snowy in the cold winter, so she rarely steps out of the yard and spends most of her time wandering around in her room and living room.
Pei Wenfeng stopped and looked inside the door. Cai Chun and Wu Liang were so cold that they held their sleeves together and had no choice but to stop.
The corridor in the courtyard leads directly to the hall, and the sound of reading can be heard: "Therefore, when God is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, he must first make his heart and mind suffer, and his muscles and bones work hard -" Guo Hongzhe turned around, looked up, and found the "Pei" in his mind.
The two looked at each other for a while, and Pei Wenfeng remained silent.
Guo Hongzhe was young and impatient. He walked out hesitantly, his eyes alert, and asked politely, "Master Pei, is there anything I can do for you?"
Pei Wenfeng didn't answer but asked, "Is she feeling better today?"
Although it was not specified, Guo Hongzhe understood and replied, "Thank you for your concern. My sister-in-law is fine."
When Pei Wenfeng heard the other person address him as "my sister-in-law," he felt as if a puncture had been made in his lungs, and he suddenly became furious. However, he disdained to make things difficult for the frail young man, who was a head shorter than him, so he suppressed his anger and ordered with a stern face, "Take good care of her."
"Of course." Guo Hongzhe was born timid. Whenever this happened, he would silently say to himself, "I must help my second brother defend against the guy named Pei," and thus he would muster up the courage to come forward and talk to the other party again and again.
Pei Wenfeng wanted to visit, but he was afraid that his frequent visits would arouse suspicion. He didn't want his cousin to be criticized, so he restrained himself and turned away.
"Take care." Guo Hongzhe felt relieved and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
In the evening, the drifting snow was swept by the strong wind, getting heavier and heavier, and gradually turned into heavy snow.
The Heqin border troops took advantage of the victory and attacked according to the plan. The troops from various directions surrounded the city of Yongzhou, made a feint to the east and attacked in the west, and then besieged it.
Yongzhou had been occupied by enemy troops for a long time and had been devastated by war. It was in ruins everywhere, and all the counties and villages were empty. The people of Yongzhou were either massacred or had to cross the river with their families and seek refuge in the south.
As a result, all the fertile land in the state was abandoned and all the food had been plundered.
Water turned into ice as it fell. Guo Honglei and his men, most of whose uniforms were stained with blood, followed the army to take a break and dismounted in a sheltered place.
"Hurry up! We have 25 minutes to eat some dry food and bandage our wounds. We must reach Chujie County before dark."
"Yes." The soldiers dismounted and buried their heads in their work.
Guo Honglei held the horsewhip, straightened his helmet with one hand, picked a piece of clean snow, sat on the ground, took out his hard dry food, ate dinner with the snow, and looked around vigilantly.
In a moment, he raised his hand, and blood dripped from his cuffs.
The author has something to say:
The battle will be over tomorrow!
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