xymnovel Chapter 796 The Panic-Stricken Great Qian Dynasty
Chapter 796 The Panic-Stricken Great Qian Dynasty
Si Yiqi clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The Great Qian Dynasty was riddled with problems, and now, as if things were going to get worse, the consequences would be unimaginable if the hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers from Luzhou marched north in a large-scale attack!
Even the hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers from Luzhou who marched north this time were led by Meng Zhang, the "Dragon Soaring Commander," a man of great talent and ability.
The name Meng Zhang struck him like a bolt from the blue.
Back in the day, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion swept through the Great Qian Dynasty, Meng Zhang almost single-handedly carried the banner of the main force of the Yellow Turban Army.
He single-handedly defeated many veteran generals of the Great Qian Dynasty, and led his Luzhou Yellow Turban Army to carve out a place for themselves in the chaotic world, becoming one of the best among the Yellow Turban Army.
Now, this formidable figure is about to lead his army north again, with his target being the heart of the Great Qian Dynasty—Qianzhou. How could this not make Si Yiqi feel alarmed?
Before long, the Imperial Study was filled with people. Many ministers of the Great Qian Dynasty were either standing or sitting, all with worried expressions. The atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost suffocating.
Seeing the many court officials below him stammering and at a loss, the new Emperor of Daqian, Si Yiqi, glared at them angrily, then turned his hopeful gaze to Xu Zhongyuan.
Although Xu Zhongyuan is now quite old and his hair and beard are all white, his eyes are as sharp as an eagle's, exuding a composure unique to a wise man.
He slowly rose and bowed to Si Yiqi, but he already had a plan in mind.
"Your Majesty, the northward march of the Yellow Turban army from Luzhou is indeed the most important matter at present."
"Meng Zhang is a man of both wisdom and courage, and he is also very ambitious. After several years of reorganization by Meng Zhang, the Yellow Turban Army under his command is no longer the bandit army it once was."
"In this battle, our dynasty must go all out to have any chance of survival."
Xu Zhongyuan slowly exhaled, his voice not loud, but it struck straight to the heart.
"Minister Xu, I know you are resourceful and wise. Do you have a plan to repel the enemy?"
Upon hearing this, Si Yiqi nodded, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes.
Xu Zhongyuan closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, as if quickly sorting out the military layout and available troops of the Great Qian Dynasty in his mind.
"Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to quickly organize an elite force capable of resisting the Yellow Turban Rebellion's northward advance."
"I believe that General Nangong, who is currently located in Yanzhou, should lead his Thunder Dragon Cavalry south first and set up a defensive line north of Qianzhou."
A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and said.
Mentioning Nangong Tianxia, many ministers in the court had a glint of interest in their eyes.
Nangong Tianxia is one of the top generals of the Great Qian Dynasty and currently holds the second position on the World's Glory Ranking.
His Thunder Dragon Riders were renowned throughout the world for their overwhelming power, and wherever they went, their enemies trembled in fear.
If Nangong Tianxia could be sent south quickly to establish a defensive line, it would indeed put the ministers at ease.
"General Nangong is indeed brave, but..."
"The Yellow Turban Army in Luzhou numbers in the hundreds of thousands. Although the Lei Ze Dragon Cavalry is strong, I'm afraid they will not be able to resist for long."
However, another minister soon hesitated before speaking.
"The Thunder Dragon Cavalry is the elite force of our Great Qian Dynasty. Although their numbers are fewer than those of the Yellow Turban Army, their combat strength is formidable and they are capable of holding off the Yellow Turban Army for a while. This will buy time for our dynasty to mobilize more troops to counter the Yellow Turban Army's offensive."
"My intention is to have General Nangong lead his troops ahead, firstly to ascertain the strength of the Yellow Turban Army, and secondly to buy time for our dynasty to mobilize a large army."
