roccoschili Chapter 63 Crossing the River
Chapter 63 Crossing the River
Chen Yuan glanced at Li Sheng, hoping that Li Sheng wouldn't disappoint him...
After a moment of contemplation, he made a bold decision.
"Li Sheng, this journey is fraught with danger. Your garrison is short of armored soldiers, making it difficult to breach the defenses. I will give you another twenty armored soldiers to lend you a helping hand!"
Upon hearing this, Li Sheng's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Twenty armored soldiers.
Armored soldiers are not ordinary soldiers; they are elite troops who can withstand arrows and break through enemy lines on the battlefield.
His chest felt slightly hot.
He didn't know why Chen Yuan was investing so heavily in him, but in this world where human life is as fragile as grass, someone willing to bet on you deserves to be remembered.
He immediately straightened his clothes, clasped his hands above his head, and bowed deeply.
"Your Excellency's generous gift will be forever remembered. I will repay this kindness and this trust with the title of bandit leader."
He spoke solemnly, bowing deeply.
Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.
Ming Gong.
This kid has finally changed his tune.
Indeed, the more outstanding a person is, the more difficult it is to win them over.
The title of "Duwei" is a title bestowed by the imperial court, which may be available today but not tomorrow; while "Minggong" is a private, long-term title, a title for someone who truly entrusts their life and fortune to another.
It is important to understand that in the dual monarchical society of the Han Dynasty, the status of the chief minister and the monarch was almost equal.
Chen Yuan did not correct him, but nodded slightly, with a hint of satisfaction in his expression.
"I await your good news."
"promise!"
"Alright, go back and get some rest."
Li Sheng remained silent and withdrew from the central command tent.
"Brother Sheng, what did the captain say?"
Someone asked.
Li Sheng squatted down beside the fire, picked up a twig and poked at the flames, sparks crackling and popping.
"The captain will add twenty armored soldiers to our ranks."
After a brief silence, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Twenty armored soldiers?!"
A dark-faced man exclaimed, his eyes wide open.
"Brother Sheng, the Captain has really gone all out!"
"Of course," another, thinner old soldier chuckled twice, "The captain's betting everything on us. Brother Sheng, what exactly did you say to the captain?"
Li Sheng did not laugh.
He threw the branch into the fire, stood up, and scanned the faces of each of his brothers.
"Brothers, war is about to break out. Don't let your guard down. People will die in war."
No one is laughing and joking anymore.
Dozens of eyes were fixed on him, some with tension, some with excitement, and most with a fervent...trust.
Zhao Hu was the first to stand up and patted the ring-pommel sword at his waist.
"Brother Sheng, just tell me how to fight. Even if the brothers die, they can at least go to a peaceful heaven, right?"
The others nodded in agreement; these core members all believed in Li Sheng and Huang Tian.
Li Sheng dared not look at the crowd's gaze, and could only look up at the sky, speaking with a firm tone.
"No one will die. I will definitely lead everyone back. Let's rest early tonight and cross the river tomorrow."
"promise!"
The crowd responded.
At dawn the next day, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, Li Sheng's troops were already fully prepared to set off.
A large-scale troop crossing of a river cannot be accomplished by simply rushing forward; it requires meticulous planning.
Therefore, Li Sheng divided his two hundred men into three teams.
The first team, led personally by Li Sheng, consisted of eighty swordsmen, shield bearers, and spearmen, tasked with quickly forming ranks after seizing the north bank. The second team, led by Liu Wu, comprised sixty elite soldiers, some of whom carried powerful bows and crossbows, and was responsible for deploying on the flanks of the position to defend against enemy attacks. The third team, led by Li Feng, consisted of sixty men, who remained on the south bank as a reserve, awaiting a signal of safety from the north bank before crossing to provide support.
"Remember, once you reach the north bank, you are not allowed to speak, light a fire, or make any noise. When you reach the designated location, take cover immediately and wait for my signal."
Li Sheng stood at the front of the line, lowered his voice, and scanned each person's face with his eyes.
"Did you understand?"
"clear!"
The crowd's voices were short and forceful.
Chen Yuan stood in front of the camp, watching the troop preparing to cross the river from afar. Several captains and military officers stood beside him, their expressions varying.
"Captain, are you really sending Li Sheng?"
A captain leaned over and lowered his voice.
"If we ambush them on the north bank and the Yellow Turban rebels discover it, their two hundred men will be wiped out. In that case, forget about achieving anything; we'll just suffer a setback first."
Chen Yuan did not answer, but just watched Li Sheng's back.
"Let him go."
Chen Yuan finally spoke, his tone indifferent.
"That's only two hundred people; it won't affect the overall situation."
The captain said no more and stepped aside.
Li Sheng had no idea what Chen Yuan and the others were talking about, nor did he care.
His entire attention was focused on the swimming in front of him and the faintly visible high ground on the opposite bank.
Everything is ready.
Li Sheng crouched behind the rocks on the shore. Behind him, eighty swordsmen, shieldmen, and spearmen knelt on one knee, all their eyes fixed on him.
"Set off."
He gave the order in a low voice and was the first to step into the icy river.
The water in the early April morning was as cold as a knife piercing to the bone. Li Sheng moved forward step by step. The pebbles on the riverbed were slippery, and he could easily stumble if he wasn't careful. He didn't look back, but steadily held up his halberd, the tip of the blade pointing towards the north bank.
Behind him, eighty soldiers filed into the water. No one spoke; only the splashing sound of wading was carried away by the river breeze.
The deepest part was above the thighs, and the icy water soaked through the trouser legs. Some people shivered, but no one stopped.
After walking for almost the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Li Sheng's feet finally touched the hard ground on the north bank.
He didn't rush forward. Instead, he crouched down, scanned the surrounding reeds and bushes, and only after confirming that there were no ambushes did he turn to the side and make a gesture to his back.
"Ashore! Form ranks!"
The commands were whispered and passed from one person to another.
Eighty men quickly climbed out of the water and spread out on either side of Li Sheng. The swordsmen and shieldmen were in front, raising their shields side by side and kneeling on the ground to form a low shield wall. The spearmen were behind the swordsmen and shieldmen, their spears protruding from the gaps in the shields, the tips pointing outwards.
The array took shape quickly.
Li Sheng stood in the center of the formation, his eyes fixed on the north bank.
According to the scouts' report yesterday, the enemy is only seven or eight li away. That distance can be covered in just a few hours.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and shadowy figures could be seen in the distance, seemingly unnoticed by anyone.
He turned to look at the river.
Liu Wu was leading his elite troops across the river. The first few were almost there; the water was up to their chests, and some held their crossbows high, afraid of getting the strings wet.
The bowstring is the most precious part; it can be said that the bowstring accounts for 70% of a bow's combat effectiveness. If it gets wet, forget about fighting.
"Quick! Get ashore and spread out quickly, don't crowd together!"
Li Sheng lowered his voice and urged him on.
Liu Wu was the first to climb ashore, half of him soaked.
Without pausing for a moment, he immediately turned around, pulled up the people behind him, and gave instructions in a low voice.
"Spread out to both sides and find cover! Nock the crossbows!"
The last group to reach the shore were the sixty reserve soldiers led by Li Feng.