Chapter 139: First Victory
Du Qingtang returned to the city from the military camp and took away the heads of Ma Boren and Sun Chaoxing.
He rode his horse to the south gate, and the guards saluted with their fists clasped: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Prefect!"
“Whoa—”
Du Qingtang tightened the reins, and Du Yi handed the two heads hanging behind the horse to the soldiers guarding the city.
The head was wrapped in black cloth, with blood still dripping and seeping into the yellow earth. The red spots looked shocking.
Du Qingtang's voice was cold and deep, filled with endless murderous intent: "Hang the heads of these two men on the city wall."
The soldiers guarding the city looked up in surprise and were shocked to find that there was blood on the prefect's face. They were horrified and lowered their heads quickly, not daring to take another look.
"Yes, I obey your command!"
The city guard did not dare to hesitate and climbed up the city wall with another palace soldier. They took off the black cloth and saw two dead faces with their eyes open.
The pupils of the soldiers guarding the city suddenly shrank.
The two of them were originally palace soldiers, and they had long memorized the appearance of the garrison, the captain and the captain in the army.
These two people are clearly Captain Ma Qian and Captain Sun!
The two Fu Ming looked at each other, their eyes full of shock.
"What crime did they commit? Why did the prefect cut off their heads?"
"It must be an unforgivable crime."
"Stop talking and get down to business."
The palace soldiers were silent as a cicada and hung the two heads on the city wall.
At the prefect's instruction, they did not hang the heads outside the city wall, but inside.
Although martial law has been imposed in the city, one person from each household can go out to do errands wearing protective clothing and a mask.
At this moment, the sparse number of people on the street were attracted by the swaying black shadow high on the city wall.
Looking into the distance, I saw two human heads!
"Why are they hanging heads on the city walls for no reason?"
"Could it be related to this plague?"
"...It's possible."
"But the government doesn't care about us anymore, does it?"
"You idiot, are you really believing those rumors out there? They say time reveals a person's true character. We've been with the prefect for two or three years at least. He's dedicated to his duties and loves the people like his own children. He would never abandon us at a time like this."
The people who had believed the rumors opened their mouths and were speechless.
Recalling the past, their faces hidden behind the masks turned tomato red.
......
Du Qingtang rode his horse into the city, and after driving for a distance, he suddenly turned his horse's head and looked back the way he came.
The vermilion city gate was tightly closed, like a tall and majestic giant guarding the city.
But it still could not withstand the battering rams and battering rams of the Qi army.
Once this door collapses, tens of millions of people in the city, including herself, will become meat on the chopping board, to be slaughtered by the Qi army.
Thinking about his past life and the hatred between the Firearm Battalion and the Qi Army in this life, Du Qingtang's eyes dimmed slightly.
Du Qingtang reported several materials and said in a deep voice, "Go find them immediately. The more the better."
"yes!"
Du Yi and twenty yamen runners went out of the city again to look for what the prefect had specifically asked for.
Du Qingtang returned to the government office alone and sat quietly in the lobby for a while. His brain was working rapidly, and he listed the battle plan in his mind as quickly as possible.
After a while, Du Qingtang opened his eyes and summoned the clerks and runners: "The culprit behind this has been captured. I have already dealt with him and hung his head on the city wall."
Everyone was very happy.
"Great! Now the government has nothing to worry about, and you, my lord, can be cleared of all charges."
"The plague has long been under control. Now, as long as the patients in the quarantine center take medicine and recover, Shaoqing Prefecture will have completely overcome this disaster."
"May I ask, sir, who spread the plague?"
Du Qingtang told the truth, and at the same time did not hide the news that the Qi army would attack in five days.
Everyone's faces turned pale and red, and they were shocked and angry.
"What a scoundrel Ma Boren! The prefect treated him well, yet he dared to collaborate with the enemy and betray his country, colluding with the Qi bandits to murder the people of Daxia!"
"Sir, the families of Ma Boren and Sun Chaoxing must not be spared either. They must all be beheaded and displayed to the public. This is the only way to appease the people's resentment."
"As for those who were bribed and aided the tyrant, it is better to kill them by mistake than to let them go. They should all be executed!"
Du Qingtang tapped the table with his fingers, and the crisp sound made everyone fall silent.
"This is exactly why I summoned you here."
"From now on, Shaoqing Prefecture will lift the blockade and enter a state of war preparation!"
Everyone's expressions suddenly became solemn. They bowed deeply and said in a loud voice, "We are at your disposal, sir!"
......
At the prefect's command, the huge government office immediately began to operate at high speed.
The yamen runners rode to the four counties under their jurisdiction to inform the local county magistrates that the Qi army was approaching.
"The prefect has ordered all citizens of the county to pack up their belongings within three days and move into the city under the escort of county soldiers."
"In addition, we will purchase food and medicinal materials from all over the city and transport them to the provincial capital during the relocation."
"Also, those who do not wish to stay in Shaoqing Prefecture can leave on their own accord. There is no need to force them to stay."
When the local county magistrate heard the news, he felt dizzy and almost fainted on the spot.
"The plague hasn't been resolved yet, so why are we going to war again?"
"What if it's fake news?"
"The plague patients in the quarantine center haven't recovered yet. Do they have to enter the city as well?"
In response to this, the yamen runners replied, "As long as they are still breathing, after asking their willingness, they will all move to the provincial capital for refuge."
The magistrates of the four counties were well aware of the prefect's tough tactics. They were also worried that the Qi army would invade and the county towns would be under-guarded. When the Qi army broke in, the people of the entire county would become prisoners of war and suffer a tragic end.
