Di Ming

Chapter 423 Rescuing Mother at Mount Hua, Soldiers Approaching the City!
At 3:45 AM on June 16th, Ning Caiwei, Xu Wei, and others, having finished their final pre-battle military meeting, left the Jiedushi's residence together, ready to swear an oath and set off.

Twenty thousand troops and ten thousand Luzon native soldiers, a total of thirty thousand, stood silently on the coast.

The army that set out on the expedition consisted of 20,000 men, with a full range of military branches. There were 4,000 pure naval soldiers who would not engage in land battles; 3,000 Jeju cavalry; 6,000 firearms soldiers; 2,000 archers; 3,000 spearmen; and 2,000 swordsmen and shieldmen.

They were all armored soldiers.

These 20,000 Eight Banner troops were all Han Chinese soldiers who had participated in campaigns in Southeast Asia, the suppression of pirates, and the northern expeditions against Japanese pirates. After years of rigorous training, coupled with ample food and supplies and excellent weaponry, they were arguably the world's strongest army.

Even the 10,000 native soldiers who served as laborers and logistics personnel were all in high spirits.

At this moment, the sea breeze made the eight-colored battle flags flutter in the wind, and warships gathered in Daishan Port, their white sails like clouds. There were as many as six sailing warships alone, including Kuaiji, Xianyang, Handan, and Gusu. In addition, there were more than a hundred other warships.

A powerful military might filled the space between the sea and sky, exuding an awe-inspiring aura and an astonishing fighting spirit.

On the makeshift platform, high-ranking officials including Ning Caiwei, Xu Wei, Ding Liyang, and Zhang Cha were inspecting the troops ready for battle.

Looking at the 20,000 elite troops about to depart, and at the steel mills, gunpowder factories, shipyards, whale oil factories, glass factories, watch factories and other workshops on the island, Ning Caiwei felt a surge of pride.

Nine years have passed. How much effort, how much money, and how many risks did she and Zhu Yin put in to accumulate these assets and build a new system?

Today, the time for harvest has finally arrived.

From then on, she and the little tiger were not afraid of anyone!
You money-grubbing emperor, just you wait!
Ning Caiwei said to Ding Liyang, "Brother Ding, you can read out the proclamation and tell the soldiers who we are going to fight."

That's right. Even now, although the Jinghai Army has been mobilized for almost a month, the soldiers still don't know who they are going to fight, and the target of the operation has been kept highly confidential.

Now that we've made our vows and are ready to go, it's finally time to announce it.

"Yes." Ding Liyang, clad in magnificent armor, took a simple and straightforward proclamation from the Grand Strategist Xu Wei and read it aloud:

"By order of the General! A proclamation to quell the rebellion!"

"Fengtian Jingnan" (奉天靖难)? Many soldiers familiar with historical anecdotes were taken aback; the name sounded familiar. Wasn't "Fengtian Jingnan" the slogan used by Emperor Chengzu when he rose in rebellion to seize the throne? This…

To make it easy for the soldiers to understand, the proclamation was written in plain language, without any flowery embellishments. Ding Liyang continued reading:

"The current emperor, misled by eunuchs and bewitched by the seductive concubine Zheng, has not held court for eight years and has not offered sacrifices to his ancestors for eight years. Is this acceptable? In our Han Chinese land, which emperor has ever sat on the throne without offering sacrifices to his ancestors? Our Ming Dynasty governs the country with filial piety, and even the mausoleum of our founding emperor is called the Filial Piety Mausoleum. Yet the current emperor, Wanli, has not offered sacrifices to his ancestors for eight years. Which official or commoner is not chilled to the bone? The previous emperors of our dynasty cannot rest in peace in the afterlife because Wanli has not offered sacrifices to them. Is this not the emperor's fault? This is the first fault!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions filled with surprise.

Are the general and the military commander planning a rebellion?!
Many people felt a chill run down their spines.

The core of the Jinghai Army was the Qi Family Army trained by Qi Jiguang, mainly composed of Han Chinese civilians who went to sea. They were certainly dissatisfied with the government, otherwise they wouldn't have become pirates.

But this does not mean that they could rise up against the Ming Dynasty and raise their banners to overthrow the emperor without any psychological barriers!
Fighting pirates, foreigners, and Japanese pirates was no challenge at all. But rebelling against the emperor was a different story. After all, they had previously been Ming Dynasty soldiers and civilians.

