[Wuxia] The Duan Family Women Generals (Complete) - 28

Chapter 144 – Liu Yue'e Suffers Torture on the City Wall, Wang Dapeng Seeks Revenge in the Hall.

It is said that Liu Yue'e was pushed onto the city wall on a wooden donkey, and three people immediately fell to the ground below.
One of them was Wang Dapeng, who, seeing his wife being displayed naked in public, was so enraged that he lost his mind and fainted. The other two were Wang Ruoyu's concubines, Xiu Hong and Qi Shi. These two women had originally thought that Wang Ruoyu would exchange Liu Yue'e for them, but instead, Wang Ruoyu used such a despicable instrument of torture to humiliate Liu Yue'e. Wouldn't they become the target of revenge? Therefore, thinking of their fate, they were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground, limp and powerless.
Seeing that Wang Dapeng had fainted, the crowd hurriedly carried him to the back, patting his chest and back until he recovered.
When Wang Dapeng awoke, he exclaimed, "I am furious!"
Seeing that Wang Dapeng was unharmed, Shan Biao was relieved and returned to the city walls, cursing, "Wang Ruoyu, aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon your family with your actions?"
"Traitor! As the saying goes, a wife is like worn-out shoes. Two women are just clothes on your body. What's there to be afraid of? I am an official of the court, and I must put the country first. Just watch, I'll kill Liu Yue'e today and see what happens to her."
Liu Yue'e had known that Wang Ruoyu wanted to kill her, and now that she had hoped for it, she hurriedly shouted down to the city walls, "Mr. Zheng, General Shan, Dapeng, what Yue'e has done is worthy of all my brothers. Now I will die for my country and avenge Yue'e!"
Shan Biao and Wang Dapeng shouted together, "Wang Ruoyu, if you dare to kill anyone, when we storm the city, we will make sure you die without a burial place!"
"A few scoundrels, do you think I'm afraid of you!" Wang Ruoyu had also gone mad. He took a single-edged sword from a constable beside him and with a swift stroke, sliced off Yue'e's two breasts, which fell to the ground.
Liu Yue'e screamed in agony, bleeding profusely. Wang Ruoyu then personally cut flesh from her shoulders and buttocks, ordered the constables to untie her from the wooden donkey, spread her legs, and plunge a knife into her groin, straight to her heart, killing her instantly. However, when he tried to pull the knife out, it got caught, so he ordered the constables to take the knife and throw Yue'e's body off the city wall, along with the pieces of flesh cut from her body.
The rebels below the city watched, cursing furiously. Wang Dapeng, witnessing his wife's suffering, fainted again.
"Kill these two sluts! Avenge General Liu!" the Salt Gang brothers shouted in unison.
Zheng Yili hadn't wanted to do this, but the crowd was so enraged that he couldn't stop them and had to let it go.
Shan Biao was also furious, but pretended not to see anything, ordering his men to drag Xiu Hong and Qi Shi away, instantly turning them into two white sheep, forced into prostitution by the crowd.
Wang Ruoyu watched from the city wall, unsure whether to feel regret or hatred. Unable to bear it any longer, he turned and went down the wall, returning to his quarters and collapsing onto his bed, falling into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, the group struggled for a while. The two women, lacking Liu Yue'e's heroic spirit, were overcome with shame and fear, and died young.
The group carried them to the front and hacked at their corpses.
Having avenged Wang Ruoyu, Shan Biao brandished his iron ruler and shouted, "Brothers, I won't say anything more! These corrupt officials have gone too far; they cannot be spared! Let's attack together!" The righteous men, hearing this, roared and charged towards the city walls.
Arrows rained down from the walls, along with rolling logs and stones—defense equipment—killing and wounding nearly a hundred of the rebels, forcing the rest to retreat.
Shan Biao was about to send men to continue the attack when Zheng Yili hurriedly stopped him, saying, "General, don't be hasty. The attack should be discussed carefully."
"Hey, what's there to discuss? Let's fight!"
"We can't just talk about fighting; otherwise, we'll only be throwing our brothers' lives away."
“There are always deaths in war, Mr. Zheng. You are a scholar, so leave this matter of bravery and fighting to me.”
At this time, Wang Dapeng had been awakened and rested for a while. Feeling much better, he returned to the front lines. Seeing the scene, he hurriedly stopped Shan Biao, who was about to lead the attack on the city, and said, “Cousin, don’t be hasty. As the art of war says, ‘Those who calculate more win, those who calculate less lose.’ What’s more, what about those who don’t calculate at all? Think about it, we only have a few thousand men now. If the uprising goes smoothly, we will only have sixty or seventy thousand men. But how many counties and prefectures outside the pass do we have to attack? If we lose a hundred here and a hundred there, it will add up to a considerable number. And what about supporting Marshal Hua? We should plan this carefully.”
In terms of talent, Shan Biao admired Zheng Yili, but he always thought that fighting was the business of warriors. Now that Wang Dapeng, who was skilled in martial arts, had spoken, Shan Biao listened and stopped the rebel army that was about to attack the city.
Wang Dapeng ordered the captured horses of the government troops' captain to be brought over, and found two more horses from a nearby village. He, Shan Biao, and Zheng Yili rode around the city.
The three of them, knowing what to do, each had their own ideas without needing to discuss them. Returning to the original city gate, they shared their thoughts and found they were of the same mind. They decided to temporarily abandon the attack and instead use a psychological warfare strategy, shouting messages to the city walls.
It turned out that because a large number of troops had been transferred by Cao Yunlong to attack Zhuting Mountain, the counties outside the pass were undefended. Yanzhou originally had two thousand men, but they were scattered in the surrounding counties. Although Liu Chengguang had ordered a retreat to the city last night, the rebel army had already rioted before these troops returned, disarming or killing those who were en route. Now, there were only a thousand or so soldiers left to defend the city. For such a large city, these few troops were insufficient. Therefore, Liu Chengguang had driven the city's inhabitants onto the walls to make up the numbers.
Zheng Yili and the other two believed that the rebels and the common people were one family, with no enmity or hatred between them. Why kill each other? It would be better to use their overwhelming military superiority as a backdrop to persuade the people to defect . This would not only reduce the rebels' losses during the siege but also gain more allies.
So, starting in the afternoon, they ordered the rebels below the city to speak and sing, proclaiming their cause and urging the people on the city walls to surrender. Liu Chengguang and Wang Ruoyu were disturbed by the noise, and the soldiers on the city walls were terrified.
The next day, the number of rebels who had come to rise up after receiving the message by carrier pigeon had increased to over 40,000. Although the 70,000 that had been contacted earlier were still some distance away, it was quite good that so many had arrived in just one day. Although the government had received the news, it was too late, and they did not have enough troops to suppress it. They could only withdraw their forces to defend the city, thus leaving the rebels to swagger around outside the city, helpless to do anything about it.
At this time, Liu Wuyang also arrived, bringing half of his canal gang's forces. As planned, they had requisitioned all the boats along their route and burned the patrol boats.
This area was a network of waterways, where boats were essential transportation, and these boats were almost entirely operated by the canal gang. Their uprising not only added tens of thousands of naval troops to the rebel army but also disrupted the government troops' water transport, preventing them from quickly assembling and giving the rebels a time advantage.
At the fourth watch of the night, the east gate of Yanzhou city suddenly swung open, and someone shouted, "We have opened the city gate! Brothers, come in quickly!" Liu Wuyang, the canal gang leader guarding the gate, was overjoyed and led his men into the city. It turned out that dozens of Yanzhou gang members had been in the city conspiring to revolt before being imprisoned by Liu Chengguang. These men had later been forced to defend the city walls by Liu Chengguang. Hearing the shouts, they took the opportunity to spread messages among the forced-to-defend civilians, inciting them to rebel.
