Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Acting by Command Token

Sun Honghai raised the command token in his hand high and shouted, “Soldiers, General Wen has already contracted the epidemic. Following Lord Yu’s orders, gather all the infected together.”

He paused, knowing that saying they would be dealt with together was very cruel and might create some psychological conflict among the soldiers. Therefore, he pointed towards the quarantine area and declared righteously, “These people, in your eyes, may be villagers, innocent civilians. But now they carry the source of the disease. As soon as one of them steps outside, an entire area could be infected. Even if we imprison them here and ignore them, the epidemic will still spread. For the sake of more people in the Northern County, you must not see them as compatriots, but as enemies! How should we face enemies?”

Sun Honghai had often accompanied Wen Hao to train soldiers, so these soldiers naturally recognized him as the “profound and unfathomable” military adviser Wen Hao valued greatly.

Now seeing him holding a military order token, and with Yu Shikui by his side, plus he spoke of an epidemic, who didn’t understand the horror of the disease?

The soldiers shouted loudly, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The sound was deafening, making those villagers who had been driven here and didn’t quite understand the situation cry even more loudly.

When Wen Hao saw this situation, he understood everything.

In Yu Shikui’s eyes, anything could be sacrificed and used as long as it benefited his career.

Before, he thought that by siding with Yu Shikui, he could have a piece of the pie. Now he realized he was nothing more than a pawn in Yu Shikui’s game.

At this moment, his life was worth nothing in Yu Shikui’s eyes.

Huangfu Jingchen said calmly, “General Wen, when you treat human lives like grass, others will also treat your life like grass. How do you feel about that?”

Wen Hao was indeed filled with mixed emotions and felt uncomfortable, but looking at the expressionless Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin, he couldn’t help but say, “Once the flames start, both jade and stone are destroyed. You can’t escape either. Aren’t you afraid?”

Huangfu Jingchen said nothing. He wouldn’t allow Yu Shikui to burn these innocent villagers to death. But now, the opposing side held five thousand stationed troops, not only well-trained but also fully equipped with weapons and bows and arrows.

Whereas on his side, there were only common people.

Originally, he captured Wen Hao with the idea of capturing the leader first, thinking that as long as the person leading the troops was gone, the other side would at least be in disarray, giving Yu Shikui some trouble for a day or two. Perhaps by then, the Imperial Envoy would arrive from the Capital City, and everything would have a chance to change.

But he didn’t expect that Wen Hao’s troops, obeying the order with the token and Wen Hao’s adviser’s words, followed instructions. Yu Shikui hardly expended any effort for his orders to be followed without hesitation.

Shang Jingwang was still making a last-ditch effort. He loudly said to Yu Shikui, “Lord, this concerns thousands of lives. Please reconsider, my lord!”

The current decision, how could Yu Shikui not have considered it thoroughly? This was exactly the result of his planned execution.

Yu Shikui also understood that although the soldiers obeyed the command token, with Wen Hao over there and a Fifth Rank Prefect Shang Jingwang, if he didn’t remove them first, who knows what might happen next.

So, Yu Shikui called over Sun Honghai and whispered a few words.

Sun Honghai’s eyes flickered. He knew he had already offended Wen Hao, so he could only cling tightly to this big tree Yu Shikui. He immediately shouted, “General Wang, General Liu, the command token is here! You two, listen to orders!”

The two generals stepped forward and clasped their fists, “We await orders!”

Sun Honghai pointed to the crowd, “Now, General Wen and Prefect Shang are both infected, as are their leaders. Capture the leader first; otherwise, they won’t surrender without a fight! You two, bring them over here!”

The two generals hesitated, looking at each other, a bit uncertain. Capturing Shang Jingwang was one thing, but Wen Hao was their superior officer!

Sun Honghai had anticipated their attitude and his face darkened, “Soldiers obey military orders, not individual opinions. Now that General Wen is infected with the epidemic, Lord Yu is fully in charge of this operation, and even I take orders from Lord Yu. The command token is here; what are you worried about?”

General Wang hesitated, “General Wen was in the camp last night. How could he be infected with the epidemic just after midnight?”

Sun Honghai looked askance at him, saying, “Shall I send General Wang to keep General Wen company? I never expected General Wang to be so considerate. Surely, on the road to the underworld, General Wen will duly promote you!”

This threat was evident, and General Wang quickly said, “That’s not what I meant. I obey orders.”

The two generals thought about it: if General Wen was indeed infected, he was already in the list to be dealt with. Since Lord Yu dared to do this, he must be confident. Sun Honghai was now a favored person by Lord Yu, so they only needed to obey orders and not upset Sun Honghai.

The compliance of the two satisfied Sun Honghai. Previously following Wen Hao, though treated as a top guest, was nothing like giving orders himself—it was exhilarating!

General Wang and General Liu led their men into the crowd to seize Wen Hao and Shang Jingwang.

At this time, Wen Hao was trying to rush out, and Shang Jingwang was attempting to plead with Yu Shikui. Both were at the front. When General Wang and others arrived, Wen Hao, seeing it was his subordinates, thought they were coming to help. But when they grabbed him and started taking him away, he was first stunned, then furious: “Wang Zicai, Liu Benzhu, have you gone mad? How dare you do this to me?”

In the stiff tone of the two, there was some evasion, “Lord General, we are just following orders from the command token!”

Shang Jingwang struggled and asked, “What are you doing?”

Wang Zicai waved his hand, and his soldiers pushed the two into the open center.

Yu Shikui protected himself very well; no one was brought near him, for fear of being infected by the epidemic.

The two continued to struggle, while on one side, Yu Shikui stood high above, and Sun Honghai stood by his side like an obedient dog.

Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin watched this scene unfold. Xia Wenjin whispered, “If we kill Yu Shikui, will this be resolved?”

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at her in surprise.

To kill a Fourth Rank County Magistrate in front of so many people? Xia Wenjin was certainly bold!

However, he seriously considered its feasibility for a moment, then shook his head with a sigh, “It would only solve it temporarily. If a Fourth Rank County Magistrate were killed, the entire Wangshan Town would be accused of rebellion, and then they wouldn’t die from being wronged, but from extermination!”

Xia Wenjin understood that what Huangfu Jingchen said was true. If a Fourth Rank Court official were killed by ordinary civilians, even if someone came forward to take responsibility, Wangshan Town’s people wouldn’t escape involvement.

Clearly, this was not a good solution.

Xia Wenjin sighed, “Then if we just capture them and force them to stop?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep