novelaction Chapter 170: Entering the Imperial City of Qing
Chapter 170: Entering the Imperial City of Qing
Zou Mao thought that the person he needed to face seriously was a strong enemy like Zong Yanli.
But they never thought that the common people, like ants, were the root cause of the dam burst.
The gate of Baofeng Pass was broken from the inside, and Zong Yanli entered the pass without even any effort. The soldiers in the army felt that the pass was broken as if in a dream, and after entering the pass, they were stunned by the chaos in front of them.
I thought the scene on the city wall that I saw outside was moving enough, but I didn't expect that the scene I saw after entering the pass was like hell on earth.
The corpses lying all over the ground were those of the people covered in straw clothes. Their bodies piled up like a human wall, pressing down on the city wall. No one looked back and no one was afraid.
Zong Yanli suddenly thought that if Qing Kingdom had been protected by wise rulers and good generals at the beginning of its establishment, Wu Kingdom might not have been able to attack it. With such strong people's power, Zhuo Kangshun was able to ruin such a big Qing Kingdom like this, which is really a pity.
"General, I have captured the commander who was about to escape!" When Zou Mao was caught by Fu Jiashi, he was tied up and his face was covered in blood. The wounds on his arms and face were all caused by sickles and hatchets. He looked in a miserable state.
"Lock him up." Zong Yanli waved his hand slightly and had Zou Mao locked up directly.
Now that it has come to this, there is no need for interrogation.
Except for Zou Mao, all the remaining enemy troops in the city were captured, and those who refused to obey were killed on the spot. Even so, it was not until dusk that the Baofeng Pass returned to peace.
However, the number of the rebels was extremely large, and Zong Yanli was unable to dispatch more military doctors to treat their injuries, so he could only ask Xiao Tianhe to think of a solution.
It took a whole day and night to clean up and move the corpses in the city. According to a rough count, the number of rebels killed in the battle was more than three times that of the soldiers guarding the city. When the number was reported, Zong Yanli felt his scalp tingling.
Zong Yanli finally met the leader of the rebel army, who was just a young man in his twenties who was about the same age as him.
He was thin and even short, a head shorter than Zong Yanli. He had a white cloth wrapped around his arm and wore mourning clothes. The black words written on his body were all stained red with blood. One of the man's eyes was wrapped in gauze and covered in blood.
"I am Sang Caijie, your humble servant, greeting you, sir." The man who came forward bowed and said.
"There is no need to be polite, a hero." Zong Yanli's eyes were solemn. He raised his hand and asked him to sit down.
After looking at him for a long while, he said, "I admire the heroic deeds of the righteous man. The capture of Baofeng Pass should be attributed to the rebels. I wonder if the righteous man has any requests?"
Sang Caijie clenched his fists and sat aside, his face firm as he said, "We are all ordinary people, we don't have any lofty ambitions, we just want to have enough food, clothes and a good life."
There seemed to be tears in Sang Caijie's eyes. This was what he promised everyone at the beginning. They just wanted to survive!
Zong Yanli paused and said, "I will not take even a cent from Baofeng Pass. All the food and military supplies inside the pass belong to you. You can eat your fill now."
"What!?" Sang Caijie had long thought that Zong Yanli had called him here most likely to discuss the distribution of the spoils. Sang Caijie had thought of many things, and some people had reminded him that he was worried that the Wu army would abandon them, or would simply not care about their lives, and so on.
He thought about all the evil in human nature, and even felt that if it really came to that, he would kneel down and kowtow to beg for food for the surviving people.
but……
However, he did not expect that the decision made by Zong Yanli was something he had never imagined, or even dared not imagine.
Zong Yanli sat upright on the main seat, her straight body seemed so tall at this moment. She looked at Sang Caijie and said, "When I lead troops to fight, the most important thing is to reward them according to their merits."
"Our army only captured the tail end of Baofeng Pass this time. The main force is on you." Zong Yanli raised his chin slightly and said, "But I am willing not to take a penny. I have one more request."
"Please speak." Sang Caijie's heart trembled, as if he felt it was normal to hear Zong Yanli make the request.
"Baofeng Pass has been breached. It will only take a few days for our army to capture the imperial city. The Qing Kingdom has been destroyed, and all its territory has returned to the Wu Kingdom." Zong Yanli narrowed his eyes and looked at Sang Caijie and said, "The rebel army has achieved its goal, so there is no need for them to continue to exist."
"You have such excellent leadership ability, would you like to join me?" Zong Yanli raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Sang Caijie.
