[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 16

Episode 6, Lin'an Chapter

:

The Song army suffers a crushing defeat, retreating from Jiangzhou only to have their supplies stolen by Xingyue Lake. The pro-war Jia Shixian is on the verge of losing power and falling from grace, while Cheng Zongyang, who has been labeled a member of the "Jia faction" for running a money exchange, is also in a precarious situation.

Qin Hui, taking advantage of his acquaintance with the young Wang Shi, proposes relying on the "Wang faction" of Prime Minister Wang. However, Cheng Zongyang deeply understands that in the Song Dynasty, only unchanging power is the foundation of his survival; he should truly rely on the Song emperor in the palace! After the banquet celebrating the victory at Xingyue Lake, Cheng Zongyang, drunk and fast asleep, is suddenly interrupted by a lithe figure bursting into the pavilion, intending to kill and steal—text copied from the robes of the Dafu Lingjiu Temple!

Chapter 1:

The night is as black as ink. A bolt of lightning strikes from the sky, tearing through the heavens with a blinding white light, illuminating a solitary figure in the pouring rain.

Liu Yisun gripped his waist knife tightly. Raindrops the size of soybeans pounded against his iron armor, splashing up a fine mist. A fierce wind, carrying torrential rain, swept across the plain like a stampede of horses, amplifying the power of the night rain. But Liu Yisun knew it wasn't midnight; just half an hour ago, it was bright daylight. Then the wind rose, dark clouds obscured the sun, and almost instantly, day and night had switched.

It seemed as if all the rain of spring had been concentrated in this short time and space, pouring down on him like a deluge. Liu Yisun didn't move. Behind him stood another soldier. Each of them waited in vain, waiting for the order to retreat, or for the enemy to appear.

"Spring rain is as precious as oil," Zhang Kang said. He hadn't even donned his armor, only a raincoat and a straw hat, his expression relaxed and composed.

Liu Yisun loosened his grip slightly and forced a smile, "You seem quite relaxed, still thinking about spring plowing."

Zhang Kang adjusted his straw hat, "The troops have already withdrawn, why aren't you relaxed?"

Liu Yisun's chest heaved for a moment, then he gritted his teeth and said, "We were the rearguard! I have an army under my command, with five commanders, but only 60% of the troops are actually there, less than 1,500 men! And that's the most complete army in the left wing of the Japanese army! How many bandits are there in the city? The remnants of the Xingyue Lake camp alone number no less than 1,500! The Tiger Wing Army withdrew, the Jingse Army withdrew, and the Dragon Guard Army withdrew too! Not a single one of our hundreds of thousands of troops wants to stay in this godforsaken place for another day! Yet you insisted on covering the rear in front of Commander Xia! Brother Zhang, there's really no need to fight for it! No one will compete with you for the rearguard duty."

Facing Liu Yisun's anger, Zhang Kang remained calm, touching his cheek and saying, "General, do you not want the merit of covering the rear?"

"No!" Liu Yisun pointed to the empty Jinmingzhai camp behind him, suppressing his anger, and said, "None of my men want this! We just want to get back alive! If we could leave a day earlier with the Right Wing Army, we wouldn't be trapped here by this rain!"

"The Right Wing Army? They're carrying supplies," Zhang Kang sighed, "I don't have the strength to push carts up Lieshan Mountain."

"What about their lives?" Liu Yisun lowered his voice, "Do you think you can stop the enemy's attack? They could crush us with just one charge! Even the walls wouldn't stop us!"

Zhang Kang lowered his hand and said disappointedly, "So, General, you're also afraid of death."

"I'm not afraid of death!" Liu Yisun roared, enraged, "I just don't want to die in vain! I have over a thousand men to take care of! I still want revenge!"

"That's why we must cover their retreat!" A flash of lightning illuminated the sharp glint in Zhang Kang's eyes. "Do you think you can escape with the supplies? Abandoning the supplies and fleeing on your own, aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"

Zhang Kang pointed at Jiangzhou City in the torrential rain. "You and I both know that our remnant army is easily defeated. Don't they know that? What benefit would it bring them to rout our remnant army? Do they need the merit of beheadings? General, you are mistaken! They only want one thing: supplies and provisions!" "

The most dangerous ones are not us, but the Right Wing Army that retreated ahead of time with the supplies! Do you see this torrential rain? This is their signal to attack. It's still noon, yet the sky is as dark as ink. Where can you find such a torrential downpour that blots out the sun? Jiangzhou is surrounded by plains. It's springtime, the soil is thawing, and if they use magic to bring this rain, the roads will become so muddy that even horses can't pass!"

“If this rain had come a day earlier, I, Zhang Kang, would have fled immediately—you don’t want to die in vain, do you think I want to die? The fact that this rain only came now means that the bandits have bypassed us and caught up with the Right Wing Army carrying their supplies!”

Liu Yisun stared at him in astonishment. Zhang Kang said, "All the equipment we couldn't take was left in the camp. To avoid alerting the bandits, the order was to burn it all when we retreated. Now that it's raining so hard, there's no time to burn anything. These bandits are really meticulous. This rain has left behind at least half of their supplies and trapped all the troops within dozens of miles. Escape is impossible. Rescue is impossible. What a clever plan!"

"The bandits have bypassed us?" Liu Yisun said somewhat incredulously, "But with such heavy rain..."

"Couldn't they have reached their destination first before the rain started? Besides, we don't know what methods they have for marching in the rain." Zhang Kang said, "With a fortified city in front and bandits behind, we only have one road left."

With strong enemies on both sides, plus this sudden downpour, let alone having no road to take, even if there were a road, the soldiers would probably be mostly separated after only a few miles from the camp. Liu Yisun asked, "Where is another road?"

"The Yangtze River," Zhang Kang replied. "The camp has nothing else, but plenty of timber. I've already had fifty rafts built. Fortunately, we're short-handed, so these rafts are more than enough."

Liu Yisun was startled. "You want to cross the river? That's Ningzhou over there!"

"Crossing the river is suicide," Zhang Kang said. "We'll go downstream."

Liu Yisun was speechless. There was only one way to retreat: westward, across the Lieshan Mountains. Going downstream would only take them further and further away from the Song Dynasty.

"A day's journey downstream will take us to Zhaonan," Zhang Kang said. "Going downstream, it will take two days to reach Kunwu. From Kunwu, it will take three days to reach Jingxi to the west. Then, turning north, we'll reach Junzhou in three more days."

"Junzhou!" Liu Yisun certainly knew this prefecture located in the westernmost part of the Song Dynasty.

Zhang Kang nodded. "Don't forget, I went to Zhaonan."

