Chapter 544: It Still Came

"Welcome, Prefect Liu!"

"Welcome, Prefect Liu!"

Thirty-five miles out, welcome Prefect Liu!

Suddenly, the garrison troops of Yang'an Pass all began to shout along.

Cheng Anguo's expression was gloomy, but he had no other method.

Things had reached this point; what else could he say? He waved his hand, the city gates opened, and many garrison troops surged out. To welcome the Great Carriage of the Princess, having ten thousand garrison troops come was not an exaggeration at all.

Thirty-five miles.

These garrison troops continued to march forward.

On Liu Zheng's side, he and Jiang Xuan beside him exchanged a glance.

Both of them drew in a cold breath at the same time and tightened their grips on their weapons.

Five miles.

This was the safe distance that Liu Zheng had gone to great lengths to secure.

Those death soldiers of Xie Ling who had long been lying in ambush would certainly not rashly attack within these five miles; with such a long distance, Liu Zheng's side would have enough time to escape.

Therefore.

These five miles became the key.

Cheng Anguo finally led the crowd over. In military attire, there was no need to kneel to a Noble, so he raised his sword and shouted, "Garrison General of Yang'an Pass, Cheng Anguo, pays respects to the Princess!"

"Pay respects to the Princess!"

Ten thousand garrison troops roared from behind.

"General Cheng is very thoughtful."

Xie Chan's crisp voice came from inside the Horse Carriage.

Clatter, clatter!

Since the garrison general had come to welcome them, they could now enter the city. The six thousand soldiers on this side also began to shift from a defensive formation into a marching formation. The Great Carriage moved again, and the long horns played melodiously.

Five miles...

Everyone knew what would happen after five miles.

Including Cheng Anguo himself.

One step.

One step.

The sound of footsteps echoed on the main road in front of Yang'an Pass.

It felt as if every step was hammering against people's hearts.

Birds flew up everywhere.

Chirp, chirp.

The silence of the environment, the clanging sound of footsteps, and the melodious sound of the long horns made the atmosphere feel even more suffocating.

The Liangzhou Army, each holding their weapons, entered a state of combat readiness.

The Hanzhong Army was the same.

As if facing a formidable enemy.

No one dared to slack off.

"General Cheng, thank you for your trouble!"

At this moment, Liu Zheng, Jiang Xuan, and Pei Qianyun rode their horses to Cheng Anguo's side.

Cheng Anguo's expression changed immediately.

The direction from which the three of them approached made his heart skip a beat.

Did they want to place him under house arrest?

In their dreams!

He gave a cold laugh and said aloud, "Prefect Liu is famous throughout the world; it is only right that I, Cheng, come out to welcome you!"

They exchanged pleasantries on the surface.

In reality, Jiang Xuan and Pei Qianyun had already moved quietly to the left and right of Cheng Anguo and Liu Zheng. When Cheng Anguo's guards saw this situation, they wanted to come over and push the two away, but who would have thought that Pei Qianyun would glare at them, and those War Horses of the guards would actually neigh and bolt in retreat.

Cheng Anguo's face darkened.

But he was still confident in his own martial arts, so he did not tear off the mask of civility on the spot.

Behind the scenes, various small maneuvers were taking place.

On the surface, however, Liu Zheng laughed heartily: "I don't know why, but seeing General Cheng, I feel much closer to you. Perhaps it is because I, Liu Zheng, am the son of a merchant, and I have heard that General Cheng also came from humble beginnings, yet now you guard such a majestic pass as Yang'an Pass; one can see the Emperor's trust in General Cheng!"

Damn it!

Hearing this, Cheng Anguo wanted to curse again.

Was that the Emperor's trust? Who in the world didn't know that he was promoted by Xie Ling?

At this moment, Xie Ling was lurking in the nearby mountain forest; what did he mean by saying this?

He chuckled: "A mere brute, not worth mentioning; how can I be compared to the world-renowned Prefect Liu?"

