Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 114 Immediately Gao Gang
Zhu Wen drew his sword and mounted his horse, stationing his troops on a high hill.

The scene of Marshal Yan's army slowly retreating through the narrow mountain road was in full view.

Even though they suffered a considerable defeat at Muling Pass, the army's retreat still appeared to be well-disciplined and its formation was orderly.

If we were fighting on the plains, facing such an enemy, we could only describe it in four words: "If you pursue them, you will surely be defeated."

But the Flame Army was ultimately in retreat. Compared to an advance, a surprise attack was easier to succeed.

Rushing down from the mountains, you can gain the advantage of being high above and having the momentum to chop bamboo.

Zhu Wen glanced at Tian Jun, who was standing aside. He saw a hint of hesitation in her bright eyes. "Why, are you scared?"

"Your master has already defeated General Yan head-on. If we stop now, the Cao army can also gain the reputation of defeating 'Huaying Flame Dance' Zhen Ranyu." Tian Jun lowered his eyes and said in a low voice.

"If I were to charge into the enemy's formation now, I'd probably lose my life." Zhu Wen said with a smile, "Is that so?"

Tian Jun remained silent.

"If it were Master or Shang Rang, they would naturally be filled with a desire for revenge. But I don't have any deep feelings for Alliance Leader Wang, nor do I harbor any deep hatred for Marshal Yan."

Zhu Wen said, "I just remembered what Cao Shixiong said when we were at Qizhou. You and I killed his father, Cao Zixiu, together, but he still decided to stay. As he said, while he is still young, he is not afraid of death."

Zhu Wen asked himself if he was a person whose blood did not boil easily.

But such a magnificent battlefield still made his blood boil.

A man should make a name for himself on horseback, even if he sacrifices himself to fight for the grass and rub the grass. Even if his blood sheds like a withered maple leaf, his life will not be in vain.

"I'm not afraid of death..." Tian Jun was slightly annoyed.

Seeing that there was no one else nearby, Zhu Wen raised the corners of his thin mouth into a beautiful arc and said in a low voice, "You like me and don't want me to take risks, right?"

"Why not risk your life and fight with me? However, if Yan Shuai and I perish together, you must survive. As a girl who once loved me, you must tell others about my deeds as Zhu Sanlang."

With a life-and-death battle imminent, Zhu Wen blurted out words that he would never normally say.

Zhu Wen's low, magnetic voice made Tian Jun's pretty face blush.

She had a high nose bridge and a well-defined face, and her profile was much more beautiful than her front. Zhu Wen glanced at the girl's wheat-colored face from his horse, and saw that the sunlight shone on her beads of sweat, which was so charming that it moved people's hearts.

Zhu Wen laughed heartily, blew the horn, and rode his horse straight down in the fierce summer breeze.

"In this battle, our army's only goal is to take Marshal Yan's head. Everyone, follow me and kill the enemy. Advance to death is an honor, retreat to life is a disgrace!"

The thumping of drums, accompanied by frantic cries of war, stirred up a cloud of weeds and dust. Thousands of warriors, descending from the mountain ridges, charged bravely towards the enemy troops on the mountain path.

This battle really requires fighting.

Zhu Wen knew that Tian Jun's mission could only temporarily delay the dispatch of troops by Snow Commander Qi Kerang.

Given Yan Shuai's pride, he would never proactively ask for help from his junior fellow apprentice. But Qi Kerang couldn't possibly not save his fellow apprentice sister, with whom he grew up. Considering the burden on the common people and unwilling to increase taxes, he would definitely try to raise funds from the wealthy in Taining Town.

This would slow down the movement of troops. But when Qi Kerang's army arrived and joined forces with Zhen Ranyu, the dark forces that had emerged in the mountains of Qi and Lu for this battle would be eradicated by the two of them.

Pinglu is where Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao started their careers. For the future of the Cao army, a powerful Pinglu Jiedushi cannot be allowed to come to power.

The only way to fundamentally resolve the problem was to kill Yan Shuai and disband his army before Xue Shuai's reinforcements arrived. Huang Chao joined forces with Shang Rang and Meng Kai, who had defeated the Pinglu army, and launched a frontal pursuit, thus tying down a significant portion of the enemy's strength.

Junior sister Duan Hongyan took advantage of the narrow space, pushing rocks and rolling logs to cut off General Yan's rear army from her own team.

There is no better time than now to take Yan Shuai's life.

When two brave men meet on a narrow road, the braver one wins. At this moment, Zhu Wen had already put life and death aside.

All the soldiers in the army are brave and fearless, so why should I be afraid of death?
Although the mountain path was narrow, it still allowed for the deployment of troops. Even in the midst of defeat, the Yanshuai army's formation remained as solid as iron.

As the slope gradually became gentler, Zhu Wen saw clusters of familiar flag images.

A strange mask was embroidered on the base of these white flags, and above it was written the word "king" woven with gold thread.

Zhu Wen couldn't help but complain in his heart - why didn't the other party change the base pattern to an old turtle that symbolizes longevity?
But this turtle is more difficult to deal with than the obstacle.

Huo Cun was already gritting his teeth at the side: "Boss, let me lead the charge and chop off the head of this thief turtle!"

"Not in a hurry." Zhu Wen stopped him with his eyes.

Before he finished speaking, ten suns suddenly appeared in the sky, and a pungent burning smell was accompanied by a whooshing sound, and rockets filled the sky and shot towards the heroes of the Grass Army.

It was Judge Lei Yinfu of the Thunderbolt Hall. Wherever he was, there were always all kinds of firearms.

Many knights were either shot by arrows and fell off their horses, or their horses were frightened and jumped wildly, shaking their masters off, and in an instant they rolled into the enemy's formation and were riddled with bullets.

Zhu Wen remained calm and said, "It is impolite not to return the favor."

Many bamboo tubes with fuses were dropped from high above, carried by the wind, towards the enemy camp, making earth-shaking explosions. The flying bamboo pieces hit the faces of the government soldiers, cutting their flesh and bones, and even penetrating deep into their skulls.

"What is this?" Tian Jun asked in confusion.

"They're just some ordinary firecrackers that the Thunderbolt Hall takes from the public and sells to make extra money. I just replaced the contents with lacquer."

Of course, it is impossible for the Thunderbolt Hall to survive solely by producing firearms for the imperial court.

Therefore, their technology is not a big secret.

The actual killing power of firearms is quite limited, and they are extremely expensive to produce. Their value lies in being used at critical moments to disrupt the enemy's morale and create opportunities for breakthroughs for their own side.

Lei Yinfu's troops, as well as Wang Jian's subordinates who fought with them, could never have imagined that they, who were used to using firearms, would be burned to a crisp by firearms in turn.

At this time, more than 30 armored cavalrymen who had previously belonged to Ming Shiyin's command had ridden the howling mountain wind, like thunder and lightning, like a tsunami, and rushed towards the seemingly boundless enemy formation.

"The Ming Wang is immortal, and the heart lamp lives forever!"

They covered their faces with iron veils, leaving only their eye sockets exposed. In their eyes, there was a look of incomparable determination.

In the teachings of the Ming Cult, light exists in the human heart, and even a tiny flame will surely defeat the boundless darkness.

These knights will also transform their lives into spears of light, vowing to tear the infinite darkness that oppresses the world into pieces!
In an instant, many caltrops and chevaux de frise were lifted high into the sky, and the enemy's front line was completely defeated.

(End of this chapter)