On a little-known hill twenty miles northwest of Shangyong Imperial City, there are several solitary tombs standing in the valley toward the northwest.
There was only a tablet erected in front of the grave, but it was empty and had nothing written on it.
Over the years, the monument has been eroded by wind and rain, losing its original edges and corners. There is a light moss creeping up from the bottom.
Maybe people have passed by this place frequently over the years, and they would be curious when they saw these solitary graves. No one would have thought that buried here would be Cui Liao, the famous general of Dingyuan, who was famous at that time, and his family.
Cui Liao was one of the first generals to follow Emperor Gaozu back then. In terms of seniority, he was much older than Luo Yun today. In terms of military exploits, although he was not as good as Luo Yun, he was still about the same.
The most important thing is that his adopted son and son-in-law, Yu Chen, was better than his master. He was hailed as the next generation of battlefield wizards after Luo Yun.
At that time, Luo Yun alone led the army to wipe out the southwest, and the Zhenguo Army in charge of the northwest had just been taken over by Yu Chen, who was only 27 years old, from Cui Liao, who was unable to go to the battlefield due to injury.
At that time, Xie Yan was still a young general who had not yet reached the rank of crown. Although he had also made great achievements and was already in charge of the personal guard at the side of the late emperor, he was still different from Yu Chen, who was in charge of more than 300,000 national troops at the age of twenty-seven.
And words.
However, just half a year after Yu Chen took charge of the Zhenguo Army, in the last critical battle of the Northwest Campaign, Yu Chen surrendered to the enemy on the battlefield, almost leading the more than 300,000 Zhenguo Army into the siege of the remnants of the Bai family and the Qi people.
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After General Cui Liao discovered that something was wrong, he forcibly dragged the sick body and led his troops to the rescue. He was trapped in an encirclement and fought and died.
Although Luo Yun and Xie Yan heard the news and hurriedly led troops to rescue from two sides, Luo Yun was far away in the southwest mountains and the roads were far away. Xie Yan only had 50,000 personal guards in hand. It took more than a month to finally break out of the siege.
There were less than 180,000 Zhenguo troops left out of the tens of thousands.
Among them, 40,000 to 50,000 people followed Yu Shen and surrendered to the enemy, and nearly 100,000 people were all killed in the battle. This battle caused heavy losses to Da Sheng. The plan that could have wiped out the remaining forces of the Bai family entrenched in the northwest and stubbornly resisted was also failed. At the same time, it was the first time for the late emperor four years later.
After his death, the Qi people took the opportunity to invade Dasheng again and laid the groundwork.
If you fail in one battle, you can try again next time. At that time, the biggest blow to the Zhenguo Army and even Dasheng was Yu Shen's surrender to the enemy.
One of the top generals in Dasheng only needed a few more battles before the Zhenguo Army commander, who was almost as famous as Luo Yun, surrendered to the enemy. This was an almost fatal blow to the Zhenguo Army at that time.
For a time, the entire army was distraught and rumors spread.
There were even some who escaped. The generals who had a good relationship with Yu Chen could not accept the casualties of their own soldiers and committed suicide due to guilt. At that time, the government and the public unanimously asked the late emperor to depose the Zhenguo Army and reorganize a new army.
At that time, it had only been two years since the death of Emperor Gaozu. The foundation of the late emperor was not stable, and Dasheng could no longer withstand the slightest storm.
At that time, Xie Yan, who had just turned 20, was parachuted into the Suppressing Army by an order from the late emperor, and became the general of the Suppressing Army.
No one paid much attention to this matter at that time. In everyone's opinion, the Zhenguo Army was about to collapse. Even if a young man of only twenty years old fought again and became a general with great achievements, it would only accelerate the pace of the Zhenguo Army's annihilation.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yan led a group of generals who were about the same age as him or even younger than him, and it only took two or three years for the Zhenguo Army to gradually stabilize.
In the year when the late emperor passed away, Xie Yan led his army to attack thousands of miles and put down the rebellion of the three kings with lightning speed. He then returned to the border at an extremely fast speed, and within a few months he pushed the invading Qi people back to the border.
Only then did the Zhenguo Army really stand up again.
Afterwards, Xie Yan recovered Cui Liao's body from the rebels. Along with his body was a last note written in blood.
Cui Liao wrote in his final letter: He did not know people well enough that the Zhenguo army suffered such a disaster, and he had no face to face the world. Even if he was cut into pieces by five horses, his bones and ashes were thrown away, he could not atone for this crime. He only asked your Majesty to spare the lives of his wife, children, and children.
