Chapter 485: Ten Thousand Banners Slay Yama (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
What does Tan Lezheng's wrongdoing have to do with Qi Yuanliang?
Kang Shi's words weren't entirely deceiving Xun Zhen; the only fault was that Xun Zhen sought revenge on the wrong person.
He suppressed his guilt and tried his best to change the subject.
The two eventually fell asleep, each with their own worries.
Coincidentally—
They were thinking of one person.
The person being talked about seemed to sense something.
"Ah owe-"
Qi Shan rubbed her itchy nose.
Seeing that the oil lamp light was getting dim, he took scissors and trimmed the burnt wick, then flicked it a couple of times, and the candlelight brightened again.
He continued to bury himself in dealing with the pile of mundane tasks.
All the capable scholars had been conscripted, leaving him alone in the entire administrative office, having to do the work of several people.
With battle imminent at the front, and considering the vast disparity in strength between the two sides, the possibility of Yonggu Pass being completely safe is slim. The capital city and all counties of Longwu Prefecture must also prepare for war. Fortunately, it is currently the dead of winter, and there is no unharvested grain in the fields. All that is needed is to send people to notify each household to move all valuables into the city, and then send people to reinforce the fortresses and defenses.
We must fortify our defenses and clear the fields to await the enemy!
If the enemy comes and can't find food, they won't be able to take down the city walls for a while, but they can grit their teeth and hold out for a while.
Of course, this is the worst-case scenario.
If possible, Qishan would not want to come to this point!
He rubbed his nose, which was inexplicably itchy, just as a knock sounded at the door. The voice had the strange quality typical of someone going through puberty. He knew who it was immediately: "Come in."
The newcomer was Tu Rong, whose physique had grown considerably taller and more robust. He wore half a suit of armor, consisting only of shoulder and skirt armor, with a long sword hanging at his waist. His once chubby face was gone, replaced by sharper features that exuded a rugged and masculine air with age.
"Registrant".
Qi Shan raised her hand, beckoning Tu Rong to come and sit down.
Question: "What are the arrangements for the counties and towns outside of Ru Yao?"
“Everything has been arranged, but—” Martial arts practitioners grow much faster than ordinary people. Ever since Tu Rong’s voice began to change, from a childish baby voice to a shrill, hoarse voice, he has rarely spoken. He speaks as little as possible, and if he speaks too much or notices others laughing at him, he will frown in annoyance. “…someone is not very willing to cooperate.”
Qi Shan raised an eyebrow: "Unwilling to cooperate? Which company?"
Tu Rong said, "They are all wealthy households."
Ordinary people only have so much stuff, which they can easily pack up in a day or two and follow the soldiers into the city for refuge. But the "wealthy households" that Tu Rong mentioned are different. They are either families that have been deeply rooted in Longwu County for many years, or they have made their fortunes through smuggling on the border, becoming wealthy merchants who have become local tycoons. Longwu County is poor and impoverished, but these people are not poor at all; they are rolling in money.
It won't be easy for them to move their belongings.
One or two days is too short.
Qi Shan lowered her brows and pondered for a moment, then asked with a cold smile, "Did you tell them what the consequences would be for not cooperating?"
Tu Rong said, "Tell them everything."
But there's nothing you can do if they won't listen to advice.
Qi Shan sneered: "You're asking for death!"
"Good advice is useless against a suicidal ghost. They think this is just another small-scale bandit raid like before." Tu Rong wasn't old, but martial artists are often precocious, and the many trials and tribulations he had experienced in the past two years had given him a colder look. He even said, "Since they're so reckless, it's better to kill them than let their vast wealth fall into the enemy's hands..."
There was a reason why Tu Rong said that.
When border relations were not tense, these people made a living from smuggling and trafficking, whether openly or secretly, and even had business dealings with some tribes outside the pass. Otherwise, why would they be reluctant to leave when Longwu County was in such chaos?
