Chapter 366: Refugees and Bandits (Part 5) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
Gu Chi silently watched the drama unfold from the background.
He would occasionally spare a glance for Qin Li.
He thought to himself, "If thoughts could kill... my lord would probably be a mangled corpse by now."
When it comes to shamelessness, our lord is truly shameless.
Unfortunately, none of the three families present could say anything.
Because Shen Tang's poverty was common knowledge.
Exposing someone's true colors to their face will only damage the "friendship".
To Qin Li and the others' surprise, after several rounds of drinks—while they were drinking, Shen Jun substituted tea for wine, saying he couldn't hold his liquor and was worried that drinking too much would offend everyone. This reason was accepted by both Shangnan and Tianhai, and the Yi Ru messenger had no objection—taking advantage of the still good atmosphere, Shen Tang took the initiative to bring up the matter of grain and fodder supply.
As the recipients of the aid, they still had to observe proper etiquette. However, Shen Tang also subtly hinted at He Yin's predicament, suggesting that the supply of military provisions and fodder for them might not be sufficient.
I will personally write to Wu Xian and others to explain later.
His words were frank and sincere.
Qin Li smiled calmly, indicating that the amount of grain was unimportant given the relationship between the two families. However, inwardly he was puzzled: [What exactly is this Lord Shen up to? Perhaps he never intended to freeload off the grain in the first place?]
He was convinced from the outset that this was a meticulously planned conspiracy, and from the moment he stepped into Heyin territory, he was on high alert, pondering the calculations behind Shen Tang's every word and action. Who knew that Shen Tang would deliver such a straightforward and utterly direct answer, leaving him completely dumbfounded.
This is not what he thought.
Not only Qin Li was astonished, but Gu Chi was also taken aback.
He never expected that his stingy lord would be so generous. With Shao Chong's divine assistance, all three families were prepared to suffer losses and had no expectation that He Yin would provide supplies.
Once she brought it up, this expense couldn't be avoided.
Little did they know, Shen Tang also had her own plans.
She just smiled and didn't explain.
She secretly winked at him.
The hermit has a brilliant plan!
Gu Chi: "..."
A chill ran from his tailbone to his brain, making him shiver all over, and goosebumps rose up on his arms.
He rubbed his arms and looked away.
Shen Tang: "..."
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Damn, what's with Gu Wangchao's reaction?!
Although the night passed peacefully, it was a calm surface concealing turbulent undercurrents. The three armies marched swiftly, having already made their deployments along the way. Shen Tang, however, had more matters to attend to and had to hold a meeting that night to arrange defense and rescue forces.
Thanks to the three families' abundant martial virtue, He Yin was able to rest easy. Shen Tang then prepared to send Gong Shu Wu, Lü Jue (Li Li), Bai Su, Xian Yu Jian, and Zhao Feng into battle. The force was not the two thousand five hundred that everyone thought, but three thousand five hundred.
Shen Tang personally led the troops.
One thousand of them were Zhao Feng's private retainers.
Bai Su and Lü Jue were simply taken out to broaden their horizons.
As a newcomer, Xianyu Jian couldn't just have people join him and spend all his time building houses, farming, and repairing roads. He still needed to fight; the battlefield was always the fastest stage for martial artists to advance their skills. Chu Yao and Kang Shi served as military advisors accompanying the army.
Qi Shan and Gu Chi stayed behind to guard the river.
The former was familiar with Qin etiquette and city defense.
The latter is skilled in mind reading, just in case.
Although all three families came to help defend the city, Shen Tang was certain that they would check and balance each other and would not simultaneously turn against Shen Tang or steal He Yin's territory. However, nothing in this world is absolutely impossible, and it is important to have a backup plan.
In the dim candlelight, Lin Feng hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
"My lord..."
"To plead for that brat Tu Rong?"
Shen Tang didn't need to guess what she wanted to say.
"Senior brother is eager to serve his lord, and he is only one step away from condensing his martial spirit. Senior brother thinks that if he can go to the battlefield as an ordinary soldier, perhaps..." Tu Rong has not yet condensed his martial spirit. Even if he does, he will still be a novice and is not qualified to participate in the meeting.
He had no choice but to ask his teacher to plead with his junior sister.
Chu Yao naturally wouldn't agree.
But Lin Feng couldn't resist Tu Rong's nagging.
Shen Tang said, "No!"
Even if she were willing, Wu Hui would resolutely oppose it.
Going to the battlefield is inevitable, but not now.
Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes."
She also disagreed with her senior brother taking risks.
She delivered the message, and Tu Rong had nothing more to say.
Since establishing herself in He Yin, Shen Tang has been recruiting and training soldiers. In addition to the fierce bandits she had previously recruited, her army now numbers five thousand. Two thousand five thousand will go into battle with her, while the remaining two thousand five thousand will do whatever they need to do.
It can be said that Shen Tang used 60-70% of his resources to aid Luxia County this time, which was enough to shut up the outside world.
They gained 7,500 foreign players to defend the city and also earned a good reputation.
