Under the heavy rain of arrows, the Flower of Death bloomed on the ground below the city. A large number of people were emptied, falling down one after another like mowing grass. The defenders on the top of the city kept shooting arrows, and they couldn't stop shooting arrows.
There is no need to aim or give orders from officials, because the city is full of living targets. If you close your eyes and shoot an arrow, you can hit someone. The large number of casualties makes everyone in the city unable to stand it.
"Poor, pathetic!" Zhao Youji frowned and commented with a painful expression.
Lin Jue said coldly: "It's also hateful. If they are allowed to rush into the city, they will become vicious wolves."
"You're right, I'm not a womanizer, I just don't understand why they were bewitched by the Qing Cult and sent to death." Zhao Youji said.
Lin Jue said in a deep voice: "I can't answer you. I can only say that they are actually ants, and their destiny is not in their own hands. They are like this because they can only be like this."
Zhao Youji sighed and said nothing. Lin Jue had already rushed to the south side of the city wall, where dozens of ladders had been set up on the top of the wall.
Under such a fierce rain of arrows, some believers still rushed to the city wall. After all, there were too many of them. Although a number of them were killed and injured, and a number of them retreated in fear, there was only one soldier and horse guarding the city.
With more than a thousand people, it was impossible to cover everything. Most of the bows and crossbows were arranged on the walls on both sides of the city gate tower, but the north and south of the city wall could not be taken care of. Therefore, thousands of bandits still rushed to the walls on both sides.
Start trying to climb the city wall.
However, although they escaped the fire of arrows, they could not avoid the large number of defensive objects prepared for them on the city wall. Hundreds of government officers and policemen without bows and arrows and regiment training horses from Yangwu County were stationed at the city.
Here, with an order, they dropped stones, rolling logs, and raindrops. The believers below screamed, and the big rocks and heavy logs smashed their muscles and bones. This was the most primitive way to defend the city.
method, but it was the most effective and deterrent at this moment. The believers gathered on both sides dispersed like a cauldron. At this time, many people finally realized that they were sending themselves to death.
When the casualties on the battlefield exceeded the believers' previous expectations, the first thing the mob thought of was to escape. The believers who had no military discipline had seen this kind of formation before, and soon some people started to hold their heads behind them.
Withdraw. As long as someone takes the lead, a great rout is inevitable. A large number of believers turned around and fled, bringing the siege to an abrupt end.
This attack lasted less than half an hour, but it ended with the church members leaving more than a thousand corpses and injuring more than 3,000 people. It could be said that it was a complete success, with no results achieved. Not one of the defenders at the head of the city was killed, and only ten were injured.
A few. Those were not injured by the enemy, but were caused by accidentally smashing their hands and feet while moving rocks or rolling logs.
From behind, Meng Xiang stared dumbly at what was happening in front of him, and the horror in his heart was indescribable. His original plan was that after this group of cannon fodder rushed forward to attract the first wave of defensive firepower, he would lead four thousand main forces to follow.
Attack up. Take advantage of the opponent's breathing opportunity to attack the city wall. However, when he saw the opponent's fierce defensive force, the ferocious bow and arrow sniping like a rain of flowers, and the busy and layered defense. He knew that maybe it was.
Things are not as simple as imagined.
Judging from the density of the crossbow arrows fired at the top of the city, this is definitely not the defense of the city head by the local regiments and government agents of Yangwu County with only a few hundred people. This is definitely the official arrival of the imperial troops.
In Yangwu County. The local stragglers in Yangwu County only had bows, arrows and spears at most. What was shot from the top of the city were crossbows and arrows shot by strong bows. Besides, Lin Jue was on the top of the city. He was not
Officials from the capital? Appearing here is enough to show that soldiers and horses from the capital have arrived in Yangwu County. In other words, the cunning opponent was not completely fooled. Fengqiu did attract a large force of the Forbidden Army, but they still divided some.
Soldiers and horses came to Yangwu to defend the city.
Meng Xiang was filled with frustration. He called off the siege and ordered to camp on the spot to rest. He wanted to figure out the whole story and think about what to do.
The shocked believers lit a bonfire, and stood around the bonfire with pale faces, speechless. After experiencing the previous battle, everyone seemed to have been drained of energy, and their minds were in chaos. Many of them were
Already shaken, these people cannot withstand all this.
At the time of the uprising, they were faced with ordinary people and some local government officials, regiments, and others. In addition, there were so many people that they did not encounter any decent resistance. So in their hearts, they believed that as long as everyone rushed forward together,
, and he won in a daze. But not long ago, when the people around him screamed and fell down, shot like a porcupine by arrows, their heads were smashed by rolling logs and rocks, and their bodies were pierced by powerful arrows, the tragic scene was still vivid in my mind.
Only then did they truly realize where they had come, what they were facing, and what terrible things they were involved in.
