Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 103 The Magistrate Calls for Help

Li Sheng smiled, didn't waste any more words with him, and directly placed his sword on his shoulder.

Seeing the blade so close to his face, Wu Hong opened his mouth, but ultimately dared not speak.

Li Sheng squatted down and looked Wu Hong straight in the eye.

"Magistrate Wu, you need not be afraid. Although I, Li Sheng, have started a rebellion, I have never killed indiscriminately. I have come to you, Magistrate, because I have a request."

Wu Hong had no idea what he was up to, and just stared at him blankly.

"Magistrate, do me a favor, and I'll guarantee the safety of your entire family, including your servants. I'll spare their lives as well."

Wu Hong's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"What kind of help?"

"Take us into Siwu County."

Wu Hong's face turned even paler.

"You...you want me to trick you into opening the city gates?"

Li Sheng nodded.

"The magistrate is a smart man. I heard that the magistrate of Siwu County has a good relationship with you. Once you escape to the city, he will definitely open the city gates and let you in. At that time, my men will go into the city with you. Once the city gates are open, the magistrate will be safe."

Wu Hong was trembling all over.

"This...this is treason!"

"Treason?"

Li Sheng sneered.

"Oh? It seems the magistrate truly possesses the integrity of a scholar, and is prepared to die for the city!"

Li Sheng picked up his sword, as if examining the patterns on it.

Seeing Li Sheng's savage gaze, Wu Hong fell silent.

"..."

Li Sheng stood up, dusted off his knees, and shouted.

"All troops, listen to my command!"

Upon hearing Li Sheng prepare to give the order, Wu Hong hurriedly pleaded.

"General! General! I submit to you! Please spare our lives afterwards!"

Li Sheng nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Alright. Then we'll have to trouble Magistrate Wu to come with us."

……

That night, Li Sheng and his men rested for the night in a village beside the official road. The elite infantry that followed had already caught up with Li Sheng and his cavalry, and everyone had a good night's rest.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Sheng left Wu Hong's family and servants with the infantry, and then led two hundred elite troops to continue north.

Wu Hong was alone, protected in the middle by the army, surrounded by two hundred elite soldiers. They were all dressed in uniforms taken from the defeated soldiers of Xiaxiang, and at first glance they looked like stragglers escorting the county magistrate on his escape.

As the sun rose higher, around 9:00 AM, the outline of a city appeared in the distance.

Siwu County.

The city was not large, with rammed earth walls that were about two zhang high. Compared to Xiapi, it was even shorter than Xiaxiang.

However, there were soldiers patrolling the city wall at this time, and they seemed more vigilant than those in Xiaxiang.

At the city gate, several soldiers were checking passersby.

The garrison soldiers saw a group of people approaching from afar and immediately became tense. Someone ran up to the city wall to report.

Soon the city gates were closed, but not quite closed.

"These soldiers from Siwu County have such a high level of vigilance; if only the soldiers from Xiaxiang were like that..."

Wu Hong thought to himself.

Li Sheng reined in his horse and glanced back at Wu Hong, who was in the middle of the group.

"Magistrate, please come forward and knock on the door."

Wu Hong responded timidly, spurred his horse forward several dozen steps, reined in his horse outside the range of the crossbows, and shouted up at the city tower.

"Listen up, you on the city walls! The county seat of Xiaxiang has been breached by bandits. I led my troops in a desperate fight to break through the encirclement and have come to Siwu to request an audience with Magistrate Wang! Please open the city gates and let us in for refuge!"

On the city wall, a man who looked like a captain leaned out, looked down, glanced at the troops behind him, and replied loudly.

"You claim to be from a low-class family, what proof do you have?"

Wu Hong turned and glanced at Li Sheng, who remained expressionless.

He untied the official seal from his waist, raised the seal high with both hands, and shouted towards the city tower.

"The magistrate's seal is here; please inspect it from the city walls!"

A basket was lowered from the city gate tower, and Wu Hong put the seal into the basket and hoisted it up.

The captain carefully inspected the items, whispered a few words to the officers beside him, and then poked his head out.

"The seal is genuine. But this matter is of utmost importance, and I cannot make the decision myself. You all wait outside the city while I send someone to consult the magistrate!"

After he finished speaking, there was no more movement on the city wall.

Wu Hong retreated back into the formation and whispered to Li Sheng.

"General Li, they refuse to open the door immediately."

Li Sheng looked at the sun expressionlessly.

"Wait."

At the city gate, time passed little by little.

Wu Hong felt extremely uncomfortable on horseback. He wanted to speak several times, but seeing Li Sheng's cold face, he swallowed his words back.

The back hall of the Siwu County government office.

Wang Qian, the magistrate of Siwu County, was discussing the upcoming summer grain tax collection with the county assistant when a military officer rushed in and knelt on one knee.

"Reporting to the magistrate, a man claiming to be Wu Hong, the magistrate of Xiaxiang County, has arrived outside the city. He says that Xiaxiang City has fallen and he wants to seek refuge here. I have verified the seal, and it is indeed the seal of the magistrate of Xiaxiang County. I dare not act on my own authority and have come to request your instructions."

Wang Qian put down the bamboo slips in his hand, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Wu Hong? His lower face is broken?"

He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced around the hall for a few steps.

A few days ago, he received an official document from the prefecture and county, informing him that Bo Cai, the leader of the Yellow Turbans, had decisively defeated Zhu Jun, besieged Huangfu Song at Changshe, and that the government troops were suffering repeated defeats, causing shock in the court and the imposition of martial law in Luoyang. If the area were to be breached by the rebels, then Siwu would be the first to suffer the consequences.

How many men did he bring?

"Reporting to the magistrate, there are about two hundred men, some on horseback and some on foot, who said they fled from Xiaxiang."

Wang Qian frowned even more deeply.

Two hundred defeated soldiers... It's easy to let them in, but what if they cause trouble in the city? But if we don't let them in, Wu Hong is, after all, an official of the imperial court, and we have some relationship with him. It would be unreasonable and morally wrong to let them die without helping them.

He pondered for a long time before finally making up his mind.

"Open the gates and let them in. But send out orders that once inside the city, no one is allowed to carry bows or crossbows. They will be housed in empty houses in the north of the city by our army and kept under strict guard. They are not allowed to move around freely."

"promise."

The officer accepted the order and left.

After waiting for nearly two quarters of an hour outside the city gate, news finally came from the city tower.

"The magistrate orders: open the city gates! However, no one may bring weapons or armor. Once inside the city, everyone will be placed in a unified manner and not allowed to move around freely!"

The city gate slowly opened.

Li Sheng's lips curled up slightly as he mounted his horse and whispered an instruction to Liu Lu beside him.

"Act according to plan."

Then he turned his head and smiled slightly at Wu Hong.

"Magistrate Wu, let's go. Remember, if you reveal any flaws and lose your life, don't blame me."

Wu Hong swallowed hard and forced his horse forward.

Behind him, two hundred elite soldiers filed in.

Li Sheng mingled at the front of the group, wearing a uniform he had taken from a fleeing soldier, carrying a long halberd on his shoulder, and looking exhausted.

At this time, the city gate was very narrow, only wide enough for two horses to ride side by side.

The garrison soldiers stood on both sides, holding spears, watching everyone entering the city warily.

Unlike large counties like Xiapi, Siwu County did not have a barbican.

So once the group entered the city gate, Li Sheng made a decisive decision.

"Let's do it!"

Inside the city gate, Li Sheng swept his halberd across, and the foremost guard fell to the ground.