So the yamen runners left the county government office and sent people to announce the news to the whole county.
Not to mention how terrified the people in the county were when they heard the news, the yamen runners then went to the quarantine center to find the four officials Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang.
"The Qi army is approaching. The prefect asked you to return to the city as soon as possible to discuss preparations for war."
The four kings of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng never imagined that after living for decades and being buried up to their necks in the earth, they would face the crisis of an enemy at the gates of their city in their lifetime.
Even though they were frightened, they could not act like cowards and fled from the battlefield. They did not dare to delay and rushed to the provincial capital with the government troops.
As for the plague patients in the quarantine center, they have already taken medicine and their symptoms have improved significantly. They will just be handed over to the local county government for transfer.
......
In the government office, Du Qingtang picked up his pen to write an urgent memorial.
When the plague broke out, Du Qingtang had no time to send a message to the capital. He originally planned to inform Emperor Qingyuan after the dust settled and to ask for credit for Du Qingju.
Who would have thought that the mastermind behind the plague was Da Qi.
The Great Qi still had the determination to attack Xia, and it made a comeback in just two years. They must have made sufficient preparations. She had to report this matter to the emperor as soon as possible.
After the urgent memorial was drafted, it was handed over to the courier and sent to Xiajing at an express speed of 800 miles.
After that, Du Qingtang wrote letters to Loushan Pass, the provincial capital and surrounding prefectures.
Ma Boren once said that the Qi army planned to capture Shaoqing Prefecture and Loushan Pass in one fell swoop. Du Qingtang was not sure whether a plague had broken out in Loushan Pass. To be on the safe side, in addition to informing him of the news that the Qi army was approaching, he also attached a plague prescription.
It is known that there were 300,000 Qi troops at Changping Pass and 300,000 Xia troops at Loushan Pass.
When the two armies go to war, in order to ensure victory, Da Qi is very likely to transfer troops from other places.
One was to reinforce Changping Pass, and the other was to attack Shaoqing Prefecture.
Shaoqing Prefecture had only 60,000 soldiers, which was obviously easier to attack than the powerful Loushan Pass.
Du Qingtang conservatively estimated that Da Qi sent at least 100,000 troops to invade Shaoqing Prefecture.
With 60,000 troops against 100,000, and Shaoqing Prefecture lacking elite soldiers and skilled generals, defeat was almost certain.
Du Qingtang planned to borrow troops from the provincial capital and surrounding prefectures.
But she never placed her hopes on others, not to mention that she had deep conflicts with officials in the provincial capital and surrounding prefectures.
Du Qingtang must prepare for the worst - there is no one to support Shaoqing Prefecture, and hundreds of thousands of people are trapped in the city.
Rather than asking for external help, Du Qingtang prefers to save himself.
Within five days, a batch of gunpowder and a small number of muskets can be produced expeditiously.
Firearms can be used for long-range sniping, but once the war breaks out, it will have to be fought with real guns and swords.
Fortunately, Shaoqing Prefecture had sufficient weapons reserves, enough to support 60,000 soldiers.
There is no problem with weapons reserves, so the next issue is food and fodder.
Du Qingtang sent people all over the city to purchase food and medicinal materials. Sixty thousand provincial soldiers plus ten to twenty thousand county soldiers needed a lot of food every day just for meals.
Once a war breaks out, there will inevitably be casualties.
By then, medicinal materials will be consumed very quickly and must be fully stocked to ensure that the wounded soldiers are not left without medicine.
Du Qingtang also sent minor officials and doctors to accompany the letter to the provincial capital and surrounding prefectures to purchase food and medicinal materials in case of emergency.
"Sir, the families of Ma Boren and others have been arrested."
Perhaps because he was overconfident and thought he was hiding well enough to fool Du Qingtang, Ma Boren did not move his family members out of the house in advance.
Ma Boren had never done that, and neither had the others.
The bailiffs broke into the house, arrested everyone and put them in the government jail.
Du Qingtang put down his wolf-hair brush and said without hesitation, "Post a notice immediately to inform the entire city of the Qi army's approaching troops."
"Clear the Caishikou area. The execution will take place in two hours. I will personally oversee the execution."
Du Qingtang doesn't care whether those people are innocent or not.
Their families colluded with the enemy and committed treason, causing thousands of people to die tragically from the plague. They should be held collectively responsible and their entire families executed.
Only in this way can we calm public grievances and stabilize people's hearts.
"yes!"
In just a cup of tea, the government office posted the notice.
The clerk stood by the notice wall and read the notice aloud.
The scattered people came over after hearing the news. When they learned the cause of the plague and the news that the Qi army was coming, they were all furious and their eyes were bloodshot.
"What a traitorous collaborator! No wonder the prefect wants to hang their heads on the city wall!"
"So the rumors are false. The prefect has always been here, and the government has not ignored the lives of us ordinary people."
"It's over! I even threw stones at the government gate!"
"You are nothing. Those who dumped night fragrance at the gate of the government office are finished."
"The government said the Qi bandits will arrive in five days. If you want to leave, pack your bags and leave as soon as possible. What are your plans? Leave or stay here?"
"I don't know. I'm afraid of dying, but this is my home."
"Anyway, I don't plan to leave. If we all leave, only the prefect and the soldiers will be left in Shaoqing Prefecture. How disappointed they will be."
"We have hands and feet. Even if we can't go to the battlefield to kill the Qi bandits, we can still help the government do other things."
