Chapter 80: Chen Yan talks such a big game, so why is he running faster than us?

Shanggui.

The former Governor's Office, now the high-level headquarters of the rebel army.

"Report!"

"Reporting to the Lord, the scouts have sent back news..."

"From the direction of Linwei, the Imperial Army has poured out in full force, heading straight for Shanggui!"

Wang Yi, who was in charge of intelligence, hurried into the room and reported immediately.

"What?!"

The high-ranking officials in the hall, who were discussing their next offensive, were shocked, looking at each other in utter disbelief.

Xin Zhenghui came to his senses and looked at Wang Yi in disbelief, asking for confirmation: "Are you saying those two pieces of trash, Mo Zhengxi and Cheng Yinan, not only didn't cower to protect themselves, but actually dared to take the initiative to attack?"

What shocked them was not that the Imperial Army had come to fight.

It was that those two utterly incompetent, corrupt officials, who had been defeated time and again and were left with only the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled, actually dared to counterattack, and even poured out in full force?

It was simply inconceivable, insane...

Did they think they hadn't taken Qinzhou fast enough, and were rushing to deliver their heads?

Xin Zhenghui, of the Shanggui Xin clan.

"Yes, the scouts have verified it repeatedly..."

"It is accurate and correct!"

Wang Yi nodded, confirming.

When he first received the news, Wang Yi had the same reaction.

But different scouts had sent back the same news, so he had no choice but to believe it...

Could those two have such courage and daring? Niu Shounian frowned slightly, muttering to himself, as if he had realized something, and guessed: "Could it be that the Imperial reinforcements have arrived?"

As the saying goes, when things are abnormal, there must be a demon.

Where did those two get the courage?

The only reasonable explanation was that after the rebellion swept through Qinzhou, the Imperial Court had finally reacted...

Niu Shounian, of the Shanggui Niu clan.

Just then, a middle-aged man's voice came from outside the door: "Shounian, you guessed right!"

"Yuwen Hu has sent people..."

"The one who made the decision to counterattack is not those two, but Chen Yan!"

Immediately after, the owner of the voice stepped into the room and appeared before everyone.

"Greetings, Lord Sheng Chaowen!"

When Xin Zhenghui and the others heard the voice, they knew the identity of the visitor and bowed respectfully in unison.

"No need for formalities!"

Sheng Chaowen waved his hand and smiled.

Sheng Chaowen, Left Protector of the Heaven-Reaching Society, one of the main planners of this riot.

"Did the Imperial Court really send reinforcements?"

Xin Zhenghui showed a worried look and asked: "Then what should we do now?"

It could not be denied that they were indeed in high spirits and unstoppable right now.

But Xin Zhenghui knew very well in his heart that they only had the advantage of a surprise attack, aided by the pig-like opponents Mo and Cheng...

Moreover, the armies under their command were just a rabble compared to the Imperial regular army.

Once a fight broke out, it would be no different from an egg hitting a rock!

"Don't panic!"

Sheng Chaowen pressed his hand down and said calmly: "Yuwen Hu only gave him a few hundred cavalry, which is not worth worrying about at all!"

If it were three thousand or even ten thousand provincial soldiers, Sheng Chaowen would also be terrified and planning a retreat...

But it just happened to be only three hundred cavalry!

Plus a mere twenty Embroidered Attire Envoys...

Even the source of the news from Chang'an couldn't understand what kind of tricks Yuwen Hu was playing...

Xin Zhenghui patted his chest lightly and breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good..."

He paused and asked again: "I wonder who this Chen Yan who was sent is...?"

This name was somewhat unfamiliar, yet somewhat familiar.

He felt like he had heard it somewhere before.

"He is the Great Zhou Poetry Immortal whose fame has been soaring recently, Yuwen Hu's trusted confidant and favorite general, a seventeen-year-old brat!" Sheng Chaowen toyed with the folding fan in his hand, smiled contemptuously, and said.

His words were filled with disdain.

"So it's him..."

Niu Shounian and the others also suddenly realized.

The Great Zhou Poetry Immortal was almost a household name now.

But to send a Confucian scholar to quell a rebellion, wasn't that looking down on them too much?

"Go and mobilize the troops!"

Sheng Chaowen closed his folding fan, his gaze sharpened, and he sneered: "It would be best to swallow him in one gulp this time!"

"As you command!"

The next day.

Early morning.

One hundred cavalry took the lead in the center, and five thousand old, weak, sick, and disabled Qinzhou soldiers were divided on both wings.

"How far is it from here to Shanggui?" Chen Yan looked at the outline of the city in the distance, pulled on the reins, slowed down, and asked Gu Yuci.

"Less than twenty li..." Gu Yuci thought for a moment and responded quickly.

"Less than twenty li, that means we'll be in battle soon..."

Chen Yan heard this, blinked, and muttered: "Very soon!"

After saying that, without any hesitation, he immediately ordered a change in the marching formation.

"In a place like this, to set up a Long Snake formation like this, has he ever read a military book?"

"Is he in a hurry to die?"

After the formation change was completed, Cheng Yinan, who was on horseback, was amused and mocked.

It could not be denied that the Long Snake formation was a good military formation with wide application.

But it was not suitable for this kind of terrain.

