Love Lock

Chapter 327 So it turns out you... you guys

Inside Dongguan City, the golden-red sunset cast a blood-red hue on the upturned eaves of the Dongguan Marshal's Mansion.

The courtyard was rather quiet, with only a breeze blowing through, swirling up a few fallen leaves.

Inside the hall, Dongfang Jiming and Murong Tai sat facing each other.

The Grand Commander of the Dongming Intelligence Bureau was still dressed in a bright red brocade robe, his fingertips holding a bullet stained with dark red blood, examining it closely in the fading light of dawn.

General Murong Tai beside him was still in his armor, his brows furrowed, his bronze face showing the roughness and solemnity honed by the battlefield.

On the ebony wooden table between the two, besides two cups of hot tea, there was a particularly glaring white porcelain plate.

The porcelain plate contained more than twenty strange metal bullets, shaped like peanuts, but indescribably cold, hard, and menacing.

Some of the bullets still had blackened bloodstains clinging to their surfaces, which had not been completely wiped away. These were the only traces of the enemy found on the bodies of their entire patrol of more than twenty men after they were wiped out.

"Deep into the flesh and bone, leaving only a single hole, yet capable of taking a life in an instant..." Murong Tai's voice was as deep as muffled thunder. He slammed a bullet back into the dish, making a crisp "clink" sound. "What a vicious hidden weapon! Truly unheard of!"

Dongfang Jiming's eyes were deep and unfathomable as his fingertips slowly caressed the cold, smooth metal, as if trying to extract a hidden secret from it.

“This thing is neither a dart nor an arrow; its material is peculiar, and the spring that launches it must also be extraordinary.” He paused, then looked up at Murong Tai, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. “If Da Jing has such a powerful weapon, why didn’t they launch a counterattack on Dongguan after the successful ambush that day? Instead, they retreated hastily. This doesn’t make sense!”

Murong Tai snorted coldly: "Perhaps it's a deliberate feint, or... there's something else they're afraid of."

Are you wary?
Dongfang Jiming remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the setting sun moving silently, lengthening the shadows of the two people.

This object brought not only immense destruction but also an unsolved mystery.

It displayed a force beyond their comprehension, yet used it so haphazardly that it cast a shadow over their hearts, making it hard to breathe.

In the midst of this suffocating silence, a scout rushed into the hall, knelt on one knee, and broke the stagnant air with his voice.

"Report! Marshal, General! Traces of the Great Jing army have been discovered five miles outside the city, with a force of approximately 30,000!"

Murong Tai and Dongfang Jiming's eyes suddenly met, and they both saw surprise, suspicion, vigilance, and murderous intent in each other's eyes.

Dongfang Jiming suddenly spoke up, his words coming out very quickly: "General Murong, have the garrison in the city been replaced?"

Murong Tai was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up as he realized what was going on: "Of course they've changed into the Great Jing armor!"

"That's good!" A cold smile curled at the corner of Dongfang Jiming's lips, as if his previous confusion had found a temporary outlet. "Now that the enemy's main force has arrived, let's begin to lure them into the trap!"

He abruptly stood up, his red robe billowing: "Thirty thousand troops? If we put them into this fortified city, we can trap them and swallow them whole in an instant!"

Murong Tai also stood up, the blades of his armor clanging, his face filled with the resolute determination and murderous intent of a fierce general. "Just what I wanted."

Without another word, the two strode out side by side to head to the city tower to direct the defenses.

Just before stepping out the door, Dongfang Jiming paused slightly, then went back and grabbed three or four cold bullets from the blood-stained white porcelain plate, clutching them tightly in his palm.

The hard texture pressing against his flesh always made him feel like it was some kind of unresolved warning.

The setting sun painted the East Gate Tower with a poignant crimson hue. Murong Tai and Dongfang Jiming strode up the tower and gazed into the distance.

Sure enough, a dark mass could be seen in the distance outside the city. Approximately 30,000 reinforcements from the Great Jing had been arrayed, their military bearing impeccable and their killing intent palpable.

Murong Tai has ordered the city gates to be opened to allow the reinforcements from the Great Jing Dynasty to enter the city.

However, to their surprise, the 30,000 reinforcements stopped about 300 meters from the city, a distance that was just beyond the effective range of conventional crossbows, showing unusual caution.

The reinforcements deployed their troops 300 meters away, their war drums thundering and shouts of challenge echoing throughout the air, yet they showed no intention of advancing.

