Starting from 1618 of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 86 The City Falls

The east gate of Yuncheng.

Smoke filled the city gate, and flames soared into the sky.

The heavy iron-clad city gate was blasted into pieces, with splinters of wood and iron scattered all over the ground. The aftershocks of the explosion still reverberated in the air, making eardrums buzz and obscuring everything.

Lu Yan got up from the ground, shook his head, and tried to clear his mind.

"The city gates have opened!"

Kong Youde's roar pierced through the smoke of battle, striking everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

Lu Yan took out a signal flare from his pocket, lit the fuse, and fired it into the night sky.

A red light pierced the darkness and bloomed in the sky above Yuncheng, like a bewitching blood flower.

That was a signal to the government troops outside the city—

The city gates have been breached; we can now attack.

Almost at the same moment, deafening shouts of battle erupted outside the city.

The government troops, who had been waiting for a long time, surged towards the east gate like a tide. Torches stretched as far as the eye could see, turning half the sky red. The sounds of horses' hooves, footsteps, and clashing weapons mingled together, creating a tragic war song.

"Hold on! Hold on!"

On the city wall, the White Lotus Sect's defenders were still putting up a stubborn resistance. They used arrows, stones, and rolling logs to desperately stop the government troops' attack.

But the tide had turned.

Once the city gates were opened, Yuncheng's defenses completely collapsed.

Kong Youde led the veterans of Liaodong to charge up the city wall, wielding short swords and sending blood and flesh flying. These fierce soldiers, who had fought their way through the Liaodong battlefield, were far more powerful than the rabble of the White Lotus Sect.

"kill!"

Kong Youde slashed down an enemy with one blow, blood splattering all over his face, but he was oblivious and continued charging forward.

Lu Yan led the third team to guard the city gate entrance, preventing the White Lotus Sect reinforcements from approaching.

"Grenade!"

He threw another grenade, which blew up a group of enemies who were trying to rush over.

"Master, the government troops are here!"

Zhao Changying shouted excitedly.

Lu Yan looked back and, sure enough, a large number of government troops had poured into the city gate. They were carrying torches and brandishing swords and spears, rushing into the city like a flood.

"Make way! Let them in!"

Lu Yan led his men to the side, making way for the government troops.

The government troops surged into the city like a tidal wave, quickly flooding the entire street. The White Lotus Sect's resistance appeared so fragile and powerless in the face of this torrent.

"The city has fallen! The city has fallen!"

Someone shouted something, and the entire city of Yuncheng erupted in excitement.

……

Meanwhile, at the west gate of Yuncheng.

Xu Hongru rode on a thin horse, his face as pale as paper.

He had fewer than two hundred close confidants left by his side, all of them looking terrified, like stray dogs.

"Master, the east gate has fallen, and government troops are searching everywhere. We must leave quickly!"

"A trusted confidant said anxiously."

Xu Hongru glanced back at the burning city behind him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

Yuncheng, his base of operations that he had built up over three years, was gone just like that.

Three years of hard work and planning vanished overnight.

Who is it?

He asked through gritted teeth.

Who opened the city gates?

"Reporting to the Master, I heard it was a man named Lu Yan," the confidant replied. "He's a merchant from Jinan, a scholar who passed the imperial examinations, and he brought a local militia to assist in the battle. He led his men to infiltrate the city through the water gate and blew it open."

"Lu Yan..."

Xu Hongru silently murmured the name, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.

"I've got it."

He spurred his horse and charged towards the west gate.

"Let's go! We need to retreat to the mountains first!"

The garrison at the west gate had long since fled, leaving the city gate wide open. Xu Hongru led his remaining troops, taking advantage of the darkness, and fled wildly towards the western mountains.

However, they had barely rushed out of the city gate for less than half a mile when a cluster of torches suddenly lit up the darkness ahead.

"Who is it?"

Xu Hongru suddenly pulled on the reins, his pupils contracting sharply.

In the firelight, a troop of cavalry blocked their path. Leading them was a military general in full armor, wielding a long spear, with a stern face.

"White Lotus Demon Bandit, where do you think you're going!"

The general shouted and swung his spear, and the cavalry behind him roared out and surrounded Xu Hongru and his group.

Xu Hongru's face turned deathly pale instantly.

These are government troops lying in ambush!

They had anticipated that they would break out from the west gate and had laid an ambush there in advance!

"Fight your way out!"

Xu Hongru roared hysterically, drew his sword from his waist, and charged forward.

But his confidants were already terrified and had no courage to fight. Some turned their horses around to escape, while others jumped off and knelt down to beg for mercy, creating chaos.

The government cavalry seized the opportunity to charge, their blades flashing, and screams of agony rising and falling.

Xu Hongru's mount was pierced by a spear, let out a mournful cry, and collapsed to the ground. He was thrown out and crashed heavily to the ground, his sword flying out of his hand.