The common people initially wanted to wait and see, but seeing the rapidly increasing number of rebels below the city walls the next day, and with more and more people arriving from all directions, they decided to surrender the city to save their lives.
That night, the gang members secretly contacted each other under the guise of rest. Seeing that the number of government troops at the east gate was small, they secretly gathered together, shouted, and cut down the soldiers at the gate. Upon seeing this, the common people hurriedly helped open the city gate, letting the rebels in.
Liu Chengguang's worst fears came true. Hearing shouts in the street that the rebels had broken through the east gate, he hurriedly descended from the south wall, mounted his horse, and led over a hundred government troops towards the east gate. Halfway there, he heard shouts of battle coming from all four walls, and then saw thousands of commoners, led by several members of the Salt Gang, surrounding him from several directions.
One of them shouted: "Brothers in the army, you are all from poor families. The corrupt officials have been extorting money from the people and oppressing them. You are also victims. Why do you have to work for the enemy? Quickly capture the corrupt officials and join us in doing something great!"
These soldiers were all temporarily conscripted from the local areas, unlike the regular army. Seeing that the government's power was waning, who would be willing to risk their lives for them?
Seeing the soldiers' intentions stirring, Liu Chengguang angrily shouted, "You dare to rebel? Aren't you afraid of the law?"
Before he finished speaking, a soldier rushed forward, knocked the steel knife from his hand, and twisted his arm.
Liu Chengguang was merely a civil official, no match for the strength of a soldier. Like a chick, he was easily twisted and unable to struggle. He tried to curse again, but another soldier stepped forward, slapping him so hard his eyes saw stars, and then bound him.
Zheng Yili and his men captured Yanzhou without bloodshed and issued proclamations to reassure the people.
Zheng Yili then set up a public hall in Yanzhou, appointing himself the Governor of Guandong, in charge of all affairs outside the pass. He issued all of Hua Rong's decrees in Zhuting and dispatched officials from the various counties of Yanzhou to their posts. The people cheered.
The two corrupt officials were brought to the court. Liu Chengguang and Wang Ruoyu, their faces ashen, begged for their lives, each blaming the other for the cruelty inflicted on Liu Yue'e. Zheng Yili, having already investigated their past misdeeds, revealed them one by one, leaving the two speechless. Zheng Yili sentenced them to
death by dismemberment and took them to the marketplace for execution. Wang Dapeng, determined to avenge Liu Yue'e, volunteered to personally carry out the execution.
Upon seeing Wang Dapeng, the two corrupt officials knew they would not die a quick death and cried out, "Grandpa Wang, you are righteous! Please spare us a quick death!"
Wang Dapeng, filled with hatred and with bloodshot eyes, was unwilling to let his enemies off easily. He first cut off the two officials' genitals with a single stroke, stuffing them into their mouths, before meticulously dismembering them piece by piece. Wang Dapeng's knife skills were superb; the two officials screamed all night, only dying three days later.
Several days later, rebel armies from various regions gathered in Yanzhou. Upon inspection, only a few small groups were missing; the rest were present, including all the original leaders who had participated in the discussions, and tens of thousands more had joined, reaching a total of 120,000. It turned out that the people, hearing of Hua Rong's arrival, had risen up in response. Within days, the people of the surrounding four prefectures had also revolted, killing their county and prefectural officials and fleeing to Yanzhou.
Zheng Yili, a scholar, was not skilled in military command, so he was stationed in Yanzhou to garrison the city. Wang Dapeng, intelligent and having learned much about literature and military strategy from Hua Rong in Zhuting, was trusted by the people and appointed as the Grand Marshal, leading the troops outside the pass. He intensified daily training and preparations for advancing towards Bailong Pass.
Soon, scouts reported that the government army had amassed 100,000 troops, divided into three routes, and was marching towards Yanzhou.
Zheng Yili, now the governor, was in charge of political affairs, while Wang Dapeng was in charge of military matters. Dapeng hurriedly summoned his generals to discuss how to repel the enemy.
How the rebel army clashed with the government troops remains to be seen; please stay tuned for the next chapter. ( Part 2
of the Empire,

Chapters 145 and 146) Chapter 145: Wang Dapeng musters

his troops in his main tent; Liu Wuyang, having distinguished himself on the southern route, gathers his generals in the military tent to discuss strategies for repelling the enemy.
Da Peng said, “The government army is said to number 100,000, but in reality, it only numbers 60,000. They are attacking Yanzhou in three routes: south, west, and north. Xu Tao, the deputy general of Bailong Pass in the north, leads 30,000 troops; Zhao Bin, the deputy general of Heilong Pass in the west, leads 30,000 troops; and Huang Kui, the deputy general of Chilong Pass in the south, leads 40,000 troops. Generals, what plan do you have for me?”
Shan Biao said, “That’s alright. Although the southern route has many troops, they are all infantry, so their movement is very slow. Moreover, as far as I know, although Huang Kui is called a deputy general, his martial arts skills are actually average. He only got the position because his sister married the garrison commander of Chilong Pass. He is a coward and not worth fearing. There are many waterways in the south. As long as we send Commander Liu with the navy to destroy their boats for crossing the river, Huang Kui will definitely use the excuse of having no boats to cross the river to hold back his troops, or even turn back to Chilong Pass.”
“Exactly, that’s what I think too,” Liu Wuyang said. “I think this tactic would also be effective against the enemy on the western route, but since there are many rivers there, if we can find a way to cut down the bridges and burn the ferries, the enemy will be unable to advance.”
“Only the northern route is a problem. I’ve heard that Xu Tao’s martial arts are far superior to those of ordinary deputy generals, and there are few rivers in the north. Xu Tao’s cavalry can drive straight in. Our rebel army is newly established and lacks horses, so it will be difficult to resist.”
Generals Zou Bin and Wang Fangyu said, “In terms of martial arts, the two of us are not afraid of Xu Tao. Furthermore, we can use the method that Zhuge Liang used to subdue Zhang He, using chariot formations, repeating crossbows, and ramming horses to subdue the enemy cavalry. We just need a good idea on how to deal with Xu Tao’s warhorses.” "It would be best if they could be used by me."
Dapeng said, "I have witnessed the martial prowess of both generals, so you may go. Your plan to capture horses is exactly what I desire. The key to battle lies in adapting to changing circumstances. In my opinion, both generals should lead 5,000 skilled cavalry and 20,000 infantry. Several layers of troops can be set up, with the skilled cavalry accompanying the two generals to meet the enemy, focusing on capturing warhorses and using them as they are captured. The remaining troops should be arranged in layers to block the enemy's advance, using Zhuge Liang's methods."
"Excellent."
After some discussion, the group finally devised a plan to repel the enemy. Da Peng then called upon his generals in the central command tent and ordered: "Liu Wuyang, you will lead 10,000 naval troops and 10,000 infantry, with plenty of bows and arrows and flammable materials, to the south to meet Huang Kui's enemy. Victory is the only option!"
"Understood!" "
Shan Biao, you will lead 10,000 infantry and 2,000 naval troops to the west to meet Zhao Bin's enemy. Victory is the only option!"
"Understood!"
"Zou Bin, you will lead 5,000 skilled cavalry as the vanguard of the northern route, to the north to meet Xu Tao's enemy. Use strategy more than brute force, and capture as many warhorses as possible for my use!"
"Understood!"
"Wang Fangyu, you will be given 20,000 infantry as the vanguard of the second northern route, following Zou Bin for one day's journey. If the enemy breaks through Zou Bin's defenses, you will use wagon formations and repeating crossbows to defend against them and prevent them from attacking Yanzhou!"