A little over a month ago, Zhang Kang led a unit of soldiers to infiltrate Zhaonan and plunder. Even Liu Yisun didn't know exactly how much money they amassed, but the portion he kept for himself was already quite substantial.

Liu Yisun paused for a moment, then said, "The journey takes nine days, eight of which are within Zhaonan. We're not just one or two people, but an entire army, and besides, you've been there before—do you think you can just swagger around Zhaonan like this?"

"That's why we need to change clothes. We can't use the Song Dynasty's banner."

"You robbed Zhaonan's military treasury?" A gust of wind swept by, and Liu Yisun swallowed a mouthful of rain, coughing a few times before saying, "Do you think we can fool the people of Zhaonan just by disguising ourselves as Zhaonan soldiers?"

Zhang Kang glanced at him and uttered two words, "Han army."

Under Liu Yisun's shocked gaze, Zhang Kang drew a line on the rain-soaked ground with his scabbard: "Everyone knows that the lower reaches of the Yangtze River are Zhaonan, but they often forget that Hepu County, where the Yangtze River flows into the sea, is the land of the Han Kingdom." He pointed to the end of the line representing the Yangtze River, "Several thousand Han soldiers are stationed in the county."

Liu Yisun remembered that when Emperor Wu of Han dominated the Six Dynasties, to show his unification of the world, he established counties and garrisons in the four directions of east, west, south, and north. The southernmost point where the Han army reached was Hepu County.

“I encountered the Han army in Zhaonan,” Zhang Kang said in a low voice. “Zhao Tuo, the governor of Hepu, has been living in the south for a long time. Hearing that our Song army is fighting against the remnants of Yue Pengju, a traitor appointed by the emperor, he intends to send troops to gain merit so that he can return to the capital Luoyang. Now most of the Han envoys have arrived in Lin'an. As long as His Majesty nods, the Han army in Hepu will be heading north against the current in a few days and will join our army at the gates of Jiangzhou.”

Liu Yisun was horrified. It was one thing for a military officer to make friends with a general in a private capacity, but to secretly conspire in military matters was a serious crime in any dynasty, punishable by death or even the extermination of the entire family. Even Xia Yonghe dared not do it, yet Zhang Kang had done it. He knew Zhang Kang was bold, but he never imagined he would be so audacious.

Zhang Kang shook his raincoat. "His Majesty has already issued an edict to withdraw the troops. Prefect Zhao can only wait for another opportunity to distinguish himself. But according to the alliance of that year, the Han army has the privilege of being able to travel freely throughout the Six Dynasties. As long as we change into the Han army's uniforms and banners, we can return to Junzhou safely." Zhang Kang grimaced in pain. "Fifteen hundred sets, all old uniforms captured by the Han army, will cost me a fortune."

Liu Yisun made a final effort: "We are the rearguard. If we desert our posts, even if we return to Junzhou, it will be a capital offense."

Zhang Kang turned to look at the rain behind him and said, "The outcome is decided. Tonight's battle will undoubtedly be the biggest defeat for our Great Song in decades. If judged according to military law, hundreds or even thousands will be beheaded. If we can return unscathed from the bandits, the court will be overjoyed."

Zhang Kang didn't continue. The two stared at each other for a long time. Liu Yisun suddenly took off his helmet, shook off the rainwater, and gritted his teeth, saying, "The rain is about to stop. If we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave at all!" On the plains west of Lieshan, a long column of troops

,

stretching as far as the eye could see, was trudging through the torrential rain. The torches lit when the clouds first gathered had long been extinguished by the downpour, and the soldiers, clad in soaking armor, groped their way forward in the darkness. Flashes of lightning occasionally pierced the sky, illuminating their faces, drained of vitality by exhaustion and fear.

The spring rain carried the chill of winter; their wrists quickly went numb from the cold seeping into their sleeves. Shi Yuansun gripped his whip, but the chill in his heart was far greater than the sudden downpour.

Jinming Village was over a hundred li from Lieshan, a two-day journey by standard. However, Shi Yuansun, eager to rendezvous with the central army as soon as possible, had only allowed his soldiers two hours of rest the previous night. The Pengri Right Wing Army, carrying a large amount of baggage, was already struggling, but the soldiers were all eager to leave Jiangzhou and raced forward, only to be caught in this storm.

The road, trampled by countless soldiers, was as muddy as a quagmire; each step plunged the mud almost up to the calves. Various kinds of combat boots lay scattered in the mud, but not a single soldier stopped to pick one up. The shoes they had painstakingly changed into would be sucked off by the suction-like mud after only a few steps. If they weren't, it meant carrying forward with a pair of mud-caked shoes, each weighing as if hundreds of pounds.

The soldiers pushing the carts were already exhausted, too weak even to shout commands; they could only bury their heads and desperately push the carts, which were dozens of times heavier than usual. Suddenly, a wheel slipped, and a cart sank into a mud pit a foot deep. The vehicle, laden with armor and soldiers, tilted, blocking the advancing column.

Two cavalrymen, their horses slick with mud, galloped up, waving soaking wet command flags and shouting, "The general has ordered! We must reach the Lieshan camp today! No rest along the way! Anyone who lingers will be flogged! Anyone who hesitates will be beheaded! Anyone who obstructs the road will be beheaded!"

Mud splattered on them, but the soldiers didn't even show anger in their eyes; they simply tore off their armor and clothing from the carts, threw them into the mud, and overturned the carts.

Since receiving the order to withdraw, the Song army had argued several times about how to proceed. Finally, Weng Yinglong, who attended the meeting despite being wounded, with the support of Xia Yonghe, overruled the objections and decided to first withdraw the nearly decimated Tiger Wing, Guisheng, and Jingse armies outside Jiangzhou.

For a demoralized and exhausted army, the risk of retreat was even greater than that of fighting. To avoid being discovered and pursued by the bandits in the city, the Song army's retreat was extremely secretive; a large amount of supplies was left until last, to be escorted by the relatively intact Pengri Right Wing Army. The task of covering the rear was assigned to Liu Yisun's army, which had volunteered to do so.

Zhang Kang's guess was not entirely accurate. In fact, besides their own Longwei Left Wing Tenth Army, another force was also covering the rear: Qin Han's Vanguard Battalion.

The Vanguard Battalion had been fighting fiercely for days, and its losses were no less than those of its allies. To ensure the mobility of this all-cavalry force, Xia Yonghe mobilized almost all the horses that could still be drawn from the army, to the point that the Pengri Right Wing Army, which was transporting supplies, didn't even have enough horses to pull the carts.

