Prince Zi Xuan gripped his guan dao with his right hand, his silk robes splattered with fresh blood. A dozen men of varying ages, each armed with sabers, spears, or clubs, were panting heavily. Yet, the ferocious expressions on their faces and the blood staining their bodies lent them a menacing aura.
Behind Prince Zi Xuan and these men, a plume of smoke rose from a bonfire in the courtyard. Scattered around the smoke were dozens of flintlock muskets, their barrels empty and their bodies smashed beyond repair. In front of Prince Zi Xuan and his men lay the corpses of Kunlun slaves, their blood, instead of appearing red, looked like coal-wash water against the dark hue of the fallen bodies.
Beyond the sea of corpses, a group of Kunlun slaves, armed with clubs or stones, had looks of pure terror on their faces. Those at the front desperately tried to retreat, making their already disorganized formation even more crowded and chaotic.
Seinar, hiding in the courtyard, stared at Prince Zi Xuan in a daze, utterly unable to comprehend how his usually gentle and soft-spoken good brother had transformed into a bloodthirsty demon, as if he were a completely different person, profoundly unfamiliar.
And then there were the dozens of men following Prince Zi Xuan. The oldest among them was the steward, appearing to be around fifty or sixty years old, while the youngest was merely seventeen or eighteen. Seinar had met these men many times before, but he had never witnessed such ferocity from them.
In Seinar’s memory, these men had always presented themselves with polite deference, speaking at a measured pace and conducting their affairs with meticulous order.
Now, these men seemed to care nothing for their own lives, nor for the lives of others.
This extreme contrast left Seinar utterly bewildered, at a loss as to which was the true image of these Ming people before him.
Prince Zi Xuan, however, paid no mind to the bewildered Seinar. He spat contemptuously, raised his guan dao once more, and pointed its tip at the Kunlun slaves opposite him, "Come! Come on!"
The men behind Prince Zi Xuan straightened their backs, took a unified step forward, and aimed their sabers and spears at the Kunlun slaves.
Seinar was startled.
From his vantage point within the courtyard, Seinar could clearly see Prince Zi Xuan’s legs trembling slightly. The men behind Prince Zi Xuan, despite stepping forward, also had their legs shaking.
It wasn't fear, but exhaustion from prolonged combat and killing.
This indicated that Prince Zi Xuan and the men with him were at their limit. If the Kunlun slaves charged forward again, Prince Zi Xuan and his men might perish on the spot.
If Prince Zi Xuan and his men were killed by these Kunlun slaves...
Seinar shook his head slightly, stealthily picked up a long saber, and crept closer to Prince Zi Xuan, whispering, "Wang, you shouldn't provoke them further. These Kunlun slaves..."
Prince Zi Xuan ignored Seinar's plea. He spat again, his gaze fixed on the Kunlun slaves opposite him as if in a frenzy, shouting, "Come on!"
Seeing Prince Zi Xuan seemingly lost in madness, Seinar could only offer a wry smile and grip his long saber tighter.
If Prince Zi Xuan and his men were killed by these Kunlun slaves, what use would it be for him to hide?
These filthy Kunlun slaves would surely find him in his hiding place and kill him.
With that thought, Seinar chuckled. Rather than await death at the hands of the Kunlun slaves, why not go mad with Prince Zi Xuan?
However, just as Seinar prepared to face death alongside Prince Zi Xuan, the Kunlun slaves opposite them scattered in a panic at Prince Zi Xuan's furious roar.
Seinar watched clearly as the Kunlun slaves, startled by Prince Zi Xuan’s shout, fled in utter disarray, many dropping their clubs and stones as if they would hinder their escape.
Did Prince Zi Xuan’s roar contain some special magical energy?
Seinar, whose smile had been more like a grimace moments before, looked at Prince Zi Xuan, still bewildered, and asked, "That's... we won? Did we win?"
Prince Zi Xuan chuckled heartily and declared with great bravado, "In my estimation, these Kunlun slaves are but a rabble, easily defeated, and hardly worth mentioning!"