"At the same time, Your Majesty can order the Suspended Mirror Bureau to urgently notify Grand Tutor Gu and summon Grand Tutor Gu Changqing of the Northern Frontier to return to the aid. Grand Tutor Gu is very experienced, and if he can join forces with General Nangong, the chances of victory will be greatly increased."
Xu Zhongyuan pondered for a moment before making the suggestion.
Currently, in the Great Qian Dynasty, apart from Grand Tutor Gu Changqing, there is no commander who can confront Meng Zhang face-to-face and with dignity.
However, now that Grand Tutor Gu Changqing has stabilized the situation in Qiandu, he is well aware of the true nature of his disciple, the Night King, and dares not relax for a moment.
He quickly returned to the northern frontier to set up a defensive line against the Night King's army, not giving the Night King a chance to turn around and fire a shot, so he was unable to return for the time being.
The only option is to send Nangong Tianxia south first to take the lead. Given Nangong Tianxia's strength, there are no known powerful generals among the Yellow Turban Army in Luzhou. Even the only general, Bull Demon King, is currently in Wuzhou.
I suppose that among the Yellow Turban Army in Luzhou, no one could be a match for Nangong Tianxia... right?
"Grand Tutor Gu is currently setting up defenses in the northern frontier to guard against a feint by the Night Fiend Army. If he is recalled now, wouldn't the northern frontier defenses be plunged into danger once again?"
Si Yiqi frowned slightly upon hearing this.
"Your Majesty, when faced with two evils, choose the lesser. Although the Nightshade Army is strong, even if they launch a counterattack in the short term, it will be difficult for them to break through the northern border defenses."
"If the Yellow Turban Army breaks through Qianzhou, our Great Qian Dynasty will be plunged into an abyss of no return."
"Grand Tutor Gu understands this principle well and will surely travel day and night to return to the capital to provide support."
"Grand Tutor Gu understands this principle well and will surely travel day and night to return to the capital to provide support."
Xu Zhongyuan shook his head and said in a deep voice.
"In that case, let's follow Xu Qing's plan and immediately order Nangong Tianxia to lead the Thunder Swamp Dragon Cavalry south."
"At the same time, I will have the head of the Suspended Mirror Division personally travel to the northern frontier and order the Grand Tutor to immediately head south to reinforce Qianzhou."
Si Yiqi remained silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, and finally nodded.
After the order was given, the atmosphere in the Imperial Study seemed to ease slightly, but everyone knew in their hearts that this was only the beginning.
The news of the Yellow Turban Army's northward march was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, its ripples quickly spreading throughout the entire Great Qian Dynasty.
"Minister Xu, this battle concerns the very survival of our Great Qian Dynasty. I entrust you with full authority and urge you to help me defend this land."
Finally, Si Yiqi looked at Xu Zhongyuan with hopeful eyes, her gaze full of trust.
"Your subject will certainly devote himself to the cause until his dying breath, vowing to safeguard the peace and tranquility of the Great Qian Dynasty."
Xu Zhongyuan paused, remained silent for a moment, then bowed respectfully, his tone suddenly becoming somewhat forceful.
...
At the same time, under Meng Zhang's command, hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers in Luzhou surged like a tide, their battle flags fluttering. The frequency of their troop movements cast a tense atmosphere of impending doom over the entire Daqian Dynasty.
Beside this surging force, in the land of Ruizhou, another army, also clad in yellow turbans, was advancing silently.
Although this force was not as large as the Yellow Turban Army in Luzhou, it still possessed an awe-inspiring presence that could not be ignored.
Most of the soldiers in the army carried iron weapons, and many even wore paper or leather armor. They all walked with steady steps and their eyes gleamed with eagerness for the upcoming battle. It was clear that this was a large army trained by a great general.
The three leaders of this Yellow Turban army were none other than the three brothers Li Lu, Li Hu, and Li Yang, generals under Zhu Yuanzhang who had previously fought against Tu Xiusu, a general under Li Yuan, on the battlefield of the Great Xuan Dynasty!