Kays Translations

Chapter 127: Betrayal

Guo Guibang acted quickly upon his thoughts, immediately ordering all those in the Foundation Establishment stage and above to step forward and prepare for a decisive battle outside the city. 

But just then, Yan Zhengqing soared into the air on his sword, his true essence resonating through the air. His commanding voice echoed throughout Qingniu Town: “Everyone, we come here under the command of Li Xian, the Governor of Anyang, representing the Great Xia Dynasty, to apprehend the rebel Zhao Guoshan and seek an audience with the emperor. 

Zhao Guoshan has defied the emperor’s command, acting against the law, and for six years has failed to pay any taxes. 

Now, if you surrender and open the city, we will overlook your past offenses; otherwise, you will face charges of treason. I know that all of you are brave men, unafraid of death, but there are many ways to die—does it truly merit dying for such a rebel? 

You have half an hour to consider this. After half an hour, we will launch a full-scale attack.”

Yan Zhengqing’s words had a profound impact on Guo Guibang’s men. Many of these soldiers had never been on the battlefield before, and the recent cannon fire had terrified them. When they heard Yan Zhengqing offer a chance for amnesty, some began to waver.

Thus, when Guo Guibang sought to rally his troops for battle, several men hesitated! It was no secret that Zhao Guoshan had been disregarding the emperor; while they all looked down on this nominal emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, no one dared openly defy him.

However, the first to openly rebel against the emperor were Zhao Guoshan, the magistrate of Luliang Prefecture, and Shi Chengsong, the magistrate of Zhongshan Prefecture! Both men felt utterly helpless, having been pushed into this position by Anyang. If they went to Wu Yang to face the emperor, it would certainly lead to imprisonment! In the best case, they might receive a cup of poison, while in the worst case, their entire families would be executed.

Yet even with a slim chance, neither wanted to see such an outcome; they could only hold their ground. The conclusion they faced was largely of their own making! Initially, Anyang had no intention of causing them trouble, but these two had become greedy, actively extorting Anyang, resulting in trouble without gaining any money!

Now, with their defeat evident, the consequences of their actions began to manifest.

Guo Guibang attempted to persuade his men repeatedly, but aside from his personal guards, only fifty-six Foundation Establishment warriors were willing to march out to fight.

Seeing the disheartening outcome and facing the pervasive fear among his troops, Guo Guibang let out a sigh, realizing that persisting would only lead to their own demise. With a heavy heart, he ultimately declared, “Retreat!”

He called over the commander of Niushan Pass, Zheng Yuezhong. “Zheng Yuezhong, I won’t say much. I will lead the main force to withdraw. You take the remaining men and hold for half an hour, how does that sound?”

Zheng Yuezhong’s expression shifted slightly. “General, I will stand and fight alongside you!”

Guo Guibang felt a wave of gratitude and patted Zheng Yuezhong on the shoulder. “That’s enough for me. If you’re willing, you can find me later at Nanliang Prefecture.”

“Yes, sir!”

Without further ado, Guo Guibang led his personal guard, the main force, and a few willing soldiers as they hastily fled south from Qingniu Town, leaving everything behind.

However, just as Guo Guibang and his group were departing, Zheng Yuezhong suddenly flew up to the city walls and shouted, “General Yan Zhengqing! This is Zheng Yuezhong. I have a few words to discuss with you!”

“What is it?” Yan Zhengqing soared back into the air.

Zheng Yuezhong called out, “If you can guarantee that I and all those willing to defect to Anyang will not be held accountable for our past actions, I am willing to share an important piece of information.”

Yan Zhengqing narrowed his eyes and replied, “Is Guo Guibang planning to flee?”

“Uh…” Zheng Yuezhong was momentarily dumbfounded.

Yan Zhengqing smiled slightly. “As I said, I can guarantee no past grievances. I swear it on my life.”

