Chapter 28: A Life-or-Death War Author: Dang Nian Ming Yue ??txt Traditional Chinese

  The Defense of Beiping

  Just as Zhu Di was plotting with the Prince of Ning, Beiping also came under attack. Li Jinglong did indeed do what Zhu Di had expected, personally leading 500,000 southern troops to besiege Beiping. He built forts at all nine gates of Beiping and sent troops to attack Tongzhou. At the same time, he set up nine large camps in Zhengba Village as a base for further attacks.

  With all preparations in place, he launched an attack on Beiping.

  At this time, the garrison of Beiping was Zhu Di's eldest son, Zhu Gaoxu. Zhu Gaoxu was a man with physical disabilities. According to historical analysis, he may have suffered from polio or other diseases in his childhood, making it inconvenient for him to move around and requiring assistance when entering or exiting. In the eyes of many people, he was just a useless person. However, Zhu Di had a deep understanding of this son who was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. He believed that the inner strength of this lame man far exceeded his external appearance, and by entrusting him with the task of defending Beiping this time, it also showed his trust in this son.

  But trust is one thing, and whether it can be maintained is another matter.

  It turned out that the attack of 500,000 people was not a joke. The Southern Army used a large number of artillery to coordinate with the siege, and hundreds of thousands of people climbed up the city wall like ants. Although the defenders inside the city had mental preparation, they were still frightened by such a large array. It was during this moment of stunnedness that the situation on the battlefield changed.

  The defenders at the Shun Cheng Gate were unprepared and mostly fled, and the Southern Army took advantage of the opportunity to launch a fierce attack on the gate. Just as they were about to break through, General Liang Ming arrived and reorganized the troops to join the defense. What's even more remarkable is that a group of women inside the city showed their bravery by using special weapons - bricks and tiles - to attack the besieging army. It seems that the phrase "brick slap" has a long history, dating back to ancient times.

  It is difficult to say how much this attack worked, but at least it boosted the morale of the defending soldiers and helped them resist this attack. After fierce fighting, the troops besieging the Shunzhi Gate were repelled, and Beiping was temporarily preserved.

  Zhu Gaogui's thinking was much faster than his actions, he understood that if things continued like this, Beiping would not be preserved for long. In order to hold on until his father returned, he had to think of another method. Thus, he formulated a bold plan.

  At this time, Li Jinglong looked at the shaky Beiping City and felt very proud. He was the son of Li Wenzhong and had a handsome appearance, but there were always people who said he was just a spoiled young master with no great abilities. Of course, a spoiled young master would never admit to being one. He had been looking for opportunities to prove himself all along.

  This is a great opportunity, he believes that as long as he can capture Beiping and defeat Zhu Di, he will be able to walk out of his father's shadow and make everyone recognize him!

  It turns out that fighting doesn't seem to be difficult, the city in front of us can't hold on for much longer, what tricks can a lone city play, the day of victory is not far away.

  However, when night fell, the situation took an unexpected turn. The Northern Army inside the city suddenly emerged from the city walls, divided into small teams, and launched a surprise attack on the large army outside! The Southern Army had not expected that the isolated army inside the city would dare to take the initiative to launch a counterattack, and for a time, they were in great disorder. To ensure safety, Li Jinglong ordered his troops to retreat ten miles and set up camp.

  But not everyone was as ignorant and timid as Li Jinglong, Du Kui was a man of insight, he found an opportunity in the chaotic battlefield, he accurately judged that the Northern Army's night raid was just a cover-up to gain time, and what seemed like chaos was actually the best time to break into the city!

  He carefully observed the defensive situation of the city and identified Zhangyemen as the weakest link, leading his thousands of men to launch a fierce attack on this gate. The situation was indeed as he had expected, and the Northern Army was indeed making a false show of strength! Under his attack, the defenders at Zhangyemen Gate retreated in disorder, and just as the city gate was about to be breached, Li Jinglong did something shameful.

  Li Jinglong did not disappoint his reputation as a military moron, nor did he disappoint Zhu Di's expectation of his sudden stupidity. Just as the city gate was about to be broken through, he immediately ordered the attack to stop. The reason was simple: he didn't want someone else to steal the credit (Jinglong was afraid of this).

  Having a superior like Li Jinglong is like having a god who cannot win a battle.

  What is said that heaven gives and does not take must bear the blame is reasonable, just as Li Jinglong was preparing to gather his forces for another attack, the old man in the sky came out to speak.

