Chapter 244 Zhang Liang was attacked, rebellion was just a joke

Late at night.

In the cell where Tang Jian was imprisoned, there was only a weak oil lamp swaying in the wind, and the dim light made the surroundings dim.

Several human shadows were projected onto the wall, stretched out and twisted, like evil spirits from the underworld.

Tang Jian had his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep, but suddenly he seemed to sense something and slowly opened his bloodshot and tired eyes.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. We are here to rescue you.” Cheng Gongying said with a smile on his face.

However, Tang Jian remained unmoved and snorted coldly:
“Hmph! You traitors, I wonder what kind of sinister and cunning tricks you are going to play. You are so untrustworthy. Do you think your country’s guild will trust you?”

Many days in prison did not wear away Tang Jian’s pride and determination.

Although his body was already exhausted, his spirit was not dulled.

He looked down on these people in front of him from the bottom of his heart, let alone bowing down to them.

“Your Excellency, the Duke has misunderstood! We were indeed deceived by the traitor Zhang Liang before, which led to our serious mistake. But now we have come to our senses and would like to lend a helping hand to the Duke to quell Zhang Liang’s rebellion.”

Cheng Gongying quickly explained.

Then, he pointed to a burly man beside him and introduced him, “This is General Lou Shide, who is now in charge of leading the army to deploy defenses on the periphery. Moreover, General Lou has successfully contacted the Tang army general Wang Fangyi, and will use fire as a signal to capture Zhang Liang’s camp tonight.”

Hearing this, Tang Jian frowned slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

He was very good at observing people’s expressions, but judging from the expressions of the two people, he could not see anything unusual.

Looking at the sincere looks of Cheng Gongying and others, and Lou Shide’s extraordinary and majestic temperament, he was more or less convinced.

Cheng Gongying was very humble and did not have the arrogance he had when he first met Tang Jian.

It made it even harder for him to tell whether it was true or false.

“Keep me safe?”

Tang Jian raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a sarcastic smile, and it was obvious that he did not completely believe what Cheng Gongying said.

He had once fought with Cheng Gongying, and he knew this man’s scheming and scheming very well. In his eyes, Cheng Gongying was definitely not a good person, so he naturally had to remain highly vigilant at all times.

“Zhang Liang attempted to usurp the power of the country. This wolfish ambition is truly outrageous. Although I am a person from the outside world, I cannot bear to see the people of the world suffer and become homeless.”

Cheng Gongying had a compassionate look on his face, and seemed to be truly sympathetic to the people.

“Humph! Don’t you, the Duke, know what kind of person Zhang Liang is? If it weren’t for you so-called outsiders fanning the flames and adding fuel to the fire, how could Zhang Liang have been able to advance all the way to the gates of Chang’an?”

Tang Jian snorted coldly and stared at Cheng Gongying sharply, as if he had seen through the whole truth of the matter.

Facing Tang Jian’s questioning, Cheng Gongying remained calm and said righteously:
“We were indeed deceived by Zhang Liang’s sweet words before, and only recently did we know that he had evil intentions. It is for this reason that General Lou Shide and I are determined to correct the wrongs and avoid making the same mistakes again.”

At this point, Cheng Gongying’s expression became more excited, and his words were full of sincerity.

Tang Jian, who was always good at observing people’s words and expressions, was now unable to tell whether what Cheng Gongying said was true or false.

After all, the acting of the person in front of him was too realistic, making it difficult to tell the truth from the false.

This was because Cheng Gongying was not plotting anything, but really wanted to rebel against Zhang Liang and take Zhang Liang’s head in order to taint his own career advancement.

Since that time, after successfully persuading Lou Shide, Cheng Gongying changed his thinking.

Of course, the reason he came to Tang Jian now was to add another achievement to his own.

At the same time, he can also rely on Tang Jian as a big tree in the court.

It can be said to be a far-sighted plan.

Cheng Gongying was extremely intelligent and had thought about using his talents in the right way.

But for him, who came from a poor family, it was extremely difficult for him to enter the court.

Although the imperial examination system had been implemented, it was not mature enough and was still controlled by the upper class. If you were not their disciple, you would never have a chance to succeed.

It is much easier to achieve fame through fighting than to pass exams.

