Chapter 151 Blood Splashed Xiangyang Lake

Xiangyang Lake is 600 miles vast and is the largest lake in Jiangbei Province. The lake is located between Xiangyang and Jingzhou, and is connected by the Liuqing River, which runs from east to west for more than 100 miles, to the South Canal to the west.

Qin was a landlocked country, with only one water defense line on the southern river. Therefore, except for Shui Yong, who was arrested on the inland rivers and lakes, the Great Qin Water Division was all under the command of the Zhennan Army. Marshal Zhennan Bo Xian Bili also became the de facto commander of the Great Qin Water Division.

Originally, the Zhennan Water Division was only stationed in the area of Jiangbei Shuicheng, and almost ninety percent of the troops were used to defend the river from Jingzhou Mansion in the west to Sanjiangkou in the east. However, five years ago, Marshal Bo Sheng ordered the general Chu Luo to lead 5,000 sailors north to the canal and then east to Xiangyang Lake, to expel the fishermen and water bandits who were living on the lake, and set up camp on the spot.

Officials from several prefectures along the lake naturally did not do anything, and jointly wrote to the imperial court to protest against the atrocities of the Zhennan Army. However, the official document issued by the imperial court was very unexpected-Xiangyang Lake and the surrounding dozens of miles were designated as naval bases, and trespassers were strictly prohibited.

Despite the boiling of public resentment, the Xiangyang Lake Water Division was built in this way, and after setting up camp and going down to the village, patrols and guards were on guard all day long, and it was extremely strict. Some discerning people saw that there was a fleet full of materials from the north to the south, and then sailed into Xiangyang Lake from the Liuqing River, so they guessed what was going on in the lake.

Gradually, this matter became a semi-open secret, and even the old man by the lake knew that the Xiangyang Lake sailor was building a ship.

Regarding this situation, Chu Luo, who is currently the commander of the Xiangyang Lake Water Division, can only smile helplessly. With such a big move as shipbuilding, it is natural that it cannot be hidden from those who have a heart, not to mention that it is still built year after year.

But Commander Chu didn't care too much, after all, the mystery of this ship was in the linkage and transmission of the internal pulp wheel, and this part of the machinery was not produced in Xiangyang Lake. If it weren't for the fear that the inner flesh would not match the outer skin at that time, even the design drawings of those machinery would not be stored here.

So he patted his chest at Che Yinguo, who was ordered to come to support: "As long as the design drawings are not leaked, it is useless for the thieves to look at those empty shells." ”

Che Yinguo Shun Shun the eight-character beard, and said in a deep voice: "I don't know where Brother Chu put the drawings, can it be safe?" ”

Chu Luo saw Che Yinguo's arrogant and disrespectful appearance, and he was angry in his heart. He has been in the army for 20 years, but he followed the commander through the Jiangbei Purgatory War, and only after nine deaths was promoted to the rank of general. And this bullshit Che Yinguo, who has been in the army for less than ten years, has not been on the battlefield once, so he succeeded himself as the general of the warp, not to mention, but also served as the commander of the middle battalion of the Zhennan Water Army.

"Isn't it just relying on that shameless brother? What's the spirit? Chu Luo complained and said lightly: "The last general will put it in the secret room, and the elder brother of Yinguo doesn't have to worry." ”

Che Yinguo didn't seem to hear the impatience in the other party's tone, and still pulled his mustache and said, "Brother Chu is tired to take me to take a look, so I can rest assured." As he spoke, he unconsciously touched the little goldfish on his waist. It was the token of the Marshal of the Reward, which could control the generals.

Chu Luo's face became gloomy, his fists clenched and put down, and he stretched out his hand and said, "Please ......"

Seeing that the goal was achieved, Che Yinguo put on a close face again, and said with a smile: "Don't blame the old brother, you don't know how concerned the big handsome is about this matter, the younger brother will definitely apologize for his wine after his routine official duties." Please don't blame the old brother. ”

Hearing him say this, Chu Luo's complexion gradually softened, and he squeezed out a smile and said, "Brother, I'm just a stinky temper that eats soft rather than hard, brother, don't blame." "Since the other party is soft, it is not easy for him to hold on, after all, he is a Shangguan.