  It was November, and the temperature was extremely low. Although it had been hundreds of years since this place changed its name from Beiping to Beijing, the weather hadn't changed much except for the increasing frequency of sandstorms. Today, snowplows were constantly clearing the streets, and pedestrians wore thick down jackets and anti-skid shoes to work with caution. However, the Southern Army soldiers at that time had to attack the city in the icy snow.

  Although Zhu Gaojie in the city had not studied physics, he should also have a good foundation in natural science. He ordered people to keep pouring water on the city walls, and when they came back the next day, the Northern Peace City had become an ice city. This method seems to be applicable for making ice sculptures as well, simple yet practical.

  The soldiers outside the city were miserable. Not to mention attacking the city, this large ice brick in front of them didn't even have a place to set foot, and they could only gaze at the city walls with a sigh.

  Under Li Jinglong's foolishness and the help of heaven, Zhu Gaizhi held on to the city and waited for his father's return. The defense of Beiping was a shame for Li Jinglong, but an opportunity for Zhu Gaizhi, and this battle earned him enough political capital. Later when he ascended to the throne, he would probably thank Li Jinglong too.

  Zhu Di Returns

  Zhu Di has returned, and the current Zhu Di is no longer the same as the one from a month ago. Under his command, he has finally gathered the strongest Doyan Sanwei cavalry at that time. For an excellent general like Zhu Di who had strong external reinforcements joining him, the strength of his soldiers was directly proportional to the overall combat effectiveness of the army. However, for military fools like Li Jinglong, the quality of their soldiers often only had a relationship with their own escape success rate. Although Zhu Di's troop numbers were still far inferior to those of Li Jinglong, he understood that the commander-in-chief of the 500,000-strong army, Li Jinglong, was just a hard-boiled egg on the outside and soft on the inside. Now, he is about to thoroughly crush this egg!

  Li Jinglong's command was set up in Zhengcunba (twenty kilometers away from Beijing), although he reacted slowly, he also knew that Zhu Di would leave Beiping and must have a day to return. After receiving the news of Zhu Di's withdrawal, he sent his general Chen Hui with 10,000 cavalrymen to intercept, but what made Chen Hui cry and laugh was that he didn't have a specific location or target for the attack. This is because Li Jinglong, who sent him out, also didn't know where Zhu Di was!

  But the order had to be carried out, so Chen Hui took his 10,000 troops on a long journey to find someone. However, in this cold and icy weather, with low visibility, where could they find anyone? Chen Hui had no choice but to lead his troops around aimlessly, unaware that Zhu Di was advancing towards Beiping not far from him.

  It was either fortunate or unfortunate that Chen Hui and Zhu Di's troops happened to pass by each other, without meeting. However, when Chen Hui passed through the route where Zhu Di had marched before, he discovered a large number of horse hoof prints and marching traces, and finally found the enemy! Chen Hui was extremely excited, following the traces along the way, he did not take immediate action, but instead prepared to get close to his own military base and then launch a pincer attack from both front and back.

  It should be said that this plan was not bad, but unfortunately Chen Hui was not Blue Jade, and Zhu Di was not the Northern Yuan Emperor on the coast of Erhai Lake. Soon after Chen Hui discovered Zhu Di, Zhu Di realized he was being followed. He didn't bother with idle talk to Chen Hui and dispatched his newly arrived Doyan cavalry to attack Chen Hui. These Mongols had just received benefits from Zhu Di and were looking for an opportunity to show off their abilities. In a short time, they defeated Chen Hui's 10,000 soldiers, and Chen Hui himself was lucky to escape back.

  This battle greatly boosted the morale of the Northern Army, and soon they arrived at Li Jinglong's main camp in Zhengcunba. Li Jinglong, who had already received news, had prepared his troops to meet his childhood friend. And Zhu Di would also give him a real military theory lesson here.

  The Battle of Zhengcunba began, and Zhu Di sent out the strongest Doyan Three Guards with a central breakthrough tactic to charge straight into the Southern Army's camp. These Mongolian cavalry were indeed famous for their name, and they broke through the Southern Army's seven camps in succession with an unstoppable force, causing the Southern Army to flee in all directions. This also profoundly illustrates that as long as you can afford the price, it is possible to hire good foreign aid.