It seems like the advantage gained was small...
However, when Gu Chi heard Shen Tang ask him and Qi Shan to stay, he knew things weren't that simple. He also saw the design drawings for the river dredging, reservoir construction, and water conservancy projects that had been finalized recently on Shen Tang's desk.
Gu Chi: "..."
Qi Shan: "..."
The two exchanged a knowing glance.
They saw a fleeting look of surprise in each other's eyes.
My lord, what are you trying to do?
While there's fighting outside, how can they still be thinking about these projects that benefit the people?
Qi Shan hesitated, "My lord, this matter can be postponed."
Shen Tang looked up at the two of them.
He said with a smile, "What do you mean by 'postpone'?"
Qi Shan: "Our army has rushed to the aid of Luxia County. Commandant Gongshu, General Zhao, and Commandant Xianyu have all gone into battle. The River Governor is left behind mostly with ordinary troops. If we use ordinary laborers to dig, I'm afraid the results will be minimal. It would be better to postpone it for a while and wait until spring..."
As she spoke, Qi Shan seemed to have thought of something.
Gu Chi copied the answers before him.
Shen Tang laughed and said, "Who said that He Yin only has ordinary troops left? Doesn't he still have 7,500 elite troops? For example, on Tianhai's side, the one left behind is one of Wu Zhaode's six valiant generals, whose reputation is as great as his righteousness, and whose strength is about the same..."
Gu Chi: "...???"
Qi Shan: "...???"
This...this isn't quite right, is it?
He didn't say it, but his expression conveyed the same meaning.
Shen Tang said, “Your moral bottom line is still too high. As long as you are willing to swallow your pride and complain to them about your current difficulties, such as the delay in river construction due to the war, which will affect the harvest of the common people next year... they are too proud to admit it and they will definitely swallow their pride and suffer in silence. We will not take advantage of their labor for free, but will pay them.”
Shen Tang has no morals, so morality cannot bind her.
But the other three companies have them, so what's wrong with tying them together?
"remuneration?"
"Spirit Wine".
The two: "..."
Qi Shan frowned: "I'm afraid Qin Gongsu won't agree."
Shen Tang smiled and said, "It's up to you guys, Yuan Liang."
She was responsible for coming up with bad ideas, and her subordinates were responsible for carrying them out.
Gu Chi: "..."
Qi Shan: "..."
Hehehe, guarding the house is definitely not an easy job.
There were still three hours until dawn. Shen Tang took a short nap, got up on time to wash up, changed into a clean and neat outfit, summoned her motorcycle, and hung the Mother's Sword at her waist.
The area in front of the government office was completely silent.
Only the powerful, rapid strides of the motorcycle remained.
Since this is just a relief effort, all that is needed is to repel the refugees and bandits besieging Luxia County, and half a month's worth of provisions will be enough.
The three families had been waiting outside the city for a long time.
When Qin Li saw the lineup under Shen Tang's command, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and the other two leaders reacted in the same way.
Zhao Feng was from the Tianhai camp, but Gong Shuwu, a tenth-rank Zuo Shuzhang, and Xianyu Jian, an eighth-rank Gongcheng, were both highly sought-after, so they sent two at once, with Shen Tang personally leading the team. Just imagine the scene of Shen Tang fighting Gongxi Chou on the battlefield…
Everyone then realized that He Yin had gone all out this time.
It was completely different from what I thought I'd get for free last night.
In an instant, Shen Tang's reputation for being selfless and righteous soared even higher, greatly facilitating Gu Chi and his companion's later exploitation of others. Shao Chong of the Shangnan camp, oblivious to these intricacies, simply asked, "Is Lord Shen going too?"
Shen Tang said, "Of course I'll go."
Shao Chong laughed and said, "That would be wonderful."
Gu Ren's sixth brother secretly twitched the corner of his mouth.
He had originally planned to have his thirteenth brother stay behind with him to guard the city, while his twelfth brother, Chao Lian, would go to battle. But now that he saw Shen Tang was also going, he pondered for a moment and changed his mind. His twelfth brother was more cautious in his actions and more prudent in defending the city, but he was not as fierce as his thirteenth brother on the battlefield.
This battle also served to enhance Shangnan's reputation and intimidate several neighbors, making it more suitable for Shisan to go there.
As for concerns?
With Shen Tang present, there's nothing to worry about. If it weren't for Shen Jun, the fate of the thirteenth brother would be uncertain right now.
Gather 11,500 soldiers.
Shen Tang was temporarily appointed as the commander-in-chief—because Shen Tang's "seniority" was too high, the other three families were not convinced by each other, but they could not fight on their own, otherwise they would be in trouble if they were cut up and devoured by the enemy. In the end, they all pointed to Shen Tang—they prepared and headed towards Luxia County.
The roads within the territory of Heyin were all meticulously repaired and smooth. Coupled with the army's surge of speed and the accompanying military advisor's swift-moving magic, they crossed the border of Heyin in just half a day. The messenger from Luxia Commandery witnessed all of this, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes.
