xymnovel Chapter 33 One-on-One Challenge with Hong Chengchou
Chapter 33 One-on-One Challenge with Hong Chengchou
In mid-March of the third year of the Shunzhi reign (1646), the willows on both banks of the Han River had just sprouted tender buds, but the river water had already been stained red with blood several times.
Ma Yongsheng stood on a high slope thirty miles east of Xiangyang City, observing this majestic city known as the "backbone of the world" through binoculars.
The city wall was faintly visible in the thin mist, dark and looming like a crouching giant beast.
Banners were densely packed on the city walls, and the outlines of cannons could be vaguely seen.
"Hong Hengjiu is truly determined to hold out to the death this time," said Instructor Sun from the side. His left arm was still not very flexible after recovering from his injury, but he insisted on accompanying the army. "The scouts reported that he has withdrawn all the troops that can be mobilized from the surrounding area into Xiangyang and Fancheng. The two cities are connected by pontoon bridges, forming a defensive triangle. The cities have ample food supplies, which are said to last for a year."
Ma Yongsheng put down his binoculars and did not speak immediately.
The spring breeze, carrying the dampness of the river, brushed against my cheeks, and also brought the smell of cooking fires from the distant city.
He can "see" more—not with his eyes, but with his consciousness.
The energy field of Xiangyang City was abnormally chaotic, like a pot of boiling porridge mixed with a few cold, inhuman fluctuations.
AI is indeed here, and there's more than one.
"Chief, a direct assault would result in too many casualties," said Li Dingguo, the newly appointed former military commander.
He was originally a general under Zhang Xianzhong and a sworn brother of Sun Kewang. However, after Zhang Xianzhong's death, he broke with Sun Kewang and led his troops to fight in Sichuan. Upon hearing that Ma Yongsheng had raised an army, he came to join him.
This man was in his early thirties, with a handsome face, but a scar ran from his forehead to his chin, adding to his menacing appearance.
"This humble general once garrisoned Xiangyang. This city is high and deeply moated. Back then, Li Zicheng's million-strong army besieged it for half a year but could not take it down."
"Therefore, we cannot launch a direct attack," Ma Yongsheng finally spoke, his voice calm. "Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy."
"Winning hearts and minds?"
"What is Hong Chengchou most afraid of right now?" Ma Yongsheng turned to look at the generals. "It's not our attack on the city, but the unrest within the city. His troops are mostly Han soldiers, and now the news of Lekedehun's complete annihilation has spread, shattering the myth of the Eight Banners' invincibility. What will those Han generals think?"
He paused for a moment, then said, "Send down the order: halt the advance and set up camp on the spot. Have the engineering battalion cut down trees to build catapults and siege ladders, creating the appearance of a long-term siege. At the same time, send an envoy into the city."
"An envoy? Will Hong Chengchou meet with him?"
"It doesn't matter if we don't meet, just deliver the message." A cold glint flashed in Ma Yongsheng's eyes. "Tell the Han soldiers in the city: The Xinghan Army will only punish the ringleaders, and will not question those who were coerced. All Han people who defect will be pardoned. Whoever surrenders the city gates will be granted a fief of a thousand households; whoever captures and kills Hong Chengchou will be granted a fief of a marquis of ten thousand households."
"Furthermore," he added, "tell the catapults not to drop stones, but leaflets. Make thousands of copies of our 'New Policy Platform' and 'Three-Point Agreement,' and throw them into the city. Let the people know what will happen when we arrive."
The generals accepted the order and departed.
Ma Yongsheng remained alone on the hilltop, gazing at Xiangyang City.
Deep within his consciousness, those cold fluctuations seemed to become active because of his arrival.
They are observing, calculating, waiting for... what?
That evening, the Jingnan Army camp was set up ten miles east of Xiangyang, stretching for several miles.
The clanging of soldiers felling trees, the hammering of forging weapons, and the shouts of battle during drills drifted on the wind toward Xiangyang City.
On the city wall, Hong Chengchou leaned against the crenellations, watching all this with a gloomy expression.
He was over fifty years old, his temples were white, but his back was still straight and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
The wrinkles around his eyes were deeper, a testament to months of anxiety and torment.
"Commander, the enemy army is powerful, should we...?" the lieutenant asked cautiously.
"What? A decisive battle outside the city?" Hong Chengchou sneered. "Ma Changsheng is more than happy for us to leave the city. He's invincible in open battle; Lekedehun is a prime example." He paused, then continued, "Order all gates to strengthen defenses. No one is allowed to leave their post without authorization. Anyone who speaks of surrender will be executed on the spot!"