Ning Caiwei had been observing the soldiers' expressions, and at this moment she couldn't help but frown.

The little tiger had told her before that she should never overestimate the soldiers' rebellious spirit against the emperor, nor underestimate their innate awe of the Ming Dynasty. The long history of monarchical autocracy in China had deeply ingrained its influence on the national mindset; few people were willing to rebel unless absolutely necessary.

The emperor was not only the Son of Heaven, but also the sovereign and father.

It is the father!

In feudal autocratic times, rebellion was extremely difficult unless the country reached its end. Did one really believe that being deeply loved and respected by soldiers, or having shown them kindness, would guarantee their unwavering loyalty and a rebellion?

It’s not that simple.

If it were a direct rebellion, the Jinghai Army soldiers would follow, but their fighting spirit and morale would definitely be greatly affected.

Fortunately, they were acting under the banner of the eldest prince, Prince Xin.

Ding Liyang's voice rose even higher: "The eldest son of the Emperor, Prince Xin, should have been made Crown Prince according to the rites and laws. However, Emperor Wanli deposed the eldest son and made Prince Fu the Crown Prince. The ministers objected, but the Emperor not only ignored their loyal advice but also went his own way, killing some and imprisoning others, resulting in treacherous officials in power and loyal officials suffering. As the Son of Heaven, he took the lead in violating the ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty. This is his second crime!"

"When Hai Qingtian led the scholars to the capital to petition, the emperor actually sent thieves to intercept and kill them. When Hai Qingtian arrived in Beijing, the emperor sent the imperial guards to suppress him. Blood flowed like a river at the Meridian Gate, and even Hai Qingtian died. Isn't this persecuting loyal officials? This is the third crime!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers finally showed their anger.

Hai Qingtian! The Emperor killed Hai Qingtian; this is no ordinary incompetent ruler!

Ding Liyang paused for a moment, then read again: "The Emperor is rich beyond measure, with the best of everything in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities. What could he possibly lack? Yet, the Emperor is greedy by nature, obsessed with accumulating wealth! For silver, he sends dozens of eunuchs to plunder the entire country, imposing exorbitant taxes and levies, causing widespread resentment and anger. In many places, the people are driven to the brink of despair by these eunuchs. This is the fourth crime!"

"The General was a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty, an auspicious omen, a star deity descended to earth. He pacified the Northwest, recovered the Ordos region, and defeated the Japanese. In the more than two hundred years since the founding of the dynasty, who has made greater contributions than him? Yet, despite his unwavering loyalty, unparalleled achievements, and peerless national heroism, he not only received no reward for his merits but was also demoted and exiled, and almost imprisoned. The emperor is suspicious of loyal ministers, discarding them once the birds are gone, and cooking them after the rabbits are dead. Isn't this the same as Emperor Gaozong of Song who killed Yue Fei? This is the fifth crime!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers' anger intensified!

Ding Liyang's voice was as resonant and powerful as metal and stone, striking a chord in everyone's hearts:
"Prince Xin is the eldest son of the Emperor, kind and wise, possessing the qualities of a wise ruler. He should have been the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty. However, the Emperor deposed the eldest son and established the younger one in favor of the younger, locking Prince Xin and his mother, Consort Gong, in the cold palace like prisoners. They suffered from cold and hunger, lacking food and clothing, and medical care. Their lives were worse than those of poor people. Not long ago, Prince Fu was made Crown Prince, and Prince Xin was banished from the capital. Many ministers who sympathized with Prince Xin were dismissed from their posts and stripped of their titles. Everyone in the world says that the Emperor is like a tiger that eats its own cubs, and Prince Xin and his mother are unlikely to survive. Is this how one treats one's own wife? This is Emperor Wanli's sixth crime!"

"Nowadays, foreigners are coming from the east, pirates are rampant, and powerful and wealthy people are smuggling overseas. However, the Emperor insists on banning the seas and is unwilling to lift the ban. He only opens Yuegang in Fujian, which is then monopolized by the powerful and wealthy. As a result, the coastal people have no way to survive and have no choice but to risk going to sea to make a living. Countless people have perished at sea, and countless others have been forced to leave their homes. This is Emperor Wanli's seventh sin!"