Murong Tai frowned, pressed his hand on the crenellation, and said in a deep voice, "Governor Dongfang, it seems they have seen through your trap and refuse to enter the city!"

He couldn't help but feel a little anxious; the cooked duck was about to fly away, and now it was turning around and clamoring at the door.

Dongfang Jiming also noticed. His face was gloomy, and his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the few cold, hard bullets in his pocket.

After a while, the reinforcements still did not advance.

Dongfang Jiming gazed at the heavily armed Jing army formation, a hint of malice and anger flashing in his eyes.

He sneered, his tone carrying a cruel decisiveness: "It doesn't matter. Since they refuse to come in, we'll go out and 'welcome' them. General Murong, let's implement the second plan! Let these loyal and brave men of the Great Jing see for themselves what kind of demeanor their marshal has become!"

As he spoke, he turned to the guards standing behind him and sternly ordered, "Go to the dungeon! Bring up Marshal Li Jianyong and all those tough guys from Dajing! Remember to prepare them properly! Make sure they can meet their comrades in the most 'glorious' way!"

The guard received the order, a knowing yet cruel smile flashing in his eyes, and quickly turned and ran down the city wall.

Upon hearing this, Murong Tai felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

He naturally knew what the so-called "preparation" and "sheep-leading ceremony" meant.

That was an act of extreme humiliation, aimed at completely destroying the dignity and fighting spirit of an individual or even an army.

Although he was a seasoned general who had seen life and death many times, he still felt a subtle resistance and chill deep down towards such deliberate humiliation and manipulation.

However, given the nature of the battle and the fleeting nature of opportunities, he could only suppress his discomfort.

He glanced at Dongfang Jiming and nodded: "We will follow the Governor's plan."

Murong Tai's orders were quickly relayed.

Before long, the 50,000 elite Dongming troops, who had been assembled and waiting for orders, surged out of the city gate like a tidal wave bursting its banks.

Their numbers were vast, almost double that of the Great Jing Army outside the city. They quickly formed an even larger and more imposing military formation in front of the city, with swords and spears like a forest, reflecting the blood-red light of the setting sun, their momentum menacing.

Immediately afterwards, a scene unfolded that froze the blood of all the soldiers of the Great Jing, leaving them utterly horrified.

A group of emaciated and ragged prisoners of the Great Jing were roughly led by Dongming soldiers with ropes, like sheep, and pushed to the front of the two armies.

Almost all the prisoners were wounded, staggering, and had empty, numb eyes. At the very front of them was Li Jianyong, the former marshal of Dongguan who had received special "attention."

The former commander of Dongguan had now completely lost all dignity. His gray hair was disheveled and covered with dirt and bloodstains.

The marshal's armor that once represented supreme glory and responsibility has long been stripped away, replaced by a "clothes" hastily sewn together from rough and dirty sheepskin, barely covering the body, and more like a deliberate symbol.

His hands were tied behind his back, and a rough rope loop was around his neck. The other end of the rope was held by one of Dongfang Jiming's personal guards—like leading a lamb to the slaughter.

"The shame of Jingkang has yet to be avenged; the hatred of the subjects, when will it end?" These are lines from "Man Jiang Hong" written by Yue Fei, the hero who resisted the Jin dynasty.

The Jingkang Incident, a humiliation in Chinese history, was known as the "sheep-leading ceremony."

It wasn't just the "hatred of a subject" as Yue Fei's poem described; it was a national humiliation that was constantly remembered and never forgotten by everyone from the emperor to the common people. The Jingkang Incident was a profound suffering for the Song Dynasty's military and civilians, and also the deepest scar in the hearts of countless women during the Song Dynasty.

During the Jingkang era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Jin army marched south, captured Bianjing (Kaifeng), and took Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, as well as a large number of royal family members and subjects prisoner.

After they were captured and taken to the Jin Dynasty, the prisoners were required to participate in the sheep-leading ceremony.

They were forced to wear the clothing of the Jurchen people, with headscarves wrapped around their heads, sheepskin coats covering their bodies, and their upper bodies exposed.

Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, along with their consorts, members of the imperial family, princes, sons-in-law, and princesses, were taken to the Aguda Temple of the Jin Dynasty.

They were stripped naked, draped in sheepskins, and had their necks tied with hemp ropes. Like livestock, they were dragged by the Jin soldiers around the ancestral temple of Emperor Taizu of Jin, Wanyan Aguda, nine times.

