111: Rumors are more ferocious than tigers

Chapter 110: Rumors Are Fiercer Than Tigers

"Today, what Qing Consort and Miao Consort gave birth to are princesses again!"

"What is going on? Why does our Great Yu imperial family keep giving birth to princesses?"

"Nine! That's nine princesses!"

"This, th-th-this… If this goes on, the nation cannot be preserved!"

"Could it be because the Yin Qi in the imperial palace is too heavy? There is only Your Majesty's single strand of Yang Qi…"

"Fortunately, Consort Cui is also pregnant. I just wonder whether Consort Cui will give birth to an imperial prince or a princess?"

"If it's a princess again, that would be ten princesses!"

"Hiss…"

"Your Majesty is approaching the age of thirty; if there are still no imperial princes…"

"Indeed, as long as an imperial prince can be born, he will be the crown prince and heir apparent, and the foundation of the state will be secured!"

"If it's a female…"

"Shh! Keep your voice down. So what if it's a princess? Your Majesty is still young and can still have children…"

"Giving birth to all princesses?"

"I heard that this might be because Your Majesty was disrespectful to the past emperors of successive dynasties, suffering a curse from them!"

"The Master did not speak of strange powers and chaotic gods! What nonsense is Lord Lin talking about!"

"It's true! A few days ago, this subordinate prepared to visit Tianshou Mountain for an outing and to pay respects to the past emperors of successive dynasties. Who would have thought that all intersections of Tianshou Mountain were sealed off by the Imperial Guards, calling it a 'military restricted zone', and no one is allowed to enter without Your Majesty's orders!"

"What on earth is Your Majesty doing?"

"I later asked the surrounding villagers, and they said that during this period, they often heard muffled beast roars coming from Tianshou Mountain…"

"Hiss… Really?"

"As the Junior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, I must find an opportunity to secretly investigate Tianshou Mountain!"

"Tianshou Mountain is the mausoleum of the past emperors of successive dynasties; there must not be any accidents…!"

In the imperial court, countless officials of various ranks whispered among themselves, their tones tense and their eyes filled with panic.

Especially the leading Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, who gathered together.

"Prince Bing, has Your Majesty been well these past few days?"

Lu Xiangqing asked in a low voice to the only royal prince among the five.

Zheng Zongbing said, "Your Majesty is completely well. Lord Lu, this prince knows what you want to say. Whether it is a boy or a girl is determined by Heaven; Your Majesty being able to give birth to nine princesses in a row might even be an auspicious sign descended from Heaven!"

Lu Xiangqing frowned slightly and said, "Regardless of that, an imperial prince is after all the foundation of the state. Please, Prince Bing, take some time to persuade Your Majesty to visit the palaces of other consorts more often."

"If Your Majesty dislikes them, another selection of maidens can be held."

Zheng Zongbing said, "It has been less than three years since the last selection of maidens; let's discuss this matter later."

Wang He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "My lords, have you heard about the changes at Tianshou Mountain?"

The expressions of several people changed slightly, obviously having also heard a lot of news.

Only Zheng Zongbing frowned and said, "What news? Tianshou Mountain is definitely the mausoleum of the past emperors of successive dynasties…"

Li Yuanhao said, "First, villagers heard thunder continuously coming from Tianshou Mountain and wanted to go up the mountain to take a look, but who would have known they would be blocked by the Imperial Guards."

"According to the Imperial Guards, the entire Tianshou Mountain has been listed as a military restricted zone, and no one is allowed to enter."

"There are rumors saying that Your Majesty's actions have angered the Heavens; the thunder at Tianshou Mountain and the harem consorts only giving birth to princesses are warnings!"

"Lord Li, silence!"

Zheng Zongbing frowned and said, "Your Majesty possesses the righteousness of a millennium, is a dragon and phoenix among men, not only pacifying refugees and suppressing rebellions, but also driving out Wu Country, breaking through Black Mountain Pass, and even occupying two prefectures of Wu Country."

"Such valor is not the least bit inferior to the founding ancestor, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Tianqi, especially the merit of expanding territory."

"As for words like warnings from Heaven, I hope you lords will not say them again."

"Mere rumors are of no consequence."

Several people agreed in low voices, though their eyes were still filled with doubt and other unexplainable glimmers.

Soon, a young eunuch walked out quickly.

