Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 434 Just give it to him, give him everything, and he'll be satisfied!

Wu Song, clad in two or three layers of armor, was laughing wildly: "Kill!"

The enormous broadsword in his hand was no longer a sword, but an extended version of a large iron bar. He swung it left and right, making loud thuds. None of those hit could get up after falling to the ground.

And behind the grenadiers, in their armored formation, were pairs of men, one carrying a basket and a torch, the other holding a lit grenade and throwing it. Clearly, these grenade throwers were carefully selected, and each throw was at least thirty or forty meters long, causing a circle of people to fall down.

In Su Wu's view, the grenadier was a military branch that had been enduringly popular throughout the history of warfare, which shows its great significance.

The soldiers of the Vanguard Camp charged forward with Wu Song, even turning around from time to time to shout: "Hey, this one, this head is mine, make a note of it!"

The official in charge actually came from behind and replied, "Don't worry, I've got it!"

This war is not necessarily all about a surge of hot blood, nor is it entirely about madness and frenzy...

Sometimes, you really can play with that kind of composure...

Then came a loud shout: "One more! Remember that!"

These shouts rose and fell in the first row, but behind them were countless armored soldiers, anxious because they hadn't even encountered the enemy yet. Even though they ran forward, they were still at the back of the line, unable to charge to the front and kill the enemy...

But no one really paid attention to what the enemy was doing. Even Wu Song didn't notice for a moment that the enemy was already retreating. It had only been a short while since the battle began, and the enemy had already started to retreat...

The sound of thunder still echoed everywhere. Not many people were killed instantly, but many were injured. However, even more were left dazed and confused, with tinnitus, followed by a sense of stunned silence and fear...

On the flank, Lu Junyi had already mounted his horse and entered the fray, cutting across the battlefield and charging relentlessly.

In the distance, Yang Hu was also on the command platform. A rumbling sound came, and flames and smoke rose. He could no longer remain seated, so he got up and went to stand at the front edge of the platform to look around...

Although the platform was high up and offered a good view, it was packed with people, making it difficult to discern who was moving forward or backward in a short time...

He then asked, "That explosive thing must have been gunpowder. How powerful was it?"

The scene is too big, and the distance is too far...

Those around them were also watching, and one of them replied, "It may not be very powerful, but the sound is quite loud. Once the soldiers get used to it, they will have nothing to fear!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Hu felt somewhat relieved, but he also looked at the 1,500 cavalrymen who had entered the formation on the right and pointed with his hand: "Two battalions of the reserve army should go over there and make sure to intercept that cavalry force!"

"Understood!" A military officer immediately obeyed and departed.

Yang Hu was actually a skilled warrior, and his command was very methodical.

Upon receiving the order, Yang Hu immediately turned to look to his left, at the city of Shanshan Prefecture, muttering to himself, "The battle is raging right now, if we don't go out now, when will we ever get the chance..."

Someone beside him answered, "Master, that young man from the Gao family must be planning to sit back and watch the tigers fight. He'll watch us fight until we're both exhausted before he comes out... Wouldn't that make it seem like he's the one who secured the victory at the crucial moment?"

Yang Hu frowned slightly and pointed, "Perhaps it's because the enemy was prepared. The enemy's left flank is noticeably wider and more solid, as if they're waiting for the city's soldiers to charge out... So Gao Jiazi has reservations. No problem, just wait until the enemy's formation is in disarray, and then he'll come out..."

"Patriarch, why bother finding such reasons for him at this moment? He is only concerned with his own family and country, disregarding the importance of the nation and the family. He deserves to die!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Hu turned around and glared at her, already knowing in his heart that these younger generations of the Yang family were truly no match for the Gao family.

Even at this very moment, these younger members of the Yang family were already in their early twenties, yet their thoughts and words were still like those of children.

The young man, who had been glared at, immediately lowered his head, as if he knew he was wrong.

But he didn’t really know. He only knew that the patriarch was angry and that he should bow his head. He had only bowed his head for a moment when he looked up again and said, “Patriarch, should we add more drums? I think that if we add another drumbeat, the whole army will be invigorated, the situation will become clear, and the Yan army will be unable to resist.”

