The prince is very fierce

The next day, the warm sun was in the sky.

The fleet sailed down the river day and night and had arrived in Hanyang, less than a hundred miles away from Ezhou. The Xiliang army on the troop carrier was ready to go, all kinds of landing equipment were ready, and even the artillery had been loaded. They were just waiting for the troops to approach the city and tear the last faces of the four eastern kings into pieces.

On the handsome ship, Nightingale held a telescope and carefully scanned the situation of hundreds of ships. Occasionally, if a flag came, she would notify Xu Buling in the room.

In the room, Xu Buling was neatly dressed and walking next to the couch, holding a map of the surrounding areas of Luotian County in his hand and looking at it. He looked back from time to time, with a bit of a smile in his eyes.

Behind Xu Buling, Ning Qingye was lying on her side facing the wall, her smooth shoulders exposed from the spring quilt, her long hair spread like clouds, and her delicate face with a bit of chill. She still refuses to get up.

Ning Qingye was not angry at first because she was half-promised last night, but because she accidentally said the word "needle" wrongly, the gentle and gentle lover in front of her turned into a jerk in an instant.

No matter how skilled Ning Qingye was in martial arts, she was still just a girl who was just beginning her career. Even if she could bear it physically, she couldn't bear it mentally. She forgot that she was there. She vaguely remembered that she rolled her eyes, cried and begged for mercy, and the guy wouldn't let her go. …

Ning Qingye's eyes showed a rare grievance. Compared with being tortured, she was actually more worried about the opinions of outsiders. Chen Sining lived not far away. I wonder if she heard any noise. Nightingale must have heard the noise. I don’t know what I think of her...

Xu Buling looked at the map for a while and saw that it was getting late. He put the map down, turned around and shook Qingye's shoulders:

"Yeye..."

"Eh."? ?

Xu Bu Ling's expression froze, then he raised his hand and patted Xiao Ning on the back who dared to take advantage of him.

snap

Ning Qingye didn't move. The beating didn't hurt anyway. She pulled the spring quilt up and ignored him.

Xu Buring shook his head, turned Qingye over to face him, and said softly:

"It's my fault. Get up and eat something. It's almost noon."

Ning Qingye's face was cold and she turned her head away from Xu Buling:

"I'll starve to death if I don't go out. I want you to be careful. If you have to be so rash, Nightingale must have heard it, and Miss Chen may have heard it too. There's a boatload of people below. How do you want me to go out to meet people?"

Xu Bu Ling's eyes were helpless and he turned his cheek: "Qingye, did I make you unable to get up because of my ignorance? If so, just tell me and I will bring the food over..."

Ning Qingye narrowed her eyes slightly and was about to sit up to prove that she had not been knocked down. But then she thought about it and felt that Xu Buling was irritating her. She snorted softly: "So what if I can't get up? Anyway, I can't Go out and do your work."

"I only arrived in the afternoon, I have nothing to do..."

Xu Buring smiled softly, glanced twice, raised his hand to lift the spring quilt up again, and prepared to get on the bed.

Ning Qingye's expression changed and she immediately became honest. She turned over and blocked herself with spring:

"Wait a minute, I...I'll just get up."

Only then was Xu Bu Ling satisfied. He took the clothes and put them in Ning Qingye's hands. Knowing that Qingye was thin-skinned, he didn't look around and turned around to go to the study outside.

Ning Qingye relaxed slightly after Xu Buling went out, frowned slightly, rubbed her sore waist, and then raised her hand to get the clothes next to her.

After putting on her clothes, Ning Qingye remembered something and quickly opened the quilt, trying to find the handkerchief Xu Buling had placed under her yesterday, but unfortunately she couldn't find it anywhere.

"What's wrong with this guy..."

Ning Qingye pursed her lips, and there was a little bit of shame and anger in her eyes, but she was too embarrassed to ask Xu Buling for this thing. After thinking about it, she could only pretend that she didn't notice anything, and carefully folded the quilt... …——

The White Emperor's farewell speech is among the colorful clouds. A thousand miles of rivers and mountains are returned in one day.

Although Ezhou is more than four hundred miles away from Yueyang, the Chunjiang River is warm and flows downstream, and the 50,000 Xiliang troops arrived almost in the blink of an eye.

In the afternoon, the atmosphere among the soldiers and horses on more than 300 ships became increasingly serious. Large shields, wooden bridges and other equipment used for landing were prepared. The troop carriers other than the gunboats were also loaded with artillery and wheels were installed. At this time Push it onto the deck and secure it for maximum fire coverage once you reach the battlefield.