"That's right, Shaoqing Prefecture needs us, and especially at a time like this, we can't leave."
Some people chose to stay in Shaoqing Prefecture and hold their ground in the face of the interests of their country and family.
Some people are afraid of death and decide to leave.
For example, those wealthy families and businessmen who have occupied Shaoqing Prefecture for decades, committing crimes and exploiting the people.
"As long as there is green, there will be no shortage of firewood. Let's leave Shaoqing Prefecture and start a new business elsewhere. As long as we build good relations with local officials and promise them generous benefits, we will be able to restore our former glory in time."
"But staying in Shaoqing Prefecture is not certain. Who can guarantee that the Qi bandits won't invade? If that day really comes, we're all doomed!"
"Hurry up and have someone pack their luggage, count their belongings, and leave tonight!"
Just when the wealthy and powerful families and merchants made up their minds to leave Shaoqing Prefecture, the executioner raised his knife and hundreds of heads rolled to the ground.
Outside the execution ground, countless people came to watch the execution after hearing the news.
Seeing this scene, everyone felt extremely happy and applauded.
Du Qingtang sat high on the execution platform, ignoring the overwhelming blood and headless corpses, and stood up and bowed.
The cheers stopped abruptly.
"The presence of such inhumane individuals in the military camp is truly due to my negligence."
"The Qi bandits are now approaching Shaoqing Prefecture, and a fierce battle is about to begin."
"I promise you all that I will defend Shaoqing Prefecture to the death. As long as the city is safe, we will be there. If the city is destroyed, we will be there too!"
The prefect's sonorous oath echoed over the execution ground, and the eyes of the people watching the execution were all red.
"Don't say that, sir. We have always believed in you."
"We will also stand with you and defend Shaoqing Mansion to the death!"
"We will definitely be able to repel the Qi bandits and defend Shaoqing Prefecture!"
......
In the afternoon, the governor and prefects from all over the country were shocked when they received the letter asking for help from Shaoqing Prefecture.
The Governor accidentally knocked over his teacup, soaking the official documents. He didn't even bother to clean it up, and made a quick decision: "Immediately send 20,000 troops to Shaoqing Prefecture for support!"
"Your Excellency, absolutely not!"
The Governor-General looked at the Left Provincial Governor who had tried to stop him and frowned, "Why do you say that, Lord Wen?"
The Left Governor bowed and said confidently, "Your Excellency, let's not talk about whether the news is true or not. Even if it is true, the Qi bandits are coming with great force, obviously aiming to capture Shaoqing Prefecture in one fell swoop. They must have a large number of people. The Shaoqing Prefecture's soldiers plus the 20,000 reinforcements are simply not enough."
"Once the war breaks out, the palace soldiers and support troops will most likely be wiped out."
"Instead of supporting Shaoqing Prefecture, it would be better to send troops to defend the provincial capital. With tens of thousands of soldiers from Shaoqing and Changtai Prefectures, they can deplete the Qi bandits' strength. Even if they can reach the provincial capital, they will surely be outmatched by our army."
"If our army can then defeat the Qi bandits in one fell swoop, wouldn't that be a great achievement?"
The Governor twirled his beard and said nothing, as if he was thinking about the interests involved.
The Left Provincial Governor secretly observed the Governor's expression and added fuel to the fire: "Earlier, Du Qingtang offended you and made you lose face in front of the prefects. This time, she should be taught a lesson. What do you think, sir?"
The Governor was silent for a long time, then sighed softly, "I am the Governor of a province. I cannot afford to lose sight of the bigger picture and allow the provincial capital, or even the entire province, to fall in order to support Shaoqing Prefecture."
"Forget it, there's no need to worry about Shaoqing Prefecture anymore. Just send troops to guard the provincial capital."
The Left Governor lowered his head and smiled with satisfaction.
When the letter for help was delivered to the surrounding prefectures, the first thing the prefects thought of was past grudges.
Du Qingtang first did business unscrupulously in their territory, seizing the business of local merchants, and then sent people to attack them at night, causing them to dare not show up in public for half a month.
Afterwards, he instructed the people of Shaoqing Prefecture to beat the petty official they sent to Shaoqing Prefecture to buy potatoes and sweet potatoes, leaving him with black eyes and swollen faces. This year, he even colluded with the provincial education commissioner and used extremely dishonorable means to allow the candidates of Shaoqing Prefecture to pass the imperial examination, causing their candidates to fail miserably.
With so many things going on, new and old grudges, they had already hated Du Qingtang to the core, so how could they send troops to support him?
Therefore, several prefects made a unanimous decision -
He tore the letter for help into pieces and threw it into the incense burner, burning it until it was completely gone.
"Instead of sending troops to support Shaoqing Prefecture, it is better to guard our home to prevent the Qi bandits from invading and harming the people."
"As for the letter asking for help...isn't it normal for letters to get lost these days?"
Little did they know that if one side is gone, the other side will be in trouble. If they refuse to support Shaoqing Prefecture, they will be the next to suffer if Shaoqing Prefecture falls.
What they didn't know was that the governor far away in the provincial capital had also rejected Shaoqing Prefecture's request for help and planned to use them to deplete Da Qi's military strength.
Not long after, someone came to report.
"Sir, the patrols have spotted many unfamiliar faces in the city. They've been aggressively purchasing food and medicinal herbs from major grain stores and clinics. Many have been completely cleared out."
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture was stunned at first, but then he reacted and slammed the table in anger: "They must be sent by Shaoqing Prefecture. Intercept them at all costs!"
