Xie Nanxiao led a small unit of Cangming Guards and quickly eliminated the few Quzhao soldiers. Then he looked toward the stunned family of three.
“We are the Jinyang Army. Our mistress sent us to rescue you. Are you all right?”
By the time they emerged from the passage, the Quzhao army had already entered the city.
Jiang Jin made an immediate decision. Since the Quzhao army had entered the city, they would fight street by street!
The Jinyang Army, with its three-three tactics, excelled at guerrilla and urban warfare. Not to mention elite forces such as the Cangming Guards and Dragon Shadow Guards.
They had previously attacked from outside the city. This time, they would make the enemy bloom from within.
The troops were organized into units, with squads as points and platoons and companies as areas of operation. They were divided into more than a hundred groups of varying sizes, which slipped into the city.
Quzhao wanted to slaughter the entire city?
Then she would slaughter the people doing the slaughtering!
Yan Tong asked in a trembling voice, “The Jinyang Army?”
Of course he had heard of the Jinyang Army. It was said to be powerful and superbly equipped, especially with its repeating crossbows, which were extraordinarily formidable.
His gaze fell on the Longming Crossbow in Xie Nanxiao’s hands. Yes, this had to be the Jinyang Army’s repeating crossbow!
Xie Nanxiao nodded. “Hurry and hide. It would be best to join up with your neighbors on either side. If you spot any Quzhao soldiers, shout for help. Our people will be nearby. We have to keep moving.”
Before Yan Tong could say another word, Xie Nanxiao waved his hand. The unit left without a sound and headed toward the screams coming from the neighboring house.
Yan Tong stood there, dumbfounded. What astonishing speed. What incredible reflexes.
“My son, my son, are you all right?”
Cui Erniang came back to her senses from her panic. Seeing the wound on Yan Tong’s arm, she forgot the blood splattered all over her own body and ignored the Quzhao corpse beside her as she struggled to rise.
Yan Tong pulled his gaze away and shook his head. “I’m fine, Mother.”
Then he remembered something and looked toward the bed. His little sister had curled herself into a ball beneath the tattered quilt, trembling violently.
Only then did he secretly let out a sigh of relief. A moment later, wild joy surged through him.
The Jinyang Army had entered the city. Did that mean they were saved?
Sheng He stood at the entrance of an alley with only a few men behind him.
The other soldiers and civilians had already left. Even the soldiers who were homeless had disdained to join them, choosing instead to fight on their own throughout the city.
The men behind him were like him—sons of prominent families who had stayed behind to face death, whether because their families had weighed the pros and cons or because they had volunteered.
Naturally, none of them held as high a status as Sheng He. But they could still steady the soldiers and civilians in the city. After all, the heads of their families rarely appeared before the public in the first place.
Sheng He looked toward the Quzhao soldiers charging in their direction. Slowly, he raised the blade in his hand.
This was the last time—and the only time—he would fight as a son of an eminent family for the soldiers and civilians his kind had betrayed.
“Kill!”
He shouted and charged at the Quzhao soldiers.
The other sons of prominent families followed him with grim determination, attacking the Quzhao forces surging toward them.
The wind rose. Dust billowed. Blood stained the air.
While fighting raged on here, Gefeng was peaceful.
Well, not entirely peaceful. The Jinyang Times had exploded today!
The Jinyang Army had actually taken the entire Donghu Commandery within just a few days!
Who could have imagined it?
Who would have dared to imagine it?
Meng Zishan, however, still knew nothing of these developments. He looked at the deed to the house he had just acquired, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.
Meng Rong was in an excellent mood as well. “It’s just a shame that houses in Gefeng are so scarce. Otherwise, we could have bought two more.”
Meng Jian nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Life here is wonderful. It’s just a little troublesome having to relearn simplified characters.”
Meng Zishan stroked his beard. “There’s no hurry. Given Princess Jinyang’s abilities, the number of commanderies she conquers will surely continue to grow. We can always buy houses in other commanderies later.”
