Chapter 107: Driving the People to Attack the City, a Final Battle
Cai Bingwen himself looked confused, while Qin Huaiyuan and Sun He beside him also looked at each other in bewilderment.
Old Cai's luck was really bad. He finally took back Xunzhou which was occupied by bandits, but he was thrown into prison.
Taking a deep breath, Cai Bingwen said as if he had accepted his fate.
"I obey your command..."
Hou Yunjie, who came to replace him, nodded when he heard this.
"Take care, Master Cai."
"When Lord Cai returns to the capital, the news of Xunzhou's recovery will probably have spread to the capital soon. By then, the emperor will certainly clear Lord Cai's name and reappoint him."
After reading the emperor's edict, Hou Yunjie's attitude towards Cai Bingwen became very humble.
The reason for this is very simple.
Cai Bingwen redeemed his crime with his merits and recovered Xunzhou which was occupied by the bandits. When the news was reported back to the capital, the emperor would certainly be overjoyed.
By then, Cai Bingwen’s previous crimes would naturally be nothing.
It is even possible that Cai Bingwen could turn a disaster into a blessing and gain the emperor's favor and respect, and his future would be limitless.
Since he knew this, Hou Yunjie naturally wouldn't mind flattering Cai Bingwen.
Upon hearing this, Cai Bingwen smiled bitterly and said in a not very interested manner.
"I hope so!"
After saying this, Cai Bingwen took off his official uniform and hat, and took the initiative to walk into the prison car brought by Hou Yunjie and others. He was escorted by several officials and set off towards the provincial capital of Guilin.
After Cai Bingwen was escorted away, Qin Huaiyuan and others continued to discuss military affairs.
Soon, a plan was finalized to plunder Pingnan County in order to encourage the bandits in Pingnan County to come out of the city and fight against the government troops.
……
In Pingnan County, Wang Zhiyong stood on the bloodstained city wall and looked out at the wilderness outside the city.
Thinking back to the wars of recent days, his face was full of solemnity.
If it weren't for the soldiers fighting at the risk of their lives, and the people of Pingnan spontaneously helping in defending the city.
Pingnan County may have fallen by now!
Thinking of this, Wang Zhiyong's face was full of worry.
"I don't know when the war in Wuzhou will end. I hope there will be a good result."
Deputy General He Kui walked up to Wang Zhiyong and said with some emotion.
Wang Zhiyong turned around and spoke.
"Most definitely!"
"In the battle of Wuzhou, the main forces of our Restoration Army have gathered, and the Grand Commander is in charge personally. Our Restoration Army will definitely win the final victory."
Influenced by Li Yi's past experience, Wang Zhiyong is full of confidence in Li Yi.
Hearing this, He Kui also nodded.
"The captain is right."
Just as the two were chatting, a cloud of smoke appeared at the end of the distant horizon.
Wang Zhiyong raised the telescope in his hand and looked into the distance.
Immediately, his face changed drastically!
"The Qing demon is coming again!"
"Quick, tell the whole army to prepare for battle and get ready to meet the enemy!"
As soon as Wang Zhiyong finished speaking, a dull sound of war drums resounded throughout Pingnan County.
The Restoration Army soldiers who were resting in Pingnan County immediately began to gather and climb the city walls to prepare to engage the enemy the moment they heard the sound of war drums.
The people in Pingnan County were also holding a variety of weapons, ready to climb the city and fight.
The Restoration Army has already distributed land to them. Now the Qing Army wants to fight back and take away their land. They will definitely not agree.
Whoever tries to steal their land will be killed by them!
Just as the Restoration Army and the people of Pingnan County climbed the city walls to prepare to meet the enemy, the Qing army was getting closer and closer to Pingnan County.
Suddenly, Wang Zhiyong, who was holding the telescope, changed his expression.
His pupils constricted and his face was full of disbelief.
"Qing... Is Qing Yao crazy?!"
"What are they trying to do?!"
Wang Zhiyong murmured.
As the distance got closer, the originally blurry scene in the distance became clear, and Wang Zhiyong also saw clearly the movements of the invading Qing army.
At the end of the horizon, there was a cloud of smoke and dust.
The Qing soldiers brandished swords and guns, and escorted a group of ragged civilians forward little by little.
If these civilians hesitated, the Qing soldiers in charge of escorting them would draw their swords and attack them.
The people were forced to move forward, crying and shouting, slowly moving towards Pingnan County.
As they walked along, they saw corpses lying on the ground.
After seeing this scene, Wang Zhiyong immediately understood what the Qing army was going to do.
Drive the people to fill the trenches!
The Qing army was going to force the people of Pingnan County to fill the trenches outside Pingnan County.
