Overgrown weeds grew between the cracks of the bricks on the city wall, and they swayed repeatedly when the spring breeze blew. Tang Zhen pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword and stood on the city wall like a stone statue, supervising the commoners who were repairing the city wall in the distance. The broken wall had already been rebuilt to half its height, and smoke curled up from the chimneys in the city. The soldiers of the Spiritual Medicine Department were preparing the commoners' lunch.
Suddenly, a soldier pointed into the distance and said, "Commander, look! There are people coming from the direction of Seven Seas City!"
Tang Zhen was slightly stunned, and he looked into the distance. Sure enough, smoke and dust billowed in the distance. Not only were there people coming, but there were many of them. The 100,000 strong army of Seven Seas City was finally about to arrive at Lanyan City. However, they only arrived nearly 20 days after Lanyan City was massacred.
"Go get Princess Xi."
"Yes!"
Not long after, Tang Xiaoxi walked up the city wall in a white embroidered robe, and a few Seven Seas City Captaincy followed behind her. She slowly came to Tang Zhen's side and said, "Send a cavalryman out of the city to ask where they came from. Close the city gates, and don't trust anyone easily."
"Yes, Princess."
Tang Zhen did as he was told, and the cavalryman galloped over quickly. He cupped his fists at Tang Xiaoxi who was on the city wall and said, "Princess Xi, Commander Tang Zhen, it's Young Master Tang Lu and Young Lady Tang Wei from Seven Seas City. At the back, Young Master Tang Tian is escorting Duke Lan over. The 100,000 strong army of Seven Seas City is about to arrive at Lanyan City. Young Master Tang Lu asked me to inform Princess Xi and order her to open the city gates and go out to welcome Duke Lan."
"Tang Lu and Tang Wei?"
Tang Xiaoxi pursed her red lips, and her eyes flickered with uncertainty. She said, "Tang Zhen, pass down the order to close all the city gates of Lanyan City and send a large number of soldiers to guard it. Prohibit any soldiers of the empire or volunteers from entering Lanyan City."
"Ah, Princess?" Tang Zhen was shocked and said, "This isn't very good, right? After all … we are all soldiers of Seven Seas City, and Duke Lan is personally leading the army of Seven Seas City to reinforce Lanyan City. It's fine if you don't come out of the city to welcome us, but why do you have to close the city gates? "
Tang Xiaoxi said faintly, "There is only one master of Lanyan City, and her name is Qin Yin. Unless Qin Yin comes to Lanyan City in person, I won't hand Zetian Palace over to anyone. Tang Zhen, don't forget that we took back Lanyan City from Yihe Nation at the cost of the lives of more than 10,000 soldiers. Now, I'm the master of Lanyan City."
"Yes, I understand!"
Tang Zhen wanted to say something but hesitated. After a few seconds, he cupped his fists and said, "I'm willing to follow the Countess until death!"
"That's good. Go and pass the order!"
"Yes!"
…
The city gates of Lanyan City were closed, and Tang Xiaoxi stood on the city walls with her sleeves fluttering in the wind. She looked at the dense crowd of people of Seven Seas City gathering in the distance.
An hour later, nearly 30,000 soldiers of Seven Seas City formed a formation outside the city. Two generals riding white horses galloped over. They were Tang Lu and Tang Wei. This made Tang Xiaoxi feel a little uneasy. Tang Lan had three sons. The eldest was Tang Xiaoxi's father who had passed away, and the second was Tang Jin. Tang Jin had three children. The eldest was Tang Bin, who had been killed by Lin Muyu in the Dragon Seeking Forest. The second was Tang Lu, and his daughter, Tang Wei, were the two below the city.
Tang Lu, who was dressed in silver armor, had already recognized Tang Xiaoxi. He spurred his horse forward and said, "Xiao Xi, quickly open the city gates. Grandfather's caravan is about to arrive. What are you waiting for?"
Tang Xiaoxi approached the city walls and said with a smile, "I'll have to trouble Second Brother and Little Sister to go back and tell Grandfather that Lanyan City has just suffered from a massacre. The city is not yet stable, so it's not suitable to station an army. So, Grandfather, please station Seven Seas City outside the city."
"Xiao Xi, what do you mean?" Tang Lu suddenly frowned and asked.
"Boring."
Tang Xiaoxi smiled, "Second Brother, look at the two sides outside the city walls. What is that?"
Tang Lu's gaze swept over and said indifferently, "So what if there are corpses piled up like a mountain?"
Tang Xiaoxi giggled, "Second Brother, you also know that they are corpses? Then do you know why these people have become corpses? That's right, it's because the army of Seven Seas City hasn't come out yet. If the 200,000 people of Seven Seas City had come out in full force like now, these people wouldn't have died. Chu Huaiying wouldn't have died, Qin Lei wouldn't have died, and Mu … wouldn't have died either. "
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Tang Lu's gaze was cold as he said, "The Seven Seas City is the foundation of our Tang Clan, and the might of the Righteous Harmony Nation is great. Even if we go all out, it would only be like striking a rock with an egg. Little Xi, quickly open the city gates, otherwise, I …"
"Otherwise, what are you going to do?" Tang Xiaoxi's beautiful eyes revealed a trace of coldness.
"Otherwise, I'll flatten this broken city!"
Tang Lu raised his spear high and shouted, "Soldiers on the city walls, you are all soldiers of my Tang clan. Have you forgotten the iron rules of the Tang Sect? Immediately open the city walls and welcome Duke Lan's army into the city! "
However, the soldiers on the city walls didn't move at all. In fact, none of them even looked at Tang Lu.
