Chapter 557: The valiant Tang army crushes the royal court!
boom!
Lightning flashed into the sky, flying stars chased lightning, and the surging air waves stirred up shattered the surrounding sea of clouds. That was the Thunder Escape Technique of the Mother of Lightning, learned from the National Master Li Daoxuan, and it was the most advanced escape technique in the world.
Among the four pillars guarding the country, she is not the strongest in combat, but the fastest.
However, a bright sword light followed her like a shadow, piercing through the clouds and the moon, with sword energy running wild, and it was not inferior in speed at all.
In the end, even the arrogant Dianmu had to admit that she could not get rid of the other party.
In this era where men rule the roost and dominate the world, the two women are both rare female heroes and heroines, so naturally they also have some desire to compete with each other.
Although Dianmu lost, people admired her even more.
In the evening, they finally saw Li Jing's army.
Flags were everywhere, the military spirit was high and their prestige was overwhelming. If they were not well-trained in Taoism, the murderous aura would have dissipated their magic power and they would have fallen like a bird with broken wings.
Tai Wei frowned and said, "It's a bit too ostentatious for a large army to march like this."
Although she did not understand military tactics, she knew that speed was of the essence in war. However, Li Jing had been on the expedition for several days and had only covered this much distance. He also frequently ordered people to beat drums to boost morale.
I was simply afraid that the enemy wouldn't be able to discover me.
"The Duke of Wei is a famous general of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty has granted him the power to command the three armies. We will just obey his orders. Let's go and see the Duke of Wei. We will know the answer after asking him."
As a hibernating dragon and a disciple of the national teacher, although Dianmu held a high position and power, she also knew that different professions have different worlds. When it came to marching and fighting, she was far inferior to the Duke of Weiguo, so she did not dare to question them easily.
Moreover, before she set off, the national teacher had warned her not to rely on her status as Zhelong to interfere in military affairs. When she arrived at the front line, she had to obey the instructions of General Li Jing in everything. If she dared to disobey military orders, the Duke of Weiguo would clean up the mess without her having to do anything.
Taiwei nodded. Li Jing's name was well-known to her, and she was somewhat curious about this famous general of the time.
The two men descended from the clouds. Dianmu revealed her identity, showed her badge, and asked to see General Li Jing.
The soldier respected them very much and took the two of them to the central army camp.
General Li Jing was dressed in golden armor and riding a white horse, which made him particularly eye-catching in the night. But Taiwei didn't know if it was an illusion, but she always felt a little disappointed.
This famous general of the time didn't seem to have as much aura as imagined, and he seemed a little... nervous?
He kept swallowing, and his right hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
Ordinary people may not notice these details, but how could they be hidden from her eyes?
Could it be that even Duke Weiguo Li Jing is so afraid of the hibernating dragon?
At this moment, Dianmu's voice suddenly sounded, carrying three parts of doubt and seven parts of murderous intent.
"Turn around and take your helmet off, do it now!"
General Li Jing gave a wry smile, then took off his helmet, slowly turned around, revealing a handsome face.
Lightning flashed in Dianmu's eyes, and she said coldly: "You are not the Duke of Weiguo!"
The other person's appearance was somewhat similar to Li Jing, but he was too young and had put some disguise on his face.
Taiwei was stunned. Even with her personality, she found it unbelievable that the commander-in-chief of the Tang Dynasty, General Li Jing, who was in charge of the three armies, had actually been replaced by someone?
Li Jing clasped his fists and saluted, saying with a wry smile: "Please forgive me, Mother Dian. I am Li Dejian, and my father is no longer in the camp."
Li Dejian was Li Jing's eldest son and served as the junior supervisor in the army.
"Where is the general?" asked Dianmu.
Li Dejian looked into the distance, with a hint of worry and a hint of pride in his eyes.
"My father has already penetrated deep into the enemy's territory. He wants to... decide the outcome !"
…
Occupy Xiangcheng.
This is the most prosperous city of the Turks, as well as its heart and political center. The nominal Turkic leader, Jie Li Khan, lives in this city.
Every day, Tang people were hanged on the city walls.
Ever since the Tang Dynasty declared war, the Turks have been extremely angry. How could the Tang people, who had always been bullied by them and endured humiliation like pigs and dogs, dare to declare war?
What about the endless blood feuds that will not end until the country is destroyed, and the valiant Tang army will not return until it tramples upon the royal court?
It's ridiculous!
The angry Turks killed several looted Tang people every day and hung them on the city walls. Now they were so densely packed that they looked like dumplings.
The stinking corpses were not collected but left to be eaten by vultures.
As night fell, Zhanxiang City became quiet and the soldiers on duty on the city walls were yawning.
Thirty miles outside the city, smoke and dust billowed and the sound of iron hooves could be heard.
Three thousand horses galloped across the starry night. The soldiers were only wearing light armor and were covered in dust, but their eyes were firm and murderous.
The fluttering battle flag still carried indelible blood stains, and the golden Tang characters fluttered in the night wind.
