Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 853 was too sudden.
Of all the people, Fan Qing had the best eyesight.

Fan Qing could see clearly the flag on the large ship, on which a huge character "Yang" was fluttering.

So, the thatched huts on the salt flats were set on fire.

The villagers threw piles of junk from their homes onto the fire to smother the flames and prevent thick smoke from rising.

Thus, a simple beacon tower was formed.

Fortunately, Song Luxi was unwilling to give up and continued to slowly travel south along the coastline.

In fact, she had no idea where Yang Yuan was or what her situation was.

Even if they risked sending people ashore, it was unlikely they would get accurate information about Yang Yuan.

After all, even Yang Yuan himself wasn't sure where he would be next.

But Luxi just keeps moving south along the coastline, little by little.

All for a vague and uncertain possibility.

That was her second brother. She had enough patience, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance.

And it was precisely because of her seemingly foolish persistence that she actually got what she was waiting for.

The large ship has a deep draft; this area is not a good harbor and it cannot dock.

The small boat was lowered and was speeding toward the shore.

The people whose houses were burned down knelt on the ground, looking at their homes that had been reduced to ruins, unable to shed a tear.

"Old man, you have two choices. Either come with us to the State of Song, or..."

Yang Shou took a very heavy gold ingot from his subordinate. It was confiscated when they raided a wealthy Jurchen family in Pizhou.

Yang Shou placed the gold ingot in the hand of the old man with a full head of white hair: "This gold ingot is for you. Use it to build a new home."

Xin Qiji couldn't stand it any longer and coughed lightly: "Ahem, if you want to come with us after accepting the gold ingots, that's fine too."

Yang Shou's eyes widened: "That's right! How come I didn't think of that!"

As Yang Yuan watched the boat get closer and closer, he could even see clearly that the person standing at the bow was Lu Xi, and the person rowing was Ya Ge.

Lu Xi hadn't even figured out what was going on when she rushed over herself.

Yang Yuan immediately spurred his horse forward, leaped onto its back, and waved to the small boat on the sea.

Lu Xi had already seen the dark mass of people on the shore and realized that she had most likely met the person she was waiting for.

But... is that person still around?

Is he alright?

Is he still alive?
For a moment, Lu Xi felt a sense of trepidation, like "being close to home but feeling apprehensive."

Then she saw him standing on horseback.

Lu Xi's tears streamed down her face instantly.

She covered her mouth, choking back sobs, tears of joy blurring her vision.

Before the boat even reached the shore, Lu Xi couldn't wait to jump off and wade through the icy winter water towards Yang Yuan.

Just as she was about to trip and fall into the water, Yang Yuan rushed over and caught her, and the two hugged each other tightly.

Wu Youyao suggested that Yang Yuan go to Shanyang Town simply because the name "Sheyang Town" sounded like "shooting Yang" in Chinese, which she felt was unlucky.

Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, they actually found reinforcements here.

For a moment, the rebel leaders and soldiers who knew that Wu Youyao had previously "guided" Yang Yuan to move his troops to Shanyang Town looked at her with strange eyes.

After careful reflection, Tsubakiya Kana finally realized her problem.

The character 銟 is pronounced in the fourth tone, while 山 is pronounced in the first tone. I'm just being overly concerned.

Shanyang, Shanyang, means the sunny side of a mountain.

The sunny side of the mountain is south, so isn't it obvious that going to Shanyang Town will take you back to the south?

Youyao... no, Sister Youyao is indeed a woman with great supernatural powers!

In Shanyang Town, all the fishing boats, doors, beds, and even benches were tied together to make a vehicle that could carry people.

They really used every means possible to get people onto the ship as quickly as possible.

As for the people of Shanyang Town, the same advice applies: those who want to go with us, get on the boat.

For those who were afraid of unfamiliar places and unwilling to leave, they were given money and told to leave quickly.

The news of the arrival of the main force of the rebel army will not be kept secret for long, and the pursuers will soon arrive.