This was not the first time the Song army had suffered a defeat during the retreat. Apart from Liu Yisun, who volunteered, the only force capable of directly confronting the bandits was the Vanguard Battalion. Xia Yonghe had spared no effort in building a small city at the foot of Lieshan Mountain, leaving Wang Xin and Zhong Shiheng's armies from the Pengri Left Wing Army to provide support. If the bandits dared to abandon the city and travel a hundred miles to intercept and kill the Pengri Army, a Song counterattack could lead to a decisive battle with the enemy at the border of Pingyuan and Lieshan Mountain.

However, a torrential rain disrupted all of the Song army's plans. The Pengri Right Wing Army, which was originally expected to reach Lieshan by the afternoon, saw its marching speed drastically reduced by the unexpected downpour. It was already past noon, and their destination remained a long way off. (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be enjoyable? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain the feeling of ejaculation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sexual positions and vibration frequencies.

Click to enter.) Even the elite Xuanfeng Battalion couldn't possibly provide timely reinforcements in such a storm. Similarly, Wang Xin and Zhong Shiheng's armies couldn't possibly brave the rain to leave the city to meet the Pengri Right Wing Army, whose whereabouts were unknown.

The best option now was to set up camp on the spot, but Shi Yuansun preferred to risk a mutiny rather than linger—if the enemy appeared now, there would be no need for battle; a few shouts would be enough to rout the entire Pengri Right Wing Army.

"Shenxiao Sect!" Shi Yuansun cursed inwardly.

Ever since Wang Zhe struck the stone with his sword, forcing the Song Dynasty to cease its pursuit of the remnants of King Wu Mu's faction, the Song court, while outwardly silent, secretly focused on supporting the Shenxiao Sect, bestowing the title of Immortal Master upon three individuals. As a result, in the repeated battles outside Jiangzhou, the Shenxiao Sect's sorcerer Zhang Ruhui was completely overwhelmed by the bandits' magicians, gaining no advantage whatsoever. A few days ago, their magic array was broken, further crippling the Shenxiao Sect. Upon receiving the imperial edict to withdraw, the Shenxiao Sect merely informed Weng Yinglong before departing. If only the Shenxiao Sect's sorcerers were present, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state—but these sorcerers were utterly useless, more trouble than they were worth! So much money was wasted, yet no results were achieved.

Shi Yuansun lashed his mount with his whip, the horse's hooves kicking up thick mud as it struggled forward through the mire. Although he knew the bandits in the city had also suffered heavy losses and wouldn't have the strength to fight in the open, Shi Yuansun had been uneasy ever since he began the retreat. After all, they were the fierce bandits from the Xingyue Lake camp…

This sudden downpour disrupted Shi Yuansun's marching plans. Amidst his anxiety, he secretly felt a sense of relief. With the rain at this point, the entire Jiangzhou plain had become a muddy mess. No matter how fierce the bandits were, they were still living people; they couldn't possibly grow wings and fly over. Half of the soldiers would likely fall ill from the rain. But as long as they could reach the foot of Lieshan, their lives would be saved.

Shi Yuansun pondered this, his mind restless for a moment. Suddenly, a bugle sounded behind him.

The Song army had heard this ominous bugle call countless times over the past few months. Hearing it now, almost everyone turned to look, their pupils constricting in fear, including Shi Yuansun.

The bugle call came incredibly fast. It started a mile away, but within a breath, it closed to within a hundred paces, as if riding the wind in a downpour.

Shi Yuansun shouted in a distorted voice, "Form ranks!"

For ease of movement, the soldiers had placed their weapons on the supply wagons, and now they rushed to retrieve them, making it impossible to form ranks in an instant.

In the chaos, a burly figure tore through the rain and charged forward. The man was shirtless, his pale golden skin like that of a gilded bronze Buddha, a long sword held horizontally in his mouth—it was none other than Thunder Blade Zang Xiu. A Song soldier at the rear of the column, unable to dodge, was struck by Zang Xiu and sent flying.

Ignoring him, Zang Xiu leaned forward slightly and charged towards the main Song army like lightning, the mud that even horses could sink into seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.

Shi Yuansun's hands trembled as he gripped the reins. Only then did he notice the strange planks the man was standing on, each plank about a hand's width wide with upturned ends, resembling two small boats. He held a pair of thin bamboo poles to control his movement, and despite the muddy ground, he moved swiftly as if on two small boats.

Zang Xiu tucked the poles behind his back and drew his Thunder Blade. With a thunderous roar, he swung like a battle axe, cleaving fiercely into the still-forming Song army formation.

More and more figures emerged from the rain. Unlike Zang Xiu, who relied on his Golden Bell Shield for protection, they wore raincoats, and their other equipment was identical: planks for gliding on the mud and bamboo poles.

Shi Yuansun was horrified to discover that even in this long-distance pursuit, these bandits maintained their complete formation and sharp tactics. They didn't use the planks to create distance and maneuver with speed and agility; instead, they chose to break through the formation and attack head-on.

Led by Zang Xiu, the soldiers of Xingyue Lake charged one after another into the gap he had breached. Neither the Song soldiers' fiercely wielded swords and spears nor the hastily thrown chevaux-de-frise by the soldiers could stop their advance. These ferocious bandits were like a swift blade, penetrating deeper and deeper into the Song army ranks.

Shi Yuansun shivered with a start. When he came to his senses, he immediately pulled his cloak over his face, leaned over his saddle, and spurred his horse into a gallop.

During the retreat, they encountered a torrential downpour. The morale of the Song army had plummeted to rock bottom. Seeing their commander's rain-soaked banner sway before crashing to the ground, the Song army froze for a moment, then scattered.

No one paid any attention to the supplies on the wagons anymore. The carts laden with provisions were abandoned by the roadside. The grain and fodder that the Song court had painstakingly transported were thrown into the mud. Expensive weapons and armor were scattered everywhere. The Japanese army's magnificent banner, adorned with leopard tails, lay fallen in the mud, trampled over by the panicked soldiers.

The Song army's ranks disintegrated like a long centipede, each part scattering in all directions. Soldiers abandoned their supplies, discarded their weapons, and stripped off their armor, fleeing in panic. They screamed as they ran, as if months of pent-up fear had erupted in that instant.

Wu Sangui, Wu Zhanwei, and Yi Biao, on skateboards, glided side-by-side across the mud. They had practiced for several days in the city, and although not as skilled as the soldiers at Xingyue Lake Camp, their foundation was solid. They only stumbled a few times along the way, far superior to the Song soldiers who were tumbling and crawling through the mud.

“Old Gui is lucky,” Wu Zhanwei said, “He came back just in time for a battle!”

Wu Sangui said sullenly, “It’s a pity I went to Jiankang; you guys have already fought all the tough battles.”

Yi Biao glanced back, “Less than 30% of them can keep up. These guys look all tough usually, but once they’re out in training, they’re far inferior to the men from Xingyue Lake.”

