Chapter 513: Expedition
Is it not worthy of the name? Inside the military tent, the generals were stunned.
However, soon, another general suddenly shook his head:
"At this point, do you still dare to underestimate this Zhao Shijun?
Although you and I are in the local area and in the army, and don't know much about the court, even from the few rumors we have heard, we should understand that Envoy Zhao is definitely not a person who seeks fame and reputation."
"So? You think it's true? He is the key figure in this great victory?" asked the military officer.
He nodded and looked up at Xue Shence seriously:
"Privy Councilor, although I cannot understand how someone who has never led an army or fought a battle could achieve this, I believe that Your Majesty does not need to deceive everyone at this time and use such a major event to gild his own case."
Xue Shence looked at the general. He remembered that he was a deputy general of Linfeng Military Headquarters.
During the Taicang Silver Mine case, he had led elite troops and followed Zhao Duan to investigate the case and even sealed off the city.
"Zhao Shaobao is a rare hero. Moreover, I have witnessed the power of the Shenjiying's new firearms. It is not surprising that they have made such achievements. I don't want to hear such doubts again."
Xue Shence gave the final verdict.
Some people who were originally unwilling to accept it had to swallow their words when they saw the "God of War" act like this, and the shock in their hearts became more and more intense.
How many people in the whole court, civil and military, could receive such high praise from Privy Councilor Xue?
"Spread the news widely. This great victory is enough to boost the morale of the entire army."
Xue Shence made arrangements and immediately returned to the topic:
"The danger in Qingzhou has been resolved, and reinforcements from the capital camp will arrive soon. Now, on the eastern and western fronts of Linfeng, Prince Jing is adopting a defensive and separatist stance, while Prince Mu still harbors ambitions of annexing the territory. We must gather our forces and repel the enemy."
Now that I'm here, I won't allow the rebels to get even an inch further!"
The soldiers' blood boiled and they stood up to respond:
"I will do my utmost to protect Linfeng!"
…
…
South of Taicang Prefecture, Ningjiang County.
As a strategic location on the western front of the Huai River battlefield, this county town has fallen into the hands of the Yunfu Mu Wang rebels for many days.
However, if you walk in the city, you will find that apart from the slightly solemn atmosphere inevitably shrouded by the shadow of war, the entire county is still operating as usual, shops on the street are open as usual, and people walk on the street as usual.
The city was in good order, without any sign of chaos.
At this moment, the sound of a trumpet blast was heard on the main road in the city. A team of Yunfu soldiers marched into the city and headed straight for the county government office.
The people consciously retreated and hid on both sides of the road, looking at the army with both respect and fear.
In the center of the army, a middle-aged civil servant sitting upright on a chestnut horse was particularly eye-catching, surrounded by armored soldiers holding guns and halberds.
Only this person was wearing a crimson scholar's robe, a Confucian cap on his head, reins in both hands, and a soft armor over his robe.
In the gap between the two layers of soft armor, there is a space for storing objects. A corner of a military book with a blue cover is exposed. The edges are rough, indicating that the book has been read frequently.
Suddenly, a galloping horse came from the front of the team. The middle-aged man raised his hand and the marching team stopped.
The messenger dismounted and held the letter in his hands:
"General! Scouts report that Xue Shence has arrived in Taicang Prefecture from the east..."
Is Xue Shence here? Su Dan's expression turned serious. He glanced at the generals beside him who changed color. He was not afraid at all and sneered:
"Don't be fooled by the title of 'God of War'. He's too busy to handle both the east and west fronts. He's distracted and unable to focus on one while focusing on the other. He's summoning all the generals to the county government office..."
far away.
On the dark roof of a four-story restaurant in the city, a woman dressed in black, with cold eyes and an almost ghostly look, stood on a raised roof.
The sun was scorching and the sky was blue with floating clouds, but for some reason, the pedestrians on the street below ignored the woman in black, as if they had never seen her.
The woman looked calmly at General Su Dan in the army from afar, her face expressionless.
But if Zhao Duan were here, he would be shocked, because the appearance of this woman in black is 80% similar to "Yuxiu", the second disciple of Tianshi Mansion.
However, as a Taoist master, Yu Xiu's temperament is ethereal and light.
This woman, on the other hand, was strange and sinister, with a very cold gaze.
"Hehe, Sister Rong, this Su Dan is quite capable. It's no wonder that the prince and Zhao Shixiong fought over him. How many days has it been? He's already firmly grasped Ning Jiang in his hands, and he's even able to suppress those border troops whose banditry is even stronger than their military spirit...
No wonder he was entrusted with such an important task and was placed at the forefront of the western front. Could he really compete with Xue Shence?
Unfortunately, he is a bit strange. He is clearly a military commander, but he likes to pretend to be a scholar all day long."
At the edge of the roof, a young man's hand grabbed the tiles, and without any effort, a nimble figure leaped up.
The boy, about seventeen or eighteen years old, was very thin, but his arms were extremely long, his eyes rolled around, and he looked very smart.
