Chapter 1245 - 1081: The Horns of War
Chapter 1245: Chapter 1081: The Horns of War
"What’s going on?" Gu Chengyu looked at the crowd of commoners scattering in front of the city gate; they hadn’t even had time to grab the things they’d brought with them, only caring about fleeing in all directions.
Bamboo baskets, bundles, carrying poles and the like were scattered all over the ground at the gate, showing just how hurriedly these people had run.
"Just now it sounded like they were saying an army was attacking, but we don’t know whose army. Could it be that the rebels of Da Xing are this rampant, that they’ve actually fought their way to Wujun Prefecture?"
Ming Yan was also somewhat surprised; after all, there was still a whole Fengqing Prefecture between here and the border! South of Fengqing Prefecture was Zifeng Prefecture—how could they possibly have fought their way here?
Gu Chengyu pondered for a moment. "Perhaps it’s not Da Xing’s army!"
Ming Mo gathered his Qinggong and squeezed through the gate at the instant it was closing. He raised the visiting card high and shouted harshly at the soldiers closing the gate, "How dare you refuse to open the gate? Do you know what status my lord holds?"
The soldiers guarding the city wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads, inwardly congratulating themselves on their quick wits for finally closing the gate before the rebel army arrived.
Who would have thought that before they could catch their breath, someone would start hurling abuse at them. He turned around and saw the other party holding a name card in his hand.
The folk at the border were fierce by nature; these soldiers were all tall and burly, long used to throwing their weight around. Suddenly a frail-looking youth appeared and barked at them; naturally, they were displeased.
However, they were used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong; they also knew to pick the soft persimmon. Before they’d confirmed the other party’s identity, they didn’t dare be too arrogant.
"Haven’t you heard there’s an army coming? If we don’t close the gate and the army storms the city, Wujun Prefecture will be taken by them. You just said your lord—who is your lord?"
They had seen most of the big figures of this border region; they were naturally not unfamiliar with the followers around such figures. This place was ten thousand miles away from the court; the sky was high and the Emperor far away—who would bother with their barren land?
Those high officials of Second and Third Rank and above they had even less occasion to hear of. To them, the General guarding the border was already the highest-ranked great figure.
"My lord is an Imperial Censor sent by the court. How dare you shut an Imperial Censor sent by the court outside the city gate?" Ming Mo slanted his eyes, his cold, sharp gaze making the soldiers guarding the gate shudder inwardly.
Ming Mo was extremely impatient with these few fools who couldn’t read the room. "Still not opening the gate?"
Imperial Censor? The few of them looked at each other; they were only the lowest-ranked gate guards, how could they understand these temporary posts?
"Smack!" A young officer behind them slapped one of the soldiers in front across the head, knocking it to the side.
"You blind fool, this is an Imperial Censor sent by the court—how dare you leave him outside the gate? Hurry up and open it!"
This young officer had previously heard Lord Prefect mention that the court had dispatched an Imperial Censor, who, though bound for Yuhe Pass, would pass through their Wujun Prefecture.
It was only that this Censor had arrived a few days later than they’d expected, and with so much going on these past days, he had quite forgotten.
The authority of an Imperial Censor was tremendous. If this lord felt that Wujun Prefecture had shown him disrespect, that was disrespect to the court, disrespect to the Emperor.
The Emperor had only just ascended the throne and needed to establish his prestige. If, at that time, this lord impeached the Lord Prefect, the Lord Prefect would certainly make him suffer for it.
"But... wasn’t it said the army is about to arrive?" The soldier hesitated; if he opened the gate and let those rebels in, he would become a sinner for the ages.
"Are you pig-brained? We’re only opening it for a moment—how could the army arrive so fast? Besides, who knows whether what that man just said is even true? Our scouts and hidden sentries haven’t reacted at all; if they really were coming, would they fail to send a signal? And it’s not like we haven’t made preparations—are those rows of archers on the wall just for show? If they come, we’ll make sure they never leave!"
The young officer berated the soldier, a trace of proud arrogance still on his face.
Ming Mo judged his age and thought he should be about the same as himself; most likely he came from a military family. He hadn’t looked closely just now; now that he took a careful measure, he realized this man should be a Hundred Households.
A Hundred Households commanded a Hundred Households and was subordinate to a Thousand Households; it was a hereditary military position of Standard Sixth Rank. However, in the Dayan Dynasty, military generals had always held lower status than civil servants; this Standard Sixth Rank military general could only bow and pay respects upon seeing a Standard Sixth Rank civil servant.
Yet for the other party to attain a Standard Sixth Rank military officer’s post at such a young age, his family must wield no small influence here.
This Hundred Households reached out his hand, and Ming Mo placed the visiting card into it.
"So it’s Lord Gu!" After reading, the man nodded, thus confirming its authenticity. But when he looked again at the office stated on it, he discovered something rather curious.
"Huh? Lord Gu is an official of the Dali Temple?" This Hundred Households was somewhat surprised; usually the Imperial Censors sent down were from the Inspectorate. To have a Dali Temple official dispatched directly was rare indeed—could it be they were here to investigate a case?
Ming Mo had no mind to exchange pleasantries with him. "My lord is still outside the city gate, and we don’t know whether he’s in danger. I must ask, my lord, that you order the gate fully opened and let our carriage in at once!"
"Open the gate!" The Hundred Households also knew this was no time for formalities, so he barked an order for the soldiers to open the gate.
"My lord, the gate is open—we must hurry into the city! I reckon the army is almost here, and their numbers won’t be small!"
Ming Yan could already feel the earth trembling; even the carriage was shaking slightly.
"Let’s go in." Gu Chengyu lifted the curtain and glanced around. The view outside the gate was wide open, but it was probably too late if they wanted to leave this place of trouble.
It was only that it was uncertain whether this Wujun Prefecture could hold; war had truly begun.
The carriage rolled quickly into the city, and the Hundred Households hurried forward to greet them. "Your subordinate, Hundred Households Wang Shouyi, pays his respects to Mr. Gu!"
"Hundred Households Wang, there’s no need for ceremony. The enemy is about to attack; I must ask you to prepare the city’s defenses at once and send men to the border to report and request reinforcements!"
Gu Chengyu had no time for polite small talk; with the fire already at their eyebrows, what use were empty courtesies?
Hundred Households Wang had originally been marveling at Gu Chengyu’s looks, and at how young he was—seemingly about the same age as himself—which he found rather novel.
But when he came back to his senses, he heard Gu Chengyu say that the enemy army was upon them.
"Impossible. Neither scouts nor hidden sentries have sent any reports!" Yet the moment the words left his mouth, a low, heavy horn sounded. Startled, he looked toward the north—the direction of the watchtower.
"Quick! Prepare the defenses! Archers, ready—an enemy army is advancing!"
Wang Shouyi cursed inwardly. Why had those scouts and hidden sentries failed to report? Though they’d received news these past two days and made some rough preparations, he was only a Hundred Households, with limited authority.
He had too few soldiers under his command; it seemed he would have to report to his superiors and request troops and reinforcements from the border.