"I am invincible, what danger could I possibly face? Even if Ying Bu were to use Xiang Yu's formation, or even if Xiang Yu were to be resurrected, I would not be afraid!" Liu Ji sneered.
Xiahou Ying said with a dark face, "Even if Your Majesty wants to fight another battle, you should allow the army to rest and recuperate first. How can the defeated army resist the enemy? Even if Your Majesty is invincible, how can you defeat a thousand troops?"
Knowing he couldn't win an argument with his ministers, Liu Ji simply turned his head away and thought angrily to himself, "Old Hei! Quickly put that protective amulet on me! Let me take down these troublesome ministers first!"
Black Dragon chuckled, "Didn't we agree? That shield is only for your survival; try not to let anyone else know about it. Besides, with thousands of troops at your command, why would you need to personally charge into battle? If you want to win, just hand over command to Guan Ying, Xiahou Ying, and the others. With such a clear numerical advantage, how could you possibly lose?"
"Give them military power? Wouldn't this battle then become their achievement? I want to win even greater military exploits than them. I want to become a war god. I want people thousands of years from now to think of me as the most powerful and invincible warrior, not Xiang Yu!" Liu Ji roared in his heart.
The black dragon grinned, "Alright then, it's not impossible to get the shield chains, either you convince these ministers to let you personally take to the battlefield, or you order all the ministers who oppose you to be killed, how about it?"
Liu Ji now truly regrets entrusting the shield chain to the Black Dragon for safekeeping, but he can't always carry it with him, as it would make it impossible for others to serve him, and the Black Dragon also forbids him from revealing the chain's abilities.
When Heilong first told his two close advisors, Guo Meng and Zhou Xie, that the shield was a divine protection, he was somewhat displeased and afterwards strictly ordered the two not to spread the word.
Liu Ji also knew that Hei Long seemed to be hiding from his enemies, so he didn't want to be too high-profile. Otherwise, if he performed a public demonstration of deflecting a barrage of arrows, everyone in the world would worship him, Liu Ji, like a god, and who would dare to rebel?
However, Black Dragon also said that if he could just endure for a few more years, he could take him to a world where he could live forever, and even rejuvenate himself.
Just then, intermittent shouts of abuse came from outside the walls.
"Liu Ji, you old bastard, come out and face your death!"
"Liu Ji, you coward!"
...
"Your Majesty, please don't fall for Ying Bu's provocation!" Lu Jia said worriedly.
Liu Ji snorted coldly, "All generals, follow me to the ramparts and see Ying Bu."
"Yes!" the generals answered in unison, and many of them secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was better to stand on the ramparts and watch the enemy from afar than to rush out and fight to the death in a moment of impulsiveness.
Outside the fortifications of Yongcheng, Ying Bu, leaning on his sword, strolled back and forth in front of the army formation with great pride. The victory over Liu Ji in one battle had greatly boosted the morale of the entire army.
The initial unease vanished completely. So what if Liu Ji personally led the expedition? So what if the Han army was numerous? They were still easily defeated.
Ying Bu had devoted himself to studying Xiang Yu's tactics over the years and had gained considerable insights. After this battle, Ying Bu felt that he could now rival Xiang Yu in his prime.
"Liu Ji, you old man, quickly come out of the camp and surrender, and I might spare your life!" Ying Bu recognized Liu Ji, who was surrounded by his generals, at a glance.
Liu Ji, hands on his hips, laughed and cursed, "Hahaha... Ying Bu, you little brat, come in if you dare! Ben He, who slept with your favorite concubine, is right inside the walls. Tch, a dignified man, having his beloved concubine taken by another man, what face do you have to live in this world?"
Upon hearing this, Yingbu's face turned green. Benhe was a minor official in Yingbu's kingdom, whose home was opposite the clinic. Once, when Yingbu's beloved concubine fell ill, for some unknown reason, he did not summon the doctor to the palace, but instead went to the clinic for treatment outside the palace.
Benhe, wanting to curry favor, hosted a banquet for his beloved concubine at this time, inviting her to his home for drinks, and Yingbu's concubine actually went!
Benhe certainly didn't just offer to drink; in any case, Yingbu's beloved concubine was very satisfied. Of course, it's also possible that she was quite pleased with herself. After returning to the palace, she told Yingbu about it and praised Benhe as a kind and honest elder.
Listen to this! These days, how casual and honest the elders are! To curry favor with their superiors, they actually invited their boss's wife to their home for drinks. No one else could come up with such a bizarre method.
