Chapter 325

But... how could they just stand by and watch Wang Ben go to open the city gates?

Finally, Meng Tian rushed over to persuade him: "General Wang Ben, although this Li Yuanba is a close attendant of the Emperor, he holds no official rank, and no one knows his business; to open the gates of Yan Sect Pass merely because his name is Li Yuanba violates the regulations!"

"What if he has defected to the Xiongnu?"

"What if he has been deceived by treacherous individuals?"

"Anything is possible!"

"Would it not be better for us to clarify the situation first?"

As Meng Tian spoke, he frantically winked at Meng Wu!

Meng Wu suddenly realized and said to Wang Ben:

"Indeed, General Wang Ben, Yan Sect Pass is of great consequence; it is the gateway of our State of Qin. Once the gates are opened, should anything go wrong, who could bear the responsibility? Perhaps... we should clarify matters first!"

"It is not too late to decide whether to open the gates after we have clarified the situation!"

At this moment, both men were speaking; naturally, Wang Ben knew they were spouting nonsense, but... unwilling to cause further trouble, he approached the ramparts and shouted down to Li Yuanba below:

"General Li Yuanba, I am Wang Ben, the Marquis of Tongwu; may I ask, General Li Yuanba, what is your purpose in coming to Yan Sect Pass?"

Li Yuanba said: "I am returning to Xianyang and merely passing through this place!"

Wang Ben looked at Meng Wu: "Did you hear that? Passing through!"

Meng Wu said: "Yan Sect Pass is a crucial military stronghold; the city gates cannot be opened lightly. I must trouble General Li Yuanba to take a detour!"

Wang Ben exclaimed in anger: "The only route from here to Xianyang is through Yan Sect Pass; how can one 'pass through' otherwise?"

Meng Wu said: "That is beyond my concern; I only know that without legitimate reason, the city gates cannot be opened lightly!"

"You..."

Wang Ben flew into a rage, then bowed with clasped hands toward Li Yuanba and said: "General Li Yuanba, may I ask if you possess an imperial edict?"

Li Yuanba said: "Yes! I bear an imperial edict to return to Xianyang and transmit the decree!"

Wang Ben glared furiously at Meng Wu: "General Meng Wu, what say you now? Bearing an imperial decree to transmit orders, do you dare to obstruct me?"

Meng Wu said: "Mere words are no proof; bring out the imperial decree for inspection!"

Wang Ben erupted in fury: "How presumptuous of you! Do you think the imperial decree is something you can casually inspect?"

Meng Wu retorted angrily: "Mere words are no proof; if we open the gates without authorization and something goes awry, who will bear the responsibility?"

"Can you, Wang Ben, bear that responsibility?"

"You... Meng Wu!"

Wang Ben ground his teeth in fury; at this very moment, he was about to draw his sword!

But just then, Li Yuanba below smiled up at Wang Ben on the ramparts:

"General Wang Ben, do not distress yourself; before my departure, the Emperor told me that if General Wang Ben could open the gates, he should do so, but if he is incompetent and cannot open these gates, then I should break open the gates of Yan Sect Pass myself; in any case, the Xiongnu are about to be annihilated, so the gates of Yan Sect Pass are useless anyway!"

"In the past, when I broke open the gates of Xianyanggong, it took only three hammer strikes; let us see how many hammer strikes the gates of Yan Sect Pass can withstand!"

Smiling, he directly spurred his horse and charged toward the city gates!

This scene utterly terrified Meng Wu, while Wang Ben's face turned crimson; he bowed deeply to Li Yuanba and said: "Wang Ben is incompetent and has disappointed the Emperor!"

"General, do not worry! Today, if I, Wang Ben, cannot open the gates and welcome the General, I, Wang Ben, will commit suicide before the Emperor to atone for my crimes!"

Having spoken, he immediately drew his sword and shouted loudly to the soldiers below: "In the name of the Emperor, in the name of my father Wang Jian, and in the name of the Marquis of Tongwu personally bestowed upon me by the First Emperor, I command you: immediately open the city gates, and let the entire army welcome General Li Yuanba; anyone who disobeys this order shall be deemed a rebel and executed without mercy!"

