Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1107 Untitled
The dim sunlight shone down from the sky, and a dozen soldiers on war horses galloped quickly in the snow despite the cold wind. The rolled up crystals stuck to the hair on the horses' legs and soon turned into snow water and flowed down.

In front of the huge military camp, the soldiers guarding the gate stamped their feet and looked up. The general on duty shouted "Open the door!". The soldiers who stamped their feet to keep warm quickly moved half of the deer horns in front of them away. The cavalry who galloped in did not stop at all and went straight to the center of the army.

"Uu——"

Grabbing the reins, the knight jumped off his horse. The two generals, who looked similar, looked at each other's clothes, then nodded and walked into the tent together.

"I, General Dang Shixiong (Dang Shiying), greet General Qiu Jie and General Zhou. I am here today on the orders of the Palace Commander to obey your orders."

Qiu Yue sat on the commander's seat inside, looking at the two men coming in and nodded: "I heard the commander-in-chief talk about the two generals in the past, praising their martial arts. Now that I see the two of you, I am very happy."

The Dang brothers looked at each other, feeling relieved. They immediately cupped their hands in a somewhat flattered manner and said, "General Jie, you are too kind. We have low abilities and are satisfied to be small soldiers under your command. How can we deserve such praise?"

Qiu Yue and Zhou Ang smiled and said, "Now that the old minister has asked us to be in charge of the affairs north of Zhuozhou, we must not betray his trust."

Dang Shixiong and Dang Shiying said yes in unison, and then they remembered that those who came out with Qiu Yue and Zhou Ang were all imperial guards from the capital, and they remembered their trip to the west of Beijing and the few words they heard in the rear about the Second Northern Expedition, and their expressions couldn't help but change.

Dang Shiying hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Um... Marshal, are we the only ones in the Imperial Guards... that... uh..."

Seeing him stuttering, Dang Shixiong quickly added, "I heard that there are many soldiers in the north, but are our troops in the capital insufficient?"

Qiu Yue and Zhou Ang looked at each other. They had also experienced the previous defeat, so they naturally understood what the two brothers were thinking. They shook their heads and said, "This time, the imperial guards have been sent back to Hebei to train with others in the war. Now, most of the soldiers in the front are brave and elite from the Hedong, Hebei and Western armies. Although there are only more than 20,000 people, they are much stronger than before."

The two brothers of the Dang family breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that these were probably just compliments and that the imperial guards in the capital were probably driven back. They changed their mind and started to speak flattering words as usual.

"Marshal Jie and General Zhou are here. No matter where they lead the troops, they will surely achieve great success. My two brothers would like to congratulate you in advance."

"These two instructors are the most generous among the imperial guards. It is a blessing to be able to serve under them!"

"Too much, too much." Qiu Yue and Zhou Ang waved their hands repeatedly, but their faces gradually revealed arrogance. After listening to the two men flattering them, the pent-up anger accumulated in recent months was reduced a lot. Seeing that there was nothing wrong, they waved their hands and asked the two men to leave.

The cold wind blew across their cheeks, blowing away the warmth brought from the central army tent. The two men walked a few steps, took the reins of their respective mounts and walked away. They turned around to look at the big tent. Dang Shiying approached them and whispered, "It is said that the two of them relied on their status as the instructors of the 800,000 imperial guards and the guards around the emperor, and they used to look down on others. I didn't expect that they were so kind when I met them today."

"Bullshit." Dang Shixiong looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to them. He replied in a low voice: "If the previous defeat hadn't dampened their spirits, do you think they are really so easy to talk to?"

Dang Shiying was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "That's right...", then smiled: "But this is also a good thing, at least I don't have to live with four nostrils."

"That's right." Dang Shixiong laughed and patted his brother: "As long as you and I can make some contributions this time, we will find an opportunity to be transferred to other places, so that we don't have to live under the orders of those big shots in Beijing."

The Song army moved towards Zhuozhou. At the same time, Fengmei Bisheng, who was known as the Flying Dragon General and the Flying Tiger General, also headed upward from Gu'an under the command of Tong Guan. The ground was covered with silver frost and the cold wind was howling. The soldiers in crimson robes formed a winding network in the silver.

……

Under the bright sky, the light shone into the warm room through the window lattice. The guards holding armor in their hands stepped forward and put it on Lu Bu.

"Where is the Song army?" Lu Bu stretched out his hand and let the guards put on his inner armor.

Yu Cheng and Xu Wen stood on one side and said, "There are two armies. One is more than sixty miles away from Liangxiang, and the other is farther, about eighty miles away. At the same time, there are also troops stationed in Anci, but they did not leave the city to the north. They are just strengthening the city defense and will not take the initiative to attack."

