Disloyalty and disloyalty

The news that the Qian Army had reached the outskirts of Panyu City quickly spread, and the once peaceful city erupted like oil poured into cold water.

At this moment, both the Powerful Families families and the common people began to panic, with some already thinking about how to flee.

At this critical juncture, Feng Chengdao suddenly adopted a hardline stance, ordering the defenders to close the city gates and seal the docks, prohibiting all entry and exit, which sparked considerable discontent.

The heads of these Powerful Families families immediately decided to band together and go to the palace to pressure the His Highness the Crown Prince of the Southern Yue to order that their families be allowed to leave the city.

The result was that they were all driven out without even seeing him, and now these Powerful Families family heads were not having it.

With the Southern Yue Kingdom on the brink of collapse, do we really have to go down with you?

Since this approach didn't work, they began to consider other options, and soon, officers at all levels of the city's defenders received various banquet invitations.

Faced with readily available money and beautiful women, many wavered.

With a fierce battle looming, couldn't they indulge a little?

This indulgence led to trouble. Having tasted the pleasures of the world and seeing the wealth and beauties within reach, who wouldn't want to keep enjoying them?

With their superiors living in drunken debauchery day after day, the lower-ranking soldiers inevitably had their own thoughts, especially since many of their families were still in places like Shao Prefecture and Duan Prefecture.

After just about ten days without Feng Chengdao making an appearance, the entire city of Panyu was already divided in loyalty. The Powerful Families families had their schemes, the officers their calculations, and the soldiers their own ideas.

If the city gates were to open, it's estimated that at least half of the over ten thousand defenders would scatter.

So, what was Feng Chengdao, the King of Nanyue, doing at this time?

He was busy gathering the gold, silver, and jewels from the palace, along with those beauties who had long been itching for attention.

Especially the wives and Concubines of Feng Pu, Feng Chengqian, and Feng Chengkun—each one was stunningly beautiful.

With Feng Pu, that mountain, no longer weighing on him, Feng Chengdao let himself go completely, enjoying them all. Hmm, very smooth!

Having accomplished another feat of cuckoldry, he returned to the palace satisfied, where Tan Xiang was already waiting for him.

Seeing Feng Chengdao enter, Tan Xiang bowed with clasped hands.

"Greetings, His Highness the Crown Prince."

"How are the preparations going?"

"Fifteen large ships are all ready, awaiting Your Highness's order to set sail."

"Hahaha, excellent! Once we carve out a realm in the South Seas, I will appoint you as Grand General, second only to me."

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty."

Feng Chengdao laughed arrogantly, marveling at his own brilliant strategy, completely unaware of the fleeting coldness in Tan Xiang's eyes.

On the tenth day of the seventh month in the third year of the new era name, two days before Feng Chengdao's scheduled evacuation, Panyu City lay silent under the cover of night.

Several caravans emerged from their luxurious mansions, all heading toward the eastern city gate.

When they reached the eastern gate, they were momentarily taken aback, exchanging glances without a word. Then, several men who looked like stewards stepped down from their carriages, each holding a small box.

Having received their payment, the eastern gate defenders waved their hands, and the gate slowly opened, allowing the Powerful Families families' caravans to quickly leave Panyu City.

Behind them, the gate defenders soon left with their families in tow. For them, they had already received enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives—only a fool would stay here to die.

Their actions did not escape Xue Linfeng's notice. Several Scouts spotted these caravans and immediately reported back.

Upon hearing that people had fled the city and that Panyu's eastern gate was left open, Xue Linfeng sprang out of bed. As he dressed, he ordered:

"Sound the drums! Quickly sound the drums! Rouse the entire army. A thousand fat sheep are getting away!"

The value of training finally showed. In less than two quarters of an hour, the entire army assembled, and Xue Linfeng immediately ordered:

"Mu Sheng, lead the Xiaoguo Army and auxiliary troops eastward. You must intercept those fleeing; not a single one escapes. I will personally lead the Beiwei Army to seize the eastern gate."

"Yes!"

The camp gates swung open, and two armies marched out, quickly heading in different directions.

The vast eastern gate of Panyu City was eerily silent. Seeing this, Xue Linfeng could hardly believe it.

Cautiously, he sent five hundred Sword and Shield Soldiers ahead to enter the gate first.

Only after the five hundred Sword and Shield Soldiers passed through the Barbican and entered the inner city, fully taking over the defenses, did he finally believe it was real.

"As per the original plan, you take a brigade to surround the palace, you take a brigade to seize the docks, and the rest follow me to surround the barracks..."

After quickly reiterating their tasks to several deputy generals, Xue Linfeng waved his hand, and the Beiwei Army entered Panyu City.

In the quiet night, the clinking of the iron armor plates on the Beiwei Army soldiers was particularly distinct.

Many residents who were still awake peered through cracks in their doors, becoming the first to witness the Beiwei Army's entry into the city.

At the city barracks, the soldiers on watch soon noticed the army approaching through the darkness.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The alarm bells rang out alongside the soldiers' shouts.

But only that one shout was heard before the sentry on high was pierced through the neck by an arrow and fell.

"Crash..."

The wooden camp gate was smashed open by Sword and Shield Soldiers, who then stepped aside as Repeating Crossbowmen advanced to shoot down the Southern Yue soldiers rushing out.

Any who slipped through were killed by the Spearmen behind the crossbowmen.

This was the Three Talents Formation devised by Gao Yuan based on movies and TV shows, proving highly effective in close-quarters combat.

With these patrols defeated, the soldiers in the barracks, still dazed, completely lost their chance to resist.

They were isolated and surrounded in their own tents. Anyone who came out with a sword was met with ruthless slaughter.

In less than half an hour, all resistance in the barracks was extinguished, and most of the defenders were captured alive.

Almost simultaneously with the fighting in the barracks, the skirmish at the docks also ended.

There were only about two hundred soldiers here, quickly wiped out.

The leading Beiwei Army Brigade Commander was about to lead his men away to seek more battle merits when someone beside him pulled him back.

"Brigade Commander, look—these large ships are riding so low in the water, they must be fully loaded. Should we check them out?"

Only then did the Brigade Commander notice the anomaly with these dozen or so ships. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to board and inspect them.

A short while later, he was stunned. These were Treasure Ship, loaded with money and grain.

After disembarking, he took a moment to calm his excitement before ordering:

"First Battalion, stay here and guard these ships. No one is to approach. The rest, follow me to the palace."

According to Xue Linfeng's plan, the palace would be the most heavily guarded place.

Thus, he intended to tackle this tough nut last.

After securing the barracks, seizing the docks, and taking the northern and western gates, he finally advanced toward the palace.

Inside the Southern Yue royal palace at this moment, Feng Chengdao was sound asleep, embracing one of Feng Pu's Concubines.

Judging by the torn clothes scattered on the floor, the leftover food and cold dishes on the table, and the empty wine jars nearby, it was clear how wildly he had been partying.

How wild? Well, the palace maids shook him for a long time without waking him up.

On the palace city walls, after Xue Linfeng met his conditions, Tan Xiang ordered the palace gates opened.

The moment he stepped into the Southern Yue royal palace, Xue Linfeng felt a pang of regret.

All the siege engines he had built outside the city over the past few days were wasted—that was all money down the drain!

Heartache to the point of breathlessness!