Chapter 313 - 158 Surrounded on All Sides [Thanks to the Alliance Leader "Jia Ling"]_4

Sha Wenlong spoke with disdain, "With only twenty days left, there’s simply not enough time. Let’s just wait for Chen Sansi to fail in completing the task set by the military decree and then lose his head!"

"That may be true."

Cao Fan said softly, "Taking Zhao Tong Prefecture will certainly benefit both the Great Sheng Dynasty and you and me."

Cui Congyi praised, "Young Master is truly wise and virtuous."

"Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!"

The sound of horse hooves arose.

The Xuanjia Army, flying the banner with the "Chen" character, appeared at the distant end of the horizon, bringing a cloud of dust along with them.

"They’re here!"

Soon, a party stopped outside the Great Village.

Although Chen Sansi was the nominal commander, Cao Fan was after all the Prince, and his status was noble, but no one else came out to greet him. Instead, they all sat inside the Central Army Tent, not even standing up to salute him when he entered.

Xia Cong, holding a long spear, questioned, "General Chen is the commander outside of Yong Yue Prefecture, how can you be so disrespectful?"

"A commander simply issues orders which we must follow."

Sha Wenlong disdainfully said, "He’s just an assistant general. Does he really deserve our salute?"

"You..."

Xia Cong wanted to retort, but he held his tongue at Chen Sansi’s signal.

"Gentlemen."

Chen Sansi asked calmly, "What’s the situation?"

"We did as you said, but it was of no use."

Cui Congyi stated, "Vice General Chen, I must remind you, time is running out! The reinforcements from Qing Country are getting closer to Green Ridge Mountain. If it really comes down to it, we should attack the city now. There might still be just enough time."

"General Cui."

Chen Sansi ordered, "You go personally to the city’s outskirts to call for its surrender, this time with a tougher stance. Tell them that if they don’t surrender within fifteen days, we will no longer give them any more chances, and at that time we will call up a large army—"

"Fifteen days? To give them that long?!"

Cui Congyi asked puzzlingly, "Vice General Chen, it will only take twenty more days for Qing Country’s reinforcements to arrive. If they refuse to surrender, are you planning on capturing the city in the last five days?!"

"Capture the city? Ha!"

Sha Wenlong scoffed, "Five days is hardly enough time to even retreat! Once Qing Country’s army pours in, we’ll have no room to advance or retreat, and will face being attacked from both sides by an army of two hundred thousand. Then, we can just wait for our forces to collapse like a mountain!"

"General Sha," Chen Sansi said emotionlessly, "who did you say would collapse like a mountain?"

Heh, who else could it be?"

Sha Wenlong replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Of course it’s us!"

"Cui Congyi, Sha Wenlong!"

Chen Sansi suddenly raised his voice, like a clap of thunder exploding on a clear day.

His tone became exceedingly cold, and every word he uttered sounded like a razor-sharp blade of ice, piercing the eardrums of everyone present, clearly audible as it hit the ground.

"Considering that both of you are, after all, generals of the Great Sheng Dynasty, and my seniors, I can overlook your disrespect!

"But if anyone dares to speak words such as ’collapse like a mountain,’ damaging our military might and shaking our military heart, I will exercise the right of the imperial authority and have both of your heads decapitated!"

"You, what did you say?!"

Sha Wenlong was furious, "Isn’t what I said the plain truth? It’s impossible for Deng Feng to surrender, and you’re going to waste another fifteen days here; what will you do after that?"

"Guards!"

Chen Sansi coldly ordered, "Drag Sha Wenlong out and behead him!"

"At your command!"

Zhao Kang and the others unsheathed their swords.

This group of Refining Internal Martial Artists was unflinchingly surrounding the general from the Profound Image Realm.

"Chen San, Vice General Chen!"

Sha Wenlong couldn’t believe this youngster would really play for keeps, and he shouted loudly, "What right do you have to kill me?"

"With the command token here, how can I not have the right?!"

Chen Sansi held up the command token high.

"You, I..."

Overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events, Sha Wenlong found himself at a loss for words. He instinctively reached for his sword but knew that the situation wasn’t desperate yet, as he had neither defied orders outright nor committed a serious offense. In truth, his actions weren’t punishable by death, and there was still a chance for him to explain himself. To resist now with a drawn sword would truly be a capital crime, so he forcibly suppressed his anger, allowing several mere Refining Internal to place their swords against his neck.

"General Chen!"

Cao Fan stepped forward, pleading, "General Sha has not defied orders, nor has he continued to speak the demoralizing ’collapse like a mountain.’ Even if he was just talking back, it’s certainly not a capital offense, right?"

"Indeed."

Cui Congyi maintained his expression, but the throbbing vein on his forehead revealed the fierce anger he was suppressing: "General Chen, Young Master is right. General Sha was merely questioning, just questioning. Even with the authority of commander, don’t we still have the right to offer counsel? If you really executed General Sha now, wouldn’t you also be guilty of abusing your authority?"

Chen Sansi acted as though he heard nothing.

"General Chen!"

Cao Fan advanced a couple of steps: "In front of the two armies, to behead one’s own general first would only serve to further damage our own morale. Moreover, General Sha was indeed just offering counsel.

"General Sha, will you not kneel down and apologize to General Chen at once!"

"Young Master?!"

Sha Wenlong’s remaining eye widened.

Cao Fan reminded, "Haven’t you seen the command token in General Chen’s hand? Even Meng Dashuai wouldn’t have anything to say if he killed you."

"I… ah! My fault, General Chen!"

Ultimately, Sha Wenlong knelt on one knee with great difficulty. In extreme humiliation, his voice trembled uncontrollably, "I promise I will never again speak recklessly or shake the military heart, please grant me a chance to redeem my faults and atone for my merits."

"It’s for the best."

Chen Sansi signaled his men to sheath their swords, then led them out of the Central Army Tent.