Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 950: Chapter 673: Battle of the Capital City (Part 2)

Chen Wansong and Wang He wore solemn expressions, silent and composed.

“Kill!”

Shouts of battle rang out as the iron hooks at the top of the cloud ladder latched onto the parapet, and a large number of soldiers from the Da Liang army, clad in iron armor and wielding weapons, climbed the cloud ladder.

The soldiers of Da Rong on the city wall began to throw down logs and rolling stones, pouring down hot oil and boiling gold liquid.

In the blink of an eye, the sounds of battle cries and screams echoed through the sky.

Before the Da Liang soldiers could even rush up the city walls, they were either struck down by logs and stones or drenched in hot oil and gold liquid.

Under the great banner, Emperor Tianwu watched as those soldiers met such a tragic fate, furrowing his brows tightly.

The walls of the Capital City were tall, and the defenses well-equipped, making it difficult to breach them using conventional methods.

Even Postnatal Martial Artists found it hard to scale the walls quickly, and even if one or two managed to get up, it would mean little, as there were many Postnatal Martial Artists among the Da Rong army who would immediately strike them down.

This kind of assault would result in heavy casualties among the soldiers, and over time, morale would undoubtedly wane.

To win this battle, Innate Martial Artists must be deployed.

If they could defeat the opposing Innate Martial Artists, it would severely drop their morale and boost their own.

As their situation improves while the opponent’s worsens, the siege becomes easier.

Thinking of this, Emperor Tianwu looked at Zhang Luan beside him, “Master Zhang, it’s time for your move!”

Zhang Luan nodded, hefting the long sword in his hand, “Gentlemen, let’s go! At this point, it’s time to decide the outcome with a single battle!”

“If the fight turns ill, let me know early, and we’ll escape together!”

He even joked.

Li Zhen chuckled, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely outrun you!”

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Good brothers will always be good brothers, even if they are now centenarians, their bond remains deep.

With their laughter, Zhang Luan, Li Zhen, Jian Chengfeng, and Yang Jiushi shot forward like arrows.

In terms of numbers, Da Liang’s Innate Martial Artists seemed far fewer than Da Rong’s, but it didn’t matter. Since they dared to advance, it meant they had the confidence to win.

In the blink of an eye, the four reached the front of the tower, ignoring the crossbow arrows and the soldiers attacking the walls around them, standing atop the siege towers, gazing at the opposing tower.

“Gentlemen, it’s been a long time!” Zhang Luan’s gaze pierced through the battling soldiers, landing on those opposite.

His voice was like thunder, drowning out the nearby battle cries and screams.

The people opposite were all familiar to him—Chen Wansong, Wang He, and Li Chao, no need to mention. The three senior monks from Dacheng Temple, Zhang Luan had exchanged conversations with them many times. But as for Bai Jian and Hei Dao, Zhang Luan had only seen them but never interacted with them.

“Rebels and traitors, you’ll meet a bad end!” Chen Wansong began sternly, looking darkly at Zhang Luan and Jian Chengfeng.

Others were one thing, but Zhang Luan was a noble of Da Rong, and Jian Chengfeng a subject—they were true traitors.

In comparison, Li Zhen and Yang Jiushi were at most outlaws, not true rebels. Though they too had once received Da Rong’s pay, tasted its Three Yellow Plums and True Essence Pill, they never truly served as ministers.

Zhang Luan smirked disdainfully, “Chen Wansong, don’t speak so harshly. We all know, those who’ve turned Da Rong into this state are not us; the fault lies with you!”

Chen Wansong gazed back at him, “Our fault? What fault do we have?”

“Occupying high positions, enjoying endless wealth and glory, yet accomplishing nothing—that is the crime!”

Zhang Luan said coldly, “You indulge in the fat of the land, but have you ever done anything for the common folks?”

“Not just you, but also them. Those great monks, aside from chanting scriptures, have they ever achieved anything? Yet their statues are golden, their temples ornate and grand, receiving the offerings of countless people, but haha, Buddhism claims to be compassionate, yet they never showed mercy to the people!”

