Jiuxi

Chapter 306 Chapter 304 [The Strongest Shield]

More than 160 years ago, Qi Taizu Li Zhongjing made his capital Heluo and ordered people to build the most magnificent palace in the world on the basis of the old city of the previous dynasty.

This is a rectangular city, two and a half miles long from north to south, and more than two miles wide from east to west. It is surrounded by a high wall of more than three feet. The palace is divided into two parts: the outer court and the harem.

The three main halls of the outer dynasty are Taiji Hall, Zhongji Hall and Baohe Hall, while the harem is centered on Xingqing Hall, Wude Hall and Datong Hall.

The layout of the entire palace is symmetrical, the architecture is solemn and gorgeous, with tens of thousands of houses stacked on top of each other, with carved beams and painted buildings everywhere, just like the Pearl Palace.

Fifteen years ago, during the Yuanjia Incident, the fire burned the Xingqing Hall of the harem to ashes, and all the Southern Qi emperors, queens and princes died. Although it became a shameful page in the history of Qi State, this magnificent palace There was no serious damage to the palace.

In the wide square outside the Taiji Hall, with the arrival of the Ruishi Battalion cavalry, and Qingyu Huaijin and more than 20 Jinglian clan masters becoming prisoners, the more than a thousand Jingjun soldiers suffered more than 40% of their battle losses. , Commander Pu Cha Jingcai could only choose to lead his people to surrender.

Earlier, with the joint efforts of the experts from the Weaving Department and the infantry of the Ruishi Battalion, the killings in the palace finally stopped.

There were more than 300 officials of the Yan State attending the meeting today. Except for Wang Shidao, the official of the Procuratorate, none of the senior officials of the ministries were left behind. In the end, nearly 200 people died under the crazy killings of the Imperial Guards, and 100 were left alive. Most of the others were injured.

In other words, Emperor Yan Zhang Can's desperate counterattack almost paralyzed the entire court.

Corpses were strewn all over the hall, blood flowed everywhere, and the thick smell of blood seemed to block the breathing of living people.

There were also some officials who were seriously injured and lingering on the ground, making heart-stopping low and mournful sounds.

How can one describe his feelings and appearance as miserable?

Lu Chen walked into the Tai Chi Hall surrounded by more than a hundred elite tiger warriors. Qingyu Huaijin was not far to his right. The person following her at this moment had changed from Li Chengen to Su Yunqing.

Lu Chen had seen Su Yunqing's skill at the Guangling Yamen of the Sutra Weaving Department, and later confirmed it again during the night attack on Yongquan Pass.

Although he has never fought against this person, he can probably judge that the other person is not weaker than Li Chengen. However, as a senior official of the Sutra Weaving Department, Su Yunqing obviously will not participate in the rough battle ranking.

A man in his thirties walked quickly, bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty Yin Shangfu, please see Captain Lu and Inspector Su!"

Qingyu Huaijin's eyes narrowed slightly. It was this person who had led several masters to hold her back before. Otherwise, the more than twenty guards would not have forced her to the point where she would have to go berserk to break out of the encirclement.

Lu Chen looked calm, and Su Yunqing next to him said warmly: "Thank you for your hard work."

Yin Shangfu smiled innocently and said humbly: "This is the duty that a subordinate official should fulfill."

He turned around and pointed at the more than a hundred living officials in the corner, and said: "These people are all fake Yan officials. Nearly two hundred people died at the hands of the imperial guards before, headed by Privy Councilor Pang Shigu. How to deal with these Those who are still alive, please show me to the two adults."

Before Lu Chen could speak, Su Yunqing took the initiative and said: "Yin Cha, all matters here are decided by Lu Duwei alone."

Yin Shangfu's heart trembled, and he quickly said respectfully: "Yes."

Lu Chen looked calm and looked up, only to see the hundreds of people looking at him in fear.

Among the crowd, Prime Minister Wang An stood with difficulty. The wounds on his left arm and right leg were simply bandaged to barely stop the bleeding, and his face was already pale.

When he saw Lu Chen walking into the palace, he was full of fear like everyone else, but in fact he let out a sigh of relief, especially when he saw the figure of Qing Yu Huaijin later, the head of the Zhai Lin Wang family almost couldn't control himself mood.

The overall situation has been decided.

The boulder in his heart finally landed smoothly.

At this moment, Wang An noticed that Yin Shangfu pointed at him, and then Lu Chen came over.

"Your Excellency is the fake Prime Minister of Yan?"

This was the first time they had met, but they knew each other well in the past. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they had been friends for a long time.

In front of everyone, Lu Chen's tone was not gentle, but he was not deliberately cold either.

Wang An looked at the young man's calm and handsome face, and felt a fearful feeling in his heart. He said respectfully and humbly: "The guilty minister is Wang An, who has met Lu Duwei."

Lu Chen waved his hand and said calmly: "I need Heluo City to settle down within two days. Can Prime Minister Wang do it?"

Wang An glanced at Qingyu Huaijin not far away, lowered his head and said: "The guilty minister will definitely do his best."

Qingyu Huaijin was not surprised that Wang An would be so respectful.

This kind of aristocratic family has always been on the sidelines. Faced with the bloody swords and guns in the hands of the Southern Qi Huaizhou Army, they naturally did not dare to disobey.

Lu Chen glanced at the wounds on Wang An's body and said slowly: "Then it's up to the king. I will send troops to the Wang family mansion to protect the Wang family members in the next few days. The king doesn't have to worry about his relatives at home, just do things with your heart."

Wang An's face showed bitterness, and his upper body lowered further: "I will obey the general's order."

Lu Chen nodded slightly, then looked around at the others, no one dared to look at him.