On the building ship, Chen Sining put on her armor in the room, carefully checked her armor, and put on top-quality soft armor brought from the Nanyue Palace inside the armor, which was almost invulnerable.

Chen Sining acted as Xu Buling's personal soldier, just to follow her and not let her run away to fight. But Chen Sining's character is such that she is extremely stable. She considers safety in advance, even if she knows she will not go to the battlefield, she is still fully prepared. , even the spears for horse warfare are ready and placed on the weapon rack in the room.

There was going to be a war soon. Although Chen Sining was not the head coach, he was far more worried about the upcoming battle than Xu Buling. Seeing that they were almost there, Xu Buling didn't come out yet. He was a little confused and came to the handsome platform outside the study. He raised his hand and knocked on the door:

"General?"

Soon, the door opened.

Xu Bu Ling walked out of the room wearing the crown prince's robe, saw Chen Sining in full armor, and said with a smile:

"The coach is Yang Zunyi. If we want to go to the battlefield, General Yang won't give us a chance. Why are you covering up so tightly?"

Chen Sining looked at the armor on his body: "It is a rule to keep armor on your body during war. It doesn't matter if you don't wear armor, how can I, a soldier, not wear it. We will be there soon, where is Qingye?"

Xu Buling looked back and saw that Qingye had already put on the armor, but had no intention of coming out. Instead, she avoided Chen Sining. He could only say with a smile:

"I'm busy with something, let's go down."

Chen Sining didn't think too much about it, and followed Xu Buling with her hand on the waist knife. The armor made a clicking sound as she walked, and she really had the aura of a general.

The two men came to the deck of the handsome ship and stood at the bow. General Yang Zunyi was already using his command flag to direct the troop ships to disperse and arrange landings in batches to avoid an ambush and chaos when they arrived.

The Xiliang Army has been staying among the thousands of miles of yellow sand in the Western Regions for many years. In fact, it has no experience in water warfare. Even if it maintains an absolute advantage, Yang Zunyi is still very serious and cautious. Together with more than a dozen military advisers and staff, they discuss possible encounters at any time. misfortune.

War is no child's play. The sound of artillery means rivers of blood and corpses floating thousands of miles away.

In this atmosphere where the sword was unsheathed and the crossbow was cocked, Chen Sining gradually became a little nervous. Looking at the deserted mountains and plains along both sides of the river, she asked in a low voice:

"It's so quiet. I haven't encountered a single incident so far. Could something go wrong?"

Xu Bu Ling's expression was calm and calm, and he looked confident, but this was for his generals to see, and he was also secretly thinking about various possible changes in his heart.

After careful consideration, Xu Buling shook his head and said:

"Won't."

Chen Sining nodded and didn't say much. She just stood in front and watched the situation along the river with a telescope.

As the fleet moved rapidly, buildings gradually appeared on the riverside. As the main battlefield between the two armies, there were no ordinary people along the river. They were all scattered military camps and beacon towers. The further downstream you went, the more buildings became more numerous. dense.

After driving into the jurisdiction of Ezhou City, I heard the sound of war drums outside Ezhou City in the distance, and across the river was the endless Dongyue garrison, with city walls, arrow towers, and bunkers all over the city. The complete defenses made Yang Zunyi frown slightly. .

But the strange thing is that everyone in Dayue is beating war drums, but there is silence on the other side of the river. Only densely packed soldiers can be seen standing behind the fortifications, and there is not even a ship on the river.

General Yang Zunyi was a little confused. After looking carefully and confirming that it was not a ruse, he said:

"His Royal Highness, you didn't leave the door opposite. Are you preparing to hide in a turtle shell and get beaten?"

Xu Buling was also a little puzzled. Instead of starting a water fight, it was better to put a few boats outside as scouts. This was too clean. He thought for a moment:

"No need to approach the shore. Stop on this side of the river. First use artillery to bombard the city wall and blockhouses. After a gap is blown and the morale of the army is shattered, we can then cross the river and land."

Yang Zunyi was prepared to fight like this. He was an inch longer and an inch stronger, and he could stand in a place where the opponent couldn't hit and strike head-on. Who would run up and engage in a hand-to-hand fight? He raised his hand, and the herald waved the flag.

More than three hundred troop transports lowered their sails and slowed down to anchor, while twenty gunboats ran to the center of the river, maintaining a distance of more than three miles to ensure that the crossbows and trebuchets on the opposite side could not hit them. The mouth faces the river bank of Dongyue, and with just one order, a super long-distance dimensionality reduction strike can be carried out.

