Late Ming Dynasty: Starting with the overthrow of the county magistrate, a rebellion was launched to

When Sun Liu vaguely heard the sounds of battle and drums coming from the east gate, he was rather relaxed and relieved.

Back when Zhang Da hadn't started his rebellion, Sun Liu was a head of a household in Renfengdu, and his life was better than that of ordinary tenant farmers. However, in recent years, things have become increasingly difficult, and eventually he started to worry about food.

Sun Liu thought of Zhang Da, after all, many gang leaders frequented his house, and they all said he was generous and always ready to help those in need.

So Sun Liu went to his house, thought of Zhang Da, and wanted to ask him to borrow some grain.

Zhang Da was indeed very generous, giving him half a sack of grain. However, just as Sun Liu was about to leave, he asked him again...

"What are your plans for the future?"

Sun Liu naturally couldn't answer, so Zhang Da said that if there was ever a real shortage of food in the future, he could come and become a local militia member here...

Soon after, Sun Liu finished the grain and also became a local militia member under Zhang Dadi.

It was only then that he realized that the gang leaders who surrounded Zhang Da every day weren't after his food; they were after a way to survive.

After much hesitation, Sun Liu formally proposed to Zhang Da that he also wanted to join the group.

Zhang Da agreed.

……

Soon after, an uprising was about to begin in Shaoyang County.

The day before the uprising, Sun Liu thought to himself that if the uprising succeeded, Zhang Da would first reward the leaders and clansmen he had fought alongside since childhood. He realized he had joined the group a little late.

We have no choice but to fight to the death.

Upon entering Shaoyang County, Sun Liu followed Zhang Wen and charged ahead. While fighting with the government soldiers, he deliberately took a blow to the head and bled. Thinking that this would be enough, Sun Liu quietly stepped back half a step to avoid further injury.

Sure enough, he later earned the position of North Gate Defender based on his reputation for "charging ahead and fighting bravely against the enemy," becoming one of the four main gate commanders.

"As long as I guard this gate and make no mistakes, I, Sun Liu, will be able to establish myself in Shaoyang. In the future, I will be a prominent figure in Shaoyang County!"

Rumbling--

Just as Sun Liu was lost in thought, a thunderous sound suddenly crashed into the night sky from outside the north gate.

No... that wasn't thunder.

It's a horse's hoof!

Hundreds of hooves charged forward, their hooves pounding the bluestone pavement, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Sun Liu felt a chill run down his spine, and he abruptly sat up, grabbing the spear beside him.

"Be on guard! Cavalry!"

Before the words were finished, a loud bang exploded.

The heavy city gate was smashed open by the combined force of the warhorses. The wooden bolts broke and the door panels twisted. In just a few blows, the entire north gate was smashed open!

The night wind, carrying the stench of blood, rushed in. Outside, a dark mass of light cavalry surged in like a tide, their armor gleaming coldly, their sabers flashing in the night.

At this time, Sun Liu had already followed the rules of city defense and deployed his ambush troops on the city wall, the horse path, and the alley entrances on both sides, but did not pile them up inside the gate. However, the cavalry was so powerful that they could not resist for a moment and were instantly forced to retreat step by step.

Zhou Fengqi sat upright on his horse and immediately spotted the local militia lying in ambush on both sides of the gate. A disdainful smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

An ambush? They were just strong civilians. If they hadn't been armed, Zhou Fengqi would have been afraid that killing them would shorten his lifespan.

"kill!"

Zhou Fengqi took the lead, his spear felling two local militiamen. Instantly, the usually quiet North Gate was filled with the sounds of fighting.

However, the narrow streets and alleys inside the North Gate prevented the cavalry from maneuvering, so Zhou Fengqi made a decisive decision.

"Dismount! Fight on foot! Seize the city walls and control the gates!"

The light cavalry dismounted and charged forward with three-eyed muskets and long swords, while the cavalry guarded the gate to prevent their retreat from being cut off.

Chaos erupted at the north gate of Shaoyang County, with shouts of killing filling the air and the sounds of clashing weapons echoing everywhere.

Seeing this, Sun Liu knew something was wrong and quickly summoned the scouts Zhang Wen had sent, roaring...

"Quickly! Report to General Zhang immediately! The north gate has been attacked, and the elite cavalry is overwhelming. Request his immediate reinforcements!"

The scout responded and turned to run away.

Even as they were talking, a breach had already been torn in the north gate, and the government troops were closing in step by step, and it looked like the city walls were about to fall.

Seeing this, Sun Liu could not hesitate. He could only raise his spear and charge forward, desperately protecting the defensive line. One by one, the local militiamen around him fell, their blood splattering all over his clothes.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, Sun Liu spotted the most ferocious knight—this man, clad in light armor and wielding a long spear, moved with ease on the battlefield, even commanding and killing his own brothers simultaneously. Moreover, his attire and demeanor were completely different from ordinary soldiers, suggesting he must be a high-ranking officer!

Capturing him, whether we can kill him or not, will surely demoralize the enemy and perhaps alleviate the pressure on the north gate offensive.

Suppressing his fear, Sun Liu used the crowd as cover and crept closer.

