Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 746 The Price of Loyalty

That night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse. A fleet quietly set out from the ferry outside Yuzhang, forming a straight line and heading north along the Ganjiang River.

The water of the Gan River glowed a cold iron-grey in the spring night. All around was the sound of the waves, so quiet that it was frightening.

Liang Chongyi, commander of the Jingxiang navy who set out from Yuzhang City, held onto the mast of the ship with both hands, his knuckles almost digging into the damp and cold wood grain.

Maybe he was nervous, maybe he was excited, maybe he was afraid, the expression on his face was unnatural and tense, as if he had a lot on his mind.

He could feel the warship beneath his feet trembling slightly, and the wooden oars were simultaneously dipping into the water, like a dormant giant beast retracting its claws and then extending them again, as if digging the soil back and forth.

Success or failure depends on this wave!

Liang Chongyi thought to himself that he was extremely nervous.

“General Liang, His Majesty’s decree is not necessarily correct, because he cannot see the situation in Hongzhou.

You chose to follow the imperial decree tonight and lead your troops to break through. This was really a bit reckless."

Yan Zhenqing, who was standing aside, sighed. Under the light of the fishing lights, his face was filled with sorrow.

Two days ago, Bai Zhizhen came again and brought Li Yu's imperial edict, which was very harsh. The Jingxiang court learned that there was a lot of movement in Yangzhou, and they were already strictly controlling the flow of materials to Jingxiang, and did not allow ordinary merchant fleets to go west along the Yangtze River.

Obviously, this is a prelude to action.

If they were to take action, the Bianzhou army's target would only be Jiangling.

Therefore, we cannot say that Li Yu was ignorant and messing around. It would be much more useful to let the navy of Hongzhou retreat to Jiangling and set up defenses in Jiangling than to besiege Hongzhou.

Based on what we know so far, this is a wise move from a military perspective.

Yan Zhenqing had no choice but to compromise. Liang Chongyi was very determined to break out and leave Hongzhou. If Yan Zhenqing insisted, he would not be able to get any good results.

To be honest, Liang Chongyi was just following the imperial edict.

It was soon midnight and fog was rising from the mouth of the Ganjiang River, wrapping nearly a hundred warships into blurred outlines.

They had arrived at the mouth of the Ganjiang River. The water fort of the Bianzhou army was not far ahead, looming in the mist like a towering giant.

It was so dark and overwhelming, it made people feel uneasy.

The flags on the masts had long been soaked with spring dew, and their drooping edges swayed in the breeze.

Liang Chongyi licked his cracked lips, took the ginger soup handed to him by his personal soldier, drank it all in one gulp, and stared fixedly ahead.

He counted his heartbeats and waited. Every moment felt like being frying in a frying pan. The lights of the enemy camp in the distance turned into orange spots in the fog, like fireflies floating on the black water.

"Blow the reed whistle and speed up!"

When Liang Chongyi raised his hand, the friction of his paper armor startled the night owl on the mast. The messenger distributed reed pipes soaked in tung oil to the oarsmen of each boat. These special whistles could simulate the calls of waterfowl.

Quack quack! Quack quack!
The rhythmic calls of waterfowl could be heard from the boat.

When a lone "ga ga ga" sound came from the left wing of the fleet, Liang Chongyi's face tightened and he suddenly pressed the hilt of the sword at his waist!
He heard the same response coming from deep in the fog to the northwest.

That's not the direction of our fleet!

As the leading ship, Liang Chongyi knew very well that to the south were his warships, and to the west was... the old water stronghold of the Jingxiang Army, which had now been taken over by the Bianzhou Army!

I'm coming!
Liang Chongyi's heart was about to jump out of his throat and he felt his hands and feet were shaking.

Is tonight a breakout?
No, no, no, that was just Li Lu's order.

Liang Chongyi's plan was to send this navy into the encirclement of the Bianzhou navy and force the Bianzhou army to disarm.

If he was "captured", he would not have suffered the same treatment as Lu Jing. He knew very well that the Jingxiang court could not win!

Li Lu was even less tolerant than Liu Chan.

Cold sweat slid down his spine into the lining of the paper armor, and Liang Chongyi's forehead was covered with dense beads of sweat, and he didn't even bother to wipe them off.

"General Liang, is there something wrong?"

Yan Zhenqing on the side asked, his years of experience in politics, years of wandering and business trips made him vaguely feel that something was not right with the state of this fleet.

Yan Zhenqing suddenly spoke, scaring Liang Chongyi so much that he shuddered all over.

The commander of the Jingxiang Army suddenly pulled off his cloak, revealing a dark vermilion paper armor. The vermilion lacquer on it glowed with an eerie luster like fish gills under the moonlight.

Do it!

The personal soldiers around Liang Chongyi saw the signal they had agreed upon in advance, exchanged glances in a flash, and while Yan Zhenqing was not paying attention, they instantly threw him to the deck of the warship!

