Chapter 740: Keep pushing! Give it your all!

On the city wall, a guard commander stumbled over to behind Qing Wang, his voice trembling: "Your, Your Highness! The city gate is open!"

Chen Wang heard this, his pupils constricted sharply; he blocked Bai Buluo's saber with a sword, then snapped his head up: "What did you say?"

"Someone opened the gate! Your Highness, look!" The guard commander pointed at the city below, his face pale: "Enemy cavalry is charging toward the gate!"

Qing Wang knocked Bai Buluo back with a sword, took a few steps to the crenel, and leaned over to look down.

He saw that the city gate below had split open a narrow gap.

He looked up and saw countless iron cavalry racing toward that gap, the dust kicked up by their hooves rolling like a dragon.

Behind the cavalry, a dark mass of troops surged forward like a tide.

"Who did this?" Qing Wang's voice was sharp enough to split: "I gave no order—who dares to open the gate?"

"I, I don't know!" the guard commander exclaimed, dropping to his knees with a thud.

Chen Wang thrust his sword at Bai Buluo, then turned and barked: "Why are you just standing there? Shut the gate! Quick!"

"Yes!" the guard commander scrambled out, crawling and rolling.

Qing Wang gripped the crenel's stone tightly, squeezing out through clenched teeth: "If I find out which bastard opened..."

"What's the use of saying that now?" Chen Wang's veins bulged on his forehead as he lunged wildly at Bai Buluo, forcing him back several steps, and roared: "You personally lead men down!"

"We must block the gate! We absolutely cannot let the enemy enter the city!"

Qing Wang said nothing more, grabbed his sword and rushed down the city wall, shouting hoarsely as he ran: "Men! Follow me to the gate!"

"Yes!" Hearing the prince's order, hundreds of guards withdrew from the crenels and followed him down the stone steps.

Bai Buluo blocked Chen Wang's frenzied assault, glanced sideways at the crenel outside, smirked, and smiled.

He withdrew his gaze, fixed on Chen Wang before him, his face full of schadenfreude: "Tsk tsk, the gate is open—how are you going to fight this battle?"

Chen Wang's face turned ashen, he said nothing, but his long sword struck faster and faster, as if he wished to pierce Bai Buluo through and through at once.

The gate area was now a chaotic mess.

"Shut the gate! Your Highness has ordered—shut the gate quickly!" shouts from the wall rolled down the stone steps.

Upon hearing this, the guards who had been fighting the soldiers at the gate and in the secret passage immediately turned and rushed toward the gate.

The soldiers hesitated not, pursuing them while shouting loudly: "Stop them! Don't let them close the gate!"

The two groups collided again inside the gate, turning the narrow doorway into a melee, blades clashing and sparks flying.

At that moment, Qing Wang led the guards down from the city wall.

He waved his hand at a group: "Go! Shut the gate!"

"Yes!"

Qing Wang, sword in hand, led the remaining guards into the melee, joining the original guards to form a pincer on the soldiers.

The soldiers fought back fiercely, but none could spare any attention for the gate.

The guards worked together, pushing the gate shut slowly, until only a narrow slit remained.

Just then, Zhou Jinhua surged forward on his horse, squeezing sideways through the slit, his stirrups scraping sparks.

He took in the chaotic struggle for the gate inside the doorway at a glance, and his heart sank.

"We must not let them close the gate!"

"I have already tricked the gate open; there is no turning back now."

He raised his spear, swept it horizontally, and with one thrust knocked over several guards who were pushing the gate, then roared at the Guards rushing in: "Push! Push the gate open!"

"Yes!"

Over a hundred Guards surged toward the gate, shoulders against the door panels, feet braced on the ground, shouting in unison as they exerted all their strength to push the door outward.

Zhou Jinhua's spear never ceased, continually flipping over the guards who were straining to close the gate.

The guards strained to shut the gate while the Guards pushed together, the door panel widening in a sawing motion, inch by inch on each side.

Inside the doorway, the two sides locked in combat finally saw clearly who had opened the gate.

A guard cried out in alarm: "Marquis Jinghai!"

"It really is Marquis Jinghai!"

"Marquis Jinghai has rebelled! Your Highness!"

"Zhou Jinhua?" Qing Wang stabbed the soldier before him with a sword, then turned his head toward the gate.

He saw Zhou Jinhua seated on his warhorse, voice hoarse from exertion, shouting: "Quick! Push it wider!"

The door panel was being slowly pushed open.

Qing Wang exploded in anger, bellowing: "Zhou Jinhua! Are you mad?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jinhua turned his head and glared fiercely at Qing Wang.

"Am I mad?" he said, facing Qing Wang, and thrust his spear through a guard's shoulder.

Then he exerted force with his arm, hurling that man away, and no longer concealed his feelings: "Your Highness, it should be you who's crazy!"

"You killed my son, seized his concubine, and hid my grandson in your manor! Do you think I really know nothing?"

"Xiao Jichang! If you want to keep something secret, the only way is not to do it! I welcomed you into the city, earned you merit on the battlefield, and yet you treat me like this!"

"Do you still expect me, the Marquis, to be loyal to you?"

Qing Wang stared, stunned—he had actually known all along?

Qing Wang snorted; though his skin was thick, he now felt a flush of embarrassment, and could only retort: "So what?"

"If it weren't for me, Yunniang and her child would have been wandering the streets! Could your marquis manor even take them in?"

He turned back, not wanting to entangle further with the soldiers: "Follow me to shut the gate!"

"Yes!" the guards shouted in reply, turning to run toward the gate.

But the soldiers pursued them relentlessly, and the two sides clashed again into a melee.

Zhou Jinhua turned his head to look outside the city; the cavalry was rapidly approaching.

He meant to delay, laughing at Qing Wang: "Whether this marquis's mansion lets them in or not, it's no trouble for Your Highness!"

"Your Highness, don't you want to know how this marquis found out?"

"Now that it's come to this, this marquis has no need to keep hiding; letting you die with understanding is also good."

"It was Princess Jiayou who discovered Yun Niang and her son in your mansion and sent someone to inform this marquis."

"Right, this marquis also wants to thank Your Highness for giving this marquis another chance to earn merit!"

"This marquis opening the city gate today is another great achievement! I can still sit firmly in the marquis's mansion!"

"As for you, heh, just wait to meet your end in the Nine Springs!"

"That damned girl again!" Qing Wang, fighting fiercely, heard and flew into a rage: "Zhou Jinhua! Quickly shut the city gate for me!"

"As long as you repent, this prince will not only forgive past deeds but will also send Yun Niang and her son back to your mansion!"

"All right, Your Highness. This marquis obeys." Zhou Jinhua gave a cold shout, bellowing: "Keep pushing! Push hard! Push it wider!"

"Yes!" The guards replied in unison.

"You!" Qing Wang, so angry his vision went black, blocked an incoming saber with a backhand, then charged alone toward Zhou Jinhua.