"The soldiers of Yunzhou dare to rebel?"
The silver gong immediately raised his eyebrows and shouted, "What's the situation outside the city?"
The soldier galloped over. His lips had cracked from the cold, and his mouth was parched. He opened his mouth and spoke in a hoarse and unpleasant voice, "The southern gate has been closed …"
"Don't rush. Take a breather first!"
Xu Qi 'an went downstairs and poured a cup of cold water for the soldier.
The soldier quickly took it and gulped it down. His throat felt much better. He looked gratefully at Xu Qi 'an and quickly said, "The guards have gathered three thousand soldiers outside the southern gate.
"The guards have gathered an army of three thousand soldiers just outside the southern city gate. The commander of the guards, Xu Huchen, has threatened to enter the city within an hour if Lord Inspector doesn't release the commander and give them an explanation!"
Military remonstrance!
This was the first word that flashed through the mind of Xu Qi 'an, who was well-versed in history. Military remonstrance was to use force to persuade a sovereign or an elder to obey.
To put it simply, it was to use force to force one to submit.
The difference between military remonstrance and coup was that the goal was different, but the action was the same. The two military remonstrances that left the deepest impression on Xu Qi 'an was the death of Yang Yuhuan at Mawei and the young commander taking out a pistol to shoot at Old Jiang.
Both remonstrances were successful. One changed the future of the Great Tang, and the other changed the future of China.
But a military remonstrance was a death remonstrance. Unless absolutely necessary, no one would use it.
"How dare they!"
The silver gongs who had rushed over to investigate were immediately enraged when they learned of the situation.
Such a thing would never happen in the capital. Their shock and anger were indescribable when they heard the news.
"The inspector has gone to the command office. It's impossible for him to reach the southern gate in an hour," one of the silver gongs gripped the hilt of his saber and said gravely.
"How many soldiers are there in the southern gate?"
"Less than a thousand," the soldier replied.
They might not be able to hold it …
"How about this. We'll lead the Stalwart Tiger Guard to the southern gate. If those soldiers dare to rebel, we'll cut them down. I believe that we can stall for time until the inspector and reinforcements arrive, "one of the silver gongs suggested.
A few bellicose night watchmen were eager to give it a try.
The Stalwart Tiger Guards were battle-hardened soldiers, and with the help of Qi Refining Stage guards and the City Defense Army, it wouldn't be hard for them to defend the city for a while.
"What about Yang Chuannan? He's a wanted criminal of the imperial court, we can't just abandon him. "Xu Qi'an reminded the hot-headed night watchmen.
"Take him with you," said a gong.
"Do you believe that Wei Si's soldiers will fight us to the death on the spot?" Xu Qi 'an raised an eyebrow.
"Wasn't that their goal when they besieged the city?" Copper Gong scoffed coldly.
"Do you think that you can force the Imperial Inspector to submit to us? Let these soldiers and barbarians of Yunzhou know what it means to be a night watchman. "
This is what annoys people the most.
They had always been the ones supervising the officials and punishing corrupt officials. Since when did someone dare to bully them at their doorstep? He even threatened to have the Imperial Inspector meet him within an hour. Otherwise, he would charge into the city.
This was a complete disregard for the night watchers, trampling on their faces.
They could tolerate it, but not the Warrior.
The Warlocks could tolerate it, but not the Warrior.
F * ck them.
Xu Qi 'an saw that the situation wasn't right. He quickly knocked on the table and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, calm down. Force won't solve the problem."
The Yin Gong who first received the soldiers was the most hot-tempered. He looked at Xu Qi 'an and cursed, "I can't stand it anymore. Jiang Jinluo isn't here, so Yin Gong has the final say. Brothers, follow me. Take Yang Chuannan with you. "
Li Miaozhen stood at the side and looked on coldly.
Bang!
With a loud bang, Xu Qi 'an stood up.
The night watchers who were about to leave the relay station came back in shock.
Xu Qi 'an pointed at Yin Gong's nose and scolded, "I don't care if you're Yin Gong or not. Don't use your position to pressure me. Can you? Go and ask that Zhu fellow whether he can suppress them or not!
