At the south gate, Chen Zhennan ordered his men to open the gate, and then led all the members of the special forces team, like a group of cheetahs, swiftly and nimbly heading towards the east gate.
Outside the city, Qian Zijing stood on his warhorse, his brows furrowed, his eyes fixed intently on the south gate.
His mind was filled with doubt and confusion, like a tangled mess.
The south gate was opened from the inside, and the empty gate seemed like a huge question mark, causing him to fall into deep thought.
Is this Wang Dejun's trap? Is he trying to lure me into it?
Qian Zijing's deputy general stood beside him, also looking puzzled. He asked in a low voice, "General, could this be a trap?"
Qian Zijing pondered for a moment, then shook his head. His voice carried a hint of confidence: "Wang Dejun is just a bandit leader with only three thousand men under his command. Even if there are ambushes in the city, there is no way he can withstand the iron hooves of my thirty thousand troops."
That being said, just to be on the safe side, Qian Zijing decided to proceed with caution.
"The army will be divided into two, with 10,000 men sent to the north gate to attack from both sides and make sure to capture Pengyang County!"
Following Qian Zijing's order, the army sprang into action, like two torrents, with ten thousand soldiers marching majestically toward the north gate.
On the south gate side, Qian Zijing personally led the remaining 20,000 troops, slowly approaching the city gate.
His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, constantly scanning the city gates and walls, trying to find any possible ambushes.
Thirty meters, barely a short distance, yet it felt like the distance between life and death.
Qian Zijing took a deep breath. He knew that regardless of whether there were ambushes inside the city, the city gates had been opened, and this opportunity could not be missed.
"attack!"
Qian Zijing shouted, and his deputy immediately responded. He took out a flare from his pocket and pulled it into the air with all his might.
A streak of light pierced the sky, fireworks exploded, and a tremendous sound echoed throughout the entire Pengyang County.
Upon receiving the signal, the soldiers in the north of the city charged down like tigers descending a mountain, launching a fierce attack on the north gate.
The battle in the north of the city intensified, with Wang Dejun personally leading more than 3,000 bandits in a desperate struggle against the surging tide of Ningzhou government troops.
They thought that as long as they could delay for a while, Chen Zhennan would be able to get rid of Qian Zijing, but little did they know that Chen Zhennan had already quietly left Pengyang County.
The battle in the north of the city was exceptionally fierce. Although the bandits were few in number, they were all desperate criminals. They were not afraid of the imperial army, and each of them had a mad glint in their eyes.
They brandished their weapons, roaring like wild beasts, and engaged in a desperate struggle with the government troops.
Qian Zijing, from the south of the city, marched straight in without encountering any resistance.
Although his heart was filled with doubt, it was also filled with a strong desire for victory.
He immediately ordered: "The army must speed up and head to the north of the city to attack Wang De's army from both sides!"
Facing an attack by tens of thousands of men, Wang Dejun had the advantage of being on higher ground, but this kind of offensive and defensive warfare was not something his bandits were good at.
The battle on the city wall was brutal and bloody. Although the bandits were brave, they suffered heavy casualties under the fierce offensive of the government troops.
Blood stained the city walls, corpses piled up like mountains, and the air was filled with a strong stench of blood.
Wang Dejun was like a trapped beast, facing the surging enemy army, a fearless rage burning in his heart.
The sound of clashing swords and spears was deafening, like thunder, as if each sound was tearing at his heart.
Just then, Luo Heng came running up, panting, his face full of anxiety, like a frightened little bird.
"Brother, the south gate has been breached! Qian Zijing has led his army in!"
These words struck Wang Dejun like a bolt from the blue, instantly plunging his heart into despair.
"What?!"
Wang Dejun's expression changed drastically, and he felt a sharp pain in his heart.
He thought Chen Zhennan had died in battle, but even so, he had no doubt about Chen Zhennan, only despair for the situation.
"Since we're going to die anyway, let's fight!"
He gritted his teeth and roared, his voice booming like a bell, shaking everyone around him.
However, as the news spread, those bandits who had sworn allegiance to the bandits showed fear on their faces, and their eyes gleamed with the desire to escape.
For money, for survival, these bandits would fight with all their might, but who would be foolish enough to throw their life away for nothing?
Wang Dejun felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if cut by a knife. He looked at his brothers who had once shared "glory and disgrace," who were now scattering like frightened birds. He felt a mixture of helplessness and anger.
"You cowardly cowards who fear death!"
Wang Dejun roared, his voice hoarse, his eyes flashing with furious flames, but in the end it was all in vain.
In the blink of an eye, the bandits' ranks collapsed, and Wang Dejun felt powerless, as if the whole world was crumbling beneath his feet.
His strength gradually ran out, and his movements became sluggish. In the end, he gave up resisting and let the soldiers' spears press against his chest.
On the city wall, the flames of war had gradually subsided, leaving only scattered flames and lingering smoke.
Qian Zijing, with his guards, steadily climbed the city wall. His gaze fell on Wang Dejun, whose face was filled with despair, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
He crouched down, his eyes filled with inquiry and confusion, and asked, "Chief Wang, why do you only guard the north of the city, but leave the south completely undefended? You even opened the south gate yourself. What is the meaning of this?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Dejun was struck dumb, his face filled with disbelief.
His eyes widened, and his voice trembled as he retorted, "What did you say? Why would the south gate open on its own?"
His voice was filled with shock and disbelief, as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world.
Upon seeing this, Qian Zijing immediately felt a sense of unease, realizing that things were not as simple as they seemed.
"I am telling the truth. Our army did not encounter any resistance. There were no garrison troops in the south of the city."
Upon hearing this, even the slow-witted Wang Dejun understood immediately. His face turned pale instantly, and a surge of anger at being betrayed welled up inside him.
He cursed, "Chen Zijun, you cowardly wimp!"
His voice was filled with anger and disappointment, as if he wanted to unleash all his fury.
Qian Zijing, however, did not think so. His mind raced, and after a moment, he suddenly realized what was going on, a flash of anger appearing in his eyes.
He kicked Wang Dejun hard in the chest and yelled angrily, "You idiot, you've been tricked! What the hell, this Chen Zijun, he's Chen Zhennan!"
Wang Dejun looked bewildered and asked blankly, "What did you say? He's Chen Zhennan?"
Qian Zijing gritted his teeth and angrily retorted, "Nonsense! So that's why you, Wang Dejun, were able to defeat my brother's five thousand elite soldiers. It was Chen Zhennan's doing! He wanted us to kill each other!"
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