Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1156 Song Jiang Dies, Hejian City Falls

Arrows fell from the sky and landed in front of the position.

"Steward, what are you looking at?"

Behind Song Jiang, Dai Zong frowned as he heard the sound of arrows falling. His palms were sweaty, and he couldn't help but wipe them on his crimson embroidered robe.

"Nothing." The short-statured Shi Jiyu turned around and forced a smile: "I just suddenly felt a little panicked, or maybe I'm worried about the war."

Dai Zong licked his lips and watched as Wu Song, Tang Long, Liu Tong, and others roared and directed the soldiers to rest and rotate. A soldier carrying a medicine box ran over and bandaged his comrade's wounds.

Nobody noticed...

The Swift-Foot Bodyguard exhaled, not daring to hesitate, and asked in a low voice, "Sir, are we just going to defend this city to the death?"

"Don't say anything that could demoralize the army." Song Jiang glanced at him sideways, gripped his sword, and looked ahead: "This battle may be unavoidable, but..."

The veins on the back of his hand bulged: "I eat the king's food and repay the king's kindness. If everyone avoids war, where will my Great Song Dynasty exist? Song Jiang is willing to die for my Great Song Dynasty and let the Qi people on the other side see that the Great Song Dynasty still has loyal ministers."

This sounds...

Something doesn't feel right...

Dai Zong smacked his lips, feeling a bit bitter. He took two steps back, stood there with a worried expression, and glanced around. Hundreds of burly men, dressed in armor, were idly flipping through the axes and wooden shields in their hands. Some of them were hyperactively gesturing with their axes at each other, and then burst into laughter.

Dai Zong withdrew his gaze. These were all soldiers left by Li Kui to serve as Song Jiang's personal guards. He had always felt that these men had been affected by that brat Li Kui and had developed epilepsy.

Arrows with flaming fuses flew by, striking the nearby ground, planks, and furniture, cracking sounds echoing continuously, accompanied by a cacophony of buzzing noises.

In front of the defenders' line of sight, on the street ahead, dozens or even hundreds of armored soldiers were advancing in an orderly fashion, with a large banner bearing the character "王" (King) fluttering in the wind.

……

Outside the city, a fast horse carrying news from the central army banner was led by a guard.

After listening to the commander standing with his hands clasped on the ground recount the situation ahead, Lü Bu waved his hand forward and ordered the troops on the east and west sides and the men on the city walls to take control of the last north gate as soon as possible.

A messenger rushed out.

……

Xie Zhen, who stepped forward from the rear to replace Wu Song, saw the approaching Qi soldiers and Wang Yin, who was being escorted by his personal guards. His eyes flickered, and he quickly grabbed the powerful bow issued by the army, picked up the arrows, and pointed them at the Qi general in front: "Follow me and shoot!"

A moment later, a volley of arrows rained down on the black-armored soldiers ahead, following Jie Zhen's arrows. The arrows were blocked by the wooden shields with a crackling sound, and the occasional ones that slipped through only left a scratch on the armor.

They advanced at an undiminished speed, and the Qi army also fired crossbows. Jie Zhen's men were all experienced warriors, so they were able to block the incoming arrows.

"Charge forward—"

Jie Zhen glanced at the enemy's speed, gritted his teeth, turned around and made a gesture to the rear, signaling for crossbowmen to provide cover. Then he picked up his steel fork and led his troops to meet them.

Many of Song Jiang's soldiers were well-fed and willing to risk their lives. In this certain death zone, they were all driven by ferocity and charged forward fiercely.

Although infantrymen charged at a considerable speed, they were still no match for warhorses. After dodging a volley of arrows fired by the other side, the two groups collided with a loud crash.

The point-blank contact was instantly followed by a hysterical roar. Blades flashed and slashed after the wooden shield, and then a spear thrust out from under the shield.

Blood splattered and fell to the ground. Several Song soldiers in the front row fell to the ground under the skillful fighting of the enemy, clutching their wounded legs and howling in pain.

Jie Zhen led her men forward with gritted teeth, using a steel fork to poke the soldiers holding wooden shields, forcing them to retreat. She then used the fork like a club, striking and smashing at places the soldiers couldn't defend against, occasionally stabbing them.

Several infantrymen and cavalrymen fell to the ground, howling in pain as they reached for their weapons and slashed at the wounded Song soldiers lying on the ground as well.

"Wang Yin is here! Enemy general, cease your arrogance—"

"Kill him!"

Jie Zhen roared and charged forward with his steel fork. He had wanted to shoot him with his bow and arrow, but he failed.

The foot soldiers around him joined him in advancing, and the battle quickly escalated into a fierce melee. Wang Yin showed no mercy, relying on his strength and thick armor to withstand several blows in succession. He thrust forward with his steel spear, smashing left and sweeping right, felling several Song soldiers blocking his way.

He fiercely swung his steel spear at Xie Zhen, who was charging towards him. The soldiers beside them also rushed forward desperately, trying to provide assistance to their general.

when--

The steel fork caught the swinging steel spear, and Xie Zhen suddenly ducked down, gritting her teeth as she held up the steel fork to block the momentum of the blow, and then thrust it upwards.

