Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

boom--

The spinning stone fell, bounced hard on the ground, and then crashed into the wooden fence with a "bang," sending splinters of wood flying through the air and shaking the sturdy wooden fence of the camp.

"Has the Pacification Commissioner not returned yet?"

Despite the freezing weather, the lieutenant was drenched in sweat. Seeing the fallen banners among the cavalry outside, he could no longer contain himself and turned to shout, "Send a few men to check the rear! General Yang and General Wanyan are both gone. What should we do?"

Some soldiers turned and ran.

Under the bright daylight, the stench of blood spread once more.

The weapons, reflecting a cold glint, formed a "wall" and advanced. The layers of military formations surged forward like giant waves, attacking the military camp. Arrows ignited with flames landed on the wooden military camp facilities, and flames rose up.

The soldiers of Pingzhou Army tried to quell the attack as before, but before they could get there, another volley of arrows rained down.

"Shoot! Force them back, quick!"

An officer shouted loudly, and the archers on the arrow tower, calming their nerves after the wooden palisade had been hit by the whirlwind cannon, drew their bows and fired.

The black-clad soldiers below raised their shields and shouted, "Order Commandant Han: before the wooden palisade is breached, snipe the archers above!"

Upon receiving the order, Han Chang did not delay and led a hundred skilled archers from the army forward, hiding behind the shield formation of the Left Guard soldiers who were providing cover.

Holding his strong bow, Han Chang drew it back sharply, held his breath for a few moments, and when he released it, the arrow flew past like a shooting star.

On a distant arrow tower, a man was struck in the face by an arrow and fell backward. Arrows continued to fly around him. Some people were quick-witted and dodged them, but many others were hit by arrows. Screams echoed continuously from the row of arrow towers.

The deputy general in the Song army camp was furious, constantly urging the soldiers at the front to hold the line with powerful bows and crossbows. "Go find the envoy quickly!" "Have him issue a new military order!" "Don't just stand there, send more people to search!" Panic cries kept coming out of his mouth.

With a loud crash, a stone smashed through the wooden fence above, sending wood chips flying through the air and landing on the ground.

The lieutenant's face suddenly turned ashen. He turned and ran down from the platform, but the guards and officers beside him quickly grabbed him. "Commander, where are you going?" "Please give the order!"

"Don't pull me away!" The lieutenant grabbed the man's arm and pulled him away forcefully. "The military situation is urgent, we need to find the envoy quickly..."

"Report——"

A strong voice interrupted him. The guard who was rushing over was not paying attention and tripped. He stumbled and bumped into someone, his face turned towards the deputy general: "Commander, the Pacification Commissioner, the Pacification Commissioner is missing."

"Huh?!" The commander's eyes widened, and he pulled the man closer to him: "What did you say?"

The guard, panting and anxious, said, "I've searched the entire area where the sewage was being discharged, but I haven't found the envoy."

The surrounding sounds suddenly fell silent. In the distance, the officer's hoarse and low voice cried out "Shoot!" interspersed with shouts of "Hold on!" and "Medic!" The clamor of battle outside the camp could be heard, as if they could burst in at any moment.

Boom boom——

Several loud explosions shook the crowd, causing everyone to turn around to look. Several stones that had been thrown bounced on the ground, and the arrow tower that had been smashed fell with a crash. Screams and screams came from the wounded archers.

From the east and south, cavalrymen galloped over, throwing out lassos.

The commander, who had been appointed as deputy general, turned and ran. Several generals and guards around him let out a sound of "Hey—", then fell silent and ran away in silence.

A moment later, the wooden fence on the south side was the first to be pulled down. Han Chang shot an arrow, and then Wang Bolong spurred his horse, drew his sword, and roared, "Follow me to kill!" He took the lead and charged into the area where the wooden fence had fallen.

"Damn it, they stole my credit!" Han Chang cursed angrily, waving his hand: "Quick, charge in, don't let that Wang guy steal all the credit."

The black-armored soldiers around him, carrying shields and spears, all stood up and rushed into the camp. Behind them, the wolf riders, untied from their ropes, ran westward along the camp under Wang Yin's command.

……

The stench of blood drifted in on the cold wind and entered my nostrils.

As Lü Bu watched the generals' banners heading towards the Song army camp, he was certain that the battle was essentially won.

Under the light of day, the chaotic battlefield began to move towards order. Soldiers who had stormed into the Song army camp opened the gates, and Yang Zaixing, Wang De, and others rushed in from the east. The thunderous sound of hooves drowned out all other sounds.

"Move forward."

Red Hare snorted impatiently and strode forward. The central army's banner began to move forward at the emperor's command, and cavalrymen kept galloping over.

"General Wang Bolong charged into the enemy's central command tent, but did not see Zhang Jue."

"General Xu Wen occupied the south side of the military camp and attacked the east camp. The enemy in the east camp has already retreated."