"Liangxiang, Yuanping, and Xijin Prefecture should be planning this." Lu Bu had no expression on his face. Feeling the armor on his body, he said in a deep voice: "Has Zhang Lin finished writing the manifesto?"

"Zhang Sheren is already waiting in the palace. He will send out the proclamation as soon as Your Majesty is ready."

Lu Bu stretched out his hand and tugged at it, nodding with satisfaction: "Send a message to Zhang Lin to send out the letter, and send someone to the Song army to reprimand them for breaking the alliance."

After a pause, he instructed: "There is no need to go to Song territory to look for the eunuch, just have someone shout from a distance in front of the two Song armies.

Send a message to Mi Xian and Shi Wengong, asking them to take charge of the troops in the south and make sure to stop the Song army."

Yu Cheng and Xu Wen bowed their heads and said, "Yes."

A guard came forward holding a Han sword in both hands. Lu Bu grabbed it and tied it around his waist: "Let's go! To the military camp."

He turned around and walked out of the palace first, followed by Yu Cheng, Xu Wen and other guards.

The sound of horse hooves rang out in the palace, and a group of people left the palace in the wind and snow. Xiao Haili, who was riding a tall horse outside the imperial city, was fully armored. When he saw the fiery red warhorse running out of the palace gate, he hurriedly jumped off the horse.

"stop--"

Lu Bu pulled the reins and stopped in front of Xiao Haili.

"I will see your Majesty at last."

Xiao Haili took a step forward and bowed. Lu Bu frowned and said, "Did you catch a cold? Why are you speaking in such a muffled voice?"

Xiao Haili sniffed and chuckled, not taking it seriously at all: "Maybe I pushed too hard on my wife's belly last night, it's nothing serious."

"You... when did you become the same as Wang Zheng, that bastard?" Lü Bu scolded him with a smile, pointing at him: "But you are better than him, you don't hang out in brothels."

Xiao Haili chuckled and rubbed his red nose: "I am also thinking about leaving behind an offspring. There is already movement in one of my bellies, so I thought I would have another one while I am still in good health."

"That's what I want." Lu Bu nodded, then he remembered something: "Remember Li Zhu brought back a doctor named An, who has a good prescription. I'll ask him to give it to you later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Haili was overjoyed, and he clasped his fists with a smile: "Just for this recipe, I will not let anything happen to Xijin Prefecture."

"You are a traitor who won't show your eagle until you see the benefit." Lü Bu laughed, and seeing the silver-white beard on the other side, he slowly put away his smile: "Then Xijin Prefecture will be handed over to you. If there is anything, call Wang Zheng, Deng Fei and others to consult together."

"Yes." Xiao Haili clenched his fist.

Lu Bu nodded and shouted, "Go!" He urged Red Hare to fly quickly out of the city.

Xiao Haili looked at the figure going away, rubbed his nose, and couldn't help turning his head and saying "A-choo!" He blew his nose, then jumped on his horse and said, "Let's go find Censor Deng."

The horse's hooves moved lightly, and the personal soldiers behind him walked slowly.

The troops of Xijin Prefecture were mobilized again, attracting the attention of the whole city. In the huge military camp, figures with bows and swords on their backs took over the large bags of dried meat and rushed out like a tide. The war horses neighed non-stop, and the sound of thunder struck between heaven and earth, and the earth trembled slightly under the horses' hooves.

The wind blew through the center of the army, and the large flags with the words "Qi" and "Lü" fluttered. Under the winter sky, the war horses marched forward in a cluster of red.

……

In the twelfth month, a letter titled "A letter punishing the Song court for betraying its friends and breaking the alliance" spread throughout the country. At the same time, dozens of cavalrymen, covered in frost, quickly approached the northward-bound Song army. With crimson flags flying, the groaning army stood still in the ice and snow.

"Why did you raise an unjust army and invade the territory of Qi? In the past, your emperor begged us to send troops to help attack Liao, but now you have broken your promise like a worn-out shoe. You claim to be righteous, but you are just reading books!"

The cold wind was howling, and the flags were fluttering in the air. The general leading the army in the front did not dare to act on his own and quickly sent a message back to the central army.

"How dare they, dozens of people came over and started cursing at us."

Zhou Ang curled his lips and looked at Qiu Yue: "General Jie, how about sending someone up to talk to them?"

"No need." Qiu Yue waved his hand on his warhorse: "Let someone shoot arrows at these daring ones to get out of here. We don't have time to argue with them."

He held up his helmet with his hand and said, "In this world, the one with the bigger fist still has the final say. That thief Lu was defeated by the Grand Tutor last time, and his old nest was burned down. He is not ashamed to show off his power this time."

Zhou Ang thought about it and grinned: "Maybe he is scared."

Qiu Yue did not say anything, but just signaled the messenger to send his men forward. The shouting and cursing only lasted for a while before being driven away by a hail of arrows.

