Tian Yuan War Chronicles: The Path of Artifacts to Ascension – Chapter 5

Ch 5: Great Search and Arrest

Compared to County Magistrate Yang’s relief, Commander Zhao, who was currently on the South City gate, was feeling his scalp tingle and was extremely restless.

The army below the city, from the time he noticed the movement until now, had already completed its assembly below the city. He originally thought they were a large group of bandits, but now it seemed that the people who came were much more difficult to deal with than bandits.

The distinct banners, sharp armor, and strict discipline all indicated the strength of this army.

But this army neither attacked cities and plundered wealth like bandits, nor was it as undisciplined as ordinary armies, shouting and disturbing the people everywhere.

They just quietly stayed below the city, and some auxiliary soldiers had already begun to build fortifications and erect camps along the main road, as if they were going to station there, which was even more terrifying than other armies plundering people’s wealth and harassing women.

“Liu San, go ask again, where did they come from,” Commander Zhao said to a Battalion Commander.

“Yes, Lord,” the Battalion Commander called Liu San quickly ran out of the city gate tower.

“Which part are the brothers below from? The brothers have come from afar, there must be important military and national affairs, tell me the details, so I can report to my superiors,” Liu San shouted towards the city.

…

But after a while, the army below was still busy with its own affairs, and no one looked at Liu San on the city.

Seeing that no one paid attention to him, Liu San still shouted three times in a row before returning to report to Commander Zhao.

“Lord, still no one paid attention to me,” Liu San was a little flustered.

“Alas! I wonder if Lord Yang has arrived yet,” Commander Zhao sighed.

“It should be soon! It’s been half an hour,” said a guard of Commander Zhao.

Sure enough, just as everyone was scratching their heads on the city gate tower, a soldier came to report that County Magistrate Yang had arrived.

“Lord Yang, you’re here!” Commander Zhao breathed a small sigh of relief, this Lord Yang was finally not the kind of bookworm who only knew how to eat and do nothing—useless at critical moments.

Commander Zhao greeted him and carefully explained the current situation.

“This is really strange, these soldiers always act recklessly when passing through cities, demanding food and rewards without limit, but today it’s like seeing a ghost,” Lord Yang looked at Master Li beside him in confusion.

“Why doesn’t Master ask them in person?” Master Li suggested.

“Okay! I’m just afraid of being snubbed!” Lord Yang’s heart was drumming, this important person’s prestige is profound! The soldiers under his command are tightly restrained, will closing the door offend him?

There was no way to think too much, there had to be a plan for good or bad, this indifference made him feel uneasy.

“Brothers below the city, this official is Yang Guanhe, the County Magistrate of Duanshan City! I am pleased to hear of the arrival of the army, and this official has already ordered people to prepare food and grass, which will be delivered in a moment!

I apologize for not being able to open the city gate to welcome the army. This official is responsible for guarding the territory, and cannot let you brothers into the city without the official dispatch from the superiors. May I know which General is the commander of your esteemed army?

Could you please move your esteemed presence to speak with this official? As long as there is an official dispatch from the superiors, it is not impossible to open the city and let the army in!”

Lord Yang rambled on to the soldiers below the city.

…

As expected, there was no response. Lord Yang’s face was a little embarrassed. He chatted with the city below again, but the result was still the same. Seeing this situation, Lord Yang’s self-restraint was a little insufficient.

“Humph! Rude brutes!”

After muttering in a low voice, Lord Yang turned around and returned to the city gate tower.

“Guest soldiers are gathered outside, but there is no official dispatch from the superiors. Does Commander Zhao have a plan?” Lord Yang had a feeling of being at his wit’s end, officials of higher rank can crush people to death.

“Oh, Lord Yang! Are you making fun of me? Anyone can tell that the people outside are important people who can’t be provoked! How dare I have any plans!” Commander Zhao lamented!

“Open the city gate and let the army into the city?” Master Li asked tentatively.

