Chapter 318

“A traitor?” When Wen Pin flipped out, one of his general of ten thousand men asked. “General. Where do you want to find that traitor?” This man was confused. He came in here to make a report but was just in time to hear Wen Pin shout his intentions of killing a traitor.

“Hmph! Did you enjoy your drink with Zhuge Liang? Speak! What benefits did Zhuge Liang give you?” Wen Pin’s anger rose when he saw the man that arrived. ‘Being a bad example to others along with that traitor is one thing! Yet you dare to come back? Are you trying to surrender?’

“Drink? Benefits?” The man immediately knelt after hearing this. Wen Pin’s Army had banned taking bribes. The drink itself does not matter but not when it involved Zhuge Liang. They had used the excuse of a child being born but that was just an excuse as Zhuge Liang’s subordinate, Huo Jun, was among them. “General. Spare me!” He had thought that Wen Pin found out that Huo Jun gave him a golden sword sheath.

“Spare you? Haha. What are you talking about? Aren’t you following Zhuge Liang now? You want to rebel against me and siege this place together with Zhuge Liang! The one that should be asking to be spared should be me!” Wen Pin’s tone made the man tremble.

“Rebel? Siege against you? General. How is it that I am rebelling?” The man was afraid but he would not rebel. They would not rebel even when bribed as this would involve their entire family. Their entire family would be executed.

“Still quibbling? I, Zuo Chao, already know of all of your tricks with Zhuge Liang! Just wait for General Wen Pin to annihilate your army!” Zuo Chao was very pleased to see this general of ten thousand men kneeling on the ground. Once the night has passed, Zuo Chao may also obtain that position.

“Zuo Chao?” The accused never met him before. He then said, “General Wen Pin. If you want to accuse and execute, please listen to me first. I have received a golden sword sheath from Huo Jun. It was a present for my child being born. It is not for a rebellion! If General still insists on framing me, I, Qin Lan, would have nothing to say!” The man explained. Even he would not want to rebel, fall into infamy, and cause misfortune for his entire family.

“Hm?” Wen Pin started to hesitate when he saw the man remain strong willed. After all, Qin Lan was one of his trusted subordinates. Even if there was a rebellion, he should not be part of it.

“Hmph! If it is not a rebellion, what is going on outside the camp?” Zuo Chao was dissatisfied to see Wen Pin hesitate. He wanted Wen Pin to execute more people. That way, his chances of being promoted would be higher. Zuo Chao immediately advanced towards Qin Lan and asked. “Isn’t this a rebellion? Is he not mobilizing the troops? What else could he be preparing for at night?”

“Mobilizing the soldiers for a rebellion?” Qin Lan was stunned by Zuo Chao’s words.

“Nothing left to say? You can still be so eloquent even with the facts in front of you! General Qin. You truly have thick skin!” Zuo Chao sneered.

“Men! Take Qin Lan away. Execute him after pacifying the rebellion!” Wen Pin personally called for the guards.

“Wait!” Qin Lan suddenly stood up and pushed away the two bodyguards trying to arrest him.

“What’s wrong? Is General Qin trying to fight back and kill General Wen Pin? You can keep dreaming as long as I, Zuo Chao, is here!” Zuo Chao declared as he pulled out his sword. His loyal expression along with his face made others feel uncomfortable.

“Kill General Wen Pin? What a joke! My life was given to me by General Wen Pin! I will not act against him even if I am scum!” Qin Lan sneered. He had worked for Wen Pin for many years and now obtained his position. It was precisely because Wen Pin’s Army was strict that someone like him was able to obtain his position. Wen Pin had also saved Qin Lan’s life before. These were why Qin Lan felt grateful to Wen Pin.

“He saved your life and you bite the hand that feeds you. You are truly scum!” Zuo Chao ridiculed again.

“Shut up! Who the hell are you to even be speaking at General’s main camp?” Qin Lan also became angry. The courage he obtained from drinking wine that night had been supressed by Wen Pin. However, it had flared up again.

“I am a person loyal to the General and to Jingzhou! What about you? You are just a traitor! Men. Drag him out and execute him!” Zuo Chao wanted to circumvent Wen Pin and execute Qin Lan. Yet, as someone who claimed to be loyal to his general, he should first be loyal to Huo Jun.

“Let us see who dares!” The intoxicated Qin Lan also pulled out his sword.

