Chapter 54: Quick Guide to the Soldier King (XII)
I suddenly felt a black screen in front of my eyes, and I almost lost my balance. Yun Tao supported me in time and asked in a deep voice, "What about Wu Ergou?"
"Although Wu Ergou won, he was also seriously injured. He is now hiding in Suzhou City and dares not act rashly." The soldier replied.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself down. Wu Ergou and Li Zicheng were both defeated, which seemed to be a good thing for us, but in fact it gave the Qing army an opportunity to take advantage!
"Yun Tao, we must rush to Suzhou immediately!" I opened my eyes, with a determined light flashing in them, "We must not let the Qing army take advantage of the situation, otherwise Jiangnan will be finished!"
Yun Tao nodded heavily, without any hesitation, and immediately summoned all the volunteers to prepare to set off. I know that a more brutal battle is about to begin, and we will face unprecedented challenges!
Outside Suzhou, corpses were everywhere, blood flowed like a river, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood. Wu Ergou and Li Zicheng's armies left indelible scars on this land, but I saw another bright red in these scars.
"Zi'ang, look!" Yun Tao pointed into the distance with a complicated expression.
I followed his gaze and saw a frail figure kneeling in the middle of the battlefield, dressed in blood-red, particularly dazzling. It was none other than Chen Ermazi.
"She..." I hesitated to speak, feeling mixed emotions.
Chen Ermaizi lost Wu Ergou, and now she is in ruins. She knelt among the corpses, thinking that Wu Ergou was dead. Although she was in Li Zicheng's camp, she loved him in her heart. She cried softly, and tears of regret blurred her delicate makeup.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault..." She repeated over and over again, her voice hoarse and heartbreaking.
I walked over, gently helped her up, and said softly, "Ma Zi, this is not your fault. You are also a victim."
Chen Ermazi raised his head and looked at me with tears in his eyes. After a long while, he choked up and said, "Zi'ang, I've figured it out. Wu Ergou joined the Qing army to protect me. I can't make the same mistake again! I want to join you and atone for my mistakes!"
I held her hand and nodded solemnly. I knew that Chen Ermazi's choice required great courage, after all, it was against the orders of the Qing army. Her joining would also inject a new force into our anti-Qing team.
However, the days of fighting made us realize that we could not defeat the powerful Qing army with just passion. The corruption within the Ming Dynasty was the root cause of this disaster.
"Yun Tao, we can't go on like this." One night, I looked at the starry sky and said worriedly, "Even if we can defend Jiangnan, as long as the corruption problem within the court is not resolved, the Ming Dynasty will fall sooner or later!"
Yun Tao was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "You are right, we must solve the problem fundamentally. I have sent people to contact volunteers from all over the country and prepare..."
Before he could finish his words, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the tent, followed by a familiar voice: "Zi'ang, Yuntao, something terrible has happened!"
It's Zhu Youwen! How did he suddenly appear here? Could it be...
Zhu Youwen's face was covered in dust, his armor was askew, but he had an expectant look on his face. He pulled aside the curtain and said anxiously:
"I heard that you fought against the Qing army in Jiangnan and won a great victory, so I rushed here at full speed, wanting to see you heroes with my own eyes!"
I quickly stepped forward and saluted: "Your Majesty, why are you here? It's too dangerous here!"
Zhu Youwen waved his hands, and scanned the people inside with a sharp gaze, finally landing on me and Yun Tao: "I know that the Ming Dynasty is in turmoil now, and the safety of Jiangnan depends on you!"
"Your Majesty, if you can lead the army in person, we will serve you wholeheartedly!" Yun Tao knelt on one knee and said with a fist clasped.
I was shocked. It was clear that the emperor was placing all his hopes on us.
"Your Majesty," Liu Xing stepped forward and said with a folded hand, "The war in Jiangnan is only part of the crisis facing the Ming Dynasty. If we want to solve the problem thoroughly, we must start from the root, reform the bad policies, and revive the government!"
