Chapter 13 - First Battle, Soldiers" Mourning Heart
All the flames of prestige that Gao Xianzhi had set ablaze, disappeared as though doused by a waterfall, with the sudden appearance of the Royal Grandson.
Suddenly, eight hundred thousand soldiers gazed at Gao Xianzhi with an expressionless look, as if Gao Xianzhi had to provide an explanation.
At the moment, atop the General"s platform, everyone revealed a different expression.
Crown Prince Song looked as though he didn"t know whether to be laugh or cry.
Lin Chong"s pair of eyes were bloodshot.
Gao Xianzhi stared with eyes wide-open.
Even though everyone was shocked by the appearance of the Royal Grandson, however, the Royal Grandson was approaching ever closer to the General"s platform.
"You, who are you?" Gao Xianzhi asked loudly with eyes wide-open.
"General Gao, it"s me, Song Zhengxi! Quickly, quickly help me capture the mountain bandits who were chasing me, I want to kill them, I want all of them dead! I was almost unable to reunite my Royal Father!" Song Zhengxi shouted in embarra.s.sment.
"It"s impossible, my Royal Son has been beheaded at the entranceway of a market within the Song Capital, who the h.e.l.l are you?" Crown Prince Song shouted angrily.
"Royal Father, didn"t you send General Gao to save me? For him to quietly replace me with someone else the moment I was about to be executed? I am truly your Royal Son, General Gao had arranged everything to save me! I just staged a play with General Gao to cheat those fools, that"s all, Royal Father! Didn"t you know? Hahaha, it seems General Gao hasn’t told you!" Song Zhengxi suddenly said in excitement.
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
Sounds of drawing breaths resounded everywhere.
Everything arranged by General Gao? Staged a play? Cheating those fools, that"s all?
Song Zhengxi himself didn"t discover that every word he said, even each character was like knives that plunged into the hearts of every soldier one by one.
Were we just fools? Gao Xianzhi staged a play for us? Cheated us so that he could send us to death?
What Gu Hai"s conspiracy. It was all Gao Xianzhi cheating us. How could Gu Hai be so ridiculously formidable? Isn"t the Royal Grandson the best proof.
The Royal Grandson was beheaded to give us justice? That was complete bulls.h.i.+t!
The King had decreed to heavily punish anyone who humiliates the soldiers? That"s complete bulls.h.i.+t!
Our relatives suffering maltreatment by the hands of aristocrats are all part of Gu Hai"s conspiracy? That"s complete bulls.h.i.+t!
Everything in our letters is Gu Hai"s conspiracy? That"s complete bulls.h.i.+t!
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All the will to fight which had been set up just a moment ago, was left with nothing the moment Song Zhenxi appeared. In the blink of an eye, seeds of chaos which Gu Hai had buried in the hearts of everyone took root and quickly sprouted into a towering tree.
Each and every word that came out of Song Zhenxi"s mouth was even more depressing to hear.
"Sinful son, shut your mouth!" Crown Prince Song suddenly let out a big shout.
Song Crown Prince too noticed the gaze of the soldiers. Their eyes unexpectedly were filled with hatred.
"I want to go home, I want to go home and check on my family!"
"I also want to go home and take a look. Motherf.u.c.ker, I want to go home!"
"Do we still have to fight? For his Song Family, we have fought till death, but they repaid us by maltreating our families back home, and in the end still regarded as idiots?!"
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A great stir was beginning to take place among the army. In just a few moments, the entire field was abuzz just as if boiling water that began seething.
At this moment, the saddest was Lin Chong.
Lin Chong turned his head, his pair of eyes were bloodshot and tears began to pour down from the corner of his eyes.
"General, I, Lin Chong, followed you for so many years, and many times during the battles, I have rushed to the front lines alongside you. More than once was my life was left hanging by a thread. All for you, I didn"t even care about my life, because I believed in our General. We believed that following General could give us a better future, we believed that with General we could win at life, we believed that General could protect us!" Lin Chong shouted with hatred.
Lin Chong"s hate and his shout had calmed the entire field all of a sudden.
"We can even give our lives for you, but is this how you repay us, General? That day, the day when the news about the tragedy of my family hasn’t reached me, but the unfortunate news from the homes of those fifteen brothers arrived, in order to protect the Royal Grandson, you ordered me to resolve it, going so far as to ask me kill them, to prevent a leak!" Lin Chong shouted in a loud voice.
"Wow!"
