Most of Jinmen has been shrouded in artillery fire, covered in smoke and flames, and disappeared.
Chen Tianyou and his musketeers were guarding the square here, following Ren Qi's previous orders, quietly waiting for the arrival of the Eight-Nation Allied Forces.
This anxious mood seemed to be transmitted to the horse underneath him, causing its hooves to tap the ground and become restless.
Chen Tianyou frowned, tightened the reins, and asked the horse to stabilize as much as possible.
He scanned the crowd with his eyes and saw this faint anxiety in them.
After all, Ren Qi is not here, nor is the leader, and they are not professional soldiers. At this time, it is inevitable to have a sense of panic as they look around at a loss and lose their backbone.
For Jianghu people, what leads others is not discipline, but prestige and virtue, and what those being led obey is not regulations, but brotherhood, benevolence, righteousness and morality.
Chen Tianyou was thinking about countermeasures and what he should say to inspire and cheer up everyone.
At this moment, a clear and cheerful sound of horse hooves sounded in the street, and everyone turned their heads away.
The person coming is none other than Ren Qi!
No one said anything, but everyone felt sincerely at ease.
It seemed that his arrival meant victory and everything was moving in the right direction.
Ren Qi was not as busy as everyone thought. He just rushed here with an expressionless face and passed through a path that everyone gave him.
When he arrived in front of Chen Tianyou, he stopped his horse.
"Are you all ready?"
"They are all here, the nine teams of the Thirteen Halls, and all the martial arts heroes."
Chen Tianyou said impassionedly, "We have now given up all the barricades and are just waiting for the Eight-Power Allied Forces to come and fight to the death."
"Hmm."
Ren Qi nodded. Giving up the barricade was actually a helpless move. After all, the artillery of the Eight-Nation Allied Forces was very troublesome and could easily tear the barricade into pieces.
As for firepower, not even the army could compete with them, let alone their improvised team.
Therefore, the people gathered in the square now were not only because of the original plan, but also because their defense system was gone.
"I just hope that the Eight-Nation Allied Forces will come soon."
Yan Feng was gearing up. After all, he had never had a chance to fight before. He just stayed at the rear to wait for orders or went to the front line to conduct reconnaissance. After taking a look, he hurried back.
Ren Qi touched his nose and said, "I hope they don't come."
"Huh?"
Chen Tianyou smiled and said: "I thought Master Qi probably wanted them to come quickly."
"On the contrary."
Ren Qi looked at the sun that had set in the west, "If they don't come, it means that we have been delayed for another day and have not spent a peaceful day. This is good for us, but for them, this But it’s a torture.”
"Suffering?"
"Yes, it is suffering."
Ren Qi squinted his eyes, "When we used to protect the emperor's hunt in the west, that is, when we were fleeing, we could always see those dignitaries and royal family members crying. I thought to myself at the time, I was riding a horse outside in the sun and rain. If you don’t cry, what do you have to cry for?
Later I realized that they were crying because they were homeless and on the run.
On the other hand, because everything has become uncertain, they are afraid of this state of not knowing anything. ”
"Do foreigners also have this kind of mentality?" Chen Tianyou asked in surprise.
"I don't know."
Ren Qi shook his head, "However, I feel that they are no different from us, or in other words, their situation is worse than ours. After all, we are standing on the land of our own homeland, and foreigners know that they are uninvited guests and outsiders. .”
"This is what is called the right time, right place and right people."
Chen Tianyou muttered: "Commander Ren is worthy of being a servant in the palace. He sees things more clearly and far-sighted than us."
When Ren Qi heard this, he glanced sideways at Chen Tianyou, "But just seeing is useless."
"I know."
Chen Tianyou nodded, "It still depends on how we do it. Everything is watched by God and only done by humans."
"There seems to be no connection between these two sentences?"
"Oh, just a casual comment."
Chen Tianyou smiled and asked Ren Qi, "I wonder what the General Military Mansion said?"
"I didn't go."
Ren Qi said frankly: "Other things are holding me back."
"That's it."
Chen Tianyou was not worried, nor did he ask what happened to Ren Qi or what he had done, but he still had full confidence in Ren Qi.
While the two were chatting, Qin Lang came here on horseback with a group of people, looking very hurried and anxious.
"Coming?" Chen Tianyou asked.
"No."
Qin Lang grabbed the horse. The horse under him snorted and exhaled white air, showing that it was running in a hurry.
"But it seems so."
"What do you mean?" Chen Tianyou frowned.
"There is a troop of cavalry."
Qin Lang's chest heaved, trying to steady his breathing.
"An officer and several cavalrymen don't look like they are here to fight, but rather like they are here to negotiate."
"Negotiating?" Chen Tianyou said in surprise.
However, Ren Qi patted his shoulder and motioned for him to follow.
"Command brothers to move forward. Don't let the officer see our arrangement, but I want him to know that there are many of us. If he wants to beat us, then continue to fight him."
Chen Tianyou was still stunned, "You mean, he is here to negotiate peace?"
"How can it be that simple?"
Ren Qi turned his neck, and his cervical vertebrae made a popping sound.
"They have all the advantages now. They have guns and cannons. Even the officers and soldiers have been defeated by them. Why should they negotiate peace with us stragglers who are still using pitchforks and kitchen knives?"
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"Then what are they going to do?"
"Maybe you want to show off to us."
Ren Qi drove his horse forward and waved his hand behind him, and the soldiers of the brigade moved forward in order under the leadership of Ren Qi and the organization of the leaders of each road.
Qin Lang led the way. After walking two miles, he bumped into the foreign officer on horseback. As Qin Lang said, there were only more than twenty cavalrymen from the Eight-Nation Allied Forces. Such a small number would definitely not lead to a fight, and even investigation would be difficult.
Both sides stopped their horses. The officer glanced at the team of at least several thousand people behind Ren Qi, and his palms were slightly sweaty.
He suspected that Ren Qi was not here to negotiate at all, or that he did not know the purpose of his group's coming here, but brought his people to fight with them directly.
However, Ren Qi was only accompanied by Shi Tiebing and Chen Tianyou, and the three of them slowly drove their horses forward.
The officer breathed a sigh of relief. After winking at the translator and adjutant next to him, the three of them moved forward together.
The officer is a North American named Sargent. He has soft blond hair and a simple and clean beard. He is in his early thirties and serves as a lieutenant colonel. This is a meteor-like promotion rate in the army. Where can I call him? All are discussed and respected.
The two sides closed the distance, both sides could see each other's eyes, and the horses' breaths mingled together.
"Are you the commander of these Tang people?" Lieutenant Colonel Sargent asked.
"I am."
Ren Qi nodded, but was a little dissatisfied, "However, you are not the commander-in-chief of the Eight-Nation Allied Forces. I have seen the battles of foreign officers. Your position is too low. I have nothing to talk to you about."
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"I can make the decision, and anyone will listen to my orders, because we are a disciplined army."
Sargent was neither humble nor arrogant, and asked: "I just don't know that you are commanding so many people. In your words, there are three religions and nine streams. There are so many people from different places and societies. I don't know if your words are effective?"
"Huh? Are you looking down on me?"
Ren Qi sneered, "Do you believe that if I ask anyone to die, he will only ask how to die?"
When Ren Qi said this, Chen Tianyou and Shi Tiebing did not laugh, but their faces did show a look of resignation. Behind them, Bing Yong, who heard this, also had a solemn expression, as if he was just waiting for Ren Qi. Seven issued the order and then immediately committed suicide.
When the young officer was stunned, Ren Qi pointed to the translator.
"You, if your commander wanted you to die, would you be willing?"
The translator shook his head subconsciously.
Sargent frowned and asked the translator: "Aren't you absolutely loyal to the coalition?"
He was in a dilemma while translating. He felt his back was soaked with sweat. Suddenly, he had an idea. He quickly explained to Sargent in English: "Sir, he just asked me if I had eaten. This is the habit of us Tang people. When we meet, We always have to ask each other.”
"Really? You Tang people do have this habit." Sargent nodded with relief.
"What did this foreign devil say?" Ren Qi suddenly asked.
The translator's originally relaxed heart tightened again. Sargent was not easy to mess with, but Ren Qi was also full of murderous intent and seemed ready to fall out at any time.
