Chapter 484: Chapter 484: Revenge!

In the endless sorrow, suddenly the rain stopped, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and the people put away their umbrellas. Warm light shone on Zhan Xinzhang’s face.

This miraculous scene filled the hearts of soldiers and people with hope.

The sky was just covered with dark clouds, and thunderstorms were raging, but now it suddenly cleared, and a rainbow appeared. It must be some kind of omen.

Someone shouted, “Look, Heaven must have heard the voices of us common people!”

“Heaven has sent colorful clouds to receive the soul of Old General Zhan!”

“Heaven heard it all, our Old General’s soul will surely protect us, the people of Nanjin!”

…

The sunlight radiated a halo, and Zhan Lan stood against the light. She arranged for the Zhan Family Army to guard Lianbian City first. Under the eyes of the people, she took Li Sui and drove a carriage to bring her grandfather’s body back to Fengyu Pass.

In the tent, Zhan Beicang and Zhan Hui saw Zhan Xinzhang’s body when they returned from Shili City.

When Zhan Beicang walked into the tent and saw his father up close, he was stunned in place as if struck by lightning.

Zhan Hui threw down the sword in his hand and knelt beside Zhan Xinzhang.

He looked at Zhan Lan, who was kneeling opposite, and asked, “Sister, grandfather he…”

“I didn’t protect grandfather well, I didn’t rush to the city wall in time, I thought I could handle everything. If you’re going to blame someone, blame me!”

Zhan Lan didn’t know how to explain their grandfather’s death to her father and elder brother, after all, she was the only one who could have saved her grandfather at that time.

But she was late, and grandfather was stabbed through the back and died!

Zhan Hui’s tears were swirling in his eyes, how could his sister possibly not save their grandfather, “Zhan Lan, what nonsense are you talking about!”

Zhan Beicang calmly looked at Zhan Lan, “Your grandfather was a great hero, he certainly wouldn’t want to see you two looking so dispirited, stand up!”

Zhan Lan and Zhan Hui both stood up simultaneously from beside Zhan Xinzhang’s body.

Zhan Beicang’s lips quivered, his body trembled, he suppressed the grief in his heart so no one would see that he was confused by his father’s death. He was the main general in the army; he couldn’t be disordered!

Lu Youjun and Pang An also got the news and returned to the tent. Lu Youjun’s throat was churning, he was holding back his tears.

Pang An’s eyes were red as he knelt in front of Zhan Xinzhang and kowtowed three times.

Lu Youjun said, “Battle is tight now. We will have General’s body protected with ice, and when the time is right, we will send it back to Ding’an City.”

The few were silent, seemingly agreeing with this approach.

Since Zhan Beicang learned of his father’s death, his expression had been calm. He changed the topic, saying, “Zhan Lan guarded Lianbian City with two thousand men, doing great merit!”

“Today, Zhan Hui and I did not hold Shili City, and tens of thousands of people in the city were massacred by the Western Rong!”

Zhan Beicang’s voice choked up.

“What!” Zhan Lan, Lu Youjun, Pang An were all stunned.

Zhan Hui blamed himself and said, “We were late! By the time we arrived, Western Rong’s cavalry had already begun the massacre.”

When they reached the city wall, they found that the Western Rong cavalry in the city had long been gone, presumably turning battle to Lianbian City.

Indeed, on their way to Lian’an City, they learned Zhan Lan had protected the city’s people and immediately hurried back to the camp.

Pang An cursed, “These beasts, they are simply inhumane!”

“This cannot be blamed on you.” Lu Youjun blamed himself.

Pang An also said with shame, “It was our failure to guard the frontier, it has nothing to do with you!”

Today, with the arrival of the three generals of the Zhan family, such a thing happened. Furthermore, Old General Zhan died today. Although everyone’s reaction was different, they could feel the sorrow in the Zhan family people’s hearts.

Zhan Lan walked out without looking back, Zhan Beicang caught up to ask, “Girl, where are you going!”

Zhan Lan looked back at Zhan Beicang, “To take revenge!”

“Girl, you no longer have military power in your hands!” Zhan Beicang’s voice trembled.

Zhan Lan said calmly, “I have my ways.”

Zhan Beicang frowned, moved towards Zhan Lan, and suddenly a Tiger Talisman appeared in Zhan Lan’s hand.

“Father, what are you doing?” Zhan Lan asked puzzledly.

Zhan Beicang looked solemnly at Zhan Lan and said in a deep voice: “From today onwards, we will all obey your orders. You are the main general of the Zhan Family Army!”

“Father…” Since her grandfather’s death, Zhan Lan’s mind had been in a mess. She actually just wanted to be alone and think about how to take revenge. Yet her father was going to give her the command of the Zhan Family Army!

Zhan Beicang spoke forcefully, with each word, “Zhan Lan, taking command in troubled times, do you dare to accept it!”

His voice grew louder, his eyes firm, “Your father I will be your vanguard!”

Zhan Beicang’s tears swirled in his eyes but were held back.

His eyes were misty with tears, he seemed to see the people of Nanjin falling in heaps in pools of blood in front of him.

Those houses burnt and emitting choking black smoke, those heads hung on the city wall, that pungent smell of blood!

The head of Lu Wei, who defended the city, was hung in the middle; his eyes wide open in death, unable to believe he let in the Western Rong, yet still had his head chopped off.

Not far from his head lay the bodies of his old mother and son.

In Zhan Beicang’s vision, there was also a pregnant woman whose belly was still full when she died, a tragedy with one body and two deaths.

He also saw the child who died protecting his mother, the mother tightly holding the child’s body, also cut down by Western Rong cavalry.

The images became increasingly clear, the hoarse screams echoed endlessly.

Zhan Beicang also saw his own father, Zhan Xinzhang, fighting until the very last moment, never yielding in death!

His eyes welled with tears, yet he couldn’t cry!

Zhan Lan gazed into Zhan Beicang’s bloodshot eyes and said in a low voice, “Father, giving me military power without permission is a capital crime, did you know?”

Zhan Beicang was brought back to his thoughts by Zhan Lan’s words, he let out a cold laugh, “What is there to fear in death? The real fear is living with humiliation!”

Especially when he heard from the messenger that Emperor Qingwu had ceded the city to the Western Rong, he wanted to kill that bastard emperor with his own hands!

“Dad!”

Zhan Lan, rarely so intimately, called Zhan Beicang her dad, he looked at Zhan Lan somewhat bewilderingly.

Zhan Lan clenched the Tiger Talisman and said, “Zhan Beicang, listen to orders!”

Zhan Beicang immediately clasped his fist in his palm and saluted Zhan Lan respectfully, “Please order, Main General!”

Zhan Lan tightly held the Tiger Talisman and said, “Father, let’s discuss this in the tent.”

This time, Zhan Lan only let Zhan Beicang and Zhan Hui know about her battle plan.

She always felt there was something fishy about how the Western Rong could easily deceive the two deputy generals.

So she needed absolutely trustworthy people to participate in this surprise attack.