Chapter 540: The One Thousand Firecrackers of the Red Robe

"The betting is open, the betting is open!"

"Place your bets, place your bets!"

"Tomorrow, Prefectural Governor Liu will arrive at Yang'an Pass. The odds are clear, and we treat everyone fairly!"

Jinghua, inside the city.

The streets were bustling.

That shifty-eyed fellow who had once appeared at Longqi Gorge had appeared in the Capital again, pulling people everywhere to join the betting pool.

Sure enough.

As soon as this shouting began, a crowd gathered around. The people at the foot of the Capital were not comparable to the sailors and merchants stranded at Longqi Gorge. As the saying goes, at the foot of the Capital, one is either a noble or a wealthy merchant.

These people were very generous with their spending.

"What are the odds?"

"Ah, are you all so unoptimistic about Prefectural Governor Liu?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Six thousand against fifty thousand—who could be optimistic?"

The crowd chattered and discussed it heatedly.

Compared to his time at Longqi Gorge, the shifty-eyed fellow had changed into clean, high-quality clothes. The reason was simple: the last betting pool had made him a fortune. Long shots! Only long shots could bring in big money!

He had even been transferred directly from the Hanzhong Branch to this Capital headquarters, and he was already a department head.

This guy was named Wang San.

Seeing so many people gathering around, Wang San chuckled: "The gentlemen are right. Six thousand against fifty thousand, and one is attacking while the other defends—anyone with a discerning eye can see what the odds are. One side is unprepared, the other is prepared. Everyone, hurry and buy! Place your bets, place your bets!"

"Fine, I'll bet five hundred taels!"

"I'll bet one thousand!"

"I'll bet one hundred!"

"No way, Master Huang, you're only betting one hundred?"

"One hundred gold, betting that Prefectural Governor Liu's entire army will be wiped out!"

"Generous!"

The scene suddenly became lively.

Wang San's eyes narrowed into slits from smiling.

Business in the Capital was indeed much easier to do.

Thank you, Prefectural Governor Liu...

He sighed deeply.

This betting pool didn't favor Prefectural Governor Liu at all. Then I can only wish him luck...

Just like the odds in the Capital.

In their hearts, the people of the world actually all had their own odds.

They generally predicted Prefectural Governor Liu's failure.

Of course.

Miracles were also possible.

It was just that...

Would this miracle descend upon Prefectural Governor Liu every single time?

Clatter, clatter.

The long procession was still moving.

Two big fat men were sitting in a Horse Carriage.

One was Liu Dahao, and the other was Prince Yong.

Liu Dahao said tremblingly: "Prince Yong, why can't I stop shaking?"

Prince Yong laughed heartily: "Lord Prefectural Governor, why be like this? Who in the world doesn't envy you for having a son like Prefectural Governor Liu? With him around, you can sleep soundly! Come, come, let's drink, let's drink!"

Liu Dahao drank a mouthful of wine miserably: "Zheng is indeed a credit to the family, but this time..."

Six thousand against fifty thousand!

He felt desperate just thinking about it.

Prince Yong chuckled and said nothing more.

But in his heart, he couldn't help but sigh.

What kind of saint was this Liu Dahao in his past life to be able to give birth to a son like Liu Zheng in this one?

It made others envious.

It truly made others envious!

Two days later.

Yang'an Pass was getting closer and closer.

Wave after wave of Scouts were constantly scouting the situation ahead.

At this moment, the hearts of Liu Zheng and Xie Chan were also hanging in the balance, and the banter between the two had lessened significantly.

Finally.

Jiang Xuan came to report: "Young Master, thirty miles out, there are no birds in the forest."

Liu Zhe narrowed his eyes slightly and smiled: "Set up camp at the thirty-five-mile mark!"

"Yes!"

……

"General, General!"

"Report!"

"Prefect Liu and his party have set up camp thirty-five miles away!"

"What?"

Hearing this, Cheng Anguo jumped up again: "What does he want to do?"

His Highness's fifty-thousand-strong army is hidden at the thirty-mile mark, and he sets up camp at thirty-five miles? Who would believe that's a coincidence?

"Prefect Liu sent a message, asking..."

"Asking the General to lead troops out to welcome Longyang Princess!"