At that time, the government and the public had indeed made numerous criticisms against Cui Liao. After Cui Liao's wife heard that her son-in-law had defected to the enemy and her husband had disappeared, she fell ill and returned to the west within a few days. I am afraid she died a few days earlier than Cui Liao.
Cui Liao also had a son who was originally a captain by Yu Chen's side. After Yu Chen surrendered to the enemy, his whereabouts are unknown, and he was probably killed secretly by Yu Chen.
In the end, there was only one daughter left, Yu Chen's wife, who was nineteen years old and named Cui Wanyu.
Xie Yan secretly brought back Cui Liao's body and last letter. The late emperor stayed up all night and finally just sighed and ordered people to take Cui Liao's body back to Shangyong and bury it quietly with Mrs. Cui.
It was announced to the public that Miss Cui Wanyu of the Cui family was ashamed of her surname and had committed suicide and followed her parents.
This is half true and half false. The lie is that Cui Wanyu committed suicide.
It is true that from now on there will be no Cui Wanyu in the world, only Cui Zheyu.
Yu Chen is a tall middle-aged man. Although he almost single-handedly destroyed half of Da Sheng's troops and has remained unknown for nearly ten years, he is actually only thirty-six years old this year.
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His appearance is not very outstanding, there is not much expression on his face, his eyes are deep and silent, and he seems to be a taciturn person.
If it weren't for that aura that made him look unusual, just looking at his appearance would almost make people think that he was just an ordinary northern man.
At this time, Yu Chen was wearing black clothes and was accompanied by seven or eight people. Two of them could be identified as being from the Qi tribe at a glance, but the rest all looked like people from the Central Plains.
They stood in front of the four lonely graves, looking down at the empty tombstones in front of the graves in silence.
Although it is an isolated tomb, the surrounding area is very clean, and it is obviously taken care of by someone.
The two men standing closest to Yu Chen looked about the same age as him, and they looked down at the lonely graves with complicated expressions.
They are all former generals of the Zhenguo Army who followed Yu Chen to the enemy. This means that the people lying in this lonely grave were once their superiors and colleagues.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The atmosphere in front of the grave was a bit solemn, and Yu Chen looked down at the tombstone without speaking for a long time.
After an unknown amount of time, the two Qi people standing aside became obviously impatient.
After all, they were in Shangyong. Isn't there something wrong with them going to such a wilderness to look at a few lonely graves for no reason?
However, although Yu Chen was from the Central Plains, he was deeply trusted and valued by Mrs. Rong, and his status among the Qi people was not ordinary. Although the two Qi people were impatient, they did not say anything more.
Yu Chen suddenly knelt on one knee in front of the grave and reached out to pull out a clump of dead grass beside the tombstone.
Just when his hand was about to touch the withered grass, there was a whoosh and an arrow shot from the side.
"..." If he hadn't stopped quickly, the arrow would have nailed his palm to the tombstone.
People around him immediately became alert and gathered around Yu Chen.
Yu Chen stood up and looked in the direction where the arrow was shot.
On the other side of the hillside, I saw a woman in black walking towards this side holding a bow and arrow. Behind her was a young general wearing the armored uniform of a general of the Zhenguo Army.
As they walked towards this side, there were many figures moving down the hillside, and there was a faint flash of silver light in the hidden place.
That's the arrowhead of the feather arrow.
"General, we are surrounded." The general following Yu Chen whispered.
Yu Chen was not in a hurry. He raised his head and looked at the man and woman walking this way.
When his eyes fell on the woman, his eyes were a little dazed for a moment.
The woman was beautiful, but she no longer looked the same as he remembered.
The woman who was once elegant and slightly playful now has a frosty look on her face.
She was dressed in black, with her long hair gently pulled back, without any accessories except for a white flower in her hair.
Her face was painted with makeup, her brows were slightly raised, her red lips were like blood, and she was walking on the mountain path with a bow in hand, making people inexplicably feel that she was a lustful ghost who came to seek life.
Obviously he was not the only one who felt this way. The man standing on his left couldn't help but take a step back and whispered: "Eldest...eldest lady..."
"Wanyu." Yu Chen looked at Cui Zheyu for a long time and then said softly.
Cui Zheyu stood a few feet away from them and said coldly: "Where is Cui Wanyu?"
Yu Chen glanced sideways at the four solitary graves, and quickly turned his gaze back to Cui Zheyu, obviously not taking her words seriously.
