After marching for an hour, they once again reached Tong Pass.
The deputy general guarding the city was dumbfounded at the sight of the mighty army, even rubbing his eyes, a look of disbelief in his gaze.
The Wen family banner fluttered fiercely.
Wen Yue had returned alive.
Commander Geng had confidently asserted that Wen Yue would surely die on this trip.
“Open the city gates!”
Wen Yue looked directly at the deputy general guarding the city.
The commanding officer on the city wall loudly declared, "General Wen, you've brought too many troops. What if you've surrendered to Northern Wei and are leading them to trick open the city gates? This humble general would be damned a thousand times over."
“You're spouting nonsense!” Wen Chong roared.
“My young master defeated Tuoba Bao and drowned a hundred and fifty thousand Northern Wei troops. How dare you question such an unparalleled military feat?”“Take a good look at all our brothers; is there a single Northern Wei man among them?”
“Hurry, open the gates!”
The defending general paid no heed to this. Whether for safety reasons or some other consideration, it was not appropriate to open the city gates for Wen Yue at this moment.
Previously, Geng Lie had already instructed him that if Wen Yue returned, he must be held back for a while.
The deputy general guarding the city continued, “General Wen, please first set up camp. I will report to the Commander. By tomorrow noon, when the army has withdrawn ten li from the city gates, this humble general will then open the gates for you.”
A nine zhang city wall meant that even a suspended basket was unsafe, so there was no such thing as letting them up that way.
But at this moment, Wen Yue’s heart burned with rage. If not for his excellent self-control, he would have erupted in curses.
He still had to settle accounts with Geng Lie; was he to be blocked by Tong Pass’s city walls?
Although his spiritual power was insufficient, it was enough to support him in flying up.
Wen Yue scrutinized the walls of Tong Pass.
His spiritual power formed into a pellet, which he flicked onto the city wall. It immediately dissolved into the wall, a change that caused Wen Yue's brows to furrow tightly.
He had never noticed it before, but today, testing with spiritual power, the Tong Pass city wall actually had no point of leverage for spiritual power.
Now, things had truly gone awry.
Let alone waiting for a night, this general was going to report now. If Geng Lie received news of his return earlier, he would surely make preparations.
And it was also uncertain whether the other party would open the city gates tomorrow.
After all, he was merely the vanguard commander; Geng Lie was the army's supreme commander.
If the Tong Pass city gates remained closed, wouldn't he be unable to cross, just like the Northern Wei soldiers, only able to watch Geng Lie escape back to the capital?
Tu Shanjun saw clearly and understood Wen Yue's impatience.
Now, either fly straight up with a flying sword.
Alternatively, while the Tong Pass city wall offered no leverage, the watchtower above did. If he were to wrap cloth around a long spear, throw it up to catch on the watchtower, and use it to climb up, he could then use force to take down the deputy general on the watchtower.
Wen Yue’s face was as calm as a placid lake, showing neither joy nor sorrow, but in truth, a raging storm was brewing in his heart.
Throughout this journey, his anger had not subsided; instead, he felt increasingly that this battle was perilous. If not for Sanhu risking his life to save him, even if he were to crush himself into powder and burn it, he would not have been a match for the Primordial Spirit Sect cultivators.
Those Primordial Spirit Sect cultivators knew him and even called out his name, which meant there was definitely an internal traitor who had betrayed him.
Combined with the Annan Marquis's encirclement, it was immediately clear who was behind it.
The situation was at a stalemate.
“Open the city gates!”
A dagger was pressed against Chu Jing's neck.
The deputy general guarding the city turned to look at the person holding the dagger. That person, clad in a captain's armor, was staring at him with a calm expression.
“Do you know that assassinating a superior officer is a capital crime?”
“Open the city gates!”
Tietou said nothing else, simply pressing the dagger down, cutting into the flesh of Chu Jing’s neck.
A chill shot straight to the back of Chu Jing’s head, scaring him almost to the point of wetting his pants.
Did this person not understand what he was saying? Or was he intent on killing him, showing no hesitation at all in pressing down the dagger?
He could feel the sharpness of the blade and the surge of blood.
He clearly knew that if he didn't comply, his head would surely be severed.
The chill made him tremble involuntarily. Just as he was about to use his own martial arts, he found that the person behind him was holding him motionless.
