si-mexico Chapter 1821 Borrow My Knife to Kill Someone
Chapter 1821 Borrow My Knife to Kill Someone
In front of the battle.
Liu Xiu took a deep breath, gathering his strength, and his voice was like rolling thunder, clearly spreading to every corner of the training ground:
"Soldiers of the Han Dynasty!"
Just five words cheered up all the soldiers and straightened their chests.
"The rebels against Chu are ruthless and have invaded our territory, slaughtered our people, and insulted our late emperor! This hatred is irreconcilable!"
Liu Xiu's voice rose, filled with grief, indignation, and strength. "Now, the Chu bandits have stationed their troops in Hongdu, attempting to destroy our country and our ancestral temples! Our Han dynasty has been established for hundreds of years, weathering many storms. How have we ever bowed to an enemy?"
"Behind you is Chang'an! It's your parents, wives, and children! It's the land where our ancestors have lived for generations! We have no way to retreat!"
His words were so contagious that many soldiers' eyes began to turn red, their breathing became heavy, and they gripped their weapons tightly.
"Today, I will go to war with you!"
"Wherever my sword points, your troops will follow! My life and death will be with you! With the Han Dynasty!"
Liu Xiu's voice reached its climax, and he suddenly drew out the sword at his waist with a "clang". The sunlight flowed on the sword, reflecting a dazzling light.
The tip of the sword pointed directly towards Hongdu City, and a deafening roar was uttered:
"Three armies, listen to my command! Follow me—the troops will march to Hongdu City and kill the Chu Emperor, Chu Ning! With the blood of the Chu thieves, we will commemorate our fallen soldiers! With victory, we will defend the glory of our Han Dynasty!"
"Great Man—Ten Thousand Victories!"
He shouted the last four words almost at the top of his lungs!
"Wan Sheng!"
"Wan Sheng!"
"Wan Sheng!"
After a brief silence, the entire training ground was in an uproar!
The pent-up grief, determination to die, and loyalty to the emperor of the 200,000 soldiers were completely ignited at this moment!
They waved their swords, spears, swords and halberds frantically, and shouted deafeningly with all their strength!
The sound waves rose higher and higher, reaching the sky, as if to tear the sky apart! Even the earth was shaking!
Amidst this earth-shaking shout, Liu Xiu swung the sword in his hand forward fiercely!
"set off!"
The command flags were waving and the war drums were beating again, more rapid and violent than before!
The huge army formation began to move slowly like a dragon awakening.
The cavalry in the front row took the lead in urging their horses to move forward, and the infantry phalanx in the center marched with heavy and orderly steps, and the subsequent baggage trains followed suit.
Dust rose up into the sky, blocking out the sun.
Liu Xiu mounted his horse and joined the march under the protection of a group of elite imperial guards.
The golden armor was faintly visible in the smoke and dust, like a flag guiding the direction.
The final destiny of the Han Dynasty rolled forward along the official road leading to Hongdu, heading towards the unknown and destined tragic end.
At the same time, thousands of miles away, in the imperial palace of the Tang Dynasty, which stood on equal footing with the Han Dynasty and the Chu State, an atmosphere of tranquility and solemnity, unlike that of Chang'an, was prevailing.
In the imperial study, the scent of sandalwood wafts through the air.
The Tang Emperor Li Shiming was dressed in casual clothes and sitting behind a large rosewood desk.
In his hand was a secret letter that was expedited through a special channel. The letter paper was made of fine silk, and the handwriting was vigorous and powerful, yet with a hint of urgency - it was a handwritten letter from Liu Xiu, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty.
Li Shiming's eyes slowly swept over every word in the letter, his eyes were deep and his mood could not be seen.
He read very carefully, as if he wanted to see through these words and see through all the calculations and anxieties in the writer's heart.
Prime Minister Changsun Wuji stood respectfully below with his hands hanging down, his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, maintaining absolute silence and patiently waiting for the decision of the heroic lord on the throne.
The study was so quiet that the only sounds could be heard were the occasional crackling of lamp sparks and the light tapping of the emperor's fingertips on the table.
After a long time, Li Shiming finally put down the silk in his hand.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, the corners of his mouth suddenly curled up into a smile, and he let out an ambiguous chuckle, breaking the oppressive silence.
"Haha...Interesting."
He picked up the letter and shook it at Changsun Wuji: "Liu Xiu wants to borrow my sword to kill Chu Ning's people."
His tone was filled with a hint of amusement and knowing sarcasm: "In his letter, he said that he had personally led the entire nation's troops to Hongdu to fight a decisive battle with Chu Ning."
"He hopes that I, mindful of the principle of 'lips and teeth', will immediately order an all-out attack on the Chu army in Wei on the eastern front to tie down the Chu army's strength and aid him."
"He also promised that after the success, he would transfer all thirty-six counties in Wei to the Tang Dynasty."
At this point, the smile on Li Shiming's face grew even wider, yet also grew colder: "Humph, he's quite calculating!"
"With empty words, he expects us, the men of the Tang Dynasty, to shed blood and die for his Liu family kingdom? The Wei territory is now under the control of the Chu general Feng Anguo. What does it have to do with the Han Dynasty?"
"What qualifications does Liu Xiu have to discuss the ownership of Chu's territory with me and do this empty favor?"
Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji stroked his beard, a knowing smile appeared on his face. He took a step forward and said slowly:
"Your Majesty is wise and saw through Liu Xiu's embarrassment and calculations at a glance."
"His actions proved that the Han Dynasty had indeed reached the end of its rope and was at the end of its rope."
"Otherwise, with the arrogance of Liu Xiucai upon ascending the throne, he would never have written such a nearly pleading and concessionary letter."
He changed the subject and analyzed, "However, Your Majesty, Liu Xiu's personal expedition is indeed a risky move, but it may also be a brilliant one."
"This move will surely greatly boost the remaining morale of the Han people. Perhaps, it can really stop Chu Ning's troops temporarily at the foot of Hongdu City."
Zhang Sun Wuji's eyes grew sharper, and his voice lowered a bit: "As long as Chu Ning's main force of more than 100,000 is held hostage by Liu Xiu in the Hongdu battlefield and cannot turn eastward... then the Chu army in Wei will be isolated!"
"Our army and the Scorpion Clan's coalition forces total 300,000 men. Facing the Chu army, which also has 300,000 men, our forces are evenly matched, but the enemy commander is trapped, and their morale will surely be affected!"
"This is indeed a golden opportunity for our army to launch an all-out attack, defeat Feng Anguo in one fell swoop, and seize Wei territory!"
He became increasingly excited as he spoke, clearly seeing the enormous strategic benefits involved. "If this war were to begin, the combined forces deployed on both sides of Hongdu and Wei would likely exceed 600,000!"
"The scale of this event is unprecedented, enough to determine the future of the empire! I suggest that Your Majesty proceed with the flow and agree to Liu Xiu's request!"
Finally, he proposed a specific candidate: "To ensure victory in this battle, I recommend that General Li Jing be appointed commander-in-chief!"
"General Li is a master of military strategy, steady and dignified. He is capable of coordinating the overall situation and coordinating our army with the various divisions of the Scorpion Clan. He will surely achieve complete victory!"