amaotonovel Chapter 357 Crossing the Stormy Night
Chapter 357 Crossing the Stormy Night
Chapter 357 Crossing the Stormy Night
The back hall of the Jianning Prefecture was brightly lit. On the candlestick held by the gilded bronze crane, more than a dozen huge tallow candles crackled and burned, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.
Numerous tables were laden with delicacies from Fujian, the air thick with the aroma of food and wine. Geng Jingzhong sat in the main seat, his face flushed from the wine.
He had just been toasted more than a dozen times by the prefect and deputy prefect of Jianning, along with a group of officials. He was a little tipsy and was now using silver chopsticks to stir the fish soup on his plate. He glanced at the commander of his personal guards standing behind him with a satisfied look.
"Your Highness has come from afar; you must have had a long and arduous journey."
The prefect of Jianning was named Gao Panlong, but he was not the famous Donglin Party leader of the late Ming Dynasty—that Donglin Party member had already passed away in the Ming Dynasty and could not possibly have served as an official in the Qing Dynasty.
This was an elderly scholar in his fifties, with half-white hair and beard, dressed in a brand-new official robe, with a kind smile on his face. “This Jianzhou City is remote, cold, poor, and insignificant. We really have nothing to offer you. I hope Your Highness will forgive us.”
"Prefect Gao is too kind."
Geng Jingzhong put down his silver chopsticks, took the handkerchief from the servant and wiped his mouth. His tone was somewhat familiar and adept at handling the situation. "I was ordered by the court to inspect northern Fujian. It is only right that I share weal and woe with the local officials. Seeing capable ministers like Lord Gao and General Wang guarding Jianzhou, I feel very at ease."
He spoke politely, but in his heart he didn't take these two local officials who had worked their way up through years of service seriously at all. If it weren't for stabilizing the situation in northern Fujian and paving the way for the future operation of the Jingnan Prince's Mansion, he wouldn't bother to feign politeness with these pedantic scholars and military men.
Gao Panlong was alright, after all, he was a proper civil official in charge of local administration. But Wang Xianzhu was in a more awkward position. This deputy commander of the garrison, Wang Xianzhu, was a burly military officer with a full beard, and he looked quite fierce.
Logically, the head of local military officers should be the General Commander. However, the Qing court did not pay much attention to this area and only appointed a Deputy Commander to lead it. Although he was of the second rank, he did not dare to say much in front of Geng Jingzhong, one of the Three Feudatories and the pinnacle of military achievements, for fear of offending the nobleman with his rudeness.
He raised his wine cup and said loudly, "This humble general toasts Your Highness, wishing you invincible victory in battle!"
"Good! General Wang is so generous!" Geng Jingzhong laughed heartily, picked up his wine cup, and drank it all in one gulp.
Seeing this, the officials also raised their cups in agreement, and for a time the hall was filled with clinking glasses and laughter. Before long, the sound of string and wind instruments came from behind the screen, and several dancers danced gracefully, their waists as slender as willows and their skirts fluttering, dazzling the eyes of everyone.
However, amidst this peaceful and joyous atmosphere, the wind and rain outside the window grew stronger and stronger.
As large raindrops pounded on the green tiles, making a crackling sound like countless hands frantically pounding a drum, the wind stirred the rain, which occasionally seeped in through the cracks in the window lattices, causing the candlelight in the room to flicker. The shadows of everyone cast on the wall were distorted and deformed, like menacing ghosts.
Geng Jingzhong frowned slightly.
He always felt uneasy; this ominous premonition had been lingering in his mind ever since he entered Jianzhou City.
"Prefect Gao," Geng Jingzhong put down his wine cup and asked casually, "why is the rain in Jianzhou City so heavy?"
Gao Panlong quickly replied, "Your Highness, it's always rainy in northern Fujian between spring and summer, and this year it's been particularly bad. But rest assured, Your Highness, the city walls are sturdy and the food supplies are plentiful; there will be no trouble."