  The Southern Army, although defeated, still had some strength left. After reorganizing, they gradually stabilized their footing and began to fight against the Northern Army. Hundreds of thousands of people fought desperately, causing the sky to darken and blood to flow like rivers. The stalemate was unfavorable for Zhu Di, as he was not suited for a war of attrition. In order to resolve the battle quickly, he sought advice from those around him.

  At this time, a man named Ma Sanbao pointed out that the weakness of the Southern Army lay in Li Jinglong's central army. As long as Li Jinglong moved his position, he could take advantage of the opportunity to launch a surprise attack from both sides and win the battle. Zhu Di thought about it and adopted Ma Sanbao's opinion, appointing him as a general to participate in the battle together. By this time, it was already dark, and Li Jinglong indeed couldn't hold back, personally leading his central army to come and fight. Zhu Di immediately dispatched surprise troops to launch a fierce attack on both wings, and Li Jinglong was unable to withstand it, defeated and fled.

  As both sides suffered heavy losses, they soon reached a tacit understanding and withdrew their troops. Zhu Di took advantage of this opportunity to settle his soldiers and prepare for the next day's battle. However, something unexpected happened. Li Jinglong was even more incompetent than he had imagined. Not only did he lack military talent, but he was also timid and cowardly. The brutal scenes of slaughter that he had previously heard about from his father no longer seemed insignificant to him after witnessing them with his own eyes, and he was truly shocked.

  This is not a joke, nor is it idle talk. This is the slaughter of tens of thousands of people, the destruction of countless lives. War should not be like this; it should be as described in military texts: strategic planning, decisive victories won from afar. What a magnificent sight that would be!

  It can't go on like this, I won't win, this isn't where I should be.

  Li Jinglong made up his mind and fled south overnight, which can be considered a way to preserve the main force, as he probably couldn't defeat Zhu Di anyway. However, the despicable thing about him is that he only cared about escaping himself and forgot to inform the soldiers who were still besieging Beiping!

  Those brothers who attacked Beiping were also pitiful, encountering such bad weather and having such a poor commander, how could they not be defeated? Under the siege inside and outside the city, the attacking troops collapsed completely.

  Up to now, the Battle of Zhengcunba ended with Li Jinglong's thorough defeat and Zhu Di's thorough victory. This battle had important significance for many people. In this battle, Li Jinglong proved his reputation as incompetent was not in vain, and also proved himself. Zhu Di obtained a large number of fresh troops and initially established the initiative on the battlefield. Zhu Di's eldest son, Zhu Gaoxu, gained his father's attention and favor through the victory of the Northern Ping Defense War, accumulating political capital. And that person named Ma Sanbao was reused by Zhu Di due to his outstanding performance in this battle and became a confidant. This person was born with the intention of being peaceful and safe, and was given the name He by his parents. Later, because he made great contributions in Zheng Village, Zhu Di granted him the surname "Zheng", and he changed his name to Zheng He.

  Second Chance

  News of the defeat soon reached Huang Zicheng, who was extremely panicked. Because Li Jinglong was his own recommendation, if Li Jinglong fell into trouble, he would also be dragged down with him. After careful consideration, he made up his mind to conceal the true situation and preserve Li Jinglong's command position.

  Since I've already staked everything on you, Li Jinglong, I can only go down with you now. Li Jinglong, I'll trust you one more time!

  After the defeat, Li Jinglong finally woke up a bit. He figured out what war was all about - not romance, not idle chatter, but the sound of knives and swords piercing flesh, the splashing of bright red blood everywhere, and the dying soldiers' hoarse cries for help.

  Li Jinglong had doubts about himself, could he really defeat Zhu Di in this cruel war? However, no matter how he thought, as long as the imperial court did not order a change of commander, he was still the commander of hundreds of thousands of people.

  The arrow is on the string and must be shot, there's no other way out. Let's treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

  After his defeat, Li Jinglong retreated to Dezhou, where he reorganized his troops and prepared for the next decisive battle.

  He was well aware that although he could excuse himself with the phrase "victory and defeat are common in war", if he failed again, it wouldn't be a common occurrence. Holding tens of thousands of troops yet constantly losing to the northern army which had fewer men than his own, not to mention being unable to explain himself when returning to the capital, even the faces of his subordinates would not look good.

  After all, he is General Li Wenzhong's son and still has to save face. As long as he defeats Zhu Di, he will definitely be able to restore his reputation.