Damn, the Qing demons are so unethical. Knowing that they can’t beat the Restoration Army in a war, they actually resorted to unconventional tactics.
……
Qin Huaiyuan rode on horseback, looking at Pingnan County in the distance, and spoke expressionlessly.
"Pass the order down, let our vanguard speed up the advance."
"Drive those rioters to the city of Pingnan."
"I want to see if those bandits in the county will attack their fellow villagers outside the city."
As he said this, Qin Huaiyuan's lips curled up into a bone-chilling sneer.
In his opinion, Sun He’s suggestion was good, but just good.
Not enough to kill people and destroy their hearts!
So, he made some minor changes to Sunhe's plan.
In Qin Huaiyuan's opinion, it is more direct to drive the people to fill the trenches than to force the bandits in the city to leave by looting outside the city.
He wanted to see what choice the bandits on the city wall would make when faced with the rioters who were driven to the city by the imperial army!
It would be best not to attack. The imperial army would just follow the rioters and rush into Pingnan County, taking the opportunity to recapture Pingnan County.
It doesn't matter if you attack me physically.
Anyway, this has no impact on the imperial army, it's just the deaths of some rioters.
After Qin Huaiyuan's order was issued, the Qing army's pushing speed began to accelerate significantly.
The cries and screams of the people who were driven to the front of the battlefield became more and more obvious.
However, Qin Huaiyuan only felt happy about this.
In his opinion, it would be best if all these rioters who followed the bandits died.
……
As the distance got closer, the Restoration Army on the top of Pingnan County could see the scene outside the city clearly.
In an instant, chaos spread among the crowd.
"Qing... Qing Yao, what does this want to do?"
"I, I think I saw my mother!"
"Damn it, Qing Yao is despicable, I saw my second uncle..."
"What should I do now?"
"My brother is outside the city, my brother is outside the city..."
In the chaos, the morale of the Restoration Army defending the city plummeted.
Wang Zhiyong's face turned pale. He clenched his fists tightly, his heart boiling with anger, and his knuckles turned white from pinching himself.
"Captain, it looks like the Qing demons are planning to take the folks from Pingnan County with them to attack the city. What should we do?"
"To fight or not to fight?"
He Kui asked, his face full of anxiety.
Wang Zhiyong still kept his face gloomy and said nothing after hearing this, because he couldn't make up his mind either.
Fighting means that they will take action against the folks in Pingnan County.
It would be fine if Wang Zhiyong's soldiers were from other places, but he would just take action. It would be nothing but a lack of conscience.
No one has too much psychological burden, and the orders can be carried out.
But the problem is that most of the soldiers guarding Pingnan County are local soldiers from Pingnan County.
If they were asked to take action against their fellow countrymen, or even their relatives and friends, they might really disobey orders.
If things go wrong, a rebellion will break out in Pingnan County before the Qing army even enters it.
If we don't fight, it means that Pingnan County will be occupied by the Qing monsters.
The fate of these people is obvious!
Now Wang Zhiyong is really in a dilemma.
I couldn't make up my mind for a moment!
On the top of the city wall, all eyes were focused on Wang Zhiyong, and everyone was waiting for him, the commander-in-chief, to make a decision.
After a moment, Wang Zhiyong's expression changed, and then he gritted his teeth and spoke.
"beat!"
"But it's not passive defense, it's active fighting outside the city."
The reason for making such a decision was not that Wang Zhiyong was reckless, but the result of careful consideration.
If Wang Zhiyong does not want to sit there and wait for death, or if a rebellion breaks out in Pingnan County, taking the initiative to attack is his best option at the moment.
After saying this, Wang Zhiyong turned around and spoke loudly.
"Soldiers, the Qing demons are despicable. They drove the people of Pingnan to the front of the battlefield, intending to use this dirty trick to undermine the fighting spirit of our soldiers."
"But how can we just sit there and wait for death?!"
"Today, we will take practical action to tell the Qing monsters outside the city that you want to undermine the fighting spirit of our soldiers? It's wishful thinking!"
"I will personally lead my soldiers out of the city to fight a desperate battle, kill the Qing monsters, and save the villagers."
"If we win, the folks in Pingnan can be saved. If we lose, we will die and be buried together with the folks."
"Soldiers, are you willing to fight with me?"
As soon as Wang Zhiyong finished speaking, a burst of shouting came from the city wall of Pingnan County.
"Kill the Qing monsters, save the villagers, go through fire and water, and never regret it!"
"Kill the Qing monsters, save the villagers, go through fire and water, and never regret it!"
"..."
The morale of the Restoration Army that was originally defending the city dropped to freezing point after seeing the scene outside the city.