Suddenly, the entire camp was in an uproar once again.
When they had heard the Royal Grandson’s words, they all wanted was verification, but, Lin Chong unlike them was General"s trusted aide with whom everything arranged by General needed to go through.
However, no one ever dreamed that a group of soldiers who were painstakingly suffering, instead of receiving any help from had been asked to be executed by Lin Chong.
At the podium, stood fifteen soldiers at the front who were there in order to help boost the morale of soldiers, however, once they heard Lin Chong"s words began quivering as they started glancing at Gao Xianzhi.
Had General thought of killing us that day? Was Sir Lin asked to execute us?
"General, what about my family? You stated that they were captured by Gu Hai, but what"s truly going on? Why did you want us killed? We worked ourselves to the bone for you, but you wanted us killed?" Fifteen soldiers suddenly screamed.
"Lin Chong, shut your mouth!" Gao Xianzhi"s complexion changed as he shouted.
"Shut my mouth? Tell me, what happened with Song Zhengxi? Didn"t you say he is going to be beheaded in order to be punished according to the laws? Didn’t you say that you are going to kill him to avenge Xiaodie? Didn"t you say... Boohoo!" Lin Chong cried in hate.
"I didn"t save Song Zhengxi, it was Gu Hai, Gu Hai saved him! Lin Chong, calm down, it’s all Gu Hai"s scheme!" An agonized look appeared on Gao Xianzhi"s face as he shouted.
So quick? In the end, my actions were still slower than Gu Hai"s conspiracy.
Gu Hai didn"t even give me a meal worth of time. Even a meal worth of time was too late! Gao Xianzhi was feeling desolate. Gu Hai"s scheme was too dense, too fast, and every time, it would strike right at the most vulnerable point of everyone"s heart.
Gao Xianzhi could understand Gu Hai"s scheme but how could he make Lin Chong believe him?
After all, Song Zhengxi was an irrefutable proof.
"Enough with all this bulls.h.i.+t about Gu Hai"s schemes!" Lin Chong desolately shouted.
Gao Xianzhi who was now in front of him was already akin to his enemy. A grim and hideous look presented on Lin Chong"s face.
Song Zhengxi who was underneath the podium once again opened his mouth: "Lin Chong, how dare you be so audacious to talk to your General without a hint of respect? General Gao, didn"t you say before that you will deal with these bunch of b.a.s.t.a.r.ds after I returned to barracks? As I am already here, isn"t Lin Chong and the others useless!?"
Song Zhengxi shouted in a loud voice, which was nothing more than lighting up a barrel of explosives.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, eight hundred thousand soldiers exploded completely.
Song Zhengxi stared with eyes wide open. Didn"t he understand what was going on? Didn’t his Royal Father and Gao Xianzhi stage an act? What"s the matter?
"Gao Xianzhi, for so many years, I have worked myself to death for you, you are a beast in human skin, I am going to kill you to enact vengeance for Xiaodie!" Lin Chong let out a loud shout.
Pulling out a long saber, he suddenly attacked towards Gao Xianzhi.
At this moment, all of Lin Chong’s subordinates, that stood underneath the podium were also on the brink of exploding. Suddenly following Lin Chong’s example began, the soldiers began pulling out their sabers.
"Kill!"
"Boom!"
The platform suddenly erupted in chaos.
"Protect the General!"
"Kill!"
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The entire military camp began seething. Everything was in chaos as the soldiers refused to obey orders.
The hierarchy collapsed as the orders of commanding officers were ignored. The entire field was submerged in hues and cries. Some even fished in troubled waters as they began to rob the warehouse of the military camp.
As the entire military camp was in chaos, there were some who wanted to kill Gao Xianzhi, whereas, other wanted to protect Gao Xianzhi. Some wanted to kill the Crown Prince while other wanted to protect him. Even Song Zhengxi was surrounded by chaos.
An army of eight hundred thousand soldiers all of a sudden had collapsed.
Soldiers who wanted to return to their families began packing their belongings, whereas others were either robbing the camp or stabbing each other. All in all, the entire military camp was in chaos.
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At this instant, an army of fifty thousand soldiers charged out from the Tiger Cage Pa.s.s.
And the leader was none other the recently Crowned Chen King, Chen Lianyi.
Next to Chen Lianyi rode Chen Tianshan.
