Chapter 246: Five Hundred Qi Soldiers, the Birth of a Strong Army

"We're entering the city! We're entering the city!"

"What did I tell you? The Supreme Commander would definitely let us in!"

Hearing the familiar sound of the gate mechanism opening at the city gate, the routed troops of Liu's forces who had fled back felt as if they had received a great pardon. Without a second thought, they surged forward in a rush—but the moment those at the front went in, they realized something was wrong.

They had been stationed at this pass, Guguan, for a period of time before. The place they had entered was a barbican, and to get from here into the main pass, one still needed to pass through the auxiliary city and the inner gate.

But seeing the barbican gate tightly shut before them, its mechanism never raised, many people felt puzzled.

Those at the rear were still pouring in continuously, but by this time, the first batch to enter already sensed that something was amiss. Both sides of the pass should have been under tight guard at this moment, yet not a single person could be seen along the surrounding walls.

Moreover, the barbican was nearly half full, and the auxiliary city's gate showed no sign of opening even now.

"Stop pushing! Something's not right!"

"Move! Move now!"

"Stop shoving in, damn it, or I'll cut you down!"

A few sharp-eyed men—the ones who on the battlefield were always the first to run when things turned bad—were also the first to react now, and they immediately began pushing their way back out.

But at this moment, the last portion of routed soldiers outside had not yet fully entered the city. Fearful of being hunted down by the Dashing King's cavalry outside, they were joyfully fleeing into the city, completely unaware that inside was another hell.

"Cut them down, or we'll never get out!"

Amid the crowd, someone seemed to catch a glimpse of armor edges accidentally exposed on the city wall, and naturally understood the gravity of the situation. Several Company Commanders and brigade commanders found the Assistant Regional Commander, the highest-ranked officer among them. After a brief discussion, they realized that Chen Qiyu had no intention of letting them into the city at all. Cornered like desperate dogs, they drew their blades and, leading their own household retainers, began hacking their way out.

Several routed soldiers had just set foot into the city and had not yet had time to catch their breath when they heard a burst of screams from ahead. The crowd that had been surging in became even more congested and chaotic as a group of people desperately charged back out.

Those household retainers, following their officers, cut down anyone in their path. For the sake of escape, they had thrown all caution to the wind. Right now, their only thought was to slip out of the city amid the chaos, defect to Li the Dashing, and then follow the Shun army back to take their revenge.

Qi Yuanbi atop the city wall was growing anxious. He peeked out and said urgently, "Big Brother, strike now! Otherwise, the duck that's already at our mouths will all fly away!"

Qi Chief Grand Secretary said nothing, silently waiting for the decision.

Qi Yuangong's gaze wavered. The right hand gripping his sword hilt had, without his notice, begun to sweat. Then, in a low voice, he said, "Not yet. Wait a little longer."

"Big Brother—if we wait any longer, they'll all run off!" Qi Yuanbi couldn't understand, and made as if to force himself up.

But the moment he moved, Qi Chief Grand Secretary, who had been watching him closely, pressed him back down and said angrily, "Big Brother said to wait, so you wait here! If you delay the great matter of our Qi family earning merit and restoring our name, how can we face Grandfather Qi's spirit in the afterlife!"

Hearing the name Qi Jiguang, Qi Yuanbi's mind went "buzz" with a single sound. All his stubbornness vanished at once, and he obediently crouched back down, not daring to make another sound.

Indeed, although Qi Yuanbi was hot-tempered, he also understood what was right and just.

Nowadays, many people regarded the three remaining young men of the Qi family as nothing but descendants riding on their ancestors' blessings, men with no talent of their own. People of true insight like Chen Qiyu and Mou Wenshou were truly few and far between.

Under such circumstances, every move made by the three young men bearing the great Qi name could invite criticism. Even with this merit that Chen Qiyu had practically handed to them on a silver platter, Qi Yuangong, as the eldest son of the Qi family, dared not show the slightest carelessness.

"Cut them down! Cut them all down!"

"Charge out!"

Those mutinous soldiers trying to escape were like madmen, slaughtering friend and foe alike beneath the walls. And those mutinous soldiers trying to get into the city were hardly pushovers either—seeing that the others meant to take their lives, they naturally struck first to gain the upper hand.

