The Frontier Prince: Starting From Scratch - Chapter 32 - Strike

“Who are you people?”

The commotion from Wang Yanzhong breaking down the door immediately drew out over a dozen of the Huang Family’s strongmen.

“I’m your grandpa, Wang Yanzhong,” he declared, swinging his blade without hesitation.

Having decided to align with Prince’s Mansion, he showed no mercy. This was his pledge of allegiance to Prince Yan. By killing members of the Huang Family, Wang Yanzhong was making it clear that he was now firmly on the side of the Prince’s Mansion.

As Wang Yanzhong made his move, Xu Lie and the others charged in. The Huang Family’s strongmen barely had time to react before they fell into pools of their own blood.

Wang Yanzhong stepped over the bodies and entered the house. His wife and children rushed into his arms at the sight of him. Tears welled up in his eyes; family was everything to him, and now that he had rescued them, he had no more worries.

Xu Lie smiled, “Let’s head back to Prince Yan’s Mansion. There’s more to come.”

Wang Yanzhong nodded. He needed to testify that all of this was orchestrated by the Huang Family.

In the east of Yan City, Chang Wei followed the three spies to an ordinary farmhouse. He ordered his men to lay in ambush around the perimeter but did not immediately attack.

Before long, an old man emerged from the farmhouse and left. A quarter of an hour later, a carriage accompanied by over twenty servants arrived and entered the farmhouse.

“Charge in!” Chang Wei commanded.

The guards emerged from the shadows and stormed the courtyard, surrounding everyone inside.

“How dare you! I am Huang Yu, head of the Huang Family. Who are you to intrude on my property?” Huang Yu was about to hear his servants report on the Prince’s Mansion’s brewing techniques when he was suddenly surrounded, both shocked and furious. In his panic, he tried to intimidate them with his title.

“Hmph, we’re here for none other than the Huang Family!” Chang Wei stepped forward from the back.

Huang Yu, recognizing Chang Wei in the moonlight, turned pale with fear. Trying to suppress his anxiety, he said, “General Chang, breaking into a private residence in the dead of night-is this how Prince Yan’s Mansion conducts itself?”

As he spoke, he signaled his men to kill the three spies and eliminate the evidence. After all, if it was just a murder, only he would be implicated. But sending spies into the Prince’s Mansion could lead to charges of treachery and conspiracy against the Huang Family.

Just as his men were about to act, Chang Wei strode forward. The guards behind him immediately surrounded the three spies.

“Squire Huang, you’re quite the joker,” Chang Wei sneered. “These three are maids bought by the Prince’s Mansion who escaped during a fire. I’m merely following orders to capture them. But why is Squire Huang here?”

Huang Yu’s heart skipped a beat, realizing the dire situation. He could only argue, “I saw these three acting suspiciously and came to investigate.”

Chang Wei chuckled, “Squire Huang, you won’t admit the truth until the end, will you? Whether that’s the case or not, let’s find out back at Prince Yan’s Mansion.”

With that, he ordered, “Take them all away. Kill anyone who resists!”

Huang Yu’s face turned ashen. After Zhang Qian’s death, he had hesitated about continuing to spy on the Prince’s Mansion’s techniques. But learning that the spies had succeeded tonight, he couldn’t resist his greed. Now, caught in the trap set by Prince Yan’s Mansion, and seeing that they were targeting the Huang Family, he blustered with false bravado, “And what if I go? Prince Yan’s Mansion shouldn’t push us too far. Do you really think my Huang Family is at your mercy?”

Chang Wei turned around and delivered a punch to Huang Yu’s stomach.

Huang Yu doubled over in pain, letting out a miserable scream.

Since arriving in Yan Prefecture, the days when Prince Yan’s Mansion was bullied by the local regional magnates were fresh in his mind.

When Prince Yan was mad and foolish, he had no choice but to endure.

Now that Prince Yan had recovered and was turning the tide, he possessed the power to overturn the dynamics of Yan Prefecture.

He would no longer tolerate these wolves with wild ambitions running rampant.

“If you dare disrespect the Prince’s Mansion again, I’ll cut out your tongue,” Chang Wei threatened.

