Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 130: Confrontation
“Anyang is attacking!”
“Li Xian kills without blinking!”
“Li Xian is going to rebel!”
……
Various pieces of information spread throughout the sealed-off Nanjing, and in the face of the official propaganda, some scoffed, some were indifferent, some were confused, and others believed it.
With constant propaganda and witnesses stepping forward, the lies were getting closer to the truth. However, for the lies to become completely and utterly accepted as truth, there was still one thing lacking—someone from Anyang needed to come forward to testify!
Under the planning of Zhao Guoshan’s top strategist, Li Yuanming, the first batch of thirteen merchants from Anyang “volunteered” to testify.
In no time, the crowd in Nanjing surged, with everyone moving toward the lord’s mansion.
Inside the lord’s mansion, Li Yuanming coldly stared at Zhang Yunhai and the other thirteen merchants, “Gentlemen, you hold the names of your subordinates in your hands. You know what to do. Go ahead.”
The thirteen merchants, dressed in luxurious clothes and shining with oil, showed no signs of distress.
Zhang Yunhai stepped forward sharply, “Everyone, I am Zhang Yunhai. Many people should know my ‘Peng Cheng Wan Li Trading Company,’ and many of you know me as well.
What do you think of me?”
Naturally, there was no clear answer from the crowd.
Zhang Yunhai continued loudly, sensing the various voices below him, “I, Zhang Yunhai, am not a good person, but I act fairly. Today, I risk my life to expose a scandal.
Zhao Guoshan has captured the thirteen of us along with all the members of our trading convoy to use their lives to threaten…”
A flying sword swept across Zhang Yunhai’s neck, and he died instantly.
Li Yuanming’s face turned cold; he never expected such a blunder to occur! This was a disaster, and all previous plans had collapsed completely. However, there was still a chance for salvage. If the next twelve people accused Anyang of wrongdoing and claimed that Anyang was using Zhang Yunhai’s family as leverage, it could still work.
Yet, reality is always maddening. The next two people surprisingly accused Luliang County’s governor, Zhao Guoshan, of tyranny and heinous crimes.
The crowd was already furious, with even laughter ringing out; it was clear that Li Yuanming and Zhao Guoshan had become a joke.
Beside them, Guo Guibang led the remaining loyal soldiers, his face grim. The earlier devastating defeat, betrayal, and the heavy losses of his troops had already planted a deep-seated hatred for Anyang in his heart! It was Guo Guibang who had just attacked!
Li Yuanming’s expression was equally grim, his anger boiling. He was encountering such a situation for the first time! His previously effective methods had suffered a major setback today!
Given how things had turned out, Li Yuanming loosened up, “Gentlemen, Anyang has raised troops to attack us; it is our duty to defend the city. Starting now, every household must send one person to assist in the defense.
General Guo Guibang, I’ll leave this task to you!”
“Understood!” Guo Guibang immediately led his troops to “recruit” from household to household—drafting labor.
Of course, during this recruitment process, Guo Guibang faced multiple humiliations! Let’s not forget, this is the Immortal Realm, and there has never been a shortage of capable people among the common folk.
In a seemingly ordinary family, their mastery of formations was surprisingly high, and instead of recruiting soldiers, they ended up with several soldiers detained. Left with no choice, Guo Guibang had to compromise.
As he passed by a blacksmith shop, Guo Guibang almost got roasted—this blacksmith family practiced true fire that was incredibly powerful, and the seemingly honest blacksmith was actually a Golden Core expert!
Passing by a regular shop, Guo Guibang dared not step into it at all! This was because there was an eerie black stone tablet at the entrance—the Soul Summoning Tablet! This was the signature trick of the newly emerging Soul Summoning sorcerers! When Li Xian had crossed over, he had received help from a Soul Summoning sorcerer; some powerful Soul Summoning sorcerers could even directly extract the souls of Golden Core experts.
One shop after another… Normally unnoticed, Guo Guibang now truly understood a truth—masters exist among the common folk.
Finally, as the recruitment was about to end, Guo Guibang encountered a Taoist; this Taoist glanced at Guo Guibang and said calmly, “You should hurry and run; you might still survive.”
At this moment, Guo Guibang was not only filled with anger but was also consumed by malice, already in a state of “inner demons breeding.” This was the state that cultivators feared most—it was difficult to perceive. For example, right now, upon hearing the Taoist’s warning, Guo Guibang not only remained unmoved but wanted to seize the Taoist to enlist him.
The Taoist sighed slightly, and his figure gradually faded like mist, leaving only a faint voice: “Fortune and misfortune have no doors; only people summon them.”
Guo Guibang remained oblivious, but many soldiers behind him showed different expressions.
As chaos erupted within the city of Nanliang, dust suddenly rose in the north; under the dusk, the Anyang army, led by Bei Chen Yuqing, finally arrived at the city gates.
Zhao Guoshan, the governor of Luliang Prefecture, had already stood atop the city walls and shouted, “Anyone from Anyang, come out and speak!”
Bei Chen Yuqing flew directly into the air, saying, “Governor Zhao, I am Bei Chen Yuqing, sent to take you to the capital to meet the Emperor. Please come.”
Zhao Guoshan was furious: “Please? Is this how you invite someone? You said you were ordered; whose order is it?”
“It is the order of His Majesty’s esteemed envoy, Li Xian, the Eastern General of the Great Xia; supervised by Her Highness the Princess.”
“Is Li Xian’s order to launch an attack on Luliang Prefecture? This is clearly civil war! What do you intend to do by attacking and seizing land?”
Bei Chen Yuqing immediately laughed coldly: “Governor Zhao, please don’t change the subject. Three months ago, you were supposed to go to the capital to meet the Emperor yourself; it seems that the esteemed governor is quite high and mighty, yet you haven’t moved an inch in three months. To uphold His Majesty’s dignity, we have no choice but to mobilize troops for this invitation.
Once again, I’ll say this: as long as the esteemed governor is willing to accompany us to the capital to meet the Emperor, Anyang will immediately withdraw its troops! Who will control Luliang Prefecture afterward depends entirely on His Majesty’s will.
So, what do you say?”
Zhao Guoshan was anxious; he absolutely could not go to the capital, as that would certainly mean going without returning. But now he had no good excuse to decline.
In his state of anxiety, Wen Cheng, Li Yuanming, stepped forward, “So, Bei Chen Yuqing, it’s not that our esteemed governor doesn’t want to go to the capital to meet the Emperor, but rather that he is waiting for news.
Ad
Three months ago, the esteemed governor submitted his self-reflection and all owed taxes to the current Crown Prince, and he asked the Crown Prince to pass it on to His Majesty.
For the past three months, the esteemed governor has been waiting for His Majesty’s edict; in order to await the edict, he has not even dared to leave Nanliang Prefecture! Yet to this day, he still hasn’t received the edict.”
Bei Chen Yuqing was taken aback—what the heck, lying through your teeth with your eyes wide open, now that’s talent! And the lie even had some basis to it! But an edict?
Bei Chen Yuqing immediately smiled, “Are you really waiting for an edict?”
“Yes! As soon as the edict arrives, the esteemed governor will set off immediately.”
Bei Chen Yuqing was waiting for this statement; he immediately signaled to his guard behind him, and a Foundation Establishment guard flew over with the edict in hand, presenting it beside Bei Chen Yuqing.
On the city walls, the pupils of Zhao Guoshan, the governor of Luliang Prefecture, and Li Yuanming, the Wen Cheng, suddenly constricted!