The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 326: Destroy the Song clan’s army and celebrate the New Year in Chengdu!
The coalition forces had just won a victory. A few dozen miles away was Jiange. Spies reported that the Song warlords had stationed a large number of troops there, attempting to use the geographical advantage to guard the gate and block the road into Shu.

Although the two sides did not contact each other, they reached a consensus that this was the final battle that would determine the fate of Bashu.

"Haha, with the help of the Buddhist master, the Song clan is nothing to worry about!"

A banquet was being held in the general's tent. Yuwen Chengdu held up his wine glass, his face glowing and he looked extremely happy.

Venerable Emperor Xin was twisting a string of Buddhist beads in his hand. The round beads were gleaming with a faint light. He spoke in a solemn and stern tone, "Amitabha, General, you are too serious. Our Buddhist sect is only taking action to wipe out the enemies of Buddhism as soon as possible, to reduce the killing, and to restore peace to Shu. If we can do this, it will be a great merit. Even if we break the precept of killing, we are willing to do so."

After these words, everyone in the tent began to compliment the Buddhists, praising them for their profound understanding of justice, compassion and saving the world.

However, Yuwen Chengdu smiled and thought to himself, "Humph, these monks are just pretending. It's because Song Que confiscated Buddhist temples in the book and cooperated with the Taoist sect, threatening your status!"

Before, he didn't understand why the Buddhists would come out in full force to follow the army. It was not until they entered Hanzhong and learned about the actions of the Song clan that he understood the purpose of the Buddhists' trip.

Dealing with the Song clan and getting rid of Jade Zhenren were only superficial; their real intention was to win the battle between Buddhism and Taoism and maintain the status of Buddhism.

Yuwen Chengdu still had a smile on his face and raised his glass again, "Haha, don't worry, everyone, the battle at Jiange is the last one. In half a month it will be the end of the year. We will definitely be able to destroy the Song army and celebrate the New Year in Chengdu. Come on, cheers!"

At the bottom, Yuwen Wudi, Master and Disciple Fan Qinghui, Li Shimin, and many generals raised their glasses together, "Cheers!"

The atmosphere at the banquet was harmonious and everyone had smiles on their faces, as if the outcome had already been decided.

In the Li clan camp, Fu Cailin was sitting on a Hu bed with a sword across the mat. He looked calm and peaceful, as if he had merged into the world. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked towards the direction of Jiange, feeling confused and surprised.

……

While the coalition forces were holding a banquet, at the Song clan’s camp on top of Jiange.

Su Ming said in a deep voice, "Brother Song, I sensed a hidden sword energy in the coalition camp. This person must be the Goguryeo Sword Master Fu Cailin. The Buddhist sect's trump card is indeed him."

"Fu Cailin is here?"

Lu Miaozi exclaimed. Thirty years ago, Fu Cailin had already become famous and renowned throughout the world. The failure of Yang Guang's three expeditions to Goguryeo also made this great master famous. Otherwise, how could the great master of such a small country be ranked alongside the Central Plains and the Turks.

Shi Zhixuan raised the corner of his mouth slightly, he just felt funny. Even without him, the Song clan's camp could not be shaken by the Guanlong Alliance. Few people in the world knew that the Song clan had not one, but two grandmasters.

In addition to the grandmaster, there are also Kou Zhong, Li Jing, and masters from Longhu Mountain and Shuzhong Taoism. In terms of lineup, it is not much worse than Buddhism. Jiange is an important military town where one man can block the passage of ten thousand. A forceful attack is obviously impossible.

Their plan was obviously not on military matters, but on a competition among masters. As long as they could kill the generals and seize the flags in this camp, the so-called Song army would naturally disintegrate.

In the upcoming battle between grandmasters, only the innate masters will be able to take a foothold and intervene. Acquired masters will find it difficult to even protect themselves, let alone participate in the battle.

……

On the mountain road, soldiers from the barracks and cavalrymen came and went, reflecting the sense of urgency as the great war approached. A large flag with the two characters "Yuwen" inscribed on it fluttered in the wind. Among the busy and noisy marching teams, Li Shimin, wearing armor, was patrolling with a group of his trusted generals, and they talked from time to time while walking.

The flags blocked out the sky, obscuring everything that could be seen. The huge sea of ​​people divided into several groups, winding through the plains, hills and mountains, extending for more than ten miles towards Jiange. A large number of scouts radiated in all directions, running back and forth to bring news of the march.

Countless horses and infantrymen caused a large amount of ups and downs to fill the sky. In the marching square formations, archers and crossbowmen were protected in the middle of each route to avoid possible attacks. The army moved forward, and scouts were sent out ten miles away. A large number of soldiers were running in the woods to investigate the enemy situation.