The group returned to the Prince’s Mansion.

Wang Yanzhong had already arrived, and the mansion was brightly lit, awaiting their return.

Chang Wei escorted Huang Yu into the main hall, forcing him to kneel at the steps, and announced, “Your Highness, the spies and Huang Yu have been brought!”

Zhao Xu sat on the steps of the main hall, his gaze cold and piercing as he looked at Huang Yu.

Recalling the day he first transmigrated, when these families invaded the Prince’s Mansion intending to imprison him again, he was even more determined to eliminate the Huang Family this time.

“Huang Yu, do you confess to your crimes?” Zhao Xu demanded sternly.

Seeing Wang Yanzhong and his family present, Huang Yu realized his scheme had failed.

Instead, he had been used by the Prince’s Mansion to target the Huang Family.

He knew there was no way to defend himself now.

“Your Highness is truly clever, so calculating. It seems you’ve long intended to eliminate the Zhang, Huang, and Du Families,” Huang Yu said with a bitter smile. “Since that’s the case, let’s lay it all out. Do you really think recruiting these ragtag soldiers will be enough to destroy the three families?”

“Heh…” Zhao Xu chuckled, “I can’t be certain, but can you be sure that the Du Family and Zhang Family will definitely raise arms for your Huang Family against me?”

He had prepared for the worst in dealing with the Huang Family.

If the Du and Zhang Families rose up as a result, Yan Prefecture would face a bloody battle.

For this, he had made comprehensive arrangements.

The fortresses of the Dong, Yang, and Lv families were on full alert, ready to strike at any moment.

Within Yan City, the personal guard and prefectural troops were also poised for action.

Of course, he hoped such a large-scale conflict wouldn’t occur.

It would severely weaken Yan Prefecture.

If Beidi launched another autumn hunt, he would be powerless to respond.

He had made these preparations in advance to seize the opportunity presented by the internal turmoil within the Zhang Family.

With Zhang Qian’s sudden death, it was impossible for the entire Zhang Family to align with Zhang Kang.

Zhang Kang would need time to consolidate the Zhang Family.

Moreover, Zhang Kang’s attitude clearly showed he didn’t want an immediate conflict with the Prince’s Mansion, which solidified Zhao Xu’s decision.

“The Zhang, Du, and Huang Families are interconnected by marriage, forming a single entity. They won’t stand by while my Huang Family suffers!” Huang Yu shouted defiantly. “Prince Yan, be careful not to set yourself ablaze.”

Liu Fu, standing beside Zhao Xu, retorted, “Then let’s see who gets burned by this fire.”

Zhao Xu ignored Huang Yu and declared loudly, “Huang Yu planted spies in the Prince’s Mansion, acting above his station with malicious intent. Arrest him and confiscate his family’s assets!”

The Prince’s Mansion represented the Dasong Dynasty’s imperial family.

For local magnates to plant spies in the mansion was akin to ministers planting spies around the emperor.

Once discovered, it naturally led to the calamity of confiscation and extermination.

“You dare! Do you think the blades of my Huang Family’s private soldiers aren’t sharp?” Huang Yu shouted.

Chang Wei drew his sword, pointing it directly at Huang Yu, “The blades of Prince Yan’s Mansion aren’t for chopping vegetables either.”

Zhao Xu glanced at Huang Yu with disdain and ordered his detention, instructing Chang Wei, “Immediately take my edict and three thousand personal guards out of the city under cover of night, and coordinate with the three families to capture the Huang Family’s fortress unexpectedly.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Chang Wei responded with a heavy salute, his face barely concealing his excitement.

Having endured for so long, the Prince’s Mansion was finally about to assert itself.

If this operation succeeded, the power dynamics in Yan Prefecture would be completely overturned.

The roles of offense and defense would be reversed.

Leaving the Prince’s Mansion, he arrived at the Northern Barrack, assembled three thousand elite soldiers, and set off at night towards the Yang Family’s fortress.

At this time, the three families had already gathered eight thousand private soldiers in the fortress.

Leading his troops, Chang Wei joined forces and advanced towards the Huang Family.

Before dawn broke, they surrounded the Huang Family’s fortress completely.