"Stop!" Captain Lu roared, stopping the soldiers who were about to attack. A few of them pretended not to hear him and sped up, wanting to shoot the arrows in their hands.
Seeing this, Captain Lu immediately pounced forward and beat up the soldiers until they vomited blood.
"Put down your weapons immediately and return to your teams," Captain Lu ordered sternly. "The rest of you, stand still. All teams, return to your positions."
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the drill ground could hear him clearly.
Lu Xinghe, as the guard of a small border city, was a captain and the chief instructor. He was in charge of the training of all the soldiers and was currently at Stage Two Internal Force.
In terms of military affairs, Captain Lu was the second person in charge. As a loyal person, he was also imprisoned. Of course, he was now the first person in charge.
The few people who came with him were also very reputable here. They helped to maintain the discipline of the drill ground.
Captain Lu's arrangement was very useful. Soon, the noisy crowd calmed down again.
After the arrangements were made, Captain Lu came to Zhao Man's side and reported, "Reporting, all personnel have arrived."
Zhao Man stood on the high platform. Beside him were kneeling soldiers who resisted. These were all subdued by his personal guards.
The dense crowd below made Zhao Man's blood boil. He had never experienced this kind of situation before.
"Captain Lu, send a team to inform them. Get some people to prepare at the City Lord's Mansion. I'll be there in a while."
"Yes." Captain Lu quickly sent someone to do it.
In fact, these soldiers didn't understand what was going on. A few days ago, many of the big shots in the army disappeared. Moreover, the city was under martial law and many officers were parachuted in. This made everyone unhappy.
Originally, they wanted to see what City Lord Liao had to say. However, as soon as they gathered, City Lord Liao was injured by a young man. Moreover, the officer who disappeared before also appeared. He seemed to be with that person, so everyone waited quietly.
It was because they trusted Captain Lu. It could be said that Captain Lu was in charge of the entire army. Moreover, Captain Lu was good at managing the army, so all the soldiers respected him.
Captain Lu took a deep breath and said loudly, "This is the Sixth Prince of the kingdom, Young Master Zhao. He discovered City Lord Liao's betrayal and is here to capture the traitor."
After a simple introduction, Captain Lu stepped back and let Zhao Man come forward.
Zhao Man took a simple step forward, and the soldiers felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on them, causing them to hold their breaths.
"Soldiers, City Lord Liao colluded with outsiders and plotted a rebellion. Such treason must be punished. Now, there are some people hiding among you. Those who report will be rewarded, and those who hide will be punished."
The soldiers did not dare to disobey the second most powerful person in the country, especially since he was a prince. Very soon, a group of people who had hidden themselves even deeper were pushed out. Some of the people who had escaped with their master and disciple were directly hacked to death by the people arranged by Captain Lu.
"These traitors deserve to die. Tell me, why do we have to train so hard?"
"Protect the country." The uniform chant resounded throughout the sky. Many residents could feel the tremors.
"That's right. Protecting your country means protecting your family. Some people want to take away your wealth, wife, and children. Are you willing to do that?"
"No, I don't want to." The soldiers roared in anger. This was the mindset that the army had been instilled with. Under Zhao Man's guidance, the soldiers' blood began to boil.
"It's time for you to prove yourselves. Tell me, have you been idling away your days since you joined the army?"
"No." Captain Lu took the lead and shouted. The soldiers behind him also shouted in unison.
Every soldier was training hard. Every drop of sweat was splattered all over the training ground.
"Then are you a bunch of people who can't even hold their weapons properly on the battlefield and are afraid to face the enemy?" Zhao Man asked again.
"No." The soldiers below roared in anger. It was clear that they were unhappy that Zhao Man doubted them.
"The problem is that I don't believe you!" Zhao Man shouted directly, pointing his saber in the direction of the Royal Capital. "There are more enemies there waiting for us to defeat. What you can do now is to use victory after victory to prove everything. Tell me, can you do it? No matter how powerful the enemy is, no matter how difficult it is for us, we will face them head-on and defeat them in one fell swoop. Tell me loudly, can you do it?"