Therefore, from the beginning to the end, Zhang Liang was just a chess piece in his hands.

“Duke, the situation is extremely critical right now. We don’t have any more time to hesitate! The scheduled time is coming soon, and Zhang Liang has many spies here. We can’t stay any longer.”

Lou Shide, who was standing behind him, urged.

“That’s right, Lord Duke. It’s really too late to explain in detail now. Please forgive my rudeness.”

As he spoke, Cheng Gongying decisively waved his hand, and in an instant several strong soldiers quickly stepped forward, carefully helped the weak Tang Jian up, and then hurriedly walked out of the camp.

Everyone protected Tang Jian and walked quickly all the way. After they had finally walked for a distance, Cheng Gongying and Lou Shide stopped for a while.

Cheng Gongying turned to look at Tang Jian and said respectfully, “Duke, please rest assured. We have arranged for someone to escort you to a safe place.”

“General Lou and I need to take this opportunity to eliminate Zhang Liang’s rebellion.”

Although Tang Jian was still somewhat confused at this time, he could not help but believe the two people’s firm words. He forced himself to be alert, nodded, and said slowly:
“Well… you better be careful. If we can successfully suppress the rebellion this time, after the matter is over, my countryman will personally write to the emperor to ask for rewards for the two of you.”

Hearing Tang Jian’s words, Cheng Gongying and Lou Shide looked at each other, their eyes revealing excitement that could not be concealed. They immediately clasped their fists and saluted, and responded in unison:

“Thank you, Lord Duke! We will do our best to kill the bandit leader Zhang Liang.”

After saying that, the two turned around and galloped towards the battlefield again, and their figures soon disappeared into the night.

They have been planning for several days and the possibility of success is very high.

The scene suddenly changed, as if time and space were instantly intertwined, and in the blink of an eye, the two men appeared in the central military camp.

The tent was brightly lit, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

Cheng Gongying was dressed in a gorgeous Taoist robe, with an extraordinary temperament; Lou Shide was wearing heavy armor, looking majestic.

“Master Cheng, why did you call me here so hastily in the middle of the night? What’s the matter?”

Zhang Liang looked puzzled and asked.

“General Lou is here too. Could it be that some emergency military situation has occurred?”

Zhang Liang guessed it instantly, and there was a hint of anxiety and concern in his tone.

Since receiving Cheng Gongying’s strong guarantee, Lou Shide was highly regarded by Zhang Liang and was entrusted with important tasks, giving him full control over the army’s border affairs.

Due to his outstanding abilities, he now holds a certain amount of military power and has become Zhang Liang’s most trusted and beloved general.

Hearing Zhang Liang’s question, Lou Shide nodded solemnly and said in a low voice:

“There is indeed important military information that needs to be reported to the general, and this matter concerns the life and death of our army!”

As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily looked around, as if he had some concerns and worries in his heart.

“All of you, retreat a hundred steps outside the camp. Without the order from this general, no one is allowed to approach this place without permission!”

Zhang Liang suddenly turned his head, glanced at the group of guards beside him, and shouted sternly. How could Cheng Gongying and Lou Shide harm him?

Zhang Liang didn’t even think about it.

After all, they are in the same boat, sharing the same honor and disgrace.

He trusted Cheng Gongying even more than his own son.

After everyone left, Zhang Liang walked towards Lou Shide with steady steps and asked solemnly, “General Lou, what is so important that you need to block the left and right?”

There was no trace of vigilance in his words.

Lou Shide nodded slightly, waved to Zhang Liang, and said softly, “General, please come closer and listen carefully.”

Zhang Liang stepped forward without hesitation and put his ear close to Lou Shide.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
A chilling cold light suddenly flashed, and an extremely sharp short blade slipped out from Lou Shide’s sleeve.

It happened so quickly that Lou Shide’s right hand drew a sharp arc in the air with lightning speed. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, like a blooming blood-colored flower.

Zhang Liang staggered backwards, his body swaying like a candle in the wind.

His originally fair hands were now tightly covering his neck, but blood was gushing out from between his fingers like a flood, instantly dyeing the clothes on his chest a shocking scarlet.

He opened his mouth, trying desperately to call for help, but the severe pain in his throat made it impossible for him to make even the slightest sound. The deep cut of the knife mercilessly cut his throat, making it even more impossible for him to make any sound.