Tang Xiaoxi couldn't help but laugh. "Second brother, don't waste your efforts. They are soldiers of the Tang clan, but before that, they are soldiers of the empire. Not all of them are rebellious and want to ascend to the throne. Go back and tell grandfather that unless Xiao Yin returns to Lanyan City, I won't open the city gates to let any soldiers in. If you want to enter the city, then come and attack! Archers, get ready! "
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh …"
A row of archers drew their bows in unison and aimed at Tang Lu, Tang Wei, and the rest below the city walls.
Tang Lu had been spoiled and domineering since he was young. He had never suffered such humiliation before. His expression was cold as he said, "Good … you guys did well! As a member of my Tang clan, you actually dared to aim your arrows at me … Tang Zhen, I'll remember you! "
Tang Zhen cupped his fists on the city walls and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, Second Young Master. This general listens to the iron orders of the Tang Clan and is currently only loyal to Princess Xi. Moreover, I, Tang Zhen, am a soldier of the empire. My loyalty to the empire will never waver!"
"Bah!"
Tang Lu raised his spear and said, "Men, prepare the catapults! Attack the city for me! "
Tang Wei hurriedly pulled Tang Lu's arm and said, "Brother, don't mess around. Go back and tell grandfather about the situation here. If we really start a war with Xiao Xi, I'm afraid … I'm afraid it'll get out of hand …"
"Hmph!"
Tang Lu gritted his teeth and spurred his horse to turn around and leave, vanishing like a wisp of smoke.
…
Amidst the sound of horse hooves, Tang Lu and Tang Wei returned to the central army camp with pale faces. They bowed to Tang Lan from afar and said, "Grandfather, Lanyan City isn't willing to open the city gates to welcome the seven armies."
"What's going on?" Tang Lan's face was pale, and he shivered in the night wind. He wrapped his robe and armor and said, "Haven't Xiao Xi and Tang Zhen already taken control of Lanyan City?"
"Hmph, that girl and Tang Zhen have already committed treason!" Tang Lu said coldly, "Moreover, Xiao Xi even ordered people to shoot at me with bows and arrows to force us to leave the city walls. How infuriating!"
"Treason?" Tang Lan smiled and said, "Xiaoxi secretly mobilized the army of the Tang Town Barracks and summoned the guards of the Demon Clan to take over the large Lanyan City from the Yihe Country. If this is considered treason, then we are all traitors of the country."
"Grandfather, you …" Tang Lu couldn't understand Tang Lan's thoughts and said, "Grandfather, now it's Xiao Xi, this rebellious descendant of the Tang Clan, who is obstructing us from entering Lanyan City!"
Tang Lan sighed and said, "What did Xiao Xi say?"
Tang Wei blinked and said, "Big Sister Xiao Xi said that unless Her Highness Qin Yin personally comes, otherwise, she won't open the gates of Lanyan City. This Lanyan City can only belong to Qin Yin and no one else. So, she asked Grandfather to station the army of the Seven Seas City outside the city, and once Her Highness Yin returns to the city, she'll naturally accept the army of the Seven Seas City. "
"Is that so …"
Tang Lan's brows knit together tightly, and he waved his hand and said, "Tang Lu, Tang Wei, both of you go make arrangements to set up camp outside the city. Since Xiao Xi won't come to welcome this old man into the city, then we'll wait outside the city!"
"Yes!"
Tang Lu and Tang Wei spurred their horses and left. Tang Lan sighed and remained silent.
At the side, a general whose face was shrouded in a cloak smiled and said, "What a joke. The granddaughter has occupied the city, but she won't let her grandfather enter. This is truly a strange story. However … it seems that Duke Lan doesn't vent his anger on Princess Tang Xiaoxi. Why is that?"
Tang Lan turned around and glanced at him, saying with a faint smile, "Can't General Xiang see? All the sons of the Tang family are mediocre, only Xiao Xi is an exception. Although she's a woman, she dares to do what she wants. When the Yihe Country's army of nearly 500,000 surrounded Lanyan City, who in the world dares to oppose them? Only I, this rebellious granddaughter, had the courage to stand up and contend with Ji Yao, Long Qianlin, Ding Xi, and the other famous generals without being defeated. "
The mysterious general smiled and said, "This is the truth. In the entire Tang Sect, only Tang Xiaoxi is the most courageous and resourceful."
"So …"
Tang Lan sighed and said with a smile, "No matter how rebellious Xiao Xi is, I can't be angry with her. She is my greatest pride and the only hope of our Tang Sect."
"Then … what do you plan to do now, Duke Lan? Are you just going to guard outside Lanyan City? "
"No."
Tang Lan's eyes flashed and he said, "The Yihe Country has seized more than half of the empire's territory, but now they are at the end of their rope. They can only retreat again and again. The army of Muyu City in Yunzhong Province has also come out. We can't wait, and we don't have time to wait. We must seize more land before Qin Yin steps into Lanyan City."
"Duke Lan is wise. What do you need me to do?"
"I'll give you a group of men. You must attack the Earth Star Province, which is directly south of Lanyan City. You must seize Cold Star City and make it our territory. Tell me, how many men do you need?"
"Two thousand cavalrymen are enough." Xiang Yu smiled confidently.
"Two thousand?"
Tang Lan also smiled. "You're indeed the descendant of the God of War, Xiang Wentian. This arrogance is indeed not something an ordinary person can have. I'll give you three thousand cavalrymen. You must seize the entire Cold Star Province within three days. Can you do it?"
"Yes, General Xiang!"
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