But after Wang Zhiyong's military order was issued, their morale returned to its peak.
The reason is simple: those people who are suffering outside the city now are their fellow villagers.
Even many people’s relatives and families were among them!
For many people, death is worth it as long as they can save their fellow villagers.
If a person is not afraid of death, then nothing can defeat him.
……
The Qing army continued to advance.
At this moment, the gate of Pingnan County suddenly opened.
The soldiers of the Restoration Army rushed out with swords and guns in hand, shouting and killing as they attacked the Qing army that was gradually approaching the Nan County city.
"Kill the Qing monsters! Save the villagers!"
"Kill the Qing monsters! Save the villagers!"
"..."
Amid the shouts, the morale of the Restoration Army reached its peak.
Wang Zhiyong, wearing a cotton armor, rushed to the front line.
He led the troops and personally carried the banner. Wherever the banner pointed, the morale of the Restoration Army was high.
Qin Huaiyuan, who was far away, saw this and laughed out loud.
"Hahaha, the bandits in Pingnan County have fallen into the trap!"
"We must not miss this opportunity."
"Pass the order down, immediately send all the troops to attack, surround and kill these daring bandits for me."
Amid Lang's laughter, Qin Huaiyuan personally reined in his horse and led his troops to attack the Restoration Army that had taken the initiative to leave the city.
……
Seeing that the gates of Pingnan County were wide open, the Restoration Army took the initiative to rush out of the city.
The eyes of the Pingnan people who were driven to the front of the battlefield could not help but bloom with the light of hope.
They are saved!
The Restoration Army sent troops to rescue them.
The Qing troops following behind saw this scene, but remained unmoved and continued to escort these Pingnan people forward.
They wanted to use them as cannon fodder to block the first wave of offensive by the Restoration Army.
"Damn, who told you to stop? Keep going."
"Keep charging, charge forward, kill all those bandits, and I will spare the lives of you, the bandits' followers..."
The Qing soldiers beat and kicked the Pingnan people with a very arrogant attitude.
What's worse, they even swung their swords at the Pingnan people.
With one cut of the knife, blood spurted out, and the scene was shocking.
Finally, the brutality of the Qing troops forced the people of Pingnan into a corner, and the Restoration Army in Pingnan County took the initiative to go out of the city to rescue them, which gave them confidence.
"You Tartar dog killed my brother, I will fight you to death!"
A man saw his brother being killed, screamed, and punched a Qing soldier next to him.
The Qing soldier had no time to react before he was hit in the face by a fist. His nose immediately bled and blood flowed all over his face.
"grass!"
In severe pain, the Qing soldier's eyes immediately turned red, and he swung his sword at the untouchable who dared to resist.
With a "swish", the sharp knife cut through the belly of the man who dared to resist, and blood mixed with internal organs flowed out.
The smell of blood and the stench of internal organs filled the air.
The Qing soldier strode forward, hacked the man to death with several blows, then chopped off his head, held it in his hand, and roared.
"This is what will happen to anyone who dares to resist?!"
However, his original intention was to use this to intimidate the rioters around him, but he never expected that this move would simply arouse the brutality in the bones of the people of Pingnan.
When the Pingnan people around saw this scene, their eyes all turned red. They had reached the limit of patience and chose not to endure it any longer. They fought back against the Qing army.
"Go to hell with you, my dear Qing Yao. Grandpa will fight you to the death."
"Damn it, the Qing demon won't give us a way out, let's fight it out."
"I'm going to die anyway, I'm just going to risk it..."
Although these Pingnan people have no weapons in their hands, when it comes to fighting, they are more willing to risk their lives than anyone else.
Fists, teeth, elbows, knees, they used every means possible to inflict damage to the Qing army.
The Qing soldiers did not expect that these rioters, who had been as docile as lambs before, would dare to punch them, and were caught off guard for a moment.
In an instant, the Qing army's front line was in chaos.
Soon, the Restoration Army led by Wang Zhiyong rushed up and rushed towards the Qing army with loud shouts and killing.
Soon, the two sides started fighting.
Wang Zhiyong swung his sword and killed a Qing army captain with one blow, and then killed several people in a row, showing his unparalleled bravery.
When the people behind him saw this, their morale was immediately boosted. They shouted loudly and rushed forward with a terrifying momentum.
These Qing army vanguards were first caught off guard by the resistance of the Pingnan people, and then faced the charge of the Restoration Army, which immediately threw them into chaos.
I couldn't help but start to retreat!
But at this moment, the main force of the Qing army led by Qin Huaiyuan also pressed forward.
The two sides fought fiercely!
(End of this chapter)