Magical Water Margin: They all call me brother

Page 152

Inside the main hall, a deathly silence reigned. Only the crackling of the burning candles and the soft rustling of armor plates could be heard. All dissenting voices were forcefully silenced by overwhelming force. Liu Hong, in the most direct and brutal way, laid bare the harsh reality before these courtiers accustomed to court infighting.

Chapter 448: Lin Chong's Wrathful Revenge in the Golden Palace

As Liu Hong's gaze swept over the assembled officials, and he again inquired who was willing to accompany him on the eastward migration, Gao Qiu, who had been huddled in a corner with a face as pale as paper, suddenly found a desperate courage. Perhaps extreme fear had driven him to madness, for he screamed:

"No way! I'd rather die than go to Shandong! I am the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty. I would rather die with the city of Kaifeng than submit to you, you laughable brute, and go to Shandong to become a homeless dog!"

Gao Qiu spoke indignantly, then turned to look at the emperor.

"Your Majesty! I guarantee with my life! The Emperor of Jin is Your Majesty's uncle. As long as we capture Liu Hong alive, he will surely retreat! Kaifeng can also be saved!!! Please reveal your dragon form! Summon the dragons, what fear is there of Liu Hong's eight hundred soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, the already tense atmosphere in the hall suddenly snapped!

Lin Chong, who had been standing like an iron tower beside Liu Hong, his armor stained with blood and his silence as deep as an abyss, suddenly raised his head.

The eyes beneath the helmet, no longer displaying their usual restraint and forbearance, were instantly bloodshot, blazing with a raging fire that could consume everything! The deep-seated hatred, the humiliation of losing his family, the resentment of being forced to join the Liangshan bandits, the despair of his wife being nearly taken from him… all of it was ignited in this dying struggle of Gao Qiu, erupting with a deafening roar!

"Gao!!! Qiu!!!"

Suddenly, a roar, like the most shrill and furious cry of a wounded beast, shook the glazed tiles of the entire palace!

Without even consulting Liu Hong, Lin Chong's figure transformed into a white storm, instantly covering a distance of more than ten steps! The heavy armor plates rubbed together, producing a piercing clang, and the eighteen-foot spear in her hand seemed to come alive, emitting a bloodthirsty hum!

Gao Qiu only saw a dark shadow rushing towards him with boundless killing intent. He was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. Just as he was about to cry for help, his body was already pierced by the eighteen-foot spear!

"Pfft!!!"

With a dull, piercing, tearing sound, Lin Chong's spear, devoid of any fancy techniques, but imbued with all her lifelong hatred and power, pierced Gao Qiu's chest from top to bottom in the most violent and direct manner! The spear tip entered his chest and exited through his back, the immense impact even lifting Gao Qiu off the ground!

Gao Qiu's body was impaled on a spear, convulsing violently, his eyes wide open, filled with extreme fear and disbelief. His mouth was agape, blood gushing out like a fountain, yet he could not utter a sound.

"This spear! For my wife!"

Lin Chong's voice was hoarse as he twisted his wrist violently, causing the spear to churn wildly inside Gao Qiu's body! The sound of bones cracking could be clearly heard!

"This spear! For me, Lin Chong!"

He unleashed terrifying power from his arms, violently swinging the spear impaled on Gao Qiu and slamming it down onto the steps in front of the dragon throne! The force of the blow was so great that it shattered the jade steps and smashed Gao Qiu to pieces!

"boom!"

Gao Qiu's body slammed violently against the cold, hard gold brick floor. Fragments of his internal organs and thick blood gushed out from his seven orifices, splattering onto the base of the dragon throne, the imperial desk, and the official robes of several ministers around him, leaving shocking scarlet spots. The blood even splashed onto Emperor Qinzong's boots, terrifying him beyond belief.

"This spear! For the tens of thousands of innocent soldiers and civilians who died under your orders, Gao Qiu!!!"

Lin Chong stepped on Gao Qiu's still slightly twitching chest, pulled out the spear with a swift motion, spraying blood, and then swung his hands, the sharp spear blades smashing Gao Qiu's neck, causing his head to fly off like a ball!

She stood with her spear in hand, covered in blood, panting heavily, like a demon returning from hell. She surveyed the civil and military officials who were paralyzed with fear, some even losing control of their bladders. Her eyes burned with the satisfaction of revenge and a chilling warning.