Wang Xianzhu added, "Yes, Your Highness, I have already increased the number of patrols. Even if there are bandits or thieves, they will not dare to approach the city even a step."
Geng Jingzhong nodded, saying nothing more. But his unease did not lessen at all; on the contrary, it grew stronger.
Just then, a strange sound drifted in with the wind and rain, intermittent and faint.
At first, everyone thought it was just the wind and didn't pay attention, but gradually the sound became clearer and louder, even drowning out the sounds of string and wind instruments and laughter.
Some people have already realized that it is not the sound of wind and rain, but a strange, incessant chanting of sutras, as if the cries of countless men, women, the elderly, and children are mixed together, wailing mournfully and desperately.
The cries grew closer and more mournful, as if lingering right outside the window. The music in the hall abruptly stopped, and the dancers halted their steps, standing pale-faced and trembling.
The smiles on the officials' faces slowly disappeared, replaced by a slight sense of fear and unease. Suddenly, an even more abrupt and terrifying sound rang out.
That was the sound of thousands of troops fighting, as if an army was waging a fierce battle in the wilderness outside the city.
"Kill! Kill!"
"Charge! Fight them!"
"what--"
Geng Jingzhong suddenly stood up, his face turning ashen. He pushed the table in front of him away, spilling food and wine all over the floor. The sound of breaking dishes was particularly jarring in the hall.
"Oh no! The barracks in the west of the city!"
Geng Jingzhong shouted sternly, a hint of barely perceptible fear in his voice, "Quickly put on your armor and come with me to investigate!"
The three hundred personal guards of the Prince of Jingnan were stationed at the post station and Ci'en Temple in the west of the city. These were his base of operations and the capital he needed to fight his way back to Fuzhou. If anything happened to these guards, he would truly be all alone.
"Quickly! Prepare the horses!"
Geng Jingzhong roared at the commander of his personal guards behind him, "Everyone, follow me!"
Thirty bodyguards immediately drew their swords and stood in front of Geng Jingzhong. They were all battle-hardened elites, and although their faces showed fear, their movements were perfectly composed.
Prefect Gao Panlong dared not stop them, and could only watch as his personal guards pushed open the door, letting the cold wind and rain pour into the hall. Wang Xianzhu, however, had a sudden flash of inspiration and immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said...
"This humble general is willing to accompany Your Highness!"
Although he was also somewhat frightened, as the highest-ranking military officer in Jianzhou Prefecture, he was obliged to visit the military camp and could not simply watch the Prince of Jingnan leave.
"Good! General Wang, you're a true friend!"
Geng Jingzhong nodded, and the group hurriedly left the government office. The wind and rain outside were even more intense than before.
Streaks of pale lightning ripped through the night sky, illuminating the entire Jianzhou City as if it were daytime. Then, a deafening clap of thunder boomed overhead. All around, the houses stood with their doors tightly shut, quiet and solemn, like a ghost town.
As soon as they stepped out of the government office gate, with no high walls to block their view, large raindrops pelted down, instantly soaking their clothes and seeping into their nails as if tiny insects were crawling inside. Geng Jingzhong and his men mounted their horses, cracked their whips, and shouted sharply, "Giddy up!"
Thirty personal guards followed closely behind, their horses' hooves splashing muddy water as they pounded the muddy streets. Wang Xianzhu immediately mounted his horse and followed with several attendants.
The streets of Jianning Prefecture were deserted. Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut, and there wasn't a single light. Only the sounds of wind and rain, along with the mournful cries and sounds of fighting, echoed in the air.
Lightning flashed across the night sky again, illuminating the houses on both sides. At the end of the road stood a dilapidated drum tower, its walls mottled and scarred, some places seemingly bearing the marks of war. In the light of the lightning, countless blurry figures seemed to flicker on the broken walls, or as if countless eyes were coldly watching them, the strangers, through the windows.