"You've intensified the conflict. What do you expect the Imperial Inspector to do? Kill the three thousand soldiers of the Guards Bureau? What if you can't defend it? Will you be responsible if the war spreads to the commoners in the city? Can you take responsibility? "
Yin Gong straightened his neck and glared at him. "Xu Qi 'an, do you think you can take responsibility?"
"At least my shoulders can take it better than yours!" Xu Qi 'an shouted.
For a moment, no one retorted.
A Yin Gong's arrogant words made all the night watchers in the room fall silent … The female ghost Susu looked at this scene in astonishment. She couldn't understand it.
"All of you stay here and guard Yang Chuannan. He's a serious criminal of the imperial court. Nothing can happen to him. I'll delay the guards outside the city. "Xu Qi 'an saw that no one continued to argue, so he spoke of his plan.
"You?"
Everyone looked doubtful.
Xu Qi 'an pinched the space between his brows and explained clearly, "The Guards Bureau's army is outside the city. Their goal is not to attack the city, but to ask the Imperial Inspector to release Yang Chuannan. This gives them room to maneuver.
"You rushed over in such a hurry and even brought Yang Chuannan. This is no different from provocation. Instead, it will intensify the conflict and leave both sides with no way out.
"Of course, I can't persuade the soldiers of the Guards Bureau, but General Li can."
Xu Qi 'an pushed Li Miaozhen out and said with a smile, "I'm sure General Li doesn't want things to be so tense that Yang Chuannan has no way out."
As for letting Yang Chuannan go over personally, he hadn't considered it. First, Yang Chuannan might not cooperate. Second, what if he was directly rescued?
Li Miaozhen seemed to be waiting for this result. She slowly exhaled and no longer looked on coldly. She nodded and said, "I will do my best to hold out until the Imperial Inspector arrives."
…
Li Miaozhen and Xu Qi 'an led two fast horses and rushed towards the South City Gate. The paper doll Susu hugged Li Miaozhen's slender waist and sat at the back.
"You, this little gong, are quite capable!" Susu tilted her head and sized up Xu Qi 'an who was riding alongside them.
"It's not that I'm capable, it's mainly because …" Xu Qi 'an coughed and used a tone that revealed a secret, "Actually, Imperial Inspector Zhang and I are blood brothers with the same father but different mothers."
Susu caught the main point immediately, "Ah, you are Imperial Inspector Zhang's brother?"
"Otherwise, why would I have such a big say?"
"So that's how it is …" Susu had a sudden realization and felt that she knew a big secret.
The corner of Li Miaozhen's mouth twitched. She really wanted to remind her maid to tell her that Xu Qi 'an's words could not be trusted.
The reason why he had such a big say was because he was deeply trusted and appreciated by Wei Yuan. His position in the yamen was not ordinary.
But this information came from the inner circle of the Heaven & Earth Society. What did Number Two know have to do with Li Miaozhen?
…
When they arrived at the South City Gate, they showed their waist tags and climbed up the city wall. The Qian Hu of the city guards personally received them.
"Why is the Imperial Inspector not here yet?"
The Qian Hu, who was holding a military knife, had a square face and triangular eyes. He looked at the empty street and could not hide the disappointment in his heart.
"The Imperial Inspector Zhang is investigating a case and can't make it here. General You Qi and I are here to stall for time." Xu Qi 'an explained.
He stood at the top of the city wall and looked down. There were two square formations outside the city. The larger one was the Wei Si army. The cavalry was at the front, the infantry at the back and in the middle was the artillery.
Flags fluttered in the wind. The three thousand soldiers stared at the top of the city wall in silence. An indescribable ferocious aura came rushing at him.
Xu Qi 'an was now half a step into the Spirit Ascension realm. But facing this battle-hardened army, he still wanted to avoid them. He did not dare to face them head-on.
Fighting for three thousand miles and killing millions with a single sword … What kind of Warrior could achieve such a feat?
He thought to himself.
"The army of the Cloud Province is extremely ferocious. They don't fear death at all." Li Miaozhen held the silver spear in her hand and looked down beside him.
"I rushed to the station last night because I was afraid that the Imperial Inspector Zhang would go overboard and push things to the point of no return."
