Chapter 45

On a certain day with the autumn wind blowing chill, the Liao envoys left Bianliang.

At the same time, they also took away a large amount of gold, silver, and jewelry.

Gazing at the departing Liao envoy Yelu Xi, Zhang Cheng stood before the window of the Heaven on Earth establishment, remaining silent for a long time.

"Crack!"

His tightly clenched fist made a sound; Zhang Cheng turned around silently and said, "Head south!"

"Cousin, the Princess is pregnant. If you leave at this time, won't it be too rushed?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Situ Yaozu could not help but become serious.

"A human life lasts a hundred years; how can there be time to waste!"

Thinking of how Yelu Xi didn't even dare to pick up a sword from the ground in front of him, yet dared to point at and berate the civil and military officials in the imperial court, Zhang Cheng felt a wave of exhaustion.

Although he had not personally become Yue Wumu, he knew the kind of collapse that comes from having the heart to kill the invaders but lacking the power to turn the tide.

Even if the Great Song could earn back more money from border trade than the annual tribute, could the things lost be measured by gold and silver?

The proud spirit forged by Emperor Wu of Han through his aggressive military campaigns was being discarded by this vast Song Dynasty, and even more so, its backbone was personally extracted by Wanyan Jiumei during the Southern Song period.

Gritting his teeth as he watched the carriage leave, Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes and said, "He dared to offend me; he will definitely meet with retribution!"

Leaving behind sufficient reserve goods at Heaven on Earth, Zhang Cheng directly boarded a ship and headed south under the guise of doing business.

Although Princess Yingxing guessed that her husband had secrets, she still supported him regardless.

Crossing Zhending Prefecture, ahead lay the Liao Kingdom.

Holding a cigarette between his fingers, Yelu Xi's eyes were filled with joy.

Because he knew that as long as he brought these jewels back, he would definitely win the Emperor's favor!

But just as a vast, boundless plain appeared ahead, the ground suddenly began to tremble.

Solemnly raising his hand, the Liao guard immediately said, "There is cavalry!"

"Could it be that His Majesty sent them to welcome us?"

Just as Yelu Xi finished speaking, bursts of dust and smoke appeared not far away.

And after the Liao soldiers saw the appearance of the newcomers clearly, they immediately showed expressions of confusion.

Because among the Liao army, there was no such cavalry!

Wearing black armor, a Black Dragon flag was dancing in the wind.

"What is the origin of that group of cavalry?"

Pointing forward in disbelief, Yelu Xi roared angrily.

"Prepare to meet the enemy!"

Roaring as he drew his sword, the thousand-man commander escorting the "annual tribute" immediately bellowed.

"Clatter!"

Hearing this, the Liao soldiers also immediately spurred their horses forward.

Because as a people on horseback, they knew deeply that they absolutely could not wait for the enemy to charge right up to them; they had to stop the impact.

And just after the thousand-man commander led his men to charge, the two sides' cavalry collided.

Holding a long sword, Zhang Cheng swung it fiercely forward.

"Puchi!"

Blood splattered onto his face mask; Zhang Cheng could not help but roar angrily.

Just as the Liao soldier before him was sent flying, the cavalry behind immediately trampled him into pieces.

Under constant impact, the two sides soon showed a disparity in strength.

Facing armor that could not be cut through with swords, the thousand-man commander showed an expression of astonishment and said, "Since when did the Song people have such craftsmanship!"

After ruling out that the enemy were Liao people, the thousand-man commander subconsciously assumed they were the Song army.

But in the next second, Xiong Jizong, holding a sword, arrived before him and slashed down fiercely.

"Whoosh!"

As the severed head hit the ground, the thousand-man commander looked at the departing cavalry and closed his eyes powerlessly.

Because how on earth did this group of cavalry arrive in the Liao Kingdom!

"Defeated, how is this possible? They are all Pishi Army!"

Thinking of the thousand-plus Pishi soldiers who had inexplicably died in battle here, Yelu Xi could not help but tremble all over.

As descendants of various nobles, the selection for the Pishi Army was extremely strict.

Because those who could enter were the elite of the elite.

