Volume 2 Chapter 28 The Time of Death Has Arrived

  The night is as black as ink, and the sky is a vast expanse of darkness.

  The two soldiers on duty at the East Gate of Fuyang were dozing off when they were suddenly awakened by a faint noise. They climbed up to the wall and looked outside, only to see a group of people and horses approaching from the east with torches lit, numbering over 50. As they drew closer, it became clear that the group was actually government troops.

  "Huh? Where did this government army come from?"

  "It looks like our troops have won a great victory. Perhaps Lord Li Yan has already defeated the bandits, so he sent someone back to report their triumph overnight."

  "Not so fast? We just set out this morning and now you've already defeated the bandits? Isn't there a problem?"

  "There's a fart problem, you don't know yet, Li Yan is a ruthless character, bandits who encounter him will admit their own bad luck, hurry up and open the door, don't provoke these soldier thugs, or my brother will find trouble for you later."

  "You're just cowardly."

  "You're bold! I just married my wife yesterday and don't want her to be a widow the next day."

  Two men were arguing when the government troops arrived at the city gate. A giant of a man, with a ferocious expression and bare chest, his head as big as a bucket, pointed at the top of the city wall and shouted loudly: "People on the wall, listen! General Li Yan has defeated the rebels and is returning triumphantly. The main force will arrive in two hours. To alleviate County Magistrate's worries, I was sent ahead to report our victory. Open the gate quickly!"

  "Hurry up and open the door!"

  After Da Han's death, 50 soldiers shouted in unison.

  On the city wall, two night watchmen took a cold breath and whispered: "My mother, isn't that He Lao Si, that devil? If this son of a bitch gets angry, he'll twist our heads off for sure. Hurry up and wake up the brothers to open the door."

  Having said that, the two of them hastily followed down from the city tower to open the city gate.

  ……

  In the backyard of the county government office, the lamp in the study was still lit. Chen Zhen couldn't sleep at all because he was worried about the progress of suppressing the bandits. Several minor officials were chatting with him and said that Chen Zhen was too hasty and shouldn't have sent Li Yan, a young man with no actual experience in leading troops, to lead the army on an expedition.

  It was said by many people, and Chen Zhen also felt that this decision was made too hastily. Li Yan had some talent, but he had only read a few military books and had never actually led troops into battle. If they won, it would be fine, but if they lost... Thinking of this, Chen Zhen quickly comforted himself by saying, "We won't lose, how could we lose? The Yellow Turbans are just a mob, as soon as they see the shadow of the government army, they'll probably flee in terror. Even if there's no great victory, losing is out of the question."

  Chen Zhen had just hinted to himself, comforting himself, when the sound of the butler's panicked shouting came from outside the study: "Master, it's not good, bandits have invaded the city."

  In the quiet second half of the night, Guan's voice sounded sharp and mournful. Moreover, the news he conveyed was so frightening that several small officials at the gate had already jumped up like rabbits.

  Chen Zhen was also shocked, almost falling off the taishi chair, and it wasn't until he came to his senses that he remembered this was inside the walls of Fuyang City, not some wild and barren place outside where there were no dangers to guard against. Even if tens of thousands of bandits came to attack, they would still have a hard time taking it down in a short amount of time! Besides, the Huangjin from Nanyang had already been defeated, so how could tens of thousands of bandits possibly appear? His mind at ease, Chen Zhen scolded angrily: "Housekeeper, you must be talking nonsense in your sleep!"

  "Light when."

  The door of the study was pushed open with a loud crash, and the butler had already stumbled in, under the flickering candlelight, Chen Zhen and several small officials saw a face that did not resemble human form, the butler was covered in sweat, his clothes disheveled, and his dull eyes were filled with endless fear, as if the end of the world had arrived.

  "Old... old master, several... several gentlemen, the bandits have really entered the city!"

  Chen was shocked and suspicious, his face darkening as he asked: "What nonsense is this? Where did these bandits come from? And how could they have entered the city?"

  The housekeeper swallowed his saliva, wiped the sweat from his face and said: "I don't know much, I just met a few soldiers who escaped at Dongzhimen and they said that the East Gate has been breached and a large group of bandits will enter the city immediately. I hurried back to report to you, sir. Please leave quickly, if you're late, it may be too late."

  In just a moment, the county government outside suddenly became noisy, with cries and wails gradually rising to a crescendo. Moreover, flames shot up from the east, illuminating the windows of the study, casting a fiery glow on Chen Zhen's and several junior officials' pale faces, leaving everyone stunned.

  Chen Zhen and several minor officials were at a loss when the county lieutenant suddenly rushed in with over a dozen government soldiers. As a military officer, the county lieutenant's expression was still calm, but his clothes were disheveled, his hair was messy, and he only had half of his armor on. The dozen or so government soldiers behind him looked even more disheveled, with two of them barefoot, looking like they had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night without having time to put on their shoes before rushing over.

