Duke Cheng Guo resisted the order. When the emperor asked the northern troops to return to defense, Duke Cheng Guo refused.
But this is not actually a rebellion. It can be said that it is due to the situation on the battlefield, that is, the general will not accept the order of the emperor.
And later, Duke Cheng Guo followed the emperor's order and returned to the capital from the north.
The late emperor once said that Duke Cheng Guo was a loyal, courageous and resolute man. The word "loyalty" comes first. He killed the enemy and served the country bravely and invincibly. He was a great hero and a great loyal minister in the eyes of the people.
"What crime did they accuse me of?" Cheng Guogong asked.
"Conspiracy." The general said solemnly.
Zhu Zan laughed, as if he had heard the funniest words in the world.
"Treason," he said, "Treason!"
He didn't say anything else, he just repeated these two words. Duke Cheng Guo didn't say anything either and just looked at the general. His expression was gentle, not even a trace of anger.
But the general couldn't help but look away.
"Is there any evidence?" Cheng Guogong asked warmly.
The general's vision was a little wandering.
"Probably," he said.
Zhu Zan urged him to take a step forward.
"Probably?" He raised his eyebrows and yelled, "Do you know who you are saying these three words to?"
He reached out and pulled open his robe, revealing his strong upper body, and pointed at the scars from swords and arrows all over the front and back.
"We have been fighting bloody battles for more than ten years, and we have probably suffered this kind of injuries. Just these three light words, we are going to be held accountable? How can you say it?"
The general's expression remained so solemn, but he himself felt hot and couldn't bear to look at Zhu Zan.
"That's why." His tone softened a bit, "That's why His Majesty wants you, Mr. Guo, to return to Beijing to investigate and clear your name."
Zhu Zan sneered and wanted to say something, but Duke Cheng called him.
"Okay, Zan, stop talking," he said.
Zhu Zan turned around anxiously.
"Dad," he shouted, "are we going back like this?"
Duke Cheng Guo smiled.
"Of course not," he said.
Of course... no?
The general was stunned for a moment. Did he hear it wrong?
But the next moment he saw Cheng Guogong pull out a long knife from the carriage.
He was very familiar with this sword, just as everyone in the world was familiar with Duke Cheng Guo. It was the long sword that Duke Cheng kept with him and killed countless golden men.
"This knife is not used to deal with your own people." Cheng Guogong said, suddenly turning the knife head around, holding the knife head, pointing the handle outward, and looking at the general with a gentle expression.
The general's face became stiff and gradually turned pale.
"My lord, what do you mean?" he stammered.
"It means, I'm not going back, I'm leaving." Cheng Guogong said, smiling gently at him, and as soon as he finished speaking, he slapped the horse in front of him on the buttocks with the handle of his knife.
The horse neighed, and the coachman threw away the whip in his hand, stood up, and tightened his grip on the reins.
"Drive." He shouted.
The horse ran forward like an arrow from its string.
The general felt cold all over.
"Catch him!" he shouted, drew his sword, and ran towards Duke Cheng's carriage first.
With a bang, the knife in Zhu Zan's hand knocked his knife away.
The huge impact caused the general to fall off his horse.
There were chaotic shouts and shouts from all sides, and nearly a hundred soldiers had already surrounded Duke Cheng's carriage.
A forest of spears stabbed at Duke Cheng.
Duke Cheng Guo still sat in front of the car with a calm expression, waving the handle of the knife in his hand.
There was a roar, the spears in front of them were swept away, and the soldiers on horseback were rolled down with them.
The gun fell off the hilt and was retracted without touching their bodies at all.
Use the hilts of the knives against each other, knocking off their weapons with only the slightest amount of force, without damaging the lives of these soldiers at all.
The general who fell to the ground looked like he was about to cry.
Mr. Guo, since you want to disobey me, you should be more ruthless. Why put them in such a difficult situation?
The soldiers obviously thought the same way, even more so than the generals.
To them, Duke Cheng Guo was a god-like existence. They respected, loved and worshiped him, but they had no choice but to order Nanwei to come and hunt him down. At this time, they saw Duke Cheng Guo holding a knife against their hilts, not hurting their lives, and their psychology collapsed instantly.
The downed soldier was still on the ground, and the soldiers behind him retreated with a clatter, the spears in their hands hanging down.
Zhu Zan took the lead, and Duke Cheng's carriage galloped forward and broke out of the siege of the soldiers.
