Chapter 699: This Chair Is Quite Big

"Brilliant!" Chen Wang nearly felt his blood boil, "Your Excellency's plan is truly ingenious!"

"Having the Emperor personally take command will both inspire the three armies, deter the rebels, and make Xiao Jieyun hesitant to act."

"Excellent!" Qing Wang laughed heartily at the thought, "I really want to see Xiao Jieyun's face when he sees his own son perched on the city walls—how black will it turn!"

"If he doesn't assault the city, he can only retreat."

"If he does siege, he'll have to order the Emperor's death with his own mouth! Hahaha!"

"But Your Excellency," Chen Wang recalled the secret passages, "what about Jingcheng's hidden tunnels?"

"I fear no direct clash, but if they truly coordinate inside and out, this battle will be hard to win."

The Masked Man said calmly, "Requisition the water jars from the townsfolk's homes, fill them with water, place them by the city wall, and assign archers to guard them tightly."

"If anyone tries to crawl out, they'll be shot down by a hail of arrows."

"Good!" Qing Wang kept nodding, "The jars are heavy; if they try to emerge, the disturbance will be great, and they'll be shot back before they even get out!"

"A water‑filled jar also resists fire—killing two birds with one stone." He stared at the Masked Man, shaking his head in admiration, "Your Excellency is truly wise!"

The Masked Man patted Chen Wang's shoulder, "Success or failure hinges on this move; you should hurry to make arrangements."

"Understood!"

When the Six Paths Prince issued the order, the whole city trembled.

The day the lockdown edict was posted, nine gates were sealed, leaving only two gates open at restricted times for civilians.

Blocks of stone and sandbags were piled car by car into the gate openings, piled so high that carts could no longer pass.

Within thirty li outside the city, everything that could be set alight was burned, thick smoke billowing, blotting out the sky.

Cannons were mounted on the city wall, their black mouths pointing outward.

The issuance of the collective punishment edict made every civilian's heart race; as soon as it was posted, the city erupted in uproar.

"This is binding us all together! If one person errs, ten families lose their heads—what kind of affair is this!"

"Who will dare to visit anyone thereafter? Who will speak a word more to a neighbor?"

All males over fourteen were conscripted as militia, moving in squads to haul rolling logs, lift stones, burn gold‑colored liquid on the walls—grimy, exhausting labor that drew endless complaints.

The only thing that steadied the populace a bit was the grain‑distribution order.

However, each person was limited to one ration.

When the grain was distributed, soldiers surrounded the area, blades and spears everywhere.

The civilians muttered low, "This isn't a grain giveaway; it's clearly to keep us from looting."

"Shh! Keep your head down!"

Shop after shop shut their doors; pedestrians kept their heads down and hurried along.

The entire Jingcheng resembled a pot of water boiling over a fire, churning wildly.

Zhou Jinhua's carriage stopped outside the Ning Prince's Mansion.

"Wei Ming, go knock on the door and say this lord wishes to see Qing Wang."

"Understood."

Soon after, Zhou Jinhua entered the front hall.

Qing Wang, upon seeing him, greeted him with a bright smile, "Lord, what brings you to my place today? Please, sit."

Zhou Jinhua bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. With the city in this state, how could this lord sit peacefully at home?"

He sat down solemnly, "This lord has come to request battle."

"I swear to share the city's fate; does Your Highness have any orders for me?"

"I will certainly give my all."

Qing Wang lifted his tea cup and took a sip.

"You came here to request battle?"

Lord Jinghai, that old fox, has already betrayed Xiao Jieyun; he knows that if he returns to kill, he will have no place to be buried.

"However, even if there were no Yun Niang and her son issue, you are a rebel general; how could my king and my brother entrust crucial matters to you?"

"You betrayed Xiao Jieyun that day; who knows if you'll betray us again later?"

"What a coincidence, I mentioned you to my brother yesterday," Qing Wang smiled faintly, "My brother said you are advanced in years and must never be sent to the battlefield again."

"Your question today puts me in a difficult position, doesn't it?"

Zhou Jinhua rose and bowed again, "Thank you both for your concern, but at a time of life and death, how could this lord stand by idly?"

He paused, "When great victory comes and everyone is praised, I alone have no merit; where will this old face be placed?"

"I do not covet any strategic duties; even if Your Highness orders me to guard the city gate, I would gladly do so."

He looked up at Qing Wang, a grim smile on his face, "Could it be that Your Highness still doesn't trust this lord?"

"Lord, you speak too heavily," Qing Wang hurriedly reached out to steady him, "Please sit quickly."

Zhou Jinhua sat back down.

So, he had come to claim merit!

Qing Wang hesitated a moment, "Now everything is orderly, and personnel have already been assigned…"

"Never mind, we need to build a platform on the wall. Lord, if you don't mind, would you oversee the construction?"

Zhou Jinhua's mouth twitched, "Oversee? I, Lord Jinghai, am being asked to be a foreman?"

Yet his face showed no emotion; instead, he sprang up enthusiastically, "Thank you, Your Highness! I will go at once!"

Qing Wang's expression hardened, "Lord, the platform must be completed within ten days; if delayed, it will incur Military law punishment."

"Rest assured, Your Highness!"

Zhou Jinhua walked briskly out of the Ning Prince's Mansion and leapt into the carriage.

On the way back to the mansion, Wei Ming asked, "Lord, why did you have to make this trip?"

Zhou Jinhua, with a composed face, said, "Princess Jiayou may have said she would protect the Marquis's manor, but after all it's just the words of a child."

"Only I, this Lord, can earn merit in this battle, then the Marquis's manor will be completely safe."

He shook his head: "Unfortunately, those two Ni Ze do not trust me; they forbid me from handling any military affairs and instead assign me the task of supervising the construction of a high platform!"

He let out a long sigh: "It doesn't matter!"

Wei Ming said, "Since it's of no consequence, Lord, you may return to the manor to rest; I will go take a look."

Zhou Jinhua thought for a moment: "Fine, since this assignment was obtained by me myself, how could I not show up at all?"

"If it reaches their ears, it might become a crime. Go! To the city gate!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the carriage stopped at the city gate, and Zhou Jinhua, with Wei Ming, ascended the city wall, his heart silently startled as he gazed at rows upon rows of cannons.

Can Xiao Yuanhang truly win this battle?

The defending commander, seeing him arrive, hurried forward, saluted, and said, "May I have an audience, Lord!"

Zhou Jinhua nodded: "I, this Lord, am here by order of Qing Wang to supervise the construction of the high platform."

The commander replied, "Lord, please follow me."

Zhou Jinhua arrived at the very center of the wall, where many timbers had already been stacked.

A Ministry of Works official, accompanied by several craftsmen measuring, saw him arrive, approached, and saluted, "I, your subordinate, have the honor to meet you, Lord!"

Zhou Jinhua asked casually, "Qing Wang has ordered that it must be completed within ten days; are you aware of this?"

The official quickly reported, "Reporting, Lord, if there are no mishaps, it will not take ten days; eight days will suffice."

Zhou Jinhua nodded: "Very well! Get to work."

The official performed a bow, then faced the craftsmen: "Here, it must be packed solidly with tiles; a chair will also be placed on top!"

An old craftsman glanced at the lines drawn on the timber: "That chair is quite large."

Zhou Jinhua felt a stir in his heart.