"Understood!"
With the assignments complete, Wang Dapeng led the remaining troops to defend the counties of Yanzhou. He also hastily assembled tens of thousands of militia, dispersing them near various forces to aid in their campaigns.
Liu Wuyang, whose navy consisted mainly of former members of the Canal Gang, loved boats and water. He led his troops out of Yanzhou, directly onto ships heading south. Within three days, scouts reported that Huang Kui's 40,000-strong army had reached Liujia Ferry, fifty li ahead, and was crossing the river.
Upon hearing this, Liu Wuyang chuckled inwardly, thinking Huang Kui was no good at leading troops. Since there were boats to cross the river, why not advance directly by water? He didn't know that since the Canal Gang's uprising, almost all the boats had been taken away. Therefore, although Huang Kui also wanted to advance by water, he lacked sufficient vessels and relied mainly on foot travel, managing to requisition only a hundred small boats to ferry troops along the way.
The small boats, hastily pieced together, each carrying a maximum of twenty people, were used to ferry the infantry across the river before heading to the next crossing to provide support.
Liu Wuyang exclaimed, "Heaven is helping us!"
It turned out that Zheng Yili had previously dispatched men to the various prefectures and counties controlled by the rebels to dig up all the bridges, thus slowing the government troops' advance. The rebels, acting in accordance with the will of Heaven and the support of the people, volunteered to work on the bridges, making progress impossible without boats.
Liu Wuyang first sent scouts to secretly monitor Huang Kui's movements. Hearing that Huang Kui had already crossed the river, he sent infantry ashore to outflank Huang Kui's fleet by land, intending to fire rockets at it once it was defeated.
An hour later, he ordered the entire force to weigh anchor and head straight for the enemy fleet.
Huang Kui's fleet was a makeshift convoy, barely maneuverable, and nowhere near as skilled as the canal boatmen who lived and worked on boats daily.
After traveling twenty li, they encountered Huang Kui's fleet head-on. Liu Wuchang ordered the fire arrows to be fired, setting two-tenths of the smaller boats ablaze. The enemy fleet was thrown into chaos. Liu Wuyang quickly ordered, "Charge and kill!"
The salt gang members rushed forward in their boats and engaged the government troops in battle.
The government troops, with their few small boats, were no match for Liu Wuyang. Instantly, most of their boats were capsized, and the remaining boats, seeing the situation was dire, turned and fled. Liu Wuyang ordered, "Pursue!" Hundreds of large boats gave chase for ten li when suddenly a loud banging sound came from the shore, and countless fire arrows were fired from the bank, burning most of the remaining boats. Only four or five managed to escape.
Liu Wuyang ceased his pursuit, regrouped the infantrymen he had laid an ambush on the boats, crossed the river, and then personally led them to Huang Kui's designated crossing point to attack him from behind. The remaining naval vessels, under the command of his deputy, proceeded along the river to the crossing point to assist in the battle.
Huang Kui remained unaware of the destruction of his own ships, thanks to the tight-knit community's support for the rebels and Liu Wuyang's swift action. Thus, Huang Kui was caught in a pincer attack by the rebels before he even learned the truth.
Huang Kui's advance was not intended to be a frontline charge; he marched and crossed rivers, seemingly intending to take a direct route, but in reality, he wanted to delay, allowing the other two groups to arrive first so he could reap the benefits, or even kill innocent civilians to claim credit.
After crossing the river that day, he marched over thirty li before setting up camp. He inquired around but found no new information, as the people had kept it from him.
The next morning, they broke camp and marched twenty li to the next ferry crossing, Wujin Ferry. Finding the ferry empty, without a single boat or person, they ordered the army to rest on the riverbank and await the arrival of their fleet. As the saying goes, like leader, like soldier. Huang Kui was a procrastinator, and his fleet was even more so, often arriving later than the infantry. Huang Kui never blamed them, as this allowed him to travel a few li less each day and arrive at Yanzhou a little later.
The lax soldiers laid their weapons on the ground and sat sparsely on the riverbank, waiting for the boats to arrive.
Suddenly, a cannon boomed, followed by thunderous shouts of battle. A force of over ten thousand men charged in from behind. Although they wore various civilian clothes and carried only farm tools and iron rulers, they were all spirited and exuded a murderous aura.
Caught off guard, the government troops immediately lost their formation and were slaughtered by the rebel army.
Overwhelmed by this charge, the government troops were unable to withstand the onslaught and fled into the river. Unexpectedly, countless large boats arrived simultaneously from both upstream and downstream, their decks adorned with the banners of the rebel army. Those government troops driven into the river were stabbed to death by the rebels on the boats with bamboo poles and iron spikes.
Seeing themselves caught in a pincer movement, the government troops lost their will to fight and scattered in panic, only to be surrounded by the rebel army.
Seeing this, Huang Kui hurriedly ordered his subordinates, Lieutenant General Liu Hong, Shang Zhiqi, and several lieutenant generals, to fight to the death to stabilize morale.
The four generals, each armed, rode forward to intercept the rebel army, only to encounter Liu Wuyang directly.
Seeing an enemy approaching, Liu Wuyang quickly led seven or eight infantry leaders to meet them.
Liu Wuyang wielded an iron oar weighing over fifty pounds. Seeing Liu Hong charging at him with a large sword, he neither dodged nor evaded. When Liu Hong was close, he slightly shook his head to avoid the sword, and then swept the oar across, striking Liu Hong's warhorse squarely on the neck.
The oar was not sharpened, but Liu Wuyang was strong and the oar was heavy. The oar, when it struck the horse's neck, severed its head like a steel blade.
The headless horse fell to the ground with a thud, throwing Liu Hong off. Liu Wuyang followed up with another stroke of the oar, striking Liu Hong on the head, shattering his helmet.
Shang Zhiqi, who was about to challenge a rebel leader, was caught off guard when Liu Wuyang killed Liu Hong in a single exchange. Panicked, he was overtaken by two rebel leaders, one wielding a hoe and the other a rake, who struck him simultaneously. The iron rake pierced Shang Zhiqi's chest, causing blood to gush from all nine orifices, while the iron hoe slashed from behind, cutting through his heart. With a thud, he fell from his horse and died.
The swift deaths of the two adjutant generals had a devastating impact on the remaining officers. Terrified, they lost their fighting skills and were easily surrounded and felled by the rebel leaders.
Upon seeing this, Huang Kui cried out, "My God!" abandoning his soldiers, he charged forward on horseback, carving a bloody path and fleeing in disarray.
Seeing their commander fleeing, the soldiers had no will to resist and surrendered en masse, thus breaking through the government forces.
Although Huang Kui escaped temporarily, Liu Wuyang destroyed his fleet, trapping him between several small rivers. After wandering aimlessly for several days without success, he was discovered and reported by the local people. Liu Wuyang personally apprehended him and beheaded him.
Liu Wuyang, having achieved a great victory, led his entire force westward to aid Shan Biao.
What will become of Shan Biao's forces on this journey? Stay tuned for the next installment.

Chapter 146 – The Righteous Army Achieves a Great Victory Outside the Pass; Huang Yukun Mutinies Midway.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, Liu Wuyang used the strategy of "closing the door to beat the dog," first destroying Huang Kui's fleet to prevent his escape, then launching a pincer attack by land and water, winning a decisive victory. Huang Kui escaped alone, but couldn't get out and was captured after being reported, and beheaded as a warning.
Liu Wuyang, having defeated the southern government army, then came to assist Shan Biao in defeating the western government army.
