Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 854: The Capital is Unpredictable
Princess Yongcheng's residence,

The hall was completely silent.
With Qiu Liang's departure, only three people were left. Jiang Zining felt a chill in his heart. Luo Yunhou was so arrogant and domineering that he totally disregarded the face of the Princess of the Royal Family. However, Xie Cheng was a general of the Beijing Camp and could not participate. He was even more surprised.
It was said that Marquis Luo Yun had taken over the army of the Beijing camp. I didn't expect it to be true. After this, I don't know why His Majesty arranged it this way, but I can't just sit back and watch. With a scream outside the palace, he really took action. He gritted his teeth, stood up and bowed;
"I pay my respects to the Marquis. Although Xie Cheng deserves to be punished, today is the day when Princess Yongcheng's residence moves to a new house. It is a festive occasion. How can you hit a guest when you are visiting? Even if it is a punishment, you should punish him when you return to the camp. If you behave like this, it will give people something to criticize you."

Well, what you said is quite right. I think I have gone too far. He was treating me to a drink, but my actions seem to be ruining the party.

"Well said, Your Highness, please do not blame me, it is I who have overstepped the bounds of duty."

He waved his hand and pointed outside.

"Tell them to stop and tell Xie Cheng to remember the remaining whips. After he has treated his injuries, he should return to the camp for training immediately."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Seeing the guards leave and the screams outside disappear, Jiang Zining heaved a sigh of relief. He felt that the Marquis was reasonable, but he didn't want to stay here for long. He turned around and saluted Princess Yongcheng, who was sitting on the main seat.
"Your Highness, the banquet is over, the gifts have arrived, and I will take my leave now."

He signaled to Luo Yunhou again, and then slowly retreated. He saw Xie Cheng outside the door. He was in tears from the pain after being whipped three times. Seeing that Xie Cheng wanted to wail, he quickly stepped forward to cover his mouth.
"Xie brother, hurry back and don't make any noise."

Xie Cheng nodded with tears in his eyes. He thought he had not checked the almanac before going out. Why did this evil star come? He grinned with every step and followed Jiang Zining out.

In the palace,

In less than an incense stick of time, Princess Yongcheng smiled as she watched people leave one by one.
"Oh, it's still Marquis Luo Yun's prestige. I finally had two or three distinguished guests come to my house, but before we even finished our meal, they were forced to flee by the Marquis' prestige, without even considering my face. Whether I am willing or not."

As the saying goes, a stunning beauty can captivate a city at first sight. Princess Yongcheng, who had changed her appearance and attire at this time, was elegant and graceful. Her plumpness beneath the robe was only barely covered and exposed. Seeing this, Zhang Jinyu felt a little dry in the mouth and quickly took a sip of tea.
"Don't blame me, Your Highness. I was just reprimanding him. If a person who doesn't know the severity of his crime is not punished, it will be hard to convince the public. Now that the banquet is over, I will take my leave."

Zhang Jinyu now thinks that it is not right for a man and a woman to stay here alone. If things go back to the past, she might not be able to control herself.

No matter how beautiful the person in front of you is, she has a consort. If the consort is hiding in a corner and suddenly jumps out, wouldn't that cause trouble for you?

"Lord Luo Yun, wait a minute. Why do you dislike me so much that I leave right after I arrive? I haven't even had my meal yet. Someone, serve the food."

"Yes, Your Highness,"

Zou Xiao responded, and then asked the maid to serve the dishes. Zhou Ying stood up, walked over slowly, and sat directly beside Luo Yunhou. A fragrance similar to that of osmanthus came from her, which was very pleasant.

"Your Highness, I have made a minor mistake and I am too embarrassed to stay here. If the Prince Consort misunderstands me, I am afraid that even if I have a mouth all over my body, I will not be able to explain myself."

He moved back a bit, but unexpectedly, Princess Yongcheng came close to him, half of her body leaning on him. The soft touch was so real that Zhang Jinyu took a breath of cold air. It was really big.

"It is said that Marquis Luo Yun is not afraid of heaven or earth, but he is afraid of a little girl like me. Prince Consort He is broad-minded and stayed in his fiefdom to manage the princess's mansion, and did not come with us."

It seemed like an explanation, but I couldn't understand it. How broad-minded could Prince Consort He be? He had a cuckold on his head. Not to mention the censors in the capital, even the older generation of nobles hadn't died yet.
"Your Highness, Prince Consort He has a broad mind. I don't know how broad it is, and I don't want to know. But I want to tell you one thing. The capital is not the same as before. Times have changed, so we must be more careful."