Chu Luo took Che Yinguo to his bedroom, lifted the cover, and then lifted the bed board, revealing a large iron cabinet underneath. He pointed to the iron cabinet and said with a slight smugness: "This is specially made by the master craftsmen of the palace, if you don't open it with a key, it will ignite the medicinal powder inside, and it can burn the contents into ashes at once." ”

Che Yinguo said quietly: "Sure enough, it's safe, but my brother should open it and let my brother take a look, otherwise my brother will not be able to sleep." ”

Chu Luo nodded, took out a brass key from his arms, inserted it into the keyhole, twisted it three times to the left, and then twisted it two times to the right, and then heard a click, and then he breathed a sigh of relief and said: "If you twist in the wrong direction, you will also touch the mechanism." ”

Che Yinguo's eyes widened, staring at Chu Luo's every move with full attention. When the box was opened, he also breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I was sweating when I saw it." ”

Chu Luo took out a wooden box a foot long from the box. As soon as he pressed the tension spring, the box popped open, revealing several scrolls wrapped in silk. After Che Yinguo saw it clearly, he hurriedly closed it and explained: "The drawings should be dried and stored, and they should not be exposed to the wind for too long." With that, he put the wooden box back into the iron cabinet and locked it again. didn't clean up the messy bed, so he walked out with Che Yinguo.

Che Yinguo looked very satisfied, and praised Chu Luo's organ, and Chu Luo was naturally happy to hear it. The two coordinated the layout of the defense area, feeling that under the protection of nearly 10,000 elite soldiers, even rats that could make holes would not want to get in. Only then did I put my mind at ease, set up a banquet for wine, and have fun.

The first two days were indeed fine, but on the evening of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, when the two were drinking, they heard that the scout was coming, and a platform was set up in Hunan as if they were going to hold some kind of assembly.

Che Yinguo asked with a puzzled face: "Brother, isn't the lake a forbidden place?" How can you still set up a stage and sing? ”

Chu Luo was also a little puzzled: "Although the lakeside management has been loosened in the past two years, some people have secretly gone into the water to fish. But it's the first time that such fanfare has been made. He turned to the scout and said, "If you don't have any background, you will be expelled directly." ”

The scout took the order, and the two continued to drink. Under Che Yinguo's deliberate friendship, the two who were not very good at dealing with each other have become drinking friends. They are all good drinkers, and when they find their opponents all at once, they are a little overjoyed, and they get together to drink together every day in addition to normal official duties.

Speaking of which, General Chu by Xiangyang Lake drank a little less, and several times he got drunk before General Che by the river, and it was Che Yinguo who helped him back to his room. Fortunately, the gap is only between the first line, which does not affect the interest of the two.

Half an hour later, when it was already dark, the scout came in again and reported: "Over there, the Maitreya disciples are celebrating the birthday of their Buddha Mother, and thirty or forty thousand people have gathered, and there are still people from seven miles and eight towns rushing to the south bank." ”

Chu Luo couldn't sit still, and said to Che Yinguo in a deep voice: "This thing is full of evil energy, I have to go and see." ”

Che Yinguo said: "Yes, it's better to be careful at this juncture." Brother just go, there are brothers here, don't worry. ”

Chu Luo got up and arched his hand: "Then please brother." With that, he went to the back hall to hang up.

When he appeared on the riverside in full armor, thousands of soldiers were lining up to board the dozens of 'first-boarding' ships moored at the pier.

Chu Luo did not wait for the soldiers who boarded the ship, and took his subordinates to the flagship first, and then sailed away from the military port under the escort of several 'red horses'.

The military ship went straight to the surface of the lake, until a crescent moon soaked the river. Standing at the bow of the boat, Chu Luo could see the faint bonfire on the south bank, and the river breeze sent bursts of boiling human voices. He ordered the ship to get off the anchor, change to the flat fast boat Akama, and quietly approach the lake.

The sound on the shore became clearer and clearer, and Chu Luo, who was lying on the bow of the boat, heard tens of thousands of people on the shore chanting in unison: "Shakya is declining, Maitreya is prospering!" The Pure Land of Bliss, that is, on the other side! ”

After a while, a group of strangely dressed men stood on the two-zhang high platform and shouted in unison, "Welcome to the Buddha......"

There was a commotion in the crowd, and then there was a chorus of cries and prostrations. Chu Luo was a little confused, and asked the adjutant general, "What's wrong with these people?" ”

The adjutant general was also uncertain: "It should be excited." ”

As he spoke, tens of thousands of people in the audience knelt down in unison, bowing their heads to the ground, and suddenly fell silent. The two of them hurriedly calmed down and looked around.

I saw a group of strangely robed guests holding staffs, swords, hammers and other weapons, carrying a small blue tweed sedan chair, coming from a distance, and arrived on the stage after a while. The strange-robed guests respectfully dropped the small sedan chair in the center of the stage and guarded it around.

