Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 577 Sneak Attack in the Mist
The next day,

Before Buddha dawns,
The slow sunshine shines through the clouds onto the early spring land, and the mist rises and fills the valley.

At the northern end of Fallen Leaf Valley, visibility is extremely low, and hidden sentry scouts are patrolling all over the valley entrance.

There was movement in Gu Ping's camp. Soldiers and horses from each battalion began to prepare food, prepare armor and weapons, and began to gather with arrows and crossbows.
Before dawn, Song Liang, a householder in Linshan County, also brought a letter from Master Yu, the governor. The letter told Gu Ping that the message for help had been sent to the capital, and reinforcements would definitely come to rescue Lin Yue Mansion. If nothing can be done, the troops can be withdrawn. General Gu will make his own decision.

See here,

The weather-beaten Gu Ping frowned even more and his face was gloomy. He was already in place. The enemy army was right in front of him and Lin Yue Fucheng was close at hand. He actually allowed himself to make his own decision. Chai Ding, the deputy general behind him, was even more surprised. I was puzzled as to why the military orders were changed from morning to night. I had no clue, so I saw something fishy and asked;
"General, what do you mean by the history of government? I'll let you decide for yourself. Qianjiang just led troops for reconnaissance yesterday. There should be an ambush on the side of the mountain. After returning, our troops rested for one more day, and their morale was greatly boosted. If we withdraw our troops at this time, not only will we lose morale, but Lin Yue Mansion will be doomed. How will General Qin break out of the encirclement?"

Chai Ding looked at the letter in the general's hand. It was child's play to write such a letter.

Gu Ping held the hand holding the letter, his fingertips turned white, and he was obviously very uneasy inside. According to the letter, he wanted to give up Lin Yue Mansion, including tens of thousands of soldiers. How could this happen?

His eyes narrowed, he looked at the person coming and asked,
"Song Baihu, you sent a letter, does Ding Qianhu have anything to say or any other news?"

Song Liang, a member of the Imperial City Bureau, raised his head and looked at the people around him. Gu Ping's heart moved and he ordered to the people around him,

Chai Ding's eyes were excited when he heard that he could still lead the army to fight. Only Song Liang smiled bitterly. Instead of provoking a fight, General Gu was planning to make a desperate move. Even if the south passage was opened, General Qin of Lin Yue Mansion would be surrounded in the city. , how to know.

"General, you mean to fight."

"General, time is tight, make a decision early."

"General, in less than a day, 20,000 troops poured out of the city, heading east, while the other group followed the general along the official road going south. Just last night, for some unknown reason, that group of troops returned overnight. In Chenzhou City, Master Qianhu reported the matter to Master Yu, the Chief Secretary, and that’s how this letter came about.”

After finishing speaking, Gu Ping pointed to the foggy valley ahead and said,
"In the Fallen Leaf Valley ahead, there must be an ambush on both sides of the hills. Today we are going to kill all their ambush troops and force the enemy troops blocking the entrance of the valley to enter the valley to fight. I will personally lead the army to cover them up and completely open the passage. If Qin Yunjiang from the capital city sees him, If you can lead the army to attack from behind, you will win 70% of the time."

"Song Baihu, it's already this time. It won't help if you send this letter again. Now that the soldiers and horses following you are gone, I can't escape without a fight. Not to mention hurting the morale of the army, there are tens of thousands of people in Lin Yue Mansion." I don’t want to give up on the men and horses. I understand what Master Yu means. I am just worried that the time will be too late for the men and horses appearing behind me.”

But according to what Song Liang said, the following soldiers and horses withdrew overnight, indicating that there was something more important, far more important than severely injuring himself, what could it be.

"My lord, after Lord Gu left, he immediately sent a ranger to follow him. When he saw that Lord Gu was taking a detour to Chenzhou City, the troops were divided into two groups. One group continued to follow, and the other group went to explore the situation in Chenzhou. Chenzhou was captured within one day, and the city was The Taiping Sect's flag was also raised, but spies came to report that the people guarding the city were not from the Taiping Sect at all, but looked like imperial soldiers, very elite. Master Ding paid attention and continued to let the people on the road monitor him."

