Love Lock

Chapter 139 You dare to falsely convey military orders?

On the other side, on the official road leading to Beiguan, dust flew everywhere and the sound of horses' hooves echoed.

Zhao Zun and his entourage galloped at full speed and finally caught up with the Xuzhou army, which was resting, in an open area on the official road.

The long column rested on the side of the official road. The soldiers sat on the ground in twos and threes, some eating dry rations, some wiping their weapons, and some closing their eyes to rest. Clearly, the long journey had left them exhausted.

Zhao Zun pulled on the reins, and the brocade-eared horse neighed and came to a steady stop.

He dismounted swiftly and decisively, then quickly walked to Song Yuanqing, clasped his hands in front of him, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a loud and respectful voice.

"This humble general greets the general."

Song Yuanqing was sitting on the ground, holding a hard, dry biscuit in his hand. He had just taken a bite and hadn't even swallowed it yet when he saw Zhao Zun performing such a grand gesture. He quickly stood up and reached out to support Zhao Zun's arm.

His tone carried a mixture of helplessness and respect.

"Oh! Brother Zhao, you're too kind. From now on, a simple bow is enough; there's no need to kneel."

He dared not accept such a grand gesture from Zhao Zun. He held Zhao Zun in a deep and respectful camaraderie.

He knew very well that if Zhao Zun didn't care about the people of Dajing, why would he be serving as a deputy general under him?
The guards behind Zhao Zun also knelt down in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, clearly demonstrating their high level of training.

Song Yuanqing laughed and said, "Get up, everyone. Let's all sit down and have something to eat so we can rest and continue our journey."

Zhao Zun then sat down next to Song Yuanqing with his guards, took out his dry rations, and began to eat heartily with the water from his water bag.

His movements were bold and decisive, without the slightest air of a prince; he acted more like an ordinary soldier. Seeing this, the surrounding soldiers felt even greater respect for the prince.

At this moment, a young soldier noticed that Zhao Zun and his guards were all carrying bulging bundles on their backs, which seemed to contain long, hard objects. Even when they sat down to rest, they did not put down the bundles on their backs.

Unable to contain his curiosity, the soldier leaned closer and asked, "Your Highness, what are you all carrying? Why do they look so heavy?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun patted the bundle on his back and a smile appeared on his lips.

He casually replied, "These are all weapons we made ourselves. They are heavy and sharp, and once they are on the battlefield, they are invincible."

The soldier's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but admire.

"Wow! No wonder the prince has been able to achieve so many great feats in battle; it turns out he even forged his own weapons!"

He carefully examined Zhao Zun and his guards, and found that they were indeed not carrying any swords, which made him even more curious.

Zhao Zun waved his hand and laughed, "Hehe, don't call me Your Highness. We're all in the army, so just call me Zhao Zun from now on."

The soldier scratched his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly: "Yes, Zhao... Zun, hehe."

He paused, then couldn't help but ask, "Then... can I see your weapons? We're all quite curious."

Zhao Zun took a bite of the pancake, chewed it a few times, swallowed it, and then laughed, "Of course! But we're busy getting on the road now. You'll see once we get to the battlefield."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers all showed expectant expressions.

Another soldier couldn't help but interject, "Zhao Zun, is there anything special about your weapon? Could you tell us a little about it?"

Zhao Zun laughed and patted the soldier on the shoulder.

"There are certainly some special features. But it would be pointless to talk about them now. You'll see for yourselves on the battlefield."

Song Yuanqing was also very curious, but as the commander-in-chief, he saw that everyone was chatting so enthusiastically that they had forgotten the time, so he smiled and urged them to hurry up.

"Alright, alright, everyone, stop chatting and hurry up and eat. We need to rest well so we can continue our journey. We can't wait for Beiguan."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded and quickened their pace of eating.

After everyone finished their rations and packed their belongings, Song Yuanqing ordered them to continue their forced march.

Zhao Zun mounted his horse, the bundle on his back swaying slightly with his movements.

He glanced back at his guards, a determined look in his eyes, then spurred his horse forward and galloped toward the North Pass.

A day later, Zhao Zun, Xiao Zhengfei, and others arrived at Yong'an City in Beiguan with the Xuzhou army in a grand procession.

From afar, the city walls of Yong'an City are tall and majestic, with flags fluttering on the city towers, making it appear exceptionally imposing.

However, to Song Yuanqing and his companions' surprise, upon entering Yong'an City, the city and its surroundings were completely peaceful, with no signs of war or corpses strewn about.

As Song Yuanqing rode on his horse, his brow furrowed, he muttered to himself, "Has the Turkic army already retreated? Or has the battle not yet begun?"

With doubts in his heart, he quickened his horse's speed and led the army to gallop towards the military camp.

The soldiers guarding the camp gate saw dust billowing in the distance and the character "Song" clearly written on the banners, and immediately realized that reinforcements from Xuzhou had arrived.

Several soldiers quickly moved the barricades blocking the entrance to the camp to welcome the army into the camp.

Upon hearing the commotion, Li Gang, the garrison commander of Yong'an City, rushed out with a broad smile on his face and bowed respectfully from afar.

