Chapter 483: Chapter 483: Will Not Return Until the Western Rong is Defeated!

Zhan Xinzhang’s eyes lit up when he heard Chu Yin was pregnant. “That’s wonderful… In the future, whether the grandchild is a boy or a girl, don’t let them… go to war. Our Zhan Family doesn’t lack generals. Let them live freely and without worries!”

Tears welled up in Zhan Lan’s eyes, “Grandfather, one day the world will be at peace, and there will be no more wars.”

Zhan Xinzhang looked at Zhan Lan meaningfully and muttered, “Sadly, grandfather won’t see that day.”

“No, hold on, I…” Zhan Lan wanted to say she would definitely defeat the Western Rong, she desired to unite the world with Mu Yan!

Zhan Xinzhang looked at her hesitant expression and suddenly laughed, then seriously said, “Child, those words grandfather spoke to you in the ancestral hall that day, forget them!”

“Grandfather!” A tear rolled down Zhan Lan’s cheek.

That day, grandfather made her kneel in the ancestral hall. He said: if she had any rebellious thoughts, he would surely execute her!

Now, grandfather’s words were spoken vaguely, and she understood the implication. Even if she overturned the Si Family’s dynasty, grandfather agreed to it.

Zhan Xinzhang’s eyes gradually dimmed. Without Emperor Qingwu’s consent, the Western Rong couldn’t have seized Lianbian City and Shili City. From the day Emperor Qingwu quietly sent gifts to the Western Rong envoy, he sensed something was wrong. Now, Emperor Qingwu ceded two cities, abandoning sixty thousand people, allowing them to be slaughtered by the Western Rong like sheep!

Such a muddle-headed ruler is unworthy of the Zhan Family Army’s defense of his empire!

He suddenly understood that whoever truly benefits the people, earns their trust, deserves to be the king!

He stood on the city tower, looking at the people gathering below.

Zhan Xinzhang mustered all his strength and shouted loudly:

“What realm in all the counties and cities is without armor! How can we forge plows instead of armor, and let cattle plow every piece of barren land? When the cows are done, the silkworms too will thrive. May brave warriors not weep with unrestrained tears, as men farm and women weave and sing again!”

The poem recited by the Old General Zhan expressed his wish for the early end of war, so soldiers could lay down their arms and return to farming, and the people could enjoy a life of peaceful happiness with men farming and women weaving.

The people were stirred, looking tearfully at the blood-soaked old general on the city tower!

Amid the powerful voice of the Old General Zhan, a thunderclap boomed.

Large raindrops began to fall from the sky.

The cold raindrops fell on Zhan Xinzhang’s face. His muddled eyes looked towards the sky, whispering in his heart: Ming Ying, I’m coming to join you…

Zhan Xinzhang’s one arm hung down, while the other still held the battle spear tightly.

His body stood straight, supported by the battle spear, and he tightly closed his eyes.

A tear from her eye fell onto the hard stone slab, mingling with her grandfather’s blood, seeping in together…

Zhan Lan fell to her knees with a thud, covering her face with her hands, trembling, weeping silently.

At this moment, she abandoned her past confidence, realizing she was not a god, even if reborn, unable to change the outcome of some things.

In this life, grandfather died in battle!

She was unable to save her grandfather’s life!

She had no face to face her family!

Zhan Lan couldn’t hear the sounds around her. She could only see the people saved by her grandfather kneeling in the rain before him, crying hoarsely, unwilling to leave.

Zhan Lan trembled as her hands let the rain beat down on her face. Her internal sorrow was like a storm, her grief devouring her will like an abyss.

The sounds of fighting below the city tower fell silent at this moment. She could only hear the furious beating of her heart and the rising flames of anger.

Gradually, Zhan Lan’s ears echoed with her grandfather’s voice, “Child, don’t be sad, we protected the people in the city. A general dies in a hundred battles, as a general, this is the most honorable death!”