"Lianyi, a firework shot into the sky. According to the General, it was the signal from the mountain bandits to take fifty thousand soldiers and immediately attack the Song Army"s camp. Why did you come out?" Chen Tianshan said with a frown.
"Grandfather, as long as you are by my side, I should be perfectly safe. General asked me to increase the morale, hence I decided to lead the a.s.sault. Before Royal Father pa.s.sed, he told me to listen to him so I will do everything accordingly!" Chen Lianyi said in a heavy tone.
"However, aren"t you exaggerating it a bit?! Didn"t he say it is alright even if you didn"t do anything? With only fifty thousand soldiers facing the Tiger Wolf Army of eight hundred thousand, especially with Gao Xianzhi in charge, aren’t you just seeking death?" Chen Tianshan said with a frown.
"I believe in Royal Father!" Chen Tianyi frowned as he replied.
"Sigh! Forget it, I will protect you with all my power. However, do not follow your father"s footsteps, don"t go too far away from me, as it would make it impossible for me to protect you!" Chen Tianshan said.
Chen Lianyi nodded. At the same time, he let out a loud shout.
"Soldiers, as you have seen, those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds of the Song Army are extremely vicious, even if we chose to surrender, they would still behead us. They simply aren’t giving us a way out!" Chen Lianyi shouted in a loud voice.
The complexions of the marching soldiers turned extremely unsightly.
"According to General’s sources, the Song Army had been given a command to break through the Tiger Cage Pa.s.s and exterminate everyone inside. Your mothers and fathers, sons will be killed, your wives and daughter will become slaves, all of your properties would be seized. From the news from the frontlines, you should already be aware that six-hundred thousand soldiers of the Chen Army had all been killed. Do you still feel lucky?" Chen Lianyi shouted in a loud voice.
"No!" All the soldiers replied as their eyes turned red.
"For our families, follow me to destroy the Song Army. May the heaven have mercy on us! Let us kill all of them, even if we have to die, let’s exchange our lives for the safety of our parents, spouses, and children. Anyway, we are going to die, if we lose, we die, if we surrender, we die. It is better to follow me and exchange our life for life, let us slaughter!" Chen Lianyi shouted in a loud voice fervently.
"Kill!" All of the marching soldiers shouted in a loud voice at the same time.
"Boom!"
"The army of fifty-thousand bypa.s.sed a hill and began a.s.saulting the Song Army.
However, when this marching army approached not too far from the Song Army barracks, they saw smoke rising from everywhere. The entire camp was in chaos, it was a complete mess. All around soldiers were killing each other, and they were anything unlike the strict and impartial Song Army.
Chen Tianshan rubbed his pair of eyes: "Are we in the wrong place? Is this the eight-hundred thousand strong Tiger Wolf Army?"
Chen Lianyi was extremely excited.
"Soldiers, charge!" Chen Lianyi let out a shout.
"Boom!"
Immediately the Chen Army started charging straight into the camp of "motley crowd" called soldiers, who were fighting each other, just like a reaper"s scythe.
"Enemy attack, enemy attack, enemy attack, everyone defend against the enemy!" Someone shouted in loud voice.
However, at this moment, the hearts of Song soldiers were already in chaos, how could they care about defending against the enemy? Everyone grabbed something and ran for their lives.
"Hualala!"
Suddenly, the face of entire war had changed.
The Chen soldiers began chasing the fleeing Song soldiers. The war which had been one-sided for Chen Army had reversed and become one-sided for Song Army instead.
At this moment, fifty-thousand soldiers of the Chen Army killed to their hearts" content. Although none of them had killed previously, they were now killing the fleeing soldiers very easily and lightly, just for their families. And all of them felt refreshed to the core.
It turns out that the Song Army was just so-so!
Gu Qin, stood atop the Tiger Cage Pa.s.s leaning on the railing with his gaze afar. Five kilometers away, the sky was filled with rising smoke along with terrifying screams, which could be heard from kilometers away
"Messenger!" Gu Qin said in a heavy voice.
"Here!" Several attendants of Gu Mansion respectfully replied.