"Me!?" Sang Caijie was prepared and waited for Zong Yanli to make a bunch of requests, but he didn't expect that what she asked for was amnesty?
Sang Caijie widened his eyes, his heart beating violently at this moment, and he felt more confused and hesitant.
He did not think that he was someone who had the ability to "lead a force" as Zong Yanli said. At most, he was the best fighter in their village. That was because his father used to be a martial arts coach. After all, a mere martial arts coach could not be as powerful as a general.
Later, my father became famous for teaching martial arts. Someone came to his house to compete with him, but he was accidentally beaten to death by that person. He just paid a few copper coins as compensation and the matter was settled.
He was left to depend on his mother, sister and grandmother at home.
No one expected that the war would break out suddenly, making the already difficult life of the family even more difficult. My mother and grandmother discussed selling my sister to earn money to support the family, but he went to the family and forcibly snatched my sister back.
But later...
Later, Emperor Qing personally led the army to start another war, levying taxes and forcing the people to take grain.
No one in the family, young or old, survived. Before his mother died, she cut some meat and fed it to him, asking him to hold on.
This was what happened to Sang Caijie. With despair and anger, he started an uprising in Yao Township.
"It's useless if you want me." Sang Caijie swallowed his saliva and said, "My brothers won't follow you."
The rebels were disorganized and had only hearts filled with anger and hatred.
After all the passion has been poured out, you still have to go home.
After receiving the promised money and food, everyone wanted to go back and live a peaceful life. No one wanted to continue this nightmare-like killing. It was for this reason that Sang Caijie used this as a mobilization to make the people follow him.
"No problem." Zong Yanli waved his hand slightly and said, "Even if you are the only one, I want it too."
"Why?" Sang Caijie was really confused.
He thought that Zong Yanli was thinking about the manpower of the rebel army, but did he really want him?
"I've said before, I admire you very much." Zong Yanli stood up and said, "You can think about it carefully."
"Now you can take your people to the granary to get grain. It is up to you how to distribute it. My people will not interfere at all." Zong Yanli did what he said. He didn't even go to the granary and let Sang Caijie divide it up and dispose of it.
The soldiers under the Wu army had nothing to say about this. After all, it was not them who captured Baofeng Pass.
The rebels didn't expect that Sang Caijie could really get so much food for them. For a moment, the people were crying and laughing, happy for their victory and sad for the deaths of countless their compatriots in battle.
All the food was divided up, and only some military supplies and weapons were left.
"These rebels still think of themselves as civilians in their hearts." Zhan Haoyue and others witnessed the rebels distributing food in the past few days, and couldn't help but sigh in their hearts: "They don't want weapons, they just want food."
"It's really hateful that the Qing Kingdom has forced its people into such a desperate situation..." Gongsun Pu also sighed.
"Do you think that Mr. Sang will surrender to the general?" Pei Liang was a little curious.
"Maybe not for now, but definitely in the future." Gongsun Pu thought for a while and said with some determination.
Upon hearing this, Zhan Haoyue and others looked at him, but Gongsun Pu did not give any explanation.
Two days later, Sang Caijie took the initiative to find Zong Yanli, but he came to resign.
During the time in Baofeng Pass, he saw clearly what the Wu army did, and Zong Yanli's trustworthiness was even more admirable. Not only did he not neglect them at all, he even helped them bandage and treat their wounds. Even the bodies of the civilians who died in the battle were cleaned up by the Wu army.
Sang Caijie looked at Zong Yanli with a very complicated expression, and finally presented all the weapons in the warehouse to Zong Yanli.
"Thank you for your kindness, General. I am afraid I cannot accept your kindness." Sang Caijie bowed to Zong Yanli solemnly and said, "I promised my uncles and brothers that I would send them home."
"Qing Kingdom is gone, but my home is still here." Sang Caijie looked at Zong Yanli steadily and said, "I believe the general will soon attack the royal court."
"The Qing Kingdom will change its dynasty today. The new ruler is the king you serve, General. He must be a wise ruler."
"We have no other desires but to find a place to stay and a good meal."
"General, your kindness is something we will never forget."
Sang Caijie knelt down and bowed to Zong Yanli. He looked up at him with a moved face and said, "If one day I can see with my own eyes that under the rule of the new monarch, the people will have enough food and a new life."
"I have come a long way to join the general."
"With this body of flesh and blood, I will repay the general for his kindness in giving me a new life!"
After saying this, Sang Caijie kowtowed and stared at Zong Yanli with eyes full of determination and expectation. He was looking forward to that day coming.
