Chapter 844: First Volume_Chapter 844: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell

First Volume_Chapter 844: Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell

Once the Imperial Guard had been driven back, they hurriedly sent people to deliver orders outside the city, only to discover that the City Gate was being held fast by the Northern Border Generals, and the Military Order could not be transmitted at all.

In the end, with no other choice, they could only send messengers out through a concealed hidden door in the City Wall.

By the time the defending troops outside the city received the order, half a Envoy had already passed.

As the defending troops withdrew, the Northern Border Generals fighting to the death atop the City Wall gradually quieted down.

Chen Si had long been unable to sit still. He ordered Liu Zhiping and his son, along with Zhao Pu, to be seized, then rushed personally to the City Wall. From a great distance, he shouted up.

"A misunderstanding, all of it a misunderstanding. If you gentlemen are willing to abandon your resistance, I guarantee your safe departure from the territory of Great Di."

A Tooth General on the City Wall hurled down over a dozen severed heads of the defending troops, which rolled across the ground with a gurgling sound right before Chen Si.

The Tooth General rebuked sharply: "Bullshit! We live and die with Marquis Qin!"

"If Marquis Qin has passed, then we shall fight you to the bitter end right here — kill one and that's one, a Blood Sacrifice to Marquis Qin!"

"Once our Northern Border Troops are assembled, they will crush your lands. Not one of you shall escape — you will all be buried with Marquis Qin!"

Logically speaking, with Qin Feng dead, these Northern Border Generals should have become headless flies.

Yet the result was precisely the opposite — the ferocious aura radiating from them made even the battle-hardened Chen Si secretly click his tongue.

And this, precisely, was what all of Great Di feared most about Qin Feng.

Even if Qin Feng were dead, the Liang Kingdom North Border would not fall into chaos. On the contrary, under the Command of Li Zhang, Xu Mo, the Qin-Cheng Clan, and others, the Northern Border would unleash retaliation at any cost.

Chen Si had already lost heart. He planned to lure the Northern Border Generals down from the City Wall under false pretenses and wipe them all out, so as to first restore order in Wang Du.

Unfortunately, facts proved that to kill off all the Northern Border Generals, one could only meet force with force.

Just as Chen Si was preparing to give the order for the Imperial Guard to mount the wall and attack directly, a sudden commotion came from the City Gate Tower.

Immediately after came an earsplitting cheer.

"What's happening?!"

Chen Si froze for a moment, then looked up toward the City Gate Tower. There, walking out from among the cheering crowd, was a familiar figure — it was actually Qin Feng?!

"Qin Feng? He... wasn't he already burned to death? How could he appear here?"

"Could it be that he dug a Tunnel from the Yi Guan?"

Chen Si felt his scalp tingle. Even though he styled himself "Qin Feng's old rival," his heart at this moment was a stormy sea.

With only the few men in the Yi Guan, to dig through a Tunnel, he would have had to begin the arrangements from the very first day Qin Feng entered the city.

And facts proved that was exactly what Qin Feng had done.

What meticulous caution was this?

Surrounded by Ning Hu and a host of Tianji Camp Guards, Qin Feng stood atop the City Wall, looking down at Chen Si, and could not help exclaiming loudly.

"Brother Chen, is this how your nation treats its guests? Had I not made Preparations in advance, I fear I would already have been burned to death."

"Heh, you'd better not tell me this was a misunderstanding!"

Qin Feng gave Chen Si no chance to explain at all.

"My Jinyiwei messengers have already scattered in all directions, racing toward Sangzhou to notify the entire army, muster forces, and return the courtesy to your nation."

"We'll meet on the Battlefield!"

Because the defending troops had already been withdrawn by Chen Si, Qin Feng's retreat was not cut off at this point.

Moreover...

Given Qin Feng's meticulous mind, who knew how many contingencies he had hidden outside the city? What awaited the Di Kingdom henceforth was nothing but endless war.

