Chapter 2940: Wuhuan Princess

“Lord Zhang, we should form a united front against the Yellow Turbans. If Ji County falls, the entirety of Guangyang Commandery and Zhuo Commandery will collapse. By then, Zhongshan Commandery will be surrounded on all fronts. The teeth cannot survive without the lips,” Zu An said.

“I have to disagree with that,” another official in the room spoke up. He was Zhang Ju, Zhang Chun’s clansman. “The Yellow Turbans have proved to be a fearsome adversary. We should be gathering our troops in a single place. We’ll only become easy targets for the Yellow Turban Army if we spread our forces thin. By then, it would be too late for regrets.”

Zu An knew that Zhang Chun was unwilling to dispatch any troops, so he stood up and said, “Since Lord Zhang is reluctant to reinforce us, I’ll be taking my leave now.” He couldn’t waste time here. He needed to seek help from other places before rushing back to help defend Ji County.

“Haa, youngsters nowadays are too impatient,” Zhang Chun finally spoke up. “I don’t want to leave Ji County in the lurch, but the Yellow Turbans are a threat. We need to devise a strategy for reinforcement. Why don’t you stay here so that we can talk things out? Let’s find a way to ensure Zhongshan Commandery’s safety while circumventing the Yellow Turban Army en route.”

Zu An and Tingxue exchanged looks. Neither of them thought that Zhang Chun was sincere, but since Ji County was in urgent need of reinforcements, they decided to stay behind. They spent the next two days in Zhongshan Commandery. The marshal’s manor held several banquets in the meantime, hosting officials, rich merchants, and talents. Each time Zu An raised the topic of reinforcing Ji County, Zhang Chun would find an excuse to shrug him off.

Meanwhile, Tingxue became the highlight of the marshal’s manor. She was the center of attention in each banquet, and many tried to get close to her, especially Zhang Chun. In the end, Zu An couldn’t take it anymore. During one of the banquets, he got up from his seat and pulled Tingxue out with him. That caused Zhang Chun’s smiling face to darken.

Zhang Ju snorted, “That fellow doesn’t know his place. Why don’t I send someone to...” He pulled a finger across his neck.

Zhang Chun shook his head. “We’re all serving the imperial court. It wouldn’t look good for us if news were to spread. I’ve received news that Zhang Bao and Gao Sheng are leading 150,000 soldiers to Ji County. Soon, they’ll have nowhere else to go.”

Zhang Ju was awed. “You’re brilliant, big brother. It won’t be long before Miss Guan is yours.”

Zhang Chun smiled. “I heard that there’s also a Miss Zhang in Ji County who doesn’t pale in comparison to her. It’s not their beauty that I’m after. If I can bring those two fierce generals over to my side, I’ll be able to fulfill my ambitions.”

“Once Ji County falls, they will have no choice but to come under big brother,” Zhang Ju said.

Zhang Chun laughed heartily.

...

Tingxue was confused why Zu An had dragged her out of the banquet. “Are we leaving now? Why? They are still treating us amicably. Are we giving up on their reinforcements?”

Zu An huffed, “Can’t you tell that they're only interested in you? They have never intended to reinforce us!”

“I can tell.” Tingxue looked at Zu An. “Shouldn’t we use that to convince them to send reinforcements?”

Zu An looked away. “I don’t want you to resort to a honey trap.”

Tingxue was taken aback, then the corners of her lips faintly curled upward.

The two of them continued walking. Tingxue glanced at their connected hands, but Zu An feigned ignorance and continued holding her hand. Tingxue looked troubled, but she didn’t retract her hand. Just like that, the two of them walked out of the city.

“Where should we head next to find reinforcements?” Tingxue asked.

Zu An replied, “We can try the nearby provinces and commanderies. That way, we can make it back in time even if we can’t secure any reinforcements.”

Tingxue proposed, “Why don’t we infiltrate the Yellow Turbans and assassinate their leader?”

Zu An considered the idea. Their individual prowess was severely suppressed on the battlefield, so it could be wiser to utilize their superior strength outside of the battlefield.

Just then, they heard a whistle.

“Waa, that woman looks really beautiful.”

“I have never seen such a woman on the grasslands.”

“Isn’t our little princess beautiful as well?”

“It feels different.”

...

Their clothes and accents revealed that they were from a grassland ethnic group, similar to the Wuhuans Zu An and Tingxue had encountered in the city. These ethnic cavalrymen charged at the pair and tossed their lassos around Zu An’s head and four limbs. Their coordinated movements showed that they did such things often. They could easily defeat their enemy by flooring and dragging the other party around.

They didn’t make a move on Tingxue, however, as they couldn’t bear to hurt the white-robed beauty. They figured that once they subdued the man, the woman would be an easy target.

Zu An’s eyes turned cold. He grabbed all the lassos and tugged them forcefully, causing the cavalrymen to lose their balance and fall off their mounts. The remaining cavalrymen drew their swords and charged at him. There were only thirty of them, but the sheer momentum of their charge was comparable to an army of a thousand in the Cultivation World.

Zu An unleashed a wave of sword ki that was over fifty meters wide with a flick of his finger, decapitating the cavalrymen. It was one thing when he was faced with a huge army, but how could the intimidation aura of thirty cavalrymen possibly suppress him?

“It’s rare to see you killing people so decisively,” Tingxue remarked.

“They harbored malice toward you, and it’s obvious that they engage in such actions often. They deserve it.” Zu An continued holding her hand.

Tingxue’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t say a word.

Shortly after leaving the scene, they felt the earth quaking.

Zu An’s face darkened. “Seems like a cavalry.”

An army of cavalrymen appeared behind them. They were at least a thousand men strong. Judging from their Wuhuan garments, they were likely here to avenge their brethren.

Zu An wasn't intimidated. A thousand cavalrymen could pose some threat to them, but with their strength, it wouldn’t be too difficult for them to slaughter their way out. He even considered using this opportunity to experiment with how different armies affected his fighting prowess.

“Who dares to kill my brethren?” a voice echoed.

The Wuhuan cavalrymen parted to the sides, and a woman riding a red steed emerged. She was masked, but her gender was apparent from her physique. She had a pair of long, eye-catching legs and a beautiful bronze complexion. She wielded a spear that emitted a frosty gleam. On the whole, she exuded an air of valiance.

While Zu An was wondering whether to fight the cavalrymen or apprehend their leader first, the woman suddenly stiffened up before exclaiming in delight, “Brother-in-law?”

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