"Your Majesty's dragon body is slightly indisposed, and there is no grand court session today. Whatever important matters you lords have shall be reviewed by the Cabinet."

"We obey the decree!"

The civil and military officials bowed one after another, having no choice but to withdraw helplessly, and gathered around the Cabinet members again.

"Lord Lu…"

"Lord Li…"

"Lord Wang…"

"Prince Bing…"

Surrounded by the officials, the several men walked to the entrance of Taihe Hall.

Right at this moment, a Jinyi Guard was seen running up quickly.

"Urgent military intelligence! Our army has achieved a great victory! Our army has achieved a great victory!"

"What is the matter that you are so flustered?"

Wang He spoke out to stop him, and the Jinyi Guard stopped, panting heavily as he said, "Reporting to the lords, our army has won a great victory in Yong Province, having already captured Changan Prefecture, routed the main force of the rebel army, killed the rebels, and slain the former Yong Province Regional Commander Li Zhishan!"

"Now the one million rebel troops of Yong Province are fleeing in all directions, and our army is pursuing them closely. The Yong Province rebels can be pacified in a matter of days!"

"How could it be so fast?!"

Many people were instantly extremely shocked upon hearing this news, and some even snatched the battle report from the Jinyi Guard's hands to inspect it carefully.

"I-It really is so!"

"Changan Prefecture has returned to Great Yu?"

"Li Zhishan was killed! Why, he had a million troops under his command!"

"What bullshit million troops! At most four or fifty thousand of his men could become soldiers, and the rest were all mud-legged peasants. Rely on them to fight a war?"

"The New Army! The New Army trained by Your Majesty is actually so powerful!"

"Flintlock guns, grenades, as well as the Red Barbarian Cannon and Thunderbolt Mine… These are all auspicious signs of our Great Yu!"

"Hahaha, with such treasures, our Great Yu can sleep securely without worries!"

Many officials beamed with joy with excitement, whispering and discussing among themselves one after another.

Yong Province had rebelled again and was suppressed, with several hundred thousand people dead, and most landlords and aristocratic families were plundered by refugees, while a large batch of officials also died, leaving at least over a hundred official posts vacant.

What they were discussing was how to plant their own people into Yong Province, and relying on the power in their hands, wantonly enclose land and recruit tenant farmers.

Every time a war was fought, it was the common people who died, but those who ultimately benefited were the high officials and nobles far away in the capital!

At the same time, Zheng Yi also obtained intelligence regarding Yong Province.

Furthermore, it was even more detailed than the battle reports obtained by the various ministers in the imperial court!

On October 15th of the sixth year of zhengyong,

the First, Second, and Third Divisions of the New Army arrived at Weiguan together.

Fortunately, Weiguan was under the control of the imperial court and had not been seized by the rebel army, otherwise the New Army would have had to expend manpower and material resources to break through Weiguan.

After discussing among themselves, the three divisional commanders quickly made a decision.

The three divisions merged into one and marched toward Changan Prefecture.

Changan Prefecture was the prefectural city of Yong Province, located atop the Yong Province plain. Only after occupying Changan Prefecture could the three of them take Changan Prefecture as the center and strike out in all directions.

Furthermore, they could also recruit defeated troops and consolidate their strength.

Because the rebel army's momentum was great, Minister Miao and Shi Heilang had long ago abandoned Changan Prefecture, stationing themselves separately in Wugong County and Yangping County.

Two days later, the three divisions of the New Army had already arrived at Changan Prefecture.

Without any rest or reorganization, the New Army directly began the city-besieging combat operations.

Nine hundred Red Barbarian Cannons were lined up in a row, aiming from afar at Changan Prefecture in the distance.

Meanwhile, the rebels of Changan Prefecture had long since discovered the movements of the New Army, and they actually let the New Army deploy its battle formation outside the city.

Until midday, only then did refugees panic and pour out from the city, rushing toward the New Army under the leadership of millions of rebels.

The New Army infantry arrayed themselves into a flintlock gun phalanx, neatly arranged row by row, aiming at the panicking approaching rebels.

"Ready!"

"Swish~!"

The new recruits in the front row immediately raised the flintlock guns in their hands, aiming at the swarming, panicked rebels.

When the rebels rushed to within three hundred steps of the New Army, the messenger soldier immediately shouted, "Fire!"

"Bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

In an instant, wisps of blue smoke rose and drifted in front of the New Army's battle line, and at the very front of the originally chaotic rebel camp, thousands of unlucky fellows instantly fell down screaming.

To ensure the power and accuracy of the flintlock guns, soldiers were required to arrange themselves into a flintlock gun phalanx to shoot.

This could not only maximize the power of the flintlock guns, but also ensure the soldiers' Battle Intent and morale.

"Reload!"

The first batch of new recruits immediately squatted down, changing bullets at the fastest speed.

"Second row, fire!"

"Bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Another round of firing occurred, and another thousand rebel unlucky fellows were hit by bullets, falling down screaming, covered in blood.

This time, the rebel phalanx became even more chaotic.

Many rioting common people hugged their heads and fled in all directions, wanting to escape the coverage range of the hail of bullets, but there were even more rioting common people behind them, and all at once they squeezed together.

Yet the New Army paid no attention to this situation and continued to fire and shoot.

The flintlock gun phalanx, consisting of over twenty thousand people, arranged neat three rows.

Every time they fired, it could ensure that seven thousand bullets swept into the rebel crowd.

In a mere half-quarter of an hour, the rebels suffered heavy losses, with tens of thousands of people falling to the ground either wounded or dead, and the screams were endless.

As for the dark, swarming mob of at least one hundred thousand rebel troops, they panicked and retreated toward Changan City.

Those neat rows of flintlock gun phalanxes were their nightmare!

What on earth was that weapon!

Each and every one looked just like firewood sticks, yet they could emit firelight that easily tore human bodies apart.

They shot farther than bows and arrows, and their lethality was stronger.

Furthermore, looking at it, it seemed very effortless, not grueling at all like archers!

The rioting common people rapidly collapsed in defeat, while the rebels on the city walls also shouted loudly to direct the refugees to enter the city.

They prepared to utilize the solid city walls of Changan City to defend against the encirclement and suppression by the imperial court's troops.

"Open fire!"

"Open fire!!"

Suddenly, high-pitched roars came from behind the phalanx.

Immediately, a full nine hundred Red Barbarian Cannons finally displayed their power.

Flashes of fire suddenly flickered one after another, and instantly, the city walls of Changan City in the distance and the houses inside the city were blasted apart in all directions, with gravel flying everywhere and a large number of corpses soaring into the sky accompanied by the shockwaves of the cannonballs.

Even just a single salvo blasted several huge breaches out of Changan City's East City Gate.

Many refugees fell from the city wall screaming, either dead or injured.

The East City Gate doors were also blasted to pieces, exposing the panicked crowd within.

Qu Bo, Tian Yiguang, and Yao Song looked at the panicking rebels who had lost their way, their eyes filled with surprise.

"These rebels can't withstand bombardment at all; this is only the first round…"

Tian Yiguang chuckled and said, "How about another round to let this group of rebels truly experience the power of our Red Barbarian Cannons!"

"No!"

Qu Bo immediately refused and said, "What Your Majesty needs is an intact Changan City. Besides, we still need to take Changan City as the core to campaign everywhere; if the city walls are all blown down, who is going to repair them? You? Or me?"

Tian Yiguang shrugged and said, "Suit yourself."

Among the five divisions, the one he despised the most was Qu Bo, the commander of the First Division.

Young in age, but incomparably loyal and fanatical toward Your Majesty, and there was also some perverted dark aura within him.

The commander of the Fourth Division who had the best relationship with him was Xu Hu, but unfortunately he was transferred to Shu Province; otherwise, being able to fight side by side with him would also have been one of life's great blessings.

The commander of the Third Division, Yao Song, observed Changan City in the distance through binoculars and said, "Let the whole army charge; the rebels have already been frightened out of their wits, and the entire East City Gate is actually unguarded, with even the wounded and sick left unattended."

"Have the cavalry battalion move out first to seize the city gate, and everyone else follow up to shoot."

"Attention!"

"Your Majesty has ordered that we only kill rebels wearing armor, and as for the coerced refugees, let them go whenever possible, and do not slaughter them indiscriminately at will."

"Understood, Old Yao, how many times have you said those words!"

Tian Yiguang laughed loudly, turned around to mount his horse, slapped the horse's rump fiercely, and his entire person immediately darted out like an arrow off a bowstring.

"Lads, charge with me!"

"Whole army, charge!"

"Kill!"