Chapter 53: Quick-travel strategy for the Soldier King (XI)
"Zi'ang!"
I was imprisoned in a dark and damp dungeon. Suddenly I heard someone calling me. I looked up and saw Liu Xing standing outside the cell.
"Brother Liu, why are you here? Where is Yuntao? How is he?" I asked anxiously.
"Yun Tao is fine, don't worry, we have already found a way to rescue you." Liu Xing said.
I was relieved to hear that Bi Yuntao was fine, but then I asked worriedly, "How are you going to save me? This is Li Zicheng's base camp, and it's heavily guarded. It's not easy to rob him."
"Don't worry, we have already made a plan. Yun Tao is outside now. We can definitely rescue you by working together inside and outside." Liu Xing comforted me.
Brother Liu Xing briefly told me the rescue plan. This plan was bold and risky, relying entirely on Yun Tao's martial arts and familiarity with the terrain. I was anxious, but I had no choice but to trust them.
With a loud bang, the cell door was blown open, and in the firelight, Yun Tao's familiar figure appeared in front of me. He pulled me up, and without saying anything more, we rushed into the chaotic night.
Li Zicheng's army had already discovered us, and the shouts of killing shook the earth. Yun Tao protected me all the way, and we were like dancing on the edge of a knife, with every breath carrying the smell of blood. Just when we were about to break out of the encirclement, an army blocked us, led by Wu Ergou, who surrendered to the Qing Dynasty!
"Feng Ziang, I am a general with 100,000 soldiers. How can I be inferior to him!" Wu Ergou's sinister voice was like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue.
"Wu Ergou! You betrayed your country and colluded with foreign enemies. How dare you block my way!" I shouted angrily.
"The victor is the king and the vanquished are the bandits. Now the world belongs to the Qing Dynasty! If he knows what's best, surrender and I can leave his body intact!" Wu Ergou sneered.
"Dream on! Even if I die today, I will still hold you as my support!" Yun Tao roared, raised his knife and rushed towards Wu Sangui.
They were both great heroes of their time, equally skilled in martial arts, and for a moment, it was hard to tell who was the better of them. I was extremely anxious, but I could do nothing to help, so I could only pray silently in my heart.
Yun Tao seized a flaw in Wu Ergou's moves and forced him back with a single blow. He then pulled me up and leaped onto the roof. Under the cover of darkness, he disappeared into the vast night...
We ran all the way and finally got rid of the pursuers, but we also knew that Wu Ergou would not give up, and our current situation was still very dangerous.
"Yun Tao, what should we do now?" I asked breathlessly.
"Let's find a safe place to hide first. We are like a turtle in a jar now, and we must find a way to break this deadlock." Yun Tao said solemnly.
We hid in a ruined temple and were discussing our next plan when we suddenly heard a commotion outside. We quietly walked to the window and through the gap in the window, we saw two armies outside: the Qing army and Wu Ergou’s army. They seemed to be arguing with each other, and it seemed that they were about to fight...
"Could it be..." A bold idea suddenly came to my mind.
Outside the ruined temple, the Qing army and Wu Ergou's army were already fighting each other, and the shouts of killing shook the earth. My mind raced, and I whispered a few words in Yun Tao's ear. He nodded in understanding, and we took advantage of the chaos to slip out of the ruined temple and act on our own.
I changed into ordinary civilian clothes, shuttled through the chaotic crowd, and finally squeezed to the rear of the Qing army and found their food and supplies. I lit a torch and threw it into the pile of food and straw. Suddenly, flames shot up into the sky and thick smoke billowed.
"Oh no! The grain is on fire!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, and the crowd immediately became agitated. The Qing army soldiers were in a mess, busy putting out the fire, so how could they have the heart to fight?
I took the opportunity to slip away and meet up with Yun Tao at the agreed location. He also had a smooth journey, spreading rumors that Wu Ergou intended to annex the Qing army and establish himself as king, successfully provoking suspicion and conflict between the two armies.
"It's up to them now." Yun Tao looked at the chaotic battlefield, a gleam of light in his eyes.
