Chapter 159 Meeting the Saint
Jiang Lingyin and Ye Wenjing entered the palace together, walking in a hurry, and soon arrived at the Yangxin Palace.
As soon as they entered the palace, they knelt down and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty."
When Li Zhuo saw the two of them coming, he couldn't help coughing a few times. The coughing sounded particularly abrupt in the silent hall.
His face was pale, his eyes were tired, and he looked very bad.
He raised his hand with great effort, waved it and said, "Quickly, please stand up."
Li Zhuo already knew that fifteen countries including Dayuan and Fuso had united to attack Longyuan.
He was so angry that he slammed the table and shouted, "Bullshit Dragon Slaying Campaign! Anyone who dares to attack Long Yuan will be killed no matter how far away they are!"
His eyes were wide open, and anger seemed to be bursting out of them. The angry aura made the atmosphere in the entire Yangxin Palace instantly tense and depressing.
Li Zhuo looked at Ye Wenjing firmly and said in a resolute tone: "Ye Wenjing, I intend to appoint you as the general who protects the country. This time when fifteen countries invade, I will entrust you with the important task of resisting foreign enemies.
I hope you can lead my Longyuan soldiers to repel the invading enemies, protect my Longyuan country and keep my people safe!"
Ye Wenjing immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and saluted, and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will fulfill my mission and fight to the death to defeat the enemy!"
Li Zhuo nodded slightly, his expression slightly relaxed: "Okay! I trust you. Jiang Lingyin, you are thoughtful, I order you to assist A Jing, coordinate food and armaments, and ensure that there is no worry at the front line."
Jiang Lingyin took a step forward, saluted and said, "Your Majesty, I will do my best to assist General Ye."
Li Zhuo stood up, put his hands behind his back, and looked into the distance: "This battle is related to the survival of Longyuan. I and the people of Longyuan have high hopes for you. When you return victorious, I will definitely reward you according to your merits!"
Ye Wenjing and Jiang Lingyin shouted in unison: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live our emperor!"
Li Zhuo waved his hand and said, "Hurry up and prepare. Long Yuan's glory depends on you to protect it!"
The two men saluted again, then turned and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation with firm steps, ready to face the upcoming battle.
After Ye Wenjing and Jiang Lingyin left the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, they did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately plunged into the intensive preparations for war.
Ye Wenjing quickly summoned his generals who were closest to the capital and launched military deployment in the general's tent.
Inside the tent, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the solemn faces of the people.
Ye Wenjing stood in front of a huge military map, his face serious and his voice as loud as a bell: "Everyone, this time the coalition forces of fifteen countries are coming with great momentum, they are numerous and well-equipped.
But how can our Longyuan soldiers be afraid! We have a firm belief in defending our country, rich experience in many years of fighting, and the earnest expectations of the people of Longyuan! "
His eyes swept over every general, burning with fighting spirit.
A general stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "General, I am willing to lead the vanguard troops to tear open the enemy's defenses!"
Ye Wenjing nodded slightly and pointed to a pass on the map: "General Zhang, this place is dangerous and the enemy is likely to set an ambush here. You must be careful."
Then he said to another general: "General Li, you lead the cavalry to flank the enemy, find the weak link of the enemy, and give a fatal blow."
The generals accepted the order one after another with firm expressions and no intention of retreating.
Jiang Lingyin was busy allocating food and military equipment elsewhere.
In the granary in Kyoto, she carefully checked the quality of each bag of grain, occasionally grabbing a handful and sniffing it to make sure the grain was not damp or moldy.
She warned the officials in charge of grain and fodder: "This batch of grain is the life guarantee of the soldiers, and not even a little bit of it can be neglected."
In the armory, Jiang Lingyin carefully checked the blades of the weapons, picked up a spear, and waved it in the air a few times to feel its weight and balance.
She said to the craftsmen: "The quality of weapons is related to the life and death of soldiers, so we must strive for excellence."
At the same time, Jiang Lingyin also organized a group of civilians to transport food and military equipment to the front line.
She personally directed the dispatch to ensure that the transport team moved in an orderly manner.
In her busy schedule, she did not forget to exchange information with Ye Wenjing and coordinate various preparations.
The entire preparation process was intense and orderly, and Ye Wenjing and Jiang Lingyin devoted themselves to it wholeheartedly.
Just to be able to give the enemy a head-on blow when the war comes and defend Longyuan's dignity and glory.
Although Longyuan is a powerful country, it is still short of military strength when facing the invasion of the coalition forces of 15 countries.