Before he could get up, several soldiers pounced on him and pinned him down.

"We've caught them! We've caught the ringleader!"

The officers and soldiers shouted excitedly.

Xu Hongru struggled desperately, but his arms were tied behind his back, rendering him unable to move. He raised his head, looking at the military officer on horseback, his eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.

"Who are you?"

The military officer dismounted, walked up to him, and looked down at him.

"I, Yang Zhaoji, have been waiting here for some time on the orders of the Governor."

Yang Zhaoji.

General of Shandong.

Xu Hongru closed his eyes, a feeling of despair welling up inside him.

It’s over.

It's all over.

He proclaimed himself "Emperor Fulie of the Restoration" and established the reign title "Dacheng Xingsheng," attempting to overthrow the Ming Dynasty and establish a new one.

In the end, it was all just a pipe dream.

"take away!"

With a wave of his hand, Yang Zhaoji ordered the soldiers to tie Xu Hongru up and put him on a prison van.

……

By daybreak, the battle of Yuncheng was basically over.

The government troops took control of the entire city and began to purge the remaining White Lotus sect members. The streets were littered with corpses, some of them members of the White Lotus sect, others innocent civilians. Blood flowed through the cracks in the stone slabs, forming dark red streams.

Lu Yan stood on the city tower of the East Gate, looking down at the city that was in ruins.

The first rays of dawn shone on his weary face. A night of fighting had left him in a state of high tension, and now he could finally relax a little.

"Boss, the inventory is complete."

Zhao Changying walked up to the city wall and handed over a list.

"Our men suffered three dead and eleven wounded. Kong Youde's side suffered five dead and eight wounded."

Lu Yan took the list and looked it over carefully.

Eight lives were exchanged for a city.

By any measure, this is a win-win situation. But the families of those eight people probably won't think so.

"Is the compensation money ready?"

"It's all ready. As the master said, one hundred taels for the dead, fifty taels for the wounded, not a penny less."

"Personally deliver the compensation money to their homes," Lu Yan said. "Tell their families that their son, husband, and father are heroes."

"yes."

Zhao Changying turned to leave, but then stopped.

"Master, there's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Xu Hongru has been captured."

Lu Yan's eyes lit up: "Where did you catch it?"

"Outside the West Gate. General Yang had already laid an ambush there, and Xu Hongru ran into them as soon as he left the city. He's now being held in the main camp, and I hear he's going to be escorted to the capital as a prisoner of war."

Lu Yan nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips.

With Xu Hongru captured, the White Lotus Sect was leaderless, and the rebellion was finally quelled.

Next, it was time to reward those who had contributed.

"Where is Fan Fu?"

"He's busy in the city," Zhao Changying said in a low voice. "As instructed by the master, he took his men to the blacksmith's shop in the east of the city. There are over three hundred craftsmen imprisoned there, all captured by the White Lotus Sect to forge weapons."

"Alright. Have him take everyone to our camp outside the city, and treat them to good food and drink. I'll make further arrangements after things in the city are settled."

"yes."

Zhao Changying accepted the order and left.

Lu Yan stood alone on the city wall, watching the sun gradually rise in the distance.

The city has fallen, but the matter is not over yet.

Next, there are more important things to do—

To compete for credit.

In this officialdom, merit is never something that grows on your own; it is something you fight for.

He was just a minor scholar, less than a dog in the eyes of those generals and lieutenant generals. If he didn't fight for it, this tremendous achievement would be divided up by those people.

"Fan Fu."

He said this without turning his head.

"Here." Fan Fu had returned at some point, emerging from the shadows.

"Did they take all the artisans from the city with them?"

"They've been taken away. All 317 people, not one missing. In addition, 800 jin of gunpowder and 20,000 jin of iron were found in the blacksmith's cellar, all of which have been loaded onto carts and transported away."

Lu Yan nodded in satisfaction.

"Well done. These things are worth more than anything else."

He turned around and his gaze fell on Fan Fu's face.

"There's one more thing."

"Please give your orders, sir."

"Have you dealt with that Wang guy's line in the city properly?"

A cold glint flashed in Fan Fu's eyes.

"It's all been dealt with. They died tragically in the chaos of battle; no one will be able to find out."

"good."

Lu Yan patted him on the shoulder.

"Keep this to yourself."

"Don't worry, sir, I understand."

Lu Yan turned and walked down the city wall, his shadow stretching long in the morning light.

Below the city gate, government troops were escorting prisoners and clearing away corpses. Cries, curses, and the clashing of weapons filled the air.

In chaotic times, human life is as worthless as grass.

But Lu Yan knew that it was precisely in such a chaotic world that people like him could have an opportunity.

He won the Battle of Yuncheng.

Next, it's time to reap the rewards of victory.