In the main hall of Xiaoheishan branch of the Red Lotus Sect in Gyeongju, the deputy helmsman Fu Xiuwen, the hall masters Hao Jie, Gong Shu and others were very anxious.
The news about the defeat of the Rui Shi Battalion near Qingmazhai came from the defeated troops to the branch an hour ago. However, until now, Chen Heng and others still have not figured out why 1,500 to 600 people were killed in the battle.
They waited for work on familiar terrain and laid siege to five hundred officers and soldiers, but they were completely defeated.
Before this afternoon, it was a fact known to everyone that the officers and soldiers were unable to fight. Otherwise, the Five Route Army's expedition to Xia last year would not have been severely defeated by 20,000 to 30,000 Xiang Iron Kites.
However, the same official army of the Song Dynasty, with only a few hundred people, actually beat the 1,500 to 600 Red Lotus sect members, including 300 carefully selected protective warriors, until they were unable to fight back.
Doesn’t this mean that the fighting power of the Red Lotus sect is even more insignificant?!
"The situation is very bad. Hu Laoqi is determined to draw a clear line with the Holy Cult. Several of the most sincere disciples of the Holy Mother in Hujiapu were expelled from the clan by him. Several of them were expelled from the clan.
Those who participated in the ambush of the officers and soldiers were also kidnapped directly by someone he sent and sent to the county government himself." Bad news never comes alone. The helmsman Chen Heng entered the lobby with a livid face, first grabbed the teapot and drank from the spout.
After a few sips, he panted and announced to everyone.
"This old guy will regret it sooner or later!"
"When the officers and soldiers leave, I will take a few people to pick up the Hu Family Fort!"
"After doing this old thing, help Hu Laosan become the master of the castle!"
…
Vice helmsman Fu Xiuwen, hall master Hao Jie, Gong Shu and others all felt their hearts sink, and they gnashed their teeth and cursed.
The defeat of Ruishi Battalion was certainly bad news, but it did not cause any direct losses to Xiaoheishan Branch.
However, as the news of Rui Shi Camp's defeat spread, the various forts that had been on friendly terms with the Red Lotus Sect began to alienate, which would shake the foundation of the Xiaoheishan branch.
After all, there are very few profitable industries under the Red Lotus Sect, especially the branches near the border in Qingzhou and Huanzhou. The operation of each branch depends entirely on the surrounding fortress owners, village owners, and
The “dedication” of ordinary believers.
If the surrounding fortress lords, village lords and ordinary believers change their beliefs one after another because of the Red Lotus Sect's defeat. In that case, each branch will have only two options left.
Either he becomes a bandit and robs his family or his family, or he breaks up and goes back to his own home. Apart from this, there is no third way to choose from.
"The situation in Zhangjiazhuang, Liujiayao, Kongjiabao, and Liaojiazhai is similar to that in Hujiabao." As if everyone was not frustrated enough, the helmsman Chen Heng took a few breaths and continued to add. "Zhengjiabao is good.
Some. Fort Master Zheng’s son was the captain of Ruishi Camp and died on the spot today. Fort Master Zheng has sent someone to deliver a letter, willing to sacrifice his family to protect the education. He only asks that we can avenge his son!
"Master Zheng is righteous!"
"Master Zheng is a rare understanding person."
"In a few days, let's go to the chief helm and ask for a title for Lord Zheng's son. At least we can give an explanation to a living person!"
…
Vice helmsman Fu Xiuwen, hall master Hao Jie, Gong Shu and others spoke again, praising Fort Master Zheng's behavior. However, no one took the blame for avenging this man's son.
Within a hundred miles, the most powerful Ruishi Battalion was crippled by the army. Although Xiaoheishan is known as a separate rudder, the number of brothers it can really recruit is far less than that of Ruishi Battalion.
If the officers and soldiers come to attack the mountain, everyone may be able to barely support it due to the difficult terrain. If everyone goes down the mountain to fight with the officers and soldiers in the field, the result may be ten times worse than that of the Rui Shi Camp!
"I was busy contacting and appeasing the surrounding forts just now, and I didn't know the specific details of the defeat of the Rui Shi Camp. Therefore, although I promised Lord Zheng to help him avenge his revenge, I did not make an appointment with him for a specific time!" I keenly felt that the size of his subordinates was huge.
The bosses were already fearful of war. Chen Heng, the sub-rudder of Xiaoheishan, quickly added.
His words immediately attracted countless echoes. From Fu Xiuwen, the deputy helmsman, to Huang Baozi, the incense master of Qingmu Hall, they all stated that they should not rush for revenge, but should take a long-term view.
"That's all we can do. I hope that the officers and soldiers have exhausted their anger after defeating the Ruishi Battalion. Don't continue endlessly!" After seeing everyone's attitude clearly, the sub-helm leader Chen Heng sighed,
Decide in a low voice.
After he finished speaking, he quickly glanced at the silent Saint Ye Qinglian who was sitting at the window. He carefully added, "It's not that we are unwilling to fight to the death for the Holy Religion, but because we don't know the enemy's situation. If we attack rashly, we may suffer the same fate again."
The military camp is in ruins!"
