webnovelfull Chapter 360: The Siege of Jingyang City
Chapter 360: The Siege of Jingyang City
Two days passed in a flash. After a breakthrough was opened on the southern battlefield, with the cooperation of the 112th Division and the Storm Division assault regiment that had been lurking in the hinterland, the natural barrier of Huzhou Pass faced by the Viking Division and the Storm Division was officially broken. The two ace divisions rushed hundreds of miles and officially merged with the Fourth Army of the Northwest Revolutionary Army, and arrived at the provincial capital of Huzhou, Jingyang City.
As it is located in the hinterland of the Huling Mountains, Jingyang City is built against the mountains and beside the water. Its area is incomparable to the provincial capitals of other major provinces. The city covers an area of only 15 square kilometers, and there are less than 300,000 Huzhou people living in the city.
After the Eighth Army guarding the northern front announced its surrender, the only troops left under Qu Chen's control were the Jingyang Garrison Army and the Huzhou Liehu Division, with a total of about 50,000 troops defending Jingyang City.
At this time, panic had already spread in Jingyang City. After all, the war had already come to their doorstep. The people of Jingyang City were all worried about their future. In the past five days, more than a dozen large and small public demonstrations had broken out in Jingyang City.
A large number of people took to the streets, angrily condemning the Qu family for not only colluding with the Fuso people and intending treason, but also dragging the entire Huzhou into the abyss.
At this time, Qu Chen was like a possessed person. He had not slept for three consecutive days. His heart was filled with hatred for Su Zhengyang and Beijiang. He even had people bury a large amount of explosives in Jingyang City, scattered in the market, houses, and every corner. Once the city was broken, the explosives would be detonated and the people in the city would be buried with him.
"Young Marshal, the people are making a fuss again on Xieyang Street."
Qu Chen raised his head and looked at the secretary with his scarlet eyes.
"Do I need to teach you what to do? Kill a few of the leaders, and I'll see if they dare to make trouble again."
Lan Youming was originally one of Qu Guowei's confidants and the person Qu Guowei trusted the most. After the news of Qu Guowei's death came, Qu Chen promoted Lan Youming to the position of director of the Governor's Office and concurrently as his secretary.
Lan Youming felt a chill in his heart as he looked at Qu Chen, who was like a devil in front of him. Qu Chen had lost more than 20 kilograms in less than ten days. He used to be tall and strong, but now he looked like skin and bones. He exuded a chilling murderous aura. Before, Qu Chen was respectful to the old men in the Governor's Mansion.
Now, as time goes by, Qu Chen becomes more and more violent. He even pulls out a gun and shoots an old man around Qu Guowei in public because of a trivial matter.
"Young Marshal, if we take tough measures now, it will probably further arouse public anger and worsen the relationship between the people and the Governor's Office. Please think twice."
Qu Chen slammed the table heavily and roared, "Public outrage? Are the 50,000 troops in the city just here to eat and do nothing? Ah? Whoever dares to cause trouble will have his dog head blown off. I want to see whether their heads are harder or the strong sticks in our army's hands are harder! There is no need to say more about this matter, just deal with it forcefully! If you can't handle it well, you don't have to come back, get out of here as far away as you can!"
Faced with the furious Qu Chen, Lan Youming could only drag his heavy body, lower his head, and leave the Governor's Mansion without even daring to breathe.
He was afraid that if he continued talking, Qu Chen would pull out his gun and kill him right away.
Outside the city, Cheng Zhou, Brand and other senior military commanders gathered together.
"Commander Cheng, when will we officially launch the general offensive? I can't wait to take Qu Chen's head and give it to the leader."
Cheng Zhou shook his head and said, "To defeat the enemy without fighting is the best strategy. Qu Chen has completely gone mad now."
"Our intelligence personnel in the city have received accurate information. At 10 a.m., a large-scale conflict broke out between the garrison troops and the protesting civilians. The soldiers have begun to shoot at the civilians recklessly. It is said that Qu Chen personally issued the order. Now the public resentment has reached its peak. Most of the dead are relatives of the Huzhou Army soldiers. It won't be long before their troops will mutiny. Our intelligence personnel are working towards this goal."
Brand shrugged and nodded in agreement.
At nine o'clock in the evening, in the Governor's Mansion, Secretary Lan Youming brought a cup of refreshing hot coffee and placed it on Qu Chen's desk. Everyone knew that Qu Chen had the habit of drinking coffee to refresh himself, but Lan Youming was obviously a little absent-minded tonight. After placing the coffee on the table, he actually lowered his head and became dazed.
Qu Chen, who had been sitting at his desk with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes and asked Lan Youming, "What's the situation outside? Is there anyone else who dares to come out and cause trouble? Interrogate those who led the demonstration. There may be spies from the Northwest Revolutionary Army among them."
Lan Youming's heart trembled, and after calming himself down, he looked at Qu Chen and said, "Don't worry, Marshal. After we took tough measures, the people in the city no longer dare to make trouble."
Qu Chen nodded and said, "You are my father's confidant and a retainer of our Qu family for decades. If the city is captured, you can surrender with your family. Su Zhengyang should not make things difficult for you."
Lan Youming glanced at Qu Chen with a complicated expression, clenched his right fist as if he wanted to say something, and after a moment of silence, he finally chose not to speak.
Qu Chen picked up the coffee with a tired look on his face, and after drinking the warm coffee in one gulp, in just five or six minutes, he fell directly on the desk and passed out.
A middle-aged man in a blue military uniform walked in from Qu Chen's study and asked Lan Youming, "Second Uncle, this bastard must have fallen asleep! Damn it, the people of the entire Huzhou are scolding us soldiers. The Qu family colluded with Fusang and took the entire Huzhou down. Now they dare to attack the people in the city. They are simply courting death. If we continue to follow him and make mistakes again and again, it will all be over sooner or later."
"In the army, Commander Shi has arranged everything. Qu Chen's series of ridiculous actions have chilled the hearts of the soldiers in the army. After killing Qu Chen, we will directly open the city gates and let the Northwest Revolutionary Army outside the city enter the city! Surrender to Councillor Su!"
Lan Youming looked at his nephew who was walking towards Qu Chen with a sharp knife in his hand, and a trace of pity appeared in his eyes. After a moment of silence, Lan Youming sighed, turned and walked out the door. Lan Youming's nephew Lan Dingan directly cut off Qu Chen's head with the dagger in his hand.
At four o'clock in the morning, the gates of Jingyang City were wide open, and Shi Yong, deputy commander-in-chief of the Huzhou Army, formally announced his surrender to the Northwest Revolutionary Army. His token of surrender was Qu Chen's head.
The troops of the Northwest Revolutionary Army marched into the city in a mighty force. The people in the city spontaneously organized themselves and scattered along the streets, cheering like a landslide or tsunami. The Qu family's ancestral hall in the city had been burned down by the angry people.
From the very beginning, the father and son of the Qu family, who constantly opposed Su Zhengyang, were destined to have no good ending.