Linhai City is located eighty miles north of Xinlin Port, the largest port in Parthia, and also connects to several other ports. With a permanent population of over 100,000, it can be said to be the most important coastal city in Parthia.

"Hurry, hurry, everyone! If we don't get into the city soon, we'll have to spend the night outside!"

It was nearing dusk, and several gate guards impatiently urged the long lines of civilians and merchants waiting to enter the city.

Those queuing at the city gate glanced at the sky, their faces showing anxiety. They stopped worrying about the high entrance fee and quickened their pace to walk into the city.

It wasn't that these common people and merchants couldn't endure the cold and hunger outside the city, but rather that they couldn't guarantee their own safety outside the city.

Several years ago, a sizable gang of thieves appeared in the area, specializing in robbing those who slept outside the city. If they were lucky, they would only lose some valuables; if they were unlucky, they might even lose their lives, causing great suffering to the people and merchants who left the city.

However, the city's garrison not only refused to send troops to pursue and suppress the thieves, but also increased the city gate fee, and those who refused to pay the fee were not allowed to enter the city.

The city's garrison's actions immediately drew widespread resentment.

Anyone with eyes could see that the thieves who suddenly appeared outside the city were definitely related to the city's garrison, and might even be soldiers in disguise, specifically there to force people to pay exorbitant city gate fees.

As the saying goes, soldiers and bandits are one family!

People dared not speak out against the shameless actions of the city's garrison. They knew that this must be the idea of ​​those people in the capital, who wanted to make a fortune through this scheme.

Merchants who transported goods back and forth, after being charged exorbitant city gate fees and taxes, had no choice but to raise prices to make up for their losses.

This caused great hardship for the people in the city. Not to mention ordinary people, many families who were originally quite wealthy had their savings emptied by the high prices of goods. With no other choice, people had to go out of the city to work and earn some money to supplement their household income.

Faced with the exorbitant city gate fees, people had little money left after a hard day's work, barely enough to keep themselves from starving.

At the city gate, a guard stopped an elderly man nearing sixty: "Gate fee, one hundred copper coins!"

The old man was taken aback: "Wasn't it eighty the day before yesterday? How come it's a hundred today?"

The soldier glared at him: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'll say how much it is, and that's how much you pay! Hurry up and give me the money!"

"Sir, I've been working outside the city for two days and only earned one hundred copper coins. I was hoping to save twenty coins to buy some food for my grandson back home. If I give them all to you, my grandson will starve to death. Please have mercy on me..."

The old man looked at the gatekeeper with a pleading expression, and as he spoke, he was about to kneel down on the ground.

"Hmph~, enough nonsense. One hundred copper coins, not a penny less. Either pay up, or get out of my way. If you keep blocking my way, don't blame me for being rude!"

Despite the old man's pleas, the gatekeeper remained unmoved and drew his rusty scimitar from his waist.

Those queuing at the back all showed a hint of indignation upon seeing this scene.

Like the old man, many people were unaware of the sudden increase in the city gate fee.

Now, those people either hand over all the money they have earned to them or stay outside the city.

However, most of the wives and children in these families had been starving for several days and were just waiting for them to bring money back to save their lives. If they handed it all over, they and their wives and children would only be left to starve to death.

But if they stayed outside the city, they would lose their money if thieves came.

Whether they entered the city or not, they were destined for death.

These guys are really going too far; they're practically leaving no way out for anyone.

For a moment, the people waiting to enter the city outside cast hateful glances at the city gate soldiers. Many young men clenched their fists, wishing they could rush up and beat these greedy guys to death.

Rumble!!

Just then, a loud rumbling sound reached the ears of everyone outside the city.

People turned to look and saw a long line rapidly approaching them.

"Close the city gates! Close the city gates now!"

Upon seeing this, the guards' expressions changed, and they shouted as they hurried towards the city.

Upon seeing this, a group of soldiers inside the city also stepped forward and pushed the two city gates in preparation to close them.

"Let's all go into town together!!"

Upon seeing this, the people queuing at the city gate also rushed forward, preparing to take the opportunity to enter the city.

In an instant, chaos erupted at the city gate as people rushed to squeeze into the city. The city gate, which had been slowly closing, came to a stop due to the crowd.

"Damn it, all of you get back! Get out of here!!"

Seeing the city gates being pushed open by the crowd, the guarding officer immediately drew his scimitar and shouted angrily.

However, the people ignored this and continued to desperately surge into the city.

Aside from their fear of the mysterious army outside the city, these people were mostly thinking about getting back home as soon as possible to see how their wives and children were doing.

As the procession drew ever closer, the gatekeeper officer, his face grim, shouted, "Everyone, listen to my command! Anyone who obstructs the closing of the city gates will be executed without mercy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the officer swung his scimitar and charged at a civilian who had run into the city, slashing the civilian's neck with his scimitar.

The civilian was unable to dodge in time and was slashed to the ground, blood gushing out. He struggled for a couple of moments before falling silent.

Upon seeing this, the guards immediately picked up their weapons and began to kill the civilians who were crowding at the city gate.

Within a few breaths, nearly fifty civilians had been brutally murdered by the guards.

The screams and the smell of blood ahead caused the people who were crowding in behind to pause, all staring at the gatekeepers in disbelief.

No one could have imagined that the garrison, which claimed to protect its own people, would actually turn its swords against them.

"Quickly, close the city gates!!"

While the civilians were still in a daze, the officer in charge of the city commanded his soldiers to take the opportunity to close the city gates.

"You bunch of bastards, you're not human!"

"You beasts! You're all beasts!"

"These damned bastards are worse than animals..."

Seeing the tightly closed city gates, the people who were blocked outside the city began to curse angrily.

At the same time, Chu Qian's army arrived at a distance of a thousand meters from the city gate.

Seeing the Parthian people who were being held back outside the city, Chu Qian immediately sent people to bring them all over.