He shouted loudly, "General Song, you've come from afar, you must be tired! You've been tired!"

Song Yuanqing dismounted, followed closely by Zhao Zun and twenty guards, who stood neatly behind him.

Song Yuanqing surveyed the military camp and found that the soldiers were either training or resting, with no sign of the tension of a major battle.

His face immediately darkened, and he looked coldly at Li Gang, his tone full of accusation.

"General Li, since there is no war, why did you ask the court for help? Do you know how much manpower and resources it took to transfer troops from Xuzhou to this place?"

Li Gang felt a little guilty under Song Yuanqing's gaze, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"There is war, there is war."

Li Gang spoke repeatedly. He gestured with his mouth toward Zhao Zun behind Song Yuanqing, and then quickly explained.

"General Song, you may not know this, but indeed, a Turkic army of 200,000 is at the gates of Yong'an City, and the situation is extremely critical. His Majesty ordered the Prince of Cangzhou to come to the aid of the army. The Prince of Cangzhou led the vanguard to launch a surprise attack on the Turkic army, catching the Turks off guard and causing them to retreat in fear."

Upon hearing this, Song Yuanqing raised an eyebrow slightly, turned to look at Zhao Zun, and asked in his eyes.

Zhao Zun nodded slightly, confirming that this was indeed the case.

Song Yuanqing's expression did not soften; instead, it became even more gloomy.

He snorted coldly, his tone tinged with anger: "Since the Turks have already withdrawn their troops, why don't you immediately inform the court to stop troop deployment? Do you know that the army has traveled a long distance and consumed a huge amount of food and supplies? If it is wasted, can you bear the responsibility?"

Li Gang was rendered speechless by Song Yuanqing's questioning, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

He stammered, "General Song, please calm down! After confirming that the Turks had retreated, I did send an urgent dispatch to the court overnight, requesting a postponement of troop deployment. But... but I didn't expect it to be too late."

Song Yuanqing snorted again, clearly dissatisfied with Li Gang's explanation.

His gaze was like a knife, piercing straight into Li Gang's heart, and his tone was laced with sarcasm: "General Li, as the garrison commander, you have failed to handle such an important matter properly. It is truly disappointing!"

Li Gang was so intimidated by Song Yuanqing's imposing manner that he couldn't lift his head and could only nod in agreement, while secretly groaning in his heart.

He knew that the Song family was one of the four great families, and Song Yuanqing was also an important official of the court. He had come all this way to provide support, and if he did not handle the situation properly, he would probably not escape punishment.

Just then, Zhao Zun's personal guard, Lao Meng, suddenly spoke up.

He glanced at Li Gang, then leaned close to Zhao Zun's ear, seemingly speaking to Zhao Zun, but his voice was just loud enough for Song Yuanqing to hear.

"Your Highness, after your surprise attack on the Turkic army that day, did they not retreat, but instead detour to join forces with the allied forces of Ala and Meng, and then attack Ling'an City? Could it be that Ling'an City requested support from the imperial court?"

As soon as Lao Meng finished speaking, Zhao Zun turned and glared at him, signaling him to shut up. Lao Meng choked for a moment, then reluctantly shut his mouth.

Although Lao Meng's words were merely speculation, Song Yuanqing's eyes immediately lowered, as if he were pondering something. After a moment, he looked at Li Gang and asked, "How is Ling'an City now?"

"The allied forces in Ling'an City have also retreated," Li Gang replied timidly. He felt embarrassed that the other party had made a wasted trip.

Song Yuanqing glared at him fiercely: "I will definitely report this to His Majesty and impeach you. Humph! Let's go."

Li Gang waved his hand and decisively gave the order.

As soon as Song Yuanqing gave the order, the 150,000-strong army of Xuzhou immediately sprang into action.

The long column had not yet fully entered the military camp. Upon hearing the messenger's order, the entire column, without even having a chance to rest, immediately changed from the rear to the front and slowly moved out of the military camp.

Song Yuanqing nimbly mounted his horse and spurred it to the front of the column. As the commander-in-chief, he had to lead the army during marches to maintain morale.

Several lieutenants also mounted their horses and followed closely in Song Yuanqing's footsteps.

At this moment, Zhao Zun turned around and gave a wink to Xiao Zhengfei's group of guards, who nodded slightly.

Zhao Zun then turned around, mounted his horse, and followed Song Yuanqing, galloping towards the front of the group.

Throughout the journey, Song Yuanqing's expression remained gloomy. He was still deeply troubled by Li Gang's dereliction of duty, and also uneasy about Lao Meng's words.

The order from the Ministry of War did indeed state that the three countries were forming an allied force.

If the battle wasn't taking place in Yong'an City, then it's very likely, as Lao Meng said, that all the forces of the three kingdoms were concentrated in Ling'an City, and they wouldn't have retreated inexplicably.

Upon reaching the front of the group, Song Yuanqing suddenly said, "Li Gang is unreliable. Let's go with me to Ling'an City to take a look."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zun knew that Song Yuanqing had taken Lao Meng's words to heart.