Shan Biao, a rough and unrefined man, unlike Liu Wuyang, was currently engaged in fierce combat with Zhao Bin.
Although Zhao Bin's martial arts were inferior to Shan Biao's, seven or eight men surrounded Shan Biao, who was overwhelmed by their numbers. His subordinates and leaders rushed to his aid.
When Liu Wuyang arrived, the two sides were locked in a chaotic battle. Liu Wuyang ordered the cannons to be fired, sent infantry ashore to assist, and ordered the navy to burn Zhao Bin's warships.
Zhao Bin, suddenly confronted by fresh troops, was no match for them and was forced to retreat. Without a boat, he had no choice but to turn back and fight again.
This time, however, things were different. With Liu Wuyang's assistance, Zhao Bin lost his numerical advantage.
Shan Biao shouted, "Brother Liu, you've already done the first merit; let me have this one." Liu Wuyang then observed the enemy's formation from the sidelines.
Zhao Bin could no longer rely on a group attack and was forced to fight Shan Biao alone. Shan Biao, unafraid, raised his iron ruler. After less than five rounds, he struck Zhao Bin's horse's leg with the ruler. The horse, in pain, reared up, throwing Zhao Bin backward. Before he could land, Shan Biao struck him in the chest with the ruler, breaking several ribs and piercing his heart, ending his fight instantly.
At this moment, Zou Bin and Wang Fangyu also achieved victory.
It turned out that Zou Bin and his companion were far more skilled in martial arts than Xu Tao, but they only wanted more horses and were unwilling to fight. Zou Bin was forced to retreat to Wang Fangyu's side.
The two racked their brains but couldn't come up with a solution. Just then, a flood rushed out from the mountains, and Zou Bin suddenly had an idea. After discussing it with Wang Fangyu, Zou Bin went to feign defeat and lure
the enemy into a trap. Xu Tao, seeing Zou Bin's previous defeats, didn't suspect anything this time and led his troops in pursuit, chasing them straight into a network of rivers. This place was full of mud, and many people and animals got stuck. Xu Tao didn't know this and continued to pursue, his warhorses getting stuck in the mud and unable to move. Only then did Xu Tao realize he had been tricked, but he was powerless and could only watch helplessly as his cavalrymen were cut down from their horses.
"Truly a dead end!" Xu Tao tried several times, but his warhorses could no longer hold on. Unwilling to be captured, he had no choice but to draw his sword and commit suicide.
The three righteous armies returned to Yancheng in triumph. This battle was a great victory, and they also captured many soldiers and weapons. It turned out that many of the government troops were forcibly conscripted civilians who were unwilling to fight for the government. Seeing that Yanzhou was implementing Hua Rong's policies and that the government was efficient, many were willing to join the rebel army.
This doubled the number of rebels, who then began advancing into the other prefectures and counties outside the pass. Their advance was unstoppable, quickly confining the government troops to the four passes of Bailong, Heilong, Jinlong, and Huolong.
Meanwhile, the rebel army occupied all the prefectures and counties outside the pass, and the populace, in high spirits, swelled to hundreds of thousands, and began besieging the four passes.
Meanwhile, Cao Yunlong was searching for Hua Rong in the Zhuting Mountains. He ordered his men to drive all the mountain residents down the mountain, then advance village by village, eventually surrounding Hua Rong in a mountain area of about twenty li in circumference south of Zhuting Mountain. If he could be driven out of the mountains in ten days, then a complete encirclement would surely capture him. Cao Yunlong was already fantasizing about Hua Rong being tied up in his tent, her legs spread wide, her virginal entrance open for him to freely penetrate. He ordered his soldiers to intensify their search of the mountains and drive Hua Rong out.
Just then, a messenger from the deputy garrison commander of Bailong Pass reported that tens of thousands of people from the salt and grain transport gangs, instigated by Hua Rong, had rioted in Yanzhou. Although they had captured and killed the wanted criminal Liu Yue'e, they had failed to stop the riot. Now, the rioters had occupied four prefectures and ten counties near Yanzhou, and their power was growing.
Cao Yunlong initially paid little attention; what could a few salt smugglers possibly do? But urgent reports kept coming in. Upon seeing that his 100,000-strong army had been completely annihilated, Cao Yunlong was speechless for a long time. He wanted to send troops, but the siege of Hua Rong was currently intense, and he was reluctant to abandon the effort once the victory was near. If he didn't send troops, the area outside the pass would be severely vulnerable.
Thinking of this, Cao Yunlong devised a compromise: he would send two garrison commanders, Huang Qi and Wu De, each leading 50,000 men, to quickly march from Bailong Pass to the outside of the pass and suppress the rebellion. The defensive gaps between the two garrison commanders south of Zhuting Mountain and southeast of Shandong would be filled by two garrison commanders southwest and due west of Zhuting Mountain, each sending 25,000 men.
Huang Qi, the garrison commander of Bailong Pass, was the most hasty, simply because Bailong Pass was nearby and he was from Bailong Pass, so he was eager to return home. Having left Zhuting Mountain, the army, disregarding their exhaustion, marched straight towards Bailong Pass. After several days of travel, both men and horses were weary, and many complained. Early that morning, Huang Qi ordered the entire army to break camp and prepare for departure.
Huang Qi and the generals of the central camp stood at the front of the ranks, about to give the order to march, when suddenly, the adjutant Guan Yu shouted from behind, his Green Dragon Crescent Blade aimed straight at the back of Huang Qi's head. Caught off guard, Huang Qi's head flew into the air, his body falling from his horse.
The soldiers and other generals stared in stunned disbelief.
Guan Yu, leading his horse, said, “Generals, brothers, to tell you the truth, I am Huang Yukun, a general under Marshal Hua Rong and the commander of the Eastern Route Cavalry. I am here undercover on the orders of the Marshal. Brothers, you are all people from beyond the Great Wall. The area beyond the Great Wall is a rich land, but unfortunately, corrupt officials exploit you, leaving you lacking food and clothing. Now, Marshal Hua has come here to implement enlightened policies, simplifying administration and benefiting the people. Wherever he goes, the people benefit. Now the government wants you to return to the area beyond the Great Wall to help these corrupt officials kill your own flesh and blood. How can you bear to do that? Why don’t you come with me to join Marshal Hua!”
“What a bold Huang Yukun! Daring to be an undercover agent and plotting against a court official, aren’t you afraid of death?” Huang Li, the deputy commander of the central army camp and Huang Qi’s nephew, shouted loudly, urging the generals to avenge Huang Qi and kill Huang Yukun.
Huang Yukun laughed loudly, "In my opinion, Huang Qi's martial arts are nothing to speak of. If I hadn't wanted to avoid further trouble, I would have killed this bastard for you to see. Now that Huang Qi is dead, even if you all rush at me with your martial arts, you are nothing but ants in my eyes. Who among you will come forward to die?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Li gritted his teeth, brandished his broadsword, and spurred his horse forward to fight Huang Yukun.
Huang Yukun said, "Very well, you also wield a sword. Let's see your skills."
He held his broadsword upright, caught Huang Li's slash, and pulled it back. Then, he thrust his own broadsword forward along Huang Li's hilt, shouting, "Take this!" The tip of his sword struck Huang Li's throat. Huang Li didn't even have time to cry out before he fell from his horse and died. The other generals were so frightened that they fell silent and dared not step forward.
Huang Yukun said, "I am acting on Marshal Hua's orders to be kind to people and will not make things difficult for you. If you generals and brothers are willing to follow me and submit to Marshal Hua, then you are my friends. If you are not willing, just leave, and I will not make things difficult for you."
