Chapter 1743: Intercepting the Beiting Protectorate Army! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Rumble!
Not long after the man went inside the stone house, there was a tremendous boom. The earth quaked as numerous Imperial Army soldiers in full armor emerged from their hiding spots and surrounded the house.
”Nobody move! Imperial Army inspection! Anyone who moves without permission will be killed!”
The creaking of strings could be heard as arrows were aimed. Several dozen soldiers with fiendish expressions kicked open the door and charged in.
”Don't kill me! Don't kill me!”
In the face of all these weapons and arrows, the ten-some Hu wearing Han attire cried out in panic, raising their hands as they kneeled on the floor. Behind them were wooden crates holding steel.
”Damn it! Why is it a bunch of Hu?!”
The Imperial Army soldiers in the room glanced at each other in shock. After wasting half a day, all they ended up catching were a bunch of Hu merchants who were secretly selling steel. While top-class steel was considered a military asset in the Great Tang and had been placed under even stricter control because of Wang Chong, these people were far from the people they actually wanted to arrest.
”Take them away! Lock them up and give them a harsh lesson!”
The Eastern Palace scout leading the group savagely waved his hand.
”In addition, report to our superiors that the operation has failed and that we have yet to find the King of Foreign Lands' men!
”Everyone else, listen up! Disperse and start searching! We must find the soldiers the King of Foreign Lands has hidden in the city!”
”Yes!”
The spies and scouts of the Eastern Palace called out in agreement and quickly dispersed, taking the Imperial Army soldiers with them.
The remote alley quickly calmed back down. What those dispersed Eastern Palace spies and the Imperial Army soldiers did not know was that not far behind the stone house they had surrounded, a pair of eyes had been silently watching them until they vanished into the distance.
”His Highness was right. The Eastern Palace really did start moving against us. Fortunately, His Highness already predicted the Eastern Palace's movements and had us move locations, or else we would have been the ones captured just now!”
The man muttered to himself and quickly turned around.
”Everyone, listen up! Immediately report what happened here to His Highness! In addition, this place is no longer safe, so we're moving locations! No one is to go out unless ordered to!”
”Yes!”
The people in the room affirmed and began to relax. If one looked carefully, one would discover that these people all had sharp eyes, pronounced temples, and hands covered in calluses. They exuded a disciplined and battle-tempered aura that would make anyone stop and stare. It was obvious that they were soldiers.
When Kim U-Seok's spies were working with the City Guard to sweep the capital for Wang Chong's soldiers under the excuse of searching for enemy spies and assassins, past the western gate of the capital and far to the west, where mountains stretched into the distance…
No one appeared in this remote place besides hunters, hired guards, and the occasional caravan.
At this moment, the mountains were silent.
Whoooah!
Without any warning, the trees began to shake and countless birds took to the skies in fright, rising up from both sides of that path winding between the mountains. Cree! Large eagles emerged from the distant sky, flying in formation and constantly circling as if they were searching for something.
Rumble!
A few moments later, the earth itself began to tremble under a stampede of hooves, and an army of tens of thousands of soldiers began to approach this place at terrifying speed.
Neigh!
With a flash of light and a resounding neigh, a pitch-black stallion leapt out from the base of the mountains. Upon its back was a stalwart, black-bearded general with copper eyes.
”Faster! Faster! The destination is the capital! Advance at full speed! Everyone, keep up! Those who disobey will be executed!”
The rough voice exploded like thunder across the mountains.
Urged on by these harsh cries, the Beiting army picked up speed, the horses neighing and banners snapping as they rushed along the road to the south.
After marching night and day from the northern frontier, Zhang Zheng's army had finally reached Green Deer Mountain. At his current speed, he could reach the capital in another three days.
Things can get started once my army reaches the capital! Your Highness, we're finally realizing the promise we made with each other! Even if Zhang Zheng must splatter his brains across the ground, he will help you sit upon the seat of the Nine and Five!
Zhang Zheng sat upon his black steed, a bright light in his eyes.
Standing at the summit of this mountain, he could see near and far, the entire realm before him. At that moment, Zhang Zheng felt great pride.
With a wave of his sword, he ordered his army to surge down the mountain and advance toward the capital. But the army had only gotten halfway down the mountain when—
Neigh!
The ground suddenly collapsed! The several dozen warhorses at the very front shrieked as they sank into the earth.
Plush! Plush! Plush! The spikes protruding from the earth instantly took the lives of these horses. Meanwhile, the tens of thousands of soldiers behind them continued to travel forward under their immense inertia.
”Not good! There are traps up ahead!”
The soldiers paled in fright as they pulled on their reins, but it was too late. More plaintive neighs could be heard as horses plunged into the pit. Even more pits began to appear; it seemed as if traps had been placed across the entire road.
”What's going on?!”
In the back, Zhang Zheng scowled at this sight.
……