PDLP Chapter 330 The Great Jin Kingdom in Turmoil
Chapter 330 The Great Jin Kingdom in Turmoil
Within the magnificent and prosperous capital of the Jin Dynasty, in a resplendent palace, Emperor Wanyan Qin gazed upon the well-equipped Li family army, hastily delivered from the front lines. On his desk, two gleaming semi-automatic rifles and a formidable assault rifle were prominently displayed, silently testifying to the glory and triumphs of the battlefield. However, the barrel of one of the rifles bore a slight blemish, slightly bent, as if inadvertently branded by a heavy object, revealing a trace of untold hardship.
Wanyan Qin's gaze was sharp. He had once had the privilege of glimpsing the splendor of these modern weapons, and the idea of imitating them to strengthen the nation had long been planted in his heart. So, he slowly turned to the side and asked the trembling craftsmen, "Can you replicate even one or two of these divine weapons?"
Upon hearing this, the officials of the Ministry of Works bowed immediately. One of the officials in charge spoke with a trembling voice and a hint of helplessness: "Your Majesty, we have tried our best to imitate it. Although the appearance can be mistaken for the real thing, the inside is completely different. Once we try to fire it, it will not only fail to harm the enemy, but will also harm ourselves. There have been many cases of barrel explosions. So far, many craftsmen have been injured as a result. It is truly heartbreaking."
After she finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the palace, the air thick with an indescribable heaviness and anticipation. A complex expression flashed in Wanyan Qin's eyes, a mixture of longing for unknown power and deep concern for the present situation.
These artisans were all skilled craftsmen who were ruthlessly plundered from the prosperous Song Dynasty capital of Bianliang by the Jin Dynasty. In today's world, although artisans do not hold prominent social status, they are like rare gems scattered throughout the world, difficult to find.
Not for any other reason, but simply because the artisans in each household regarded their skills as family secrets, strictly adhering to the ancient precept of "passing down from father to son, son to grandson, and only to sons, not daughters." As a result, many exquisite crafts gradually disappeared into oblivion over time. The Song Dynasty artisans captured and taken to the Jin Dynasty were like candles flickering in the wind; each extinguished candle meant that the lost skills sank further into the abyss, never to be found again.
Wanyan Qin's face was ashen, like a cloud of lead. He paced anxiously in the cramped room, each step seemingly weighing heavily on the turbulent situation of the Jin Dynasty. After a long silence, he finally stopped, his gaze sharp as he looked at the respectful-looking official from the Ministry of Works standing beside him. He said in a deep voice, "Send the order to have those skilled craftsmen halt their futile attempts at imitation. Remember? Not long ago, you proudly presented the prototype of the black oil bomb. That is where our current hope lies. Devote all your efforts to improving and refining the black oil bomb. The Jin Dynasty desperately needs the powerful assistance of such a new weapon."
At a time when the Jin Dynasty was teetering on the brink of collapse, the departure of Wanyan Ping and Wanyan Xu, who had taken a large number of elite troops, had decimated the Jin army's strength. Meanwhile, the Goryeo Kingdom in Liaodong, like a jackal eyeing its prey, constantly harassed the Jin's capital, Tokyo, making the situation increasingly critical. Against this backdrop, Regent Wanyan Gan was forced to personally take up arms and shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting this land. Wanyan Qin, as another force to be reckoned with in the court, saw every decision he made determine the future of the Jin Dynasty.
In this way, it turned out to be a wonderful thing. The entire Zhongdu City seemed to have become a stage for Wanyan Qin to perform alone. When dealing with important state affairs, he no longer had to worry about the unpredictable expressions and intentions of the regent Wanyan Gan.
To this day, Wanyan Qin remains completely unaware of the subtle and secretive relationship between him and the Regent Wanyan Gan. Such a secret is a taboo subject to be touched by the outside world. Once the truth is revealed, his throne as the Emperor of Jin will likely be as precarious as a candle in the wind, teetering on the brink of collapse and unable to continue.
