frightfiction Chapter 150 Four Chariots
Chapter 150 Four Chariots
Zhou Kai, the slightly fat general, sat firmly on the four-horse chariot specially made for him. The chariot was decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, like a lion holding its head high on the battlefield. With a sharp gaze, he looked at the mighty troops in front of him, and an indescribable pride surged in his heart. His father, the general who had been famous in the northwest battlefield, had always been his pride and role model. For many years, Zhou Kai always felt that he was not appreciated for his talent. Now, he finally had the opportunity to show his talent. Facing the rebels, he sneered in his heart, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.
Zhou Kai's success was not entirely dependent on his father's reputation. His wit and tact were equally important. He was well versed in the ways of the officialdom and was good at figuring out the minds of his superiors, which gave him many opportunities for promotion. He would cleverly transport the military pay withheld from the soldiers to the capital every year to pave the way for his own career.
At this moment, he stood on the chariot, waving the command flag in his hand, and shouted loudly: "Fellow soldiers! Today we work together to quell the rebels! As long as we win this battle, I will report your achievement to the court! Each of you will be rewarded with one thousand silver coins!" His voice was loud and firm, striking every soldier's heart like a hammer.
As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar. The soldiers stared with their eyes wide open, with an expression of disbelief on their faces. These soldiers who were stationed at the border had a pitiful monthly salary, and being able to receive a reward of 1,000 coins was simply great news. For a moment, cheers and shouts rose one after another, and the whole team was boiling.
"General Zhou is wise! We are willing to follow the general to quell the rebellion!"
"Yes! For this land and for our families, we must fight bravely!"
"General Zhou's reward is so generous, how can we not try our best!"
Zhou Kai looked at the soldiers with high morale and was secretly proud of himself. He waved his hand and signaled the team to continue moving forward. The chariot moved slowly forward under the pull of four horses, while Zhou Kai sat in the chariot, looking into the distance with deep eyes.
"General Zhou truly has the demeanor of a famous general in ancient times! Just a few words can boost the morale of the entire army!" A deputy general stepped forward and said respectfully.
"Of course! Our General Zhou inherited his father's bravery and wisdom!" Another deputy general echoed.
Zhou Kai smiled slightly and ignored their compliments. He looked at the Songshan County in the distance and thought to himself, "How will the rebels react when they hear the news of our arrival? Will they flee in panic or put up a desperate resistance?"
At this moment, a burst of rapid horse hoofbeats broke the silence. A scout came galloping with a triangular military flag on his body. He ran directly towards Zhou Kai's chariot with an anxious look on his face.
"Report to General Zhou! We have found out everything! The rebels have not retreated, nor have they attacked other counties. They are still stationed in Songshan County!" Detective Ma reported loudly.
Zhou Kai nodded and asked in a deep voice: "Can you find out how many people there are? What flag is hoisted on the top of the city?"
Ma Tan quickly replied: "There are about 5,000 rebels, and the flag on the top of the city wall is the 'Chuang' flag!"
Zhou Kai's eyes flashed when he heard this. He waved his hand, signaling the scouts to retreat. Then, he turned to the lieutenants around him and said, "Pass the order! The whole army speeds up! Today we must take down Songshan County in one fell swoop!"
Zhou Kai's order was like a flash of lightning that pierced the sky, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the entire army. The chariots galloped with the neighing of horses, and the troops behind them followed closely, raising dust, as if a giant dragon was galloping on the battlefield.
The sun was high in the sky, and the sunlight shone on the golden armor, making it sparkle. Zhou Kai sat on the chariot, his face solemn, but his eyes were shining with a fiery light. He held the flag tightly, silently reciting his father's teachings in his heart, which was the source of his strength and his belief that he would win this battle.
As the team continued to advance, the outline of Songshan County gradually became clear. The city stood between the mountains, with towering walls and a "Chuang" flag flying on the top of the city. The rebel flag was particularly dazzling in the sun, as if provoking Zhou Kai's army.
Zhou Kai took a deep breath, and then he was ready to give the order for the entire army to attack.
"General! It's not appropriate to attack now! Our soldiers have just arrived and are very tired! Moreover, all the siege equipment has not been assembled yet! I think it's better to let all the soldiers camp and rest for one night, and attack the city tomorrow!" His order scared the deputy generals and they stopped immediately. Although they had not fought much, they knew that attacking without any preparation was tantamount to suicide.
Zhou Kai frowned slightly, pondered for a long time, and then said: "Okay! Then let's rest for a night and prepare for the siege tomorrow."
"Yes!" Everyone bowed and accepted the order.
"Pass my order! The whole army must set up camp and rest today!"
......
Zhou Kai's order was passed down, and all the soldiers began to get busy. Under the command of the officers, they allocated the chevaux de frise and trenches.
At this time, on the city wall of Songshan County, Yuan Quan was observing the situation here with his men. The reason why they chose Songshan County was because the city wall of Songshan County was the highest and most solid among the four county towns.
"King Chuang! Why should we go head-to-head with these officers and soldiers! If we take the army to attack other counties, it will be easy! Then we can collect the ready-made food and grass, and recruit more troops!" At this time, someone around Yuan Quan suggested. Many of the people around Yuan Quan followed his father to fight in the Northeast. Naturally, he knew what methods could be used to better develop himself.
"My father wanted to protect the kingdom of Dakun! I want to give the Chongming Emperor of Dakun a chance! I can only have a chance to talk to the Chongming Emperor if I defeat their army in Northwest County head-on! I want him to admit that he killed my father by mistake!" Yuan Quan has always been upset about his father being wrongly accused of treason and murder.
"We all obey the command of the major general! We must clear the old marshal's name!" The generals of his uncles and uncles around him expressed their opinions one after another.
Yuan Quan looked at the soldiers below and nodded with satisfaction.
"Okay! Since everyone agrees, we must defeat this Northwest Army here this time to get a chance to talk to Emperor Chongming!"
"Yes!" the people around answered in unison.
"What do you think of the army in Northwest County?" Yuan Quan asked, pointing at the troops setting up camp below.
"The Northwest Army does look better trained than the armies in the counties! But it's just a show! And there are some old and weak soldiers among them! You can imagine how much they are paid! Look at that chariot pulled by four horses! The man sitting on the chariot is wearing full body armor! It's obvious that he is the commander of this army! As a commander of an army, he can't even ride a horse! It seems that he is also a good-for-nothing!" At this time, Du Chong, the uncle next to Yuan Quan, analyzed! He didn't take the enemy army in his eyes at all. "If I had 100 border troops that I used to lead, I would dare to go out and fight!"