Loyal Heart Roaming the Skies

"Guard Chen!"

Seeing Chen Yong approaching from a distance, Qian, the steward, immediately perked up.

But hindered by the crossbows aimed at him, he still didn't dare to stand up, only kneeling there, showing the most friendly expression possible. "Quickly tell these military officers that I am really the steward of the Four Seas Trading Alliance! A third-class steward! My surname is Qian!"

The stewards of the entire Four Seas Trading Alliance are divided into three classes. The third class is the lowest, and the first class is the highest, responsible for the specific affairs of the entire trading alliance. Above this, there are nine honorary stewards, who only hold the title and do not deal with mundane affairs.

When they need to appear, it is only when dealing with other high-ranking officials and nobles of the Qi Kingdom.

Although Steward Qian is only a third-class steward, he is usually quite powerful. The reason he has fallen to this point is really hard to explain.

He has not been in Jia City for long, but has already plundered a large amount of wealth. Taking advantage of the opportunity to control a large amount of life-saving supplies, he raised the prices and exploited the large and small families of Jia City to the point of unbearable suffering.

Not to mention that the Xi family has already withdrawn, leaving Jia City without a leader. Even if the Xi family is still there, what can they do against the Four Seas Trading Alliance? They can only be exploited at will.

The Yang Court relies on the Four Seas Trading Alliance to provide disaster relief and dare not offend them. What can the county city below do?

For Steward Qian, this is just a small matter, and it is also an unspoken matter of the Four Seas Trading Alliance. It's just that because of the current situation in Jia City, he has done something "a little excessive."

But the problem is that a large part of the wealth he has taken is for his own pockets, separate from the part given to the Four Seas Trading Alliance. It can't see the light of day.

After learning about the poisonous epidemic, he immediately took away all the wealth he could carry. Just in terms of gold and silver, he filled more than a dozen boxes!

In order to conceal the wealth, he hid his identity and deliberately took a longer route to the relatively distant Pingxi County. (It is also one of the border counties of the Qi Kingdom.)

He was well aware of the horror of the poisonous epidemic, but did not understand the severity of the Qi army's blockade of the border.

First, he refused to reveal his identity, fearing that the assets he coveted would be known to the Four Seas Trading Alliance. Then, in negotiations with the guarding soldiers, he attempted to bribe them.

As a result, he almost got killed on the spot.

Later, he had no choice but to reveal his identity, but also because of his previous false performance, he was expelled.

Of course, the wealth he carried with him was also confiscated for the most part—supposedly this was done out of respect for his position as a steward of the Four Seas Trading Alliance.

Helpless, Steward Qian had to make his way back along the trading route of the Four Seas Trading Alliance, through Dingyao County, back to his country.

But the border blockade became stricter day by day, and he lost his waist token in the previous ordeal, unable to prove his identity...

The poor Steward Qian almost got killed on the spot, but fortunately, the soldiers guarding the checkpoint remembered that they had detained a group of people from the Four Seas Trading Alliance the other day, so they called Chen Yong to identify him.

A superior who takes all the benefits for himself and runs away when there's danger—how much loyalty can he inspire in people?

If he could, Chen Yong really wanted to say that he didn't know this guy and let the soldiers kill Steward Qian outright!

But his good friend was also behind Steward Qian at this time, kneeling beside him in a pitiful state.

The two pretended not to know each other, not even exchanging a glance.

"Hey!" Chen Yong said, "Steward, how did you end up here?"

"This is a long story," Steward Qian looked at the soldiers guarding the checkpoint with great courtesy, "Can I stand up now?"

In his heart, he wanted to return to his country and find someone to teach these big soldiers a lesson, but at this moment, he had to be cautious because he was in front of crossbows.

Since his identity had been verified and it was known that he was from the Qi Kingdom, the soldiers guarding the checkpoint did not make things difficult for him. "You can get up."

When Steward Qian saw Chen Yong, he was very surprised, but he was so cunning that he naturally wouldn't ask questions like "How come you're here?"

Leaving his work behind and returning to the Qi Kingdom at this time, he must have known about the poisonous epidemic!

And he didn't even inform his subordinates about it...

But a person like Steward Qian certainly wouldn't feel the slightest bit embarrassed. He just pretended to care and said, "Have you suffered?"

"Hey, the military officers are strict with discipline. What kind of suffering can I endure?" Chen Yong said, "Steward, what's the current situation? The brothers are very uneasy."

"Alright! Is this the place for you to chat?" The soldier guarding the checkpoint interrupted them with a reprimand. "Disperse!"

"Hey!" Steward Qian beckoned and led the way in the direction of Baichuan City.

"I said, disperse! Go back!" The soldier guarding the checkpoint suddenly aimed his crossbow at them again.

"No, I've already proven that I'm from the Qi Kingdom, haven't I?" Steward Qian was puzzled. "I am a steward of the Four Seas Trading Alliance!"

"Whoever you are, our orders are not to allow anyone to enter the direction of the Yang Kingdom!" the soldier said. "If you want to enter the city, show a military order!"

As for the leader who was in charge the day before, he was not here at the moment.Steward Qian was seething with suppressed rage, but he knew better than to vent it on these soldiers.

During the execution of military orders, even if they truly killed him, no one would stand up for him!

The knife was at his heart, but he endured!

"What's the deal with him?" Steward Qian pointed at Chen Yong and asked.

"He can't enter the city either! He's now detained in the military camp."

"Then detain us as well, I can wait!" No matter what, Steward Qian couldn't possibly return to Yang Nation now; it was too terrifying.

But all he received was a cold response from the soldier: "No!"

"Why not? I am also a citizen of Qi!" Steward Qian suppressed his anger and said.

"Yesterday was yesterday, today is today. With each passing day, the situation becomes more severe. You can still go back now, but if you come again tomorrow, it will be an immediate execution!"

"Don't you know the current situation in Yang Nation? Are you suggesting I go back to await death?" Steward Qian felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head, no longer caring about enduring humiliation or waiting for a better future!

However, the soldier's raised Decree-Breaking Crossbow was like a bucket of ice water poured over him: "Or you can choose to die now!"

Steward Qian: ...

In the end, Chen Yong could only watch as Steward Qian, with his people looking disheveled and defeated, left the place, among them his good friend.

But he dared not say anything more. Nothing he said would make any difference.

In the face of the cruel reality where life and death were decided by others.

The connections and relationships he once took pride in seemed so fragile and insignificant!

...

Steward Qian, with only a portion of his wealth left, took a detour, willing to pay more in tolls, hoping to pass through other nations to return to Qi.

But at this moment, he was horrified to discover: it wasn't just the route from Yang Nation to Qi Nation that was blocked. The entire Yang Nation was besieged by a great army!

It was well-known that Qi Nation had nine elite armies, known as the Nine Troops.

Named Spring Death, Summer Corpse, Autumn Kill, Winter Silence.

Named Pursuing Wind, Cutting Rain, Burying Thunder, Imprisoning Lightning.

The first of the Nine Troops, named Heaven Cover, was historically the personal army of the Qi Nation's ruler, the Imperial Army, now led by the great Qi military god, Jiang Mengxiong.

Steward Qian, through his connections, made inquiries in every possible way and finally got some information.

The army that had sealed off the entire territory of Yang Nation was called Autumn Kill, one of the Nine Troops of Qi, a first-rate army of slaughter, a formidable force under the heavens!

What was the Qi court planning? Why had the Merchant Alliance not received any prior information?

...

It was the end of July, already autumn.

With autumn came the army of Autumn Kill.

End of the chapter.