The three were ordered to form a direct battalion of a regiment. They selected more than a hundred mercenaries from the city and recruited some strong men, finally managing to gather the required 300 men. Following Cheng Zongyang’s order to fight more tough battles, this new army always charged to the front. After a long siege, almost all of them had been eliminated. By the standards of a regular army, this new army, hard-fought and full of killing intent, was undoubtedly an elite force, but it was still far inferior to the formidable Xingyue Lake camp.

Watching the heroic figures of the Xingyue Lake soldiers charging forward, Wu Sangui couldn't resist the urge to join the fray

. He grabbed a spear and exclaimed, "I'll go and fight! Let's show off our directly subordinate battalion's reputation!" Wu Zhanwei, though also itching to fight, remembered Meng Feiqing's instructions and shook his head, saying, "No! Colonel Meng ordered that this battle is about looting and plundering. Just drive the Song army away; the brothers need to stay alive to enjoy the fun at Shuixianglou."

Wu Sangui laughed, "Brother is right. There are about a hundred men following us now. I'll listen to your advice on how to fight."

Wu Zhanwei chuckled, "Alright, of the three of us, you and Biaozi are the best at fighting. You two discuss it, I'm listening."

"Alright!" Wu Sangui didn't refuse, pointing at the Song army and saying, "The Song army has over three thousand men, and their ranks are stretched out for nearly three miles. They're not at all in a fighting formation. Now that the men from Xingyue Lake have arrived, their commander has fled, and the remaining Song soldiers will definitely run as fast as they can. If you ask me, our hundred-odd men should cut in half from the middle. With Lao Zang and his men behind, and us in the middle, we can block both ends and our regiment can completely encircle the rear half of the Song army. Colonel Meng's Second Regiment left even earlier than us, and they're probably guarding the front now. The front half will be theirs."

Yi Biao added, "And there's Lieutenant Colonel Hou's Third Regiment, who are on guard on both flanks. According to what Kuang Xianchang said, this rain will only last for an hour and a half at most, and then it will stop. If they get bogged down by the Vanguard Battalion, it will be troublesome."

"The rain has stopped, but the ground isn't dry yet. If we're quick, the Vanguard Battalion won't even have time to get muddy."

Wu Sangui nudged Yi Biao with his elbow. "Biao, where's your sweetheart?"

Yi Biao blushed. "Don't talk nonsense—she's a widow..."

Wu Zhanwei said, "So what if she's a widow? As long as she can bear children and raise them, that's fine! I'm telling you, after this battle, let's tell Chief Cheng to arrange your wedding with Li'er, and then you can take a concubine!"

Yi Biao lowered his head and said after a long pause, "I need to go to Baiyi to see my brother."

Wu Zhanwei and Wu Sangui patted his shoulder together, comforting him, "Knowing you have a family, Brother Hu will definitely be happy. Alright! Almost everyone's here, let's get to work!"

The three paused briefly, organized their troops, and then charged towards the center of the scattered Song army.

As Yi Biao glided along, he picked up the horn around his neck and blew it loudly. His horn's sound was different from the somber atmosphere of the Xingyue Lake camp; it was desolate and tragic. Shortly after, a similar bugle call sounded from behind, echoing from afar. Yi Biao and the others breathed a sigh of relief, drew their weapons, and roared, "Kill!"

Several Song soldiers grabbed the packhorses of a large cart, attempting to cut the reins and escape using the horse's momentum. Suddenly, the cart lurched, and a burly man leaped onto it. He was shirtless, with yellow and black stripes on his neck and back, resembling a standing tiger, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.

The man opened his mouth wide and let out a roar like a tiger's howl. The four strong horses immediately went weak in the knees and collapsed to the ground. The soldier closest to him was so terrified by his beastly aura that his eyes rolled back, and he fainted. The other soldiers were so frightened that they took a few steps back, then shouted and scattered in all directions as if their lives depended on it.

Wu Erlang, hands on his hips and stomping on the cart full of supplies, roared, "How dare you steal my things! You grandson! You're tired of living!"

Yue Shuang, riding a skateboard, swept past his cart like the wind, her long black cloak draped over her shoulders. Qiu Shaojun, one hand pressing down on his beard stuck to his face, had his two skateboards long gone. He was now using the lightness skill of the Taiyi True Sect, and his speed was not much slower than Yue Shuang's skateboards.

Wu Erlang stood on the cart, surveying the surroundings with great majesty, but unfortunately, his tiger-like aura was too overwhelming. The Song soldiers were either terrified or scattered and fled for their lives, not even a single one came to join in the fun, making it somewhat boring. Seeing Qiu Shaojun approach, he glared at him, "You brat, what are you grinning about?"

Qiu Shaojun rolled his eyes, stroking his beard, and said, "You've been eating dust following behind other people's horses every day. Suddenly one day you don't have to eat dust anymore, aren't you happy?"

"Pah!" Wu Erlang spat, "You brat, you've disgraced all men!"

"You inhuman thug! Scum! Violent maniac!" Qiu Shaojun retorted, then called out, "Miss Yue! Wait for me!"

Meng Feiqing once told Cheng Zongyang that there are no invincible generals in the world. A good general must not only be able to win battles, but more importantly, know how to lose them. Only by being good at losing battles can one preserve strength to the maximum extent. Some generals are said to be invincible, but one defeat means they can never recover. Other generals, however, fight again and again, no matter how many times they are defeated, they can always rise again.

This battle exposed the Song army's weakness in defeat; the commander fled first, and the remaining soldiers lost all will to fight. The already crumbling command structure of the Pengri Right Wing Army was utterly incapable of organizing any effective resistance; from officers to soldiers, everyone was scrambling to escape. At the beginning of

the second chapter

, the Xingyue Lake camp concentrated all its sorcerers, taking advantage of the opportune moment, and committed two-thirds of its forces, leaving only three battalions to garrison Jiangzhou. Cheng Zongyang's First Regiment, led by Zang Xiu and Wu Zhanwei, participated in the battle with one battalion and one directly subordinate battalion respectively. The Second Regiment, led by Guo Sheng and Yue Shuang, each commanded one battalion, while Hou Xuan personally led two battalions of the Third Regiment on guard duty outside the battlefield.

Compared to the meticulous preparations of the Xingyue Lake camp, the Song army lost all fighting spirit in the torrential rain. After only a brief contact, unsurprisingly, the entire army collapsed, failing to even mount a proper counterattack. With Guo Sheng's Second Regiment's direct battalion and a black-clad army appearing simultaneously in front of the Song army, the tide of battle was irreversible. The only problem was how these thousand-odd bandits would manage to haul away hundreds of wagons laden with supplies.

