Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 25 Rushing
"A journey of ten thousand miles is better than a thousand miles away! Brothers, follow me and charge!"

Kou Qianzhi shouted loudly, his cloak fluttering, and his figure turned into a gust of wind, rushing in front of a commander of the Cao army camp. Before the man could react, Jing Zhongyue lightly cut the commander's neck, like cutting paper, and blood gushed out of the commander's neck like a spring. The body with a helmet and armor fell to the ground with a bang, and it was obvious that he was not going to survive.

After killing an officer of the Cao army with one strike, Kou Qianzhi, showing his courage, turned around and headed towards Meng Kai, who had been unstoppable just now.

When Meng Kai saw Kou Qianzhi kill the general of Lu camp, he could not help but get furious. He swung the Xuanhua axe towards Kou Qianzhi like five soldiers splitting a mountain. The axe blade flashed and cut through the wind, with the power to shake the mountain.

But Kou Qianzhi came riding suddenly, full of vigor, while Meng Kai had been fighting all the way and was already a little tired. Kou Qianzhi's Moon in the Well sword glowed with a faint yellow light, and he held the sword horizontally to relieve the force, channeling Meng Kai's axe force into the ground through his body. Then he flipped the back of the sword, unleashed his mighty moves, which were in line with the principles of Yi, showing the demeanor of a master.

Kou Qianzhi's moves were extremely smooth and harmonious like water. The recoil force of the knife forced Meng Kai to retreat several steps, but Kou Qianzhi was smiling and calm.

With just two moves, he killed a general of the Cao army and forced Meng Kai, who was previously unstoppable, to retreat, breaking his killing momentum.

"Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories for General Kou!"

For a moment, the Taining army cheered like thunder, and the twenty-eight riders of Xingyun also dismounted to fight. They were like tigers and wolves, killing people in droves, and in an instant they turned the defeat of the Taining army around.

Kou Qianzhi killed the general of Lu Ying with his fresh momentum, and repelled Meng Kai with his cleverness. Although he was not much stronger than Meng Kai, the effect he showed was able to greatly increase morale.

Kou Qianzhi's performance instantly reversed the morale of both sides, making the Cao army soldiers frightened and depressed, and putting them in an extremely unfavorable situation!
At the critical moment, a black shadow appeared from behind the Grass Army.

"It seems that it is time for me to take action."

The man took off his bamboo hat, revealing a middle-aged face that was thin and elegant, like a modest scholar. When the Cao army soldiers saw him, they were stunned for a moment, and then they cheered!

The person who came was none other than Liu Yanzhang, the deputy leader of the Zhenyi Alliance.

As the deputy to Wang Xianzhi, the world's number one martial artist, Liu Yanzhang's martial arts skills should not be underestimated. It could even be said that even if Snow Marshal Qi Kerang were to remain behind to guard the main camp, Liu Yanzhang would be able to hold his own.

With Liu Yanzhang around, why worry about Kou Qianzhi having no one to resist him?

Zhu Wen had put some thought into arranging Liu Yanzhang as his trump card.

He devised a plan, asking Wang Xianzhi to personally lead his troops to the open space in front of Song Wei's camp to challenge him. As Wang Xianzhi's deputy, Liu Yanzhang naturally followed closely behind.

But in reality, Liu Yanzhang had already been replaced by a look-alike double. Because Liu Yanzhang kept a low profile and his brilliance was overshadowed by Wang Xianzhi, the enemy would never have noticed that Liu Yanzhang had secretly left the camp.

Although Zhu Wen was Huang Chao's direct disciple, he was young and inexperienced, and his position was only a battalion commander. Therefore, Zhu Wen secretly borrowed Liu Yanzhang, not only as a decisive chess piece at a critical moment, but also to strengthen his prestige and increase his pressure.

"I am Alliance Leader Wang's deputy. Now that I've arrived at General Yan's camp, I'm here as a guest general to assist. Regardless of my status in the martial arts world, I must obey General Xiao Zhu's orders in this battle." Liu Yanzhang said with a casual smile, "However, with a powerful enemy ahead, I must take action."

These words not only gave Zhu Wen great face and support, but also demonstrated his own strength, and were said in a very smooth and exquisite way.

"Deputy Alliance Leader Liu is righteous and puts the overall situation first. We admire him." Huang Chao's nephew Lin Yan said.

"Our two families have joined forces to fight against violence, so why should we differentiate between each other?" Liu Yanzhang smiled lightly, unsheathed the long sword behind him, and pointed it directly in the direction of Kou Qianzhi. His movements were extremely experienced, and his moves seemed ordinary, but they contained a secret power engraved in people's hearts. He was worthy of being a famous master in the world.

But at this moment, the earth suddenly made a rumbling sound, and the sky and the earth shook for a while.