Let alone the four families living in harmony, even within one family there was infighting, such as in the Luxia Commandery. The governor of Luxia Commandery rose to power by relying on his brothers. With Zheng Qiao causing chaos in the country, he had no energy to attend to these places, so this governor began to feel like a local emperor.
He placed great importance on hierarchy and social status.
But those brothers didn't think so.
Before we became successful, we were like brothers, sharing even the smallest things. But now that we've made it big, do you suddenly start talking about hierarchy and respect? We're still the same old brash, bossing each other around. The conflicts are only increasing.
Several people were dissatisfied with their treatment during the siege by the refugees and bandits. They had deliberately acted sloppily in the early stages, and they wanted to use this siege to put some pressure on the governor of Luxia County, to let him know who he relied on to climb to such a high position.
Stop getting carried away!
Who knew that more and more refugees and bandits would gather around, and when they went out to fight again, they were taught a lesson in a straightforward manner.
Left with no other choice, they had to send people everywhere to seek help.
The messenger estimated that, apart from Shen Jun's side responding, the other parties... were highly unlikely to come to the rescue.
The army traveled day and night.
Less than half a day's journey from Luxia County, Shen Tang decisively ordered them to rest and recuperate on the spot, while also being on guard against possible sneak attacks. Before their rebellion, these refugees and bandits were just ordinary people. As long as they concealed their fierce nature and put down their hoes and carrying poles, they could disguise themselves as ordinary people. Shen Tang believed that the bandit leader had already received news of reinforcements and was ready to launch a sneak attack at any time.
Her guess was correct.
But—
"Reinforcements coming to aid Lu Xia?"
Inside the simple tent, precious items were displayed everywhere, exuding the air of nouveau riche—all of which were looted along the way; if one were lucky enough to stumble upon a big fat sheep, the harvest would be endless.
At the head of the table sat a middle-aged, burly man with a scarred face.
They look like ruthless bandits who are not to be trifled with.
He then asked, "How many people?"
The soldier reported, "A little over ten thousand."
"A little over ten thousand? You dare to come here for a little over ten thousand?"
After he finished speaking, everyone in the camp burst into laughter.
If Shen Tang's intelligence had been up-to-date, he would have known that the number of refugees and bandits in Luxia County had reached as many as 70,000, and this number was still increasing every day. Apart from the capital, which had not yet been captured, all other counties and towns had fallen, and the land had been scraped thin.
One thousand against seventy thousand?
What can we use to fight?
Scarface asked again, "Who is their commander?"
The soldier suppressed a laugh, then hesitated before saying, "It's a young man riding a snow-white mule..."
For a moment, everyone burst into laughter again.
Even Scarface was amused at this point.
He rarely laughed; when he did, his facial muscles were stiff, and the upturn of his lips could stop a child from crying at night: "Riding... a mule? Hahaha, are these people so poor that they can't even afford a nag?"
Although warriors with martial prowess can ride all sorts of things when they go to war, that's only on the battlefield. The mounts formed from their martial energy are in sync with the warriors' minds and work together more seamlessly. But they don't ride them when they're marching or traveling; they mainly use warhorses.
The person who came was actually riding a mule?
Or is it a snow-white mule?
Scarface increasingly disregarded Shen Tang.
What is its origin?
The soldiers were clearly prepared: "The leader was carrying the banner of the River Governor, followed by Tianhai, Shangnan, Yiru..."
"Four places? So it's just a ragtag bunch cobbled together... They'll only be throwing their lives away!" A flash of murderous intent crossed the scarred man's eyes. He raised his hand and said menacingly, "Are you all willing to go out and repel the invaders?"
According to the intelligence provided by the soldiers, the 10,000 troops that came to their aid were easy targets. They were just cobbled together and were essentially getting military merit for nothing.
People enthusiastically signed up.
They all boasted that they would use Shen Tang's head as a tiger cub for their commander-in-chief, and some even made a solemn pledge.
Scarface: "Fine, you're allowed to command 30,000 men."
This ruthless man was overjoyed.
The others pursed their lips.
The so-called 30,000 troops were actually all people, with only about 3,000 warhorses, which were the spoils of war looted and plundered earlier.
The ruthless man, spear in hand, rode his horse with great spirit. The scarred-face man, meanwhile, mustered his troops, preparing for a general offensive against the capital of Luxia County the next day.
"Ah owe-"
Shen Tang rubbed her itchy nose.
I sneezed three times in a row before I stopped.
Who's talking about me again?
As the army entered Luxia County, the devastation and ruins left by fire weighed heavily on Shen Tang's heart. She gripped the reins tightly, her nails digging into her flesh.
Despite rushing, I was still late.
The messenger gleaned a great deal of information from the commoners who had not yet managed to escape. Sadly, the place had been burned down two days prior, but thankfully, the administrative center still stood, though it was in grave danger.
The administrative center housed 50% of the population of Luxia Commandery.
His relatives were also there.
Once the city falls, the odds are against us.
(_)
Sigh, where are the monthly passes?
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