  But defeating Zhu Di was not easy, it was clear that this childhood companion's military ability was far stronger than his own, the soldiers under his command were not as many as his own, but the quality was higher than his own, and those Mongolian cavalry who killed people without blinking their eyes, this was a terrible opponent, to defeat him, he had to seek help.

  Who to find help for himself? Is there anyone in this world who can match Zhu Di? The answer is affirmative, Li Jinglong found someone who could defeat Zhu Di for him. In a sense, he did find the right person.

  Li Jinglong finally had a bottom line in his heart, and he began to make serious preparations for the attack.

  In Li Jinglong's view, the main reason he couldn't beat Zhu Di was that his own ability was not as good as Zhu Di's, and the strength of the southern army was no match for the northern army. It can't be denied that these are some of the reasons, but they are absolutely not the main reason. The fundamental difference between him and Zhu Di lies in their determination.

  At this time, the victorious Zhu Di was celebrating his victory with a smile on his face, but in his heart he was still anxious and uneasy. He knew very well that for him, every battle was a decisive one, from the moment he started his rebellion, he had already borne the name of a rebel. Except for those few who were eager to stir up trouble, there were not many people in the world who supported him.

  Can I really trust these enthusiastic subordinates in front of me? Who can guarantee that they won't take their own heads to seek an official position on a certain night? I have extraordinary military talent, my iron hooves have traversed Mongolia, spanning thousands of miles, but I am not the emperor. I can defeat Zhu Yunwen ten times, he is still the emperor, but if Zhu Yunwen defeats me once, I may never turn over and become a dead prisoner!

  This is indeed a highly risky business, every day may be the last day, every battle may be the last battle. The mental pressure and torture of day-to-day battles make him have to fight for his life constantly! And this is absolutely not something Li Jinglong can understand. If Li Jinglong loses the war, he can still go home, if all else fails, he can surrender, but if Zhu Di fails, what awaits him is only death and humiliation.

  The most painful thing in life is having to play a game that you absolutely cannot afford to lose.

  In the shadow of death, Zhu Di must face new challenges. Li Jinglong from Texas has already sent out an attack signal, and he must go to battle and defeat him. For Zhu Di, winning is no longer about seizing the throne, but about survival.

  In 1340, the second year of Jianwen, Li Jinglong set out with his large army after making thorough preparations. His target was Baigou River, where he would meet up with his accomplices.

  His two assistants were Guo Ying, Marquis of Wuding, and Wu Jie, Marquis of Anlu. These two men were also considered old ministers of the previous dynasty, with rich combat experience, and they would play a huge role in the upcoming battle.

  Kuo Ying and Wu Jie are good, but Li Jinglong's most powerful helper is not them, but another person.

  Just as Li Jinglong was about to launch an attack from Dezhou, Zhu Di also learned of this military intelligence through his intelligence network. As for an opponent like Li Jinglong, he was not worried, in his eyes, Li Jinglong was just a lamb, and he was also the head of the transportation team responsible for transporting military supplies for him.

  He easily assigned military tasks to the various generals, and after the first two battles, Zhu Di's military ability and prestige were recognized by all, they believed that as long as they followed Zhu Di, they did not have to fear any enemy.

  As usual, Zhu Di also asked for the names of Li Jinglong's subordinates. When he learned that the vanguard of Li Jinglong's army was led by a man named Ping An, his subordinates were surprised to see a flash of panic on Zhu Di's usually calm face.

  It should be said that Li Jinglong did a few things right in this battle, and choosing Du Tong as the vanguard was one of them.

  Ping An was a formidable enemy for Zhu Di. Not only was he brave in battle, but he also had an advantage over Zhu Di that no one else had: he had been Zhu Di's subordinate and had followed him into battle for many years, thoroughly understanding Zhu Di's military tactics.

  It's as difficult for Zhu Di to deal with Li Jinglong as it is for him to understand himself, and going to war with someone who knows his weaknesses is a troublesome thing.

  But things have come to this point, no matter who the opponent is, we must fight on and fight to the end.

  Zhu Di led his army to advance towards Baigou River, and when they arrived at the designated location, Li Jinglong had already joined forces with Guo Ying and Wu Jie, waiting for him.

  This time, Zhu Di saw more soldiers, horses and tents than last time, arranged in a neat and orderly manner according to military law. The flow of people coming and going was very spectacular.

  It's impossible for it to be a low-key affair, as Li Jinglong has also come prepared to go all out this time. He brought with him 600,000 men, claiming to have one million, and was determined to defeat Zhu Di.