"Yes." Some people roared until their voices were hoarse, but they still continued to roar. The dignity of a soldier was not to be trampled on.
"Since you can, then follow me to battle. Soldiers, it's time to prove yourselves. You can either be rich or die. There is no other choice. Everything is up to you." Zhao Man shouted, "Now, pack everything immediately and prepare to set off in the afternoon."
"Yes." Everyone replied in unison.
City Lord Liao looked at everything in front of him. He knew the combat strength of this army, but the people in charge of this army were all sent by the royal family. As for the general, he was purely a puppet and was completely useless.
"Sixth Prince, please spare my life. I'm willing to turn over a new leaf. I can be your spy." City Lord Liao did not care about his dignity in order to survive. Tears and snot covered his face. The subordinates around him also begged for mercy.
"Have you thought about it, Captain Lu? You will be in charge of everything below. You have the power to act first and report later."
"Yes." Captain Lu left hurriedly after receiving the order. It was urgent and there were many things to arrange. He had to hurry.
"As for the rest of you, I wanted to let you play with me. Unfortunately, there is not much time. All of you will be beheaded in public."
"No, Sixth Prince, please spare my life. I'm willing to repent. I'm willing to be the vanguard." The group of people wailed and wailed, trying to save their lives.
Was that possible? Only now did they think of this. What had they been doing before? They only thought about glory and wealth. Did they not think about the risks behind it?
Soon, the heads of this group of people were hung on the drill ground as a warning to those who did not follow the rules.
City Lord Liao was also included. The bloody scene made many people vomit.
After Gu Zheng and the others came to report, everyone came out. The long-awaited sunlight also made these people greedily breathe.
Gu Zheng did not go to the meeting hall with these people. Instead, he went straight back to the mansion. Shuang 'er was already very anxious and was pacing back and forth in the courtyard.
Xue 'er, on the other hand, was leisurely admiring the flowers beside her.
"Sister Xue 'er, aren't you worried?" Shuang' er did not understand why Xue 'er was so calm. Was she not afraid that they would kill her? After all, Zhao Man was in their hands.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Xue 'er comforted her. Actually, this conversation had happened many times. Xue' er also did not tell Shuang 'er how powerful Gu Zheng was.
Thinking about it, even Zhao Man treated him as an ordinary person. How could he be ordinary?
Just as they were talking, the door suddenly opened. Xue 'er and Shuang' er were nervous. They saw that Gu Zheng had returned.
Xue 'er looked at Shuang' er proudly, indicating that she was powerful and already knew the result.
Shuang 'er looked at her helplessly.
"Why are you alone? Where's Zhao Man?" Xue 'er knew that Gu Zheng was definitely fine, but she was still worried when she did not see Zhao Man.
"It's fine. We'll go to the meeting hall of the City Lord's Mansion in a while and we'll be able to make him a knife." Xue 'er was relieved.
"Then let's go quickly. Don't wait." Shuang 'er urged.
"Alright." Since they were in such a hurry, Gu Zheng would bring them along.
When they passed by the door, Xue 'er was surprised to see the guards at the door. They were still there, but who cared?
When Gu Zheng and the other two arrived at the meeting hall, an earth-shattering roar came from afar. Even here, they could hear it softly.
Looking at the two curious babies, Gu Zheng said, "When you come back, just ask Zhao Man. I don't know anything."
If this continued, not only would he be the main account, but he would also be the Know-It-All.
There were only the three of them in the empty hall. The others were still tidying up. After all, they had been in such a terrible environment for a few days. If they did not hurry back and tidy up, who would be able to stand that person?
Ignoring the reactions of those people when they returned home, Gu Zheng and the other two found a good place to sit down.
Shuang 'er realized that there was no one in the huge City Lord's Mansion, so she could only pour herself tea. After all, she was used to this.
