BSI Chapter 66 Yuan Xi, you want to die? I'll grant your wish.
Chapter 66 Yuan Xi, you want to die? I'll grant your wish.
Trapped Camp.
Gao Shun, his fighting spirit blazing, brandished his sword and roared, "Charge! Break through the vanguard!" Eight hundred elite soldiers, accompanied by deafening battle cries, surged forward, charging towards the vanguard. The cavalry scattered, and no one could stop the advance of the elite troops. "Yuan Xi, you wouldn't listen to my advice, and now you're reaping the consequences!" Ju Yi gritted his teeth inwardly. Ahead, the elite troops were closing in. Ju Yi had no choice but to raise his sword and shout, "Vanguard crossbowmen, fire! Stop the elite troops!" The order was given.
Over a thousand crossbowmen immediately drew their bows. Countless arrows, like locusts, swarmed towards the Vanguard Camp. The crossbows used by the Vanguard Camp were the most powerful in the world, indestructible. Unfortunately, their arrows struck the Vanguard Camp's strongest shield. Not a single arrow pierced it; they were all deflected. The Vanguard Camp charged through the rain of arrows, finally crashing into the Vanguard Camp with a deafening roar.
The shield wall of the vanguard battalion was shattered in an instant.
The crossbowmen hiding behind the shield wall were knocked to the ground in droves, their screams echoing everywhere. "Change your swords!" Gao Shun shouted again.
The vanguard soldiers discarded their long spears, immediately donning ring-pommel swords and slashing wildly at the advance guard. In the blink of an eye, the thousand advance guards were like paper, torn to pieces by the vanguard soldiers, countless dead and wounded. "My vanguard battalion has never been defeated in its entirety, yet today it has fallen to that Gao Shun!" Ju Yi, watching his vanguard battalion crumble, was filled with extreme shock and anger. Since his fame at the Battle of Jieqiao, he had followed Yuan Shao, sweeping across Hebei, undefeated in battle. He never dreamed that he would be defeated today by the eldest son of the Cao family. The vanguard battalion was annihilated.
Ju Yi's illustrious reputation would also vanish. "Ju Yi, Gao Shun is here, prepare to die!" A fierce shout rang out, interrupting Ju Yi's grief and indignation. He suddenly looked up and saw a fierce general, wielding a long sword, charging towards him on horseback.
"Gao Shun!" Ju Yi roared, disregarding the rout of his own troops, and charged forward with his sword. The two riders clashed.
Ju Yi's body jolted, and the broadsword in his hand was almost knocked away. After exchanging blows, he suddenly realized that his martial arts skills were far inferior to Gao Shun's.
Gao Shun gave him no chance to be shocked, his battle blade flashing wildly, the air filled with countless blade shadows enveloping him. Ten moves later, he was gone.
Gao Shun tore open Ju Yi's opening with a single slash, and struck horizontally. "Pfft!" Blood splattered, and a head flew into the air.
Ju Yi, the great general of Hebei who had shaken the world at the Battle of Jieqiao, was thus beheaded by Gao Shun. "Ju Yi, you are a famous general of our time, but unfortunately you have met me, Gao Shun!" Gao Shun snorted coldly, spurred his horse, brandished his sword, and charged towards Yuan's army again.
With the vanguard annihilated, a breach was breached in Yuan's army formation. Cao's army, its blood boiling, roared, "Zilong, what are you waiting for? It's time for the White Horse Cavalry to strike!" "Yes, Your Majesty!" Zhao Yun roared, his silver spear flashing like a blazing rainbow, as nine hundred White Horse Cavalry charged out like a raging torrent, attacking Yuan's flank. Jiang Qi's cavalry was wiped out, Ju Yi's vanguard was also destroyed, and the White Horse Cavalry was unstoppable. The mounted archers were unleashed. A rain of arrows fell, and Yuan's left flank was instantly thrown into chaos as large numbers of soldiers fell to the ground. The central formation was in disarray, the left flank was in disarray, and Yuan's army was riddled with weaknesses.
With a flick of his silver spear, Cao Ang roared, "Soldiers of Cao's army, follow me to crush Yuan's army and capture Yuan Xi alive!" He took the lead and charged out.
"Capture Yuan Xi alive—" "Capture Yuan Xi alive—" Cao's soldiers roared in unison, their fighting spirit blazing as they surged forward following Cao Ang. The Yuan army formation.
At this moment, Yuan Xi was completely terrified, so much so that he dropped his riding whip. "Why?"
"Ju Yi's vanguard was invincible, why was he so easily defeated?" "I refuse to believe that I, the son of Yuan Shao, would be defeated by Cao Ang, the ugly descendant of a eunuch!" "I refuse to believe it!"