What a shameless female magistrate! She actually dared to send people to his territory to purchase food and medicinal materials.
Even if he sold them all at a low price, he would never let that damn female prefect get any cheaper!
However, when the yamen runners rushed there, the clerks and doctors of Shaoqing Prefecture had already left the city with a large amount of food and medicinal materials and disappeared.
When the prefect of Jingdong Prefecture heard the news, he collapsed in anger: "I'm so angry! I'm so angry!"
The Jingdong Prefecture's deputy governor quickly spoke to appease him, "Please calm down, my lord. Shaoqing Prefecture is in imminent danger, and that female governor is also dying. Why bother with a dying person?"
The prefect of Jingdong Prefecture snorted coldly, thinking the same thing. "However, I still hope Shaoqing Prefecture can resist the Qi bandits' attack, so as not to encourage them to attack Jingdong Prefecture."
He only hoped that Du Qingtang would fall into the hands of the Qi bandits, become a slave, and suffer humiliation.
Only in this way can he relieve the hatred in his heart!
......
On the other side, Loushanguan also received a letter from Shaoqing Prefecture.
Du Qingtang did not ask for help from Loushanguan, but simply explained what Shaoqing Prefecture had experienced in the past half month, and relayed Ma Boren's last words before his death, reminding Loushanguan to prepare for war as soon as possible.
Pei Yuchun was reading a letter when his fingertips trembled and the letter fell to the ground.
In fact, as early as half a month ago, spies from Da Qi had sneaked into the military camp with the intention of spreading the plague virus.
Fortunately, after Pei Yuchun was promoted to general, he enforced strict military discipline, and the spy was discovered that day and killed on the spot.
Dozens of soldiers were unfortunately infected with the plague. Although military doctors tried every possible way to treat them, they still could not save them.
Those soldiers struggled on their sickbeds for three to five days before passing away one after another.
In an instant, Pei Yuchun thought of a lot of things.
He thought about how to prepare for and fight at Loushan Pass.
He also thought that Loushan Pass had 300,000 troops, while Shaoqing Prefecture had only tens of thousands of troops.
The two armies faced each other. Loushan Pass still had the strength to fight, but Shaoqing Prefecture had almost no chance of defeating the larger force with a smaller one.
No!
wrong!
There is A Yu in Shaoqing Prefecture. She knows the methods of making gunpowder and muskets. These two things alone can cause countless casualties to the Qi army.
Pei Yuchun closed his eyes, bent over to pick up the letter and prescription, his green eyes cold and his voice as icy as ice: "Call the generals to the main tent. This general has something important to discuss."
Out of selfish motives, Pei Yuchun wanted to send troops to support Shaoqing Prefecture.
But he was the general of Loushan Pass, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and the people of Loushan Pass standing behind him. He could not be willful and do whatever he wanted.
With Ayu's resourcefulness, she will surely be able to lead the military and civilians of Shaoqing Prefecture to defend the city to the death.
He must deal with the battle at Loushan Pass as soon as possible, and then lead his troops to Loushan Pass for rescue.
In just the time it takes to stick up an incense stick, all the generals at Loushan Pass gathered in the main tent.
Pei Yuchun told the truth, causing an uproar in the main tent.
"We haven't seen Da Qi invade Shaoqing Prefecture in all these years, how come it suddenly..."
"It's probably because Commander Du helped us repel the Qi bandits back then, and they hold a grudge against him. At the same time, they covet Commander Du's abilities, so they launched an attack."
"Damn it, the Qi thieves are really going too far. Do they really think we are dead?"
Pei Yuchun clasped the armrest tightly, veins popping out on the back of his hand. He said in a deep voice, "The most urgent task is to defend Loushan Pass and drive out the Qi bandits."
No one commented.
Compared with Shaoqing Prefecture, Loushan Pass is a military fortress.
Once Loushan Pass falls, the Qi army will be able to attack Xiajing directly as if it were an empty land.
"So everyone, cheer up and drive the Qi bandits back to Changping Pass. First, secure Loushan Pass, and then go to support Shaoqing Prefecture."
So on that day, a military order was issued from the main tent, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers at Loushan Pass sharpened their swords and entered into intense preparations for battle.
......
That night, wealthy families and merchants left Shaoqing Prefecture in carriages.
After leaving the city gate, the convoy headed east along the official road.
They planned to leave the province and settle down in a more prosperous city, and then slowly plan to restore its former glory.
The night is as dark as water, and the moon is at its zenith.
On the official road, horse-drawn carriages rumbled forward, and the people in the carriages were either lying or sitting, swaying and dozing off.
Just at this moment, a sound of breaking wind was heard, breaking the tranquility of the night.
“Whoosh—”
Countless arrows pierced the carriage, and screams were heard everywhere.
The accompanying guards looked into the carriage and saw that their master had been shot to death.
The guards were horrified and drew their swords, shouting, "Attention!"
In the woods on both sides, dark shadows were looming, emitting haunting laughter.
"Damn it! Ever since I was forced into the mountains by the bastard governor, I haven't felt this good in a long time."
"These are all fat sheep. Let's make a killing tonight and leave Shaoqing Prefecture tomorrow. The world is so big, let's live happily and carefree!"
Hundreds of remaining bandits, with murderous eyes and scimitars raised high, rushed towards the convoy.
The bright moonlight illuminated the blood and corpses on the ground.
-
Countdown to war, day four.
Du Qingtang waited for the whole morning, but no reply came from either the provincial capital or the surrounding prefectures.
