Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 223 Half-Demon (Part 2)

"Set off,"

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. The four generals led their troops and, after the military orders were issued, the three thousand infantry and cavalry advanced upstream once again.

After capturing five Qiang villages in succession, three thousand infantry and cavalry gradually entered Longyou.

As a strategically vital region between the north and south, Longyou was occupied by the Northern Wei dynasty after it unified the north. The Northern Wei established Qin and He prefectures, stationed strong troops to defend against the Rouran and Tuyuhun, and also managed the western regions and looked south towards Sichuan.

During the Western Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties, it still relied on it as a shield to resist the Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, and Southern Dynasties.

What one sees along the way are scattered passes, faint beacon towers, rugged mountains, wide rivers and plains, crisscrossing canals and irrigation ditches, and fields stretching as far as the eye can see.

The further you go, the faster the current becomes. The reeds on the bank sway in the wind like golden waves, and the clanging of armor startles flocks of birds into flight.

As dusk approached, Lü Shang reined in his horse, pointed his whip at the distant city, and said, "Ahead of here should be Qingshui County, right?"

The military officer standing nearby replied, "Your Excellency, this is indeed Qingshui County!"

"Qingshui County,"

Lu Shang gazed thoughtfully at the city ahead. As far as the eye could see, the twilight shone on the city walls of Qingshui, and shadowy figures moved about on the city towers.

Qingshui County is located on the southern slope of the eastern section of Longshan Mountain and is a vital passage for entering Longshan from Guanzhong.

In the past, when Qin drove out the Western Rong tribes and Han opened up the Western Regions, Qingshui served as the gateway.

Throughout history, anyone who wanted to occupy Longyou had to defend Qingshui and repel enemies coming from the east.

If Qingshui is not defended, Qinzhou will have no natural defenses to rely on, and the area east of Longyou will be in danger.

"Fortunately, it's still in the hands of the imperial court."

His gaze was fixed on the top of Qingshui City, looking at the flags there, and he said, "Pass on the order!"

"The left-wing scouts should go ahead and quickly report to Qingshui County that Lü Shang from Liangzhou has led his troops here, and order the county magistrate to open the city gates and prepare the camp."

"Ling Yue, Yan Rui, Xiao Ji, you will follow me and clear the way,"

"promise!"

The three generals, Ling Yue, Yan Rui, and Xiao Ji, responded upon hearing the call.

As elite border troops, the scouts had already charged out on horseback the moment Lü Shang's order was given.

"Walk,"

Lu Shang gave the reins a tug, and his steed, Zidian Hanshuang, let out a long neigh and galloped toward Qingshui City.

"drive,"

The cavalry followed closely behind, their hooves making a steady, powerful sound, the clatter of armor plates mingling with the roar of the Wei River.

The infantry quickly regrouped, and the entire column resembled a long black dragon, winding its way along the road.

As the infantry and cavalry advanced, the approaching troops were also spotted from the distant Qingshui city walls.

The defenders on the city wall were initially agitated. Several soldiers rushed to the wall and deftly nocked crossbow bolts onto the ballistae on the city wall.

On the city wall, a general dressed in black military uniform pushed aside the soldiers crowding in front of him, placed his hand on the ring-pommel sword at his waist, and squinted at the approaching army.

The general stared for a moment, and after the left wing scout of Lü Shang's army rode up to the city walls, he shouted sharply downwards, "Who goes there?"

The scout below the city reined in his horse, raised the Liangzhou military government flag high in his right hand, and announced loudly, "I am a scout under the command of the Liangzhou governor. I have come on his orders to report that our Liangzhou army has entered Longxi to quell the rebellion and has now arrived at Qingshui. I request the magistrate to open the city gates, prepare the camps, and welcome the army into the city."

Qingshui County is different from Dazhen Pass. Dazhen Pass is directly under the jurisdiction of the central government and entry and exit are extremely strict. Therefore, when passing through the pass, it is necessary to show Lü Shang's military tally.

While Qingshui County was strategically important, it was still under the jurisdiction of Qin Prefecture and was one of the local prefectures and counties. The city could be entered by using military flags.

Seeing this, the general on the city wall relaxed his brow and immediately summoned his personal guards, saying, "Go to the county government office and inform the magistrate that the governor of Liangzhou is leading his army to arrive. After the magistrate arrives, check the flags. If the flags are correct, open the city gates immediately." The guards obeyed the order, rushed down the city wall, mounted their horses, and headed straight for the county government office.

