Liangzhou.
Inside the Mighty Army camp, several oil lamps hung on the rough stone walls, their dim light illuminating the outlines of the furnishings inside the main tent.
Kan Da Dao kicked open the half-closed animal hide tent flap, his heavy leather boots crunching on the snow.
The bronze sword hanging at his waist gleamed coldly in the morning light, and the red silk wrapped around its hilt had been worn white.
"Damn it, the heavy snow has finally stopped. It made me huddle here for so long." He slapped his rough hand on the wooden pillar outside the tent, causing the icicles hanging from the eaves to fall in a flurry.
For the past month or two, he had been discussing with his strategist that the new recruits who had mysteriously disappeared were very likely dragged away by the snow monster that appeared in the heavy snow.
Otherwise, why is it so strange that after this heavy snow, the new recruits he recruited disappeared one after another?
"Hmph, so what if they are demons and monsters? Once this heavy snow stops, you will have nothing to rely on, and then this world will still be mine!"
The strategist, Ling Xian, pulled his gray squirrel fur cloak tighter around himself, his dark eyebrows and eyes filled with worry.
He gazed at the wisps of smoke rising from the distant villages, the thatched roofs still weighed down by unmelted snow, like a thin layer of cotton. "General," he said, "the people of Liangzhou have just suffered a snowstorm; conscripting soldiers now might alienate them..."
"Bullshit!" Kan Da Dao ripped open the brass buttons on his leather armor collar, revealing a hideous scar on his neck. "Without soldiers, how can we fight the imperial court?"
He mounted his horse, the white breath from the chestnut condensing into frost flowers in the cold wind. "Today I must recruit five hundred strong men!"
He'd been holding his breath all winter, and he absolutely wouldn't tolerate it again! So what if they were demons and monsters? If they dared to come, he'd overthrow them all!
There was thick snow outside, making it difficult for the horses to move. A group of people in front of them managed to clear a path, allowing the army to charge forward.
Hooves pounded through the icy mud, and the troop clad in variegated leather armor slithered across the snowfield like a gray snake.
The villages along the way consisted of crooked mud-brick houses, and the occasional sound of children crying could be heard from the tightly closed courtyards.
The Mighty Army frequently came to the local people to forcibly conscript soldiers. The people in the area were already familiar with them, and whenever they saw this army, they would immediately close their gates and tremble with fear.
But Kan Dadao didn't even glance at them. These villages, which had been ransacked several times, were already deserted; all the able-bodied men had been taken away by them.
Of course, it also disappeared inexplicably, which is what made General Weiwu most frustrated!
Now, Kan Dadao is going to more distant villages. They want to take this opportunity to recruit more people and launch another attack on the imperial court!
As the sun began to set, they finally caught sight of a village with thick smoke rising from its chimneys.
The courtyard wall, built of bluestone, was higher than elsewhere, and strange, dried sticks hung under the eaves of several houses, their golden tassels swaying gently in the wind.
The most striking feature is the newly built mountain god temple in the center of the village, with copper bells hanging under the green tiles and flying eaves, and the peach wood charms pasted on both sides of the gate still gleaming brightly.
The imposing general at the head of the group jumped down and, seeing that there were quite a few strong young men in the village, looked quite satisfied.
"Arrest them!" Kan Da Dao brandished his whip, and his iron cavalry surged toward the village entrance like a tidal wave.
Seeing this, the strategist behind him looked somber.
This refined middle-aged man regretted it, truly regretted it, for joining the Mighty Army and advising the general.
Ling Xian believed that the person who could rush into the government office, seize the grain, and distribute it to the people was the benevolent ruler he admired, and the emperor that the country needed most!
Who would have thought that everything would change after this mighty general gained more power, recruited more people, and was able to contend with the imperial court!
Nowadays, even the Mighty Army has to forcibly abduct young and strong men to expand its ranks!
You should know that when General Weiwu first became famous, countless people came to him because they were all impressed by his heroic spirit and were willing to follow him and fight alongside him!
"Sigh..." Ling Xian felt frustrated. Why was it so difficult to find a wise ruler?
He has studied for most of his life and has a wealth of knowledge, but he has never had a chance to use it!
Thinking of the people hiding in terror, only to be dragged out by the mighty army, he finally closed his eyes.
Fine, I'll help this general one last time; he'll have to find another way out!
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
The surroundings remained quiet; there was no wailing as I had imagined…
What happened?
Ling Xian looked up again and almost popped his eyes out!
Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, dozens of villagers were already on high alert. A group of villagers showed no fear, but instead glared back angrily.
The woman at the head of the group wore an indigo-blue jacket and skirt with a coarse cloth apron over it, and two cloud-patterned iron hairpins gleamed coldly in her hair.
The old and young standing behind her all held farm tools, the women all held iron hairpins like Fang Niangzi, and even the half-grown children gripped sickles, their eyes glaring fiercely at her.
"Mighty Army, you won't be able to take anyone away today!" Fang Niangzi pointed her iron hairpin at the general on horseback, the tip of the hairpin drawing a silver arc in the setting sun.
"Have you all gone mad?" Kan Dadao asked incredulously.
Are these really ordinary people? How could so much have changed in just one winter?
"What are you waiting for? Take the children into the mountain temple, then we'll charge in and fight them!"
Fang Niangzi shouted angrily.
Several elderly men with white hair took the opportunity to carry the children into the mountain god temple, and the door closed with a dull thud.
The children were unwilling and wanted to fight the enemy together. They struggled for a long time, but when they saw the statue of the mountain god, they finally obeyed.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