Yet such a thousand-man unit had been torn to shreds head-on.

One must know that even in the Liao Kingdom, the only ones who could rival the Pishi Army were the Royal Guards, the Tielin Army!

Spinning the long sword in his hand, Zhang Cheng exhaled a breath of foul air and then charged toward Yelu Xi's terrified gaze.

Half an hour later, the horses that had lost their masters were fleeing in panic.

And the loyal warhorses kept nudging the Liao soldiers who had lost their breath, as if trying to wake them up.

With his entire suit of armor stained with blood, Zhang Cheng arrived before Yelu Xi.

Looking at the man before him, Yelu Xi raised his blood-red eyes and said, "Thief, you dare to provoke our Liao Kingdom; you will surely have your clan exterminated and your ancestral temples destroyed."

"Crack!"

Lifting his face mask, Zhang Cheng revealed a cold gaze and said, "I told you, if you offend me, you will meet with retribution!"

"It's you?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng in disbelief, Yelu Xi was completely dumbfounded.

And looking at Yelu Xi's gaze, Zhang Cheng gripped the long sword in his hand and slashed backward.

"Whoosh!"

Blood splattered onto his skirt armor; Zhang Cheng turned around and said, "Retreat!"

Quickly mounting their warhorses, the cavalry flew toward the direction they had come from.

On the ship by the shore, Situ Yaozu was waiting for the cavalry's return.

"Cousin, did the operation go smoothly?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng before him, Situ Yaozu could not help but ask.

"It's all resolved!"

Speaking indifferently, Zhang Cheng turned around and said, "How many casualties in this battle?"

"Over three hundred wounded, seventy-six dead!"

Explaining to Zhang Cheng, Xiong Jizong stated the numbers he had tallied.

Hearing this, Zhang Cheng could not help but purse his lips and say, "Damn Pishi Army, they really can fight!"

"Cousin, don't even think about it; those are the Liao Kingdom's elites!"

Looking at Zhang Cheng with a speechless face, Situ Yaozu complained.

"When the day comes for me to head north, I will let them know what 'firepower strike' means!"

Gritting his teeth as he spoke, Zhang Cheng also felt deep heartache.

Because this thousand-man cavalry unit was entirely composed of elites from his Pingnan Army; they were all selected from the Dali and Xiang armies.

Even slaves with full five-grade merit were not among the candidates.

"Send a telegram to Wang Ping, tell him to immediately lead his troops to take Tubo first!"

Taking off his helmet, Zhang Cheng could not help but exhale a breath of foul air.

Only those who have experienced a history of blood and tears know that if the ancestors do not strive, the descendants will surely suffer!

A generation, two feet of mud, covered in blood, to carve out five generations of peace.

They have seen hope, and they have also experienced despair, but in the end, they walked out of the darkness.

"Tell Wang Ping again, I need a stable rear; all barbarians, internal or external, who dare to claim arms, execute them all!"

Turning and walking forward, Zhang Cheng arrived at the bow of the ship, his eyes flashing with cold light.

And watching his back, Situ Yaozu fell silent.

Because he knew that once this order was issued, South Asia would surely be turned into a river of blood.

What is a stable rear? It means eliminating all unstable factors completely!

"Raise the sails, set sail, cross east to the Wa Kingdom."

Turning to look at the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures behind him, Zhang Cheng clenched his fists.

"Raise the sails and set sail!"

Roaring loudly, Situ Yaozu also bellowed.

Letting the Pingnan Army attack Tubo was a strategy decided long ago.

And going to the Wa Kingdom was because Zhang Cheng needed a large amount of gold and silver to support the "exchange."

After all, in the coming time, he would have no time to return to Bianliang.

He wanted to seize the reserves for future wars all at once; even if he became notorious in the future, he would not regret it.

As the ships slowly left the harbor, the patrolling Liao soldiers finally discovered the envoy's party.

But unfortunately, this place had long since been occupied by vultures.

Looking at the lost tribute and Yelu Xi, whose head had been nailed through and left in the air, the Liao soldiers were completely stunned.

(End of chapter)