Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 828 - 687: Overwhelming Power

Chapter 828: Chapter 687: Overwhelming Power

Li Xuan chose the battlefield for the decisive confrontation to be a flat land thirty li north of Nanchang, arrayed with the support of several hills.

The area surrounding Nanchang city was mostly flat farmland, with the rest either being muddy swamps or low hills, devoid of any favorable terrain to rely on.

However, these farmlands and swamps were the most advantageous terrain for the Shenji right and left camp.

It was the early summer, and the soil in the rice fields was soft, moist, and slippery, stepping into it would mean sinking into a deep pit.

When the Shenji right and left camp was divided into a hundred Line Column Formations on the ridges of the fields, the area within three hundred and eighty zhang in front of them turned into an unsurpassable death trap.

Prince Ning was also aware that Li Xuan had laid out a terrifying trap for him, but he had no choice but to forcefully order his entire army to advance, preparing to launch a desperate charge against the seemingly vulnerable line of muskets on the other side.

For the news of Nanchang’s fall had already spread among his troops.

And on the tens of li from crossing the Gan River to advancing toward Nanchang, nearly three thousand men had deserted from the military ranks.

This was even under the circumstance that Prince Ning’s royal army acted as the supervisory team, making their utmost efforts to intercept and slay the deserters.

Prince Ning dared not imagine how his mighty army would collapse if time dragged on.

His only chance for victory lay in using the advantage of his superior numbers to break through and overwhelm the opposing Shenji Camp and recapture Nanchang.

Yet before the two armies came into contact, the naval forces were the first to determine the victor.

At the mouth of the Gan River, the tidu of the Caojiang navy, Duan Dong, under his command, crushed Prince Ning’s navy of fifty thousand with his own twenty-eight thousand men. They sunk over twenty warships, captured one hundred seventy-three, and forced over thirty thousand to surrender.

Li Xuan was not at all surprised by this victory; in this battle, although Duan Dong only assembled the naval forces from around Poyang Lake and the preemptively ordered reinforcements from the Yangzhou naval camp, they were at a numerical disadvantage.

But these twenty-eight thousand were all regular troops of The Court, well-trained, skilled in combat, and high in morale.

Their opponents were mostly local fishermen hastily conscripted by Prince Ning.

Prince Ning’s naval vessels and armaments were rather refined. Among them were three grand inland river gunships, fitted with forty-eight flanged cannons, making them behemoths on the inland waterways.

But to prevent The Court from getting wind of it, Prince Ning did not dare to take these powerful gunships out on the river for drills.

As a result, the gunships’ crew and soldiers found it very difficult even to find the right direction to shoot during battle.

The key factor was that the imperial navy had the aid of the dragon clan. The actions of the Jinque Palace dragging the northern cold currents had completely outraged the dragon clan, and Ao Shuying, in this battle, cast aside nearly all her concerns to fully assist the Jin Dynasty navy in battle.

So when Marquis Dong and Yangzhou naval Canjiang Li Yan subsequently came ashore and rushed to where Li Xuan’s Central Army was, there was not a trace of joy on their faces after such a great victory.

The victory was too easy, failing to cause any stir in their emotions.

After arriving, Marquis Dong, however, disregarded the battle ahead, "Two months ago, your mother sought out my wife to ask for your hand in marriage, saying she wanted you to honor the ancestral line of your family’s great uncle from the third branch, with you as the heir."

——This was actually quite far-fetched, as honorary succession typically occurs between brothers or close cousins. The great uncle was too distant a relation.

But the family of Earl Chengyi had the nerve to propose such things to Li Xuan.

Although Duan Dong inwardly despised such audacity, on the other hand, he was content.

It was at least not a concubinage; she’d be a legal wife, carried into the home in a grand red bridal sedan, which was publicly acceptable and wouldn’t disgrace the late Imperial Censor Xia.

To tell the truth, ever since Xia Nanyan exposed her identity as Demoness Zidie, Duan Dong had given up hopes for this adoptive daughter’s marriage prospects.

The sudden turn of events now left Duan Dong pleasantly surprised.