One of them took out the rope that had been prepared long ago and quickly tied Yan Zhenqing up tightly!

"Liang Chongyi! Yan is the prime minister, what are you going to do!"

Yan Zhenqing was both shocked and angry. He had thought that Liang Chongyi might do something and he had taken precautions in the water fort, but he never expected that this guy would actually do it on the boat!
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yan, I can't let you go back. Otherwise, my family won't be safe. I'm sorry!"

Liang Chongyi looked like a scoundrel, and he chuckled at Yan Zhenqing. He said sorry, but there was no guilt on his face!

When a soldier decides to rebel, he can do anything and will not be afraid of anything!

So what if he is the prime minister? So what if he is the emperor?
It doesn't matter at all!
"Quack! Quack!"

On the boat where Liang Chongyi was, the strange sound of the reed whistle was heard two or three times.

Soon, the "quack quack" sounds of the ships behind us came one after another, as if they were communicating with each other.

The entire fleet was slowly turning westwards, and the sound of the pointed-bottomed warships rubbing against the sand and gravel could be heard from time to time. They had already entered Poyang Lake, which was not only shallow, but also very close to the shore.

The large ship with a deep draft was already rubbing against the gravel on the lake bottom, indicating that the water fort was not far away.

When the bow of Liang Chongyi's flagship was finally aimed at the faint lights in the west, Liang Chongyi heard a throbbing sound in his temple.

Closer, closer, just a little bit more!

Liang Chongyi's heart was pounding, he had already taken the step of betrayal, all that was left was... to go all the way to the end!

At this moment, the southeast wind suddenly blew up from the lake, breaking the fog curtain, and the moonlight shot through the water vapor like a silver arrow.

The fog cleared and the sky seemed to be getting brighter.

Liang Chongyi, who had been standing at the bow and looking straight ahead, suddenly had his pupils contracted: on the water dozens of feet away, a tall ship was pressing towards them like a moving city wall, and the flag on the top of the mast was pulled straight by the wind.

He recognized this improved wheeled boat, which was fast and sailed by paddles. Only the Bianzhou army had this thing, and Jingxiang couldn't make it.

Then, torches gradually lit up in all directions, and the silhouettes of large ships appeared in the field of vision, like countless scarlet eyes, opening one after another in the darkness.

Creepy!

The enemy's fleet had formed a "U" shape, surrounding the Jingxiang navy's single-line fleet.

"Lower the sail! Stop the boat!"

Liang Chongyi yelled and gave orders quickly, even with a hint of panic.

The personal soldiers beside him quickly notified the sailors on the flagship to quickly lower the sails and hang three red lanterns at the stern!

As the reed whistles continued to sound, the warships behind dropped their sails one after another, and their speed gradually slowed down, finally coming to a stop on the lake, just like a convoy that had run out of gas on the road and could only slowly stop.

Sure enough, a warship slowly approached the flagship where Liang Chongyi was. He quickly ordered the sampan to be lowered and the people on the warship to board.

Just as agreed.

Liang Chongyi breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Yan Zhenqing sitting next to the mast, and a trace of guilt flashed through his heart.

But it only lasted for a moment, and was soon replaced by heat and excitement!

"General Liang is indeed a man of his word. I am Hao Tingyu, Li Jieshuai's deputy general, and I am here to make contact."

After several people from the warship boarded the ship, one of the burly generals clasped his fists to Liang Chongyi.

"Why don't we go back to the water fort and talk about it later? Liang is worried that someone in the army will cause trouble."

Liang Chongyi came over and whispered something.

Things have come to this point, even Yan Zhenqing has been arrested, how can we turn back?
Liang Chongyi is determined to rebel!
Hao Tingyu nodded and gave an order to the soldiers around him.

The latter immediately took out a fire starter and raised the fireworks at his waist to light it. Soon, many small boats were put down in the fleet of the Bianzhou navy and went to the warships of the Jingxiang navy to take over the command.

The whole process was extremely calm. The ships that were taken over hoisted their sails one after another. No one wanted to be loyal to Li Lu, and no one wanted to shed the last drop of blood for him.

The so-called dynastic orthodoxy seemed to have become a joke at this moment.

Hao Tingyu took a look at Yan Zhenqing, who was tied up tightly and sitting by the mast with his face turned away, and wanted to go up to him and say a few words.

But after much hesitation, I decided not to create any more trouble.

It didn't take long for the fleet to be taken over. Soon, the Jingxiang navy changed its formation and opened the passage to the west. Liang Chongyi's warships sailed in a line, and under the close surveillance of the Jingxiang navy, they slowly headed west, and finally docked at several ferry crossings in the water fort.

……

It was already daybreak, and the naval soldiers of the Jingxiang Army at the mouth of the Ganjiang River were gathered together and their weapons were confiscated.

