Chapter 774: The Flood Washed Away the Dragon King's Temple [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

It's clear that Kang Shi's group wasn't the only one eyeing Chaoli Pass.

When Zheng Guoxi, the philanthropist, was distributing the national seal everywhere, several smaller, self-aware factions knew they couldn't compete with Huang Lie's forces for it, so they didn't join the chase. This, however, led to a chaotic power struggle among the forces that had prematurely withdrawn from Ganzhou.

They were lucky at the same time, but also somewhat unlucky.

Fortunately, they were close to the Miao River. Upon the appearance of the Imperial Seal, they immediately seized the treasure and retreated across the river to the territory of Yanzhou. Unfortunately, they weren't the only ones with this idea. Along the way, they encountered other forces possessing the Imperial Seal.

Let's form an alliance?

They don't trust each other.

Let's fight without forming an alliance!

The smaller factions are roughly equal in strength.

This resulted in the situation in Yanzhou not being as fierce as in Ganzhou, but the fighting still caused widespread suffering and corpses littering the fields.

One lucky one among them managed to escape and return to Chaoli Pass, where he could use the pass's natural defenses to gain a respite. However, this lucky one wasn't so fortunate, as they encountered Kang Shi's army before they could even settle in at Chaoli Pass. Initially, they still held onto some hope.

Who in the Allied forces did not know that Shen Tang's troops had been divided into two?

Kang Shi's army was small, and even with the addition of Gong Xiqiu and others, they had the natural defenses of Chaoli Pass and the imperial seal to rely on. In a real battle, they would have the advantage.

result--

Kang Shi also possessed the imperial seal.

Chaoli Pass, known as the most dangerous pass in Yanzhou, changed hands twice in just half a month. Taking advantage of the soldiers' unstable foothold, Kang Shi led his troops in a fierce attack and captured the pass in one fell swoop. Before he could even drink a sip of hot water, he immediately arranged for the few remaining men to defend all parts of the pass.

They also sent out a large number of scouts to contact their lord and others.

Wei Shou had previously been the garrison commander of Chaoli Pass, and the troops he left behind were very familiar with the situation inside the pass, which reduced Kang Shi's workload. Kang Shi, who had not slept for several days, had red eyes, but he forced himself to cheer up: "Besides guarding Chaoli Pass and joining up with the lord's troops, there is another matter that is also of utmost importance."

The flood situation in Yanzhou is more complicated than expected.

Not only were there floods, but also rampant disease.

The problem now is that they lack manpower, food, and medicinal herbs.

If these two problems cannot be resolved, and the common people were to gather and launch a rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable. It's not that these common people could threaten us, but rather that at this stage of the war, if our forces could maintain their footing, the Northwest would be essentially secure. But what good is land without people? These common people are the main force for the future revitalization of the various states.

If it doesn't affect your own safety, then help if you can.

Gong Xichou said, "The situation in Yanzhou is alright..."

Compared to the chaos in Ganzhou, Yanzhou only appeared desolate. After all, the fighting was between various factions, and the common people seemed to be doing quite well. Kang Shi said speechlessly, "Yanzhou looks alright because most of the able-bodied men here have been transferred to Ganzhou by Zheng Qiao. With Chaoli Pass as the boundary, the other half of Yanzhou outside the pass is 70% old and weak. How much chaos can they cause if they all gather together?"

Yu Zi said with a solemn expression, "The bodies of the elderly and weak are far less resilient than those of the young and strong. Once the epidemic gets out of control, they will have a hard time surviving. The most critical thing is that the shortage of food and medicine is not only in the area outside the pass, but also in the area inside the pass, and the epidemic has spread as well."

Food, medicine, and manpower are all in short supply...

The weight of the three mountains was so immense that it almost made it hard to breathe.

This also made Kang Shi question his life. Could it be that his bad luck was acting up again? Just when he was at his wit's end, the scouts brought back some exciting intelligence—they had discovered a small group of people escorting a large number of supply wagons.

Kang Shi's spirits lifted: "Supply wagons?"

He hurriedly asked, "Have you found out what was being transported in the vehicle?"

Yu Zi was responsible for exchanging information with the scouts, and then she would compile the information and report back to Kang Shi: "That group of people acted cautiously, and the scouts dared not approach rashly, but judging from the depth of the wheels of the supply wagon and the items left behind, there was millet and wheat, and the wagon was full of them."

Kang Shi tucked his hands into his sleeves, frowning in deep thought.

Yu Zi said, "Is the strategist worried about a trap?"

Kang Shi rubbed his sore nose and said somewhat awkwardly, "Wei Heng thinks... such a coincidence is possible?"

Good fortune might fall from the sky, but it's unlikely to land right in his mouth. He was already worrying about the food shortage, his hair was falling out in clumps, when his scouts reported a mysterious grain transport convoy appearing near Chaoli Pass? Could it be such a coincidence?

He would naturally worry that this was a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

However, with the food right in front of him, he was afraid he would regret it if he didn't take a bite of such a lucrative opportunity, so he hesitated for a moment.

