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Zhang Liao pinched the letter between his fingers, his eyes narrowed as his cold gaze swept over the messenger sent from Gucheng. After a long pause, he finally spoke: "Very well. Return and report that I will attend the banquet as scheduled."
"Understood!" The messenger exhaled in relief, quickly bowed, took a few steps back, and then turned to exit the tent.
Zhang Liao stared at the glistening sweat on the back of the messenger's neck beneath his hairline and let out a silent scoff. He motioned for his personal guard, whispered a few instructions, and the guard, after a brief moment of surprise, promptly left to carry out the orders.
As the hour of Shen approached, Zhang Liao rode out of the camp with ten cavalrymen and twenty foot soldiers, advancing slowly toward the eastern gate of Gucheng.
"He's coming! He's coming!" A lookout leaning over the city wall's parapet turned and shouted.
"How many men? Thirty? Good, good!" County Captain Yang immediately directed his archers to hide atop the beams of the houses lining the street near the gate. "Damn it, Wang Erdan, keep your stupid head down! When I give the signal, rain arrows on them like hell! Got it?"
A proper "Hongmen Banquet" ambush wasn't something County Captain Yang didn't want—it was simply beyond his means.
In a small county like Gucheng, finding thirty or so skilled hunters or archers wasn't a problem. But selecting elite melee fighters, like axemen or swordsmen?
That… simply wasn't possible.
And if things went wrong—if Zhang Liao seized control before the signal was even given—what then?
So, the plan was straightforward: block the street and shoot him dead.
But after waiting and waiting, there was no sign of movement. Just as County Captain Yang grew suspicious, a panicked voice called down from the gate: "Captain Yang! He—he's gone around to the south gate! Says he's entering from the south as a sign of respect for the Hongnong Yang clan…"
"What?!" Without another thought, County Captain Yang ordered his archers to quickly reposition.
But when they reached the south gate, the scene left them dumbfounded.
In the Han Dynasty, emperors faced south, with east and west to their sides, and most cities followed the same layout. The residences of nobles and officials were in the north, while markets bustled in the east and west. The southern districts, however, were often neglected, becoming slums.
Thus, Gucheng's southern area was filled with low wooden shacks and even some tiled sheds. How could they possibly hide men here? How could they blockade the street?
But with the trap already set, could they back out now?
No, that wasn't an option. County Captain Yang ordered his men to hide in the few remaining decent houses and sent others to quickly bring out the barricades…
Zhang Liao leisurely followed his cavalry into the south gate, glancing at the flimsy wooden houses and tiled sheds on either side. A faint smirk played on his lips.
The main street ahead was eerily silent, devoid of a single soul.
Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes, gripping his spear in one hand while stroking the short beard on his chin with the other. The hair was still soft to the touch, not yet coarse enough to prick his fingers…
They hadn't gone far when a sudden clatter of wooden clappers rang out from the city gate. Archers rose from the rooftops of nearby houses—over a dozen of them—drawing their bows and taking aim!
Even atop the southern gate's wall, another group of archers appeared, nocking arrows and pointing them downward!
With a sharp shout, Zhang Liao's forces—originally split into cavalry in front and foot soldiers behind—instantly divided into three groups. The cavalry raised their shields and charged forward, while the foot soldiers split left and right, darting into the alleys beside the street…
The speed of their movement left the archers on the walls stunned. Hesitating for a moment, they loosed their first volley of arrows—
And missed spectacularly.
The foot soldiers hugging the sides of the street were out of range for most archers, and Zhang Liao, shielded by his cavalry, had already galloped far ahead. In their panic, the archers fired wildly, many arrows embedding themselves harmlessly into the ground…
After dodging the first volley, Zhang Liao's foot soldiers didn't charge the archers. Instead, they used their shoulders or swords to break through the doors of the flimsy shacks and sheds, disappearing inside before the archers could react…
Meanwhile, the cavalry thundered down the street, only to find two wooden barricades blocking the way at the next intersection. Behind them stood a group of Gucheng's garrison soldiers, trembling as they clutched their spears, their faces pale.
Zhang Liao roared: "To murder an imperial officer is treason—punishable by the extermination of nine generations! Stand down now!"
The soldiers flinched, turning fearfully toward County Captain Yang, who was hiding among them.
Yang gritted his teeth, brandishing his sword as he screamed: "Don't listen to him! Kill him, and I'll reward you with a hundred gold pieces! Shoot! Shoot!"
Zhang Liao snorted coldly and spurred his horse forward. His guards closed in, raising their shields to protect his flanks.
Another haphazard volley of arrows flew—most missed, others clattered off armor and shields, and the few aimed at the horses were deflected by the riders' blades. Only a handful struck Zhang Liao's heavily armored guards, but even those failed to penetrate.
The barricades loomed closer, but Zhang Liao didn't slow—
What fools!
Just two flimsy barricades—and they hadn't even been anchored into the ground!
Did they truly think so little of Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan?!
With a cold laugh, Zhang Liao twisted his spear, sending it whirling in two wide arcs. Though the strikes seemed separate, only a single deafening crash echoed—the unsecured barricades were sent flying like twigs, smashing into the shacks on either side before toppling uselessly onto the street.
The twenty or so Gucheng soldiers blocking the road froze. The quicker ones scrambled aside, forgetting their duty entirely, while the slower ones stood dumbstruck in the middle of the street—
Zhang Liao's spear flicked out, not to stab but to sweep, sending the hapless stragglers flying like ragdolls. In an instant, he was upon County Captain Yang!
Seeing no escape, Yang clenched his teeth, raised his sword, and swung with all his might.
Zhang Liao's spear darted like a serpent, deflecting the blade before driving straight into Yang's right shoulder. With a powerful heave, Zhang Liao lifted Yang high into the air—impaled on his spear!
"Lay down your weapons! Resist, and you die!"
Zhang Liao's guards raised their swords and bellowed: "On your knees! Resistance means death!"
At the same time, Zhang Liao's foot soldiers emerged from the maze of shacks, slamming their blades against their shields in a thunderous rhythm as they chanted: "Resistance means death! Resistance means death!"
The Gucheng soldiers, watching County Captain Yang writhing in agony on the spear, dropped their weapons one by one. The clatter of metal filled the air as they prostrated themselves, trembling.