Chapter 1538: Escaped
Chapter 1538: Chapter 1538: Escaped
Magistrate Jin had already learned about the large fire in the north of the city. He rushed to the government office overnight and, upon hearing that Assistant Judge Lao had already taken more than half of the Government Officials to the north to fight the fire, he sneered.
"That Lao lacks discipline, even before I, the Magistrate, arrived, he had taken most of the government office’s people away."
"Squad Leader Wan, let’s go, to the north of the city!" Magistrate Jin, accompanied by the remaining Government Officials, Steward Hu, and the Protector of the Jin Family, rushed to the north of the city.
Assistant Judge Lao traveled on horseback and had already arrived in the north of the city by this time.
However, after arriving in the north of the city, he was dumbfounded. Sitting on his horse, he watched the fireballs flying towards the Yang Family charcoal workshop and the two groups of people fighting fiercely in front of the workshop, shaking with fear: "This, how did this turn into a fight? Who are these people?"
"My Lord, I guess some bandits have infiltrated the city and want to rob the Yang Family workshop. What should we do? Help or retreat?" Steward Lin quickly asked Assistant Judge Lao.
Assistant Judge Lao: "To hell with helping, retreat immediately!"
Unfortunately, it was too late. Luo Ying saw them and immediately ordered people to shoot arrows, blocking their way.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A barrage of arrows flew at them, scaring Assistant Judge Lao and his men so much that they fell off their horses: "Have mercy, have mercy, we are just passing by!"
Passing by, your mother, you bunch of worthless idlers.
Luo Ying cursed, shouting at them, "The Rong people have infiltrated the city. The fire was set by the Rong, Lord Officials, hurry over to help kill the Rong people!"
What?
The Rong have infiltrated the city?!
Assistant Judge Lao was so scared he almost fainted. Oh God, when did the Rong sneak into the city? And now he stumbled upon them?
Steward Lin and Squad Leader Tian were also terrified. Everyone had families, and knowing the ruthlessness of the Rong, they didn’t want to help and wanted to retreat quickly.
But Luo Ying and Tuogude were already engaging in combat. Tuogude’s men were defending several residences stubbornly, preventing their enemies from entering, and the two sides were locked in fierce combat. They needed to involve the government office’s people to disperse the Rong’s forces.
Tuogude, seeing that Assistant Judge Lao and his men had arrived, was furious and ordered Hu Ang, "Take some men and drive them away!"
Assistant Judge Lao, cowardly and fearful of death, would retreat upon being scared just once; as long as the government officials didn’t get involved, after they slaughtered the Eagle Food Gang, they could cover up the secrets of the several residences.
In any case, the Yang Family’s burning residences are forbidden zones now, no one can enter!
"Yes." Hu Ang complied, and immediately led men to charge.
Sure enough, Assistant Judge Lao and his men were scared into fleeing, but they hadn’t run more than a few yards when they encountered the arriving Magistrate Jin and his entourage.
Magistrate Jin, learning that the Rong had infiltrated the city and a formidable group was already engaging with the Rong, thought for a moment and quickly said, "Go back and help!"
"Go back?" Assistant Judge Lao was nearly frantic: "Lord Magistrate, those are the Rong, we are civil servants, going to help is almost the same as going to die!"
Magistrate Jin replied, "You know very well how much the Emperor hates the Rong. If the Rong have entered Beicang Prefecture and we, as Beicang Prefecture officials, run into them but don’t help in killing the Rong, not only can we kiss our official positions goodbye, our entire families will be exterminated!"
"This..." Assistant Judge Lao felt choked, indeed aware of the Emperor’s extreme hatred for the Rong, and his penchant for exterminating the families of officials; Assistant Judge Lao was afraid.
Magistrate Jin took out his personal seal and handed it to Steward Hu: "Go light the beacon atop the city wall, inform the garrison army outside the city, the Rong have infiltrated the city, have General Wu bring troops to help immediately!"
"Yes." Steward Hu immediately accepted the seal and rode quickly to the city gate.
Magistrate Jin seized Assistant Judge Lao by the arm and headed towards the Yang Family charcoal workshop.
The members of the Eagle Food Gang and the Rong were locked in intense combat, with numerous bodies lying on the ground, some decapitated or dismembered, making Assistant Judge Lao vomit on the spot.
Magistrate Jin was also quite scared but pointed at Tuogude’s men and said: "Audacious Rong, how dare you come to the land of the Great Chu to cause disorder..."
A sharp arrow whizzed towards him before he finished speaking, making Magistrate Jin hit the ground in fright.
Luo Ying clicked his tongue, saying, "Utterly useless."
He then loudly beckoned them, "Quickly break into these residences, the Rong have dug tunnels in them, intending to use them to penetrate Beicang Prefecture with their army!"
What?
The Rong dug tunnels underneath the Yang residences!
But...
Magistrate Jin looked at the Yang residences engulfed in flames and thought the speaker must be insane; if they went inside as the buildings were about to collapse, wouldn’t they end up buried alive?
Tuogude’s face changed drastically when Luo Ying revealed the tunnels, at that moment wishing to kill himself to apologize to his father!
The plan to dig tunnels in Beicang Prefecture began during his late father’s lifetime. They searched for descendants of the former dynasty’s Master Craftsmen for twenty years, finally finding them a few years ago. It took another four years to thoroughly understand the structure of Beicang Prefecture’s city walls and its underground defense mechanisms before they started excavating.
It took nearly a year just to dig.
The painstaking effort of two generations, his and his father’s proudest plan, was now publicly exposed just like that!
"Ah!" Tuogude roared angrily, wielding a large blade as he charged at Luo Ying, "How do you know? Who told you!"
With a clang, Luo Ying parried him and taunted, "Is digging tunnels some brilliant new idea? My Eagle Food Gang has over a dozen tunnels throughout Beicang Prefecture. You feasted on our leftovers and seem to enjoy it quite well, typical of you impoverished Rongs. Despite being royalty, you’re not picky, are you? Relishing in our scraps?"
"Shut up, you Great Chu scum!" Tuogude, furious beyond measure, drew a hook-bladed scimitar, unleashing a dazzling swordplay, he quickly injured Luo Ying.
Tuogude’s martial skills were formidable; in close combat, Luo Ying was no match for him.
Luo Ying didn’t mind; to him, the means didn’t matter as long as he could win. Therefore, he let out a sharp whistle, summoning his three trained falcons.
Screeching, the falcons dove from the sky simultaneously, aiming at Tuogude’s eyes.
Tuogude quickly evaded, but the falcons’ speed was like lightning, and they were battle-trained by Luo Ying, having seen much blood. The three falcons’ coordinated strikes quickly left Tuogude badly wounded.
Peng Tu saw this and rushed over with the Witch Army to help, saving Tuogude just in time.
But Luo Ying took the opportunity to order another wave of arrow-fire.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The rain of arrows fell, many in the Witch Army were hit, and the poisoned arrows caused them to pass out instantly.
Tuogude’s eyes were filled with rage, wanting to fight to the death, but Peng Tu persuaded him: "Master, the matter of Beicang Prefecture is not urgent for the moment, we should retreat before it’s too late, after all, it is Luo Ying we’re up against!"
This Luo Ying was not only the bandit leader but also the Vanguard General in the Northwest Camp; he had killed many of their warriors on the battlefield.
"Release the arrows, kill those bloody Rongs!" Luo Ying ordered, and the Eagle Food Gang fired another volley of arrows.
Luo Ying whistled again, and the falcons swooped towards Tuogude once more.
Tuogude saw this and had no choice: "Retreat for now!"