It was obvious that this army had just experienced a bloody battle.
However, the Grand Marshal Li Jing, who was supposed to guard the three armies, led only 3,000 light cavalry and appeared in the heart of the Turkic region, Wang Tingzhanxiang.
Even three of the four pillars of the Tang Dynasty, Tianpeng, Zhurong and Erlang Shen, followed him.
Li Jing pulled the reins and stopped.
Three thousand elite cavalrymen also stopped, their eyes all looking at the figure in golden armor, revering him as if he were a god.
"Soldiers, for three days and three nights, I led you along the Huangsha Ancient Road, bypassed the outer city of the Turks, rushed 800 miles, and killed the commander of the Eyangling. Now, we have finally arrived at Zhanxiang City."
Li Jing looked at these soldiers, some of whom were young, some of whom were no longer young.
The youngest of them was nineteen years old and the oldest was fifty-nine years old. Each of them was a elite soldier selected by him from hundreds of thousands of troops.
Although there were only 3,000 people, it took only one hour to capture Eyang Ridge, and then they rode non-stop to the city of the Turkic king.
"I know every one of you is exhausted, and so am I."
Li Jing drew out the long sword from his waist with a clang, and a hint of fighting spirit appeared in his deep eyes.
"But we cannot rest yet, because the Turks are slaughtering our compatriots, plundering our food, coveting our land, and trampling on our dignity!"
His voice was like a bell and his eyes seemed to be burning with flames.
"But tonight, we will wash away the shame of the Tang Dynasty with our own hands and create a history that belongs to us!"
"Soldiers, you are not only the sons of your parents, but also the sons of the Tang Dynasty. After this battle, perhaps we will be buried in a foreign land, but even if our souls return to our hometown, we will be worthy of being the backbone of the country."
"I, Li Jing, swear to be with you, life and death together!"
Li Jing saw the fire in everyone's eyes. It was a silent flame and a silent thunder.
"Pass on my military order, Su Dingfang!"
"I will be here!"
"You must mobilize three hundred men, each holding a battle flag, and disperse them in all directions to stir up the enemy!"
"promise!"
"Xue Rengui."
"I will be here!"
"You lead two thousand troops to attack from the left wing of Zhanxiang City."
"promise!"
Li Jing looked at the gloomy night sky, his eyes shining and his heart filled with lofty sentiments.
"The battle to annihilate the nation begins today. Soldiers, follow me and charge!"
…
The security in Zhanxiang City was not strict, and could even be said to be quite relaxed. In the royal court, Jie Li Khan was singing and dancing all day long, and was having a great time.
After all, no matter how fierce the war is, it will not affect Zhanxiang City.
"Haha, Khan, I think the Tang Dynasty is just bluffing. That Li Jing, you call him a famous general, but his marching speed is even slower than a snail!"
"Yes, there were gongs and drums along the way. If you didn't know, you would think they were going to perform for us!"
In the royal court, many people laughed.
Jie Li Khan waved his hand and said with a smile: "No, in my opinion, Li Jing is a smart man."
"Oh? Why did Khan say that?"
Jie Li Khan drank the wine in his cup and said with a smile, "Li Jing knows that he is no match for the Turks, so he deliberately marched slowly."
"Then isn't he afraid of being blamed by Li Shimin?"
"Ha ha!"
Jie Li Khan laughed loudly and said, "Li Shimin is just a young boy. Back then, by the Wei River, wasn't he frightened by me so much that he killed a horse and toasted, and obediently gave away the wealth of Chang'an City?"
"The Tang Dynasty sent troops, it was just a show by Li Shimin to win the hearts of the people. With just these cats and dogs, do they dare to compete with the Turks?"
He slammed the table and said confidently, "Believe it or not, within ten days, Li Shimin will send someone to ask for peace."
At first, he was a little worried when the Tang Dynasty declared war and sent troops. However, Li Jing's slow march was obviously perfunctory, and Li Shimin, as a king, did not hold him accountable.
Obviously, this king and his minister were just putting on a show, and it was something that everyone knew.
"In this Tang Dynasty, the only person worth worrying about is Li Daoxuan."
Jie Li Khan sighed.
When the name Li Daoxuan was heard, the heated atmosphere in the field suddenly quieted down, as if a basin of cold water was poured over them.
Except for the Tang Dynasty, all countries in the world are wary of this name.
At this time, one person said, "Your Majesty, don't worry too much. Although Li Daoxuan is strong, we have the high priest and other talented people. Calculating the time, the high priest and others should be back."
"Yes, and as long as Li Daoxuan leaves Chang'an, his strength will be greatly reduced, and he may not be a match for the high priest!"
Everyone expressed their agreement, and the atmosphere gradually became heated again.
But at this moment, there was a sudden roar outside, like an explosion. In an instant, the earth shook, shouts of killing rang out, and there was chaos.
"What's going on?"
Jie Li Khan asked with a sullen face.