The words were riddled, and Gu Ping did not speak, waiting for Song Liang to continue explaining.

Chai Ding couldn't help but wanted to ask again, but was stopped by Gu Ping.

"promise!"

"Yes, I have changed my mind. Only the baggage battalion is left to look after the camp. The remaining 30,000 troops are divided into three groups. Chai Ding will lead 6,000 troops on the left wing, and Qianjiang will lead 6,000 troops on the right wing. You will lead two Thousands of cavalry will serve as the vanguard and for warning purposes, and I will lead more than 10,000 troops to hold down the formation for the central army."

Baihu Song Liang's face changed and became extremely ugly.

Song Liang's eyes widened. He was really going to send troops, but he didn't know how to withdraw them.

"Just pretend you haven't read this letter. According to the previous order, we will rescue Lin Yue Mansion and Song Baihu. Now that you are here, don't leave in a hurry. Follow me and be a vanguard. Don't you dare."

When Gu Ping heard this, he put some force in his hand, and the letter immediately clenched into a ball. What happened was that the rebels were all in the south, and they appeared behind him. The purpose was obvious, to attack him from the front and back, and it would be decided in a battle.

Then the guards around him immediately left fifty steps away, leaving only deputy general Chai Ding alone. Gu Ping said in a deep voice,
"Song Baihu, you can speak now."

Song Liang was silent after hearing this, because there was one thing he hadn't said yet, which was Master Qianhu's prediction that the target of the troops was the county seat. However, Master did not allow himself to tell General Gu and let the general take over. Letters make their own decisions.

Song Liang from Baihu clasped his fists and replied,
"General Gu, this matter is hidden. Your Excellency will explain it to you. If the general asks, he will tell you. If he doesn't ask, he won't tell."

"Chai Ding will stay, and the others will take a fifty-step walk."

suddenly,

"General Gu, I am not a person who is greedy for life and fear of death. I am a vanguard leader and I dare not risk my life. I dare to ask the general about opening up the passage to the south. There are still many rebels there. If General Qin leads the crowd and does not come out, what will happen to us!"

This question was somewhat sad, and the excitement in Chai Ding's eyes faded away. He turned back to look at the general, and the gradually heavy scene overwhelmed his eyes.

Gu Ping turned around and looked at the hazy Fallen Leaf Valley in front of him. Yes, so what if Qin Yunjiang didn't break out of the encirclement. His brothers died in vain. After a while, Gu Ping drew out his long knife and reflected it with the rising sun. My face is no longer what it was back then, but the brotherhood is still there. How can I throw away my robe and retreat without a fight?

"Do your best, open the passage, guard the mouth of the valley and wait for Qin Yunjiang. If nothing can be done in the end and God's will is so, I will do my best. Song Liang, after encountering the enemy and sending a signal, immediately retreat and serve as the rear army, waiting for me After the general has opened a bloody path, you immediately lead the cavalry to break out of the encirclement and try your best to send a message to Lin Yue Mansion, but understand that if you don't reply, I will never withdraw!"

Gu Ping instantly inserted the knife into the scabbard with a determined look on his face.

Song Liang moved his mouth, but he couldn't say a thousand words. Finally, he clasped his fist hard and answered;
"promise!"

"Okay, in that case, everyone, don't hesitate and send troops now!"

"promise."

Subsequently,

There was no trumpet blowing in the camp;

Thirty thousand troops were divided into four groups and entered the Fallen Leaf Valley one after another. The figures of the army were gradually submerged in the clouds and mist, and everything seemed quiet.

Lin Yue Mansion,
On the tower of Fucheng,
Qin Yunjiang, the commander-in-chief of the government army, had red eyes and stared at the north, not daring to slack off at all. He only hoped that General Gu's reinforcements would come earlier.

Lieutenant General Lan Xiao, who led the army from the city, led his soldiers up to the tower, got behind the general, and performed a military salute.
"General, the prefect sent someone to ask if there is any hope of breaking out today. General Gu has arrived. It seems that Prefect Li is not tired of waiting anymore."