Kang Shi then asked, "Have you ascertained their identities?"

Yu Zi shook her head: "I couldn't find anything."

This grain transport team acted with extreme caution, displaying no flags and lacking any distinctive features among its soldiers, who were all dressed as ordinary civilians. However, judging from their overall demeanor and the formation they used, they were undoubtedly a well-trained elite force.

Kang Shi rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

The initial signs of raiding and plundering grain emerged but were then suppressed.

After internally agonizing over the decision more than a dozen times, Kang Shi decided to take a risk and, as a precaution, entrusted Gong Xichou with his help.

Gong Xiqiu immediately refused upon hearing this.

When he decisively obtained the health certificate, he almost forgot what followed.

Why won't you?

Gong Xichou pointed to his eyes. Although he didn't rely on his eyes, they were still not very convenient for leading troops in an ambush: "You can have that guy surnamed Chu do the same."

Kang Shi said, "General Chu also refused."

Because Chu Jie felt that he was more reliable than Gong Xichou in guarding the pass, and he was also the general guarding Yonggu Pass, Kang Shi really couldn't get him to do anything.

Most importantly—

Strictly speaking, Chu Jie was not a subordinate of the lord.

Gong Xichou muttered to himself, "He refused, so it's my turn?"

Out of respect for the sacred object, he didn't hold it against Kang Shi.

Fortunately, it was he who led his troops in an ambush.

Otherwise, this farce would be absolutely hilarious.

As a 16th-rank Grand Master, possessing certain special characteristics of the Martial Courage Totem, he sensed an extremely familiar aura among the ambushing targets. Gong Xichou's expression was as colorful as an overturned palette, as if he had staged a scene of sudden appearance from the sky.

The grain transport team below noticed immediately.

Who is coming to their death?

A figure rushed out from among them.

Gong Xichou slapped the provocative Xun Ding back and said angrily, "Look who I am before you talk tough! Xun Yong'an, it's only been a short time, but your manpower has grown considerably, and your audacity has grown even more!"

A slap landed on Xun Ding's chest, causing his breath to surge.

Despite the pitch-black sky, Xun Ding recognized Gong Xi Chou, who was enveloped in dark green martial energy, and whose distinctive voice rang out. He steadied himself mid-air and landed lightly. With his father Xun Zhen's timely intervention, Gong Xi Chou trembled instantly, clutching his chest and cursing, "Gong Xi Chou, are you crazy? Why did you jump out and scare people for no reason?"

Gong Xichou's stance has always been a mystery.

However, he didn't exude any murderous aura, so Xun Ding wasn't worried that the other party was an enemy. The next second, he felt like he'd been slapped in the face by reality—heads and shadowy figures appeared on the distant hilltops; if you weren't looking closely, you might mistake them for bushes…

Xun Ding: "..."

Gong Xichou led his troops to ambush them.

The moment this thought crossed Xun Ding's mind, he felt an urge to kill.

But before his killing intent could erupt, he was slapped by Gong Xichou, who continued to insult him: "I really should let A-Chou see your foolish appearance. Xun Yong'an, you're just spewing murderous intent in front of me, do you really think you have too much time on your hands?"

In the end, Xun Zhen intervened and pulled his son back. He looked at Gong Xichou with a deep gaze and asked, "What happened?"

Gong Xichou waved his hand behind him: "Everyone out!"

Xun Ding: "..."

The two groups sat down and looked at each other.

I recognized them in their eyes; they really are family!

Xun Ding exclaimed in surprise, "Military Advisor Kang has already captured Chao Li Pass? But, didn't the previous news say that Chao Li Pass was..."

Gong Xiqiu said quietly, "Your information is not timely."

Xun Ding: "..."

In the current situation, a seven or eight-day delay in intelligence is normal. Moreover, their limited manpower protected the grain safely upon its arrival, evading refugees and allied forces within Yanzhou; their efforts were truly arduous. Fortunately, Gong Xichou recognized them; otherwise, it would have been truly embarrassing if the two armies had only realized they were on the same side when the fighting began. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Gong Xichou sent a message to Kang Shi, instructing him to send men to take control of the grain shipment.

Only then did Xun Ding have time to check on Gong Xichou's eyes.

"What happened to your eyes?" he thought to himself, wondering which guy was so skilled that he could blind this fellow.

Gong Xiqiu raised his hand and touched the cloth covering his eyes.

In the calmest tone, but with the most arrogant air: "You mean these eyes? When I broke through to the sixteenth level of the Great Supreme Realm, I encountered a little trouble and temporarily lost my sight."

Xun Ding: "..."

He knew it! Gong Xichou seemed to have an easier time hitting him than before, so this guy must have broken through to a higher realm.

Xun Ding appeared calm on the surface, but his jealousy was so intense that his facial features were distorted.

Gong Xichou was originally a stumbling block between him and Alai. Now, not only has this stumbling block not been kicked away, but it has also risen up from the ground and become a high mountain blocking his way. He was furious!