The formation has not yet been set up. From the telescope, it is obvious that Dongyue's soldiers are in confusion. Almost everyone is retreating or looking for cover. Just from these skilled evasive movements, you can know that they are the troops under King Chu.

Xu Buling shook his head secretly, knowing that there was no suspense in this landing battle. He was about to order the artillery bombardment as before, waiting for Qin Paopao to be defeated with regret, but something suddenly happened on the opposite side.

I saw the Dongyue defense line waiting in full formation. The military flag with the word "Qin" that was originally inserted above a pass suddenly lowered. The Dongyue soldiers behind the fortifications also burst into cheers, as if they had won a great battle. The shouts were loud and clear. God, the Xiliang army here is really a little confused.

Xu Buling frowned and asked Yang Zunyi not to order the bombardment yet. After waiting for a moment, he saw a water gate in the middle of the defense line open and a small fishing boat sail out.

The fishing boat was only about ten feet long and did not carry any ordnance. In front of it was a strong man in civilian clothes, standing at the bow of the boat holding a handsome sword. Behind him was a subordinate who was punting the boat. He was holding a flag with the word "Xu" in one hand and punting the boat with the other, calling and shouting from a distance:

"Don't fire! One of our own! Don't fire..."

"..."

The 50,000 soldiers of the Xiliang Army who were ready to go were all speechless.

Yang Guanyu boarded the ship and prepared to be the vanguard to land on the beach. Seeing this scene, he took off his helmet, threw it to the deputy general, turned around and returned to the cabin.

Chen Sining was confused and walked up to Xu Buling:

"What is the other side doing? Send an envoy here to negotiate?"

"I surrender, what else can I do?"

Xu Buling was actually relieved. After all, thousands of people died. Who would want to create thousands more orphans and widows in the world without bloodshed?

Chen Sining was a little puzzled: "The defense on the other side was impregnable, so they surrendered like that?"

"If it doesn't fall, it will be flat before dark."

Xu Buling raised his hand and let the handsome ship sail to the center of the river. He lowered his head and looked at the small boat below.

After Qin Jing, the general of the Chu army, arrived below the handsome ship, he raised his handsome sword levelly, bowed his head deeply, and said loudly:

"The defeated general Qin Jing pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince approaches the city with the might of heaven and man. There is no suspense about the victory of this battle. Both sides of the river belong to the same clan and are compatriots. It is inevitable that tens of thousands of soldiers under his command will die in vain. Qin is willing to hand over his handsome sword. The city gates were opened wide, and the prince was welcomed into the city. He only asked the prince to treat the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait equally and not commit any crimes. However, Qin Jing, as a general of Chu, surrendered without a fight. He was really ashamed of his ancestors and the king of Chu. He had no shame in living. In the world..."

While speaking, Qin Jing drew out his sword and slashed it directly at his neck.

However, whether this was a show or a real move, Xu Buling would never let Qin Jing commit suicide. If Qin Jing surrendered and begged to die in front of him, who would dare to surrender?

Xu Buling jumped and landed directly in front of Qin Jing, raised his hand to hold Qin Jing's arm, and then said all kinds of polite words.

First, he praised Qin Jing for loving the people like his own children and distinguishing right from wrong. Then, he gave various rewards to the defenders on the shore. The forced men could receive pensions and go home on the spot. Before he finished speaking, cheers broke out on the Dongyue defense line, and the city gates were wide open. They were happier than the Xiliang army who were exempted from a battle... ——

"Asshole!"

The next day, in Hangzhou City, in the Dongyue Palace temporarily rebuilt at the foot of Baima Mountain, Dongyue Emperor Song Shaoying suddenly threw the 800-mile urgent battle report on the ground and cursed:

"150,000 defenders, prepared for nearly half a year, relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, but the commander opened the city and surrendered without firing a single arrow. He might as well keep running. A dog tied to the riverside will bark twice. Qin Jing is the descendant of a famous general, but he is not even as good as a dog..."

The angry scolding was heard by more than a million ministers present. Everyone had different expressions, but they all understood that this was just the impotent rage of being on the verge of despair.

Qin Jing surrendered yesterday without a fight, and the impact was almost devastating.

Last winter, Dongyue's officials were under great pressure. They knew that the Xiliang Army would attack them, and they might not be able to defeat them. However, no matter how great the pressure was, at least they did not really fight. The battlefield was ever-changing, and there might be variables. Dongyue had a Liaoxi Army that was no less powerful than the Xiliang Army, so they might have been able to hold on.

