Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 377: Chapter 362: Turning Coat and Capturing the City

”General, it’s not that we are unwilling to share your worries, it’s just that we are also at a loss!”

”Who is Yang Zhenshan? In the past, he broke through seven Hu Clan territories in eight days, and in one battle against the Kolcha, he slaughtered tens of thousands of the Hu Clan. What’s more terrifying is that he killed Meng Temu all by himself!”

”How could we be his match?”

Zhang Yuanwu said with a helpless face.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zeqing’s slightly sunken eyes suddenly became sharp, and with a whoosh, he stood up, looking ferociously at Zhang Chengzhi, ”Zhang Yuanwu, do you think I don’t dare to kill you?”

”General’s bravery is unquestionable, you would dare to kill me, but I’m simply no match for Yang Zhenshan!” Zhang Yuanwu said, lowering his head, speaking neither hurriedly nor slowly.

Zhang Yuanwu was originally the garrison of Qihe City. After the battle in the Northern lands, he was promoted to Deputy Magistrate of the Songzhou Guard’s Rescue Camp, taking office as a sitting officer. He was not one of Liu Zeqing’s men; he represented the local faction of the Songzhou Guard, namely the Military Officers under Wang Bin previously.

After Liu Zeqing took office as the Assistant General of the eastern front, he had been trying to woo the officials of the local faction, while also vigorously installing his own people.

However, it was not so easy to woo or deal with the likes of Zhang Yuanwu from the local faction.

That’s because Zhang Yuanwu and others all had military achievements, and they had risen through the ranks based on these achievements, so Liu Zeqing needed a legitimate reason if he wanted to remove them.

Just like Han Cheng in An Yuan City, the reason why Han Cheng dared to retort Liu Zeqing was first, he had the support of Yang Zhenshan behind him, and second, he had genuine war achievements.

Liu Zeqing, unable to go too far, could only engage in a tug-of-war with them.

After years of back and forth, Liu Zeqing now nearly had control of most of the forces under him, but he was still unable to eradicate Zhang Yuanwu’s local faction!

However, now he no longer needed to worry about these matters. If Zhang Yuanwu did not know his place, he wouldn’t mind killing him.

”Bring them in!”

Liu Zeqing called out with a gloomy face, and the next moment, dozens of soldiers clad in armor and wielding weapons poured into the hall.

”Since you are so ignorant, don’t blame me, the General, for being rude!”

”Take them down!”

Liu Zeqing had lost his patience. Originally, he had wanted to win over some more officials from the local faction, since their reputation within the Songzhou Guard was not small, and having these officials on his side would make it easier for him to control the soldiers of the Songzhou Guard.

But now he had neither the time nor the energy to entangle with these people anymore.

Zhang Yuanwu remained silent, as did the others.

The soldiers stepped forward to apprehend them.

Just then, a noise of disturbance came from outside, followed by the sounds of battle.

”Report, soldiers inside the city are rebelling, they are attacking the South City Gate!” a soldier reported in haste.

”What?”

Liu Zeqing was shocked.

The corners of Zhang Yuanwu’s mouth slightly curled up.

”You!”

Liu Zeqing looked at Zhang Yuanwu and the others. Zhang Yuanwu shook his head slightly and said, ”General, this has nothing to do with us!”

”Curses!” Liu Zeqing was furious.

Nothing to do with you?

Are you trying to fool ghosts?

How could there be soldiers rebelling inside the city if no one organized and led it?

”Kill them!” Liu Zeqing decided to strike hard, regardless of the consequences.

No matter what, he had to stabilize the situation within the city. Only then would he have a chance to survive.

At this moment, he still didn’t know that Ji Feiyu had already given up on him, or else who knows what he would have felt.

But as soon as he finished speaking, the noise outside became even more intense.

Shouts of battle rose, as if they were right nearby.

That’s correct, nearby. The shouts were no longer coming from the direction of the South City Gate, but inside the Assistant General Mansion.

”Kill, take down Liu Zeqing, redeem your offenses with a meritorious deed!”

”Kill!”

The shouts were relentless, and Liu Zeqing’s face turned as black and purple as a frost-struck eggplant.

Zhang Yuanwu and the other Military Officers, hearing the shouts of battle, let out a sigh of relief, then pushed away the approaching soldiers before exiting the hall.

Liu Zeqing did not stop them, because even if he did, it would have been meaningless.

The Military Officers were not weak; although he had the upper hand now, it did not mean he could easily take down Zhang Yuanwu and the others.

After leaving the hall, Zhang Yuanwu and the others did not depart but stood quietly waiting in front of the doors of the hall.

Liu Zeqing also stepped out of the hall and stood under the eaves, staring at them.

The shouts grew closer, and soon a figure drenched in blood appeared at the archway entrance.

”It’s you! You didn’t die!” Liu Zeqing, seeing clearly who it was, his eyes filled with malevolence.

The newcomer was a tall man with a scar on his face, extending from his left brow, past his nose, all the way to his jaw.

The fresh blood and horrific scar made him look incredibly fierce and terrifying.

”Hehe, Liu Zeqing, you never imagined, did you? That I’m still alive!” Zhang Chengzhi growled through clenched teeth.

Zhang Chengzhi, the former sitting officer of the Songzhou Guard’s Rescue Camp, was promoted to Commander of the Songzhou Guard after the battle in the Northern lands.

Back when Yang Zhenshan used the Fire Bull Formation to attack Kolcha’s flag territory, it was Zhang Chengzhi and Zhang Yuanwu who were responsible for driving the bulls.

