"Marquis, Marquis, sothing terrible has happened! People from the Crown Prince’s faction suddenly appeared in the city and intercepted our n in several places," the guard reported hastily.
Old Master Wen Kang had anticipated this. Zheng Congyuan wouldn’t be without his own people, and their appearance at this ti was actually to his advantage.
"How many of them are there?" Old Master Wen Kang instantly disregarded the situation outside the city and imdiately inquired.
"We don’t know, those people appeared out of nowhere, attacked, and then retreated, their movents elusive." The guard quickly explained, leaving Old Master Wen Kang no choice but to give a few instructive words to Wen Qun before promptly leading his n back to the city.
However, as he and a group of people rushed into the city, they only saw their own n running towards them from the front, disheveled and in disarray. Old Master Wen Kang hadn’t even spoken when those people, on seeing their own, imdiately shouted loudly.
"Run, run, there’s an ambush!" Old Master Wen Kang’s n were still trying to process the situation when suddenly there was a loud explosion from behind. Everyone was taken aback, unprepared, as groups of attackers erged from all sides, launching a fierce assault on them.
"There’s an ambush, an ambush—" Shouts broke out everywhere as the attackers, though not nurous—just over a few dozen—swiftly charged into Old Master Wen Kang’s ranks. Their movents were nimble, rapidly splitting apart the entire formation.
The Loyal Warriors of Wen Family imdiately took control of the situation from a defensive position, protecting Old Master Wen Kang in their midst, and engaged in a fierce battle with the assailants, swords clashing and gleaming coldly. Old Master Wen Kang’s expression beca stern as he watched the chaos unfold, quickly realizing the true aning of the guard’s earlier report.
"Who are you?" Old Master Wen Kang bellowed from atop his horse. There were no signs of affiliation with the Crown Prince Faction, even the attire was a ss, but their skills were nonetheless formidable, holding their ground impressively against the Loyal Warriors of Wen Family.
"Traitors and rebels, all should be executed!" Amid the crowd, a loud shout echoed, carrying across the high rooftops where brave citizens secretly opened a window to sneak a peek at the scene below.
Old Master Wen Kang’s face imdiately soured. Zheng Congyuan was indeed a despicable character, stoking the flas with such underhanded tactics, utterly shaful.
"Capture him—" Old Master Wen Kang slapped his horse’s reins, pointing at the person who had shouted. Imdiately, the Loyal Warriors of Wen Family surged forward, but the man turned and fled, leaping from one rooftop to another with the agility of a swallow.
"Catch him, no matter what—" Old Master Wen Kang roared furiously, imdiately chasing after him on horseback. The Loyal Warriors of Wen Family promptly mobilized, scattering toward the rooftops. In no ti, Old Master Wen Kang’s formation scattered, while those on the streets engaged the remaining Loyal Warriors.
"Marquis, be wary of deceit—" Following closely, the trusted aide watched anxiously as Old Master Wen Kang, now with fewer than ten n at his side, pursued the black-clothed people at full speed, fearing more attackers might erge.
It wasn’t a question of ’if’.
Old Master Wen Kang also quickly ca to his senses, but it was too late to speak as a group of people converged upon them from all directions, charging straight toward Old Master Wen Kang.
"Protect the Marquis, protect the Marquis—" Without waiting for Old Master Wen Kang’s command, his few close aides imdiately shouted, and the Loyal Warriors leaped back to join the fray.
"Marquis, we should leave now—" The trusted aide saw that the situation was dire and, not knowing how many enemies were present, realized it wasn’t the ti to linger.
Old Master Wen Kang nodded. Although the situation was urgent, his mind had completely cald down. He was not soone to be frightened by these few soldiers, and moreover, the people in the city couldn’t be easily defeated by such insignificant harassnt.
The trusted aide and the Loyal Warriors of Wen Family quickly carved a path, escorting Old Master Wen Kang towards their stronghold. They were pursued along the way, but the Loyal Warriors were not just for show. Though slowed down, their progress couldn’t be stopped.
"Imdiately send people to capture these traitors throughout the city—" Old Master Wen Kang was livid, having not expected such a turn of events, and moreover, he was thinking about the dreadful impact this would have on the Wen Family.
Well done, Zheng Congyuan, putting on an act as a filial son, grieving at Chenyuan Hall, yet behind our backs, you’ve played such a nefarious trick, causing our own people to pose as angry citizens rising up and branding us, the Wen Family, as traitorous officials and rebels.
Old Master Wen Kang walked toward his own domain, but suddenly he stopped; the trusted aide and the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family who followed had already sensed sothing was amiss. However, Old Master Wen Kang, consud by his own emotions and fury, had not noticed anything unusual. Actually, they had all realized it upon entering, but none dared to open their mouths to remind Old Master Wen Kang.
Old Master Wen Kang looked around suspiciously, only then realizing no one had co to et them. It was only at this mont that a person hurried over.
"Marquis, Marquis..."
"What happened?" Old Master Wen Kang, now too worried to care whether the other party had perford the proper greetings or not, imdiately went forward to ask.
"Marquis, our n went out on patrol, and they’ve been disappearing one by one, and they have yet to return," said the guard while more guards hastily erged behind him, seemingly ready to depart.
"They’ve all gone out?" Old Master Wen Kang instantly felt sothing was terribly wrong and imdiately raised his hand to halt the n.
"No one is to leave, have everyone assemble," commanded Old Master Wen Kang, who by now had realized the gravity of the situation. The guard hesitated before trying to leave again.
"There’s no need to call them, strike the Copper Gong," Old Master Wen Kang instructed. The several guards opposite him, and everyone following behind, were all taken aback. Strike it now, at this hour?
"Why are you not moving?" Old Master Wen Kang bellowed, exhausted both in body and mind. His intention in cornering Zheng Congyuan was to draw out Zheng Congyuan’s forces, but now, far from accomplishing that, they had been undercut by their adversary and hadn’t gained the slightest advantage.
"Clang clang clang—" The clear sounds of the gong rang out, urgent and frequent. Although the sound didn’t carry far, the gongs from nearby areas imdiately spread the sound, and promptly, a chorus of gongs rang out together.
Old Master Wen Kang stood motionless. Now was not the ti to be defeated. Zheng Congyuan’s thinking he could defeat the Wen Family with such petty sches was pure fantasy. His Southeastern Army and North Border Army hadn’t arrived yet, but even if they hadn’t, that didn’t an he was left with no options.
"Issue the order, all of the Wen Family Army are to hold their positions, not to leave the camp even a half-step," said Old Master Wen Kang, and imdiately mounted his horse. "Follow to the palace—"
Zheng Congyuan was the root of the problem, and no matter what, it was most important not to let Zheng Congyuan escape.
Since the first plan had failed, if Zheng Congyuan couldn’t see the situation clearly and refused to back down, and if even now, the extent of his forces remained hidden, he must still have a backup plan.
But Old Master Wen Kang was not afraid. The military power of Nanzheng State firmly rested in the hands of the Wen Family. In just these few short years, even if Zheng Congyuan had cultivated his own power, it couldn’t be that significant.
Therefore, they need not care about their reputation anymore. Since they had already been branded as treacherous officials and rebels, grasping the throne was the only thing that mattered.
Old Master Wen Kang’s expression was grim. He had always said that killing Zheng Congyuan was the fundantal solution to the problem.
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