Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 450 The Battle of Qiuyu Mountain (2)

Zhang Xianzhong dismissed the concern, saying, "The King of Chuang is just too meticulous. A few spies might be out having some fun and will be back soon. There's no need to make a fuss."

Since the Allied Forces' eastward advance, Gao Yingxiang had been helpless against his laziness: scolding or beating him was pointless since he wasn't his subordinate; persuading him was utterly unresponsive. If it weren't for his relatively diligent efforts during the war, they would have parted ways long ago. Now, seeing him still so nonchalant, he couldn't help but blurt out, "Since you think nothing will go wrong, why don't you go ahead?"

Zhang Xianzhong was taken aback, then a sense of dissatisfaction rose in his heart. Whether there was danger ahead was one thing, but being used as cannon fodder was another. Even if there wasn't a ghost in front of him, this arrangement was still very unpleasant.

However, he didn't do anything, but just muttered, "Since the King of Chuang is not at ease, I will go first."

After saying that, Gao Yingxiang realized that it was somewhat inappropriate, but since the words had already been spoken, there was no reason to take them back. He simply hummed in response.

Zhang Xianzhong was even more displeased when he saw that the other party didn't even say a polite word, so he turned around and left.

Back in his own camp, Sun Kewang carried the woman in his arms and handed her over, asking, "Father, what does the King of Chuang want with you?"

Zhang Xianzhong was in a bad mood and had lost interest in frivolous pleasures with women. He waved his hand and said, "This woman is yours!"

Sun Kewang was overjoyed. He withdrew his arms from the woman and couldn't help but glance at her—he had long coveted this daughter of the prefect of Chuzhou, but his adoptive father had beaten him to it, and he had always harbored feelings for her. The woman, upon hearing that she had a new master, sighed inwardly, while praying that this young man would show her some mercy, and forced a fawning smile at Sun Kewang.

Seeing the woman's smiling face, Sun Kewang felt relieved and couldn't wait to have sex with her. However, reason told him that his godfather was in a bad mood, and this matter was more important than a woman. He forcibly looked away and asked, "What is troubling you, godfather?"

Zhang Xianzhong angrily lashed out with his horsewhip, striking the young woman squarely on the buttocks. The woman cried out in pain, her face turning pale.

"That guy surnamed Gao is so paranoid, always suspecting there's an ambush ahead. I just casually mentioned it, and he actually made me go ahead and be cannon fodder!"

Sun Kewang wanted to reply, but seeing the beauty in his arms writhing in pain, tears streaming down her face, he felt a pang of heartache and momentarily forgot to answer. The woman was in excruciating pain from the whip, and remembering how she had fallen from the daughter of a prefect to a plaything of a bandit, and how her family had all perished, the grievances she had endured for so many days finally burst forth, and overwhelmed with sorrow, she couldn't help but sob.

Zhang Xianzhong was already short-tempered, and seeing a woman daring to cry in front of him, he flew into a rage, drew his sword, and beheaded her in one stroke. His swordsmanship was superb; the blade barely grazed the woman's neck without harming Sun Kewang in the slightest.

A burst of blood shot into the sky, and a pretty head spun around before landing on the ground, its eyes wide open, seemingly unable to believe what had happened, with tears still clinging to the corners of its eyes.

Sun Kewang was momentarily stunned. Holding the woman's still warm and soft body, he stared blankly at the head on the ground, oblivious to the pool of blood flowing from the severed neck.

Zhang Xianzhong didn't care about killing anyone and continued, "I've figured it out too. There are too many constraints following that guy Gao all the time. After we get to Hubei, we'll split up. If we really want to team up with someone, we might as well go and get that old Hui guy. He's having a great time fighting in Hubei right now..."

After saying a few words, seeing that Sun Kewang did not respond, he frowned and said, "Are you listening to your father?"

Sun Kewang shuddered, regaining his senses. He casually placed the woman's body across the saddle and replied, "Father is wise. It's time to divide our forces with the rebel king."

Zhang Xianzhong nodded: "You think so too, right? Of the four, I think you are the smartest and can follow my train of thought. The other three only know how to fight and kill. You are the most promising to inherit my mantle in the future!"

These words instantly warmed Sun Kewang's previously icy heart. Without making a sound, he pushed the woman's corpse to the ground, shook the blood off his clothes, and replied, "I am unworthy of your kindness, Godfather."

“But we can’t fall out with that guy Gao now. We’ll go our separate ways once we get to Hubei.” Zhang Xianzhong ordered, “Order our men to go ahead of that guy Gao. I keep my word and we can’t let him make a fool of himself.”

The allied forces' formation changed; they were no longer advancing side by side, but Zhang Xianzhong's troops were in front, with Gao Yingxiang's following behind. Sun Kewang, eager to impress Zhang Xianzhong, volunteered to lead the vanguard at the very front. After marching several miles, they reached the vicinity of Qiuyu Mountain.

Sun Kewang, who had expected a smooth journey, was surprised to find a large number of soldiers suddenly appearing before him, densely packed from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain, with dark cannon muzzles peeking out from the crowd. He couldn't help but rub his eyes, and when he opened them again, nothing had changed; the people and the cannons were still there, it wasn't a hallucination. For a moment, he didn't know what to do.

The vanguard of the refugee army instinctively stopped advancing, while the troops behind, unaware of what was happening ahead, continued to advance, crowding together with the vanguard, and the order of the army began to crumble.

Zhang Xianzhong personally rode up and shouted, "What are you doing? Why aren't you moving? You're blocking the army's way!"

Sun Kewang stared blankly ahead, speechless, astonished by the opponent's superior equipment.

Zhang Xianzhong looked in the direction he was pointing and immediately gasped. When did such a disciplined army appear in Anhui, an army that remained unfazed even when tens of thousands of troops were approaching? Where did they come from? Why hadn't he seen them before when fighting in Hezhou and Chuzhou?

It was obvious to the naked eye that almost all the soldiers in this army were armed with muskets, and there were many cannons in the formation. Most importantly, they were able to refrain from firing a single shot as the army approached, which was completely different from the other musket soldiers of the imperial court. The latter usually fired indiscriminately before the enemy got close, and then watched helplessly as the enemy took the opportunity to get closer, turning their muskets into fire sticks. They were clearly not good people.

"Father, what should we do now?" Sun Kewang asked Zhang Xianzhong after regaining his senses.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xianzhong gritted his teeth and said, "No matter who this army is, we can't turn back now. If we go back, we'll be intercepted by Hong Chengchou. Tell the brothers that the intervals between firing their firearms are long. We'll charge together later, take this hill, and clear the way for the main army!"