Harue Kagetsu - Chapter 125

At the beginning, after Li Mu finally made the decision to return to the army and build health, one of the biggest problems he faced immediately was choosing where to go to the south of the Yangtze River.

Chang’an Jiankang is geographically one northwest and one southeast. Even before the imperial court southward crossing, when the Jianghuai area was unimpeded, the closest post road between the two places was more than 2,000 miles long.

What’s more, now, those areas are still in Beixia’s hands.

The passage he could walk was the military route that was opened up when he went north from Yicheng to attack Chang’an.

The road from Chang’an to Yicheng was no problem, but after passing Yicheng and bordering Jingxiang, he faced the choice of where to cross the river.

He has two ways to go.

One is to bypass Jingxiang, where Xu Mi’s forces are located, take Jiangbei, go east along the river, cross the river at the quarrying in Liyang, and go straight to Jiankang downstream.

The second is to face Jingxiang directly. Cross the river directly at the upper reaches of Jiangling, and then follow the east of the river.

Both have pros and cons.

The former, at first, may avoid the war, and it seems that it can shorten the journey to achieve the purpose of rushing to Jiankang as soon as possible. However, since ancient times, Caishidu has been another Dadu in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River besides Jingkoudu. Choosing to cross the river here, the army will march for a long distance, and it is impossible to hide the reconnaissance sent by Xu Mi on the way. He will control the ferry early, hide the ferry, and deploy heavy troops on the south bank to prevent himself from crossing the river smoothly.

At that time, if there are not enough boats to raise, and then the army of Xu Mi, who is waiting for work, is caught in a protracted battle across the river, it will be a big taboo for the military to help.

Moreover, if Xu Mi really did what he thought, and took advantage of the opportunity of the rebellion against the Heavenly Master, then before he rebelled, he could not have imagined that there was such a variable in himself. When going south, it will be blocked.

A battle on the road is inevitable.

Rather than being in a disadvantaged position downstream to cross the river and fight him for a long time, it is better to take a surprise and fight directly at Jingxiang, break Xiangyang, take Wuning, and cross the river from the Jiangling ferry.

So that night, after a little discussion with Jiang Tao, he quickly made such a decision. He immediately called his subordinates, explained the situation, left the defenders, and entrusted the matter of the rear to Jiang Tao, Sun Fangzhi and others. Lead the army south.

Sure enough, as he expected, the army had just passed Yicheng, two days after the completion of the supply of food and grass, and before it entered the boundary of Jingxiang, it encountered both sides from Jingzhou soldiers and Beixia soldiers from Nanyang.

The Jingzhou soldiers were naturally ordered by Xu Mi to stop him from going south and stop him here.

Xu Mi works carefully and carefully. He knew very well that Li Mu was not easy to deal with. For the sake of safety, he sent someone to tell Jieren that he was now hostile to the imperial court, and that Li Mu might go south in a few days.

As he expected, Bei Xia was also dreading Li Mu, knowing that he was in the middle of the battle, and then he would have to leave Tongguan in the east and pointed his sword at Luoyang. After receiving the news, how could he let go of this opportunity to destroy him?

In this way, the two armies that used to fight each other to the death, this time, because they faced a common enemy, they changed their previous confrontation and reached a tacit understanding. Mu continued his steps southward and couldn’t get rid of it for a while.

The Jieren army stationed in Nanyang was led by a clan that was highly relied upon by the Northern Xia emperor. Because Nanyang depended on Jingxiang, it once again fell into the hands of the Southern Dynasty. After taking it back, the Northern Xia Emperor attached great importance to it and sent this person to guard it.

Li Mu first sent a small work to infiltrate Nanyang, and spread the news that Murongxi, the emperor of Beiyan, had sent troops to attack Luoyang for revenge. Then he sent people to lie beside the inn and intercepted an official document from Luoyang to Nanyang, and obtained the flame lacquer pattern and After the seal, he forged a transfer order, saying that the army of Beiyan was overrunning the border, and Luoyang was in an emergency. The emperor summoned him to immediately return to Luoyang to discuss the military situation.

Since Murong Xi was proclaimed emperor in Yan County and the state of Yan was restored, Bei Xia was on guard against the Murong Clan’s revenge battle. The clan was disturbed by the news, and had already sent someone to Luoyang to inquire about what happened, but due to the distance between the two places, they had not heard back, and suddenly received such a transfer order. , how could he have thought that this was Li Mu’s tactic to turn the tiger away from the mountain? Immediately withdrew the troops, leaving people stationed in Nanyang, and hurried to Luoyang.

As soon as the Beixia soldiers retreated, Li Mu divided his troops into two groups. One road remained motionless, and continued to act as a confrontation, bewildering the Jingzhou army. On the other road, he took a detour overnight and quietly went behind the Jingzhou army. After the deployment of troops was completed, the attack was launched immediately.