The entire hall was deathly silent, save for the thick stench of blood that quickly filled the air, and the still-twitching, nerve-wracking throbbing of Gao Qiu's mangled corpse. All the ministers, including the emperor on the dragon throne, were frozen in place, their faces pale, trembling, and no one dared utter a sound. Lin Chong's sudden, brutal revenge, in the most bloody and direct way, utterly crushed the last vestiges of hope and arrogance in their hearts.

After looking at Gao Qiu's corpse, Lin Chong slowly turned around, knelt on one knee before the emperor, his voice still carrying a lingering murderous intent, but now calm:

"This humble general, Lin Chong, in a fit of rage killed the treacherous minister Gao Qiu, disturbing Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Emperor Qinzong was nearly scared to death. Gao Qiu had been beheaded by Lin Chong right under his nose, and blood had splattered all over his shoes. Although Lin Chong was kneeling, he still had his eighteen-foot spear in his hand. He was so scared that he didn't dare to utter a sound. The court officials were also trembling with fear and dared not utter a word under the threat of Liu Hong's weapons.

They were already cowardly and timid, trembling under the Jin army's swords. The only reason they dared to bark like dogs in front of Liu Hong's sword was because they thought Liu Hong wouldn't dare to do anything to them.

But now, Liu Hong uses Gao Qiu's death to tell them all—my blade is sharper than the Jurchen's!

Just as the emperor and his ministers were still filled with doubt and uncertainty, a deeper and more awe-inspiring change quietly took place from the depths of the nine-layered palace.

Two overwhelming, unyielding dragon auras, like thunderbolts awakening after a thousand years of slumber, spread from the direction of the inner palace, instantly enveloping the entire court. This pressure was not filled with murderous intent, but rather carried an ancient, noble, and supreme aura, causing everyone, even the emperor, to involuntarily feel awe, as if they were paying homage to the source of their bloodline.

The light at the palace gate was slightly distorted, and two women dressed in elaborate black phoenix-patterned court robes and wearing nine-dragon and four-phoenix crowns walked slowly into the palace, surrounded by a group of terrified kneeling palace maids and eunuchs.

Their appearances weren't those of youthful, stunning beauty, but rather possessed an dignified elegance that time couldn't erase, along with an inhuman, almost eternal majesty. Their skin was so white it was almost translucent, with a subtle, fine, crackled blue sheen flowing beneath it. As their eyes opened and closed, the depths of their pupils weren't human round pupils, but two cold, vertical slits like bottomless icy abysses, occasionally flashing with a soul-chilling azure light.

They were Empress Xiaozhang, née Song, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, and Empress Mingde, née Li, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Guangyi—two adult Shatuo blue dragons. However, after the death of the Ninth Protector and the decline of Zhao Guangyi's bloodline, and after Zhao Kuangyin's youngest daughter, Li Cunxiao, became a general under Liu Hong, their identities seemed to be reversed. The collar around Song's neck was gone, and instead, it was placed around the neck of Li, the granddaughter of the Ninth Protector.

Empress Song calmly swept her gaze across the chaotic palace, over the panicked emperor and his courtiers, finally settling on Liu Hong and the kneeling Shatuo descendants. Her voice, clear and cold like a jade chime, carried an undeniable authority that resounded throughout the hall.

"All the clansmen have held a meeting and decided that we agree to relocate to Shandong."

Emperor Qinzong stared in astonishment at his ancestor, and finally lowered his head helplessly. He had never had any real power; he was just a puppet put forward by Emperor Huizong after he had given up. Now that the Empress Dowager had spoken, he could only nod in agreement. All the members of the royal family went to Shandong with Liu Hong.

Chapter 449: Liu Xianzhong Protects the People and Helps Them Cross the River

In the deep, damp, and thousand-year-old stench-filled secret passage of the Ghost Fanlou, a frantic escape is unfolding. Liu Hong's eight hundred soldiers, torch in hand, stand like silent reefs on either side of this narrow, rugged underground passage, forming a makeshift barrier with their bodies. Their eyes warily scan the darkness, guarding against any possible danger, while also leaving a passage for the "nobles" behind them.

However, this escape route, which should have been filled with tension and solemnity, now presented an almost absurd and laughable scene.

The princes, princesses, and concubines of the Zhao Song imperial family, surrounded by weeping eunuchs and palace maids, trudged through the muddy filth. Their faces showed fear, like startled rabbits, but in stark contrast, almost every one of them was tightly clutching, dragging, and pulling at all sorts of glittering, precious, and luxurious possessions!