The army marched forward, startling the birds in the forest. The high-raised "Yuwen" general flag fluttered in the wind. Countless flags were guarding the surroundings and stretched out in a row. The shafts of the chariots slowly moved over the undulating road. On the chariot pulled by several horses, Yuwen Chengdu stood in military uniform with a sword, looking in the direction of Jiange with a firm expression and an imposing manner.

Looking at the majestic and awe-inspiring army, Yuwen Chengdu felt heroic and couldn't help fantasizing: as long as they win this battle, the Great Zhou will be able to take over Shu and win the world. The Li and Song clans will all be wiped out, and the Yuwen family will definitely be the one laughing last!
At noon, they arrived at Jianmen Pass and sent envoys to the pass to negotiate with the Song clan.

Yuwen Chengdu stood on the shaft of the carriage and shouted, "Song Que, my army has arrived. If you don't surrender, you will be turned into dust. A man of insight is a hero. As long as you surrender and return to Lingnan, you will still be the Duke of Zhennan, and the Lingnan Song family will be able to preserve their family heritage!"

He gathered all his energy and his voice became rich and powerful, echoing through the valley and reaching everyone's ears clearly.

Song Que, dressed in white, stood on the tower of the pass, looking extremely graceful and dazzling like a pearl. "Yuwen Chengdu, the reason you can reach Jiange is not because you are strong, but because I have not made a move. Otherwise, you can't even take Yangping Pass, and you dare to talk nonsense here. You really don't know what you are talking about!"

"what?"

Hearing this, Yuwen Chengdu was quite confident, but at this moment he couldn't help but doubt himself, because Song Que was telling the truth. However, he didn't have time to think about it. With so many people watching and listening, he could only fight back fiercely, "It's not that you don't want to take action, but because you are afraid. Even if you have the advantage of Jiange, we will definitely win this battle. Just wait and see."

On the tower, Song Que was too lazy to say anything more. He just replied with one word and turned away, "Okay!"

"Beat the drums! March!"

"kill!"

The drums sounded and the coalition forces began to attack. At the pass, a Song army drew their bows and waited for the enemy to come into range. A rain of arrows fell, killing and wounding many people. Even if there were some fish that escaped and came close, they were blocked by the shield soldiers and killed with just three or two bullets.

But even so, the coalition soldiers were fearless and fought bravely, one team after another.

From noon until dusk, the coalition forces' offensive never stopped, but they made no progress and left behind large numbers of corpses.

The bows and crossbows, catapults, and other weapons improved by Lu Miaozi also caused great damage to the coalition forces, forcing them to withdraw and stabilize their front.

Yuwen Chengdu looked at the Jiange Pass which was so close at hand and sighed in his heart, it was indeed a dangerous pass in Shu.

The Jiange Pass is not big, but as long as there is a reliable and decent army stationed here, the attackers will be helpless. The pass tower is built on the high ground between the gaps in the mountains, with rocky cliffs on both sides. Going south from here, the only passage is the gap where the pass is located.

The north slope is a narrow stone stairway with a steep slope. Although the terrain behind the city gate cannot be seen, according to the description of the surrendered generals in Hanzhong, the south slope is relatively flat and open. Such terrain is very conducive to the defense of the southern defenders!

The road was narrow, the pass was small, and the gap was larger, and the pass did not completely block the gap. However, from the north slope where the coalition troops were located, there was a stream flowing from a high place on the left, and the stream was surrounded by rocks and was completely impassable.

The entire slope is long and steep, making it difficult to attack by force. In fact, even without the Jiange Pass Tower, it is still difficult to capture this place. The steep terrain in the north and gentle terrain in the south limits the attack. More importantly, the battlefield is extremely small, and the number of people fighting head-on is extremely limited, which limits the combat of large troops. A strong attack can only consume them.

But the problem was that they could not outlast Shu by force. The coalition forces' food had to be transported thousands of miles from Guanzhong, while the Song army was stationed at Jiange, with Shu behind them and their supplies were very short.

Thinking of the boasting he had made during the New Year's celebration in Chengdu Prefecture, Yuwen Chengdu felt deeply regretful. He thought he had said too much.

At this time, Li Shimin led his army to explore the small path that could pass through Jiange, but he returned empty-handed because the Song clan had blocked all the possible roads. If the coalition forces wanted to take over Shu, they had to open up this road.

After returning to the camp, he just took a quick look at Jiange Pass and was secretly shocked. In just one afternoon, thousands of corpses were left in front of the pass, and the coalition forces didn't even touch the city wall.

Now he couldn't help but be thankful that he did not lead the attack, otherwise the Li clan's army, which had already suffered heavy losses, would suffer countless casualties.

The two armies faced off in front of the pass for several days. In addition to attacking the pass, they were also constantly investigating the situation of the Song army.

"boom!"

There was a roar of thunder in the sky, and soon a drizzle of rain began to fall.

In the night, the lights are dim and flickering.