The "sheep-leading ceremony" was a great humiliation to the Northern Song imperial family, and the emperor was posthumously granted the titles of "Duke of Hunde" and "Marquis of Chonghun".

This humiliating treatment dealt an unprecedented blow to the Northern Song imperial family.

Many female captives chose to commit suicide because they could not bear the humiliation. Among them, Empress Zhu hanged herself after performing the sheep-leading ceremony, and after being rescued, she drowned herself.

After the sheep-leading ceremony, many women were arbitrarily humiliated and tortured by the Jin soldiers. Some were sent to the Jin capital, Shangjing, to be exiled at the behest of Emperor Taizong.

Hundreds of women were given to the Jin dynasty's garrison personnel, while another three hundred remained in the laundry quarters.

Many women were sold into brothels, or even to Goryeo or Mongolia as slaves. Most men, on the other hand, chose to endure humiliation and live in fear, hoping to one day take revenge.

At this moment, Li Jianyong's body was covered with whip marks and old and new wounds, his cheeks were swollen, and his mouth was cracked and bleeding, clearly indicating that he had suffered inhuman torture.

But he still tried his best to straighten his spine, even though that effort seemed so pale and powerless under extreme weakness and humiliation. His eyes were cloudy, but occasionally a trace of humiliation and stubbornness that refused to be completely extinguished would flash across them.

Dongfang Jiming stood on the city tower, side by side with Murong Tai.

He glanced triumphantly at the Great Jing army formation opposite him, which was clearly beginning to stir and whose anger was almost tangible, and a cruel and satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He deliberately raised his voice to make sure the wind could carry his words.

"Hahaha! General Murong, look! This is the pillar of the Great Jing, the former Marshal of Dongguan, Li Jianyong! Now it seems he's nothing more than a docile lamb under my Dongming banner!"

His voice was sharp and full of mockery, “You Great Jing reinforcements, look carefully! This is the marshal you admire! Now he is a spoil of war of my Eastern Ming, a ‘sheep-leading’ gift waiting to be presented to my emperor! If you know what’s good for you, lay down your weapons early, and perhaps you can at least get a whole corpse, or... like your marshal, linger on in misery, hahaha!”

His words were like poisoned needles, piercing the hearts of every soldier in the Great Jing Dynasty.

The Dongming soldiers in front of the battle line also burst into laughter, spewing all sorts of vulgarities and humiliating gestures.

Some even deliberately used their scabbards to poke Li Jianyong and other prisoners, causing them to stumble and fall in front of the enemy lines, making a complete spectacle of themselves.

"Marshal Li!"

"You scoundrel! Release Marshal Li!"

"I'll fight you to the death!" From within the reinforcements' ranks, a cacophony of grief-stricken roars, the grinding of teeth, and the clanging of weapons against armor filled the air.

The soldiers' eyes were bloodshot, their pupils filled with rage, and endless fury burned in their chests, almost breaking free of the restraints of reason.

Countless eyes were fixed on the humiliated figure—their commander! The hero who once defended their territory! Now he was being trampled upon by the enemy!
From Da Jiu's report, they learned that Dongguan City had fallen, Marshal Lu Chengyun had been captured, and that the 150,000 reinforcements led by Marshal Li Jianyong were likely doomed.

They even thought that the reinforcements had all died in battle, but they never expected that Dongming would be so despicable, not only capturing the soldiers of Dajing, but also torturing and humiliating them to the extreme.

General Yang Shaojie, mounted on his horse, trembled slightly as he tried his best to control himself. The veins on his hands, gripping the reins, were bulging, and his nails were almost digging into his palms.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently ahead, his chest churning with hatred like magma.

He wished he could immediately lead his troops to attack and tear those shameless bastards to pieces!
However, the order from Zhao Zun, the King of Cangzhou, echoed clearly in his ears: "Only challenge them, do not move your troops."

Moreover, the prisoners were right in front of the enemy lines. Once they charged, arrows would fly indiscriminately, and Marshal Li and his fellow countrymen would be the first to die.

He could only force out the order through gritted teeth: "Beat the drums! Keep beating the drums! No one is to move without my command!"

The mournful and urgent war drums resounded through the sky once again, but it seemed more like a lament for the compatriots who had been humiliated on the battlefield.