"The General's decree states that the Emperor has committed these seven major crimes, yet he shows no intention of issuing an edict of self-reproach. He refuses to accept advice, repents, admits his mistakes, or reflect on his actions, treating the nation and its people as a child's game. The common people are suffering more and more, and corrupt officials are becoming increasingly ruthless. If this continues, the world will inevitably descend into chaos, and our Han Chinese nation may fall into the hands of the Tartars, foreign barbarians, and Japanese pirates..."

"How can we stand idly by and watch as loyal ministers and filial sons are treated? Emperor Wanli is muddle-headed, greedy, and favors treacherous officials; he is no longer fit to remain on the throne. For the sake of the nation, we should support Prince Xin's ascension to the throne and help him quell the rebellion!"

"We must march on Nanjing, allowing Prince Xin to establish a new dynasty and, from afar, recognize Emperor Wanli as the Retired Emperor. From then on, Emperor Wanli can enjoy his retirement without worrying about state affairs. With loyal ministers and generals like General Jie Shuai assisting Prince Xin, the Ming Dynasty can hope for a revival. This is truly a blessing for the nation..."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers realized that it wasn't a real rebellion, but rather an attempt to establish a separate court in Nanjing under Prince Xin, and to honor Emperor Wanli as the Retired Emperor.

That's fine, since it's all part of the Ming Dynasty anyway. What difference does it make who's emperor, father or son? If the father can't do a good job, then let the son take over, what's wrong with that? As the saying goes, "Don't let the good stuff go to outsiders," and Prince Xin is the eldest son of the emperor, so he should have inherited the throne anyway.

For a moment, the soldiers were all in high spirits.

Seeing their high morale, Ning Caiwei breathed a sigh of relief. "Very good," she thought, "the ideological education we've received over the years hasn't been in vain; it's quite effective."

After reading the proclamation, Ding Liyang drew his sword and shouted, "Raise the flag! March forth! In accordance with Heaven's will, quell the rebellion!"

Twenty thousand soldiers shouted in unison, "We pacify the rebellion in accordance with Heaven's will! We pacify the rebellion in accordance with Heaven's will!"

Upon seeing this, Xu Wei couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile, exuding confidence and high spirits.

And so it begins!

I never imagined that someone of such advanced age could still accomplish so much! There has never been a happier day in my life than today!
Nine years have passed, and he is already seventy-five years old. The wait has been agonizing. I hope I can live a few more years to serve my lord.

Immediately afterwards, the entire army offered sacrifices to the war god Chiyou, followed by three loud blasts of the signal cannon, and then they began boarding the ships and raising the sails.

Ning Caiwei handed the still-nursing Yingning over to two wet nurses on the island, then changed into a magnificent red armor and set off with the army.

On the 16th day of the sixth month of the 24th year of the Wanli reign, Ning Caiwei and Xu Wei led an army of 20,000, raised the Ming army's sun and moon banners, and set sail north.

June 16th was the appointed date. All the Tiger Fang agents of the Ming Dynasty were now in action.

The land and water relay system from Songjiang to Nanjing had long been infiltrated by spies, giving them ample opportunity to delay alerts for several days. For at least a few days, the Nanjing authorities would be blind and deaf, unable to receive military intelligence about the Jinghai Army's advance up the river.

By the time the Nanjing authorities received the news, it was probably too late.

The naval fleet moved quickly, arriving in the waters off Chongming Island on the morning of June 17th. It was projected to be at the gates of Nanjing by June 29th!
As soon as the fleet arrived at Songshan, it was spotted by the fishermen. They had never seen such a large warship enter the Yangtze River. The Ming sailors patrolling the river, seeing that the warship bore the Ming army's banner, dared not approach to inspect it.

The fleet's main battleship was the first-generation sailing battleship designed by Zhu Yin, with a displacement of 1,000 tons. Although it was not as large as the largest warships in the Western world, its performance was more than 50 years ahead of the West. It was the most advanced warship in the world today and was definitely a major asset of the Chinese Navy.

However, Daishan is building even larger warships, namely second-generation battleships, with a displacement of up to 1,800 tons, which is almost the same tonnage as the largest warships in the West.