"Keep waiting. It stands to reason that General Gu should have arrived yesterday. Since he didn't come, it means one thing. There is an ambush in Fallen Leaf Valley, and even those demons have sent heavy troops to intercept General Gu."

Qin Yunjiang thought about it all night. I am afraid that Chu Yiyue, the deputy leader of the Taiping Sect opposite, has already had countermeasures. Although the entrance of Luoye Valley is not small, if tens of thousands of troops block it, they may not be able to break out. It still needs I judge the time to send troops by myself, but it is foggy today. How to know the situation there? If I am not careful, I will be trapped.

"General, how should we proceed?"

Lan Xiao was shocked. No reinforcements had arrived in the past few days. The brothers in the government army were a little restless. The city had been under siege for more than half a month. Although they had made up their wages and food, how could they not worry about important matters between life and death.

"Assemble the troops, tell the prefect and others, prepare the carriages, and follow the army. We can't wait any longer. If we wait any longer, we won't be able to leave." I don't know if it's intuition, but there is always a sense of crisis in my heart, just stay here. There is a dead end, but there is still a way to survive after breaking out. This feeling was the same one that saved his life when he suppressed the White Lotus Sect in southern Jingnan, and now he has it again. He can't help but believe it.

Lan Xiao was still a little hesitant. Looking at the heavy fog outside the city, it seemed scary, but he also knew that what the general said was true. Maybe the heavy fog was also a good cover.

"Yes, General, the government's 30,000-strong army has already been assembled and on standby, and 5,000 young and strong troops have been arranged to guard the city at the four gates."

"Okay, in that case, let's not hesitate. Bring enough dry food and water, and inform the prefect and them that we will leave now under the cover of the fog."

"Yes, General."

The two of them seemed to be silent, and they did not mention how the people in the city were doing. The people suffered when they prospered, and when they died, the people suffered.

fallen leaf valley,
The 30,000-strong army marched forward slowly. Although they kept silent, they could not conceal the clashing of heavy armor. From far to near, they were surprised by the hidden sentries lurking in the valley. When they saw that they were not far away in the valley, There was a vague figure flickering, and the scout's expression changed, and he hurriedly turned back to report.

"Report, Lord Protector, the imperial reinforcements have entered the valley."

Zuo Ling, the guardian of the Taiping Sect, heard this. Not only did he not look happy, but his face was full of sorrow. Gu Ping was indeed difficult to deal with, and he actually led his troops forward without saying a word. Could it be that he had also discovered that ambush really works.

I thought of Wei Siyuan who was stationed at the mouth of the valley, hoping that he could withstand Gu Ping's offensive in the early stage. When the war gets intense, ambushes will appear everywhere, and he will definitely defeat the imperial army.

"Send the order, all ambushes must gather and wait for Gu Ping's troops to engage in battle with the Dharma Protector's troops before attacking."

"It's Protector Zuo."

The hall master next to him immediately went to pass the order. At this moment,
The cavalry led by Song Liang did not take the official road at all, but followed both sides of the official road. He asked the cavalry to dismount and follow the mountain roads and highlands to explore both sides. While exploring, it seemed that some scouts had noticed it. Behind the low hills on both sides of the central valley, there is a camp, which must be an ambush.

The scouts were all elites. They took the signal from their bodies and lit it with a fire stick. The signal immediately rose and exploded in the sky, dyeing the sky red. As the signal rose one after another, both men and horses saw that flicker of the sky. color.

Gu Ping was shocked. He found it and immediately shouted,
"Blow the trumpet and attack!"

Immediately, the melancholy trumpet sound from the Chinese army sounded,
"Ohh Ohh ohh!"

Subsequently,

The pace of the armies on both wings accelerated significantly, and they charged towards the hills on both sides. Gu Ping, leading an army of more than 10,000 people, set up a defensive formation in the front part of the middle of the valley, and stood guard here, as if he had a closed-door attack. dog's will,
And behind the hills, in the Taiping Sect’s camp,
Zuo Ling, the protector of the law, heard the sound outside, which was the clarion call for the imperial court to gather for attack, and immediately shouted,

"Zhou Xiu, gather your troops and prepare to fight. Those soldiers are coming for us."

"Yes, protector."

Just when there was some panic in the camp, Qian Jiang and Chai Ding led the army to the high ground on both sides of the valley. From a high position, they looked at the ambush camps behind the mountains on the left and right sides of the valley, with cruel smiles on their lips.
"Brothers, this is a good opportunity, kill it."

After saying that, he drew out his long sword and led the army to fight down the mountain.
"Kill!"

The entire army roared and charged down the mountain, with momentum like a rainbow.

Only the shrill shouts of the camp guards were left,
"Enemy attack, enemy attack."

Then the gongs and drums sounded.

as a last resort,
A small number of troops in the camp gathered in front of the camp gate and formed a defensive formation, waiting for the soldiers and horses in the camp to assemble again.

moment,

The four men and horses behind Liangmian Mountain fought together. Although Protector Zuo had given instructions, he was a step too late in a hurry. Although the court's soldiers and horses were not many, they were well prepared and full of momentum.
But then, the ambush soldiers formed in the interior of the camp gradually joined in, and they were numerous, and they were inextricably killed for a while.

Both sides fought close to each other and fought hard. The battle was fierce, arrows were flying, and the swords were shining like rainbows. Gu Ping's soldiers and horses formed a formation to charge and gain the upper hand, while Protector Zuo's subordinates held on to the camp and resisted desperately. The figures of the two armies were intertwined, and the sound of killing was loud, shaking the entire Fallen Leaf Valley, and the echoes lasted for a long time!
Chasing the deer and hunting the fox, who can win? After hundreds of battles, even the crossbowmen drew their swords and fought bravely, and the armored men died in blood.

"Report, Lord Protector, something serious has happened. In the Fallen Leaf Valley ahead, the sound of killings is loud, and the screams are endless. I am afraid that the Zuo Protector's troops have been killed together with the soldiers and horses of the imperial court."

"What, how is that possible? They are in ambush."

The former protector Wei Siyuan was shocked. What was going on? Gu Ping should have led his army to attack him, and Zuo Ling's ambush troops came out later. Why did they start fighting now?

"Returning to the Protector? I don't know, but the echo coming from me was very tragic. I'm afraid Protector Zuo won't be able to hold on."

"Fuck your mother's fart."

Wei Siyuan was furious, kicked the ordering soldier over, immediately ordered the left and right to wear armor, and then shouted,
"Quickly, Tang Zheng has gathered his troops and horses. Xiang Qiang and You will lead the troops to stay in the camp."

Seeing the protector in such a hurry, Deputy General Tang Zheng paused and asked,

"Master Protector, Master Chu gave me the order to guard the mouth of the valley. If we lead the troops to fight at this time, wouldn't we fall into Gu Pifu's scheme?"

"Yes, Lord Protector, Gu Pifu doesn't know what treacherous plot is waiting for him, is he too hasty?"

Although Xiang Qiang didn't know why it happened like this, he thought that the changes in the valley were caused by Gu Ping on purpose. He attacked rashly, or he fell into Gu Ping's plan.

Only Wei Siyuan's face darkened, he looked at the two of them and said unkindly,
"I still need you two to teach me how to do this. There are 40,000 soldiers in the camp. How many more people can Gu Ping use? If he doesn't save Zuo Ling and something goes wrong, the leader will let you and me go. You I don’t want to think about who Protector Zuo is.”

An angry rebuke made the two of them change their faces in fear. Guardian Zuo is the brother-in-law of the cult leader Shixian. They almost forgot about this. If something happened to Guardian Zuo because of him, the cult leader would definitely light lanterns in the sky for himself and others.
"Yes, protector, I will go right now."

The two of them ran out in a hurry as if their buttocks were on fire.

Wei Siyuan shook his head. Before the great cause was accomplished, people within the sect had an idea. If it really affected half of the country, what would happen then? What about the status of Leader Chu? It was still too far-fetched.

"Come here, prepare your horses, hurry up."

"Yes, protector."

(End of this chapter)