A surprise for Qingzhou

What makes you so certain?

Miao Youfang, Qi Ingestion, leaned on his knife and chewed on a cornbread bun.

"I like to ambush people at night because they're most relaxed when they're sleeping."

Xu Xinnian patted the wooden bucket filled with kerosene beside his feet and laughed:

"Our oil isn't just for burning the enemy; at night, it can also be used for lighting. By launching catapults, the firelight will illuminate the way, allowing the soldiers on the city walls to see everything clearly below."

"But the enemy couldn't see the arrows shot from the city wall; no matter how many came, they were all just going to their deaths."

"Your tactic is only suitable for a preemptive, surprise attack before the battle begins."

But now it's a battle of offense and defense where both sides are prepared.

Miao Youfang felt that the scholar's words made sense, and after thinking for a moment, his eyes lit up:

"What if the other side sends out a master?"

Xu Erlang silently looked at him. "What am I guarding against when I ordered the army's best soldiers to patrol at night?"

Miao Youfang was Qi Ingestion and gave a thumbs up:

"As expected of Xu Yinluo's younger brother, he has inherited his elder brother's style."

Xu Erlang's lips twitched slightly, thinking to himself, "You're just like my elder brother, with a vulgar style."

He knew that Miao Youfang was his elder brother's follower. The two had met a few times when his elder brother returned to Beijing last time. On the eve of his order to garrison Songshan County, Miao Youfang suddenly came to him and asked to fight alongside him.

Xu Erlang asked if it was sent by his elder brother.

Miao Youfang shook his head and said, "Defending one's country is what a true man does."

A martial artist of the fifth rank, who had mastered internal energy, volunteered to join them. His identity was also in order, so the military welcomed him with great enthusiasm. Thus, Miao Youfang followed him to Songshan County.

"However, there are too few experts among the garrison; there is only one fourth-rank expert." Miao Youfang shook his head.

"Fourth-rank masters are all high-ranking individuals, so their numbers are naturally few," Xu Erlang replied.

"Rare? I've fought alongside Xu Yinluo in countless battles, and we don't even bother with fourth-grade level minions."

Miao Youfang said smugly.

"You know that's because of my older brother," Xu Erlang said slowly, his hands resting on the parapet.

"To me, the officials of the court are nothing special; the entire hall is full of them. But Brother Miao, how many of you have actually seen wearing scarlet robes?"

The level my elder brother is now involved in, and the opponents he is facing, must be the highest level of a certain force, and the high-level people of a major force are naturally the most outstanding people in Kyushu.

The fourth rank was therefore not so rare.

But in Qingzhou, in the small Songshan County, a fourth-rank official was a very high-ranking person.

Among the garrison troops of Songshan County, there was only one fourth-rank commander, the same rank as Xu Erlang.

That commander was responsible for guarding the north gate.

Xu Erlang didn't intend to dwell on this topic. He took a breath of the cold night wind and said:

"I remember my elder brother saying that your goal is to become a world-renowned hero. But in war-torn lands, it's difficult for your good deeds to spread. Because the person you save today might die tomorrow."

"The refugees and common people were either rescued by the Great Feng or by the rebel army, and were tossed around like goods. They did not deliberately remember any chivalrous person who helped them."

"To become a great hero, you must go to a peaceful place, rob the rich to help the poor, and your legend will spread throughout the martial arts world."

Miao Youfang scratched his head and thought for a while when asked about Xu Xinnian's question:

"I definitely want to be a chivalrous hero."

"But Great Feng in the prime of my life, so a few years earlier or later won't matter. But the Great Feng Dynasty is already old and frail. If I can't extend its life, then there will truly be a change of dynasty."

"Actually, as far as I'm concerned, who becomes emperor is none of my business."

"But for the common people, this is a calamity. If Qingzhou cannot be defended, the flames of war will spread to the north, all the way to the capital, and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains along the way will be turned into scorched earth."

"So I thought, could we suppress the rebels in Qingzhou and end the war Qingzhou?"

Xu Xinnian was somewhat surprised and laughed:

"Brother Miao, you have truly impressed me. In the martial world, there are very few chivalrous people like you who love their country and its people."

Miao Youfang shrugged:

"No, actually I don't have any good feelings towards the Great Feng Dynasty. It's just that when I parted ways with Xu Yinluo, he said something to me."

"The reason he nurtured me and guided my cultivation was because someone had given him the opportunity back then. His only wish was that I would become a useful person to the court and the people in the future."

"Xu Yinluo did it; he did not disappoint that person's expectations."

"Therefore, I don't want to disappoint Xu Yinluo either."