If a point was broken through by the enemy, it would be easily divided and surrounded, and thus defeated.

Plus, their own combat power was already weaker than the enemy's...

The more this was the case, the more Cheng Yinan suspected that Chen Yan was just a guy with a false reputation.

Mo Zhengxi leaned over and asked in a low voice: "Old Cheng, what do you think that kid Chen Yan wants to do?"

It was true that he was a civil official.

He had also read military books and understood some military affairs.

Even to an outsider like him, it was clear that this was courting death...

"I don't know."

"I can't see through it..."

Cheng Yinan shook his head immediately upon hearing this.

He paused and warned: "Remember, once the battle goes against us, turn around and retreat. Saving our lives is the priority!"

As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood.

Cheng Yinan didn't want to be buried with this crazy kid!

"Hmm." Mo Zhengxi nodded heavily. He thought the same; survival came first.

On the walls of Shanggui City.

"Long Snake formation?"

"Hahahaha!"

Niu Shounian looked at the completed military formation in the distance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Lord Sheng Chaowen was right!"

"That Chen Yan is indeed a wet-behind-the-ears brat, how could he know anything about military affairs?"

"Today, I will use him to sacrifice the flag!"

Xin Zhenghui witnessed this scene, his confidence greatly increased, and he was greatly encouraged, laughing.

A group of old, weak, and disabled soldiers, plus a mediocre and muddled commander, how was this any different from a heaven-sent military merit?

Beheading that Chen Yan, taking advantage of this east wind to take the entire Qinzhou, and then advancing to Qizhou, probably wouldn't be a big problem!

"My Lord, this subordinate requests to fight!"

Qi Zhenlin, clad in armor and holding a sharp weapon, stepped forward and said in a deep voice.

"Go!"

"Give the Zhou army a head-on blow!"

Niu Shounian and Xin Zhenghui looked at each other, waved their hands fiercely, and agreed.

The main force of the rebel army in Shanggui, more than sixteen thousand people, marched out of the city.

It really was a formation extremely suitable for charging... Qi Zhenlin rode on a large horse, waiting at ease. When the Imperial Army appeared in his line of sight, a look of disdain curled on his lips. He immediately brandished his long spear and shouted: "All troops, attack!"

"Follow this general to charge and build merit!"

The voice fell.

Qi Zhenlin and his personal guard cavalry took the lead and charged out.

"Kill!"

More than sixteen thousand rebel soldiers who had completed their formation also followed closely, their shouts shaking the sky.

"The rebel army has charged out!"

"What a surging momentum!"

"What should we do!"

"We are no match for them at all!"

Facing the oncoming, massive, and fierce rebel army, the fear of having been defeated time and again haunted the hearts of every Qinzhou soldier.

That timidity, like a plague, spread rapidly...

Before the battle had even begun, the five thousand Qinzhou soldiers showed signs of collapse.

"A Ze!"

Chen Yan paid attention to the changes around him, realized that the time had come, and shouted.

"Understood."

Yuwen Ze responded quickly.

"Go."

Chen Yan immediately turned the head of his horse, Saluzi, and brandished his whip.

Yuwen Ze, Zhu Yi, and Lu Cangfeng followed suit.

The one hundred cavalry who had already received orders, led by Gu Yuci, also ran wildly toward the rear.

The Qinzhou soldiers, who already had a tendency to collapse, suddenly fell into chaos.

"No!"

"He just ran away?!"

"Without even looking back?!"

Cheng Yinan watched all this, stunned, dumbfounded.

Every step Chen Yan took was beyond his expectations.

"Damn it!"

Mo Zhengxi saw this and cursed: "Chen Yan talks such a big game, so why is he running faster than us?"

"Don't just stand there!"

"We need to retreat quickly too!"

"If we're late, I'm afraid we won't be able to leave!"

Cheng Yinan noticed the rebel army charging closer and closer, and reminded him hurriedly.

Immediately, the two of them also led a team of men and began to run wildly behind Chen Yan.

The commander had fled, and the five thousand Qinzhou soldiers scattered and fled.

"Collapsed at the first touch, what a bunch of trash!"

"With such an army, the Imperial Court really should perish!"

"Chase them, bite them hard, and never let the Zhou army escape!"

Qi Zhenlin sneered and gave the order.

On the walls of Shanggui City.

Xin Zhenghui, who was watching the battle, witnessed all this and shouted: "Press on!"

"Press on, all of you!"

"We must eat up the remaining Zhou army!"

Watching the Imperial Army throwing away their armor and fleeing in defeat, Xin Zhenghui would never miss this opportunity.

Under this order, all the remaining rebel troops in the city were dispatched and joined the pursuit.

One hour later.

Longjishan.

Chen Yan and the others slowed down and gradually came to a stop.

Mo Zhengxi, who had caught up with great difficulty, asked anxiously: "Chen Yan, why did you stop?"

"Where should we flee next?"

"The rebel army will catch up soon!"

Mo Zhengxi was as panicked as a stray dog.

Extremely flustered.

"Flee?"

Chen Yan sneered upon hearing this, looked around at the battlefield he had chosen, and said meaningfully: "Now it's time for me to close the net and counterattack!" ===== CHAPTER 81 =====