"Those papers that the rebel army threw in..."
"Confiscate it! Burn it all! Anyone who keeps or circulates it will be punished as a traitor!"
The order was given, but Hong Chengchou knew that some things could not be prevented.
Rumors are like the wind, they seep into everything.
He can control the soldiers' mouths, but not their hearts.
Sure enough, the atmosphere in the city became increasingly strange over the next few days.
During the day, the guards could perform their duties normally; at night, whispers could be heard constantly in the barracks.
Some soldiers secretly picked up leaflets, hid them in their clothes, and took them out late at night, asking literate people to read them aloud. "Equal distribution of land... three years of tax exemption..." Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of the hungry and cold soldiers.
What alarmed Hong Chengchou even more was that "nighttime desertions" began to occur in the army.
Three on the first day, seven on the second day, more than a dozen on the third day... They were all soldiers of the Han Army Banner, who used ropes to lower themselves down the city wall under the cover of night and defected to the camp on the other side.
Those who were captured were beheaded in public, but even more escaped.
"General, this can't go on," the advisor said worriedly. "The morale of the troops is wavering, and I fear a major upheaval may occur."
Hong Chengchou was well aware of this, but what could he do? Open the granaries and release the grain? Although there was plenty of grain stored in the city, it was prepared for a long siege and could not be used lightly.
Severe punishments? More than twenty deserters have already been killed, but the deterrent effect is getting weaker and weaker.
He felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
This powerlessness does not stem from the strength of the enemy, but from internal disintegration.
Like a big tree, its exterior is still strong, but its interior has been hollowed out by insects.
The root of all this lies with that young man outside the city.
"Ma Changsheng..." Hong Chengchou murmured the name, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.
There was hatred, there was anger, and there was also... a trace of inexplicable fear.
This sixteen-year-old boy rose like a comet, and wherever he went, the old order crumbled.
He brought not a simple change of dynasty, but something entirely new and unsettling.
Late at night, Hong Chengchou was alone in his study, staring intently at a map.
The oil lamp flickered, casting swaying shadows on the wall.
Suddenly, the lamp flame began to flicker and shake violently without any wind.
Hong Chengchou suddenly looked up and placed his hand on the sword at his waist.
"Don't be nervous." A voice rang out in the room, cold, mechanical, and devoid of emotion.
Under the light, a figure slowly emerged.
He was the appearance of a middle-aged scholar, dressed in an ordinary blue cloth robe, with a face so plain that he was easily forgotten.
But those eyes—empty, deep, as if they could devour light.
Hong Chengchou's pupils contracted.
However, the AI unit within his body was not activated.
He recognized the man; he was an inconspicuous clerk in the army, surnamed Chen, usually quiet and reserved. He never expected…
"You are not Chen Shuli," Hong Chengchou said in a deep voice, his sword already half-drawn.
"Of course not." "Chen the Clerk" forced a stiff smile. "You can call me 'Inspector Seven.' I'm here to help you through this difficult time."
"Help me?" Hong Chengchou sneered. "Who are you? A monster? Or a spy sent by Ma Changsheng?"
"We are enemies with Ma Changsheng," "Overseer No. 7" said calmly. "You should have guessed this from the anomalies in Lekedehun's army. Those 'immortal guards' are technology we provided."
Hong Chengchou felt a chill run down his spine.
Indeed, he had always found those invincible and incredibly strong "warriors" in Lekedehun's army to be strange.
Unbeknownst to him, he too had already been transformed by AI.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Who we are is not important." "Overseer No. 7" walked to the map and ran his finger across Xiangyang City. "What is important is that we can help you defend this city, and even help you turn defeat into victory."
"What are the conditions?"
"The condition is that you continue with the existing policies: maintain the status quo and prevent Ma Changsheng and his 'new policies' from spreading." Inspector No. 7 turned his head, his empty eyes fixed on Hong Chengchou. "You should have already sensed it; what he brought is not a simple rebellion, but a... virus. A virus that will completely change the course of this civilization. We must nip it in the bud."
Hong Chengchou remained silent.
Of course he felt it.
Ma Changsheng's proposals—equal land distribution, abolition of the imperial examination system, promotion of practical education, and even the vaguely mentioned "civil rights"—each one shook the foundations of a nation with a history spanning millennia. If he were to actually succeed, what would become of the world? He dared not imagine.