As more and more people arrived, the hall was no longer as cold and cheerless as before. Instead, it was bustling with noise and excitement. Everyone was discussing their next plans. None of them knew that Zhao Man had decided to set out in the afternoon. Speed was of paramount importance in war.
When everyone had arrived, Zhao Man also came over.
He politely exchanged a few words with everyone, then pointed to the first person who spoke to him in the prison. "That manager."
"Sixth Prince, I am Liu Wei." The manager, Liu Wei, quickly stood up and introduced himself.
"Yes, Liu Wei. I now give you full authority. You are in charge of all the operations of this city. Remember to comfort everyone. I have already decided to leave in the afternoon with the soldiers."
Liu Wei's mind went blank. He was dizzy from this huge meat pie. Looking at the envious gazes of his colleagues, he forgot to reply.
Zhao Man did not mind. He directly led Gu Zheng and the others out.
"I am willing." When Liu Wei came back to his senses and replied, Zhao Man was long gone.
This was a meteoric rise. One had to know that the position of City Lord could only be held by the royal family. Normally, without great merit, how could one get it? He had to make good use of this opportunity.
Ignoring the mocking of some people, Liu Wei began to give his first order. Everyone obeyed.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.
In the afternoon, Zhao Man led the army and set off. Everyone brought three days' worth of rations.
The sun had already set, and the golden afterglow shrouded the earth. The army of nearly two thousand people advanced with high morale. They tore apart all the enemies in front of them with a kind of conviction.
It was about three hundred kilometers from the border town to Wangyue City. It would take about seven days. If they sped up, they could reach in five days. If they did not consider physical fitness, they could reach in three days. However, the soldiers would be completely useless. Not only would they not be able to fight, but they would also have to rest for a long time.
Zhao Man was definitely not like that. He was now holding a simple map and discussing.
As for Gu Zheng, he was riding on Xue 'er's coattails. He sat in the carriage leisurely and enjoyed his free time.
"Sixth Prince, I think that we will pass by here according to the original plan." Captain Lu pointed to a place on the map. "This place is a small valley. There's nothing special about it."
After a pause, Captain Lu continued, "The main thing is our next move. About half a day's journey to the north, there's a city called Luoye City. We can go there directly to replenish our supplies, or we can continue forward. Similarly, we have to slow down and wait for more supplies."
Zhao Man took the map and thought about it for a long time. The second plan was undoubtedly the safest. They did not need to take any risks. They just had to wait for the logistics to catch up and set off.
The first plan required them to go to Luoye City. However, they did not know if the rebels there had surrendered. Although they could go in and out alone, what if the rebels burned their rations in desperation?
Zhao Man decided to play it safe and go with the second plan.
Zhao Man had a vague premonition that the city lord had also rebelled. Moreover, he had brought his private army and joined the rebels' army.
If that was the case, he would not be able to get anything out of it. Not only would it be a waste of time, but it would also be a huge waste of the soldiers' physical fitness.
After deciding on the route, the only thing left was to move forward, forward, and forward.
In the endless wilderness, a group of people slowly advanced. They did not know what the future held. Wealth or death?
Three days later, the sky was filled with raging winds. Clouds of yellow dust danced in the air.
Zhao Man and the others had already arrived at this valley. Now, Zhao Man was listening to the news that the scouts had gathered.
This was the scout that Zhao Man had arranged before they set off. Each of them had gone on three horses to gather information about the capital.
When they returned, they just so happened to bump into each other here.
After letting the scout take a break and drink some water, Zhao Man impatiently asked, "How is it?"
Under the messy hair of the scout was a delicate and pretty face. When he heard the sixth prince's question, he put down the items in his hands and said, "The current situation is not optimistic."
The young scout knew what Zhao Man wanted to know. "Right now, the first prince's army has already retreated from the capital. They are now stationed outside. Their general is Lord Lin Zui. Moreover, in the great battle three days ago, it is said that we lost."
All sorts of unfavorable news reached Zhao Man's ears. He wanted nothing more than to fly over, but it was useless.