Beside the bonfire, some churchgoers woke up from their numbness and began to cry. Some people began to think about how to escape, because it was obvious that they still had to attack the city. And attacking the city meant dying.
"The Holy Duke did not bless us. We have no magical protection at all, and we are not invulnerable. We are living targets. My eldest and second brothers were shot to death by arrows, right next to me. Before they died, they shouted, 'The Holy Duke is here'."
The great magic power protects the body. Didn't it mean that by shouting these words, the vital parts would be protected? Even if the arrows were shot, they would only hit the hands and feet, not the vital parts. But one of them was shot in the neck, and the other was shot through.
Chest. They are all lies. There is no magical body protection at all. We have all been deceived by them." A member of the congregation suddenly jumped up from the campfire and shouted loudly.
Everyone stared at him blankly, many of them looking confused but also somewhat enlightened.
"What he said seems to be right. We all seem to have been deceived. We are here to die. What kind of Holy Duke? Didn't the man at the top of the city just now say that our Holy Duke turned out to be the pirate Hai Dongqing?
, it’s the evil bandit Hai Dongqing who killed people more than ten years ago. Didn’t Meng Shoujiao not argue? They are all pirates, what kind of Holy Duke do they say they are? What kind of Yunxiao Temple? I’m afraid they are all lying to us.
Yes. We are rebelling with the bandits." Someone woke up from the fog and echoed loudly.
"Yeah, what have we done? We followed the bandits in rebellion, aren't we also bandits? We also killed the villagers, how could they be evil heretics? They didn't do anything bad in their daily lives. This is
What's going on? We seem to be the devils." Someone murmured.
"Keep your voice down. If you say these things, it is disrespectful to the Holy Duke and an act of betrayal of the Holy Religion. If Meng Shoujiao and the others heard it, that would be a big deal. Stop talking, stop talking now." Some people were frightened.
reminded.
"What are you afraid of? Let's quit. Let's go home. My son is only three years old. If I die, they will be finished. Why did I leave my wife and children and come here to rebel? Am I crazy? I have to go, we all
We have to go. Otherwise we all have to die here. There will definitely be an attack on the city soon, and we all have to die here. I don’t want to die, what about seventy-two virgins, how can there be so many virgins? If you are all dead, what else can you enjoy?
It's a lie." A young congregant stood up suddenly, threw a steel fork in his hand to the ground, and said loudly.
"Yes, let's go. We won't join the Youth Religion. Let's quit the Youth Religion. Let's go home. Let's go home. If we don't follow them to fight and kill, life will be a little harder, but at least we won't.
Die here. I'll go with you and quit." Many people stood up and agreed.
This is the ignorance and sadness of these people. Until now, they still think that everything can be solved by retreating. They have completely failed to understand how serious the matter is. Their simple brains only act on impulse without any common sense or consideration.
.Because of this, they were seduced by the Qing Sect for some small favors, and they joined the Qing Sect to kill people and set fires. Now when they were facing death, they thought they could just walk away and get rid of them cleanly.
The noise of this group of people alarmed more people around them. Many people started shouting and threw down their sticks, knives and forks, took off their black robes and prepared to leave. But many people felt that something was wrong. Although they were moved, they
But they still knew in their hearts that this matter was not that simple. Moreover, they had already seen Meng Shoujiao walking quickly with a group of people. They made signs to stop these people who were still making noise, but it was already too late.
.
"What's going on?" Meng Xiang came quickly with more than a hundred big and round bodyguards, and shouted coldly to more than a hundred noisy congregants.
Everyone shut their mouths. Facing Meng Xiang's gloomy face and the fierce light in his eyes, they felt the danger.
"Master Meng, brothers, there are some things you don't understand. I would like to ask Master Meng for advice." The young congregant at the beginning bravely spoke.
"What's your name?" Meng Xiang asked.
"My name is Wang Xiaozhu. I come from Huaxian County." Wang Xiaozhu said.
"Okay, Brother Wang, please ask." Meng Xiang said with his hands behind his back.
Wang Xiaozhu nodded and said: "I want to ask Meng Shoujiao, does our Qingjiao Shenggong have magic power? Can we let the brothers have magic power to protect their bodies? So many people died just now, did the Shenggong cast magic on the brothers?
Also, some people in the city said before that Shenggong and Meng Shoujiao were originally pirates. They said that Shenggong was Hai Dongqing. Didn’t they say that Shenggong was a saint who descended from the temple? How could it be Hai Dongqing? These are all
Is it true? Are we really going against the imperial court to save the world?"
Meng Xiang looked at Wang Xiaozhu with a smile, reached out and patted Wang Xiaozhu on the shoulder and said: "Brother Wang, you think too much. Were you frightened by the attack on the city just now? My Qingjiao brothers and sisters don't have to be afraid of death at all.
