Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 352: Qing Army Enters
Yi rode his horse along the bank of Dongping Lake, looking at the sparkling water in the distance, his heart filled with joy.

"This Dongping Lake is really a great place."

"The scenery is beautiful and pleasant!"

"Rui Lin, what do you think about us building a palace by the Dongping Lake after we restore the Qing Dynasty? I can bring all the officials here to escape the summer heat and have fun in my spare time?"

Rui Lin heard this and replied immediately.

"I think that although the scenery of Dongping Lake is beautiful, it is not as good as Taibai Lake outside Jining City."

"Your Majesty, if you want to cultivate your palace, you might as well build it by the Taibai Lake. In the future, when Your Majesty takes me to escape the summer heat and relax, we can recall together the great achievements of our Great Qing in capturing and killing the bandit chieftain in this battle."

Ruilin had never been to Dongping Lake, let alone Taibai Lake outside Jining City.

The reason why he said this was just to make Yi happy.

He knew exactly what Yi wanted to hear now.

Sure enough, after hearing what Ruilin said, Yi couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Yeah!"

"Rui Lin, you really understand my heart!"

"In the future, the matters concerning the training palace outside Taibai Lake will be handed over to you."

Upon hearing this, Rui Lin hurriedly smiled apologetically.

"I will obey your order and build a palace for your majesty that is the best in the world."

"Only a villa like this is worthy of the emperor."

However, just when Ruilin and Yi were getting along well with each other, Shengbao came galloping on his horse from a distance.

After he rode his horse to Yi's front, he immediately bowed.

"Report, Your Majesty."

"Our scouts have discovered traces of the Tang army in the direction of Taoyuan Town, thirty miles to the east."

"A large group of Tang troops are coming towards us!"

Upon hearing this, Yi frowned subconsciously, and then said.

"Immediately send troops to stop them."

"The main force should continue to move south without stopping."

"Order our blocking troops to catch up with the main force as soon as possible after repelling the Tang army and join up with our main force."

Upon hearing this, Shengbao opened his mouth and said with a grim expression.

"Your Majesty, if we simply divide our forces, I'm afraid we won't be able to repel the invading Tang army this time."

When Yi heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he asked.

"what happened?"

"Are there many Tang troops attacking this time?"

Shengbao nodded and said.

"According to our scouts' reports, the number of Tang troops coming from Taoyuan Town is estimated to be around 30,000."

"It may be the main force of the Tang army!"

When Yi heard this, the expression on his face changed obviously.

"Thirty thousand people?"

"According to the Tang bandits' organization, this is the strength of two divisions."

"It is undoubtedly the main force of the Tang thieves."

"But, shouldn't the Tang army in the east be being held back by the disaster victims in Jinan Prefecture?"

"How come you suddenly appeared in Taoyuan Town and on the flank of my army?"

You have to know that this is information provided by gentry who are loyal to the Qing Dynasty.

Even if the intelligence was wrong, it shouldn't be this wrong, right?
Isn’t this a bit too ridiculous?
At this moment, Yi suddenly had a bad premonition in his heart.

Damn it, could it be that the Qing Dynasty was ambushed by the Tang bandits?

After thinking of this, Yi subconsciously turned his gaze towards the direction of the Yellow River behind him.

Then, the image of the Yellow River, with its surging waters flowing eastward, appeared in his mind!

You know, the Yellow River can do more than just stop northern troops from moving south.

If the southern troops want to go north, the Yellow River will also be a huge obstacle.

Yi took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and then spoke.

"quick!"

"Probe again, report again!"

"I want to know if there are any Tang troops in other directions besides the east..."

However, Yi had just finished speaking.

Then a scout with a panicked look on his face was seen running towards them from a distance.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"Something bad has happened, Your Majesty!"

The scout ran all the way to Yi, dismounted, kowtowed, and then said.

"Your Majesty, our scouts have spotted a large number of Tang troops outside Dongping City ahead, tens of thousands of them."

"We found a golden dragon banner among the Tang army. I'm afraid the Tang bandit chieftain is here."

When Yi heard this, his heart sank.

"Isn't the Tang bandit chief in Jining? How come he suddenly appeared in Dongping?!"

But as soon as he asked the question, Yi realized that he might have been ambushed this time.

There are heavy Tang bandit troops in both the east and south directions.

To the west is Dongping Lake and to the north is the Yellow River.

At this time, the Qing army was surrounded on all sides and was in a desperate situation with no way of survival.

It's really all over!

"Damn it! How dare those damned gentry harm our Qing Dynasty like this."

"I will kill them all!"

"I must kill them all!"

Yi roared angrily, veins on his neck exposed and he was burning with rage.

Now Yi was so angry with those gentry that his teeth were itching.

I wish I could kill them all!
If it weren't for the so-called intelligence from those gentry, how could he have accidentally entered such a desperate place?
Shengbao, who was standing by, saw this and asked.

"Your Majesty, what should my Qing Dynasty do next?"

When asking this question, Shengbao's voice even trembled a little.

Now he was really a little desperate. Yi took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and then said.

"Order the entire army to turn around on the spot, the rear team becomes the front team, and return north immediately."

