Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

Chapter 1227 Good News of Forced Landing
"Close the city gate!"

As dusk approached, a loud shout rang out from the top of Yanshi City in the golden sunlight. The Song soldiers who were entering the city below were startled and all looked back.

Suddenly, a number of ambushers emerged from the city wall, nocking their bows and firing arrows at the stunned figures below.

Whoosh whoosh—

"what!"

A dense rain of arrows rained down, and the Song soldiers entering the city clutched their wounds and fell to the ground screaming in agony. Those who were not yet dead struggled and writhed on the ground. The next moment, the Qi soldiers standing in the city charged forward with their swords.

"There's an ambush..."

"Get out!"

"Go back!"

Someone behind them shouted anxiously at the scene. They thought the city was safe, but they didn't expect to be hit by a barrage of arrows as soon as they entered. Their reaction was somewhat slow.

The Qi soldiers guarding the gates on both sides were not equipped with shields. They drew their swords and spears and charged forward, splattering blood as they pushed the figures in front of them backward. Dozens of men stared in disbelief and roared, forcing the Song army, which outnumbered them many times over, out of the city gate. The gate, which was open, slowly closed under their force.

"We can't let them close the gate; Father and Uncle are still in the city!"

Zhai Liang and Zhai Cong, who were outside the city restraining their troops from entering, were immediately anxious. They commanded their troops to rush forward and seize the city gate. Behind them, the brave warriors and cavalry who had just chased after the fleeing army raised their shields, took out their longbows, and drew arrows as they ran, nocking them on the bowstrings. They then ran forward with the bows, arrows still attached, to their sides.

"Release—" A strange command made the two cousins ​​below jump.

Suddenly, countless dark figures darted over from the city wall, looking down at the surging crowd from the crenellations. Large splatters of blood erupted. The Henan Prefecture troops in front, already in disarray, were instantly routed and forced to retreat by the rain of arrows from the city wall.

Li Cheng, watching the battle below from the city wall, narrowed his eyes: "Light the smoke signals to alert the cavalry outside."

Someone ran to the place where the signal smoke was stored, pulled out a tinderbox, blew on it, and brought it close. The moment it caught fire, the unique thing from the firearms camp emitted a dazzling light, followed by red smoke rising into the air.

Just now, from the direction where the Song army's brave soldiers and cavalry were pursuing, the faint sound of bugles could be heard.

……

Let's turn back time a little.

The moment the guards drew their crossbows, Yue Zhen, standing in front, suddenly spread his arms wide and shouted, "Wait! Wait!"

The figure holding the crossbow hesitated for a moment, then turned around and said, "Hold your hand. Generals Zhai Da and Zhai Da have done many favors for the generals in Henan Prefecture. Please do not harm them."

The dozen or so guards exchanged glances and smiled wryly: "We didn't intend to kill them immediately, we just wanted to invite these two to come up to the city wall for a chat."

"So...I see." Yue Zhen blushed, glanced apologetically at his guards, turned to Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing who were glaring at him, and smiled frankly: "I apologize to the two generals, but I have already surrendered."

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing exchanged a glance, gritted their teeth, and said, "We just received news that the Qi army was advancing on Yanshi, and you surrendered here? You bastard..."

Yue Zhen sighed: "How can one serve loyally on an empty stomach?"

Seeing Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing's bewildered expressions, the man gave a mocking laugh: "Generals, you are either too busy with military affairs to know that the soldiers in Yanshi are often short of pay, sometimes for months at a time. If it weren't for the fact that the number of soldiers is only half of what is on the roster all year round, and that officials like myself allow them to take on private jobs to support their families, we would probably be out of soldiers long ago."

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing froze, their angry expressions instantly vanishing.

Qi soldiers stepped forward and took the protective swords from the two men. The two men did not resist, but looked at Yue Zhen and asked, "Why didn't you report this to the Prefect?"

"What kind of good person does the General think He is?" Yue Zhen glanced at Luoyang with a hint of resentment on his face: "The blood of soldiers from all over Henan Prefecture has gone into the mouths of those big headscarves. Apart from people like the General who are in high positions, most of the people in the Henan Imperial Guards and Infantry Division have to pay tribute to keep their positions. Even I, as a commander, have to pay 30,000 coins every year to show my respect."

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing looked somewhat embarrassed. Such things were common in the army, and even the soldiers under their command were not at full strength. However, it was because Zhai Jin's position as the top general in Jingxi gave him enough confidence to fight for enough benefits for himself and his brother's soldiers.

But he forgot that most of the people outside his Zhai family lived under the exploitation of their superiors. Many middle and lower-ranking generals even resented the prefects or governors who held military and political power, and wished that someone would kill these people who were sucking their blood. Many troops in Hebei and Hedong surrendered in this way.