The deputy general parachuted in by the imperial court, Qiu Zhenyu, was a passionate advocate for war. He was sweating profusely and approached Yang Shaojie, urging him on with a hurried and excited voice.

"General Yang! What are we waiting for! The bandits are so arrogant, their morale has collapsed! If we don't attack now, when will we?! Are we just going to stand by and watch Marshal Li be humiliated? Order the attack now!"

Yang Shaojie whirled around, his bloodshot eyes glaring at him, and growled, “Is impulsiveness useful? Look! The prisoners are right in front of us! If we charge forward and the enemy retreats, who will be the first to die under the hail of arrows?! This is the Prince’s order! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!”

He longed to charge into battle, but as the commander-in-chief, he had to be responsible for the overall situation and for the lives of those Jing prisoners.

Qiu Zhenyu was momentarily speechless after being yelled at, but he was still unwilling to give up. He looked at Da Jiu again and said urgently, "General, we can't wait any longer."

Da Jiu glanced at him and said coldly, "Calm down, don't ruin the prince's plans."

Qiu Zhenyu said indignantly, "Your Highness, Your Highness! Who knows where that traitor is now?! Does he intend to wait until Marshal Li is tortured to death, and we have to watch him die before we are considered to be obeying his orders?!"

Just as the two were arguing, and the entire Da Jing army was shrouded in grief and powerlessness, Dongfang Jiming looked at the Da Jing army opposite him, who dared not charge, and his sinister smile grew even wider.

He turned to Murong Tai smugly and said, "General Murong, how about it? Now it's your turn to make your move! Take advantage of their confusion and crush them in one fell swoop!"

As Murong Tai watched the extremely humiliating scene below the city wall, and saw Li Jianyong standing there listlessly despite his lack of spirit, he, as a fellow soldier, felt an inexplicable sense of suffocation growing stronger.

But he was helpless. The opportunity was fleeting. He took a deep breath, suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, and slowly raised his right hand, ready to give the order for the entire army to launch an attack!
Sudden--

At this critical moment, a strange and rapid sound, completely different from the rhythm of the battlefield in this era, suddenly erupted from both sides of the rear of the Dongming army formation!
"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

"Boom!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Those were the distinctive, continuous, crisp bursts of fire from the M16 assault rifle! And the powerful roar of a light machine gun!

The moment the sound rang out, the soldiers on both sides of the rear of the Dongming army formation fell to the ground inexplicably, like wheat being cut down by an invisible scythe!

The clothing of the Dongming army was easy to identify: the prisoners were all dressed in sheepskin clothes with ropes around their necks, while the Dongming soldiers were all wearing armor.

The bullets were precise and deadly, specifically targeting the armored Dongming soldiers. Many died before they even understood what was happening.

The sudden attack came from an unseen enemy, and the manner of death was so bizarre and incomprehensible that it instantly triggered a huge panic!

"what happened?!"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack from behind!"

"Ah! My legs!"

"The enemy...where is the enemy?"

"Hide! Hide now!"

The tens of thousands of Dongming troops below the city wall were immediately thrown into chaos.

The soldiers panicked and instinctively released the prisoners they were holding. They jostled and pushed each other, looking around in terror for the source of the attack.

Soldiers at the city gate desperately pushed their way through, trying to escape back into the relatively safe city.

The once well-organized Dongming army formation crumbled in an instant, with countless soldiers trampling each other in the process.

Li Jianyong and other prisoners, who were about to be humiliated by the sheep-leading ceremony at the front of the battle, were momentarily forgotten by the chaotic Dongming soldiers.

This sudden turn of events greatly boosted the morale of the originally grief-stricken and indignant reinforcements of the Great Jing army!
"It's the Prince! It must be the Prince who made the move!" Yang Shaojie suddenly looked up, excitedly gazing in the direction from which the gunshots came.

Behind several inconspicuous earthen slopes and gullies in the distance, figures seemed to be moving quickly, their gun muzzles flashing and disappearing in an instant.

Qiu Zhenyu was also stunned, staring wide-eyed at the inexplicable chaos that had erupted behind the Eastern Ming army.

Murong Tai and Dongfang Jiming, who were standing on the city wall, were stunned by this sudden change!
They had absolutely no idea what was happening.

His soldiers fell to the ground as if under a spell, the ranks descended into chaos, and they fled frantically toward the city gate.

