At this moment, Xun Xiu was leading the Xun family army attacking a compound in Meng County. This was the young emperor’s residence and the temporary government office, where Zhao Ming and others were all inside.

Simultaneously, a unit composed of wandering heroes and refugees also reached the gates of Meng County. Zhao Shen was about to have his attendant go to the gate to communicate and reveal their identity so he could bring his friends into the city.

Suddenly, a hundred-man unit approached the gate, abruptly drawing swords to attack the gate guards. Common people entering and exiting the gate screamed and scattered in terror.

Zhao Shen’s gaze sharpened, his expression darkening.

His attendant also jumped in fright, immediately asking, “Young master, is this rebellion or… They’re all wearing similar armor. Which side should we help?”

They should help, right? After all, this was Yuzhou, Zhao family army territory. They’d traveled with difficulty from Shu to Jingzhou, chased all the way from Yangzhou through Xuzhou and Yanzhou—wasn’t it all to return and assist the Zhao family army?

Zhao Shen immediately pulled out his turtle shell from his chest, grimly cast a divination. As soon as the shell hit the ground, he glanced at it once, then reached out to scoop it up and stuff it back in his chest. Drawing his long sword with a swoosh, he shouted loudly toward the gate, “Brothers, someone’s rebelling in the city! Follow me—charge!”

Only at the end did he shout, “Kill those with red cloth strips on their helmets! Kill them—”

The scattered troops behind him immediately rallied. Grabbing various weapons, they followed with wild shouts of “Kill!” and charged forward.

Commander Shi, guarding the gate, saw Xun family army’s Xun Ping leading a unit seemingly on patrol. He snorted inwardly but forced a smile on his face, about to step forward to greet him.

The commandery governor had said that before the General returned, they should prioritize harmony. Xun Sheng had been executed by the commandery governor. The Xun family army was resentful. These matters could only be properly handled when the General returned. They should endure this grievance.

But he’d only taken a few steps forward when Xun Ping suddenly drew his blade. His eyes instantly widened. He immediately drew his own blade, shouting, “Hold the gate!”

Before the words finished, the approaching Xun family army unit was already charging at them with blades.

The Zhao family army hadn’t been on guard against them. Their reaction was a beat slower, immediately putting them at a disadvantage.

But Commander Shi quickly found his rhythm, shouting, “Form up! Three-man formations! Drive them back!”

The somewhat chaotic Zhao family army quickly found their anchor. Hearing the order, they rapidly formed units with those beside them. In just thirty breaths, they barely withstood the Xun family army’s assault while slowly regaining their rhythm.

At this moment, another unit galloped from within the city. Commander Shi glanced over and his heart went cold—it was the Xun family army.

With Xun family army reinforcements arriving, just as Commander Shi gritted his teeth to stake his life defending the gate, suddenly a wave of battle cries came from outside the city gate.

His heart lurched, thinking the Xun family army was coordinating from inside and out. He kicked away the man before him, killing him with one stroke. About to turn back to face the enemy, the leading disheveled youth had already passed him, directly swinging his sword at Xun Ping.

After swinging twice—oh no, twice with his sword—the youth’s sword turned. Looking down at it, he said, “My apologies, my apologies. This isn’t a blade but a sword.”

With that, his sword drooped slightly. When raised again, it moved nimbly as a dragon, his form like an agile monkey, flashing and weaving. The sword somehow moved so that as he passed Xun Ping, the blade slid across his neck…

Commander Shi’s eyes widened. Seeing the people he’d brought come flooding in from outside the city, they directly engaged the Xun family army in combat. With their large numbers, the Zhao family army side instantly gained the advantage.

They quickly subdued the two Xun family army units, retaking the gate.

Though they’d just fought side by side, Commander Shi didn’t dare trust the youth. While sending someone to notify the commandery governor that the Xun family army had rebelled, he watched the youth and his group. “Who are you?”

They looked ragged, as if they were a refugee army.

But the youth’s bearing was relaxed, his eyes bright—unlike a refugee. He had the casual confidence of a noble family’s young master. The more Commander Shi looked, the more familiar he seemed.

Zhao Shen wasn’t one to play coy. Hearing the question, he immediately said, “I’m Zhao Shen. My father’s personal name is Ming.”

Commander Shi slowly processed this in his mind. Personal name Ming, so he was called Ming. Surname Zhao—so Zhao Ming then…

He reacted, his eyes widening slightly as he looked him up and down. “What proof do you have?”

An even more disheveled youth carrying a blade squeezed forward from behind, shouting, “The proof’s with me.”

He rummaged in his chest and pulled out a paper to show him.

It was a travel pass. Honestly, who would’ve thought—in this day and age, someone still used travel passes! Since the world fell into chaos, these things existed in name only. Who still checked travel passes when going out?

But Commander Shi still took it to look. A travel pass would have whatever was in the household registration—all of Zhao Shen’s identity information was there.

Travel passes included physical descriptions of the bearer.

However, Zhao Shen had only been fourteen when he left home. After this journey of five or six years, his appearance had changed drastically. At least the description—fair skin, large eyes, brows like distant mountains—he couldn’t see any of it.

He just felt the person before him had dark skin, bright eyes, brows like sharp swords, stubbled face, and disheveled hair…

But honestly, looking closely, there was some resemblance to the commandery governor.

So Commander Shi returned the travel pass, clasping his fists. “This subordinate greets the young master.”

Zhao Shen didn’t think there was anything wrong with his greeting. Waving his hand, he said, “No need for formalities. What’s going on here? Is someone rebelling in the city?”

His face showed surprise. “Didn’t they say our Zhao family army was extremely formidable, and Third Sister had high prestige and virtue? Why would anyone rebel in the city?”

Commander Shi quickly explained their grievances with the Xun family army. “Not long ago, when General Xun faced Shi’s army, he was severely wounded and fell unconscious. The Xun family army disobeyed orders and retreated without permission. The commandery governor was furious and executed Xun Sheng. Since then, the Xun family army has harbored much resentment. Plus, recently the General accepted Shi’s army in surrender…”

Zhao Shen didn’t know who Xun Sheng was, but that didn’t prevent him from understanding this long explanation. So it was his father’s fault after all.

Zhao Shen immediately asked, “How many Xun family army are in the city? How many Zhao family army?”

Commander Shi said, “Ten thousand Zhao family army, and the Xun family army also only has ten thousand. But there are over thirty thousand Xun family army outside the city.”

Zhao Shen asked, “Who’s guarding the various gates?”

“All our Zhao family army. Originally, the Xun family army guarded two gates and the Zhao family army guarded two, but after General Xun woke up, the commandery governor made adjustments.”

So his father had some precautions after all. But still…

Zhao Shen immediately ordered, “Select thirty men immediately. Three per team. Take authorization tokens and order the other three gates to close immediately—no entry or exit permitted. The remaining seven teams go to Ningling, Sui County, Wuping, and Chen County for reinforcements. Be quick!”

With that, he raised his long sword and addressed the ragged crowd behind him. “Brothers, you’ve followed me all the way from Shu, traveling with hardship to this point—wasn’t it all to achieve merit and establish your careers? Today, your opportunity to achieve merit and establish careers has arrived!”