readytorunbook Chapter 1261 The arrival of the Liang King has caused a stir among the troops.
Chapter 1261 The arrival of the Liang King has caused a stir among the troops.
On the city wall of Luoyang, Lei Tong was rubbing his bloodshot eyes when he suddenly noticed a commotion coming from the direction of the Xiliang army camp in the distance. He hurriedly approached the crenellations to take a closer look and saw that the Xiliang army seemed to be in disarray, with flags askew and soldiers no longer in their usual orderly formation. Instead, they looked like they had suffered a hasty retreat—clearly, they looked like they had been defeated.
"General, look!" Zhang Yi pointed in that direction, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy. "They seem to be retreating! Could it be... the siege of Chengdu has been lifted?"
Lei Tong's heart skipped a beat. Looking at the Xiliang army camp again, he saw that it had indeed shrunk considerably compared to yesterday, with most of the patrols in front of the camp gone. He took a deep breath, feeling the pent-up frustration in his chest finally dissipate: "There must be a turning point in Chengdu! Perhaps our lord has called in reinforcements and driven the Xiliang army back!"
The defenders on the city walls saw everything. At first, they whispered among themselves, but soon they burst into long-suppressed cheers. These days, they had been holding Luocheng to the death, facing the fierce attacks of the Xiliang army every day. Everyone was on the verge of breaking down. Now, seeing the enemy suffer a setback, they suddenly felt that all their perseverance had been worthwhile.
"Great! As long as Chengdu holds, we won't be fighting alone!"
"Hold on! Victory is just around the corner!"
Lei Tong turned to look at the soldiers whose morale had soared, and said loudly, "Brothers, the Xiliang army is at its last gasp! We'll have an extra meal tonight, and everyone will have wine. Tomorrow, let's put in a little more effort, and we'll definitely be able to hold Luocheng!"
That evening, in the camp of the Luocheng garrison commander, Lei Tong made an exception and had several jars of strong liquor brought in. He poured a cup for Zhang Yi, Zhang Yi, Li Yan, and others. The men, who usually didn't drink a drop of alcohol, all tilted their heads back and drank it all. The spicy liquor slid down their throats, but it warmed their hearts.
"Once we're out of this predicament, I'll definitely treat the brothers to a good drink!" Lei Tong wiped his mouth, his eyes gleaming. "As long as we can break the Xiliang army's spirit, and if we grit our teeth and hold out for a few more days, victory will surely be ours!"
Although Zhang Yi's leg injury had not yet healed, he raised his cup and said, "General, you are right! If Chengdu can really defeat the enemy, the Xiliang army will surely be demoralized. At that time, we can cooperate from within and without and turn the tide of battle!"
The night passed peacefully without incident. The next morning, Lei Tong climbed the city wall before dawn, only to find the Xiliang army camp eerily quiet—there were no bugle calls, no sounds of troops marching, and even the smoke from the cooking fires was thinner than usual, as if the entire camp had fallen into a deep sleep.
"They've really lost; they don't even dare to leave their camp!" Li Yan laughed. "It seems they're scared and are currently plotting their retreat in the camp."
Lei Tong agreed, and immediately selected several agile scouts: "Go down and quietly sneak to the edge of the Xiliang camp to find out which reinforcements helped Chengdu, so we can make preparations."
Under the cover of the morning mist, the scouts slid down ropes from the city wall to the foot of the wall and crouched low as they disappeared into the nearby dense forest. Lei Tong waited anxiously on the city wall, imagining the scouts bringing back news of the Xiliang army's crushing defeat, and a slight smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
However, less than two hours later, the scouts returned in a panic, their faces pale, and they scrambled up the city wall.
"General! Something terrible has happened!" The lead scout was panting heavily, his voice trembling.
Lei Tong's heart sank: "What's wrong? Is there an ambush by the Xiliang army?"
"No..." The scout swallowed hard, his face full of disbelief. "The Xiliang camp...it didn't look like a defeated army at all! When the brothers sneaked outside the camp, they heard cheers from inside, everyone was clapping and shouting, as if...as if they were welcoming some important figure!"
"What?" Lei Tong asked in disbelief.
“New flags are flying everywhere in the camp, and the soldiers are polishing their weapons and tidying their armor. They’re all in high spirits,” another scout added. “Their excitement is like they’ve won a great victory, not like they’ve suffered a defeat!”
Silence fell instantly on the city wall, and Lei Tong felt a chill run down his spine. Yesterday's "defeat" and today's "dead silence" were not mere setbacks and retreats; they were clearly brewing something! Gazing at the seemingly calm Xiliang army camp in the distance, he suddenly recalled Jia Xu and Fa Zheng's cunning, and a chill crept up his spine—what were they waiting for? And who was it that could set the entire Xiliang army ablaze?
The morning mist completely dissipated, and sunlight shone on the city walls of Luocheng, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in Lei Tong's heart. He clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm—it seemed that an even bigger storm was about to break.
The wind atop Luocheng City carried an air of anxiety. Lei Tong stood leaning against the railing, his gaze fixed on the distant Xiliang camp. Ever since the scouts brought back that strange news that morning, his heart felt as if a boulder was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe.
The afternoon sun was blazing when suddenly, a cloud of dust rose from the horizon, rolling closer and closer—it was a large number of Xiliang cavalry! Their armor was gleaming, and the thunderous sound of their horses' hooves made the ground tremble slightly as they charged straight into the Xiliang camp.
Almost the instant the cavalry entered the camp, a deafening cheer erupted from the Xiliang camp. The sound traveled far and clearly to the top of Luocheng City, carrying a kind of fervor that had been suppressed for a long time and was now being released.