"Hey?"

His arm swiftly stretched towards the sky, causing his body to stagger forward a step.

"die--"

Wang Yin had long been annoyed by the situation on the street. He was also experienced in fighting, so he didn't try to outmaneuver Xie Zhen. He relaxed his arm and kicked out with a kick.

bang——

The man nicknamed Two-Headed Snake flew backward and landed on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The spear spun in the air as Wang Yin landed and moved, swinging his arm in a semi-circle, the spear flashing as it swept down behind him, before thrusting his hand in a powerful jab.

puff--

The spearhead is buried in the ground.

Jie Zhen, covered in cold sweat, stared at the steel spear embedded under his armpit. He reacted quickly, twisting himself into a pretzel shape with all his might.

In the distance, the Qi general who was blocking the sunlight snorted coldly, raised his arm slightly, and with a few drops of dirt kicked up by the spearhead, he suddenly flicked his wrist and thrust again.

"what!"

A scream came from Xie Zhen's mouth. He was trying to guard against being stabbed in a vital spot, but instead, he was stabbed in the thigh.

"Ugh—" Jie Zhen lay on the ground, gritting her teeth and enduring the pain as she forcefully swung the steel fork.

Wang Yin stepped on it.

click -

The long handle of the steel fork pressed down on Jie Zhen's hand, and a scream burst from his mouth, "Ah!", as he and his weapon were trampled under his feet.

"Quickly, save the commander!"

"kill him!"

The soldiers on both sides roared and charged forward, brandishing their weapons. In an instant, more than a dozen new wounds appeared on both sides, and blood splattered on the ground.

It's too late, but it's soon.

Wang Yin stepped on the opponent's steel fork, slightly raised his spear, and thrust it forward again.

puff--

The sharp blade pierced his throat, and the Song general on the ground widened his eyes instantly. He struggled to lift his head, making two "uh uh" sounds, before the force dissipated and his head slammed heavily to the ground.

"What an annoying thing!"

Wang Yin drew his spear, and a spurt of blood shot into the air, drenching half of his body. He took a few steps forward, thrusting and parrying his spear. As a crimson figure flew up, he roared, "Your generals are dead! Surrender now!"

The troops under Jie Zhen's command suddenly seemed to have their spines removed. With a shout, a few people rushed forward with red eyes, but most turned and ran.

Arrows crisscrossed in the air, and corpses and blood continued to spread into the city. Song Jiang, who was watching from a distance, couldn't help but close his eyes, his whole body trembling slightly.

They should strike a gong to make him return.

he thinks.

When Xie Zhen stepped forward, he still had some hope that he could stop the other side from destroying the roadblocks. After the two armies clashed, his own soldiers ran back. He naturally did not think that Xie Zhen had retreated on his own initiative. After all, he knew Xie Zhen well and knew that he was a straightforward person who would not retreat at the slightest disadvantage.

"I'll go stop them."

Wu Song, watching from the other side as soldiers in black pursued his own men, roared and charged forward with two monk knives in hand.

"Brother Wu Song!" Song Jiang suddenly shouted. The pilgrim in front turned to look at him, while Timely Rain, who was standing there, hesitated for a moment: "Just guard the last antler and don't let them break through."

Wu Song turned to look at his own soldiers screaming and falling to the ground in the street ahead, then turned to look at Song Jiang, and finally stamped his foot angrily: "Good!"

……

“Come back, come back!”

Wang Yin flicked his spear, and blood flew from the spearhead and the guard, leaving a trail of blood on the ground: "Step back, blow the horn, and let the armored cavalry advance."

"But General, there are still four more ahead..."

"It's alright, there are only four antlers left. We can break through them without losing many men!" Wang Yin dodged the falling arrows by turning his head. "The Song army is not in disarray now, which means they are determined to die. We don't know how many men it will take to break through the roadblocks."

"Blow the horn! Let Yao Gang go up!"

As the roar subsided, soldiers holding wooden shields took out their short horns from their waists and blew them loudly.

woo-

……

"Mount!"

Upon hearing the bugle call, Yao Gang's face lit up with joy. He roared, covered his face with his armor, and a foot soldier quickly came over, helped the heavily armored cavalryman to his feet, and helped him onto his warhorse.

The warhorse, also clad in iron armor, shook its head and snorted, prompting a soldier to lift up an iron spear.

With a large hand outstretched, Yao Gang grabbed his spear, raised it high in the sunlight, and shouted: "Armored Cavalry—"

Press down: "Forward—"

have to--

The horse's hooves moved.

……

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

Wu Song looked at the black-armored soldiers ahead with some surprise as they stopped their pursuit. His own soldiers, who had narrowly escaped death, quickly ran behind him. The traveler hesitated for a moment and tilted his head. He had been prepared for a fierce battle, but since the Qi army had not advanced, he took the opportunity to catch his breath: "You all go back quickly. Also, inform General Song that the enemy has not continued to advance. Please send archers forward."

