I transmigrated to ancient times and became a king with a title equal to mine.

Three thousand cavalrymen, led by Zhao Hongliang, set off first.

Because their equipment was all from the Dongjiang soldiers, they encountered no trouble along the way.

"Reporting to the general, we are less than five li from the enemy camp and have already made contact with their scouts," the scouts reported upon their return.

"Stop, split into two lines and wait. Do not harass the enemy. Take out all enemy outposts and scouts, then replace them with our men!"

"Yes!"

It was late at night, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), on the Wujiang Jiupai River embankment of the Great Xia Kingdom, Ma Gui was personally supervising the battle.

He said in a deep voice, "Order the positions on Xinji Island to be bombarded fiercely!"

As four piles of flames shot into the sky, fifty cannons on Xinji Island in the middle of the Jiupai River roared and fired simultaneously.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The loud explosions echoed through the Dongjiang Nationalist army camp on the opposite bank.

The enemy camp, stretching for ten miles, was instantly transformed into a sea of ​​fire and a minefield.

The sudden bombing woke 100,000 soldiers of Dongjiang from their dreams.

In an instant, cries, commands, scoldings, and explosions rose and fell in waves.

The Dongjiang military camp was in complete chaos, with soldiers rushing out of their tents and fleeing desperately eastward.

The Great Xia's divine cannons fired five rounds in succession, paralyzing the enemy camp.

Outside, the army was in complete disarray, while inside the central command tent on the west side of Prince Mountain, a heated argument raged over whether to retreat or defend.

"What's all the noise about? We're all just empty-handed generals now!" Commander Lü Yong, looking disheveled, stormed into the tent and roared.

When the cannons roared from the opposite bank, the Xia cavalry immediately changed back into their own clothes.

After the other side finished its five rounds of bombing, Zhao Hongliang led his cavalry battalion in a line and charged toward the enemy camp.

Three thousand cavalrymen, each carrying thirty gunpowder canisters.

This gunpowder canister was made by Long Bin based on the hand grenade from his previous life. Although it was a bit large, it was still very powerful.

With a whoosh, three thousand medicine jars were lined up and flew into the fleeing crowd of defeated soldiers.

The fact that the Great Xia's artillery could reach across the river terrified the soldiers of Dongjiang Kingdom. After a moment of fear, they chose to flee eastward.

Although cannons are terrifying, they don't go very far; as long as you get out of range, you're safe.

The cannons fired from the west bank, and the Dongjiang soldiers fled eastward for their lives. Once they started fleeing, they couldn't stop, and many soldiers suddenly had the thought of going home during the escape.

The army collapsed like a landslide, and the soldiers, longing for home, were like whirlwinds, unstoppable, no matter how much their officials tried to stop them.

However, their moment of despair arrived.

Suddenly, a row of dark, grimy things flew towards us, boom boom boom...

"Damn it, why are the Great Xia Kingdom's cannons firing at us on our own soil?"

To everyone's astonishment, three thousand cavalrymen appeared as if from the sky, wielding long swords designed by the Southern King, swords that Long Bin had made in imitation of the cavalry sabers of his previous life.

The poor deserters from Dongjiang did not die from the artillery fire, but from the medicine jars of three thousand cavalrymen and their swords that could cut through iron like mud. A considerable number of them were also trampled by their own people.

Three thousand cavalrymen, each throwing out twenty gunpowder canisters in a regular pattern.

By this time, they were getting closer and closer to the riverbank, and all they could see was a chaotic enemy camp, but no enemy soldiers in sight.

"Brothers, turn your horses around and drive the Dongjiang devils back to their lair!"

"kill!"

"rush!"

Three thousand cavalrymen turned back and pursued them, still using medicine jars to clear the way, causing the enemy soldiers who had not died to cry out in despair and be terrified.

Wherever the cavalry went, there were defeated soldiers kneeling and surrendering.

After each person threw away thirty medicine jars, the supply team sent by Cao Mengsheng arrived and gave each person twenty jars. They chased and bombed the enemy soldiers for a while, driving them to the dike area sixty miles east of Danyangji.

Just as Zhao Hongliang was beating the dog when it fell into the water, Cao Mengsheng's infantry had already arrived near Taizi Mountain.

