At night, Fuzhou City is lit up with colorful lanterns and singing and laughing can be heard everywhere, creating a scene of peace and joy.
Rather than celebrating a great victory, it is better to vent the fear and depression accumulated over the past few days, which is why there is such a hustle and bustle like a new year.
In the left-wing army barracks in the southwest of the city, the soldiers were scattered in the barracks, looking very tired.
The bustle coming from outside the camp sounded very noisy and irritating to them.
"There's nothing to celebrate. Aren't they just a few thieves? They would have been captured long ago by us..."
"Good things don't happen to us, but we practice every day and work tirelessly to patrol the city and guard the gates. When have we, the left-wing army, ever suffered like this?"
"Now that military discipline is so strict, how can people live a good life? Ever since King Yan came to Fuzhou, I have never smelled of alcohol..."
"Youxiu, I've been locked up in the camp all day. I haven't vented my anger for many days. My big gun is almost rusty."
"So what if I am allowed to leave the camp? Do you have that spare money now?"
As the most combat-effective left-wing army in Fujian, it has long since decayed and has become a group of ruffians. Military discipline is lax and training is neglected. All they do every day is to eat and drink in the market, gamble and visit brothels.
Because they are the main force in maintaining local security, they have many ways to make money, and they live a happy and carefree life.
Even after the chaos broke out, they did not change much until Zhao Mengqi arrived in Fuzhou and began to clean up military discipline. He also required them to practice for an hour every day, which made them complain endlessly.
Now that the army is out on an expedition, the forbidden troops stationed in the city have also been transferred to serve as logistics troops, so the city defense naturally falls on them.
These days of hardship, fatigue, and lack of freedom are completely different from those before. Naturally, I am filled with resentments and complaints.
But normally, they can only complain. After all, little shrimps like them cannot resist the will from the top, unless someone deliberately incites the organization...
The Chinese Army Festival Hall should have been solemn and solemn, but at this time, a banquet was being held. More than 30 officers and assistants from the entire army were present, including the commander Nie Zhengsheng, and the promotion officer Chen Long who was the supervisor of the army.
The reason why the banquet was held was because the commander, Yang Ji, celebrated his 40th birthday today and had a great victory.
In the past, it would have been a big deal, but now everyone is not allowed to leave their posts without permission, so a group of officials suggested a small celebration in the camp.
Yang Ji is a veteran of the Left Wing Army. Starting from his great-grandfather, four generations have been in this army. He has been in the army for almost 20 years and has been a commander for ten years.
Originally, he should have been promoted to commander long ago, but after Chen Wei retired and returned to Fuzhou six years ago, he hired his close confidant Nie Zhengsheng to become commander.
If Yang Ji wanted to be promoted, he had no choice but to be transferred elsewhere. But his family had settled in Fuzhou for fifty or sixty years, so of course he didn't want to go anywhere else, so he had to continue to be the commander of two battalions. Make one of them.
On the surface, Yang Ji didn't seem to care, but in his heart he hated Nie Zhengsheng, and even the Chen family, for taking his position.
The left-wing army has been passed down from generation to generation, and its internal relations have long been entangled. It is actually difficult for an outsider, Nie Zhengsheng, to truly control it. He only uses Chen Wei's influence to suppress it. The real most influential person is Yang Ji.
Since it was hard to disobey the public opinion and Yang Ji had to give him face, Nie Zhengsheng agreed.
But when Nie Zhengsheng saw many wine jars placed on the table, he couldn't help but frown slightly.
"In these extraordinary times, you shouldn't drink wine, but since it's a birthday banquet, let's make an exception today. I proposed a limit of three cups per person. What do you think, Commander Yang?"
Yang Ji did not comment, he just raised the wine cup and said, "I would like to thank you, Commander, for your kindness, so that we can have the joy of gathering together today. For this first cup, I would like to express my respect to Commander..."
"No, no, no, Commander Yang is the birthday boy today. According to folk tradition, the birthday boy is the biggest, so it's you who deserves to be honored. Come on, let's all congratulate Commander Yang on his birthday. I wish Commander Yang will have this day every year, and this day every year. , be blessed with happiness, wealth and longevity, drink victoriously!”
Nie Zhengsheng smiled and led the generals to finish drinking a cup. Then he put down the wine cup and Yang Ji poured it for him.
Full.
"Then for this second cup, it's time to give back to the commander. The commander has a good character and has always been admired by the brothers. We are all rough and can't express ourselves. The words are in the wine. Please drink it to the full."
"You don't have to drink so fast." Nie Zhengsheng was startled and saw all the generals raising their glasses, so he had no choice but to pick it up, "I thanked everyone for their love, so I drank the best."
After finishing the drink, Yang Ji raised the wine to Chen Long again, "This third cup, of course, it's time to pay homage to Chen Tuiguan. You are a well-educated scholar, but you want to hang out with vulgar people like us all day long. What the hell is that?" The pearl is covered in dust..."
Chen Long felt something was wrong, but he still picked up the wine cup and said, "Commander Yang is joking. If Chen is not good at literature or martial arts, he cannot be regarded as a pearl. Since we are all colleagues now, we should work together in the future and share the blessings in times of difficulty." Share."
After saying polite words, everyone finished the third cup. The atmosphere suddenly became silent, and all the officers below focused their attention on Yang Ji.
"Haha, it seems that the brothers are not enjoying themselves to the fullest." Yang Ji, with a faint smile on his face, spread his hands and said, "Actually, I am not having all the fun either. It's just that the commander has an order, and we don't seem to be able to disobey it."
Nie Zhengsheng smiled and raised his hand, "The days are long. After this period of time, I will treat all brothers to a drink. Now let's eat more vegetables."
