Chapter 69: Emptying Langya |
Holding the tiger tally, Wei Wusheng rode his horse and immediately rushed to the Langya military camp.
Even at midnight, the camp maintained strict guard duty.
Seeing a horse galloping toward them, the guards immediately stepped forward and shouted sternly: "Military camp ahead, halt!"
Pulling on the reins, the horse reared its head and stomped its hooves as Wei Wusheng brought it to an emergency stop. He called out loudly: "I am the Commander-General, Prefect of Shuo Commandery, Sixth Prince Wei Wusheng."
Hearing this, the guards immediately dropped to one knee with fists clasped: "We greet Your Highness!"
Although his identity still needed verification, since he hadn't entered the camp or issued any orders, there was no need for the guards to disbelieve him.
If he had made certain demands, then he would definitely need to provide proof.
"Who holds the tally within the camp?" Wei Wusheng inquired.
"Reporting to Your Highness, it's Captain Chu."
Wei Wusheng directly ordered and displayed the tiger tally.
Just seeing the outline of the tiger tally, the soldier immediately turned and ran into the camp.
Soon, a middle-aged man who hadn't even donned his armor and was only wearing a red inner robe ran over and bowed to Wei Wusheng: "This humble official greets Your Highness."
Without hesitation, Wei Wusheng tossed the tiger tally to him.
Catching the tiger tally, Captain Chu took out his own half of the tally.
Left and right, after they fitted together perfectly, he looked up: "Your Highness, what brings you to camp?"
Wei Wusheng's tone was utterly calm but full of pressure: "Secret imperial order to mobilize the army to resist Ji Yuan. Now transport all the supplies in the city to the ships. All troops are to deploy and sail downstream."
"..." These words completely stunned Captain Chu. "Forgive this subordinate's impertinence, but General Luo Ting is currently...?"
"The general and I are jointly executing the court's orders. He has other matters to attend to."
Wei Wusheng's tone gradually took on a hint of severity as he threatened: "Are you trying to delay military affairs?"
"This subordinate wouldn't dare!"
Since the tiger tally had already matched up, the procedure was correct. Captain Chu immediately ordered: "Have all soldiers dress and don armor, transport all府库supplies to the ships!"
"Yes!"
As the words fell, the operation began without a moment's hesitation or doubt.
No matter the era, professional soldiers hold obedience to orders as their sacred duty.
The reason desertion is punished so severely, and why sometimes captured deserters are executed rather than given a chance to redeem themselves through battle, is because the four words "strict military discipline" cannot be violated.
As long as the tiger tally Wei Wusheng held was genuine, even if he ordered them to attack Ji Yuan's camp barefoot right now, they would have to comply.
After the order was given, the assembly bell rang throughout the camp, deep and solemn.
"Don't deploy the troops! You can't deploy the troops!"
Just then, someone on horseback suddenly charged from behind, shouting loudly.
"It's General Wang..."
Someone recognized him, and then several people slowly looked toward Wei Wusheng, all anxious and uneasy.
Wei Wusheng didn't even turn his head and directly ordered: "Wang Dalong intends to seize power. You lot, quickly capture him alive."
The moment the order was given, Captain Chu hesitated again.
This was all too coincidental.
The next moment, Wei Wusheng took out the fish tally that proved his official identity and tossed it over.
Captain Chu caught it.
By the light of the torches, it showed a line of characters—Great Yu's Commander-General, Prefect of Shuo Commandery, Senior Third Rank, Wei Wusheng.
"General Luo Ting may have been coerced, all of you return to camp!"
Wang Dalong spurred his horse frantically, finally arriving at the moment before the troops were deployed, reaching the camp entrance.
However, just as he was about to approach Wei Wusheng, several people suddenly rushed out.
Directly ahead, two men rapidly stretched out a horse-tripping rope, directly tripping the horse's legs.
Wang Dalong was thrown into the air and landed on the ground. Two long halberds crossed and locked around his neck in seamless succession.
He had no time to cry out in pain. Looking up at Wei Wusheng on horseback with that cold gaze looking down at him, he could only grit his teeth, clench his fists, and heavily pound the ground.
"Before dawn, all supplies must be transported to the ships without fail, or face military punishment."
Wei Wusheng reminded Captain Chu.
"Yes!" Captain Chu immediately agreed.
Wei Wusheng bent down and extended his hand.
Very respectfully, Captain Chu returned both the tiger tally and fish tally with both hands.
The reason these two items were more effective together was because it allowed for quick thinking.
The tiger tally could be stolen or seized.
But the fish tally proving he was Wei Wusheng meant subordinates no longer needed to overthink or explore those possibilities.
"Assign me one hundred cavalry."
Wei Wusheng ordered.
"Yes!"
One hundred cavalrymen were quickly assembled at the camp entrance.
Leading these men, Wei Wusheng immediately turned back toward the commandery office.
The cavalry completely surrounded this most important government office in Langya.
Then, after ordering it tightly sealed, Wei Wusheng alone rode his horse into the compound.
Soon, he was discovered by people inside.
But he didn't care and continued walking inward.
The people who noticed him numbered four or five, standing far off to one side, keeping their distance, extremely vigilant.
After a while, the centurion came out from the main hall and arrived before Wei Wusheng.
"Your Highness?"
The centurion asked somewhat tentatively.
"Yes." Wei Wusheng answered.
"..." The centurion first bowed, then rose, asking very nervously, "We found the unconscious General Luo under the desk in the main hall. His hands were bound and his palms wrapped in gauze. Your Highness, who did this?"
Speaking of which, it was quite ridiculous—they had searched the commandery office for two ke (half an hour), and finally returned to the main hall to find Luo Ting.
Hidden right under their noses. How absurd was that?
"Me."
Wei Wusheng answered simply.
Getting this answer, everyone froze in shock and fear to the extreme.
"I seized the tiger tally. Now except for you lot, all military forces in the city are under my control." Wei Wusheng on horseback informed them.
"We beg Your Highness to spare our lives!"
The centurion knelt first, then everyone else knelt down.
"I order the gate guards to hold the front and back gates of the commandery office until dawn. You lot will care for General Luo here and not leave even one step."
Wei Wusheng raised his head, looking at the bright moon in the sky, murmuring: "When dawn comes, you'll be free. General Luo as well—he can do whatever he wants."
...
The road from Langya city to the military camp wasn't particularly far, and most of it was gentle downslopes, so the journey was generally smooth. However, since it was now pitch black, Song Shi'an could only follow behind Xinyue, who held a faint torch, riding his horse with difficulty.
This was equivalent to someone with five hundred degrees of nearsightedness driving on a highway at night without glasses.
Basically, pure feeling.
Fortunately, this was an era without heavy traffic.
After spending over half a shichen, the two finally arrived outside the military camp.
Calling it a military camp was generous—it was just tents pitched along the river, forming a settlement.
On the outermost perimeter, a simple wooden watchtower stood with a large 'Wei' character flag. A huge oil-fat torch burned, its light wavering in the night wind.
After all, this was the Southern Liang heartland, not the frontlines. When marching, camps were basically set up like this.
Though the power seizure had been extremely tense, exciting, and racing against time, the most crucial part was still the next step.
Before entering the camp, Song Shi'an looked at his teammate, who after the recent series of events had become quite favorable and friendly, and couldn't help but sigh: "His Highness has no attachments and acts this 'treasonous' deed for the greater good—that makes sense. But that you'd dare participate in something that could result in the extermination of nine generations truly surprises me."
Regarding this flattery, Xinyue didn't get overconfident but modestly replied: "I'm an orphan. I don't have nine generations."
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