Such a mass of soldiers weren’t good at sneaking, spotted by the guards soon enough, just a hundred steps outside the manor.
“Who’s there? Stop, I’m warning you soldier! Identify yours-, agh!”
The guard had yet to finish as an arrow ran his now gurgling throat through and fell down in a pool of blood.
Whistles sounded and the alarm was raised. The 300 guards around the manor responded.
They rushed to the fence of the manor, to guard the chokepoints.
The lord’s guard camp was also woken up, not 500 meters away and assembled in their field.
The guard captain was about to send someone for news and understand the situation better.
But then he heard rattling and banging from the general’s house direction.
He listened closer and even heard “Enemy attack, enemy attack! There’s a mutiny! Tell the general!”
That was one of the most tame shouts. But the general meaning was clear and the guard captain’s face fell.
If the enemy outside the gates caught wind of this, it would take them with hardly any effort.
The guard captain called his own loyal men and went to protect the general.
While also sending a soldier to other men who hadn’t revolted to divide their forces in manning the walls in case there was an attack.
The other part would come along to quell the mutiny. Though unclear just how many they were, it could be hundreds or thousands.
Deep in thought, he arrived at the general’s home with his men.
Only to stumble upon a sea of people with torches lit and clattering of metal.
Going by the army system, there was a torch for every ten people. Now that he saw a thousand of those flickering lights, it painted a gruesome picture on the whole mutiny.
‘Who was it that mobilized this rebelion? Aren’t they afraid of the court’s law? Or had the court fallen out of the grace of the people?’
That was the guard captain’s first reaction when coming upon this mass of soldiers assaulting the general’s house. While also sad the court had he served for so long felt so low.
Guo Cheng, the leader of this movement and a man from the glorious Guo clan from Yingchuan Region, and the highest officers from the clans present, didn’t care that three thousand guards were coming at them.
He used his status in the clan and the Yu Empire army outside to gather with other friendly officials to start this movement.
After a short bout of threats and entreaties, the officers that had been meek all their lives under the clans’ rule and seeing the decay of the court, agreed quite readily.
One of the reasons they didn’t rebelled already was being subjects to the Han Dynasty for so long and officials for generations. Now they were to abandon it in a moment of crisis? This was not how they were raised.
They didn’t know how to surrender, how would the enemy treat them. Thus many reservations made them stall.
But now, Guo Cheng had Yu Empire’s missive and these officers rethought about surrender.
Guo Cheng had them convinced by the end, all marching for Lu Zhi’s home to get his head and earn themselves a bright future in the Yu Empire.
The walls of the general’s manor were but 5 meters tall, far shorter than the 20 meters walls of the pass.
Yet this low wall gave the general’s guards the confidence to hold them back, despite being attacked by ten thousand soldiers.
Until the 3,000 guards came, these few men would hold their own with all their might.
The clamor outside turned too much for even Lu Zhi to ignore. Leading his officers outside to see the rebels attacking.
Face grim, his eyes landed on a rider with impeccable armor, like a general.
“Damn you, traitor. The court had looked after your clan for generations, even inheriting such a lofty position yet this is how the Guo clan repays the emperor, by fighting against him?” General Lu Zhi spat.
“The nation is in chaos, the fires of unrest burn these lands, driving its people into banditry. While King Yu in the south sweeps every obstacle with ease, against the Great Han. The people behind had their bellies filled, welcoming this glorious king. Today’s lands are more than half in his hand. What can puny Han possibly do to stem the tide? General, by not turning sides, you are siding with a corrupt court, preventing peace from being restored.” Guo Cheng didn’t much care about the general’s demand, using this chance to show how weak Han was and how unfair it treated its soldiers to make more officers defect.
“Enough blabbering! We will settle this in battle!” Noticing some soldiers shifting their stance, Lu Zhi cut it short and challenged Guo Cheng.
“Let’s! Anyone who gets Lu Zhi’s head will get 100 taels of gold and be promoted three ranks.”
Guo Cheng noticed his side swelling to 30,000 over the course of the fight, more than 70%.
While only 2,000 fought and 5,000 chose to abstain for now.
His mouth took a cold smile, watching the stubborn Lu Zhi.
‘Sorry, but Yu Empire’s offer I can’t refuse.’
‘I’ll have a county under me. And all I have to do is get Lu Zhi’s head before the lord.’
He could practically taste the power and authority in being the ruler of his own stretch of land. Just like how the emperor looked years before. And his heart burned with ambition.