Geng Jingzhong felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle. He gripped the sword at his waist and cautiously looked around.
What place is that?
"Your Highness, be careful. That drum tower was originally called the Five Phoenix Tower. It was built by Wang Yanzheng, the ruler of the Min Kingdom, during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. Strange things often happen here."
Wang Xianzhu rode up to Geng Jingzhong and said in a low voice, "It's not just there, the entire Jianzhou City... is not clean."
"What do you mean?" Geng Jingzhong asked in a deep voice.
"I'll explain in detail when we get to the barracks," Wang Xianzhu said solemnly. "In short, whatever you see or hear, don't act rashly."
Geng Jingzhong nodded, asked no further questions, and led his group at full speed, soon arriving at the edge of the West City General Government.
The western part of the city was even more desolate than the inner city. The post office and Ci'en Temple were built at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by a vast open space overgrown with weeds. During the day, there were some merchants and pedestrians accompanying the army, but at this moment, there was no one here, only the wind and rain raging.
Lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating the post station ahead. A large group of Green Standard Army soldiers, armed with guns and clubs, stood ready, firmly surrounding the guest troops' camp, their expressions tense. Only when they heard the whistle of the deputy commander's personal guards did the Green Standard Army soldiers slightly part to make way.
Inside the post office was a dilapidated courtyard, with most of the walls collapsed, revealing the relatively intact buildings inside. On the flagpole in the courtyard, the flag of the Prince of Jingnan's Mansion fluttered in the wind and rain, while Ci'en Temple stood next door, the ancient empty temple appearing even more eerie in the storm.
"Oh no! Something really has happened!" Geng Jingzhong's heart tightened, and he spurred his horse into the courtyard. The scene inside made everyone gasp.
Hundreds of guards from the Prince of Jingnan's mansion were caught in a frenzy. They fought bare-handed against the air, screaming hysterically. Some guards fell to the ground after clashing, splattering mud everywhere, mixing with the dirty rainwater.
"Kill! Kill these demons and monsters!"
"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"
Their eyes were bloodshot, and their faces were filled with extreme fear and madness, as if they had seen something extremely terrifying.
Wang Xianzhu's expression changed drastically, realizing that this was clearly a riot within the camp.
In ancient armies, a mutiny was the most terrifying disaster. Once a mutiny occurred, soldiers would descend into collective madness, even turning on each other uncontrollably. And at this moment, this mutiny was clearly no ordinary one—
These guards weren't attacking each other, but fighting against something unseen. Lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating every corner of the courtyard, and Geng Jingzhong vaguely saw countless blurry figures moving around the frenzied guards.
Some figures appeared to be wearing tattered armor, holding rusty weapons, with no facial features, only pitch black on their faces. They were writhing in the raging wind and rain, constantly entangled with the guards.
"The rampaging soldiers... that's the work of the rampaging soldiers..."
Wang Xianzhu desperately tried to stop Geng Jingzhong from bringing his men closer.
"What rampant soldiers?"
Geng Jingzhong asked in a deep voice, gripping his saber tightly. Although he was also afraid, as the Prince of Jingnan, he could not show the slightest cowardice.
"...It's Wang Qi's arrogant soldiers and generals!"
Wang Xianzhu lowered his voice and explained, "In the fifth year of the Shunzhi reign, the evil monk Wang Qi from Gutian rebelled in Jianning Prefecture. Later, the imperial army attacked and captured the city, causing countless deaths and injuries among the people. Wang Qi also committed suicide by burning himself to death."
"From then on, on every stormy and dark night in Jianzhou City, there would be strange cries and sounds of soldiers fighting. It is said that these were the rampant soldiers and generals sent by Wang Qi, who were still roaming the city and arresting people."