At this moment, Zhao Yan, the magistrate of Qingshui County, was working at his desk when he received an urgent report that his personal guards had broken down the door. He suddenly stood up and said, "The governor of Liangzhou has arrived?"

"Quickly, to the city wall."

Zhao Yan grabbed the bronze seal from the table and followed his personal guards toward the city gate.

It's no wonder Zhao Yan lost his composure; the truth is, his current position as the magistrate of Qingshui County is truly unsettling and filled with unease.

After all, with the rebellion of the Qiang people in Longyou, Qingshui County, as the throat of Longyou, was a key target for attacks by the Qiang cavalry from the surrounding areas.

If Qingshui County were to fall, Zhao Yan, as the county magistrate, would bear primary responsibility, and at the very least, he would be dismissed from office, removed from his post, demoted, or exiled to the border.

If the punishment is severe, it could even result in confiscation of property, execution, or extermination of the entire clan.

The law is like a furnace; one cannot help but fear it!
On the city tower, as dusk deepened, County Commandant Zhou Tai stared intently at the scouts below and the approaching army formation in the distance.

Seeing Zhao Yan arrive, Zhou Tai quickly stepped aside and said, "Magistrate, the flag is here. Please check if it's real or fake."

"It's definitely true, it really is the Liangzhou Prefecture army,"

Zhao Yan took the flag presented by his personal guard, examined it carefully, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Open the city gates immediately and welcome the Liangzhou army into the city. There must be no delay!"

Zhou Tai responded loudly, and the horn on the city tower suddenly sounded.

Woohoo! Woohoo!
After the bugle call, the two city gates, covered with thick iron, slowly opened.

Below the city gate, Lü Shang reined in his horse, looking at the open gate with a slight purse on his lips.

He raised his hand to signal the army to slow down, then spurred his horse forward, followed closely by the cavalry led by Yan Rui and Xiao Ji.

After entering the city, Lü Shang dismounted. At this moment, Zhao Yan and Zhou Tai quickly came forward and bowed to Lü Shang.

After bowing, Zhao Yan spoke first, saying, "Zhao Yan, Magistrate of Qingshui County, greets Your Excellency."

"The magistrate of Qingshui County greets Your Excellency,"

Lü Shang raised his hand in a gesture of support, saying, "No need for formalities. The military situation is critical right now, so let's skip the pleasantries for now."

His gaze swept over the tense expressions of the two men, and he asked directly, "How are the city's defenses? Have the Qiang cavalry made any unusual moves in the surrounding area?"

Zhao Yan said, "Your Excellency, since the Qiang rebellion last month, our Qingshui County has been harassed by Qiang cavalry more than ten times."

"My subordinate and County Magistrate Zhou recruited local strongmen to reinforce the city walls, and with the county soldiers fighting bravely, the attacking Qiang cavalry dared not launch a full-scale assault,"

"Perhaps seeing that Qingshui had been unable to be captured for a long time, three days ago, a group of about two thousand Qiang cavalry suddenly bypassed the city and attacked Gongmen Village. Gongmen Village guarded the mountain road from Qingshui to Qinzhou. After it was captured, most of the communication between Qingshui County and Qinzhou was cut off."

County Commandant Zhou Tai chimed in, saying in a deep voice, "What's even more troublesome is that after the Qiang cavalry occupied Gongmen Village, they didn't return east. Instead, they guarded the village and blocked the road. It seems they intend to keep a close watch on Qingshui County."

Lü Shang frowned and asked, "How strong are the Qiang cavalry who seized Gongmen Village? Do they have any banners?"

Zhou Tai hesitated for a moment, then said, "Their fighting strength is quite formidable; ordinary garrison troops are no match for them. The leading Qiang general wears a bronze beast-face helmet, and his men mostly carry curved swords. Judging from their armor, they seem to be from the Shaodang Qiang."

“Shaodang Qiang”

A cold glint flashed in Lü Shang's eyes as he said, "Ling Yue, Huo Xiao, Yan Rui, you will lead your troops to remain in Qingshui and assist Magistrate Zhao and Lieutenant Zhou in reinforcing the city's defenses."

"The general will obey the order!"

Ling Yue, Huo Xiao, and Yan Rui responded in deep voices.

Then, Lü Shang looked at Xiao Ji and said, "Let's lead five hundred cavalrymen, rest for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and then set off immediately to meet the Qiang people of Gongmen Village."

(End of this chapter)