In Gui Chang City, a group of soldiers was patrolling. When they passed by the West Gate, the centurion suddenly frowned. He seemed to have noticed something strange, but he did not stop because he was not sure if it was real or not. He was just a little suspicious.
What he saw were the soldiers guarding the West Gate. Many of them were unfamiliar faces. Moreover, many of the soldiers were moving around randomly when they were on guard duty. They had no discipline at all. When he was patrolling, he often passed by the West Gate, but this did not happen. This naturally attracted his attention. However, when he thought about the current situation in Dongnu Province, he was relieved.
After all, Dongnu Province was suffering from a food shortage. For the sake of stability, the imperial court had temporarily recruited many soldiers. It was normal for there to be new faces in the army. However, these people at the West Gate made the centurion feel that this was abnormal. He felt that there was something wrong.
This was because even if there was a gap between the training of the new recruits and the veterans, in terms of discipline, they would generally perform better than the veterans. This was because the new recruits had just entered the camp and were more or less afraid. On the other hand, the veterans were more likely to become cunning soldiers. However, these new faces looked even more cunning than the veterans. Looking at how they were moving around, they did not look like soldiers at all.
There were only ten patrolling soldiers behind the centurion. This was a team that he personally led. There were two other teams patrolling elsewhere, and the rest were resting. After passing by the West Gate, he should have returned to the camp. However, because he was slightly suspicious, he decided to go through the West Gate again to see what was going on with the soldiers at the West Gate.
The person on night duty at the West Gate was Darwin. He changed the thirty soldiers under him into twenty-five, leaving only five of his loyal brothers.
Because he knew that the bandits' discipline was lax, Darwin planned to have fifteen of his trusted subordinates stay on top of the city gate. This way, they would not be easily exposed. However, Zhao Changtian disagreed. He felt that the city gate was an important strategic location. Therefore, he requested for five of his trusted subordinates and five of Bai Yong's trusted subordinates to stay on top of the city gate. He wanted the fifteen bandits and five of Darwin's brothers to stay at the city gate. This way, if the situation changed, the fifteen bandits could kill Darwin at any time.
Because of Zhao Changtian's arrangement, the patrolling centurion, Zhao Ba, noticed something unusual and decided to take another look.
The fifteen bandits naturally had no idea about the patrolling pattern within Gui Chang City. However, Darwin and his five brothers were very clear about it. When they saw the patrolling team come again, they immediately became very nervous. They already knew about Darwin's plan. They knew that Darwin had joined forces with the bandits outside to prepare for a rebellion. The prerequisite for a successful rebellion was surprise. If they were discovered in advance, then it would be terrible.
"Brother Da, why are all your people so unfamiliar?"
The centurion patrolled to the city gate and asked.
Usually, when he was patrolling, he would not talk to Darwin. At most, he would look at him and nod. However, they definitely knew each other's names and positions.
Darwin's heart tightened as he hurriedly said, "Brother Zhao, they are all newly recruited soldiers. The old soldiers have been transferred outside the city to train the new recruits."
"Oh, they increased the number of soldiers again. It's all because of the food shortage."
Zhao Ba said with a frown, a worried expression on his face. He had seen the expressions of Darwin and the fifteen bandits earlier and had already noticed some abnormalities. However, he only had ten men under his command and could not defeat the enemy. Thus, he could only return and report this to his superior.
Darwin said, "Isn't that so? This food shortage has caused our Dongnu Province to suffer. It's still fine in the city, but the people outside the city have no food. If we don't enlist them, they can only become bandits. "
One of the bandits suddenly spoke and said domineeringly, "Without food, they can only be bandits. It's only right."
Darwin became nervous and scolded, "Shut up and stand down.
However, these people were the trusted subordinates of the bandit leader. How could they care about a small chiliarch like Darwin? They snorted and did not back down.
Darwin cursed in his heart. These bandits were simply courting death. But even if they wanted to die, they should not drag him down with them! He was helpless and resentful.
Seeing the arrogance of these unfamiliar recruits, Zhao Ba was certain that they were bandits. Furthermore, for Darwin to place bandits in his troops, it was obvious that he wanted to rebel.