“Absolutely not!” Commander Zhao immediately objected.

“Why?” Lord Yang was not stupid. He was responsible for guarding the territory, but the general of the army below the city was definitely not an ordinary person. For a moment, he couldn’t tell whether offending the important person was more terrible or opening the city gate without authorization was more terrible.

“First, this city has neither foreign enemies nor internal troubles. The army came suddenly, for no reason. There is neither an official dispatch nor an envoy from the superiors;

Second, although Duanshan City is located in a remote area and has nothing special, it is rich in iron ore outside the city, and there are many ironware workshops in the city. Those who open furnaces to make steel are everywhere. If someone with ulterior motives occupies it, they can definitely expand the army on a large scale;

Third, guest soldiers are not allowed to enter the city. This is the usual practice of our dynasty. If we set this precedent, and thieves follow suit in the future, deceiving to open the city gate, wouldn’t it be an endless disaster?”

Commander Zhao analyzed clearly.

“This…” Lord Yang was speechless when he heard this.

“If Lord Yang closes the door and offends the important person, what if his career is ruined?” Master Li retorted.

“Lord, Master, we officials should have things we should do and things we should not do!” Commander Zhao said decisively.

“You…” Originally, Master Li wanted to scold Commander Zhao, thinking that he was also a hereditary military officer, not the kind of person without a background or backer who could be manipulated at will, so he had to swallow the words back.

“Alas! Enough! Enough! Enough! How can such military and national affairs be treated as a child’s play! Just follow the rules! I’m going back to the mansion!” Lord Yang made up his mind after hearing Commander Zhao’s words.

“Respectfully send off Lord!” Commander Zhao and his men shouted together.

Lord Yang turned around to leave, but heard a commotion coming from the city!

“Who are you? Why are you breaking into the city gate?” a soldier shouted.

“Slap!”

As soon as the soldier finished speaking, there was a crisp sound, and someone was slapped.

“Get out of here! Watch your skin!”

An Old Woman’s voice came.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” A sound of drawing knives came.

“Slap! Slap! Slap!” Before there was any follow-up, another burst of slaps rang out.

“Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” Then there was a burst of groans as they fell to the ground, obviously the soldiers were knocked down.

“Who!” Commander Zhao on the city gate tower heard the movement and shouted loudly.

“Step! Step! Step!” No one answered, but there was a sound of footsteps.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” Commander Zhao, Battalion Commander Liu, and a group of guards on the upper floor immediately drew their knives and rushed to the stairs.

“Lord, retreat quickly!” Master Li quickly pulled Lord Yang, who was stunned in place, and retreated to the corner of the city gate tower.

“Commander Zhao is doing well! The Ministry of Justice doesn’t need to make such a big fuss, right!” Before the person arrived, the Old Woman’s voice had already come.

“Ministry of Justice?” Commander Zhao and his men looked at each other.

“Where is Yang Guanhe?” The Old Woman, leading a thin half-grown boy, stopped at the entrance of the stairs and looked at the crowd surrounding the stairs.

“Lord! They’re calling you!” Master Li’s voice came.

“Me? Oh, oh, this official is here! Which Lord from the Ministry of Justice is on official business?” Lord Yang was a little confused and answered after a while.

“Catch it! The official dispatch from the Ministry of Justice!” The Old Woman passed through the crowd and threw the official dispatch to Lord Yang, who was still hiding in the corner.

“Slap!” The official dispatch was very fast and hit Lord Yang’s face.

“Ouch! You~you~” Lord Yang was in pain, but didn’t dare to say more. He covered his face, picked up the official dispatch that had fallen on the ground, and looked at it carefully.

“A handwritten letter from Minister Han!” After just one glance, Lord Yang almost screamed.

“Granny Wen, thank you for your hard work! Just tell me what you want!” After reading the official dispatch, Lord Yang walked tremblingly to the Old Woman and said flatteringly.