“At least a Bone Tempering master?”
“Since when did an ordinary captain need to temper bones?”
Without time to think, Chu Jing quickly shouted, “Open the city gates!”
The city gates immediately opened.
Wen Yue led his troops directly into the city.
...
Geng Lie swayed his head, listening to the courtesan playing and singing a tune. This time, the tune was titled 'Inviting You into the Urn.'
The dancing girls on the stage were a pleasing sight.
To Geng Lie, the capital was too stifling. He always had to restrain himself, always being cautious, always flattering. Any official he met casually was a high-ranking second or third-rank official, whom he, as a fellow court official, could not afford to offend.
There were also some powerful fourth-rank officials whom he likewise could not offend.
Princes, nobles, influential families of generals.
So what?
Now he had finally escaped his cage, with great power in his hands, sixty thousand troops guarding Tong Pass. This was His Majesty's trust in him. As for the capital, those nobles he usually couldn't afford to offend when seeking pleasure now had to work under him.
The taste of power was soul-corroding.
It was a pity he couldn't stay much longer. Having sacrificed two or three tens of thousands of troops and also having caused the deaths of the Annan Marquis and Wen Yue, the court might not know the exact situation, but they wouldn't let him stay either. His Majesty would prefer a steady official as the commander of Tong Pass.
“Hahahaha!” Geng Lie burst out laughing.
Now that Wen Yue and the Annan Marquis were dead, and he had found a new path, being the commander of Tong Pass was no longer worth it.
"Master, something has happened!"
The strategist hurried in, his face anxious and flustered.
"What is it?"
Seeing the strategist's appearance, Geng Lie waved his hand, signaling the dancing girls and courtesans to withdraw.
After dismissing his attendants, the strategist finally spoke. "Wen Yue has returned alive."
Geng Lie immediately fell onto the ground, horrified. "Impossible! That person said Wen Yue could absolutely not return alive!"
“How could he have returned?”
Geng Lie clutched his head, then abruptly stood up, his official's hat falling off.
“But he has returned,” the strategist said with a grave expression.
Geng Lie discussed everything with him, so he naturally knew the intricacies of this matter. No one had expected that a foolproof plan would ultimately fail; Wen Yue was not dead.
After the initial panic, Geng Lie had calmed down considerably. “Notify Chu Jing to by no means open the city gates, and he must stop Wen Yue.”
“We must go! Only by returning to Liang City can we survive!” Geng Lie prepared to pack his valuables. He had to flee back to Liang City to have a chance at survival. Remaining in Tong Pass, facing a person whom even such powerful figures couldn't kill, he felt utterly unsafe.
This was indeed a solution. No matter how enraged Wen Yue was, would he dare to kill a third-rank official of the court right under the Liang Emperor's nose?
That would be tantamount to mutual destruction.
Anyone with even a shred of consideration for their future wouldn't act in such a manner.
However, relying on others was ultimately not as good as relying on oneself. The strategist lowered his voice and said, "Master, Wen Yue must have gone through a bloody battle. Why don't we go all out, gather a large army, and annihilate him below Tong Pass City?"
Geng Lie's eyes darkened, as if he was contemplating which of these two methods was better.
Bang!
The door was kicked open. Someone strode quickly onto the dance pavilion.
Before Geng Lie could even react, a small contingent of soldiers had already surrounded him.
The one leading them was precisely Wen Yue.
Wen Yue's face was grim, and he gnashed his teeth. "Good, you haven't run yet."
Geng Lie angrily rebuked, "Wen Yue, what do you intend by bringing troops here? Are you trying to rebel? Do you know that defying a superior is a capital crime? This commander can have you executed!"
Wen Yue waved his hand.
Tietou, his face cold, led a group of his brothers forward and directly dragged the strategist away.
The strategist looked terrified, shouting, "Master! Save me, Master!"
"Rebels!"
"Someone! Come!"
"Someone!"
"Convey my command! Wen Yue is a traitor attempting rebellion! Immediately rally the army!"
"Whoever can slay Wen Yue shall be promoted five ranks!"
Geng Lie yelled and screamed like a madman.
However, everyone in the pavilion watched him with indifferent expressions, completely unmoved.
(Chapter End)