Chapter 992 The Rise of the God of War (Jingkong Fan)
The State of Yan was once again plunged into a brutal winter, with the biting snow falling almost continuously from the beginning of winter.
The battle at Sima Slope has been going on for two months without success. Due to heavy snow blocking the roads, the imperial supplies could not be delivered, and the soldiers on the border had been starving for several days, and could only fill their stomachs by digging up grass roots and gnawing on tree bark.
Or they would eat the horse's carcass.
Inside the commander's tent, several generals and the commander-in-chief gathered, but no one spoke, and the atmosphere was very heavy.
About a year ago, a rebel army suddenly rose up in the southwest of Yan State, opposing the empress and spreading rumors that the empress's throne was illegitimate.
The retired emperor originally had no intention of passing the throne to her. It was she who forced her own father to abdicate and imprisoned him in the harem, thus ascending the throne.
She was not truly ordained by fate.
Furthermore, her methods were excessively cruel and ruthless, surpassing even those of previous tyrants, harming loyal officials and oppressing the common people.
If the ruler is not benevolent, the country will cease to exist.
All of the above are the words of the rebels, some true and some false. It is true that Shangguan Yan forced the king to abdicate the throne, and it is also true that she placed him under house arrest. However, she did not act tyrannically, nor did she harm loyal officials and common people.
As for whether she was destined for greatness, that's a matter of opinion.
With the emperor far away and the people in the southwest unaware of Shangguan Yan's character, the rebels spread rumors about his atrocities. These rumors, like gold being melted by the masses, caused the people to question Shangguan Yan's conduct as a ruler.
The timing of the rebellion was very sensitive. The six kingdoms maintained a peaceful coexistence on the surface, but in reality they had already begun to compete with each other. The border situation was tense, and the court advanced a large number of troops to the border. In comparison, a small rebel army did not attract much attention from the court.
However, this is where the problem lies.
Simapo was under the jurisdiction of Cangzhou. Guo Mang, as the commander-in-chief of Cangzhou, received an order from the imperial court to immediately lead 10,000 troops under his command to Simapo to quell the rebels.
Like the imperial court, he initially thought they were just some lowly, unskilled soldiers.
When the war began, they discovered that the enemy's troop strength far exceeded that of the regular army in Cangzhou.
No one knew where these troops came from; they were like weeds that grew all over Simapo overnight.
Guo Mang was an experienced general. He thought that numerical superiority didn't mean anything, after all, they were the regular army, their soldiers had the strongest physique and quality, and their camp was equipped with the best supplies and weapons.
A victory against overwhelming odds is just around the corner.
When they actually started fighting, Guo Mang realized something was wrong.
These rebels are really good fighters!
Moreover, their baggage and armor were just as sturdy as those of the regular army!
In the ensuing battle, Guo Mang suffered repeated defeats, failing to capture the rebel army's stronghold and instead losing a city.
The city had no walls, and the nearby Simapo was a strategic location that could be both attacked and defended.
Guo Mang changed his previous aggressive tactics and adopted a roundabout strategy, hoping to buy time while waiting for reinforcements from Yunzhou next door. However, heavy snow blocked the mountain.
Forget about reinforcements, even supplies couldn't be transported.
The soldiers were cold and hungry, and the wounded were not receiving treatment. Morale was low and the troops were demoralized.
Guo Mang summoned several deputy generals today to discuss the next steps.
"The soldiers can't hold on any longer."
This was the first thing Guo Mang said.
The people inside the tent were speechless.
This time they were careless and underestimated the enemy. They did not expect the rebels in Cangzhou to be so troublesome, catching everyone off guard.
To make matters worse, heavy snow blocked the mountain passes, making it impossible for supplies and reinforcements to arrive smoothly.
Is it really fate that has decreed their demise?
“I have a plan here,” Guo Mang said seriously.
The crowd was not very enthusiastic, mainly because they had suffered too many defeats and their confidence had long been shattered.
Guo Mang understood what everyone was thinking. In fact, he was the one who was most devastated. As the commander-in-chief of this battle, he was to blame. The others could say that they were just following orders and did whatever they were told to do.
But could Guo Mang comfort himself in this way?
Obviously not.
He struggled to calm himself down from his near-collapse, licked his dry, bleeding lips, and said, "The enemy's forces are more than twice the size of ours. In addition, they have ample supplies and are in good fighting condition. We should not launch a frontal attack."