But now, Qin Jing had more than 100,000 Chu troops, and he didn't even fire an arrow, and directly destroyed the enemy after nearly half a year of preparation; Xu Buling was also generous, and directly increased Qin Jing's rank by one level, dismissed all able-bodied men, and issued silver to allow the people who were forced to join the army to return home for reunion.

This news spread to the defense line behind, and the consequences can be imagined.

Dongyue claimed to have a million soldiers, but most of them were forced to be able-bodied men and half-farmers and half-soldiers. They belonged to the same clan as Xiyue and had no national hatred or family feuds. Knowing that they could not win, they could take the silver home by throwing away their swords. The generals' official positions would remain unchanged and the country could be unified. Who would be willing to die generously?

As for whether Dayue was surnamed Xu or Song, what did it have to do with the people?

Less than an hour after Qinjing surrendered, the garrison commander of Huangmei County defected on the battlefield, followed by Huaining County, who surrendered faster than the Xiliang Army; the generals of Huaining County were afraid that Luzhou would receive the news and detain people, so they rode their horses directly to the Xiliang Army camp to surrender. Only Tongcheng was still suppressing the soldiers' objections and defending to the death, but the small city wall of Tongcheng might not be able to hold out for half a day. How could it be fought?

Once Tongcheng was lost, Luzhou, the military base of the four kings in the east, was behind it. It was the only Liaoxi Army in Jiangnan that could be used. It was the most frontline military fortress of Dongyue and the last front battlefield of Dongyue.

Because if Wang Chenghai loses again, Dongyue will have no regular army. If they rely on the government soldiers and militia to fight against the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, they probably won't even need artillery.

Seeing the situation so clear, Zhou Kai, the head of the Zhou family, a powerful family in Chu, came to the front of Chu Wang Song Zhengping and whispered:

"Your Majesty, it's not that your father-in-law is spineless. The situation has come to this point, which hurts the people of the world. If you make a decision earlier, the Song family will not be wiped out of the world. Why don't you persuade the emperor?"

On the grounds of the safety of the people of the world, it is naturally a polite remark. What does the life and death of the people of the world have to do with the family? As a family rooted in the Central Plains, the most feared thing is to stand on the wrong side when the world is in chaos. The Zhou family has been rooted in Chu for hundreds of years, and it is not easy to stand in the position of a second-tier family. If they climb up again, they can be on par with the five major surnames.

With such a large family business in hand, Zhou Kai's mind is very clear. If he was not the father-in-law of the King of Chu, he would not come to Hangzhou at all. Even if they came, Chu actually left a branch, and now they have surrendered to the Xu family.

The advantage of betting on both sides is that the family will not be destroyed, but the disadvantage is that the family business will at least be cut in half, from second-rate to third-rate, and it will take at least a hundred years to accumulate again. If peaceful reunification can be achieved at this time, the Zhou family can reduce a lot of losses. Not to mention anything else, the industry occupied by the Xu family in Chu will definitely be taken back. When they enter Hangzhou City, there will be nothing left.

Chu Wang Song Zhengping, in fact, was at odds with the three kings in the east at the beginning. Song Ji turned the table and refused to pass the throne to him, so he turned to the three kings in the east and was always used as cannon fodder.

Song Zhengping can actually see the current situation and know that the chances of winning are slim. Moreover, once Qin Jing surrenders, he will not have a single soldier under his command. Even if he wins, he will not get any benefits. If he loses, he will accompany the three kings in the east to be loyal to the Song family.

But Song Zhengping was a vassal prince of the Song family, not a general or an official. Generals and officials could keep their positions if they surrendered, but if he surrendered, he would definitely be detained in Chang'an for the rest of his life, and he might die of illness in a few years.

Moreover, the world that the Song family had conquered with great difficulty fell into the hands of others. Even if Song Zhengping was not the emperor, how could he not feel reluctant in his heart?

Song Zhengping frowned, thought for a while, and then said softly:

"Wang Chenghai led the Liaoxi Army to defend Luzhou, and he still had the strength to fight. Now persuading the emperor is not courting death, let's wait and see."

"Alas..."

After the Xiliang Army landed in Luotian County on the 19th, nearly 200,000 government soldiers also quickly boarded the ship to cross the river and assembled in Luotian County. It took only two days to gain a foothold. After that, the troops were divided into two groups and went down the river to recover the city that had already given up resistance. After running more than 400 miles, they met an opponent who dared to resist without surrendering.