The Jingzhou general in charge of staying behind was named Xu Kong. He was Xu Mi’s clan brother. He had no idea that Beixia had withdrawn his troops and was suddenly attacked by Li Mu. How could he resist?

Li Mu’s name of the **** of war, the entire Jingzhou military mansion, up and down, who does not know?

He was already afraid of Li Mu, and seeing his defeat, he thought that his biggest task this time was to stay in Xiangyang, keep Li Mu in Jiangbei, and prevent him from crossing the river from Jiangling. If you want to reach Jianglingdu, you must pass through Xiangyang.

Seeing the situation was not good, he immediately planned to retreat into the city and use the city defense to stop Li Mu’s marching south.

Given the firmness of Xiangyang’s city defense, and the fact that he has enough defenders, Li Mu, no matter how talented he is, will not be easy to break through in a short period of time.

Just when Xu Kong hurriedly ordered the retreating troops and was about to retreat into the city, an army burst out behind him, blocking the retreat of the Jingzhou soldiers.

Under the front and back, the war ended without incident.

Unlike the senior generals who were willing to follow Xu Mi, many middle and lower-level officers and soldiers in the Jingzhou military mansion were dissatisfied with Xu Mi’s rebellion. Xu Kong turned around and went to Xiangyang with Li Mu.

Xu Kong had only left 2,000 people to guard the city. When the officers and soldiers in the city saw that Li Mu’s army had attacked the city, and Xu Kong was already dead, why would they have the will to defend the city?

Soon, the gate of this city, which once made Xu Mi proud of the name of “the first fortress in the upper reaches”, opened wide.

Li Mu took Xiangyang cleanly and took Wuning three days later, and the army drove to Jiangling Ferry on the north bank of the Yangtze River.

Jianglingdu was the ferry crossing for Xu Mi’s army to travel between the north and the south. The ferry boats used to transfer troops were always on hand. Li Mu successfully crossed the river and immediately led the army to the east of the river. Finally, a few days ago, Yu Dangtu caught up with Yang Xuansuo. led rebels.

Both sides go to war. The rebel army was distraught and was beaten to pieces. Li Mu did not pursue it. Seeing that he had given up the passage, he continued on the road.

Finally today, led this army that had traveled a long way to reach Jiankang.

…

In the military camp outside Jiangcheng County in the northwest of Jiankang, at this moment, the military doctor is replacing Xu Mi’s medicine for the arrow wound on his chest.

Although he was injured and almost died, Xu Mi was smiling and lying there, chatting and laughing with the surrounding officers, in a good mood.

He had just received the news that a spy had returned from a fast horse. Earlier, on the road only a few dozen miles away from the south gate of Jiankang, he had found an army rushing towards Jiankang.

Because of the distance, I could not see the flag clearly. But it must be Yang Xuan who arrived with the army. The spy thought that Xu Mi had been anxiously waiting for the news of Yang Xuan’s army for the past few days. He was eager to go back to report the news, and asked a companion to meet him.

Xu Mi laughed at that time, and immediately dispatched a lieutenant to greet him on his behalf. After the wound was packed, he couldn’t wait any longer. He turned over, and surrounded by left and right, he strode to the gate of the military camp and waited for Yang Xuan’s arrival in person.

The crowd followed him with smiles all over their faces, vying to show their loyalty, saying that in the next battle, not only would they take Jiankang, but also Gao Qiao would be captured alive to avenge him.

While they were laughing and laughing, I saw that the lieutenant who had just sent out had already galloped back on horseback.

The smile on Xu Mi’s face slowly disappeared. He stared at the figure that was getting closer and closer, and suddenly an ominous omen flashed in his heart.

The general saw Xu Mi from a distance, and crawled down from the horse’s back, making a lung-piercing cry.

“Situ! It’s not good! It’s Li Mu who has returned to the army! The imperial army is attacking here, and it will be here soon!”

The last remaining smile on Xu Mi’s face completely solidified.

He stared at the direction behind the general, and his expression instantly became extremely stiff.

Like a thunderbolt from the clear sky, the generals behind them who were still arguing with each other a moment ago were all stunned by the accident.

In his ears, he faintly seemed to hear the sound of fighting and screaming from a distance in the wind.

Everyone looked at each other.

Xu Mi suddenly turned around.

“The order – form an array immediately, prepare to meet the enemy!”

In the Yuanmen, a sharp roar suddenly sounded.

The voice was full of anger, shaking the entire military camp, and a group of birds parked in the field looking for grass seeds in the distance also vibrated their wings and fled away in a daze.

…

Li Mu joined Jiankang and immediately took over the imperial army, which had been under the command of Gao Qiao.

From top to bottom, no one objected.

The battle that took place on this battlefield northwest of Jiankang soon ended.