“Protect the General!” Zuo Chao immediately stood in front of Wen Pin. “General. Run quickly! I, Zuo Chao would remain here!” This was truly laughable as Wen Pin was much stronger than Zuo Chao and Qin Lan.

“Qin Lan. So you are truly rebelling! Haha. Take your sword and kill yourself. I will not look for your family!” Wen Pin coldly looked at Qin Lan as he said.

“Kill myself? Haha! So General truly wants me do die. Just say it earlier! I would have readily given my life to you! There was no need to frame me as a rebel!” Qin Lan softly said as he placed his sword at his neck. “General. Let us meet again in the next life!” Qin Lan said his final words as he moved his hands.

“Wait! General Qin Lan!” A voice came from outside the camp. The person had entered trying to stop Qin Lan but it was too late. Qin Lan had already cut his neck. He perished shortly after, unable to breathe.

“General Wen Pin! What is going on here?” The person that first arrived furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Wen Pin.

“G-General Huo Jun? Military Advisor?” Zuo Chao shivered when he saw the two people that just arrived. They were Huo Jun and Zhuge Liang.

“Zhuge Liang. You still dare to come to my camp?” Wen Pin laughed. He had believed that Zhuge Liang had mobilized earlier. This meant that Zhuge Liang should be attacking his army. He did not expect Zhuge Liang to appear in his own main camp. Wen Pin has his bodyguards that would listen to only him. He would have needed to sacrifice a lot of men to quell the rebellion but now, he would only need to capture Zhuge Liang.

“What’s wrong? Is General Wen Pin also intending on forcing my death?” Zhuge Liang replied as he looked at Qin Lan’s ice cold body. He saw Huo Jun support Qin Lan’s body. Based on the earlier scenario and Qin Lan’s wounds, it could be seen that Qin Lan had killed himself. The only person that could make Qin Lan do this was Wen Pin. Thus, he concluded that Wen Pin had forced Qin Lan to die.

“Zhuge Liang. Huo Jun. Are you still intending to act at this hour? There is no need to pretend anymore. I have already told everything to General Wen Pin. The two of you should just prepare to die!” Zuo Chao saw the Wen Pin’s bodyguards around Zhuge Liang and became braver. His voice also became louder.

“You must be Zuo Chao.” Zhuge Liang glanced at Zuo Chao. His expression that showed his despise for Zuo Chao, made Zuo Chao feel ashamed. Zuo Chao hated to be looked at with contempt.

“Oh. I understand now! General Wen Pin is actually intending on defecting to Sun Ce for riches! In that case, I, Kongming, admits defeat. Once you take my head, you can control my thirty thousand soldiers. Once you have seventy thousand soldiers, you would be able to get a good position at Jiangdong!” Zhuge Liang said indifferently. He even placed one of the nearby bodyguard’s sword at his neck.

“What?” Wen Pin sneered. The traitor had called his a traitor. “Lord Liu Biao have treated me well. Why would I betray him?”

“If that is not the case, why do you have a spy from Jiangdong in your camp?” Zhuge Liang asked as he pointed at Zuo Chao.

“What? A spy from Jiangdong?” Wen Pin was stunned. ‘Zuo Chao is a spy from Jiangdong? What about the rebellion he was talking about?’

“I am a spy from Jiangdong? General. Do not trust this Zhuge Liang. If I was a spy from Jiangdong, I would not be here. I would have persuaded for your surrender, not inform you of Zhuge Liang’s rebellion!” Zuo Chao explained.

“That’s right!” Wen Pi nodded. Zuo Chao’s explanation was precisely what a spy from Jiangdong would try and do.

“General. When I heard their plot, I refused to follow their bad example and came out to demand justice. General. Look outside your camp now. Isn’t all that shouting from their vow of rebellion?” The shouting from earlier was real. Wen Pin had heard it himself. As a result, Wen Pin still suspected Zhuge Liang.

“Zuo Chao. I never expected you to be this kind of person!” Huo Jun looked at Zuo Chao in anger. He was this close to being sold off by Zuo Chao.

“Are you speechless from anger? Right now, the only road left for you is the road to your death!” Zuo Chao declared, feeling pleased with himself.

“Haha! The shouts of rebellion is taking place outside? Haha!” Zhuge Liang suddenly laughed arrogantly.

“What are you laughing at?” Zuo Chao asked. He then turned around and said to Wen Pin. “General. I think they have gone crazy and started laughing after their schemes