A young princess, her magnificent palace dress already soaked and stained black by sewage, paid no heed to it. She clung tightly to a nearly waist-high, blood-red coral tree with intricate branches, staggering forward. The sharp coral branches scraped against the narrow passageway walls, making a piercing sound, and frequently snagged on the hair of the palace maids behind her, eliciting gasps and cries.

Another prince, panting heavily, ordered two strong eunuchs to carry a huge, polished, mirror-like Taihu stone. The stone was so heavy that the eunuchs could not straighten their backs, and their movement in the low passage was extremely slow, seriously hindering the progress of the rear of the procession.

"Hurry! Hurry! This is my most prized 'Azure Lotus Emerging Moon' jade! If it's damaged, you'll be held responsible!"

The prince anxiously looked back while scolding the eunuch.

Even worse, several concubines' maids were carrying brocade boxes filled with jewelry and jade ornaments. Because they were so clumsy, boxes kept falling off, scattering pearls and jade all over the ground, rolling in the sewage, and no one had time to pick them up.

Liu Hong, carrying his dragon-patterned staff, stood at a slightly wider section of the cave, directing the operation. Seeing this scene, his brow furrowed, his face turning terrifyingly grim. Suppressing his anger, he growled at a senior eunuch who was trying to direct the guards to retrieve the fallen jade ruyi.

"What time is it! What use are these rubbish things! Is life more important or these things?!"

The eunuch, with a mournful face, cried out in a shrill voice, "Your Highness, please calm down! Please calm down! These are the apples of the Emperor's and the Empress's eyes! If they're lost... if they're lost, we servants will not be able to explain ourselves!"

Liu Hong was speechless. What was even more ridiculous was that these nobles and nobles were clearly wearing bulging Qiankun bags on their waists—magical treasures embroidered with mysterious runes and with an interior space many times larger than the exterior, which were obviously already filled with their most precious valuables, yet they were still not satisfied and were still trying in vain to carry more treasures.

No, how much stuff do you actually want to take?

Thus, in this escape route where every second should have been precious, scenes that sent blood pressure soaring unfolded one after another:

A heavy screen inlaid with jewels got stuck at a bend, unable to move forward or backward.

The enormous bronze cauldron was dragged along, its bottom scraping against the rocks with a screeching noise and sparks flying everywhere.

*Someone even tried to lift a huge porcelain vase away, but it shattered suddenly in a narrow passage, sending shards flying and nearly injuring someone.

The flickering firelight illuminated pale faces etched with fear yet also with greedy reluctance, creating an eerie contrast with the cold, resolute soldiers around them. Precious treasures mingled with the filth of the ground, and desperate escapes intertwined with laughable obsessions.

Looking at the slow-moving, inching, and constantly troublesome moving team, and then at the deep, dark road behind them where pursuers might appear at any moment, Liu Hong finally lost his patience and gave a stern order:

"Order! Except for personal rations, water bags, medicine, and necessary documents and seals, all other bulky items must be discarded on the spot! Anyone who delays the troops or obstructs the way with valuables will be dealt with according to military law!"

Upon hearing the order, the eight hundred Qi soldiers immediately stepped forward. They were not afraid of any princes or nobles; if the sky were to fall, the King of Qi would hold it up. They immediately began to forcefully seize and discard the heavy objects, which drew a chorus of wailing and complaints.

It took Liu Hong three whole days to evacuate all the members of the royal family in order to save them. Among them were three thousand nobles who were powerless and fifteen blue dragons that could fight. Only two of them were adults, and the rest were all young people or teenagers.

Ten dragon chicks, a thousand half-dragon warriors, and their half-dragon horses: these are the last remnants of the cavalry that once swept across the world in the Shatuo army.

Having gained control of the Zhao Song imperial cavalry, Liu Hong didn't pause; he immediately turned his attention to Kaifeng, the colossal city of a million people trembling in fear. The Jin army's iron walls of siege remained intact, the city was running out of food and reinforcements, and panic was spreading like a plague. He knew that time was running out for the people.

"Issue the order! Proclaim to all the people of the city—those who wish to live, follow me immediately!"

The order, like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, instantly stirred up a tidal wave of despair within the city of Kaifeng. The surviving civilians initially found it hard to believe, but when the Liangshan soldiers forcefully opened up hidden passageways—found beneath wells in dilapidated temples, stoves in abandoned houses, and even stone tablets at street corners—revealing bottomless, musty-smelling tunnels, the instinct for survival overwhelmed their fear. Those who hadn't died, those who hadn't been sold to the Jin, began to flee in a frenzy!