Someone then chimed in, "Absolutely! Let's add another drumbeat, and the Yan army will surely flee in panic. Then we can capture that emperor, wouldn't that be great?"

"Haha... I'm just afraid he has a tall horse that runs fast, so I won't be able to catch him."

Yang Hu turned his head, ready to curse, but the words didn't come out. He suddenly sighed deeply and said earnestly, "Back in the day, before and after the founding of Dali, my Yang family held fifty seats out of two hundred in the court. How could the Gao family compare? Now, each generation is worse than the last... I had thought that this situation would allow us to restore the glory of our ancestors, but looking at you... and all of you... I'm afraid it will be even more difficult..."

The crowd was puzzled, but dared not say a word. Whatever they thought, they simply bowed their heads and accepted the instruction.

Yang Hu continued slowly, "What I'm trying to say is this: the great battle before us is a battle of life and death, yet you are all so frivolous, showing none of the caution and reverence one would expect in a life-or-death situation..."

The group exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what they had done to be frivolous, and how the patriarch had come to perceive it...

No……

Yang Hu waved his hand and left: "That's enough, there's nothing to say today, this war..."

Yang Hu didn't look at anyone; his eyes kept scanning left and right, focusing on everything he could see on the battlefield. The situation was still unclear, the fighting was still deafening, the cavalry on the right hadn't been intercepted yet, the battle on the left was at a stalemate, and the central army was a bloodbath with mountains of corpses, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe...

Those ahead have suffered countless losses, while those behind continue to advance...

"Add more drums!" Yang Hu raised his hand and waved.

The people behind and to the left and right immediately exchanged glances. Weren't they saying that adding drums was frivolous? Why did they add them again?

The drumbeats were like thunder and rain, urging the soldiers forward, as if a tide had been given some force and surged forward.

Yang Hu turned his head to look to the right, and after looking for a while, he frowned more and more. He then said, "Send two more battalions. We must stop those armored cavalry who are charging around like madmen!"

"Patriarch, I'll go!"

Yang Hu glanced at the speaker and nodded slightly: "Then go ahead..."

He was initially reluctant, but he felt that the group of knights was truly brave and that the journey would be fraught with danger, so he didn't want his own son to go...

But I also think, how can these family scions become successful if they don't really experience life and death a few times?

Could it be that in the future, they will all become the steps that Gao Liangcheng steps on to advance?
Go...

Yang Hu then added, "You, you, you all, go!"

Everyone looked puzzled.

"Go quickly!" Yang Hu waved his hand.

The crowd quickly nodded and bowed, then turned and went to intercept the rampaging armored cavalry.

On the main battlefield, the roar continued incessantly, with smoke and flames everywhere. Even the distant Yang Hujiang platform was now filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Yang Hu suddenly realized something was wrong. At this moment, the tide was surging, and he could finally see a clue: the central army was retreating, and the enemy army was in front.

Yang Hu's heart tightened at the sight. He looked left and right. The right flank was already slightly disrupted by the enemy cavalry charge, while the left flank was heavily formidable. The stalemate continued, and the central army was retreating...

The situation was clearly developing in a bad direction, and Yang Hujun issued another order: "Personnel Guard, go to the central army to provide reinforcements, press forward, and supervise the battle. No one is allowed to retreat a single step; you can only move forward, not backward!"

A moment later, another group of men left.

There were hardly any people around the platform, only a few soldiers waiting below. It seemed that Yang Hu had become a commander without any troops.

Yang Hu added, "Add another drum!"

The drumbeats grew denser and louder.

Yang Hu looked up at the city walls on the left and muttered, "The third drumbeat has sounded, aren't you coming out yet?"

No sooner had Yang Hu finished speaking than the city gates of Shanshan Prefecture suddenly burst open, and armored soldiers poured out.

Yang Hu breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally, we're out!"

Initially, Yang Hu never imagined that he would place his hopes for victory or defeat on that Gao family son...

All intelligence indicates that this is not a difficult war to fight, and it may not even break out...

I never imagined this battle would escalate to this point.

Fortunately, Gao Jiazi did indeed lead his troops out of the city. This would surely be the key to turning the tide, although the decline was not significant and had only just begun to emerge...