Those soldiers were all forcibly recruited from beyond the Great Wall and were all willing to submit to Hua Rong. Some of the generals, of humble origins, knew that Cao Yunlong's officials oppressed the good and also wanted to follow Hua Rong, so they stayed. Some officers that Huang Yukun had contacted beforehand also stayed. The remaining officers, large and small, numbered seven or eight, left. Huang Yukun indeed did not make things difficult for them and let them go.
Huang Yukun reorganized his troops and rested for a day. During this time, he explained the current situation to everyone, saying, "Cao Yunlong is currently besieging Zhuting Mountain. If Marshal Hua is lost, you will no longer be able to govern effectively. Therefore, I, Huang, intend to temporarily return to seize Guoting Pass and welcome Marshal Hua's army out of the mountains from Shenqiao Pass. Together, we will march on Bailong Pass, attacking from both sides and capturing it."
Everyone agreed. The next day, the army broke camp and returned westward, encountering Wu De's troops from Heilong Pass.
Wu De had already learned of Huang Yukun's mutiny from the officers at Bailong Pass who had returned. He sent someone to inform Cao Yunlong while hurriedly changing course, not going to Heilong Pass, but heading towards Bailong Pass, where they met head-on.
The two sides set up their formations, and after exchanging words, they were about to fight. Wu De turned to look at everyone and said, "Generals, who will fight Huang Yukun?" "
The adjutant Sai Mengben, brandishing a large iron spear, rushed forward and said, 'This humble general is willing to lead the charge!'
Wude nodded and said, 'General Sai, be careful.'
'It's alright.'
Sai Mengben fought Huang Yukun for seven or eight rounds, then Sai Mengben cried out, 'So powerful! I can't defeat you. I'm leaving.' He turned his horse and retreated to his own lines.
Wude, unsuspecting, hurriedly ordered his soldiers to let Sai Mengben go and to shoot Huang Yukun with arrows to prevent him from pursuing. However, the two generals were entangled and could not be separated, charging straight into Wude's formation one after the other.
Wude saw Sai Mengben run past him and was about to help him when, unexpectedly, Sai Mengben swept his spear, knocking Wude off his horse. Huang Yukun then swiftly beheaded him with a slash."
It turns out that Sai Mengben was actually Meng Qinghai in disguise. With Huang Yukun's help, he seized the opportunity to mutiny.
The two easily gained nearly 100,000 troops and were overjoyed.
That night, they discussed in their tent and decided that Meng Qinghai would lead 70,000 troops westward to seize Guoting and support Hua Rong, while Huang Yukun would lead 30,000 troops, under the guise of Huang Qi and Wu De, to deceive Silong Pass.
How will the deception go? Stay tuned for the next chapter. (
Empire Part 2, Chapter 14) Chapter 147 (

7, 148): The rebel army captured four passes in succession. Cao Yunlong borrowed troops from Nanling.

Meanwhile, Huang Yukun and Meng Qinghai, taking advantage of the return to Bailong Pass, mutinied, gathering nearly 100,000 men. Meng Qinghai then returned west to Guoting to meet Hua Rong, while Huang Yukun himself led 30,000 men to raid Silong Pass.
Huang Yukun stripped Huang Qi and Wu De of their armor, choosing men of similar build and appearance to wear, and swaggered straight towards Bailong Pass.
The soldiers on the city walls, only looking at the flags and armor, and especially with Cao Yunlong's personal order, had no suspicions and immediately opened the city gates. Huang Yukun made a sound, and everyone rushed into the city. Half of his troops controlled the north gate, while Huang Yukun led the other half straight to the south gate, killing the guard and opening it wide to welcome the rebel army.
There they met Shan Biao and Wang Fangyu, exchanged names, and celebrated with wine.
The next morning… Huang Yukun led his army out of the city, heading south to trick Heilong Pass. Shan Biao gave Wang Fangyu 10,000 men, dressed them in Huang Qi armor, and used Huang Qi's banner. He also changed Cao Yunlong's order to return to Bailong to return to Qinglong, ordering Wang Fangyu to trick Qinglong Pass.
The two left the pass and parted ways at a fork in the road, one heading south and the other west, each trying to trick the passes.
Needless to say, they tricked open five passes of Qinglong in succession, and Cao Yunlong's territory was mostly under their control.
Returning to Cao Yunlong, he sent two garrisons, 100,000 men, to quell the rebellion outside the pass. He originally thought 100,000 regular troops would be enough to deal with the rioters outside the pass, and he was still steadily advancing, searching for Hua Rong. However, those 100,000 men were quickly captured by Hua Rong.
Meng Qinghai led 60,000 to 70,000 of them, sweeping from east to west like autumn leaves in a whirlwind. Whenever they encountered government troops, they killed the officers and then tried to persuade the soldiers to surrender, just like... Like a snowball rolling downhill, the enemy forces grew larger and larger. By the time they reached Guoting, nine out of ten of the government troops who had heard the news had defected to Meng Qinghai, leaving only officers without soldiers, who could only retreat westward.
Upon arriving at Guoting, Meng Qinghai encountered Hua Rong, who had come from Shenqiao Pass after hearing the news. Hua Rong controlled the routes to the east and south, so he knew the news a day or two earlier than Cao Yunlong.
Hua Rong was overjoyed to see Meng Qinghai, praising both Huang Yukun and Meng Qinghai for their great achievements. She immediately appointed Meng Qinghai as the deputy vanguard commander of the central route, ordering him to garrison Guoting, while she led the troops from the other villages back into Shenqiao Pass. She knew that Cao Yunlong should be leaving by now, and once he was gone, the villages would be hers again.
Sure enough, upon hearing the news of Huang and Meng's mutiny, Cao Yunlong was so shocked he nearly fell off his command chair.
Cao Yunlong, a seasoned commander, immediately recognized the tactic of "deception." He abandoned his pursuit of Hua Rong, leaving 3,000 men to garrison the various passes, while he led the rest of his troops out of the mountains that very night. He sent messengers to the passes to deliver messages, while simultaneously heading southwest from Fangting towards Qinglong Pass. Halfway there, he heard news of the loss of the five passes. Knowing he wouldn't capture them, and fearing a rear attack from Hua Rong, or even a pincer movement, he was doomed.
With this in mind, Cao Yunlong hurriedly returned to Fangting, intending to join forces with the 70,000 to 80,000 troops there to prevent being defeated piecemeal by Hua Rong.
Before even reaching Fangting, he saw a large number of defeated soldiers. Hua Rong had already emerged from the mountains, joining forces with Meng Qinghai, bringing a total of over 200,000 troops westward, and had already killed the officer guarding Fangting.
Cao Yunlong ordered the defeated troops to regroup and reorganize their camps, heading towards Fangting to meet Hua Rong. Before they could even join forces, he heard that the rebel army outside the pass had amassed over 300,000 troops, advancing from Heilong Pass towards him. The troop strength was now the opposite of what it had been a few months prior, with Cao Yunlong at a significant disadvantage.
Cao Yunlong realized that even when he had superior numbers, he couldn't win; now, with a disadvantage, how could he possibly succeed? He feared being surrounded, so he turned his entire army west, crossing the Beisha River at Changling. He ordered the confiscation of all boats on the river and urgently mobilized 50,000 troops from various prefectures west of the river to defend the riverbank, preventing Hua Rong from crossing.
Hua Rong pursued him to the riverbank, but finding no way to cross, he withdrew his troops eastward, intensifying his implementation of new policies, supporting the army and pacifying the people, and accumulating strength.
Although Cao Yunlong managed to prolong his campaign temporarily, he found that five-tenths of his territory was gone, including the best granaries outside the pass, all of which had fallen to Hua Rong. He was now only able to hold onto the west bank of the Beisha River and the mountainous area southwest of Qinglong Pass.