Outside the ancient city of Cangzhou, flames of war raged, and the clouds of battle hung heavy. Countless Jin soldiers, clad in heavy iron armor, surged forward like a tidal wave, launching wave after wave of fierce attacks on the fortifications held firm by the Li family army. The four walls of the city became battlefields of intense fighting, with the north and west walls bearing the brunt of the enemy's wildest and most ferocious offensive. They seemed to teeter on the brink of collapse at every moment, yet they remained steadfastly standing.
A resolute soldier belonging to Li's army, completely ignoring the bow and arrows slung across his shoulder, gripped a semi-automatic rifle tightly in both hands, his eyes fixed intently on a Jin soldier struggling to climb a ladder below the city wall. Sunlight outlined the distinct features of his determined face, and sweat trickled down his temples, but it did nothing to diminish his focus.
"boom!"
Gunshots rang out, accompanied by the smell of gunpowder. The Jin soldier, like a kite with a broken string, suddenly fell from the ladder halfway down. His body drew an arc in the air, and when he landed, he unfortunately knocked down another comrade below. The two of them fell into chaos and dust.
"Haha... Squad leader, look! I hit him! I really hit him!" the soldier shouted excitedly, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy and pride, as if this shot was not only a declaration against the enemy, but also an affirmation of his courage and skill. His comrades around him cast approving glances, and at that moment, the joy of victory quietly spread across the small city wall.
A young soldier from Li Jiajun's army was excitedly recounting his exploits to his squad leader. Judging from the gleam in his eyes and the elation in his voice, he was clearly a new recruit, fresh from the battlefield. He was about to vividly recount his heroic deeds of fighting the enemy, the air still thick with lingering pride and ambition, when, unexpectedly, at this crucial moment, an incredibly sharp arrow, like a ghost, silently pierced the air, precisely piercing his neck, leaving a gruesome line of blood, and extinguishing his life in an instant.
The recruit's rifle slipped limply from his hands and fell to the ground. His face was contorted with terror, his gaze fixed on his sergeant not far away. His hands trembled as he instinctively tried to cover the wound mercilessly pierced by the arrow, blood staining his fingertips, but he was powerless to stop the loss of life. His lips moved, as if trying to utter a cry for help, but the words died in his throat before they could form. Soon, his body went limp and lay quietly on the cold city wall, the flame of his life extinguished.
Beneath the city walls, a Jin army centurion stood tall, gripping a gleaming, powerful bow, like a god of death holding sway over the world. Beside him stood a group of heavily armored Jin soldiers, wielding thick shields, an impregnable bulwark protecting this battlefield grim reaper. This centurion was undoubtedly a renowned archer; with each draw of his bow, a member of the Li family army fell from the city walls, as mercilessly as autumn leaves swept away by the wind.
Witnessing this scene, a machine gunner belonging to Li's army tightened his finger on the trigger and unhesitatingly locked the cold muzzle of his gun onto the Jin army centurion. Immediately, a series of rapid and fierce gunshots shattered the noise of the battlefield.
"Da da da - da da da -"
Bullets rained down like a storm, but upon striking the heavy shields of the Jin soldiers, they produced a series of crisp, dense clanging sounds, like a desperate symphony of metal. Despite the shields' toughness, several Jin soldiers were unfortunately struck by stray bullets, letting out mournful cries as their bodies collapsed helplessly to the ground, adding a touch of tragic grandeur to this scorched earth.
Upon seeing this, the Jin army commander's expression hardened. He immediately ordered a halt to the rain of arrows falling from the city walls, and quickly ducked behind the impregnable shield barrier, attempting to escape the deadly threat from modern weaponry.
At this moment, a squad leader in Li Jiajun's army was extremely anxious. His voice was slightly hoarse from worry. He roared, "Mortar team, are you blind? Hurry up! Bombard them hard!"
"Boom! Boom!"
Two mortar shells landed around the centurion. After the explosion, the men who had been hiding behind their heavy iron shields fell to the ground covered in blood. The Jin centurion's powerful bow was also blown in two by the shells.