As if seeing through Xun Ding's thoughts, Gong Xi Chou grinned, revealing two rows of snow-white, even teeth, which was really infuriating!

Xun Ding was so angry that he almost fainted on the spot.

Fortunately, Gongxi Chou was not very interested in him.

His mind was completely focused on another person, and he asked the team leader, "Why isn't Mama with you?"

Xun Zhen said, "My lord has other matters to attend to."

Gong Xichou asked, "Is it safe?"

What if the sacred object gets bumped or knocked over while it's wandering around outside?

Xun Zhen said, "It's naturally safe."

If something still happens to our lord with this kind of setup, then there's nowhere safe in the world. At the very least, there's always Qishan.

When Kang Shi learned that the remaining grain was on its way, he slapped his thigh and laughed with delight: "With this luck, who can say I'm unlucky anymore?"

As it turns out, smiles don't disappear; they just shift.

Similarly, luck is the same.

Kang Shi dispatched troops to meet the grain transport teams. Except for Xun Ding's team, the other three teams arrived as expected, but the last one failed to appear on time. When this news reached Chaoli Pass, Kang Shi felt as if the mat under his buttocks had grown thorns.

One word: feeling like sitting on pins and needles.

His expression was grave: "How could you not receive it?"

Gong Xichou: "Could it be that there was a delay on the way?"

Because the Ganzhou granary contained too much grain, and the transport target was too large, making it easy for the enemy to detect, Chu Yao and his men decided to split into five groups, traveling by night and hiding during the day. They had carefully calculated the marching time for the five groups, and the last group should arrive by nightfall, with a time difference of no more than an hour. However, half a day has already passed.

Xun Zhen: "The last route is overseen by Wu Hui."

Gong Xichou said, "Wouldn't it cause any delays if he stayed in charge?"

The atmosphere inside the hall was very somber.

Xun Ding whispered, "Losing contact at this critical juncture must mean we've run into trouble, maybe even the enemy..."

Or is it an enemy who possesses the national seal?

The broken sword that Zheng Qiao sent through Ning Yan is currently in the hands of Chu Yao's group. This thing is a hot potato; whichever group has it faces a greater risk of encountering the enemy. Chu Yao took this into consideration, which is why he set off last.

Kang Shi took a deep breath.

I'm a little hesitant to think about the situation of Chu Yao's branch.

If something happens to Chu Yao, the lord will go crazy.

He asked Xun Zhen, "Hanzhang, could you please draw up Wu Hui's marching route and arrange troops to search for him?"

Everyone preferred to hope that Chu Yao's group had been delayed by refugees rather than that they had the misfortune of encountering a formidable enemy. On the day Shen Tang led his troops to attack Cunshan City from the rear, the troops he sent out were mostly scholars and intellectuals, with few high-level martial artists and warriors.

According to Xun Zhen and others, the lord later led Wei Shou, Jiang Sheng, and Ning Yan to Zheng Qiao to demand his head, making the fighting force left behind by Chu Yao even more pitiful. At this time, the troops were divided again to transport grain, leaving Chu Yao with only a little over two thousand soldiers.

More than two thousand people encountered a force that held the imperial seal... Even if Chu Yao and Luan Xin, along with a few other scholars, defied the heavens, they couldn't defeat them!

Kang Shi dispatched people to search for Chu Yao and his group, while also sending others to stake out Chu Yao's whereabouts at the agreed-upon location.

Perhaps Chu Yao's situation is just a delay.

Instead of Chu Yao, the lord came to the rescue.

The next day, Shen Tang and his group, dressed as refugees, passed through the area and were soon stopped by a patrol of soldiers.

Who are you?

Upon seeing their banners and recognizing them as his own troops, Shen Tang lowered his guard, raised his hand, hooked his straw hat with his finger, revealing a smiling face, and said loudly, "Me? My surname is Shen, my given name is Tang, and my courtesy name is Youli. Have your squad leader come over here."

Her face is quite distinctive.

The team leader hurriedly reported the news.

While waiting, Shen Tang also learned some news: Chaoli Pass had been occupied by their own people, and her eyes lit up.

"Ji Shou, that was impressive! That was a brilliant move!"

If we can hold Chaoli Pass, the overall situation in the Northwest can be stabilized!

Qian Yong, who was on one side, felt his teeth ache from listening.

Huang Lie's elaborate scheme was ultimately thwarted by her.

"Alas, it's all about timing and fate."

As long as the ultimate winner wasn't Zhang Yongqing or Huang Lie, he could accept any Tom, Dick, or Harry. But soon, Qian Yong keenly sensed that something was off. He reached out and tugged at Chen Tang's sleeve, giving her a meaningful look: "Something's not right!"

Could it be that there's a trap at Chaoli Pass?

(σ)σ:*☆

I know you've all been scared of knives lately, but don't worry, Wu Hui's side is safe and sound.

(End of this chapter)