Cheng Anguo's expression changed instantly: "Audacious! I am the garrison general of Yang'an Pass; even for the Emperor's Great Carriage, I would only go out thirty miles to welcome it. By what right does he, Prefect Liu, make me go out thirty-five?"

According to the laws of the Longyan Dynasty, the distance a garrison general of a vital military town must travel to welcome the Emperor is at most thirty miles.

This was also the reason why Xie Ling wanted to ambush his fifty thousand men at the thirty-mile mark. After all, for a princess and a Prince of Yong to require Cheng Anguo to leave the city by thirty miles was not considered too presumptuous.

But now.

This thirty-five miles?

Cheng Anguo's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth: "How did he put it?"

The Scout was sweating profusely: "He said, he said..."

"Speak!"

Cheng Anguo roared.

"He said to let the General go and ask in person! Once at the front of the formation, he will naturally give the General an explanation!"

"Bang!"

Cheng Anguo slammed the table in anger: "Who does that Prefect Liu think he is, asking me to go and ask in person..."

Before he could finish speaking.

Outside, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air.

Suddenly, the sounds of long horns, shouting, gongs, drums, and chanting rose one after another.

"What is that sound?"

Cheng Anguo looked bewildered.

"General, that is Prefect Liu's honor guard, playing music beneath the pass..."

Bang!

Cheng Anguo nearly fell face-first to the ground, and taking a few deputy generals with him, he quickly arrived at the top of the city wall.

"Longyang Princess has arrived!"

"Prince of Yong has arrived!"

"Longyang Princess has arrived!"

"Prince of Yong has arrived!"

This honor guard marched while playing, circling around and shouting at the top of their lungs. They had walked all the way from thirty-five miles away to the front of the pass.

At this moment, the garrison soldiers on the wall had already started laughing heartily. The scene was simply joyous.

"Interesting..."

"What are they here for?"

"Let's get lively, let's get lively!"

These garrison troops usually guarded the pass in boredom.

Suddenly faced with such a lively scene, they naturally began to shout and cheer along.

"General, please go out to welcome them!"

"General, please go out to welcome them!"

Cheng Anguo's mouth twitched as he watched.

What kind of nonsense is this?

I don't want to go, and they are asking me to go?

I won't go!

You won't go?

Fine.

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Switch people, continue!"

And so.

Beneath the gates of Yang'an Pass, it was exceptionally lively.

Thirty-five miles away, six thousand soldiers were camped, on high alert.

From thirty-five miles away to the city gate, it was like a stage; groups of hundreds would make their entrance, perform, and then retreat.

This Prefect Liu had forcibly turned what should have been a tense, murderous atmosphere of Ten Ambush into something so joyous.

The garrison of Yang'an Pass was overjoyed.

The Liangzhou Army and Hanzhong Army, however, dared not relax.

Only those fifty thousand death soldiers ambushed at the thirty-mile mark.

At this moment, they looked at each other in dismay.

This?

What happened to the thirty-mile mark?

At this moment, should they make a move or not?

If they were to make a move, it would be quite easy for Liu Zheng and Xie Chan to escape within the five miles the others would have to charge.

But if they didn't make a move...

Just hide here and watch the show?

Fifty thousand pairs of eyes.

Look at the pass city gate.

Then look at the Liangzhou Army over here.

This situation is a bit confusing.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

"Your Highness, you have arrived?"

Just then, Xie Ling appeared behind these death soldiers, leaning on his cane.

Xie Ling gave a cold laugh: "A dignified Prefect Liu, playing such childish tricks? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the whole world! Wait! Once he comes over, be sure to round them all up!"

"Yes!"

Who would have thought.

At this moment.

Perhaps Prefect Liu still felt it wasn't lively enough, and that just beating gongs and drums wasn't enough.

Fireworks were also set off.

"Invite the General to leave the city and welcome His Highness!"

"Leave the city and welcome His Highness!"

Crackle, pop. Crackle, pop.

Xie Ling's face turned dark as he listened, and the cane he held in his hand began to tremble.

"Your... Your Highness, isn't this the sound of the firecrackers we brought to Liangzhou? The one-thousand-count Big Red Robe! Only Pingzhou can produce them..."

"That's right..."

"How amazing, they hadn't finished setting them off that day?"

Xie Ling could no longer hold back; he spat out a mouthful of black blood and roared:

"Ahhhhh, Prefect Liu, I want to kill him, I want to kill him!"