"After we enter the pass, we must have a good drink!"

Liu Zheng appeared very enthusiastic.

"Chan'er!"

Xie Chan, inside the Horse Carriage, was still savoring that earth-shattering kiss, her face flushed red, when suddenly Feng Sanniang sat inside.

"Ah! Madam..."

Xie Chan looked like this, simply dying of embarrassment.

Feng Sanniang chuckled: "Is your Soft Armor on properly?"

Xie Chan's delicate body trembled; only then did she remember what was about to happen, and she hurriedly nodded.

Feng Sanniang sat as steady as a mountain and nodded, saying: "Mother is here to protect you."

Hearing this, Xie Chan gave a sweet smile.

……

In the mountain forest.

The sound of the long horn had already reached the ears of Xie Ling.

"Your Highness..."

"We, General Cheng is also over there..."

A person beside him said.

A flash of sinister cruelty crossed Xie Ling's eyes: "Kill him, today I want to kill him! Leave not a single one! Never mind Cheng Anguo, even the Feudatory King of Yong must be finished off by me!"

"Finish them off!"

The people beside him felt their hair stand on end.

He had gone mad!

Even the Feudatory King of Lu could not dissuade him!

Fifty thousand men held their breath, gripping their weapons. Those War Horses fitted with muzzles could no longer suppress their own impulses.

Bright, flashing blades and swords.

Dense and chilling.

Fifty thousand pairs of eyes watched that group of people walking slowly toward them.

Kill!

One more mile, and they could charge down!

……

On the side of Liu Zheng and Cheng Anguo.

They continued their various verbal skirmishes.

Cheng Anguo laughed coldly: "People all over the world say that Prefect Liu is bold and reckless; seeing it today, it is truly so! I have a question."

Liu Zheng smiled: "Ask away."

"Prefect Liu, are you not afraid of death?"

Cheng Anguo's gaze was sharp.

Liu Zheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he tilted his head to look at Cheng Anguo with a smile: "And you, General Cheng, are you afraid of death?"

This exchange of questions and answers was quite interesting.

What Cheng Anguo was asking was: knowing that fifty thousand troops were hidden there, you, Prefect Liu, still walked over as if nothing were the matter, swaggering about—with your six thousand troops, are you not afraid of death?

What Liu Zheng was asking, however, was:

You are walking with me; if that Xie Ling sacrifices you just to annihilate us,

are you not afraid of death?

Cheng Anguo laughed heartily: "A scholar dies for one who appreciates him; what is wrong with that?"

Liu Zheng smiled and replied: "If you were but one man, imitating the ancient Yu Rang would be fine. But General Cheng, you have thirty thousand garrison troops behind you; you are no longer the outlaw of the past, unable to sever the entanglements behind you—how can you speak of the conduct of a gentleman?"

Cheng Anguo's expression changed slightly.

It was obvious that Liu Zheng had struck a nerve!

Yes.

It did not matter if he died for Xie Ling. But what about these brothers behind him? What about those brothers at Yang'an Pass? At this moment, they were already walking together with Liu Zheng and the others.

They were already on the same side.

If he allowed Xie Ling to assassinate Liu Zheng and Xie Chan, what kind of crime would that be?

He, Cheng Anguo, could die if he must.

But how could he drag his brothers down with him?

Murdering a Princess, murdering a Feudatory King!

Murdering an Envoy!

Hearing these words.

He pulled on the reins, his face showing a moment of hesitation.

Just at this moment.

Suddenly.

The sounds of battle cries filled the mountains and plains, echoing before the pass.

They were here!

Xie Ling's men had arrived!

The fifty thousand elite soldiers and strong generals who had long been in ambush revealed themselves simultaneously, a vast, swarming mass of people charging out from the mountain forests on both sides.

"Prepare for battle!"

"Prepare for battle!"

The people on this side faced the enemy as if confronting a great disaster.