Ming Dynasty: I, Yan Maoqing, am truly radiating auspicious energy!

Chapter 76 Tribute of Nine White Flowers
For a time, the people of Yanghe were filled with fear and unease.

However, under Zhou Shangwen's orderly command, all the soldiers and civilians were in good order, performing their duties and standing ready for battle.

Almost everyone held their breath, their eyes wide as they closely watched the "enemy army" slowly approaching the sun and pressing down on the wasteland like dark clouds.

As the "enemy" drew closer, they became increasingly alarmed.

Because the number of enemy troops in front of them was far greater than they had imagined, they could not see the whole picture at a glance. Just from what they could see, there were probably more than 100,000!

With such a scale, it's likely that the Left Wing Prince and the Right Wing's 30,000 households have mobilized the entire nation's resources to launch a massive southward invasion. How could a small place like Yanghe Pass possibly withstand them?!

At the same time, everyone's doubts grew.

Just as Zhang Xian had previously wondered, why did the Tartars march south in large numbers, mostly on foot? Where were their horses?

close!

Getting closer!
"Pass down the order: the musket battalion is to inspect the gunpowder, the archers are to prepare their arrows, and the rest are to perform their duties to defend against the siege!"

Zhou Shangwen gave a loud order, and the command flag on the sentry post waved.

Everyone's heart was pounding, and the atmosphere was incredibly heavy.

Guo Xun's hand holding the spear was already slippery.

Yan Changping's lips were deathly pale as he quietly approached Guo Xun and tried to persuade him:

"Duke Yi, your health is of utmost importance. I fear that swords and spears have no eyes. Let us not cause trouble for General Zhou here. Why don't we come down with me to wait?"

"Yes, Master, let's go down first."

Zhang Xian also took the opportunity to stand aside, frowning and earnestly trying to persuade him.

"At this critical juncture of life and death, every additional person brings more strength. I am not interfering with General Zhou, so how could I be causing trouble?"

Guo Xun immediately stiffened his neck and shouted loudly,

"General Zhou, today I, Guo Xun, am just a lowly soldier under your command. I will obey your orders, and my life and death are my own business, none of your concern!"

Since going back would only lead to death, and a meaningless one at that, he had made up his mind to be buried here. This ending would be the only truly good end for him and the Guo family.

"Dong Yiguo..."

Zhou Shangwen turned to look at Guo Xun, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end he just nodded without saying a word.

at the same time.

"The Duke of Yi is mighty!"

Suddenly, someone among the soldiers shouted, which stirred up a great deal of excitement among the crowd:
"The Duke of Yiguo is still vigorous despite his advanced age!"

"To be able to fight alongside Duke Yi against the enemy today, we have no regrets even if we die!"

"Even the Duke of Yiguo is fighting to the death, so what do we have to fear? You damned Tartars, come on, let's fight to our hearts' content today!"

"kill!!!"

In an instant, the sounds of battle shook the heavens and the earth, and both soldiers and civilians were filled with rage.

This was a scene Zhou Shangwen had never witnessed in his many years of leading troops. The soldiers and civilians were united as one, sharing a common hatred for the enemy, and were ready to die for their cause. It was as if the blood in everyone's heart had boiled.

Zhou Shangwen was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, and his old eyes welled up with tears.

What a simple and honest group of soldiers and civilians they are. Most of the time, all they need is an example, an attitude, or a word of praise from above to be willing to give their lives without hesitation. Even if they end up as just a number on the battle report, they can still die with a smile on their face.

But even such a simple request is often an unattainable dream...

"..."

At this moment, Guo Xun was also filled with mixed feelings, as if a raging fire was burning in his chest, making him feel unbearably hot.

He had lived most of his life, but he had never experienced such a strange feeling before. It was so wonderful, so proud, so carefree, and so intense!

Compared to this feeling, it seemed as if he had wasted the previous sixty years of his life. Even with fine clothes, sumptuous food, and a retinue of servants, it was all meaningless and tasteless. He was merely surviving like a walking corpse.

He suddenly remembered that sentence:
"Death is inevitable for everyone; it may be as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather..."

If he were to die here today, even if he could never be as heavy as Mount Tai, he would certainly not be as light as a feather.
"kill!!!"

Guo Xun stood atop the city wall, raising his spear high, and shouted along with the crowd.

……

close!

The Tartars are getting closer!
But it inexplicably stopped a mile away.