At this moment, Zhang Liang’s eyes were filled with extreme fear and despair.

In addition, there is deep confusion and resentment intertwined.

Until the last moment of his life, he could not understand why Cheng Gongying, who had always been loyal to him and contributed the most to many things, would betray him?
“boom!”

With a dull sound, Zhang Liang finally couldn’t support his body and fell straight to the ground.

His heavy body fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust, but the slight sound was like a stone falling into the sea and did not attract the attention of the guards outside the tent at all.

In the end, Zhang Liang could only leave this world with a heart full of reluctance and doubts.

He rose to power by reporting and betraying others, but in the end he was trapped in his own web and could not escape the clutches of Cheng Gongying.

At this moment, Lou Shide suddenly opened the door of the tent and strode in, holding Zhang Liang’s bloody head high in his hand.

“The rebel leader Zhang Liang is dead, but you will live if you surrender!”

Lou Shide’s voice was like a loud bell, shouting loudly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of soldiers rushed out from the nearby tents like wolves and tigers. They shouted in unison: “Those who surrender will not die!”

The shouts and cries of killing were deafening.

Then, this group of soldiers pounced on Zhang Liang’s guards who had not yet recovered from their shock.

In an instant, the military camp was filled with the flash of swords and the flash of fire.

The collision made a clanging sound.

Blood was splattered everywhere in the camp. Bodies fell weakly one after another, falling heavily into the shocking pool of blood.

The scarlet liquid gradually gathered into streams, flowing over the cold land, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood.

“Start a fire!”

Lou Shide kicked hard at the brazier beside him.

There was a loud bang, and the brazier was kicked over to the ground in an instant. The raging fire spread like a wild horse. The flames licked the surrounding tents and supplies, and thick smoke rose up.

The originally orderly military camp suddenly fell into chaos, and the soldiers fled in panic.

The flames devoured everything mercilessly, and the flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the entire night sky.

In this chaotic moment, Zhang Shenwei suddenly rushed out of his tent. He was shocked, his eyes wide open, and he looked around anxiously, finally fixing his eyes on the center of the army. Seeing the scene in front of him, his heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition came to his mind.

“What happened?”

Zhang Shenwei shouted, his voice revealing fear and anger that were difficult to conceal.

At this moment, a blood-soaked soldier stumbled in front of him, panting and saying:

“General Zhang, something terrible has happened! Cheng Gongying colluded with Lou Shide to launch a rebellion. They deceived the Marshal’s trust and have already… have killed Marshal Zhang!”

“what?”

Zhang Shenwei felt as if struck by lightning, and his whole body froze for a moment.

“What did you say? How could Master Cheng rebel? Are you lying to me?”

Zhang Shenwei lifted up the soldier with one hand, still furious. Even though things had come to this point, he still didn’t believe it.

“General, that’s exactly what happened. Lou Shide even cut off General Zhang’s head.”

The soldier said sadly that he was also a member of Zhang Liang’s personal guard.

“Lou Shide, Cheng Gongying, how dare you!”

“Order the entire army to follow me and kill the rebels.”

All Zhang Shenwei was thinking about at this time was to kill the rebels and avenge Zhang Liang. He failed to consider too many arrangements to prevent the Tang army from attacking at this time.

As the drumbeats spread, the entire military camp surged like a huge fire dragon.

“General Li, a fire has broken out in the enemy’s center. According to the agreement, we should march out!”

On a mountainside, Wang Fangyi pointed forward and spoke excitedly.

“General Wang, do you know anything about Lou Shide? Is this a plan he set up to lure the enemy deep into our territory?”

Li Dejian asked cautiously, they knew very little about this person.

It has been the track of soldiers since ancient times.

This cannot be ruled out, it is a trap.

“General Li has considered this, but the opportunity to fight must be lost. Although we cannot judge how sincere Lou Shide is, we cannot say that this is a trap he set.”

“However, I will lead the army to charge forward, and the two generals will provide cover on the flanks. If the situation changes, we can support each other.”

Wang Fangyi said that he was still unwilling to give up this opportunity.

“Then follow General Wang’s plan. Dejiang and I will also act according to circumstances.”

Li Dejian nodded and said that he couldn’t think of a better way.

(End of this chapter)