And so, the familiar scene played out again: Ying Bu suspected Ben He and Ai Ji of having an affair and wanted to throw Ben He into prison. However, Ben He somehow found out about Ying Bu's plan and rushed to Liu Ji to report Ying Bu for treason.
Upon learning of this, Ying Bu simply rebelled. After all, most of the kings of different surnames were dead, and even the most slow-witted and blindly loyal among them understood what Liu Ji wanted to do.
Moreover, Peng Yue had previously been reported for treason, and when he went to explain to Liu Ji, he was killed by Liu Ji, who then made him into meat sauce and sent it to various lords, with the largest portion going to Ying Bu.
Anyone who pledges allegiance to such a tyrant is blind!
Chapter 170 Unexpected
Liu Ji was cruel but not stupid. He sent Peng Yue's meat sauce to Ying Bu as a test and to force Ying Bu to rebel.
After all, among all the feudal lords in the land, only Ying Bu could barely contend with Liu Ji. What was there to fear?
It would be easier to find an excuse to get rid of them sooner rather than later. Once the kings of different surnames were dealt with, it would be much easier to deal with the ministers who had made great contributions.
As it turned out, Ying Bu was no pushover either; he did not hastily raise an army but instead made preparations in secret.
But there are too many things to prepare for such a major event as raising an army in rebellion. Even if Benhe didn't betray him, it would be impossible to keep it a secret.
But what Liu Ji wanted was for Ying Bu to rebel, so that he would have an excuse to send troops to kill him. Otherwise, it would be difficult to convince the people if the eight kings of different surnames died one after another. His behavior was so ugly, how would the people of the world view him?
Benhe's accusation of rebellion against Ying Bu was an accident, which was a good opportunity for Liu Ji to send troops to seize the initiative. However, Liu Ji followed Xiao He's advice and threw Benhe into prison, saying that Ying Bu's rebellious intentions were not yet obvious. In fact, it was to lull Ying Bu into a false sense of security.
As soon as Ying Bu raised his army, Ben He was immediately released and even became a marquis and general, rising rapidly in rank.
Liu Ji's side was well-prepared, and no matter how much Ying Bu prepared, the gap in national strength could not be bridged.
However, Ying Bu was unaware of this and fell completely into the enemy's treacherous scheme. After conquering the State of Chu with unstoppable momentum, he became arrogant.
This cannon fodder tactic, including this one, was all designed to make Ying Bu underestimate the enemy.
Ying Bu originally thought that he could take advantage of the momentum of his recent great victory to annihilate Liu Ji in one fell swoop, but Liu Ji hid in the fortress and refused to come out.
He intended to provoke Liu Ji with insults and force him to fight, but instead, he was provoked by Liu Ji's two words.
"Liu Ji, you old scoundrel! Stop slandering me! Ben He was your spy planted in Huainan! You despicable and shameless villain! Come, all troops, listen to my command, attack the city for me!" Ying Bu waved his hand.
"Yes!" The generals in Yingbu's army were already blinded by the successive victories and led their troops to attack the fortifications.
However, this attack resulted in heavy losses and failed to achieve its goal.
Ying Bu suffered a great loss and instantly realized that he had fallen into Liu Ji's treacherous trap.
Liu Ji climbed the ramparts again, "Oh dear, Ying Bu, now you know how powerful I am, don't you? Why did you have to rebel?"
Ying Bu sneered, "Because I want to be emperor! And then I'll take all your concubines and distribute them to the soldiers!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ji flew into a rage, "You scoundrel! You, a man who has an affair with his concubine and a subordinate, dare to dream of becoming emperor? You're dreaming! Issue the order! Prepare the army for battle!"
"Yes!" Guo Meng responded first, and the other generals also agreed.
The situation was different from the previous defeat. Ying Bu's army was exhausted after failing to capture the city, while the elite Han troops in the fortified camp had rested enough.
Ying Bu knew his army was exhausted, but retreating now would lead to utter defeat. He figured it was better to take a gamble. "I rely on the elite of my three armies, on this invincible formation! Prepare the entire army to meet the enemy! Without fortifications, the enemy is nothing but pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered!"
"Here you go!"
Soon, the gates of the fortified camp were opened wide, and the Han army surged out like a tide, leading to another major battle between the two sides.
"Kill... Ah!"
Puff puff puff...
The battle was extremely fierce, and the Han army did not expect that Ying Bu's exhausted troops would still be so powerful.
