"Your Excellency!"

The constable was panting heavily, his face showing a hint of panic.

"A large unidentified army has been discovered outside the city, heading towards my desolate county! Judging from their banners, they seem to be the troops of the Prince of Guang who were captured and escaped earlier!"

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Xu slowly put down the account book in his hand.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, but his face showed little sign of panic.

He took a sip of tea before slowly asking, "How many troops? How far are they from the city?"

"Judging from their appearance, there are at least tens of thousands of elite troops! They are less than twenty miles from the city!" the constable said urgently.

Magistrate Xu nodded.

"knew."

His voice was calm, as if he had only learned of a trivial matter.

"Pass down the order: all passes must be on high alert, and the people in the city should be kept calm and not panicked."

"The barren mountain had a plan all along; everything was arranged."

The constable obeyed and left, his steps still somewhat unsteady.

Below the hall, the old ministers and advisors who had recently fled to the desolate mountains and had once served in the court instantly erupted in uproar.

They were already living in constant fear due to the disappearance of Emperor Liang and the turmoil in the court.

They finally found a place to settle down in the desolate mountains, hoping to catch their breath for a while.

Who would have thought that the flames of war would spread so quickly back to our doorstep?

"Oh dear! What should we do?" An official with white hair and beard pounded his chest, his face full of anxiety.

"I've heard that King Guang is known for his cruelty, and his aggressive approach this time is probably aimed at the Mountain Goddess!"

"We have finally found a place to settle down and make a living. Are we going to be destroyed by war again?" Another scholar was pale and his voice was trembling.

"Your Excellency!" a middle-aged man who appeared to be an advisor greeted. "Although the Mountain Goddess is incredibly powerful, it is said that there are also evil spirits assisting the army of King Guang. We must be on guard!"

"Should we prepare early, organize the militia, and assist in defending the city? What if the barren county falls..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by several horrified gazes from those around him.

These veteran officials and their advisors were accustomed to the infighting in the court and had also heard of the brutality of the border wars.

Hearing that tens of thousands of troops were pressing in, they were already terrified and completely lost.

They looked at Magistrate Xu, who sat motionless, their eyes filled with doubt and worry.

I don't understand why this young county magistrate can remain so calm and composed.

Did he really think that he could withstand the fierce army of King Guang with just those believers in the desolate mountains and the New First Army far away?

For a time, the main hall of the county government was filled with unease and a sense of oppression.

Only Magistrate Xu remained calm, as if the wind and rain outside the window had nothing to do with him.

He knew in his heart that since the Mountain Goddess had foreseen this, she must have a foolproof plan.

All he had to do was guard this desolate county and protect the people of this area.

Waiting for a miracle to happen!