  But in Zhu Di's eyes, Li Jinglong leading the sixty million people was not to be feared. In his eyes, the real enemy was only Ping An.

  He specially entrusted the generals: "Ping An, this kid, originally followed me to fight, very understanding of my method of using troops, others don't need to manage, must first defeat him!"

  In fact, there was no need for Zhu Di's entrustment, because after learning the news of Zhu Di's arrival with a large army, Ping An had already launched his first charge.

  The Prelude to War

  The Northern Army arrived at Baigou River and camped at Sujiabridge, but unfortunately, they encountered the vanguard troops of Ping'an. Ping'an was an extremely brave man who never shouted "Brothers, charge!" in battle, but often showed the moral style of "Comrades, follow me".

  This time was no exception, he wielded his long spear and led by example, charging towards the Northern Army. Qi Neng and his son, who had performed well in the previous battle, saw their commander charge forward and didn't want to be outdone, so they closely followed Ping An and launched a charge as well. Their soldiers were stunned by this scene, but after regaining their composure, they finally reacted: if the leaders are charging forward, how can we small soldiers stay still?!

  The vanguard of Ping'an's army charged into the northern camp like madmen, killing and slashing about, going back and forth, and utterly defeating the northern army. The northern army had not expected that the southern army, which they had always considered weak, would be so brave and powerful, and without any mental preparation, they retreated in disarray.

  As soon as the war started, such a situation occurred, which was unexpected by the Northern Army. Under the circumstances, they had to retreat. From this, we can see that the power of role models is infinite.

  But the Northern Army's nightmare was far from over, for another general named Guo Ying had a surprise gift waiting in store for them.

  Kuo Ying set out from Zhending, later than Li Jinglong arrived at Baigou River. Although his army did not have a brave general like Ping An, they were equipped with large quantities of new-style weapons - firearms. From historical data analysis, these firearms could be buried in the ground to attack the enemy, so we can give this type of firearm a modern name - landmine.

  When Ping An and the Northern Army clashed, Guo Ying was not idle. He predicted the route of the Northern Army's action and buried a large number of landmines on their must-pass road. When the Northern Army was defeated and retreated, they received Guo Ying's gift in time.

  The poor Northern Army did not have a mine detector, nor did they have what was known as an engineer. If they wanted to get through, they could only use people to clear the mines. So everyone rushed forward, and those who stepped on landmines were just considered unlucky, reincarnated in the next life, while those who were lucky were considered to have escaped with their lives. According to historical records, during this battle, Prince of Yan Zhu Di "followed from behind the three riders' hall", I had always been moved by Comrade Zhu Di's spirit of sacrificing himself for others, but looking at it comprehensively, it seems that it is not entirely so, and this move has a suspicion of getting people to clear mines for him.

  Zhu Di, who was at the back, was not blown up by a landmine, but he also got into some trouble. Due to the Northern Army's defeat, the situation was chaotic, and when the ceasefire came, it was already deep in the night, pitch black, and Zhu Di had lost his way. Of course, in that place, it was impossible to find a police officer to ask for directions.

  Zhu Dian had to dismount and lie on the ground to identify the direction of the river (this action seemed not very elegant), after searching for half a day, he finally figured out east, south, west, and north, and then returned to his own camp with a humiliated face.

  Zhu Di returned to the camp, getting angrier by the minute. Since the start of the war, this was the first time they had been so utterly defeated. His anger drove him to make a bold decision, not to reorganize the troops as before. He ordered all the generals to immediately prepare for battle, and at dawn, it would be the day of the decisive battle!

  Li Jinglong was extremely excited, he finally saw a victory, which proved that Zhu Di was also an ordinary person, and he could also be defeated. Since the defeat, the accusations of the generals and the complaints of the soldiers had been entwining him every moment, the invisible pressure made it impossible for him to hold his head up, now the time to wash away the shame had finally arrived.

  Zhu Di, my honor was lost on you, and now I'll take it back from you!

  Both sides on the same night, preparing for the same thing, polishing armor, sharpening weapons, waiting for the moment of dawn. For many of them, this would be their last night, they wouldn't think about the meaning of their lives, all they had to do was wait for that moment to come and then take up knives and swords to slaughter people they didn't know.

  This night is endlessly long, yet extremely short.

  The moment of final battle has finally arrived.

  Zhu Di led his entire army in formation towards the battlefield, where Li Jinglong's 600,000-strong army was waiting on the opposite bank.