"Immediately send flying pigeons to all the major cities of the Chen Kingdom, the messages need to state that Gao Xianzhi has been defeated, the army of eight-hundred thousand soldiers has collapsed completely, and Gao Xianzhi life and death remains unknown, and the soldiers that have deserted the army will be fleeing to various cities. Order every Gu Family store in each region to encourage the citizens to kill the Song Army soldiers garrisoned in their cities, also post rewards for killing soldiers, whoever manages to kill ten or more would be granted n.o.bility. For the six-hundred thousand soldiers of Chen Army that were killed, there are many who are aggrieved and want revenge. Tell the males of every family, that it is time to take revenge to appease the G.o.ds! In addition, encourage the leaders of the cities that had been captured by the Song Kingdom to lead their forces to counterattack by recapturing their cities. Lastly, everyone will be rewarded according to their contribution, all the positions in the cities will be equally divided among the Chen Kingdom"s Royal Family and the local leaders. The more they work, the more they would get rewarded! They are contributing to their families and will make a fortune for their resistance!" Gu Qin said in a heavy tone.
"Yes!" The attendants of Gu Mansion respectfully replied.
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At this moment, the Song soldiers were like stray dogs that completely collapsed and couldn’t stand back up again.
The fifty-thousand soldiers of Chen Army, on the other hand, were like soldiers and generals from the heaven, wherever they pa.s.sed they were invincible.
One side faced death calmly, one-sided no longer wished to fight, the war had almost reached a conclusion.
Gao Xianzhi and Crown Prince Song under the protection of a group of loyal followers escaped this disaster.
However, Gao Xianzhi"s arm received a ma.s.sive wound which was all thanks to Lin Chong"s attack, and a large amount of blood was gus.h.i.+ng.
However, at this moment, the pain from his arm was secondary. Having escaped this disaster, and resting at the foot of a mountain, Gao Xianzhi felt a terrible heartache, when he gazed at the embarra.s.sed Song Army afar.
"Hahahaha, hahahaha, hahahaha, Gu Hai!? Gu Hai!?" Gao Xianzhi showed a disappointed look on his face.
I had been galloping non-stop already, yet I couldn’t keep up with Gu Hai"s speed. Gu Monster"s plan was actually so swift and violent, so quick? It"s true, that an older ginger is spicier than young ginger, Gu Hai of now is, even more, experienced, vicious and terrifying than compared to 40 years ago.
"Is it over? What should be done now?" Crown Prince Song asked in a desolate tone.
Gao Xianzhi took a deep breath and said, "The truth will come clear sooner or later, fortunately, I have killed those six-hundred thousand soldiers of the Chen Army. Currently, the Chen Army has fewer soldiers, rendering them incapable of launching a large scale a.s.sault. And even though our Song Kingdom"s army is scattered, the soldiers have lost their morale, but we can still gather them. It’s just that...!"
"It’s just what?"
"It would be better to boost the army morale as soon as possible, however, I am afraid that Gu Hai will be quicker. Much quicker!" Gao Xianzhi replied in an incredibly agonized tone.
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After a few days, within the Merchants’ City.
Formerly, it was the city where the Song Army was stationed. At this moment, there was still a part of the Song Army responsible for guarding. However, just a moment ago, a message was suddenly transmitted to some stores.
Gao Xianzhi had been defeated, 800,000 soldiers had dispersed. Gao Xianzhi"s life and death remain unknown. The Song Army is defeated!
Once this information arrived, countless citizens within the Merchants’ City were completely muddle-headed.
The message also encouraged the people to recapture the city.
The local leaders and the citizens had a vacant expression on their faces.
Earlier when the firecrackers and fireworks were used to celebrate, a seed of hatred had been planted in the hearts of the citizens who had lost their family members. Were you singing and dancing, using fireworks to celebrate after killing our sons, our fathers, our families? It was no different than applying salt to their wounds. The citizens couldn’t wait to skin them, eat their flesh. drink their blood, chew their bones. However, they didn"t have the power. There were so many of them, but all they could do was let themselves be oppressed, they could only sob as they watched their friends and families being killed.
Now, having received this information from Gu Family"s store, the deep-seated hatred in their heart suddenly started sprouting. All the anger, all the killing intent which they had hidden and suppressed in their heart slowly started to rise up.
The Song soldiers which were staying inside the City, during this period of time, discovered that the citizens" gazes, while staring at them was a bit different as compared to before. The fear which used to be present, has all of a sudden seemed as if it had been suppressed, as their gazes revealed tints of hatred.
However, the information still hadn"t been verified. Even if the citizens and the local leaders had hatred and the desire, they didn"t dare to take any action.
However, at this moment, the first of the defectors arrived within the city.
"Defeated, defeated, 800,000 soldiers have all been defeated!"
After the first deserters revealed the result of the war at the frontline.