A soldier came running over, his eyes full of fear.
"Khan, it's bad, the Tang army... the Tang army is attacking!"
"fart!"
Jie Li Khan angrily shouted, "The Tang army is still 600 miles away from here. Could it be that they dropped from the sky?"
"Khan, it's really the Tang army, and it seems to be... Li Jing's army!"
Jie Li Khan laughed and said, "This is even more wrong. Li Jing's whereabouts have always been under our surveillance. How could he be here?"
He jumped on his horse and shouted, "Come on, let's go and see which bandits are causing trouble!"
He led his men to the city gate, only to find that the place was already engulfed in flames and a fierce battle. Climbing up the city wall, he looked around and saw the flags of the Li Tang army everywhere in the night, and the sound of war horses was all he could hear.
Jie Li Khan was then filled with fear. Could it be that the Tang army was really coming?
He still had a trace of doubt, but at this moment, the city gate was blown open with a loud bang, and flames shot up into the sky.
Then a handsome warhorse stepped through the flames. The man on its back was wearing golden armor and holding a long sword. There were flames on his blood-red cloak. His facial features were strong and his eyes were firm and sharp.
"kill!!!"
Li Jing cut off the head of a Turkic general with one sword, then pointed his sword at Wang Ting and charged forward.
Behind him were countless Tang Dynasty cavalrymen crossing the flames. The sharpness of their swords illuminated the night sky, and the raging flames burned in their eyes.
The three armies shouted loudly, and the royal court trembled!
The Tang cavalry rushed out like a steel torrent, trampled the royal court, and with their indomitable momentum, smashed the defense line that the Turkic soldiers had just formed.
Jie Li Khan stared at the scene blankly, as if struck by lightning.
"It's Li Jing...it's really Li Jing!"
He never imagined that Li Jing actually dared to come, and came so quickly!
…
"kill!!!"
A Tang Dynasty cavalryman charged recklessly among the Turkic soldiers. He held a big knife in his hand and had excellent martial arts skills. With every strike of the knife, a Turkic soldier's head flew off.
Such bravery naturally attracted more attention. An arrow shot towards him, grazed his scalp and shot off his helmet.
The white hair was loose, and the moonlight illuminated the tiger's eyes. There was no trace of fear in them, but they were full of hatred and pleasure.
If Li Daoxuan were here, he would recognize that this person is the former Chief Secretary of Dengzhou, Jia Huo.
After Li Daoxuan awakened all of Jia Huo's memories, he became confused and his hair turned white overnight. He was then escorted to the capital to wait for the emperor's decision.
He thought he was going to be beheaded, but what came to him was not the executioner, but an imperial edict from His Majesty with only one sentence on it.
"The men of the Tang Dynasty fought bravely and killed their enemies with their own hands."
He had been in a daze as he looked at those words, and finally he burst into tears, tears streaming down his face.
Afterwards, he returned to the Xuanjia Army again and followed General Li Jing to the expedition to Mobei, and was lucky enough to be selected among the three thousand people.
He is the oldest person on this trip and will be sixty years old in two months.
But he had never felt so young.
The silent blood was surging in my chest. It was a long-lost feeling, strange yet familiar. The only regret was that the brothers who had been through thick and thin with me back then were no longer by my side.
"kill!!!"
Jia Huo's white hair danced wildly, and he looked like an old lion, galloping through the Turkic army, completely bloodthirsty.
One, two, three...
As he killed, he counted in his mind.
Thirteen members of his family were killed by the Turks, and he would always avenge his dead brothers.
When the count reached the twenty-third, an arrow hit the warhorse, and blood splattered.
Jia Huo fell off his horse, but immediately stood up and swung his sword to kill two more people.
Twenty-five!
At this moment, a spear pierced his abdomen. Jia Huo's hand holding the knife paused, and his breathing sounded like a heavy bellows.
After all, he was too old. After killing twenty-five enemies, he fell off his horse and his physical strength was no longer able to keep up.
However, he shouted loudly, rushed forward, allowed the spear to pierce him, came to the Turkic general, and stabbed him in the heart with a knife.
"Twenty-six... that's enough."
Jia Huo grinned, blood gushed out, staining his beard red.
The next moment, countless spears pierced his body.
Jia Huo raised his eyes and saw the Tang Dynasty flag fluttering on the city wall. He finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
In a trance, he seemed to see again those brothers who had been through life and death together with him.
Zhen Bao, Qiao Lie, Mi Jingmao, Liu Laosi, Xiaowu...
They are still so young, holding their wine glasses and looking at themselves with bright smiles.
"Boss, you're here!"
"Boss, come and have a drink!"
"Boss, hurry up, we're waiting for you!"
Jia Huo's eyes were filled with tears. He laughed loudly and walked towards the crowd. His gray hair and pale face gradually became younger and more heroic.
"Xiao Wu, you bastard, how dare you take my seat? Get out of here!"
"I'm not bragging, but I, along with General Li Jing, annihilated the Turks..."