Chapter 234: The Exploded Bridge - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 234: The Exploded Bridge

The river was about dozens of yards wide, connected by a sturdy stone bridge that had stood here for thirty to forty years, weathering storms without collapsing.

“This Lan River is a natural moat for the Northern Di, who are unfamiliar with water. The surface seems calm, but the undercurrents are very strong. Ordinary boats have difficulty crossing, let alone the Northern Di troops with their warhorses.” Xiao Mu Qian said to Deputy Zhen.

Deputy Zhen nodded. When he was stationed in the northwest with General Su, he often patrolled the Lan River, so he was well aware of the river’s treacherous nature.

“It’s strange that the Lan River nourished Ganzhou but left Liangzhou high and dry. Otherwise, Liangzhou wouldn’t be so desperate for water.” Zhen remarked.

“Over a decade ago, a great earthquake changed the river’s course. The once fertile Liangzhou lost the Lan River’s nourishment and became what it is now. However, the city’s wells still produce ample water and are monitored at all times to guard against poisoning.”

This practice was ordered by Xiao Ji more than ten years ago. Every day, personnel were stationed by the wells, ensuring no incidents occurred over the years.

“With General Xiao Ji in Liangzhou, it’s truly like a stabilizing anchor.” Deputy Zhen said with admiration.

He was the second son of Prince Kang, a noble who could have easily been given a fief with minimal effort. Yet he chose to endure hardship in the northwest. Not only did he suffer, but he also brought along his nephew, staying here for more than a decade. It was indeed extraordinary!

Hearing this, Xiao Mu Qian agreed. He hoped his uncle could hold on a bit longer. Once they crossed the Lan River, Liangzhou would be just twenty miles away.

The two men stood by the river for a while before returning to their troops.

After a brief rest, many soldiers were back in focus, understanding the urgency and the need to move. Deputy Cheng spoke up, “Brothers, hurry up! The people of Liangzhou are waiting for us. We all have families back home, and we can’t let these Northern Di savages destroy our Great Jin’s homes! Right?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Encouraged by his words, morale soared. Both cavalry and infantry were ready and prepared to move out.

Xiao Mu Qian glanced gratefully at Deputy Cheng, nodded in thanks, and called out, “Let’s go!”

Thus, the large reinforcement army set off once more, advancing rapidly.

At the Lan River, beside the Stone Hole Bridge, the army was crossing the river.

The Central Plains troops had seen rivers before, but none as wide as this. Unfortunately, it was not the time for sightseeing; otherwise, they would have taken the opportunity to appreciate the view.

Just as Xiao Mu Qian was leading the troops across the stone bridge, hidden agents who had been lurking for years saw their opportunity.

The transport vehicles carrying large amounts of gunpowder suddenly had their axles break, spilling the contents across the bridge, seemingly by accident but actually strategically placed at weak points on the bridge.

The cavalry had already crossed, and the infantry had crossed most of the way. However, the transport vehicles obstructed the remaining soldiers, causing frustration and prompting them to hurry and move the vehicles.

Little did they know that the leader of the transporters was one of the hidden agents. He nodded and bowed as he approached the gunpowder, lighting a fuse that ignited the interconnected explosive charges.

In an instant, the stone bridge was blown apart with a series of deafening explosions.

The Jizhou troops on the banks were unharmed but suffered from the loud noise.

However, those still on the bridge were not so fortunate. Those closest to the explosions were killed instantly, while those further away fell into the Lan River as the bridge collapsed.

As Xiao Mu Qian had predicted, the river’s powerful currents quickly swept away those who had fallen in, leaving them lost and unseen.

“Rescue them!” Xiao Mu Qian’s eyes turned red with rage. They had not even reached Liangzhou yet and were already dealt a severe blow.

Seeing the fallen Jizhou soldiers, his anger and resentment deepened. The bridge’s destruction had effectively cut off their retreat!

It was clear that the Northern Di’s agents hidden within the army had carried out this sabotage!

Despite their loyalty and willingness to sacrifice their lives, they had blown up the bridge!

The once high-spirited army of fifty thousand quickly descended into chaos.

Most of these soldiers came from Jizhou, where they trained daily to defend their homes, but many hoped to achieve glory and return home. They had not anticipated dying in Liangzhou.

With their retreat cut off, their situation was now dire: either defeat the Northern Di and repair the bridge to return home or die in Liangzhou with no chance of returning.

Fear began to spread among the soldiers, and their resolve weakened.

Before the battle had even begun, the army’s morale was already shaken, which was a serious problem.

Deputy Zhen made a decisive move, “General, you should take the cavalry to assist General Xiao Ji. I’ll take care of things here.”

Xiao Mu Qian gritted his teeth in frustration, but there was no time to waste. He shouted to the frightened Jizhou cavalry behind him, “Brothers! The Northern Di have left us no way back. If that’s the case, let’s charge forward and fight them to the last man! Let’s use their corpses to build our bridge home!”

His words ignited the soldiers’ fighting spirit.

Although there were only a few who led the charge, their enthusiasm quickly spread among the others.

“No one left alive!”

“No one left alive!”

Their shouts bolstered their courage. Through the long night, the cavalry, led by Xiao Mu Qian, sped up their advance.

As dawn approached, the reinforcements finally arrived outside Liangzhou.

Upon hearing that his nephew Xiao Mu Qian was leading the troops, General Xiao Ji’s heart finally eased.

“Let’s go see the reinforcements!”

They had previously received word from the Eastern Capital that the Emperor had sent twenty thousand troops from Jizhou to support them.

With these soldiers, even if the city walls couldn’t hold against the cavalry, they could still fight off the invaders within the city, preventing them from crossing the Lan River.

Arriving at the city gate with a smile, they only saw about ten thousand cavalry behind Xiao Mu Qian.

Each soldier looked exhausted, but their spirits remained high.

“Uncle!”

“Mu Qian!”

The uncle and nephew finally met. Xiao Mu Qian, who had been worried for so long, was relieved to see his uncle safe and the city of Liangzhou intact!

“Where is the Ninth Prince?” General Xiao Ji asked, knowing that the Ninth Prince was supposed to be leading the troops today. He wondered why he hadn’t appeared.

Xiao Mu Qian looked at his uncle’s hopeful eyes and suddenly felt a pang of guilt about revealing the truth.