"Mom, what are you doing!" The official who had been following Dali Temple came to his senses and shouted angrily on his horse, "We can't let the imperial prisoner escape!"
He urged his horse forward and looked at the cars and horses galloping forward.
Duke Cheng Guo traveled out of the capital in a low-key manner, with only a family of three, and no other entourage except a coachman.
This was all investigated in advance, so he mobilized a hundred people, which was enough to escort the family of three back.
Unexpectedly, Duke Cheng Guo dared to resist the decree.
Since you are resisting the decree...
The official's eyes narrowed with a cold light.
"Crossbowman," he shouted, "Gong Cheng fled in fear of crime and will not be spared any effort to kill him."
The generals and soldiers were startled and did not move.
"Do you also want to resist the order?" the official shouted angrily, looking at the soldiers coldly, "Don't forget that you are officers and soldiers of the Zhou Dynasty. Who are you obeying?"
Everything in the world is not the king's land, and the shores of the land are not the king's ministers.
The general gritted his teeth and raised his hand.
"Crossbowman," he shouted.
The soldiers all took out their bows and crossbows and pointed them at the galloping horses and horses ahead.
"Fire the arrow." The general shouted, and at the same time he closed his eyes and couldn't bear to watch.
There was a buzzing sound in the air, and arrows flew towards Duke Cheng's carriage and horses like rain.
The horse neighed, and the horse under Zhu Zan was hit by an arrow and fell down, but Zhu Zan did not fall down and jumped onto the carriage.
The horse pulling the carriage was also hit by arrows and fell, but the carriage did not roll over and break apart.
The seemingly ordinary carriage spread out like wings in the blink of an eye, and there was a constant tinkling sound, which was the sound of arrows landing on it and then falling.
The officials and generals here looked surprised. This carriage was actually made of plate armor!
As expected, Duke Cheng was not really a good-natured man who resigned from his post and returned home. He was not a thief and had no guilty conscience. Why did he use plate armor to make a carriage? What was he guarding against!
The officials immediately became angry.
It doesn't matter if there is plate armor to block the crossbows. Without the carriage and horses, your family of three will have no chance of escaping.
"Catch them," he shouted.
The soldiers holding crossbows urged their horses to surround Duke Cheng.
The ground shook.
That's not right.
The general lowered his head and looked at his feet. Then he looked back cleverly, and his expression suddenly changed.
A group of men and horses suddenly appeared behind them. Although they were clothed in civilian clothes, they held crossbows and long knives in their hands.
Not only those behind him, but others also noticed it and looked around in surprise.
As if emerging from the ground, hundreds of people and horses surrounded it from all sides.
They didn't say a word, their expressions were cold and solemn, their horses' hooves were trampling, and the crossbows in their hands were shining with cold light, and they surrounded the soldiers.
Without them having to say anything, the soldiers who were holding crossbows and wanted to surround Duke Cheng all stopped.
"You, who are you?" the official shouted with a pale face.
No one answered him because there was no need to answer.
After Duke Cheng Guo had stepped out of the carriage, Zhu Zan supported Mrs. Yu, and someone came to welcome them and lead three horses.
The guards were gone and there were no private soldiers. What a liar! Shameless! The official was trembling all over and his face was turning red and white.
"Gong Cheng."
Seeing Duke Cheng and his family over there getting on their horses, the official couldn't help but shouted.
"Do you know what your leaving means?"
Duke Cheng Guo looked back at him.
If he goes away, he will abscond in fear of crime, he will commit a serious crime of treason, he will lose his prestige, he will be cast aside by the people, and his more than ten years of military exploits will be in vain.
The official stepped forward, his face pale and his expression sincere.
"Mr. Cheng Guo, since you are open and selfless, please go back and tell the world." He said in a trembling voice, "Why should you be a thief?"
Duke Cheng Guo smiled gently, flipped the long knife in his hand and turned his back behind him, urging his horse forward without saying a word.
Mrs. Yu is obviously good at equestrian skills, so she keeps up with her.
Zhu Zan spat in this direction, raised the knife in his hand and hit the officials.
"Fuck you," he shouted, turning around and galloping off.
Although the distance was far away, the knife flew towards him like an arrow, and the official subconsciously shouted and retreated.
Half of the knife fell diagonally a few steps in front of his feet, scattering dust and sinking into it.
...
...
"Reverse!"
With a bang, the emperor smashed the tea cups on the table to the ground, waved his hands and shouted angrily.