Just then, a low roar echoed through the downpour. The fleeing Song army was horrified to see a row of fortress-like black shadows appear on the battlefield, moving forward at a speed no less than that of warhorses.

Mammoths, like ancient behemoths, arrived one after another. Their long, curved tusks stretched forward like scimitars, their trunks raised, their massive heads like rocks. There was a distinct indentation where their heads met their backs, and female charioteers from Jingxi sat atop these indentations, holding pavilion-like paper umbrellas above their heads, like halberd-wielding Valkyries.

The downpour ceased, and sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, illuminating the battlefield. The routed Song army had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only armor, weapons, shoes, military flags, and hundreds of wagons overflowing with supplies. Defeating the Song army was easy, but transporting the supplies proved troublesome—not because of insufficient transport capacity (with the Jingxi Mammoth Squad, cleaning up the battlefield was easy and quick)—but because Master Wu had something to say.

"These are mine!" Wu Erlang pointed to each item, "Mine! Mine! Mine..." Then he waved his hand, "Take all of these to Master Wu's room!"

Wu Zhanwei grinned; Wu Erlang was truly shameless, taking half the spoils with a wave of his hand.

Yi Biao ignored Master Wu's despicable snatching. He wiped the mud off his face, then removed the horn from his neck, held it up with both hands, and said loudly, "Thank you for your help, friends from Jingxi."

The Jingxi woman riding on the mammoth smiled slightly, patted the long-haired mammoth's back, and the mammoth raised its trunk, deftly grasping the horn with human-like movements, and handed it to its master.

Wu Zhanwei and Wu Sangui exchanged glances behind him. Wu Zhanwei whispered, "Biaozi's got some good looks. He has Li'er in Jiankang, and he's hooked up with another one in Jiangzhou. He hasn't even done anything yet, and he already has wives and concubines."

"Why don't you take one too?" Wu Sangui said, "I think my sister-in-law is a broad-minded person. I don't think she'll get jealous over this."

"Stop! Don't let Cuiyan hear you say that!"

Wu Sangui teased, "I didn't realize Brother Wu was afraid of his wife."

"Nonsense! She's pregnant. I'm just being considerate of her!" Wu Zhanwei quickly changed the subject. "Hey? That brother over there looks familiar. Is he one of the Marquis's men?"

Wu Sangui glanced over and exclaimed, "Old Shi!" He then went over and put his arm around the leader of the men in black, punched him in the chest, and started chatting familiarly.

Yue Shuang ignored Wu Erlang's gesture and said coldly, "All spoils are to be stored in the warehouse. Take them away!"

"Who dares to touch them!" Wu Erlang shouted, "Even brothers keep clear accounts! Second Master has a share! Half of this is mine!"

"Rogue!" Qiu Shaojun roared, then pointed innocently at Yue Shuang, "I'm speaking for Miss Yue."

"You brat! Say it again and see what happens!" Wu Erlang yelled, "See if Second Master doesn't flatten your mouth!"

"He's right!" Yue Shuang's face turned pale with anger, and she said sharply, "You're a rogue!"

"Hey! You little brat—" Wu Er was interrupted before she could finish speaking. The leader of the men in black who had been exchanging pleasantries with Wu Sangui came over, bowed, and said in a businesslike tone, "My lord said that this time, when the Imperial Guards are deployed, our lord only wants 40%. After we take stock, the remaining 60% will be yours."

Xiao Yaoyi had also come along. While the others were covered in mud, he was dressed in brand-new clothes, without a single mud spot or raindrop on him—all thanks to his handsome face. The young lord had arrived on the back of a mammoth.

Hearing the shouting from both sides, Xiao Yaoyi was the first to lose his temper. He stepped on the axle, rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, and slapped the cart so hard it rattled. He yelled, "Are you bullying us?! This one wants half, that one wants forty percent, and you're leaving us ten percent?"

"Sixty percent," said the leader of the men in black. "Our Marquis only wants forty percent. How you divide the remaining sixty percent is none of my business. Even if you don't leave Second Master a single coin, that's your own business."

Wu Erlang roared, "Who dares to take a single coin from Second Master and try!"

The Xingyue Lake camp, Wu Erlang, and the Zhenyu Shanghou's guards, who had just been fighting side by side, were now arguing, leaving Wu Zhanwei and the others dumbfounded. Logically, they were also from the Xingyue Lake camp and should have sided with Major Xiao. However, facing them stood the shameless rogue hero, Master Wu, who was greedy for money, and the bodyguards of the old poisoner who was willing to kill at will. Wu Zhanwei and Yi Biao weighed their own strength and felt that it wasn't the right time to be righteous.

Wu Erlang glared fiercely, slapping his hairy chest with his large hand, "Go around asking around! Is Master Wu easy to bully?"

Xiao Yaoyi roared, "Since we Xingyue Lake camp followed Commander Yue, we've only ever taken advantage of others! Anyone who dares to take advantage of me, just try it! They ask for 40% or 50%! They really dare to ask for it!"

The leader of the men in black crossed his arms and said, "Governor Xiao, let's put aside the matter of profit sharing for now. A few days ago, someone changed our Marquis's banner without permission. Shouldn't we settle that score?"

Xiao Yaoyi slapped the carriage: "Wu Er! Did you do it!"

"Hey! You think I'm a pushover just because I haven't shown my power yet? You're all trying to pin this huge accusation on me!"

The leader of the men in black slammed a single-edged sword onto the carriage, snarling, "Every wrong has its perpetrator! Every debt has its debtor! If you're a man, don't cower

like a turtle!" Xiao Yaoyi roared, "Let's talk things out! What right do you have to call me a turtle!"

The leader of the men in black opened his mouth to curse, but Wu Sangui pulled him back, "Old Shi! Old Shi! Let's talk this out!"

Just as everyone was arguing, a voice came, not loud, but enough to drown out the noise, "What's wrong?"

The crowd parted to make way for Hou Xuan, who, as if he had just woken up, squinted and lazily approached.

Xiao Yaoyi paused, setting aside the commotion, and asked first, "Where's the Vanguard Battalion?"

"Haven't seen them." Hou Xuan took off his military cap, fanning himself with one hand to dry it, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Guess who I ran into?"

Xiao Yaoyi frowned, "Xie Youdu? That kid has the guts to come and kick someone when they're down? Aren't he afraid of angering Old Man Wang to death?"

"The Northern Army hasn't made a move," Hou Xuan touched his neck, "but I saw Lord Xiao."

Xiao Yaoyi's mouth dropped open, "My father?"