"Brother didn't misjudge you." Xu Erlang nodded silently, about to speak, when he heard Miao Youfang beside him change his expression and shout:

"The enemy is pushing their cannons forward!"

Xu Xinnian's heart skipped a beat. He focused his gaze, but the night was so deep that he couldn't see anything. However, he knew that Miao Youfang was a fifth-rank martial artist with eyesight far superior to ordinary people, so he didn't question him and shouted loudly:

"Beat the drums!"

"Artillery ready, ballistae ready!"

The soldiers resting against the parapet and those sleeping on the ramparts in light armor were all awakened. They began to move about in an orderly fashion, loading cannonballs and crossbow bolts.

Miao Youfang pushed aside a gunner, personally adjusted the angle, and lit the fuse.

Boom!

A burst of fire expanded, illuminating the distance and allowing the defenders on the city walls to clearly see the enemy troops advancing their cannons under the cover of darkness.

Before the flames from the explosion had even subsided, the ballistae and cannons on the city walls opened fire one after another, unleashing a barrage of firepower upon the enemy.

The defenders' advantage immediately became apparent; the cannons on the city walls had a greater range than the enemy's cannons due to their elevated position.

If the enemy wants to bombard the city walls, they must first be subjected to the firepower of the defending troops.

Miao Youfang handed the cannon back to the gunner, turned to look at Xu Xinnian, and said angrily:

"Didn't you say the enemy wouldn't launch a night attack?!"

"Huh? What did you say?" Xu Erlang picked at his ear and shouted:

"The cannon fire is too loud, I can't hear it."

Miao Youfang swore, thinking to himself that the skin of a scholar was indeed no weaker than that of a warrior.

At this moment, after losing three cannons and two crossbows, the enemy's artillery finally advanced into firing range, and a dense barrage of artillery fire immediately erupted, booming incessantly.

Clusters of fire exploded continuously on the city walls and ramparts.

Interspersed among these sounds were the clear, resonant notes of crossbow bolts.

Ballistae are far less destructive than cannons; whether it's damaging city walls or killing soldiers, they are inferior to the explosion of gunpowder.

However, one function of the crossbow and ballista has kept it on par with artillery and prevented it from being phased out: the one-on-one lethality of crossbow bolts.

Cannons may not kill a warrior with skin of bronze and bones of iron, but the armor-piercing power of crossbow bolts can severely injure or kill skilled soldiers in an army.

Warriors caught in the middle of a battlefield become "numb" to danger, because danger is everywhere on the battlefield, making them easily overlook the terrifying crossbow bolts and unable to avoid them in advance.

If you're lucky enough to kill or severely injure one of the enemy's warriors, that's a huge windfall.

During the exchange of fire, over a thousand infantrymen clad in rattan armor charged forward, carrying battering rams, ladders, shields, and other equipment.

These infantrymen were refugees gathered by the rebel army in Yunzhou, specifically used to wear down the firepower of the defending army.

Two guards stood beside Xu Xinnian, shields in hand, while he himself ran around the city walls, directing the battle.

"Sir, please go down first. It would be a great loss if you were endangered by artillery fire."

The guard shouted a warning.

"The morale of the troops is more important than my personal safety."

Xu Xinnian, with one hand on his sword, ran back and forth, directing soldiers to fill in for their men and directing militiamen to clear corpses and treat the wounded.

These tasks weren't impossible for him, yet they were nonetheless best suited for him.

As the highest commander of Songshan County, as long as he stands on the city wall and fights alongside his soldiers, the defenders will never waver.

The battle raged on until late into the night, when the enemy forces, leaving behind a trail of corpses, collapsed and retreated.

Southern Frontier.

By the pool, Luo Yuheng, draped in a feathered robe, sat on a smooth stone on the bank, with Xu Qi'an's robe cushioning her bottom.

From beneath the hem of her feathered robe, her small, fair, and shapely feet peeked out, soaking in the cool pool water.

Her cheeks were still flushed, and her beautiful eyes were slightly narrowed, as if she was enjoying the cool water of the pool or the lingering afterglow of the surging spring tide.

Xu Qi'an stood in the pool, reached out and picked up the white bodice embroidered with lotus patterns, and played with it in his hand.

Luo Yuheng's eyes, clearer than a pool of water, swept over him, a fleeting hint of shyness flashing across them.

Xu Qi'an ran his fingertips along the smooth material of the bodice, savoring the delicate and soft touch, and chuckled:

"Imperial Advisor, will you get pregnant?"

Luo Yuheng's eyes turned cold, but her cheeks flushed. With a kick of her jade-like feet, "Splash!" the water splashed like the sharpest Sword Qi in the world, crashing into Xiao Yinluo's face.

