Chapter 527

The Great King was somewhat surprised; picking up two refugees in these times—what big deal is that? Does this also need to be reported to him?

He still had messy hair and asked; the Owl Cavalry said the other party were not ordinary refugees.

……Those two people were skinny and fainted outside our camp by two li; the patrolling soldiers saw they still had breath and had the military doctor examine them. When they woke up they said they were grandfather and granddaughter from Ling County; this trip was because their family was occupied by the Prince of Guangling who raised troops in rebellion, leaving only the two of them; they wanted to go to Vast Agriculture to rely on relatives. The old woman said she was related to the Yang clan, her aunt being the grand matriarch of the second branch of the Yang clan.

The King, hearing this tangled origin, also didn't understand: "So? You found out they're related to me?" His own brothers are already fighting each other; why tell him something that's gone off on a ten‑thousand‑eighty‑thousand‑li detour? Just give them some travel money and send them to a safe place, right?

It was the Second Prince who asked; he thought it too much of a coincidence. He said that, counting by generation, that young lady is of the same generation as His Highness and the Second Prince; if they met in Vast Agriculture they'd have to call her his cousin.

The King grew curious, immediately went back to find Wei Shen: "What exactly does 'cousin' mean? Should we bring them to Vast Agriculture?"

Wei Shen pulled him aside and whispered, "It's not my request; it's that old woman who, after waking up, latched onto our military doctor, saying anyone who can save them is a good person. Here there's no village ahead, no shop behind, so let us take the grandfather and granddaughter to Vast Agriculture."

So? You just asked about the relation?

Wei Shen nodded, "Anyone who shows up near the camp would be suspect; besides, that young lady's looks and bearing don't match the old woman's description of a farm girl. I've never heard that the grand matriarch of the Vast Agriculture Yang clan's second branch has a humble background—how could she have such a destitute niece? Or maybe they just made it up because the second grand matriarch is gone? This isn't something that can be figured out quickly." Wei Shen is sometimes as clueless as a Husky, sometimes has beast‑like intuition; he firmly believes these two people are definitely problematic.

……She's about your age, quite striking in appearance; though she seems harmless, it's hard not to wonder. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Just be honest—I think she might be a spy or assassin, trying to get close to you to kill you. Who let you brag in the newspapers every day that the Northern Border King loves his people like children, even taking in unrelated refugees? Now they are refugees with familial ties.

The King didn't believe him, thinking Wei Shen had read too many novels.

I certainly don't go around saying I love my people like children every day!

Yes, you're just having Xie Tu say that.

The King: ……

He decided to go look himself; when he stepped out of the tent he saw Bai Ze, and called Bai Ze over. In terms of keen eyesight, not even a hundred people tied together could match his auspicious beast.

The King sneaked up close to the enemy camp; the guarding soldiers were very alert, their hands already on their sword hilts, and only lowered them when a huge fluffy figure appeared. The King waved at them, having Wei Shen point out which one was the 'cousin'.

By the fire in the distance, a skinny little girl held a large bowl, drinking something. The King stared closely twice, confirmed Bai Ze also saw her, then withdrew.

How is she? Does she look like a farm girl?

The King still wasn't convinced: "Is she prettier than me?"

Wei Shen: ……

Wei Shen gave up on the vain King, looked to Bai Ze hoping for reliability. Bai Ze this time cooperated, "Her parents are still alive."

Upon hearing this, Wei Shen got excited, "Hey hey hey, look! Their identities are fake; she said only she and her grandfather remain."

The King also didn't have time to argue about how he and his sister were better‑looking than this cousin; "……Could she really be an assassin?" This guy got interested, "Which rebel king prepared this for me?"

Wei Shen counted on his fingers for him, especially this month the number of rebel kings is uncountable. Several major rebel kings proclaimed to the world that Long Peace was a false emperor, that everyone should punish him, after which the world became even more chaotic. Some village bullies seized a large village and dared to call themselves king; Bai Jun has no time to manage them, he'd rather let those rabble fight each other and then suppress them in one go; his biggest trouble is the King.