Hou Xuan sighed, "We brothers are still too green. Uncle Xiao led his men across the river a couple of days ago, took advantage of the heavy rain, changed into military uniforms, raised banners supporting the Japanese army, and looted the Lieshan camp without bloodshed—literally looted it completely, those Ningzhou soldiers even took the pots."

Xiao Yaoyi was stunned for a long time, "My father is poor too?"

"We've fought this far with only two prefectures; it would be a miracle if we weren't impoverished." Hou Xuan said, "We're almost starving, thankfully we have this batch of supplies—" "Second Master's stuff! Who dares touch it!"

The leader of the men in black said, "Lord Marquis has come a thousand miles to aid us; taking only forty percent is already very benevolent."

Hou Xuan snapped his hat on and was about to speak when Yue Shuang coldly said, "Shi Jingtang! The Marquis's guards agreed to be paid per person for each attack. Following the example of mercenaries, since we've received payment, the right to distribute the spoils should belong to us." Before Shi Jingtang could argue, Yue Shuang continued, "As long as this batch of supplies is transported back to Jiangzhou, the guards will all receive double their pay, plus ten percent of the spoils in cash." Shi

Jingtang weighed the options. Although it was a bit less, the supplies still needed to be converted into cash; he couldn't let the Marquis carry them on the road. Most of this supplies were military equipment, and in Jiangzhou, apart from the Xingyue Lake camp, no other place dared to buy them. The difference wasn't too significant. After considering it, Shi Jingtang snorted, tacitly agreeing.

Having made concessions to the Marquis of Shang's personal guard, Yue Shuang turned to face Wu Erlang and said bluntly, "This battle isn't the business of that lousy Panjiang Cheng family company. You'll have to ask

that Cheng guy for your shares!" Wu Erlang wiped the rain from his chest hair, intentionally or unintentionally showing off his exaggerated arm muscles, and said arrogantly, "Second Master put in so much effort, you think you can just take it all away?"

"Our Xingyue Lake camp, the Marquis of Shang's personal guard, and the sisters of Jingxi, who didn't contribute? Why should you ask for half?"

Hou Xuan dismounted, stood behind Yue Shuang, and said in a loud voice, "What the young lady says makes sense!"

Xiao Yaoyi also came over and said with a grin, "That's right, that's the logic."

Wu Erlang spat fiercely, held up two fingers, and said with spittle flying, "Thirty percent! One for you, one for old man Shang, and one for Second Master! Not too much, right?"

A cold voice came from behind, "Too much."

Si Mingxin sat on the handle of the cart, picking his nails with his wing hook, and said without looking up.

On the other side, Lu Jing rolled his eyes so hard they were almost blind, staring at Wu Erlang with an arrogant look, and said seriously, "If you ask me, more than one-tenth."

Wu Erlang roared, "Second Master has shares!"

"Calculated by shares? Fine." Yue Shuang pointed, "Everyone who participated in the battle counts as one share. How about our Xingyue Lake camp's 1,800 shares compared to your one share?"

Cui Mao held his Hunyuan Hammer in one hand and took a swig from his wine flask in the other, "Makes sense."

Apart from Meng Feiqing and Wang Tao, who were stationed in Jiangzhou, the five steeds of Xingyue Lake camp—Tian Si, Yun Can, Huan Ju, Qing Zhui, and Xuan Qi—were all gathered. Zang Xiu, Guo Sheng, Lu Ziyin, and others also surrounded them, standing behind Yue Shuang with their arms crossed. Including the Xingyue Lake soldiers on the outer perimeter, there were at least 800 to 1,000.

These soldiers were all battle-hardened strongmen, none of them easy to deal with. Now, their faces were grim, their eyes gleaming with menace; it was clear that at Yue Shuang's command, they would fight tooth and nail.

Wu Erlang finally lost his temper and roared, "Are you bullying us because of numbers?! Don't touch any of these things! I'm going to find Boss Meng to settle this!"

With that, Wu Erlang strode off, casually rolling up a fine suit of armor, tucking it under his arm, and without looking back, headed towards Jiangzhou.

Watching Wu Erlang's retreating figure, Yue Shuang was the first to burst into laughter, followed by the others.

Although Wu Erlang had a terrible temper, and was fierce, ruthless, and shameless, he had at least one redeeming quality: he was pragmatic and had some basic sense of propriety—a quality that made him better than Qiu Xiaozi.

After this battle, there were no more organized Song troops west of Lieshan. The gloom that had weighed on everyone's hearts vanished, and everyone felt relieved.

With the strength of a single city, they routed the entire Song army, demonstrating the formidable strength of the Xingyue Lake Camp both on and off the battlefield. From this day forward, the Xingyue Lake Camp's battle flag could finally fly proudly in the sunlight.

Yue Shuang pointed to the main road: "This cart of supplies belongs to Wu Er. Although he's a scoundrel, he's put in a lot of effort these past few days. Transport the rest back to Jiangzhou."

Hou Xuan stood with his feet together, chest puffed out, and saluted Yue Shuang, loudly proclaiming, "Yes!"

Si Mingxin, Lu Jing, Cui Mao, and Xiao Yaoyi also saluted, saying in unison, "Yes!"

Yue Shuang was slightly taken aback, then a flush of excitement crossed her jade-like face. She calmly nodded to everyone and said, "Reporting back!"

The soldiers from the Xingyue Lake Camp responded in unison, and together they quickly gathered the scattered supply wagons, tied them with pack straps, and hung them on the backs of mammoths.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

As the Jingxi people's mammoth caravan towed their supply wagons back to Jiangzhou, Cheng Zongyang was racking his brains over the paper money issue. Without the support of the Song Dynasty court, the issuance of small-denomination paper money was disastrous; for two whole days, the Cheng family's money exchange shop was deserted.

"Exchanging paper for gold is not something that can be accomplished in a day, so the head of the family need not worry," Lin Qingpu advised.

Cheng Zongyang put down the ledger and laughed, "Brother Qingpu, you're two years younger than me, aren't you? How come you look so mature for your age? You're naturally wise beyond your years."

"If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will lose his life; if secrets are not kept, disaster will ensue," Lin Qingpu said. "Our sect's teachings involve many secrets, and when I first entered the sect, my teachers repeatedly instructed me on this."

Cheng Zongyang stood up and, while taking a walk, asked curiously, "Your Shadow Moon Sect disciples have members in the military and merchants, and all are involved in various secrets. Wouldn't that make you the largest intelligence organization in the world?"

"If that were the case, our sect would have been destroyed many times over. How could we have survived to this day?" Lin Qingpu said, "Young master, you may not know, but in ancient times, those who practiced the Shadow Moon Arts were far more than just our sect. Yet, only our sect has survived to this day."

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Do you have some secret to survival?"