He shouted loudly.

In that instant, Meng Wu dared not speak, and Meng Tian dared not speak either!

Even Prince Prince Fusu sighed softly!

There was no other way; the titles Wang Ben invoked were too formidable.

The new Emperor Ying Su, his father Wang Jian, himself, and even the First Emperor!

He had brought them all out!

At this moment, who would dare to stop him?

Therefore, even though they were unwilling, Prince Prince Fusu, Meng Wu, and Meng Tian dared not obstruct him; they could only stand by helplessly as Wang Ben's trusted soldiers opened the city gates!

And then, they could only stand by helplessly and watch Li Yuanba enter the city!

But... even as Li Yuanba entered the city, everyone's hearts trembled with fear!

Especially Prince Prince Fusu, who looked at Li Yuanba with immense terror!

Swallowing hard in extreme panic!

At this very moment, his mind involuntarily recalled the battle of Taiyuan from the past!

Li Yuanba had charged alone into the camp of an army of three hundred thousand!

Beneath him, Wanli Yanyunzhao moved like lightning, tearing through the Xiongnu army like a violent storm!

After several charges, the Xiongnu army was shattered into pieces!

Within two or three hours, he had slaughtered the three hundred thousand troops until they fled in disarray, abandoning their helmets and armor!

This scene was deeply branded into Prince Prince Fusu's mind; every time he recalled it, he felt boundless shock!

Yet what truly left a deep impression on him was actually the scene of Li Yuanba killing the Xiongnu commoners!

There was a Xiongnu woman, carrying a child, yet Li Yuanba struck her down with a single hammer blow, smashing her into minced meat!

And there were Xiongnu elders; they were merely herding cattle and sheep to this place, yet... they were smashed into minced meat by Li Yuanba!

Prince Prince Fusu witnessed this scene with eyes filled with both fury and hatred!

It was from that moment onward that he began to hate Li Yuanba!

Now, watching Li Yuanba enter the city helplessly like this, he truly felt a mix of hatred, anger, and fear!

He feared that at the slightest disagreement, Li Yuanba would begin a massive slaughter!

He was filled with immense dread!

Meng Wu and Meng Tian were equally panicked!

Only Wang Ben walked toward Li Yuanba, bowing deeply: "Your subject! Wang Ben, respectfully welcomes the High Envoy! Respectfully welcomes General Li Yuanba!"

146. Zhuge Liang: Please, Retired Emperor, do not attempt to lay claim to the imperial throne!

"Respectfully welcomes the High Envoy! Respectfully welcomes General Li Yuanba!"

Inside Yan Sect Pass, at this very moment, Wang Ben bowed and shouted!

And as he shouted, more soldiers joined in, their cries shaking the heavens!

"Respectfully welcomes the High Envoy! Respectfully welcomes General Li Yuanba!"

"Respectfully welcomes the High Envoy! Respectfully welcomes General Li Yuanba!"

"Respectfully welcomes the High Envoy! Respectfully welcomes General Li Yuanba!"

At that moment, even Meng Wu and Meng Tian had no choice but to shout the same!

Are you kidding! Who is this?!

This is Li Yuanba!

His highest recorded feat was slaughtering six hundred thousand people all by himself!

Since following Facing Ying Su, he alone has killed more than one million six hundred and seventy Xiongnu!

If you add up everyone he has ever killed, the number would reach two million!

Two million people! What kind of concept is that!

The God of War, Bai Qi, earned his name by the sheer number of people he killed!

In his entire life, he killed two million enemies!

But his kill count was achieved with the aid of the Great Qin Army!

And what about Li Yuanba?

Li Yuanba truly carved his path by killing with his own hands, all alone!

With such terrifying and dreadful feats, who would not fear him? Who would not be afraid?

Even with five hundred thousand troops under Meng Wu and Meng Tian, they were still in dread! Still afraid!

Why?

Afraid... that there wouldn't be enough people for Li Yuanba to kill!

They were truly afraid!

At this very moment, they were filled with awe and trepidation!

Even if Prince Prince Fusu hated Li Yuanba with all his heart, and spoke privately of killing Li Yuanba!

But... all of that was merely words spoken in private.