I pushed my arm outwards, but found a soft spot, which seemed to be in the wrong place, and could only cover up the embarrassment, and then said;

"Your Highness, there will be a poetry gathering at Yanchun Tower tomorrow night. Your Highness must be careful. I heard that Your Highness will also be going there?"

"Humph, of course I'm going to go."

Zhou Ying blushed. She had just been pushed back. There was a strange feeling at the place where she was touched. Tomorrow, isn't there a poetry meeting prepared by her sister? How can she be careful?

"Princess, just keep it in mind. I am not able to hold my liquor today, so I will take my leave now."

Seeing that His Highness did not listen and did not explain, Zhang Jinyu gave another instruction, stood up and broke free, and walked out.

At this time, Zhou Ying did not stop him. She smiled and looked at the sachet on her body, which was hanging on Luo Yunhou's waist.

"Zou Xiao, there's no need to serve the food. Have someone clean up the mess. I'm going back to take a bath."

"Yes, Your Highness, that is Marquis Luo Yun."

Zou Xiao wanted to remind her, but was stopped by Zhou Ying.

"You know what you need to know, but don't tell it."

"Yes, the servant understands."

The master and the servant were playing a riddle.

Outside the house, Zhang Jinyu was really tired. After getting on the carriage, he hurriedly asked someone to drive the carriage back home.

at this time,

It was past noon.

Towards evening,

North of Linshan County in southern Beijing,
At the fork in the official road, Wang Ziteng's troops had found a high place and set up camp temporarily. The infantry on the left and right wings were on guard in front. Up to this time, the camp had taken shape, and the barricades, tents, and fences had been set up.

Most of the central army had already entered the camp. From here to Linshan County City, it took less than two hours.

And at the foot of Linshan County,

The sound of fighting was heard far away.
Blood soaked the city walls. After only two days of bloody battles, the ground was already covered with a thick layer of corpses. On the city walls, exhausted soldiers were lying crookedly.
Kou Zijing, who was originally supervising the battle, had already ordered the elite troops of the Supervising Army to fight forward.

"Brother, they have attacked four times today without stopping for even a second. Are they crazy?"

Kou Zijing had never expected that those nearly unarmed refugees would also rush over, fearless and fearless, so that their soldiers' hands were shaking as they hacked and killed them. Countless people died together. In one day, the casualties of the soldiers defending the city were huge.
Within one day, almost half of the soldiers were killed or wounded. Although the densely packed corpses below the city were all members of the Taiping Sect, the soldiers on the city wall, who looked like a defeated army, could no longer hold back their complaints.

"Now is not the time to talk about this. There is still one hour before the sun sets. The enemy has started to mobilize again. You leave the palace army behind and go to the inner city to report to His Highness. Then he will dispatch more troops to stop this wave. I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out until noon tomorrow. I'm afraid the people of the Taiping Sect have changed their minds."

Wu Shiming, a general of the new army, did not believe in these evil cults from the bottom of his heart. What Taiping Sect? These tactics were all used by the White Lotus Sect. The prince might as well go south to lead his own troops.
"I understand, big brother. Take care. I don't know if the rebel army has any ulterior motives, but the imperial army in the north should not be able to escape. The prince's plan will be successful."

Kou Zijing glanced to the north and saw some vague scenery. Before he turned around, a shrill horn sounded from under the city, and the bandits and refugees began to rush over again.

"All troops, listen up, continue to defend the city, archers, get ready,"

After a while,
The captains of the various camps immediately shouted;

"Archers, one hundred steps ahead, shoot!"

In a flash,

The refugees who arrived first fell down one after another, and the vacant places were filled by the people behind them in a moment. They rushed to the foot of the city along the bloody road, and began to climb up like ants using ladders. The shouts and cries of killing began again.

Outside the North City,
Taiping Sect's Central Army Camp,
Zuo Ling, the left guardian, led his men into the tent in a hurry.
"Report, Master Chu, Wang Ziteng's army is coming."

