Chapter 353: The Splintering of the Ma Family

"Giddyup, giddyup..."

At the east gate of Xian City, as twilight descended, the city gates were closed.

At this moment, the soldiers guarding the gate were chatting and laughing.

Hearing a sudden, rapid sound of hoofbeats, the soldiers immediately became alert.

"Who goes there?" Seeing two people on horseback charging out of the darkness, the gate commander immediately shouted.

"Store Manager, Prefect Ma is here; we have urgent business to leave the city, open the gates at once." Store Manager's expression was anxious, and he kept looking behind him.

The gate commander walked closer and, seeing that it was indeed Store Manager and Ma Yue, was greatly shocked.

It was just that during the day, Ma Jin had already given him strict orders: without his word, the city gates were not to be opened without authorization.

Thinking of this, he said, "My apologies, General Dian, Prefect Ma, this subordinate needs to report to General Ma."

Store Manager was extremely anxious and shouted, "Ma Jin has rebelled, killed the elders of the Ma Family, and is currently hunting down Prefect Ma. Do you intend to sit by and watch the Ma Family perish at the hands of Ma Jin and Ma Chong?"

Hearing this, the gate commander was horrified and for a moment did not know what to do.

Seeing firelight rising in the darkness behind him, Store Manager grew even more anxious.

Ignoring the stunned commander, he went straight to the main gate and removed the bolt.

Neither the gate commander nor the guards dared to stop him.

After opening the gate, Store Manager hurriedly turned back, and together with Ma Yue, they spurred their horses and vanished into the darkness.

But after this brief delay, the pursuing enemies were less than a hundred meters away.

Before they had traveled even two li, they heard several bowstrings twanging behind them.

"Ah..." In the darkness, Ma Yue let out a miserable cry and was about to fall from his horse.

Store Manager was quick-witted and fast-handed, pulling Ma Yue directly onto his own Warhorse.

By the faint light, he saw a sharp Arrow pierce through Ma Yue's back and exit through his chest.

"Dianzhang, I fear I won't make it. Quickly, leave me behind, take my Military Tally to Sizhou, and send men to Yancheng to bring back Ma Han, then raise an army to purge Ma Jin, that traitor to the Ma Family." Ma Yue's voice was as thin as a thread as he shoved a cold object into Dianzhang's hand; it was the Military Tally.

"My Lord..." Dianzhang's Adam's apple bobbed.

Although Ma Yue had helped him several times for the sake of his own power within the Ma Family.

He knew in his heart that Ma Yue, like Ma Xuan, was wholeheartedly devoted to the Ma Family.

That was why he had temporarily pledged his loyalty to Ma Yue.

Now, seeing that Ma Yue could not hold on much longer, he felt a great pain in his heart.

"Go quickly!"

Catching a glimpse of the firelight behind them drawing closer, Ma Yue used his final strength to give Dianzhang a fierce push, and he himself rolled off the horse.

Dianzhang nearly bit through his teeth, gripping the Military Tally tightly.

Turning his head to glance at the thick darkness, he lashed his horse whip and galloped forward.

Half an hour later, the cavalry pursuing him was gradually shaken off.

He continued his journey eastward, and two days later, a majestic pass appeared before him.

This majestic pass faced the Jin River to the north and precipitous high mountains to the south.

Behind this majestic pass lay Sizhou, and this barrier was the Qin Pass, known as the second greatest pass of the Great Song.

At present, this pass was garrisoned by troops under Ma Yue's command.

After passing through Qin Pass, he immediately went to see the commander of Qin Pass and displayed Ma Yue's Military Tally.

"This is indeed the Prefect's Military Tally." Mashan, the commander of Qin Pass, took the tally from Dianzhang's hand and frowned.

"Ma Jin has gone mad; he has now killed all the elders. I fear he will next raise an army to head toward Sizhou. At this moment, we should seal the city gates and bring back the Young Master," said Dianzhang.

Mashan had still not recovered from the news Dianzhang had told him.

Although the interior of powerful clans was full of conflicts of interest, the Ma Family had never experienced such a great catastrophe.

But for now, he did not dare to rely solely on Dianzhang's one-sided account.