Yang Yuan always felt that the pursuers would arrive before they boarded the ship.

Perhaps it was because people read too many novels and plays in later years.

He always felt that it would be somewhat unreasonable to board the ship so peacefully.

Therefore, he insisted on staying until the end.

He assembled the best soldiers, equipped with the finest gear and horses, and deployed them in a defensive formation on the mudflats.

He even recalled a book he had read, in which the protagonist once severed iron chains with three blows on the banks of the River of Oblivion, halting tens of thousands of Liao cavalry.

Yang Yuan didn't know what he could possibly say here.

As a result, the Jin army did not arrive until everyone who needed cover had boarded the ship.

Therefore, Yang Yuan decided to board the ship.

Lu Xi stayed on the shore until this moment, when she finally boarded the small boat with Yang Yuan.

All the horses were naturally abandoned on the shore; at this point, they could only worry about the people and couldn't take care of the horses anymore.

By the time the last ship of soldiers sailed toward the large ship in the distance, it was already pitch black.

A cluster of torches in the distance, like a fire dragon, was chasing after them.

Thanks to Yang Yuan's troops' unwavering southward advance and their sudden shift from guerrilla warfare to a fight to the death, the Jin army also made timely adjustments.

The advance of 8,000 elite cavalry was a result of Yang Tang mobilizing all the elite cavalry forces that could be mobilized in Nanjing Road.

Therefore, even if the pursuing troops discovered traces of a large force moving towards Shanyang Town, they could not catch up quickly.

Furthermore, the Nanjing Road troops were worried that Yang Yuan would slip through, which would be their biggest mistake.

Therefore, they mainly blocked the way, because the border defense line was too long and they were simply unable to launch a proactive attack.

Therefore, they entrusted the task of pursuing and hunting the enemy to the troops that had come from the eastern Shandong route.

The pursuers were always right behind the rebels, a half-day's journey away.

So when they arrived, it was just as the rebel army had completed its great retreat.

Seeing the lights on the large ship in the distance, the Jin soldiers who had chased the Jin soldiers to the mudflats felt their hearts sink.

how can that be possible?
In this era, there were no modern communication conditions whatsoever.

So no one would have thought that the rebels, with their headless fighting style, could actually have arranged the ships in advance.

They completed their rendezvous mission in this location that could not possibly serve as a port.

Yang Yuan's intelligence was almost supernatural!

After this exclamation was uttered, the prescient Jin general from Shandong Road began to think about how to shift the blame to the Jin general from Nanjing Road.

……

"Report! Commander, a huge fleet has appeared at sea..."

A Song Dynasty naval soldier rushed into the residence of Lin Rongyue, the Imperial Naval Commander of Ganpu, and stammered out his report.

Lin Rongyue is preparing for the Lunar New Year; tomorrow is New Year's Day.

He glared and said in a deep voice, "Could it be that the Jin navy has arrived?"

The soldier shook his head vigorously: "No, it's a ship from our Song Dynasty."

Lin Rongyue glared at him again: "It's a ship from our Song Dynasty, what are you panicking about?"

The soldier stammered, "His Highness Prince Yan is on the ship!"

Lin Rongyue was silent for a moment, then jumped up and slapped the soldier across the face, making him stagger.

"Who the hell selected these bodyguards for me? They don't even know what to say when they're trying to deliver a message."

While grumbling, Lin Rongyue hurriedly took off his robe and ordered the maid, "Quickly, quickly, bring me my armor."

Lin Rongyue was Liu Shangqiu's third brother-in-law. He was the commander of the Qiantang Navy and once cooperated with Yang Yuan to go to sea to suppress the Arab pirates Shang Wadiye and Pu Yama.

Later, when Zhao Yuan ascended the throne, the national policy changed, and he was determined to launch a northern expedition, so the navy was also strengthened.

The Qiantang Navy was upgraded to the Ganpu Imperial Navy, and Lin Rongyue transformed into the commander of the East China Sea Fleet.