The rebels are like sleepwalking. They are killed to the point of throwing away their armor and armor, and they are defeated. They throw guns and kneel and beg for surrender. Xu Mi’s chest was sore with arrows, and the blood flowed nonstop. She was escorted by her cronies and fled to Xuancheng. Halfway up, she saw the pursuers behind her catch up. When there was no way out, Yang Xuan led the army to arrive and cut off the way for him. , Xu Mi was finally able to escape, and fled towards Xuancheng in a panic.

The dark clouds that had shrouded Jiankang for many days were dissipated at once. The soldier’s tired and blood-stained faces finally showed a rare light of relief.

However, at the same moment, Qu A, who was hundreds of miles away from here, was gloomy and miserable, and everyone was in danger.

A few days ago, after Piling was breached by Tianshijiao, bad luck also came to this city that was originally considered safe.

Gao Yin and Lu Jianzhi led two defenders respectively. On the way of Tianshijiao’s attack to Qu’a, they set up a horn and attacked them, blocking Tianshijiao’s audience halfway.

The sniper battle is still in full swing, and the city is full of panic.

Rumor has it that these hundreds of thousands of soldiers were personally led by the leader Wu Cang. Once Wu Cang chanted the mantra, all of them would be invulnerable.

Not only the people living here were terrified by the news, but the ministers who followed were also apprehensive, and many people persuaded the empress to take refuge before the soldiers arrived.

Liu Hui said that the reason why he came here at the beginning was because he relied on the triangular defense line formed by Jurong, Piling and this place, thinking it was unbreakable. Now that the line of defense is broken, this place is also in danger, not to mention the number of guards, which is far less than the chaos taught by Tianshi. Although Gao Yin and Lu Jianzhi are resisting, they may not be able to defend for long. Nearby a hundred miles is Yun County, which is close to the sea and is dotted with small and large islands by the sea. He was the magistrate of this place in his early years. Knowing the terrain, it is better to sneak out of the city as soon as possible, rush to Yun County, and hide on the island. is the safest way.

He is willing to lead the army to protect the emperor and go out to the island.

This proposal was opposed by Feng Wei, who stayed in the city. He believed that the sea was unreliable and the road was extremely dangerous. Those celestial teachers and soldiers were all-pervasive and could be tracked and attacked at any time. It is better to stay in the city and report the news as soon as possible. Gao Xianggong expected that he would make arrangements after he found out.

Liu Hui sneered at that time, saying that the rebels in Jingzhou were aggressive, and Gao Xianggong was afraid that he would be unable to protect himself. When he came to rescue, the city here might have been destroyed. It’s better to leave first while Gao Yin and Lu Jianzhi can still hold on, there is a way to go. In case it’s late and surrounded, if you want to leave at that time, you won’t have a chance.

The emperor was terrified by what he said, and immediately made up his mind to leave. That night, he changed into ordinary clothes, took the queen and the crown prince, and under the **** of a group of officials, taking advantage of the darkness, he quietly left the whole city and abandoned the city to flee.

But he didn’t expect that he had only been out for a few dozen miles. On the way, he encountered thousands of Tianshijiao disciples who were summoned and rushed to Qu’a to join the battle.

The emperor was so frightened that he fell out of the carriage.

After a while of fighting, Liu Hui couldn’t resist, so he could only protect the empress and a group of officials and escaped into the nearby mountains. He stayed up until midnight, and finally got to Gao Yin, who came with rescue soldiers after hearing the news.

Gao Yin fought a **** path, but because of the darkness and chaos, unfortunately, he was hit by a poisonous cluster sent by a disciple of the Tianshi Sect. He forced the emperor to **** the pale-faced emperor back to the city. The poison attacked his heart, and he fell down. .

The responsibility of defending the city was all placed on Lu Jianzhi. Facing the more and more chaotic soldiers gathered around by the Heavenly Master, he was forced to withdraw his troops and returned to the city. With the help of the city wall, he began to resist.

Qu’a became a besieged city.

The siege also entered its fourth day.

Before every time Wu Cang launched a siege, he would always recite a mantra, and he would distribute divine pills to the cultists who were chosen to be the pioneers on the grounds of destiny.

These disciples who have eaten Shenwan will become unafraid of death in a short period of time, and their combat power is extremely amazing.

Lu Jianzhi led the soldiers to stand at the top of the city and repelled the crazy attacks from Tianshijiao again and again.

That evening, the setting sun was like blood, illuminating the vast and gentle hills and fields outside the city.

Lu Jianzhi led the defenders and had been guarding the city for a whole day.

Wu Cang also seemed to be impatient. From early in the morning, Tianshijiao’s offensive was like a tide, wave after wave, without a moment’s rest.

One wave of disciples who were driven to attack the city died, and soon, a second wave would take their place.