Thus, he ordered preparations for defense supplies while simultaneously sending men secretly to Xian City to inquire.

Dianzhang continued eastward, arriving at Luocheng, the administrative seat of Sizhou, to bring the news to Ma Yue's eldest son, Ma Lan.

But to his surprise, when he met Ma Lan, he also saw a familiar person—it was actually Ma Yuan.

"Censor Ma," Dianzhang said in surprise.

Ma Lan smiled lightly, "You cannot call him Censor Ma anymore; you must call him Prefect Ma. From now on, this Jinzhou will be managed by my uncle, hahaha."

Just yesterday, Ma Yuan had arrived in Luocheng.

After reminiscing with him, the next topic of conversation was bringing Ma Han back to Qinzhou.

He and his father had always been on good terms with Ma Xuan and his son.

Moreover, even according to the ancestral rules of the Ma Family, Ma Han should inherit the Ma Family.

If Ma Han were not qualified, then all the elders would make a decision on whether to choose someone else.

And upon learning that Ma Yuan had been appointed Prefect of Jinzhou, he was even more pleased.

Although he understood the temperament of this clan uncle, to outsiders, Ma Yuan serving as Prefect of Jinzhou still expanded the power of the Ma Family.

Ma Lan was of mediocre talent among the Ma Family descendants and had always been careless.

He was happy and did not notice Dianzhang's abnormality, but Ma Yuan noticed it at this moment.

Not to mention that Dianzhang's Armor was covered in blood, even Dianzhang's expression was extremely grave.

Ignoring Ma Lan, who was talking to himself, he asked, "General Dian, what has happened?"

Dianzhang then held the Military Tally in his hand and presented it to the two of them, "Ma Jin summoned the elders under the pretext of discussing the return of the Young Master, but he killed them at the banquet. Prefect Ma Yue was struck by an Arrow and died while fleeing with this subordinate. Before he died, he ordered this subordinate to go to Sizhou to raise an army to crusade against Ma Jin and bring back the Young Master."

The smile on Ma Lan's face instantly froze, and he stammered, "You... you... what did you say?"

"Elder Ma Yue has been murdered by Ma Jin," Dianzhang repeated.

Ma Lan looked at the Military Tally in Dian Zhang's hand, then thought of Dian Zhang's words; her eyes rolled back, and she immediately fainted, falling straight backward.

Ma Yuan hurriedly caught Ma Lan and fiercely pinched her philtrum.

Before long, Ma Lan regained consciousness and wailed, "Father, my father..."

Ma Yuan shook his head; he understood Ma Lan's temperament, which was that of a bookworm.

Although she had read many books, she was somewhat dull and incapable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.

Even though he was equally shocked beyond measure in his heart, he forced himself to calm down and said, "I have already seen Ma Han in Yancheng; there is no time to lose, we must immediately head to Yancheng to bring Ma Han back to preside over the Ma Family's overall situation."

Dian Zhang nodded and said, "Ma Jin holds the Ma Family's heavy troops; relying solely on the troops of Sizhou, I fear we lack the strength to resist. I hope you, my lord, can borrow troops from Yan Wang to eliminate Ma Jin."

"Yan Wang has already agreed to lend troops to Ma Han, it is just a pity that my Ma Family has actually suffered such a disaster." Ma Yuan sighed deeply.

Having settled this matter, he immediately set off for Yancheng.

Now that Ma Jin had committed such a mad and heartless act.

There was already no one in the Ma Family who could control him.

There was only the path of Ma Han borrowing troops from Yan Wang to pacify the Ma Family left to take.

Yin Mountain.

While the Ma Family was mired in internal strife, the Xiliang grand army and the Beidi grand army appeared here at the same time.

After the Xiliang envoy brought back the news that Tuoba Hao had agreed to the alliance, Tuoba Hao personally led his grand army to the foot of Yin Mountain.

As for the Beidi, they set out as soon as the envoy had departed.

They arrived together exactly on the appointed date.

On the vast Grassland, the two grand armies stood in opposition like two black clouds on a green canvas.

Tuoba Hao looked toward the endless Beidi Cavalry on the opposite side with a grave expression; at this moment, he even felt that his breathing was no longer smooth.