After a message was passed, the sound of drums beating to gather the troops came from one side of the big tent.
Wait a moment,

Many Dharma protectors, flag masters, and hall masters quickly gathered in the big tent. After everyone arrived, Zuo Ling spread out a map on the table inside the tent.
Wait there,
Chu Yiyue wore a yellow hair crown, a yellow robe, and squinted his eyes as he sat in the main seat. Wang Ziteng had already taken the bait. It was just a matter of time before he could come. He had agreed with the prince in the county city on a three-day deadline. Tomorrow was the key.
Open your eyes,
Glancing at the guardians in the tent, success or failure depends on this one move.
"Everyone, Wang Ziteng has already set up camp on the other side, and it's less than two hours away from us. In addition, Daliang City Jiedushi Lu Daiyuan has personally led 40,000 troops to the south. In other words, there are 110,000 infantry and 50,000 cavalry. How should we fight?"

This is how to consider the decisive battle. There are more than 100,000 elite soldiers of the imperial court, and 50,000 cavalry. The imperial court is too powerful. The originally noisy big tent suddenly became silent. Everyone looked at each other. In the past, the cities they fought were all defeated by the imperial army, which collapsed at the first touch.
This is the first time we have encountered the main force of the imperial court. We still need to see how strong it is.

Seeing that no one said anything, the left protector Zuo Ling snorted coldly, stomped the ground with his foot, and said;
"Master Chu, I have something to say."

"Well, please speak, Left Protector."

Chu Yiyue nodded, and took in the expressions of everyone in the tent. It seemed that the majesty of the court was still there.

"Master Chu, everyone, it rained heavily a few days ago, and the ground under our feet is still a little soft, making it difficult for the cavalry to move. As long as we double the troops on the left and right wings to protect the main formation and resist the first wave, we can take advantage of the chaos to kill the rest and directly fight them. We will definitely win with our numbers."

This is also the idea that Zuo Ling has always insisted on. It is impossible to rely on battle formations to win this battle against the imperial army. He can only fight fast and win in chaos. The rest depends on the backup plan set by the prince!

At the critical moment, a sneak attack from behind, this decisive battle, is considered a win! Even if Wang Ziteng is lucky enough to escape back to Daliang City, how can he go back if all his main forces are lost?
At that time, if there is a chance, we will take advantage of the situation to capture Daliang City and use it as a support!
Zuo Ling's idea was what he concluded in Luoyue Valley. If he wanted to attack the enemy by surprise, he had to deploy heavy troops. Even if the ambushers noticed it, they were outnumbered and unable to stop him.

Although the explanation was full of passion, the Dharma protectors, flag masters, and hall masters present remained silent. It seemed simple, but the imperial army was not so easy to disrupt.

Finally, there were the 50,000 cavalrymen of the imperial court. Although the land was still a little wet, the weather was dry. Although the rainstorm had lasted for a few days and the weather had become much warmer, the three days of sunny weather had dried up the little water on the ground.

Therefore, cavalry is the biggest threat to them now, unless it rains now, which can block their sight and limit the enemy cavalry's charge.

The rear guardian He Qiang sneered. How could two armies be so impatient when facing each other?

"Left Protector, your idea is too simple. When two armies face each other, they need to stabilize their positions. Whoever loses his position first will be the first to fall into chaos. It is necessary to set up two lines of troops on the left and right wings, but if the entire army is pressed forward and fighting in chaos, who will defend against the cavalry? Your left-wing troops or my right-wing troops?"

The reason why He Qiang said this is because this battle is related to the survival of the Holy Church. Although they rushed forward with a large number of people, unfortunately, the threat of the imperial cavalry could not be eliminated. Even if they were prepared, who could stop them when they were exhausted at the end of the battle?

Unless there is continuous heavy rain like in the past few days, there will be a glimmer of hope, or in other words, let the imperial army take the initiative to attack, then those fortifications and traps will be of great use.
He Qiang's question alone was enough to win the approval of many generals in the tent. Cui Jiping, the leader of the Five Elements Banner, pointed to the map.

"Left Protector, you are right, but the northern part of Linshan County is flat and has no strategic location to defend. We have spent so much effort to lay traps and set up barricades for several days. If we don't defend it, all this will be in vain."

"Yes, Left Protector, not only is it in vain, but just like you said, we will fight to the death. What if Wang Ziteng's troops don't retreat after the fight, or if the former crown prince's ambush troops don't come out, what will happen?"

Another Five Elements Flag leader, Tang Zheng, pointed to the official road to the north of the county town. This place was open and the terrain to the north was higher. Although it looked inconspicuous, it already had a commanding presence. Although it was subtle, he did not trust those people in the court, even the deposed prince.

"This shouldn't happen. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If the prince makes a mistake, how good will he be?"

