At this moment, Shi Tianming had not yet realized that the real calamity was for himself and the Shi family.
"Bring me the military tally!"
But Commandant Guo Tianyi did not respond to Shi Tianming's words; instead, he extended his hand.
He wanted to reclaim the military tally and regain command of the thousand county soldiers.
"My lord, what... what is the reason for this?"
Shi Tianming was starting to panic when he saw that the Commandant Guo Tianyi was repeatedly asking him to return the military tally.
You should know that Fang Han had previously said that he could not command this county army.
When he ordered his thousand elite county soldiers to shoot Fang Han with crossbows and longbows, the county commandant Guo Tianyi suddenly appeared and stopped him, which made him extremely uneasy.
"Tianming, hurry up and give the military tally to the Commandant. The Commandant is concerned about our Shi family. He and the Prefect have come here to personally command the troops and wipe out Fang Han and his gang of scoundrels."
But Shi Tianyong said to Shi Tianming.
This guy is still daydreaming.
After all, if Commandant Guo Tianyi did not agree to Shi Tianming leading troops to kill Fang Han, he would not have given him the military tally.
He naively believed that the sudden arrival of Prefect Han Wentian and Commandant Guo Tianyi was to inquire about the family affairs of their subordinates and to personally avenge the Shi family.
Upon hearing Shi Tianyong's words, Shi Tianming began to fantasize. He quickly and respectfully handed the military tally to the Commandant Guo Tianyi, saying, "Commander, I am but a minor officer, yet I am still grateful for your and the Prefect's concern."
However, Commandant Guo Tianyi completely ignored Shi Tianming. After obtaining the military tally, he respectfully presented it to Prefect Han Wentian.
Han Wentian took the military tally, raised it high on his horse, and shouted, "Everyone, listen to my command! Capture Shi Tianming!"
As darkness fell, the Shi family lit torches that flickered in and out.
The torchlight illuminated the complex expressions of the thousands of soldiers on the training ground.
A small number of Shi Tianming's confidants stood frozen in place, at a loss for what to do.
They had come to arrest Fang Han in order to follow Shi Tianming, but now Prefect Han Wentian suddenly ordered the arrest of his own superior.
This sudden turn of events left them speechless and unable to react for a moment.
"Capture this man!"
However, upon hearing the order from Prefect Han Wentian, most of the county soldiers roared in unison and charged towards Shi Tianming like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey.
The shield bearers who were originally responsible for protecting Shi Tianming were the quickest to act. They lowered their bodies, crossed their shields, and formed an impenetrable defensive line, pressing closer and closer to Shi Tianming.
"You...you dare to touch me?"
Shi Tianming's eyes widened, his face filled with shock and anger.
His spear moved like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, swiftly deflecting several incoming shields with a dull thud.
For many years, Shi Tianming had harbored ambitions to completely transform this thousand-strong county army into his own private force.
He not only frequently made important promises to his soldiers, but also distributed most of his rewards to them.
In his view, even without the military tally, these soldiers who had received his favors for many years would stand by his side without hesitation in critical moments.
"General Shi, I advise you to lay down your weapons and surrender."
A squad leader pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, his gaze complex as he said to Shi Tianming, "We obey you because you hold the military tally, representing the Prefect and the Commandant. But now, the two officials want to arrest you. If you resist, you will only be shot to death by crossbow bolts!"
These words were like a muffled thunderclap, exploding in Shi Tianming's ears.
In an instant, his mind went blank, and all his unrealistic fantasies shattered.
He then realized, as if waking from a dream, that all his power was merely bestowed upon him by Han Wentian and Guo Tianyi.
Once these two superiors reclaim their power, he will be all alone and unable to mobilize a single soldier.
"Shi Tianming, drop your weapon!"
Soon, Shi Tianming's confidants, who hadn't reacted at first, also came to their senses under the pressure from the surroundings.
They raised their crossbows, longbows, and spears, aiming them at their former superiors, their roars echoing across the room.
Shi Tianming's face turned deathly pale instantly, his lips trembled, but he was speechless.
Not far away, Shi Tianyong, Wen Min, and other experts from the Shi family looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion.
In their view, Shi Tianming had always been a confidant of Commandant Guo Tianyi. The two men should have come to help Shi Tianming deal with Fang Han, thus showing their high regard for Shi Tianming. However, the unexpected turn of events was completely beyond their expectations.
"Your Excellency Prefect, Your Excellency Commandant, what have I done wrong that you two want to arrest me?"
Fear surged into Shi Tianming's heart like a tidal wave, and his voice trembled noticeably.
Facing the two Foundation Establishment Realm experts, the Prefect and the Commandant, along with a thousand well-trained soldiers, Shi Tianming knew that any resistance would mean certain death.
But he was unwilling to surrender. Was the power and status he had painstakingly built up over the years going to vanish like this?
"Shi Tianming!"
Commandant Guo Tianyi snorted coldly, his voice booming like a bell, causing the surrounding air to tremble slightly. "How many heinous crimes has your Shi family committed in Guyue City? How dare you deceive me, the Commandant, and mobilize troops to deal with Mr. Fang Han? Do you really think that I and the Prefect are incompetent and foolish, allowing you to cover up the whole of Guyue City?"
"My lord, I've been wronged!"
Shi Tianming panicked instantly and hurriedly defended himself, "My Shi family has always been law-abiding. Someone must have ulterior motives and slandered us before you, sir. I hope you will investigate thoroughly!"
Shi Tianyong chimed in, "That's right, Your Excellency. Our Shi family are all good people, and there is absolutely nothing to it that you have said!"
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