"Nothing more than eight words: Focus on Daoist arts, remain detached from worldly affairs," Lin Qingpu said. "Once a disciple of my Shadow Moon Sect graduates, they have nothing to do with the sect. Regardless of life, death, honor, or disgrace, the sect remains indifferent. The masters who remain in the sect to pass on the Daoist tradition are completely uninvolved in external affairs."

"Wait!" Cheng Zongyang hurriedly asked, "Have you graduated?"

Lin Qingpu smiled, "I just formally bid farewell to my sect before going to Yunzhou."

Cheng Zongyang suddenly realized, "So you were still an apprentice when you went to the Southern Wilderness."

"If it weren't for the deep relationship between the Spirit Flying Mirror and our sect, Qingpu wouldn't have been hired by the Yun family as a disciple," Lin Qingpu said. "Even with this prohibition, the Six Dynasties still harbor suspicions about our sect, and the courts of various countries rarely employ members of our sect."

"I was wondering why the Song Dynasty didn't use such a convenient method to mobilize troops and issue orders? The courts of various countries are being so cautious; it's a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater."

"For the courts of various countries, it's a precaution against potential threats; for my Shadow Moon Sect, it's a chance for survival."

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment. "Indeed, we can't use them. If all six dynasties use Shadow Moon Sect monks, once you join forces, the whole world will be yours."

Lin Qingpu's smile was half pride and half helplessness. "Exactly."

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "I heard Jinming Pond is open to the public today. Since we don't have much work to do, let's call Huizhi, Master Feng, and Miss Shishi, and go see the fun!"

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

In terms of market prosperity, Lin'an surpasses Jiankang. Various shops line both sides of the Imperial Street, and the streets are bustling with people. Compared to Qingzhou, which is also full of commercial atmosphere, Lin'an has more of a civic character; at least the various street performances are something rarely seen on the streets of Qingzhou.

Cheng Zongyang originally wanted to take a carriage, but seeing the massive crowds on the street, he immediately changed his mind and decided to walk.

He wore a royal blue silk robe, which was fashionable in Lin'an at the time, and dressed up as a young master who was both a scholar and a merchant.

Qin Hui, Feng Yuan, and Lin Qingpu were all dressed as attendants. Behind them were two burly, barbarian warriors wearing bamboo hats, and the group strolled into the street in a lively manner.

Li Shishi wore a plain white dress with a crabapple blossom in her hair. Although she wore no makeup, she naturally exuded a graceful charm, attracting many envious glances.

The Imperial Street was lined with stalls selling food, pancakes, and various goods from land and sea. There were also many performers doing juggling, fire-eating, tightrope walking, and ball balancing, making the market even more bustling.

"I heard that the people of Lin'an, young and old, can all perform acrobatics," Feng Yuan said with great interest.

Although he had been in Lin'an for some time, he had been busy with various matters, first Xue Yanshan's attack, and then hiding in Cuiwei Garden making hand grenades. He hadn't had a chance to properly explore the streets of Lin'an, and now he was dazzled by the sights, wishing he had more eyes than he could see.

Lin Qingpu watched with amusement, saying as they walked, "Learn both literary and martial arts, and sell them to the emperor. Why do people in Lin'an like learning acrobatics?"

Feng Yuan generously replied, "You're a bit better than me in terms of magic, but in terms of knowledge, you're no match for me. Literary studies are tested every three years, with only about three hundred people passing each time. That means only about ten thousand people pass every hundred years. And that's the whole Song Dynasty! Lin'an alone has at least four hundred thousand households. If everyone studied literature, they wouldn't even have enough to eat. Learning martial arts is even worse. Since ancient times, the poor are learned in literature, the rich in martial arts. The food, clothing, and other necessities for martial arts practitioners are beyond the reach of ordinary families. Learning acrobatics is the most economical option. With a skill, you'll never starve, and during festivals, you can make a fortune. With a bit of luck, you can earn enough in a few days to eat and wear for a year..."

Feng Yuan was speaking happily when Cheng Zongyang stopped in front of a stall. The stall wasn't particularly unusual; it simply had a wooden basin containing dozens of goldfish of different colors—red, yellow, black, and white.

Cheng Zongyang turned around and said, "They sell goldfish here, Shishi. Let me buy you a few to take home and raise."

Li Shishi smiled, "Even if you wanted to buy some, they wouldn't sell them to you—these are trained fish performing a dance. The stall owner sells candy, though."

"Dancing fish?" Cheng Zongyang became interested. "Let me see one!"

Seeing a customer approaching, the stall owner perked up, took a small wooden mallet, and gently tapped the edge of the basin while making rhythmic calls. The goldfish in the basin moved at the sound, forming different formations according to their colors.

With each tap of the mallet, the schools of fish moved east and west, sometimes gathering, sometimes dispersing, as if guided by someone.

Cheng Zongyang muttered to himself: "Do these goldfish have magnets in their bellies?"

Just as he was watching with interest, the stall owner suddenly shouted, and dozens of goldfish simultaneously dove underwater, only their tails flicking on the surface.

The stall owner threw something into the water, and when the goldfish resurfaced, Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but clap his hands in amazement. What the stall owner had thrown was a mask the size of a fingernail, painted with various figures: civil officials, military generals, bodyguards, ladies, vendors… a diverse array. The goldfish emerged, each wearing a small mask. With the stall owner's tapping, the goldfish, biting the rings under their masks, swam in the basin one after another, wagging their tails like actors in a brothel.

Even Cheng Zongyang, accustomed to the modern entertainment industry, was astonished. Still wanting more, he proactively reached into his purse and handed over a silver coin—except when appearing in public, Cheng Zongyang always insisted on paying with his own money in private. While saying "reward" and having his attendants give him money was prestigious, Cheng Zongyang subconsciously worried that if he did this for too long, he would truly start to act like a master.

Li Shishi had grown accustomed to his hands-on approach these past few days, unlike the first time she saw him serving himself rice and even giving Qin Hui an extra bowl. She took the candy from the stall owner, first distributing it to Feng Yuan, Qin Hui, and others before handing it to Cheng Zongyang.

Cheng Zongyang casually touched her fair fingers, receiving a glare in return, before grinning and tasting a piece. He then handed the rest to Jin Wuzhu and Leopard Head, saying with a smile, "Try some."

A single silver coin of candy was quite a lot; Jin Wuzhu and Leopard Head each took a handful, stuffing them into their mouths and chewing them like roasted beans, nodding earnestly as they ate.

The closer they got to the palace, the more people there were. The devastation of the fire two days prior was no longer visible along this stretch of road; the charred ruins were covered with curtains, and Lin'an Prefecture had set up thatched huts outside the city to house the affected people. The bricks, tiles, and timber that Qin Hui had snapped up that day were being sold off at three or even five times the price. The specific accounts weren't out yet, but a huge profit was inevitable.