“Stand aside!” Granny Wen was used to seeing the faces of these civil officials and was a little annoyed.

“Yes! Granny!” Lord Yang quickly ran back to the original corner, looking at Granny Wen with a flattering smile.

“Boy, are you sure you want to say it?” Granny Wen looked at the half-grown boy beside her.

“I want to say it,” the young man said softly.

“Second Brother is really capable! I just arrived in this small city, and Second Brother arrived with a large army! Second Brother’s formation is so big that even the deaf and blind would be scared away!”

The young man looked at the army under the city and said in a calm and loud voice.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Fifth Brother, why do you say that? I don’t know that Fifth Brother is here at all. I just sent people to investigate the petty thief who stole things all the way here!”

A sturdy and slender young man in helmet and armor suddenly walked out of an ordinary tent in the army and answered with a laugh.

“Then why not let the army wait? With such a big fanfare, the petty thief is probably long gone!” the young man questioned.

“Haha! Why worry, Fifth Brother? This guy will definitely not escape the palms of my brothers!

Why don’t we play a little game? Whoever catches this petty thief first wins, and the loser has to give the winner a little trinket. How about it?” The young general below the city answered with great interest.

“Second Brother is really carefree! This matter was personally ordered to us by the Imperial Father… Father! It concerns the national destiny of our Great Zhou, how can we treat it as a child’s play?” The young man was a little unhappy.

“Hey~~ Why do you have to be like this, Fifth Brother? You and I are brothers of the same kind and root, why be so estranged! It’s just a small petty thief! Now I’ll guard the main road, and tomorrow morning I’ll send people into the city and countryside to search!

I also brought dozens of hunters, and the nearby mountains and forests will not escape my control!” The young general answered domineeringly and confidently!

“You brought hunters?” This time it was the young man’s turn to be dumbfounded. Eldest Brother was right, this Second Brother was not only brave in the army, but also resourceful!

“Of course! That petty thief is as timid as a mouse! He can’t be caught unless he is forced into such a desperate situation! My people are among the best scouts in the army, but they still haven’t caught this old boy!

I had no choice but to use the method of beating the grass to scare the snake to force him here!” The young general was a little dumbfounded.

“You forced him here?” The young man was even more confused. All the way, he thought he was one step ahead, able to always find the petty thief’s trail and catch the petty thief’s tail.

“Of course! He’s like a mouse! Once he drills into a place, he can’t be found! That’s why I sent a large army to pursue him with great fanfare! Secretly, I sent scouts to carefully search for his trail!

Slowly forced him here! Once he gets here, he can’t escape! He can’t hide! Haha!” The young general said proudly.

“This…” The young man was speechless for a while. This city was really a desperate place, surrounded by barren mountains and forests on three sides, with only one main road, a small city, and few residents.

Even if they entered the city to search, they wouldn’t need many people. Just send out half of the auxiliary soldiers and spread them out along the villages near the main road, and it would really be difficult to escape.

“Fifth Brother! Why don’t you come to my tent! You and I will have a pot! It’s boring for me to drink alone!” The young general invited.

“Wait a moment, Second Brother!” The young man had been persuaded at this time.

While the two were talking, Yang Guanhe, Lord Yang, next to him was throbbing in his heart, constantly asking himself————”What did I hear?”

“Yang Guanhe! Open the city gate!” The young man shouted at Lord Yang, who was stunned in the corner.

“Open the gate? Open the gate! Open the gate! Open the city gate! Commander Zhao!” Yang Guanhe reacted————the important person knew his name, his head was a little dizzy.

“Open the city gate!” Although Commander Zhao didn’t know the details, it was obvious that this young man’s identity was extraordinary.

“Open the city gate!” A guard ran to the city and shouted.

As the city gate opened with a violent friction sound, the young man led the Old Woman out of the city gate in big strides and walked towards the young general’s camp.