Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 38 Chen Liqing

Zhu Wen had a strong ability to observe the battlefield. After just a few rounds of charging, he could see that the attacking government troops were not many, numbering only a few thousand soldiers.

However, the Cao army dispersed and besieged the city, so only a small part of them were attacked. They were also hit by the fire attack and suffered a crushing defeat.

As long as the knights can hold out until Huang Chao leads the infantry to support them, the enemy will be unable to expand their victory and will have to retreat.

Since Liu Yanzhang, the deputy leader of the Zhenyi League, has managed to reorganize his troops, there is no big problem.

While she was pondering this, she heard a roar like thunder: "You lowly ants, die before me!"

Suddenly a rider appeared in the enemy camp, wearing a golden phoenix wing crown with shining clouds on his head, clad in gilded armor, and riding a horse that was as fast as charcoal and lightning. He was a very heroic female general with thick eyebrows; but his expression was as if he were crazy, and there was murderous intent in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.

Bai Qi, a lieutenant under Zhu Wen, fell behind the cavalry. When he heard the roar of the incoming cavalry, he was immediately frightened and both the men and horses trembled. Before the battle lasted three rounds, the female general grabbed his neck and hung him in the air. He struggled desperately with his feet, and his white battle robe was shaking like a shroud. Soon his face turned blue, and his tongue hung out like a hanged ghost. He died on the spot.

Initially, Zhu Wen's subordinate Huo Cun charged into the Mule Army's ranks, captured a horse, and presented it to the general. This female general also captured Bai Qi on the battlefield and strangled him on the spot, a clear act of revenge against the Cao Army.

The female general strangled Bai Qi to death and threw his body to the ground with disdain, crushing even his Adam's apple. Undeterred, the female general rode her horse over Bai Qi's corpse, causing his chest and abdomen to explode with popping sounds, and his internal organs burst out in a riot of color.

The female general was so excited about the killing that she felt hot all over and her face flushed. She opened her battle robe, took off her helmet and hung it on the victory hook at her waist. Her hair was disheveled, and her facial features were still as beautiful as flowers and the moon. She looked ferocious, as if she was a demon witch rushing out of the hell of mud.

Zhu Wen frowned when he saw the crazy woman and turned to his second brother Zhu Cun: "Second brother, do you recognize this crazy woman?"

Zhu Cun raised his large hand and scratched his head, pulling a louse out of his hair and squashing it flat. "Let me think... isn't there a group of Five Heaven-burning Swords under Commander Yan? This is probably the 'Phoenix Sword' Chen Liqing."

Marshal Xue Qi Kerang has the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper under his command, and Marshal Yan has the Five Swords of Burning Heaven under his command. They are all young generals who serve as the commander-in-chief's personal guards and are highly trusted.

Zhu Wen looked as if he had suddenly realized something. "Isn't she the legitimate daughter of the Zhejiang branch of the Yingchuan Chen family, whose entire family was slaughtered by the rebels seventeen years ago during Qiu Fu's rebellion, leaving her in a state of disrepute?"

"I remember this woman's late father was called Chen Jian, courtesy name Qingzhen. He was a lowly official, and he got there through the backdoor."

Zhu Cun slowly corrected him, "Chen Yu, courtesy name Xizhen, was the patriarch of the Zhejiang branch of the Yingchuan Chen family and the former magistrate of Cixi County. He gained office through opportunism and cruelly oppressed the people, inciting the Qiufu Rebellion. During the turmoil, he abandoned his wife and daughter and fled. He was executed according to law by General Wang Shi, who came to quell the rebellion, to appease the public anger."

Zhu Wen slapped his forehead and said, "Yes, yes, I always forget these little things."

When Chen Liqing heard the two brothers singing in unison, her already crazy face suddenly became as terrifying and ferocious as a wolf, and her eyes revealed bloodthirsty murderous intent.

"Hahahaha..." Her sneer seemed to be forced out from her lungs: "Where did these fearless pariahs come from? The stories you tell are not funny."

"It's a true story, of course it's not very funny." Zhu Wen said calmly: "That old woman who is almost thirty years old, do you want to fight with me?"

Chen Liqing's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "Little bastard, I recognize you. Don't think you've managed to kill Kou Qianzhi on foot. You're no match for me on horseback! Kou Qianzhi is a cavalry general and isn't good at foot combat. Killing him wouldn't be fair."

"If you dare to fight me, I will teach you how cruel death can be."

