Chapter 1588: Siege [10]
Chapter 1588: Chapter 1588: Siege [10]
Zhang Zhong nodded with a smile: "You are also a rare good young man. With you around, your family’s days won’t be bad."
Tang Jun, although only ten years old, greatly helped them. Without him, the assassination and infiltration of the Rong people wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.
After Qin San Lang heard this, he glanced at Tang Jun and said to Zhang Zhong, "Take us to see Troop Commander Li."
Tang Jun had made contributions, and Qin San Lang wanted to introduce Tang Jun to Troop Commander Li. With Troop Commander Li’s protection, the Tang family’s life in Guanlu County would be better.
"Yes." Zhang Zhong immediately led the way, and soon they saw Troop Commander Li.
Troop Commander Li was surprised when he saw Qin San Lang and said, "Not bad, young and capable."
Qin San Lang dismounted, clasped his fists, and bowed: "The low-level general greets Troop Commander Li."
He then talked about the matter of clearing the Rong people from Shi Family Manor and delivering messages to the next county.
Qin San Lang: "Previously, we didn’t send a message for fear of being discovered by the Rong people. Now that the Rong people have already moved, we must go to inform the counties along the way to be prepared."
Speaking of this, Troop Commander Li felt deeply ashamed.
A moment later, he stepped back a few paces, clasped his fists, and bowed deeply to Qin San Lang, "Company Commander Qin, the matter of Guanlu County is my fault... I am sorry to the citizens suffering in the city!"
Thinking about the plight of County Magistrate Lin’s family, and those who were killed, Troop Commander Li shed tears... He regretted looking down on Company Commander Qin at the beginning, wondering why he thought the Rong people couldn’t bypass their defense and attack Xing’an Prefecture first!
Qin San Lang listened, his expression unchanged, but the coldness between his brows suddenly increased.
Old Master Shi San noticed that Qin San Lang seemed angry and said to Troop Commander Li, "Saying these things now is useless; the priority now is to settle the civilians inside and outside the county."
The villages outside the county were also severely harmed by the Rong people.
Troop Commander Li hastily said, "Of course; I’ve acted foolishly once, I dare not do it again."
Then he asked who Old Master Shi San was.
Upon learning he was the younger brother of Magistrate Shi from Linhe and a relation by marriage to Lord Yao, he was pleased: "So it’s Lord Yao’s marriage relation. With you accompanying Company Commander Qin to deliver messages, the County Magistrates in Da Chen County, Ancang County, and other places will listen and help you in blocking assaults."
Troop Commander Li well understood the necessity of Old Master Shi San going along.
If Old Master Shi San delivered the news early on, he would have taken it seriously.
And importantly, the County Magistrates fear punishment from the court, so they won’t easily trust a small Company Commander from the south.
However, with support from the Shi Family and Yao Family behind, the County Magistrates dare to do so.
After all, if something happens, they can pin all the blame on the Shi Family and Yao Family.
Qin San Lang took the opportunity to call Tang Jun over and said to Troop Commander Li, "This is Tang Jun, grandson of the village chief of Tang Family Manor. The low-level general was able to successfully clear the Rong people from the nearby villages and kill the Golden Tent Troop Commander, thanks in no small part to Tang Jun. He is smart and capable; if Troop Commander has anything, he can try assigning it to him."
Qin San Lang’s meaning was very clear; he intended Troop Commander Li to make good use of this boy.
Troop Commander Li understood and readily agreed: "Since Company Commander Qin recommended him, I will certainly make good use of him."
For Qin San Lang to ask him for help was a good thing; otherwise, he feared Qin San Lang might write to Old Master Shi San, letting Old Master Shi San go to the Capital City Ministry of War to lodge a complaint against him.
Tang Jun was also smart and immediately bowed to Troop Commander Li: "The boy greets Lord Troop Commander; thank you, sir, for giving the boy a chance. The boy doesn’t fear hardship or death; in the future, whatever the Lord has, feel free to direct the boy to do it."
His father’s leg is broken, uncertain if it could be healed; as the eldest grandson in the family, he needs to support his family’s position.
Troop Commander Li nodded with satisfaction; this Tang Jun indeed knew how to behave.
