The horse's hooves stopped, and two or three dusty Shu soldiers dismounted hurriedly and clasped their fists.
"My lord, a large army has been spotted ahead, coming from the official road to Muyun Prefecture!"
"Several people?"
"Based on the camp flags, there are at least 20,000 to 30,000 people."
Listening, Xu Mu was silent for a moment. This time, Su Yaonv seemed to be playing a little too hard. After losing consecutive battles, she actually dared to send such a large army.
You know, not only Shuzhou, but also Cangzhou, Zuo Shiren is watching.
"Lord, do you want to eat or not?"
"Of course I want to eat." Xu Mu lowered his voice, "Give me the order to attack the city and bring reinforcements according to the previous plan."
No matter what kind of cattle or horses come, Xu Mu will never refuse delivery to his door.
"ambush."
As the army got closer and closer, Xu Mu was a little surprised. This was not the Cangzhou army, but soldiers from aristocratic families wearing robes and armor.
There are many aristocratic families in Cangzhou who, in the name of protecting the emperor, continue their family interests. Therefore, no matter how big or small the aristocratic family is, they will have a private army. The number can range from thousands to hundreds.
Xu Mu couldn't figure out why these aristocratic families who always cherished their lives and treasured their money would be so grand this time.
Could it be that it's Demon Empress Su's method again?
…
An army of nearly 20,000 people marched somewhat tiredly on the official road. Surrounded by each military formation, there were many sons of aristocratic families in Cangzhou, wearing brand-new armor and riding a good armored horse.
The court issued an order. All it takes is to relieve the siege of Yuncheng, and it will be considered a great achievement. Most of these leading aristocratic families are somewhat high-spirited. They sit on their horses, hold their swords with their hands, and read a few words eloquently.
Poetry and Prose of "A Young Man in Beautiful Clothes and an Angry Horse".
No one told them that this time, they were here to die.
The imperial edict stated that the commoner thieves in Shuzhou had exhausted their troops and were deployed in front of Yuncheng. They only needed to assist in the defense. If they defended Yuncheng, they would be rewarded greatly for their merits.
Zhang Qi died in battle, and the title of the No. 1 family in Cangzhou should fall to another family.
"A three-foot green front with an armored horse can kill the Shu thieves like dogs!"
Some people read poems, some cheered, and some shouted to drink a few sips of honey water.
Xu Mu, who was lying in ambush on the roadside, silently looked up and fell into deep thought.
Queen Su sent these people here, which was no different than sending them to death. There must be a false information in this. Otherwise, according to the temperament of these Cangzhou family members, they would not be so courageous.
"I borrowed Zuo Shiren's hand to land in Muyun State. And Demon Queen Su... wants to borrow my hand to get rid of the Cangzhou family? What is she going to do?"
Without the Cangzhou family, how could she protect the emperor?
Xu Mu thought of some possibility.
"Lord, here we come!"
Xu Mu lowered his eyes without much hesitation. A long time ago, he had vaguely felt that he was at odds with those so-called aristocratic families.
"kill."
He spat out one word and waited for orders to be handed down layer by layer. The Shu troops who were ambushing on both sides of the official road suddenly raised their shields and swords, and roared out to kill them.
"Trap the horse!"
The traps were arranged in advance, so that after the young master soldiers of this gang fell into the trap, some of them kept crying and howling.
"Fukong!"
The Shuzhou foot bows ambushing on both sides fired densely packed arrows into the enemy formation in a two-row formation.
Countless people were hit by arrows, and their horses fell down. Their hasty and frightened shouts spread to the entire reinforcements.
"Why, how could there be an ambush!"
"I am familiar with the art of war. At this time, I should use a round shield formation to block the Shu army's flying arrows!"
"I'm also familiar with the art of war...it's best to go!"
Many soldiers from aristocratic families only protect the masters of their own family, making the army more noisy and chaotic.
"My lord, are these Cangzhou reinforcements just a bunch of fools?"
"They are fools who fell into the trap, but the people who used the trap are very smart. This time, I, Xu Mu, will be punished with words and writings by the world's noble family again for lending their swords to kill people."
The general next to him didn't understand, "Should we kill him or not?"
"Kill." Xu Mu's eyes were firm. In later generations, emperors throughout the ages mostly relied on aristocratic families to gain influence. Even in this troubled time, Uncle Chang was the same, and he became a big fish early on.
But there is no way, he is a small person with no background and no knowledge. Except for the eclectic Mr. Yuan and a few people, he has not won the favor of any aristocratic family.
People all over the world called him a commoner thief, just because he came from a humble background and shouldn't fight for this share of the world. What's more, they felt that he should look like a poor man, work as a tenant farmer, sell wine, and be a small shrimp in troubled times.
"Princes, generals and ministers would rather have the seed!" Xu Mu straightened his body and shouted angrily.
"Who dares to say that we Shu people can't compete for this eternal kingdom! Wei Xiaowu, wave the flag for me!"
Not long after, on the high ground, Wei Xiaowu with a light beard, his face flushed, took the flag camp and waved the Xu-character flag high in the wind.
As they got closer, Shuzhou's ambush archers also began to put on their swords and shields, encircling and suppressing them from all directions, trapping and killing the 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers of the aristocratic family on the official road.
"Block, block the Shu people!" Countless young generals from aristocratic families retreated cautiously, and hurriedly gave orders to form a defensive circular formation.
"Gun array!"
A battalion of the Shu army rushed out, took off the iron spears on their backs, quickly formed a spear formation, and under the command of a general, pushed their spears forward.
If it is a strong army, it will probably take some time to break through the gap in the circular formation. But these people in front of them... are only a little stronger than the random people at most.
The spear array broke through the gap, and after advancing another hundred steps, the gap became wider and wider.
There were scattered flying arrows that were occasionally thrown out from the enemy formation. But they were disappointing and did not cause too much battle damage to the encircling Shu soldiers.
Holding the long sword, Xu Mu frowned and walked up to the high ground coldly. He lowered his head and looked down at the Cangzhou family army who was beaten to the point of losing their armor.
Some members of the aristocratic family's military strength began to kneel down and beg for mercy. Many of the hired soldiers of the aristocratic families abandoned their masters and fled in panic.
If there was a general who could fight, he might be able to put up a fight. But no, the sensual and wealthy young men have spent a long time playing to their own devices.
…
Cangzhou Imperial Palace, the imperial passage outside the imperial study room.
A graceful figure, wearing a phoenix robe with sleeves and a phoenix pearl crown on her head, silently looked up to the north. Beside her, a young man with a sword on his back stood silently two steps away.
"Ah Qi, my hands are stained with more and more blood, and I can't wash them off anymore."
"Ah Qi, I feel a little homesick."
"Ah Qi, it would be great if you could talk to me."
"It's a pity that you are a mute slave."
The mute slave couldn't speak, but he could kill. As soon as the sword was drawn out, a little palace lady happened to come over, and her skull fell to the ground.
The homesick woman did not blame her. She turned around, dragging the tasseled colorful ribbon on her pleated phoenix skirt in the dusk, bending her slender waist and walking slightly into the imperial study.
In the blink of an eye, dusk came one after another, shrouding the entire small palace in Cangzhou in darkness.