The tent was silent; it seemed no one had listened to him.
Guo Mang glanced at the snow falling outside the tent and continued, "We launched a night raid on the rebel camp and captured Zhou Chongyue alive or took his head!"
Zhou Chongyue, leader of the rebel army.
Legend has it that this man was born with superhuman strength, was highly skilled in martial arts, and was both brave and resourceful. It was he who, in less than a year, grew a small rebel army into a force of 20,000.
Taking his head is easier said than done.
Fortunately, news came from scouts not long ago that Zhou Chongyue had fallen from his horse while training troops and was trampled by the horse's hooves, sustaining serious injuries.
This is a good opportunity for them to deal a heavy blow to Zhou Chongyue.
Guo Mang solemnly looked at everyone and said, “I know this mission is difficult, but it’s our only way out. Zhou Chongyue is injured. If we don’t kill him now, we’ll never have another chance! Once he recovers and leads his troops to attack us, we’ll be powerless to resist! No, we don’t even need to wait until that day. We’ll all starve and freeze to death here. Since we’re all going to die anyway, why not die on the battlefield? Killing one is worth it! Killing two is even better! When we get to the underworld, at least we won’t have let our ancestors down! We won’t have come to this world in vain!”
These words might not mean much to ordinary people, but in the hearts of every soldier who was loyal to his country, they undoubtedly ignited the last bit of fighting spirit in them.
They are not afraid of death.
What I fear most is not dying a worthy death.
...
The snow was falling heavier and heavier; it was perfect weather for a surprise attack.
The rebels probably never dreamed that the Cangzhou army, already starving, would dare to launch a night attack on them on such a snowy night.
That's absolutely reckless.
Guo Mang carefully selected one hundred of the strongest soldiers. Everyone skipped dinner and gave the last of the grass roots and horse meat to these one hundred warriors.
Tonight's battle is a fight to the death.
After eating a little, Guo Mang personally led a hundred soldiers into battle. Before leaving, he appointed Deputy General Lin as the reserve commander. If he did not return, Deputy General Lin would continue to lead everyone in battle.
The group rode their horses and disappeared into the night amidst the heavy snowfall.
They took a long detour through the eastern woods, crossed the frozen lake, and finally arrived at the right wing of the rebel camp.
Everything is going smoothly.
The horses were left in the woods, and Guo Mang led his men to quietly infiltrate the enemy camp.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened.
Suddenly, a large number of archers sprang out from all sides, drawing their bows in unison and surrounding them.
Guo Mang's expression changed!
Immediately afterwards, a wild laugh came from behind. The archers automatically made way for a man in his thirties, wearing armor, tall and burly with a thick beard, who strode toward Guo Mang.
He stopped ten paces away from Guo Mang.
Guo Mang stared intently, then was instantly dumbfounded: "Zhou Chongyue?"
Oh no, we've fallen for their trap!
Zhou Chongyue was not injured at all; he deliberately spread false information to lure him into a surprise attack!
Although the rebels had more troops and more supplies, giving them a great chance of winning, Guo Mang was no pushover. He was good at defense; otherwise, Zhou Chongyue would have wiped them out long ago!
Zhou Chongyue laughed and said, "General Guo, it wasn't easy to lure you here. Don't be impatient, let me finish. I greatly admire General Guo. If you are willing to surrender to me, I assure you that I will not only spare your life but also protect your men. The official road is blocked by snow, and you must have been starving for many days. Fortunately, I have some fine wine and food to entertain General Guo and your entourage!"
After he finished speaking, he clapped his hands.
Behind the archers, a row of cooks from the garrison carried braziers and several whole roasted lambs over.
The aroma of mutton mixed with the crispy fragrance of sesame made the already hungry soldiers of Cangzhou drool instantly.
Guo Mang also swallowed hard.
Zhou Chongyue smiled and gestured for him to enter: "General Guo, please don't be so polite."
Guo Mang stared at the sizzling, oily roasted whole lamb, his eyes gleaming with greed. He drooled and walked towards the roasted lamb in a daze.
Zhou Chongyue smiled with satisfaction.
Just as he was passing by Zhou Chongyue, Guo Mang suddenly thrust his sword at Zhou Chongyue!
Zhou Chongyue's expression changed drastically!