"Knowing our own situation, it's definitely not those newly risen village bullies; it's either one of your brothers or some princely king."

"Tsk! Interesting. We have to rush tomorrow, can't bring them along; if we don't act tonight, we'll just dump them somewhere nearby with people tomorrow." The King currently has no time to watch this spectacle; he believes if there really is a conspiracy, it will eventually find him.

As a result, the night passed peacefully, and no one sneaked over to the King's ledger to kill him.

Bai Jun was indeed so worried he couldn't eat or sleep, and had already given Zhang Tong a death order, sparing no expense to block the Northern Border cavalry outside Vast Agriculture.

Once the cavalry gets past Vast Agriculture, Long Peace will be in danger.

Zhang Tong had also heard many times of the Northern Border cavalry's uncertain siege record; his temporary quarters stationed in the city were dilapidated, yet he had devoted all manpower and material resources to the city gate.

Their formation also frightened the Vast Agriculture populace enough; the new emperor's people blocked the city gate with stones!

Zhang Tong's posture of defending to the death made the city's populace even more afraid.

Those who know it's about defending the city think; those who don't think they're trying to starve the city's populace to death! They can't get in, and those inside can't get out.

The Northern Border cavalry hasn't even shown a shadow, yet inside the city only exit is allowed, no entry; Vast Agriculture, originally chaotic, had already experienced a siege, people were already panicked, Zhang Tong's move made everyone want to flee even more; who knows if that gap will also be filled tomorrow?

The main branch of the Yang family in the city could still sit tight, but the side branches couldn't; the ancestral home was bustling every day.

After the new emperor ascended and bought over the hearts of the prominent clans, Zhang Tong entered the city without moving against the Yang family, but this time, with the Northern Border King's attack, they were a little afraid, fearing change.

"Great-uncle, we are the maternal family of the Northern Border King's mother; this is known throughout the world. Moreover, Yang Fang's younger brother is still in the Northern Border; will the Zhangs be unfavorable to our Yang family?"

"Fifth Uncle is also in the Northern Border with no return."

Some worried, others scoffed: "Zhang Tong is just a commoner; does he really dare to push you onto the city wall to block arrows?"

"That's not certain; at a life‑or‑death juncture, we might become one of the bargaining chips."

"……Do you think we're the Wei family? We're not the Northern Border King's maternal family; Lady Wei has been gone for over ten years, and we've had no contact with the Northern Border King."

"That's not how it's said……"

Yang Yao, head of the Yang clan, raised his hand to stop the argument, "Zhang Tong, a commoner, acts lawlessly; this morning many people left the city, just now we learned that by evening they'd already forbidden able‑bodied men from leaving the city. Tomorrow they'll likely notify that able‑bodied men will have to help defend the city. Yang Anfu said this afternoon soldiers broke into the western city's wealthy merchant's residence, not only looting property and grain, but also taking away adult males and draft animals." He always had a bad feeling.

After he finished, the room fell silent; after a while a young junior muttered, "……Can this still be considered the regular army? This is just banditry!"

"We're done! Zhang Tong is out of grain and has no confidence." Some representative of the various branches said this blunt truth, I don't know who; the room fell silent again. For the Yang family at this moment, they didn't even know whether this was good or bad.

Waiting for the King to arrive, dust‑covered and braving the big sun, when he got to the outskirts of Vast Agriculture, from afar he saw several people hanging on the city wall; the King was displeased, "Isn't this copying me?!"

The King is very conscious of copyright; when the Xianbei alliance attacked the city, he once hung the Xianbei royalty on the city wall, and this was copied by Bai Jun?!'

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【Stupid author hits the blackboard, this 'cousin' will be on the test. Again PS: not the female lead, get out!】