Seeing this, Old Master Shi San asked Troop Commander Li for paper and pen, wrote a letter to the village chief of Shi Family Manor, and handed it to Tang Jun: "Shi Family Manor is the Shi Family’s manor. In the future, if your family faces any difficulties, you can go to the manor to seek the village chief for help."
During tonight’s attack on Shi Family Manor, this boy Tang Jun played a significant role.
"Thank you, Old Master Shi San!" Tang Jun was delighted, having so many backings; his family’s life ahead would certainly be better.
Troop Commander Li also wrote a letter and handed over a token to Qin San Lang: "Take it; with these two items, the County Magistrates and Company Commanders in various counties will trust you more."
"Thank you, Lord Troop Commander." Qin San Lang accepted it, left Tang Jun behind, and took his soldiers and Old Master Shi San, leaving Guanlu County, heading toward the nearest Da Chen County.
Qin San Lang was familiar with this area, avoiding the Rong army, and took a shortcut to Da Chen County, arriving at Da Chen County after rushing all day and night.
However, the Rong people had infiltrated deeply; even within Da Chen County, Rong people were lurking. When they arrived at Da Chen County, the Rong people were pillaging Da Chen County.
Company Commander Chai of Da Chen County’s Military Office had already died in battle, thick smoke billowed inside the city, and the Rong people were committing atrocities therein.
"Bu Fang, you take people to look after Old Master Shi San, others follow me into the county and drive out the Rong people!" Qin San Lang gave an order and then, with Xie Cheng, Company Commander Cao, Company Commander Jin, and others, charged toward the county.
Company Commander Cao looked at the devastation of Da Chen County and called out: "San Lang..."
He just shouted once and closed his mouth.
Qin San Lang suddenly turned around, his gaze sharp as a blade of ice, staring at him, making him shudder, not daring to say anything about not going into the city to rescue people.
The Rong army received orders to march swiftly, heading straight to Xing’an Prefecture, not to waste too much effort on counties along the way, so as to not delay the march.
Therefore, cities in Da Chen County and Guanlu County, like Guanlu County, were merely set ablaze by a hundred or two Rong people, with no major Rong army intrusion into the cities.
And Qin San Lang and his men arrived barely in time, right when the Rong people were assaulting the county government, directly using poison to knock out a large number of Rong people.
After resolving the crisis at the county government, they immediately dispatched Company Commander Jin, Xie Cheng, Company Commander Cao, and others to lead their soldiers to various places within the city to kill scattered small groups of Rong people.
Within two hours, they had eradicated the Rong people within Da Chen County.
County Magistrate Mei of Da Chen County was extremely grateful to Qin San Lang and his men, saying: "Luckily you came, or Da Chen County would be finished."
Most importantly, his family members were safe and unscathed by the Rong people.
"County Magistrate Mei speaks too highly." Qin San Lang needed to compete against time with the Rong people, so he had no time for extensive conversation with County Magistrate Mei. He informed him of the matter in Guanlu County and the large-scale attack on Xing’an Prefecture by the Rong people, and after requesting a signed letter, immediately took his men and left.
However, Da Chen County was still in chaos, and another Company Commander had died. Qin San Lang left Zhang Zhong and thirty soldiers behind, instructing them to remain until the morning; once the city was stable, they would then proceed to Ancang County.
County Magistrate Mei was very grateful; although thirty soldiers weren’t many, it was better than none.
Qin San Lang and his men left Da Chen County under the cover of darkness, continuing along the shortcut through the mountains, heading to Ancang County.
Exhausted almost to death, they finally reached Ancang County ahead of the Rong people.
Qin San Lang led his soldiers, carrying the too-weary-to-ride Old Master Shi San, and barged into the county government, placing the Shi Family’s Jade Pendant, letters from Lord Yao, Troop Commander Li, County Magistrate Mei, and the head of the Golden Tent Troop Commander before the Ancang County Magistrate, saying: "Guanlu County and Da Chen County have already suffered from the Rong army; the major army of the Rong people will soon arrive at Ancang County. Immediately close all city gates, clear out the Rong people inside the city, then give me all the soldiers of the Military Office to set an ambush outside the city to attack the Rong people!"
The Ancang County Magistrate saw the already-rotting head and nearly fainted from fright, instinctively saying: "...Okay."