  Frightening Peace

  The battle was still launched by the Southern Army, and Ping An and Qu Neng, who had a good performance yesterday, were even more straightforward, rolling up their sleeves and taking action. But if you think that these two have bravery but no strategy, then you are wrong. They attacked not the Northern Army's front line, but its rear wing!

  Ping An and Qu Neng led their troops in a large circle, running to the rear of the Northern Army. They chose to attack Fang Kuang's rear army. Ping An took the lead, charging into the enemy formation with his long spear sweeping across the Northern Army, successively wounding several Northern generals, and no one could stop him! Under the command of these two madmen, Fang Kuang's army quickly collapsed.

  Zhu Di's battle plan was disrupted, and in the chaotic situation, he made a calm judgment that the only way to win was to launch an all-out attack on Li Jinglong's central army. As long as the central army was repelled, the situation would definitely change greatly.

  To achieve this, he ordered General Qiu Fu to lead the army to attack the enemy's central army. After receiving the order, Qiu Fu launched a fierce attack on Li Jinglong's central army, but it had no effect at all. Li Jinglong's central army remained unmoved. In this battle, Qiu Fu failed to meet Zhu Di's expectations, and later historical facts proved that this was not the last time he disappointed Zhu Di.

  Qiu Fu's failure was somewhat disappointing to Zhu Di, but it did not affect his plan, because in a sense, Qiu Fu was just a pawn he used to divert the enemy's attention, and the fatal move would be made by himself.

  Those who have fought against Zhu Di will find that, although he has a reputation for being good at war, he likes to use underhanded tactics. He rarely launches a direct attack on his opponent, but often suddenly attacks from the side. This is exactly what is meant by "using the normal to combine and the unusual to win" in military strategy. It is also the biggest characteristic of Zhu Di's command art.

  This time was no exception, and soon after he ordered Qiu Fu to attack the central army, he led his troops to encircle Li Jinglong's left wing. He would thoroughly defeat Li Jinglong there, as he had done many times before in countless battles using similar tactics.

  But when he arrived at the enemy's left wing to launch an attack, he heard the noise of his own rear army, and something unexpected happened. Li Jinglong's army actually used the same method against Zhu Di, attacking his flank while he was turning around, and launched a counterattack. The Northern Army is now in a desperate battle.

  This made Zhu Di stare blankly, he never thought the situation would develop to this extent. A large part of the reason was that he took Li Jinglong as a real idiot. It is worth noting that although Li Jinglong will have intermittent weak intellectual symptoms, most of the time he is still a normal person. He has already lost a lot in Zhu Di's move and will remember it for a long time.

  At this time, Zhu Di was in an extremely dangerous situation. He had penetrated deep into enemy territory and become the target of all arrows. The Southern Army had already surrounded him, just waiting to capture him to gain merit and reward.

  Zhu Di's Crisis

  In this situation, Zhu Di showed his bravery and martial arts skills. Waiting for others to come and rescue him was unrealistic; he had to save himself. The true martial arts skills he had honed through years of battles were put to use at this moment. Like a trapped beast, Zhu Di fought desperately, first using his bow and arrow to shoot at the enemy army. After running out of arrows, he drew his treasured sword and slashed wildly, but eventually even the sword was cut off. He had already changed horses three times, and his armor was stained red with blood. He really couldn't hold on any longer.

  Zhu Dian understood that staying here would definitely lead to a tragic end, surrounded by so many people, even if each person only chopped one knife, it would be enough to chop himself into meat filling dumplings. He decided to retreat back to the riverbank.

  But having fought to this point, it's not that he can retreat just because he wants to. When he finally reached the riverbank after much difficulty, the Southern Army generals Ping An and Qu Neng also arrived as scheduled. If it weren't for his subordinates fighting to the death to save him, the battle would have ended right there.

  Seeing the great situation of the war, Li Jinglong issued an order: The whole army launched a general attack!

  The northern army could only barely hold on, and at this time Zhu Di had no reserve troops or rear guard, while Li Jinglong's large army was approaching the river embankment. This was the most critical moment of Zhu Di's life. Just as his dream of becoming emperor was about to shatter, Zhu Di, who had lost all hope, seemed to be able to feel the cold spear piercing his body.

  At the last moment, Zhu Di suddenly came up with a plan that wasn't a plan at all. He decided to play another trick.

