273: Chapter 201 Flatten Wen Family Castle!
273: Chapter 201 Flatten Wen Family Castle!
Xiushui County, behind Shangguan Mansion, at the Tingxiang Pavilion.
Shangguan Shen Hao was embroidering a flower.
With a piece of silk in his right hand, he used his steel left hand to thread the needle, his movements as fluid as turning flowers, incredibly agile, and unusually precise.
Before long, a vivid lotus flower appeared on the silk.
Across from him, Long Heng watched this scene, admiration evident in his eyes.
He knew that Shangguan Shen Hao was practicing by way of embroidery, striving to master control over his steel left hand, which now matched the flexibility and precision of a real arm.
The impact of losing his arm was becoming less significant for Shangguan Shen Hao, and in the future, he could become even stronger by harnessing the power of this priceless, fifth-grade magic tool.
“It is getting late,”
Suddenly, Shangguan Shen Hao ceased his movements and looked towards the eastern sky, squinting slightly against the rising sun, “Has Chu Xisheng sent out his troops yet?”
Long Heng raised his eyebrows slightly, “Unclear, but last night, Chu Xisheng recalled all his gang members dispersed along the canal back to West Mountain Town.
All altar masters and vice altar masters of the West Mountain Hall have also gathered at his Chu Mansion.
There’s a high chance he will deploy troops this morning, although there is also a possibility of cold feet at the last moment.”
With a casual laugh, Long Heng raised his hand and brewed tea for Shangguan Shen Hao, “In fact, whether he attacks the Wen Family Castle today doesn’t matter.
From the moment this man took over the village chief position, his fate was sealed.
Why should the Master of the Shangguan Family care so much?”
If Chu Xisheng did send troops to Wen Family Castle, he would certainly fail at that fortress.
If he hesitated and holed up in West Mountain, then the 500,000 dan Spring Tax and 310,000 taels head tax would all have to be borne by the Chu family alone.
At that time, the county government could seize Chu Xisheng’s lands in broad daylight, taking control of that small canal.
As for those noble families by the coast—to appease them, Xiushui would simply need to share some profits.
What difference does it make who they do business with?
In Long Heng’s view, Chu Xisheng taking over Liu Dingtang’s position as village chief was a grave mistake.
This position allowed Chu Xisheng to more conveniently control the locale and manage West Mountain Town, even securing semi-official statuses for his followers, which was incredibly advantageous.
However, this move by Chu Xisheng also planted a deadly threat for himself.
Liu Dingtang could maintain his position as village chief only with the support of Commander Sheen Zhou and the county army, and the local tyrants were also willing to save the Sheen Family’s face.
Chu Xisheng, a mere commoner, on what basis could he command the West Mountain hunters and local tyrants?
However, Shangguan Shen Hao, with his eyes firmly set, gazed at his left arm, “But I am not satisfied.
Without taking this man’s life, I will not rest easy.”
Long Heng’s expression was understanding.
He was not satisfied either.
Although he had little affection for Long Sheng, that was still his brother.
With a slight smile, Long Heng reassured, “Master of the Shangguan Family, do not worry, I have already made arrangements.
Once the one-month deadline arrives, the government can arrest him under charges of insufficient tax collection.
By then, both you and I will see justice served.”
Failing to collect taxes properly is not a capital offense, at most resulting in confiscation of family assets and exile to the border.
Yet once the charges are set, they would have numerous opportunities to take him down.
And the Formless Divine Sect would have nothing to criticize—
At that moment, Long Heng’s expression shifted as he caught a token that flew in through the window.
After reading it, his brows lifted slightly, revealing a smirk, “Chu Xisheng has deployed his troops from West Mountain half a moment ago; all seven hundred members of West Mountain Hall are marching toward Wen Family Castle.”
A rare smile crossed the stern face of Shangguan Shen Hao.
He set down the silk in his hand, his eyes burning with intense bitterness and hatred, “Send the command down!
I do not want to see Chu Xisheng leave Wen Family Castle alive.”
“He won’t make it out,” Long Heng said calmly, his voice cold as ice.
Today, in the battle, the combined forces of West Mountain County Army, Wen Family Castle, Yunhe Manor, Jiudao Dock, and White Cloud Village totals nine below Sixth Grade, thirty-five Seventh Rank, along with five thousand elite warriors.
What could he possibly have to walk out of Wen Family Castle, relying merely on that ragtag bunch gathered by West Mountain Hall?
Simultaneously, within Wen Family Castle.
After dismounting, Cloud Crane Saber Yienyang hurriedly stepped onto the central stone tower of the dock.
Instead of opting to defend Yunhe Manor, after discovering the movements of West Mountain Hall, he personally led all the high-grade experts above Eighth Rank from the manor and raced here to support.
In Yienyang’s view, if Wen Family Castle could hold, then Yunhe Manor would naturally be safe and sound.
If Wen Family Castle was breached, then Yunhe Manor would largely be doomed as well.
Upon reaching the tower, Yienyang saw his good friend Wen Tiance standing next to the battlements, looking out.
“How are things?” Yienyang strode over and also looked towards the front of the dock.
His expression immediately turned grim.
He could see a small military formation arrayed two li ahead, consisting of about seven hundred men, all clad in new leather armor and wielding magic-tool-grade swords and sabers.
Before them were thirty bed crossbows that had been dragged here by horse-drawn carts.
“Wow!” exclaimed Yienyang, “Look at this military formation, these armors—they almost have the aura of border troops.”
“They’re just for show.
These gang members only joined West Mountain Hall about a month ago; they couldn’t possibly match the capabilities of the border troops,”
Wen Tiance said indifferently, hands behind his back.
“Just now, that Chu fellow sent someone in to issue a final ultimatum, offering me one last chance.
Now if I pay up the taxes due and give him two hundred thousand taels of Demon Silver as compensation, he will not hold this against me.
If not, he intends to raze my Wen Family to the ground today.”