However, there were only ten soldiers under Zhao Ba's command by his side, while the other side had twenty people. There were ten more people on the city gate. Moreover, these new soldiers were all valiant, and their combat power was not weaker than the elites of the East Woman Kingdom. If they really fought, he and the ten soldiers under his command would definitely be finished.
"Brother Da, since there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Zhao Ba planned to return and report to the chiliarch. Then, he would gather more troops to encircle these guys.
Darwin naturally guessed Zhao Ba's thoughts. He pulled Zhao Ba and said with a smile, "Brother Zhao, what's the rush? Why don't we go inside and have a few drinks? This night shift is too tiring. It's fine to relax a little. "
Zhao Ba naturally knew what Darwin wanted to do. If he was really controlled here, he would most likely die. Naturally, he would not stay.
"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Da. However, my uncle has already prepared the food and wine. He's just waiting for me. It's like this every night shift. If I don't return to the camp in time to drink with him, my uncle might be angry and blame Brother Da. Brother Da, you know my uncle's bad temper. "
Zhao Ba said in a threatening tone.
Zhao Ba's uncle, Li Long, was a chiliarch. He was Zhao Ba's immediate superior. If not for his uncle's support, Zhao Ba would not have been promoted to the position of a centurion at such a young age.
As for Li Long's bad temper, the entire Guichang City had heard of it. This was not someone a small figure like Darwin could afford to offend. Moreover, many soldiers who finished their night shift had the habit of eating supper. Zhao Ba's words were very credible.
"It's just a few drinks. It won't take long. Brother Zhao, please!"
Although Darwin was afraid of Li Long, he was still unwilling to let Zhao Ba go.
At this time, it was already midnight. Darwin knew that the rebel army outside had already finished gathering. At this moment, they were on their way. In at most two hours, the rebel army would arrive at the west gate. In other words, as long as he controlled Zhao Ba for two hours, everything would be settled.
As for Zhao Ba's uncle, Li Long, as long as he killed Zhao Ba and the other eleven people in the house without leaving any traces, then even if Li Long quickly came out to look for them, he would not be able to prove that they were lost near the west gate, and would not easily suspect the house at the city gate. As long as he could hold on for two hours, even if Li Long found Zhao Ba's corpse, it would be meaningless, because the rebel army had already launched a surprise attack. Li Long could only die. What was there to be afraid of with a dead Li Long?
Zhao Ba naturally knew the danger of staying here. He had to think of a way to escape. The house at the city gate was definitely not something he could go to. He quickly thought of a way, and that was to retreat in order to advance.
"Go back and tell my uncle that I'm drinking with Brother Da at the west gate, so I can't accompany him. Let him drink slowly by himself!"
Zhao Ba turned around and looked at one of his trusted aides. He used his eyes to warn him, telling him to quickly go back and get reinforcements.
This trusted aide had followed Zhao Ba for many years and was smart enough. At the same time, this trusted aide also saw danger in the calm environment. Thus, after receiving Zhao Ba's signal, he quickly responded and turned around to run away.
He wanted to stop the soldier, but it was already too late. After all, no one had fallen out with each other, and no one had made any preparations to intercept the soldier. Faced with someone suddenly running away, it was indeed too late to stop him. If they took out their crossbows and shot him, it would incite a rather large and fierce battle, which would definitely expose their intentions. This would then turn the rebel army's surprise attack into a full-on assault. With just the rebel army's soldiers, there was no chance of success in a frontal assault. The only chance of success was a surprise attack.
"Hahaha!" Forget it, Brother Zhao, you should go back and drink with your uncle! I'm really afraid that your uncle will whip me! If there's a chance in the future, let's drink slowly! "
Darwin still wanted to stall for time. If he acted now, their intentions would be exposed. Furthermore, the rebel army had not arrived yet, so the thirty of them had no chance of winning. If he let Zhao Ba go, he could at least buy some time. Zhao Ba would at least have to return to the safety of the camp and then tell his uncle Li Long about his suspicions. After Li Long found out about this, he would need to spend time to organize his troops, and also immediately report to his superiors and wait for orders. In the middle of the night, Li Long's superiors would definitely be sleeping. After they woke up, they would listen to the report and then give orders. All of this required time, and by the time all of this was done, the rebel army might have already charged in.