This was exactly what Du Qingtang had expected. She did not get angry. Instead, Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang, who had rushed back to the city yesterday afternoon, scolded them harshly.
"What good will it do them if Shaoqing Mansion is gone?"
"Bah! Bah! Bah! Shaoqing Prefecture must win this battle, we will definitely win!"
"Sir, the provincial capital and other prefectures are unwilling to send troops to support, leaving Shaoqing Prefecture isolated and helpless. Should we seek assistance from Loushan Pass?"
Du Qingtang shook his head: "Loushan Pass is also under attack by the enemy, and Loushan Pass is more important than Shaoqing Prefecture, so it is not convenient to ask for help."
Considering the important strategic location of Loushan Pass, everyone had to give up the idea.
At this time, Du Yi appeared in a dusty state: "Master, everything you want is ready."
Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang were curious and looked at the prefect.
Du Qingtang didn't tell him, but only ordered: "I have important matters to attend to. You will be in charge of the government office and all preparations for war will be your responsibility."
This made the four even more curious, but before they dared to ask, the prefect hurried away.
The four kings of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng looked at each other, sighed for a while, and then went about their business.
......
Before leaving, Du Qingtang went to the workshop and took away dozens of craftsmen.
The city has four gates, and including 20,000 county soldiers, Shaoqing Prefecture only has 80,000 troops.
Soldiers must be stationed at every city gate. Once the 80,000 troops are dispersed, their combat effectiveness will be further reduced.
Du Qingtang planned to concentrate his troops at the west gate.
There is a garment factory at the North City Gate and a dried fruit factory at the South City Gate. In contrast, there is only a market and an orchard at the West City Gate.
The market stopped operating half a month ago. There are only fruits and vegetables in the orchard, many of which are still seedlings. If they are destroyed, they are destroyed and can be planted again next year.
How to concentrate troops at the west gate?
Yesterday, when Du Qingtang entered the city from the military camp, he had a sudden idea and decided to seal the three city gates in the east, south and north.
How to block?
What to seal?
How to ensure that the Qi army will not break through the city gate?
Du Qingtang thought of cement.
Cement is very strong. When cement was used to build the wall inside the city gate, no matter how hard the Qi army tried, they would never have guessed why they could not break down a single city gate even with their battering rams and battering wheels.
Using the three city gates to consume some of the troops, they used 80,000 troops to confront the Qi army attacking the west city gate, and then used gunpowder and muskets...
Du Qingtang is confident that Shaoqing Prefecture will win a great victory in the first battle!
Du Qingtang told the craftsmen how to make cement, asked them to build the wall with cement as soon as possible, and then left in a hurry.
She also had to lead people to make gunpowder, and the sniper musket needed her to assemble it personally.
There were less than four days left before the Qi army invaded, and time was very tight. Du Qingtang dared not delay for a moment.
The craftsmen made cement according to the prefect's instructions. Looking at the dark gray slurry that was originally powdery and slightly thicker than mud after adding water, they fell silent for a moment.
"Can this thing really resist the siege of the Qi bandits?"
"Don't even think about building a wall. Sandpaper is stronger than it."
"The prefect shouldn't lie to us, why not give it a try?"
"We don't have any other options, do we?"
The craftsmen divided into three groups and went to the three city gates in the east, south and north respectively. They mixed cement ash with water to form a slurry and built walls inside the city gates according to the requirements of the prefect.
The city has long since lifted the blockade and people can move around freely.
Just for safety reasons, I still wear protective clothing and masks when I go out.
Seeing the craftsmen laying bricks at the city gate, passers-by stopped curiously and talked about it.
"What are you doing? Why are you building a wall inside the city gate?"
"What is this gray paste?"
The craftsman fulfilled his duties conscientiously, knew nothing about anything, and just worked hard to build a dark gray wall as high as the city gate before dark.
"Done, call it a day and return to the government office to report!"
"The prefect said the cement will solidify in six hours. Come back tomorrow morning to take a look."
The craftsmen left with their heads and bodies covered in cement dust and cement paste, leaving the palace soldiers guarding the cement wall, their spears flashing coldly in the setting sun.
The common people were intimidated by the might of the government soldiers and dared not step forward. They could only wander around, talking in low voices and making guesses, until they dispersed on their own after dark and returned to their homes.
......
Countdown to war, day three.
At dawn that day, the craftsmen didn't even have time to eat breakfast, and rushed to the three city gates to inspect the results of yesterday's work.
In November, the weather in Shaoqing Prefecture was freezing cold, and water turned into ice as soon as it fell.
Fortunately, the three cement walls were still holding up well. After drying overnight, they had basically solidified.
The craftsman touched it carefully and rubbed some undried cement slurry with his fingertips. Overall, it was hard.
"Wow, it actually got hard!"
"It only took one night to become this hard. When the Qi bandits come to attack, even if they use all their strength, they will never be able to penetrate."
"Why not block all four city gates? This way, we can completely cut off the possibility of the Qi army entering the city."
"You idiot, all four city gates are blocked. The Qi bandits can't get in, but we can't get out either!"
"I'm mistaken. Isn't this too exciting?"
"Let's go and tell the prefect about this."
In the dried fruit factory, Du Qingtang stayed up all night, and worked with Du Yi and others to make gunpowder and muskets all night long.
After experiencing Ma Boren’s treason, Du Qingtang now trusts no one and only uses his own people.
Although it is hard work, at least it is safe and there is no risk of the formula leaking.