Zong Yanli was moved by his words. He strode down and helped him up himself. He patted his arm and said, "I'll wait for you."
Sang Caijie led the rebel army out of Baofeng Pass. He wanted to send the surviving people back to their hometowns one by one, escorting full of food, just like a general returning from a triumphant victory.
After bidding farewell to the rebels, Zong Yanli began a new round of strategic deployment. Her next step would be to attack the imperial city of Qing.
At this time in the Qing Palace, Zhuo Kangshun had lost his temper countless times, and no one in the court dared to go to the battlefield.
"Your Majesty, the Wu army has broken through three passes in a row and is about to enter the imperial court." The court official said in fear: "I am afraid it will be difficult to resist even if we deploy more troops now..."
"Yes! Even General Zou has been arrested. What should we do?"
"Your Majesty, why don't you move the capital before the Wu army attacks the imperial city?"
"We can also retreat to Qinghe Pass."
All the court officials were backing off, and no one could come up with a good plan. Zhuo Kangshun looked extremely haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. He stared at the court officials who were arguing endlessly below, then stood up angrily and suddenly drew the sword on the table.
"Who dares to retreat? I will chop you into pieces!" His violent expression frightened all the civil and military officials in the court into silence.
"How can we retreat when facing a powerful enemy? I still have 20,000 soldiers guarding the city! How can I not defeat Zong Yanli!" Zhuo Kangshun's face was full of anger. He paced anxiously and shouted, "Those useless people guarding the pass ate up so much of my military rations in vain!"
The court officials below all looked pale.
The 20,000 soldiers defending the city were all gathered on the spot. The Wu army was so powerful that even the veteran generals who had experienced hundreds of battles could not do anything to them. How could those miscellaneous soldiers of the city defense army stop them?
It's really a fantasy.
The court officials below all stood quietly with their heads bowed, each of them already thinking about going home to pack up and run away. They had thought that Baofeng Pass was guarded by General Zou Mao and could hold out for at least two months, but who knew it would be breached!
We can't afford to leave any chance now. If we don't run away now, when will we run?
Zong Yanli originally expected that it would be winter before they could attack the imperial city of Qing.
I didn't expect that the journey would be so smooth. The capture of Baofeng Pass was effortless, and now we have marched all the way to the imperial court of Qing Kingdom, and it is only the time of frost.
"It's already cold before winter..." Gongsun Pu was frail and had already put on a cloak. He sat on the horse and stared at the nearby Imperial City of Qing Kingdom, feeling a little dazed.
"Qing Kingdom..." There was a hint of sigh in his tone, and he couldn't help but think of the first country he came to, which was Qing Kingdom. The imperial city of Qing Kingdom was still bustling back then, but now it is like an isolated city, and it seems to be crumbling from a distance.
"We're finally here." Zong Yanli's expression was a little complicated. He stared at the imperial city in front of him for a long time, with a look of sadness and pride in his eyes.
The Wu army was at the gate of the city, and the imperial city of Qing was entirely made up of low towers that looked good but were useless.
This time, Zong Yanli did not hold back at all and ordered an attack on the city while driving his battering ram and crossbow cart.
The huge catapult smashed the bricks and tiles on the city wall. The soldiers defending the city were so frightened by its power that they fled in panic. The heavy battering ram rushed straight towards the city gate and easily broke through the gate of the imperial city. The guards who had lived in the imperial city for a long time had never seen such an iron-blooded tactic.
Zong Yanli led his troops into the city, and it was as easy as killing a chicken.
She rode her warhorse and crossed the obstacles blocking the road. The pitch-black long sword in her hand was like the scythe of the god of death, and no one survived wherever she passed.
In the flames of war, there were only the sounds of swords clashing and broken limbs and debris under the iron hooves. She rushed all the way to the gate of the Qing Palace in fire and blood, broke open the heavy palace door, and saw a man sitting on the dragon throne in the hall, wearing golden armor and holding a golden sword.
The golden armor seemed to be showing his final majesty and expressing his noble identity as the king of Qing.
"Zong Yanli, I have been waiting for you for a long time." Zhuo Kangshun's eyes fell fixed on Zong Yanli. He looked at Zong Yanli who entered the hall with murderous aura, and saw the long sword in her hand dripping with bright red blood.
"Hehehe..." Zhuo Kangshun stood up with the help of his sword, as if trying his best to steady himself. He slowly raised the long sword in his hand and pointed it at Zong Yanli, saying, "Do you dare to fight me?"