Before Liu Zeqing raised the flag in rebellion, it was Zhang Chengzhi and Zhang Yuanwu who led the local faction against him, with Zhang Chengzhi’s attitude being much more intense than Zhang Yuanwu’s.

So, when Liu Zeqing responded to Ji Feiyu’s call to arms, he directly attempted to assassinate Zhang Chengzhi.

Zhang Chengzhi was fortunate to escape the certain death, saved by Zhang Yuanwu and others who hid him.

Liu Zeqing had suspected Zhang Yuanwu and others, even sending people to search their residences, but they did not find Zhang Chengzhi.

At that time he still hoped to win over Zhang Yuanwu, so he did not press too hard.

What Liu Zeqing did not anticipate was that Zhang Yuanwu did not actually hide Zhang Chengzhi; he had been staying within the Songzhou Guard camp all along.

Hundreds of soldiers knew of his existence, yet not one disclosed his whereabouts.

What is a local faction!

Only those deeply rooted can be called a local faction!

Liu Zeqing might control the high-ranking officials of Songzhou Guard, but he could not control every single soldier.

”Kill them all!” Liu Zeqing shouted furiously.

The next moment, he drew his long sword and lunged at Zhang Chengzhi.

”Kill!”

Zhang Yuanwu and others wasted no more words, joining the fray with Zhang Chengzhi in an instant.

In a blink, the entire Assistant General Mansion became a battlefield, filled with fighting soldiers.

After all, Liu Zeqing was the Commander of Songzhou Guard, with a group of fiercely loyal subordinates under his command.

Although Zhang Chengzhi and Zhang Yuanwu had rallied a number of soldiers, taking down Liu Zeqing was no simple matter.

The reason they had bided their time until now to strike was due to insufficient strength on their side, lacking the confidence to take down Liu Zeqing.

It was Yang Zhenshan’s arrival that gave them the confidence to move; otherwise, they could only feign compliance with Liu Zeqing.

At that moment, Yang Zhenshan had only just reached Songzhou City, and his soldiers were setting up camp.

”Report, General, there is a disturbance inside the city. For unknown reasons, the South City Gate has been opened!”

Just as the main camp was being set up and Yang Zhenshan was preparing for lunch, he received a scout’s report.

”The South City Gate is open!”

Yang Zhenshan was stunned at first, then suddenly stood up, ”Issue the command, the Five Army Camps follow me to strike!”

Although he was unaware of the situation inside the city, he could not let the opportunity of the open South City Gate pass, even if it might be a trap, he had to charge in and see for himself.

Moments later, Yang Zhenshan led the Five Army Camps toward the South City Gate.

By now, the South City Gate truly was in the throes of chaos, with more than a hundred soldiers staunchly defending the open gate, while a multitude of soldiers were attacking them from all around, and there were even more soldiers who were actually assaulting those attacking the gate.

Some soldiers were loyal to Liu Zeqing, others turned their coats for Zhang Chengzhi and Zhang Yuanwu, and many soldiers didn’t understand the situation at all, only to be passively caught in the chaos.

For a time, the scene was extremely chaotic, as if the camp had exploded, making it difficult to discern friend from foe.

”Open the gate. Welcome the Royal Army! Expel the traitors, earn new merits!”

”Damn it, I am Yan Zhengqing. Those who recognize me, come to my side and stop these traitors!”

Yan Zhengqing, the Deputy Magistrate of Songzhou Guard, stood behind the city gate on horseback with his sword drawn, roaring ferociously.

”Open the gate, welcome the Royal Army! Kill!”

”Kill!”

Shouts and roars spread across most of Songzhou City, and the disturbance spread from the South City Gate to the surroundings.

Liu Zeqing had placed many of his trusted individuals within Songzhou Guard and the Rescue Camp, but no matter how many confidantes he had, it was impossible to control every Hundred Households, flag officer, and ordinary soldier.

As a result, a bizarre scene unfolded within Songzhou City, where a group of Hundred Households and flag officers led their subordinates to besiege their own superiors.

In no time, insubordinate battles erupted everywhere.

However, Liu Zeqing wasn’t without his own loyal forces; although many soldiers had defected, Liu Zeqing’s own troops were the real elite.

A unit of Cavalry quickly reached the vicinity of the South City Gate, piercing fiercely into it like a sharp sword.

Yan Zhengqing fought as he retreated, soon to be overwhelmed.

”Clear the way, clear the way, General Yang is here! The Royal Army is here!”

Suddenly, shouts came from behind, and Yan Zhengqing, pressed back by the enemy, took the opportunity to look behind him, only to see the messenger he had sent out earlier galloping back, and behind his subordinate was a thundering horde.

”Milord, be careful!” The returning subordinate suddenly shouted a warning.

Yan Zhengqing snapped to his senses just in time to see a blade of light sweeping towards him.

”Damn, my time is up!”

The blade was swift and struck as he was caught off guard; he had no way to block it.

Just as the blade was about to land on his chest, a piercing whoosh sounded, and a Short Spear flew past his scalp, impaling the enemy before him.

”Make way!”

Immediately after, he felt a massive force hitting his side, and in the blink of an eye, he was thrown into the air.

The blow did not injure him, but instead flung him clear.

Still mid-air, he turned his head to see a towering figure flashing past him like lightning.

”General Yang!”

At this point, Yang Zhenshan had no time to care for anything else; he did not recognize Yan Zhengqing and only saved him because he was the one who had opened the gate.

Rushing through the gate, he plunged into the opposing Cavalry like a bolt of thunder.