He squatted on the roof like a monkey, with a handleless dagger in his hand fluttering like a butterfly, gazing at the officials riding horses in the distance, marveling at them.
The black-clad woman named Nie Yurong turned back, her eyes cold:
“Although we, the Xiuyizhizhi, are not on the same path as Su Dan and his group of generals, we all serve Prince Mu and can be considered colleagues.
Now we have been ordered to hide in the city, not only to assist the army in the attack and conquest, but also to monitor Su Dan and his gang, and to kill any rebellious intentions in advance. So..."
The boy squatting on the roof curled his lips and sank down:
"I know, I have to hide well and not show my face, so as not to be noticed. But Sister Rong, you are standing much more obviously than me."
Nie Yurong said indifferently:
"The magic I practice can ensure that I can hide in broad daylight. Can you do it?"
The young man named Sikong drooped his brows and complained:
"I see. The monk from Shenlong Temple was right. Why didn't I notice you were so fussy before? Where's the female assassin you promised me? You're like a nanny.
If you're like this, then the sister you're looking for, Sister Rong, must be even more nagging. Oh my god, if you really find her, won't there be two old ladies, noisy and nagging to death?"
Nie Yurong had a blank expression on her face. She suddenly swung her right hand, and a green paper crane shot out like a dart, hitting the young man between the eyebrows!
He cried out, and rolled off the roof like a ball. At the critical moment, Sikong grabbed the eaves with one hand and climbed back up:
"Just pretend I didn't say anything, I didn't say anything!"
In the assassin intelligence organization "Xiu Yi Zhi Zhi" secretly cultivated by Prince Mu's Mansion, only a very few people know that Nie Yurong, who is the "Xiu Yi Shi", has a sister who was separated in childhood.
It’s a pity that there is no news from him. He probably died in the banditry back then.
Nie Yurong said coldly:
"We intercepted a shadow guard and received news that Zhao Duan has been appointed 'Grand Commander in Chief of the Rebellion Suppression' and is leading his troops south to Linfeng. He will most likely be on the western front."
As he spoke, the young Sikong spread out his palm. In his palm, the green paper crane that had just hit his brow unfolded and floated in front of him.
A smudge of black ink was quickly drawn on the paper, almost like a sketch, depicting a portrait of a handsome man with a smile.
"Is this the empress's husband? Bah, he really looks like a pretty boy." Sikong spat.
Nie Yurong stood on the rooftop with her hands behind her back, the sun blazing above her. Her voice was as cold as ice:
"Send the message. Once he enters the western front, I want to know his movements immediately."
Sikong was stunned for a moment, then nodded and grinned coldly:
What is King Zhao? If Sister Rong spots him, he's doomed.
Do you know the value of "Shadowless" Nie Yurong, who ranks first on the "Embroidered Clothes" assassin hunting list?
…
…
Capital city, Tianshi Mansion.
"when--"
"when--"
The sound of bells rolled across the city, indicating that the beheading at Caishikou was over.
Today, Caishikou was crowded with people who had come to see the execution of Li Yanfu and Prince Heng and his son.
The entire Yu Kingdom was in turmoil, and the Tianshi Mansion became the last peaceful place.
"Master, are you looking for us?"
Deep in the courtyard, three disciples, Yuxiu, Gongshu Tianyuan and Jinjian, pushed the door open and saluted Zhang Yan, who was standing with his hands behind his back under the big banyan tree.
The old Heavenly Master's loose robes hung on the ground, and his long hair, combed into a bun, was stuck horizontally on a branch.
"Zhao Duan is about to go to war. Yuxiu and Jinjian, you two should go with him."
ah?
The three disciples were stunned at the same time, and the female Taoist nun frowned:
"Master, are you ordering us to protect him? But this involves the internal strife within the imperial family. Is this..."
Yuxiu was not opposed to this arrangement, as it gave her a chance to observe the "Son of Heaven and Earth" more.
But she thought that saving Zhao Duan last time was acceptable, but now that he was going to war, she had to protect him, which was breaking the rules set by the Taoist masters of all generations.
Zhang Yan turned around, his narrow eyes filled with wisdom:
"You don't need to protect him, nor do you need to get involved in the royal family's civil war. But if someone wants to break the rules, you should stop them."
What does that mean... Jin Jian blinked his confused eyes, not understanding.
Yuxiu was stunned for a moment. "Master, do you mean that we should deal with the White Robe Sect? The Fashen Sect? Or do you think the Shenlong Temple will still intervene?"
The Baiyi Sect is an organization of evil sorcerers, and the Tianshi Mansion has the mission of hunting down and killing evil demons.
As for the Shenlong Temple... although Xuanyin fled and the main temple was destroyed, there are still a large number of "remnants" of the Shenlong Temple remaining in various places within the territory of Yu State.
Zhang Yan laughed and said:
"That bald donkey Xuanyin doesn't dare to act rashly due to the agreement between heaven and man, but if his disciples do something, it will ruin the reputation of the entire cultivation world, right?"