After much deliberation, Cao Yunlong realized he had to reclaim the land beyond the Great Wall. With his remaining meager and impoverished territory, how could he possibly support a large army? What strength did he possess to reclaim lost land?
Despite his deep frustration, Cao Yunlong had no choice but to send a special envoy to Nanyang Pass to request Xu Youliang's assistance.
Xu Youliang understood the importance of the plains beyond the Great Wall not only for Cao Yunlong but also for his own ambitions for conquest. Therefore, he agreed to Cao Yunlong's request, appointing Guan Yuqing and Shi Wenlong as marshals of the left and right routes, respectively, each leading 200,000 troops. The left route would advance directly east from the south of Nanling Pass to attack Qinglong Pass, while the right route would traverse the Dafang Mountain area south of Zhuque Pass, bypassing Qinglong Pass to join Guan Yuqing in a pincer attack. Zheng Mingzhen was appointed as the chief grain officer, responsible for transporting supplies to the front lines. Simultaneously, Cao Yunlong was instructed to cross the Beisha River and attack Fangting County and Zhuting Mountain to the east, thus diverting Hua Rong's forces and preventing him from coordinating his efforts.
With three forces attacking Hua Rong simultaneously, even with his great abilities, Hua Rong couldn't possibly defend every aspect. Therefore, he had long planned to abandon Qinglong Pass and retreat to Zhuting Mountain, Bailong Pass, and two other passes to manage the area outside the pass. However, fate seemed to be on Hua Rong's side; a minor unexpected event thwarted the three-pronged attack plan of Cao and Xu.
Of the three forces, Cao Yunlong's was arguably the strongest, as he had the support of the four Xu sisters, a shorter supply route, and control of the ships on the Beisha River. Therefore, Cao Yunlong was the easiest to defeat. He calculated the date precisely, concentrated 200,000 troops and thousands of large ships, crossed the Beisha River, and headed towards Fangting.
He encountered no significant resistance along the way and arrived at Fangting smoothly. According to scouts, Hua Rong personally led 100,000 troops to garrison at Guoting, using the Guifei River to defend against Cao Yunlong's attack. Meanwhile, in the Zhuting Mountains, Mei Ziliang led 30,000 elite troops, along with 100,000 militia, to defend using the mountainous terrain.
Cao Yunlong knew that although the total number of troops in the Zhuting Mountains was less than that in Guoting, the mountains themselves provided the best barrier for the defenders. Therefore, attacking the Zhuting Mountains would be ineffective. Moreover, if Hua Rong took the opportunity to cut off the exit routes from Zhuting, his 200,000 men would be trapped. So he chose to fight by crossing the river.
Cao Yunlong sent a force of about 20,000 men to guard the exits of the Zhuting mountain roads, while he led the rest of his troops to the western ferry crossing of the Guifei River.
He found that Hua Rong had already taken the boats to the other side, and Hua Rong's flags were neatly lined up along the riverbank, indicating that the other side was already on high alert.
This area was originally Cao Yunlong's territory, so he was very familiar with the Guifei River. He quickly sent men to scout the shallower, wading crossings, only to find that Hua Rong had heavily guarded them, making it difficult to cross without boats.
Cao Yunlong was well aware of this, so he ordered his soldiers to quickly build rafts and moor them along the riverbank, making it appear as if they were preparing for a strong attack on the Guifei River. His aim was to draw Hua Rong's defensive focus to the crossing. Meanwhile, he secretly planned to take advantage of Hua Rong's troop movement to launch a surprise attack, wading across the river in the shallows to quickly dismantle the enemy's defenses and seize a foothold on the riverbank.
After several days of preparation, the feigned attack began. Each raft carried a dozen or so soldiers, and dozens of rafts were launched simultaneously, rushing towards the opposite bank.
The opposing troops, under the command of their general, attacked the attackers with arrows. Many soldiers were hit and fell into the water, while the rest, unable to cross, retreated.
Cao Yunlong ordered another attack, and another group of soldiers rushed forward, only to be driven back again.
Cao Yunlong watched alone on the riverbank, wanting to know if Hua Rong was there. If she was, it meant she had shifted her defensive focus, allowing him to act accordingly.
After several days of relentless attacks, each more ferocious than the last, casualties naturally increased. Although they still hadn't achieved anything, the enemy's defenses were beginning to falter. One day, just as the vanguard reached the riverbank, a cannon boomed, and a group of cavalry bearing the banner of Hua Rong suddenly appeared on the opposite bank. With a fierce charge, they drove the Cao army back into the river.
Cao Yunlong was overjoyed to see the banner of Hua Rong, especially seeing the female general galloping on horseback on the bank—who else could it be but Hua Rong? Knowing his plan was half successful, he ordered his troops to continue crossing the river while simultaneously sending orders to the Xu sisters, who were lying in ambush, instructing them to cross at an opportune moment.
That night, about thirty li south of the ferry crossing, Xu Xiaoyang and Xu Xiaoyao led 20,000 troops, quietly down into the Guifei River, wading towards the opposite bank.
Xu Xiaoyang crossed first. Upon reaching the shore, seeing no one guarding behind the banners, he knew Cao Yunlong's trap had succeeded and hurriedly ordered the rear guard to retreat.
Soon Xu Xiaoyao also crossed the river, while the remaining soldiers slowly waded across the two-mile-wide river.
They had only crossed halfway when a cannon boomed, and countless troops emerged from their hiding places, surrounding Xu Xiaoyang's army on the riverbank.
In the firelight, a female general emerged from behind a banner, laughing loudly, "That Cao Yunlong, with his meager tricks, think he can fool me? Now he's delivered business to my doorstep! Xu Xiaoyang, considering your sisters are talented, quickly dismount and surrender, and you'll be rewarded with riches and honors!" Realizing he'd been tricked, Xu Xiaoyang, even if it meant risking his life, was determined to hold the riverbank position. He quickly ordered his soldiers who had already crossed to form a battle formation to protect the rest of the army. Seeing this,
Hua Rong gave the order, and tens of thousands of troops charged towards Xu Xiaoyang's formation.
Xu Xiaoyang, a capable general, skillfully deployed his troops, and his men held their positions, using arrows to block Hua Rong's army.
Seeing this, Hua Rong shouted and charged out on horseback with Mei Ziliang, leading the charge towards Xu Xiaoyang's ranks. As he charged, he parried arrows with his weapon, clearing a path for his men and rushing straight towards Xu Xiaoyang's central army. Soldiers clashed, generals faced generals, and a chaotic melee ensued.
Hua Rong, fighting Xu Xiaoyang and her sister alone, still managed to gain the upper hand, demonstrating his exceptional martial arts skills. Moreover, his attack from the riverbank gave him a decisive advantage. Xu Xiaoyang's army, with its front lines struggling to retreat into the river and its rear uncertain of what to do, suffered from wavering morale.
The two sides fought on the riverbank for over an hour, until Xu Xiaoyang finally succumbed and was driven into the river. Fortunately, the Xu sisters acted swiftly, withdrawing from the battle early and riding back to the other side of the road; otherwise, they might have lost their lives.
Cao Yunlong, upon hearing Xu Xiaoyang's report, remained silent for a long time, pondering a strategy to repel the enemy.
Thus, the two sides engaged in a protracted battle of attack and defense along the riverbank, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of lives on both sides of the Guifei River.
Meanwhile, Guan Yuqing and Zheng Mingzhen arrived at Qinglong Pass first and engaged in combat with Wang Fangyu, a subordinate of Hua Rong. Wang Fangyu was no match for Guan Yuqing, suffering a shoulder injury in the battle and retreating back into the pass, where he remained secluded. Guan Yuqing then directed the attack on the pass.