Because we will not die. When we die, we go to the temple, obtain bliss, and live forever in the world. That is merit. Divine power and body protection naturally exist, but only the most devout believers will receive magic power and body protection.
Bless you. If you have doubts, you are not pious to the Holy Religion, and the magical power will be of no use to you. Everyone must examine themselves whether they are 100% loyal to the Holy Religion and 100% loyal to the Holy Communion.
Piety and respect. If you are not sincere, how can you blame the magical power for not working? Your brother Wang even believes the words of his enemies, and you still come to question the identity of the Holy Duke and this protector. From this point of view, you are completely dishonest.
.It’s you who should reflect on yourself.”
Many people around me nodded. It turns out that magical body protection requires full piety and loyalty to be blessed. I asked myself, I really have not done this. I have had some doubts about the Holy Religion and the Holy Catholic Church and many things. This may be the reason.
Maybe it’s the reason why magical body protection is ineffective.
"Meng Shoujiao, I think there is something wrong with what you said. We go through life and death for the Holy Religion and fight against the imperial officers and soldiers. Even if we are not completely pious, how can the Holy Duke let us die like this? So many people have died, you
Do you see? Shouldn’t Shenggong and Meng Shoujiao do something? They are all brothers of our Qingjiao. Meng Shoujiao, I think you are not telling the truth." Wang Xiaozhu said loudly.
Meng Xiang nodded and said: "Brother Wang, I understand how you feel after so many brothers have died. I can also understand that you are afraid. But I said before, even if you die for the Holy Religion, it is a meritorious deed. Although our brothers
Whether dead or alive, they will be taken into the sky..."
"Come on, I don't believe it. What are the seventy-two virgins of the Yunxiao Temple? They are all dead, and everything is gone. What else can I enjoy? I still have a three-year-old son at home, and an elderly mother. I have to live to fulfill my filial piety." Wang Xiaozhu
interrupted.
Meng Xiang's expression turned cold, and he smiled a little reluctantly: "So what does Brother Wang mean?"
"I want to go home. I don't want to attack the city." Wang Xiaozhu said.
"Go home?" Meng Xiang smiled and said, "You are a member of the Qing Sect and are bound by the rules. How can you just go home at this time?"
"Then I will quit the religion and stop joining the Lao Shi Zi Qing religion. Is this done?" Wang Xiaozhu said loudly.
There was silence all around. Everyone looked at what was happening in shock. They were sweating for Wang Xiaozhu. Wang Xiaozhu was too courageous. Although this thought had been rolling in his heart many times, who dared to say it? Wang Xiaozhu actually said it today.
I said it in front of Meng Shoujiao, this kid has the guts, but I'm afraid this kid is also crazy.
"Are you going to quit teaching?" The smile on Meng Xiang's face began to turn cold.
"I...I don't want to do this, but I want to go home. I have an old man and a young child at home..."
"Forget it, you don't need to say it. Brother Wang, in this case, as the saying goes, people with different Taoism will not conspire against each other. If you want to quit the religion, I will not force you to do so. Our holy religion takes the redemption of all people as its own responsibility. You can join voluntarily and withdraw freely. We
You will never force yourself on others. It’s not sweet to force yourself. I allow you to quit teaching and go home." Meng Xiang interrupted.
"What?" The surrounding believers were all shocked. Meng Shoujiao actually allowed Wang Xiaozhu to quit the religion and go home? How is this possible? Even Wang Xiaozhu himself stood there with his mouth open, stunned.
Meng Xiang patted Wang Xiaozhu on the shoulder for the third time, turned around and said in a deep voice to the surrounding believers: "Brothers, you join the big family of Qingjiao in order to obtain salvation and escape from the sea of suffering. Our Qingjiao has always opened its doors to accept
You come in and I will shelter you from the wind and rain. But the Holy Duke said that if we work together, we will work together for great things, and if we don’t work together, we will go our separate ways. Forcing it will not work. Therefore, I allow you to withdraw from the religion and leave. Who else has the same idea as Brother Wang?
Yes, you can stand up, hand over your weapons, take off your black robes, and then you can leave. From now on, there will be no forgiveness from the Qing Sect."
Everyone was speechless, such a good thing could happen? It is simply unbelievable. Many people felt that this was impossible, and there seemed to be something vaguely wrong. But after all, some people with low IQs believed it. Some people really stood up, and even
There was more than one. One after another, hundreds of people stood up, each stating their reasons for leaving.
Meng Xiang had a gentle expression and smiled as he listened to their reasons and seemed to feel the same way.
"Are there any more?" Meng Xiang glanced around and asked three times. Some people stood up, and some moved, but were held back by people around them.
"It seems that the vast majority of brothers are still loyal to our Qing Sect. If these more than a hundred brothers want to withdraw from the Qing Sect, that is up to you. You can take off your robes, throw down your weapons and leave. Return to your families.
