Chapter 237: Yizhou Shattered

Hu Bo had not yet gone far when, from the distant ramparts of Yizhou City, a man's explosive roar suddenly erupted.

"Brothers, fight to the death with these dogs of Fei Hou!"

This was Chen Tang's furious shout; judging by the voice, Jiang Jiang Mingyu knew he would soon be unable to hold on.

If he did not act now, when would he?

Thus, he pretended to be careless and smiled at Hu Bo.

"Very well, Commander Hu, since we both serve Your Majesty, let us skip the pleasantries."

"Your soldiers are already exhausted; from now on, may my army be responsible for besieging the city?"

"But rest assured, the merit that belongs to you will still be yours. This general is deeply favored by Your Majesty and will not steal your credit."

His demeanor was as if he did not care at all about the merit of destroying a regional warlord.

In this way, Hu Bo became even more convinced that Hu Zhan was undoubtedly a close confidant of Fei Hou.

He was just a rough man born of the military; apart from marching and fighting, how could he know the intricate schemes among the great figures in the court?

Speaking thus, Jiang Jiang Mingyu turned and said to Li Goudan, "Deputy General Li, lead the troops and attack the city for me." Amidst Hu Bo's grateful gaze, Li Goudan led eighty thousand troops and charged toward the ramparts.

The sunset sank, and the horizon was a blood-red. The sound of drums and horns shook heaven and earth; the sound of hooves was like thunder. Blades and spears clashed, and flesh and blood flew. Between the two opposing armies, life and death hung by a thread.

As Jiang Jiang Mingyu had said, after days of continuous warfare, Chen Tang's troops had long reached the brink of collapse. Struck by Li Goudan's fresh forces, the soldiers on the city wall instantly crumbled. Seeing the enemy falter, Li Goudan waved his blood-stained great sword.

"Advance! Smash open the city gate for me!" After more than ten consecutive ramming attempts, amidst a dull boom, the city gate that Hu Bo had long wanted to break open suddenly burst wide. Seeing Li Goudan and his men rush inside, Hu Bo, who secretly thought his family was finally safe, hurriedly spoke.

"Brother Jiang, truly I owe you a great debt. How can this older brother repay such a great kindness?"

A sinister shade suddenly appeared in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's smile. "Hand over your life to me, and that will suffice." What? Hu Bo, whose mouth still bore gratitude and a smile, was instantly stunned.

"Brother Jiang, what... what do you mean?" Now that all his men had followed Li Goudan into Yizhou, it was impossible for him to ask the deputy general what was happening. Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly and raised one finger.

"Commander Hu, you were wrong about one thing: I do not bear the surname Jiang."

"Let us reacquaint ourselves. You should have heard my name; I am Jiang Jiang Mingyu of Cangzhou." Speaking thus, he formally bowed to Hu Bo with great seriousness.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu? Hu Bo never dreamed that the one helping him breach Yizhou was none other than Jiang Jiang Mingyu, currently the most prominent figure who had almost occupied the entire Northern Region. Now that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's men had rushed into Yizhou, did this mean he had helped Jiang Jiang Mingyu seize the last stronghold of the Northern Region?

If Fei Hou were to learn of this, Hu Bo, the Commander, and his entire family, young and old, would likely have no path to survival.

Thinking of this, Hu Bo gritted his teeth; the best course of action now was to catch Jiang Jiang Mingyu off guard, capture him, and atone for his crime with merit.

But before his sword could even be drawn, Tu Tu Kesiluo's blade was already resting on his neck. "Do not move." This strike was too fast; almost no one could react. At least Hu Bo could not!

He felt a chill spread from his neck, followed by a warm current surging into his heart. His vision went black, yet he seemed to hear Jiang Jiang Mingyu's voice in his ears.

"Commander Hu, your name as a veteran of the battlefield has long been thunderous in Jiang Mou's ears."

"Fei Hou has been unkind to you, even threatening the lives of your family members; this is utterly detestable."

"Today, on this battlefield between two armies, Jiang Mou asks: do you wish to join me in overthrowing Fei Hou's rule and seeking justice for your family?" Hu Bo's parched lips curled slightly, his voice extremely hoarse.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, you want me to surrender?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not avoid the question. "Indeed, only your phrasing is more direct than Jiang Mou's."

Seeing the playfulness mixed with a touch of sincerity in his eyes, Hu Bo's heart stirred. Could this young man truly possess the ambition and ability to change the world?

Had he not once, like himself, fought for the common people, struggled for ideals, and remained loyal to the state? Alas, now he had become a lackey of Fei Hou; opposing this hero left him no path to return.

He closed his eyes, assuming the posture of one extending his neck to be executed.

"Since I have fallen into your hands, kill me if you wish; making me surrender is absolutely impossible." Seeing his determination, Jiang Jiang Mingyu no longer wished to persuade him.

"Tu Tu Kesiluo, kill!" With a dull thud, Hu Bo's head, dripping with viscous crimson, rolled far away.

Amidst wails of anguish, the two armies clashed inside and outside the city.

Brothers who were originally fellow subjects of the Great Feng now slaughtered each other. Some fought to protect their homes, some to seize power, some to avenge grievances, and some to follow a hero.

Blood flowed like rivers; corpses piled like mountains and blood seas like oceans. What a tragic and heroic war this was!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood at the city gate, gazing at the rolling heads, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He admired Hu Bo's loyalty and righteousness; he lamented Hu Bo's death; and he felt a touch of guilt and sorrow.

He knew Hu Bo was a good general, a good father, and a good brother.

He also knew Hu Bo was a pitiable person, a helpless person, and a sacrificial person.

Why did he have to die?

Was it merely because he was loyal to a cruel and lawless ruler?

Was it merely because he was unwilling to change his beliefs?

Was it merely because he dared not oppose himself?

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sighed lightly, his heart filled with endless regret and emotion. He felt he owed Hu Bo a debt and felt he bore responsibility toward the world.

Hearing the sounds of slaughter within the city grow fainter, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's lips curled. "Tu Tu Kesiluo, take Hu Bo's head and enter the city." Yet he never imagined that this head, originally intended to intimidate Hu Bo's soldiers into surrendering, would go unused.

The reason was simple: after the slaughter, the only ones still standing in the city were Jiang Jiang Mingyu's men. Judging by their expressions, Li Goudan had fought this battle with great satisfaction; he chuckled twice at Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"My Lord, including Chen Tang, all the troops of both factions have been dealt with by this subordinate." Speaking thus, he pointed to a corpse on the ground wearing a dragon robe and a Taiping crown. "This one is Chen Tang." This Emperor's chest was pierced by a feathered arrow, and fresh blood gushed out continuously.

Chen Tang? Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head, casting a cold glance at the surrounding corpses, feeling not the slightest pity or sympathy.

These people were all his enemies, all obstacles he had to eliminate. The more of them who died, the closer he would be to his goal.

But he also knew that among these people, many were forced to act, many fought for survival, and many sacrificed themselves for their families.

He too had once been one of them; he too had once fought for the common people, struggled for ideals, and remained loyal to the state.

But he ultimately discovered that this nation was rotten to the core, this dynasty was tyrannical and lawless, and this world was dark and lightless.

He could not accept this; he would change all of this; he would carve out a new world for the common people of the realm.