20demayo Chapter 156 I Want to Meet Jing Qishan
Chapter 156 I Want to Meet Jing Qishan
In the military camp, 70,000 troops have gathered.
It is now midnight, and torches are lit everywhere in the military camp, with flames shooting up into the sky.
Jiang Li gave an impassioned speech at the training ground: "Just last night, the Xiling Army disregarded our contract and committed crimes on the border again, stealing our food and cattle and horses, and raping our Daqi women. This is intolerable, so I declare: Tonight, we will also openly tear up the contract, attack Huatai City in one fell swoop, capture Huatai City, and let the soldiers have a good new year!"
The soldiers were naturally very angry when they heard that the Xiling people were so hateful. On New Year's Eve, they could not return home and could only spend the night wrapped in quilts in the cold military camp. They wanted to win the war earlier than anyone else!
So everyone raised their arms and shouted: "Take down Huatai City! Take down Huatai City!"
Afterwards, Jing Qishan went up and said to all the soldiers: "After tonight, the history of Daqi Dynasty will be rewritten by you. You are all good men of Daqi. Your people, as well as the people of Daqi, are proud of you!"
……
Huatai, in a house below the city gate.
The Xiling general who was in charge of guarding Huatai was named Xie Kun.
Because the two countries had a truce and tonight was New Year's Eve, he drank a few more glasses and watched the performances of the beautiful women while drinking.
These women were once members of the Music Bureau of the Daqi Dynasty. They were good at singing and dancing, had graceful figures, and when they spread their sleeves, they were as light as a butterfly.
I never get tired of looking at Xie Kun.
I watched it until late at night.
Little did he know that while he was singing and dancing, blood had already begun to flow on the city walls.
Jing Qishan, Jiang Li and others had quietly sneaked onto the city wall from the southwest corner and killed the sentries on the city wall silently.
After killing the sentry at the southwest corner, he went around to several other city walls, and before those soldiers could react to what was happening, their necks were stabbed.
After they killed all the soldiers guarding the city, Jiang Li pulled the rope and jumped out of the rope gate, while Jing Qishan lit a torch on the city wall and waved it not far away.
This was a signal; once he waved the torches on the city wall, it meant the army could attack.
The soldiers lurking not far away suddenly came out in full force.
At this time, Jiang Li had already opened the city gate.
The other soldiers guarding Xiling only then realized that the Daqi Army was attacking.
They never expected that since they had agreed on a truce and had already let down their guard, why would the Daqi Army still attack?
However, by the time they reacted, it was too late, the Daqi Army had already attacked.
A soldier went to report to Xie Kun. Xie Kun was drunk at the time. When he heard that the Daqi army had attacked, he still didn't believe it and thought how could it be possible?
Clearly both sides had agreed to a truce.
He didn't come to his senses until he heard the deafening shouts outside.
"Attack, attack coming in?"
"They're coming in!"
Xie Kun was so angry that he threw the cup on the table to the ground: "Do these Daqi soldiers still keep their word? Song Haoyang, that old bastard!"
"It was Jing Qishan who led the attack."
"Go, fight immediately, and defend Huatai for me even at the cost of your life!"
"..."
However, it is impossible to defend it.
The Daqi army was unstoppable.
Because their morale had been boosted before the expedition, and now the battle situation was so stable, they became more and more courageous as they fought. Before dawn, they had killed all the Xiling troops in the city, and Xie Kun was captured alive.
……
Year 28, Imperial Palace.
This is the last court session this year. After today, the ministers will have a holiday.
Song Haoyang was also in the court today.
Today's court session was very unfavorable to him.
Because it is the last day of court, people usually take stock of the year’s events.
The Minister of Revenue said: "Last year, the military expenditure in the southwest was the highest, accounting for half of all military expenditures, and the troops were increased for three consecutive years, but there has been no progress for three consecutive years."
Song Haoyang was dissatisfied: "What the Minister said is right. No one can guarantee victory in a war. Besides, the Southwest Army is not completely without progress. Didn't they take over Qiu Ning City?"
The Minister of Revenue said: "Even if we take Qiuning City, we will still have the same number of soldiers as before, and because Qiuning City has been occupied for a long time, even if we take it, the original financial income has been occupied by the Xiling people, and the Ministry of Revenue will have to allocate funds again to maintain the military pay.
The Ministry of Revenue suggested that if Huatai could not be taken, Daqi’s expenses would increase year by year, resulting in huge losses.”
Song Haoyang was of course not convinced: "If the Minister thinks that I can't fight, then the Minister can recommend someone more capable to fight."
The Minister of Revenue did not speak.
There are few good generals in the army now, and the north needs guarding as well. Where can we spare the troops?
The old emperor asked Song Haoyang: "Didn't you, Lord Song, promise that you would capture Huatai before next autumn?"
Song Haoyang saluted and said, "Your Majesty, I have spoken my mind and I will not go back on my words. We must capture Huatai next autumn!"
The old emperor asked the Minister of Revenue again: "If we conquer it before next year, how much silver do you estimate it will cost?"
The Minister of Finance made a simple estimate in his mind and said, "According to General Song's strategy, 70 to 80 million per quarter, three times as much in three quarters."
Everyone in the court was shocked. They all knew that war cost money, but they didn't expect it to cost so much.
Song Haoyang was so angry that he didn't say anything.
There are no brave generals in the court now. So what if I spend a lot of money? In the end, you still have to rely on me?
The old emperor was helpless as well. He couldn't just say that he didn't want Huatai anymore. Since ancient times, no inch of the country could be given up.
Just as they were about to move on to the next topic, a military report suddenly came in, "Urgent report from the Southwest Border—"
Important military matters are reported to the emperor first and without delay.
The old emperor thought that the Southwestern Army was up to something again, but once he opened the military newspaper, he couldn't stop smiling.
"That's great, that's great, that's great!" He said "that's great" three times in a row.
The ministers below didn’t understand what was going on. Now that Song Haoyang and Ding Qi were back, what good could come of the Southwest Army?
The old emperor read out: "In the early morning of the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Xiling Army disregarded the contract and came to provoke us. Our Great Southwest Army could not bear the humiliation, so under the leadership of Jing Qishan, He Yongyuan, and Jiang Li, we took down Huatai in one fell swoop and wiped out the Xiling Army!"
The ministers below were surprised at first, and then they all knelt down together: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations, Your Majesty, and may the soldiers be more powerful!"
Song Haoyang also knelt down, and at this moment his heart was filled with suspicion and jealousy.
Jing Qishan, he is so brave!
The old emperor was now grinning from ear to ear, "Everyone says that my Great Qi Army doesn't have any powerful generals. Isn't that right, Jing Qishan, He Yongyuan, and Jiang Li? Pass my order and have them come to the capital immediately. I want to meet them!"