Chapter 739: This Lord Grants It to You Right Now!

Xiao Yuanhang shook their head: "Wait a bit longer; Chen'er and the others have probably already seized the city gate and are moving the things blocking it."

"The earlier the gate opens, the fewer casualties among the soldiers."

Zhang Wu'an grew restless, fidgeting on the saddle.

Xiao Yuanhang glared at them: "Just wait patiently! Soon you'll be in the front lines fighting."

Equally anxious was Zhou Jinhua, who was at the foot of the gate.

Zhou Jinhua saw the arriving reinforcements scale the wall and heard the deafening crash of rolling logs and falling stones.

Why hasn't Xiao Yuanhang taken the rampart yet?

Xiao Yuanhang kept urging: "Quick! It must be quick!"

"Your Highnesses are battling bloodily above; if this Lord's surprise attack succeeds, the tide of battle will turn completely!"

"You are all the first to merit reward! A wife and children are right before your eyes!"

"Yes!"

The already sweating guards gritted their teeth, pried open the last slab, and dozens together slowly shifted it aside.

The city gate finally became visible.

Zhou Jinhua looked at the exposed gate and felt ecstatic.

The commander shouted: "Open the gate!"

The gate bolt weighed several hundred jin.

Hundreds of guards lined up on both sides, pulling the ropes attached to the bolt forward,

The commander bellowed: "Lift—"

Everyone exerted force simultaneously,

The massive bolt trembled, then rose inch by inch, sliding sideways.

Only when the whole log cleared the doorway did the guards release their grip.

The bolt landed on a stone pad beside it, shaking the ground slightly.

Zhou Jinhua's eyes lit up: "Quick! Open the gate!"

The gate consisted of two leaves, each weighing over a thousand jin.

The guards had no time to breathe, quickly bracing the leaves.

The front pair planted their feet, bodies forming a taut bow.

The soldiers behind stacked their palms against the waist of the man in front; the force passed from one to another, finally converging in the palms.

The commander roared: "Go—!"

Several men pushed together, moving the leaf inch by inch.

The gate finally opened a slit wide enough for two horses to pass side by side.

The commander ran to Zhou Jinhua's horse, panting, voice broken: "Lord, Lord! The gate is open!"

The commander lowered their voice: "Please, please Lord, don't forget to grant me credit; I am Zhao…"

Zhou Jinhua sneered, "Grant credit? This Lord, I will grant it to you right now!"

Before the commander could finish, Zhou Jinhua thrust their spear upward, piercing the chest.

Zhou Jinhua stared coldly at the commander's face, saying nothing.

"If you don't die, this Lord will find it hard to lead the army through the gate."

"Only by leaving this place leaderless will the army, when it arrives, find the gate unclosed."

The commander looked down at their chest, instantly understanding everything.

The commander looked at the gate, opened their mouth and shouted: "Close—"

Zhou Jinhua's gaze hardened, twisted the spear tip, enlarging the wound, then withdrew the long spear.

Blood gushed from the commander's chest like a spring; they fell to the ground, lifeless.

The surrounding guards stared in shock.

Zhou Jinhua remained unflustered: "Just now Guard Zhao advised this Lord not to launch a surprise attack, but to bring the enemy into the city!"

"He dared to collude with the enemy, intending to let the bandits into the city! Such a traitor is of no use!"

The guards looked at each other in bewilderment.

Yet no one heard what Guard Zhao said to Lord Jinghai before dying, so there was no way to question or refute it.

Zhou Jinhua took Tuan Tuan's embroidered pouch from their chest and fastened it onto the spear tip.

Zhou Jinhua raised the long spear and pointed at the gate: "Charge out with this Lord and strike the enemy!"

"Yes!" over a hundred Guards answered in unison.

Zhou Jinhua hoisted the spear high, rode forward through the gate, and fled.

The Guards followed closely behind.

Zhou Jinhua did not shout loudly, fearing to alarm the guards on the wall.

Zhou Jinhua lifted the spear high so that anyone who could recognize the small embroidered pouch on its tip could see it.

The shouts and killing cries on the wall continued; everyone's attention was there, and no one noticed a lone rider charging from inside the city toward the enemy army opposite.

Xiao Yuanhang's hand holding the Thousand-mile mirror suddenly paused.

The gate opened?

Though only a slit, it was indeed open.

Who are these people? Are they coming to raid?

No, there are only a few of them; to raid would be suicide.

Xiao Yuanhang stared carefully at the man leading the charge.

The man's features grew clearer in the Thousand-mile mirror.

Marquis Jinghai Zhou Jinhua?

Xiao Yuanhang's heart leapt; Chen'er said he had already switched sides—could he be coming to usher the great army into the city?

That old fox—could he be up to some scheme again, trying to cheat me?

No, why is he holding his long spear aloft?

Something still seems to be perched on the spear tip.

Xiao Yuanhang frowned slightly and aimed the Thousand-mile mirror at the spear tip.

The fabric was magnified inch by inch in the Thousand-mile mirror: a moon‑white base, its edge embroidered with a ring of winding branch pattern.

It was the embroidered pouch that An'er had sewn stitch by stitch herself for Tuan Tuan!

Xiao Yuanhang instantly became certain: Zhou Jinhua was one of their own, this was no trap!

He set the Thousand-mile mirror aside, without the slightest doubt or hesitation, snapped his horsewhip forward, and roared like thunder, "Zhang Wu'an!"

"Your servant is here!" Zhang Wu'an, whose reins were already hot from gripping, shivered at the sound and spurred his horse to rush to his side.

"Bring three thousand elite cavalry, follow Marquis Jinghai into the city! The rest, move them quickly!"

"Understood!" Zhang Wu'an twisted his body sharply on horseback, raised his arm and shouted, "Elite Cavalry! Follow me!"

Three thousand iron cavalry surged forth like a torrent.

Zhou Jinhua watched the torrent surge toward him and let out a long sigh.

The gamble paid off!

He yanked the reins sharply; the warhorse's front hooves lifted high, arcing half a circle in the air, and upon landing had already turned its direction.

He pointed the long spear forward and bellowed, "Return to the city! Throw the city gates wide open! Place the items on top!"

"Yes!"

The Guards answered in unison, turned, and sprinted toward the narrow doorway.