Yuan Xi gritted his teeth, his face filled with deep shame and indignation. "Second Young Master, the situation is hopeless. Retreat quickly, or it will be too late!" Guo Tu pleaded, his face contorted with grief. Yuan Xi clenched his fists, his eyes burning with resentment.
They had superior numbers of troops, superior cavalry, and the elite Vanguard Battalion. If they suffered a crushing defeat here, losing to Cao Cao's son, how could he possibly face Yuan Shao in Ye City!
Enraged, Yuan Xi shouted, "I am the son of Yuan Benchu! How can I be defeated by that brat Cao Ang? I will never give up!" He desperately tried to rally his soldiers to fight to the death and turn the tide of battle. But to no avail.
Yuan's army suffered a crushing defeat, completely ignoring the orders of his second son, and simply fled in panic. In the blink of an eye, the White Horse Cavalry had charged nearly twenty paces away, forcing Yuan Xi's personal guards to retreat step by step.
"Second Young Master, hurry and leave, or else—" Guo Tu's desperate pleas were abruptly cut short. A sharp arrow pierced the air, striking him squarely in the face. Guo Tu's face froze in a moment of despair, his face covered in blood, and he crashed to the ground. His blood splattered onto Yuan Xi's face, instantly sobering him up. Yuan Xi completely lost his nerve, turning his horse around to flee with the crowd. It was too late.
A few steps away, Zhao Yun had already located him. "Yuan Xi, where do you think you're going!"
Zhao Yun let out a long roar, spurring his horse like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, he was behind Yuan Xi. "Zhao Yun, you traitor to Liu Bei, I'll kill you!" Yuan Xi had no choice but to curse angrily, swinging his spear in a backhand strike. Zhao Yun ignored him, his silver spear flashing as he unleashed seven lightning-fast thrusts.
The spear in Yuan Xi's hand flew out of his hand, and his body, like a blood-stained top, spun and flew off the horse, crashing heavily seven paces away.
"Zhao Yun, how could you..." Yuan Xi, who had landed, gritted his teeth and tried to get up, but he had no strength left.
Zhao Yun reined in his horse and looked down at Yuan Xi's mangled body, as if he could see his former master, Gongsun Zan, being forced to commit suicide by fire by the Yuan family father and son.
"General Gongsun, I was wrong to trust Liu Bei back then and left you. This is the greatest regret of my life. Today I will capture Yuan Shao's son alive, hoping to comfort your spirit in heaven." Zhao Yun looked towards Youzhou and thought to himself.
Then, he brandished his silver spear and shouted, "Tie up this traitor Yuan Xi and hand him over to the eldest son for disposal!" The loyal followers rushed forward and bound Yuan Xi tightly. Zhao Yun spurred his horse, brandishing his spear, and charged once again into the routed enemy ranks.
The massacre lasted from afternoon until evening. Cao Ang pursued the enemy for thirty li before withdrawing his troops. Almost all of Yuan's seven thousand soldiers were wiped out, and the enemy invading Hanoi was completely eradicated. Night fell in the main hall of the Wen County government office.
Cao Ang sat at the head of the table, listening to his subordinates report on the battle results. Gao Shun was naturally the protagonist of the evening.
Cao Ang patted Gao Shun on the shoulder and praised him with a smile: "Gao Boping, you have made the greatest contribution in this battle by breaking through the vanguard camp. I will definitely report this to my father. Given his eagerness to find talented people, he will surely give you an important position."
"Thank you for your high regard, Young Master." Gao Shun bowed and thanked him, but said solemnly, "I am here on the orders of Young Master Liheng to help you break through the Vanguard Camp. Whether I continue to serve Lord Cao is something I need to ask Young Master Liheng for his opinion."
"Of course, of course." Cao Ang dared not force Gao Shun and nodded repeatedly.
At this moment, Zhao Yun entered the hall, cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I have captured Yuan Xi alive. Please grant me your judgment." A glint of light immediately flashed in Cao Ang's eyes.
Soon, Yuan Xi, covered in blood, was dragged into the hall and thrown in front of Cao Ang.
"Yuan Xi, how arrogant you were in Xuchang back then, clamoring to wipe out my Cao family. Now that you've fallen to this state, what do you have to say?"
Cao Ang looked down at Yuan Xi and asked with a cold laugh.
Yuan Xi glared at Cao Ang with hatred, and cried out in grief and indignation, "Cao Ang, I don't believe you can defeat me on your own. Who's been strategizing for you? Isn't it that Gu Cheng?!"
"So what if it's him?" Cao Ang readily admitted, a domineering glint in his eyes.
"That Gu Cheng is a strategist bestowed upon my Cao family by heaven. Today he helped me capture you alive, and one day he will help my father capture your father Yuan Shao alive and exterminate your Yuan clan!"