"Reporting to the general, we have captured an official."

"What official?"

"He identified himself as a middle-ranking officer."

Cao Mengsheng laughed heartily: "This is quite a high-ranking official." Lu Yong, a military officer in the Dongjiang army, was captured. According to his confession, the central command tent was bombed amidst a quarrel, Marshal Xiang Wulun lost a leg, and all the other officials perished. He himself, unable to tolerate the bureaucratic behavior of these people, ran away in a fit of anger, thus escaping with his life.

Cao Mengsheng led his troops to clean up the battlefield. Because the enemy's warehouse was located on the east side of Taizi Mountain, the artillery fire from the west did not reach this area. The food and supplies for 100,000 enemy troops for a month were intact, which made Cao Mengsheng cry with joy.

After assigning the defenses of the battlefield, Cao Mengsheng had a detailed discussion with Lu Yong, the central officer of the Dongjiang army. It turned out that the Dongjiang Kingdom was only using 100,000 troops to support Gu Bufan's long-range advance, creating a situation where two armies were on one side, just to scare Long Bin.

Lu Yong sighed, "Our Third Prince is too clever for his own good. He has lost another 100,000 soldiers. I'm afraid he will lose his position as Crown Prince."

Cao Mengsheng handed the letter that Long Bin had written in advance to Lü Yong and said, "I will let you go back. Please give this letter to your king or the crown prince."

Lu Yong was surprised that the other party would let him go. After a moment of surprise, he said, "Please tell His Highness the Prince of Nan that if Lu Yong can bring his family across the river to Lishui, I beg the Prince of Nan to take him in. I am willing to serve the Prince of Nan."

Cao Mengsheng said, "The Prince of Nan said that he was also a person, who was born, grew old, got sick and died, and after death he would just be buried in the earth. Not to mention serving him, he was reborn again and again to serve the people of Lishui County and to serve the happiness and well-being of the world."

Cao Mengsheng faced Lishui City, clasped his hands in a gesture of worship, and said with great admiration, "Your Majesty also said that the ruler is the tile, the minister is the beam, and all the people are the people. Whether the tiles are gold or silver, the beam is always there. It cannot be missing or lacking, otherwise the house will collapse and the people will be exposed to wind and rain."

Hearing Cao Mengsheng's emotional words, Lü Yong was deeply moved and speechless. He turned and left.

In Meicheng, the capital of Dongjiang Kingdom, there is a small courtyard at the foot of Plum Blossom Mountain.

The third prince, Xiang Yu, who survived the ordeal, has been bedridden for more than three months.

"Your Majesty, the scout has important news to report."

Xiang Yu nodded and said, "Bring him in."

A short while later, the young scout entered the room and knelt down, saying, "This humble one, Fan Qi, pays his respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."

"I heard you have something important to report, please tell me quickly."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, at precisely 9:00 PM, my 100,000-strong army was suddenly bombarded by a hundred cannons on the west bank, and our army was immediately routed. Then, the Great Xia cavalry seemed to descend from the sky, suddenly attacking from behind our army. Tens of thousands of cavalrymen slashed and hurled fireballs at us. Our poor 100,000 brothers were unable to advance or retreat, and were either blown to death or trampled to death by horses. General Xiang Wulun had his right leg blown off, and none of the other officers survived."

As he spoke, the scout prostrated himself on the ground and burst into tears.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu stared blankly at the scout. Suddenly, a sweet taste filled his mouth, and with a "poof," blood gushed from his mouth like a fountain. Xiang Yu, the third prince and heir apparent of Dongjiang Kingdom, died.

After cleverly disguising himself, Lü Yong headed straight to Kyoto and sneaked into the Crown Prince's courtyard late at night.

On that day, the Emperor of Dongjiang issued an edict: the Third Prince would be given a state funeral, and the Second Prince, Xiang Wuxiong, would be established as the Crown Prince.

In Dongjiang Kingdom, the selection of the crown prince is based on a contest between the winners of both civil and military examinations.

The Emperor of Dongjiang had six sons. The eldest prince preferred literature to martial arts and had no interest in the throne. Six years ago, the five princes competed in literary and martial arts, and the third prince came in first and the second prince came in second.

The third prince naturally ascended to the throne as crown prince.