"Report—!"
His thoughts were interrupted by the guard's urgent call.
A captain covered in blood stumbled into the study and collapsed to the ground: "My lord! Something terrible has happened! General Zhang... General Zhang Zun has been assassinated in Lizhou!"
"What?!" Yang Yan suddenly stood up.
Zhang Zun, the garrison commander of Lizhou, was one of Yang Yan's most capable generals and one of the few core generals who were truly loyal to him.
Lizhou guards the north and south gateways of Jianzhou, making its location of paramount importance.
"What happened? Explain yourself!"
The captain, panting, said, "Last night at the third watch, General Zhang was handling military affairs in his study when suddenly an arrow shot through the window, striking him squarely in the throat. The assassin was swift; by the time the guards gave chase, he was gone. They only found this outside the wall..."
He trembled as he presented an iron token.
Yang Yan took it. The token was dark black, with the character "Night" engraved on the front and the number "Xuan" on the back.
"Night scouts..." Pang Qing gasped. "Zhao Muyun's intelligence network has actually infiltrated Lizhou!"
Yang Yan gripped the token tightly, his knuckles turning white: "Zhang Zun's residence is heavily guarded. How could an assassin have infiltrated? There must be an inside man!"
"Your subordinate... Your subordinate is unaware." The captain prostrated himself on the ground. "General Zhang's personal guard captain has also disappeared, suspected to be an inside agent."
Yang Yan's face turned ashen.
What does the captain of the royal guard's defection mean?
This means that Zhao Muyun's infiltration was deeper and earlier than he had imagined.
"Order: Martial law is to be declared throughout the city, and all suspicious persons to be searched. The military affairs of Lizhou will be temporarily handled by the deputy general, and strict defenses must be maintained against the north."
He paused, then added, "Also, the garrison commanders of Yuzhou, Kuizhou, and Qianzhou should strengthen their vigilance, paying particular attention to those around them."
"yes!"
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