Northern Town's Rising Glory Chapter 119: The Siege (Part Eight)

Li Qiutong watched silently as the three elders approached. Not until they reached the high platform did Biluo step forward to greet them: "Grandpa Hong, Uncle Xi, Aunt Nan."

Dong Hong glanced at Biluo and sighed, "You are quite something, young lady. To think you would actually bring someone here to dismantle your own home."

"Grandpa Hong, I—"

"No need for explanations. I know you did it for the sake of Zhenbei Pass. But as elders of this pass, we are not comfortable handing it over to someone so unfamiliar." Dong Hong looked toward Li Qiutong as he spoke. "However, Zhenbei Pass does indeed require a new leader. General Li, I have a question for you."

"Please, elder, speak."

Dong Hong’s sharp eyes locked onto Li Qiutong. "Since Biluo has chosen you, I believe you will honor the words you spoke earlier. But there is one thing you must understand: Zhenbei Pass has stood here for centuries as the sole bulwark protecting Eastern Wu. I care not whether you harbor ambitions to contend for the Central Plains or dominate the world, but can you hold this place? Can you defend against the powerful Qin to the south and repel foreign enemies to the north? Can you do it?"

Li Qiutong did not hesitate. He answered firmly, "I can. I swear it on my life."

Receiving his reply, Dong Hong nodded. "Very well, General Li. From today on, we entrust Zhenbei Pass to you. I hope you remember what you said today."

"No! Dong Hong, have you lost your mind? The Qin army could wipe all of you out in an instant!" Zhang Xiu shouted in a panic.

Dong Hong ignored him, stepped toward Biluo, and drew her long sword.

"The people of Zhenbei have never feared power. We do not fear battle, nor do we fear death." With a single swing, Zhang Xiu’s head fell to the ground and rolled down the steps.

"Zhang Xiu is gone. From this day forward, Zhenbei Pass pledges its life to follow General Li Qiutong," Dong Hong declared, holding the sword high.

"General Li! General Li! General Li!" The people below, witnessing this, saw years of resentment wash away. They were overcome with excitement. As Dong Hong said, the people of Zhenbei never feared battle or death, yet Zhang Xiu had used death to threaten them. Who could endure that? Had it not been for Beitang Mo suppressing all dissent, anyone who dared to threaten Zhenbei Pass would have been dealt with by the people long ago.

Dong Hong turned and joined the other two in front of Li Qiutong. "General Li, let us introduce ourselves. I am Dong Hong, head of the Dong Clan, in charge of mining and resource management in the East District."

The middle-aged man in fine silk followed: "I am Xi Yun, head of the Xi Clan. I manage all economic trade and commerce for Zhenbei Pass. Regarding the powerful commercial alliance you mentioned, I hope to see them soon. After all, having severed ties with the Qin state, we will struggle to regain self-sufficiency in the short term."

"Do not worry, Clan Leader Xi. They will bring the supplies over in due time."

Finally, it was Zhu Yan'er’s aunt. "I am Nan Yue'er, the current head of the Nan Clan. I am responsible for the security of Zhenbei Pass."

"I would never have guessed that the head of the Nan Clan, a woman, would be so formidable."

Nan Yue'er smiled faintly. "The feeling is mutual. Actually, I am curious—how did General Li's troops get in? Bringing thousands of soldiers into Zhenbei Pass is no easy feat. Moreover, I recall there being no significant movement of people in the pass recently."

"We walked in through the gates."

"The South Gate? That’s impossible. Although I am no longer in charge of it, the Qin soldiers would never have just let you walk in," Nan Yue'er said, clearly puzzled.

"Uh, we fought our way in."

The three elders fell silent instantly, eyes wide as they stared at Li Qiutong. Even though he was their new leader, it was hard to accept that their proud Northern Martial Realm had been breached by outsiders.

"How did you do it? With just those few thousand troops outside the walls?"

"Not exactly. We have a total force of about twenty thousand; the rest are currently resting in the outer city."

"Twenty thousand... that’s not many, either." Having once been in charge of the southern wall's defense, she knew its strength well. While not as formidable as the northern wall, it was not something a mere few thousand could break.

"Alright, alright, Little Yue, stop dwelling on it. You two go disperse the crowd. We will head inside and discuss the next steps with General Li." Dong Hong, the eldest among them, was the first to accept reality.

"Very well. Let us go inside. I should also have them summon my strategist so we can talk this through in detail."

The group moved into the council hall behind them.

However, an uninvited guest had just arrived at the inner city gate.

Seeing the empty walls, Beitang Mo felt an immediate sense of unease. He led his soldiers through the gate, but found nothing but emptiness.

"General, this is very strange."

Before Beitang Mo could speak, a terrifying and powerful aura from the direction of the Zhenbei Mansion began to dissipate.