Boatloads of people were sent to Xunyang for resettlement, where special personnel were assigned to count their native places, residences, and family situations. If they had not committed any crime, they would be sent home after the war, and those who were willing to continue to stay in the army could apply to stay.

The whole process was uneventful, and no one resisted. Most of these people were fishermen and boatmen from Hongzhou, not desperate criminals, and had no particular interest in fighting.

Seeing that no one was making things difficult for them, they naturally felt happy and free.

However, compared with the relaxed atmosphere in the water fort, the atmosphere in the bamboo house where Li Guangbi lived was somewhat tense and awkward.

Li Guangbi looked at Yan Zhenqing who was tied up and didn't know what to say for a moment.

They knew each other before and even worked together.

Unexpectedly, now one is sitting in the court and the other has become a prisoner. How can we not sigh and lament?

"Mr. Yan, you are not having a very happy life under Li Lu, right?"

After a long time, Li Guangbi finally asked.

Yan Zhenqing turned his head away and ignored him completely. He seemed to have no intention of speaking. He was even too lazy to comment on the four words "unfair victory".

Of course, it may also be because Yan Zhenqing now looks down on Li Guangbi, thinking that although he is capable, he is "aiding and abetting the tyrant", the same as Fang Qing.

Seeing that Yan Zhenqing didn't say anything, Li Guangbi felt frustrated and waved to his personal soldiers, who took Yan Zhenqing out of the bamboo building.

Liang Chongyi, who was standing by, wanted to find a hole to crawl into when he saw this scene.

Yan Zhenqing did become tough, but it made him, who had directly betrayed the country and surrendered to the enemy, look like a wimp.

Li Guangbi saw that Liang Chongyi was a little embarrassed, so he quickly comforted him and said, "General Liang is very righteous, and the emperor has seen it. After this battle, if there are any rewards based on merit, General Liang will definitely get a share."

"Thank you, Marshal Li Jie, for your kind words in front of the emperor. Liang is grateful!"

Liang Chongyi said with a nod.

Once a person's position changes, what he sees as right and wrong will be completely different.

Li Guangbi was accustomed to this and did not think there was anything strange about Liang Chongyi's behavior.

Only hard stone like Yan Zhenqing's is a rare species in the world.

Seeing that Liang Chongyi seemed to have something to say, Li Guangbi smiled and said, "General Liang, if you have anything to say, just say it directly. There is no need to be polite."

"Marshal Li Jie, actually, Xiangyang doesn't know about what happened tonight.

Although the soldiers under my command are no longer usable, the warships and uniforms can still be used.

We can take advantage of the Jiangling defenders' unpreparedness and open the city gate!"

Liang Chongyi suggested calmly.

Ouch, the first blow this surrendered man struck at his former master's vital point!
Li Guangbi's eyes lit up and he instantly understood Liang Chongyi's intention, which was to use a sneak attack and a club to attack without following martial ethics.

No wonder people often say that those who betray their masters are the most brutal when they turn against their former masters.

Looking back now, it is indeed true.

"General Liang, do you want to lead the charge?"

Li Guangbi asked in a low voice.

"That's right. I am guilty and I want to make amends for my sins!"

Liang Chongyi said cautiously.

If he surrendered like this, it would be hard to say that he would have a good life afterwards. Because he led his troops to surrender and was "forced to surrender". Even if he did not surrender, Li Guangbi would not suffer any loss, but would have to resort to violence.

But if Liang Chongyi led his troops to stab Li Lu in the back and helped the Bianzhou army capture Jiangling, the military achievement would be different.

As for whether this would make Li Lu feel uncomfortable...what does it have to do with him, a traitor?
Since things have already come to this, why not be a little more ruthless and pave the way for your own future? Isn’t that wonderful?
Liang Chongyi's calculations are very loud.

Seeing that Li Guangbi was silent, Liang Chongyi continued to persuade him, "There is no defense in Jiangling yet, but if I delay and the fleet does not arrive in Jiangling, they will become suspicious. Li Yu only needs to send a eunuch to take a look and know the truth. What do you think, General Li?"

He was a little anxious. Although he could survive without attacking Jiangling, he would be a fool if he didn't take credit for his achievements.
What a great opportunity now!
While Li Lu still has some value, exploit him quickly!

"That makes sense. General Liang, get ready. We'll set off tonight and use all your ships!"

Li Guangbi pondered for a moment and said in a decisive tone!

Liang Chongyi's idea was a bit radical, but wealth and honor come at the cost of risk! Not only did Liang Chongyi need military merit, but Li Guangbi also needed to clear his name.

The incorporation of the Jingxiang navy was more of a result of Liang Chongyi's surrender, and it was not a real skill!

"Thank you, Marshal Li Jie, for your help! I will serve you wholeheartedly!"

Liang Chongyi knelt on the ground and prostrated himself before Li Guangbi, then walked out of the water fort.

The sun was shining brightly at this moment, and his steps could not help but become lighter.

(End of this chapter)