Xu Qi'an's face was burning with pain.

Luo Yuheng sneered, "Our relationship is merely a transaction. I lend you my strength to quell the karmic fire, and you lend me your combat power. As for offspring, don't even think about it."

After she finished speaking, she noticed him staring at her lower abdomen, and her shame and anger intensified.

He was tough on the outside, but during dual cultivation he was more cooperative and skilled than last time, Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

Whether a woman likes you or not, and how deeply she likes you, can be felt during dual cultivation. Don't be fooled by Luo Yuheng's stubbornness; during dual cultivation with him, she was no longer as resistant as she had been at the beginning.

I have absolutely no feelings for him, but I can't bring myself to play hard to get.

You and Mu Nanzhi are really best friends. You won't admit it, but your actions tell a different story. Xu Qi'an said shamelessly:

"I'm just worried that I might get slaughtered someday, so at least I'll have descendants to carry on the family line."

"Let's get down to business. I've discovered a major secret during this trip to Southern Frontier."

At that moment, Granny Tian Gu told Luo Yuheng in detail about the conversation between Granny Tian Gu and the White Emperor Gu God.

After listening, Luo Yuheng's delicate, long eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he pondered for a long time:

"If you figure out three things, you will know the secrets hidden behind each of the three questions."

"First, the reasons for the fall of ancient Gods and Devils; second, the crux of the problems in the cultivation methods of Heaven, Earth, and Man; third, why the Gu God considered the Confucian Sage to be the gatekeeper."

The three events correspond to "the end of a great era," "the whereabouts of the Daoist master," and "who is the gatekeeper."

Taking advantage of the moment, Luo Yuheng reached out and snatched the bodice back, placing it beside her. Then she adjusted her feathered robe, as it was the only garment she was wearing.

To prevent Xu Qi'an from snatching it, she spoke very quickly:

"The era of Gods and Devils is too far removed from our present time, and there are no clues to be found. However, if you can talk to the White Emperor and the God of Gu, you can learn the inside story. I do not recommend that you try it, as you are not yet qualified to have an equal dialogue with these two."

"Regarding the Daoist School sect, once I advance to the first rank, I will visit the Heavenly Sect. Just wait for my news then. As for the gatekeeper, you can ask Zhao Shou or the Supervisor."

"These two individuals are, one a successor to the Confucian School system, and the other capable of discerning the secrets of heaven."

"As expected of the Imperial Advisor, he is incredibly intelligent." Xu Qi'an gave a thumbs up.

Luo Yuheng's expression was aloof, but his eyes held a hint of amusement.

This kind of flattery is most effective on a woman in a high position with a strong personality, but of course, it has to be Xu Qi'an's flattery.

Because he was Luo Yuheng's "nominal" dao companion, no matter how much other men flattered her, they couldn't arouse her.

"Unfortunately, those who know the secrets of heaven are bound by them. Even if the Supervisor knew, he could not tell me."

Xu Qi'an shook his head regretfully. "Never mind, this matter is not urgent. The battle in Qingzhou is the most pressing issue. The Imperial Advisor just returned from Qingzhou. How is the situation there?"

Luo Yuheng said:

"I didn't pay attention to it."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "It seems your cousin has been sent to guard Songshan County, which is one of the most crucial strongholds in Yang Gong's second line of defense."

She meant that the war in Qingzhou was temporarily stable, but Xu Erlang was in danger. Was this what she meant by not paying attention? Grand Preceptor, you're too arrogant! You're clearly concerned about my family! Xu Qi'an thought to himself, his expression slightly grave.

"The Nine-Tailed Fox is about to return to the mainland, and the Demon Race of the Southern Frontier are also gathering. I must ensure the success of the Southern Demons' rebellion so that I can hold back the Buddhist School of the Western Regions. I'm afraid I won't be able to intervene in the war in Qingzhou."

The outcome of the war in Qingzhou will affect the balance of power, but the war in the Southern Frontier is more important. If the Southern Demons cannot reclaim the Hundred Thousand Mountains, they will be unable to restrain the Buddhist School.

If the Buddhist School were to free up its resources to cooperate with Yunzhou, it wouldn't just affect the balance of power; it would mean the direct defeat of the Great Feng.

"We can have the Gu Clan send troops to reinforce Qingzhou," Luo Yuheng said.

"Yes, let's give Qingzhou a surprise." Xu Qi'an nodded.

Although the extraordinary beings of the Gu Clan cannot leave, members of the seven tribes can participate in the war. Heart Gu, Poison Gu, and Corpse Gu are the darlings of the battlefield. Dark Gu is even more of a top-tier assassin.

This should greatly alleviate the pressure on Qingzhou.