Zheng Yuezhong visibly relaxed, having been terrified moments before—this half-day had been filled with too much fear, and he certainly did not want to oppose Anyang any longer.

Seeing Zheng Yuezhong easing, Yan Zhengqing continued to inquire, “How many men did he take with him?”

Zheng Yuezhong, not daring to hide anything, replied, “About 3,200 men. All of them are elite soldiers. They left through the southern city gate.”

Yan Zhengqing glanced at the motorbikes behind him and asked, “How wide are the roads in Qingniu Town? Can the motorbikes pass through?”

“The central road can accommodate three horse-drawn carriages side by side, so there is enough space for the motorbikes to travel.”

“Good. Open the city gates; everyone can leave the city.”

“Yes!” Zheng Yuezhong commanded, and the soldiers, already terrified, jumped down from the city walls, instinctively tossing their weapons to the ground and stepping back.

Zheng Yuezhong personally opened the city gates and deactivated the city’s defensive formations, eagerly coming before Yan Zhengqing to lead the way.

Liu Leigang hesitated, “Are we really going to just swagger through Qingniu Town like this? Aren’t we afraid of an ambush?”

Yan Zhengqing glanced at the already battered city walls and smiled confidently. “Let’s go. Speed is essential in warfare; I guarantee there will be no issues this time! But remember to chant our slogans loudly as we enter the city.

The slogan is: ‘By the order of the Eastern Governor of the Great Xia, the Prefect of Anyang, Li Xian, we are here to capture the rebel Zhao Guoshan and to present ourselves to the court. All unrelated personnel, stand aside!’”

Zheng Yuezhong immediately affirmed that he had no objections, even swearing to the heavens.

With that, Liu Leigang quickly ordered the troops to set off. Yan Zhengqing left a few people behind to wait for the follow-up forces and led the charge himself.

As expected, chanting the slogans, the convoy smoothly passed through Qingniu Town and pushed forward with all their might. After traveling ten miles, they finally spotted the fleeing troops in the distance. The escapees were already terrified, leaving no ambushes along the way.

Yan Zhengqing soared into the air on his sword and shouted, “Guo Guibang, stop immediately and surrender, or bear the consequences!”

Guo Guibang, who was frantically fleeing with his personal guard, heard this voice and immediately turned to see the Anyang army approaching in the distance.

His first reaction was to curse loudly, “Zheng Yuezhong, damn your ancestors!”

Zheng Yuezhong stepped forward. “General Guo, while Prefect Zhao Guoshan may not have openly declared rebellion, his actions have been no different from it. General Guo, it’s time to abandon the darkness and embrace the light; dying for a rebel is simply not worth it.”

Guo Guibang was so furious that he nearly turned pale. “Zheng Yuezhong, you better remember this! If I ever get my hands on you, I swear I’ll flay you alive and cook you in a big pot before deep-frying you!”

But Yan Zhengqing suddenly interjected loudly, “Guo Guibang, you have two choices now: you can choose the emperor, or you can choose the rebel!”

Guo Guibang laughed loudly to the heavens, “What a splendid accusation! Yan Zhengqing, are you really fighting for the emperor? I don’t think so! Hmph, Prefect Zhao Guoshan isn’t rebelling; he’s simply siding with the crown prince. But you? I believe you Anyang are the true rebels! The emperor is still alive, and yet you are eager to stir up civil war! You are a pack of wolves with wild ambitions!”

After a brief pause, Guo Guibang did not give Yan Zhengqing a chance to retort and immediately shouted, “Brothers, it’s time to fight with our lives! Charge, scatter and attack! They have only six hundred men, and their artillery has a slow firing rate; in close combat, their cannons are nothing but scrap metal!”

Leading the way, Guo Guibang and over three thousand of his loyal soldiers launched a desperate charge!

Yan Zhengqing’s expression turned exceptionally grave. Guo Guibang was indeed the number one general of Lüliang County; he had immediately identified the artillery’s weaknesses!

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