Duan Dong greatly admired the integrity of Madam Liu from the Earl’s mansion, and it was a stroke of good fortune for Nanyan to be able to marry into such a family.

But ever since Madam Liu arrived in the capital, there had been no further developments regarding this much-anticipated marriage, causing Duan Dong considerable anxiety.

"My mother has indeed informed me of this matter," Li Xuan said, scratching his head helplessly, "but Yan seems to have some reservations, or perhaps there is some way in which I have erred, for she has yet to accept."

Duan Dong immediately understood that Li Xuan was implying that he himself was amenable to the marriage, but the problem lay with his adoptive daughter.

Duan Dong couldn’t help frowning, wondering just what was going on with Yan.

However, he couldn’t easily inquire into a young lady’s private thoughts, nor could he press the issue, he could only ask his wife to intervene later.

Li Yan, meanwhile, was peering through his telescope at Prince Ning’s rapidly approaching troops, frowning, "Gentlemen, the enemy formation is now less than four hundred and fifty zhang away. Li Xuan, shouldn’t you attend to military affairs first?"

He knew Marquis Dong cared greatly about his adoptive daughter, but could this matter wait until after the battle?

"What’s there to attend to?" Marquis Dong, seasoned in both land and naval warfare, coldly chuckled after a glance at the front, "A rabble with low morale and a broken spirit, I could scatter them even with ten thousand men. They’re nothing but chickens and dogs, not worthy of concern."

He saw Li Xuan’s deployment aimed primarily at capturing prisoners.

Especially those twenty thousand Liaodong Cavalry spread out on both flanks, ready and eager for battle.

Duan Dong noted that these cavalry did not wear armor, nor did they carry any heavy weapons or bows and arrows.

This certainly reduced their combat strength, but it also allowed them to move more nimbly across the battlefield filled with paddy fields.

Taking another look at the opposite side, the terror, dread, and desperation of Prince Ning’s soldiers were written all over their faces.

More importantly, Prince Ning, in his haste to march, had left behind his hundreds of Red General Cannons and flanged cannons on the way.

This army of more than two hundred thousand had not a single decent cannon, only a few portable Hudun cannons to rely on.

In a battle like this, if he, Duan Dong, were Prince Ning, he wouldn’t have had the slightest chance of winning either.

Just when Prince Ning’s army had advanced to within three hundred and twenty steps, Wang Yuan, who had taken over command from Li Xuan, had already raised the ’Goose Feather Knife’ in his hand.

"Fire!"

As the Shenji right and left camp in front of the twenty thousand men began the first round of volley fire, the numerous field breechloader cannons on the battlefield also started to roar.

With the battlefield enveloped in gunsmoke, the first column of Prince Ning’s army was instantly enveloped in clouds of blood mist. More than two thousand men were gunned down, while the cannonballs plowed through the dense crowd like reaping wheat, causing horrific carnage.

Subsequently, the entire army of over two hundred thousand men from Prince Ning’s forces completely collapsed, with everyone frantically running away.

By then, Prince Ning’s royal army could no longer hold the formation; they were also overwhelmed by the fleeing soldiers who were like wild beasts, with many directly joining in the escape.

After crushing Prince Ning’s army, the forty thousand soldiers of the Shenji Camp did not fire again.

Following the first volley, under Wang Yuan’s command, they uniformly fixed bayonets.

Forty thousand long spears stood like a forest, pushing forward with the momentum of a mountain.

The Liaodong Cavalry on both flanks then burst out, starting to encircle and drive away the fleeing troops of Prince Ning.

Brandishing their sabers as a threat, they also shouted loudly, "Prince Fenyang has decreed! Drop your weapons, kneel and you will not be killed! Prince Fenyang has decreed! Drop your weapons, kneel and you will not be killed!"

Wherever these knights passed, the fleeing troops knelt down in droves. Those who did not kneel were directly beheaded.

At this moment, Li Xuan soared into the sky: "Wait a moment, you two. I will have a chat with that Prince Ning."

