Jia Xu stretched out a hand to stop Gao Lan. "It's nothing but a petty attempt to provoke us. There's no need to get angry, General Gao."
"By the way, I recall that when the Marquis of Champion led his troops to slaughter the Qiang Royal Court last time, he captured quite a few Qiang nobles?"
"Are they still in the dungeon?"
Gao Lan's eyes lit up at Jia Xu's words. He instantly understood his meaning and nodded firmly. "They're in the dungeon!"
"Excellent."
Jia Xu nodded in satisfaction, then said to Yuan Xi, "Minister of Works Yuan, sorry for the trouble, but please take some men and escort all those Qiang nobles outside the city, then drag them to death behind horses."
"Oh, and remember to bring a few buckets of salt. Sprinkle it over them halfway through so they scream louder."
Jia Xu spoke with a beaming smile, yet his words were exceptionally vicious.
The Qiang had actually dared to attack Chang'an City. That meant a fight to the death, with no room for compromise on either side!
Now, they could only fight to the death!
"Very well!"
Yuan Xi agreed without hesitation, then turned and left the walls.
Soon, he rode out with several hundred cavalrymen, bringing all several hundred Qiang nobles captured at the Qiang Royal Court outside the city. Ma Chao was also watching Chang'an City closely. When he saw its gates suddenly swing wide and cavalry ride out, he was overjoyed.
"The gates are open! They really are going to surrender!"
"Prepare to advance on Chang'an!"
Ma Chao laughed heartily. Everything was just as he had predicted. The defenders had lost their will to fight at the sight of them!
Just then, however, the Zhongqiang Chieftain suddenly said, "Wait, Heavenly General! Something seems wrong!"