Chapter 820 – The Spring Breeze Enters the Old City (1/2)
Chapter 820 – The Spring Breeze Enters the Old City
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The black tide halted on the distant plains. Even with the specially constructed Thousand Li Mirror of the Tang clan, it was very difficult to clearly tell who these cavalry belonged to.
After a short time, a hundred-some cavalry broke off from the army and galloped towards Wenshui City, completely disregarding the divine crossbows mounted on the walls. Despite the fact that they had been drilled countless times, the soldiers and guards on the walls still grew nervous at this sight. After all, they still did not have any real experience.
The master of the city was hurriedly escorted to the city walls by his subordinates. He hadn't even had time to tidy his clothes, much less put on armor.
As he looked at that distant tide of cavalry and the squad of a hundred-some cavalry getting closer and closer, the city master grew paler and paler.
The hundred-some cavalry had already entered the range of the divine crossbows, but he did not dare give the order to fire. Sweating profusely, he turned to the Tang clan guards and asked in panic, ”Where's the head clan? Why hasn't the head clan sent anybody?”
The city master of Wenshui City was appointed by the Imperial Court, but he was keenly aware that he could never be the master of this city.
For thousands and thousands of years, the master of this city had always been one surname: the Tang clan.
Quite some time had passed since the first warning bells had rung out. No matter how slow their response, the Tang clan should have sent someone by now.
Why was it that the only people on the walls were those guards, but not a single important figure of the Tang clan?
An advisor stared at the approaching cavalry and thought of a possibility. He whispered, ”If there's no activity from the head clan, it means that there must be no problem.”
The city master found these words rather reasonable. Wiping the cold sweat off his face, he shakily asked, ”Then… just who has come?”
……
……
Time passed and the hundred-some cavalry reached the walls of Wenshui City.
No battle took place, because the people on the walls very quickly realized the identity of these visitors.
These visitors to Wenshui City were not an expeditionary army of the Demon race, but two thousand escorting cavalry.
Their mission was to escort three Sacred Hall archbishops into Wenshui City.
The reason the three Sacred Hall archbishops had come to Wenshui City was even simpler: attending upon the Pope.
No matter how upset the soldiers and citizens of Wenshui City were by this morning's abrupt visit, they had no justification to bar the archbishops from entering the city.
The vast majority of the two thousand cavalry remained on the plains, not showing any hostility.
The heavy city gate which had just closed not long ago slowly opened.
Two large carriages escorted by one hundred cavalry entered the city, watched by countless people with mixed emotions.
Archbishop An Lin spoke a few words to the city master through the curtain, showing no intention of leaving the carriage.
The people on the streets looked with interest at the figure in the carriage, some even piously prostrating and praying on the ground.
Linghai Zhiwang and Daoist Baishi were still sitting in the same carriage.
”The Tang clan's reaction is very fast. Ah, they're not that easy to attack.”
Linghai Zhiwang expressionlessly said as he peered through the curtain, examining those Tang clan guards that were clearly not part of the Imperial Court's army.
There were many deeper meanings contained in this comment, but Daoist Baishi only gave a faint smile, nothing more.
Linghai Zhiwang glanced at him and said, ”Wenshui City has never encountered the fires of war, so why is the Tang clan so wary and careful? They even don't mind exceeding the norms and installing so many divine crossbows and arrays, and why so many private troops? Could it be… that they're thinking of rebellion?”
The meaning was more explicit here. Daoist Baishi's smile faded, but he still said nothing, as he didn't know how to respond.
……
……
Two thousand cavalry escorted three Prefects of the Orthodoxy to Wenshui City.
They had ample reasons, as they had to ensure the Pope's safety.
No one could voice any objections.
But no one would forget a crucial fact: the Li Palace had not informed Wenshui City beforehand.
Taking without asking was stealing; coming without asking was a surprise attack.
Two thousand cavalry had suddenly appeared outside Wenshui City, their thundering hooves tearing apart the morning light.
Although nothing happened, all of Wenshui City felt nervous and uneasy on that morning.
A thousand years ago, the Demon Army moved down from the north and placed Luoyang under prolonged siege, their vanguard only three-hundred-some li from the capital. And yet they had never managed to reach Wenshui City.
Even further in the past, in that chaotic era in which warlords struggled for power, the continent was alight with beacons of fire, the people were displaced, and vast tracts of land were turned into scorched earth. Only Wenshui City did not suffer any attack, but quietly watched as the world roiled in upheaval.
This was the first time in countless years that Wenshui City had seen an army.
Just why had the Orthodoxy acted this way? To show off their might to the Tang clan? Were they worried about the Pope's safety? Or did they want to frighten some people in Wenshui City?
As imperial envoy, the Prince of Zhongshan had not immediately returned to the capital after leaving the Mount Song Army headquarters. Instead, he had represented the emperor and inspected the other armies in the north. When he received this news, he was at Blue Pass, and the first question he thought of was not any of the above but rather, the Orthodoxy's people didn't go to Cong Province?
One day, Linghai Zhiwang and two more Prefects of the Orthodoxy had brought two thousand cavalry and assailed the Mount Song with their thunderous momentum. Using the assassination attempt on the Pope, they had wrested away the position of Divine General of the Mount Song Army. A large percentage of their success could be attributed to the fact that they had arrived too suddenly.
The two thousand Orthodoxy cavalry had been garrisoned on the outskirts of Xunyang City and there was nothing but wasteland between there and the Mount Song Army headquarters, so it was not too inconceivable for their movements to be hidden from the Imperial Court. The question was, however, when had those three Orthodoxy Prefects left the Li Palace? How had no one in the capital noticed?
The Imperial Court would naturally not permit such a thing to happen again. Once the three Orthodoxy Prefects took their two thousand cavalry and left the Mount Song Army headquarters, they were constantly watched by the Great Zhou Army. Everyone knew that they were currently nearing the Cong Province Army headquarters.