A middle-aged man covered in golden light crawled to the side of the sedan chair on his knees, and seemed to be talking to the sedan chair in a low voice. After talking for a while, he got up and said loudly to the audience: "His Royal Highness Prince Longhua has a decree......

Everyone in the audience held their breath and waited for the Buddha's decree.

"Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Great Sage and the Great Sage, the Great Sage and the Mother of the Buddha, is long live today, but His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is running around for all the people, entangled in mundane affairs, and cannot turn to Bliss to celebrate the birthday of the Buddha Mother, and he is extremely guilty and guilty. Therefore, on the shore of Xiangyang Lake in these 600 miles, I gathered all the disciples and believers to wish her majesty the Buddha Mother in the southern world, and wished ...... from afar."

Everyone on and off the stage knelt down facing the south and shouted: "I wish ...... Yao"

"Longevity without borders......"

"Longevity without borders......"

This side annoyed General Chu, who was eavesdropping, and he couldn't see others kneeling down to the south in his life, so he couldn't help but be angry and said: "Go ......"

The boat made a slight turn on the lake and disappeared into the night, leaving only a faint ripple.

After a while, the ripples that had calmed down actually rippled in circles again, and the fluctuations became more and more intense, and finally with a 'bang', several heads emerged from the water, and it turned out that there were people underwater.

When they surfaced, they took a few breaths of fresh air. If you look at their faces again, they are all painted with special watercolors, and you can't see their original appearance at all. After the breath returned, the group swam towards the lake. Only when he entered the reeds did he dare to speak.

A man on the left wearing a shark skin said in a low voice: "It's really dangerous, how can you run into the sailor's boat?" ”

The slightly thinner man on the right chuckled: "With such a big movement, it is natural to see a lot of excitement." ”

The person next to him wanted to interject, but the leader in the middle whispered, "Silence! ”

Several people quickly shut their mouths. After they all calmed down, the man in the middle said in a low voice: "Your Highness has already come to the front line, if we can't save Lord Zhu before we launch, let's wait to go to the Invalids Farm to plant land for a lifetime." It turned out to be the voice of Shen Bing, the intelligence head of the Longjun Palace.

Hearing him say this, several people got serious, and the one who spoke first lowered his voice and said, "Listening to Fang Cai's movement, isn't it in the sedan chair?" ”

Shen Bing shook his head and said softly, "Before I met him, no one could tell what was going on. ”

They followed Qin Lei all the way north, and when they arrived at the lake after today, they didn't have time to learn more about the situation, so they dived to this Xiangyang Lake and waited for the opportunity.

Along their path, there was a large ship painted black, cruising quietly in the same dark night. If someone hadn't lifted the thick cotton curtain and leaked a glimmer of light, the black ship would have really become one with the night.

Following the light, I saw a black-clothed guard, carrying a food box, entering the cabin from the outside. When the curtain fell, the light was gone.

The black-clothed guard put the food box on the side of the small machine, opened the lid, took out a few plates of cut beef, torn mutton, braised tofu and other dishes that did not need to be heated from the middle, and then took out a small jar of old roast and poured a full cup. Only then did he say to the handsome young man who was also dressed in black: "Lord Wang, make do with some." ”

This young man was Qin Lei, he nodded, but he didn't move his chopsticks, but said to Shi Dare on the side: "Did you say they are already in place?" ”

Shi Dare said in his heart, I won't leave you an inch, you don't know, where do I know. Of course, he couldn't say that, and he said softly, "It should be fine." ”

At this time, the guards who were watching the wind outside came in and reported: "The congregational believers have begun to march along the riverbank. ”

Qin Lei listened, and chewed slowly with a slice of sauced beef: "It seems that Gu didn't guess wrong, what these guys are trying to do is not small." ”

Shi Dang was a little unconvinced: "You said that they went to Xiangyang Lake?" Isn't that an egg hitting a stone? ”

Qin Lei took a sip of wine, squinted his eyes comfortably, and said, "That's true, you can still hear the sound of an egg hitting a stone, isn't it?" He didn't believe that the other party greeted such a group of people, just to celebrate the birthday of the Buddha mother, and he must have a plan.

Shi Dang no longer questioned Qin Lei's judgment, and instead worried: "Do you need to notify the Xiangyang Lake water master?" ”

Qin Lei shook his head, and started to eat dinner seriously, he was really a little hungry.