"General Wang Yin..."

Hearing what was happening ahead, Lü Bu frowned and tapped his saddle with his finger: "Zhang Jue has escaped... What is the movement of the Song army in the direction of Shicheng?"

The cavalrymen who were delivering the orders looked at each other and then shook their heads: "We have not heard of any unusual activity in Stone City."

"Send word to Wang Yin to lead the cavalry toward Shicheng." Lü Bu waved his hand and said, "Tell Su Yi that there's no need for an ambush; lead the army toward Shicheng immediately."

"All generals in the Song army camp, end the battle as soon as possible. The cavalry will go first, followed by the infantry. I want to see what plans the isolated city has in store."

He then turned to General Zhen Dong, who was following beside him, and said: "Bian Xiang, leave three thousand men here to clean up the battlefield and guard the prisoners."

"Yes, sir!" The burly man on horseback bowed and accepted the order, then pulled on the reins and turned to leave.

The bugle calls echoed in the sky, and the shouts of battle blared for a moment in the Song camp before gradually subsiding. Riders reported on the situation in the army, and the generals who had finished their battles had already set off.

"Let's go too!"

The figure on Red Hare shouted, and the Right Guard soldiers escorted Lü Bu as they galloped forward, their massive convoy of warhorses thundering across the land.

……

The scenery on both sides flew by rapidly. The warhorses throbbed on the ground, and the Pingzhou soldiers on horseback frequently looked back. After galloping for an unknown amount of time, the horses slowed down and exhaled large puffs of white vapor from their mouths.

"Xuan..."

"Call me Zhang Dalang!"

Zhang Jue turned around and glared at the guard who was about to speak. The guard shut his mouth, and a muscle twitched on his face: "Zhang... Dalang, why don't we go to Shicheng?"

"Go to Shicheng?" Zhang Jue turned to look at him and snorted coldly: "I can't trust Liu Yanqing right now. If that guy were capable, he would have sent troops out long ago... We should just run into Song territory."

He reached out and tugged at his armor: "When we see a village, let's get a couple of sets of clothes. It's not safe to run around in this."

The guards beside him exchanged glances, nodded in unison, and shouted "Giddy up!" as they sped off.

……

The warm sunlight shone down on the clouds, revealing a surging tide of black-clad cavalrymen. The advancing Qi cavalry occasionally relayed messages to their rear. In the distance, the well-maintained city walls came into view. One by one, the advancing figures stopped, waiting for their comrades to follow. Above the stone city walls, Song army banners fluttered in the wind, their red flags appearing like flickering flames.

Wang Yin stroked his chin and looked at the figures running around on the city wall: "Send out three hundred men. Shi Bao, Li Tianrun, and Bai Yanshou, you three will have to do some work and scout the other three gates. Report back to me immediately if you find anything."

"Here!"

The three generals clasped their hands in acceptance of the order, and immediately the sound of cavalry hooves rang out again below the city.

……

The cold wind howled past, was blocked for a moment by the city wall, and then blew on my face when it reached the ground.

A Hebei general named Zhao Mi mounted his warhorse and galloped quickly toward the city's government office. As he approached the gate, he reined in his horse, frowning as he looked toward the entrance.

It was completely empty; there wasn't a single ghost in sight.

The armor on his body made a soft rustling sound. Zhao Mi, who had dismounted, walked into the gate with a frown on his face. "Someone, someone!" he shouted twice, but no one answered. Only a few figures peeked at him furtively from the doors and windows.

What happened...?

Zhao Mi panicked even more. He rushed into the hall, opened the door with a "bang," looked around, then turned and ran out the door. He quickly scrambled down the steps, looked around, and then walked quickly in one direction.

The figure peeking through the crack in the door quickly closed it, turned around, leaned against the door, and darted around with his eyes darting around.

bang——

As he approached, Zhao Mi kicked the door open, and the man cried out "Ah!" and fell forward.

"Why are you closing the door!" The hot-tempered general strode into the room and grabbed the man, pulling him up. "I'm asking you, where is the military governor? Where is Commander Xin Xingzong? Where have all the generals in the yamen gone?"

"This... I don't know either." The clerk, who had been arrested, shook his head frantically.

"Bullshit!" Zhao Mi roared, grabbing the other man's collar and pulling him close. "The commander was here this morning, and now he's gone. How could you not know?!"

The clerk first wiped his face with his hand, then gave a wry smile: "General, all I know is that the commander-in-chief left with his personal guards and several generals about the time it takes to eat a meal. I really don't know where they went."

“…Leave.” Zhao Mi muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly, before releasing his grip and standing up. “What was the expression on the General’s face when he left?”

"It seems..." The clerk frowned, then thought for a moment, "It's no different from usual."