Fortunately, he reacted very quickly and managed to grab Guo Mang's wrist in time.
Guo Mang was too hungry to exert his full strength, otherwise he would have already succeeded with that sword strike!
"General Guo, it seems you're going to have to suffer the consequences!" Zhou Chongyue sneered, kicking Guo Mang in the chest and sending him and his sword crashing to the ground in the snow.
Seeing this, the other soldiers from Cangzhou also came to their senses, drew their swords, and charged towards Zhou Chongyue.
A row of archers blocked Zhou Chongyue's path, forming an encirclement of Guo Mang and his group with the remaining archers.
Zhou Chongyue said coldly, "Kill them all! Leave no one alive!"
The archers fired their arrows in unison, and the soldiers of Cangzhou fell one after another. Soon, the snow was stained with blood.
Guo Mang looked at the soldiers lying in pools of blood, his eyes reddening as he gripped his longsword tightly: "Zhou Chongyue, I'm going to kill you!"
Zhou Chongyue scoffed: "Ha, you think you can take me on?"
He grabbed Guo Mang by the neck and lifted him high into the air.
Guo Mang's martial arts skills were not bad, but he had been starving for three days. How could he be a match for Zhou Chongyue?
Just as Zhou Chongyue was about to snap his neck, a sharp eagle cry suddenly came from the vast sky.
With a terrifying murderous aura, even the falling snow seemed to pause for a second.
Zhou Chongyue frowned.
The next second, a mighty eagle spread its wings, which were covered with snow, and swooped down.
"ah--"
A piercing scream erupted from the crowd, as if someone's eyeballs had been pecked out by the eagle!
Zhou Chongyue turned his head to look at the archer who was rolling on the ground clutching his right eye. He frowned deeply, threw away Guo Mang, stepped forward, snatched a bow and arrow from an archer, drew back the bowstring, and aimed at the eagle!
However, before the arrow in his hand could be fully released, a red-tasseled spear, exuding murderous intent, came flying through the air and pierced through Zhou Chongyue's shoulder in one strike!
Zhou Chongyue was caught off guard and was thrown to the ground by that terrifying force. He opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
Amidst the swirling snowflakes, a young man clad in silver armor rode a warhorse also clad in silver armor through the snow. Despite his youthful and inexperienced age, he possessed a pair of resolute and icy eyes.
No army could stop him; he gripped the reins tightly, moving as if he were in an empty field, the red cloak on his silver armor fluttering behind him.
Arrows rained down on him, but there was no fear in his eyes.
Zhou Chongyue looked at the wolf-like boy who exuded boundless ferocity, and his brows furrowed involuntarily.
I thought the person who attacked me was some kind of powerful expert, but it turns out to be just a child?
How old is he?
Is there a thirteen?
He actually shot himself?
It must have been my carelessness that allowed him to succeed!
He doesn't care if he's a child or not; if he hurts him, he'll have to pay the price!
He's going to twist his head off!
Zhou Chongyue gritted his teeth and pulled the red-tasseled spear from his shoulder.
To his astonishment, this spear was much heavier than any red-tasseled spear he had ever held!
He couldn't help but wonder what kind of gun it was.
He turned his head and glanced at it.
Holy crap!
So ugly!
Zhou Chongyue was so disgusted by the sight of the red-tasseled spear covered in big red flowers and tied with big red braids that he felt a chill run down his spine.
In that very instant, the boy had already broken through the archers' encirclement on horseback and arrived in front of him.
The boy lashed out with his whip, deflecting the red-tasseled spear back.
Then the boy's warhorse raised its hooves high and ruthlessly trampled Zhou Chongyue back as he was about to get up and attack!
Zhou Chongyue immediately spat out a mouthful of blood!
The boy held a red-tasseled spear and coldly pressed it against his brow.
Zhou Chongyue stared at the gleaming spearhead before him, his body stiffening in disbelief. He, who had never been defeated, was utterly powerless against the young man!
He looked up at the cold, youthful boy on horseback, a boy with an absolutely stunning face.
But his gaze was so cold and filled with murderous intent.
He asked in a trembling voice, "Who...who are you?"
The young man said, enunciating each word clearly: "Black Wind Riders, Xuanyuan Xi!"
Xuanyuan Xi is Jingkong's name, do you remember?
(End of this chapter)
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