My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 604 Turning a Funeral into a Joyous Event
North Central City... is it lost?!

Upon hearing this news, Erzhu Rong felt a wave of dizziness and almost collapsed and fainted. Fortunately, he managed to steady himself by holding onto a nearby pillar.

However, his loss of composure was still noticed by everyone.

The two soldiers who came to deliver the message knelt down with a thud, burying their heads tightly, afraid that Erzhu Rong, consumed by rage, would take it out on them.

however……

Su Chuo reacted extremely quickly, suddenly stepping forward and grabbing one of the men's arms forcefully. He, who was usually unflappable in front of outsiders, was unusually out of control.

"Damn it, where are those soldiers who came to deliver the message? And... has news of the fall of North Central City and even the river bridge already leaked out?"

"No...we don't know."

How could those two dare to talk nonsense?
Trembling with fear, I stammered, unsure how to answer.

Wang Xiang and Erzhu Rong immediately understood what Su Chuo meant when they saw his reaction.

Erzhu Rong clenched his fist with one hand and gripped the pillar tightly with the other, forcibly leaving deep fingernail marks on the pillar.

"Tell me the truth quickly! Has any information been leaked?"

"Those men who came to deliver the message were in a panic. After we brought them to the city wall, they kept shouting about whether the message had been leaked. The city gate captain sent the two of us to deliver the message. As for whether the message had been leaked, we really didn't know."

"Hahaha."

Upon hearing this, Erzhu Rong suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! There are five thousand soldiers guarding Beizhong City! How could it be lost so easily?"

"There are also large troops guarding the river bridge, how could it have fallen?"

The maniacal laughter was so eerie under the night sky that the two soldiers were too frightened to speak.

Neither of them dared to look up until the laughter abruptly stopped, followed by a muffled thud, and then Wang Xiang and Su Chuo's panicked shouts.

"Prime Minister!!"

Only then did the two dare to look up, but the sight that greeted them left them utterly astonished.

Erzhu Rong seemed to be overcome by anger and frustration, and unable to exhale the pent-up emotions in his chest, he fainted on the spot.

"Prime Minister!"

The two shouted in a panic.

Su Chuo was the first to react. The current situation was extremely dangerous. If they were not careful... Luoyang might collapse even without Gao Yu's army coming.

He quickly stopped the two men, "Shut up! You two come here right now! Quickly help the Prime Minister into the house! Stop making a scene!"

He called out to Wang Xiang again.

"Brother, I trouble you to take the Prime Minister's seal to the palace and find the young master. Ask him to mobilize soldiers from the Imperial Guard to guard all the soldiers at Dongyang Gate. Before the Prime Minister wakes up and makes proper arrangements, the news from the front must not be leaked!"

The young master he mentioned was Erzhu Rong's youngest son, Erzhu Wenlue, who was placed in the palace by Erzhu Rong as a Tiger General.

He was the one who bribed Wei Shou to help embellish the mention of Erzhu Rong in the Book of Wei. He was later killed by Gao Yang.

In fact, judging from the fate of Erzhu Rong's surviving sons after his death, although Gao Huan rebelled after Erzhu Rong's death and almost stepped on Erzhu Zhao and others to seize power, he treated his descendants well, which can be considered as repaying Erzhu Rong's kindness.

Wang Xiang also knew how bad the situation was, and nodded repeatedly, "Leave this matter to me, I entrust the Prime Minister to you, Lingchuo..."

The two have clear division of labor.

Su Chuo hurriedly returned to the house. "You, quickly go and fetch a physician. Do not make a sound. Just say that she is the Prime Minister's wife, and that Princess Beixiang has suddenly fallen ill. The Prime Minister has ordered you to bring a physician to the mansion to treat his wife. If you dare to leak this news, your heads will be in danger!"

"promise!"

After a while, hurried footsteps sounded outside.

An elderly medical worker was invited over. Upon entering the room, the old man was visibly taken aback. "Weren't I summoned here to treat Princess Beixiang?"

"It is the Prime Minister who has fainted. Please come quickly to treat him."

The elderly medical worker was practically carried to the bedside by the soldiers behind him.

At this point, how could he not understand the situation?

He could only tremblingly extend his hand to take Erzhu Rong's pulse. The old Chinese medicine doctor's experience was invaluable; after taking the pulse, he said, "The Prime Minister is suffering from a sudden attack of anger, but there is nothing seriously wrong..." Su Chuo breathed a sigh of relief, but then asked, "When will the Prime Minister wake up? Can you prescribe a medicine to help him wake up quickly? In the current turbulent situation, only the Prime Minister can maintain the safety of Luoyang!"

"I do have a prescription."

"Quickly, take the medical worker to get the medicine, brew it, and bring it over. Make sure no word gets out!"

"promise!"

The soldiers hurriedly ran to prepare the medicine.

Su Chuo continued to guard the bedside, but instead of receiving medicine from the soldiers, he was greeted by Prime Minister Wang.

After exchanging a glance, Wang Xiang nodded to him, and Su Chuo finally felt relieved.

"Lingchuo, rest assured, the garrison commander and his soldiers at Dongyang Gate have been placed under guard by my men."

"Well, hopefully the news hasn't leaked yet."

"It shouldn't be the case. The city gate captain is a confidant of the prime minister. He wouldn't be so foolish as to spread such news."

Su Chuo, however, was not so optimistic.

Who can guarantee something like that?

With so many people around, the city gate captain might be fine, but what about his soldiers?

Undercurrents were swirling within Luoyang, with countless officials scheming daily to gather the latest news.

The slightest disturbance would cause unrest in the city.

Even with ample manpower, Erzhu Rong would not consider holding out in Luoyang.

It's not just because the city is too big and difficult to defend.

We must also consider that the large number of people in the city, and the mixed nature of them, will increase the difficulty of defending the city.

The best option would be to retreat to Jinyong City in the northwest corner.

Waited for another moment.

The soldiers brought over the prepared medicine, and together they helped Erzhu Rong up and fed him the medicine.

The old Chinese medicine doctor was indeed an old Chinese medicine doctor.

After taking the medicine, Erzhu Rong slowly opened his eyes after a while.

"Prime Minister..."

Wang Xiang whispered, "You absolutely cannot get into trouble at this crucial moment. If something happens to you, who can maintain the current situation?"

Erzhu Rong struggled to sit up, glanced at Su Chuo and Wang Xiang, and said quietly, "It's alright, the sky won't fall down."

He then looked at the two soldiers.

"Bring here the man who escaped from North Central City; I want to question him myself!"

The man was quickly brought over, and Erzhu Rong recognized him at a glance. He was the spy he had carefully planted next to Houmo Chenyue.

The man suddenly knelt on the ground.

"Prime Minister! This humble general has failed you!!"

"Stop talking nonsense and tell me what you know."

The man paused for a moment before telling Erzhu Rong what he had seen from his perspective.

When they learned that it was Hou Mochenrui who opened the city gates and allowed people to enter the city.

A glint of light flashed in Erzhu Rong's eyes.

Wang Xiang and Su Chuo couldn't help but exchange a glance.

They immediately realized the problem!
(End of this chapter)