Upon learning that the cement wall was almost done, Du Qingtang simply nodded and continued to assemble the musket.
The dried fruit factory has a kiln, which is convenient for firing convex lenses.
......
Countdown to war, day two.
People from the four counties under its jurisdiction moved into the provincial capital one after another.
Due to the large number of people, in addition to setting up tents in the open air, the government also arranged for the people in the county town to stay in the homes of the people in the provincial city.
When the war is over, the government will give these families five taels of silver as compensation.
As a result, the originally rather empty city suddenly became crowded and noisy.
The people in the city had nothing to do, and they wandered around anxiously every day. The place they went to most often was the three concrete walls.
The cement wall has completely solidified and the guards have withdrawn one after another.
When people pass by here, they always can't help but feel curious and go up to touch it, marveling at the magic of cement and feeling more at ease.
As long as we guard the west gate, everyone will be safe.
......
Countdown to war, day one.
The last plague patient recovered and was taken back from the quarantine center by his family.
The government sent people to spray water soaked with mugwort leaves in the quarantine center, leaving no corner untouched. They also burned the bedding used by plague patients and replaced them with new ones.
When two armies fight, there will inevitably be casualties. At that time, the isolation center will become a place for the wounded, specifically used to accommodate the wounded.
In the evening of that day, Du Qingtang finally walked out of the dried fruit factory and entered the city through the west gate.
At that time, 60,000 prefectural soldiers and 20,000 county soldiers had retreated into the city, set up camp in the west of the city, and actively trained, waiting for the arrival of the Qi army.
Du Qingtang dismounted at the gate of the government office and strode into the office.
The four kings of Zhou, Wu, and Zheng, as well as minor officials, were busy making the final inspection of war preparations.
"There is plenty of food and fodder."
“There are enough medicines.”
“…”
Du Qingtang stood under the eaves of the government office, listening to the officials inside checking each item one by one, confirming that everything was ready. He turned around and went straight to the third hall.
Du Qingju was packing the medicine box, making sure all necessary items such as scalpels and mulberry thread were ready.
Du Qingzhu was checking the various medicines on the medicine shelf, including hemostatic drugs, analgesics and other essential medicines for marching and fighting.
"Seventh sister, eighth sister."
Zhu and Ju looked up when they heard the voice, and when they saw the person at the door, they frowned at the same time.
Since the outbreak of the plague, they have only met a few times, and each time they were wearing heavy protective clothing.
After meeting each other honestly after 20 years, they were surprised to find that the youngest one had lost a lot of weight, and had dark circles under his eyes. They didn't know how long he hadn't slept.
Du Qingzhu took a deep breath and asked bluntly, "Xianyu, when was the last time you slept?"
Du Qingtang raised his head and rubbed his brows, recalling, "I slept for two hours three days ago."
Du Qingju: "What about the time before that?"
Du Qingtang didn't answer, but walked into the pharmacy: "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju looked skeptical.
They know their youngest child too well. He is so busy that he forgets to eat and sleep and does not take his own health seriously at all.
Du Qingzhu touched his chin and said, "Originally, I was planning to go to the infirmary to help out, but now seeing how you look... I'd better go and cook for the soldiers, and make some for you as well."
Du Qingtang was about to refuse, but Du Qingzhu raised her hand to interrupt her: "I have made up my mind. No need to persuade me."
Du Qingzhu was really worried that the youngest one would fall before the Qi army retreated.
You really don’t know how to take care of your body at all!
"Whatever you want." Du Qingtang yawned. "I'm going back to my room to sleep for a while. If anyone comes over, remember to call me."
"Okay, okay, go ahead." After Du Qingtang entered the bedroom, Du Qingzhu sighed, "The lives of hundreds of thousands of people depend on Xianyu alone. Seeing her like that, my heart aches."
Du Qingju was no exception, and immediately reminded: "Make more meat dishes when the time comes."
Only when you are well fed and well-drinking can you have the energy to make great plans and rule the country.
-
Du Qingtang slept soundly that night.
If there hadn't been a knock on the door, she would have wanted to sleep forever.
In order to make gunpowder and muskets, Du Qingtang risked his life.
"Sir, spies report that Qi troops have been spotted fifty miles southwest and northwest of Shaoqing Prefecture. They're numerous, at least 150,000 strong, and judging by their direction, they're heading this way!"
Du Qingtang was still a little sleepy, but he woke up instantly after hearing the words. He put on his clothes as quickly as possible and rushed out of the government office like a gust of wind. However, he was blocked by a large crowd of people at the door.
Looking around, there were tall and strong men in front of me, at least thousands of them.
"My lord, is there anything we can do?"
"Sir, I once killed a giant insect with my bare hands. Do you think I can go to the battlefield and kill the Qi bandits?"
"I'm idle anyway, so I might as well do something interesting."
What is interesting?
Of course it is to kill the Qi bandits!
Du Qingtang pondered for a moment: "There is indeed something very important that I need you to do."
The men's eyes lit up.
......
Du Qingtang rode his horse to the west of the city and climbed up the city wall.
On the city wall, Shoubei Wan, General Huang Qian and General Wan Qian held up the telescopes that Du Qingtang had made while firing lenses, and looked into the distance with serious expressions.
——Wan Qianzong is Mu Tingyu. Ma Boren is dead, and there is a vacancy in the army. Du Qingtang appointed Mu Tingyu to take over the position of Qianzong.
"How is it going?"
When the three heard the prefect's voice, they quickly put down their binoculars and saluted, "Sir."