The cavalry came to report, and Qiu Yue waved his hand: "Order the whole army to continue to move forward. If there are any more people who don't know how to die, I will serve them with my bows and crossbows first."

The other side nodded in agreement and the army continued to move forward.

A day later, under the winter sky, a cold-resistant eagle spread its wings and overlooked the ground. An army dressed in crimson and ink-black was approaching. The shouts of fighting gradually sounded, and the sound of metal clashing shook the sky. Blood was continuously spilled on the white snow, and corpses hit the cold and hard ground. The flowing blood began to coagulate after a few breaths.

More footsteps stepped over the corpses, and the advancing army made deafening "Kill" sounds. This was an even more intense fight, and everyone was caught up in the slaughter.

Yuan Lang shook off the blood on his weapon, his red face full of excitement. There was an arrow stuck in his shoulder armor, which swayed up and down as he moved. There were sounds of fierce fighting all around him. Not far ahead, the Song army had already spread up.

Not long ago, brothers Dang Shixiong and Dang Shiying personally led their troops to intercept the Qi army heading south. Yuan Lang rushed over with his cavalry, made contact with the enemy, and opened a gap.

"Quick, charge over and surround the Qi general in the formation. Don't be afraid, General Jie has already brought his troops here. We have more people, and a spit from each of us can drown him!"

The two brothers Dang Shixiong and Dang Shiying gathered together and shouted loudly. Yuan Lang also noticed them. He swung the steel hammer in his hand and stabbed the man to death. He rushed forward with the cavalry. Along the way, some Song soldiers stepped forward and looked at the rushing cavalry, took out their flying axes and threw them.

bang——

The sharp blade of the flying axe cut into the bones fiercely. Some people screamed in pain and covered their arms. Some people had an axe embedded in their forehead. Their eyes gathered together, and they fell to the ground with their eyes rolled back.

Yuan Lang, who was in the lead, took the opportunity to ride his horse forward for more than ten feet, swinging his two swords like flying. The two sides engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat. The infantry faced the cavalry, and the group without the advantage of height and speed was retreating.

The cold flashes of swords and guns pierced into people's bodies, and blood, flesh and limbs were spread all over the area.

Yuan Lang fiercely smashed the weapon in his hand towards Dang Shixiong. The burly figure opposite gritted his teeth and took the attack. The brothers next to him rode their horses forward and brandished their weapons fiercely.

In the shaking field of vision, Yuan Lang saw a big knife coming towards him, and he quickly swung it out. He heard a "dang" sound in his ears, and sparks jumped out in the spewing white gas. The steel hammer flipped and turned, and there was another sound of metal scraping. A single war horse ran past, and the Dang brothers were forced into a panic by the cavalry behind the opposing general.

When he reappeared, his armor was damaged in several places.

"Help, help!" Dang Shixiong looked a little frightened, and he turned around while shouting loudly.

Behind him, Yuan Lang, who had turned his horse's head, looked at him excitedly, with a desire flashing in his eyes that he could not understand.

"Damn it, how much do these Qi soldiers get paid a month? Why are they risking their lives like this?"

Dang Shiying's eyes were filled with fear, and the wounds on his body were burning with pain. He didn't know who had injured him when he was fighting with the cavalry just now.

The two steel hammers spun in his hands, knocking away several spears that were thrusting at him. Glancing at the terrified faces nearby, Yuan Lang snorted coldly, "You are even worse than the Liao people before. How dare you start a war first?"

Then he took a breath and a loud voice came out from the sky: "Kill!"

The warhorse galloped past, the steel hammer swept across the man's cheek, the cold light of the iron flashed, and the dark red color exploded in the sight. The heads of several Song soldiers who were close to it were smashed and they fell sideways.

When the Dang brothers turned their horses around, a fierce general with a red face ran up to them and smashed out a pair of water-ground steel hammers, hitting the two brothers from the left and right.

when--

"what!"

"brother!"

The sounds of metal clashing and screams and shouts rang out almost simultaneously. Dang Shiying had a new wound on his body and was slow to react for a moment. He was poked on the shoulder by Yuan Lang and fell off his horse, with his helmet clanging to the side.

"Go ahead, go ahead!"

The cavalrymen in black armor were inexplicably excited. They galloped past the two brothers, holding guns and brandishing swords. Short screams mixed with the sound of horses' hooves, and the sound of bones breaking could be heard.

"brother--"

The roar of grief and anger resounded through the sky.

On the battlefield, it was not just this place that was involved in the fighting. On the white plain, thousands of soldiers and horses were mixed together, black and red were intertwined, often leaving unequal colors on the ground.

Troops under the banners of "Shan" and "Chen" were approaching intimidatingly.

(End of this chapter)