Qin Lei believed that Marshal Bo Xian must have some arrangement, as a commander who could argue with the captain and even the royal family, his vision and means were beyond his reach for the time being.

So, just mind yourself.

When the food was almost finished, the guards came to report and found that Zhu Gui and others were tied up and carried by Wuhua and mixed in the ranks, and they should be executed at the most important point of the parade.

Qin Lei listened to it and said with a smile: "This is also a rare experience. Seeing that the guard's face was stunned, he said: "Let them prepare more fully, so that Zhu Gui's chances of survival will be greater......

………

The procession was lit with torches, surrounded by a small green sedan chair, singing and howling, and was extremely excited to march along the mighty parade by the lake, looking at it from a distance, like a fire dragon circling around Xiangyang Lake.

Not everyone is so excited, at least Zhu Gui and the others, who are tied up and carried, can't say how excited they are.

Zhu Gui, who was experiencing the most unforgettable experience in his life, was carried by a group of crazy untouchables with his back to the sky, looking at the few stars in the night sky, and couldn't help but feel a little sad: I am afraid that this is the last time I will see the night sky, and this god will not put two more stars out......

He never thought that he would encounter such a stupid pursuer, and he shouted: "Master Cheng, you hide it, I will lure the pursuers away for you." "Didn't you just tell them that there was one hiding nearby? How do you know that these people are willing to ask for difficulties, and they actually don't care about Cheng Siyuan, who is hiding under the firewood stack, and drive him out of the eight streets. If it weren't for their own broken feet, wouldn't these stupid people be empty. If he knew that Cheng Siyuan, who was grateful for the newspaper, had moved to the rescue, maybe he would have complained less.

In the midst of his thoughts, he suddenly felt the team stop. He himself was casually thrown to the ground. Ignoring the pain in his body, Zhu Gui sighed in his heart: It's over, they're about to start. After waiting for a long time, no one paid attention to him, but countless pairs of stinky feet passed past him. Lord Zhu, who was lying on the ground on all fours, was naturally trampled on a few times, and his face was seriously distorted in pain, if it weren't for the rags stuffed in his mouth, he would have screamed like a pig.

However, in order to be happy with the execution later, he was poured a special potion, no matter how painful it was, he would not faint. As the number of tramples became more and more, poor Lord Zhu was already a little out of shape. Even after taking the potion, my brain began to feel groggy.

Just when he was about to scout the red dust, he suddenly found that he was lifted up in the air, and then someone grabbed his neck with one end and his foot and neck with the other, and ran quickly to the back. Despite the hot pain all over his body, he still wanted to say: "Brother, let go of your hand, I can't breathe when you clamp it......"

But the guards in the frenzy had apparently forgotten to remove the swaying rag head from his mouth.

Someone noticed this scene and wanted to step forward to stop it, but as soon as he turned around, he felt a chill behind him, staggered out a few steps, and fell to the ground, blood gushing out of his back. Such scenes appeared one after another around Zhu Gui and the others, and after the black-clothed people finished sniping, they gathered around Zhu Gui and the others, escorting them and rushing out together.

This little episode did not interrupt the Maitreya followers' rush forward, because the conflict ahead had reached a fever pitch......

In order for the believers to complete the procession around the lake, they naturally have to pass through the defense area of the Xiangyang Lake Water Division. Commander Chu naturally wouldn't agree, not to mention that he was in an extremely bad mood, even if he issued an expulsion order.

The heavily armed soldiers who stepped forward, holding their swords and guns, approached step by step. In their impression, those unarmed untouchables will definitely retreat step by step until Empress Zhang escapes.

Who knew that the Maitreya disciples on the opposite side could not use common sense to speculate at all, and in the face of the bright blade, they were not afraid, but instead showed ecstasy on their faces, shouting, 'Long live the Buddha, that is, ascend to the Buddha!' Crazy words like that, rushed up at a faster speed. The soldiers with swords were so frightened that they retreated.

Chu Luo, who was on the big ship in the water, saw it, and naturally he was furious. This general who crawled out of the sea of corpses and blood, thinking that he was not afraid of other people's blood, tightened the cloak on his body, and the cold words squeezed out from between his teeth: "Release the arrow!" ”

The lieutenant next to him hesitated: "Will it make a big fuss?" ”

Chu Luo repeated expressionlessly: "Release the arrow!" ”

Only then did the adjutant general confirm the general's determination, picked up the whistle hanging around his neck, and after a long breath of relief, he blew it three long and two short.