Dongfang Jiming was both shocked and furious. He leaned out of the crevice, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"No panic! Hold the line! Everyone hold the line! Anyone who retreats will be executed! Where are the enemies?! Find them..."

Dongfang Jiming's alluring appearance, coupled with his current ferocious expression of terror, made him resemble a demon. He tried to stabilize the situation and find the unseen enemy.

However, at that moment, from behind a distant earthen mound, Zhao Zun calmly locked onto the figure on the city wall who was furious and gesturing wildly – ​​Dongfang Jiming, the Grand Commander of the Dongming Intelligence Bureau.

Zhao Zun's lips curled into a cold smile as he whispered an order to a sharp-eyed, dark-skinned boy beside him: "Blackie, now's the time. Send that guy on his way."

Hei Ya Zi is the sharpshooter in the Fubing team, and also the boy who shot the Xuzhou garrison commander Qing He in the Xuzhou military camp last time, saving Song Yuanqing.

Hei Yazi calmly replied, "Yes!"

He quickly held his breath, aimed, and pulled the trigger!
"boom!"

A particularly clear and loud gunshot rang out from the chaos of the battlefield.

Dongfang Jiming, who was leaning forward and calling out, suddenly stopped.

A horrifying bloody hole instantly appeared on his shoulder, and the shock, anger, and disbelief in his eyes froze forever in that instant.

The immense impact caused him to stagger and tumble from the high battlements, crashing heavily onto the hard ground below with a dull thud. Blood quickly spread beneath him.

Dongfang Jiming—the head of intelligence who was renowned throughout Dongming—fell before the enemy in a way he could not comprehend at all.

"Grand Governor!"

Murong Tai, standing beside him, was terrified. He quickly crouched down and pressed himself tightly against the back of the battlement. His face was drained of color and filled with fear and bewilderment.

He had no idea what was happening; all he knew was that the attacks came from all directions!
Too scary!

This incomprehensible manner of death sent a chill down his spine, even for this seasoned veteran.

He looked at the spot where Dongfang Jiming had just stood, and didn't even have the courage to peek out to see where the enemy was.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Da da da!"

Gunfire continued, and the chaos among the Dongming army below the city reached its peak, resulting in a rout.

Over here, Qiu Zhenyu was completely shocked by Hei Yazi's amazing shot, feeling both terrified and inexplicably excited.

He urged Yang Shaojie again, "General Yang! An opportunity! A golden opportunity! The Dongming rebels are in chaos, their commander is dead, quickly order the attack! If not now, when?!"

Yang Shaojie was equally excited, but he still remembered Zhao Zun's order to "hold back." He was afraid that taking action on his own would disrupt Zhao Zun's overall plan, so he hesitated and was caught in a dilemma.

Just then, Da Jiu, who had been silently following Yang Shaojie, suddenly emitted a crackling sound of electricity, followed by a clear voice coming from his waist.

"Da Jiu, Da Jiu. Please respond if you hear me."

The sudden voice startled Yang Shaojie and Qiu Zhenyu, who looked at Da Jiu with surprise and suspicion.

Da Jiu took the walkie-talkie from his waist and calmly pressed the call button.

"Your Highness, I am Da Jiu. Please give your orders."

Zhao Zun's voice came through the walkie-talkie again: "You lead the new army to charge and kill the enemy immediately, and let General Yang's men be responsible for rescuing the prisoners."

Da Jiu replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Highness! Da Jiu received this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Da Jiu and several of his fellow members of the Big Character Team swung their shoulders in unison, throwing the long object that had been wrapped in cloth and carried on their backs to their front.

They deftly tore open the cloth covering, revealing a dark, gleaming, and uniquely shaped M16 assault rifle inside! It was exactly the same weapon Zhao Zun was holding.

Yang Shaojie and Qiu Zhenyu were shocked and broke out in a cold sweat when they saw this scene!
Qiu Zhenyu, in particular, had been suspicious of Da Jiu and the others ever since they left the capital, as they always carried strange long bundles. He had tried to probe them several times, but Da Jiu and the others only casually referred to them as "big knives."

Unexpectedly, the package contained the same deadly weapon that Zhao Zun had yesterday and that had just caused chaos!
And yet, they had been traveling with these people who possessed terrifying weapons for so long!
Qiu Zhenyu stared wide-eyed at Da Jiu, his voice trembling with shock and fear.

"So you...you...you were actually the traitor Zhao Zun's men!"

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