xymnovel Chapter 14 "Where is Lin Chong?! Make him come out and see me!"
Chapter 14 "Where is Lin Chong?! Make him come out and see me!"
In a secluded room in the backyard of the Chao family manor in Dongxi Village, the shadows of several people swayed on the wall under the dim light of an oil lamp.
Gongsun Sheng had just returned from outside, looking travel-worn. He took a sip of cold tea to moisten his chapped lips.
"Brother, we've found out everything."
"Liang Zhongshu has mobilized 3,000 troops and more than ten large and small warships from Daming Prefecture, which have already gathered in Jizhou Prefecture."
"The vanguard leading the troops was none other than Yang Zhi, the Blue-Faced Beast."
Liu Tang, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but interject.
"Three thousand men? Liang Zhongshu is certainly willing to invest."
Ruan Xiaoer said in a muffled voice, "This Yang Zhi suffered a loss last time, and this time he's probably going to fight to the death."
Wu Yong gently waved his fan, showing no sign of worry.
"The more he tries, the more real the play will be."
All eyes were on Liu Bei, who was in the main seat.
Liu Bei's expression was calm, as if he were listening to something that had nothing to do with him.
He simply looked at Gongsun Sheng and asked, "When will they make their move?"
Gongsun Sheng replied, "When I returned, Yang Zhi was at the dock in Jizhou Prefecture, checking the ships and preparing weapons. I predict that he will storm the marsh within three days."
Liu Bei nodded: "Alright."
He stood up, walked to the door of the secret room, pushed it open a crack, and looked out at the silent night.
"Continue exploring."
"Yes, brother."
Gongsun Sheng accepted the order and turned to leave.
"Taoist Master," Liu Bei called out to him, taking out two silver ingots: "You've had a long journey, here's twenty taels of silver for you to use on your way."
Gongsun Sheng was taken aback, then cupped his hands in greeting.
"Thank you, brother."
After Gongsun Sheng left, the secret room fell silent.
Liu Tang couldn't contain himself any longer: "Brother, are we just going to wait here like this?"
Liu Bei turned around and looked at him: "If we don't wait, what else can we do? Are you going to lead your men to help Liangshan now, or to help the government troops?"
Liu Tang scratched his scalp, which was just starting to grow some stubble, and chuckled.
"Then let's wait."
Lin Chong remained silent, simply wiping his spear again and again with a soft cloth.
Liu Bei walked to his side and looked at the eighteen-foot-long spear.
"Hey bro, what are you thinking about?"
Lin Chong raised his head, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"I was thinking, Yang Zhi was a good man too. What a pity."
Liu Bei patted him on the shoulder: "In this world, there are too many heroes, it's a pity."
……
Three days later, in the waters outside Liangshan Marsh.
Dozens of warships of various sizes covered the surface of the river.
Flags fluttered on the bow of the ship, and swords and spears stood like a forest.
Yang Zhi, clad in iron armor and wielding a broadsword, stood atop the largest of the warships.
The river wind made his cloak flutter behind him, and it also made the blue birthmark on his face look even more ferocious.
A lieutenant walked up to him.
"Commander, the entrance to Liangshan Marsh is just ahead."
Yang Zhi nodded, his gaze cold.
"Pass on my orders."
"yes!"
"Once inside the water, there is no need for questioning or attempts to persuade them to surrender. Anyone carrying weapons, any able-bodied man, is to be killed without exception!"
The general felt a chill run down his spine.
"Commander, this..."
Yang Zhi turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot.
"Liangshan Marsh is full of bandits; not a single innocent person is among them! I only want their heads, do you understand?!"
"Yes! I understand!"
The lieutenant was so frightened that he trembled and hurriedly ran to relay the order.
Yang Zhi looked again at the endless reed marshes in the distance.
"Lin Chong..."
He squeezed out the name through gritted teeth.
"Today, I will avenge this!"
The horns of the warship sounded, desolate and chilling.
The fleet began to slowly accelerate, like a giant water beast, plunging headlong into the mist of Liangshan Marsh.
Deep in the reeds, a Liangshan outlaw responsible for keeping watch on the perimeter was dozing off against the gunwale of a boat.
He suddenly heard an unusual sound of water.
He rubbed his eyes and peered out.
On the distant water, the shadows of countless boats could be seen.
Before he could react, an arrow pierced the air and struck him in the throat.
He clutched his neck, unable to utter a sound, and plunged headfirst into the water.
The battle began without warning.
The government troops' warships, like a comb, began to advance inch by inch inward from the outer waterways.
They rammed any ship they saw and killed anyone they encountered.
Many of the Liangshan henchmen were pierced through the heart by spears in a single encounter.
Screams, the clanging of weapons, and the excited shouts of government troops shattered the tranquility of the lake at dawn.
The blood quickly stained a large area of reeds red.
When the news reached the mountain stronghold, Wang Lun was in the Hall of Gathering Righteousness, listening to his two newly acquired concubines singing.
A henchman tumbled and crawled in.
"Chief! It's terrible! The government troops... the government troops have broken in!"
Wang Lun's wine glass trembled, spilling wine all over himself.
"What did you say?!"
"Countless government troops! They're storming in from all directions! Our brothers on the outer perimeter... they can't hold on any longer!"
Wang Lun suddenly stood up, his face turning deathly pale.
He rushed out of the Hall of Gathering Righteousness and stood on a high place to look down the mountain.
All around, the waterways were filled with government warships.
A dark mass was closing in on the main peak of Liangshan.
Several water fortresses at the foot of the mountain are already ablaze with raging fires.
"How could this happen... how could this happen..."
Wang Lun muttered to himself, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
"Brother, don't panic!"