The 'first to arrive' appeared on the surface of the lake, and the soldiers on the boat took off their longbows from their waists, bent their bows and arrows, and aimed at the Maitreya disciples on the opposite side......

Another terrible whistle sounded, like an impermanent scream for life.

Immediately afterward, a boundless rain of arrows rose from the surface of the lake, and in the blink of an eye, it fell on the Maitreya disciples who had suddenly stepped forward.

There was no blood blooming in the darkness, but the sound of swords slapping into flesh and the incessant screams were a definite reminder that a massacre was underway.

The rain of arrows poured without stopping, forcibly separating the Xiangyang Lake water army from the Maitreya cultists a death zone three zhang away. But the bloody slaughter not only did not frighten the mad Maitreya followers, but only aroused their madness, shouting 'Instant Ascend Bil', one by one rushing into the rain of arrows, and one by one being shot to the ground. If you have a pair of eyes that can see through the darkness, you will be shocked to find that the expression on the faces of these fallen disciples is not fear, not pain, nor happiness, but - relief......

What is the joy of life and the pain of death......

Even though the darkness greatly reduced the visual excitement of the bloody killing, the strong smell of blood still reminded the archers on the lake of what they had done, and their hands were a little slower for a while. It was this moment of sparseness that was rushed by the disciples. Their madness had already frightened the soldiers on the other side, and the spears that pierced them were weak.

The mob that had finally broken through the rain of arrows was so demoralized that they clamped their arms and even their bodies to the spears that stabbed them. The disciples in the back rushed up and threw the soldiers in the front row to the ground.

The soldiers in the back row simply threw away their spears and ran to the barracks, only hating their father and mother for missing two legs. Less than two feet behind them, there were countless hideous-looking Maitreya disciples in hot pursuit......

The lieutenant guarding the barracks could see clearly from the tower, and if he waited for these men to run in, the camp gate would not be closed in time. Before he had time to relent, he picked up the big axe in his hand and slashed at a tight rope on his right hand.

The rope snapped and flew out with a sudden flick, and almost at the same time, the hanging gate lost its grip and fell to the ground with a bang, blocking the deserters who had rushed to the door.

The deserters banged desperately on the fortified gates, wailing, pleading, and cursing...... Others turned around, wept bitterly and kowtowed, begging Maitreya to spare their lives.

The disciples who were shouting wildly, 'Whoever kills one person is a bodhisattva, and whoever kills ten people is a bodhisattva who lives in ten lives,' have fallen into a frenzy, and they don't pay any attention to any pleas, and they pounce on them frantically, and several people knock down one by one, and they bite like wolves. Soon, there was not a single soldier standing under the camp gate.

The captain on the tower turned pale, and roared, "Shoot, shoot these brutes." But he forgot that he was also an accomplice.

After a brief pause, the ship's rain of arrows fell again. At this time, Che Yinguo also took his archers to the camp wall, and under the attack of the two sides, the power was more than doubled, and the distance of three zhang under the camp wall was immediately cleared.

At the end of the procession, there was a sudden sound of whining conch, and the originally frantic and fast-moving parishioners immediately turned around and ran. The procession of tens of thousands of people completed the turn in the blink of an eye and retreated like a tide.

The archers on the castle and the ships also stopped firing, and they looked at each other with pale faces, unable to tell whether it was a killing or a nightmare.

Chu Luo couldn't help but feel anxious when he saw Che Yinguo who appeared on the camp wall, but the situation was grim at that time, and he had no time to take care of it. Seeing the enemy retreating at this moment, ignoring the greeting of Che Yinguo on the shore, he jumped onto a red horse boat and ordered the sergeant to row back to the Zhongjun village at full speed.

Seeing that he had reached the dock, without waiting for the boat to stop, he jumped up and jumped forward to the shore, but because of the inertia, he involuntarily staggered forward a few steps. He didn't care about his image, adjusted his pace slightly, and rushed into his mansion like those crazy sectarians.

After passing through the two courtyard walls, I finally arrived at the backyard where I lived. Seeing that the door was closed, the fear in his heart calmed down a little, and he gasped for breath with his sword for a while, and then he walked to the door uneasily, and with a push, he couldn't help but be stupid.

The room was in shambles, the bed that was important had been stripped of its boards, and the large iron cabinet under the bed had been completely destroyed......

Qin Lei stood at the bow of the boat, looked at the scattered and fleeing Maitreya disciples, and said softly: "Send a signal!" ”

With a crisp sound, a cloud of turquoise fireworks burst into the night sky.