As expected, the Qing army and Wu Ergou's army were suspicious of each other, and the verbal dispute soon turned into a melee.
The situation in Jiangnan became even more chaotic, and the people were displaced and suffered terribly.
When the news reached the capital, Zhu Youjian heard about the plight of Jiangnan and was furious, but also overwhelmed with grief. He threw the memorial to the ground and said bitterly, "I am so sorry for the people of Jiangnan!"
"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the troops to Jiangnan to quell this civil unrest!" An old minister stepped forward to request.
"No, I want to go there myself!" Zhu Youwen's eyes were firm, "I want to see with my own eyes what a ruined state this land in the south of the Yangtze River has become!"
Therefore, Zhu Youwen resolutely embarked on the journey to Jiangnan despite the obstruction of his ministers...
The chaos in Jiangnan was beyond my imagination. The towns were in ruins, the people were pale and thin, with empty eyes, like walking corpses.
I was filled with grief and anger, yet I was powerless to do anything. Yuntao and I could only try our best to rescue the elderly, the weak, women and children, and provide them with food and shelter.
"This is not a solution." Yun Tao looked at the scene in front of him with a frown. "The Qing army and Wu Ergou's army are fighting for territory and don't care about the lives of the people. If this continues, Jiangnan will sooner or later become a purgatory on earth."
I didn't understand this, but facing such a complicated situation, what could the two of us do? Just when I was at a loss, there was a sudden commotion at the city gate, and a group of people came in in a mighty manner, led by the current emperor, Chongzhen Emperor Zhu Youwen.
Yuntao and I looked at each other and saw hope in each other's eyes. Zhu Youwen's arrival might change the current predicament.
Zhu Youwen did not put on airs as an emperor. He stepped down from the sedan chair, personally helped up an old woman who was kneeling on the ground, and asked about her situation with concern.
His eyes were sincere and compassionate, without a trace of hypocrisy or affectation, and I immediately felt a sense of admiration for him.
In the next few days, Zhu Youwen visited various towns in Jiangnan and witnessed the tragic conditions brought by the war. He was deeply saddened, but he also became more determined to quell the war and save the people.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Youwen did not punish the Ming army generals who had surrendered to Wu Ergou. Instead, he reasoned with them and appealed to their emotions, hoping that they would turn back to the right path, return to the banner of the Ming Dynasty, and jointly resist foreign enemies.
Perhaps this is the emperor's negotiation ability. Zhu Youwen's sincerity touched many people. Some generals who had been wavering began to reflect on their own behavior. They realized that their original choice was wrong, and only unity could save the country and the people from the dire straits.
"Zi'ang, Brother Bi, I know you have been secretly organizing anti-Qing forces, and I am very pleased."
One night, Zhu Youwen secretly summoned Yun Tao and me, "The situation in Jiangnan is now in chaos. I hope you can continue to work hard, unite all the forces that can be united, and fight against the Qing army together!"
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. We will do our best!" I, Yun Tao's adjutant, answered in unison.
Zhu Youwen's arrival brought a glimmer of hope to the chaotic Jiangnan. More and more people with lofty ideals joined our team, and the anti-Qing forces grew stronger. I firmly believe that as long as we are united, we will be able to overcome the difficulties and bring peace and prosperity to the people of Jiangnan!
The sky in the south of the Yangtze River seems to be always covered with a layer of gray mist, which is so oppressive that it makes people breathless. The days of running around have made me exhausted, but there is always a flame of hope burning in my heart. It was ignited by Zhu Youwen and it is also the goal that Yuntao and I have been fighting for.
Just as more and more volunteers joined us and the anti-Qing army grew stronger, a piece of news came like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering all our hopes.
"What did you say? Wu Ergou and Li Zicheng are fighting?"
I grabbed the soldier who came to report the news, and spoke in a hurried tone, almost unable to believe my ears.
"It's absolutely true! The two fought for three days and three nights outside Nanjing. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. It is said that..." The soldier lowered his voice a little when he said this, "It is said that Li Zicheng was seriously injured and his life or death is unknown..."
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