I also think that the Gao family is really smart and knows how to choose the right time. They chose the perfect moment, which showed their importance without letting the situation get out of control.

Just as Yang Hu was pondering these matters, he suddenly paused, letting out a snort: "Hmm?"

Why didn't the Gao family soldiers who left the city head east? Why are they still heading west?
What's the point?
Gao Shouzhen did indeed come out. He hadn't actually planned to wait for any particular opportunity; he had simply made some final preparations in the city. He never imagined that the battlefield situation would change so quickly, or that Yang Huzhi's army would show signs of weakness so soon...

He was unaware that Yang Huzhi's army was already showing signs of weakness, because he was not in a high position and had come out of the city, so he could not see the full picture of the battle.

But Gao Liangcheng, standing atop the highest point of the city wall, saw everything clearly and was utterly astonished, clicking his tongue in disbelief: "This...this army of the Great Yan is so skilled in battle!"

I'm also glad that I didn't have any wavering thoughts, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.

One can't help but wonder, why are the soldiers of the Central Plains so skilled in battle?

It is evident that those old rumors, saying that these emperors of the Great Yan fought battles in the south and north, from the capital to the south, from the south to the Hetao region, from the Hetao region to the Yan-Yun region, and even beyond the grasslands...

The fact that they have won every battle is truly undeniable; only the most elite troops, who have fought countless battles, could achieve such prowess.

The Great Yan Dynasty seems... to be a thriving dynasty, Gao Liangcheng was particularly certain of this at this moment.

Clearly, he wasn't so certain back then; he had doubts, and like Duan Heyu, he even questioned whether the Great Yan could maintain its rule and whether the Great Song could be restored...

Having witnessed this battle firsthand, Gao Liangcheng was absolutely certain: it was impossible; the Song Dynasty would never return…

He couldn't help but feel relieved. His thighs, which had been trembling slightly, were now fully functional, moving freely without any stiffness.

He then stared at the scene, watching as Gao Shouzhen attacked Yang Hu's right flank from the side.

In the distance to the east, on the general's platform, Su Wu had already seen the soldiers of Shanshan Prefecture emerge and rush westward. He felt relieved and remarked, "This Gao Liangcheng is truly a remarkable figure!"

Wu Yong, standing nearby, praised, "Your Majesty's judgment of people has always been extremely accurate. Those whom Your Majesty values ​​are certainly not mediocre!"

Su Wu simply said, "There's no need to guard against the troops inside the city anymore. The right flank can advance with the whole army, beat the drums, and seize the opportunity to win the victory!"

Wu Yong was overjoyed and personally went to the side to announce, "Add more drums! Add more drums! His Majesty has decreed, add more drums!"

This matter didn't really require Wu Yong to do anything extra, but he insisted on going up and getting things done. After finishing, he returned and said, "Your Majesty, this acquisition of Dali's territory, this expansion of our territory, should be recorded in the annals of history!"

"The war isn't even over yet..." Su Wu rolled his eyes.

"That's right, that's right... No rush, no rush. I'll handle this matter after we return to the capital!" Wu Yong chuckled.

Several miles away, also on that same platform, Yang Hu suddenly stood on tiptoe, raised his hand to point, and demanded, "What's going on here?"

When Gao Shouzhen actually attacked him, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Yang Hu was shocked; it all happened so suddenly. After questioning him, he was momentarily stunned, his mouth agape, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know what to say...

He never thought about this from beginning to end. How could such a thing be possible?

Successive victories were reported, the city was attacked twice, and the camp was burned down...

How could the Gao family suddenly become traitors?

The Gao family has lived and thrived here for generations. How could they suddenly make peace with the Great Yan?

On the right, the Yan army's iron cavalry, charging back and forth, continued unabated.

On the left, a large army was pressing in, and Gao family soldiers were also joining the flanking maneuver.

The central army was extremely crowded, clearly outmatched at the front, but holding firm at the rear.

We must lose, we must lose, we must lose...

The left flank will likely collapse first, followed by the central army, and then the right flank will fall into complete disarray...

In an instant, Yang Hu considered all the possible consequences.

Finally, words escaped Yang Hu's lips: "These two traitors, these two traitors, they shall die a horrible death, they shall die a horrible death! Heaven shall bear witness, cause and effect shall be retribution! Buddha, look! These people shall surely fall into the eighteenth level of hell, never to be reborn..."

