Chapter Twenty: Striking at the Root, Removing the Foundation

The Grand General holds the highest military rank in the State of Wu, standing above the twelve generals of the four expeditions, four protections, and four guards. In most cases, it is an honorary title, typically bestowed only upon elderly generals who are highly respected and have already been relieved of their actual military command.

Grand General Luo Gan is one such figure. Although the old man has been stripped of his command, his personal soldiers and former subordinates are spread throughout the military; even Lin Ji, the father of Lin Zhong, once served under his banner. Furthermore, his daughter is married to the popular successor, Ke Yuan. Consequently, his influence within the Wu military remains formidable.

"Young Master Lin, please, rise!" Luo Gan, currently in need of assistance, could hardly allow Lin Zhong to bow. Before Lin could finish his gesture, Luo Gan personally pulled him up.

"Grand General, my fifth brother is of a wild temperament and lacks the depth of talent to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. If there has been any discourtesy, I ask that you be forgiving." Lin Zhong quickly tried to make amends on Lu Wu’s behalf.

When a person of high status bows to one of lower standing, they inevitably want something. Given the Grand General’s status and his uncharacteristic affability at such a critical moment, it could only mean trouble—most likely a task requiring someone to risk their life.

"Haha, Young Master Lin, you underestimate your fifth brother. We are all in this together now, sharing in the same fate. I will not mince words: if your fifth brother does not act today, we are all sitting ducks, likely to end up dead and unburied by tomorrow. Whether we can carve a path to survival depends entirely on him."

Grand General Luo Gan did not care about the specifics of the relationship between the Lu and Lin families; since Lin Zhong called Lu Wu his fifth brother, he would do the same.

Hearing this from the Grand General, Lin Zhong was left in a state of shock and doubt. He looked back at Lu Wu—heaven knows what his brother-in-law had done to warrant such high regard from the Grand General.

Lu Wu merely smiled.

"Songjing has become a place of extreme peril. Young Master Lu, could I trouble you to escort Lady Ming and Tu'er out of the city?" Luo Gan asked, looking at Lu Wu.

Lady Ming is the widow of Prince Yuan and the daughter of Grand General Luo Gan, while Ke Tu is the eldest son of Prince Yuan. If Luo Gan had not arrived with troops, there might have been room for negotiation, but by marching into the Yuan estate, they had burned their bridges; it was now a matter of life and death.

However, if they could escape Songjing, given Ke Tu's status as Prince Yuan's heir and the military influence of Grand General Luo Gan, they might yet have a chance to turn the tide.

A middle-aged woman dressed in mourning white, whose features bore a faint resemblance to Luo Gan, hurried over with two boys, one older and one younger. She had stood aside earlier, not wanting to interrupt the conversation. Hearing the General’s request, she immediately knelt before Lu Wu and pleaded, "I implore the Young General to save this widow and her orphans."

Lu Wu quickly helped her up.

Her identity was obvious: she was Prince Yuan’s widow, and the two boys behind her were undoubtedly the bloodline of the late Prince. Lu Wu felt a bit troubled, yet it was difficult to refuse.

He scratched his head and said with some annoyance, "My Lady, I am but a rough man. I am skilled at killing, but I have never protected anyone. How about this—I shall go and kill Prince Jiu instead, would that suffice?"

This statement caught Lady Ming completely off guard. As the daughter of Luo Gan and the wife of Ke Yuan, she was no mere vase kept in the back courtyard; she was a political asset and a partner in their alliance. Upon hearing that her father had arrived with troops, she had rushed out to meet him. Seeing her father hold this man in such high esteem, she had knelt to ensure he could not refuse them. Yet, instead of agreeing to escort them out of the city, he suggested killing Prince Jiu?

"Fifth brother!" Lin Zhong cried out in alarm.

In the distance, a horn sounded as soldiers breached the estate gates.

"Report! General Yang Hu of the Eastern Guard is approaching with two battalions. Expected arrival in half a quarter-hour, with at least five hundred armored soldiers. Grand General, please make your decision!" A swordsman leaped over thirty feet, landing before Luo Gan to deliver the news.

"Report! Prince Jiu is leading two battalions of the Golden Guard along the Sky Street. Expected arrival in one quarter-hour!" Before Luo Gan could react, another scout rode in.

"Guo Cheng, take your men to occupy the courtyard opposite. Li Tong, take thirty archers and wait for orders there. Wei Ming, take fifty armored men and form a formation along the long street. Ming, you and the children, shed your mourning clothes and put on armor. Follow Zhang Yong's squad. If the situation turns dire, I will hold the enemy back, and Zhang Yong will lead you away."

"Also, find a woman and two men in the estate, dress them in your daily clothes, and have them pretend to still be in the back courtyard keeping vigil for Ke Yuan."

As the old general issued his orders, he heard a gasp behind him, followed by the neighing of a warhorse and the thunder of hooves. Turning around, he saw a lone rider gallop out of the gate, turn a corner, and head straight toward Sky Street.

"Father—" Lady Ming called out, though she did not know what else to say.

Was that man really going to kill Prince Jiu, or was he just taking the opportunity to flee?

***

Having received word from General Yang Hu, Prince Jiu could not afford to waste time clearing the royal court. He personally led two battalions of the Golden Guard toward the Chengde District.

Although Grand General Luo Gan only had two hundred personal guards, he was a crafty old fox; his servants and house staff were formidable fighters. If they were all armed, they could easily scrape together five or six hundred seasoned warriors.

For Prince Jiu, this battle could not be lost if he wanted to avoid endless future strife.

The orphans of Prince Yuan alone posed no threat; he was already the primary successor to the throne of Wu. Grand General Luo Gan alone was also not a major threat, provided he didn't kill him outright—it would be easy enough to purge Luo Gan’s military allies once he was firmly seated on the throne.

But if he allowed Luo Gan to escape Songjing with the Prince's heirs at this critical juncture, their influence could easily rally a rebel army. Not to mention the border troops at Ding-Shui City; they would likely defect.

Currently, most of Prince Jiu's forces were busy suppressing Prince Yuan’s subordinates. The only troops he could immediately mobilize were the Golden Guards protecting the royal city.

Prince Jiu had not yet officially ascended the throne; he was only using his status as the sole heir to force the Golden Guard into action. Thus, even though a man of wealth should not risk his own skin, he had to take the field himself to secure the situation.

It was just as well. A throne seized through such succession struggles was inherently illegitimate, but if he could claim the victory of defeating Grand General Luo Gan, the pressure from all sides would be significantly reduced once he ascended.

The thousand armored soldiers of the two Golden Guard battalions marched with the rhythmic clatter of steel, moving quickly along the Sky Street, only two miles away from the Chengde District.