The number of Longyuan's standing army is about 500,000, including well-trained and well-equipped elite troops, as well as some newly recruited soldiers.
However, the total strength of the coalition forces of the fifteen countries far exceeded that of Longyuan Kingdom, and was estimated to have reached one million people.
This put Longyuan Kingdom at a clear disadvantage in terms of military strength.
But the army of Longyuan Kingdom has rich combat experience and strong fighting will, the generals are resourceful and the soldiers are brave and fearless.
Moreover, Longyuan State has strong cities and dangerous terrain as a defensive support, and the domestic military industry can also provide sufficient weapons and equipment for war.
However, there is still a fatal flaw.
The 15-nation coalition is likely to possess thermal weapons of mass destruction, such as guns and artillery.
This is undoubtedly a huge threat to Longyuan Kingdom.
You know, in the era of cold weapons, the emergence of firearms was enough to change the pattern of war.
The precise shooting and long-range killing capabilities make traditional swords, bows and crossbows pale in comparison.
The power of the cannon is even more astonishing. Its huge roar and powerful explosive impact can easily destroy city walls and fortifications.
Most of the soldiers of Longyuan Kingdom were only familiar with close combat and conventional offensive and defensive tactics. They were inevitably filled with fear and anxiety about this kind of hot weapon that they had never faced before.
They didn't know how to deal with this terrible weapon that could cause mass destruction at a distance.
This invisibly increased the difficulty of Longyuan Kingdom's defense and counterattack.
Jiang Lingyin and Ye Wenjing were so busy with the war and exhausted both physically and mentally that they had no idea that deep in the bustling capital, a conspiracy was quietly brewing in some dark corners and someone was ready to make a move, trying to stir up some trouble.
The capital city. The bustling Luoshuichunfang.
The top courtesan here, Hongluan, has been in close contact with the Eighth Prince Li Zhen for the past two months. Hongluan is beautiful, and her every frown and smile can bewitch people. When the Eighth Prince Li Zhen first saw her, he was attracted by her stunning beauty and fell in love with her.
In order to win Hongluan's smile, the Eighth Prince spent a fortune and gave her countless treasures. He often booked the entire Luoshuichunfang just to be alone with Hongluan. He even expressed his desire to redeem her and take her as his own many times. However, Hongluan was thoughtful and did not agree readily. Instead, she kept Li Zhen hanging, playing hard to get.
Hongluan knew that Li Zhen had a special identity, and she took advantage of Li Zhen's obsession with her to constantly ask for more benefits. Sometimes she would pretend to be delicate in front of Li Zhen, making him feel itchy; sometimes she would deliberately ignore him, making Li Zhen even more anxious.
Li Zhen, however, was completely unaware of Hongluan's intentions and only wanted to get her. He frequently visited Luoshuichunfang without caring about his reputation. You know, Li Zhen was implicated in the fall of Empress Zongzheng Fuyue and was punished by the emperor to be confined to his house, which was already a very bad situation. Now, because of his frequent contacts with Hongluan, he has been stained with the bad reputation of being a brothel dweller. As a result, his image in the eyes of the public has plummeted. It is simply a foolish dream to want to compete for the position of the crown prince, and there is no possibility at all.
Because of the sudden fall of Empress Zongzheng Fuyue, Li Zhen was inevitably greatly implicated. He was once so glorious, but now he has been demoted to a commoner. The sudden change of fate is very sad. Look, today, the sky is a little gloomy, and there is a trace of loneliness in the breeze. Li Zhen came to Luoshui Chunfang drunk with a depressed face. He was thinking about and longing for Miss Hongluan in his heart, trying to find a little comfort here. However, he never expected that the change of his identity would make him suffer humiliation. When the old procuress saw him coming, her face was full of contempt and disdain, and she directly asked people to abuse and humiliate him. Those ugly words shot at Li Zhen like sharp arrows, making his already broken heart even more broken. In the end, he was ruthlessly driven out and staggered at the door of Chunfang, his eyes empty and confused.
At this time, Miss Hongluan was standing on the embroidery building, wearing a gorgeous Luo skirt, like a blooming flower. She looked at Li Zhen who was in a miserable state downstairs, without any pity in her eyes, but rolled her eyes. That look was as if she was looking at a worthless ant. Then, she opened her red lips and silently cursed "waste". These two words were like a heavy hammer, hitting Li Zhen's heart hard, making him feel that his world had completely collapsed in an instant. The vows and sweet words of the past turned into bubbles at this moment, leaving only endless despair and regret.