"Cao Ang, you, you—" Yuan Xi was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood and almost fainted from anger.
Cao Ang waved his hand: "Take him away. After I recover all the cities in Hanoi, I will return to the capital and present him to my father." Yuan Xi was then dragged away like a dead dog.
Cao Ang did not forget to send his personal guards to Ping County immediately to report the good news to Gu Cheng.
Ping County, Gu Mansion.
When the sun was high in the sky, Gu Cheng yawned and pushed open the door. As soon as he opened it, Zhang Chunhua was already standing outside, holding a copper basin. "What are you doing here...?"
Gu Cheng's eyes widened in surprise.
Zhang Chunhua blushed slightly and said, "Young Master Gu, you're up. Let Chunhua help you wash and change." "Hmm?" Gu Cheng was taken aback.
He clearly hadn't expected Zhang Chunhua to be so attentive and considerate, immediately doing the things a maid would do.
Before Gu Cheng could nod, Zhang Chunhua rushed in and began wiping his face meticulously. "Fine, consider it that I didn't raise her for nothing; she's paying for her meals..."
Gu Cheng straightened up and accepted her service without hesitation. "Liheng, are you up? It's time for breakfast."
Just then, Lü Lingqi, carrying wine and dishes, stepped into his room. As she looked up, she saw Zhang Chunhua turning around to look at her.
The two women looked at each other, and their pretty faces simultaneously showed the same awkwardness.
"Oh, this Chunhua girl is so considerate, she's even wiping my face for me." Lü Lingqi glanced at her sideways, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"How can Chunhua compare to Sister Lü's thoughtfulness? She actually cooked breakfast for the young master herself. She really put her heart into it." Zhang Chunhua retorted sarcastically, not to be outdone.
Lu Lingqi frowned, about to erupt. "Stop! Stop!"
Gu Cheng quickly stopped the two women, smiling broadly, and said, "A family should be harmonious. Come, come, sit down and eat together." Gu Cheng then took Lü Lingqi's plate and put it down. He pulled Zhang Chunhua with his left hand and Lü Lingqi with his right, and the three of them sat down together. The phrase "family" seemed to have a deeper meaning, and the two women blushed instantly upon hearing it.
Gu Cheng's intimate gesture of holding their hands brought blushes to the two women's faces, making them blush with shyness. The two women immediately lost their competitive spirit, simply lowering their heads in embarrassment and remaining silent.
Gu Cheng pretended not to see anything, picked up his bowl and began to eat, praising the food as delicious. At this moment...
Xu Chu, already standing outside the door, shook his head and sighed upon seeing this scene, "This woman's luck with women is too good; she has too many confidantes. It's a troublesome matter. It seems it's best not to get married..."
After a moment of distraction, he remembered his business.
He stepped forward and said, "Young Master, the eldest son of the Cao family has sent back a report of victory. He has decisively defeated Yuan's army and captured Yuan Xi alive!" This news caused Lu Lingqi and Zhang Chunhua to tremble with shock.
Gu Cheng remained calm and composed, simply saying "Oh" before continuing to eat.
"He only recommended one person to Cao Ang, and the army easily defeated Yuan's forces and even captured Yuan's second son alive. He truly is the legendary extraordinary person..."
Zhang Chunhua's mind was racing, and her gaze towards Gu Cheng held a subtle undertone.
Lu Lingqi laughed and said, "Brother Gu, congratulations! You have helped that young master Cao achieve such a great feat. It would be strange if Cao Cao hadn't kowtowed and begged you to come out of seclusion. Once your Gu family rises to prominence, no one can stop it."
"Pfft!" Gu Cheng choked on the wine he had just brought to his lips.
"Ms. Lü, I hope you're not jinxing me!"
"If what you said is true, and Cao Mengde personally comes to ask me to come out of seclusion, I really don't know where to hide," Gu Cheng said with a wry smile, shaking his head.
Knowing that he was determined to live in seclusion, Lü Lingqi simply smiled.
Zhang Chunhua asked in surprise, "Young master, you possess extraordinary talent. If you were willing to serve Cao Cao, you would surely be ennobled and appointed prime minister in the future, with a limitless future. Why are you so helpless?"
"Becoming a marquis or prime minister?" Gu Cheng sneered, raising his wine cup. "I have wine, leisure, and beautiful women by my side. I'm more carefree and happy than an immortal. Why would I care about becoming a marquis or prime minister?"
Zhang Chunhua's body stiffened, and her gaze towards Gu Cheng became even more surprised. "This young master Gu possesses the talent of a strategist, yet he disdains fame and fortune; truly a rare and extraordinary man..." she thought to herself, glancing furtively at Gu Cheng. "This Dukang wine is indeed fine," Gu Cheng remarked, engrossed in the wine, taking a large gulp. As the wine went down, a system notification sounded in his mind: "Host has been in seclusion for two months; mission complete."
