Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

A gentle breeze swept through the forest, causing yellowing leaves to tumble and fall from the sky, landing above other fallen leaves and burying the dirt path beneath them.

Boom boom boom——

The sound of warhorses galloping swiftly came from afar. Unfallen leaves swayed gently, leaping up for a moment with the roar of the horses' hooves before being trampled into a pile of dead leaves, then swirling up more leaves as they moved forward.

Horses neighed and galloped at breakneck speed as nearly ten thousand cavalrymen stopped to watch, taking deep breaths as they gazed upon this rare spectacle in the Jiangnan region.

The sun slowly moved westward, and the cavalrymen galloped swiftly across the official road, approaching the city ahead.

Under the sunlight, the gates of Xuancheng remained open, and several fast horses galloped out, heading against the flow of traffic along the official road. After only a few miles, they saw a large number of cavalry coming from the hillside.

woo-

The figure in black on horseback first sounded a horn, then shouted loudly, "Is that General Yang Zaixing's army ahead? Where is General Yang?"

The identical words of several people seemed to drown out the sound of galloping warhorses for a moment.

The advancing cavalry sounded their horns. After a few short blasts, a long, drawn-out horn blast echoed back. The thunderous sound of hooves gradually subsided, and soldiers trotted over. The figure on horseback asked the approaching man for his military order and badge, then pointed behind him and said, "The general is right behind us. You may go there on your own."

The men thanked him and then rode over. Seeing the figure holding the reins and moving under the flag, they hurried over and clasped their hands in salute: "This humble general, Li Yu, is a colonel under the command of the guerrilla general. I have also served on the mountain and have met General Yang."

"Old acquaintances from the mountain." Yang Zaixing's face instantly warmed up. "It's rare to see old friends here. Where are you generals?"

Li Yu looked up and smiled: "General Li has already led his troops south to Ningguo County and ordered me to assist Han Shiqing, the surrendered general in the city, in preparing for the city's defenses."

"Han Shiqing?" Yang Zaixing was surprised for a moment, then laughed: "Is he a relative of Han Wu?" He gestured, spurred his horse, and the warhorse moved forward gently.

Li Yu's expression remained unchanged, and he did not respond to the question. He simply said in a serious tone, "This humble general does not know." He turned his horse around and followed behind him, saying, "General Han Shizhong and my general have sent a letter, stating that they intend to send Zhao Gou into the city, and they will meet the Song army in Ningguo."

"Oh?" Yang Zaixing turned to look at him, then nodded: "That is indeed a good idea. Should we send someone to inform His Majesty?"

"We have already sent people north by both land and water, but they may have missed the general and the others."

As Li Yu spoke, he nodded at Yang Zaixing and then shouted loudly, "Someone, send word to quickly enter Xuancheng to rest and reorganize."

Turning to the scout who had come to deliver the message, he said, "I already know what you said. Go back now and quickly inform Han Shiqing to prepare two days' worth of rations for ten thousand cavalrymen. I will rest here for two hours and then head south immediately."

"Yes, sir!" the captain replied with a fist salute, then rode swiftly towards Xuancheng.

Lu Fang, who had been listening silently to the two men's conversation, rode forward only after the captain had run far away: "General, are you afraid that there is a trap in Xuancheng?"

“We can’t just accept whatever he says. His Majesty always tells me not to act rashly because of my martial prowess.” Yang Zaixing looked ahead. “Therefore, let’s go and take a look before making a decision. Besides, we’ve been traveling all the way from Taiping Prefecture and we’re exhausted. If we’re safe and sound, we should rest.”

Then he smiled and said, "I can roughly guess what General Han is thinking. It's a good move. If nothing happens later, we will leave a thousand cavalry here, and the rest of us will come with me to support Ningguo."

He then raised his voice: "Move forward quickly. Also, send a message to General Wang Yin in the rear: we're heading to Xuancheng first."

"Here!"

The cavalry behind him responded, and then the army quickly entered the city ahead.

Han Shiqing knew that the Qi army would march south, but he did not expect it to be so fast. He hurriedly went to meet them. Li Yu, who was following him, was afraid that Han Shiqing would offend someone and implicate him by talking nonsense, so he whispered to Han Shiqing, "When you see General Yang, do not look down on him because he is young. He is equivalent to His Majesty's son-in-law."

"Equivalent to?" Han Shiqing looked somewhat confused. What does it mean to add a prefix to "郡马" (junma)?
Li Yu paused for a moment, feeling that it would be troublesome to explain. Thinking about Qiong Ying's treatment in the court, he simply said, "...Well, even though he is a prince consort, he is still a trusted person of His Majesty."

Han Shiqing was no novice in officialdom. Seeing this, he knew there were many entanglements involved, but he was not in a hurry to find out immediately. He simply nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'm not someone who can't distinguish right from wrong."

Li Yu was finally relieved.

As they spoke, a large cavalry force galloped in, and knights in black armor quickly passed through the city gates and raced through the streets.

Han Shiqing pretended not to see it, dismounted his warhorse and waited at the door. When he saw a general's flag enter, Li Yu stepped forward and quickly followed to greet him: "This humble general Han Shiqing greets General Yang."

