Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 733: Great Calamity (Part 2)

The soldiers standing on the city wall are tall and strong, with fierce expressions and emotionless faces, snapping their whips and harshly rebuking the sluggish commoners.

A tall, dark-skinned military general walked up the city wall, his gaze sweeping coldly over the scene.

"General Lu," a personal soldier came over and reported in a low voice, "I asked around, three died today."

The commoners captured to build the city wall are mostly able-bodied men. Every day, they are given only one coarse bun and a bowl of cold water, and it’s the dead of winter, doing the heaviest labor. It’s hard to say whether more are starving, dying from exhaustion, or getting crushed to death. In any case, several bodies need to be carried out every day.

The General Lu mentioned by the personal soldier is indeed the main general of the Yu State Army. However, since Zheng Chen arrived, General Lu has voluntarily stepped back to the second position.

As for Zhao Wu, he is quite skilled at defending the city. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been the city defender of Peng City back then. The current city wall construction is all Zhao Wu’s idea. General Lu occasionally comes by too.

"The dead are carried out and thrown into the mass grave." General Lu said impatiently.

From the moment Zheng Chen entered the Yu State Army a few months ago, no, it should be said, since he hid the rebellious general Zhao Wu in the Yu State Military Camp years ago, he has embarked on a path of no return.

Success grants a peerage and rank, immortalizing one’s name through the ages.

Failure leads to the confiscation of property, the extermination of family, with no place to bury one’s body.

Six years ago, he was favored by Minister Zheng and relied heavily upon, during his visit to Duke An’s Mansion in the Capital City, he met the young Mr. Zheng.

That year, Zheng Chen was merely a boy of twelve or thirteen, youthful in appearance, yet extremely practiced in speech and behavior. He maintained secret contact with Zheng Chen ever since, and after the border army’s defeat and the Left General’s punishment, he followed Zheng Chen with unwavering loyalty.

A man cannot remain unambitious and always subordinate to others.

A teenage girl, unbelievably, sat on the Dragon Throne and became the Emperor of Da Liang. How absurd and laughable!

The array of scholars and officials in court were weak and incompetent, enticed by the Nanyang County Princess, and willingly supported her. Lu Cheng refused to bow at a woman’s feet.

The Nanyang County Princess’s fame was renowned in the North, feared by everyone in the Capital City alike. However, the garrison troops across regions were far away and had little interaction, thus not too intimidated. General Lu was not afraid at all, boldly raised the flag of rebellion.

In recent months, the Yu State Army has been capturing conscripts everywhere to bolster its forces. Ordinary commoners were driven to build the city wall. The mass grave was piled high with white bones.

Thus, every ten days or so, they had to go and capture another batch of commoners.

Having received the order, the personal soldiers’ eyes lit up, enthusiastically gathering a group of men and horses to capture people in the city.

They captured adult men, seizing silver coins from commoners’ homes along the way, and delighted themselves by ravishing any attractive young women they encountered. Such days were far less restrictive than when serving as a hard-labor soldier.

Because of these immediate thrills, Yu State Army soldiers all followed in rebellion; any who privately grumbled and complained were beheaded, their heads hung outside the military camp to instill fear.

This group of over a hundred soldiers charged into the city, soon cries of anguish and pleas for mercy resounded throughout.

"Military officer, this old man is fifty years old and really has no strength..."

"Military officer, this old man will come with you. Please spare my granddaughter; she’s only thirteen, not yet grown..."

The military officers were bright-eyed and excited, completely ignoring the old man’s desperate pleas. They bound his hands and feet, smiling grimly as they approached the delicate-featured young girl.

An hour later, the old man was dragged away, the young girl lay dying on the ground. Beside her was a bloody corpse. It was her grandmother, slain by a single blow when she rushed to protect her granddaughter.

Such atrocities occurred every so often. Upon hearing hoofbeats and shouting, the city’s commoners’ faces turned ashen; their first instinct was to lock their doors. However, even the sturdiest locks could not stop the lawless troops, fierce as wolves.

With a single stroke, the lock was smashed open, the door kicked in with a bang. Next came the family’s ruin and slaughter.

In less than half a day, the personal soldiers captured dozens of commoners and brought them to the city wall. Each soldier was beaming with satisfaction, pockets bulging. Who knows how much silver they plundered?

A military general in his forties quietly spoke to the indifferently observing young man beside him, "These soldiers won’t risk their lives without tangible benefits. I know you disdain them, Mr. Zheng, but for now, we can only turn a blind eye and get by."

This military general, handsome and dignified, with slightly small eyes and a sullen gaze.

The young man, nearing the age of twenty, had a handsome face and an aristocratic air. Standing with hands behind his back, his gaze detached as though every earthly matter was insignificant to him.

The military general was Zhao Wu, who once fled the city in terror. The young man was Zheng Chen.

Zheng Chen had escaped the court in a panic, accompanied only by a few loyal personal soldiers. Because they were inconspicuous, they managed to reach the Yu State Military Camp through disguise and deception reasonably smoothly.

On the road while fleeing, confidante Peng Sihai had quietly asked why they didn’t seek refuge with General Fan of the border army.

He did not explain.

Time proved his foresight was accurate. General Fan would not risk everything for his grandchild. Even Fan Jaining was driven to suicide by a letter from him. If he sought refuge with the border army, the most likely outcome would be being tied up by General Fan himself, then sent back to the Capital City for execution.

The Yu State Army was his true trump card.

He spent several years thoroughly winning over Zhao Wu and Lu Cheng. With inadequate manpower, he continually recruited; with a low city wall, he pushed commoners to rebuild it. As long as he could keep the court’s army outside the gates, he could establish his foothold in Yu State, then slowly plot for the world.

Zheng Chen aimed to live life grandly; even if his great ambition failed, he wanted to cause a shocking disturbance before he died.

"Success in great endeavors requires overlooking minor details," Zheng Chen cared little for the soldiers’ chaos, "The major project is just beginning; at such a critical moment, it won’t hurt to overlook some military discipline. Once we are firmly established, we will refine it."

Zhao Wu nodded, soon setting the topic aside and discussing the movements of the court’s troops.

"The Heroic Guard Camp arrived outside Yu state’s border three days ago, eighty miles from Yu state. They didn’t attack immediately but camped eighty miles away."

Zhao Wu, having served in the border army for many years, was very familiar with Left General’s battle style, immensely wary as he mentioned, "The Heroic Guard Camp won’t attack unless it’s decisive and swift. We must rush to complete the city wall."

Zheng Chen nodded slightly, "I don’t understand war matters well, so I’ll rely on you and General Lu."

Zhao Wu and Lu Cheng, being related by marriage and now on the same boat, worked together earnestly.

Suddenly, Peng Si Hai arrived, looking urgent: "Mr. Zheng, the latest report from the court has arrived."