On the first day of March, outside Tongcheng on the north bank of the Yangtze River, the roar of artillery fire was earth-shattering. Under the bombardment of hundreds of artillery pieces, the city wall was crumbling bit by bit, visible to the naked eye. Except for the unyielding defenders and the almost desperate soldiers, Standing on the city wall and being beaten, there is no way to fight back.

Most of the city was built along the river. No matter which fortress had a water gate, twenty gunboats were parked on the river to bombard. A steady stream of supply ships arrived.

The Tongcheng defenders couldn't defeat the Xiliang Army in the city, and they couldn't defeat the Xiliang Army outside the city. It looked like a huge and fierce fight, but in fact neither side engaged the enemy, and there was nothing to say at all.

On the river bank, the handsome ship was docked on the upstream bank. Many generals and staff were holding telescopes and admiring the gorgeous night scene as if they were watching fireworks. Yang Guanyu even made a bet on how long Tongcheng could last under the firepower.

Qin Jing, as the "staff officer", stood among the generals of the Xiliang Army. He looked at this scene with almost despair, which was much bigger than before. He was also secretly glad that it was not him who was standing on Tongcheng.

People always die in wars, and Xu Buling doesn't like to appreciate the despair of his opponents. Seeing that Tongcheng's situation is over, he returns to the study, opens the map and looks at the next march route.

Chen Sining was numb to the overwhelming battle situation. After all, there was nothing exciting about crushing the situation. She and Ning Qingye sat in the study together, helping Nightingale deal with numerous affairs.

The artillery fire outside lasted for about half an hour, then the war drums sounded, and the infantry of the Xiliang Army began to attack the city where most of the city wall had collapsed.

Xu Buling glanced at the window. Before the Xiliang army could change the flag on the city wall, a fast boat suddenly ran down from upstream.

Xiao Qi, dressed in the imperial concubine's attire, stood on the deck under the close protection of the palace guards, and shouted from afar:

"Ms. sir, sir"

The building ships were together with the team transporting the baggage, and were only more than ten miles away from the main army on the front line. However, for the sake of safety, Xu Buling never allowed the building ships to come to the front line battlefield.

Seeing Xiao Qi running over in a hurry, Xu Bu Ling's expression changed, he jumped out of the window, touched the river gently, and landed on the heavily guarded deck, holding Xiao Qi's arm:

"What's wrong? What are you doing here?"

While talking, Xu Buling pulled Xiao Qi into the cabin.

What Xu Buling didn't expect was that Xiao Xiang'er was also in the cabin.

Xiao Xiang'er's apricot eyes were full of anger, and she jumped slightly anxiously. When she saw Xu Buling coming, she quickly ran to Xu Buling, took his arm and shook him:

"That bastard Song Siming dares to attack my Xiao family. Go and kill him quickly. The Jiang family doesn't dare to touch any plant or tree in my Xiao family. The Song family is no more powerful than Jiazi. He is nothing. If Song Siming dares to touch I am a member of the Xiao family, and I must let the Song family be exterminated..."

The coquettish voices continued to scold her, and even her beautiful face turned into a rare livid color.

Xu Buling frowned, comforted Xiang'er, and looked at Xiao Qi:

"What happened?"

Xiao Qi is responsible for the intelligence information of the army and has an intelligence network of her own. Her face was warm and angry, and she said coldly:

"The spies just risked their lives and came back with the news that something happened in Luzhou City. The kings of Wu, Song Siming and Wang Chenghai, captured the people in the city and climbed up the city wall. Ting'er and Erbo were also invited to Luzhou City. They must be used as Blackmail prevents you from attacking the city."

Xiao Xiang'er's almond-shaped eyes were filled with anger, and she gritted her teeth and said, "It's really despicable. What should I do?"

Xu Buling's face darkened when he heard this. There is almost no need to guess what the purpose of arresting the common people and the Xiao family members is. The four eastern kings are so anxious that they will jump over the wall.

Originally, both sides claimed to be Dayue Orthodox, but Xu Buling still carried the reputation of "usurping the throne to seek the country", which was slightly unreasonable. Now the four kings in the east are seizing the people in the territory to act as human shields, which has directly lost the justice and the people's support. It is no less than drinking poison to quench thirst. .

But the four kings in the east were shameless in the desperate situation. Xu Buling had to take advantage of the great advantage. This was indeed a big trouble.

Xu Buling was silent for a moment and then said:

"Don't worry, break camp immediately and go to Luzhou to see the situation. Under the general situation, the soldiers and civilians in Jiangnan have no intention of fighting at all. I will try to persuade them to surrender."

