bookrandom Chapter 163 Lee Kwang-bi Saves the Day
Chapter 163 Lee Kwang-bi Saves the Day
Guo Ziyi thought: I haven't even become the master of the Shuofang Army yet, and I haven't been able to serve the country any better. Am I really going to die like this? I'm not reconciled. Why is the world so unfair? Why!
Just then, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly rang out.
—An arrow shot out from behind a sand dune not far away and pierced the deserter's throat.
The fake deserter clutched his throat and collapsed to the ground in agony.
The newly lit drill went out as it fell limply from his hand.
Immediately afterwards, a man and a horse galloped from afar and came into Guo Ziyi's sight.
The man on horseback stood tall and straight, his gaze firm and calm.
"Your humble servant is late!"
The man dismounted, cupped his hands, and said, "This humble general is Li Guangbi, acting commander of the Shuofang Army. While reorganizing the Shuofang Army, I discovered that the Turks were plotting to harm our Tang reinforcements, and I have come to provide support."
Guo Ziyi felt somewhat at ease seeing that the man was steady in his demeanor and had clear eyes.
But the scene he had just experienced still left him with lingering fear, and he still had to be wary of Li Guangbi when facing him now.
"Please forgive my lateness, Governor!" Li Guangbi said, bowing his hands in greeting, seeing that Guo Ziyi remained silent for a long time.
"How do you know who I am?" Guo Ziyi immediately frowned, extremely wary.
Li Guangbi smiled and said, "The military governor has an extraordinary demeanor and is clearly someone who will be able to take charge in the future. The armor of the military governor is different from that of ordinary soldiers, but it is also different from that of the royal family members who lead troops. Therefore, you are neither a soldier nor His Highness Prince Shou, so you are naturally our newly appointed military governor of Shuofang, General Guo Ziyi."
Guo Ziyi pursed his lips, still hesitant to easily trust Li Guangbi.
“That man was impersonating a deserter, trying to lure us into the enemy’s ambush,” Guo Ziyi said. “Excuse my intrusion, but I must tie you up first. We will verify your identity after we find His Highness Prince Shou and confirm his safety.”
With that, Guo Ziyi waved his hand, signaling to the soldiers beside him: "Attack!"
Several soldiers immediately stepped forward, bound Li Guangbi tightly, and confiscated a long-handled sword and a bow and arrow from his body. This long-handled sword was indeed a common weapon type used by Tang soldiers, but the Turks were so cunning that it was hard to guarantee they wouldn't notice such details when disguising themselves.
Li Guangbi gave a bitter smile, but did not struggle.
He could only say helplessly, "The general has given orders, how dare I disobey, and how dare I blame him? I only hope that the general can find His Highness Prince Shou as soon as possible and give me a chance to clear my name and restore my innocence."
Guo Ziyi nodded in acknowledgment, and then gave the order: "Let's go."
The group escorted Li Guangbi towards Li Mao's direction.
Back to Li Mao, he had just noticed the strangeness of the fake deserter.
The fake deserter, whose identity had been exposed, gave him a sarcastic and mocking remark, followed by a sharp whistle!
Li Mao's heart tightened when he heard the whistle.
He immediately realized that this was a premeditated ambush.
Looking around, they saw the Turks who had been hiding in the sand dunes appearing in the distance. There were three or five people leading the way, followed by hundreds of others, all riding tall horses and carrying scimitars.
The Turks formed an encirclement and gradually approached Li Mao's side.
Li Mao's eyes were piercing, revealing a hint of determination.
"Brothers, prepare for battle!"
Li Mao roared and slashed the neck of the fake deserter with his long sword, then pointed the blade at the encirclement. The soldiers behind him quickly drew their swords, forming a battle formation, ready to meet the enemy at any moment.
They numbered a thousand, while the locals appeared to have over eight hundred, making them roughly equal in strength.
However, there are likely countless enemy troops preparing for battle in the rear, so we must not underestimate them.
The shouts and hoofbeats of the Turks echoed through the air, sending chills down one's spine.
"Go! Go now! Don't let them get away!" the Turkic general shouted. Even from a distance, Li Mao could still see the greedy glint in his eyes.
Li Mao smiled coldly, showing no fear, and raised his sword to meet the attack.
The battle erupted instantly, with both sides engaging in fierce combat as the sky gradually darkened.
Li Mao's swordsmanship was incredibly fierce; each swing carried the force of a thunderbolt, cutting down the charging Turks. His soldiers fought even more bravely, risking their lives to protect him.
At the same time, Guo Ziyi also heard the sounds of fighting coming from the southwest.
His heart sank, and images of Li Mao being seriously injured or even dying flashed through his mind...
He quickly shook his head, banishing the ominous thought from his mind.
At this moment, the man who called himself Li Guangbi, who was bound hand and foot, looked at Guo Ziyi's anxious eyes and couldn't help but say, "General, why don't you release me and we go together to support Prince Shou?"
The more Li Guangbi said this, the more uneasy Guo Ziyi became.
Why did this person beg me to let him go at this particular moment?
Could it be that they intend to take advantage of Your Highness's illness to kill you, claiming to be going to provide support but actually planning to murder you?
Thinking of this, Guo Ziyi broke out in a cold sweat and dared not release Li Guangbi even more.
He ordered several men to keep a close watch on Li Guangbi, while he himself led the charge towards the source of the fighting!
The group sped off and soon spotted Li Mao.
Li Mao was leading his men in a fierce resistance, but the situation was clearly unfavorable.
The Turks' offensive grew increasingly fierce, and Li Mao and his men gradually found themselves in dire straits.
"Your Highness, hold on! We're here!"
Guo Ziyi roared and charged into the battle.
He brandished his longsword, charging left and right, causing the Turks to retreat in defeat.
"General Guo, the enemy is coming from the right! Dodge to the left!"
"Your Highness, the enemy's curved blades are poisoned. Please be extremely careful!"
Although his body was bound hand and foot, Li Guangbi, whose mouth could still move, was not discouraged at all. With his understanding of the Turkic offensive, he took on the role of commander of the springs, giving Li Mao and Guo Ziyi's attack a significant boost.
With support, things were different. No matter how many Turkic soldiers there were, they were no match for the two thousand well-trained Tang soldiers.
Half an hour later, Li Mao and Guo Ziyi's first battle with the Shuofang Army ended in victory.
They not only wiped out hundreds of elite Turkic soldiers, but also captured two generals.
Li Mao breathed a sigh of relief, a relieved smile appearing on his face: "Ziyi, you're here!"
Guo Ziyi nodded repeatedly. Seeing that Li Mao was alright, he was even happier than if he had been promoted himself.
At this moment, a group of people surrounded them from behind, including Li Guangbi, who was bound hand and foot.
The soldier guarding Li Guangbi hesitated and said, "General, this man..."
“Your Highness, this man claims to be Li Guangbi, but we just encountered a Turk who claimed to be a deserter. His appearance was suspicious, and he was all alone. I found him very suspicious, so I brought him to see Your Highness,” Guo Ziyi said to Li Mao, pointing at Li Guangbi.