Zhu Wen nodded and rubbed his hands together. "That's perfect. I'm not good at cavalry combat either. Crazy woman, I'll use you as a training ground."

Chen Liqing gritted her teeth, swung the green spear in her hand, urged her horse like the wind, and rushed towards Zhu Wen!

Zhu Wen could clearly see that the Green Shen spear's shaft was made of extremely hard Green Shen bamboo, gleaming green, while the blade was a blazing red. Even more surprising, where the spearhead should have been at the end of the shaft, there was also a spearhead.

Double-edged spear.

The spear is called the "king of all weapons", but the "double-edged spear" with blades at both ends is called the "thief of all weapons".

This weapon, which was used by Gongsun Zan, a vassal lord in the late Han Dynasty, and Ran Min, the King of Wudao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, can be used both forward and backward stabbing. It is extremely difficult to use and is extremely vicious and tricky in combat. Every warrior who can wield it has outstanding skills.

When facing a group of enemies lacking armor, a master can even grasp the middle part of the double-edged spear, spinning it around like a windmill and killing the enemy, causing their flesh and limbs to fly all over the sky.

Zhu Wen did not dare to be negligent. He took up the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword, rode his horse and brandished the sword to meet the enemy.

Chen Liqing swung the double-edged green spear in her hand, and there was a loud bang in the air. The red spear tip was like a comet hitting the moon, piercing Zhu Wen's chest.

The crimson spear blade resembled a sword, was half a foot long, and extremely sharp. Facing Zhu Wen, who was only wearing leather armor in the scorching heat, it was obvious that it could easily penetrate his armor.

Zhu Wen's sword's armor-piercing ability was far inferior to that of spears and swords. Its advantage lay in its ability to strike multiple opponents simultaneously with a single sweep. Its single-sided blade also made it less likely to injure friendly forces, making it particularly useful in melee combat.

He blocked it with a backhand knife, pushing the spear tip away.

However, Chen Liqing used a series of deadly moves, and the tip of her spear was like a thorn in the flesh. Along with the furious roar of this crazy woman, she tried her best to stick to Zhu Wen, making it difficult for him to find a chance to counterattack.

In contrast, the lance is undoubtedly the king of horse combat! The wide distance between the two sides in horse combat can maximize the advantage of the lance's length.

Chen Liqing, who wielded a double-edged spear, had a vicious and varied fighting style. For example, when Zhu Wen rode around to attack her from behind, she would simply stab him with the other end of her green spear, forcing him to parry.

Zhu Wen had to admit that Chen Liqing was right.

Fighting with the generals and the teachers is not just about having a number above everyone's head and then simply comparing the size of the number.

Besides the individual proficiency of the warriors and their strength, a host of other factors, such as the environment, weapons, mentality, fighting spirit, and the first and last move, can all influence the outcome of a duel. Examples of the weak defeating the strong are not uncommon in history.

For Zhu Wen, the cavalry duel was a chance to exploit Chen Liqing's strengths by exploiting his own weaknesses. In both horsemanship and cavalry combat skills, the opponent was superior to him.

Moreover, Zhu Wen knew that this woman was also nicknamed "Female Flying Guard." Even if Junior Junior Sister Duan Hongyan competed with her in archery, she might not be able to defeat her.

If she didn't have any ability, how could the world-renowned Marshal Yan use such a fool?

As a person who knew nothing about riding and shooting, Zhu Wen could only get as close to Chen Liqing as possible. He would rather be attacked frequently by her spear skills than give her a chance to attack him with a sneak arrow.

It is much easier to block a gun attack with a knife than to block an arrow.

"Screw it!" Chen Liqing was originally a beautiful woman, but now she let out a strange, shrill laugh like an owl. "You dare to show off your skills in Ma Zhan's presence? I'll send you back to reunite with that white-clad soldier under your command!"

Zhu Wen took a breath.

Fighting fiercely under the scorching sun, sweat was already streaming down his face.

But his voice was still calm and composed.

"Old woman, you are really uneducated."

Chen Liqing's eyebrows suddenly raised.

"Die! You little bastard, die for me!"

She gritted her teeth, swung her spear forward, and charged towards Zhu Wen fiercely.

Zhu Wen spurred his horse to avoid the charge, and then at the critical moment, he took his feet out of the stirrups and took a deep breath and jumped.

Then Chen Liqing suddenly realized that there was only one empty horse galloping on Zhu Wen's side.

