bookrandom Chapter 2208 Encirclement and Killing of Li Shiming!
Chapter 2208 Encirclement and Killing of Li Shiming!
The last rays of the crimson sunset sank completely into the earth, and the boundless night, like a curtain soaked in ink, enveloped this battlefield of carnage on the south bank of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers.
However, this darkness did not bring peace; instead, it was torn apart and ignited by the even more intense and brutal flames of war.
On the outskirts of the battlefield, on a makeshift hill, the nine-tasseled dragon banner, symbolizing the supreme authority of the Great Chu Empire, fluttered in the night wind.
Beneath the banner, the bright candlelight and torchlight intertwined, illuminating an extremely young face that exuded an air of authority and burning ambition beyond its years.
The Chu Emperor, Chu Ning, was twenty-six years old.
In eight years, he went from a prince of the Chu Kingdom living in a remote corner to an emperor who now wears the dragon robe and reigns supreme over the world, with his iron cavalry leading the way and seven kingdoms submitting to him.
The clash of swords and the bloodshed of war forged the sharp, piercing spirit between his brows, and ignited in his eyes a raging flame called "unification" capable of burning mountains and rivers.
At this moment, the flames were burning fiercely, almost bursting out of his eyes—the battlefield beneath his feet had trapped the emperor of the last prosperous dynasty in the Central Plains, Li Shimin, the Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty!
If I can take him down, the centuries of strife and chaos that have lasted since the collapse of the world will be completely ended in my hands!
A great cause for the ages, a foundation for ten thousand generations, will be established tonight, right here!
The night wind brushed against his cold black armor, the blades rustling softly, as if echoing the fierce, war-drum-like pounding of his heart.
He looked down at the Tang army positions below, which were surrounded but still fighting desperately. In the firelight, the tattered bright yellow dragon flag of the Tang army still stood stubbornly at the core, like a spark that refused to be extinguished in a desperate situation.
Chu Ning's lips curled into a cold, confident smile.
He slowly raised his right hand, a hand accustomed to wielding swords and knuckles, with distinct and powerful fingers.
"Pass on the order—"
His voice was not loud, but it had a penetrating power like metal, clearly reaching the ears of every messenger and general around him, overpowering the distant clamor of the battlefield.
"Left wing, Xue Huaide's troops! I don't want them to advance cautiously; I want them to be like chisels, ruthlessly piercing through the Tang army's left flank! Open a breach at all costs!"
"Right wing,"
His gaze turned to the darkness on the other side, where the faint sound of horses' hooves could be heard: "Where is the 'Iron Cavalry' led by Consort Feng Mulan?"
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine and three thousand cavalry are in position!" a general immediately reported.
"it is good!"
A sharp glint flashed in Chu Ning's eyes: "Order the Imperial Concubine to have the iron cavalry cut in from the right flank. Do not engage them in close combat; instead, thrust them straight into the heart of the Tang army's rear, disrupt their command, and divide their forces!"
"Tell her, I want to see the phoenix spread its wings and burn away the remnants of the Tang Dynasty!"
"Central Command—"
Chu Ning finally turned his gaze back to the area in front of him where the fighting was most intense and closest to the Tang Emperor's flag.
He slowly unfastened the sword from his waist, a symbol of the Chu Kingdom's royal power, passed down from the founding emperor. The scabbard was simple and unadorned, yet it seemed to emit a faint dragon's roar.
With a clang, the sword was drawn half a foot from its sheath, its cold light reflecting off the snow, but he immediately sheathed it and handed it to the captain of his personal guard beside him.
Then, he reached out and took a long spear from another guard. The spear was entirely silver and its tip gleamed like a star.
This action shocked everyone around.
His Majesty actually wants to switch from sword to spear and personally charge into battle?
Chu Ning gripped the silver spear firmly, his five fingers curled up, feeling the coldness and solidity emanating from the shaft.
He slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the group of elite soldiers in the central army behind him, whose blood had instantly surged and whose eyes had turned red because of his actions. His voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder in everyone's ears:
"My valiant soldiers! Follow me—charge forward!"
"Target: The Tang Emperor's Dragon Banner! I will personally end the reign of the last emperor of this dynasty in the Central Plains!"
"Roar--!!!"
A thunderous roar of responses erupted suddenly, igniting a suppressed, fervent fighting spirit.
Chu Ning said no more, pointed his silver spear forward, squeezed his legs against the horse's belly, and the exceptionally swift Black Cloud Snow-Treading Horse neighed and transformed into a black lightning bolt, charging down the high slope first!
Behind him, a forest of spears and a snow-white flash of blades surged forth, converging into an unstoppable torrent of steel, using Chu Ning's dazzling silver spear as its spearhead, charging desperately toward the core of the Tang army's defenses!
The young emperor must use the most valiant and direct methods to leave the most magnificent mark on his unification and hegemony!
Almost at the same moment that Chu Ning mobilized the central army and launched a desperate charge like an angry dragon emerging from the abyss.
At the heart of the Tang army formation, beside the imperial carriage under the tattered dragon flag, Li Shimin, who had been enduring his injuries and closely observing the overall battlefield situation, suddenly had his pupils contract.
"not good!"
He uttered two words from his bloodless lips, his voice dry but carrying an undeniable warning.
His seasoned intuition allowed him to instantly sense the overwhelming, brutal killing intent that far surpassed any previous attack.
Especially the silver spear that stood out conspicuously in the firelight, leading the charge, and the surging, completely different central arrowhead behind it!
This is not a test, nor is it a test of strength.
This was a final, all-out offensive launched by the Chu Emperor himself, aimed at utterly crushing everything! The immense pressure borne by both the left and right flanks simultaneously confirmed this.
"Send the order!"
Li Shiming suddenly straightened his body, ignoring the excruciating pain of his wounds reopening, his voice piercing through the surrounding shouts and screams.
"All shield bearers, stack up in the front! Spearmen and barricades, hold the front line firmly! Archers and crossbowmen, regardless of the arrows, cover the area a hundred paces ahead."
"Withdraw your flanks and move towards the center, forming a circular formation! Han Shidong, Zhang Wu! Take my personal guard cavalry and prepare to counterattack the enemy at any time!"
He spoke very quickly and gave clear and distinct orders.
In dire straits, this emperor, who once reigned supreme and ushered in the prosperous Zhenguan era, seemed to have regained some of his former decisiveness and spirit.
He knew there was no way to retreat; only by holding on to the death could he have a slim chance of survival.
When two people meet on a narrow path, the brave may not necessarily win, but the cowardly will surely perish!
The emperor's orders were relayed with great fanfare.
The Tang army, which was already in disarray, displayed astonishing resilience under the immense pressure of death and Li Shimin's clear and decisive command.
The shield bearers at the front gritted their teeth, stacking their heavy shields layer upon layer to form a trembling yet unyielding metal wall.
The spearmen behind them extended their spear shafts, which were over ten feet long, from the gaps in their shields, pointing diagonally forward, forming a deadly thicket of thorns.
The remaining archers climbed to any available high ground or hid behind shields, raining down their few remaining arrows on the surging Chu army in the center.
Although many arrows were deflected by the Chu army's superior armor, they still caused considerable chaos and casualties.
The Tang army on both flanks suffered heavy losses under the relentless attacks of Xue Huaide's troops and the agile cutting of Feng Mulan's iron cavalry, and their formation was constantly compressed and torn apart.
But they still carried out the order to move closer to the central army!
Many people even turned their backs to the enemy, sacrificing their lives as they staggered back towards the core dragon flag, struggling to maintain the crumbling defense line.