Liu Hong led all eight hundred soldiers out and dispersed them to various entrances, shouting themselves hoarse to maintain order, but chaos still reigned.

"Quick! Move quickly! Don't push!"

"Priority to the elderly and children! Young and middle-aged adults come later!"

"No boxes or heavy items allowed! Only bring dry food and water bags!"

"Quick! Get down there! The Golden Dogs are about to break in!"

People, young and old, were frightened, yet their eyes burned with a final hope. Cries, urging voices, footsteps, and the shouts of soldiers mingled together, creating a noisy and tragic symphony of survival.

Although the common people weren't as troublesome as the princes and grandsons, their numbers were far too great, making evacuation extremely difficult. The passageways of Ghost Tower were dark, damp, and filled with foul air, muddy and unidentified filth underfoot. The light was extremely dim, provided only by a few fluorites and torches placed along the way by the soldiers. Countless people crammed into the narrow passageways, groping and staggering forward at an agonizingly slow pace.

The cries of children, the gasps of the elderly, and the suppressed sobs of people filled the enclosed space, adding to the suffocating atmosphere.

This underground migration lasted for three days and three nights, and it was still not over. When the first group of people finally saw the long-awaited natural light coming from the exit ahead, many of them burst into tears of joy.

Outside the exit was Chenqiao Station, a rendezvous point arranged in advance by Liu Hong. Outside, the people of Shandong had spontaneously mobilized, sending a large number of boats across the Ji River to meet them.

Chapter 450: Aguda's Bloodthirsty Pursuit

Meanwhile, in the Jin army camp below Kaifeng, Wanyan Aguda stood on a high platform, gazing at the eerily silent and majestic city, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

For several days in a row, the envoys sent to the city were all given various excuses and refused entry to the palace gates, unable even to see the Song Emperor. The guards on the city walls still had their banners waving, but they inexplicably exuded a lifeless, bluffing air.

What made him even more suspicious was that the scouts he sent out at night reported that the city was not as famine-stricken and chaotic as he had expected. Instead, there was an eerie "quiet" atmosphere, and in some areas, there were often inexplicable, muffled noises coming from deep underground, as if a large number of people were moving underground.

"No..." Wanyan Aguda turned around abruptly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "That brat from the Zhao family would never dare to do such a thing! There must be a trick in the city! Could it be... there are tunnels beneath Kaifeng City?!"

Wanyan Aguda immediately realized that he might have been tricked. The seemingly begging Song emperor and the seemingly trapped city were likely a carefully planned escape!

"Somebody come!"

Wanyan Aguda's voice was icy, filled with a furious rage at being fooled. "Order all camps! From this moment on, surround Kaifeng completely! Not a single fly shall escape! Send elite cavalry to search every fifty li, no, a hundred li, around the city! Especially all rivers, waterways, and abandoned ferry crossings! Pay particular attention to the Ji River and the Yellow River, those waterways that lead to Shandong!!!"

The mournful bugle call instantly resounded throughout the Jin army camp, and countless light cavalrymen, like wolves smelling blood, scattered in all directions, their hooves thundering. Although they did not understand the meaning of Aguda's order, they still faithfully carried it out, searching along the eastward-flowing rivers with Kaifeng as the center.

The Yellow River, the Bian River, the Cai River, the Wuzhang River… Jin scouts were seen on every river, tributary, and even abandoned canal wharves. They inspected boats, questioned any suspicious fishermen, and left no stone unturned. In just six months, Jin scouts discovered Liu Hong at Chenqiao Post Station!

In the past few days, hundreds of thousands of people who escaped Kaifeng through the secret passage of Guifanlou have all gathered here, using fishing boats and merchant ships belonging to the people of Shandong to flee to the State of Qi.

On the river, sails and masts formed a forest, boats lined up one after another, almost blocking the waterway. The air was filled with the suppressed weeping of the people, the wailing of children, and the anxious shouts of the boatmen. The Jin scouts, watching in disbelief, rushed back to report.

Chenqiao Station! They're at Chenqiao Station!!!

Wanyan Aguda roared and immediately led his army to attack. On the horizon, dust billowed into the sky! A large number of Jin cavalry appeared suddenly like ghosts, galloping along the riverbank and instantly surrounding Chenqiao Post Station!

However, Liu Hong also spotted Jin scouts. Before the main Jin force arrived, Liu Hong ordered all cavalry to dismount, becoming heavily armored dismounted cavalry. They were mixed with the last imperial guards of the Song Dynasty and the brave warriors of Kaifeng who were still willing to resist the Jin. Here, with their backs to the river, they formed a desperate battle formation—the Crescent Moon Formation!