“Grand! Father!”

“Ah!”

Since her rebirth, Zhan Lan had never felt such heart-wrenching pain. She couldn’t tell if it was tears or rain on her face, cold to the bone, hatred and fiery anger entwined.

Although in this life, grandfather sacrificed for the people instead of being stifled to death by the so-called “rebellion case” of the Zhan Family, Zhan Lan could not forgive the instigators!

Emperor Qingwu, King of Western Rong! She would kill them!

The Zhan Family Army below the city tower looked up at the fallen old general who fell supporting his battle spear. One by one, they removed the helmets from their heads, placing them in their left hands, while their right fists pounded their chests in salute towards the Old General Zhan.

Zhan Lan’s eyes were bloodshot as she grabbed the Western Rong man who injured her grandfather.

“You can’t kill me; I’m a protected Western Rong merchant…” The man saw the fallen Western Rong cavalry and witnessed Zhan Lan’s murderous demeanor, and his legs turned weak.

Squish!

Zhan Lan stabbed the man several times before cutting off his head, ordering it to be hung on the city tower.

Standing on the city tower, she shouted, “An eye for an eye, blood for blood, we will not return until the Western Rong is destroyed!”

The voice of the Zhan Family Army resounded in the sky above Lianbian City, “Revenge for the people of Nanjin, revenge for the Old General Zhan! We will not return until the Western Rong is destroyed!”

…

Li Sui, dressed as a swordsman, covered in blood, rushed up the city tower.

On the tower, the blood and rain flowed like a river of blood.

The people knelt on the ground, not rising. Zhan Lan wiped her tears, kneeling before her grandfather.

Li Sui’s lips quivered. Two days ago, Zhan Lan found him and asked if he was willing to go to Fengyu Pass with her.

His lifelong dream was to become a soldier defending home and country. He followed Zhan Lan here, and today was the first day of realizing his dream of joining the military.

Li Sui’s vision began to blur. He stepped over the bodies on the ground, reaching Zhan Lan’s side.

“General Zhan, please accept my condolences.” Li Sui’s voice, as if from another world, reached Zhan Lan’s ears.

Zhan Lan suddenly snapped back to reality and turned to look at Li Sui.

When she left Ding’an City two days ago, Li Sui hadn’t said he would come.

Today he was here, his gaze firm, he said, “General Zhan, from today on, I, Li Sui, will follow you. For the people of Nanjin, for the Old General Zhan, we will return blood for blood from the Western Rong!”

“Good!” Zhan Lan’s nose tingled, holding back the tears that yearned to escape. Her grandfather was gone, but her good brother from the previous life, Li Sui, had arrived.

The rain kept falling as the Zhan Family Army carried the Old General’s body down the city tower on a stretcher.

People stood in the rain, seeing the Old General’s broken body, some crying as they left.

Someone fetched an umbrella from home.

The understanding spread among the people as they brought out umbrellas one after another, opening them up not to shelter themselves.

People raised the umbrellas in unison, creating a canopy that stretched forward, sheltering the route as the soldiers carried the Old General’s body underneath, keeping him dry.

Zhan Lan supported the stretcher, with little rain falling on her body.

The people silently bade farewell to her grandfather with their actions.

Amidst the solemn atmosphere, someone shouted hoarsely.

“Old General Zhan! You died for the people!”

“We will never forget today’s hatred!”

“Old General Zhan, you shielded us with your body, we will shield you from the wind and rain, sending you on your final journey!”

The people, who initially wanted to quietly send off Old General Zhan, began to cry again.

Today, the people of Lianbian City were abandoned by their emperor, protected instead by Old General Zhan with his life!

It was the Brave General Zhan Lan who led the Zhan Family Army to rescue them from the brutal Western Rong!

Though they didn’t speak out, their disappointment and anger towards Emperor Qingwu filled every heart, unspoken emotions boiling like a volcano waiting to erupt, destined one day to engulf everything!

…