Chapter 61: The Source of the Plague Has Been Cleared Up

Zhang Zhao spoke stubbornly, "This general has nothing to say; kill or carve me as you please."

"Death is at your doorstep, and you're still being stubborn?" Xiao Dabao shouted, "You really are like a rock in a latrine—stinking and hard. No wonder you have such illustrious battle merits yet were demoted to work under a good-for-nothing like Yang Wei, enduring his abuse."

Zhang Zhao gritted his teeth, "Do it!"

Xiao Moting waved a hand.

Several soldiers dragged a corpse in from outside the door and threw it at Zhang Zhao's feet.

Zhang Zhao was startled, "This is..."

This was precisely the secret agent sent by the Second Prince to deliver orders to him.

He hurriedly took the real secret letter from his bosom, opened it, and discovered that it was actually empty inside.

The letter that had originally been inside, which was meant to frame Xiao Moting for colluding with an enemy state, had already vanished.

Zhang Zhao was stunned.

Xiao Dabao sneered.

"Zhang Zhao, the Prince had long since discovered the treasonous letter you were carrying; the letter inside has already been taken."

"The Prince did not kill you immediately because he wanted to give you a chance."

"Consider yourself lucky that you didn't put the treasonous letter in the Prince's hands, but instead put in a blank sheet of paper; otherwise, you would already be headless."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of executioners appeared outside the door, glaring like tigers.

Zhang Zhao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly revealed a bitter smile.

"So... the Fourth Prince set a trap for me."

At this moment, Qin Zhan strode in from outside the door.

"Prince, the source of the plague has been cleared up!"

"It was Xiao Rui's arrangement; he had over a dozen infected soldiers infiltrate Zhang Zhao's troops and come to the Beijiang Camp."

"These dozen or so soldiers have all confessed, saying their goal was to weaken your strength so that Yang Wei could take over the Beijiang Army."

"Xiao Rui!" Xiao Moting slammed his hand on the table, coldness filling his eyes.

He truly did not expect that in order to suppress him, Xiao Rui would actually spread a plague at such a critical moment when Daye was about to launch an attack!

The crowd all around was stunned.

Zhang Zhao was even more incredulous.

"The Second Prince repelled the one hundred thousand barbarians and is the hero who saved Xuancheng; how could he... how could he do such a base thing?"

"Who told you it was the Second Prince who repelled the one hundred thousand barbarians?" Qin Zhan sneered, "He didn't even show his face from beginning to end, hiding in the back like a coward. It was the Prince who led us, the Beijiang Army, to bathe in blood and kill the enemy, only then repelling the one hundred thousand barbarians!"

"What?" Zhang Zhao was shocked, "Repelling the barbarians wasn't the Second Prince's merit? Then why did the Imperial Court reward him?"

Qin Zhan scoffed, "Of course it's because the Second Prince stole our Prince's military merits!"

Zhang Zhao's face turned pale.

He had wronged Xiao Moting and had almost framed him!

If Xiao Moting hadn't discovered the secret letter, wouldn't he have been killed by his own hand?

His lips trembled, "Prince, this general... this general is ashamed before you..."

Xiao Moting spoke indifferently.

"Zhang Zhao, considering you are an old general of Daliang, I will give you a chance."

"Are you willing to continue following Yang Wei, or are you willing to join the Beijiang Army?"

Zhang Zhao knelt directly on the ground.

"Prince, this old life of mine was saved by you!"

"Old General Zhang Zhao is willing to follow your orders!"

Zhang Zhao was full of guilt and did not dare to look at Xiao Moting.

Xiao Moting stepped forward and immediately helped him up, "General Zhang, the Daye Army is about to attack, and Old General Han is injured. When the time comes, I ask that you lead troops into battle and fight the enemy together with the Beijiang Army."

"Yes."

Xiao Moting was very happy.

Zhang Zhao had great ability in leading troops in battle, and his ten thousand men were also well-trained.

By incorporating them into the Beijiang Army, he had added another fierce general.

