Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chapter 1340: Chu People's Knife, Cutting Down the King's Flag

That night.

The night in Cangjiang was burned amber by torches. Twenty bronze tripods formed a star-shaped constellation in the center of the camp, and a whole river pig was stewed in the tripod, sizzling with oil.

The firemen carried jars of wine and walked among the campfires. The strong aroma of wine mixed with the river breeze went straight into people's noses.

This is the "Blood Wave Wine" seized from a merchant ship of the Wu State last year. It was finally opened tonight.

"Your Highness is here!"

As soon as the guards shouted, the noise of the soldiers in the camp suddenly turned into the clanging sound of armor colliding.

Tens of thousands of water soldiers stood up at the same time, and none of them spilled the wine in the earthenware bowls in their hands.

Chu Ning took off his golden armor with coiled dragon patterns, and stepped onto the stage wearing only a narrow-sleeved black python robe. The jade pendant on his waist and the thirty-six war drums on the stage vibrated at the same time.

"No military salute today!"

Chu Ning picked up the ox horn cup and scooped it full of blood wine. The amber wine dripped down the rim of the cup into the fire, and a three-foot-high blue flame rose up.

"I first respectfully built the ship and the heroic spirits at the bottom of the Cangjiang River who died in the fierce battle with the State of Jin a few days ago."

He suddenly raised his hand and poured the wine into the night sky. Tens of thousands of ceramic bowls drew arcs, and the rain of wine in the sky looked like a blood waterfall hanging upside down in the firelight.

Then, Chu Ning said loudly: "Tonight, there is no need to be polite, just drink and eat without hesitation!"

The firemen beat the human-skin war drums, and thirty-six shirtless strong men carried a roasted whole cow and rushed into the parade ground.

Feng Anguo tore off a beef leg and chewed it, the oil dripping down his iron-halberd-like beard: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has spoken, and everyone is eating!"

A deafening laugh broke out from the east corner of the parade ground. Several sailors were roasting river fish with broken spears from the Wu army.

Chu Ning suddenly jumped onto the table, his dragon boots making the dishes bounce around: "Bring me my sword!"

The moment the personal guard presented the three-foot-long sword, the prince swung the sword and cut off a strand of his own black hair.

The hair fell into the wine jar, and was picked up by Su Tingmei using a bronze abacus, which was then hung above the campfire and burned into green smoke.

"I swear this!"

Chu Ning pointed his sword to the east, and the lights of the Jin army on the opposite bank flickered in the river fog like ghost eyes.

"When our army reaches the east bank of the Cang River, I will use the head of the Jin emperor to pay tribute to the heroic souls who died in the battle!"

The sword's edge suddenly turned toward the bull's head on the grill.

The training ground was silent for a moment, and then a roar broke out, causing sparks to fly everywhere.

A one-eyed old soldier smashed the pottery bowl, drew the fish intestine sword from his waist and cut his palm: "This eye of mine was shot by a poisonous arrow from the Wu dog. When Your Highness goes on the expedition to the east, I will use the eyeballs of the Wu army to make a necklace!"

Blood beads were thrown into the fire with a crackling sound, and the cold light of countless weapons being unsheathed pierced the night sky.

Su Tingmei appeared beside Chu Ning without knowing when, her blue shirt dyed blood red by the firelight: "Your Highness, look at Jiang Xin."

Twenty turtle ships were seen quietly leaving the harbor, each towing a pig bladder filled with kerosene. "General Feng said he wanted to send a 'Fire Dragon Playing with Pearls' to the other side to liven things up."

Before he could finish his words, a ten-foot-tall pillar of fire suddenly rose from the opposite bank.

The strong men on the turtle ship sang the Chu boat song together, and the singing mixed with the screams of the Jin army floated down the river.

The drum beats on the parade ground here became more and more rapid. A shirtless sailor even jumped onto the wine table and started to dance the "Breaking Formation Dance". The Yaksha tattooed on his back trembled with his muscles, as if it was really going to break through the skin.

Chu Ning took the gilded bow handed to him by his personal guard and shot three rockets in succession into the night sky.

Before the sparks faded away, hundreds of river lanterns suddenly appeared on the surface of the river. They were "eternal life lamps" made by the soldiers using porpoise oil. Inside the wicks were peach wood talismans with the soldiers' names written on them.

"When you return victorious, I will set up a banquet on Zhuque Street in Yingdu."

The prince's voice suddenly rose, drowning out the sound of explosions on the other side of the river.

"I want the descendants of the Jin people to wet their pants for three generations whenever they mention the Cangjiang River! When the historians write about tonight, they will have to use your blood to make up for the lack of ink!"

The eight thousand earthenware bowls were filled again, and the sound of the wine gulping down the throats drowned out the sound of the river waves.

Feng Anguo suddenly smashed the cow leg bone against the war drum, and the bone fragments bounced on the drum surface, producing a strange rhythm.