Xiao Xiang'er wanted to say something else, but was stopped by Xiao Qi. After all, the matter was at this point, and there was no other way except to go to the city first to test the pressure. ——

Two days later, Luzhou.

From Tongcheng to Luzhou, it is a great plain of more than 150 miles. Thirty thousand Xiliang troops and government soldiers marched day and night, marching from the land route, clearing the remaining checkpoints along the way, and arrived at the west side of Luzhou.

Hundreds of ships loaded with soldiers and horses also entered Chaohu Lake on the south side of Luzhou with almost no obstructions along the rivers extending in all directions, with the gunboats clearing the way.

Luzhou is the most important military fortress in Dongyue. It is more than two hundred miles away from Jinling and Huainan. After occupying it, it will approach the Suzhou and Hangzhou areas in the hinterland of Jiangnan, and the vast plains will be almost impossible to defend.

Before his death, Song Ji left the only legacy left to the four kings in the east. Most of the Liaoxi Army was stationed here, and it was also the only hard nut to crack in Dongyue.

The Western Liao Army is the main force of Dayue. It has been fighting against the Northern Qi Prince You in the land of Youyun all year round. From the quality of the soldiers to the armor and weapons, it is not half inferior to the Xiliang Army. As a soldier directly under the jurisdiction of Chang'an, the treatment is even better.

If they were to face off on the plain, the odds of victory for the Western Liang Army and the Liaoxi Army would be evenly split. If the Liaoxi Army defended the city and the Western Liang Army attacked the city, the Western Liang Army would basically not be able to defeat it, otherwise the Northern Qi would not have been blocked outside the Great Wall for so many years, which is also the reliance of the four kings in the East who are still holding on.

However, the Western Liang Army has a powerful weapon for attack and defense, such as artillery. Under the condition of equal military quality, the enemy has what we have, which completely makes the 50-50 combat power become 100-10. It is precisely because of the Liaoxi Army's strong combat power that it is more clear that this battle cannot be won.

On the third day of March, the sky over Luzhou was overcast, and the atmosphere on the land was solemn.

Xu Buling rode the chasing wind horse and came to three miles outside Luzhou City. Standing on a hill, he and the generals looked at the Luzhou city wall in the distance.

Outside Luzhou City, arrow towers stood in rows, and the battlements and trenches turned the land into an intricate maze. The Liaoxi Army soldiers in sophisticated armor were ready inside and outside the city wall.

On the gate tower, Wu Wang Song Siming sat on a chair with a frown.

Commander Wang Chenghai held his sword with a cold look, watching the endless black tide pressing towards the city wall. There was no fear of fighting on his face, only the calmness and indifference that a general should have.

Wang Chenghai was born in a poor family and climbed step by step to the position of the Grand Commander of Liaoxi. He was a die-hard fan of Song Ji, which can be seen from the fact that Song Ji sent his parents, wife and children back and let him decide whether to stay or go.

There are always a few loyal ministers in the court of Dayue who are willing to sacrifice the lives of their entire family and die generously for the Song family. This may be blind loyalty, but no one can change these people's belief in "loyalty to the army and serving the country", and Wang Chenghai is such a person.

In fact, the great general Xu Lie was also like this. He was a high-ranking official and his achievements shocked the emperor, but he did not rebel. He was not to repay the favor of being appreciated by Emperor Xiaozong and becoming a prince from a butcher.

Beside Wang Chenghai, besides the Liaoxi army soldiers who were waiting in battle array, there were also dense crowds of civilians, both men and women, old and young, who were tied up with their hands and feet, tied together with ropes, and tied to the city wall. Their cries overwhelmed the noise of the two armies.

Xiao Ting, Xiao Mo and more than a dozen other elders of the Xiao family, with their hands tied behind their backs, stood beside Wang Chenghai, cursing non-stop, but the sound was not clear.

The soldiers of the Xiliang army who had already lined up outside the city saw this scene and also cursed, saying that the Liaoxi army was nothing and was unworthy of being a man.

The Liaoxi army was collectively silent, just holding the bows and crossbows in their hands, waiting for the commander's order.

They may feel guilty, but professional soldiers are like this, only obeying the commander's orders, even if there are mountains of swords and seas of fire ahead, they will not look back at the order. If they don't have this kind of cold and cruel fighting will, how can they be worthy of being the main army of Dayue.

Wang Chenghai may not want to do this, but for the sake of the Song family, he must do this if he wants to defend Luzhou.

Only in this way can the indestructible artillery of the Xiliang Army be restricted. Only by confronting the Xiliang Army head-on can his army ensure that Luzhou will not be lost.