Garrison commander Wan reported in a serious tone, "I've observed through my telescope that one group of troops is heading for the South City Gate, while the other group is heading towards us. Judging from the situation, we're going to have to deal with over 100,000 troops today."
Du Qingtang took the telescope handed to him by Du Yi and looked up.
Through the lens, a dark shadow appeared on the official road in the distance, rolling in like a black cloud.
The horses' hooves kicked up dust.
Looking at the fluttering green military flag, it was the Qi army that was beaten to a pulp by Du Qingtang's firearms battalion two years ago, but still refused to give up and is now making a comeback.
Du Qingtang put down the telescope and said calmly, "Notify everyone, prepare to fight."
"yes!"
In just one stick of incense, the Qi army arrived at the city.
Du Qingtang stood on the city wall and looked down. The poem "Dark clouds press down on the city, as if it were about to collapse" suddenly came to his mind, which exactly fit the scene before him.
Du Qingtang pinched her fingertips lightly: "Let's start."
......
Outside the west city gate, 100,000 Qi troops were approaching.
The ones who led the troops to attack Shaoqing Prefecture this time were Wu Yi and Xiao Jinbao.
Wu Yi was the main general and Xiao Jinbao was the deputy general.
At that moment, Wu Yi sat high on his horse, looking at the closed city gate in the distance and the palace soldiers standing ready on the city wall, and sneered.
"As the army marched along, Heyang County and Qingyang County had become two dead cities, with not a single person in sight. I didn't expect there were still people defending the city. It seems the plague in the capital city isn't serious enough."
The personal guard said with a playful smile: "If they are infected with the plague, they will definitely die. I guess these few people are the only ones left in the city who are not infected. They are just the last resort. Now that our army is at the gates of the city, it won't be long before Du Qingtang opens the city gates and surrenders, kneeling down to beg you to spare her life."
Wu Yi laughed heartily, "This is the best. It saves me from sending more men to attack the city and wasting time."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a sound of breaking wind coming from far away.
Wu Yi looked closely and saw an arrow flying straight towards his face.
Wu Yi's expression became serious and he drew his sword to block.
"clang--"
The arrow fell to the ground, and Wu Yi looked down and found a human head hanging on the arrow.
The stench of decay filled Wu Yi's nostrils, and he expressed disgust. "What the hell is this? Why are you throwing a human head at me?"
Just as he was wondering, someone on the city wall shouted, "This is the head of the traitor Ma Boren. I'm giving it to you now. No need to thank me!"
Ma Boren?
Isn’t that the general of Shaoqing Prefecture bribed by Da Qi?
Wu Yi's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition came to his mind.
Before he could make any move, there was another sound of breaking wind.
"It's just a small return gift, not a sign of respect."
As soon as the shouting on the city wall fell, a loud noise of landslide and earth-shattering was heard outside the city.
A huge fireball rose into the sky, and countless Qi soldiers were blown into the sky by the gunpowder, along with their horses. Broken limbs and corpses fell to the ground, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and screams resounded through the sky.
Wu Yi dodged in time and narrowly escaped the disaster, but now he was temporarily deafened and covered in dust, no longer as high-spirited as before.
"Enemy attack! Stay alert!"
The Qi army gripped their weapons tightly and glared at the city wall above.
As the one being glared at, Du Qingtang raised his hand calmly.
Dozens of archers came forward and put arrows on the strings.
The arrows were tied with gunpowder, and dozens of soldiers held fire sticks to light the fuse.
The crossbowmen immediately released their arrows.
“Whoosh—”
Dozens of arrows flew out and exploded before they hit the ground.
Within the bombing range, thousands of Qi troops were blown away, turned into powder, and became nutrients on the loess of Shaoqing Prefecture.
The surviving Qi army was so frightened by this scene that they screamed and fled in panic.
Wu Yi looked at the corpses all over the ground, his eyes bloodshot.
He never expected that Ma Boren would be exposed!
What he didn't expect was that Shaoqing Prefecture, which he had thought was about to become a dead city due to a plague, actually had gunpowder within easy reach, which killed nearly 10,000 Qi soldiers in an instant!
"Don't run away!"
"Anyone who flees without fighting will be treated as a deserter!"
Du Qingtang held up the telescope, admiring Wu Yi's exasperated expression, and curled his lips in pleasure.
"Du Yi."
"yes."
Ten of the Du brothers came forward with muskets in hand, placed them on the lookout holes, and aimed at the Qi army through the lenses.
"Bang!"
White smoke filled the air, and bullets were fired at a speed that could not be captured by the naked eye, hitting the fleeing Qi army.
Screams rang out one after another.
People kept falling down, covering their wounds, lying in a pool of blood, twitching for a few breaths, and then dying.
The Qi army fell one after another, and Wu Yi was also hit by a stray bullet. There was a bloody hole in his shoulder, and blood gushed out. He was in so much pain that he became numb.
Wu Yi switched hands to hold the knife, his dark face turning slightly pale as he shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!"
......
Gunpowder and muskets were used in turn, and in just a stick of incense, they successfully forced the Qi army back several miles.
Shoubei Wan and the two captains Huang and Wan admired the miserable state of the Qi army from a close distance through telescopes, and laughed heartily, saying that it was so satisfying.
Mu Tingyu cupped his hands and said in a resounding voice, "Sir, I beg to fight!"
Du Qingtang: "Yes."
Mu Tingyu led 30,000 troops out of the city to fight.
When the two armies faced each other, it was like enemies meeting, and they were extremely jealous of each other. There was no need to say much, and they started fighting directly.