He rode alongside him on horseback and said in a low voice, "General, although Li Gang handled the situation poorly, the most important thing right now is to confirm the safety of Ling'an City. If the Turkic army really does bypass the main route to attack Ling'an City, we must provide support as soon as possible."

Song Yuanqing nodded, his tone somewhat solemn.

“You are absolutely right. Li Gang only thinks that the Turkic army has retreated. He probably hasn’t even considered that the Turks might detour to attack Ling’an City. How can someone with such incomplete thinking be a city’s commander? After the war is over, I will definitely report him to the court!”

Zhao Zun smiled slightly but did not reply.

He knew that Song Yuanqing was always strict in disciplining his troops, and would naturally find it difficult to tolerate Li Gang's dereliction of duty.

The army moved slowly forward, and amidst the rising dust, the soldiers' footsteps were so uniform and heavy.

Song Yuanqing sat on his horse, his eyes blazing as he stared straight ahead.

He was filled with worry. If the forces of the three kingdoms gathered in Ling'an City, would the garrison commander of Ling'an City be able to hold out?
Thinking of this, Song Yuanqing quickened his pace, and the team behind him also sped up.

Zhao Zun followed closely behind on horseback, his eyes filled with deep thought.

Song Yuanqing's figure had disappeared at the entrance of the military camp, while Li Gang remained standing in the same spot, gazing in that direction with a complicated expression.

His heart was heavy, and his mind kept replaying his conversation with Song Yuanqing. The look in Song Yuanqing's eyes before he left made him uneasy.

"General Li, General Song has already gone far away. You should go back and rest too," the personal guard beside him whispered.

Li Gang nodded and was about to turn around when suddenly a cold, sharp command rang in his ears: "Take him down!"

The sound was like a thunderclap. Li Gang turned around abruptly and saw Xiao Zhengfei and Zhao Zun's ten personal guards rushing towards him.

Their movements were as swift as cheetahs, their eyes cold and sharp, as if they had been waiting for the right moment to strike.

Li Gang was startled and subconsciously took a step back, his hand already on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"What are you going to do?"

Li Gang shouted sternly, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic.

Xiao Zhengfei sneered and flashed forward, already close to Li Gang.

His movements were so fast they were dazzling. Before Li Gang could even draw his knife, Xiao Zhengfei's arm had already gripped his neck like an iron clamp.

Immediately afterwards, a cold dagger was pressed against his throat.

"General Li, please forgive me."

Xiao Zhengfei's voice was deep and cold, as if it came from the depths of hell.

Upon seeing this, Li Gang's personal guards were terrified and drew their swords, roaring as they charged towards Xiao Zhengfei.

"How dare you! Release General Li at once!"

However, after hearing only a few faint "clatter" sounds, before they could fully unleash their movements, they felt a sharp pain in their wrists as their weapons flew out of their hands and landed on the ground with a crisp sound.

The guards looked down and saw a bloody hole in his wrist, from which blood was gushing out.

"what!"

The guards screamed in agony, their faces turning deathly pale, and they dared not make another move.

Zhao Zun's personal guards quickly surrounded him, their silenced pistols pointed coldly at Li Gang's soldiers.

Their eyes remained unwavering, as if the enemy before them were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter.

"Anyone who dares to move will be shot in the wrist next," Zhao Zun's bodyguard, Ma Zi, said coldly, his voice as icy as ice.

Li Gang's personal guards looked at each other, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads. The pain in their hands made them dare not have the slightest thought of resistance.

At this moment, the other soldiers in the camp were also alarmed by this sudden change.

As the Xuzhou army departed, the soldiers who had been gradually dispersing stopped and turned to look in their direction.

The sound of swords being drawn and the screams of the guards made them realize that something big had happened in the military camp.

"What happened? How did General Li get captured?" someone whispered.

"I don't know, everything was fine just now, how could it suddenly..."

"Judging from the way they're acting, it seems like Zhao Shuai's men have made their move."

The soldiers' discussions gradually grew louder, and many of them showed expressions of confusion and shock.

Xiao Zhengfei looked around, his gaze sharp as lightning, and announced loudly in a booming voice.

"Li Gang, the garrison commander of Yong'an City, has caused heavy losses to the imperial court due to dereliction of duty. Commander Zhao has ordered that Li Gang be arrested and sent to the capital to await His Majesty's judgment! The garrison of Yong'an City will be taken over by Zhao Zun, the former Marshal of the Northern Pass! Guards, take Li Gang away!"

His voice echoed through the military camp, like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart.

Li Gang's face instantly turned ashen. He glared at Xiao Zhengfei, his voice filled with anger and resentment.

"Commander Xiao! How dare you falsely convey military orders! Zhao Zun has already been stripped of his military power. By what right does he take over the garrison in Yong'an City!"

Xiao Zhengfei sneered and was about to speak when Ma Zi, standing to the side, raised his hand and pulled the trigger.

With a "click," a bullet rang out and struck Li Gang precisely in the calf.

"what!"

Li Gang screamed in agony, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees.

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