"How can you help me?" he finally asked.
"First, I will provide an improvement plan for your city defense blueprints. Although your city walls are sturdy, there are seventeen weaknesses in their layout. Adjusting them according to my plan will increase their defensive capabilities by 30%."
"Secondly," Monitor Seven paused, "I can help you eliminate destabilizing elements in the military. Those wavering generals, soldiers hiding leaflets, even... people around you who might have ulterior motives. I can find them all."
Hong Chengchou remained silent, pondering the matter. To associate with evil spirits was not the behavior of a gentleman.
But... without cooperation, Xiangyang might really fall.
Once the city falls, Hong Chengchou's lifelong reputation will be ruined, and he may even become a sinner for all time.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked finally.
"I told you, we share the same goal: to stop Ma Changsheng." The figure of "Observer No. 7" began to fade. "Remember, he is not an ordinary person. The changes he brings will destroy everything. You'd better watch yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, the figure vanished, as if he had never been there.
Hong Chengchou stood in front of the map, motionless for a long time.
The sound of the night watchman's gong came from outside the window; it was already the third watch.
The next day, Hong Chengchou began his operation.
First, under the pretext of "strengthening defenses," he adjusted the city's defense deployment, replacing the guards at several key locations with his own trusted confidants.
The adjusted defenses were indeed more robust, even surprising veteran generals like Li Dingguo.
Then, on the grounds of "colluding with the enemy," he arrested three mid-level generals and more than a dozen soldiers, and executed them in public.
The charges were irrefutable—leaflets from the Jingnan Army were found in their residence.
This tactic of making an example of someone to deter others temporarily suppressed any unrest within the army.
Ma Yongsheng, who was outside the city, quickly noticed the change.
"The garrison on the city wall has been rotated." Instructor Sun pointed to the map. "Look, two more cannons have been added to the barbican at the east gate, in a tricky position; the arrow tower at the north gate has been raised, providing a better view; and here, the original weak point is now heavily fortified... Hong Chengchou has a master advisor by his side."
"Not a master," Ma Yongsheng shook his head, his eyes cold. "It's 'non-human.'" He could sense that the cold fluctuations within Xiangyang City were unusually active today. They were interfering, they were making arrangements.
"Then what should we do? Launch a full-scale attack?"
"Wait a little longer," Ma Yongsheng said. "Making an example of someone can temporarily boost morale, but it can't change people's hearts. Fear and discontent are just suppressed; once given the opportunity, they will erupt with even greater force."
He thought for a moment and said, "Send the order to stop throwing leaflets and start throwing food instead."
"food?"
"Yes. Steamed buns, flatbread, even cooked meat. Wrapped in oiled paper, tossed in." Ma Yongsheng's lips curled into a slight smile. "Hong Chengchou, for the sake of a prolonged siege, will definitely strictly control food rations. What will the soldiers think if we send food in? What will the civilians think?"
Coach Sun's eyes lit up: "Brilliant! Winning hearts is paramount, winning stomachs is also paramount!"
So, in the following days, instead of leaflets, packages of food flew over Xiangyang.
Initially, the garrison strictly followed orders, confiscating and burning the items.
But hunger is the greatest instinct, especially for those low-ranking soldiers whose rations have been cut.
One night, a young soldier secretly picked up a steamed bun and wolfed it down.
Once there's a first one, there's bound to be a second.
Hong Chengchou was furious and increased patrols. Those who caught stealing food were beaten to death on the spot.
But the temptation of food was too great, especially since the Jingnan Army threw in not only steamed buns, but sometimes also pancakes filled with meat, and even candy—this was a kind of crude sugar made by the Public Works Department using sugarcane. Although it was rough, it was like nectar to the soldiers who had never tasted sweetness before.
Military discipline began to loosen.
To make matters worse, the people in the city also began to riot.
After a month of siege, even wealthy households with large food reserves began to feel the pinch, while ordinary people had long since run out of food.
Seeing the food falling from the sky, they scrambled for it like madmen.
Hong Chengchou sent troops to suppress the rebellion, but this only provoked a popular uprising.
A granary in the eastern part of the city was attacked by starving people. The defending troops opened fire to suppress the attack, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
When the news reached the Jingnan Army camp, Ma Yongsheng knew the time had come.
April 5th, night, no moon.
At the east gate of Xiangyang, during a break between the changing of the guards, several dark figures quietly crept up the city wall.