  As soon as he saw Chen Zhen, the county lieutenant sternly said: "Sir, the bandits have deceived us and taken the city, the east gate has been lost, things can't be done, the situation is already critical, quickly follow me to abandon the city and break through the siege."

  Chen Zhen let out a loud cry and stamped his foot, sighing: "The bandits have really broken into the city?"

  County Lieutenant said: "How can there be a fake, I have fought with a bandit before, that bandit is really formidable, I am not his opponent. Sir, quickly abandon the city, if you are late, it will be too late!"

  Chen Zhen was anxious like an ant on a hot pot, and hastily said: "Where is Old Man He? We must protect Old Man He and leave together. Absolutely cannot let Old Man He fall into the hands of bandits, otherwise we will die without a burial place."

  County Wei said: "Don't worry, sir. I've already sent someone to fetch him. He should be arriving at the west gate by now. Let's go and meet up with Old Master He."

  "Alas!"

  Chen Zhen let out a long sigh and hastily covered his face, rushing away. Several minor officials and stewards followed closely behind, under the escort of the county lieutenant and over a dozen government soldiers, hurrying towards the west gate. Just as they arrived at the west gate, they saw that inside the city gate, torches were lit everywhere, and they ran into a group of people on horseback - it was He Lao Tai Ye's family troops and officials, rushing back into the city in a flurry. Outside the city gate, under the dark night sky, the drawbridge creaked as it rose up, and far away, there seemed to be a faint glow, vast and expansive.

  The county lieutenant rushed forward and hastily asked: "Why are you closing the city gate?"

  The soldiers guarding the gate shouted: "General Hui, there are bandits and ambushes outside the west gate, it's impossible to go out."

  "What?!"

  County Magistrate Chen Zhen was shocked and lost his color, he quickly climbed up the city wall with someone to take a look, and indeed saw that outside the city, torches were lit everywhere, dancing in unison. All they could hear was the sound of killing shaking the sky, the momentum was frightening, and in the darkness, it was impossible to know how many people and horses there were. Several small officials under him usually only knew how to boast about their eloquence, but had never seen such a formation before, at that moment, they were scared out of their wits, their souls leaving their bodies.

  "What's going on? What can be done about it?"

  Chen Zhen was pacing back and forth on the city wall, completely at a loss for what to do.

  County Lieutenant, still a military officer by origin, said in a deep voice: "Don't panic, sir. Although the east gate has been lost, there are also bandits lurking outside the west gate. The south and north gates may not be safe either. Why not abandon the west gate and head to the north gate instead?"

  "Good, then let's rush to the North Gate!"

  A group of people abandoned Ximen and rushed to the North Gate, while at this time, Ma Yue led a large army of bandits into the city from the East Gate, dividing their forces into two routes as soon as they entered the city. One route was led by a big headman and rushed straight to the South Gate, while the other route was led by Ma Yue himself and rushed straight to the North Gate.

  ……

  The next day at noon, Qin Lie's army had just entered the borders of Fuyang when a fast horse rushed back with an urgent report.

  "Report: Two days ago, 800 bandits stayed in Zhang Village..."

  Qin Mi frowned and said: "Eight hundred bandits? What eight hundred bandits?"

  "The Great Bandit is none other than that remnant of the Yellow Turbans who fled from Jing Mountain, and now he has raised a great banner, claiming to have eight hundred robbers at his command."

  Qin Hui let out a cold laugh and thought to himself that a thief is always a thief, yet he dared to claim to be a heroic outlaw without any shame.

  Ke Tan Ma's next words made Qin Yong almost fall off his horse.

  "The bandits of the Eight Hundred Strongholds were defeated by the government troops at Moma Slope yesterday, and they fled to Fuyang County overnight."

  "What?!"

  Qin Cong was shocked, and Zou Jing shouted: "How did the Ma Po cavalry come to Fuyang? Fuyang only has 500 county soldiers, and defending the city is still a bit insufficient. Who allowed them to launch a surprise attack?"

  Tan Ma shook his head and said, "I don't know, but the 800 bandits did defeat the Fuyang army at Mopasture Slope, and there are still over 200 unscathed Fuyang soldiers as proof."

  Just as the scout's voice had fallen, another fast horse came galloping back from the front. The mournful sound of the horn could be heard from a distance: "Report... urgent report... 800 bandits broke into the city gate last night, and Fuyang has been breached."

  "Heaven is going to destroy me! Chen Zhen is a mediocre man, harming people with shallow intentions!"

  Qin Lie let out a loud shout, his eyes turned black and he fell headfirst from the horse's back, unconscious.

  "Adult?"

  "Older brother!"

  Zou Jing, Huang Zhong, Wei He and Cai Mao rushed to surround him, quickly rescued Qin Yi, after a while, Qin Yi slowly woke up, looked around at everyone and sighed: "Our time of death has arrived."