Fan Zhong's face went dark as he said, "Chief Steward Lan, I sent a hundred thousand troops into the city. They've already linked up with the Brocade Sect lords. As long as I lead the troops in again, we can succeed. And now you're telling me to withdraw?"
Lan Shou froze again. They were actually so close to rescuing them?
His expression shifted. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "Commander Fan, they still cannot be saved. This is... an imperial decree from Great Shang!"
At last, Lan Shou no longer claimed to know nothing. Instead, he stressed the matter heavily.
The moment those words fell, Fan Zhong's entire body shook. He could not believe it.
"In other words, the people of the Brocade Sect were sent here to die from the very beginning."
"The fact that they managed to hold out for nine days has already greatly surprised the people who sent them to their deaths. And at first, the Lord of Yun Province did not know of this 'mission to die,' which was why he sent you here as reinforcements."
"But an imperial decree from Great Shang has just arrived... They are not to be rescued. The Brocade Sect members inside must die at the hands of the Xia Kingdom."
Lan Shou explained each word clearly.
With his mouth hanging open, Fan Zhong stood there for quite a while before shuddering violently.
If he truly rescued the Brocade Sect members, he would be grievously offending some terrifying figure capable of issuing an imperial decree from Great Shang!
Cold sweat streamed down Fan Zhong's face as he swallowed and asked, "Then what do I do now? What about the hundred thousand troops inside?"
At that, Lan Shou revealed an incomparably sinister gaze.
"Since those hundred thousand troops have already entered