In fact, the Shiwu tribe, which came to rob them, would deliberately avoid them. Firstly, the interests behind them were complex and intertwined, and it was hard to say that the target was a business partner; secondly, these wealthy households would keep private retinues, and while they had a lot of money, they were also difficult to deal with.
On the other hand, it's easier for ordinary people to take advantage of it.
Every household has a habit of saving every penny to prepare for unforeseen circumstances, the only difference being the amount. They are powerless to resist, and there are women in the village that Shiwu needs. Although the profit from a single heist is less, the income is stable.
For decades, it has remained unchanged.
No matter how turbulent things are in Longwu County, it will not damage their foundation.
I believe the bandits wouldn't, and wouldn't dare, touch them.
Or perhaps they never imagined the border barrier would be breached, never imagined the Shiwu army could cross Yonggu Pass and march south—an unprecedented event in over two hundred years! And now it's no exception. If they obey and implement a scorched-earth policy, the losses will be incalculable!
Qi Shan sneered: "Killing them won't do..."
This situation is completely different from that of Heyin County.
In the case of Heyin County, our lord raised the banner of justice, but the situation in Longwu County is different. Before the enemy has even invaded, for the local government to target wealthy households and its own people would damage our lord's reputation. Qishan would never do such a thing.
but--
Those who displease him always have to pay the price, Qi Shan said indifferently: "Since they refuse to cooperate, then let's ignore them."
Even if Yonggu Pass can be held, it will be a Pyrrhic victory.
It's unknown how many remnants of the Shiwu army will manage to invade and wreak havoc within the pass. Lacking sufficient supplies, and finding no food in the homes of ordinary people, they will naturally target the wealthy. If they are all unfortunately killed, it will be a legitimate reason to seize their ancestral lands and sacrificial fields. Without examining the administrative documents, one wouldn't know that less than 20% of the land in Longwu County is suitable for cultivation by ordinary people, and most of it is inferior land.
Those fertile fields were acquired by families or wealthy merchants who had been managing them for decades or even centuries, through various means. If ordinary people were to dedicate several years of their labor to cultivating the wasteland, the fruits of their labor would also be plucked away the moment they ripened; they had plenty of ways to do so.
The produce from the clan's sacrificial fields was used for the life and education of the clan members, ensuring that the clan would be deeply rooted, flourish, and prosper. After all, no matter how profitable smuggling was, where could the produce be as stable as that from the fields? As long as the harvest was good, there would be no worries about food, drink, or starvation.
The situation of mergers and acquisitions was more severe than in Heyin County.
Even more serious is—
Their private army was quite formidable, perhaps due to the unique characteristics of the frontier, as each member was fierce-looking.
If they were to unite as one, it would be enough to give the lord a headache.
Shen Tang has been in charge of Longwu County for some time now, busy with repairs and reconstruction, and hasn't had time to attend to these people. However, ignoring a problem doesn't mean it's solved; it's always there. Qi Shan wouldn't mind using someone else to do the dirty work!
Unclaimed land is taken by everyone. It wasn't that I killed them; they were the ones who overestimated themselves and courted death.
Tu Rong clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, sir."
Qi Shan rubbed her sore temples.
He said, "You may leave now and get some rest."
Tu Rongming will have to intensify the training of the temporarily conscripted soldiers tomorrow; it won't be any easier for him than for himself. Tu Rong acknowledged, bowed, and withdrew.
Several times they added oil to the lamp, and only when the sky began to lighten did Qi Shan lie down and close his eyes for a while.
Meanwhile, Yonggu Pass.
From the general to the soldiers, everyone's expressions showed a noticeable increase in ease—last night, to boost morale, he had leaked some information to his men, assuring them that victory in this defense of the city was assured!
However, this atmosphere did not last long, as the constant reports from the scouts at the front made everyone's hearts tremble.
The Ten Crows Army has truly arrived!
However, the attack was not launched at night.
They came in broad daylight.
(；д｀)ゞ
There's only one more title left...
My head is buzzing. How did I manage to write about the battle of generals, the siege of cities, and the breaching of the national border in just one chapter?
(End of this chapter)
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