The third force, led by Shi Wenlong, passed through the Dafang Mountain area, Cao Yunlong's territory. Having already received orders from Cao Yunlong to cooperate with Shi Wenlong, the army moved smoothly, quickly crossing Dafang Mountain and breaking through Xiaolong Pass in one battle, advancing directly beyond Qinglong Pass.
Upon receiving this news, Wang Fangyu dared not defend Qinglong Pass any longer. He feigned an attack, creating a diversion, and quickly withdrew from Qinglong Pass, heading east towards Heilong Pass.
Shi Wenlong, halfway there, heard the news and hurriedly pursued him to Heilong Pass, but it was too late; Wang Fangyu had escaped.
Guan Yuqing captured Qinglong Pass, arranged for its defense, and then led his troops to join Shi Wenlong, preparing to launch separate attacks on Heilong Pass and Huanglong Pass.
Halfway there, at the crucial Meihe Datao pass, Huang Yukun, leading Meng Qinghai, Zou Bin, and Wang Fangyu, with an army of 100,000, blocked their path using the fortified crossing.
It remains to be seen who will prevail; we'll find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 148 – Two Armies Stand Facing Off at the Meihe River, Mingzhen of Dafang Mountain Loses Supplies

. It is said that Shi Wenlong and Guan Yuqing arrived at Meihe Datao, the only route for their troops to split and head towards Heilongguan and Huanglongguan, and the only crossing point for the Meihe River within a 500-mile radius. Therefore, although Huang Yukun's forces were small, he used the Meihe River to block their way, forcing Shi Wenlong to force his way through.
The Meihe River is the largest river outside Qinglongguan, deep and swift. At Meihe Datao, the river first flows east, then suddenly turns west in a large bend, forming a large loop, hence the name Meihe Datao (Meihe Great Loop).
The terrain was considered unlucky, so no one had settled there. However, most of the Mei River had soft, shifting sands, while only the banks of the Datao River were sturdy. Therefore, a ferry crossing was built there.
Huang Yukun, having studied military strategy since childhood, knew how to utilize terrain. He left his main force on the east bank, deploying defenses along the river, while he himself led only five thousand men to occupy the Datao area on the west bank, preventing Shi Wenlong from entering the ferry crossing region.
Shi Wenlong ordered a tall tower to be erected in his camp. He personally climbed the tower to observe the terrain of Datao. The entrance was only half a mile wide, blocked by layers of barricades, caltrops, and pointed wooden stakes erected by Huang Yukun. Only a narrow path, about two zhang wide, remained in the middle. Military camps lined both sides, with barricades outside the camps, and archers lying in ambush behind them. Local civilians had travel permits to enter and exit.
It was clear that to cross the river at the ferry crossing, one had to first enter Datao, but entering Datao was by no means easy.
After discussing with Guan Yuqing, Shi Wenlong decided to challenge Huang Yukun outside the Hetao region the next day. If they could kill Huang Yukun, they could take advantage of the enemy's low morale to attack the Hetao region and seize control of the ferry crossing.
Shi Wenlong first sent someone to the Hetao region overnight to issue a challenge, which Huang Yukun readily agreed to.
The next morning, after a battle meal, Shi Wenlong and Guan Yuqing each led two thousand infantrymen to form ranks one mile outside the Hetao region.
Shortly after, a cannon fired from within the Hetao region, and shouts and neighing of horses filled the air. Five hundred men rushed out of the region and formed ranks.
Shi Wenlong saw four generals lined up under the enemy's banner. Among them was a man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a ruddy complexion, wearing a green robe, riding a white horse, and carrying a Green Dragon Crescent Blade. He was dressed like Guan Yu, the deity in the temple, and matched Guan Yuqing perfectly. He recognized Huang Yukun as the one who had once claimed to be Guan Yu.
Upon seeing someone dressed similarly to himself, Guan Yuqing felt a surge of resentment and, wanting to test his skills, stepped forward and asked, "Is the one in the green robe over there Huang Yukun?"
Huang Yukun spurred his horse forward and returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "Indeed, it is I, Huang. Judging from your attire, you must be the renowned Guan Yuqing."
"Indeed, I didn't expect to find someone here who recognizes me."
"General Guan loves to imitate Guan Sheng's attire; everyone in the world knows this, but I wonder if he possesses Guan Yu's martial arts skills."
"General Huang also claims to be the reincarnation of Guan Gong. I wonder which of us is the true reincarnation of Guan Yu?"
"Enough talk, a fight will tell."
"Alright! Let's fight three hundred rounds!"
As they spoke, they spurred their mounts forward and began to fight, brandishing their broadswords.
Their sword battle was truly dazzling to behold. Both wielded swords, and as the fight intensified, their horses became entangled, a chaotic mess, making it impossible to distinguish between Guan Yuqing and Huang Yukun.
The observers on both sides, watching the battle unfold, were filled with admiration, completely forgetting the distinction between friend and foe.
The two generals fought for over a hundred rounds, neither gaining the upper hand. They battled until nightfall, then returned to their camps for dinner, before continuing their nightly battle. This continued for two days and two nights, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
Early on the third day, the two sides regrouped and faced each other again. Shi Wenlong stopped Guan Yuqing, rode into the formation himself, and said, "General Huang, you and Marshal Guan are both highly skilled in martial arts. If we continue fighting like this, we won't be able to determine a winner even next year. In my opinion, we should try a different approach. Have your three generals parry three of my hidden weapons. If they can parry, the four of you can attack together. We two alone cannot defeat four hands, and you will win. If they cannot parry, Marshal Guan and I can join forces. I imagine General Huang will be outnumbered, and we will win. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Qinghai and the other two laughed angrily, saying, "Shi Wenlong, aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew? If a hidden weapon suddenly appears during the fight, we might be caught off guard and fall victim to your tricks. But now that you've come out beforehand, the hidden weapon has become an open weapon. We've all practiced catching darts; do you think we're afraid of any hidden weapon you might use?" Shi
Wenlong replied, "Without real skill, one wouldn't dare to go to Liangshan. Since Shi Wenlong dares to boast, he's naturally confident in defeating you. If you don't believe me, try it and you'll see."
The three men thought about it and realized that Shi Wenlong was definitely up to some trick, so they should be careful.
However, since Shi Wenlong had made such a boast, wouldn't it be unfair for him not to respond? So Meng Qinghai stepped forward first, saying, "I'll try to take your dart."
"You alone aren't enough. I'll fight three generals single-handedly. Otherwise, even if I win, it won't show my skill."
"You're courting death; you can't blame anyone else." Wang Fangyu rode up to Meng Qinghai and whispered to him and Zou Bin, "This Shi Wenlong is up to no good. In my opinion, we should catch him off guard and attack him all at once. If we kill Shi Wenlong, Guan Yuqing will be left alone and will surely flee."
"That's right. We'll act according to my signal," Meng Qinghai said.
The three generals rode out together, surrounding Shi Wenlong, each armed and ready to strike.
Shi Wenlong, a veteran of many years, understood their intentions but didn't reveal them. He took three steel darts from his pouch, shouted, "Take this!" and with a flick of his wrist, the three darts shot out simultaneously, aiming for the throats of the three men.
The darts were incredibly fast, no less than arrows from a powerful crossbow. The three generals hurriedly caught the darts, only to be taken aback.
"Hahaha, you three caught one of my hidden weapons; that's more than second-rate martial arts. Fine, watch my next two!"
Shi Wenlong reached into his deerskin pouch and pulled out countless copper coins. He shouted, "Take this!" Two handfuls of coins flew out simultaneously, attacking the three men from different directions.