Obviously, Zuo Ling hesitated for a moment, and he might not be without these concerns, but there was only one chance, and if he didn't defeat the troops in front of him, the situation in southern Beijing would never be stable. What's more, Chenzhou City was already in the hands of the Taiping Sect, which showed that they were "full of sincerity"!
Seeing that the left protector was still holding on, Zhou Xiu behind him could not stand it any longer. As Zuo Ling's confidant, and the one sent by the leader to protect Zuo Ling, he could not stand it and scolded him.
"Everyone is talking nonsense, guessing that the enemy has 150,000 and we have 350,000. The enemy is outnumbered and we are outnumbered. Even if we fight to the end, we still have a chance of winning. Even if we want to use traps and barricades to consume a wave of enemies, we still need Wang Ziteng to take the initiative to attack. He is not stupid, so how can he come? He will attack the left and right wings."

Although Zhou Xiu didn't understand any military tactics, there were three places to go. The central army had a strong formation. As the saying goes, pick the soft persimmon to squeeze, so naturally the left and right wings were weak. If they really had to fight, they would attack the two wings.

He was a straightforward person who spoke without hesitation. I thought the guardians would get angry, but Wei Siyuan suddenly nodded and said;

"Reporting to Master Chu and all the brothers in the sect, what Master Zhou said may not be wrong. To put it nicely, Wang Ziteng is cautious, and to put it bluntly, he is treacherous. He seems cautious and timid, but in fact he is slippery and has no flaws."

Wei Siyuan thought about it and decided that if he wanted Wang Ziteng to attack, he had to have a reason for him to come. The only place he had to come was the Linshan County City behind him. So, he came up with a plan.
Turning around, he pointed behind him and said;
"The county city behind us is the key. That's why Wang Ziteng has to rescue it. We agreed with that nobleman that the county city would fall in three days. Tomorrow is exactly the third day. So, if we pass the news of the county city's fall to the other party, Wang Ziteng will have to send troops. According to what He Hufa said, we should defend instead of attack, consume Wang Ziteng's troops, and finally according to Zuo Hufa's words, the whole army will charge out. Victory or defeat depends on this one move."

After saying that, he clenched his fist and slammed it hard on the table. With a "bang", the generals in the tent were suddenly awakened.
Guardian Wei's idea is right. Since Wang Ziteng has come, he is more anxious than us. Relying on the large number of people in our camp, Wang Ziteng can only encircle us from both wings. In this way, he will definitely fall into a trap. At that time, even if he wants to leave, he will not be able to do so.

"Everyone be quiet and listen to what Master Chu has to say."

He Qiang also agreed. With a wave of his hand, the people in the tent quieted down and turned their eyes over. Chu Yiyue smiled. After listening to their discussion, he had already made up his mind that this battle would be won.
Then he stood up,
He actually put the map away, pointed to the south in the direction of the county town, and said;

"Everyone, the key to this battle lies in whether Wang Ziteng will take the initiative to attack tomorrow. According to the agreement, the county city will fall into our hands tomorrow. The specific time should be before noon, so the battle will start at that time. No matter how cautious Wang Ziteng is, he has to fight."

He turned around and looked at his brothers in the church, his face turned stern, and he gave an order;
"Wei Siyuan, command the left wing troops and lead the enemy to attack. Tang Zheng will lead an army to support. The right wing will be led by He Qiang. Similarly, Banner Master Cui will be responsible for support. The number of central troops will be reduced by half. Zuo Ling will lead 70,000 troops and ambush the rear. He will be responsible for keeping an eye on the multiple cavalry teams and blocking them at any time. I will lead the central army. It depends on how Wang Ziteng charges."

Obviously,

Chu Yiyue had already thought of a plan to deal with the imperial army. He reduced the number of troops in the central army by half, to a maximum of 80,000, and made them the same number as the troops on the left and right wings. He also left a large number of ambushes. In this way, no matter how they fought, it would be the same. Wang Ziteng would definitely send cavalry to go around the rear. At that time, Zuo Ling would be like a turtle in a jar. Even if they broke through, they would be injured. How could they stop the troops of the former prince?
It would be best to take advantage of the situation and attack directly on Daliang City, threatening the safety of the capital area. At that time, the Taiping Sect would surely shock the world!
"The leader has great fortune and a long life. The Taiping Sect is destined by heaven, and the world will be blessed with good fortune!"

(End of this chapter)