His gaze swept over the three great monks, then Bai Jian and Hei Dao, finally resting on Li Chao.

“Among you, only Marquis Hai Ning has done something—at least defended the borders and protected the people from foes!”

“Haha, you are merely parasites, living off the contributions of the masses yet concerned only for yourself. How do you have the face to confront the world’s people?”

That was why Zhang Luan held such disdain for these people.

Innate Martial Artists were superior, but it didn’t mean they could disregard the people.

In truth, he wanted to serve the court; otherwise, he would not have taken over the Martial Arts Temple.

He was willing to protect the common folk, restraining the worldly sects, combating martial artists’ crimes, and ending the subjugation of ordinary people by warriors.

He was not just a simple martial artist, but one with concerns for the world, willing to forsake his cultivation for the people.

But in the end?

His efforts were in vain, leaving him out in the cold.

Remembering how he was marginalized at the Da Rong Court, Zhang Luan was filled with rage.

Da Rong’s decline was due to the royal family’s inaction, the corruption of the court’s governance, and countless idle officials.

He despised the Da Rong royal family to the extreme, and loathed the Da Rong Court immeasurably, and wished to rid of those bureaucrats quickly.

Thus, he chose Da Liang. Though originally a band of rebels, at least Da Liang could provide stability to the people of Han Zhong Prefecture.

Under Zhang Luan’s heated rebuke, Chen Wansong’s face turned ashen.

“Hmph, enough with the nonsense!” Chen Wansong did not think Zhang Luan’s words were incorrect; he even felt they were right.

Even now, he regretted it, wishing he had not spent so much time in Fengxian Hall ignoring state matters, hoping he had advised Emperor Yanping more.

But his regrets were of no use now.

Moreover, one’s position dictates one’s mind, and as a member of the royal family, he had to protect the rule of imperial power, regardless of how the court had changed, he must maintain it.

With those words, Chen Wansong flew towards Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan, seeing this, wore a cold smile.

His previous words were heartfelt, but he hadn’t intended to have a heart-to-heart with Chen Wansong; his purpose was to provoke Chen Wansong into action.

On the bloody battlefield, the two clashed in an instant, blades and shadows intersecting, chaotic True Qi erupting everywhere, affecting many soldiers engaged in fierce combat on the city walls.

With Zhang Luan and Chen Wansong engaging, the others surely wouldn’t stay idle.

The three monks opened their eyes, clad in thin monk’s robes, in gray cloth shoes, holding prayer beads, their eyes filled with anger as they looked towards Jian Chengfeng and the others.

“Amitabha! The compassion of the Buddha!”

Miao Xin chanted a Buddhist name, his entire body emitting a golden glow, his monk’s robe fluttering without wind, his white beard billowing.

Then he rushed towards Jian Chengfeng, golden light shining, as if a Buddha, his advance swift like golden lightning.

But before he could reach Jian Chengfeng, a streak of crimson sword light suddenly appeared.

Darting out from behind him, before anyone could react, the sharp sword edge was already at Miao Xin’s front.

The unexpected strike pierced towards Miao Xin like a rainbow chasing the sun.

Miao Xin, a top-notch Innate Martial Artist, even caught off guard by an ambush, managed to react.

His form paused, the Buddha beads he was about to fling suddenly retracted, and his hands clasped together, catching the stabbing sword edge.

With a thud.

The sharp sword edge halted, Miao Xin’s eyes filled with anger, glaring at the person before him like a wrathful Buddhist warrior.

And the one holding the sword was none other than Wang He.

Yang Zhenshan guessed correctly, among the two people meeting secretly in the Marquis Jing’an Mansion’s pavilion, one was Wang He’s confidant.

As for why Wang He would betray the court, the reasons weren’t too complicated.

Such as territory or titles, these were not the main reasons, though Wang He valued them, it was still too soon to discuss, even if Da Liang captured the Capital City, there was still a long way from unifying the world.

Wang He chose to betray the court simply because birds choose good trees to nest in.

Da Rong was on its last legs, while Da Liang was like a newly risen sun.

Wang He was merely investing early, gambling for wealth and prosperity for his descendants.