Chapter Thirty Ambush

  The Taiping Army is coming, like a dark cloud covering everyone's heart. The beautiful dream of promotion and wealth has just begun, but it is facing unprecedented challenges, and everyone is nervous and uneasy.

  Sun Cheng and Lu Yong were both seriously injured, but with the help of others, they managed to make their way to the temporary conference room. Everyone gathered around, discussing a solution together.

  "Lao Si, I heard that Li Yan is a famous general in the army, with both wisdom and bravery. Such a person is not easy to deal with." Sun Cheng sighed and said.

  Gao Hongtu couldn't help but say, "That's right, we were already outnumbered, and there are many wounded. Compared to the bandits, it's like hitting a stone with an egg. I think we should hurry up and escape. The farther we can escape, the better."

  Xie Bin suddenly said, "It's precisely because we have many wounded that we can't escape. Otherwise, what would happen to these wounded brothers? Are we just going to abandon them and let them fall into the bandits' hands?"

  "Isn't there a carriage? Put the wounded in the carriage."

  "Can a cart run faster than a war horse?"

  Gao Hongtu also said with a strong tone: "As the saying goes, benevolence is not in command of troops. To gain something, one must give up something. At this critical moment of life and death, if you keep hesitating, it will only lead to everyone's demise."

  "General Gao's words sound good, but there are several wounded people present. Who do you want to sacrifice?" Tang Zhanxiong asked bluntly.

  "I'm talking about those wounded soldiers, are you daring to misinterpret my meaning and trying to sow discord?"

  "I think you're the one with ulterior motives!"

  Gao Hongtu and Tang Zhanxiong said that the smell of gunpowder was getting stronger, they stood up one after another, rolled up their sleeves, and were about to take action.

  Bang!

  Gu Zhenhua slapped his palm on the table, startling everyone, and they all stopped immediately.

  "How the Great Ming Dynasty perished was exactly like this, dying from internal strife. The enemy hasn't even arrived yet, and you're already quarreling among yourselves; do you want to be the assistants of the Great Shun Army?"

  Facing Gu Zhenhua's questioning, Gao Hongtu and Tang Zhankang both lowered their heads and remained silent. Gu Zhenhua took a deep breath and said: "The more dangerous it is, the calmer we must think, use our brains more, carefully analyze the current situation, I believe that when the car reaches the mountain, there will be a way. There must be a solution, but arguing absolutely cannot solve the problem!"

  Looking at everyone calming down, Gu Zhenhua said again: "At present, it's clear that just escaping is not enough. We have not only wounded soldiers but also a lot of supplies. According to the scouts' report, Li Yan's men are all cavalry. If we're caught in the open field, we'll be like sitting ducks, and no one will escape!"

  "Lao Si, you're right! Since we can't run away, then we have no choice but to fight. Let's go all out against Li Yan!" Lu Yong also said.

  "Second brother, do we have the capital to risk our lives?"

  Lu Yong was also confused, couldn't help but scratch his head and sighed: "Fourth brother, can't run away, can't fight back, this is really getting me stuck."

  Sun Cheng also smiled and said: "Old Fourth, if you have a good idea, just say it, don't be vague."

  Gu Zhenhua smiled slightly: "Everyone, Li Yan and his gang must be eliminated, and we must win beautifully. Once they are settled, even if Li Zicheng wants to send troops to pursue and kill us, it will take at least a day or two, which will give us time to transfer!"

  Everyone nodded frequently after hearing this, and Xue Biao couldn't help but ask: "Fourth brother, Li Yan brought more than a thousand cavalrymen, what's your trick?"

  "Not yet."

  "Master, don't scare us like that." Xie Bin also said in surprise: "If you didn't notice, we wouldn't have noticed either."

  "This is not right, three cobblers are better than Zhuge Liang, we have so many people, can't we come up with a plan? Let's hold a Zhuge Liang meeting now and discuss it thoroughly!"

  ……

  "Ancestors, something terrible has happened! The bandits have come to kill!"

  Kou Gui, who was dozing off in his chair, was suddenly startled awake. As soon as he heard the two words "thief entering", he became frightened and trembled all over, hastily saying: "Xiao Fu Zi, are you telling the truth?"

  "That's right, old ancestor. When I went to the latrine just now, I heard several soldiers discussing that Zhongyongbo and others are discussing ways to welcome the enemy."

  "What's the big deal? What could be more important than the prince? These people are absolutely clueless!"

  The old eunuch Kou Gui hastily let Xiao Fu lead the way, panting and running to the conference room. When he arrived at the door, the old eunuch barely calmed down.

  "Zhongyongbo, our family has something to trouble you with."

  Gu Zhenhua and others were discussing battle plans when they suddenly heard the old eunuch's words, their eyebrows furrowed.