A slight smile appeared on Cui Zheyu's lips, and her brows became a little more charming, "You don't believe it? If you don't believe it, you'll know if you dig it out and take a look."
Yu Chen shook his head and said, "You are Wanyu." Although it's nothing like her.
Cui Zheyu chuckled and ignored her.
Gu Jue, who was standing behind Cui Zheyu, said in a deep voice: "Yu Chen, what do you want to do?"
Yu Chen looked at Gu Jue and frowned slightly, "Who are you?"
The person standing next to Yu Chen said in a low voice: "He is the Zhenxi General Gu Jue, the commander-in-chief of the Western Army of the Zhenguo Army."
Yu Chen looked at Gu Jue for a while and then said: "I have never seen you among Xie Yan's men." Since surrendering to the enemy, Yu Chen and his soldiers and horses occasionally fought against the Dingguo army several times, but they did not
I met the Zhenguo Army.
Perhaps Bai Jingrong and Ji Sui were also worried that Yu Chen's men would lose their sense of caution or defect again when encountering the Zhenguo Army.
Therefore, Yu Chen has indeed never seen the new generation of generals in the Zhenguo Army.
He and Xie Yan knew each other well. In the past, Xie Yan was Gaozu's nephew, and after Gaozu's death, he was the late emperor's most relied-upon and trusted brother. Naturally, the two of them had to deal with each other, and they even fought against each other.
The National Army stayed for a while.
Gu Jue said coldly: "A traitor is worthy of mentioning the prince's name."
Yu Chen twitched the corner of his mouth slightly and did not defend himself.
"I just want to pay homage to my old friend and don't want to cause trouble," Yu Chen said.
Gu Jue sneered, "To pay homage to an old friend? Your head is a suitable sacrifice." He raised his hand, and the soldiers and horses of the Zhenguo Army hidden in the darkness poured out from all sides, and hundreds of feather arrows surrounded them.
Surround.
Yu Chen glanced around and didn't seem to be in a hurry.
He was not in a hurry, but someone else was. One of the two Qi people stood up and said, "We are envoys of the Qi people. What do you mean by being prosperous? Do you want to assassinate the envoy?"
"Whoosh!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cui Zheyu raised his hand and shot an arrow right into his heart.
The Qi tribesman opened his eyes wide in shock, and the severe pain made him speechless.
He lowered his head and stared intently at the arrow in his heart and the bright red blood that kept pouring out, and there was blood constantly overflowing from his mouth.
The expressions of the people around Yu Chen changed instantly, obviously they didn't expect Cui Zheyu to take action as soon as he said so.
"you!"
Cui Zheyu put away her bow and sneered: "If you have the ability, let Bai Jingrong file a complaint."
These words were somewhat provocative. Bai Jingrong was seeking Dasheng now. Even if these people all died here, their deaths would be in vain.
Yu Chen looked at Cui Zheyu and frowned slightly.
He didn't take the arrow seriously before, but now this arrow really surprised him.
It turns out that... the once gentle and kind-hearted woman can now kill people without changing her expression?
Yu Chen glanced at the people on the ground, looked at Cui Zheyu and said: "Wanyu, I don't want to hurt you. We will go down the mountain after paying homage to our foster father. Let these people evacuate."
Cui Zheyu sneered and said: "Worship? Who wants you to pay homage? If you want to pay homage, you can... and you, you, if each of you leaves an arm, it will be considered as a homage. Seeing that you are the Qi people
For the sake of the messenger, you can come down from the mountain today."
Yu Chen's eyes darkened slightly and he said coldly: "Wanyu, don't force me."
Gu Jue's expression changed slightly, and he calmly took two steps forward, standing at the most convenient place to take action.
Yu Chen glanced at him and said, "You are no match for me."
Gu Jue smiled and said, "General Yu, it's better to keep a low profile."
Gu Jue waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "Qi people who trespass into the forbidden areas of the Zhenguo Army will be killed without mercy!"
The people around Yu Chen said angrily: "When did this become a restricted area for the Zhenguo Army?"
Gu Jue smiled and said: "Now! Our army has designated this place for drills. Anyone who intrudes will die!"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! When Gu Jue said the word "now", he grabbed Cui Zheyu and stepped back. When the word "death" fell, the two of them
They had retreated to the other side of the hillside, and a group of archers completely separated them from Yu Chen and others in front of the tomb.
At the same time, arrows from all directions shot at the people in front of the tombstone without mercy.
Although they were well prepared, it was still difficult to cope with the attack of so many archers in this small area.
Fortunately, this place is indeed small and cannot accommodate more archers.