A pressure instantly made her lean flat on the horse's back. In order to avoid falling off the horse, Chen Liqing could only clamp her legs tightly around the horse's belly.

A slap hit Chen Liqing's left cheek hard, making her face hot and burning like fire.

"Your grandfather is dead."

A voice without any fireworks came to my ears: "I didn't scold you because this is the truth."

Another punch hit Chen Liqing's right cheek hard, knocking her entire head to the side.

"Your mother is dead too. You see, that's also true."

The next punch was an upward punch, hitting Chen Liqing's delicate jaw directly, causing her teeth to slam together with a snap and make sharp sounds.

"Your elder brother, younger brother, grandfather, your whole family are all dead. This is all true. But that's no reason for you to be so uneducated at almost thirty years old."

Zhu Wen pressed Chen Liqing under him, stared at her face with a cold gaze, and said calmly.

Zhu Wen had to admit that Chen Liqing was quite skilled and talented in horse fighting. A knight like himself did not have the conditions of riding and shooting like the children of aristocratic families.

So he didn't intend to have a proper horse fight with Chen Liqing.

His senior brother Meng Kai had taught him not long ago that if he encountered a formidable lance-wielding knight, he should use the "lance-grabbing technique" to snatch the opponent's lance. Without his weapon, even a martial artist as skilled as Lü Bu would be forced to flee into the toilet.

But Chen Liqing's spear skills were so proficient that he had no chance to snatch the spear.

Then you can only jump onto the opponent's horse and change the form of battle.

Chen Liqing's eyes seemed to be spitting fire. If the murderous intent could be transformed into reality, Zhu Wen would have to use his sword to cover his heart and face.

But her swollen face, blood-stained lips, and completely distorted facial features made it difficult for even people who were very familiar with her to recognize Chen Liqing.

Zhu Wen had already punched Chen Liqing in the face more than a dozen times.

He realized that this woman must be very shameless.

So he attacked with all his strength, but he couldn't even break a bone in the opponent's face.

You know, his left hand is actually stronger than his right hand.

"You self-proclaimed noble children love to call people 'untouchables' and 'ants' all the time. Don't you think you are well-educated and cultured? But these words show no refinement at all."

Zhu Wen punched Chen Liqing directly between her eyebrows again, causing her left eye socket to swell up. "Let me teach you something. Even if you think this way in your heart, you must keep it in your heart and never say it out loud."

He turned to look at the Huaixi Mule Army soldiers, then returned his gaze to Chen Liqing's unrecognizable face. "Because many of your subordinates and comrades are common people like me, without any family background. You speak without thinking all day long. Even if I don't kill you, you might be beheaded at any time."

As Zhu Wen spoke, he snatched the dagger from Chen Liqing's waist belt, cut off the straps of Chen Liqing's armor, and took off her shoulder pads.

Due to the hot weather, Chen Liqing was only wearing a piece of armor, which was divided into two parts, connected by a cowhide belt. After Zhu Wen took off his shoulder guard, he cut the belt and easily took off the front part, throwing it under his horse.

He tore the collar of his clothes, ripped open his undershirt, and grabbed the ball of ointment in the other person's horrified eyes.

But he grabbed it extremely fiercely, leaving several eye-catching blood marks on it!
The severe pain pierced her heart, causing Chen Liqing to scream in agony, tears bursting out of her swollen eyes.

"Ha, you can still cry. So your whole family is dead, and you are still alive because you are afraid of death."

Zhu Wen smiled very sweetly and tore off the other side of Chen Liqing's small clothes. "Look, I am a well-educated person, so I don't intend to damage the other side, nor will I tell you what this thing is called."

"But it's really worth it for these common people who risk their lives for the government to come and see it."

"It's not a big deal, because seventeen years ago, many of Qiu Fu's subordinates had already seen and touched it. But you were only twelve years old at that time, so it must not be as big as it is now."

As Zhu Wen spoke, many fiery gazes gathered like gathered arrows.

Every look he gave seemed to have malicious intent.

On the contrary, the young man who was pressing on her had unusually clear eyes, and it seemed that he had no interest in Chen Liqing's body at all; everything he did was just to humiliate her.

Chen Liqing was so ashamed and angry that tears burst out of her eyes.

The unforgettable nightmare from seventeen years ago now shrouded her again.

Zhu Wen caught a glimpse of several female knights galloping towards this direction from the corner of his eye.

"Put down General Chen!"