  "General Kou, we are in a military meeting, please wait for a moment."

  "Wait!" Kou Gui suddenly became angry, his sharp voice piercing through the door panel: "Zhongyong Bo, yesterday evening the crown prince had just been appointed to office, can you live up to the two words 'loyal and brave'? The bandits have arrived, the crown prince is in a precarious situation, why don't you hurry up and protect the crown prince from leaving, what are you discussing here?"

  Splash!

  The door opened, and Gu Zhenhua appeared in front of Kou Gui. His eyes were fixed tightly on the old eunuch, and his other hand was pressed on the hilt of his sword. A layer of murderous aura enveloped him, causing Kou Gui to involuntarily take a step back.

  "Zhongyong Bo, don't misunderstand. Our family knows your loyalty, but at present the great enemy is in front of us and the safety of the prince is most important. I think Zhongyong Bo should quickly protect the prince and escape south to avoid danger, rather than wasting time here!"

  "Kou Gonggong, what do you think should be done?" asked Gu Zhenhua with a cold smile.

  "Zhongyongbo, according to our plan, we should choose a few dozen brave and loyal soldiers, no need too many. Disguise ourselves, take the prince and head south immediately, this way we can also avoid the pursuit of bandits."

  "So according to your husband's intention, the remaining brothers and these supplies should all be abandoned?"

  Kou Gui did not notice the anger in Gu Zhenhua's tone and continued to say: "Zhongyong Bo, as long as we safely arrive in Nanjing, these people and goods are nothing. You becoming a marquis or prime minister is not impossible, at that time there will be no lack of anything..."

  Just as Kou Gui was persuading Gu Zhenhua, many soldiers around them gathered over. Although they didn't dare to move forward, they watched from a distance and heard every word Kou Gui said.

  Just as Lao Taiping was speaking with a bitter tone and still trying to persuade him, Gu Zhenhua waved his hand, telling him not to say any more.

  "Lord Cao, these brothers and Gu are born to die together, they are Gu's greatest wealth. You want me to abandon any of them? I'm afraid it's impossible!"

  Gu Zhenhua said, raising his voice a few more decibels: "The lives of everyone here are the same, and they won't become more valuable just because someone is surnamed Zhu. United we stand, divided we fall is everyone's only way out. Today, for the sake of wealth and status, you can abandon your brothers; tomorrow, for the sake of high office and fat rewards, you can sell out the crown prince. This kind of unscrupulous person, Gu certain will never be!"

  Gu Zhenhua's words were not yet finished, and it was unclear which soldier took the lead, but everyone followed one after another, kneeling on one leg on the ground.

  "Master Gu, we haven't mistaken you for someone else! We'll follow Master Gu and be loyal to Master Gu!"

  "Follow Master Gu, be loyal to Master Gu!"

  ……

  The soldiers' sudden shout scared Kou Gui's face pale, and he couldn't say a word. Gu Zhenhua, on the other hand, grasped the hilt of his sword, with a warm smile all over his face, walked towards these soldiers.

  As he passed by Gu Kui's side, Gu Zhenhua said in a low voice: "Eunuchs are not allowed to interfere with politics, this is the ancestral system of the Great Ming, don't forget your own duty!"

  The old eunuch suddenly became cold all over, and this Gu Zhenhua was not a loyal minister of the Ming dynasty at all, but a complete living Cao Cao!

  Gu Zhenhua wouldn't care what an old eunuch thought, this team had completely obeyed his orders, he was the master of everything.

  "Brothers, Gu and everyone have been through life and death together, this will never change. Now the military situation is urgent, Li Yan's army is less than half a day's journey away from here, everyone must listen to command and fight a beautiful big victory!"

  Gu Zhenhua finished speaking and issued a combat order. They had already discussed a plan. All personnel were divided into two parts.

  Sun Cheng, Lu Yong and others were seriously injured and could not participate in the battle, nor could they be transferred for a long distance. Xie Bin and Luan Hu led fifty people to protect the wounded, including He Zhonghou, Mei Kunruo, and Ge Jiangshi, who had been diverted from the capital, and first hid in the back mountain. Time was pressing, after Gu Zhenhua's order was issued, these people immediately began to transfer.

  Gu Zhenhua led Gao Hongtu, Tang Zhankui and less than 300 soldiers to deal with Li Yan.

  "This valley is narrow at both ends and wide in the middle, making it perfect for an ambush. Once we lure Li Yan in, he's definitely going to die."

  "Sir, this is indeed a good place to use troops, but I'm afraid Li Yan won't be easily deceived?" Gao Hongtu said with some concern.

  Gu Zhenhua burst out laughing: "Don't worry, we mountain people have our own clever plan!"