"Seize him at once!"
Without giving Cao Yuanqing a chance to explain, Xia Yuan immediately ordered the men behind him to apprehend Cao Yuanqing.
Cao Yuanqing was captured by Xia Yuan's elite soldiers and generals before he could even destroy the letter in his hand.
Xia Yuan walked up to Cao Yuanqing and pried the letter from between his fingers.
"Clutching it so tightly, it must be very important?"
Xia Yuan said with a cold smile.
Cao Yuanqing was covered in cold sweat, his entire body as if drained of all strength.
How could it not be important? The contents within were enough to cost him his life!
Xia Yuan gently opened the letter and began to read its contents aloud.
"Brother Cao, Beiling City has been framed by a villain and is in crisis. The entire Xianzhen Camp is trapped in Beiling City. I implore Brother Cao to send reinforcements, and they must arrive before dawn. After this matter is resolved, Brother Cao will surely be credited. When I, Fang Mou, establish the nation, I will enfeoff Brother Cao as the founding marshal! Signed, Fang Shijie."
After Xia Yuan finished reading the letter, not only Cao Yuanqing but also the other generals were shocked.
Was Cao Yuanqing plotting rebellion with Fang Shijie?
This was too explosive!
"Cao Yuanqing, I never expected you to commit such treasonous acts! You are a disgrace to us soldiers!"
Meng Xingbang pointed at Cao Yuanqing and cursed him furiously.
Xia Yuan raised his hand to interrupt Meng Xingbang.
"Cao Yuanqing, do you have anything else to say?"
Xia Yuan asked Cao Yuanqing softly.
Cao Yuanqing slumped like a deflated ball, lowering his head and remaining silent.
He knew he was finished, and anything he said would be in vain.
"Imprison the traitor Cao Yuanqing in the dungeon to await his sentence!"
Xia Yuan commanded.
"Meng Xingbang!"
Xia Yuan turned and called out to Meng Xingbang.
"Your subordinate is here!"
Meng Xingbang immediately knelt on one knee and responded with cupped fists.
"You, with five thousand light cavalry, will ride to Beiling City tonight to resolve the crisis there and capture the traitor Fang Shijie and the rebel Xianzhen Camp!"
Xia Yuan ordered Meng Xingbang.
Although the main culprit, Cao Yuanqing, had been apprehended, the crisis in Beiling City still needed to be resolved. The people of Beiling City were innocent.
"Yes!"
Meng Xingbang received the order and quickly gathered his men, galloping towards Beiling City.
Not long after, the sky began to lighten.
The King of Kaoshan's men once again appeared at the city gates.
"Time is up, where are they!"
The King of Kaoshan boomed, asking Fang Shijie on the city wall.
Fang Shijie's face was filled with bitterness.
An entire night had passed, why hadn't the reinforcements from the front arrived yet?
Fang Shijie anxiously looked towards the north.
Then, he saw dust rising in the distance, and a large number of cavalry were approaching.
Fang Shijie's heart rejoiced.
"The reinforcements? They're here! Let's see if you can stop them!"
Fang Shijie suddenly felt emboldened and looked at the King of Kaoshan with arrogance.
The King of Kaoshan frowned slightly.
He wondered why Fang Shijie's attitude had suddenly changed.
Suddenly, the King of Kaoshan felt the ground vibrate, and small stones on the ground trembled.
"Big Brother! Look!"
The King of Kaoshan's subordinate was the first to notice the anomaly to the north, pointing at the shocked King of Kaoshan.
The King of Kaoshan looked doubtfully and saw a massive dust cloud rising in the north, like a sandstorm sweeping in, with a large number of cavalry charging towards them.
The King of Kaoshan was stunned.
Fang Shijie found reinforcements? Were they truly the Xianzhen Camp?
"Brothers! Retreat!"
The King of Kaoshan dared not confront the approaching army head-on.
Moreover, judging by the enemy's formation, there were at least four to five thousand cavalry. His own men were no match for them, so he immediately ordered a retreat.
However, this left the infantry regiments under the King of Kaoshan in a dire situation.
They could not outrun the cavalry and naturally fell behind.
When Meng Xingbang's cavalry caught up, it was a massacre. The infantry had no power to resist under the cavalry's charge and were instantly overwhelmed.
Fang Shijie on the city wall wore a confident smile.
Cao Yuanqing was truly generous, sending so many cavalry, likely half of the front-line cavalry force.
But soon, his smile vanished.
After the cavalry annihilated the infantry left behind by the King of Kaoshan, they turned and charged towards Beiling City. Under Meng Xingbang's command, they broke through the city gates, stormed the walls, and took control of all the members of the Xianzhen Camp.
"What is the meaning of this? Who is in charge? Don't you know who I am!"
Fang Shijie was furious and shouted at the soldiers who were detaining them.
"I am in charge. City Lord Fang, I certainly know who you are. Do you have any objections?"
Meng Xingbang walked onto the city wall and said to Fang Shijie expressionlessly.
Seeing that it was Meng Xingbang, Xu Tian's heart sank.
He knew what Meng Xingbang's arrival signified.
Meng Xingbang was of the same rank as Cao Yuanqing, and Cao Yuanqing could not command Meng Xingbang. Only General Xia Yuan could command Meng Xingbang, which meant that General Cao had been exposed!
"Who are you? Where is Cao Yuanqing?"
Fang Shijie was still unaware of the current predicament and still wanted to see Cao Yuanqing.
"Cao Yuanqing? You'll see him soon. Take him away!"
Meng Xingbang roared and ordered his soldiers to escort Fang Shijie away.
"Let me go! I am the City Lord of Beiling City, you have no right to arrest me! I am a king of a different surname! Be careful, I'll have your heads!"
Fang Shijie continued to shout, completely unaware of what awaited him.
"Hey! General Meng!"
At this moment, Su Fan appeared at the city gates with his bandit suppression camp.
Su Fan had seen from afar the cavalry driving away the King of Kaoshan and then returning to take control of the city.
He knew then that Xia Yuan's side had successfully found the mastermind and sent people to apprehend Fang Shijie and his group.
He immediately brought his men over.
Meng Xingbang glanced at Su Fan from the city wall.
He naturally recognized Su Fan.
"Let them come up!"
Meng Xingbang said to his subordinates.
"General Meng, I saw your divine performance just now. It was magnificent!"
Su Fan ascended and unceremoniously flattered him.
As the saying goes, flattery is always welcome.
Saying a few nice words could improve their relationship.
Moreover, Su Fan had previously suspected him.
"The Great General said you were to report to the military camp in two days. We have now found the traitor within the army, and you are to escort them back to Tianlong City to be dealt with by His Majesty."
Meng Xingbang said to Su Fan.
"Alright, I also have some evidence to prove Fang Shijie's collusion with the army."
Su Fan nodded and said.
After capturing Fang Shijie and the main members of the Xianzhen Camp, the next step was confiscation.
The City Lord's mansion was immediately sealed, and not a single relevant person escaped. All were taken back to the military prison.
Beiling City suddenly became a land without a master, its City Lord gone.
The people of Beiling City sighed with emotion.
However, given Fang Shijie's previous actions, this matter did not elicit much opposition. Instead, they felt that with Fang Shijie gone, Beiling City would be better off.
As for the future of Beiling City, someone would naturally attend to it.