Go ahead." Meng Xiang smiled and said to Wang Xiaozhu and others.
Wang Xiaozhu gritted his teeth and quickly began to take off his black robe and threw it on the ground. The more than a hundred people beside him also started to take off their robes without saying a word and piled them on the ground.
"Meng Shoujiao, we're leaving. I'm really sorry." Wang Xiaozhu said with cupped hands.
"There's no need to say sorry. Brother Wang, it's me who should say sorry." Meng Xiang said with a smile: "It's me who failed to make you understand the sanctity and greatness of the Holy Religion. It's me who failed to make you understand one thing, that is
... Our Holy Religion cannot be blasphemed or betrayed. Your behavior at this moment is a betrayal of the Holy Religion. You will all be punished. I am very sad and sad, but the doctrine cannot be violated and the canon rules cannot be violated.
I'm lazy, so it's me who should say sorry. Brother Wang, brothers, I'm sorry for you."
Wang Xiaozhu and others stared blankly. They saw the smile on Meng Xiang's face suddenly disappear, and his face became terrifying.
"Execute all these apostate traitors. That Wang Xiaozhu will be tied to a wooden post, his bones crushed and ashes thrown away." Meng Xiang waved his hand gently and stepped back. More than a hundred of his followers behind him rushed forward with loud shouts, already unsheathed.
He cut melons and vegetables with his sword. In just a moment, more than a hundred believers who wanted to quit the religion were dead on the spot. Only Wang Xiaozhu was left standing there in shock.
"Burn him to death." Meng Xiang shouted.
Several of his followers grabbed the helpless Wang Xiaozhu by his hands and feet, tied him to a wooden post, and then laid him horizontally on top of the blazing bonfire. Wang Xiaozhu yelled in pain and cursed: "Meng Shoujiao, you can't speak.
Forget it, you lied to us."
Meng Xiang sneered and said: "So what? Do you think that Qingjiao is something you can come in and come out as you please? If it's good for you, come in, and if it's dangerous, you have to leave? You don't think so. I'll burn you to death.
, I will fly pigeons to deliver messages to the helm in Huaxian County, and your whole family will sit together. Don’t you have to take care of your parents, wife and children? I will send your whole family to reunite in the underworld, so you can take good care of them."
"Ah! You liars, you are all liars, we have all been deceived by you." Wang Xiaozhu was burned by the flames with layers of blisters, and layers of flesh and blood dripped on the bonfire, crackling.
.The air is filled with a pungent burnt smell.
"Roast him for an hour, don't let him die." Meng Xiang sneered.
Wang Xiaozhu soon became speechless, because his head and face were on fire, and the flesh on his body was scorched. His whole body had turned into a black charcoal. But he did not die for a while. This roasting method,
It will take at least one stick of incense to die. The most vicious torture in the world is like this.
All the congregants were scared out of their wits. Those who had planned to quit before began to be glad that they had not acted impulsively. Otherwise, they would have been corpses lying on the ground.
Meng Xiang glanced around with a sneer, and shouted loudly: "You all listen to me, anyone who deserts at this moment will suffer the same fate. When you took money and food from my Qingjiao, why didn't you refuse? When it is beneficial to you,
Just believe in religion, and when you are desperate, you think about saving your life. How can there be such a good thing in this world? Retreating from religion is apostasy. If you apostatize, you will die, and your whole family will be killed. So, you all think clearly, it is you
If one person dies, you and your whole family will die. To tell you the truth, if you want to survive, take Yangwu County. If you cannot take Yangwu County, you will all die here. I'm afraid you still don't understand.
There is no way out. Which of you has not touched anyone's life? Who has not committed murder or arson? Do you still think that you can escape unscathed? That is a dream. Will the court spare you? As long as you join the Qingjiao, you will be a traitor in the eyes of the court.
Thief, you have nowhere to go now except following the Holy Duke. There is only one way to reach the end. Only a fool would still think that there is still a way out, that the way back is also a dead end, and that there is a glimmer of hope in the way forward. Think about it clearly.
Now, whoever can't think of it, I can help him and send him on his way. Now that you have thought clearly, give me a good breath. In half an hour, we will attack the city again. We will attack until we capture Yangwu County, otherwise you will
You all have to die for me, do you understand?"
Meng Xiang completely tore apart the warm and affectionate deception, talking about brothers and sisters, and talking about mutual respect and love, it was all bullshit. He just wanted to give up all hope and turn these believers into walking zombies. He just rushed forward and never stopped.
Give them a way out. Sometimes hope is not a good thing, especially on the battlefield. Hope on the battlefield teaches people to die, and despair on the battlefield is combat effectiveness. Meng Xiang wants combat effectiveness, so he wants everyone to despair. Let
