As soon as he entered the city, Lord Jingnan issued commands to his generals, "Immediately take control of the four gateways of Nanwang City, seal off the treasury, and implement a city-wide curfew!"
Under the leadership of their respective generals, the Jingnan army began to thoroughly disarm the Nanwang City garrison. All key locations and treasuries were also seized by the Jingnan army.
While these actions proceeded methodically, Lord Jingnan, without any delay, led his personal guards straight towards the General Mansion.
The area around the General Mansion had already been surrounded and secured by the city defense forces. The leading city defense commander, upon seeing the gilded armor and the Pi Beast the newcomer rode, immediately knelt to pay his respects.
"Greetings, my Lord!"
"Greetings, my Lord!"
"You are all to return to your barracks immediately! No one is to leave the barracks without my military order! Violators will be executed!"
The city defense soldiers were unaware why the Jingnan Army had suddenly entered the city, nor why Lord Jingnan demanded their immediate disarmament upon arrival. However, Nanwang City’s General, Xiao Dahai, had just passed away, and the City Head Official had also been assassinated during the recent chaos. Consequently, there was simply no one in Nanwang City with the official standing to negotiate with Lord Jingnan.
Therefore, the city defense forces did not resist. Under their commander’s orders, they surrendered their weapons to the Jingnan army and began returning to their barracks.
Lord Jingnan dismounted his Pi Beast and, surrounded by a retinue of personal guards, strode directly into the General Mansion.
The General Mansion had already been entirely secured by the Jingnan army. Rows of Jingnan soldiers were stationed all around, and the city’s physicians had been summoned to treat the injured within.
"Are there many injured?" Lord Jingnan asked his trusted captain, who had entered earlier.
"Reporting to my Lord, the assassins hid in the coffins and shot concealed weapons during the mourning. Those weapons... they were poisoned."
"Reporting to my Lord, some can be saved. Those who were already physically frail or had other ailments... might not make it."
Lord Jingnan then asked, "Have all the assassins been captured?"
"Twenty-six assassins were killed. None survived."
"Yes, my Lord, none survived. Several assassins disguised as Daoist priests committed suicide by poison after being seriously injured."
"Ha, twenty-six assassins, twenty-six men of sacrifice. So, the General Mansion of Nanwang City in our great Yan has become a den of thieves, hiding so many. Captain Chu."
"Pass on my order: search the entire city! I refuse to believe that such a major incident, an ambush laid within the General Mansion itself, could occur without accomplices in this city!
"No matter who it is, no matter which family, anyone found connected will be immediately imprisoned. Any resistance will result in the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire clan!" The source of thɪs content is n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Having given his orders, Lord Jingnan walked into the mourning hall.
On the altar, the severed head of the City Head Official rested, surrounded by bloodstains.
Thankfully, the dead and injured had already been moved to other parts of the mansion for treatment and care. Thus, the mourning hall itself seemed rather tranquil, truly fitting its somber atmosphere.
Lord Jingnan reached for three sticks of incense, lit them, paid his respects, and inserted them into the incense burner.
Just then, a captain approached, cupped his fist, and reported, "My Lord, our soldiers found the body of Lord Xiao, the General of Nanwang City, in the latrine within the mansion."
"HMM." Lord Jingnan closed his eyes in acknowledgment. He then said slowly, "Lord Xiao must have been slain by the assassins. There’s no need to trouble the coroner with his body. Let’s preserve some dignity for our Yan’s General. Have him properly prepared for burial first." He paused. "Oh, and..." Lord Jingnan picked up the City Head Official’s severed head and tossed it to the captain, continuing, "Return the City Head Official’s head to his family. Then, find some skilled tailors in the city to sew it back on."
The captain departed. Soon after, another captain came forward to report, "My Lord, the assassins’ bodies have been identified."
"Identified? By whom?"
"Reporting to my Lord, two Commanders were present in the mourning hall when the assassins attacked. They subsequently led the General Mansion guards to kill the assassins."
"OH?" Lord Jingnan seemed somewhat surprised.
He turned, walked a few steps forward, then sat down with an imposing air on the bloodstained steps at the entrance of the mourning hall.
"Bring them both to me."
Soon, Zheng Fan, guided by a group of Jingnan soldiers, was brought before Lord Jingnan, who sat on the steps of the mourning hall.
Zheng Fan’s white scholar robe was dyed red with blood, yet this blood-stained look seemed oddly suitable for him.
Zuo Jiqian, on the other hand, looked somewhat worse for wear, his left arm and head bandaged. While it’s often said that a truly handsome man remains so even with a shaved head, to expect anyone, no matter how good-looking, to retain their charm after excessive blood loss and being covered in bandages would be to defy belief.
The two men standing together presented a stark contrast.
After all, no one would have informed Lord Jingnan of the finer details of their fight against the assassins. Someone who primarily focused on finishing off enemies from the rear would undoubtedly have a very impressive-looking record.
"Commander of Green Willow Fortress, Zheng Fan, pays his respects to you, my Lord!"
"Commander of Jitui Fort, Zuo Jiqian, pays his respects to you, my Lord!"
Both men knelt on one knee before Lord Jingnan.
Lord Jingnan, casually toying with the jade thumb ring on his hand, asked, "Zuo Jiqian? From the Tiger’s Might Zuo Family?"
Upon hearing this, Zuo Jiqian immediately kowtowed again and said,