Chapter 14: Brimming with Doubts

Although the soldiers of the Capital Garrison were filled with suspicion, military orders were as heavy as mountains. Dozens of cavalrymen and over a hundred infantrymen immediately wheeled around, roaring as they charged toward the masked soldiers currently besieging Xiao Zhan and his men.

"Qin Cang! How dare you defy the secret imperial decree and side with the traitors?!"

The masked man, realizing Qin Cang’s intent, was livid, his offensive becoming increasingly frantic.

Xiao Zhan, suddenly granted this unexpected "reinforcement," felt the pressure on his shoulders lighten instantly. Seizing the moment, he rolled across the ground to put distance between himself and the masked man, snatched up the AK-47 that had fallen earlier, and began to reorganize a lethal line of fire.

"Sister! Take Qiushuang and the others back into the manor! Quickly!" Xiao Zhan bellowed at Xiao Yunshang and the others, who were nearly paralyzed with fear.

Awakened as if from a dream, Xiao Yunshang, shaken to her core, hurriedly pulled Qiushuang and the maids along. Under the desperate cover of the manor guards, they stumbled back through the main gate of the Prince’s manor, finally finding temporary safety.

On the battlefield, Qin Cang’s unexpected move threw the situation into chaos, casting an eerie, inexplicable atmosphere over the fray. The three factions were now locked in a brief, tense standoff—a final, frantic struggle before a mutual destruction.

Although Qin Cang’s forces were few, they were, after all, well-trained imperial troops. Once they entered the fray, their impact far exceeded that of the disorganized masked soldiers. Like a blade of red-hot steel, they tore a gap in the flank of the masked men’s formation, providing a temporary respite for Xiao Zhan’s side.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Xiao Zhan held the AK-47 steady, the muzzle flashing repeatedly. Working in tandem with the charging Capital Garrison soldiers, he gunned down several masked men who attempted to break through the defensive line.

Seeing his offensive stalled, the masked man slowed his movements. He was wary of both the manor guards wielding their "Thunder God Cannons" and the fierce imperial soldiers clashing with his men. His figure flickered as he suddenly retreated several paces, forming a three-way standoff between himself, Xiao Zhan, and Qin Cang.

For a moment, the thunderous shouts of battle miraculously subsided. The field was left with only heavy breathing, the lingering echoes of clashing steel, and the stifled moans of the wounded.

"General Qin, what kind of game are you playing?" Xiao Zhan did not lower his weapon, the black muzzle aimed squarely at Qin Cang nearby, his voice devoid of warmth.

Qin Cang wiped the blood and grime from his face, his long sword pointed diagonally at the ground, blood dripping from its tip. He spoke in a deep voice, "Young Prince Xiao, with a formidable enemy still standing, if you and I continue to fight, we only let that masked man reap the rewards. Why not join forces to eliminate this major threat first, and settle our grievances later? What do you say?"

"Join forces?" Xiao Zhan let out a cold snort.

"General Qin, you heard my father’s letter just now. He warned me to be wary of you. You’re showing goodwill now—isn’t this just a weasel wishing a chicken a happy new year? You have no good intentions!"

"Xiao Yuan is soft-hearted and lacks judgment!" Qin Cang interrupted impatiently. "That masked man is of mysterious origin and ruthless in his methods; he is no friend to anyone! If he wins, do you think you can survive? Do you think he will let a fat piece of prey like the Prince of Yan’s manor go?"

Listening to their exchange, the masked man let out a "hehe" sound—a rasping, ear-piercing cackle.

"Qin Cang, you have a bit of quick wit. It’s a pity, though—you’re too late!" He raised his dark, heavy blade, pointing it toward Qin Cang from afar, his voice dripping with undisguised mockery. "You think that by helping this young brat Xiao Zhan, you can survive? Let me tell you the truth: the secret decree I received included not only the eradication of the Prince of Yan’s remnants but also an order to 'clean up' those 'unstable' elements like you—those who hoard troops and pay mere lip service to the Imperial Court!"

