northernbook #136 - Chapter 136: Longxiong Hou Bai Jing
#136 - Chapter 136: Longxiong Hou Bai Jing
Beyond the North Gate, on the open wilderness,
Hundreds of light cavalrymen brandished crimson dragon-emblazoned banners, galloping from afar.
Behind them, a large force of cavalry clad in iron lamellar armor spread out in a wide formation, advancing slowly towards the capital city.
In the age of cold weapons, when a large number of elite iron-clad cavalrymen pressed forward,
Even standing on the city tower, one would feel an immense sense of pressure.
The overwhelming aura of death and destruction sent shivers down the spines of everyone on the city tower.
General of State Support, Zheng Tianxiong, was even taken aback by this menacing aura, involuntarily taking half a step back.
Fortunately, the surrounding nobles were all drawn to the troops outside the city, and no one noticed.
Realizing his loss of composure, Zheng Tianxiong slammed his fist against the crenellation, muttering angrily under his breath.
"What exactly does this Marquis Longxiang want to do?!"
"Parading troops in the wilderness of the capital, does she even have the imperial court in her eyes?"
On the second floor of the Victory Gate tower,
Chief Eunuch Wu Dean, leaning on the railing, also gazed at the Longxiang Army from afar.
Looking at the formidable military power in the wilderness, the old eunuch's expression was complex.
Actually, it was he who proposed summoning the Longxiang Army to the capital.
Because he knew well the discord between Marquis Longxiang and General of State Support.
Letting the Longxiang Army enter the capital was just an idle move to balance the power of the nobles.
But as it seemed now, this Marquis Longxiang was not simple.
He was no stranger to the military; there was an imperial guard of several thousand men in the imperial city.
But the old eunuch could be sure.
This made Wu Dean very worried.
Not to mention the two uneasy men on the city tower.
At this time, on the platform outside Victory Gate, Left Chancellor Cai Hongwen was also terrified.
What he couldn't be sure of now was whether Marquis Longxiang was showing off his military might.
Was it aimed at him.
Could it be that his and Monk Jingxu's plan had been exposed, and this madwoman Marquis Longxiang was going to behead him outside Victory Gate?
A flurry of thoughts made the Grand Liang's Left Chancellor anxious and restless.
Cai Hongwen even had an impulse to immediately run into the city, order the gates closed, and defend to the death.
However, such behavior was too disgraceful, and the Left Chancellor forcibly restrained himself.
What Li Yuan didn't know was that the military display he arranged.
The effect was a little too good.
Even causing the three main leaders of the capital to have a fear of the Longxiang Army and Marquis Longxiang.
Of course, the greatest contributor to this military display was the two thousand four hundred Munu cavalrymen that Li Yuan had incorporated after the Battle of the Chishui River.
These Tiele people's cavalry slaves and prisoners of war only had the concept of master and servant in their minds.
They followed Li Yuan based on the survival philosophy of the grasslands, recognizing Li Yuan as a powerful chieftain.
Who could bring them rich spoils of war and victory.
Li Yuan treated them very well.
With the support of Marquis Longxiang, these Munu cavalrymen were not short of either military pay or rations.
Li Yuan's only requirement for them was extremely strict military discipline.
In the beginning, these herdsmen from the grasslands were a little unaccustomed.
Some troublemakers who claimed to be strong in martial arts also disobeyed Li Yuan.
But Li Yuan didn't indulge them, successively beheading several surrendered soldiers who violated military discipline.
And rewarded soldiers who maintained military discipline.
Under the combination of kindness and power, this cavalry unit could now be said to be as easy to command as an arm and a finger for Li Yuan.
This time, the two deputy chiliarchs that Li Yuan summoned for the cavalry were Qiao Yan and Gao Zheng.
These two people were actually Northern Barbarians who had changed their Liang surnames.
Qiao Yan was born as a Munu, a tall and strong grassland man with excellent horsemanship.
Gao Zheng was a prisoner of war of the Tiele people, skilled in martial arts and proficient in archery.
The families of these two people died at the hands of the Tiele nobles, and they had a bone-deep hatred for the Tiele people.
Li Yuan also used the Keen Eye skill to check the two.
He found that these two were grateful and loyal to himself and the Longxiang Army.
So he asked the Lady Marquis for instructions and appointed the two as deputy chiliarchs to assist Li Yuan in commanding the Munu cavalry.
In order to increase power, Li Yuan distributed all the Tiele Guardian Army heavy armor captured by the Longxiang Army to the cavalry.
The Longxiang Army dispatched eight hundred iron cavalry this time, with great momentum.
Li Yuan deliberately displayed the power of the Longxiang cavalry outside the capital city, and specially let two thousand iron cavalry spread out in a wide cavalry formation on the wilderness under the city.
Heavy armored cavalry were lined up in front, light armored cavalry followed closely behind, and the cavalry column extended to both wings of the central army, forming a crane wing formation.
