MLMD -Chapter 259 Please Step Aside

“Quick… hurry… it’s this house!”

Huang Dafu pointed at a residence whose entrance was flanked by a pair of imposing stone lions. The massive gates, reinforced with brass plating, gleamed faintly. Turning to Wu Chengfeng behind him, Huang Dafu said, “My lord, the head of this household is surnamed Wang, courtesy name Wang Million. It’s said his wealth is immeasurable. He has hundreds of household slaves and guards—he’s a well-known rich man in this area.”

Mounted on a tall warhorse, Wu Chengfeng gazed at the wide, luxurious gates ahead of him. Behind him stood more than a thousand cavalrymen in neat formation, along with over a hundred large carts. Wu Chengfeng raised his hand, and two soldiers quickly dismounted and ran forward to knock on the gate. They shouted for a while, but the two doors remained tightly shut.

By now, the area around the mansion was already packed with onlookers. The commoners wore expressions of excitement mixed with fear, all eyes fixed on the vermilion gates.

A cruel smile crept onto Wu Chengfeng’s lips. “Since they refuse the toast of respect, don’t blame us for being rude. Smash the gate open!”

“Yes, sir!”

As soon as Wu Chengfeng finished speaking, more than a dozen soldiers lifted a thick log as wide as a large bowl and marched toward the gate. At the shout of the squad leader, the heavy log slammed into the door with a thunderous boom, making the entire gate shudder violently.

“One, two, three—boom!”

“One, two, three—boom!”

With each impact, the seemingly solid gate trembled incessantly. Seeing that it was already on the verge of collapse, excitement flashed in the soldiers’ eyes. They put in a few more heavy strikes, and with a long, shrill, creaking sound, the two vermilion gates collapsed inward with a deafening crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.

When the dust settled, everyone saw a large group of household guards standing just inside the gate, each holding clubs and staves. These men, who normally lorded it over others in the streets, now looked like frightened quails, trembling as they stared at the wolfish soldiers outside.

Wu Chengfeng urged his horse forward a few steps and shouted, “By imperial command, the Yingzhou Army is collecting provisions in the capital. You are given the time of one stick of incense to hand over fifty thousand taels of silver and one thousand shi of grain. If you fail to do so when the time is up, we will show no mercy. Anyone who dares to obstruct us will be executed on the spot!”

A man who looked like the leader of the guards, standing at the front, mustered his courage and shouted back, “Insolence! Do you know who our master is? You dare to force your way into a private residence to plunder money and grain—what crime is that? Retreat at once, or when the imperial army arrives, you will all be wiped out!”

“Heh heh…” Wu Chengfeng laughed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. “The imperial army? It seems you’re unwilling to hand things over. Since you’ve chosen this path, don’t blame us. Musketeers, prepare!”

Clatter—

Several hundred musketeers at the gate raised their firearms in unison, aiming at the guards inside. The dark muzzles gleamed with a chilling light under the sun.

Soon, the voice of a company commander rang out: “By the general’s order—anyone who obstructs the army’s collection of provisions will be treated as collaborating with the enemy. We will count to three breaths. If you have not withdrawn by then, you will be killed without mercy!”

“Three…”

The household guards exchanged uneasy glances. Most of them looked toward their leader. His face was deathly pale, yet he forced himself to stand firm. “Don’t panic, everyone! These soldiers wouldn’t dare fire recklessly. Hold your ground! The master said that as long as we protect the residence, we’ll be richly rewarded!”

“Two…”

The calm voice from outside carried inward. A murderous glint flashed in Wu Chengfeng’s eyes…

Just as the word “One” was about to be shouted, a distant cry suddenly rang out.

“Stop—stop everything!”

Wu Chengfeng turned his head. From afar came the sound of chaotic footsteps. A cavalryman in a traditional mandarin-duck patterned battle jacket was galloping toward them, the rider frantically waving and shouting. Behind him, several sedan bearers were struggling forward with a small green-cloth sedan chair, followed closely by a group of panting officials and soldiers.

Soon, the sedan chair was set down in front of Wu Chengfeng. Once it landed, a middle-aged official in crimson robes stepped out. When he saw the uniform and the embroidered golden pheasant badge on the man’s chest, Wu Chengfeng’s expression stiffened briefly before returning to calm.

The official looked to be around forty years old, with a square face and thick dark eyebrows, exuding an air of authority without anger. After stepping down from the sedan, he raised his hand and held a silk scroll high in the air, shouting loudly, “Shanxi Northern Route Deputy Commander, Zhen’guo General Yue Yang—receive the imperial edict!”

“Shanxi Northern Route Deputy Commander, Zhen’guo General Yue Yang—receive the imperial edict!”

He called twice, but not a single soldier in front of him responded. They merely looked at him in silence.

“Hmph…” The man’s thick brows twitched as he shouted, “Where is Yue Yang? Have him come at once to receive the edict!”

Wu Chengfeng cupped his hands toward the official and said, “My lord, you’re wasting your breath. Lord Yue isn’t here.”

The official’s expression changed. He shouted sternly, “What? Where has Yue Yang gone? Call him here at once—the emperor has issued an edict!”

The man radiated official authority. Any ordinary official would have been cowed by his presence. But Wu Chengfeng and his men were clearly not among them. To Wu Chengfeng, no matter how high-ranking this official was, he had nothing to do with him.

Wu Chengfeng suddenly chuckled. “My lord, our general has gone to Willow Alley to collect provisions. If you want to deliver the edict, you’d better hurry over there. Otherwise, who knows where our general might run off to next.”

“Who are you, to dare speak to this official in such a manner!” the man thundered.

Seeing Wu Chengfeng’s indifferent expression, the official grew furious and stepped forward, fixing him with a stern glare. He was confident—after nearly twenty years in office, his entire body radiated overwhelming authority. Ordinary officials would tremble before him, sometimes too scared to even speak properly.

Unfortunately for him, that authority failed today.

To men like Wu Chengfeng, they had never received a single copper coin of salary from the court, nor eaten a single grain of its rice. In an age where one served whoever fed them, it was Yue Yang who had given them farmland, paid their wages, and provided their rations. Yue Yang was their benefactor, their provider. With land and generous pay, Yue Yang had firmly bound his soldiers to his war chariot. As for anyone else… sorry, what did they have to do with them?

Thus, Wu Chengfeng’s next words nearly made the official choke with rage.

“My lord, please step aside. If there’s nothing else, we’re about to open fire and start killing people.”