Other generals also stood up and said firmly: "Mr. Liu is right! Only when the court is united can we gather people's hearts and fight against foreign enemies together!"
Zhu Youwen pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "You two gentlemen are right. I came here to find a solution. What do you think?"
The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became solemn. We all knew that this was not just a simple military meeting, but also a decision concerning the life and death of the Ming Dynasty.
After a heated discussion, we finally reached a consensus: split the troops into two groups. Yun Tao and I continued to lead the army to resist the Qing army in Jiangnan, while Liu Xing and other generals followed Zhu Youwen back to the capital to assist him in implementing reforms.
After seeing off the Emperor and Liu Xing, I felt heavy in my heart, worried about their trip and the burden of my own responsibilities. Yun Tao saw what I was thinking, held my hand, and said in a deep voice: "Zi'ang, we will definitely be able to defend Jiangnan and buy time for Mr. Liu and the Emperor!"
I nodded, and turned all my worries into action. We intensified the training of the soldiers and formulated more detailed combat plans to deal with every attack of the Qing army. Victory news came from the front line frequently, and our team grew like a snowball. More and more people joined us voluntarily, took up arms, and defended their homes.
"Have you heard? General Feng and General Bi have won another victory! This time they defeated the Qing army so badly that they fled overnight!"
"That's right! I heard that General Feng is a master at using troops. He can always anticipate the enemy's moves and catch the Qing army off guard!"
"And General Bi, he is a killer on the battlefield. He can destroy the enemy's formation with just one horse. He is extremely brave!"
Listening to the people's praise for Yuntao and me, I felt mixed emotions. I knew that every victory was won with blood and lives, and the burden on us was getting heavier and heavier.
At the same time, Mr. Liu and the emperor in the capital also faced huge challenges. In the court, corrupt officials and stubborn forces were intertwined and full of resistance and obstruction to reform.
"Your Majesty, reforms must not be rushed! The laws of our ancestors cannot be changed, and our ancestral family rules cannot be violated!"
"Liu Xing, you are just a wushu expert, a nobody, how dare you discuss government affairs? You are so audacious!"
Facing these opposing voices, Mr. Liu did not back down, but argued with reason and explained the necessity of reform in detail. With their wisdom and eloquence, they gradually won the support of some enlightened officials and also let Zhu Youwen see the hope of reform.
The good news from Jiangnan was sent to the capital, like the warm sunshine of spring, shining into Zhu Youwen's gloomy heart. He looked at Liu Xing in front of him, and a spark of hope ignited in his heart.
"My dear ministers, I have decided to accept your suggestions and implement the new policy immediately!" Zhu Youwen's voice was not loud, but it made a loud sound.
Liu Xing and the ministers looked at each other, their eyes full of joy and excitement. They knew that this would be a tough battle, but for the future of Ming Dynasty, they had no regrets.
Soon, a series of reform measures were vigorously implemented with the support of Zhu Youjian. Corrupt officials were brought to justice, and the people were delighted; the army strengthened its training, morale was high, and its combat effectiveness was significantly improved.
At this time, we who were far away in Jiangnan also received an exciting news.
"Yun Tao, look!" I pointed to a spot on the map and said excitedly, "The Qing army's logistics supply line is so weak!"
Yun Tao studied the map carefully and his frown relaxed: "That's right! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We can..."
We gathered together and discussed the battle plan in a low voice. This time, we are going to teach the Qing army a hard lesson!
The cold wind was howling, as if playing a tragic prelude to the upcoming decisive battle. Yuntao and I stood side by side on the hillside, overlooking the dark Qing army camp in the distance, and a raging fire was burning in our hearts.
"This time, we must defeat them completely!" I clenched my fists and spoke in a firm tone.
Yun Tao turned and looked at me, his eyes full of praise and encouragement: "Zi'ang, you are already a hero loved by the people, you have done a great job.
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