Knowing something is one thing, but actually experiencing it yourself is another.

The two brothers, who were somewhat speechless, had their weapons disarmed by the Qi soldiers. As Yue Zhen turned around, he gestured, "Please, gentlemen."

The two men took a deep breath, turned to look at the mess and corpses on the ground, and saw the Qi army dragging the living soldiers out of the pile of dead and putting them aside. They looked at each other and resignedly allowed themselves to be led by crossbows to the city wall.

"put--"

A shout reached my ears, followed by the sound of bowstrings and faint screams from outside the city.

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing's faces darkened. Their nephews and nieces were all outside the city. Although they knew that the two of them were in a relatively remote position, they still couldn't help but feel worried. Zhai Jin, in particular, kept recalling the scene from his dream.

As the steps rose, the view opened up, and the sounds of footsteps and loose bowstrings became clearer. Commands were given from time to time, and the sound of running filled the air. Turning around, one could see squads of soldiers in military uniforms rushing past, carrying bows and crossbows.

Below the city gate, Li Cheng, wearing a Fanyang hat, glanced at the figures approaching in a crowd, looked down at the city, beckoned to a trusted captain who had come with him from Daming Prefecture, and asked him to temporarily take command before walking towards the two.

"I have long heard that General Zhai Jin is the foremost general in western Beijing, with many military achievements in the army. During the Northern Expedition, he did not fall behind in the conflict with the Liao people. Today, I have seen him and he is indeed extraordinary."

The two elder brothers of the Zhai family frowned. Zhai Jin hesitated and cupped his hands in greeting: "You seem to know me so well, could it be...?"

Li Cheng laughed heartily: "My name is Li Cheng. I was originally the military commander of Daming Prefecture. I hope you won't laugh at me, General."

While the two were talking, Zhai Xing glanced at the soldiers around him, his gaze landing on the two flags raised high below the city walls, and his expression softened somewhat.

Seeing his expression shift, Li Cheng glanced outside and pondered for a moment: "I remember that the sons and nephews of the two generals are in the army. The ones outside the city right now are them, aren't they?"

He looked at the expressions on the two men with great interest: "The two generals are brave, and your son and nephew are no less so."

Zhai Jin couldn't help but turn his head to look, his usually solemn face now showing a hint of anger: "What do you want to do?"

The soldiers on the city wall began to move. Under the command of their officers, nearly half of the soldiers holding large shields in front retreated, and more arrows were sent from the rear to the front, flying down with a whooshing sound.

A jumble of noises came from below.

Li Cheng turned his head, looked at the red column of smoke over there, and pointed: "General, did you see that?"

Zhai Xing took a breath: "I saw it when I came up..." He paused for a moment: "General Li's troops outside the city are probably on their way."

"Not bad." Li Cheng clapped his hands and smiled. "Five thousand northern cavalry, plus one thousand cavalry belonging to our army, and nearly ten thousand infantry, totaling more than fifteen thousand men." He paused for a moment. "Before the two generals arrived, I sent a message to the central army, requesting that the central army cavalry come to support us as soon as possible. Judging by the time, they should be here soon."

He pointed downwards and said, "There are over 8,000 infantrymen from my army in the city, plus 2,700 of the original garrison soldiers from Yanshi."

His gaze shifted to the city below: "It seems the two young generals were eager to get you out of here, which is why they didn't retreat with their troops immediately. But it's too late to leave now."

At the edge of the line of sight, a black line stretched out, and the city wall beneath their feet seemed to sway as the black line approached.

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing suddenly turned to look at the inner city. Soldiers dressed in black armor were gathering. The gleam of their swords and spears reflected the light of dusk, making their faces turn ashen. Their hands, hanging by their sides, slowly clenched into fists, their tiger's mouths turning white.

Looking at their expressions, Li Cheng slowly said, "Order the gate to be opened and hold off the enemy troops outside so that the cavalry can attack from both sides."

"Here!"

The messenger responded and ran past the two men.

"What exactly does General Li want to do?" Zhai Jin looked at his former colleague, who was smiling gently, with some anxiety.

"General, do you really not know?" Li Cheng shook his head and looked at the two men: "You two know perfectly well what I want to do."

creak-

The sound of the door hinges turning came from below. Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing couldn't help but look down, as if they could see the city gate opening through the brick walls beneath their feet.

"The court has done nothing to wrong my Zhai family..." Zhai Jin said slowly and softly, but unexpectedly, the words Zhai Liang had said on the Northern Expedition came to mind, and the image of death in his dream appeared before his eyes.

Woohoo——

The sound of horns came from the horizon, and the surging black line drew ever closer. In the distance, countless cavalrymen raised clouds of dust, forming a strange pattern in the air as they rushed toward the rear of the Song army outside the city.