Just then.
Clang!
Liu Ji drew his sword. "Ying Bu, you little brat! Prepare to die! I'll take you on! Charge!"
"Yes, sir!" Zhou Xie and Guo Meng responded, driving the carriage carrying Liu Ji towards the enemy lines.
Xiahou Ying and the other Han generals were shocked by the sight and rushed to protect him with all their might, but Ying Bu also discovered the audacious Liu Ji.
"Hahaha... Liu Ji is over there! Charge over there! Archers, fire!" Ying Bu was overjoyed and immediately ordered his troops to rush over.
Arrows flew everywhere, and several of them were heading straight for Liu Ji.
Thump thump thump~
They were all flung away!
Liu Ji waved his sword haphazardly, giving the impression that he had deflected an arrow with the sword!
"Your Majesty is mighty! Your Majesty is invincible!" Zhou Xie risked his life to turn back and offer two words of flattery.
Guo Meng had already witnessed Liu Ji's divine protection, which was truly formidable. How could these arrows possibly harm the Mandate of Heaven?
"This is impossible!" Ying Bu's eyes widened. He didn't even have such martial arts skills. Xiang Yu might be able to do it if he were resurrected, but when did Liu Ji learn it?
"Hahaha... Ying Bu, you brat! Dare to fight!" Liu Ji felt exhilarated. This was real warfare! This was invincible! No wonder Xiang Yu always liked to lead from the front; the feeling of being invincible was so exhilarating!
Under Liu Ji's leadership, the Han army reversed its decline and the scales of victory gradually tipped in their favor.
"What wouldn't I dare to do! Do you think I'm afraid of an old man like you?!" Ying Bu roared, sheathing his sword and raising his halberd, charging towards Liu Ji's location.
However, as Liu Ji ventured deeper and got closer to the enemy, the more arrows the enemy fired. Liu Ji was unharmed because of his shield, but Zhou Xie and Guo Meng were the first to give in.
"Your Majesty! The enemy's offensive is fierce. Let's stop for a while!" Zhou Xie drove the chariot with one hand and held up a shield full of arrows with the other.
"His Majesty is more than enough to oversee the battle here!" Guo Meng said, barely managing to hold his ground with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.
"Hmph! I am not afraid, so why should you be? Keep charging! I will personally cut off Ying Bu's head!" Liu Ji said arrogantly.
Zhou Xie, “…”
Guo Meng, “…”
"Your Majesty! Slow down!" Xiahou Ying was blocked by several enemy soldiers, and he didn't know if Liu Ji could hear him.
Fan Kuai is no longer as brave as he used to be, and can only advance slowly under the protection of a group of guards.
The rest of the generals were in similar numbers; very few could provide timely support, and even those who did manage to get there were killed by the stray arrows flying everywhere.
By this time, Ying Bu was very close to Liu Ji and had clearly seen why Liu Ji was not afraid of arrows. It was definitely not because he blocked them with that sword!
"How is this possible?" Ying Bu was dumbfounded. Was Liu Ji protected by divine intervention? The arrows were all circling around him!
Just then, Liu Ji, who had been invincible just moments before, suddenly lost his balance and fell forward...
It turned out that there were too many arrows attacking the carriage. Liu Ji was unharmed, but the warhorse pulling the carriage was shot to death!
Crash, splash, crackle, pop...
"Ah..." Liu Ji screamed and flew out of the carriage.
Thump!
"Ouch!" Liu Ji landed face-first, and the impact was quite painful!
"Old Hei, how much energy did you give me this time? It's all used up in such a short time?" Liu Ji was sore all over and couldn't get up, so he could only continue to lie on the ground.
"It's not even fully used. This shield can only block other people's attacks; it won't stop your own fall." Black Dragon said irritably. This Liu Ji is too much of a troublemaker! Wouldn't it be better to just listen to Guo Meng's advice and stay away to supervise the battle?
"Nonsense! I didn't fall by myself! It was clearly the enemy who shot the warhorse, the chariot suddenly stopped, and that's how I fell off!" Liu Ji said angrily.
"Then why didn't Guo Meng and Zhou Xie fall like you? Hmph, they don't have much energy left. I advise you to take it easy," the black dragon said disdainfully.
When Liu Ji looked back, he saw that neither Zhou Xie nor Guo Meng had fallen as badly as him.
However, Zhou Xie cried out in alarm at this moment, "Quickly save His Majesty!"