"It's time." Kou Qianzhi looked up at the sky and said to himself.

"What happened?"

"Could it be an earthquake?"

The Cao army was discussing this matter.

"No, the sound is coming from the direction of the Beibian River. Could it be..." Meng Kai's deputy general Ban Fanlang said in surprise, "General Huang has clearly led the main force out of the camp to contain Qi Kerang. Qi Kerang should be moving now, trying to rescue the main camp..."

"Yes, the dam was dug up." Zhu Wen's face turned pale. Although he was resourceful and intelligent, he was still young and full of vigor. He wasn't one of those old foxes, so how could he keep his emotions hidden?

"Qikerang could have dug the embankment much earlier, but he deliberately delayed in order to further use the Beibian River construction site to wear down our army's morale."

Zhu Wen continued, "Before Qi Kerang evacuated the Beibian River construction site, he had already damaged the dam to a critical point. It is extremely fragile. Soon after he retreats, the dam will collapse on its own because it cannot withstand the pressure of the water flow, causing a torrential flood to burst out!"

Lin Yan said anxiously: "Those soldiers in the tunnel, aren't they..."

Zhu Wen could only sigh.

The river water rushed out violently. Although it was not enough to submerge the camp of King Yancheng, it would pour into the tunnel. The soldiers who were still in the tunnel and could not get out would soon be confusedly turned into fish and turtles in the constantly flowing water, and their souls would return to the underworld!
He had vowed that a preemptive assault would thwart Qi Kerang's entire plan, but he had missed a step. Those soldiers who had trusted him would be drowned in despair, in the darkness, by the rushing water.

Fortunately, the Cao army moved quickly, and most of the raiders had already escaped the tunnel, so the losses were not that great. Qi Kerang's hasty retreat made it impossible to control the time accurately, and the flood arrived a little late.

But the men who had been guarding the rear were now certain to perish, beyond rescue. The floodwaters pouring into the tunnels had severed their connection to the main camp, causing the Cao army to waver in morale. And the ultimate key to war lies in morale!

"Deputy Alliance Leader Liu, I am willing to fight Kou Qianzhi myself! Please help me to restrain the twenty-eight riders of Xingyun!" Zhu Wen's eyes suddenly flashed with sharp light, he clenched his fists and said decisively.

Before he finished speaking, he had already raised the Great Xia Dragon Bird Fierce Knife, the blade whistled loudly, and with surging anger and killing intent, he pounced towards Kou Qianzhi.

Even though he had almost died at the hands of Kou Qianzhi before, Zhu Wen did not show any fear.

"You look like you want to kill me." Kou Qianzhi said calmly.

"Of course!" Zhu Wen shouted.

"I also participated in planning General Qi's overall strategy." Kou Qianzhi remained calm. "Speaking of which, Huang Chao entrusted you with such an important operation. I'm sure it was you, young man, who saw through General Qi's plan and devised a counterattack. You have such talent at such a young age. It would be a pity if you died in battle here."

"It's either you or me who dies. We have to fight to find out!" Zhu Wen roared like a tiger, and with a sharp sword, he aimed directly at Kou Qian's chest.

Kou Qianzhi swung his Moon in the Well sword, blocking Zhu Wen's attack. "If you mourn the deaths of those people and grieve over their wives, children, and grandchildren, then the officers and soldiers who died at your hands also had wives, children, and grandchildren. So what? Are they no longer human? On the battlefield, we should be prepared to be killed."

"You're right." Zhu Wen lashed out with his sword several more times, like a wave crashing against the shore, continuous and uninterrupted. "What I hate is that I ultimately underestimated one step and caused those people to die tragically because of me."

"But you are so famous and powerful. If I could kill you here, I could turn the tide of the war, shock the world, and even shake the foundation of the Tang court. So, doesn't that mean I still have a strong reason to kill you?"

Kou Qianzhi switched from defense to offense, raising Jing Zhongyue's precious sword and slashing down from the air: "Since you started the rebellion, you have caused more death and disaster. Who is responsible for the deaths of those farmers who joined you in the rebellion?"

"The court was dark, taxes were heavy, officials were corrupt, and the people were living in misery. Zhu Wen raised his sword to block Kou Qianzhi's incoming blade and shouted angrily, "We raise our army to eradicate all injustice!"

Kou Qianzhi sighed: "Between heaven and earth, all life is suffering. Many things are not as simple as young people like you imagine."

"You're right. Among the rebels, some bully the weak and some even rob the people."

Kou Qianzhi nodded, his attack becoming more fierce: "Therefore, in this mortal world, I only wish to keep myself safe."