"No, something is wrong. Let’s head to the Zhenbei Mansion at once." Without a second thought, Beitang Mo rushed forward. His snow-white eagle took flight, carrying him directly toward the mansion.

Throughout the journey, Beitang Mo moved with such speed that the people below only saw a streak of white light cutting through the sky.

By the time he arrived, the crowd in the plaza had mostly dispersed. He landed in front of the council hall, the sight of blood on the steps catching his eyes. He walked inside without a word.

Li Qiutong was in the middle of talking to Dong Hong when a thunderous voice interrupted.

"Can someone explain to me what is going on?"

The group looked toward the sound to see a man in silver armor storming in.

"Father!"

"General Beitang."

Beitang Mo looked in shock at his daughter and a group of strangers.

"What is the meaning of this? Biluo, Dong Hong—explain to me who these people are!"

Dong Hong, not expecting Beitang Mo’s sudden return, stepped forward to explain Li Qiutong’s situation point by point. As he finished, Beitang Mo’s expression turned to one of fury.

"Pack your things and get out! I will not hand over Zhenbei Pass to an unknown drifter like you!" Beitang Mo declared.

"Father, do you know what you are saying?" Biluo could not believe her father's attitude.

Hearing her, Beitang Mo’s rage flared. "And you! A girl who should be at home waiting to be married, choosing to study martial arts instead. Now, you’ve turned your back on your own, bringing these riff-raff to attack your own home. The Beitang family has no daughter like you."

"Is that really what you think?" This was the first time in twenty years Beitang Mo had scolded her like this. Biluo felt a piercing pain in her heart. Suddenly, a warm hand rested on her shoulder as Deng Zhanxuan stepped in front of her.

"Leave the rest to us."

Li Qiutong, sensing the tense atmosphere, stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "General Beitang, some words are better left unsaid."

Dong Hong suddenly sensed a shift. Li Qiutong’s presence had completely changed. Previously, no matter what Zhang Xiu said or how he interrogated him, the young man had remained humble and composed. Now, however, he radiated coldness and anger.

Dong Hong quickly stepped in before Li Qiutong could act. "Beitang Mo, we have tolerated you for a long time. Must you remain so stubborn?"

"Dong Hong, what do you mean?"

"Beitang Mo, Zhenbei Pass does not belong to one man. I respected you as the head of the Beitang Clan and supported you with all my might. But you? You only know how to fight, only how to hunker down in the north. To defend the border, you bowed your head to the Qin state and cast aside your own dignity. You think you were looking out for the people, but do you really understand them? Zhang Xiu embezzled the wealth of this pass to indulge himself, leaving houses to crumble. He snatched women from the streets and oppressed the people at will. They wanted to resist the Qin, to fight their oppression, but you? You only cared about your military funding and ignored the city’s plight. When young people approached you about resisting, you feared the power of the Qin, scolded them, and expelled them from the army. You are no longer fit to be the leader of Zhenbei Pass." Elder Dong Hong lashed out, stripping away the last of Beitang Mo’s defenses and exposing his cowardice.

"You want to resist the Qin? Can you afford to? They blockade the entire pass; we rely on them for our very grain. How can you resist? By turning to the Northern Warriors?"

"Beitang Mo, you stubborn fool. If you continue to run things, you will destroy Zhenbei Pass. Today, I, Dong Hong, as the head of the Zhenbei Council of Elders, hereby remove you from your position!" Dong Hong pointed an angry finger at him.

"Remove me? It is you who have gone senile! Giving this pass to this wet-behind-the-ears boy will be the end of Zhenbei!"

"Enough, both of you." Li Qiutong released the aura of a martial arts pinnacle. Suddenly, Beitang Mo felt an overwhelming pressure bearing down on him. A seasoned general, he found himself unable to even speak.

"This Zhenbei Pass—I, Li Qiutong, am determined to take it. If you still object, General Beitang, then state your reasons." With that, he retracted his pressure.

Beitang Mo gasped, feeling a wave of relief. Though his heart still trembled with fear, he found the courage to look at Li Qiutong. "You are an outsider with no contribution to this place. Why should I hand it over to you? Based on a few wild, empty lies?"

"Lies? I don’t believe they are lies."

"Who can prove it? Where you came from, what you have done, why you betrayed the Tang Empire—who knows any of this? Based on your own words, I do not trust you." Beitang Mo’s stance remained firm. Even though his daughter and colleagues chose to believe, he would not. It was not that he didn't care about Zhenbei Pass, as Dong Hong claimed; it was that he cared too much. The lives of everyone in the pass rested on his shoulders. He dared not gamble, nor could he. Call him cowardly or timid, but this weathered general was protecting the pass and his people in his own way.

"I can prove it," a gentle, kind voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.