The figure entering the city glanced at him, and the guards around him dispersed, their eyes scanning their surroundings.

Yang Zaixing dismounted and stepped forward to help him up: "General Han's abandonment of darkness and embrace of light is a blessing for our army. Please pay more attention to the matter of provisions."

"General, rest assured, I have already ordered preparations to be made, and we will certainly not be late." Han Shiqing smiled and said, "The military camp has also been instructed that your men may go in and rest first."

When Yang Zaixing saw that the scouts in the army had turned back and made a normal gesture, he smiled and said to them, "Thank you for your hard work, General Han. We will wait here for General Wang Yin and General Shi Bao. They will lead their troops behind us."

Han Shiqing smiled, listening intently to the sound of warhorses galloping. He thought to himself that the north was indeed rich in horses; such a large cavalry force had not been seen in the Song Dynasty for many years…

Ok……

They were all cavalry...

But this isn't my chance?

A look of contemplation crossed his face, then he looked at Yang Zaixing and said, "I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it."

Seeing his cautious manner and noticing that he was older than himself, Yang Zaixing said, "General Han is one of us, there's no need for that. There aren't such strict rules in the army, and His Majesty also likes to hear different opinions."

Han Shiqing first responded with a "Yes," and then asked, "Are all the generals going south this time with cavalry?"

Yang Zaixing didn't know why he asked that, but he still nodded: "In the army, the vanguard is usually cavalry, and it is true that we are all cavalry."

Han Shiqing rubbed his hands excitedly: "The Jiangnan region is not as flat as the north. Ningguo is mostly mountainous and hilly, so cavalry would have difficulty making the most of their advantages there."

Yang Zaixing frowned as he looked at him.

Han Shiqing didn't keep them in suspense: "What I want to say is, why don't you take me south with you, General? Firstly, I've been in Xuanzhou for many years and am familiar with the terrain here; secondly, my troops are all infantry, which makes it easier for them to move up and down hills."

Yang Zaixing suddenly realized, his eyes flashing, and he felt that what this person said made sense. Fighting a war is not the same as marching. They can still ride horses now, but if they enter Ningguo County, they will probably have to dismount to fight. If there are any losses, they can all be attributed to the cavalry, which would be a loss.

Besides, this person has just been demoted. If you refuse his offer of help, you might cause him to become resentful.

After thinking it over several times, Yang Zaixing nodded: "Since General Han is willing to lend a hand, that's great. Please gather your men, and we will set off in two hours."

He looked at Li Yu beside him and said, "The matter of city defense will be entrusted to Lieutenant Li."

"Yes, sir!"

The two, overjoyed, responded in unison. Han Shiqing then proceeded without delay, preparing provisions and gathering troops in the city. Fortunately, he had already taken control of Xuancheng's granaries and warehouses, and with the Qi army assisting him, the necessary supplies were quickly prepared.

Yang Zaixing then sent out another messenger to relay the message. Only after Wang Yin and Shi Bao arrived with their troops did Yang Zaixing, under the guidance of Li Yu, go to rest.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Before dusk, the bugle call to march sounded, and the army left Xuancheng, heading down the Juxi River. Soon after, night fell, and the torch-lit column wound its way down the river.

……

The golden sun pierced the night sky.

The withered yellow hues dotted the area outside the city. Autumn had driven away the thick clouds, reflecting the banners fluttering across the fields. Occasionally, a gust of wind would cause the banners to pop with a crack.

A fast horse carried the scout back. The general named Zhang Zongyan sat on the horse, listening to the military situation reported by the scout, his expression completely calm.

The city gates of Ningguo County were tightly closed, patrols were on the city walls, and enemy scouts were stationed outside the city, frequently engaging in battles with their own sent-out scouts.

"Send someone to the rear to urge the central army to advance faster."

Zhang Zongyan gritted his teeth: "The Qi army has already discovered us and is proceeding cautiously. I thought the Qi army would not just defend the city."

The soldier who gave the order rushed out, and then the three thousand men, shields in hand and spears in hand, formed a line and cautiously advanced.

The rolling hills on both sides were covered with trees that were half yellow and half green. When the wind blew, they made a rustling sound. The tense soldiers were on guard against the possibility of figures rushing down from the heights. However, as they walked through the forest, they did not hear the sound of gongs, nor did they see any Qi soldiers behind the hills.

After walking more than five miles with bated breath, they could see the low city walls of Ningguo County. The group instantly felt a sense of relief, as if they had reached their destination.

"General, the city is just ahead. Shall we go forward and give it a try?"

On the dirt and rocky road, Zhang Zongyan gripped the hilt of his sword and slowly shook his head: "Three thousand soldiers are still exposed to the enemy. It would not be a good idea to go and probe them immediately..."

After a moment of silence, he changed his mind again: "However, things are different now. The Emperor is in their hands, so we should still launch an attack to see how they react."

The deputy general nodded quickly, then sent someone to give the order, and the soldiers holding shields in front began to stride forward.