On the city wall, Su Ming and Song Que sat opposite each other, with Shi Zhixuan sitting beside them and Kou Zhonghou on the side. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and the lights dimmed a lot. It stirred the wick in the lamppost standing on the table, and the fire lit up again, illuminating the bluestone carved chessboard on it. Song Que picked up a white chess piece and put it down.

"Sir, when do you think the Buddhists will take action?"

Su Ming made the decision without hesitation, "In these few days."

Song Que could not deny it, and said in a deep voice, "Heroes think alike. The coalition forces have suffered heavy casualties and cannot make any progress. A brute force attack is absolutely impossible. Only a surprise attack can win. It is enough to have a grandmaster as the commander and a master as the general."

Jiange Pass is strategically located and can stop ordinary people, but it cannot stop masters above the Grandmaster level. Even masters with outstanding lightness skills can sneak in under the blockade of the army.

Su Ming picked up a few chess pieces and said with a smile, "Yesterday I noticed someone secretly spying on me at night. What they thought was exactly what I thought. Jiange Pass is not a place where they can come and go as they please."

After saying that, he glanced at Pei Ju and said, "Brother Pei, are you willing to help? The one coming this time is your old rival."

Pei Ju's eyes showed a hint of coldness. "Haha, how can I be absent when dealing with Buddhism? I will collect some interest first. As long as the Buddhist masters who are accompanying the army to the battle leave a small part, it will be enough. The rest can be calculated slowly."

Although Shi Zhixuan eventually became a monk, it must be said that what he hated most in his life was Buddhism. If it weren't for them, he, Shi, would have unified the Holy Sect long ago. How could he have ended up like this today?

Blocking someone's future is like killing their parents, not to mention that his wife's death was inextricably linked to Buddhism.

"After this battle, Brother Pei can return to Youlin Cottage and take a look. You don't have to worry anymore."

Pei Ju's expression froze and turned gloomy. "Let's talk about this later."

……

Li Shimin was sitting in the military tent, not far away was Shi Feixuan, "Master Fairy, the danger of Jiange is difficult to attack, it seems that I still need you to help."

"I didn't take this road when I first entered Shu. I didn't expect that this pass would be so dangerous. It seems that this is the only way." Shi Feixuan also sighed softly, her beautiful face full of worry.

"Mr. Li, after this victory, what will you do?"

victory?

Li Shimin was stunned, his fingers subconsciously rubbing the teacup, and he began to think, if the coalition forces win, they can take over Bashu, but what will follow is the collapse of the coalition. Without the Song clan as an enemy, the Yuwen clan will definitely be eyeing them covetously.

Because they have turned from allies to enemies, but once the Li family’s army is wiped out here, the consequences will be disastrous!
The Li clan used to be much stronger than the Yuwen clan, but was later suppressed by Yang Guang, which allowed the up-and-coming Yuwen clan to gain the upper hand. The most regrettable thing was that the Li clan failed to quickly take control of Guanzhong, allowing the Yuwen clan to take it over without any effort.

In a short period of time, a huge gap between the two major clans opened up. For the Li clan, 50,000 troops were most of their strength. If they all stayed here, even with the help of Buddhism, it would be difficult for them to compete for the Central Plains.

He did not express his thoughts, but asked Shi Feixuan, "What does the fairy mean?"

Shi Feixuan blinked, her beautiful eyes gleaming with wisdom. "At this point, there is nothing I cannot say. The Yuwen clan inherited the previous dynasty and is not compatible with our Buddhist sect. As long as Master Li can win this battle, the entire Buddhist sect will do its utmost to help the Li clan seize the world."

This was the first time he heard these words from Shi Feixuan.

Whoever the other party is, he is the contemporary successor of Cihang Jingzhai and can almost represent the entire Buddhist community. With the endorsement of Cihang Jingzhai, this matter is almost a foregone conclusion.

Previously, Buddhism also helped the Li clan, but as the Yuwen clan took control of Guanzhong, their support became much weaker because the Yuwen clan was also trying to win over Buddhism.

But the problem is that if he wants the entire Buddhist community to help the Li family, he must demonstrate his value and sufficient prospects. To achieve this, he must become the final winner of this attack on the Song family.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin's eyes flashed with a hint of determination, "I understand the fairy's intention, I will definitely not let you down."

Shi Feixuan nodded lightly and said no more. She knew that Li Shimin understood her words. If he wanted to be the final winner, the most direct way would be to be the first to turn against the Song clan after taking it down.

It is better to strike first. If he doesn't do it, Yuwen Chengdu will do it. Everyone knows that no one will share the interests of Bashu with each other.

Eliminate Yuwen Chengdu and others, gather their remaining troops, attack Guanzhong from Hanzhong, and attack Guanzhong together with Hedong, then the overall situation can be determined.

The winner takes all.

(End of this chapter)