"Congratulations, host, you have obtained the [Xiangyang Cannon Manufacturing Blueprint], [Corn Seeds], and [Zheng He Treasure Ship Manufacturing Blueprint]." Gu Cheng's eyes lit up. The Xiangyang Cannon, according to legend, was a catapult built by the Mongol army, the most powerful catapult weapon in history, and was famous for breaching the city of Xiangyang.
"Another weapon. Does this mean they're forcing my Gu family to get involved in weapon manufacturing?" Gu Cheng muttered to himself.
As for Zheng He's treasure ships, they were even more remarkable.
This ship was built during Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean, representing the pinnacle of Chinese shipbuilding.
This is indeed a good thing, but it seems to be of no use for now. The corn seed reward, however, excited Gu Cheng. This stuff was originally not expected to be introduced to China for over a thousand years. This corn is high-yielding and drought-resistant; if it could be promoted earlier, who knows how many people it could feed. Gu Cheng's thoughts raced; he was already planning to plant corn on all the Gu family's fields after returning to Xuchang. Just selling corn seeds would make him incredibly wealthy.
"Brother Gu, what are you thinking about?" Lü Lingqi couldn't help but ask when she saw him lost in thought. Gu Cheng snapped out of his reverie, downed a cup of wine, and laughed, "I've had enough of Ping County. It's time to set off and return to Xuchang."
A few days later, Gu Cheng and his party embarked on their journey south back to Xuchang.
The carriages and horses left the city and headed south along the main road.
They hadn't gone more than a few miles when a troop of Cao Cao's soldiers caught up with them. "Brother Gu, what a coincidence! Are you heading back to Xuchang?"
A familiar voice rang out.
Gu Cheng turned his head and saw Cao Ang riding forward.
"This Young Master Cao is really persistent; how could we run into each other here..." Gu Cheng smiled wryly to himself, and could only cup his hands and say, "Oh, it's you, Young Master Cao. What a coincidence! Where are you headed, Young Master Cao?"
"Of course I must return to the capital and report back to my father," Cao Ang replied.
Gu Cheng smiled and said, "Young Master, your return to the capital this time will surely make you famous and win Cao Gong's favor even more. I congratulate you, Young Master."
Cao Ang said solemnly, "If it weren't for Brother Gu recommending Gao Shun to me, how could I have achieved such success today? I should thank Young Master Gu."
As he spoke, he straightened his clothes and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting. "Young Master, you're too kind. It was nothing at all," Gu Cheng said dismissively.
Cao Ang then said, "There is an old friend that Brother Gu would like to see." "An old friend?"... Gu Cheng's eyes were blank.
He cracked his whip and shouted, "Bring the prison cart here!" The order was given, and soon a caged cart sped towards them. Gu Cheng looked closely and blurted out, "Isn't this the Second Young Master Yuan?" Cao Ang smiled without saying a word. Yuan Xi, inside the cart, suddenly raised his head. The moment he recognized Gu Cheng, his ashen face twisted into a ferocious grimace. "Gu Cheng, Gu Cheng!!" He leaped to his feet, lunged at the edge of the cage, and screamed through gritted teeth.
Gu Cheng rode forward and said calmly, "Second Young Master Yuan, it's been a while since we parted ways in Xuchang. I didn't expect to meet again so soon." "Gu Cheng!"
"You ungrateful wretch! How dare you aid the Cao family and make enemies of my Yuan family!" "When my father marches south and wipes out the Cao family, do you know what your fate will be!" Yuan Xi roared hysterically at Gu Cheng. Gu Cheng's brows furrowed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. Back in Xuchang, Yuan Xi had been arrogant and condescending towards him, which was one thing. Now, this fellow was a prisoner, yet he still dared to be so arrogant, always acting superior. Gu Cheng didn't have that kind of temper. He ignored Yuan Xi and said to Cao Ang, "Young Master, after Yuan Xi is escorted back to Xuchang, what does Lord Cao intend to do with him?"
"This..." Cao Ang shook his head: "This thief is, after all, Yuan Shao's son. Perhaps Father will imprison him temporarily and deal with him after the final battle with Yuan Shao has concluded."
His implication was that Cao Cao still harbored some fear of Yuan Shao and would spare Yuan Xi's life for the time being. Yuan Xi understood Cao Ang's unspoken meaning, and a cold smile crept onto his lips.
That sneer couldn't be clearer:
Even if you capture me alive, so what? You're still afraid of my father's power and dare not do anything to me! Gu Cheng coldly replied, "Young Master, I believe that Lord Cao should execute Yuan Xi without hesitation!" Upon hearing this, Yuan Xi's expression changed drastically.