As the group was just passing through the city gate passage, the two doors slammed shut.
A faint sense of foreboding crept over Bruce Meng, and his right hand unconsciously rested on his sword hilt.
Just as the group exited the gate passage, over a thousand soldiers hidden nearby surged out, surrounding the entire group layer upon layer.
Bruce Meng's face instantly changed, and he shouted toward Shen Du outside the encirclement: "Shen Du, what are you doing? Are you really going to defy your superiors?"
Faced with Bruce Meng's rebuke, Shen Du didn't dare meet his gaze, a trace of shame flashing across his face. At that moment, Tu Xiu's voice sounded in his ear: "Brother Shen, the chance to achieve great merit is right before you—what are you still hesitating for?"
At these words, a cold glint flashed in Shen Du's eyes. No longer afraid of Bruce Meng's look, he called out loudly: "Bruce Meng, how dare you! You’re holding His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess hostage. All soldiers, hear my order—capture Bruce Meng, the traitor!"
Bruce Meng was stunned, then erupted in fury: "Shen Du, you’re spouting nonsense! I am acting on the late king’s orders to escort His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Highness the Princess here. How am I holding anyone hostage?"
Shen Du’s face was cold: "You’re about to die and you’re still trying to argue! I advise you to surrender now and you might keep your life. Otherwise, my soldiers will cut you down on the spot!"
Bruce Meng trembled with rage, drew the sword from his waist with a hiss, and pointed it at Shen Du: "Traitor Shen Du, I will cut you down today!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Bruce Meng spurred his horse forward, sword raised, charging out. Of his fifty-two soldiers, more than ten stayed behind to protect the carriage, while the rest followed Bruce Meng into the fray.
Bruce Meng truly lived up to his reputation as a fierce general. His sword flashed again and again, each strike simple yet deadly, cutting down enemies like chopping vegetables. In just moments, seven or eight men had already fallen to his blade.
Unfortunately, the area wasn’t open enough, which slowed his horse. Shen Du’s side had too many men, so Bruce’s pace quickly bogged down, trapped in the melee. Still, his strength and courage kept him fighting, and for a while, the soldiers couldn’t bring him down.
But the soldiers who charged out with him weren’t so lucky. Of the thirty-something men, seven or eight had already been killed by long spears and fallen from their horses.
Seeing this, Ian Song finally felt a hint of this world’s cruelty.
"Whoever brings me Bruce Meng’s head first will receive ten gold cakes!" Shen Du shouted loudly from outside the battlefield.
In this world, a so-called gold cake wasn’t pure gold, but a coin made of gold and copper in a set ratio. Each cake weighed a pound and six ounces, and its purchasing power was tremendous.
So, ten gold cakes was an enormous fortune to an ordinary soldier.
As soon as Shen Du finished speaking, the soldiers attacking Bruce Meng became even more ferocious and reckless.
Facing these desperate soldiers, Bruce Meng, though powerful, was starting to struggle. After killing a few more, he’d picked up two new wounds himself.
"Young Master Song, please save General Bruce!"
The carriage curtain lifted, revealing Princess Jade Fox’s delicate face, full of worry and panic.
As for Crown Prince Daniel Jiang, he was just a seven- or eight-year-old brat. The sudden chaos had scared him witless, and he’d curled up into a ball inside the carriage.
"That’s no trouble at all."
Ian Song smiled faintly, then suddenly leapt off his horse, his hands flicking out dozens of silver lights.
"Puff, puff, puff!"
Each silver light was unstoppable, easily piercing through a soldier’s brow.
In an instant, a clear space opened up around Bruce Meng.
"General Bruce, hold on a little longer!"
Ian called out to Bruce Meng, then his figure flickered like a beam of light, crossing dozens of meters in a flash to land right in front of Shen Du and Tu Xiu.
"Not good!"
Shen Du and Tu Xiu’s faces both changed. Their bodyguards reacted quickly, drawing their weapons and charging at Ian Song, clearly intending to hack him to pieces.
"Puff, puff, puff, puff!"
Silver lights flashed again—six bodyguards’ weapons slipped from their hands mid-swing, each of them now sporting a bloody hole in the brow.
"Tell your men to stop!"
Ian Song looked at Shen Du—not a request, but a command.
In the blink of an eye, six men had died. Both Shen Du and Tu Xiu were stunned.
Tu Xiu reacted quickly, a smile flickering onto his face as he said to Ian Song, "Brave sir, I am Tu Xiu, staff adviser to Left General Zhao Yan of the Zhao Kingdom. With your strength, why not join our general? He would surely value your talents!"
"So you’re from the Zhao Kingdom?" Ian Song glanced at Tu Xiu in surprise.
"That’s right. Qi has already fallen, and only in Zhao could a master like you truly shine!"
"You talk too much!"
Ian Song raised his hand and slapped Tu Xiu, sending him flying several meters away, where he lay motionless.
Seeing this, Shen Du instinctively shivered.
"Still not telling your men to stop? Do I need to say it again?" Ian Song stared at Shen Du, a sharp light in his eyes.
Shen Du’s mouth twisted bitterly, but he shouted loudly, "Everyone, stop!"
"Now have them drop their weapons."
"Drop your weapons!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
A series of weapons hit the ground. Seeing this, Bruce Meng finally breathed a sigh of relief, and his respect for Ian Song grew even deeper.
Half an hour later.
City Lord’s Hall.
Ian Song sat in the main seat, Bruce Meng beside him. Shen Du, the city lord, could only stand in the center of the hall, while Tu Xiu knelt below, hands and feet bound.
"General Bruce, you should do the questioning," Ian Song said, glancing at Bruce Meng.
Bruce Meng nodded, his eyes cold as he stared at Shen Du. "Why did you do it, Shen Du?" he asked harshly.
Shen Du's face was bitter. "General Bruce, I had no choice. The Zhao army is just a hundred li away; once they reach the city, every soldier and civilian here will be slaughtered! This was the only way I could protect them."
Bruce Meng was silent for a long moment, then nodded. "In that case, I suppose you had your reasons."
"Thank you for understanding, General Bruce!"
"You’ll escape death, but not punishment. But right now, we need every man we can get, so I’ll record your crime and let you atone through good service. Do you accept?"
"I accept!" Shen Du replied quickly, secretly relieved.
Then Bruce Meng turned his gaze to Tu Xiu. "You’re an adviser in Zhao Yan’s army?"
Though bound, Tu Xiu showed no sign of humility. "Heh, that’s right. Bruce Meng, let me give you some advice: my general’s army will be here soon. If you’re smart, you’ll let me go right now. Otherwise, when our army arrives, Edgehaven City will be reduced to ashes!"
Bruce Meng was furious. "How dare you! Do you believe I won’t kill you right now?"
Tu Xiu sneered, "Go ahead and kill me. You’ll only live a couple days longer than I will!"
"You...!" Bruce Meng was so angry he could barely speak.
"General Bruce, calm down! With a smooth talker like this, it’s better to use your fists!" Ian Song chimed in cheerfully. For some reason, Tu Xiu felt a sudden chill at Ian’s words.