  He disregarded the danger, rode his horse to the highest point of the riverbank, and continuously waved his whip in a summoning motion, which seemed to have borrowed from Zhang Fei's move in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" when he guarded Changban Bridge. Zhu Di did this not because he wanted to be a target for arrows, but rather his behavior was similar to that of street thugs today who shout: "You little rascal, don't run away, wait till I call someone to deal with you!"

  But whether this trick is useful does not depend on Zhu Di himself, but rather on the foolishness of another person. He wants to run to a high place precisely in the hope that his actions will be seen by this person.

  This man was Li Jinglong, and this time he did not disappoint Zhu Di's expectations. After seeing Zhu Di's action, he made a wrong judgment that the northern army had an ambush, and immediately ordered the southern army to retreat. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhu Di finally escaped from the river embankment, and the northern army also gained a temporary breathing space.

  Li Jinglong was wrong in his judgment, but he still had the upper hand. At this time, Zhu Di was truly at a loss. Since the rebellion began, he had never experienced such a brutal battle. His entire army had been deployed, and he could no longer muster a single soldier. He himself had been wounded multiple times and was extremely exhausted. Was all his preparation and endurance of over ten years going to end like this?

  No, I absolutely refuse to give up! Keep going, as long as we can keep going, things will definitely take a turn for the better!

  Under this belief, Zhu Di led his army to continue the bloody battle with the Southern Army.

  Perseverance is indeed precious, but can perseverance necessarily bring victory? Judging from the current situation, Zhu Di's chances of turning the tables are slim to none. It seems that apart from relying on heaven to help him, all other possibilities do not exist.

  And if Zhu Di really believed in God, he probably wouldn't have rebelled either.

  Zhu Di's misfortune has not yet come to an end. At this time, the Northern Army is at a disadvantage, but due to its higher quality, it can temporarily form a stalemate. However, just as this was happening, a general of the Southern Army launched a new attack, breaking the deadlock.

  Taisho Kōnō was one of the most valiant generals in the Southern Army, second only to Hei-an. In this battle, he was extremely active and in top form, as if he had taken a stimulant. He charged left and right, cutting down countless Northern Army soldiers with his bravery surpassing that of ordinary men.

  In the stalemate of the war, he sensed the opportunity with his keen intuition. Zhu Di was already unable to withstand it, and if he came again with another impact, he would be completely annihilated! Who else can achieve this great feat but me?

  At this time, the soldiers on the battlefield had already killed their eyes red, from dawn to noon, the formation of both sides was completely chaotic, mixed together, and only fought fiercely based on clothing, without any tactics.

  Guo Zixing reorganized the large group of soldiers with his calm mind and rearranged them, preparing to launch a final attack to thoroughly defeat Zhu Di! After making preparations, he shouted the slogan "Destroy Yan! Destroy Yan!" and led the charge against the Northern Army. It is estimated that some people in the team also shouted "Go together, go together!" His soldiers were greatly encouraged by their commander's desperate efforts and rushed towards the enemy array to die.

  Guan Yu's charge thoroughly disrupted Zhu Di's defensive system, and the already very weak defense line was further divided into several sections by the Southern Army cavalry. It seems that Zhu Di's path to the throne is about to come to an end here.

  But then something unbelievable happened, which was beyond everyone's expectation and its strangeness could not be explained by historical laws.

  This happened when Qu Neng launched a charge and Zhu Di's army was on the verge of collapse. To describe this event, we must use language from "The Investiture of the Gods" or "Journey to the West": "Originally it was a clear sky with no clouds in sight, but suddenly the heavens changed color, sand and rocks flew about, and evil winds arose from all sides. Only then did one see that evil wind wrap around the commander's flag in the camp, and only then did one hear a loud cracking sound, as the flagpole snapped and the great flag fell to the ground!"

  This matter is really unbelievable, the wind didn't blow in the morning or evening, but just at this time it blew up, such a big battlefield, what else could it have blown away, yet it just happened to blow away the commander's flag. If this weren't recorded in official history books, it would be truly hard to believe.

  The southern army was stunned, and this unexpected turn of events had not been anticipated by anyone. At that time, nine out of ten soldiers were victims of feudal superstition. When Zhu Di led the rebellion, even if two tiles fell from the roof, they would spend half a day explaining it away. Now that even the battle flag had been blown off, it was as if a businessman's signboard had been smashed by someone - in the midst of panic and unease, where was there still any thought of fighting?