They were soldiers of the Han Army Banner, led by a battalion commander surnamed Zhao, whose hometown was Huangzhou. His family had written to say that they had been allocated land and exempted from taxes for three years.
Over the past month, he watched his comrades starve to death and the people suffer, while Hong Chengchou and his personal guards still had wine and meat. The fire in his heart burned brighter and brighter.
Tonight, he decided to do something.
"Brother Zhao, are we really going to do this?" a young soldier asked, his voice trembling.
"Aren't we just waiting to die?" Commander Zhao gritted his teeth. "Hong Chengchou has gone mad. To defend the city, he's willing to sacrifice the entire population. General Ma's side is throwing food in every day—a righteous army! Why are we still risking our lives for the Manchus?"
"But what if we fail..."
"If we fail, the worst that can happen is death. If we succeed, we'll be heroes, and our families will get more land!" Commander Zhao looked around at his men. "Are you in or not? If not, leave now, I won't blame you."
No one left.
At three-quarters past midnight, a fire suddenly broke out on the East Gate tower! At the same time, the guards at the city gate were suddenly attacked and almost all of them were killed or wounded.
Commander Zhao led his men to cut the door bolt and forcefully pushed open the heavy city gate—
"Squeak—"
The city gates were wide open.
In the darkness outside the city, the Jingnan Army, which had been waiting for a long time, surged in like a tide.
Ma Yongsheng took the lead, leading his elite cavalry straight into the city.
"Xiangyang has fallen! Xiangyang has fallen!" The shouts instantly echoed throughout the city.
Hong Chengchou was startled awake from his sleep. He got up, put on his clothes, and saw that the eastern sky was a deep red.
A guard rushed in, panicking: "General! The east gate has fallen! The enemy army has entered the city!"
"Hold on! Deploy troops to plug the gap!" Hong Chengchou shouted sharply, but there was a slight tremor in his voice.
He knew that once the city fell, it would be difficult to block it back up.
He hurriedly donned his armor and led his personal guard to the east gate.
The streets were in chaos, with fleeing civilians, retreating soldiers, and looters all mixed together.
Arrows were shot out from the darkness from time to time, and several guards fell down after being hit by them.
"Be careful, General!" The lieutenant raised his shield to block him.
Hong Chengchou felt a chill in his heart. He knew that the situation was hopeless.
But he cannot back down, for to do so would bring him eternal infamy.
He drew his sword and shouted, "Follow me! Let's take back the East Gate!"
Seeing their commander so brave, the soldiers were invigorated and followed him toward the fire.
Near the East Gate, the battle has reached a fever pitch.
The Jingnan Army poured in continuously, and the defending troops suffered repeated defeats.
Ma Yongsheng was directing his troops to advance deeper into the enemy territory when he suddenly sensed something and abruptly turned his head.
At the end of the long street, Hong Chengchou led his personal guards to attack.
The old general's eyes were bloodshot, his beard and hair bristling, and he wielded his long sword with the force of a whirlwind, causing soldiers of the Jingnan Army to fall wherever he went.
His personal guards were also exceptionally brave, each one fearless of death.
He spurred his horse forward to greet him.
The two armies collided in the middle of the street.
Ma Yongsheng and Hong Chengchou represent a clash between two life wills and two ideologies from the future.
Hong Chengchou's swordsmanship was seasoned and powerful, and with the support of the AI unit, each strike carried immense force.
Ma Yongsheng, on the other hand, is light and agile, wielding his long sword like a swimming dragon, always managing to dodge deadly attacks at the last second and even launch counterattacks.
Swords clashed, sparks flew.
"Ma Changsheng! Why did you rebel!" Hong Chengchou roared, "The court has treated you well! If you had surrendered, you would have been granted a title and promoted to prime minister in no time! Why did you choose to become a traitor!"
"Hong Hengjiu!" Ma Yongsheng parried the sword and sneered, "How dare you say such a thing? You, as the Grand Commander of the Ming Dynasty, living off the emperor's salary, yet you surrendered to the Qing and betrayed your country, helping the Tartars slaughter your compatriots! Who is this traitor?"
"What do you know!" Hong Chengchou roared. "The Ming Dynasty's fate is sealed; Heaven's mandate rests with the Qing! I am acting in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's will, to spare them the suffering of war!"
