Chapter 43: Night Raid

  The next day, the army set out northward, passing through Qingyuan and Quzhou, and did not slaughter the gentry of Jizhou again. As long as those powerful landlords obediently prepared wine, meat, and food to entertain them, Luo Zhen restrained his subordinates and did not trample on people's homes and gardens.

  Five days later, Luo Zheng led his army around Daluze and entered Changshan Commandery.

  Han Fu's urgent fire burned his eyebrows, and he led the army to rush, but what could be done with 20,000 infantrymen carrying grain and heavy loads? How could they catch up with the lightly equipped and swift Western Liang cavalry? After receiving Luo Zheng's reply, he immediately sent a letter by fast horse, ordering the defenders of Ye City, Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Zhang Heng to quickly go to the Western Liang army and discuss with Luo Zheng the conditions for the withdrawal of the Western Liang army from Ji Province.

  Ye City, the side hall of the governor's mansion.

  Tian Feng's sword eyebrows were tightly knitted, and he paced back and forth in the hall with a look of annoyance.

  In the sound of rapid footsteps, Shi Zuji hastened in and bowed to Tian Feng, saying: "I don't know why Brother Yuan Hao summoned me in the middle of the night. Is there something important to discuss? Has Governor Cao sent some instructions?"

  Tian Feng sighed and handed a letter to Ju Shou. With a worried expression, he said, "Take a look at this."

  He took over the volume of silk, read it with a glance at ten lines, and his face suddenly changed to be very colorful.

  Tian Feng sighed and said, "Governor, you are afraid that the Xiliang rebels will slaughter the scholars of Jizhou, so you sent someone to inform them and open a convenient door for the Xiliang rebels to go north from Jizhou. Who knew that Luo Zhen would take advantage of the situation and blackmail us? Alas!"

  Ju Shou furrowed his brow and said: "Luo Zheng is summoning us to go and discuss something, I don't know what kind of idea he has in mind."

  Tian Feng sneered: "This thief is very cunning, calling us to go there, I'm afraid it's not a good thing."

  "Since it's the Governor's order, are we going or not?"

  Tian Feng frowned and said, "The problem lies here. If General Zhang Hu were still around, for the sake of the safety of the Ji Province aristocracy, we would have to put aside our knowledge that the Western Liang army is not benevolent and go to negotiate with them even if it means sacrificing ourselves. But now that General Zhang Hu has gone to Luan City, the Western Liang rebels will arrive soon, and even if we set out now, I fear it may be too late."

  "Then let's just wait and see, as long as General Zhang Hu can defeat this Western Liang rebel army, all the problems will be solved. Even if Governor returns, we can report to him and everything will be fine."

  Tian Feng sighed: "It can only be so, and I hope General Zhang He will make a meritorious achievement in Lankong."

  "Rest assured, General Zhang He leads his troops with discipline and handles matters with caution. I'm sure there won't be any mistakes."

  Changshan County, Luan County.

  The Western Liang Iron Cavalry rushed in, and within tens of miles around Luan City, people and animals had long since disappeared.

  The common people all hid in their homes, hiding in secret cellars, silently praying that they wouldn't be discovered by the Western Liang army.

  As the sky was about to darken, the 7,000 Western Liang iron cavalry immediately surrounded Lantian City. If they could enter Lantian City, they would rest for a night in Lantian City and continue northward the next day. If they couldn't enter Lantian City, they would look for another place.

  The four gates of the city were tightly closed, and soldiers on the city wall kept popping their heads out to look around with fearful expressions.

  Luo Zhen urged his horse forward and shouted loudly: "Where is the Magistrate of Wan City?"

  After waiting for half a day, a soldier finally poked his head out, looking down and trembling with fear as he replied: "Reporting to the General, the County Magistrate and the County Lieutenant have both fled the city with their families."

  "Has the county magistrate run away?"

  Luo Zheng's mouth curled up in a ferocious smile as he bellowed, "Quickly open the city gate! Otherwise, we'll break through the city walls and not a single chicken or dog will be left alive!"