Looking at the orderly army behind him, this was the key to turning defeat into victory.
"You've worked hard. You can leave first." Zhao Man anxiously dismissed the scout. Beside him, Lieutenant Lu said to Zhao Man, "The current situation is a little dangerous. Why don't we rush over?"
"No, the closer we get, the more stable we have to be." Zhao Man decisively rejected this suggestion.
"Pass through the valley as quickly as possible. The scouts have already checked. There are no enemy ambushes." Zhao Man ordered.
"Yes." Lieutenant Lu accepted the order and the army continued to move.
If they went around the valley, they would waste another day. Time was of the essence now. Moreover, the enemy would not expect this army. From Lieutenant Lu, Zhao Man learned that even City Lord Liao had requested for this army to be trapped in the city.
This was because these people were the true descendants of the imperial family. Every year, the direct descendants of the imperial family would go to the border to train. It was only because Zhao Man had been captured that City Lord Liao wanted to bring them over. Along the way, they would stop and rest. By the time they arrived, the battle would have ended. These soldiers would not be able to cause any trouble.
As the army passed by, their aura soared. All the wild beasts in the valley disappeared without a trace. No one knew where they were hiding.
Just as they reached the center, the sky suddenly darkened. Dark clouds appeared out of nowhere and quickly filled the area. The sky slowly grew larger.
The sound of the sky collapsing and the earth cracking could be heard. Dazzling flashes of light shuttled through the dark clouds and shot into the sky. They then hit the ancient trees and rocks at the edge of the cliff.
The entire world fell into a state of panic. Rocks fell from the top of the mountain from time to time, causing the already panicked soldiers to panic even more.
If there was an ambush at this time, it could easily defeat the brainless army. However, there were no enemy troops at the top of the mountain.
Apart from a few unlucky soldiers being injured, the rest were fine. Slowly, under the command of the officers, the army slowly calmed down.
However, the lightning dragons in the sky continued to rise. A few bolts of lightning even struck Zhao Man in front of him.
Lieutenant Lu advised Zhao Man to retreat temporarily to avoid the danger of the world.
Zhao Man stubbornly refused to give the order. If he retreated, it would mean that he was withdrawing. It could be seen that even the heavens did not want them to go over. This would be a huge blow to the morale of the army.
Zhao Man shouted, "Give me the war flag!"
When the people beside him heard him, they quickly passed the war flag to Zhao Man. Zhao Man raised the war flag high and dismounted from his horse. He walked forward slowly with determination. Even if there were still bolts of lightning in front of him, even if he would disappear in the next moment, it could not stop the thought in his heart.
Everyone looked at this scene in shock. They watched as Zhao Man walked forward step by step. Sporadic bolts of lightning struck Zhao Man's body. However, Zhao Man did not care. He continued to walk forward unswervingly.
It was as if there was a path to heaven in front of him. He held the belief in his heart and continued to walk forward without retreating.
Lieutenant Lu looked at the war flag that was raised high and fluttering in the wind. He did not know why, but his eyes became moist. He shouted with a hoarse voice, "Advance!"
After saying that, he took the lead to follow Zhao Man's footsteps.
"Advance!" An indescribable feeling welled up in the hearts of the soldiers beside him, as if it wanted to jump out of their chests.
"Advance!" The sound of advancing rang out one after another.
"Advance!" Everyone knew what time it was.
"Advance!" Every soldier who was advancing shouted angrily as they advanced.
No matter what was in front of them, no matter what was in front of them, they followed the man who was holding the war flag high without hesitation. If what was in front of them was hell, then they would bravely charge into hell.
The heavens seemed to be angered. All the lightning was retracted. A thick beam of light gathered and lit up the entire sky. It wanted to accumulate power to destroy the insect that looked down on it.
"Boom!" The lightning that gathered all the power shot down. Only the thick beam of white light was left in the world. Nothing else could be seen.
"Bang!" An even louder sound came from the sky. An object emitting blue light exploded from the side. It blocked the beam of light descending from the sky with lightning speed.
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