The crazy killings of the Imperial Guards had completely destroyed the psychological defenses of these ministers. Now facing the more ferocious Southern Qi Huaizhou Army, Lu Chen would be enough to make them grateful without settling old scores, let alone ordering them to do things.

After settling the matter here, Lu Chen asked Bao An to take the Ruishi battalion infantry to control the palace and guard the dignitaries of the Yan Kingdom. Then he walked to Qingyu Huaijin and said, "Princess, it's time for us to leave."

Qingyu Huaijin really didn't want to talk to him, but he didn't want to offend this devil-like young man to prevent his close subordinates from suffering, so he said coldly: "Where are you going?" "Of course I'm going to meet you for a while. I followed your father across Jiangbei. The earth, the invincible general of the Jing Dynasty who has been fighting for several years, plans a good tiger."

Lu Chen's tone was calm and not sarcastic, but to Qingyu Huaijin's ears, it sounded like he had ulterior motives.

She subconsciously wanted to refuse, but even putting aside Lu Chen's explicit threats, at this moment, the lives of Xiao Jun and other confidants and hundreds of Jingjun soldiers were in the hands of the other party, and it was obvious that she had no room for refusal.

So she snorted coldly, turned away, and said no more.

However, when Lu Chen stepped out of the hall, she had to follow him.

……

On Sifang Street, the two armies faced each other.

This is the broadest north-south main street in Heluo City. To the north is the Huaizhou Panlong Army, and to the south is the Jing Army led by Mou Lianghu himself.

There are sword and shield players on both sides holding the position, and strong archers behind them are ready to attack.

In the Jingjun formation, Moulianghu looked ferocious, his eyes always staying in the direction of the palace in the north.

The enemy's destruction of the city has become a fact, but Jing's army has not yet fallen into disintegration. Now, thousands of people led by Wuxun from the south and Yan Ge from the east have arrived, and Moulianghu still has more than 15,000 people in his hands. of military strength.

Perhaps in the eyes of many people, the wise tiger should not continue to waste time now, and leading the army to retreat from the west gate is the best strategy.

However, when he withdrew from Dongcheng and came here, after a period of thinking, Moulianghu suddenly changed his mind.

"Dear details, we can't wait any longer!"

Brother Yan's face was full of anxiety, and he stepped forward to give his advice bluntly, risking the wrath of the scheming tiger.

Mou Lianghu took a deep breath and said in a cold voice: "Attack to the north and rescue Her Highness the Princess!"

Brother Yan was stunned, and the generals next to him looked solemn.

Moulianghu looked around, gritted his teeth and said, "What I said doesn't work anymore, does it?"

He has a high prestige within Jingjun, and Qingyu Zhongwang made it clear before leaving that he would be in charge of military affairs in the city. Everyone was shocked and immediately shouted: "Follow the order!"

The drums sounded, Jingjun's front line began to move, and the battle was about to break out.

On such a relatively narrow battlefield, there was no room for intrigues and maneuvers, and it was difficult to carry out roundabout maneuvers. The two armies could only compete for the stability of their formations and the strength of their soldiers.

In the Panlong Army formation, when the general Liu Jiangdong gave an order, heralds came and went and shouted.

"Wait!"

In an instant, hundreds of strong bows were raised diagonally upward, towards the direction where Jing's army was approaching from the opposite side.

"put!"

The arrow rain poured out, forming a perfect parabola in mid-air, covering the sky and the sun.

Jing's army advanced against the rain of arrows from Panlong's army, and the archers in the formation also opened their bows and set arrows. However, at this moment, the sound of the evil tiger suddenly exploded.

"Stop! Stop moving forward!"

This sudden order almost caused Jingjun's front line to fall into chaos. The soldiers looked back in confusion. The wise tiger sitting on the horse turned red, and his furious eyes seemed to want to devour anyone.

They followed Mulianghu's gaze and looked ahead, only to see the Panlong Army's formation separated and several riders appearing in front of the formation.

On the left is a young military general, in the middle is Qingyu Huaijin, the princess of Dajing County whom they have met several times, and on the right is a Southern Qi official who is nearly forty years old, and this official is holding Qingyu Huaijin's mount in his hand. Reins.

At this time, I only heard the young general say: "Mou Lianghu, I am Lu Chen, the captain of Daqi Ruishi Camp. You have something to say to Princess Yongping. I will convey it to you on her behalf."

Mou Lianghu was holding on to the reins with both hands. He was already prepared to fight to the death with his opponent. Although the Huaizhou Army had the upper hand, whether Jing's army of more than 10,000 men could save Qing Yuhuai if they insisted on fighting to the death. Let's not mention Jin for the moment, at least the other party has no chance of taking Heluo safely.

If the Huaizhou Army wants to annihilate more than 15,000 Jing's troops in street fighting, its own losses will definitely not be small. Moreover, Qing Yu Zhongwang is leading troops to return reinforcements. As long as Jing's army delays for one more day, the Huaizhou Army will lose a lot of money. The situation will be unfavorable.

The wise tiger will naturally not believe the other party's rhetoric, but the most terrible thing is that Qingyu Huaijin fell into the hands of Lu Chen.

Standing alone in front of the formation, she was like a shield, making the evil tiger unable to do anything.

After a moment of silence, Moulianghu said in a deep voice: "What do you want to say?"

Lu Chen said calmly: "Princess Yongping is safe with me, you don't have to worry. The princess is kind-hearted and does not want to see the two armies fighting to the death and suffering heavy losses, so after discussion, we decided to give you an hour. During this time, you You can retreat from the west gate, and our army will not pursue you. Victory or defeat is a matter of military strategism. You don't have to be impatient. You may as well withdraw your troops and go out of the city to rest. We will decide the outcome on the battlefield in the future."

As soon as these words came out, there was a dead silence on the long street.

(End of this chapter)