Prince Ning was also of the heavenly level, with extraordinary martial might and infused with Dragon Qi. Among all present, only he and Ao Shuying could confront him head on.

※※※※

Meanwhile, Prince Ning Yu Dianpei was fleeing through the sky.

But when he had escaped to a hundred miles away, at the mouth of the Gan River,

Prince Ning Yu Dianpei suddenly gave up. He stopped expressionlessly, stopping atop a hill by the riverside.

In Yu Dianpei’s eyes, there was nothing but bitterness and despair: "Prince Fenyang’s military prowess is indeed unrivaled under the heavens. I concede. Mr. Tie, you may leave. Escape towards the east, do not continue along the river. Xiangyang is likely indefensible; you can go to Guanzhong to seek out Prince Yi Yu Jianshen.

Yu Jianshen is quite like Emperor Gaozu in temperament, possessing the ability to recognize talent. Under his command, you will surely be able to showcase your capabilities."

"Your Highness!" The Iron-faced Man couldn’t help but exclaim in shock: "Why would you say such a thing, Your Highness? Though Your Highness has been defeated today, as long as we preserve our lives, we can rise again sooner or later.

Your Highness, Emperor Gaozu of Han once suffered repeated defeats at the hands of King Xiang, in desperate times only having a dozen riders beside him. Yet in the end, he managed to fight and win, establishing his reign. Emperor Gaozu of Han entered Hebei with only a handful of riders—"

"But right now, my mood is probably similar to that of King Xiang. To this day, thinking of King Xiang, I am unwilling to cross to the east of the river."

Yu Dianpei said with a bitter smile, "Do you really think I have a chance to vie for the world again in the future?"

The Iron-faced Man was rendered speechless, filled with regret and shame.

He believed that the defeat of Prince Ning today was all his fault, for he had underestimated Li Xuan once again.

Prince Ning Yu Dianpei handed over his magical instrument and Qiankun bag to the Iron-faced Man: "Take these with you. I know you have a blood feud with Li Xuan and The Court. Although Yu Jianshen has the blood of Emperor Taizong, he is the only one in this world who could vindicate the injustice of your ancestors."

The Iron-faced Man took them but then showed a hesitant expression.

Prince Ning Yu Dianpei waved his hand, "Go! It’s too late if you do not leave now. Do not worry, I am the Emperor’s kinsman. As long as I am willing to surrender, even if Li Xuan has the audacity, he wouldn’t dare touch a hair on me. All that awaits me in the future is confinement."

A cold sneer curled his lips, filled with mockery.

Would The Court, with its widows and orphans, dare to tarnish itself with the infamy of inhumanity by executing him, a descendant of the Great Ancestor and a royal prince?

The Iron-faced Man hesitated no longer and took off into the sky. Following Prince Ning’s instructions, he vanished into the distant mountains and dense forests in a moment.

But as he left for the last time, the Iron-faced Man looked back towards the southern bank.

In his pupils, in addition to unwillingness, there was a hint of fierce resolve.

—The grudge of Xiao Mausoleum; he would, sooner or later, repay tooth for tooth, blood for blood!

Not long after, Li Xuan arrived, hovering in the sky.

Expressionless, he looked Prince Ning Yu Dianpei up and down: "So, you’re not running anymore?"

Prince Ning Yu Dianpei’s face darkened slightly, then he snorted indifferently, "I have lost today’s battle, but what can you do to me?"

He waved his sleeve disinterestedly, "Escort me back to Nanchang. If you dare to mistreat me, I shall surely report it to the ancestral temple someday."

But in the next instant, Prince Ning Yu Dianpei saw the mocking smile on Li Xuan’s face.

His complexion changed as a magnificent force of a punch was striking over from afar. Yu Dianpei instinctively wanted to defend, but found that his thought of defense had been castrated.

Within a fraction of a breath, his head was blown into blood dust by Li Xuan’s peerless fist.

Li Xuan then stood with his hands behind his back, his demeanor calm and composed, as he gazed at the mountains and fields across the Gan River.

He would not leave a trouble like Prince Ning to disgust Hongshang, to disgust himself.

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