freenovelworld Chapter 956 The Barbarians Run Rampant
Chapter 956 The Barbarians Run Rampant
White banners hung low in the mourning hall.
The smoke from incense and candles rose, and the sound of mournful sobs fell to the ground.
All the prominent figures in Chengdu arrived to see off this local official.
Luo Yueniang stood at the front of the crowd dressed in white mourning clothes. Although her face was haggard, her body remained as straight as a pine tree.
There were no tears in her eyes, but a deep, unfathomable sorrow filled them.
After the mourners had left, she slowly unfolded the reply letter from the northern capital.
The husband kept thinking about this letter until his death, but he never got to see it.
The words in the letter were clear and powerful, just like the will of that young emperor, leaving no room for doubt.
Just as Wei Xun had predicted, the new emperor refused to grant them the title of king, and severely reprimanded them, even demanding that the couple leave their ancestral home in Shu and go to the capital...
If Wei Xun were alive and saw this letter, he might have understood Li Che's deeper meaning.
Luo Yueniang's feelings were different at this moment. Every word in the letter felt like a cold needle, piercing her already wounded heart.
According to her husband's last wishes, she should put aside all personal grievances and choose to accept the situation for the sake of the greater good, but...
Luo Yueniang gripped the letter tighter and tighter.
Wei's father died because of Emperor Qing's treacherous schemes, and the blood feud remains unresolved!
If the Qing army had not launched an attack, how could my husband have fallen ill from worry and died young?
Shouldn't this debt be placed on the new emperor?
Two lives lost, such deep-seated hatred—how could I possibly surrender to that little emperor with a clear conscience!
Luo Yueniang took the letter out of her hand and held it up to the candlelight beside her.
The orange flames greedily licked the paper, spreading rapidly upwards and turning the letter into ashes that drifted down.
Facing her husband's memorial tablet, she murmured, "My husband, please forgive me for not being able to obey... How can I not avenge such a deep-seated blood feud?"
Luo Yueniang decided to follow her heart and chose a path completely opposite to her husband's last wish, determined to fight to the death!
However, fate seemed to think that the trials it had given Luo Yueniang were not severe enough.
She burned the letter, made a vow, and walked out of the mourning hall when she suddenly heard a commotion coming from the city gate.
But then several scouts covered in blood rushed through the city gate, and pedestrians scattered to avoid them.
"Report! General! Something terrible has happened!"
The lead scout almost fell off his horse before it had even come to a complete stop.
"The Duzhang barbarians, in alliance with the Baicao Qiang, have launched a massive attack and, taking advantage of the weakness in our rear, have already breached eight cities!"
"These barbarians have committed arson, murder, looting, and all sorts of atrocities. The garrisons of each city are in dire need of help. Our Shu region is in grave danger."
After the scout finished speaking, he collapsed from exhaustion, and the Shu army generals behind Luo Yueniang all changed their expressions drastically.
The worst-case scenario has occurred. With the Qing army in the north eyeing them covetously from the front and the wolves-like foreign tribes taking advantage of their misfortune from behind, the resistance forces in Shu were instantly caught in a desperate situation, attacked from both sides!
"General, what do we do?" someone asked anxiously.
Luo Yueniang's phoenix eyes widened, her murderous aura soaring to the sky: "The Qing army bullied us, and they came to join in the fun. How dare these barbarians do this!"
She stood up, her white mourning clothes unable to conceal her chilling killing intent: "Immediately muster the troops! I will personally lead the expedition and annihilate these opportunistic wolves!"
Protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people was a responsibility ingrained in her very being, whether it was fighting against the Northern Dynasty or resisting foreign tribes!
These mere barbarians dared to hide in the mountains before the Qing army arrived, but now that they see the Shu army is weak, they actually dare to come out and act so arrogantly?!
The generals were all furious and volunteered to fight.
Shu was their homeland. The barbarians and the Qing army were different; they posed a much greater threat to the people.
Amidst the anger, there were still some clear-headed individuals.
A lieutenant stepped forward and asked in a heavy voice, "This humble general is willing to fight to the death with the general, even at the cost of ten thousand lives! However, our Shu army numbers only 100,000. If we devote all our strength to fighting the Duzhang Man and Baicao Qiang, what will happen to the Qing army in the rear?"
Upon hearing this, the previously indignant generals instantly fell into a deathly silence.
In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Luo Yueniang.
Yes, they've gone to fight the barbarians. What will happen to the Qing army?
The reason why the Shu army is able to hold the Chengdu line is entirely due to the strategic terrain and the defenses built earlier.
If the main force is transferred to quell the rebellion of foreign tribes in the rear, then the defenses against the Qing army will inevitably be weak.
With the shrewdness of those two Qing army commanders, how could they possibly let go of this golden opportunity?
I'm afraid that no sooner had they left than the Qing army would march straight into Chengdu.
At that point, not only will the battle at the front collapse, but the army's rear will also be completely cut off, leaving them in a desperate situation with no way to advance or retreat.
When you're surrounded by enemies, you'll instantly find yourself in a hopeless predicament.
If we attack foreign tribes, our northern defenses will be breached, and our foundation will be insecure.
If we don't fight against foreign tribes, our rear will fall into chaos and the people will suffer.
The air seemed to freeze. The generals were all at a loss, looking at Luo Yueniang and waiting for her decision.
Looking at her husband's memorial tablet, Luo Yueniang seemed to see the tragic scene of Rongcheng burning under the iron hooves of the barbarians.
Finally, his gaze seemed to pierce through the wall and land in the direction of the Qing army camp to the north, where dark clouds loomed over the city.
"Pass down the order... open all checkpoints and key roads leading to the Qing army-controlled area. If the people want to flee north, do not stop them!"
One of the generals paled: "General, wouldn't this mean...?"
"I haven't finished speaking yet," Luo Yueniang raised her hand to stop her, "Send someone to tell Li Lin and He Conglong..."
“Barbarian invaders have slaughtered the people of Shu and plundered our land! I, Luo Yueniang, will lead my army to quell the rebellion with all my might, and I will not leave a single soldier behind.”
"Tell them that if they are still sons of China, they should put aside their hostility for now and not do anything despicable like taking advantage of us in our time of need!"
As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was shocked.
To negotiate terms with the enemy is simply... like asking a tiger for its skin.
With their backs completely undefended, what could they possibly rely on to stop the Qing army? Could they place their hopes on the enemy's morality and sense of shame?
If it weren't for Luo Yueniang issuing the order, the generals would probably have immediately rebuked her.
The lieutenant said urgently, "General, the Qing army is full of wolves and wolves, how could they...?"
"Enough!" Luo Yueniang interrupted sharply, "Once the troops are moved, it can't be kept secret any longer; they'll find out sooner or later."
"Is there any other way? Are we just going to stand by and watch the barbarians run rampant and slaughter the people of Sichuan?!"
She knew perfectly well that this was a gamble.
The reason she made this decision was not because she trusted Li Lin and his wife, but because she trusted her husband's judgment.
If the new emperor were a ruler who cared for the country and its people, they would not take advantage of someone's misfortune.
Luo Yueniang suddenly drew her sword from her waist, its cold light reflecting off the white banner in the mourning hall: "My mind is made up. I will immediately send out troops to fight the barbarians!"
"As for the rear..." she paused, her gaze turning north, "it all depends on whether Li Che's troops are worthy of the title 'royal army'!"