Then several fast horses tore through the dark crowd like algae breaking through the water, shouting loudly as they galloped straight down to the city.

"Hey! Don't panic, we're on the same side..." "Don't panic, we're on the same side..."

"Don't panic, we're on the same side!"

The sound grew louder as it approached, finally reaching the ears of Zhou Shangwen, Guo Xun, and the others on the city wall.

"What...one of us?"

Zhou Shangwen, who had already resolved to die, was taken aback upon hearing this.

"Uh?"

Guo Xun felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his burning heart, and his body stiffened as he looked carefully down at the city walls.

As the fast horses drew closer, he finally saw the faces of the newcomers. The leader was none other than Shen Lian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who had previously accompanied Yan Maoqing on a secret mission to Anda.

"They're really one of us!"

Guo Xun quickly said to Zhou Shangwen,

"General Zhou, quickly pass down the order: do not harm our own people!"

However, he didn't understand what was going on. He knew better than anyone that when Yan Maoqing went beyond the Great Wall, he only had about twenty people, including all his entourage. Why was he now...?

Guo Xun rubbed his eyes and looked again at the dark mass of people on the desolate plain outside the city.

There must be at least one or two hundred thousand people, right?
What... exactly is going on?!

"Shen Lian?"

Yan Changping, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, also recognized Shen Lian, and then looked suspicious.

After all, this was the most promising young talent in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, highly regarded by Lu Bing. How could he not recognize him?
But he didn't understand why Shen Lian would come back from beyond the Great Wall. Shouldn't he have stayed by Guo Xun's side as the imperial inspector and assisted in supervising relief efforts?
While talking.

Shen Lian and his men had already ridden to the city walls and were loudly explaining the situation to the soldiers on the walls:

"One of our own!"

"These are the soldiers and civilians of Shuozhou and Shizhou who were previously captured by the Tartars. They are all subjects of our Great Ming Dynasty. The Tartars have released them all. Please, the garrison troops in the city, put away your muskets and crossbows. Under no circumstances should you turn your swords against each other and accidentally injure your own people!"

What's going on here?

The soldiers and civilians in the city were also completely bewildered by these words.

Previously, the people the Tartars had abducted were like meat buns thrown to a dog; this was the first time in their lives that anyone had returned, and all of them had been released. Was this something the Tartars would do?!

"Let's make things clear first. Why are the Tartars being so kind as to release all the prisoners without any reason?"

Zhou Shangwen frowned and asked loudly.

This matter was so difficult to understand that he couldn't help but suspect that there was a trap involved, and even suspected that the "one of his own" in front of him had become an enemy and was helping the Tartars to trick their way into opening the city gate.

"This is the Tartars' way of expressing their sincerity in establishing tributary relations with the Ming Dynasty!"

Shen Lian jumped off his horse and shouted,

"The Tartars also beheaded dozens of Ming traitors and sent their heads back to the capital!"

"They also sent nine white camels, nine white horses, nine white oxen, and several gold and silver pots as a tribute of 'nine whites' to show their respect for the current emperor!"

"In addition, Anda also sent his eldest son along, carrying the Tatar state letter to the capital, to personally present the letter to the Emperor..."

Listening to Shen Lian's words, Zhou Shangwen felt that they were becoming more and more outrageous.

Convinced that Shen Lian had betrayed the Ming Dynasty and sided with the Tartars, he immediately rebuked him angrily:

"That's utter nonsense! Even spreading rumors requires some thought. Do you think I'm dealing with Tartars for the first time?!"

"..."

Guo Xun also found it utterly absurd, but he was more concerned about something else, so he stood up and asked loudly:
"Shen Lian, where is Shou Chang? Why don't you come out and speak?"

"Duke Yi, please be patient. Minister Yan Mao is bringing up the rear and will be here shortly!"

Shen Lian bowed and said solemnly.

To hold the line?

What a load of crap!
How could he not know why Yan Maoqing had fallen behind?
The thing emitting blue smoke clearly insisted on personally guarding his heavy 400,000 taels of silver before falling behind the oxcart transporting the silver!

If it weren't for the concern that revealing this matter in public might cause a huge uproar and possibly lead to a mutiny among the soldiers and civilians of Yanghesai.

However, the "ingenious plan" must never be made public.

He would never cover up this for Yan Maoqing!

(End of this chapter)