Dominating Martial King
Chapter 432 - 432 241 Unyielding Please Subscribe_4

432: Chapter 241 Unyielding (Please Subscribe)_4 432: Chapter 241 Unyielding (Please Subscribe)_4 Lu Pingyuan gave a bitter smile and said, “The Flag Leader ultimately exhausted his blood energy and sank deep into the ground layer with the War Armor ‘Iron Futing,’ leaving no trace behind.

Even Mei Niang’s people cannot confirm whether he’s dead or alive.

However, under ordinary circumstances, the Flag Leader—”

He wanted to say that the Flag Leader must have already perished.

Seeing the devastated expression on Chu Xisheng’s face when Lu Pingyuan caught his gaze, the words somehow got stuck in his throat and he couldn’t bring himself to say them out loud.

Still, there were some things that had to be said.

“Commander Shen Zhou has already led the army out of the county, a total of seven thousand county soldiers along with several thousand soldiers from the families of the Inner City, altogether amounting to twenty-three thousand people.

They have stationed two thousand men at the East City Pier while the rest are arrayed under the city walls, advancing toward us.

There are also two other matters—”

Lu Pingyuan’s voice paused, as he glanced around at everyone, implying that it was not convenient to speak of the situation now.

However, Chu Xisheng waved his hand slightly: “Whatever the bad news is, let’s hear it all.”

Lu Pingyuan furrowed his brows but spoke, “It concerns the Tianping Army.

Just an hour ago, our reconnoitre cavalry discovered the forces of the Tianping Army to the northeast of the Ancient Market—sixteen thousand troops led personally by the Guerrilla General Wei Lai.

Additionally, the Seventeenth Linked Wharves have gathered more than a hundred large boats, sweeping southward from upstream.

What’s particularly worrisome is the Jiangnan County Navy Camp, where all the warships have vanished without a trace, their whereabouts unknown.”

The Tianping Army, directly under the governor of the state, is divided into four divisions, stationed in Tianping County, Xiushui County, Coastal County, and Taishan County, prepared against pirates and the forces of Ying Province.

Its personnel and equipment are on par with the border army, and its combat strength is even stronger than that of the Inner Mansion Army under the East State Eunuch.

And the Jiangnan County Navy Camp is the second most powerful navy in East State, possessing a hundred warships and nearly ten thousand personnel.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the tent felt even more solemn.

The faces of the Dan family father and son were like bitter gourds; they felt that this time they had truly been dragged into hell by Chu Xisheng and the Iron Banner Gang, likely never to climb out again—

Lu Pingyuan also noticed that everyone was panicking.

Actually, he did not agree with making these matters public.

All it did was cause everyone to panic even more, serving no real purpose.

He himself felt very helpless.

Lu Pingyuan had thought that he had a bright future ahead, but the death of Iron Madman had caused this job prospect to dim.

“Young Flag Owner!” Lu Pingyuan silently sighed and clasped his hands in a salute.

“Please make a decision quickly!

In my opinion, we need to gather our forces as soon as possible and retreat to the interior of West Mountain for shelter.

Once we are surrounded by the Imperial Army, it will be hard to resist.”

The personnel from West Mountain Hall were all here.

Thus, the forces that Lu Pingyuan referred to specifically meant the gang members of the Iron Banner, particularly the families of these members.

Wei Yang gave a bitter laugh and shook his head slightly.

“Time is pressing.

The Tianping Army can cross the river in half a day at most.

Xunyang Hall Master Lu Jiuli also can’t possibly block the soldiers from the Seventeenth Linked Wharves.

The longer we delay here, the greater the risk that our entire army will be annihilated.”

There were others in the crowd who disagreed with Lu Pingyuan, not just Wei Yang.

Li Shenshan shook his head, but his view was different from Wei Yang’s: “If we retreat now, what about the families of the Iron Banner gang?

What about the eighteen brothers from the Outer Hall?

And what about those wharf laborers?

If we neglect them, I can assure you that within a few months, the tens of thousands of our Iron Banner will dissolve.”

“Ever since the flag was hung in Xiushui County, the people below have been uneasy.

I fear that once we retreat, the morale of the people of West Mountain Hall will disperse, perhaps leading to a rout.”

Zhoou Liangchen’s face turned red with anger, his rage boiling over: “My intention is to fight it out!

If the Young Flag Owner climbs high and calls, gathering the boatmen and laborers from both banks, we could have tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of large boats.

