Chapter 180: Chapter 134: Going Separate Ways_2
Translator: 549690339
If they couldn’t defend the city this time, it would mean the end of their entire family.
Wouldn’t this agree with the principle of the mournful army inevitably being victorious?
On their side, they have won consecutive battles, and everywhere they go, they are welcomed with open arms. With the soldiers’ morale high and their guard down, wouldn’t that make them an arrogant army?
Therefore, Zhou Qing was not optimistic about the success of persuading the enemy to surrender this time.
The outcome was indeed as he had predicted.
The messenger went to the city gate to persuade, and when the defenders on the city wall heard it, there was indeed some commotion.
But those who were disturbed were mere ordinary Yue people who had been temporarily conscripted. The Qiang soldiers did not waver at all.
Even when they saw the commotion among the Yue people, the Qiang soldiers simply drew their swords and started slashing. In just a short moment, they had suppressed the disturbance.
As for the messenger below, he was only halfway through his speech when a torrent of arrows was loosed from the city tower, and dozens of Qiang archers aimed their bows at him.
If this messenger hadn’t possessed decent martial arts skills, and if he hadn’t been some distance from the city tower, he might not have made it back this time.
Even so, the messenger returned in extreme disgrace, with arrows sticking out of his shoulder and leg, and a pained expression on his face.
After seeing Guo Yunshan, he tearfully complained, “General, those enemy soldiers are stubborn and ignorant. They still dare to resist the righteous army at this point, it seems they have decided to die for the Shu thieves and walk a
dark path.
These bandits can’t be persuaded to surrender.
In my opinion, we must send troops to aggressively attack, capture the city by force, and eliminate these bandits.”
Guo Yunshan’s face darkened, and he never expected that this small force of defenders, numbering just over two thousand, would still dare to refuse to surrender despite his current influence.
Remembering his self-praise in front of Zhou Qing just now, he felt his face was swollen and red, and his hatred for the stubborn defenders in the city grew all the more.
With that thought, Guo Yunshan turned to a strong military officer next to him and gritted his teeth, “General Chen, immediately lead your troops and attack this city. I want this city flattened, and all these bandits killed.”
This General Chen was the largest army leader under his command, with over a thousand soldiers, and his strength had reached the second level.
Originally, this man was just a vassal of the Guo Clan and not very noticeable.
But now that the Guo Clan has just been established and their strength is still weak, and Guo Yunshan himself has only reached the peak of the second level, Chen gradually harbored his own ambitions and became less obedient.
Now that they wanted to send troops to attack the city, he thought of this man first, intending to weaken his power in the process.
General Chen clearly understood Guo Yunshan’s intentions, and instinctively wanted to refuse.
But after seeing Guo Yunshan’s expression and sensing the atmosphere around him, he couldn’t bring himself to voice his refusal and could only grit his teeth and say, “Yes.”
He then led his ragtag army, carrying bamboo ladders, to attack the city walls.
Zhou Qing watched this scene from the side, and his pessimism about the development of Guo Yunshan’s small group only deepened.
‘At this point, they have only achieved initial success with their insurrection, taking advantage of the absence of Xi Shuts main force to gain some accomplishments. These so-called Xichuan heroes have already started scheming and fighting for power.
With such short-sighted actions, it’s difficult to achieve success.
When the main force of West Shu returns, I fear this motley crowd will be instantly obliterated.
Even before that happens, it’s possible they won’t even be able to capture Fu City with the men Guo Yunshan has by his side.
What if they fail to capture the city, and instead, they themselves are wiped out?’
At this moment, Zhou Qing’s caution rose again, and he began to think about retreating.
Since he followed Guo Yunshan into Shu, the two of them had experienced numerous hardships, fought against the assassins sent by Li Xiong for their lives, until they were fortunate enough to open several treasures left behind by the Guo Clan.
It was from these treasures that they obtained the Guo Clan’s Clear-Blood Spirit Snake Divine Pills, which allowed them to break through barriers and enter the second level within a few months.
However, even so.
As Guo Yunshan entered the second level and gained the ability to protect himself, his true colors were also revealed.
Indeed, sharing adversity is easier than sharing wealth.
When Guo Yunshan was at the third level, he treated Zhou Qing like a brother, greeting him warmly and affectionately every day.
But after reaching the second level, although he still called him Brother Zhou, he deliberately avoided Zhou Qing when going to open the family’s secret treasures and even bluntly refused to let him tag along.
Obviously, he no longer wanted to share the benefits with Zhou Qing.
As a result, Guo Yunshan was now at the peak of the second level, while Zhou Qing had only just entered the second level, and the difference between them was a whole six meridians.
“Guo Yunshan has become wary of me. He is now polite to me only because he values my current second level strength and wants to make use of me.
But if I do not leave soon and continue to stay here, once he restores the Guo Clan’s foundation, I fear my fate will be that of a hunting dog once the hare is dead.
Moreover…” Zhou Qing looked at Guo Yunshan and sneered to himself.
This so-called brother Guo was always guarding and watching him.
But such little tricks, against Zhou Qing, who had learned from Lu Yuan for several years and had become a cunning fox, could hardly be of much use.
Guo thought that no one knew the way when he went to open the treasure, not even Zhou Qing, who had shared the spoils with Guo in their previous excursions together..