At that moment, Zhou Fengqi was wielding his spear to kill a villager, leaving an opening in his body. Sun Liu's eyes flashed with malice, and he suddenly lunged forward, reaching out to grab Zhou Fengqi's armor belt, trying to pull him down!

The instant his fingertips touched the leather, Zhou Fengqi turned around abruptly, his eyes flashing with cold light, and swept the spear shaft horizontally with a backhand motion!

"clang!"

With a loud thud, the pole head slammed into the crevice of Sun Liujia's neck.

Even Sun Liu, who was wearing one of the few intact suits of armor in the county, couldn't withstand the blow. He felt a numbness in his neck, the world spun around him, and he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and blood surged up.

My vision began to blur, and all I could hear were the sounds of fighting, screams, and the clash of armor.

"Commander Sun! General Sun!"

Sun Liu heard someone calling his name. He tried to open his eyes, but his body felt as heavy as lead.

It seems like I can open my eyes... Oh well, I've done my best, that's enough.

Just like when we dealt with those easily defeated soldiers, let's shed some blood, put on a show, and stop when we're done. Survival is the most important thing.

Sun Liu lay flat on the ground, eyes closed, but the battlefield wouldn't stop because of his fall; the stench of blood grew stronger. People kept approaching him, trying to drag him to safety, but each time they got close, they let out a scream and fell silent.

Even so, people kept calling out "Master" and "General" in my ears, but the voices were getting fainter and fainter...

Sun Liu was very embarrassed.

A strange sense of shame suddenly burned into my heart like fire.

He remembered the look in Zhang Da's eyes when he lent him the half-bag of rice, the way Zhang Da stood on the steps of the government office when the uprising began, and the way Zhang Da patted him on the shoulder and entrusted him with the North Gate before they set off tonight.

What am I doing?

Retreat in the face of battle? Play dead to save your life?

Sun Liu slowly opened one eye.

The battlefield hadn't completely quieted down yet, but it would soon.

Zhou Fengqi, who had just knocked him down, was standing a few steps away, interrogating the surrendered soldier under the protection of his personal guards. After finishing the interrogation, he waved his hand and said to his subordinates...

"Leave a hundred men to guard the city gates and walls; the rest of you follow me straight to the county government office and capture the rebel Zhang Da!"

Zhou Fengqi was only a few steps away from Sun Liu when he said this.

The opportunity is right in front of us.

As Sun Liu hesitated, his hand somehow grasped the short knife of a local militiaman beside him—presumably the man who had just risked his life to save him.

With a sudden burst of strength, Sun Liu leaped up from the ground, roared, and lunged at Zhou Fengqi's back with his knife!

"Boss Dog!"

Zhou Fengqi, a veteran of many battles, was startled by the sound and quickly dodged to the side. The blade grazed his armor, missing him by only an inch.

"court death!"

The guards surrounded them instantly, thrusting down with spears and sabers...

Sun Liu was covered in bloody holes and died on the spot.

Even in death, he couldn't understand why he had desperately lunged at her at the very last moment.

Zhou Fengqi wiped the blood splattered on his face and said coldly.

"Let's go! To the county government!"

The procession marched over corpses, advancing along the streets and alleys of Shaoyang towards the government office.

"This county town is so cramped!"

Presumably, when Shaoyang County was first established, no one expected that anyone would ride a horse within its borders. Therefore, the streets and alleys were narrow, and Zhou Fengqi and his troops could only proceed on foot, hurrying towards the county government.

Moments later, Zhang Wen's reinforcements hurriedly arrived at the North Gate, where they encountered the government troops stationed there. The two armies clashed, and another great battle ensued...

The city gates were wide open, the ground was littered with corpses, blood flowed freely, and flags fell repeatedly atop the city walls.

Zhang Wen showed no joy whatsoever from the recent battle; his face was deathly pale, and his whole body was trembling.

It's over, the government troops have entered the city and gone to the county government office, brother...

"Leave fifty men to guard the outer passage of the city gate to the death; do not allow a single soldier to enter the city!"

Zhang Wen, without bothering to properly bury the bloodied and mangled Sun Liu, rested for a while before roaring as he pulled out the blood-stained knife again.

"The rest of you, follow me to reinforce the county government! Today it's either you die or I live! Kill!"

Even without horses, Zhou Fengqi's group was still very fast. With the guidance of the surrendered local militia, they arrived at the Baoqing Prefecture government office in less than half an incense stick's time.

The group rammed the door together, but the door that had withstood the charge of over a hundred soldiers the last time now seemed incredibly fragile...

Inside the government office, there were no soldiers, only a few women guarding the place, and a young girl standing under the corridor, her face pale with fright but trying to remain calm.

Zhou Fengqi strode forward, mistaking them for Zhang Da's family members, and demanded sharply, "Where is Zhang Da?!"

The girl trembled slightly and whispered, "I don't know..."

"Where are his family members?!"

"I am not here, nor do I know where I have gone."

Zhou Fengqi flew into a rage and kicked the frail woman unconscious.

We came up empty-handed!

Zhang Da was not at the county office!

Very well, he must have gone to the East Gate to personally oversee the battle and fight Huang Chaoxuan!

Great! That saves me the trouble!

"Let's go! To the east gate! Join forces with Huang Chaoxuan and we'll take the city in one fell swoop!"

The team immediately changed direction and charged towards the east gate.