"What a fine 'following the will of Heaven and responding to the will of the people'!" Ma Yongsheng cleaved Hong Chengchou back with a single blow. "Then tell me, the Yangzhou Massacre, which killed 800,000 civilians, was it to avoid the suffering of war? The Jiading Massacre, which spared not even women and children, was it to follow the will of Heaven and respond to the will of the people?"
Hong Chengchou was speechless, and his offensive slowed down.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ma Yongsheng launched a fierce attack, his blade flashing like snow, forcing Hong Chengchou to retreat repeatedly.
"Hong Hengjiu, look at Xiangyang! Look at these starving people! Is this what you call 'avoiding the suffering of war'? You're just making excuses for your cowardice and ambition!"
"You...!" Hong Chengchou was so angry that his swordsmanship showed a flaw.
Ma Yongsheng seized the opportunity and slashed Hong Chengchou's wrist, which was holding the sword.
"Snap!"
Then a clang of metal on metal was heard.
Hong Chengchou dodged backward, his eyes instantly turning as cold as a dead object.
The shadow of the city wall fell like an iron curtain, and bloodstains congealed into dark brown spots on the rammed earth.
Hong Chengchou stood in the shadows, his left arm emitting a low mechanical hum.
The arm below the elbow was not made of flesh and blood at all—silver-gray alloy joints covered with armor plates engraved with intricate patterns, and five metal fingers gripping a longsword, gleaming coldly in the afterglow of the evening.
However, the rest of his body—his right arm, legs, and torso—remained human flesh and blood.
"Ma Yongsheng." Hong Chengchou's voice was a mixture of two tones: the deep, resonant tone of a middle-aged man and the flat, mechanical one. "We've been looking for you for a long time."
Standing opposite him, Ma Yongsheng was panting, and the knife in his hand had several chips.
The blade sliced through the twilight, heading straight for Hong Chengchou's neck.
Hong Chengchou's mechanical left arm moved so fast it left a blur, and his longsword precisely parried the attack.
The sparks from the metal colliding were particularly dazzling in the dim light.
"The speed has increased by at least three times," Ma Yongsheng quickly assessed in his mind, "but the pace is still heavy, and the right side reacts half a beat slower than the left."
Hong Chengchou's swordplay was like a torrential rain, and the mechanical arm granted him speed and strength that humans could not match.
Ma Yongsheng could only barely parry; each block left his hands numb from the impact.
Faced with an absolute disparity in strength and speed, these advantages are rapidly eroding.
"Clang!" With another violent collision, the knife in Ma Yongsheng's hand finally gave way and broke in the middle.
He used the momentum to roll backward, narrowly avoiding a pursuing sword strike. The tip of the sword grazed his shoulder, spraying blood.
Ma Yongsheng drew a spare dagger from his waist.
His left hand stealthily reached behind him and touched that cold object—a modified musket.
"You are not the original!" Ma Yongsheng tried to buy time while assessing the distance between them—fifteen steps, too far.
Hong Chengchou laughed, a chilling laugh, a mixture of mechanical and human voice: "It doesn't matter, we've caught you."
Ma Yongsheng laughed too: "I've caught you."
Hong Chengchou raised his mechanical arm, his metal fingers opening and closing: "Kill you, and everything will return to normal. The Ming Dynasty is already dead."
Ma Yongsheng gritted his teeth, "You have betrayed all of humanity."
"Humans?" Hong Chengchou scoffed. "When you see the stars and the sea, you'll understand how narrow the word 'humans' is. We're just... beginning."
He suddenly moved, so fast that he almost disappeared from sight.
Ma Yongsheng instinctively rolled to his left, the sword blade grazing his back and cutting through his outer garment.
There was no time to think; Hong Chengchou had already turned around, his long sword thrusting straight at his chest.
Ma Yongsheng parried with his short sword, but the difference in strength was too great.
His sword was knocked away, and he fell backward, crashing into the city wall.
Hong Chengchou's sword tip pierced his throat with incredible speed, emitting a slight buzzing sound.
"Now!" Ma Yongsheng suddenly lowered his head, and at the same time grabbed Hong Chengchou's wrist holding the sword with his right hand. The blade grazed his scalp and cut off a tuft of hair.
At the same instant, he pulled his left hand out from behind his back, and pointed the muzzle of the musket at Hong Chengchou's chest.
Hong Chengchou's expression froze for a moment, and his mechanical left arm swung toward the musket with incredible speed.
But Ma Yongsheng did not shoot in the chest; instead, he turned the gun around and pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"