boom!
Boom boom boom!
Countless footsteps marched in formation to the rhythm of drum beats, advancing towards the huge city in the distance. In the gradually brightening sky, a rain of arrows like locusts streaked across the sky and fell from the city walls.
In the army formation with the big flag with the word "Sui" flying, thousands of arrows were also firing back.
"Top shield—"
Behind the long battlements, infantrymen stepped forward one by one and raised their shields to cover the archers. In an instant, the eardrums were filled with the sound of arrows falling. Some of them were stuck in the battlements and shields, and some passed through the gaps in the shields and fell on people, causing shrill screams.
"Come on, push these northern barbarians down!!!"
On the towering city wall, the generals threw down their shields, drew their swords and shouted. Outside the city wall, ladders were set up one after another. The Sui soldiers who climbed up with their swords drawn climbed up like ants. From time to time, they were stabbed by the spears that were protruding from the walls and fell from the ladders. Some Sui soldiers who climbed up the city wall avoided the spears of the enemy, jumped off the battlements, and chopped them with their backhands, splashing blood in the crowd.
"kill!!"
The soldier's eyes were red, his teeth were bared and bloodstained, and he threw himself into the crowd despite several spear heads piercing through his body. Behind him, more and more Sui soldiers stood up, formed a small formation and began to push away in all directions. Han Qinhu mixed in the crowd, abandoned his long weapon, drew the sword at his waist, and with a loud shout, he cut off a man's head.
He grabbed the opponent's headless body and used it as a shield to slam into the gun array in front. At the moment when the gun forest was toppling over, his burly body rushed in like a chariot, and the knife flashed, cutting out patches of blood mist.
A general of Chen rushed over. Han Qinhu turned around with his eyes wide open, the muscles in his arms tensed, and the armor plates shook in an instant. He raised his sword and swept across the sunlight, slashing down fiercely. With a "puff" sound, the man who was rushing over was split in half and flew to the left and right.
At the same time, the sound roared and echoed throughout the city.
"Long live the Sui Dynasty—"
In the winter sunshine, the lights of swords and blood were intertwined on the city walls, and countless figures of fighting and running were mixed together. People kept falling down with screams, and fell heavily on the streets of the city.
The sound of war shook the once peaceful and prosperous city.
The panicked people closed their doors and windows tightly. The imperial city was in a state of panic. The young emperor sat on the throne, looking at the civil and military officials below who dared not breathe, and closed his eyes in disappointment.
'Father... Jing'er has done his best.'
After a while, he opened his eyes and waved his sleeves to the ministers below: "You can go home. I want to rest for a while."
The civil and military officials of the previous emperor had been eaten up by monsters long ago. Those who have been promoted now are still unfamiliar with their positions, so it will be useless to ask them for advice. What's more, this is a war of annihilation, so conspiracies and tricks are not applicable.
"His Majesty!"
Min Changwen, with gray hair and beard, trembled slightly, and called softly, "Your Majesty."
Chen Jing, who was walking down the imperial steps, glanced at the old man with red eyes from the side. He felt sad and his eyes turned red. He raised his sleeves and bowed to the loyal minister.
"Minister Min, take care."
"Your Majesty..." The old man took a deep breath and bowed: "... Take care!"
Chen Jing stood up, took the eunuch and went to the side hall without looking back, all the way back to Linchun Pavilion where his mother was, dismissed the eunuchs on both sides, and pushed the door open.
Inside, two packages were piled on a round table. Zhang Lihua was kneeling in front of the shrine and praying. When she heard footsteps, she turned around and saw that it was her son. Finally, a smile appeared on her face.
"Mother."
Chen Jing looked at the package on the table, his clenched fists trembling slightly: "The city hasn't been conquered yet, why did you prepare the things so early?"
Zhang Lihua got up from the shrine, walked to the bed, opened the curtain, took out a set of clothes and folded them in her hands. At this time, she was wearing ordinary plain clothes and looked like a beautiful folk girl.
"Come quickly and change that dragon robe."
"Mother, what I want to ask is why you are packing your things and leaving so early!"
Chen Jing's voice suddenly rose, and he raised his arm to knock the clothes in his mother's hand to the ground: "The city hasn't been conquered yet, and I'm leaving like this. This will undermine the dignity of my father!!"