Lei Tong's face turned deathly pale instantly. The soldiers behind him heard it clearly, and the morale they had just mustered deflated like a punctured bladder.
“General…” Zhang Yi’s voice was hoarse, “What…what are they waiting for?”
Lei Tong didn't answer, but stared intently at the camp, his fingertips turning white from the pressure. He could imagine the scene inside the camp—the Xiliang soldiers must be surrounding the newcomers, their faces beaming with excitement, like believers seeing their gods.
Inside the Xiliang camp, just as Lei Tong had predicted, Pang De, Zhang Ren, Zhang Xiu, Fa Zheng, and others stood side by side on either side of the camp gate. They were all pivotal figures in the Xiliang army, yet their faces wore complex expressions. Pang De gripped his riding whip tightly, his knuckles white, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes, quickly replaced by the excitement of impending doom. Zhang Ren's eyes were slightly lowered, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards. Fa Zheng stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a successful scheme, looking towards the camp entrance with anticipation.
The soldiers in the camp stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to look into the distance, their expressions excited, their breathing rapid. The sound of horses' hooves grew clearer and clearer as they approached, as if striking a chord in everyone's hearts.
"They're here!" someone shouted, and the camp fell silent instantly as all eyes turned to the camp gate.
Amidst the dust and smoke, a tall figure gradually came into focus, clad in heavy armor, riding a magnificent steed, followed by a squad of elite guards, exuding an imposing aura.
"It's the King!" Someone shouted first, and the Xiliang camp instantly erupted in cheers. The soldiers dropped what they were doing and rushed towards the figure, waving their arms and shouting, "The King! The King!" The cheers rose in waves, almost lifting the dome of the camp.
Pang De, Zhang Ren, Zhang Xiu, Fa Zheng, and others had already come out of the camp to greet them. Seeing Ma Chao's cavalry approaching, they all bowed and saluted, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Ma Chao did not slow down; his silver armor fluttered in the wind. Only when he was right in front of everyone did he suddenly pull on the reins. The Aurora steed, seemingly possessed, reared up, letting out a deafening neigh, and came to a steady stop as its front hooves touched the ground. The guards behind him also stopped in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized and without the slightest disorder.
Ma Chao dismounted with a swift and decisive movement, the clinking of his silver armor echoing through the air. His gaze swept over the assembled generals before him, and he proclaimed in a clear voice, "Gentlemen, you've had a long journey!"
Pang De straightened up, a hint of guilt on his face, and clasped his hands, saying, "We are incompetent and failed to quickly pacify Yizhou. Instead, we have troubled Your Majesty to personally lead a large army here. We deserve to die!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Ma Chao waved his hand, his tone filled with undeniable sincerity. "You are all my trusted and beloved generals. If it weren't for you paving the way, how could I have reached this heart of Yizhou so smoothly? You attacked Yangping, seized Jiange, took Jiangyou, and broke through Mianzhu. Every battle you fought was a bloody struggle. Every battle you fought made the whole of Yizhou tremble with fear. To have accomplished this much is already a great achievement. How can you say I'm 'incompetent'?"
These words warmed the hearts of the generals, and the guilt on the faces of Pang De, Zhang Xiu, and others vanished, replaced by undisguised joy. The surrounding soldiers cheered even louder.
Ma Chao turned around, strode to Jia Xu, and reached out to grasp his hand. Although Jia Xu was a scholar, his hands were covered in calluses, a testament to years of military toil. "Sir," Ma Chao's voice softened, "you, a scholar, braved wind and frost, your plan to secretly cross Yinping was meticulously crafted. Without your guidance, how could our army have penetrated so smoothly into Shu? For the sake of my cause, you have added more gray hair to your temples; I truly feel indebted to you."
Even the usually reserved Jia Xu was moved, waving his hands repeatedly: "Your Majesty is too kind! Serving Your Majesty is my duty, how can it be considered hardship?"
Ma Chao then turned to Fa Zheng and Zhang Ren, grabbing one of their arms with each hand, and laughed loudly, "Xiaozhi, Gongqi, it has been more than two years since we parted in Chang'an. I have been thinking of you two day and night!"
Fa Zheng's eyes were slightly red, and he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, it has been exactly two years and four months."
Zhang Ren, standing to the side, looked at Ma Chao, his lips trembling with excitement, and tears welled up in his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Ma Chao asked, patting his arm with a hint of reproach, then affectionately putting his arm around his shoulder. "I heard your son is already five or six years old? Perfect timing. After pacifying Yizhou this time, I'll send him to Chang'an along with the sons of other generals to study at the military academy."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ren was deeply moved. The Chang'an Martial Arts Academy, nominally a school for training the next generation, was in reality the core of the empire's talent pool. Ma Chao's heir and the sons of various generals all studied there. To have his own child admitted was not only an honor, but also a sign of the king's trust. He choked back tears and bowed deeply, saying, "Your subordinate... thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"
Ma Chao helped Zhang Ren up, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent once more, nodding to each of them, from Pang De and Zhang Xiu to Fa Zheng and Jia Xu. The generals whose gaze fell upon him all straightened their backs, a surge of indescribable excitement welling up within them—his gaze held approval, trust, and an even more inspiring spirit that made one willing to die for him, more encouraging than any reward.
The lieutenant general and his personal guards craned their necks, their eyes filled with anticipation and reverence. In the Xiliang army, Ma Chao was not only their lord, but also a legendary figure. His spear skills, his bravery, and his loyalty to his brothers were etched into the very bones of every man.