In the distance, Wang Yin led nearly a hundred soldiers to retreat. The men with shields stood at the back, and the arrows shot by the Song army were deflected by the shields. Occasionally, someone would scream and fall down, and someone would immediately come forward and drag him away.

Boom boom boom——

Warhorses galloped down the long street, their heavy armor pressing down on their bodies. The sound of their hooves landing was even more muffled, and a cloud of dust rose up. The violent shaking under their feet made the soldiers who had taken cover on both sides smack their lips and look on with envy.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way!"

Wang Yin and the other cavalrymen were naturally familiar with the sound and vibration. Before they had even run halfway back, they shouted and ran to stand at the base of the wall of a nearby house.

The moment the figures on the road ahead diminished, behind the deer antlers, Wu Song's pupils suddenly contracted. The dust raised by the opposing cavalry obscured the houses nearby. Although he was not good at judging the number of people by dust and the sound of hooves, even a blind man could tell the momentum of such a charge.

"Send a message to the commander: enemy cavalry! The cavalry are coming!"

The opposing horses' hooves grew faster and faster. He hurriedly gave orders from behind, and the swordsmen and shieldmen in front crouched down behind the antlers, holding the line tightly. Long spears were raised diagonally from above. The eyes of the infantrymen were bloodshot, their nostrils flared, and sweat dripped down their temples and faces.

The distance of an arrow.

Boom boom boom boom——

The armored cavalry galloping at high speed, like steel behemoths, caught Wu Song's eye. The next instant, the traveler unconsciously straightened up and murmured to himself.

"Brother, it seems we'll be reunited soon..."

The murmurs were drowned out by the thunderous sound of hooves. The Song soldiers behind the deer antlers didn't hear what he was saying, but some of them had reddened their eyes and tears flowed uncontrollably.

"Kill--"

A roar came from behind the armored vehicle, and the cumbersome cavalrymen smashed the tables and chairs under their hooves with a loud "thud." The broken pieces of wood tumbled in the air and crashed to the ground, where they were trampled into dust.

Boom boom——

As the warhorses moved, cavalrymen repeatedly collided with the antlers of the stags. The spikes protruding from below pierced the horses' legs, causing them to crash to the ground and break off several protruding spikes. The subsequent impacts caused the horses to disintegrate. The galloping cavalrymen plowed through the crowd like ploughshares, creating bloody gashes. Corpses and blood instantly exploded in front of and beneath the horses.

The cavalry continued their advance.

Standing at the last antler, Wu Song glanced at the distance and took a deep breath. "A real man shouldn't just wait to die!"

His calm expression vanished, replaced by a ferocious look. "Hah—!" he roared, briefly drowning out the sound of his horse's hooves. He spurred his horse forward, leaping high into the air, stepping on the backs of the soldiers in front of him.

He leaped into the air, his arms crossed, the two gleaming daggers reflecting the sunlight.

Yao Gang looked up and a figure came into view.

"I am—"

The embroidered robes whistled through the air as they descended upon the armored cavalrymen wielding spears.

"Fight the tiger—"

With a swing of his arms, the two monk's knives flashed in the air.

Yao Gang met the attack with his spear.

"Wu Song!"

Clang, clang—

puff--

The dagger sliced ​​through the armor, sending up two streaks of sparks, and a white blade mark pierced the armor several centimeters deep.

Blood suddenly appeared.

A cloud of blood mist burst out from behind the figure in mid-air as the spearhead pierced through the body.

Boom boom boom——

Hundreds of armored cavalrymen continued to gallop past, trampling the roadblocks and people into dust.

As the iron hooves of the warhorse passed by, amidst the carnage of blood, flesh, wood, and mud, two bent and trampled monk's knives lay silently embedded in the ground.

Song Jiang gritted his teeth in the rear, his whole body trembling even more violently. The cavalry was charging wildly towards them from the front, and the shouts and screams of the soldiers who were blocking their way came one after another.

The personal guards holding axes beside him roared and rushed forward, but were trampled underfoot by the warhorses in no time.

The stench of blood filled the air as the warhorses approached. Amidst the chaos among the surviving soldiers and generals, Song Jiang quietly closed his eyes.

Screams and the sound of bones cracking came from ahead. Song Jiang recognized the voices of Dai Zong and Tang Long, but the sounds were short and he couldn't be sure.

Dede—

The sound of horses' hooves echoed ahead, and a spear dripping with blood approached Song Jiang's face.

The figure in the red embroidered shirt seemed to sense it, and her expression suddenly relaxed.

puff--

The spear pierced his face, and red and white substances spilled onto the ground.

During this midday period, the last resistance force in Hejian Prefecture was wiped out.

The victory came as expected.

Soon after receiving the news, Lü Bu mounted Red Hare, ordered his guards to clear the way, and commanded his men to restrain the soldiers in the city while sending out messengers to spread the word and reassure the people.

On the same day, Wei Zhaode, Hu Yanqing, and others, also in Hebei, broke into the Cangzhou prefecture and almost took control of the land east of the inland river.

(End of this chapter)