  But Zhu Di was overjoyed, his luck was really too good, and when there was no way out, such a turn of events occurred, the probability of which is probably equivalent to our buying two yuan lottery tickets today and winning five million. Of course, what he couldn't have imagined even more was that in his later military career, he would win another two five-million prizes.

  Zhu Di was a man who seized the opportunity, taking advantage of the Southern Army's panic and disorder, he launched a fierce attack from behind, the Southern Army was caught off guard and unable to resist, the entire army collapsed. Zhu Di was a kind person, sending Buddha to heaven, taking advantage of the wind, he set fire to the enemy camp, the fire fueled by the wind, the flames grew stronger! In the midst of the raging inferno, the Northern Army launched a general attack.

  The sudden change left Gou Jian greatly surprised. Looking back, the main camp had already fallen into a sea of flames, soldiers were fleeing in all directions, and the Northern army's cavalry was attacking and killing the escaping Southern army everywhere. The defeat was already settled, the situation had already gone, and he himself had been surrounded by layers of enemy troops after breaking into the enemy formation, making it impossible to break through. He looked back at his son who had followed him in the fierce battle and sighed: "Today we will die here for the country." Then he led the army to fight to the death, and both father and son died in the battlefield.

  The Southern Army was defeated, and Ping An, who was the most capable of fighting, could no longer hold on. He retreated with his army, unable to withstand the Northern Army's offensive. Li Jinglong, who had a tradition of fleeing, didn't say a word and led his troops in a southward escape. Guo Ying, an old veteran, also refused to be left behind, likely due to his extreme disappointment with Li Jinglong. He even refused to flee together with him and escaped alone to the west.

  The Southern Army lost over a million men in this battle, and the rest fled. As the saying goes, "the defeat of the army is like the collapse of a mountain." Zhu Di naturally would not let go of the opportunity to pursue, he ordered the Northern Army to launch a full-scale counterattack, vowing to capture all 600,000 Southern soldiers in one fell swoop. According to the situation on the battlefield, it was easy for him to achieve this wish, but the appearance of an army broke his beautiful dream.

  When Zhu Di was pursuing, he unexpectedly found a high-spirited and undamaged elite army blocking his advance route. The leader of this army was Xu Hui Zu. How did Xu Hui Zu suddenly lead an intact army to cover the rear? This has to be traced back to before the war.

  Before the battle began, Zhu Yunwen had a private meeting with Xu Hui and entrusted him with the task of guarding the rear of the army. Because although Zhu Yunwen handed over the army to Li Jinglong, he also had some doubts about his command ability, so in order to prevent any unexpected events, he specially let Xu Hui guard the rear. Unexpectedly, this move really worked.

  Xu Hui's cover-up won time for the army's retreat and reserved strength for the next counterattack.

  The Battle of Bai Gou River ended, in which Zhu Di defeated the powerful Southern Army. Although he won somewhat luckily, he still won and initially grasped the initiative on the battlefield. The victory also brought his reputation to its peak, even his enemies had to admit that Zhu Di was indeed the most outstanding general of this era.

  The Zhu Yunwen of the capital should also have gained a lot of lessons and experience from this war, in my opinion, at least three: 1. Li Jinglong is indeed a military fool, should be thrown away like trash; 2. Environmental protection is a big problem, should do more greening to prevent the spread of windy weather; 3. The flagpole should be replaced with iron, and cannot be stingy.

  Zhu Di returned to his own camp with a body full of wounds and fatigue. This was indeed the most arduous battle he had ever experienced. If it weren't for that strong wind, it would be hard to say who would win or lose, but in any case, he still won.

  Since the uprising, he was finally able to sleep soundly. Li Jinglong's army of 600,000 had been defeated, and it was his own army of just over 100,000 that had done it! This was an unprecedented achievement, and a hint of confidence began to spread in his chest. He even started to think that this era was set up as a stage for himself, where no one could be his opponent. He would continue to perform alone until he reached the end of this path to the throne.

  Looking around the world, who can be my opponent!

  Just as Zhu Di was gloating over his own achievements, Li Jinglong's poor performance had not yet ended. He arrived in Dezhou for a short time, and the Northern Army chased after him. Li Jinglong didn't say a word and abandoned the city to escape. He faithfully completed his mission of transporting military supplies for Zhu Di, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of stones of grain for the Northern Army. The Northern Army, which had obtained the grain, seemed to have tasted the sweetness from this transportation chief and continued to chase after him without letting up, all the way to Jinan.