Chen Si Ning stood beside Xu Buling. Seeing this scene, his lungs were almost exploded, and he cursed:

"We are all Central Plains people. How can we use women and children as shields? Only foreign barbarians would do such a thing. Do they have any shame?"

The generals around Xu Buling were all cursing. Xiao Qi and Xiao Xiang'er forced to follow and stood behind the guards. The anger on their faces was not concealed. Xiao Xiang'er pointed in the direction of the city wall and said angrily:

"Song Siming, Wang Chenghai! If you dare to touch my Xiao family, I will slaughter your entire clan!"

The voice was loud, but it was obviously not heard by the city wall several miles away.

Xiao Qi clenched her hands tightly and maintained the necessary calmness. She waited for a long time, waiting until the Xiliang Army was ready to attack the city at any time, but there was still no movement on Luzhou City.

Yang Zunyi came to Xu Buling, frowning, and asked:

"Your Highness, the other side wants to defend to the death, what should we do?"

Xiao Qi gritted her teeth and said:

"There is no such thing as a deadly war. The four kings in the east committed an unjust act, and our army can do nothing about it. They will blame our Xiao family for the bad reputation afterwards. There is no need to worry about using artillery to attack the city."

Xiao Xiang'er's face changed, and she said anxiously: "Ting'er and the second uncle are on the city wall, how can we use artillery to attack the city?"

Xiao Qi said coldly: "The soldiers of the three armies can die, but my family members cannot die? How can there be a woman's mercy on the battlefield..."

Xu Buling raised his hand to stop the quarrel between the two sisters, thought about it, and rode lightly on the horse's belly, heading towards Luzhou City.

"Husband!"

Xiao Qi was anxious and tried to dissuade him, but was stopped by Chen Si Ning.

After all, as long as Xu Buling did not go under the city wall, no one could hurt him with his extraordinary martial arts.

The wind was howling, and the atmosphere inside and outside Luzhou City was extremely depressing.

Under the gaze of tens of thousands of soldiers from both armies, Xu Buling, alone, walked out of the Xiliang Army formation and slowly came to the Luzhou city wall within an arrow's reach.

"Xu Buling, you coward, fire the cannon! You are here, but you are still dawdling outside the city. Do you still expect them to let me go? I can see the situation clearly, can't you see it with your wooden head?"

On the city wall, Xiao Ting's voice of cursing in anger could finally be heard clearly, and he spit at Wang Chenghai and Song Siming from time to time.

When Xiao Mo and other old people of the Xiao family came to Luzhou, they already knew that there was no return. There were always deaths in the change of dynasties. The Xiao family spanned three dynasties and had seen many such desperate things. As long as the Xiao family members were not exterminated, it was no big deal.

The people on the city wall obviously knew what they were going to face. Some cried and pleaded, but between the two armies, their voices were pitifully small.

Xu Buling rode a big black horse and stopped within an arrow's reach. With a cold face, he looked up at Wang Chenghai, Song Siming, and many Liaoxi army soldiers and said coldly:

"I, Xu Buling, came here today not to negotiate with you, but to tell you something."

The voice was like a loud bell, and it spread far and wide between the two camps.

Wang Chenghai's eyes were cold and unmoved. The defenders on the city wall heard it clearly and remained silent.

Song Siming's eyes were filled with hatred, and he cursed:

"Xu Buling, you are a traitor, you are committing treason and plotting to usurp the throne. Even if there is only one soldier left in the Song family, I will not let you succeed."

"So what if you plot to usurp the throne?"

Xu Buling rode on the horse Zhuifeng and scanned the dense Liaoxi army above the towering city wall:

"You can't stop me, no one can stop me. There is no one in the world that I dare not kill, and no one that I cannot kill. I came here before attacking the city, just to tell you that I attacked Luzhou to quell the rebellion of the four kings, to reunify Dayue, and to save the suffering of war for the people of the world. The people on the city wall are also people. If they die here today, the account will be counted on the Liaoxi army, and I will avenge them afterwards. "

Xu Buling rode slowly, his cold eyes swept over the soldiers above:

"The Liaoxi Army is the main force of the court. All soldiers are recorded in Chang'an. There may be some missing, but nine times nine are all there, including your hometown, family, parents, wives and children. If you don't believe it, I'll tell you casually. "

Xu Buling took out a piece of letter paper that was sent 800 miles in an emergency from his arms:

"Liaoxi Army, Youzhou Garrison Army, Wulie Camp, Corporal Chen Ping, from Chenjia Village, Gu'an County, Youzhou, father Chen Wulang, mother Wang, brother Chen An, son Chen Daniu.