What is a curse?

This is a curse!
Yang Hu looked around, filled with regret. But it was too late. He should never have let so many members of the Yang family go into battle. The consequences of this defeat were truly unimaginable...

It seems unlikely that even one or two people will escape unscathed...

Sure enough, the left flank collapsed without warning, and even many of the soldiers below the platform could feel the collapse of the left-wing army.

A voice was calling out: "General, General!"

Yang Hu looked down and only uttered one sentence: "Bring the horse, quickly!"

We must go. At this moment, honor is irrelevant. We must hurry back to Weichu Prefecture to report the situation to the King, and more importantly, immediately strengthen the city's defenses so that the King can return to Yangjumei City as soon as possible...

The Wei Chu Prefecture is certainly not going to hold out either. The only hope is that the King will return to Yangjumei City, mobilize all the families, gather everyone in Yangjumei City, mobilize the able-bodied men in the city, and mobilize all the people in the surrounding areas...

Together we stand guard over the city walls, together we defend our homeland!
fast!
Yang Hu turned his horse around and left. He had to be quick; if he was even a fraction slower, no one would be able to escape, and the king would be a prisoner.

As Yang Hu rode away, he turned back for one last look; collapse was already underway...

The left flank was already disorganized, running around in all directions. The enemy's right flank was already closing in on the central army, which in turn could not maintain its formation, and chaos reigned both in front and behind...

This was a chain reaction; the collapse of 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers was incredibly fast...

The right wing... the right wing hadn't even reacted yet. All the Yang family members were on the right wing. If they reacted any slower, they would definitely be surrounded...

But even if you react quickly and turn around to run, how many people can you really escape if someone chases and ambushes you from behind?

Yang Hu couldn't bear to look any longer, so he turned around, tears streaming down his face, his buttocks throbbing violently.

He needed to return to Weixiong City as quickly as possible. He would take charge of the overall situation, mobilize the able-bodied men, gather the defeated soldiers, and try to hold Weichu Prefecture for a few more days so that the king could have more time to prepare...

Standing atop the city wall, Gao Liangcheng breathed a sigh of relief, but in this situation, his face showed no joy; instead, his heart was filled with an indescribable sorrow…

The Dali Kingdom, which lasted for 180 or 190 years, has truly perished today.

There are countless grudges and affections involved, but after all, it is our homeland.

Why did it have to come to this?

In the past, when Zhao Gou was handed over to the outside world, how did things come to this?
Why force the Gao family into such a desperate situation?

Why are the things of this world so difficult to understand?
Why are people in this world so unreasonable?
People may look similar, but the differences between them are often like those between two completely different creatures, like the difference between a pig and a dog, or a cow and a horse...

Although they may seem to understand each other verbally, their thoughts and beliefs are worlds apart and cannot be reconciled.

Is today's situation not tragic?
Gao Liangcheng was shedding tears and wiping them away. Xu was also lamenting the deaths of these Dali soldiers, who died without knowing why and without any meaning...

But warriors in battle have no time for sentimentality; they just charge and fight relentlessly, growing more excited and thrilled with each battle.

This time, Su Wu did not descend from the platform to mount his horse. Instead, he turned and walked slowly to the chair, sat down, placed his hands on the armrests, rubbed them back and forth a few times, and said, "Send Gao Liangcheng to see me!"

"Understood!" The soldiers immediately set off.

All that was needed was for the soldiers to rush to the city gate, climb the city wall, and shout a few times.

Gao Liangcheng quickly descended the city walls and rode his horse at full speed towards the location of the dragon banner.

The emperor, clad in armor, sat firmly in the center. Gao Liangcheng stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Su Wu raised his hand: "Stand up."

Gao Liangcheng stood up and stood in attendance.

Su Wu first took off his helmet, and then his bodyguards in iron armor stood in two rows, one horizontal and one vertical, to shield him from view.