The leading female knight shouted.

It seems that they are Chen Liqing's followers.

Zhu Wen sighed and had to use the dagger to cut Chen Liqing's neck, but was hit hard by a sleeve arrow, and the dagger fell to the ground in an instant.

Seeing that the enemy was about to catch up, Zhu Wen had no choice but to push Chen Liqing off the horse. She then rolled off the horse with her chest exposed and crying.

He turned around and said to Chen Liqing, "My dear wife, I will spare your life today, but you must remember to be more virtuous in the future."

Zhu Wen's tone suddenly turned cold as ice: "You powerful families, you can't kill all of us common people. After all, you still rely on us for support."

"But if the common people become extremely angry..." Zhu Wen flicked his slender fingers in the air, "they can kill all of you nobles without a single one left alive."

These few words did not elicit any direct response from Chen Liqing, who had collapsed to the point of losing consciousness, but they did cause several female knights from the same aristocratic families to shudder on their horses.

The Huaixi mule riders, most of whom came from humble backgrounds, nodded secretly as they heard this, looking as if they felt sympathetic.

Several female knights hurriedly stopped their horses and untied their battle robes to wrap their general. Zhu Wen took the opportunity to drive the red-maned strong horse that originally belonged to Chen Liqing out into the battle.

“Wow!” The once heroic female general, one of the “Five Heaven-burning Swords” under General Yan, lay on the ground and cried loudly: “Kill that bastard! I don’t want to live anymore…”

She was injured internally by Zhu Wen and while crying, she suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.

Chen Liqing gritted her teeth and secretly swore that she would use the most brutal means she could imagine to deal with this brat who had insulted her so much.

Zhu Wen sneered. If she really didn't want to live, she should have committed suicide by drawing her sword after being raped by the rebel soldiers of Qiu Fu's army seventeen years ago.

However, it is really embarrassing to be humiliated in public after becoming a famous female general.

But no matter what, Zhu Wen was quite happy today. Although Chen Liqing scolded him, he was not angry at all, but teaching this uneducated woman a lesson still made Zhu Wen very happy.

Everything Chen Liqing experienced back then was caused by her father Chen Xizhen's oppression of the people and incitement of civil unrest, so she deserved it.

However, she has no intention of reflecting on herself at all, and has been calling people "untouchables" and "ants" for so many years.

Such a woman really needs a lesson.

It’s not a big deal if I couldn’t kill her today.

Many of the mule cavalry were obviously very interested in Chen Liqing's body. When Zhu Wen took off Chen Liqing's armor, they stared at her intently, which greatly delayed their reorganization.

Huang Chao had already brought his infantry to provide support.

So these government troops had to withdraw reluctantly with only a small amount of spoils.

From beginning to end, the enemy's true commander, the "Zangshi," never showed up. But there was no doubt that the leader of the Yushi Sect must be hiding somewhere in the enemy's camp, controlling those green-haired earth immortals and coordinating the battle with the Huaixi Mule Army.

The appearance of Chen Liqing also confirmed that this military action was closely related to "Flame Marshal" among the four marshals of the Tang Dynasty.

Whether it is "Flame Marshal" or "Zangshi", they are enemies that the rebel army must defeat in the future. Zhu Wen did not feel much regret after seeing the glimpse of them today, after all, they would meet again in the future.

After the battle, the casualties were counted. It was found that Wang Xianzhi's troops surrounded part of the south gate of Songzhou, were hastily attacked, and then suffered a fire attack. More than 2,000 people were killed in the battle and twice as many were injured.

Such losses were not fatal, but they had made Wang Xianzhi's Cao army lose the will to continue fighting.

The latest intelligence reports indicate that the "Zang Governor" brought only 7,000 troops. Compared to the tens of thousands of Cao troops, this force was insufficient to launch a decisive battle. Therefore, after a sudden attack, the reinforcements could only set up camp and defend, coordinating with the troops trapped inside the city, including Lei Yinfu.

But if we consider that Marshal Yan's main force may arrive from the north at any time, it is really not advisable to continue fighting this battle.

Moreover, the Cao army had already captured a large amount of supplies as spoils of war when they defeated the coalition forces of Song Wei and Qi Kerang. During the siege, they also used cavalry to attack the Tongji Canal and captured many grain ships.

Therefore, Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao finally decided to withdraw their camp.

This tragic battle of Songzhou finally came to an end in the hot wind of late summer.

(End of this chapter)