Chapter 414 – Entering Xiangyang (Part 2)
“Your humble servant, Qu Shiyu, pays respects to my Lord!”
“I, General Wan Zhixin, greet you, my Lord!”
“This humble minister, Liu Fangfang, offers my greetings to my Lord!”
“I, Mo Maomao, pay my respects to my Lord!”
When Meng Hunyun knelt before Jiang Pengji, calling her “my Lord,” the live stream erupted—viewers surged in agreement.
They all knew this was a palace struggle live stream. The host had previously declared her disdain for palace intrigues and her ambition to rise to power, yet years had passed with no action taken, leading many to speculate maliciously that Jiang Pengji was merely all talk.
Now, Meng Hunyun’s gesture was undoubtedly a sign—
From this night onwards, their host was truly gearing up for a rise.
Jiang Pengji curled her lips slightly, her usually cold expression softening a bit. She helped Meng Hunyun rise and said, “You’ve worked hard tonight.”
Meng Hunyun stood up, unable to suppress a grin, revealing his pearly white teeth.
“That wouldn’t be right, my Lord. If we’re to discuss who deserves credit for this siege, it’s definitely you, and I wouldn’t dare take all the credit.”
Since rebelling against the Meng Clan, Meng Hunyun felt that tonight he was the most alive, his blood boiling with excitement.
Despite being splattered in blood and the lingering stench in his nostrils, he felt invigorated from head to toe.
Others might think Meng Hunyun was just flattering, but Jiang Pengji knew it came from his genuine admiration.
Her smile deepened, her eyes warm.
“Your contribution cannot be stolen by anyone. That head, let it be hung on the city wall. The records will make it clear for them.”
As she spoke, she raised her leg and kicked the Ninth General’s severed head.
The head rolled down, bouncing like a ball.
Meng Hunyun nodded, saying, “I’ll handle that right away.”
“How many enemies did we capture from the Green Garment Army?” Jiang Pengji called out to stop Meng Hunyun. “In this siege, I wonder how many of our troops were lost, along with the thousand Imperial Guards under Luo Yue. Counting everyone, we’re only about two thousand. The Green Garment Army had a total of ten thousand; they couldn’t hold the city, and neither can we with our small force. We should consider temporarily absorbing any willing Green Garment soldiers to stabilize the situation.”
Meng Hunyun looked a bit awkward; he suspected the captured numbers might not even reach two thousand.
With over ten thousand Green Garment troops, three thousand were lured out and annihilated during the ambush at Longhu Path. Jiang Pengji led over fifty troops and claimed nearly five hundred lives. He divided forces to surround the remaining Green Garment soldiers near the West Gate, estimating he eliminated a good three thousand. After the Ninth General lost his head, many fled… Adding it all up, the remaining captured Green Garment soldiers couldn’t exceed two thousand.
Seeing his expression, Jiang Pengji had a thought, “It’s just a temporary measure, to beef up our appearance.”
“Beef up our appearance?”
“Precisely. Though we’ve taken Xiangyang, there’s no telling if another unit of the Green Garment Army will come to stir trouble. We need hands right now. Once the situation in Xiangyang stabilizes, I plan to recruit again, but with stricter standards. Quality over quantity—if we’re going to raise troops, they should be elite.”
Meng Hunyun understood Jiang Pengji’s intent and felt relieved.
“What shall we do with the bandit corpses?”
After experiencing the upheaval of the capital, Meng Hunyun felt superstitious about the corpses, fearing disease or polluted water would arise from neglecting them.
Jiang Pengji, unfazed, replied, “Just transport them outside the city to burn. Special times call for special measures. With our manpower stretched thin after taking Xiangyang, we can’t spare anyone to dig graves. It’s hot now; bodies left lying around will rot quick—process them promptly. Remember, haul them to a secluded spot.”
Burning them? Meng Hunyun had no objections, after all, they were the enemy’s corpses.
“Oh, and have someone bring you water to treat your wounds. If those wounds fester, you’ll be suffering for no reason.”
Though Jiang Pengji looked disheveled and covered in blood, all of it belonged to others.
Meng Hunyun still belonged to the realm of normal human beings—after a night of chaos, he was fierce without fearing death, fighting valiantly, but his arms, shoulder blades, and lower back were all injured. If left unchecked, infections could lead to troubles later on.
Hearing her concern warmed his heart.
“Thank you, my Lord, for your care.”
Meng Hunyun took the Ninth General’s head and called over a subordinate to hang it at the West City Gate.
“Post a hundred men to guard the county government and keep my Lord safe. Everyone must stay sharp tonight; no room for negligence!”
Though most of the Green Garment Army in Xiangyang had been wiped out, they couldn’t dismiss the chance of a comeback.
“Yes!”
Meanwhile, Jiang Pengji’s tense nerves relaxed slightly, but she had no intention of resting—this night would be restless.
Rather than tending to her appearance, she summoned someone.
“Where have all the women from the hall gone?”
The subordinate blushed, saying, “Would the Young Master like to meet them?”
Jiang Pengji arched an eyebrow, “Call me my Lord.”
The subordinate quickly corrected himself and asked again, “Would my Lord like to meet them?”
“Yes.” Jiang Pengji nodded.
When she charged in, she not only noticed the Ninth General and his men but also the twenty-some disheveled women in the hall.
At that chaotic moment, she hadn’t been able to care for their safety, but now that things had calmed down, she needed to ensure their well-being.
All the subordinates were just rugged men, and though strict discipline hung over their heads, there was no guarantee some wouldn’t take advantage.
After all, most of these men had roots as bandits.
Jiang Pengji was fully aware of their nature.
Before long, the women held captive in a small storeroom were brought in, each covered in dirt, some silent, others trembling, and some wore expressions and gazes that were completely vacant, resembling puppets that could only walk.
Jiang Pengji sat at the head, and recognizing her face, the women trembled at the memory of her ruthlessness in battle.
“My Lord, everyone is here now.”
Jiang Pengji scanned the room, then turned her gaze to the subordinate.
She asked in a flat tone, “Did any of you bully them?”
The other’s face paled slightly, murmuring, “Not bullying… just a little pushing and shoving, unavoidable…”
The discipline among the ranks was strict; who would dare break it and face the dire consequences? They were still sensible.
However, every adult man has some physical needs.
Jiang Pengji was not without compassion. She didn’t expect these men to totally restrain themselves, either.
To resolve the conflict, she had informed Meng Hunyun earlier that every troop would rotate a day off each month, during which they could spend their time freely.
As long as they didn’t engage in murder or fights, they could bend the rules somewhat.
Of course, violating her established rules would lead to absolutely dreadful outcomes.
“You’re relatively honest. You can go now. Search the county government for decent clothes and bring them to the women.”
The young man felt a wave of relief wash over him and hurried off.
Once outside, he secretly wiped his brow and let out a long breath.
He could keep calm in front of Meng Hunyun, the general, but in front of the Lord, he could barely find his words.