Although the three men had practiced dart-catching, they had never caught copper coins before, let alone so many hidden weapons attacking them at once. They dared not catch them with their hands, only using their weapons to parry. A series of clanging sounds followed, and coins scattered all over the ground. Just as the last coin was knocked to the ground, Meng Qinghai and the other two cried out in unison, releasing their grip on their right hands. Blood flowed from the backs of their right hands, the source of the injury unknown.
With injured hands, unable to hold their weapons, they were no longer generals. Shi Wenlong brandished his broadsword and charged straight at Meng Qinghai. The three men, terrified, turned their horses and fled.
Seeing this, Huang Yukun hurriedly brandished his sword and rushed over, blocking Shi Wenlong's path. Guan Yuqing also rode up to assist him. Huang Yukun held out for a while, and seeing that his three generals had returned to their formation, he feinted an attack, jumped out of the circle, and ordered the retreat.
Shi Wenlong, seeing this, hurriedly led his troops in pursuit. Huang Yukun's soldiers remained calm, using arrows to hold back the enemy's formation as they retreated, providing cover for each other back into the river bend.
Shi Wenlong chased them to the edge of the bend, but was driven back by a hail of arrows from within, and had no choice but to return to camp dejectedly.
From then on, Huang Yukun was wary of Shi Wenlong's hidden weapons and dared not engage in battle easily, only carefully guarding the ferry crossing to prevent Shi Wenlong and Guan Yuqing from crossing the river easily.
Shi Wenlong discussed with Guan Yuqing that, under these circumstances, crossing the river at the ferry crossing would be extremely difficult, and it would be better to find a way to cross by boat or raft outside the bend.
So soldiers were sent from the surrounding villages to cut down trees and build boats and rafts. In no time, over a hundred rafts were built, but when they were tested on the river, they realized their efforts were in vain.
It turned out that to launch the rafts, they first had to cross the shallows near the bank to reach the deeper waters. These shallows were filled with quicksand; once a person went down, they were sucked into the sand and couldn't climb out, instantly drowning. After launching a dozen or so rafts, they only pushed them four or five feet before dozens of soldiers were sucked into the quicksand and disappeared without a trace.
Shi Wenlong then ordered the use of oars to propel the rafts out, but even the oars got stuck.
Guan Yuqing, quick-witted, came up with an idea: drive wooden stakes into the sandbar, then have the rafts stand on them and use the stakes to launch them into the river. However, when they tried to drive the stakes in, they discovered the quicksand below was mobile; the stakes sank in before they could be driven in, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Yu Qing then suggested driving stakes into the riverbank, securing the rafts with ropes, and extending them row by row into the river until they passed the quicksand area. The rafts for crossing would then be lifted from the secured rafts and placed in the river.
This was a good idea, but only halfway through the rafting was completed when Huang Yukun sent his navy in boats from the Datao ferry crossing. They unleashed a barrage of rockets, burning all the completed rafts.
Shi Wenlong and Guan Yu Qing quickly dispatched archers to the riverbank to protect the construction workers and exchange fire with the boats. The boats used powerful crossbows that required several men to draw, but their range was far greater than that of the boats on the shore. Despite the arrows, they managed to build a dozen or so passages, only to have them all burned down within two days.
Several days later, they manufactured several stone cannons, finally achieving a balance of fire with the boats. They continued to burn and repair, barely maintaining a hundred or so passages.
Shi Wenlong said, "Alas, we've only thought about how to get down to the river, not how to get back to the shore. Do you think Huang Yukun on the other side will build a passage for us?"
Guan Yuqing stared blankly, pondering all day, but to no avail.
Another day passed before Shi Wenlong finally came up with a plan: "Why don't we set off on rafts from the shore and head towards the Taozhong ferry?"
So, that very night, Guan Yuqing personally led a hundred rafts off the shore under cover of darkness, heading towards the ferry. After traveling two miles, just as they were about to reach the Taozhong ferry, they were suddenly blocked by a row of wooden stakes in the river. Just as Yuqing was about to send men to remove the stakes, Huang Yukun's warships came rushing towards the ferry. Those warships were large, and the soldiers on board used the momentum to fire arrows, causing heavy casualties on the rafts. Although the rafts also had powerful crossbows, their upward fire was less effective than the enemy's. After a brief exchange of fire, half of the rafts had been lost, while the opposing warships suffered little damage. Seeing this was not an option, Guan Yuqing had no choice but to order the remaining rafts to retreat.
The enemy warships pursued them to the shore, leaving only five of the hundred rafts. Guan Yuqing, a skilled warrior, managed to save himself and his men by using his eagle-feathered weapons to protect himself and his raft.
Back in the main tent, Shi Wenlong said, "It seems the Mei River is truly an untamable dragon. We'll have to find another plan."
Some time later, Guan Yuqing suddenly said, "I forgot, we have stone cannons, why not use them to attack the enemy camp in the trap? It could help us enter the trap!"
"That's a good idea, let's go tomorrow."
The next day, Guan Yuqing led his men, escorting over thirty stone cannons, towards the trap. When they were still half a mile from the entrance, Yuqing ordered the stone cannons to be set up. Over thirty fist-sized stones flew up, tracing arcs, and landed directly in Huang Yukun's camp. Guan Yuqing clapped his hands repeatedly, saying, "Excellent! If this is the way, we can drive Huang Yukun across the Mei River!"
Before he finished speaking, his men cried out in alarm. Looking up, they saw huge stones flying from the snares, hurtling towards them.
Guan Yuqing was shocked and shouted, "Run!" He spurred his horse and fled.
They barely managed to dodge the attack, but several of the stone cannons they had brought out were damaged. The rest were under enemy fire and couldn't be retrieved. Helpless, Guan Yuqing led his men back to camp empty-handed. Soon after, a scout reported that the stone cannons that hadn't been damaged had been dragged into snares by Huang Yukun's men. Guan Yuqing was furious and shouted repeatedly.
These stone cannons were common siege weapons; Guan Yuqing could make them, so why couldn't Huang Yukun? Guan Yuqing needed to launch an attack, so his stone cannons had to be easily movable. Huang Yukun, however, was positioned defensively, so his cannons didn't need to be moved. Therefore, he could build larger cannons with longer ranges and place them in the Meihe Datao area. In this round of competition, Huang Yukun still won.
Thus, both sides set up camps in the Meihe Datao area, creating a stalemate, each trying to find a way to defeat the other.
Several months passed quickly, and Shi Wenlong's army was running low on supplies. He hurriedly sent Zheng Mingzhen back to Nanyang Pass to urge the delivery of more provisions.
Two more months passed, and judging by the distance, Zheng Mingzhen's supplies should have arrived by now, but there was still no sign of them.
The camp's grain reserves were insufficient to last three months, forcing them to reduce the soldiers' rations. Rumors spread, and many complained within the camp. Zheng Mingzhen remained missing, prompting Shi Wenlong to voice his discontent. Guan Yuqing said, "Marshal Shi, there's no need to complain. My wife, though a woman, has served in the army for many years and has never made a mistake. The lack of grain must be due to some trouble. Perhaps we should send someone back to Nanyang to urge them on."
"That's the only option."
Several days later, Qinglong Pass sent a messenger to the main camp, reporting that Zheng Mingzhen, escorting the grain, had been intercepted on the main road north of Dafang Mountain. Zheng Mingzhen had been captured and killed, and the grain had been burned to ashes.
Guan Yuqing and Shi Wenlong were shocked and immediately inquired about the situation. The messenger's words enraged Guan Yuqing.
Who intercepted the army's grain supplies? Find out in the next chapter.

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