These world's most advanced battleships are equipped with the world's most advanced artillery. The main guns on the Jinghai Navy battleships weigh up to 5,000 jin (2,500 kg), and the shells weigh up to 40 jin (20 kg), with a range of 4 li (2.5 km), which is more than 100 years ahead of the West.

Ning Caiwei, Xu Wei, and others were not worried that the large ship would run aground in the Yangtze River. The section from Songjiang to Nanjing is the lower reaches of the Yangtze, with a depth exceeding four zhang (approximately 10 meters), making it perfectly navigable.
The June monsoon will propel the fleet upstream, which, though against the current, is a favorable wind, and with over ten thousand Luzon native laborers serving as oarsmen, the fleet should reach Nanjing in no more than ten days!
The fleet swaggered into the Yangtze River under the Ming army's banner and sailed upstream without incident. The river defense forts along the river did not take any precautions.

This left Ning Caiwei and the others speechless.

How could the defenses along the Yangtze River be so lax? They're practically non-existent. Although the Jinghai Army flies the Ming Dynasty flag and appears to be an official navy, haven't they considered the possibility that they might be the enemy in disguise?
What if Japanese pirates or foreign barbarians impersonated the Ming navy and entered the Yangtze River? How much would they suffer?

It is evident that the defenses along the Yangtze River have been ruined by official corruption.

……

Just as the Jinghai fleet was sailing up the Yangtze River, Prince Xin's entourage arrived in Huai'an.

The procession consisted of more than 1,300 people. Every so often, the fleet would stop close to the canal banks to replenish their supplies.

Therefore, the southbound fleet was very slow, taking more than half a month to reach Huai'an.

During this period, Zhu Changluo dreamt of his mother, Consort Wang, every time he closed his eyes. He either dreamt that his mother was murdered or that she committed suicide. He was terrified every day, and the days felt like years. He was depressed and absent-minded because he could not get rid of his longing and worry for his mother.

The eunuch monitoring him was overjoyed, because if things continued this way, Prince Xin would surely fall ill. And once he fell ill, hehe…

At noon that day, the fleet stopped at Yangzhou. Most of the eunuchs, palace attendants, and guards disembarked for lunch, leaving the fleet much smaller. Prince Xin had no appetite and simply sat listlessly in his cabin.

In reality, he wasn't free on the ship either.

"Your Highness." A voice interrupted Prince Xin's thoughts. Prince Xin turned his head and saw that it was Zheng Ding, one of the eunuchs who had been monitoring him.

These henchmen of Zheng are all bad people.

Prince Xin gave Zheng Ding a cold look. "What is it?"

Zheng Ding walked quietly to Prince Xin and whispered, "Master Zhihu knows about Your Highness's matter. Master Zhihu, do you know about the rescue of your mother at Mount Hua?"

While speaking, he made a coded gesture.

“You are…” Prince Xin immediately realized that Zheng Ding was the master’s man, and he immediately showed a look of surprise and joy. “The master said he was rescuing his mother at Mount Hua?”

Prince Xin's voice trembled. How could he not know about rescuing his mother at Mount Hua?
Zheng Ding glanced at the cabin door and said in a low voice, "To be honest, given the current situation, it's unlikely that Consort Gong can survive in the palace. The Prince is heartbroken and anxious about his mother; this situation can't last long. The Zheng family will not let the Consort and the Prince go. The Prince of Fu's position as Crown Prince is not accepted by the court and the public; as long as the Prince is alive, he will be a threat to him."

Prince Xin sighed, “I know. I don’t want to be the crown prince, I don’t want to be the emperor. But they don’t believe me, they think I want to compete. Now that the third prince has become the crown prince, he won’t let me go. I’m not worried about myself, I’m worried about my mother.”

"What Your Highness worries about is exactly what you, sir, are worried about!" Zheng Ding said. "That's why you asked Your Highness if he was willing to go to Mount Hua to save his mother. The only way now is to follow Chen Xiang's example in saving his mother at Mount Hua, so that His Highness can be rescued and mother and son can be reunited!"

"I'm willing!" Prince Xin gritted his teeth. "The master said to save my mother at Mount Hua, so I will become Chengxiang! As long as I can save my mother and reunite my son with her, I don't care about the Heavenly Laws!"

"Excellent!" Zheng Ding uttered a single word. "Truly worthy of being Master's prized disciple! Your Highness possesses remarkable courage!"