Below the city wall, many scattered soldiers from Henan Prefecture, no longer restrained by the two generals, were running in other directions. Those on the city wall could vaguely see the figures of the two generals trying to control their troops under their banners.

“They’re not far away.” Li Cheng’s voice came into the brothers’ ears: “Judging from the scale of this, the central army’s cavalry has also arrived. If I hadn’t ordered the city gates to be opened and we had continued to pursue them, I’m afraid not many of them would have been able to escape.”

In the distance, the black cavalry suddenly split into three sections. The two sections on the left and right sides formed an arc and gradually changed formation, running towards the left and right flanks, while the middle section rushed straight towards them.

"...General Li, you seem to have been forcing us to surrender. What benefit do you get from this?" Zhai Xing was silent for a moment, then turned to look at the composed Li Cheng.

Li Cheng glanced at him, thought for a moment, and said, "You two should be familiar with the Qi army's system of military merit."

A rumbling sound, like muffled thunder, rolled over from afar, and the two fathers nodded with ashen faces.

"The Qi army has established a system where leading troops into battle is highly rewarding for being the first to scale the walls, slaying enemy generals, and capturing flags. However, these are further subdivided. If I were to fight the general and win, the reward would be the least; if I were to win and capture the flag, the reward would be more; if I were to slay an enemy general in battle, the reward would be even greater; if I were to kill a key general, the reward would be even higher; if I were to capture the commander-in-chief, the reward would be even greater; and if I were to win and have the entire army surrender, the reward would be the greatest. This is further dependent on the strength of the enemy commander's troops and his rank."

Li Cheng pointed to the two men below, then to the outside: "Since I surrendered last year, I have earned merits and been promoted two ranks, but not enough to be promoted to a higher official rank. Now I only need to see if the two generals are willing to lend me a hand. After all, the title of the number one general in Jingxi is enough to help me advance further in my career."

Through the black lines, the image of galloping warhorses could be vaguely seen. Sweat was faintly visible on the heads of Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing. The four hands of the two men clenched and unclenched repeatedly.

"You two need to hurry." Li Cheng's face was neither happy nor sad: "Once the northern cavalry charges, it will be too late. But even if I capture you two, I won't lose out."

Iron hooves thundered wildly in the distance, and occasionally the glint of weapons flashed in the dust.

Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing both gasped: "General Li is truly cunning."

Li Cheng kept his eyes straight ahead: "After all, I've spent my time in places like Daming Prefecture. On the battlefield, I may not be as brave and skilled as the Qi army, but in other respects, I'm not necessarily worse than them."

Zhai Jin gave a wry smile, looked up at the sky, and exchanged a glance with Zhai Xing. He seemed to see something in his brother's eyes, yet also seemed to see nothing. Only after the other nodded at him did he speak: "Please, General Li, order us to stop. We are willing to persuade the men below the city to surrender."

"it is good!"

Li Cheng laughed loudly and waved to the side: "Send a message down below, the Song army is willing to surrender!"

A dozen or so messengers stepped forward, took out horns, and blew them.

In the distance, the rumbling thunder gradually subsided.

stop.

……

In the sweltering summer heat, the sounds of insects chirping and birds singing can be heard everywhere.

Bianliang City gradually regained its original vitality, and the people in the city once again focused on their livelihoods. It seemed that nothing had changed except for the change of the flag on the city wall.

However, things were indeed different. There were far fewer merchants and wealthy businessmen than before, and more soldiers and servants were deployed to patrol the city walls and streets, making the city's residents feel that the streets were much cleaner than before.

The fast horse made a crisp sound on the street, with three small red flags stuck on its back. When pedestrians saw this, they would dodge to the left side of the road without the rider shouting, while reminding others that there was an urgent message and they should not become innocent victims under the horse's hooves.

"You're going to the palace, aren't you?"

"This is the third time this month. The last time was good news from Jeju."

"I'm afraid another military prefecture has fallen... Bah, it has been captured by our army."

"Should!"

The buzzing of voices rose from the street following the fast horse, with many people whose family fortunes had been plundered and used as compensation cheering as they followed the sound of the horse all the way to the outskirts of the capital.

The guards on duty were already familiar with the arrival of urgent messages, and after checking the iron plaque thrown by the other party, they allowed anyone to enter.

Eunuchs came to greet them and led them to the Imperial Study.

The knight who delivered the message was overjoyed. He knelt on one knee and presented the news of victory.

"Your Majesty, news of victory has arrived from Jingxi. Yanshi City has been captured, and the gates of Luoyang were opened by the surrendered generals Zhai Jin and Zhai Xing, and the city is now in our hands."

　Oh dear, I've caught a cold, and I feel dizzy.
　　(。>︿<)_θ
　　
　
(End of this chapter)