Zhu Wen suddenly burst into anger and shouted, "But who made them like this? The tax collectors demanding taxes, the soldiers acting like bandits, and the local governors causing rebellion have left the people with no place to live!"

"If the people cannot have a home, how can the Li Tang Dynasty have a country? If the meat-eaters are like this, how can we expect the common people to be humble and kind? If everyone can have enough to eat, who would rise up in rebellion?"

At this point, Zhu Wen's forehead bulged with anger, his eyes sparkled, and his voice turned stern. "Yes, General Kou, you are noble and honest, but you are so self-righteous, watching the people of the world suffer. How is that any different from a hypocrite? It is you, the so-called upright officials and generals, who are helping the tyrant to commit atrocities, knowing full well that the ruler and his ministers are corrupt, and the world is turbid, yet you still insist on being loyal! You, like those who oppress the people, deserve to be killed!"

"Well, well said." Kou Qianzhi showed no sign of anger, but only a faint smile. The moon in the well swept across like an electric snake, striking Zhu Wen's lower ribs. "Hearing what you said, I also feel that I might be doomed. However, relying on killing and trickery to seize the throne, even if you win, do you think you can really create a new era?
Zhu Wen spun like a whirlwind, dodging Kou Qianzhi's deadly blow. The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Blade shone brightly as it slashed through the air. "I don't expect to convince General Kou, but since the people are so dissatisfied, a government official like General Kou shouldn't expect the people to remain as indifferent as clay sculptures or wooden carvings."

"If I keep enduring, I might survive, or I might die tomorrow. So, why not give it a try? He, he, he, every one of the brothers in the Grass Army here thinks the same way. Life is filled with so much injustice, so why not risk our very lives and fight it out with a bang!"

"Look, General Kou! Our soldiers are all excited and determined to die. They believe in me, and that's enough!"

An immense aura emanated from the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword. Kou Qianzhi saw from the corner of his eye that upon hearing Zhu Wen's words, the Cao army's officers and soldiers had become enthusiastic, no longer showing any fear.

Liu Yanzhang drew his sharp sword from his sleeve, the tip of the sword trembling slightly. At first glance, it looked as gentle as a willow swaying in the wind, but when it came to killing, it was like a poisonous snake. The sword light was stained with blood, and soon he killed two of the twenty-eight riders of Xingyun on the spot.

Kou Qianzhi's foot combat abilities were comparable to his cavalry combat abilities, but the Twenty-Eight Riders of Xingyun, having fought on horseback for years, were not as adept at dismounted combat. Furthermore, Liu Yanzhang's swordsmanship was incredibly powerful, his skills uncanny and elusive, penetrating every pore. They were caught off guard and suffered a heavy loss.

The twenty-eight riders of Nebula had rarely suffered casualties in the past and rarely needed replenishment, but today, two of them were killed in a battle.

Kou Qianzhi, who had previously repelled Meng Kai, now fought Zhu Wen, whose martial arts were inferior to Meng Kai's, to a draw, which further boosted the morale of the Cao army. The breaching of the Beibian River embankment, which drowned many of their brothers, did not dampen their fighting spirit, but instead aroused their shared hatred of the enemy.

The right time is not as important as the right place, and the right place is not as important as the people. In war, what counts is the people's hearts. If you can win the hearts of the people, you are invincible.

Kou Qianzhi's eyes flickered with reluctance, evidently still unwilling to give up. At that moment, a rider approached at lightning speed, shouting, "General Kou, this is bad news. General Qi is losing ground in a fierce battle with Huang Chao and is forced to fight and retreat towards General Song's army. He can't return to rescue the main camp. Please, General Kou, quickly organize your troops to retreat!"

Zhu Wen burst into laughter. "General Kou, you can't even convince yourself, how can you convince others? This time, you've been completely defeated. If you can still survive this battle, General Kou, don't fight against the people of the world for the tyrant Li family. Otherwise, you will only go against the will of heaven and bring about your own destruction!"

The laughter was overwhelming, with an absolute confidence that no one could stop.

Kou Qianzhi's expression suddenly changed, but he regained his composure in an instant. He quickly retreated, instantly freeing himself from Zhu Wen's sword energy. He blew the horn and issued an order: "Don't be arrogant in victory, don't be discouraged in defeat. Taining warriors, follow me to retreat!"

Long and short syllables were conveyed in an orderly manner from the sound of the horn. Following Kou Qianzhi's command, a group of Taining officers and soldiers formed a neat formation and slowly withdrew from the camp in an orderly manner without any chaos.

As expected of a famous general, he had the aura of a man who remained calm even when faced with a mountain collapsing before him. Facing Kou Qianzhi's well-organized army, Zhu Wen could not find any flaws and could only follow him slowly, allowing him to gather his defeated troops and retreat while fighting.

(End of this chapter)