Xu Qi 'an nodded. The bandits in the Cloud Province were in full swing. It would be strange if a soldier in the Cloud Province was not fierce. Soldiers who had been fighting for years had a strong murderous aura. They usually only recognized the leader who fought alongside them. It was difficult for outsiders to control them.
They were not like the soldiers in the Land of Comfort who cherished their lives.
"That little square over there. Which army is it?" Xu Qi 'an asked.
The army at the foot of the city wall was the Guard Commander under the jurisdiction of the White Emperor, also known as the Guard Commander. The next level was the Station. The little square on the side seemed to have about four to five hundred people. Xu Qi 'an guessed that it was the "Station" of the county level.
Li Miaozhen was a little embarrassed. "It's my Flying Swallow Army."
"Ning is also a traitor?" Xu Qi 'an looked at her with eyes full of distrust.
Li Miaozhen explained, "I did think of using the army to pressure them. It's a bad habit I developed in the Yunzhou Army."
She threw the blame to the Yunzhou Army.
"Then what should we do now? Leave the city?" Xu Qi 'an asked tentatively.
"Yes." Li Miaozhen nodded.
"Can I not go?"
"You represent the Imperial Inspector." Li Miaozhen glared at him. "The Guard Commander Xu Huchen has a bad temper and is headstrong. Since you want to resolve the conflict, you have to endure it."
"Even your face is not enough?"
Li Miaozhen snorted. "If I don't accompany him, he might chop your gong."
"Heh, soldiers are really unreasonable."
The city gate creaked open. The Guard Commander sent the two out and waved his hand. "Take care."
Xu Qi 'an looked back. "Lord Commander, why don't you come with us?"
The Commander said, "The wind is strong here. What did Lord say? I didn't hear clearly … Oh, Lord said close the city gate? Okay, I won't open the gate even if I die. "
The city gate slowly closed.
"…" Xu Qi 'an thought, Damn.
Li Miaozhen didn't go straight to Wei Si. Instead, she turned around and went to her Flying Swallow Army. She called for a few dozen riders to hold the line. Then, she went to meet Wei Si's three thousand soldiers.
"My Flying Swallow Army, the lowest cultivation is Spirit Refining. There are a total of four hundred and thirty-seven people. The Sergeant is at the peak of Spirit Refining, the Sergeant is at Qi Refining, and the Lieutenant is at Copper Skin and Iron Bone."
Li Miaozhen's voice was clear and melodious. She introduced her private army to Xu Qi 'an with a hint of pride.
Four Rank Six martial artists, forty Qi Realm martial artists … Oh my god, this woman is too scary!
Xu Qi 'an swallowed his saliva. "I don't think there is such an army in Yunzhou."
Li Miaozhen grunted and said reservedly, "Everyone followed me to Yunzhou because of me."
How big is your face? Xu Qi 'an turned around and looked at the American woman with a ponytail and a silver spear. He had to reevaluate her strength.
Xu Qi 'an's first impression of her was Tenzō Shōnin, followed by Flying Swallow Heroine. But now, it seemed that Flying Swallow Heroine had to be ranked first.
Li Miaozhen's connections in Jianghu might be more unfathomable than he thought.
"Everyone in Heaven & Earth Society is talented. I need to work harder … Hmm, I need to set a small goal first. I need to become Wei Yuan's son …"
"What's Xu Huchen's cultivation?" Xu Qi 'an asked suddenly.
"Peak of Spirit Refinement," Li Miaozhen answered.
"That's not high." Xu Qi 'an was surprised.
"Wei Yuan is still a normal person, but he's the commander-in-chief of the three armies." Li Miaozhen shook her head. "Marching to war isn't about fighting bravely. High-ranked martial artists can fight against a hundred, or even a thousand. But they might not be able to lead an army of a thousand.
"With my ability, five hundred is already my limit. But Xu Huchen can lead an army of three to five thousand. If we fight on the battlefield, I'll definitely lose. "
Violence was aesthetics, and war was art. They were two completely different concepts.
Li Miaozhen stopped about fifty feet away from Wei Si's army and said loudly, "Commander Xu, come over and have a word."
The general in the lead was eight feet tall. His mount was taller than a normal horse, and he held a long lance in his hand.
Anyone who dared to use a lance was a brave general.
