Chapter 340: Protecting Our Chuan Shu

However.

Things were not as simple as Xie Yang had imagined.

When the news of Qin Zhangfeng marching his troops toward Shuzhou spread, all the anger, excitement, and murderous intent that had been suppressed throughout the city suddenly erupted.

A crowd of people surged onto the streets in an instant, heading directly toward the Pei Family Residence. Among these people were knights-errant dedicated to the country, commoners who had been stifled by the white terror of the Black Guard these past few days, and those who had been barely clinging to life while Xie Yang purged his political rivals. Some carried swords and blades, some carried hoes, and some carried tables, chairs, and benches.

These past few days.

They had had enough.

Once the King of Shu died, Xie Yang immediately seized power forcefully. Relying on the Black Guard and the Imperial Guards under his control, he launched a ruthless slaughter in the city. Anyone who was an old official of the King of Shu or a supporter of the Crown Prince Xie Zhen was arrested and imprisoned.

This naturally brought extreme panic to many in the city.

If Xie Yang had been legitimate, it might have been one thing.

But as a conspirator relying on the Imperial Guards to force these people into submission, the harder you push, the more terrifying the rebound will be.

Therefore.

When the Imperial Guards were about to enter to arrest Pei Yanran, a crowd of people surged over aggressively.

"What are you doing!"

"Get out of here!"

"You are not allowed to trouble the Pei Family!"

This rolling tide of people roared hysterically; at this moment, the ferocity on their faces seemed to vent their dissatisfaction with Xie Yang and the Imperial Guards.

"Don't come any closer!"

The leader of the Imperial Guards responsible for monitoring the Pei Family turned pale instantly. They only had a little over two thousand men, surrounding the Pei Family from all sides. However, the surging crowd on the street had quickly gathered to a mass of fifty or sixty thousand.

The Imperial Guards, holding their weapons, retreated step by step.

"Get out of the Pei Family!"

"You are not allowed to trouble Miss Pei!"

"You bunch of rebellious lackeys!"

These people were not afraid of the Imperial Guards' weapons; at the call of one person, the tide of people began to charge.

"This..."

"Sir?"

The Imperial Guards were all panicking.

At this moment, they were not facing individual knights-errant throwing themselves into the fire, but the wrath of the commoners! Moreover, these Imperial Guards might even be facing their own families, their own parents, their own friends...

How could they bring themselves to kill?

And so.

As these people kept charging, they kept retreating.

The commander did not know what to do either and could only let his subordinates parry. Because he knew that if bloodshed occurred in this situation, it would be truly troublesome. As the saying goes, the law cannot punish the masses; these people had come with the intention of blowing this matter up.

Who would have thought.

These people would not give them a chance at all.

A young knight-errant in the crowd shouted, "Protect Miss Pei, protect our Chuan Shu!"

After saying this, he leaped forward without fear of death, his entire body landing directly onto the Long Spear held by an Imperial Guard. The Long Spear pierced through his chest instantly; as the knight-errant died, his lips even carried a satisfied smile.

Boom!

Could this be ignored?

Blood had actually been shed!

Because there were too many people, they did not care whether the Imperial Guards had struck first or if the knight-errant had thrown himself onto the spear. Once blood was shed, the people seemed to lose their reason.

"Charge!"

"Beat these lackeys to death!"

That shout of protecting Miss Pei and protecting our Chuan Shu seemed to ignite the blood of the entire crowd instantly. The surging fifty or sixty thousand people rushed over as if there were no obstacles. At this point, no matter how well-trained the Imperial Guards were, they were no match. A sea of people, fearless of weapons.

Seeing this situation, the commander's expression changed drastically: "Go, clear the way for them!"

The Imperial Guards finally breathed a sigh of relief; not daring to clash head-on with the crazed commoners, they retreated one after another.

And so.

The Pei Family was actually protected just like that.

The Pei Family Residence was surrounded by circle after circle of commoners on all sides.

When Pei Yanran saw this scene, her delicate body trembled, and clear tears streamed down.

Was she not going to die after all?

She looked happily into the distance and murmured, "Zhangfeng, did you see?"

Come quickly.

The hearts of the people can be relied upon.

The future can be expected; everything can be expected.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, that crowd has gone mad, that crowd has gone mad!"

Scrambling in, a lackey entered, drenched in sweat.

"What did you say? Who has gone mad?"

Xie Yang jumped up, glaring furiously.

The man then recounted what had happened at the gate of the Pei Family truthfully.

The more he heard, the uglier Xie Yang's expression became.

Bang!

"These unruly subjects, unruly subjects, base commoners!"

Xie Yang was so angry that he nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Those nearby hurriedly tried to console him.

One person said: "Your Highness, disregarding the will of the people at this time is a great taboo!"

"Indeed, Your Highness, calm your anger, Your Highness, calm your anger!"

Xie Yang gritted his teeth: "A great taboo?"

"What is a great taboo? I am already the King of Shu; must I still look at the faces of these base commoners? That enchantress Pei Yanran must be captured for me!"

"King of Shu, you absolutely must not!"

"King of Shu!"

A group of people were so frightened that they knelt down, trembling with fear.

Someone said: "Your Highness, there are many cities in Shu, and those Prefects are all watching from the sidelines; excessive slaughter at this time is not a good strategy!"

Xie Yang was thunderously enraged: "Then tell me, what should be done, what should be done!"

The crowd looked at one another in dismay.

A long silence followed.

One of them finally stood out: "Your Highness, that Qin Zhangfeng is about to arrive at the city gates; your humble servant believes we should first consider repelling the enemy!"

Xie Yang's eyes lit up: "What do you mean?"

That person took a deep breath: "Your Highness, the other Prefects of Shuzhou are currently watching the fire from across the river, and Qin Zhangfeng's army of sixty-five thousand is imposing in its momentum..."

"We..."

"Should consider seeking reinforcements."

The entire room suddenly went quiet.

The atmosphere.

Suddenly became strange.

Seeking reinforcements?

In this situation, from whom could they seek reinforcements?

Xie Yang had only controlled Shuzhou for a short time, and the local officials had not yet come to report for duty; this meant that Xie Yang's self-proclamation as King of Shu was still just a self-proclamation, and no one else had acknowledged it yet.

Those people were each clutching the military power in their hands, waiting quietly for the situation to change.

Only when everything settled would they acknowledge who the King of Shu was.

Therefore...

At this time, if they were to seek reinforcements.

They could only seek them from one place.

That was the Southern Barbarian army in Jiangzhou City.

Therefore.

The problem arose.

If they sought reinforcements, the fact that these Southern Barbarians were brought here through Xie Yang's collusion would be laid bare, and he would surely be reviled by the world. Moreover, on their way to Jiangzhou, the Southern Barbarians would certainly plunder everywhere, leaving the people in misery. This would only further aggravate Xie Yang's sins.

However...

What if they did not seek reinforcements?

Could this Shuzhou City truly withstand that tiger-and-wolf army from Liangzhou?

Everyone.

Held their breath and looked at Xie Yang.

Suddenly.

Someone realized.

This...

Could it be a trap set by the Prefect Liu who has not yet entered Shu?