0p0 Chapter 237 Luo Mingjing, a General of the Southern Song Dynasty
Chapter 237 Luo Mingjing, a General of the Southern Song Dynasty
In those war-torn years, the general who led the Southern Song cavalry in their raids on Hebi and Tangyin was named Luo Mingjing. After the heroes Han Shizhong and Yue Fei pledged allegiance to Emperor Zhao Heng of the Northern Song Dynasty, the political landscape shifted dramatically. Qin Hui seized the opportunity to promote loyal Song generals, and Luo Mingjing was one of those carefully cultivated generals.
This history, like the flowing ink of an ancient scroll, though not depicted in bold strokes, reveals the undercurrents of that era between the lines. Luo Mingjing, under Qin Hui's meticulous machinations, gradually rose to prominence among the Song army's generals. His every move seemed to subtly align with the intentions of the mastermind behind the scenes, adding a complex and subtle dimension to this turbulent historical chapter.
Luo Mingjing sat upright on his horse, his eyes blazing as he pointed directly at the towering walls of Tangyin City. He gently raised his whip, his tone carrying an undeniable determination: "Immediately send men to oversee the forging of siege equipment. We must take advantage of Li Zhen's fierce battle with the Jin army to capture Tangyin City in one fell swoop."
Before this mission, Qin Hui had secretly ordered that Emperor Huizong, imprisoned there, was the key to this operation, and that he must be brought back to Lin'an safely and unharmed. Even more enticing was the possibility of capturing Li Zhen's beloved wife, Princess Shunfu Zhao Yingluo, as well—a perfect bonus. Imagine if Zhao Gou could use the princess as leverage to blackmail Li Zhen; this would undoubtedly greatly increase his bargaining power in the struggle with Li Zhen, making her a crucial pawn in his game.
Such planning was for the benefit of the Song state, as well as for his personal ambition; every step had to be taken cautiously and precisely.
Unbeknownst to Luo Mingjing and Qin Hui, the once-powerful Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, and the mysterious Zhao Yingluo, were not currently within the weathered walls of Tangyin Ancient City. More precisely, they had transcended the boundaries of time and space, subtly drawn back to this bizarre and fantastical modern world by Li Zhen. Therefore, even though the two painstakingly conquered Tangyin and thoroughly searched the city, their efforts were ultimately futile. The missing emperor had long since become a phantom of another era, nowhere to be found.
At this moment, the one in charge of the defense of Tangyin City was none other than that cunning but unruly gentleman. He stood atop the city wall, his gaze piercing through the layers of beacon fires, fixed on the vast Song army of 60,000 men outside the city, his brows furrowed into an unyielding mountain.
Amidst the turbulent times, most of the elite troops and generals from Tangyin and Anyang had been dispatched by Li Zhen to the front lines in Puyang, where they engaged in a fierce battle with the Jin army under Wanyan Xu. This meticulously planned strategy ultimately failed to fully anticipate the changing circumstances, allowing the Southern Song cavalry to quietly find an opportunity to exploit.
Faced with this sudden crisis, Mr. Bad Guy acted decisively, summoning heroes and militia from all around with extraordinary courage. From mountain hermits to outlaws, anyone capable of taking up arms was brought under his command. After much painstaking effort, he managed to assemble a defensive army of less than 20,000 men. Despite the disparity in numbers, each man had a resolute gaze and was determined to defend this land to the death.
The next morning, as dawn broke, the Southern Song army sounded the horn of attack and began its march to conquer cities and seize territory.
It is often said that the Song army seemed to lack decisiveness and courage when resisting the Jin army. However, once the battlefield turned into internal strife, their latent bravery and ruthlessness erupted like wildfire, surprising everyone. This situation, much like the long-standing satire, accurately depicts a complex picture of "brave in internal wars, cowardly in external wars."
The Tangyin city wall today is not what it used to be. Through Li Zhen's ingenious reinforcement, countless steel bars and cement seem to have given the ancient city a new life, making it more indestructible than a rock.
Luo Mingjing's soldiers tried to breach the fortress, but they could only helplessly discover that the wall was as hard as iron, and their efforts were like throwing eggs against a rock, futile and fruitless.
The first wave of Song troops numbered about five thousand. They carried a considerable number of siege ladders, which, like winding dragons, were tightly wrapped around the city walls.
Below the ladder, a dozen burly Song soldiers stood firmly, like rocks, working together to support it and prevent it from being overturned by the valiant Li family army soldiers on the city wall. This scene was not only a contest of strength and wisdom, but also a clash of will and courage.
Looking at Qian Dazhuang, Bu Liang calmly instructed, "Don't rush to use our explosives yet. First, use the accuracy of the composite bow and the speed of the semi-automatic rifle to give the enemy a head-on blow. This is the Song army's first attack on the city, and their intention is to test the enemy's strength. We must deal with it cautiously."
The siege lasted until noon. On the east side of the southern city wall of Tangyin, Song soldiers breached the wall and dozens of Song soldiers in iron armor, wielding broadswords, began to hack and slash at the Li family army soldiers.
These soldiers were hastily assembled from bad apples, and their combat effectiveness was nowhere near that of a regular army. When they saw the fierce-looking Southern Song soldiers charging at them, several soldiers actually threw down their weapons and began to run away.
Qian Dazhuang happened to witness this scene. He skillfully pulled back the bolt, gripped the assault rifle tightly, aimed at the soldiers who were trying to escape, and pulled the trigger. Bullets poured out like a storm.
"Da da da... da da da..."
In a flash, the deserters were all shot and collapsed, their bodies submerged in a pool of crimson blood. Qian Dazhuang, his face as cold as frost, shouted in a voice as sharp as ice, "Order the entire army: anyone who dares to desert in the face of battle will be killed without mercy!"
Qian Dazhuang skillfully changed the magazine and led his warriors like an unstoppable torrent towards the Southern Song soldiers who were engaged in fierce fighting on the city wall.
A Song Dynasty corporal, his face flushed and his voice slightly hoarse with excitement, loudly encouraged his brothers: "Brothers, listen up! The general has ordered that the first team to charge up the city wall will be rewarded with three hundred strings of copper coins each! And for every enemy soldier killed on the city wall, an additional ten strings of coins will be added to the reward! For glory, for wealth, kill!"
Having said that, he swung his gleaming steel blade with a sudden, sharp laugh. A soldier from Li's army fell to the ground, his blood staining a corner of the city wall. The Song soldiers below, witnessing this, their eyes gleaming with greed and fanaticism, frantically climbed the wall like monkeys, grabbing and pushing with their hands and feet. Based on past experience in sieges, they knew that if they could tear a breach in the wall, victory would be within their grasp…
Just then, a series of rapid gunshots suddenly rang out from the city wall, as fierce as a sudden downpour, engulfing the previously arrogant Song soldiers in a web of death. Casualties were heavy, cries of agony filled the air, and the horrific scene was unbearable to witness.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, several Song soldiers felt fear, but their survival instinct drove them to make a startling decision—they unhesitatingly leaped off the city wall, attempting to escape this deadly trap. Those soldiers still clinging to the ladders, struggling upwards, witnessed their comrades being struck by bullets, their blood splattering, and their hearts were filled with even greater terror. For them, perhaps that seemingly desperate leap was the only glimmer of hope, a more worthwhile attempt than continuing to struggle in the hail of bullets.