Du Qian and Song Wan, carrying knives, caught up from behind.
"Although the government troops are numerous, we have a natural barrier to defend! As long as we hold this only road up the mountain, no matter how many of them there are, they won't be able to get up!"
Wang Lun nodded repeatedly, as if grasping at a lifeline.
"Yes! Yes! Hold the line! Quick! Get everyone to the pass! Hold it!"
On the mountain pass, the Liangshan bandits were haphazardly carrying rolling stones and logs.
As they watched the government troops swarming down the mountain like ants, many of them felt their legs tremble.
Yang Zhi looked up at the steep pass and a cold smile appeared on his face.
He gave an order to the archer commander beside him.
"Shoot it!"
"yes!"
At a command, thousands of archers simultaneously drew their bows and nocked their arrows.
"put!"
The arrow pierced the air with a sharp whistling sound.
A series of screams erupted from the pass.
The Liangshan bandits had never seen such a sight before. Their so-called defense was as fragile as a sheet of paper under the barrage of arrows rained down by the government troops.
Many people were shot and turned into hedgehogs before they even had a chance to push the rolling stone down.
Wang Lun hid behind the parapet, listening to the arrows whizzing past his ears and the screams of his men, which terrified him.
"Hold on! Hold on for me!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, but his voice was trembling.
Du Qian was hit by an arrow. He gritted his teeth, broke the arrow shaft, and roared at Wang Lun.
"Brother! It's no use! Their arrows are raining down so heavily! We can't even lift our heads!"
Song Wan also hid behind a shield, peeked out, and then quickly shrank back.
"If this continues, we'll be wiped out before they even get close!"
Yang Zhi watched all of this coldly from the foot of the mountain.
He did not rush to order a charge.
He is waiting.
The soldiers guarding the mountain were completely worn down by the endless rain of arrows.
After three volleys of fire, the screams on the pass had thinned out considerably.
Yang Zhi raised his hand.
The archers stopped firing.
In the mountains and forests, only the groans of the wounded remained for a time.
Yang Zhi drew his broadsword and pointed it forward: "Charge!"
"Kill them!"
Three hundred elite infantrymen, shields in hand and steel swords in their mouths, began to climb the steep mountain path like monkeys.
When Wang Lun saw the government troops begin their attack on the mountain, he was terrified.
"Quickly! Roll logs! Bombs! Throw them down!"
The remaining henchmen frantically pushed the prepared logs and stones down the mountain path.
In an instant, rocks tumbled and dust filled the mountain path.
However, the government troops were well-trained. They worked in groups of three or five, using the terrain and shields to constantly dodge falling rocks, so their casualties were not great.
Soon, the first batch of government troops had rushed to the foot of the pass.
"Charge in!"
A squad leader roared and kicked open the wooden door, which was riddled with holes from the rain of arrows.
Inside the pass, Du Qian and Song Wan, with their last few dozen henchmen, their eyes red, engaged in a fierce battle with the government troops who had charged in.
Du Qian and Song Wan's martial arts skills were only considered third-rate in the martial arts world.
They might be able to handle a few ordinary bandits, but they were no match for these fearless government troops.
In a single exchange, Song Wan was pierced through the body by three spears at the same time.
He stared wide-eyed at the bloody hole in his chest in disbelief, then collapsed limply to the ground.
"Brother Song Wan!"
Du Qian's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He cleaved one soldier in two with his sword, but another soldier slashed him in the back from the side.
He screamed and fell forward.
More soldiers stepped over him.
Seeing this, Wang Lun's last shred of courage vanished.
He threw down his sword and turned to run towards the Hall of Righteousness at the top of the mountain.
With their commander gone, the remaining henchmen suffered an even more utter defeat.
They threw down their weapons, knelt on the ground, and cried out in surrender.
Yang Zhi led his large army, stepping over the corpses scattered on the ground, and entered the pass.
A lieutenant stepped forward to report.
"Commander, the bandit leader Wang Lun has fled towards the mountaintop. We have already sent men to pursue him."
Yang Zhi nodded, his gaze sweeping over the henchmen who were kneeling and surrendering.
"Leave no one alive."
The lieutenant was taken aback for a moment, then accepted the order.
"yes!"
The piercing screams rang out again.
Yang Zhi did not turn around. He carried his broadsword and walked step by step toward the Hall of Righteous Gathering at the top of the mountain.
Inside the Hall of Gathering Righteousness.
Wang Lun was pinned to the ground by several soldiers. His scholar's robe was torn and covered in mud, making him look utterly disheveled.
Yang Zhi walked into the hall, where the smell of blood mixed with the smell of food and wine, making him feel nauseous.
He walked up to Wang Lun and used the tip of his knife to lift his chin.
"Wang Lun?"
Wang Lun was so frightened that he trembled all over and became incoherent.
"Yang...Commander Yang...No...Supervisor Yang...Spare me...Spare me!"
"I have no grudge against you in the past, nor any enmity with you now. When you passed through Liangshan, I even hosted a banquet for you. Why are you treating me like this?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Zhi was enraged.
He kicked Wang Lun to the ground.
"You shameless scoundrel! Even now, you still dare to play dumb with me!"
He pointed the knife at Wang Lun's nose.
"You robbed my birthday gifts, killed my brothers! And you dare ask me why?!"
Wang Lun was kicked so hard he saw stars. He lay on the ground, coughing and desperately trying to explain himself.
"Birthday tribute? What birthday tribute? I have no idea! Liangshan has never robbed any birthday tribute!"
Yang Zhi laughed in anger.
"Fine! Fine, Wang Lun! Even on the verge of death, you're still being stubborn!"
He shouted suddenly.
"Where is Lin Chong?! Tell him to come out and see me!"