"Oh……"

Zhao Mi pondered for a moment, then stroked his beard, and then, as if remembering something, slapped the clerk on the head: "Why did you close the door if there's nothing wrong?"

"Hiss..." The clerk lowered his head sharply, grimacing and clutching his head. "I thought you were coming in looking for revenge when you stormed in..."

"I have military intelligence to report, I'm looking for your grandma's legs!"

Zhao Mi glared at him, walked out of the door in a huff, stood in the courtyard with his hands on his hips and thought for a moment before pacing outside. Before he could even leave, a rider came galloping up: "General Zhao, General Zhao."

The general on horseback waved his hand, then dismounted and grabbed his shoulder: "News just came from the north gate that the commander has led three hundred cavalry out of the city!"

"Huh?!" Zhao Mi's mouth dropped open: "They ran away again?!"

A cold wind blew up, and the two figures looked at each other, then mounted their horses together, turned them around, and galloped away.

……

Okay, okay, okay—

The horse galloped out on the bluestone ground, and a figure of not particularly strong sat upright on the horse, swaying back and forth as the horse trotted along.

The battle situation in the military camp outside the city was naturally on the minds of the people inside the city. However, as the commander-in-chief of the Song army in Pingzhou, Liu Yanqing did not want to go into battle and fight against the Qi army.

It's one thing to talk about something before a battle, and quite another to do it.

A few years ago, he was ordered to fight against the Qi army, which was still a bandit group in Liangshan, and suffered a major defeat. Now, he has to fight against a newly emerging country that has annexed almost all of the Liao territory...

I'm not crazy, do you think I can't see the danger here?

Liu Yanqing's face was ashen, and Xin Xingzong, who followed behind him, also looked solemn. When the news of the battle came, he had wanted to leave. He was not a peasant rebelling against the court, and fighting with these reckless madmen would be life-threatening.

However, due to Liu Yanqing's presence, he could not leave the city without military orders. Fortunately, this military commander was also a pragmatic person.

Three hundred cavalrymen trotted around Liu Yanqing. Once outside the city, the Song army commander pretended to maintain a steady posture and did not speed up the march.

Boom boom boom——

The sound of cavalry advancing came from the east. The figures traveling outside the city couldn't help but look over. They saw a cloud of dust rise up, and a figure in black armor desperately spurred his horse toward them. In the air, they could vaguely hear words like "Enemy... Kill!"

"Go, go, don't stop here!" Liu Yanqing's expression changed instantly. Ignoring how many riders were galloping over, he shook the reins and yelled, "Damn it, what are you standing there for? Hurry up..." He abruptly stopped, then continued, "Turn around!"

"Yes!" Xin Xingzong immediately followed, flicking the reins: "Commander's order, advance!"

The sound carried far, and the soldiers in crimson uniforms standing on the city wall stared in disbelief at their cavalry comrades below shouting "Turn back!" "Giddy up!" and cries of "General! General, come back quickly!" came from the commander's mouth.

In their line of sight, about a hundred cavalrymen below accelerated toward the still-open city gate. The garrison commander watched the charging cavalrymen approach, gritted his teeth, and ordered: "Close the gate!"

squeak--

boom--

The gate was tightly shut. The cavalrymen who had been galloping towards them looked at the closed gate. Li Tianrun gritted his teeth, pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and pointed at a few cavalrymen: "You go and inform General Wang of the situation here. The rest of you, come with me and chase after them."

Amidst the roars, some soldiers left the ranks and headed into the distance. Li Tianrun led a cavalry of less than a hundred men in pursuit of the cavalry not far ahead.

Hearing the sound of horses' hooves coming from behind, Liu Yanqing turned his head and glanced at them. A look of panic flashed in his eyes, and he pointed to one of the cavalry commanders following him: "You, go and stop them."

The general's lips twitched slightly, and he reluctantly turned his horse around, with more than fifty cavalrymen following him to meet the Qi army behind them.

"Kill them!" Li Tianrun's expression turned fierce as he watched the cavalry turn around. He spurred his horse and quickly responded, stabbing one of the riders to death on the spot. Seeing that the enemy had fewer men, he rolled his eyes, dodged a spear thrust, shouted, and stretched out his arm to lift the passing cavalryman from his horse and place him horizontally on the saddle.

All around, knights in black armor shouted, brandishing their swords and spears, and Song cavalrymen who passed by fell from their horses.

The sounds of fighting and shouting continued for a moment. Li Tianrun wiped the blood from his face, looked at the cavalry who had fled far away because of the fighting, and shouted, "Keep chasing!" He then lowered his head, raised his hand, and tapped a prisoner: "Why did you leave the city? Speak!"

The galloping wolf riders shouted in unison and spurred their horses to follow.

Behind them, a few surviving Song cavalrymen watched the group of ruthless men flee into the distance, breathed a sigh of relief, and scattered like birds and beasts. (End of Chapter)