"Master Chen makes his own decisions. I was just ordered to hunt down Han Qing this time. I have no right to interfere with the specific affairs of each branch!" Ye Qinglian gently raised her eyelids, glanced at him, and responded softly.
Her voice was very calm, and she did not convey the anger of everyone after hearing the news of the defeat of the Ruishi Battalion, nor did she show any disappointment at the fearful behavior of the Xiaoheishan helmsman.
It was as if she was just a passing spectator, and everything in front of her had nothing to do with her. In fact, she was the patron saint of the Red Lotus Sect, and her status in the sect was second only to the leader and the Dharma King.
The heart of Chen Heng, the sub-rudder, immediately trembled. He quickly looked around and found a step for himself, "I have been busy appeasing the surrounding forts and haven't had time to understand the situation of the officers and soldiers. If the officers
In the battle, the army fought with the Swiss battalion and both sides suffered losses. It may not be an opportunity for us to take action. Which of you knows better? Is there any new news coming this afternoon? "
"There is a leader of the Rui Shi Battalion, surnamed He, who came to the helm to report the news. We have just arranged for him to go down to rest!" Fu Xiuwen, the deputy helmsman, is a scholar and is known for his meticulous thinking. He sensed that Ye Qinglian may have been dissatisfied.
, and quickly helped Chen Heng set up the ladder.
When Chen Heng heard this, he immediately ordered his men to rectify the defeated troops named He, and invited him back to the lobby. Regardless of how tired he was, he asked seriously, "Captain He, could you please tell me again, how many troops are there in total?"
How much was lost today? What special weapons were used, such as the musket that the saint mentioned, which is a weapon that makes a thunderous sound?"
Others have asked the same question more than once. However, He Changzai of the defeated army did not dare to be bothered. He sorted out his thoughts and reported in a hoarse voice: "Reporting to Captain Chen, five hundred officers and soldiers have been dispatched."
People, one battalion! At most, two to three hundred auxiliary soldiers at most. The loss is very small."
Halfway through his answer, he secretly glanced at the saint Ye Qinglian who was sitting at the window with a cold face and said nothing. He became more cautious and said, "I didn't see the exact amount at any time. But it must be less than 10%!"
My subordinate, I can guarantee that I did not hear any special noise."
"If they didn't use muskets, how could they withstand the charge of the horses? Who is the general leading the team? Do you know his name?" Rao had already heard some news on the way, and now he got confirmation from the person involved.
, Chen Heng was still so shocked that he couldn't believe his ears.
"They, they used armored soldiers to block the front of the Ruishi camp. In addition, there were spearmen, archers, and crossbowmen. The leader was a school captain, whose surname was Zhang. I didn't find out his name. Chen
Captain, I apologize. The defeat was so sudden that my subordinates had no time to see clearly what the enemy general looked like. They could only see his flag." He Changzai thought for a moment and responded seriously.
"You just said that they dispatched armored soldiers!" The helmsman, Chen Heng, frowned quickly and his voice was obviously trembling.
"Yes, armored soldiers were dispatched, but the number was very small, fifty or sixty at most!" Captain He Changzai nodded and decided to continue telling the truth, "There are not many spearmen, only about two hundred people. But,
There were many archers and crossbowmen in their team. The arrows they shot were so dense that dozens of brothers were shot off their horses before they even got close."
After withdrawing from the battlefield and driving more than thirty miles, he was already exhausted. However, out of loyalty to the "Holy Religion" and respect for the saint herself, he forced himself
Cheer up and report the situation on the battlefield to the Xiaoheishan branch as much as possible.
As for how Xiaoheishan sub-rudder will respond after learning about it, it is beyond his control. He only hopes that Saint Qinglian can leave Xiaoheishan in time and return to the main helm. Otherwise, even if he dies on the battlefield,
I can't rest in peace either.
"The officers and soldiers have no guts to confront the enemy head-on, so they rely on bows and crossbows." Hao Jie, the hall leader, patted the table with his hand and commented angrily.
This is also well-known common sense. The problem is that in the past, the Song Dynasty official army had the same number of bows and crossbows in battle, but they did not display such strength. Therefore, Hao Jie's comments are a waste of words.
"You know the names of the officers and soldiers, right? Didn't you just say that you saw the general's flag recognition?" The helmsman, Chen Heng, turned to glare at Hao Jie and continued to ask.
This sentence finally got to the point. He Changzai thought for a long time before finally giving the answer, "What is the name of the Zuoying of the Zhenrong Army? No, it's the forward Zuoying of the Zhenrong Army. It seems that the surname is Han
They are also in the team and serve as their strategists!"
"I knew it was Han!"
"He should have been killed a long time ago. The Holy Aunt was confused and wanted to recruit him into the gang!"
"That guy is too cunning. When he was in Jinniu Village, he kept his appearance and kept his secrets."
"If you don't show the mountains and the water, you will ruin the great cause of the Holy Religion. If you show the mountains and the water, it will poke holes in the sky!"
…
Discussions broke out, and most of the hall masters and incense masters present targeted Han Qing. They wanted to spray this man to death with their saliva.