It might not be impossible to fight.”

“We can’t win.

The Young Flag Owner doesn’t have the prestige of the Flag Leader,” Dan Chiling said with a bitter laugh.

He supported the retreat: “The boatmen and laborers of Xiushui County have received great favor from the Flag Leader, but they may not necessarily listen to the Young Flag Owner.

What’s more, under the heavy pressure of the Imperial Army, these laborers, out of fear, are mostly unwilling to obey.

It is human nature to seek fortune and avoid disaster.

Young Flag Owner, if we retreat to West Mountain, the court might not do anything to those boatmen and laborers.

They are just peripheral members of the Iron Banner.

Moreover, the Deputy Flag Master also said in his message that the Flag Leader advised you to prioritize ‘endurance.'”

Dan Chiling thought that as long as Chu Xisheng could successfully join the Formless Divine Sect and become a True Disciple of the Formless Divine Sect, there might be hope for the Dan Family to turn things around.

Chu Yunyun sat behind Chu Xisheng.

She listened to the people around her, yet she uttered not a word.

She intently watched Chu Xisheng’s back, pondering what choice Chu Xisheng would make in the face of such a perilous situation.

Just then, the cold voice of Liu Ruoxi came from outside the tent.

“Young Flag Owner!

Mr.

Du Wenquan, the secretary of the county, requests an audience.”

Chu Xisheng slightly raised his eyebrows.

In the county, the position of ‘secretary’ was equivalent to the governor’s personal secretarial officer, one of the closest staff members to the governor.

He snapped out of his dazed state and gestured to the guard at the door.

Shortly afterward, a middle-aged scholar with dark red facial skin and a handsome and prominent facial structure walked into the tent from outside.

He first scanned the varied expressions of the people inside the tent, a hint of barely noticeable sarcasm showing in his eyes.

This man then confidently walked seven steps toward Chu Xisheng and bowed, “County secretary Du Wenquan, at your service, Young Flag Owner!”

Chu Xisheng had already masked the grief on his face, his expression faint as he looked at the middle-aged scholar, “You are here to speak on behalf of Governor Sikong’s desire for us to surrender?”

Caught off guard by the direct question, Du Wenquan was slightly surprised.

He then smiled lightly, “I indeed come with the governor’s good intentions.

The governor deployed troops to eradicate Iron Madman because he discovered that Iron Madman and his nephew Jia Dali were practicing Evil Techniques and had associations with demons.

Today’s battle at the Mi Family Mansion also confirmed this.

Nevertheless, the thousands of gang members and numerous suffering ship workers of the Iron Banner Gang are innocent.

The governor does not wish to implicate the innocent, nor does he intend to intervene in your Jianghu disputes with the Inner City Families, hence he sent me to relay this message.

If Young Flag Owner is willing to relinquish the East City Pier and all assets of the Ancient Market, as well as half the shares of your canal, and abide peacefully by West Mountain, the governor will then withdraw his troops and spare your Iron Banner Gang.”

At this moment, the expressions inside the tent varied, some faces brightened with joy while others furrowed their brows with a look of bitter indignation.

Chu Xisheng let out a laugh of resignation, his voice relaxed, “You really did come to propose surrender.”

“You could say that,” Du Wenquan replied with his hands behind his back, his demeanor confident and composed.

He waited for Chu Xisheng to open negotiations.

According to the governor’s instructions, the canal in West Mountain, entangled with the Coastal Family, could be left untouched for now.

However, the Iron Banner Gang must relinquish all enterprises at the East City Pier and Ancient Market as well as all riverside wharves along the Shenxiu River.

Given the circumstances, this young flag leader had no room for bargaining—

But this was where Du Wenquan’s thoughts were cut short.

He saw a flash of white light at Chu Xisheng’s waist, then his vision tumbled.

At this moment, those inside the tent, looking at the rolling head of Du Wenquan and the knife in Chu Xisheng’s hand, were also shocked into a dazed state.

“Ruoxi!

Toss this man’s head onto the city wall of Xiushui County,” Chu Xisheng instructed as he kicked Du Wenquan’s head away.

“I am just this kind of person!

I would rather die standing than live kneeling!

Order the sorcerer to start the fog immediately!

Fifteen minutes later, the entire army will advance!

If Commander Shen Zhou wants a battle, then my West Mountain Hall shall give them one.”