After turning into a wooded area, the advancing troops suddenly stopped.

The sunlight was shining down from above, and a dark figure huddled behind him. He was clad in black armor, wielding a long weapon, and a large banner was suddenly raised from behind the man on horseback. The character "Han" was unfurled in the wind with a whooshing sound.

Then the man on horseback stepped forward, his young face full of arrogance: "I am Han Chang, General Anyuan of the Great Qi, and I have been waiting here for a long time."

Zhang Zongyan's expression changed, and he abruptly turned to look at the scout who had just reported the news. He saw that the man was also bewildered, and upon seeing Zhang Zongyan looking at him, hurriedly shook his head: "General, we didn't find anyone here just now, but there are quite a few Qi scouts here, or..."

"Shut up! I'll settle the score with you when we get back!" Without waiting for a reply, Zhang Zongyan coldly interrupted him, turned his head, spurred his horse forward, took a breath, and pointed his sword forward: "I am Zhang Zongyan, Commander of the Right Army of the Divine Martial Army! Where is the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty? If you know what's good for you, return him to us! Otherwise, when the Heavenly Army arrives, you will all be reduced to dust!"

"Tch—" Han Chang spat on the ground: "What nonsense!" He grinned maliciously: "Let's see who turns to dust first."

He raised his spear: "Kill!"

Behind him, two thousand Qi infantrymen charged forward under his command.

Seeing this, Zhang Zongyan immediately ordered his troops to advance and meet the enemy. The sounds of fighting and shouting gradually grew louder, and arrows rose from both sides' battle formations and fell towards them.

"Destroy them!"

With a sudden rise in pitch, Han Chang kicked his warhorse, and with his personal guards following, he suddenly darted out, fiercely charging towards the dozen or so Song soldiers who were charging at the front.

As they ran, they drew their guns and bows in one fluid motion, and a meteor-like arrow splattered blood on the face of a soldier in the middle. As the figure screamed and fell, his personal guards behind him drew their bows and threw their pistols, and the sounds of flesh being pierced echoed among the advancing figures.

The Song soldiers instinctively raised their shields. After two muffled thuds, they had just put down their shields to check when a cold glint caught their eye. An arrow had pierced their eye, and they screamed in agony, clutching their wounds as they fell to the ground, rolling around like gourds.

The horse neighed loudly—

Zhang Zongyan was shocked and furious as he watched the Qi general galloping away. Suddenly, a loud bang rang in his ears, and the figure of Han Chang's warhorse, which had knocked him flying, came into view. The general's personal guards who followed then charged in.

Several clashes of swords rang out, followed by shrill screams. Zhang Zongyan watched helplessly as the Qi general, who was being protected, once again drew his bow and nocked an arrow.

“Uh…” The Song general on horseback suddenly tilted his head.

whoosh-

The arrow whistled past my cheek, and a burning pain shot through my face.

"Damn it!" Zhang Zongyan wiped his cheek, his hand covered in blood, and quickly wiped his palm on the horse's neck. He then raised his spear and shouted, "Northern thieves, stop your arrogance! Follow me and kill them!"

A fierce battle erupted on the plain in an instant. Soldiers in black and red charged forward, clashing fiercely with their opponents, their weapons and wooden shields clashing wildly.

Five Song soldiers in formation had just killed two Qi soldiers who were charging forward when several crossbow bolts shot out from the crossbows on the opposite side. Screams instantly rang out in the small square formation. Before the men who were hit by the arrows could even cry out, someone rushed over with an iron knife and smashed it on their heads. The not-so-sharp knife caused the men to fall to the ground, bleeding from all seven orifices.

"Forward! Forward!"

The officers on both sides roared, their lines interlocking. Han Chang swung his spear and killed two men in quick succession, his warhorse still charging forward, casually firing a shot.

when--

Zhang Zongyan, who was about to launch a sneak attack, suddenly felt a pain in his arm, and his broadsword veered to the side. He quickly crossed his hands and slashed at the Qi general on the other side again.

"Song dog is asking for death!"

Han Chang, mounted on horseback, glared menacingly at the Song general in front of him. Then, he stepped on the stirrups, and as his horse shifted, he thrust his spear forward with a single, focused motion.

The clanging and clashing of weapons exploded as the guards on both sides clashed and fought, flesh and blood bursting apart, and figures constantly clutching their wounds and falling from their horses.

The autumn wind blew across the chaotic mountain path, and under the bright sunlight, the Qi generals, wielding long spears, slowly slaughtered the Song general opposite them until he was covered in sweat.

At the same time, shouts came from behind. Zhang Zongyan, who was at a disadvantage and was struggling to block the spears from the opposite side, felt a chill in his heart when he heard them.

"……ambush!"

"There's an ambush behind us!"

puff--

The spear pierced his waist and abdomen, and Han Chang twirled the shaft with both hands: "Your reactions are all calculated, it's too boring."

With a sudden flick, the corpse flew into the air.

Under the sunlight, the banners of "Li" and "Xu" rushed in from behind, quickly engulfing the red battle formation. (End of Chapter)