At this moment, what worried Darwin the most was that Li Long did not play by the rules. If Li Long acted first and reported later, without waiting for orders from his superiors, he would bring his troops over and take control of the thirty of them. That would be the end of them.
"It's over, this Zhao Ba must have discovered something."
Looking at Zhao Ba's departing figure, Darwin said in pain.
"What, discovered? Then what are we waiting for? Kill them."
A bandit said.
Darwin reprimanded, "You only know how to kill. We only have thirty people, and once the sounds of fighting start, we'll immediately be exposed. The thirty of us will definitely die without a burial ground. Right now, we can only hope that Li Long is someone who is afraid of his superiors, and that his superior is also a fool. If that's the case, as long as we delay for two hours, we'll be done."
At this moment, Darwin's greatest confidence was that Zhao Ba and Li Long didn't have the slightest bit of evidence. Although the people around him looked very much like bandits, that couldn't be used as evidence. And in a situation where there was no evidence, if Li Long rashly took control of all thirty of Darwin's subordinates and occupied the west gate, then the one who rebelled wouldn't be Darwin, but Li Long.
After all, once Li Long took control of the West Gate, the thirty of them would be under his control, and no one would be able to send a signal to the rebel army outside the city. As such, the rebel army would not attack the city, and if that was the case, how would Li Long explain his actions? Detaining the West Gate guards for no reason and taking control of the West Gate for himself, wouldn't this be considered a rebellion? If that was the case, Darwin could definitely bite back and say that Li Long had colluded with the bandits outside the city, and that it was because the bandits had encountered an accident that they did not come that Gui Chang City was not lost. At that time, Li Long would not be able to explain himself even if he had ten mouths.
It had to be said that Darwin's guess was correct. After hearing his nephew Zhao Ba's report, although Li Long attached great importance to it and ordered his men to gather, he did not send out his troops. Instead, he immediately sent his trusted aide to report to his superior. He was worried that if he made a mistake, the consequences would be very serious. Although he had a bad temper, there were some things that he did not dare to do.
"Uncle, the West Gate guards have suddenly changed in large numbers tonight. Darwin's collusion with the bandits is already a certainty. Why haven't we sent out our troops? It's already midnight, and if a large group of bandits charge into the city, then it will be too late."
Zhao Ba said very anxiously.
Li Long sighed and said, "I naturally understand what you are saying, but if this matter is wrong, then the consequences will be too serious. I can't gamble with my own life. It's better to wait for the order!"
Chiliarchs did not have the authority to launch a surprise attack on the West Gate, especially under the premise that there was no substantial evidence, so it was even more impossible to do such a thing.
Zhao Ba roared angrily, "Uncle, why are you so pedantic? This order needs to be reported level by level, and then passed down level by level. By the time the order is issued, I'm afraid that the bandits will have already broken into the city. At that time, Gui Chang City will be finished. You only care about your own life, and do you not care about the lives of the people in the city?"
Although his nephew was very unreasonable, the hot-tempered Li Long was not angry at all, because he knew that his nephew was right. He was indeed a little pedantic, but he had a big family, and he really believed that all of this was wrong. In the situation where he did not personally see Darwin colluding with the bandits, he could not make up his mind.
"Ba 'er, you don't have to worry too much. There are still two thousand of our soldiers outside the West Gate. Even if the bandits launch a surprise attack, the first to face the enemy will be the army outside the city. When the battle cries are heard, our army will immediately go to the West Gate to reinforce. We should be able to make it in time."
Li Long said.
Zhao Ba frowned and said, "Uncle, if the bandits are worried about the army outside the city, why would they dare to arrange spies at the city gate? I'm afraid that the two thousand soldiers outside the city have already colluded with the bandits. Only in this way can the bandits be at ease to collude with the city gate guards. Tonight is the day of their action. Uncle, you must make a prompt decision."
Hearing this, Li Long was shocked. If the two thousand soldiers outside the city rebelled, then the situation would be even more serious. He really could not believe that the soldiers outside the city would collude with the bandits. However, in the current situation of Dongnu Province, anything could happen. Even the soldiers in the city were not 100% reliable.
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