Looking at the clothes fallen on the ground, Zhang Lihua squatted down, picked them up and pushed them into her son's arms.
"Put it on!"
There was a hint of anger on the delicate face.
"Where is your father's dignity? He has no clear ears and eyes, and he kept monsters and ate all the civil and military officials in the court. He was even frightened to death during his reign. This reputation of cowardice and stupidity cannot be washed away. Now that he is dead, do you want your son to be buried with him?!"
"Mother… "
Chen Jing naturally understood what was said. Seeing his mother, who was always gentle and decent, now looked like a female beast, hesitating when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. The eunuch's sharp and hoarse voice shouted outside the door: "Your Majesty, something bad has happened. There is news that the city wall has been breached..."
The young man replied: "I know."
Then he looked at the mother in front of him, gritted his teeth, took the robe and pants to the screen, changed them quickly, and turned from an emperor into a handsome young man in the blink of an eye.
"When your father built this Linchun Pavilion, he left a secret door. Jing'er, come with mother."
Seeing her son changed his clothes, Zhang Lihua didn't want to stay any longer. She handed Chen Jing a bag, slung one over her shoulder, and then took him to the side room. She moved a floor-standing painting of spring, revealing a pitch-black hole. The mother and son crouched down and went in, sliding down the rope to the dark room on the first floor.
The woman took out the invisibility talisman that Lu Liangsheng had given her that day from her bag and gave one to her son.
"Jing'er, does this talisman really work?"
"Mr. Lu won't lie to us."
Chen Jing didn't dare to guarantee it. He looked at the yellow talisman in his hand. The moment it was stuck on his body, it disappeared from Zhang Lihua's sight. The woman reached out to touch it hurriedly, and felt the touch of her son's body and clothes. She was immediately relieved and also stuck the yellow talisman on her chest.
Outside, the palace guards patrolled anxiously. Behind the flowers and trees, a hole slowly opened under the wall, and then slowly closed again after a moment. The dead leaves fell on the ground with a light sound, and two invisible figures walked through the sunlight, the palace square, the palace road, and extended all the way out of the palace gate.
The sounds of fighting and chaos on the once bustling street became clearer; on the deserted streets, running footsteps stopped; in the empty place, people turned their eyes and looked towards the city wall.
In the sunlight, figures screaming miserably were heard falling from the city walls.
The once solid and heavy city gate was bulging and denting inward with each collision, and dust and wood chips were flying everywhere.
On the long stone steps inside the city wall, the Sui general led his soldiers to overthrow the crowded troops and advance inch by inch with swords.
At a certain moment, there was a loud bang and the standing city gate was broken open.
The surging cavalry rushed onto the street, and some people waved their weapons and shouted at the attics of the houses on both sides.
"The city has been breached, all good citizens are not allowed to go out on the streets—"
Boom!
The sound of horse hooves was like thunder crossing the ground, and a black mass of cavalry was flowing through the streets and alleys like a flood.
This moment.
The whole city collapsed.
…
Outside the city, there was still a bloody smell in the wind.
Yang Su stood on the chariot, read the battle report, and threw it to his personal guards.
"Bring the horse."
At this moment, the outcome of the battle was decided and his command was no longer needed. He got off the carriage, jumped onto a war horse, and headed towards the other side's battle formation with several guards.
Far and near.
A young man sat on horseback, waving his whip out of boredom.
It was Yang Guang.
Seeing Yang Su coming on horseback, the young man spurred his horse to greet him. Although the former was his elder, he was currently on a military march and could not observe the etiquette at home, so Yang Su quickly dismounted and saluted.
"Mr. Qinghe, there's no need to be polite. I came to you because I want to ask you if you know how to get to Mount Qixia. Anyway, the Southern Dynasty is over, and the rest will be left to the generals to take the credit. Would you like to go with me to Mount Qixia?"
Yang Guang couldn't sleep for several nights when he recalled the scene on the streets of Chang'an that day. Later, he learned about the man's abilities and background from Yang Su and his father. Taking the opportunity of the expedition to Southern Chen, he volunteered to come and meet him.
If I could bring this hermit master here for my father, my status in front of my father might be even higher.
He thought.