"What?!" Qin Cang’s body jolted as if struck by lightning.

The masked man seemed pleased with Qin Cang’s reaction and continued with a sinister tone. "The Emperor is wise and long ago saw through your wolfish ambitions! The Prince of Yan, Xiao Yuan, is plotting rebellion and deserves to die! You, Qin Cang, hold massive military power yet collude with vassal kings—you deserve to die as well! Today is the day both of you shall be executed!"

At these words, not only did Qin Cang’s remaining subordinates look on in horror as their morale crumbled, but Xiao Zhan’s heart skipped a beat as well.

The old Emperor—what a ruthless scheme! Was he planning to kill two birds with one stone and take out Qin Cang as well?

"Nonsense!" Qin Cang roared, though his voice lacked conviction and carried a faint, imperceptible tremor. "This General has been loyal to the Court! His Majesty is clear-sighted; how could he ever believe the slander of a treacherous villain like you!"

"Loyal?" The masked man laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. "Oh, Qin Cang, you think your secret contacts with other vassal kings went unnoticed? You think your uncle, Qin Hui, can protect you at court forever? How naive! It is precisely you, these deep-rooted aristocratic families, that the Emperor intends to uproot!"

As Xiao Zhan listened to these shocking revelations, his mind raced. Who did this masked man truly serve? How much of this could be believed? If the Emperor truly wanted to move against Qin Cang, why go through the trouble of sending him to raid the Prince of Yan’s manor?

Unless... unless the secret decree was real, but the masked man’s true identity, or the faction he represented, was not the Emperor’s direct line, but someone... someone else entirely?!

"Enough talk!" The masked man clearly lost his patience and swung his blade menacingly. "Take down the rebel Qin Cang first! Then slaughter the rest of the Prince of Yan’s manor!"

His soldiers received the order and roared as they lunged forward once more, their offensive growing even more savage, aiming to divide and isolate Qin Cang and Xiao Zhan’s forces to annihilate them one by one.

"Protect the General!"
"Protect the Young Prince!"

Qin Cang’s remaining garrison troops and Xiao Zhan’s manor guards now found themselves back-to-back, joining forces to resist the wave after wave of desperate assaults from the masked men. The roar of the AK-47, the bark of the Desert Eagle, the clanging of steel, and the shrill screams of dying soldiers intertwined on this field of carnage.

Zhao Tieniu struggled to his feet, a deep, bone-exposed wound on his abdomen soaking his armor in blood. Yet, he gripped his broken spear tightly, staggered to Xiao Zhan’s side, and used his own body to shield him from a lethal blow!

"Squelch!"

The broken spear pierced the throat of the attacker. However, another long blade ruthlessly cleaved into Zhao Tieniu’s back!

"Urgh..." Zhao Tieniu’s body stiffened violently, and a torrent of blood spewed from his mouth, splattering Xiao Zhan.

"Captain Zhao!" Xiao Zhan’s eyes turned bloodshot. He gunned down the masked soldier who had launched the sneak attack, then hurriedly steadied the collapsing Zhao Tieniu.

"Young Prince... run... leave now..." Blood bubbled from the corners of Zhao Tieniu’s mouth. With his final strength, he pulled a hard, oilcloth-wrapped object from his tunic and shoved it into Xiao Zhan’s hand. "The Prince... said... this... might... save you... be... careful... there is... a traitor... in the manor..."

His voice grew faint, the final words no louder than a mosquito’s hum. His head lolled to the side, and his breath ceased.

Xiao Zhan gripped the cold, hard object tightly—a final request bought with Zhao Tieniu’s life! A traitor? There was a traitor in the manor?! A surge of unspeakable rage and grief exploded within his chest.

Before he could dwell on it, the masked man’s cold voice was right upon him: "Xiao Zhan! Give me your life!"

"Qin Cang! Your men can’t hold them much longer!" Xiao Zhan roared at the blood-drenched Qin Cang nearby.