I don't know who started it, but the whole camp suddenly roared out the ancient war song: "The Canglang River buries the bones of the enemy; the Chu people's swords cut off the king's flag..."

As the singing drifted across the river, the Jin army's navy was discussing countermeasures.

The Jin State navy's tent was immersed in the salty river fog, and twelve bronze rhino horn lamps cast human shadows on the wet tent cloth.

The Admiral of the Navy Yue Yongkang sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, the letter of war in his hand was yellowed by the candlelight, and the edge of the letter was stained with the dragon blood sand specially made by the Chu army.

The dark red particles emit a rusty smell when exposed to heat, which is clearly a deliberate humiliation.

"Three days later at noon, at Guitou Beach on the Cangjiang River."

Yue Yongkang's voice was like a rusty iron chain dragging on a stone slab. He flicked the letter paper with his fingers, and Chu Ning's wild handwriting made the quiver on the desk buzz.

"Prince Chu wants to have a decisive battle with our army at the Shuizhai Dockyard."

The breathing of the sixteen generals in the tent suddenly became heavy.

The white-bearded veteran on the left stood up suddenly, clenched his fists, and sneered: "Guitou Beach is less than five miles away from the Chu Army's dock. They are trying to use the terrain to wear down our army!"

Yue Yongkang's pupils shrank slightly. How could he not know this?

"I think this is a godsend opportunity."

A general with an eagle nose stood up in the third seat on the right row, with a hideous scar under his black iron forehead guard.

He pressed his five fingers into a claw in the center of the map, revealing the mark of the Chu army's dock between his fingers: "Send the fire dragon boats to burn their dock at night. Those newly built ironwood warships..."

"General Yan, do you think the Chu army will let us succeed?"

Suddenly, a sneer came from the back row, and a scholar in green clothes walked out of the shadows, waving an iron bone-breaking fan. Painted on the fan was a map of the water veins of the Jin State.

"If the Chu Army's dock was so easy to burn, why wait until today? Su Tingmei had already set up numerous traps--"

"fart!"

The scarred general smashed the corner of the case with his fist, "Last month, the spies reported that the Chu army's dockyard had 300 trucks of timber and 20 ships of fuel entering and leaving every day!"

He pulled out a charred crossbow arrow from his bosom and slammed it on the table. The arrow shaft was engraved with the unique wave pattern of the Chu army.

"This was seized from their patrol boats. The arrowheads were coated with tung oil instead of kerosene, which shows that the Chu army was not prepared for fire attacks at all!"

The sound of metal clashing suddenly rang out in the tent, and the generals who advocated war drew their swords and stuck them into the ground and swore an oath.

Yue Yongkang noticed that when the scholar in blue bent down to pick up the crossbow arrow, his fingertips touched the arrowhead and actually got some blue-gray powder on it.

"General Yan, have you ever smelled this 'tung oil'?"

The scholar stretched out his finger toward the flame of the lamp, and the powder suddenly burst into blue sparks when it met the fire.

"This is ignition powder made from South China Sea mermaid fat mixed with sulfur. The Chu army is clearly trying to lure us into a fire attack!"

The big tent was suddenly silent; even the sound of the river waves seemed to have receded.

Yue Yongkang suddenly stood up and grabbed the warship model on the sand table on the desk. The warship made of fine iron was crushed to pieces:

"Go on."

"Three days ago, the Chu army's patrol boat deliberately let our spies go, and today's letter of challenge specifically pointed out the location of the decisive battle."

The scholar used a folding fan to lift up the tent cloth, and the moonlight mixed with the river mist poured in, and the bright lights of the dock on the opposite bank could be vaguely seen.

"Su Tingmei wants us to think we have seen through the trap, but in fact..."

"Mr. Zhou, please stop exaggerating!"

The scarred general suddenly cut his palm and blood splashed onto the sand table.

"I am willing to issue a military order! I will personally lead fifty fire dragon boats to launch a surprise attack tonight. If you fail to burn down the Chu army's dock, you will be beheaded!"

The atmosphere in the tent was boiling with excitement. The seven generals cut their palms and swore an oath in unison. The blood dripped onto the blue brick floor and formed a thin stream.

Yue Yongkang stared at the blood-stained warship model in the sand table, and suddenly remembered the secret report he received three days ago - deep in the Chu army's dock were three "thunder and fire giant ships" with iron keels, which were said to be able to spew out ten-foot poisonous flames.

"Yan Feng, listen to my orders!"

Yue Yongkang suddenly said in a cold voice: "I will give you thirty fire dragon boats, and they will set off at midnight in two days..."

"Grand Governor!"

The scholar Zhou Yingzhe interrupted quickly: "This matter still needs to be consulted with His Majesty!"

Yue Yongkang groaned for a moment, and finally snorted coldly: "This battle situation will naturally be reported to Your Majesty!"

"However, General Yan still needs to prepare in advance."

"General Wang, you will lead fifty warships to meet us."

"Yes!" Everyone responded and immediately went down to make arrangements.