It seemed the entire population of Lin'an had converged on the Imperial Street leading to Jinming Pond, and the number of temporary stalls and entertainment stands along the roadside was increasing. Stalls selling all sorts of pastries, tea, wine, and snacks were dazzling and fragrant.

There were sesame flatbreads, meat-filled "Qunxianzhi" (a type of fried dough), sweet-flavored sugar-oil cakes, and beautifully presented lotus-shaped meat pies… This reminded Cheng Zongyang of his early days in Wuyuan City, when he had pawned his lingerie for a few copper coins to buy these cakes.

Cheng Zongyang squeezed into the crowd, took out his coins, and said, "One of each, please!"

"Alright!" The stall owner picked up a paper bag and deftly filled it with the cakes.

Soon, everyone was carrying a cake and eating as they walked. Li Shishi ate delicately, taking small bites; Qin Hui ate slowly and politely; Feng Yuan ate while complaining about the heat; Lin Qingpu tore the pancakes into pieces, examining them carefully before taking a bite. Cheng Zongyang finished the dozen or so pancakes in a few bites, which was considered fast, but Jin Wuzhu and Leopard Head were the fastest. The Blue-Faced Beast, having suffered some internal injuries, stayed at the money exchange and didn't join the fun. These two burly men could eat two pancakes at a time; their throats were like millstones, bottomless pits, disappearing without a trace once anything was inside.

"Tongzhou Steamed Lamb!"

"Cangshan Apricot Milk..."

"Sweet Bean Soup, Pear Juice..."

"Wuyang Heart-Shaped Noodles..."

"Steamed Goose, Locust Sprout Rice Noodles..."

"Perilla Drink, Lychee Paste, Papaya Juice..."

The roadside vendors' cries rose and fell. Feng Yuan ran over and bought several large cups of snow-infused water. Everyone took a cup and stood watching the acrobatics for a while.

This area was mostly filled with stalls selling insects and ants: monkey shows, ant battle drills, bear somersaults, tortoise flips—but what Cheng Zongyang applauded most was an old donkey performing a "Zhezhi Dance.

" "Amazing!" Cheng Zongyang exclaimed admiringly, "That donkey dances even better than the young marquis!"

Qin Hui replied, "Young master, you're mistaken. If the young marquis had four legs, he could easily outshine this donkey."

"Brother traitor, why don't you try dancing too?"

Qin Hui pondered, "Singing and dancing aren't my forte, but I could give chess a shot."

Cheng Zongyang laughed heartily. They had just watched a chess game between a colorful parrot and a large, grayish crow. Each bird perched on a branch, carrying chess pieces as they moved back and forth across the board, a truly captivating spectacle. The stall owner even offered betting odds, allowing passersby to play; the parrot's stakes were one to five, and the crow's were one to ten. Lin Qingpu, engrossed in the game, spent twenty copper coins to play a round, only to lose to Crow, much to everyone's amusement.

After walking for about an hour, they finally arrived at Jinming Pond. As was customary, the Song Dynasty held a water race at Jinming Pond every year on the 18th of the third month, with soldiers and civilians competing for the championship, while the entire capital enjoyed the spectacle. Two days prior, Lin'an had suffered a devastating fire, and the court had initially planned to cancel this year's Jinming Pond competition. However, when the proposal was submitted to the emperor, he decreed that it proceed as planned. Although this was partly a facade of peace, it suited the tastes of the people of Lin'an, who, despite the recent fire, remained enthusiastic.

Jinming Pond was nearly seven li long, its banks lined with willows. In the height of spring, the willows swayed like smoke, and the banks were teeming with men and women. In the center of Jinming Pond stood a magnificent water palace, connected to the shore by an arched bridge. In previous years, the Song emperor would watch the naval drills and the competition from within the palace, demonstrating his camaraderie with the people. This year, imperial boats were also moored outside the palace, but even from several miles away, it was impossible to tell which one was the Song emperor.

Cheng Zongyang and his group were delayed by watching a variety show on the way. By the time they arrived at Jinming Pond, the Water Tiger Wing Army's drills had already ended, but the real highlight was just beginning.

In the distance, a bamboo pole, about ten feet above the water, could be seen stuck in the lake, adorned with colorful ribbons and topped with a

silver bowl—the prize to be won. Six decorated boats, arranged in the shape of dragon boats, sped in. Drummers at the stern beat their drums vigorously, while rows of oarsmen propelled them forward. Amidst the splashing waves, each boat had a two-zhang-high wooden frame, from which hung long chains

and planks—swings. As the boats sped along, a boy from each boat climbed onto the swings, swinging high and performing various thrilling stunts. The tourists on the shore cheered loudly, encouraging the oarsmen and the boys on the swings.

A red dragon boat was the first to paddle into the circle surrounding the prize. The boy on the water swing reached its highest point, pushed off with both feet, spread his arms, and soared off the swing like a wild goose. He hugged his knees in mid-air, performing several somersaults like a wheel, before plunging straight into the water.

A sea of people on the shore watched the boy emerge from the water and swim towards the prize like a fish, erupting in thunderous cheers. The boy, using both hands and feet, climbed the pole like a monkey, and with a graceful, acrobatic move, retrieved the silver bowl. He then placed one foot on the top of the pole and held it steadily in both hands. A deafening cheer erupted from the shore, and many girls tied their silk scarves into knots and threw them into the lake.

Qin Hui clapped his hands and said, "His flight is like a bird, his swimming like a fish, his climbing like a monkey. Though it's a game, he uses all three skills. No wonder the competition for the prize at Jinming Pond attracts so much attention."

Cheng Zongyang's gaze inadvertently swept across the shore, and he saw a familiar figure. He casually turned his head and grinned at Li Shishi, saying, "They have everything—land, sea, and air. You can't win the championship if you're missing just one thing." He then subtly diverted her attention.

Li Shishi, focused on the competition on the lake, paid no attention to his actions, completely unaware that her mother was also in the crowd, having just been called away to board a carriage.

The performance on the lake continued, and if the weather was clear, it would continue until late at night, but Cheng Zongyang had lost all interest. At

the best viewing spot by Jinming Pond, a tent had been erected, surrounded by more than a dozen magnificent carriages. Those who could secure a spot here were all prominent families in Lin'an City, each one wealthy and powerful. Cheng Zongyang glanced over and, unsurprisingly, spotted Gao Yanei, that little brat.

Cheng Zongyang gave Qin Hui a wink, signaling him to cling to Li Shishi, and then they squeezed into the crowd.

[Last edited by vincci on 2-9 15:22]

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