"They don't want us to enter the city!"

"The Dashing army is outside—once we're in the city, we'll be safe!"

Qi Yuangong's waiting had its reasons. Watching the two groups of routed soldiers below brawling with each other over their dispute, a confident smile finally appeared on his face. He turned his head and said:

"Yuanbi, go gather our Qi family's five hundred household servants and have them hold the gate, to prevent the routed soldiers from escaping. Remember, do not bring any other officers or troops. I want to see whether our Qi family's five hundred household soldiers can hold back these rats! Chief Grand Secretary, the auxiliary city is yours—do not let any routed soldier get anywhere near here."

Both men nodded, but then, at the same moment, they both turned back and asked:

"Big Brother, what about you?"

Hearing this, Qi Yuangong smiled silently. He slowly drew the ancestral Qi family war blade from his waist, ran his fingers over the marks on the blade, and said:

"Back then, Father used this very blade to follow Grandfather Qi in pacifying the seas and guarding Jizhou. Now, at this moment of life and death for our family and our nation, this is the time for this blade to see the light of day once more, to cut down enemy generals and earn merit!"

On the eve of the Bloody Battle of Hun River, before Qi Jin led the last of the Qi family army out from Dingyuan on campaign, he had deliberately left behind some Qi soldiers. The old general Wu Zhong was also ordered to guard the Qi residence. After the three sons grew to adulthood, and before Wu Zhong died of illness, he personally passed this blade to the eldest son, Qi Yuangong.

It could be said that these five hundred household soldiers of the Qi family were precisely the descendants of that batch of Qi family troops from the Bloody Battle of Hun River. The Qi army's old general Wu Zhong had named his son Wu Chengye, which carried the meaning of "son inheriting the father's enterprise."

Now, Wu Chengye, just sixteen years old, could truly be said to have not disappointed the high hopes of his elders, commanding this batch of household soldiers just as steadfastly as ever.

"Not good—they're going to close the gate!" At this critical moment, that Assistant Regional Commander displayed a vigilance and decisiveness he had never shown before. Seeing officers on the pass above lowering the gate mechanism, he hurled his long spear with all his might.

A moment later, a Company Commander on the city wall fell with a cry. Several officers shouted and scattered. Seeing no one lowering the gate, the Assistant Regional Commander seized the opportunity and led his soldiers in a frantic rush outward.

Those trying to get out of the city were the officers and their household retainers. The routed soldiers outside had no organization at all and quickly could not hold them back. Combined with the situation around them, many also realized that the officers in the city wanted their lives, and immediately changed their stance, charging outward along with the rest.

But just as they reached the city gate, they were stunned by the scene before them. Hesitating, they dared not take another step for a moment.

The officers before them numbered only a few hundred, but their armor was all bright red, unlike ordinary government troops. And what shocked these men most was the huge character "Qi" on the banner fluttering high above.

This force of only a few hundred officers stood in neat ranks, moving as one man. Though few in number, they had a complete array of troop types, with orders strictly obeyed and prohibitions strictly enforced. Looking at them, one could not help but feel a sense of dread.

"The Qi family army?"

The Assistant Regional Commander muttered to himself. Looking at their formation, it did seem like the real thing. Then he shouted, "No! The Qi family army all died at Hun River long ago. These people aren't the Qi family army at all!"

"They're just young upstarts putting on airs under their fathers' reputations—nothing to fear!" Several brigade commanders also sneered coldly.

Indeed, no matter how one looked at it, this so-called "Qi family army" of only a few hundred men could not possibly hold back the nearly thousand routed soldiers desperate to escape. One had to know that the fighting power a man unleashes when he knows he must flee for his life cannot be compared to ordinary circumstances. These people before them were nothing but mantises trying to stop a chariot.

"Kill our way out! Join the Dashing King!" The Assistant Regional Commander raised his blade and shouted, leading the routed soldiers in a charge.

Seeing this, Qi Yuanbi, standing steadily at the front, showed not a trace of fear. He braced his long spear and shouted, "Form ranks! Meet all changes with constancy!"