Prince Xin asked, "What do you want me to do, sir?"

Zheng Dingdao said, "According to the Ministry of Rites' agreement, His Highness will disembark at Caishi Ferry on the 29th to offer a distant sacrifice at the Xiaoling Mausoleum. This date is fixed and cannot be changed. At that time, His Highness must stay at Caishi for at least one day, and all officials of Nanjing, high and low, will come to Caishi according to regulations to accompany His Highness in the sacrifice at the Xiaoling Mausoleum. You will come to Caishi in advance to make arrangements..."

Prince Xin couldn't help but show his delight, "The gentleman will come?"

Zheng Ding nodded, "Sir will pretend to go to the capital to take up his post, and lead his men down the river to Caishi before the 28th."

"On the 29th, the Master will capture all the officials in Nanjing at Caishiji. He will escort the Prince and the officials back to Nanjing and ascend the throne in front of Xiaoling Mausoleum! Following the example of Emperor Suzong, he will remotely honor the Emperor as the Retired Emperor! As for other matters, the Master will arrange them. The Prince need not worry about anything."

"What? Xiaoling ascends the throne and honors his father as the Retired Emperor?"

Even though Prince Xin was determined to rescue his mother at Mount Hua, he was still taken aback upon hearing this.

“Your Highness!” Zheng Ding’s gaze was firm. “The Master has already sent people to rescue the Empress from the palace, and she may already be out of the palace by now. However, if Your Highness does not become Emperor, it will be useless for the Empress to leave the palace! The Emperor can issue an imperial edict to order her death, or arrest her again! No matter how vast the world is, there is no place for the Empress to be spared!”

"Only if the prince declares himself emperor, establishes a separate court in Nanjing, and becomes the Son of Heaven, can he be unafraid of the emperor and protect the empress! Otherwise, even if you have already rescued the empress, you cannot save her forever!"

“Alright!” Prince Xin said almost without hesitation. “I will listen to you, sir! I cannot let you down! It was my father who was unjust and cruel first, and I rescued my mother at Mount Hua afterward! I don’t want to be emperor, but I’m willing to do anything for my mother!”

How should I cooperate with you, sir?

Zheng Ding said, "First, Your Highness must pull yourself together and not fall seriously ill. If your health collapses, you will not be able to accomplish great things."

"Secondly, Your Highness should urge the fleet to arrive at Caishiji as early as possible, at least one day in advance, so that you can make arrangements."

"Third, Your Highness is surrounded by Zheng's henchmen and the imperial guards' lackeys. They keep a close watch on you, so much so that I haven't had a chance to speak with you. If things go wrong, they might take you hostage or even harm you. Therefore, Your Highness must be aware of this and take precautions before anything happens..."

"Alright!" Prince Xin readily agreed, "I understand."

"I'll be able to see you, sir, in a few days. But... you've taken such a great risk..."

Zheng Ding said, "Your Highness, please rest assured. Although the gentleman is acting for Your Highness, it is not only for Your Highness, but also for the sake of the world! Your Highness need not worry about the gentleman's safety. The gentleman's plans are flawless and he will not be in danger."

Prince Xin clenched his fists, his youthful face turning cold and stern. "Father, you forced me to do this, forced me to rescue my mother at Mount Hua! Since you are not a kind father, then I will be an unfilial son! This is the principle my teacher taught me!"

...

As early as June 15th, Zhu Yin led 500 private soldiers and Ning Qingchen's medical students in two groups, forged official documents for entering the capital to assume their posts, and sailed down the Yangtze River.

Zhu Yin boarded the boat and looked back towards Pengshui County, his heart filled with emotion and a sense of reluctance. Three years had passed.

He left without saying goodbye. Under the pretext of patrolling for security, he never returned.

Fellow villagers of Pengshui County, take care. I, Zhu Yin, will return!
Because Zhu Yin was an official, the river gatekeeper did not stop him.

On the boat, Sun Chengzong said, "Our lord might be reinstated to his original position during this trip to the capital."

Gao Panlong also said, "Our lord must be confident in regaining his official position, otherwise why would he bring all of us with him on this trip back to the capital?"

Zhu Yin smiled knowingly, "When I get to the capital, I might not only be reinstated to my original position, but I might even be promoted and given a higher rank."