This formation is an excellent ancient one, shaped like a crescent moon with its convex side facing the enemy. Its flanks are firmly anchored against the riverbanks, completely eliminating the possibility of being outflanked by cavalry. Within the formation, captured and homemade siege wagons and shield carts are linked end to end, forming a solid mobile barrier. Behind the wagons, long spears protrude like a forest, followed by layers of powerful bows and crossbows. Furthermore, Liu Hong's army's unique musketeers and small cannons are positioned high at the center of the formation.

Liu Hong stood at the front of the battle, his gaze as firm as iron, watching the dust billowing across the northern horizon. He knew this was the last line of defense. Behind him were hundreds of thousands of civilians and some remnants of the Song dynasty fleeing south in panic; before him stood the main force of the Jin army, led by Wanyan Aguda himself, determined to crush him.

"Today, there is no retreat, only death!" Liu Hong's voice was low but resounded throughout the army. "We only need to hold out for three days! Then we can withdraw everyone! For the people of Henan, for our compatriots behind us, we will hold the line!"

"We will never retreat!!!" The Qi soldiers roared, their voices briefly drowning out the rushing river.

Wanyan Aguda's golden wolf banner appeared on the horizon. He saw the Qi army arrayed with their backs to the river, and instead of being alarmed, he was delighted. If Liu Hong had only protected the Zhao Song's retreat, he might have really let him escape.

But if you're going to cover the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of Kaifeng residents, that's too greedy. Be careful you don't end up getting yourself killed too!

As the bugles sounded, tens of thousands of Jin cavalry, like a black tide of death, launched an overwhelming charge towards the crescent-shaped army formation! The sound of hooves shook the earth, as if to flatten the river bend!

Three hundred steps! Two hundred steps! One hundred and fifty steps!

"Fire!"

Liu Hong waved his command flag.

collapse!collapse!collapse!

Thousands of crossbows and cannons fired simultaneously! The crossbow bolts, as thick as a child's arm, whistled shrilly like the scythe of death, instantly tearing the charging cavalry, men and horses, apart! The cannons unleashed a deluge of shells, causing the Jin soldiers to fall and their horses to tumble, halting their advance!

But the Jin army was incredibly brave, and the cavalrymen who followed did not hesitate to trample over the corpses of their comrades and continue their charge!

One hundred steps!

Arrows and bullets rained down from the sky like a torrential downpour! Smoke filled the air, and the Jin soldiers seemed to be crashing into an invisible wall, falling from their horses one after another, suffering heavy casualties!

Fifty steps!

The most brutal collision has finally arrived!

"Gunfire! Hold on!"

boom! ! !

The heavily armored cavalry slammed into the defensive line formed by the side wagons and shields! In an instant, there were screams of men and neighing of horses, bones breaking and tendons snapping! Spears pierced the horses' bellies, and warhorses overturned the shield wagons! With their immense kinetic energy, the Jin cavalry forcefully rammed the defensive line inward, even breaching it in several places!

The breach instantly transformed into a bloodiest melee battlefield!

The Jin cavalry surged into the formation, brandishing maces and iron clubs, and smashed wildly! The Qi infantry fought to the death, with swordsmen pushing forward, spearmen thrusting desperately, and musketeers firing at extremely close range, even swinging their muskets at the enemy!

Liu Hong personally led the Great Qi cavalry, charging back and forth within the formation, rushing to wherever there was an emergency! Lu Junyi, Lin Chong, Qin Ming, and other fierce generals were like pillars of strength, firmly holding onto key points, hacking and slashing, invincible in their path!

Within the entire Crescent Moon Formation, swords clashed and blood flew everywhere! Every inch of land was fiercely contested, and people fell every moment. The river was stained red with blood, and corpses piled up like mountains, almost filling the gap between the chariot formation and the riverbank. The Qi army, relying on their formation and their determination to fight to the death, stubbornly withstood wave after wave of frenzied attacks from the Jin army!

The battle raged from afternoon until sunset. The Jin army's offensive was relentless, yet they were unable to completely breach the crescent-shaped defensive line. Instead, they were battered and bruised by the Qi army's spears and muskets.

The Qi army suffered heavy casualties, and its lines were on the verge of collapse many times, but it always managed to push the enemy back at the last moment thanks to its tenacious will and the valiant fighting of its generals.