"As long as my army can cross the river before the Tang bandits surround us, there is still a chance to save everything..."

Upon hearing this, Shengbao and others nodded vigorously.

Soon, as Yi's order was passed down, the Qing army turned around and began to flee north at a faster speed than when they came.

The Qing army seemed extremely panicked.

Yi also urged the warhorse under his crotch to gallop away.

At the same time, the Tang army in Taoyuan Town and Dongping City also began to advance towards the direction of the Qing army, preparing to completely complete the encirclement of the Qing army.

The Qing army fled in a panic all the way towards the Yellow River.

Along the way, the Tang army pursuers behind them were getting closer and closer to them.

When the Qing army fled to the vicinity of the Yellow River, they heard bursts of gunfire from afar.

Shengbao came to Yi with an anxious look on his face to report.

"Report, Your Majesty, something big has happened."

"The Tang bandits sent their navy to ambush in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. After our army crossed the river, the Tang bandits' navy suddenly rushed out and defeated our troops that were waiting on both sides of the Yellow River..."

The Qing army was not stupid. It was impossible for the main force of the army to cross the river without caring about the consequences.

It was natural to arrange people on both sides of the Yellow River in advance to be ready to support the main force of the Qing army to cross the river and retreat to the north in case of an emergency.

However, what made Yi devastated was that the Tang army had calculated this in advance.

The navy was deployed on the Yellow River.

After the Qing army crossed the river, they sent the navy to attack and defeated the Qing army's support forces on both sides of the Yellow River, completely completing the encirclement of the Qing army.

At this moment, Yi felt as if he was struck by a bolt from the blue.

I almost collapsed!

He murmured in his mouth.

"Heaven is going to destroy me!"

"Is God going to destroy the Qing Dynasty?!"

Shengbao, Ruilin and others all looked at Yi with some despair, as if they were waiting for Yi to make a decision.

However, Yi was in a panic at this moment, and his mind was confused. How could he make any decision?

Shengbao's eyes kept changing, finally becoming resolute, and then he spoke.

"Your Majesty, given the current situation, we are already surrounded by the Tang bandits."

"The only choice before us is to march the entire army northwards, find a way to fight our way out, and send the emperor across the river back to the capital to take charge of the situation."

"Otherwise, everything will be over!"

Yi looked around and after hesitating for a long time, he asked.

"Can our army really break out?"

Sheng Bao said in a firm tone.

"Your Majesty, we have no more choices now."

"The whole army will march north and fight with all their might. Perhaps there is still a chance of survival."

"If you sit and wait for death, you will surely die!"

"Your Majesty, please make the decision!"

Upon hearing this, Ruilin, Baojun and other military ministers spoke in unison.

"Your Majesty, please make the decision!"

Seeing this, Yi made up his mind.

"Pass the order."

"Let our accompanying baggage ships abandon all supplies, load up soldiers, and fight a decisive battle with the Tang pirates' navy on the Yellow River."

"Open a passage for my army to retreat northward at all costs!"

"Send a message to the entire army: the first person to cross the Yellow River will be crowned king!"

"A title of Iron-hat King, hereditary and unchangeable, living with the country!"

The Qing Dynasty was in dire straits at this time. Yi was willing to risk everything for that elusive glimmer of hope.

Don’t just talk about being crowned king.

If anyone can bring the main force of the Qing Dynasty back to the north of the Yellow River intact, he would be willing to give up his throne.

Yi's order restored some of the morale of the Qing army, which was in desperate situation.

Throughout the ages, the most attractive things are fame and fortune.

Now that Yi is using the reward of being crowned king as bait, the Qing army will naturally muster up the courage to give it a try.

As the military order was issued, the Qing army's grain transport ships on Dongping Lake began to throw bags of grain and boxes of military equipment and supplies into Dongping Lake.

The sound of heavy objects falling into the water continued!
Afterwards, Qing soldiers began to board ships and then marched towards the Yellow River in a mighty force.

They attempted to compete with the Tang army's navy for control of the Yellow River and open a channel for the main force of the Qing army to escape northward.

……

Flags flying!

Large red flags with Tang characters on them fluttered in the wind above the army.

Li Yi rode on horseback, galloping beside the Tang army, constantly urging the Tang soldiers to speed up their march.

"Quick! Quick! Quick! Forced march!"

"Soldiers, hurry up. Our army has already blocked the main force of the Qing army south of the Yellow River."

"Those who run fast get to eat meat, while those who run slowly can't even have a sip of soup!"

Hearing Li Yi's words, the Tang army soldiers subconsciously quickened their pace.

He was afraid that if he arrived too late, the Qing army would have been wiped out by his comrades.

At this moment, a fast horse galloped to Li Yi and began to report.

"Report, Your Majesty, the main force of the Qing demons has fled north to the bank of the Yellow River."

"Our navy is ready to launch an interception."

Li Yi nodded slightly and then asked.

"Where are our troops in the direction of Taoyuan Town? Where are they now?"

Upon hearing this, the communications soldier responded immediately.

"In reply to your Majesty, our troops in the Taoyuan direction have reached Kongcun Town, not far from the Yellow River."

(End of this chapter)