The steward following Prince Zi Xuan secretly grumbled about his master's lack of erudition. Calling Kunlun slaves a rabble was fine, and calling them easily defeated was also acceptable. But to use both phrases together, did he not find it awkward?
However, while Prince Zi Xuan's steward was learned, Seinar was not.
After hearing Prince Zi Xuan utter two idioms in quick succession, Seinar’s admiration for Prince Zi Xuan swelled to an unfathomable degree.
After racking his brain for suitable words of praise, Seinar could only manage to utter two words with a distinctly awkward pronunciation: "Niubi!"
Prince Zi Xuan, having been praised, laughed heartily, then snorted coldly, turning to order, "Arrange for someone to prepare food and let the brothers rest and recuperate properly. These Kunlun slaves might return at any moment."
The steward immediately bowed in assent. Seinar, however, was startled and repeatedly asked, "Wang, you mean they might come back? I saw you were already very tired. If they come again... perhaps we should find a way to go to your Ming country's embassy?"
Prince Zi Xuan let out a chuckle. After casually arranging the sentries, he said to Seinar, "Go to the embassy? If we had gone to the embassy from the start, it would be fine. But now, how can we go to the embassy? You should know how far we are from the embassy, right?"
Speaking of which, Prince Zi Xuan glanced at the smoke signal in the courtyard again. "Besides, why should we go to the embassy? Seeking the embassy's protection would ensure our safety, but it would also mean losing the opportunity to earn merit."
Seinar was taken aback and advised, "But this is too dangerous, who knows when..."
Prince Zi Xuan waved his hand and said, "A true man faces death with equanimity! If I die here today, my family history will dedicate a special page to me, and among the ancestral tablets, only my earliest ancestor will be placed closer. The county gazette will write about me in great detail, and perhaps even the 'Great Ming Newspaper' will publish an article about me—compared to all this, what is death?"
Seinar thought Prince Zi Xuan was certainly mad.
In Europe, those who made significant contributions to their families were indeed given more detailed accounts in their family histories, but that was all.
To put it bluntly, a person had to be alive to enjoy the glory and benefits of their achievements. What could a dead person enjoy?
Just to have a few more lines written about him in the family history, and he would disregard his own life?
Perhaps, he too had gone mad?
Otherwise, why had he not stayed with his wife and concubines to seek refuge at the Ming embassy at that time, but instead chose to stay for the sake of so-called loyalty?
While Seinar's mind was filled with these chaotic thoughts, Prince Zi Xuan continuously uttered a string of idioms: "Bravery surpassing the army, conquering Langju Xu, watering horses in Han Hai, bringing glory to ancestors..."
...
Gazing at the smoke signal rising from the embassy in the city of Benghazi, Gu Xiangming, the commander of the Great Ming's Benghazi military base, was as excited as a fool. "They're here! They're here! Damn it, I've finally waited for this!"
Supervisor Ge Congjun also had a look of excitement on his face. "Who would have thought, just as the rotation was about to happen, an opportunity for merit just walked right into our laps! Old Gu, hurry up and gather the brothers, prepare for deployment!"
Gu Xiangming nodded and immediately ordered men to summon the Great Ming soldiers from the military base. "Brothers, the time has come to fight for the Great Ming! The chance to conquer Langju Xu, water horses in Han Hai, make a name for ourselves, be remembered in history, and bring glory to our ancestors is here!"
"If you earn a third-class merit, your family history will dedicate a page to you, and you'll have honor when entering the ancestral hall!"
"If you earn a second-class merit, a plaque of glory will be sent to your home, and during festivals, the magistrate and prefect will visit your house!"
"If you earn a first-class merit, you will be recorded in history! Your children might even read your name when they study!"
As Gu Xiangming's words fell, the soldiers in the entire military base also became excited.
Are you testing us with this? Who the hell could refuse this!
Seeing the soldiers stirred up, Gu Xiangming coughed and said, "Everyone pay attention! When you charge forward, keep an eye on the supervisor, don't let that guy lead the charge again!"