Su Wu then said, "I hereby promote you to the position of Military Commissioner of Yunnan Circuit, and upgrade Chan Prefecture to Kunming Prefecture, making it the seat of the Military Commissioner's Office of Yunnan Circuit. I also promote Sheng Shouzhen to the position of Military Commander of Yunnan Circuit. You two brothers are to accomplish three tasks within three years: First, quell the bandits and rebels both inside and outside the region. Second, restore agriculture and sericulture, and repair the city walls. Third, comfort the dead and wounded soldiers and civilians."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Gao Liangcheng knelt down in a deep salute.

"Today, let's join the army for now..." Su Wu waved his hand slightly, signaling him to get up and go fight to the side.

Then, it was time to rush again. The troops rushed forward, for time was of the essence. They pursued and ambushed, heading straight for Weixiong City. They would capture Weixiong first, and then immediately capture Yangjumei City. In that way, the matter would be settled.

We must not give the enemy any chance to regroup.

The cavalry changed horses, shed their heavy armor, and donned light armor, then led the pursuit, chasing after them relentlessly...

Along the way, the number of corpses was truly countless, stretching for 150 miles, with heads and tails piled up one after another...

Within the mountains and forests, countless people, having lost their armor and weapons, were trembling in fear.

In just one day and one night, Yang Hu arrived at the Wei Chu Prefecture, where he knelt before King Duan Heyu, weeping bitterly.

Duan Heyu was utterly shocked, asking seven or eight times in a row, "How could we have lost? How could we have suffered such a crushing defeat?"

Yang Hu had already finished speaking, and all that remained was a curse: "You son of the Gao family, may you die a horrible death, may you die a horrible death!"

"How could we have suffered such a crushing defeat?" Duan Heyu asked for the ninth time.

How could such a crushing defeat have occurred? If Zhao Gou had not been spared, perhaps this defeat would not have happened.

If the Gao family hadn't been driven to their deaths, they might not have suffered such a crushing defeat.

Duan and Yu both understood this principle...

Yang Hu knelt on the ground, head bowed weakly: "Your Majesty, there is no time to lose, let's go quickly..."

Duan Heyu's face was ashen. He lowered his head blankly and asked, "Can Weichu Prefecture be defended? Can Yangjumei City be defended?"

Yang Hu raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, even if I die in Weichu Prefecture, I will do my best to buy Your Majesty a few more days so that Your Majesty can strengthen the defenses of Yangjumei City!"

“That means we can’t hold on…” Tears streamed down Duan Heyu’s pale face.

It's too late for regrets. I should never have driven Gao Jiazi to his death... I never imagined that this boy would be so cunning, orchestrating such a series of victories...

Thus, all the troops in the country were mobilized to Shanshan Prefecture, and a decisive battle was fought...

If not for such a decisive battle, relying on the city's strong walls and high defenses, how could we have suffered such a defeat today?

"Someone come here! Write the letter of surrender, write the letter of surrender, write it quickly, and send it over immediately!" Duan Heyu said, raising his hand.

Upon hearing this, Yang Hu became extremely anxious: "Your Majesty, it's not time yet! As long as the people of Yangjumei City are united and the soldiers and civilians fight to the death, we can still fight!"

“He is from a superior nation, from the Central Plains, from the Celestial Empire. Isn’t this all he wants? Just give it to him. Once you give him everything, he’ll be satisfied and leave…”

Duan Heyu's powerless right hand hung limply in mid-air, repeatedly waving forward.

"Your Majesty, I fear the Yan army's ambitions are not this extreme!" Yang Hu had a feeling that things had already reached a point where a letter of state or a letter of surrender could not resolve the matter.

"What else does he want?" Duan Heyu asked.

"Your Majesty, why don't you return to Yangjumei City first? I will write the letter of surrender and send it over as soon as I finish. This way, we can prepare for both possibilities and then... we can then..."

"What are you saying?"

"Furthermore, the king must go back and keep Zhao Gou under his control. Only then will the Yan emperor be willing to accept the surrender document. Zhao Gou is of utmost importance!"

Yang Hu was still clear-headed at this moment.

"Huh?" Duan Heyu seemed a little out of it, then realized what he meant: "Right, right, Zhao Gou, we have to capture Zhao Gou. I'll go back right now, capture Zhao Gou and send him here!"

"Your Majesty, go quickly!" Yang Hu stood up and hurriedly went forward to help him.

(End of this chapter)