"Later, the local Xu Jia sect shamans sent five battalions of troops to suppress them. The two sides fought a great battle in the city. Although they temporarily suppressed the rampaging soldiers, they did not completely annihilate them. From then on, every year around the fourth day of the fourth lunar month, which was the day the city fell that year, the two sides would fight again. The prince led a group of battle-hardened soldiers, whose killing intent was too strong. It is likely that he was caught up in the fighting, which triggered the riot."
Geng Jingzhong listened coldly, but his heart was in turmoil. At this moment, his gaze swept over the frenzied personal guards in the courtyard, and then looked at the gloomy Ci'en Temple in the distance, seemingly lost in thought.
The commander of the personal guards shouted sternly, "They're just some wandering ghosts, what's there to be afraid of! Everyone, listen to my command, dismount and form a battle formation! Protect your vitals and don't stray out of the circle!"
Upon receiving the order, thirty personal guards immediately dismounted and formed a circular formation, protecting Geng Jingzhong in the center. Their swords were drawn, and they warily surveyed their surroundings.
However, the rampaging soldiers seemed not to notice them, their attention was focused on the Jingnan Prince's personal guards who had gone mad, which gave them the opportunity to quickly approach the crazed guards and swiftly and decisively subdue the exhausted individuals, who were then tied up one by one by the Green Standard Army soldiers who were watching.
Because the ropes were difficult to break free of after being soaked in water, and as some people gradually broke free from their riotous state, the scene gradually returned to order. Geng Jingzhong breathed a slight sigh of relief. Fortunately, his men had gone berserk after removing their armor and going to bed. Otherwise, if three hundred elite soldiers in full armor had caused chaos together, the entire Jianning Prefecture would probably have been affected tonight.
As the battle formation slowly advanced, they were now close to the mountain gate of Ci'en Temple. The temple's mottled gate was wide open, with vines entwined in the gaps between the walls and tiles. The mournful cries and sounds of fighting became even clearer. At the same time, they could also hear the shouts of the Jingnan Prince's personal guards and the clash of weapons.
"Someone inside has gone mad too, switch to a wedge formation and advance!"
Since the commander of the personal guards was preparing to attack, Geng Jingzhong stopped getting involved and, protected by two fully armored guards, slowly retreated to the eaves.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened. Dozens of arrows shot out from the houses across the street, whistling through the air, heading straight for Geng Jingzhong!
These arrows arrived extremely fast and suddenly, and they were all shot from the same direction. Their sheer number compensated for the lack of accuracy caused by the heavy rain, and they also blocked all of Geng Jingzhong's escape routes.
The drunken Geng Jingzhong's pupils contracted sharply, and he subconsciously raised his sword to parry, but he knew it was futile. The arrows were too fast to be blocked, and he could only hope that his armor was strong.
At this critical moment, a figure in blue appeared before Geng Jingzhong like a ghost. The man held an ancient longsword in his hand, and with a flash of light, it streaked across the night sky like a shooting star.
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"
A series of crisp metallic clangs rang out, and all the arrows aimed at Geng Jingzhong were deflected by the man's sword and fell to the ground.
Geng Jingzhong's heart pounded wildly, and his body seemed to react a beat too late. As the belated adrenaline surged, he could hardly feel his own existence, as if his soul had floated out of his skull and was staring blankly down at him.
Lightning flashed across the night sky again, illuminating the man's face. In the wind and rain, a figure, his robes billowing like a banished immortal, stood there, his long sword trembling slightly, a few drops of rain dripping from its tip.
Jiang Wen slowly turned around, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the cold arrow had come, his eyes as cold as frost.
He stood there quietly, his back to the more than thirty menacing soldiers lying in ambush. No one could tell how he got there; it was as if he had always been there and had always stood on this stone step.
These ambush soldiers were also dressed in the clothes of the Prince of Jingnan's mansion. At this moment, they were showing strange smiles, but when they smiled, it seemed that the corners of their mouths were too wide, almost reaching their ears, which revealed two rows of overly fine and sharp teeth.
"What a clever trick to lure the enemy into a trap..."