As for the military strength in Benghazi, the corresponding strategy and tactics, and the preparations they needed to make?
Having been stationed in Benghazi for nearly three years, Gu Xiangming had long since understood the situation there. The military was weak, management was chaotic, logistics were virtually non-existent, strategy was completely haphazard, tactics were purely guesswork, training was absent, and equipment was non-existent.
In simple terms, the Benghazi army was even inferior to the Eight Banners lords of the Great Qing.
At least the Eight Banners lords had the Eight Banners system, were somewhat equipped with cannons and muskets, and had configurations for infantry, navy, artillery, and cavalry. Regardless of how much corruption there was in logistics, there were still logistics, and even if the generals were unreliable, they had at least read "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
In contrast, the Benghazi army was essentially a rabble that lacked everything. Their muskets and cannons fired purely on faith, and in battle, it was a competition of who shouted louder or had better luck.
Besides that, they had nothing.
With such an "army," Gu Xiangming felt that it wasn't just the soldiers of the Great Ming's Benghazi Port military base, but even a few hundred Imperial Guards randomly pulled from any province of the Great Ming, given weapons, could sweep through all of Benghazi!
In this situation, what preparations were needed?
Just do it!
After all, no matter how much the Great Ming army disregarded strategy and tactics, they had undergone rigorous training. Moreover, the Great Ming army's equipment was the most advanced on the entire broken planet. Breaking through Benghazi's so-called city gates was as easy as pie.
As the Great Ming army began to advance towards the city of Benghazi, Hamis in Benghazi also received relevant news.
But Hamis was not flustered. Instead, after gathering the nobles and ministers of Benghazi, he calmly began to assign tasks. "Ali, you go and stop those Ming troops. Tell them that matters in Benghazi are for the Benghazi people to resolve themselves, and they don't need to interfere."
"Antoine, you immediately organize your troops and prepare for defense. Even if those Ming troops dare not attack, you must put on a show of defense."
"Marcus, I need you to prepare gold, silver, jewelry, and food immediately and distribute them to the warriors of Benghazi. The time has come for them to protect Benghazi!"
"..."
After Hamis finished speaking, the nobles and ministers of Benghazi were stunned. If they had heard correctly, Hamis was commanding the Ming troops to retreat in an authoritative tone!
Who the hell gave you that confidence!
Although Benghazi had little interaction with the Ming country and did not have a thorough understanding of the Ming military strength, the Ming country had openly stationed troops in Benghazi, you scoundrel!
After careful consideration, Ali, the chief minister of Benghazi, tentatively asked, "Respected Hamis, although I also hope the Ming troops will retreat, our Benghazi army does not seem to be a match for the Ming army?"
Hamis chuckled and said, "Of course, I know our Benghazi army cannot defeat the Ming army. After all, I have been to the Ming country and know how powerful their army is."
Upon hearing Hamis say this, Ali and the other nobles and ministers of Benghazi became even more bewildered.
You know, and you still want to provoke the Ming army?
Are you trying to court death, damn it!
But don't drag Benghazi down with your courting of death, you scoundrel!
However, as Ali and the other nobles and ministers of Benghazi were inwardly complaining, Hamis continued, "Rest assured, the Ming embassy has been surrounded by Sayf. If they do not want the Ming embassy and the Ming people in Benghazi to be harmed, they can only obediently return to their military base."
"Perhaps, we can even use this opportunity to demand that the Ming army withdraw its military base in Benghazi—without the Ming army's military base in Benghazi Port, we will have a greater chance of confronting the French frogs!"
Speaking of this, Hamis suddenly sneered, "If anyone is to blame, it can only be the Ming Emperor. Who told him to repeatedly say that Ming civilians come first? Now, those Ming people in Benghazi are our biggest bargaining chips!"
Ali and the other nobles and ministers of Benghazi were immediately filled with awe for Hamis. Antoine, the chief of military affairs in Benghazi, shouted with full confidence, "Respected Hamis, your wisdom is the direction that guides us! Under your leadership, we will definitely defeat the Ming people!"