The hearts’ of the local leaders" of the Merchants’ City was set ablaze in an instant. The Song Army was defeated, the Chen Kingdom could return to its original state? Gao Xianzhi’s life or death remain unknown, who could block Gu Hai? The Merchants’ City would sooner or later return to the Chen Kingdom?
Would the city be split with the Chen Kingdom"s Royal Family?
The night sank into a heavy silence. The desire and the hatred brew for the entire night. The curtain of next morning opened up with a battle-cry, followed with the entire Merchants’ City being set ablaze.
"I am going to beat you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to death, my son was brutally murdered by you, he was buried alive, I am going to beat you death, beat you to death, booohooo!"
"You have killed my daddy, I am also going to kill you!"
"Give me back my husband, give me back my husband!"
"Brother, brother I am going to take revenge for you!"
"Do you want to celebrate after killing my son? Father is going to crush your bones, skin you alive!"
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There were many Song soldiers left guarding Merchants’ City.
Under the leaders.h.i.+p of the local leaders, the elated citizens, the rewards and driven by hatred, the curtain of a huge battle opened.
Besides the Merchant’s City, eighteen cities of the Chen Kingdom that had been captured, the curtain of the same scene of tragic battle opened up at this moment.
The defending Song Army was simply unable to stop this endless desire and hatred.
Kill, Kill, Kill, Chaos, Chaos, Chaos!
It was a complete chaos.
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After a few days, in the great hall of the Clear River Sect.
The Clear River Sect"s Chief, Song Jia Sect"s Chief stood on either side with his respective disciples.
The beautiful girl who was dressed in male clothing stood at the northern position with Liu Nian Grandmaster and their three subordinates.
Stood in front of them was Chen Tianshan and a disciple of Song Jia Sect who was respectfully reporting to the girl.
"Three months? No, not even three months had elapsed and yet eight-hundred thousand soldiers of the Song Kingdom had been completely routed? Gao Xianzhi has fled in desperation? Half of the Chen Kingdom cities had been recaptured? And he had only used three months?" an astonished look appeared on Fleeting Time Grandmaster"s face.
"Yes!" Chen Tianshan said in excitement.
Whereas the Song Jia Sect"s disciple revealed a dejected look.
"How can that be? What demonic powers has Gu Hai used?" The Song Jia Sect"s Chief suddenly shouted in anger.
"Hahaha, Song Jia Sect" Chief, don"t be angry, didn"t you hear them, hahaha!" Clear River Sect"s Chief was, however, laughing in satisfaction.
The eyes of the girl dressed in male clothing lit up. She naturally knew how formidable Gao Xianzhi was. However, she wracked her brain but couldn’t think of any way which Gu Hai would have used to completely rout the Tiger Wolf Soldiers of the Song Kingdom in such short period of time, and even recapture half of the Chen Kingdom territories. H-how did he do it?
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Song Capital, Gu Han excitedly reported the news from the frontlines to Gu Hai.
Gu Hai who had a Weiqi Board in front of him constantly kept placing pieces on it. The Weiqi Board was extremely strange, an ordinary Weiqi Board had 19 vertical and horizontal lines, however, the Weiqi Board in front of him contained thirty vertical and horizontal lines.
An extra line was tantamount to countless changes on a Weiqi Board, but Gu Hai had instead twenty-two extra lines. Everything seemed strange.
Moreover, Gu Hai had always played against himself. He never let anyone else partic.i.p.ate.
"G.o.dfather, we did it, hahaha, Gao Xianzhi has been defeated. The army has lost their morale, now even if they wanted to gather their morale, it will not be so easy." Gu Han said while laughing.
"The first phase of Song"s Destruction Plan has concluded!" Gu Hai said as he placed a white piece on the board.
"Yes, the first phase, Soldier"s Mourning Heart! What"s the second phase?" Gu Han stared at Gu Hai.
"Song"s Destruction Plan, the second phase, Citizens" Mourning Heart!" Gu Hai narrowed his pair of eyes as he placed a black piece.
"When citizens lose the morale, the will of the people will be unstable. G.o.dfather, it‘s not easy to make the citizens lose morale!" Gu Han said with a frown.
"Gao Xianzhi, Crown Prince Song, and Song King should already hate me to the core? This hatred will lay the foundation for decreasing the morale of citizens. Citizens are the foundation of the nation and when the foundation is moved, the country will shake!" Gu Hai took a long breath, his eyes flickered with a staggering chill as he said.