Chen Si's eyelid twitched. Before Qin Feng turned to leave, he hurriedly shouted: "Brother Qin, this truly is a misunderstanding!"

"Look — Liu Yi and his son, along with Zhao Pu, have already been captured by me!"

At a wave of Chen Si's hand, his soldiers dragged the ashen-faced Liu Zhiping and the others to the foot of the city.

Although Chen Si knew perfectly well in his heart that once Qin Feng was angered, it would be no easy matter to quell his fury...

But...

As long as Qin Feng still lived, there was room to salvage the situation.

The killing intent in Chen Si's heart was instantly replaced by "seeking peace." He had to do everything in his power to win Qin Feng back and prevent the war that was about to come.

"Brother Qin, just look!"

Chen Si turned and glared viciously at Liu Zhiping and his son.

"Damned wretches! You nearly ruined my Great Di!"

"Guards! Execute these two on the spot and display their heads in public!"

Although the King of Northern Di had not ordered the execution of Liu Zhiping and his son, since the matter had already blown up, a greater stake had to be offered to win Qin Feng back.

Chen Si could only overstep his authority and order Liu Zhiping and his son put to death.

Liu Zhiping's face was the color of ash; he did not even have the thought of begging for mercy.

Liu Yi, however, had long since cried himself into a tearful wreck. He had merely intended to take some of the edge off Qin Feng, yet the matter had evolved into its present state.

The whole thing felt like a nightmare.

He could not help begging: "Grand General, I... I never expected it would turn out like this. I beg you, spare the lives of my father and me."

Chen Si's gaze was icy; he paid no attention whatsoever.

Liu Zhiping at the side sighed and said bitterly: "Don't waste your breath, you unfilial son — can't you see it yet?"

"My Ministry of Works has been targeting the Trade Agreement at every turn, long since angering Qin Feng. He never made a sound only because he was secretly looking for an opportunity."

"Tonight, he merely took advantage of the situation, turned the plot back on us, and deliberately blew the matter up to give His Majesty a choice he could not avoid."

"War, or the suppression of the Hawk Faction."

At these words, Liu Yi was utterly绝望. So, in Qin Feng's eyes, he had been nothing more than a pawn to be used.

This Qin Feng... was simply too terrifying.

Chen Si waved his hand, and in the next instant, Liu Zhiping and his son had both been beheaded.

Gazing at the street stained red with fresh blood, Chen Si let out a long sigh. The Hawk Faction was the greatest obstacle to the trade agreement between the two nations. Chen Si had long anticipated that Qin Feng would move against the Hawk Faction, but he had not expected the commotion to be stirred up on such a grand scale.

Truly worthy of Qin Feng — superb skill and bold courage!

Chen Si's gaze swept aside and landed on Zhao Pu. He said coldly, "How dare you, Zhao Pu — you dared to privately deploy troops against Marquis Qin, nearly causing war to flare up again between our two nations. Your crime is unpardonable!"

"Behead Zhao Pu. Within Wang Du, anyone who shares kinship or connection with Zhao Pu shall be implicated as well!"

As three heads hit the ground, Chen Si steadied his emotions and turned to look at Qin Feng atop the City Gate Tower.

"Brother Qin, if you are still not appeased, then I, Chen Si, shall offer my life in atonement. How about it?"

Qin Feng's eyes were placid. He gave a cold laugh and said, "Brother Chen, what words are these? This matter has nothing to do with you — how could I let you bear the blame?"

"However, who was it that set fire to the Yi Guan just now? That matter will have to be sorted out, I fear."

"If the true culprit cannot be brought to justice, I would not dare to remain a moment longer in your noble nation's Wang Du."

The true culprit…

God knows which madman did it!

Chen Si ground his teeth. "Bring me the Imperial Guard commander who gave the order to burn the Yi Guan!"

Qin Feng cut in bluntly, "The Imperial Guard commander was merely doing his duty. What I want is the true mastermind behind it all!"