"It turns out it's the Zhenrong Army!" Amidst the commotion of curses, the words of Chen Heng, the commander of Xiaoheishan Branch, suddenly rang out again, which was incompatible with the surrounding environment.
!”
"What?" Everyone turned to look at him, and the yelling stopped abruptly.
"What I'm saying is that Rui Shiying did not lose unjustly!" Chen Heng sighed, turned his gaze to Ye Qinglian, and explained to him and everyone present, "The Zhenrong Army was built by the former Yulin General Li Chuyun.
It can be regarded as one of the most powerful armies in the world. After Li Chuyun's death, his two sons took over the control of the Suppression Army. The last official in the Song Dynasty took Li Chuyun's daughter because of the strength of the Suppression Army.
.By the way, he turned the Zhenrong Army into his direct descendants."
At this time, everyone understood and gasped and nodded.
Chen Heng, the sub-rudder, continued to look at Ye Qinglian with his eyes, and added in a deep voice, "As far as I know, the current governor of the Zhenrong Army is Li Chuyun's youngest son Li Jihe, who is also famous for his bravery and fighting skills. Last year
In the five-pronged Song Army's expedition to Xia, the Zhenrong Army was one of them. Although the Song Army as a whole suffered a huge defeat, the Zhenrong Army actually suffered no losses in the hands of the party members. It was completely dragged down by the other four groups.
That’s why we had to withdraw our troops.”
"In order to prevent the party members from taking the opportunity to launch a large-scale attack, the officials of the Song Dynasty deliberately left the Zhenrong Army on the front line of Huanzhou. This time, for some reason, they withdrew from Huanzhou to Qingzhou and were met by the Ruishi Battalion!"
"It's our people, kill the night watchmen of the Zhenrong Army first!" Hall leader Hao Jie, a truly reckless man, interrupted again in an angry voice.
In an instant, everyone else present fell silent. They all lowered their heads and looked at their feet, as if mushrooms were growing on the tips of their shoes.
The causes and consequences of the whole thing are already very clear.
Li Jiqian, the king of Xia, lost his royal title and declared himself a vassal to the Song Dynasty again. Naturally, the Zhenrong army did not need to continue stationed in Huanzhou. According to the usual practice, they had to withdraw to Bianliang for repairs and accept the rewards and condolences from the current emperor.
But halfway through the withdrawal of the army, her own saint Ye Qinglian led dozens of brothers to chase Han Qing to the gate of Zhenrong Army's camp, attracting the other party's attention.
Not only did her saint attract the attention of the Suppressing Army, but she also ambushed the soldiers of the Suppressing Army who came to trace her whereabouts and slaughtered them all!
"Tell me, why didn't you say anything? I'm dumb!" Ye Qinglian's voice soon sounded in the lobby, as cold as the night wind, "It was me who was led to the gate of Zhenrong Army's camp. Yes.
I set up an ambush and killed the soldiers of the Zhenrong Army who came to track me! That’s right!”
"What do you want to do? Arrest me and hand me over to the Suppressing Army to apologize? Then they can let you go and let the Holy Cult go?"
"What is the purpose of our holy religion in developing believers over the years? Is it to collect wealth for you and others to squander and buy properties and houses? Or is it for your relatives, children and grandchildren to better serve as officials in the Song Dynasty court, and to be better and better?
Lift?"
Everyone did not dare to talk to each other. They all looked at their noses with their eyes and their minds with their noses, just like wood carvings.
"If I cause trouble, I will ask the leader to punish me!" Ye Qinglian curled her lips and patted the table with her hand. "But you'd better think about how to deal with it if the officers and soldiers continue to be unyielding!
"Today, the Holy Cult lost a warrior battalion. At least it has been proven that the strength of the Song Dynasty's official army is not as unbearable as the legend!" She patted the table again and continued to add in a deep voice, "I will wait for a big event in the future.
, the officers and soldiers killed are not just one battalion, but tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands. By then, if my subordinates are still so vulnerable and still have their own agenda, the loss will be your wealth and life!"
"What the saint said is true!"
"The wise saint!"
Chen Heng and others trembled with excitement and bowed down to apologize. No matter whether they were convinced or not, at least on the surface, they did not dare to complain about Ye Qinglian's reckless behavior and get into trouble.
"Evacuate the old and the weak from the sub-rudder, leaving the young and the strong. Those who are afraid of death and dare not fight with the officers and soldiers, let them leave on their own! Including you, if you want to leave the sub-rudder and hide away from the limelight elsewhere, please do it yourself.
." Ye Qinglian took a deep breath and stood up slowly, "I'm not a saint, but at least I won't wait for death, nor will I just sit here and complain. I will use all means to fight the officers and soldiers in a bloody battle, and let
They know that I teach and cannot be bullied."
"Yes!" Chen Heng and others agreed in unison, their hearts filled with helplessness.
Just as everyone was about to disperse, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the lobby. Immediately afterwards, Fang Datong, the incense owner on duty, rushed in and bowed to Ye Qinglian and Chen Heng.
, "Report, saint, helmsman, a heroine came down from the mountain, surnamed Bai, claiming to be the sister of the saint. She said she has a way to help us resolve the current crisis!"