The people welcoming outside the North Gate pointed and pointed at this formation, their eyes full of surprise and curiosity.
However, General of State Support, Left Chancellor, and Chief Eunuch Wu, and others, seeing it in their eyes, felt a deep fear in their hearts.
The iron-clad cavalry raised the crimson Longxiang battle flag high, the flag fluttering in the wind.
The iron hooves of the war horses trampled over, raising dust all over the sky, galloping like thunder in the wilderness outside the capital city.
The terrifying power of the Longxiang cavalry instantly shocked everyone above and below Victory Gate, making people shudder.
On the platform outside Victory Gate.
Left Chancellor Cai Hongwen was so frightened by the power of the Longxiang Army that his teeth chattered and his whole body trembled.
He now believed that Marquis Longxiang was showing off his military power outside Victory Gate, and it was aimed at him.
It must be that his and Monk Jingxu's plan had been exposed, and Marquis Longxiang wanted to take revenge on himself.
The Grand Liang's Left Chancellor quickly covered his face with his robe, trying to sneak off the platform, and then enter the city to order the city gate closed.
Just then, he suddenly heard exclamations from the surrounding crowd.
He was puzzled, and quickly looked up.
He found that the cavalry that had just been so powerful suddenly merged left and right into a column.
From a wide horizontal team, it then became a marching column.
Slowing down the horse speed, slowly heading towards the direction of Victory Gate.
It seemed that the terrifying scene of the cavalry formation just now was just an impromptu performance by the Longxiang Army.
Left Chancellor Cai Hongwen's eyes darted around, and after confirming again that the Lady Marquis did not intend to behead himself.
He slowly moved back to his position on the platform.
He couldn't understand more and more what this Marquis Longxiang was going to do.
Before long, a sound of horse hooves came.
Dozens of cavalrymen in bright armor came galloping to the platform.
The leader was Zheng Biao, the captain of Marquis Longxiang's personal guard.
He clasped his fist towards the platform and shouted loudly.
"Marquis Longxiang is entering the capital to report on her merits under imperial order."
"Arriving immediately, please prepare, gentlemen."
After speaking, Zhao Yong led this small team of cavalry to stand on the left and right sides of the road, respectfully welcoming the arrival of Marquis Longxiang.
At this time, on the platform.
The Left Chancellor, who was the host of the Northern Gate Comfort Army, was still in a trance.
He still hadn't figured out what Marquis Longxiang was trying to do.
At this time, Li Bingxiao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War behind him, saw that Cai Hongwen was absent-minded, and quickly whispered in his ear.
"Lord Left Chancellor, it's time to play the welcoming military music."
"Lord Left Chancellor?"
With Li Bingxiao's reminder, Cai Hongwen suddenly woke up.
He looked around and found that several adults around him were looking at him with some doubts.
Obviously, the act of being dazed just now made these colleagues feel strange.
The Left Chancellor smiled awkwardly, and said quickly.
"I'm old, useless, and my mind is a little sleepy."
"Everyone, please excuse me, please excuse me."
Then he straightened his robe, and the Left Chancellor announced loudly on the platform.
"Musicians, listen to the order, play the welcoming military music!"
"Play the welcoming military music!"
Immediately, the music band waiting on the side played drums and music together, and the melodious sounds of silk and bamboo rang out.
Playing the Grand Liang's welcoming military music.
Above the colored building, there were even civil servants singing the Grand Liang's welcoming military song.
"Ten thousand miles of dust are gone, the mountains and rivers are peaceful and bright, the iron cavalry returns on the green, the strong men enter the imperial capital, magnificent, magnificent."
As the deafening sound of horse hooves approached, the central army of the Longxiang Army slowly arrived in front of Victory Gate.
Surrounded by hundreds of elite Longxiang cavalry, a crimson war horse was particularly eye-catching.
The person sitting upright on the horse was Marquis Longxiang, Bai Jing.
Today's Bai Jing was wearing a Wuhou crown, a silver shimmering fish scale armor, and a crimson cloak, fluttering in the wind.
Holding the marshal's seal symbol representing the commander of the army, the crimson war horse stood proudly.
The Lady Marquis's face was cold, and her eyebrows revealed an inviolable majesty, like the bright moon reflecting snow, clear and dazzling.
That handsome and majestic temperament made the surrounding people and the hundreds of officials on the colored building fascinated.
There were whispers in the crowd:
"Is this Marquis Longxiang, really like a heavenly girl descending to earth."
"No, this is the heavenly female general descending to earth."
"This fairy-like person can actually defeat the Tiele people? It's unbelievable."
"It is a great fortune for my Grand Liang to have Marquis Longxiang to protect us."
Listening to the surrounding praises.
The Lady Marquis just pretended not to notice.
She just intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Li Yuan.
She found that Li Lang's eyes were also full of amazement when he looked at her.
Only then did she slightly curl her lips, revealing a bit of a smile.