County Magistrate, We've Come to Save You

"Hahaha..."

The Prince Ning's Heir let out a fit of mad, insane laughter.

General Chen, standing behind him, looked at him as if he were an idiot.

On the surface, it's about training new recruits, but in reality, it's about settling personal scores.

Driven by personal grudges, he disregarded important matters, acting recklessly and arbitrarily—a behavior unbecoming of a wise ruler.

Furthermore, the prince's so-called Perfect plan was riddled with flaws.

General Chen knew very well that

All that talk about "suppressing the rebellion in accordance with Heaven" and "purging the court of corrupt officials" is a lie.

The prince wants to be the emperor.

But can this father and son really lead them into the Capital and onto the throne?

General Chen had absolutely no idea what to expect.

If successful, it would be considered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, leading to promotions, titles, and benefits for one's wife and children.

But if we fail, it will be a catastrophe that will wipe out our entire family.

But he can't turn back now.

Because his wife, children, and elderly parents were all in the hands of the prince.

They had no choice but to grit their teeth and follow the father and son down this dark path.

Even if what lies behind is an endless abyss.

"Your Highness, it's about time. Let's launch the final assault. Otherwise, if the people of Heyang County escape and reveal our army's whereabouts, it might jeopardize Your Highness's great cause."

General Chen finally couldn't help but remind him.

Upon hearing this,

The Prince Ning's Heir turned his head and glanced at General Chen.

His displeasure and dissatisfaction were undisguised.

If the Prince Ning's Residence's forces stationed at Crouching Ox Mountain hadn't been uprooted overnight by that Immortal, he wouldn't have had to wait several more days.

They had already led their troops into Heyang County and captured Zhang Huaimin alive.

"Aren't you supposed to be the Thunderclap Battalion, renowned for its lightning-fast Thunderclap Battalion? What can a bunch of lowly commoners with their families do even if they escape the city? Can they outrun your warhorses?"

General Chen explained helplessly, "Thousands of civilians have scattered and fled. Even if our army pursues them with all its might, there will always be a few who escape. To be on the safe side, Your Highness should quickly order the entire army to attack the city."

"It seems the Thunderclap Battalion is nothing special after all."

The Prince Ning's Heir made a sarcastic remark, but then he saw that most of the people on the city wall of Heyang County were already dead, and the city gates had been opened.

In the end, the order for a full-scale attack was issued.

"Beat the drums! All troops, attack!"

Thump--

As the war drums thundered...

The Thunderclap Battalion, which had been on high alert, immediately launched an attack on Heyang County.

In an instant,

The sound of horses' hooves was deafening, like a raging storm, echoing through the clouds.

Dead

They're all dead.

County Magistrate Zhang thought he wouldn't be sad.

For officials, serving the country with utmost loyalty and dedicating themselves to the nation is the highest honor.

He shouldn't be sad.

He should be proud.

But when those familiar faces fell before him, when those vibrant lives turned into cold corpses.

County Magistrate Zhang's face was still covered in tears, overwhelmed with grief.

They're all dead.

He's the only one still alive.

It wasn't that he possessed extraordinary martial prowess, capable of taking on a hundred men single-handedly.

Instead, it was those mutinous soldiers.

Don't kill him.

It seems that the Prince Ning's Heir gave an order to spare his life.

He fought with a knife.

He wanted to personally kill a mutinous soldier before he died.

To fulfill his reputation for loyalty and bravery in the face of death and for sacrificing himself for his country.

But he failed.

The mutinous soldiers easily disarmed him.

Now,

He couldn't even bring himself to commit suicide for his country.

Well...

A scholar is truly useless in every way.

I should have used that knife to slit my throat.

County Magistrate Zhang slumped amidst a pile of corpses, surrounded by heavily armed and menacing soldiers.

What a joke!

Can't I just kill myself if I don't have a weapon?

Little did they know that there was also the saying of committing suicide by biting one's tongue.

What a bunch of uncultured soldiers.

They want to capture me alive so they can curry favor with the Prince Ning's Heir? Dream on.

I would rather die than surrender.

County Magistrate Zhang slowly stood up, raising his hand to wipe the blood and dust from his face.

Then he straightened his official robes, which were already stained with blood and in a disheveled state.

His official hat had long since been lost somewhere.

His disheveled hair was unbecoming of a high-ranking official and would detract from his noble image of facing death with composure and magnanimity.

Never mind,

It's come to this point already.

Let's not dwell on it so much.

The surrounding soldiers seemed to be stunned by County Magistrate Zhang's sudden powerful aura, and they all stood there dumbfounded, their faces full of doubt.

"You have raised an army to rebel, aided and abetted the tyrant, and attempted to overthrow the state. You are traitorous ministers and villains, and will be despised for eternity."

"I eat the emperor's food and should uphold the duties of a subject. How can I stoop to serve the rebels and tarnish my place in history? Today the city has fallen, and I have no choice but to die to repay the emperor's grace."

"Though you have acted with arrogance for a time, the ways of Heavenly Dao are clear, and you will surely be punished by Heaven sooner or later."

County Magistrate Zhang, using all his strength, roared and howled, finally finished speaking these heroic and tragic words.

Then open your mouth, steel yourself, and bite down hard on your tongue with your teeth.

"Awoo--"

But the next second,

County Magistrate Zhang covered his mouth with both hands, writhing on the ground in pain.

The book only said that clenching your teeth could lead to suicide, but it didn't mention how painful it would be.

The soldiers around them looked at each other, completely bewildered.

They had no idea what this official was doing.

I don't want to surrender.

It doesn't seem like she'd want to commit suicide.

First, it started babbling in some language that they couldn't understand at all, and then suddenly it started rolling on the ground, clutching its head.

"Magistrate, we've come to rescue you!"

"Your Excellency, don't be afraid, we're here."

"Master, hold on! Please don't die!"

"..."

Upon hearing the sound, County Magistrate Zhang, who was convulsing on the ground in pain, immediately raised his head.

At the end of the long street,

Suddenly a group of people appeared.

They are the cooks in the inn, the servants in the county government, the escorts in the escort agency, the guards of the mansion, the vendors setting up stalls, the farmers in the countryside, the butchers in the market, and even the boys in the brothels...

From all walks of life, of all kinds, numbering in the hundreds.

Armed with sticks, carrying poles, pitchforks, butcher knives, and other weapons, they charged toward the city gate, shouting as they went.

"You..."

Upon witnessing this scene, County Magistrate Zhang was instantly moved to tears, his heart surging with emotion.

He didn't expect that...

The people who had already fled actually came back to save them.

It was worth it.

His life has been worthwhile.

This proves that the people have seen and remembered everything he did before.

The people of Heyang County will not forget him, nor have they abandoned him.

He has become a truly good and honest official.

But soon,

The emotion on his face disappeared.

Rumble--

As the ground trembled violently, the thunderous sound of horses' hooves coalesced into a towering wave, surging forth from the city gate amidst billowing dust.

"No... no... run... run!"

At this moment,

County Magistrate Zhang has always been fearless in the face of death.

I'm scared.

Despair

It's completely collapsed.