Yuxiu understood and clasped her fists: "Disciple will obey the command."
After she finished speaking, seeing that Jin Jian beside her was stupidly motionless, she extended her right foot from under her skirt and gently kicked Jin Jian. The confused young priestess then followed suit:
"Disciple...obey the law!"
"Eh? What about me?" Gongshu Tianyuan beside him was anxious, and the short and fat priest blinked his eyes:
"Master, I trust Second Senior Sister, but Junior Sister is always sleepy and has poor eyesight. How dangerous would it be for her to go to the battlefield with her? I'd better let Senior Sister go with her."
Jin Jian was unhappy. He pushed his glasses up on his nose and put his hands on his hips: "Who are you calling incompetent?"
Gongshu Tianyuan refused to give in: "You can't do that. This time the army is marching and the imperial court is using firearms. Do you understand firearms?"
Jin Jian choked and his momentum weakened: "I... don't understand."
Gongshu Tianyuan smiled slightly:
"Most wars take place during the day. If you sleep during the day, others will have to take care of you when a war really breaks out. Do you think that's right?"
Jin Jian felt as if he had been shot in the knee. He stepped back and said weakly, "No...it shouldn't be."
Gongshu Tianyuan put his hands on his hips, laughed heartily, and delivered the final blow:
"There are many men in the army, and I'm a woman after all, which makes things difficult. Many things should be done by a man. What can you do if you follow me? Can you change your gender?"
Jin Jian felt like he was struck by lightning. At this moment, he felt that he had become shorter, while the figure of Gongshu Tianyuan in front of him was infinitely taller, even more majestic and huge than Luoshan.
It makes me look so insignificant and I have no chance of winning at all.
The old Taoist priest watched the two bickering silently and said unhappily:
"Master has made up his mind. Jade Sleeve and Golden Tablet will go together, and you stay."
Gongshu Tianyuan's momentum collapsed in an instant, and his smug look disappeared.
He felt the golden tablet rapidly grow larger, covering the sky and blocking out the sun, making him feel like he was looking up to a mountain.
Damn it, it’s a backer, she has a backer!
Zhang Yan sighed tiredly and threw a roll of blueprints in his sleeve to him:
"That kid Zhao Duan sent it to you. He said that during the Qingzhou Campaign, the Shenji Battalion summarized the strengths and weaknesses of their firearms and came up with new ideas for improvement. I'll give it to you to refine."
Brother Zhao's new design? Gongshu Tianyuan was overjoyed, his face serious.
"Senior Sister and Junior Sister working together, what a perfect match."
"roll!"
"Okay."
…
…
In an inn somewhere in the State of Yu.
Xu Jianwen, wearing a cloak, sat by the window, quietly examining the secret report.
After a long while, the second prince threw the secret report out of the window with his fair and well-proportioned hands, and the paper was shredded in mid-air by invisible energy.
"What a great Third Sister... What a great Zhao Duan..."
Xu Jianwen murmured softly, and it was hard to tell whether his tone was one of admiration or disappointment.
"Your Highness..."
In the room, Qi Yuchun and Ren Kun, two high-ranking members of the Kuangfu Society, looked at each other:
"Now that the Empress has stabilized the situation and the Qingzhou troops have been severely defeated, should we..."
"Continue to hide and wait for the opportunity." Xu Jianwen answered without hesitation.
Qi Yuchun, the former commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guards, said:
"These days, traitors like Yunxi, Lin Yuebai, and Wu Ling are still attacking everywhere, destroying our branches. If we continue to passively accept this, I'm afraid the society will fall apart..."
Xu Jianwen smiled and didn't care:
"They're just chess pieces that can be discarded at any time. If they want them, just give them to them. Zhuang Xiaocheng saw it clearly at the time, so why don't you understand?"
The two were stunned, thinking that if the society was destroyed and only a few people were left, how could they help His Highness regain power?
Or does His Highness have other plans?
Xu Jianwen suddenly asked, "Where's that Guhuo guy? He hasn't appeared recently?"
The Earth Magician Ren Kun said:
"After hearing about the battle between the Empress and Baihua Village, he said he had something to do and ran away in a hurry."
Ran away? What did you do?
Xu Jianwen frowned and waved his hand:
"Never mind him."
…
…
At the end of this summer, a beheading at Caishikou announced the beginning of the imperial court's counterattack.
Just three days after Li Yanfu's death, the Shenjiying and Wujunying troops marched towards Linfeng in a mighty force.
Another day, we arrived at Fengdao, the territory of Taicang Prefecture.
On a certain official road, in a rickety carriage, Zhao Duan exhaled deeply, woke up from meditation, opened his eyes, and a flash of lightning flashed in his eyes.
As if he had had a nightmare, he subconsciously raised his hand and touched his chest. Inside his open robe, he was wearing a dark red half-body armor.
The armor seemed to contain a raging fire, and the black human face mark on the front looked like a ghost.
"Zoroastrianism... it's okay to encounter it in a dream..."
(End of this chapter)
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