frightfiction Chapter 207 The Conspiracy Fails
Chapter 207 The Conspiracy Fails
Just then, Lord Changping slowly strolled out of the house. He smiled, gazing at Li Xin, who was delivering a passionate speech not far away, his eyes gleaming with amusement. At the same time, Lady Hu, accompanied by her maid, gracefully approached. She carried two jugs of carefully brewed wine, walking slowly towards Li Xin.
Upon seeing Madam Hu's arrival, Li Xin quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Madam Hu."
Hu Ji smiled slightly and replied in a sweet voice, "General Li, please rise. I know that General Li is about to go to the battlefield today, so I specially took out the fine wine I brought from Qin to wish General Li a victorious victory and a triumphant return!" After saying that, she gently handed a cup of wine to Li Xin.
Li Xin accepted the wine cup and said loudly, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam Hu, but it is more appropriate to save this wine for the celebration. When I lead my army to conquer Japan in one fell swoop, we will drink this cup together to celebrate our victory!" After saying this, he raised the wine cup high, gestured to the soldiers, and then handed it back to the maid beside Madam Hu.
Hu Ji never expected that the renowned General Li Xin would refuse her wine; this was far beyond her expectations. She quickly concealed the fleeting surprise on her face, replacing it with a charming smile, and said coquettishly, "Oh dear, General, you're quite the joker. Victory celebrations should naturally wait until our army returns victorious. But today's wine is a farewell feast; it should be drunk heartily before setting off on the campaign."
Li Xin didn't dwell on it, but he felt the Hu woman's words were rather urgent, as if she desperately wanted him to drink the wine. This made him feel a little uneasy. However, the seasoned Li Xin quickly regained his composure and replied with a smile, "Hehe, Madam Hu is quite right. However, the weather is really bitterly cold now. Perhaps you could keep the wine warm for now. When we return victorious, we can raise a glass together with all the soldiers to celebrate."
After saying this, the soldiers behind him shouted in unison, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" The deafening battle cries resounded through the sky, their momentum unstoppable.
The woman, startled by the powerful and stirring shout, turned pale, and her legs trembled involuntarily. However, Li Xin didn't even glance at her again, and instead raised his arm and shouted, "Let's go!"
With this command, the entire army, like a steel torrent, marched forward in perfect unison towards the distance. Watching Li Xin's tall and imposing figure recede into the distance, Hu Ji knew that her plan had failed, but she could only suppress her fear and unease, secretly thinking of seeking another opportunity in the future.
Hu Ji's exquisite face was now shrouded in a look of desolation. She led her maidservant slowly back into the house, her steps heavy. As they passed Changping Jun's residence, Hu Ji glanced at him instinctively. In that instant, Changping Jun, who had been closely observing Hu Ji's every move, caught the fleeting desolation in her eyes. Changping Jun immediately understood that the plan had failed. He couldn't help but curse Hu Ji inwardly, calling her a useless piece of trash. However, even with his anger, Changping Jun knew that what was done was done, and further scolding would be futile. He could only patiently wait for the next opportunity.
After returning to her room, Hu Ji subtly dismissed her maid, then quickly moved two wine vessels from a corner and carefully poured out all the wine. Once the wine was gone, she meticulously cleaned the vessels until she was certain there was no trace of foul play. Only then did she breathe a long sigh of relief, her heart, which had been constantly on edge, finally finding some peace.
Meanwhile, a large and imposing army was marching forward with measured and powerful steps. Li You followed closely beside Li Xin, the two remaining silent, the atmosphere heavy with tension. Li Xin's eyes were sharp, constantly scanning the surrounding terrain. To ensure the safety of the march, he decisively dispatched several battle-hardened scouts, ordering them to lead the way and reconnoiter the route. He himself led the main force forward at lightning speed.
As time passed, the distant city gradually came into clearer view. Not long after, a scout who had gone to investigate returned to the group, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Xin, reporting: "General, I have ascertained that this city has only two gates, one on the east and the other on the west. There are guards on the city walls; a rough estimate is that there are about a hundred guards at the east gate, and a similar number at the west gate. In addition, there are about a thousand troops stationed around the city."
Li Xin nodded slightly, indicating that he understood the situation, and then ordered in a deep voice, "Good! Prepare the catapults immediately!"
At Li Xin's command, the soldiers quickly assembled the catapults. The massive catapults soon stood before the battle lines, resembling colossal beasts.
"Attack the east gate first," Li Xin ordered. Huge stones were hurled high into the air by catapults, hurtling towards the east gate. The defenders on the city wall were thrown into chaos; screams echoed where stones struck. Taking advantage of the east gate defenders' confusion, Li Xin waved his hand, leading two thousand soldiers to charge towards the east gate.
At the same time, Li You led eight hundred men in a feigned attack on the west gate to tie down the forces there.
Although outnumbered, the defenders at the East Gate fought desperately. Li Xin led from the front, his spear swift and powerful, leaving a trail of blood wherever he went. Meanwhile, on the Japanese side, the generals inside the city urgently dispatched two thousand men to reinforce the East Gate.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Li Xin suddenly discovered a weak point in a corner of the east gate city wall. He immediately ordered his men to concentrate their firepower on that spot. Before long, a breach was blasted into the city wall.
Seeing this, Li Xin roared, "Charge in!" and led the charge into the city. His soldiers, their morale soaring, followed suit, surging in. The two thousand Japanese reinforcements, before they could even gain a foothold, were routed.
There was absolutely no effective resistance in the city. Just as Li Xin led his men into the city like tigers descending a mountain, the so-called Japanese were terrified and knelt down on their knees, kowtowing and muttering incantations, seemingly begging for their lives.
Seeing this, Li Xin showed no mercy and led his soldiers in a charge, sweeping through the land like a whirlwind. They were like a storm, leaving the natives in their wake with cries of agony and pleas for mercy. Soon, this brave and fearless force reached the gates of the Japanese royal palace.
Looking at this so-called palace, Li Xin couldn't help but chuckle. This was hardly a palace; it was practically a dilapidated village! All around were low houses built of rough stones, one next to another, utterly haphazard. It couldn't compare to the magnificent and imposing Xianyang Palace of the Qin Dynasty, and even compared to the ordinary villages within Xianyang city, this palace looked utterly shabby and incongruous.