Chapter 51: The Arrogant Niu Gao

Seeing Niu Gao kneeling before him, Zhang Long stepped forward, crouched down, and patted his panicked face.

With a scornful expression, he said to him, "With your level of strength, how can you utter such words? Ah!"

"Even my subordinate Hundred-Commander, you can't withstand a single move of his; truly laughably weak!"

After speaking, he coldly looked at Niu Gao: "With only Third-rate General strength, still trying to act tough—who gave you that courage!"

Niu Gao, as Niu Fu's younger cousin, has always treated others this way; he has never endured such humiliation.

His face flushed with anger instantly, his gaze fixed dead on Zhang Long, his expression as if he could swallow him whole.

"Scoundrel, I advise you to release me, otherwise my elder brother will not let you go!"

Niu Gao, looking at the overbearing Zhang Long, thought of his last lifeline: Niu Fu stationed in Jinyang City.

"Heh heh heh, you think that just because Niu Fu is a Second-rate General with his Two Hundred Thousand Army, we would fear him?"

Hearing Niu Gao bring up Niu Fu to threaten him, he suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

Even with Zhang Liao and their own strength, they are not afraid of Niu Fu; let alone having Fifty Thousand Troops.

"Take him away and bring him back for the General to deal with!"

Without paying attention to the shouting Niu Gao, Zhang Long waved to the guards and said calmly,

"Yes!"

Immediately, two guards stepped forward, bound Niu Gao, and used a torn cloth to block his mouth.

……

Zhang Liao, rushing straight to the Taishou Fu, still didn't know that Niu Gao had already been captured alive by Zhang Long; at this moment, he was leading men to charge toward the Taishou Fu.

Along the way, anyone who dared resist was eliminated; the remaining enemy troops, seeing Zhang Liao and his party brimming with killing aura,

Immediately gave up resistance, knelt and surrendered, so Zhang Liao's group quickly arrived inside the Taishou Fu.

"Search separately; Niu Gao must not be let escape. Anyone who dares resist shall be killed without mercy!"

Zhang Liao rode ahead, speaking coldly to those behind him,

"Yes, split up and search!"

The people behind responded and all dispersed to search…

Half an hour later, the group arrived at the Taishou Fu's council Main Hall with grim faces.

Seeing their expressions, Zhang Liao realized they hadn't found Niu Gao, but after recalling the Military Advisor's backup plan, his mind instantly calmed.

He asked the group plainly, "From the looks of you, you haven't found him, have you?"

The people, hearing Zhang Liao's words, all bowed their heads in shame and said to him, "General, forgive us; Deputy General and the others have searched the entire Taishou Fu and still found no trace of Niu Gao."

"This person may have fled Shangjun City before we entered the city."

The Deputy General hurriedly said respectfully to Zhang Liao,

"There's no need to worry; the Military Advisor had long anticipated that Niu Gao would abandon the city and flee, so he has already set an ambush on his inevitable escape route—he cannot get away!"

Regarding the Deputy General's words, Zhang Liao paid no mind, merely explaining confidently to the group,

"General, the Military Advisor truly is brilliant; following his instructions, the Deputy General indeed met the fleeing Niu Gao at the East Gate!"

At that moment, Zhang Long burst into the Main Hall, shouting excitedly at Zhang Liao,

"Hahaha, the Military Advisor is indeed a great talent; Zhang Long, this time you earn a great merit."

Hearing Zhang Long's words, Zhang Liao was also overjoyed and immediately said to Zhang Long,

"Deputy General thanks the General, but Niu Gao was not captured by me; he was seized by my subordinate soldier, Li Jiu."

To this, Zhang Long did not dare to claim credit,

"After all, coveting credit, if discovered, is a serious crime that could even cost one's head."

"Fine, then Ben General will promote him to a Sergeant, and as for you, Zhang Long, you will assume the position of Colonel."

Hearing Zhang Liao's reward, Zhang Long was also delighted and immediately bowed to Zhang Liao, saying, "Deputy General thanks the General; I will not shy away from fire and water!"

"Alright, bring Niu Gao to Ben General."

Then, Zhang Liao intended to see Niu Gao, to see if he could persuade him to surrender.

"Yes, men, bring Niu Gao in."

Hearing Zhang Liao's words, Zhang Long shouted loudly outside the Main Hall,

The guards waiting outside the Main Hall, upon hearing Zhang Long, immediately brought the tightly bound Niu Gao into the hall.

"Wuh... wuh... wuh..."

Niu Gao, seeing Zhang Liao and the others, instantly wanted to cry out anxiously, but being bound tightly,

He could only whimper anxiously at the crowd; such is the fate of a prisoner beneath the stairs.

"Men, untie him."

Zhang Liao lifted his eyes, glanced at Niu Gao's disheveled state, and said to the soldiers,

"Zhang Liao, you treacherous scoundrel, daring to betray Prime Minister Dong, let me tell you, my elder brother commands Two Hundred Thousand Army, and with your Fifty Thousand Troops, you cannot take Jinyang City."

"You'd better release me; then I'll have my elder brother give you Shangjun City. Without Prime Minister Dong, even Liu Bian himself cannot protect himself; why not consider our own interests, and later cooperate with my elder brother to seize all of Bing Province, and then we can split Bing Province's lands."

Niu Gao, in a tempting tone, smiled at Zhang Liao and said,

After speaking, with a confident look at Zhang Liao, he could already imagine Zhang Liao being persuaded, and then they could dominate all of Bing Province; if they work harder, perhaps even contend for the world.

Thinking of this, a grin spread increasingly uncontrollably across Niu Gao's face.

"How audacious!"

"How bold!"

"You scoundrel, you're courting death!"

"General, the Deputy General and I request the execution of this thief!"

"Please, General, execute this thief!"

Unlike what Niu Gao imagined, after the crowd heard his words, they all became very angry.

They all shouted scoldingly, and the eyes that looked at Niu Gao showed thick murderous intent.

They all faced Zhang Liao, knelt on one knee, and begged to execute Niu Gao.

"You, you, don't be oblivious; don't you want to dominate a region?"

Hearing the crowd's words and seeing the murderous intent they directed at him, Niu Gao instantly panicked, drew his neck back, and shouted frantically at the crowd.

He couldn't understand why they were so angry, and the looks they gave him seemed as if they wanted to swallow him whole.

"Hmph, Niu Gao, you truly don't know when to die, daring to disrespect His Majesty. Originally, Memorial General still wanted, because we know each other, to spare your life, but I didn't expect you to be so impatient, so Memorial General will fulfill you."

At this moment, Zhang Liao also stared at Niu Gao with icy eyes and said coldly.

"Come, men, drag this rebel down and behead him for the public!"

Upon hearing Zhang Liao's words, the soldiers who had already wanted to kill Niu Gao on the side immediately stepped forward, seized him, and dragged him out of the Main Hall.

"General Zhang Liao, spare me, I admit my mistake!"

"General Zhang, I surrender, please, because we know each other, spare my life…"

Seeing that Zhang Liao truly intended to kill him, Niu Gao instantly became terrified, and in panic shouted loudly for mercy.

"Heh heh, you think you can beg for mercy? Too late. Drag him down, cut him!"

After hearing Niu Gao's plea for mercy, Zhang Liao ignored him and immediately said coldly to the two guards.