  "The city is broken, and even chickens and dogs are gone."

  Seven thousand Western Liang iron cavalry shouted in unison, their voices like thunder, only to shock the soldiers on the city wall into pale faces and white lips, trembling with fear.

  "What should I do, sir?"

  There were soldiers who trembled with fear and asked Du Bo, the guardian of the city gate, "Should we open the city gate and surrender?"

  "This..."

  Dou Bo was in a dilemma and didn't know what to do.

  The county magistrate and the county lieutenant both fled, and more than half of the soldiers in the city also fled.

  At present, there are only over 200 soldiers left in the city, and it is certain that they cannot hold out.

  The only concern is whether the Western Liang army will go on a killing spree after entering the city, after all, the reputation of the Western Liang army is not very good.

  "The city gates were opened wide, and not even a chicken or dog was left behind."

  At this moment, the Western Liang army shouted in unison again, and the city walls seemed to shake slightly.

  "Open the city gate quickly."

  Dou Bo's legs went soft and he immediately ordered the city gate to be opened.

  The soldiers on the city wall finally took a breath and hurriedly ran down to open the city gate.

  It's okay, no need to fight to the death with the Western Liang army anymore.

  Soon, the drawbridge fell down, and with a creaking sound, the south gate of Nanjing City was pushed open by dozens of soldiers.

  "Go into the city!"

  Luo Zheng waved his hand and thousands of Western Liang iron cavalry immediately rolled forward, killing into the city.

  Fortunately, after entering the city, the Western Liang army did not continue to slaughter wildly. The soldiers and civilians in the city heaved a sigh of relief. Some wealthy families hurriedly sent wine, meat, and food, hoping to preserve their lives and homes.

  At night, the lights are dim and sparse.

  The soldiers ate and drank their fill, couldn't mess with women, so they all went to bed early.

  A wing room in the backyard of the county government office.

  Luo Zheng smiled and listened to Gan Qian's words, finally unable to bear it and pulled this beauty into his arms.

  Gan Qian's face turned red all the way to her ears, her long eyelashes trembled lightly, and she slowly closed her eyes, only her breathing was a bit rapid.

  Lu Zheng lowered his head, kissed those warm and fragrant lips, then knocked on the door and entered, greedily savoring that sweet fragrance.

  A large hand also honestly and unceremoniously lifted Gān Qiàn's skirt, roughly reaching up, climbing onto that warm and soft peak, freely fondling and playing, a stream of irrepressible evil fire quickly rose from the lower abdomen, spreading throughout the body.

  Gan Qian let out a soft cry, stretched out her jade arm and encircled Luo Zheng's sturdy neck, stiffly meeting his lips.

  The lamp sways gently, and the whole room is filled with spring.

  The sofa creaked with a groaning sound, as if it was bearing too much weight.

  The guards standing outside the gate initially endured in silence, but soon they were so stifled that their faces turned red and their necks thickened. One by one, they panted heavily like wild beasts, glared around for a moment, then suddenly lifted up their robes and rushed forward.

  It was already past midnight and deep into the night when the house finally quieted down.

  At three o'clock in the evening, when the night was darkest, a sudden shout of killing rose from the north gate of Luan City.

  "What's going on?"

  Luo Zheng was startled awake from his sleep, and with a great effort, he shook his somewhat dizzy head.

  As soon as I touched it, I was filled with warmth and fragrance, soft and delicate to the touch, making me reluctant to let go, intoxicating.

  Especially that perfect and delicate body, without a single flaw, like sheep fat jade, crystal clear and translucent, as if carved out of a whole piece of beautiful jade, emitting a warm and seductive glow, it's really hard to believe that there is such a flawless body in the world.

  "General!"

  Gan Qian opened her eyes, and her bright pupils shone like two glittering black gemstones in the dark night. She looked at Luo Zheng with a hint of shyness as he prepared to sit up, calling out softly as she too sat up quickly.

  "You go to sleep first!"

  Luo Zheng grabbed a handful of her hair and hastily shouted towards the door: "Come in."

