Chapter 1012

Whose path to becoming a king or a general is not paved with piles of bones?

Until the first batch of soldiers swung their horizontal blades until their arms grew sore, Wang Hunu led the second batch of soldiers to continue the killing.

The three families in Guzang City involved in this matter—the Yin clan, the Zhang clan, and the Beigong clan—as well as two local powerful families, the Wang clan and the Yan clan, totaled five families.

Added to Huang Juan's relatives living in Guzang, the total came to nearly three thousand people.

From sunset until evening, when torches were lit.

Three thousand heads rolled to the ground.

The charges were colluding with foreign tribes, connecting with foreign tribes, and plotting against imperial officials.

That night, everyone in the entire Guzang County spent the time shivering in fear.

After executing Huang Juan, Duan Yu left Jia Xu in Guzang.

Jia Xu's ancestral home was Guzang.

And the Jia clan was one of the noble clans of Guzang.

It was just that the Jia clan had not participated in this matter.

Because Jia Xu was a local of Guzang, leaving him behind would help stabilize the remaining noble clans of Wuwei Commandery.

Therefore, Duan Yu temporarily appointed Jia Xu as the Governor of Wuwei Commandery, and when there was a suitable opportunity and candidate, he would settle the others then.

And in order to resolve this incident quickly, after executing three thousand people, Duan Yu led the cavalry through the night to continue westward, launching a surprise attack toward Zhangye.

Two days later, also in the afternoon.

Outside the seat of Zhangye Commandery, Fude County, the entire He clan of three hundred and seventy-five people were all executed outside the city.

Two days after that.

Duan Yu personally led eight hundred Flying Bear Cavalry and four hundred personal guard cavalry directly to the seat of Jiuquan Commandery, Lufu.

Because the incident happened suddenly.

Huang Yan, the Governor of Jiuquan Commandery, had not reacted at all and had not even received any news.

When the soldiers of Fude County discovered a large number of cavalry outside the city and hurriedly reported it to Huang Yan, only then did Huang Yan know what had happened.

But it was already too late to close the city gates.

In a panic, Huang Yan fled directly back to the Huang clan's fortified manor within Fude County and bolted the gates, preparing to make a final stand.

But everything was in vain.

After surrounding the Huang clan's manor, Duan Yu personally took action and blasted open the gates of the Huang clan's manor.

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, Huang Yan set a great fire that burned down the entire rear residence of the Huang clan's manor.

Along with the Huang clan's wealth and grain accumulated over so many years, all were reduced to ashes in the great fire.

Except for a portion of the clansmen who were burned to death, Duan Yu ordered the arrest and execution of the entire Huang clan, nearly a thousand people.

While Duan Yu was cleaning up the Huang clan, the accompanying Lu Bu, Chen Qing'an, and others led their cavalry to begin cleaning up the noble clans on the list who had participated in funding Beigong Boyu one by one.

After resting for one night in Fude County, Duan Yu led the Flying Bear Cavalry and four hundred personal guard cavalry, totaling one thousand two hundred riders, to set off for Dunhuang Commandery.

Dunhuang was the last stop of this trip, and also the farthest.

The seat of Dunhuang Commandery, Dunhuang, was already close to the Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass leading into the Western Regions.

Duan Yu traveled almost the entire way with light cavalry and fast horses.

To prevent the Cao clan from fleeing to the Western Regions, he traveled without stopping.

Dunhuang was close to the Western Regions; it would only take half a day to exit through Yumen Pass.

Once they escaped to the Western Regions, it would be difficult to capture them.

Fortunately, Duan Yu had made advance plans before this operation.

Striking with the fastest speed, he absolutely could not be tipped off in advance like the first time he captured Wang Rou.

Therefore, the route for sending troops had also been planned in advance.

Two days later, Duan Yu, having set off from Fude County, had already arrived at the seat of Dunhuang Commandery, Dunhuang.

By this time, it was already mid-October.

The temperature difference between day and night in Liangzhou was extreme.

The days were sunny and bright, but the nights were already freezing cold.

Although influenced by Duan Yu's system entries, Liangzhou had enjoyed favorable weather and no natural disasters that year.

However, the day-night temperature difference of the Little Ice Age, as well as the constantly falling temperatures, were affecting the climate every moment.

When Duan Yu led his troops to arrive at Dunhuang, it was already night.

Under the night sky, there were only a few flickering firelights on the city walls of Dunhuang.

This was already the westernmost edge of the Great Han.

Besides having to defend against natural disasters, even the Qiang tribes rarely operated here.

Further west were Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass.

Beyond Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass were the southern and northern routes for managing the Western Regions; within hundreds of miles, there were neither people nor livestock, let alone anything to guard against.

Therefore, there was no need to station heavy troops in Dunhuang for defense.

The heavens are high and the Emperor is far away; here, the Cao clan, which had operated for a hundred years, was the Emperor.

The troops in this city only knew the orders of the Cao clan, not the orders of the Emperor.

As for the Liangzhou Governor...

The soldiers didn't care what their surname was.

Therefore, it was almost impossible to trick the city gates open using his identity.

If he waited until after dawn, he would likely be discovered.

Once the Cao clan in the city discovered the whereabouts of Duan Yu's troops, they would likely hold the city and defend to the death.

"Bring this Marquis's halberd." Duan Yu frowned as he looked at the distant Dunhuang City.

Behind him, hearing Duan Yu's order, Zhao Yun, who had long been eager to try, immediately stepped forward.

"My Lord, let this subordinate do it; I only need fifty men, and within half an hour, I will definitely open the city gates!"

Zhao Yun spurred his horse forward and said, bowing.

Duan Yu had originally intended to try using 'Battle Across Eight Directions' to blast open the city gates and charge straight in.

However, since Zhao Yun had volunteered.

Duan Yu could only nod.

"Shitou, take one hundred personal guards and prepare to assist Zilong."

Duan Yu, riding on the black tiger Big Black, said to Tie Shitou behind him.

"Understood!"

Tie Shitou nodded in response.

Afterward, he selected one hundred personal guards.

Under the cover of night, Zhao Yun also dismounted, carrying ropes and grappling hooks on his back, and headed toward the distant Dunhuang City.

Under the night curtain, the one hundred men all bit down on wooden sticks in their mouths, carrying ropes on their backs, and before long, they had reached the base of the city.

Dunhuang City was built entirely of rammed earth.

The city wall was about one and a half zhang high.

Zhao Yun, leaning against the base of the city wall, found a spot where no firelight was shining, swung the rope with the grappling hook in his hand, and threw it toward the top of the city wall.

The grappling hook landed on the city wall and caught between the battlements.

After pulling down hard twice to confirm it was secure, Zhao Yun spat out the wooden stick from his mouth, bit the hilt of his horizontal blade, and climbed rapidly toward the top of the wall.

At the same time, the hundred personal guards also imitated Zhao Yun's actions.

Those who could serve as Duan Yu's personal guards were the elite among the elite.

They were skilled in both mounted and foot combat.

Dozens of ropes with grappling hooks were soon hooked onto the top of the city wall.

A moment later, shouts of battle rang out from the top of the city wall.

Following that, after about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the city gates were pushed open, and several lit torches began to sway under the city gate.

Duan Yu, riding on the black tiger, gently raised his hand and waved.

The Flying Bear Cavalry behind him charged toward Dunhuang City like a pack of wolves.

By the time Duan Yu, riding the black tiger, had arrived at the gate of Cao Kuan's residence, Cao Kuan, who was in his sleep, finally reacted.

Unfortunately, it was already too late. ===== CHAPTER 1014 =====