Those who followed Yu Chen were not mediocre people. Even so, several people were injured in a short while, and two of them fell to the ground. They were obviously dead.
Yu Chen's eyes sank and he kicked his foot lightly. A knife that fell at his feet was picked up and fell into his hand.
The knife less than three feet long trembled in his hand, and he was like a hunting eagle, pounced on the archers in front of him with a cold light.
The sharp sword light struck down, and he tore a crack in the encirclement instantly.
However, the archers of the Zhenguo Army were all experienced soldiers. Even when facing such a strong enemy, they did not panic and instantly changed their formation to block the gap.
Several people were still surrounded, but the archer turned most of his attention to Yu Chen, which in the end greatly reduced the pressure on the others.
The others looked at each other, and one of them said in a deep voice: "Spread out and rush out!" Several people broke out in several directions.
The terrain is sheltered by rocks and trees and is narrow, so there are more possibilities of escape than in a wilderness.
Yu Chen turned around and glanced at the people fleeing behind him, then reversed his direction and flew towards Gu Jue and Cui Zheyu.
Gu Jue pushed Cui Zheyu behind him and stood up to meet him.
Before this, Gu Jue had always treated Yu Chen with some contempt. Even if a traitor is powerful, how powerful can he be?
Even the most basic situation cannot be judged accurately!
If Yu Chen had not surrendered to the enemy back then, Dasheng would have at least 90% chance of annihilating the remnants of the Bai family in one fell swoop, and there would be no more wars in the Central Plains of Dasheng.
How big of a storm could Bai Jingrong, a lonely person working as a concubine in the Qi tribe, stir up? By then, even though Yu Chen's achievements would not be as good as Luo Yun's, he would still be one of the most famous generals in Dasheng.
But what did Yu Chen choose?
After surrendering to the enemy on the battlefield, almost all members of the Cui family were wiped out, and the strength of the Zhenguo army was greatly reduced. What did Yu Chen gain for himself?
In the past ten years, they have only fought a few small battles with General Luo, and they have barely gained any benefits. It really makes people doubt that Yu Chen's reputation as a prodigy was wasted.
In these years, Yu Chen's reputation has never been heard of, and he has almost become Bai Jingrong's personal guard.
It's no wonder that people were puzzled by Yu Chen's surrender to the enemy, and finally came to the conclusion that he was obsessed with sex.
At that time, Gu Jue was still a young soldier who had just joined the army. He didn't understand anything, but he still remembered that they were surrounded, their panic and panic as they fled for their lives.
Also, they were helpless when they scolded Yu Chen as a traitor when surrounded by enemy troops, but could only watch the people around them fall one by one.
Seeing Yu Chen rushing towards him at this time, Gu Jue naturally rushed towards him without dodging.
It was only when Gu Jue actually fought that he realized that what the prince said was indeed correct.
Yu Chen is not only a general, but also a rare and supreme master.
As soon as they fought, Gu Jue felt great pressure.
During the fight between the two, Yu Chen said calmly: "The strength is pretty good, but it's a pity that it still lacks the firepower."
Gu Jue said nothing and struck out with his sword with his backhand.
Cui Zheyu, who stepped aside, looked silent. She took out a silver object and put it to her lips, blowing hard twice.
Two sharp whistles sounded in the forest, and a moment later, a group of men in black came around.
These people are obviously different from the archers brought by Gu Jue. Although they are all dressed in black, the weapons in their hands are very different, and they have no formation.
Some people chased the people who were scattering, while others surrounded them.
Gu Jue was startled, then flew back a few steps and gave the order, "Archers, retreat!"
The officers and soldiers of the Zhenguo Army obeyed the orders and without any hesitation, they immediately put away their bows and arrows and disappeared into the mountains and forests.
They didn't really retreat completely, but went to join up with the people in the second encirclement on the mountainside.
Yu Chen looked coldly at the man in black approaching him, then looked at Cui Zheyu, "Wanyu, do you really want to kill me?"
Cui Zheyu smiled like a flower, and her eyes seemed to be full of expectation, "I have worked so hard all these years to wait for one day. Brother Yu Chen, can you help me?"
"Not good." Yu Chen shook his head and said solemnly: "I can't die yet."
Cui Zheyu raised her lips and said, "Then you should get down the mountain alive first."
The men in black didn't seem to hear their conversation and moved towards Yu Chen without saying a word.
Cui Zheyu's laughter filled the forest, "One pound of meat can be exchanged for a hundred taels of gold. I'll be waiting for you at the foot of the mountain."