  There were close guards who burst in through the door and stood behind the screen, saying loudly: "What are your orders, General?"

  Gan Qianguang knew that her personal guards were being blocked by the screen, but she still hastily retreated into her bed, her jade-like face flushing with a burning sensation.

  "Ruo Zheng shouted: 'What happened? Where is the cry of killing coming from?'"

  The attendants replied: "This, your humble servant also does not know!"

  Lu Zheng was drinking while asking, and at the same time he quickly put on his clothes and prepared to go out.

  Just then, a small school rushed in and loudly reported: "General, the Jizhou army has killed its way into the south gate."

  Luo Zhen was shocked and shouted loudly: "The great army of Han Fu has not yet arrived at Ye City, where did the Ji Zhou army come from?"

  The little schoolmaster hastily said: "I also don't know, General, please make a decision as soon as possible."

  "What's wrong with you guys?"

  Luo Zhengqi cursed and shouted loudly: "Assemble the main force, quickly go to the South Gate."

  "Roger."

  The little school ran out of orders and rushed out like the wind.

  Luo Zheng rushed out of the house with his armor and sword, and when he ran outside, he saw the flames rising to the sky at the south gate. The cries of killing and wailing shattered the night sky, revealing the intensity of the battle. This scene showed that the Jizhou army had already broken in.

  Next to him were already his personal guards leading a war horse over and handing him the reins.

  Xu Chu was fully armored and stood solemnly beside his horse, as if he would never know fatigue.

  Luo Zheng patted his horse's back, waved his hand and shouted loudly: "Go!"

  In the thunder of iron hooves, dozens of riders whirled out of the county government office and rushed straight to the south gate.

  On the way, a small school led a team of Western Liang cavalry to chase after them, galloping and killing towards the South Gate.

  But before they reached the south gate, a small school rushed over with blood all over his body and shouted loudly, "The general is not good, the Jizhou army has already killed them, there are too many people in the Jizhou army, brothers can't hold on!"

  Luo Zhen could no longer hold back, and sternly asked, "This general has repeatedly instructed that more scouts must be sent to prevent the Jizhou army from launching a surprise attack at night. Han Fu's large army has not yet arrived in Ye City, where did the Jizhou army come from, and how did they open the city gate?"

  The little school said solemnly: "General, you don't know that the Jizhou army had already laid down an ambush in the city, hiding in the civilian houses near the North Gate. They came out and killed after dark, and collaborated with the Jizhou army outside the city to seize the South Gate."

  Lu Zheng almost vomited blood, "This general has repeatedly ordered that we must patrol all places and strictly prevent bandits from hiding. Why are there Jizhou troops hiding in the city? Who is responsible for patrolling this place? This general will definitely behead his dog head."

  The little schoolboy was so frightened that he didn't dare to answer.

  Luo Zheng shouted loudly: "Where are the Jizhou army hiding outside the city? Why didn't our scouts discover them?"

  The little schoolmaster, plucking up his courage, replied: "This, I also don't know."

  "It's suffocating me too!"

  "Come on, let's go to the South Gate."

  At this moment, the north gate, west gate and east gate also simultaneously erupted with earth-shaking shouts of killing.

  Not far away, in front of the street, Jizhou army had already killed over.

  The Western Liang Iron Cavalry was blocked in the narrow alley, and it was impossible to exert the powerful impact of the cavalry. On the contrary, because they were unable to deploy and were caught off guard, they were defeated by the Ji Zhou army.

  "Kill!"

  Luo Zheng urged his horse to advance quickly and successively cut down several soldiers from Jizhou.

  However, on all sides of the streets, the Jizhou army was getting more and more numerous.

  It was unclear in the dark who knew how many Jizhou soldiers were killed and came in.

  Moreover, there were people in the city who set fires everywhere, and the eastern, northern, and western gates also had earth-shaking shouts of killing voices coming from them. The Western Liang army was suddenly ambushed, and the soldiers had no will to fight, crowded in the narrow alleys, trampling each other to death, with many casualties.