By now, they knew that the master of the Jinyang Army was none other than Princess Jinyang.
Meng Jian shook his head. “That’s different. Gefeng is where the princess rose to power.”
Meng Zishan glanced at him and changed the subject. “Our family should think about what kind of business to start. We can’t live off our savings forever.”
They had never possessed much wealth to begin with. In Ying Commandery, they had been bled dry by all sorts of “taxes,” and after buying a house in Gefeng, they had little money or property left.
Now that Gefeng offered such a favorable environment, they could look for work.
There were no absurd taxes here. There were even subsidy policies for small businesses.
More importantly, it was safe here. They no longer had to live under the constant threat of a city siege.
Meng Zishan did not know why, but after living in Gefeng for some time, he had become just like the other residents. He no longer worried about Quzhao attacking the city and had developed an inexplicable faith in Princess Jinyang and the Jinyang Army.
This was despite the fact that Zhou County, right next door, was eyeing them covetously.
Meng Jian hesitated.
Meng Zishan frowned. “If you have something to say, say it.”
Meng Jian gave a sheepish grin. “Couldn’t we perhaps use Lady Wei’s connections? Princess Jinyang has so many products. Even one of them would be enough to make us rich.”
Meng Rong knitted his brows. “No. What kind of relationship do Lady Wei and we have that would entitle us to use her connections? She and her son have already had a difficult enough time.”
Meng Zishan stroked his beard. This was why he valued his eldest son more. Although his eldest grandson, Meng Chong, was hopeless, his eldest son could still see the situation clearly.
Of course, Meng Jian was not bad either. He could be somewhat profit-driven at times, but he listened to advice and placed the family’s interests first.
Sure enough, Meng Jian’s voice came again. “I only wanted to take a shortcut. Since that’s not possible, forget it. There are plenty of opportunities around now anyway.”
Meng Zishan nodded silently.
With harmony in the family, the clan could not go far wrong.
He smiled and changed the subject. “Why haven’t the Fifth Boys come back yet? They went to buy the newspaper ages ago.”
After arriving in Gefeng, they had only then learned that it had such a wonderful thing as the Jinyang Times. Today happened to be the day a new issue was released.
They had also finally learned what the position of “editor in chief” meant.
While admiring Wei Qingran, the women of the family had become more and more excited. Every one of them was rolling up her sleeves, ready to make a name for herself.
Meng Zishan had lived his entire life without realizing that women could possess such strong “ambition” for a career.
Still, he was delighted to see it.
Because he knew that the times had changed!
“Grandfather, Grandfather…”
At that moment, Meng Wulang’s excited voice came from outside.
Meng Rong smiled. “He’s grown so old, yet he’s still so reckless.”
“Grandfather, the Jinyang Army has taken the entire Donghu Commandery!”
Meng Wulang’s words struck the room like a thunderbolt. For a moment, everyone was too stunned to speak.
Meng Wulang eagerly placed the newspaper in front of Meng Zishan. “It’s in the paper! Everyone outside is talking about it!”
Meng Zishan hurriedly picked up the Jinyang Times, but his literacy lessons had not gone particularly well. He was still far from being able to read the newspaper, and in his desperation, he set it down again.
“Quick, quick, read it aloud for me.”
Once again, the entire family fell silent.
Every one of them was a poor student. Not a single person in the family excelled at learning. One issue of the Jinyang Times had actually left them all completely stumped.
Even Meng Wulang had only learned that the Jinyang Army had conquered Donghu Commandery by hearing people talk about it while he was buying the paper.
Meng Zishan looked at his sons and grandsons, all of whom had lowered their heads and dared not meet his eyes. He was so furious he nearly spat blood.
“You useless good-for-nothings! You know nothing and have learned nothing!”
At that moment, he desperately wished his eldest grandson, Meng Chong, could form a marriage alliance with Wei Qingran. With Wei Qingran’s intelligence, she would surely help their family produce a few exceptionally bright descendants.