Xu Huchen held a long lance, his eyes sharp. His dark green chin had just been shaved. He nodded slightly at Li Miaozhen.
"General Li, are you going to rescue Commander Xu with us?"
Li Miaozhen shook her head. "Everything is fine, Master Yang. General Xu is too impulsive. Do you know the consequences of your actions? "
"It's just death."
Xu Huchen was very straightforward. He grinned and said, "My life was saved by Commander Xu. If the imperial court wants to punish him, I'll give up my life."
Xu Qi 'an suddenly asked, "How did you know about this?"
Xu Huchen glanced at Xu Qi 'an and sneered. "So it's Eunuch Wei's Eagle Claw."
'I'm fine, but my father is too much …' Xu Qi 'an flicked his thumb. The black-gold changdao at the back of his waist was unsheathed by half an inch.
He said in a low voice, "General Xu, don't challenge the imperial court's authority. I came with sincerity. If you don't know what's good for you, I would've already taken you down from your horse. "
Li Miaozhen said so much, but what he was trying to convey was one thing: don't reason with soldiers.
Reasoning was for scholars. Soldiers only cared about their fists. Only when their fists were hard would they have dignity.
Xu Qi 'an's idea was to show off his martial prowess to win respect and intimidate these people who were not afraid of death. Only then would he reason with them.
Xu Huchen was polite to Li Miaozhen, but directly mocked and ridiculed him. This was the embodiment of no dignity.
However, he couldn't just kill him directly. That would aggravate the conflict.
"Clatter, clatter, clatter …"
He turned his horse around and silently went to the other side.
Xu Huchen, Li Miaozhen, and the dozens of Flying Swallow Army soldiers followed him with their eyes.
"Hmph! I want to see the Imperial Inspector. Does a gong like him deserve to talk to me? " Xu Huchen sneered. "What a brat. Does he think this is the capital where everyone is afraid of the night watchman?
"General Li, what happened to Commander Xu?"
Li Miaozhen shook her head and looked at Xu Qi 'an's back.
Xu Huchen was a little impatient. He was irritable and easily angered. He was already very displeased that the Imperial Inspector avoided meeting him and sent a gong to deal with him.
He couldn't even resist the urge to kill the gong to show off to the Imperial Inspector.
He was only willing to talk to Li Miaozhen because of General You Ji, Li Miaozhen.
At this moment, the gong stopped and even turned to look at Xu Huchen with a cold smile.
Then, he flicked his left thumb and pushed his saber half an inch forward. His right hand gripped the hilt, and after a short moment of charging …
Clang!
The ear-piercing sound of the saber being unsheathed echoed in the air. In the eyes of Xu Huchen and the thousands of soldiers, they only saw the air distort as something streaked past.
In the next moment, a deep sound was heard. A thin crack appeared on the ground, extending from Xu Qi 'an's feet to the front of the army.
The cavalry at the front row became restless. The horses seemed to be startled.
Xu Huchen widened his eyes in disbelief. He … could really dismount me from my horse just now.
This incomparably valiant general who led the army in battle felt a trace of reverence in his heart. He acknowledged Xu Qi 'an's sincerity.
Li Miaozhen stared at Xu Qi 'an in astonishment. Huge question marks flashed in her mind.
Based on her Tenzō Shōnin's judgment, this saber was as sharp as lightning. Even a martial artist who had just entered the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones realm would not be able to withstand it with their body.
Could a martial artist of the Qi Refinement realm do this?
Then, she remembered what Number One said. Xu Qi 'an had once killed a Yin Gong, and that Yin Gong was a martial artist of the Spirit Ascension realm.
At that time, he could already kill people of a higher realm. Now, he was half a step into the Spirit Ascension realm.
If he was a genius, then the Jinlian Taoist priest did not invite him to join the association. Instead, he chose his cousin. That cousin … was so terrifying.
"Wow."
Behind him, the martial artists of the Flying Swallow Army exclaimed.
Clatter, clatter, clatter …
Little Gong rode back on his horse. Forcing his tired body, he said, "General Xu, I am Xu Qi 'an. I am here to discuss with you on behalf of the Imperial Inspector."
"…" Xu Huchen said in a low voice, "Please speak, Sir."
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