As for Zhang Zhao's old injuries, that was not a problem either.

With the medicine sent by Bai Wei, Zhang Zhao's injuries could be completely healed, adding another layer of strength to resist the Daye Army.

Zhang Zhao said, "Prince, the secret letter was given by the Second Prince; he has murderous intent toward you, please be more on guard in the future."

"Xiao Rui?" Xiao Moting sneered, "It really was him. I didn't expect that in order to kill me, he would actually collude with the Right Worthy King of Daye."

He had long suspected Xiao Rui, but he just had no evidence.

Xiao Dabao cursed loudly, "Xiao Rui even slandered you for treason, but it turns out the traitor is he himself! Prince, we cannot let Xiao Rui go!"

Xiao Moting raised a hand to stop him.

Now that Daye was about to send troops and the Daliang Kingdom was facing a crisis, he could not be distracted by matters regarding Xiao Rui.

He turned to Zhang Zhao and said sincerely.

"Old General Zhang, there are fifteen thousand new soldiers added to the camp, all of whom are refugees who have joined the army."

"Now the plague is spreading in the camp, and there is a shortage of manpower. I trouble General Zhang to work hard for a few days and help train the troops."

Zhang Zhao immediately cupped his hands, "This general accepts the order."

Heyuan County.

Yang Wei stood up from his chair with a start and shouted sternly.

"What did you say? Zhang Zhao has defected to Xiao Moting?"

"Yes, Xiao Moting helped him heal his old wounds and even had him help the Beijiang Army train troops."

Yang Wei was so angry that he paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.

"This Zhang Zhao, I told him to go slander Xiao Moting for treason, and he actually defected!"

"Have the messenger notify Zhang Zhao and order him to return to Heyuan immediately; if he does not return, it is a violation of Military Order!"

Originally, he had wanted to take over the Beijiang Army to expand his own strength.

As it turned out, after all that effort, not only did he fail to take over, but he even sent Xiao Moting ten thousand troops, plus a formidable fierce general!

It was simply a case of losing the lady and the soldiers too!

Yang Wei barked sharply, "Xiao Moting still has the energy to train troops? Did the plague not break out in their Beijiang Army?"

"The plague has already been brought under control. Everyone says Xiao Moting is protected by the Goddess and is immune to all poisons, so the surrounding villagers are flocking to join the army."

Yang Wei's face turned livid.

Xiao Moting's strength was growing stronger and stronger, and it was becoming almost impossible to shake.

By the time his wings were fully grown, I fear even the Imperial Court would not be able to control him.

Yang Wei shouted.

"Bring me paper and a brush; I want to write a secret letter to the Second Prince."

Just then, a harsh alarm suddenly sounded in the camp, the sound of gongs shaking the sky!

A messenger stumbled into the camp tent, covered in blood.

"General... General Yang, it's bad!"

"The Daye Army has already attacked to outside the city, and the messenger squad sent to the Beijiang was slaughtered as soon as they left the city..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed to the ground with a thud and died.

In his back was stuck a black-feathered arrow of Daye.

Yang Wei's expression changed drastically, and he rushed out of the camp tent in one stride.

"What is going on? Isn't the Daye Army closest to the Beijiang? Why have they come to Heyuan?"

He rushed up to the city tower, took out his Telescope, and looked; cold sweat immediately broke out all over him.

Across the moat five miles away, the dark, dense Daye Army stretched as far as the eye could see!

Countless dark green and black military banners inscribed with "Daye" fluttered in the wind!

At the front of the formation, twelve thousand "Iron Pagoda" Heavy Armored Cavalry were arranged in a long dragon, like a wall of bronze and iron!

Behind the "Iron Pagoda" Heavy Armored Cavalry were fully armed Daye light cavalry, Bow and Arrow units, and infantry...

Two hundred and eighty thousand elite troops were spread out under the sky, full of momentum.

On the right flank, there were also twenty thousand barbarian soldiers led by the barbarian general Chishu.

The total number of troops reached a full three hundred thousand!