Corporal Wang Fugui, from Shantou Township, Jianping County, Liaoxi, father Wang Jicai, mother Zhao, brother Wang Duobao..."

Under the dark clouds over the city, a loud voice was heard from the top of the city.

After Xu Buling read all the names on the paper clearly, he put away the letter paper:

"Using the old, the young, the women and the children as shields, this precedent cannot be opened. To warn future generations, if the people on the city die in vain today, I will send people to arrest the 200,000 people of the Liaoxi Army, including their fathers, mothers, brothers, and children, one by one until they are all killed, regardless of whether the people on the paper are standing on the city wall today."

The defenders on the city wall were still silent.

Wang Chenghai tightly grasped the hilt of the sword and looked directly into Xu Buling's eyes:

"Do you think I am afraid of you?!"

Xu Buling ignored the gazes on the city wall, took the bow and arrow from the side of the horse, drew the bow and arrow, and shot it directly at Xiao Ting next to Wang Chenghai.

"Ting'er!"

"Xu Buling!"

Two urgent calls came from the Xiliang Army camp in the back, sad and shocked.

The arrow pointed directly at Xiao Ting's throat, and even Xiao Mo was stunned.

However, the guards behind Song Siming, perhaps fearing that the hostages would die and lose their support, still raised their hands to catch the flying arrows.

Xiao Ting was also shocked. After all, Xu Buling's arrow was really aimed at his chest. He cursed:

"You really shot! At least let me say a few last words. I am not a human being, you have no conscience..."

Xu Buling rode towards the Xiliang Army camp without turning his head.

Halfway through, he raised his right hand and swung it down fiercely.

Boom boom boom

The deafening sound of artillery came from the Xiliang Army's formation. The city-swallowing fire python hit the wall of Luzhou City, and the gravel flew, shocking the people and horses.

On the top of the city, tens of thousands of Liaoxi troops who had been silent for a long time were crushed by the deafening sound of artillery, and the last trace of psychological defense was crushed. Noisy chaos and the scolding of the military supervisors were heard everywhere.

The Liaoxi Army is the main force of Dayue. They are afraid of the power of artillery, but not afraid of death. Even if they resist the bombardment of artillery and know that they will lose, they can fight to the end.

However, no matter how strong the Liaoxi Army's fighting will is, they are still human beings after all. They have a family, a career, parents, wives and children. They can be brave and fearless, but they cannot ignore the life and death of their families. Maybe Wang Chenghai and others can do it, but most of them certainly can't.

They heard Xu Buling's words, and Xu Buling was not lying. If they dare to defend like this today, Xu Buling will really cut the roots of the Liaoxi Army to prevent future generations from imitating.

Xu Buling didn't want to do that, but under the general situation, everyone had only one choice: to advance or die. A general cannot be merciful. It doesn't mean that a general should be cruel, but that he should analyze the situation and make decisions in the most cold-blooded way to avoid greater casualties.

Boom boom boom

A few more cannons sounded.

There was chaos on the top of the city. The soldiers of the Wulie Camp who were named ignored the order and forcibly untied the surrounding people.

Many generals ran to Wang Chenghai and asked him to release the people, because Xu Buling didn't care about the lives of these people, he just wanted to conquer the world. Continuing to put the people on the top of the city would only increase the psychological pressure on his soldiers. It would be better to let go and fight a fair battle.

But in a fair battle, facing the Xiliang Army with hundreds of artillery outside the city, the Liaoxi Army had no chance of winning, and they would only die more heroically.

Wang Chenghai, the commander-in-chief of the Liaoxi Army, always held the hilt of the sword, said nothing, and stared at the back of the figure going away.

The surroundings were getting more and more chaotic. A cannonball hit the tower, and King Wu Song Siming was forcibly dragged away from the city wall by the guards.

Wang Chenghai didn't move, wanting to issue orders to save the situation.

But as long as Xu Buling dared to fire, he would be defeated. How could he save it?

Boom boom boom

After just a few rounds of bombardment, the Liaoxi Army began to fall into chaos from within. Without orders from their superiors, the soldiers cut the ropes that bound the civilians with the tacit approval of the sergeant. Some even cursed the Xiliang Army and Xu Buling as worthless, but the sound obviously could not be heard far away in the chaos on the city wall.

After Yang Zunyi ordered a few rounds of bombardment on the city wall, he saw that the defenders were in disarray and ordered a strong attack from the water gate.

And this battle also announced the end of Dayue Song's last force in the world... ——

Never write about war again...