Lin Rongyue hurriedly dressed and rushed out of the mansion, stumbling along the way.

At this moment, at the Ganpu Wharf, the shipping officials were at a loss.

What's coming today isn't a merchant ship. The ship itself is a merchant ship, but it's carrying soldiers. These soldiers include both Song Dynasty government troops and Shandong rebels.

The Shandong rebels were reformed people, and since so many of them came at once, they were not under the jurisdiction of the shipping department.

However, there are only shipping personnel at the dock right now, and they are unsure whether they should let the ship pass.

However, before they could figure it out, those warships that weren't actually warships had already sailed into the dock without stopping.

The ship crew didn't dare to lower the sluice gates.

The people standing at the bow of the ship looked like humanoid beasts; their eyes were terrifying.

They had an instinctive fear that if the locks were lowered, these people would dare to ram the boat directly into it.

Lin Rongyue rushed to the dock and saw those enormous vessels in the distance.

Lin Rongyue was about to rush over when he suddenly had a thought and stopped in his tracks.

After thinking for a moment, he suddenly changed course and went first to the office of the shipping department located at Ganpu Wharf.

He soon found out that the Prince of Yan had returned from the Jin Kingdom.

Not only did the Prince of Yan return, but he also successfully brought back the Shandong rebels.

Although Yang Yuan had more than 20,000 members of the rebel army, including the elderly and children, who were active in the Qingzhou area before he went to the Jin Kingdom.

But now he has brought back only about two thousand people.

However, the significance of this is self-evident.

As Lin Rongyue pondered this, he hurried to the dock.

As he prepared to board the tallest and largest flagship, he saw people disembarking from the ship.

The man was dressed as a businessman, and his steps were hurried and very agile.

Lin Rongyue's eyes narrowed slightly. The Prince of Yan had just returned, and no one except the people on this dock should know this news.

However, some people had already boarded the ship to see the Prince of Yan.

So, who is this person?

A thought flashed through Lin Rongyue's mind, but he didn't dare to think about it further.

"Commander Lin, please."

A captain stood at the bow of the ship, and Lin Rongyue straightened his armor and solemnly stepped onto the deck.

"Brother Lin, you've arrived."

As soon as I stepped onto the deck, Yang Yuan walked over with a beaming smile.

These days, traveling through various prefectures and cities in the three routes of the Jin Kingdom, enduring hardships of ice and snow, Yang Yuan has become somewhat thinner and darker, but his eyes have become even brighter.

Lin Rongyue felt somewhat apprehensive upon hearing this form of address.

He is the Prince of Yan, a dignified ruler, while he is merely the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. How can he be considered a brother?

But in terms of personal relationships, they could indeed be considered brothers.

Because Lin Rongyue married Liu Shangqiu's third sister, and the sixth sister, Liu Yanran, is now Yang Yuan's woman.

"Your Majesty..."

Lin Rongyue inexplicably felt a heavy weight on his shoulders from being called "Big Brother".

Yang Yuan smiled and said, "We're family, no need for the title 'King.' Brother Lin, just call me Ziyue. Please."

Yang Yuan took Lin Rongyue's arm and they went into the cabin together.

Yang Yuan told Lin Rongyue about his journey through the Jin Kingdom, how he impersonated the young master of the Fucha family, how he found the rebel army camp, and how he led them to fight in various places...

Lin Rongyue also told Yang Yuan about the situation in the court that he knew and that could be made public.

It's all just a bunch of nonsensical talk that sounds thrilling and interesting, but is utterly devoid of any substance.

Finally, Yang Yuan said with a smile and nonchalantly, "Tomorrow is New Year's Day. I am going to the northern country and will be gone for a hundred days. Your Majesty must be worried about me."

Therefore, I am eager to return home. Although we are relatives and it is rare for us to get together, I simply cannot wait any longer.

"I am about to set off to continue upstream, so that I may be able to arrive in time for the New Year's Day festival and deliver the good news to the officials."

