Chapter 540: Troops Arrive at Changde Prefecture

Two days later, Zhang Fei, leading Hong Qi and the four, plus ten thousand great troops, arrived at Changde Prefecture.

At this time, the Changde city gates were tightly shut, and atop the city wall, quite a few Jianghu people had already gathered.

The Seven Freaks of Quanzhen, the group from Hundred Flowers Valley, Qiu Qianren of the Iron Palm Sect, and an old blind man, Ke Zhen'e.

There were also quite a few monks from the Shaolin Temple among them.

These Shaolin Temple monks, as long as there was something in the Jianghu, there would definitely be their shadows.

The monks in the temple did not properly chant scriptures and worship Buddha, but were very interested in Jianghu matters.

Arriving under the Changde city wall, Zhang Fei rode his war horse forward, rushed toward the people of the Jianghu forces atop the city wall, and shouted loudly:

"I am Zhang Fei, a great general of the Great Han Azure Dragon Legion. Listen well, people inside the city: as long as you open the gates and surrender, this general guarantees that you can be spared a path to life."

"Your sect forces can also be preserved. If you dare to be stubborn and continue to provoke the Great Han's heavenly might."

"Then this general guarantees that I will definitely uproot you and the forces you joined, leaving not a single one!"

Zhang Fei's resonant voice was heard by everyone in Changde City.

For a time, quite a few disciples of the forces had worried expressions on their faces.

Directly opposing the court's army—this was the first time such a thing had happened in the Jianghu.

Since ancient times, the court and Jianghu forces had always kept to their own business, and the two had maintained this delicate balance.

After all, Jianghu people, although their individual martial strength was relatively powerful, were also at a disadvantage when facing a regular great army.

Confronting a great army on the front battlefield was still at a disadvantage.

However, fortunately, Zhang Fei only led ten thousand great troops, so they were not very afraid.

"Fellow Jianghu Daoists, I am Hong Qi of the Beggar Sect."

"I presume that for so long, everyone has also gained some understanding of our Great Han."

"Our Great Han is truly for the good of the common people, and the common people of the world all look toward the Great Han; it is truly the return of the heavenly mandate."

"You are all Jianghu heroes; how can you do such things that anger both heaven and man!"

"As a Great Han Tribute, I advise everyone to give up resistance and defect to our Great Han."

Hong Qi said righteously to the group of Jianghu people atop the city wall.

"It is actually Old Senior Hong; he actually defected to the Great Han!"

Atop the city wall, after seeing it was Hong Qi, everyone's expressions changed.

Previously, they had discussed wanting Hong Qi to serve as the Alliance Master of the Anti-Han Alliance.

They had not expected that Hong Qi had actually defected to the Great Han.

"Look, are those two beside him not Guo Jing and Huang Rong!"

"In this way, even Hero Guo and Beggar Sect Master Huang have defected to the Han Kingdom."

Just at this time, everyone also discovered Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

This scene also caused everyone to let out a burst of exclamations.

One had to know that Hong Qi and Guo Jing were two powerful Innate Realm powerhouses.

And among them, there was no one who was an Innate Realm powerhouse.

Moreover, since Guo Jing and Huang Rong had joined the Han Kingdom, one of the Five Absolutes, the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi, would also likely join the Han Kingdom.

In this way, were they still a match for the Han Kingdom?

"Old Senior Hong, we respect you as a senior, but we did not expect that even you would defect to the Han Kingdom."

"We, although our strength is not as good as yours, will absolutely not submit to the Han rebels!"

At this time, seeing that everyone's mentality had changed, Master Fang Zheng of the Shaolin Temple roared angrily at Hong Qi.

Looking at his wide-eyed and angry appearance, those who did not know would think the Great Han had done something that angered both heaven and man.

"Tribute Hong, do not give them too much explanation. Since they have made their choice, they must pay the price for their choice."

Zhang Fei, seeing Hong Qi still wanted to persuade them, could not help but interrupt him.

Subsequently, he shouted loudly at the group atop the city wall:

"This general's words end here. This general only gives you half an hour to consider."

"Half an hour later, this general's great army will attack the city."

"By then, those who have not defected to our Great Han and their forces will be killed without mercy!"

Following the last word of Zhang Fei's, endless killing baleful aura exuded from his body.

Even though they were far away, the group atop the city wall could not help but shiver.

"Everyone, the other side has Hong Qi and Guo Jing, these two Innate Realm powerhouses; this time it will be difficult to deal with!"

At this time, Master Fang Zheng of the Shaolin Temple said solemnly to the crowd.

However, his gaze was mainly placed on Ke Zhen'e and the Seven Freaks of Quanzhen.

After all, these few had deep origins with Guo Jing and Hong Qi.

These few were the most likely to defect to the Han Kingdom.

"Everyone, please rest assured, we will absolutely not submit to the Han Kingdom."

"Everyone might as well think about it: the Han Kingdom has now dispatched 600,000 great troops to attack the Mongols and other countries."

"With the Han Kingdom's such tough attitude, would they let us Jianghu people be?"

Sect Master Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Sect, seeing this old monk Fang Zheng using such eyes to look at them, immediately knew his meaning.

Subsequently, he said to the crowd with a face full of righteousness.

The people present, after listening to Ma Yu's words, could not help but feel it was correct.

After all, the Han Kingdom's 600,000 great troops going on an expedition was already known to the whole world.

And from this point, it was not difficult to see that this Han Kingdom was far too tough compared to the previous Song Kingdom.

With an Emperor of the Han Kingdom who was so talented and bold, he would absolutely not let them be.

Thinking of this, everyone could not help but believe Ma Yu's words.

"Since that is the case, then let us solve the immediate predicament and then think of other ways."

"The Han Kingdom has Hong Qi and Guo Jing helping them; we want to deal with them, but it is already somewhat difficult."

"These Hong Qi and Guo Jing and the others are truly hateful!"

At this time, the leader of the Iron Palm Sect, Qiu Qianren, could not help but say hatefully.

"Sigh, this is also something we did not expect."

"However, things have reached this point, and we have no other way; let us deal with the immediate matters first."

Hearing Qiu Qianren's words, everyone was also somewhat helpless.

Hong Qi and Guo Jing joining the Great Han completely disrupted their plans.

If one was not careful, they could be doomed forever.

Very quickly, half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

"It seems no one has chosen to defect."

"Since that is the case, Zhang Shijie."

Half an hour later, Zhang Fei looked at the tightly shut city gates and shouted loudly at Zhang Shijie beside him.

"This subordinate is here!"

Zhang Shijie responded loudly, his face still carrying a trace of excitement.

This was his first major battle since joining the Great Han Empire; he had to perform well this time.

"Prepare the Spirit Stone Cannons, attack the city!"

"This subordinate accepts the order!"

Subsequently, there were soldiers who took out five Spirit Stone Cannons. ===== CHAPTER 541 =====

Subsequently, soldiers brought out five Spirit Stone Cannons.