Mu Tingyu, a mountain bandit, was promoted to the position of Qianzong, surpassing several other senior captains. To this day, many people in the army are dissatisfied.
In the past five days, several captains had been acting in a sarcastic manner whenever they saw him, and had been criticizing him behind his back.
Now, when the two armies started fighting, Mu Tingyu was like a fish in water on the battlefield. In the blink of an eye, he had gone in and out of the Qi army three times.
Wherever he passed, the heads of the Qi army rolled to the ground and the screams were continuous.
Seeing this, the surrounding soldiers were all in awe, and their previous dissatisfaction was swept away.
"Brothers, there are women among the Xia army! Pick a woman to fight first!"
The Qi army shouted, waving their scimitars and rushing towards the nearby female soldiers.
After only two rounds, he was shot in the throat by the opponent and died.
Mu Yuanzhu performed a beautiful spear move, kicking the attacking Qi army away and wrinkling her nose: "Do you really think I'm easy to bully? When I was killing people, you guys didn't even know where to play in the mud!"
An hour later, Mu Tingyu and Mu Yuanzhu rushed around on the battlefield, killing to their heart's content.
The performance of the other female and male soldiers was also excellent.
Thinking of the Qi bandits colluding with Ma Boren to kill countless civilians, and thinking of the humiliation that Daxia had suffered in the past few decades, the new and old grudges added together, the palace soldiers burst out with amazing strength, killing people as if they were chopping melons and vegetables.
"Are they crazy?"
"Mad men! A bunch of mad men!"
The Qi army complained bitterly, but had no choice but to fight, and ended up dying under the swords and guns of the Xia army.
......
On the other side, the South Gate.
60,000 Qi troops were at the gate of the city, led by Xiao Jinbao, who had fought against Du Qingtang many times.
Unlike the arrogant Wu Yi, Xiao Jinbao knew how difficult Du Qingtang was to deal with. Even with Ma Boren as his accomplice, he did not dare to take it lightly.
After weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Jinbao decided to fight quickly and decisively.
“Attack the city!”
Then capture Du Qingtang alive and bring her back to present her to His Majesty.
Since Du Qingtang was able to create gunpowder and muskets that could allow one person to defeat thousands of troops, he must have other good things.
As long as Du Qingtang can build them all, why worry about not being able to conquer Da Xia?
At Xiao Jinbao's command, the Qi army immediately pushed in ladders and battering rams.
The Qi army climbed up with the help of ladders, and they were getting closer and closer to the city wall. With just a light leap, they could reach the wall.
"ah!"
A scream suddenly rang out.
Xiao Jinbao's eyelids twitched suddenly and he looked up.
Suddenly, a group of men appeared on the city wall. They were all tall and strong, and looked like they were not someone to be trifled with.
Some of them held up pottery jars, and gray unknown powder poured down on the Qi army, choking them and making them sneeze repeatedly.
"What the hell?"
"What is it? Of course it's something good!" The man grinned and suddenly stepped back, revealing his companion carrying a wooden bucket. "Grandson, open your mouth. Grandpa will feed you something good!"
After saying that, he raised his hand and poured all the water in the barrel onto the heads of Qi Jun.
"ah--"
Although it was cold water, the Qi army felt as if their bodies were boiled. The unbearable pain made them let go of their hands involuntarily, and with a "bang", they fell freely and hit the city wall.
Seeing this, the man put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily: "The prefect is really amazing. Cement powder meeting water can actually burn people to the point of screaming."
"Brothers, keep going!"
Gray powder fell from a great height, penetrating every hole and getting into Qi Junt's eyes, ears, mouth and clothes.
Some men were responsible for pouring cement powder, while others were responsible for pouring water.
Cement releases heat when it comes into contact with water, scalding the Qi army so much that they scream and fall from the ladder truck one after another, either dying on the spot or being half-dead.
In addition to pouring cement, there was also pouring hot oil and throwing stones.
"This is the oil my wife squeezed this year. It's so delicious and fragrant. I'm giving it to you as a reward today!"
"I dug this stone out of the toilet. It's a bargain for you!"
Cement, hot oil and stones were used simultaneously, and in just the time it took to stick of incense, nearly a thousand Qi soldiers were killed.
Some Qi soldiers used their colleagues as human shields and successfully climbed onto the city wall. Before they could rejoice, they were pierced through by spears.
With a stab and a pick, he fell straight down the city wall.
Xiao Jinbao looked at the tragic scene under the ladder truck, cursed it inwardly as a waste, and looked at the battering ram.
The Qi army pushed the battering ram and hit the city gate again and again.
According to past experience, the city gate should have collapsed long ago.
But the city gate in front of me did not move at all, as if it had merged with the loess.
How strange!
How strange!
Xiao Jinbao frowned, pondered for a long time, and then said loudly: "Withdraw!"
It won’t be too late to attack the city once he figures out what the gray powder is and why the city gate remains motionless.
......
Outside the west city gate.
Mu Tingyu swung his spear and knocked the last of Wu Yi's personal soldiers off their horses.
Wu Yi watched the middle-aged general kill several of his personal soldiers in just an hour and a half, and he clenched his scimitar in anger.
"Withdraw! Withdraw!"
The Qi army immediately sounded the retreat and retreated for dozens of miles.
Mu Yuanzhu's face was wet, and it was hard to tell whether it was sweat or blood.
The young girl held up her spear high, her eyes curved in a smile that was brighter than the sun in the sky.
“We won!”
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