At this time, Yang Jizheng slowly filled himself up with another cup of wine and stood up slowly.
Nie Zhengsheng's face darkened slightly, "Commander Yang, what are you doing?"
Yang Ji took a step back and poured the wine slowly on the ground, drawing an arc. "This cup is still a tribute to Commander Nie, but I have to trouble you to go down below to drink it."
Nie Zhengsheng was shocked. He wanted to stand up, but found that his legs were not working and his hands began to go numb. Chen Long also found that he could not use any strength.
The two shouted in unison, "Yang Ji, what do you want to do!?"
Yang Ji smiled solemnly, "What are you doing?"
Then he slammed the wine cup in his hand on the ground, "I send you two off on your way!"
Then he reached out and pulled out a long knife from under the table, and quickly slashed at Nie Zhengsheng's neck.
A fountain of blood splattered, and the head fell onto the table. The look of horror on his face was vaguely visible as he rolled over.
At the same time, other officers also drew their weapons from under the table and rushed towards the personal guards of Nie and Chen. Others outside the hall also killed the close followers of Nie and Chen around them.
The sound of killing started suddenly, but soon stopped. Although they were prepared and unprepared, more than 30 close associates of Nie and Chen were all found dead.
Chen Long was in a daze for a while before he came back to his senses. He was shocked and angry, "You! Are you going to rebel!?"
"Haha, you guessed it right." Yang Ji slowly raised the knife and aimed at Chen Long's throat.
Just as he was about to wave, he heard a shout, "Wait a minute."
Li Zhi stepped in from outside the door, "Don't kill him yet. Maybe we will have to make a deal with Chen Wei later. Keeping him is also a bargaining chip."
Yang Ji thought for a while and understood.
The influence of the Chen family in Fuzhou is too great. If they are really offended, the consequences will be endless. If Chen Wei is allowed to clean up the mess afterwards, the court will be able to deal with it more easily.
"Come here, tie him up first and find a place to lock him up...Okay, let's drink this wine after the incident is over. Everyone, go and gather your subordinates now, be careful not to make too much noise."
Not long after, nearly 600 soldiers in the camp gathered on the school grounds, watching Nie Zhengsheng's head hanging on the barrel of a gun in silence.
Then, under the leadership of their respective officers, they lined up and slashed Nie Zhengsheng's headless body with their weapons, as a sign of surrender.
Then he sent people to investigate the surroundings and after confirming that no one noticed anything unusual in the camp, Yang Ji took all the officers and soldiers and waited on the school grounds.
And all the prepared wine and meat were distributed to make the soldiers well fed and tipsy.
As time passed slowly, the bustle of Fuzhou City gradually faded away, becoming more and more peaceful, the lights gradually became scarcer, and the stars became brighter.
Around the time of the ugly hour, Yang Ji, who had closed his eyes to rest, opened his eyes and said fiercely, "Action!"
Immediately, a hundred people came out first
Camp, go to Yingxian Gate and Hesha Gate.
Originally, at night, there were more than ten or twenty people on duty at each outer city gate. These people went to strengthen the troops to prevent the soldiers and horses from the camp outside the city from rushing into the city and causing mischief.
Although after many deployments, King Yan only had more than a thousand soldiers and horses in the camp outside the city, they still needed to be on guard.
At this time, five hundred desperadoes had quietly gathered in the darkness in front of Dongwu Gate, exuding a violent and murderous aura that even the toads in the moat did not dare to scream.
These people had been hiding in the farm at the foot of Jinji Mountain for half a month, and finally waited for the time to use force.
The city gate opened as scheduled, and the heart-wrenching sound penetrated the night sky, startling the nearby residents out of their sleep. When they thought it was dawn, the footsteps of the brigade scared them back to their beds, panicking.
On the other side, the remaining 500 people in the left-wing army barracks also walked out of the camp gate fully armed at this time and marched along the street to the Hujie Gate of Zicheng.
The street was very empty at this time, but it was not completely empty of people, such as some drunkards. But if you encountered the left-wing army, you would have to be a real ghost.
The two groups of people ran towards the Hujie Gate together, running faster as they got closer, not caring about alerting anyone.
They knew that King Yan only had two hundred personal guards around him at this time, and even if he discovered that danger was coming, it would be of no use.
Basically at the same time, the two groups of people gathered at the Tiger Festival Gate, and officials such as Zhou Lian, Zheng Taiqing, and others led a group of confidants from the transfer department in the east of Zicheng, driving an ox cart, and the ox cart was pulling a stick. The thick beams were used as bumpers to break open the city gates.
But what is surprising is that despite such a loud movement, the tower of Hujiemen Gate remained quiet, with only a dozen or so hanging wind lanterns swaying slightly in the wind.
Everyone looked at this strange scene and were stunned, "This..."
"Did everyone on duty get scared away?"
"Ha, I knew those guys from Lin'an were all fake."
Yang Ji frowned and sent a small team to approach the city gate, but still did not see any reaction from the city gate.
The team rushed directly to the city gate and tried to push it. "It's loose! It's not locked! Let's push it open together!"
Seeing this scene, all the officers and generals were dumbfounded and looked around, as if there were countless evil spirits hidden in the darkness around them.
Yang Ji also lost his bearings and looked at Zhou Lian, "Caojie, what should we do?"
"What else can we do?" Zhou Lian clenched his fists hard and said fiercely, "There is no way to turn back when you open your bow. How can a mere empty city stratagem scare us? Let me attack it. The first one to succeed will be rewarded with thousands of dollars!"
Immediately, Yang Ji immediately ordered two hundred people to patrol along the walls on both sides of the city. Although the only exit from the city was the Hujie Gate, they had to prevent the target from escaping over the wall.
Then the remaining people swarmed into the Hujie Gate.