Lin Rongyue smiled and said, "Your Majesty..."

"Eh~"

"Ahem, Ziyue, your large boat is quite inconvenient to travel on the river. Would you like me to provide a faster boat?"

"No need. Although the Clippers are fast, how can they transport my four thousand warriors?"

"Uh……"

"They faced death nine times out of ten in the North. Those who survived are all great heroes who fought bloody battles and endured countless hardships."
"In this joyous occasion of the New Year, such a brave warrior should go to Lin'an to witness the grandeur of our Celestial Empire on New Year's Day."

"Ah, ha, yes, yes..."

Lin Rongyue's heart leaped into his throat.

No way?
Can't you?
impossible?

Those are soldiers!

Soldiers who crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Even the three thousand light cavalry originally belonging to the Imperial Guard should have stopped at the border and await further orders from the capital before determining the next course of action.

Not to mention, there were two thousand former soldiers on board.

No matter what you say, they all came from the Jin Kingdom and were brought directly to the capital without any imperial permission.

This is completely against the rules.

However, the Prince of Yan was renowned, and in every aspect—civil, military, and noble title—he was absolutely overwhelmed by him.

He simply couldn't muster the courage to object or offer any advice.

Furthermore, given the personal relationship between the two, and the fact that the court had just appointed the Crown Prince's faction official as Deputy Commander-in-Chief last month, it was clear that after a period of transition, he would be replaced.

All of this made Lin Rongyue's mind race, but he didn't voice any objections.

Yang Yuan's tone indicated that he was merely informing him, not seeking his opinion.

He didn't even think that Lin Rongyue, as the commander of the East China Sea Fleet, needed his permission to bring more than two thousand killing gods from the Jin Kingdom who had never set foot on Song territory from his own territory.

After Yang Yuan finished speaking, he served tea and saw the guest out.

Lin Rongyue did not feel at all that this was Yang Yuan's contempt for him.

This is clearly a sign of care.

When Lin Rongyue returned to the dock, Yang Yuan's fleet had already started moving, slowly leaving the dock and continuing northward.

When the large ship passed by, all merchant ships and passenger ships had to urgently move to the side.

Even if they weren't afraid of the flags flying at the bow, they were still worried that the rampaging warship would knock them into the water.

Lin Rongyue stood dejectedly on the dock, watching ships sail past, feeling a sense of dreamlike disbelief.

This is... unbelievable.

Extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, it's really... too "extraordinary".

At the bow of the boat, Xin Qiji slowly walked to Yang Yuan's side.

Yang Yuan stared ahead without saying a word.

Just as the ship arrived at the dock, the people who were on the same ship in Ganpu boarded to see him.

Yang Yuan had obtained the answer he wanted from Tong Zhou and issued a series of orders.

At this moment, he appeared calm, but it was as if a volcano was boiling inside his chest.

Xin Qiji gazed at Yang Yuan's profile. The lights along the riverbank made his eyes flicker, as if the years were constantly being erased and reborn within them.

Xin Qiji suddenly said, "Your Majesty, do you really dare to do such an extraordinary thing?"

Yang Yuan slowly turned to Xin Qiji, looking at him calmly: "Otherwise, should I wait for him to torment me a thousand times over?"

Xin Qiji frowned and thought for a moment, then asked, "Isn't this... too sudden?"

“Who isn’t?” Yang Yuan smiled meaningfully.

Xin Qiji nodded: "Alright, I'll go with you!"

When Wanyan Liang stormed the palace, there were no more than ten people with him.

The Miao-Liu mutiny involved only two thousand people.

Thinking about it this way, Xin Qiji suddenly realized that although it was a bit rushed, it might not be without potential!
He then glanced at Wu Youyao, who stood quietly beside Yang Yuan, the magical woman who could predict good and bad fortune.

Wu Youyao didn't say a word, but just gazed at her man with deep affection.

Xin Qiji was even more confident: there must be a chance!

(End of this chapter)