Just then, a scholar following behind Prefect Zhang looked at the air cushion boat and sneered.
"Lord Zhang, rest assured, he is only investigating the case by imperial decree.
His current posturing is just to scare you. With a hundred times his courage, he wouldn't dare to attack.
Otherwise, attacking a city is an act of rebellion!
The Prefect suddenly turned his head to the scholar and retorted, "He really wouldn't dare?"
"If the scholar says he dares not, then he surely dares not!"
The scholar's smile deepened.
Outside the city, Fang Er checked his watch. Five minutes had passed since his last warning.
"Since they are still stubbornly refusing to open, do not blame me for what comes next!
Firepower room, target city gate, open fire!"
"Order received, firing!"
Li Da pressed the firepower switch of the machine gun.
*Brrrt brrrt brrrt brrrt brrrt brrrt~~~*
The dark muzzle was suddenly engulfed by a bright flame, and countless shells poured out, directly targeting the city gate of Langya!
Within an instant, the powerful firepower tore the thick city gate to shreds, sending splinters flying!
Even the lifting iron rings on the drawbridge were severed, crashing down heavily.
*Bang!*
The drawbridge landed, reconnecting across the moat.
"Cease fire! All of Third Regiment, disembark!"
Tossing the walkie-talkie to Zhang De, Fang Er grabbed an AK47 and walked out of the cockpit.
Simultaneously, soldiers of the Third Regiment jumped from their boats and quickly formed ranks.
"This! This! This! How dare he!"
On the city wall, the scholar who had confidently declared Fang Er wouldn't dare to attack was dumbfounded.
He hadn't expected Fang Er to be so decisive, attacking as soon as he said he would!
While he was still stunned, Fang Er had already issued the order to enter the city to the Third Regiment.
The special forces would lead the way, ensuring there were no ambushes within the city, followed by the thousand men of the Third Regiment in neat formation.
The citizens within the city had already been terrified by the sound of the machine guns and were hiding in their homes.
Those whose homes were not in the city hurried to find shelter in places like taverns or inns.
"Lord Zhang, hold them off for a while. This scholar will return to report to the family head!"
Seeing the army enter the city, the scholar threw a sentence at the Prefect and fled.
He could flee, but the Prefect could not. His green robes and hat were clearly visible from a distance.
As the Prefect stared blankly at the departing scholar, Wang Xuance had already led the special forces to the city wall. By the time he reacted, he found himself surrounded by soldiers.
Then, the crowd parted, and Fang Er walked forward. Upon seeing the Prefect, he immediately kicked him without a word.
"Who gave you the nerve to block me outside the city!"
The Prefect was almost kicked hard enough to crash into the battlements and fall out of the city.
Seeing Fang Er glaring at him, he immediately fell to his knees.
"My Lord Duke, please forgive me! This subordinate was forced! This subordinate was forced!"
Fang Er was too lazy to ask for reasons. It was likely due to the Kong family's instigation, a threat, or perhaps he was a party member of the Kong family.
"Those who do not wish to die, lead me to the Kong family!"
"Yes, yes, yes! This subordinate will lead the way!"
The Prefect hurriedly stood up and, bowing, led the way.
They descended the city wall, navigated through several alleys, and then the Prefect pointed to a large mansion not far away.
"My Lord, my Lord Duke, that… that is the Kong family. This is merely one of their estates.
Outside the city, they also have their manors."
"Hao Da Niu, receive your orders!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Block all entrances and exits to the Kong mansion. Do not let anyone escape!"
"Yes!"
Third Regiment Commander Hao Da Niu quickly assigned the task to his subordinates.
More than a thousand men were divided into several teams, encircling the front, back, and sides of the Kong mansion.
"Charge in!"
At the main gate of the Kong mansion, with Fang Er's command, the special forces rushed out from behind, leaping over the courtyard walls and entering.
Then, a dense volley of gunfire could be heard from within.
A moment later, the main gate was opened from the inside. Hao Da Niu, with two hundred soldiers, immediately charged into the courtyard.
Among the thousand brothers of the Second Regiment who were killed, many were close friends.
He never imagined that after just one mission, they would never see each other again. Every time he thought of this, he gnashed his teeth in hatred.
"Brothers, charge with me!"
"Capture everyone inside. Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"
"Yes!"
In direct combat, the Heavenly Fire Army was almost unrivaled throughout the Great Tang.
Fang Er stood quietly before the gate of the Kong mansion.
The Prefect, with his body bowed, stood beside him, trembling all over. "Too brutal! Too brutal!"
This person not only dared to attack the city gate but also directly stormed the Kong family!
Could it be that… that the Emperor was planning to eliminate the Kong family?
Thinking of this, the Prefect knelt at Fang Er's feet with a thud.
"Lord Fang, my family has been taken outside the city by the Kong family.
Please, please, please show mercy and rescue my family."
Fang Er was slightly taken aback. He thought the Prefect was a supporter of the Kong family, but it turned out his family was being held hostage.
"When did the Kong family take your family out of the city, less than half an hour after I arrived?"
"Replying to my Lord Duke, they took my family away half a month ago.
They said they were inviting my family to visit the Kong family mansion."
As he spoke, the Prefect's expression suddenly turned ferocious.
"They weren't inviting people to visit; it was clearly because this subordinate knew something he shouldn't. They were threatening me."
"What did you know! Speak!"
Fang Er immediately pressed for more information upon hearing this.
The Prefect knelt there and explained the entire sequence of events.
It turned out that he had previously received reports from citizens about bandits listed on a maritime arrest warrant appearing within the city, so he had sent out runners to search and apprehend them.
However, those bandits had entered the mansion of the Kong family. As a good official who aspired to serve the people, how could he stand by and watch the bandits within reach and let them go?
He couldn't afford to offend the Kong family, so he led his runners to ambush them outside the city.
As expected, the bandits left the Kong family shortly thereafter, and he apprehended them.
After interrogation, the bandit not only confessed his past deeds but also revealed the purpose of his visit to the Kong family.
The Kong family was colluding with the remnants of families who had betrayed the country!
Upon learning this, the Prefect was almost scared to death!
As a good official determined to serve the people, after calming himself down, he decided to expose the Kong family's crimes.
The bandit was the sole witness. Due to the Kong family's immense power, it was impossible to send him to the capital, as he might be ambushed and killed along the way. However, keeping him in prison was even more unsafe.
To ensure the bandit's safety, he assigned several trusted men to hide the bandit.
As expected, once the Kong family learned that the bandit had been captured, they immediately came to demand his release.
The Prefect knew that if he handed over the bandit, he would surely be silenced by the Kong family, so he naturally refused to comply.
To force his hand, the Kong family used the pretense of an invitation to forcefully take away the Prefect's family.
This put the Prefect in a dilemma: if he didn't release the bandit, the Kong family wouldn't release his family; if he released the bandit, his entire family's lives would be in danger.
Thus, he threatened the Kong family that if anything happened to his family, the bandit and the confession would be sent to the capital immediately!
Fang Er certainly wouldn't believe all of this. At the very least, his constant claims of being a good official determined to serve the people sounded like utter nonsense to him!