He was caught in a situation where there was a wolf in front of him and a tiger behind him. After hesitating, he said to Ren Qi: "Lieutenant Colonel Sargent said that the coalition forces are a group of people who love life and will never commit suicide easily."
"Love life?"
Ren Qi sneered disdainfully, "They love life, but they come to our land to kill people and set fires? What's the point of this?"
The translator was ashamed, subconsciously wiped his face with his sleeve, and whispered: "If you don't mind, let's talk about business?"
Ren Qiyi raised his neck and said, "Say."
So the translator cleared his throat and raised his voice to let Bing Yong behind Ren Qi hear his words.
"The Commander-in-Chief of the Eight-Power Allied Forces, Lieutenant General Jackson, greatly appreciates and admires your courage and martial arts. He is also sad and sorry for the tragic situation you have encountered.
In order not to destroy the lives of the people here, and to save your precious lives, General Jackson suggested that you put down your weapons and leave from the south of Jinmen.
As long as you give up resistance and leave empty-handed, General Jackson will guarantee your life and freedom. You will leave as free people, not slaves or prisoners. ”
The translator loudly stated the above requirements, or conditions, so that everyone could hear his shouting.
However, when his voice fell into the crowd, it just seemed to fall into a hole, without any ripples.
Sargent and his adjutant looked at each other, then looked at the interpreter suspiciously.
The translator could only say that he had indeed told the information that General Jackson asked him to bring. As for why the crowd did not respond, he did not know whether it was due to strict military discipline or simply lack of interest.
When they were at a loss, Ren Qi spoke.
"How about I give you a proposal too."
Ren Qi's smile was as cold as ice and as sharp as a sharp knife. Before he even said the suggestion, Sargent felt that his palms were sweating again.
"Listen, I suggest that you go back to wherever you came from, whether it's by train, boat, or walking, you can treat this as an outing. You go home, and we promise not to beat up the drowned dog. ”
When Sargent heard this, he also laughed until he was shaking all over.
"This is not your proposal, but your response."
His blue eyes stared at Ren Qi.
"Because of your words, everyone here will die, and Jinmen will become a hell on earth.
As far as I know, apart from you people, there are probably hundreds of thousands of civilians in Jinmen City. They are in the city at this time and cannot leave. They could have left here according to General Jackson's proposal.
Or stay here safely and survive the catastrophe.
However, you refused, and you cut off everyone's life. Their deaths were all because of you. This is all your responsibility. However, can you bear this huge responsibility? ”
After the translator translated the words loudly for everyone to hear clearly, he felt that his own throat was also smoking from the hoarse roar.
He habitually touched his throat and massaged the muscles in his neck, waiting for a response from the other party.
However, the person behind Ren Qi showed no reaction at all, just like before, a pool of stagnant water.
Ren Qi was also expressionless.
Just when he thought the negotiation had failed, Ren Qi suddenly laughed.
"Response? Wrong, this is my response."
call out!
Lieutenant Colonel Sargent's head spun twice in the air and fell into the arms of the translator.
The translator's eyes widened, and before he could even feel scared, the foreign devil's blood had already spread all over his body, and a stream of heat flowed out of the translator's pants.
The people behind Ren Qi were finally no longer a pool of stagnant water, but turned into a turbulent ocean, with flames burning on the waves, trying to devour and burn all enemies.
The angry roars of thousands of people and horses resounded through Jinmen, like a wall pushing forward, and the soldiers were so startled that they almost fell off their horses.
The translator's eyes widened until the adjutant snatched his reins and led him away.
A group of people came and left in a hurry, leaving only Lieutenant General Sargent's headless torso on the street.
"The two countries are at war, don't kill the envoy."
Shi Tiebing smiled and said: "There are often singing in operas, but I didn't expect Commander Ren to do things in such a unique style."
"What?"
Ren Qi glanced at him, "Do you think I did something wrong?"
"I dare not say that."
The division iron soldiers pointed behind them. Those soldiers who had been silent had been aroused by Ren Qi's sword. At this time, they were just waiting for the Eight-Nation Allied Forces to come in and fight with them.
The rumble of cannons sounded again. (End of chapter)