Sun Chengzong and the others also laughed.

What none of his advisors knew was that Zhu Yin was not in the capital to assume his post, but rather, under the guise of "suppressing the rebellion in accordance with Heaven's will," which was actually a rebellion.

Otherwise, Sun Chengzong and others might not have followed.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yin's secret envoy arrived at Baohua Mountain and issued a secret order to mobilize troops. Eight hundred elite soldiers of the Brightness Battalion, armed and ready, awaited the appointed day to launch a night-long attack on Caishiji!
He calculated that the fleet and the ships bound for their fiefdoms were almost at Nanjing. The time difference was at most two days!

...

On June 26, Prince Xin's fleet passed through Nanjing, but Emperor Wanli forbade him to offer sacrifices at the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing and to stay there.

It was naturally inappropriate for Nanjing officials to pay homage to Prince Xin on the banks of the Yangtze River in Nanjing.

Therefore, the fleet could only continue westward from the north bank, heading towards Caishiji.

Meanwhile, the officials who had resigned from their posts and traveled south to escort Prince Xin to his fiefdom also arrived in Nanjing, preparing to participate in the sacrificial ceremony at Caishiji.

When officials in Nanjing learned that Prince Xin's fleet was passing by, they all went out of the city to Caishiji.

However, according to the rules, only civil officials were allowed to accompany Prince Xin in the sacrificial ceremony, while eunuchs and military officers remained in Nanjing and were not permitted to accompany Prince Xin in the remote sacrificial ceremony at Xiaoling Mausoleum.

The Minister of War, being a civil official, naturally went to Caishiji as well. Thus, the three powerful figures in Nanjing were reduced to the garrison eunuch Zong Qin and the Duke of Wei, the commander of the capital garrison.

However, no sooner had the Minister of War left than the eunuch Zong Qin, who was in charge of the garrison, used the imperial seal to dispatch the main force guarding Nanjing to drill at the training ground eighteen miles south of the city.

Zongqin certainly had that authority.

As the commander of the Beijing Garrison, Duke Xu Xiaobai of Wei naturally led his troops out of the city with Zong Qin to Yewang for training exercises.

As a result, Nanjing was suddenly left empty, with only 20,000 lightly armed patrolmen led by Liu Shiyan, the Vice Commander-in-Chief and Earl of Chengyi.

...

On June 27th, the fleet that was to be enfeoffed arrived at Caishiji. As planned, Prince Xin went ashore and spent the night at Baiyun Temple.

That night, Zhu Changluo received a signal from Zheng Ding.

The gentleman has arrived! He is in the tangerine grove north of Baiyun Mountain.

It's been three years since we last met. How are you, sir?

The master must be making arrangements now!
...

June 28th afternoon.

Just as a large group of civil officials went to Caishiji to accompany Prince Xin in paying homage to the Xiaoling Mausoleum, a fleet finally appeared near Nanjing.

At this point, the alarm, which had been delayed for several days by the Tiger Tooth agents, finally reached Nanjing.

However, at this time, none of the three major figures in the city were present, nor were the six ministers or the Censor-in-Chief. The one who received the alarm was Liu Shiyan, the Earl of Chengyi, who was in charge of the city's defenses.

Upon hearing the report, Liu Shiyan was greatly alarmed. He immediately dispatched people to quickly notify the garrison eunuch Zong Qin and the commander Xu Xiaobai, while simultaneously making arrangements for the city's defenses.

What he didn't know was that his messenger was shot off his horse by a crossbow bolt from the woods less than seven or eight miles from the city, and could no longer deliver the message.

Before his 20,000 weak soldiers could even complete their deployment, a massive fleet appeared on the river outside Yifeng Gate. Suddenly, black smoke rose from one of the fleet's giant ships, accompanied by two booming sounds.

"Boom!"

Amidst the thunderous roar of cannons, the garrison's gun emplacements on the outer barbican were instantly shattered, their bricks flying everywhere before collapsing with a crash.

The general guarding the city wall nearly fell to the ground. The nearby soldiers were terrified.

What powerful artillery!

These poorly equipped patrol troops fled the barbican and fortifications after giving just one shout!

Run!

...

P.S.: The next chapter is going to be really exciting! Please vote with your monthly tickets! Thank you!
(End of this chapter)