The second wave died, and the third wave came in a blink of an eye. The mountains and plains are endless, and there is no hope of the end in sight.

And the defenders on the top of the city, these are just ordinary warriors of flesh and blood, with a breath of blood, sticking to this moment, it is about to reach the limit.

But no one backed away.

From the beginning of Lu Jianzhi to the most common soldier in charge of carrying the beating stone, all of them were red-eyed.

As long as it doesn’t fall, no one takes a step back.

After being in a coma for a few days, Gao Yin, who had just woken up this morning, also climbed to the top of the city. Together with the soldiers around him, he swung his sword and killed one after another of the Tianshi teachers who climbed up the wall.

Even the people in the city who were originally very afraid were finally infected by this tragic and solemn battle of defending the city, which was like the end of the day.

Under the several-zhang-high city wall, after a day, the corpses piled up like a mountain, and gradually they were almost flush with the city head.

Another wave of cultists, amid the sound of killing, stepped on the corpses on the wall, swarmed with ants, and the people on the top of the city, with their knives, swords, stones, and all weapons they could get their hands on, smashed into the dense crowds. One after another black heads popped up.

…

The sounds of fighting and shouting from the celestial teachers outside the city, from morning to night, kept drifting into the city’s office of Qu Aling, who served as the palace.

The emperor and the officials gathered in the hall, trembling with fear.

It’s all bad news.

When the messenger brought the latest news, saying that the corpses under the city head had been piled up almost flush with the city head, and when the celestial masters were about to step on the corpse mountain to the wall, all the officials changed color. Those who are pampered and can’t even ride a horse have lost control, their teeth are shaking, and their legs can’t even stand.

The emperor’s face was pale, and he covered his face with tears: “Where is Gao Xianggong? Is it really trapped in Jiankang? Otherwise, why didn’t he come here to save me?”

The officials faced each other and were silent for a moment. Gradually, without knowing who was in the lead, some people began to weep along with the emperor.

Just as the cries in the hall came one after another, suddenly, in the distance outside the city, in an indistinguishable direction, there was another scream of fighting.

The sound was like thunder, like a thousand troops and horses, with an earth-shattering power, everywhere, in all directions, rolling towards this city.

Gao Yongrong had been sitting silently beside the emperor, and when the monarch and minister wept each other, she frowned and said nothing.

Suddenly hearing this strange movement from outside the city, her complexion suddenly turned pale.

In the past few days, disciples from Tianshijiao have been coming to Qu’a from other places to join the siege battle of the leader.

This is the most terrifying part of Tianshi teaching.

Back then, when even the high-ranking officials in the court and the nobles were vying to believe in Fengtian teachers, who would have thought that such a situation would have arisen today?

The cries of the monarchs and ministers in the hall were startled by this strange sound and stopped abruptly.

After a brief moment of silence, the cry broke out again.

The old prince Zhan Shi, with hot tears rolling down his cheeks, slammed his white-haired head against the pillars in the lobby, and blood quickly began to flow from his forehead, but he didn’t realize it, and wept with grief and indignation: “God! It has been a hundred and fifty years since Emperor Wu established the country, and Guozuo has lasted for a hundred and fifty years. Is it possible that today, it will be broken in the hands of the sect?”

His voice fell, and the surrounding ministers were bursting with tears, and they all knelt down, covering their faces and crying.

“Your Majesty—Your Majesty—”

A moment later, in the midst of one after another crying, Feng Wei rushed in from outside, with a happy face, he pushed away a crying minister who was blocking him, and ran to the emperor.

“Li Mu’s army arrived and was fighting with thieves outside the city. General Gao and Young Master Lu also went out of the city to fight together!”

“Your Majesty, Qu A is saved!”

…

At dawn, the battle that lasted all night finally came to an end.

After realizing that it was impossible to defeat Li Mu here, Wu Cang took the remaining disciples and disciples and fled in a hurry.

On the field outside the city of Qu’a, the morning mist drifted, and the bodies of dead Tianshi disciples were everywhere. The closer they got to the city gate, the more shocking they saw.

The corpses, like worms, are stacked on top of each other, densely packed, and when they reach the city gate, they can’t find any place to stay.

One can only imagine how fierce the battle was last night.

Soldiers, under the command of officers, began to clear the battlefield.

Before Li Mu entered the city, his battle robes were strict, his swords were spitting blood, and before he came to the government office, under the almost awe-inspiring gazes of countless frightened officials, he walked through the hall and came to the front of the emperor. He bowed down to the emperor on the seat and said, “Chen Li Mu, it is too late to save you, you deserve to die.”

Before he finished speaking, the emperor stood up, took vain steps, stepped forward, and grabbed his arm with cold fingers.

“Jingchen, I am fortunate to have you! You saved me from a dangerous place, the festival of loyalty, the achievements of transcendence, and the title of non-big Sima is not enough to show your merit!”