Chapter 423 – Rebuilding Xiangyang County (7)
Jiang Pengji wasn’t one to swear; she always believed in handling things with action rather than words.
Ever since the livestream began, it seemed that only the Green Garment Army had experienced such high-profile treatment.
What kind of ability did the Green Garment Army possess to send Jiang Pengji into a fit of rage?
The audience in the livestream was equally furious.
Many expressed concern, hoping Jiang Pengji could cool down a bit and not let her anger cloud her judgment.
The Green Garment Army could fight anytime, but if the situation spiraled out of control now, it could lead to total disaster.
Xiangyang County was still in the construction phase. Though only a few days had passed, it already showed signs of prosperity.
Viewers could well imagine that if some time passed, this city might radiate with new life.
【Tuhui Master】: Make sure to keep calm, streamer! Don’t act impulsively and do something you’ll regret later!
【Baidu News Department】: Exactly! The debt to the Green Garment Army can be dealt with later; don’t act rashly, streamer—
【I Don’t Want to Update, Just Want to Die】: Impulsiveness is the devil! Someone hold the streamer down!
Besides these pleas for reason, there were naturally those instigating the chaos—some out of malice, others out of overwhelming anger.
【Vegetarian Digit】: What’s there to be afraid of? Are we going to coward out like this? The Green Garment Army is stepping all over the streamer! Those heartless scums, they deserve to die! If the streamer stands by now, just imagine the serious consequences! The troops are indeed her private soldiers, all under servitude, but they also shed blood for her! If she doesn’t go rescue them now, who will still be willing to serve her?
【No More He Shi Bi】: Isn’t the Green Garment Army fighting for the common folks? The streamer’s troops saved so many in Fengyi County during the disaster; what has the Green Garment Army done? They’ve looted and pillaged in Xiangyang County and, upon hearing that the Ninth General’s forces were obliterated, they decided to unleash their fury on the two thousand troops in Fengyi County. They’re nothing but beasts!
In that moment, Jiang Pengji had no mood to even glance at the barrage of comments.
Her face was serious as she looked at the Messenger, lips pressed tightly, an aura of bloodlust and ferocity surrounding her. Despite her clean attire, she gave off the impression of being drenched in blood, like a reaper risen from hell. The “technicians” overseeing the brick kilns trembled, not daring to look up at her.
Suddenly, Jiang Pengji curled her lips into a bloodthirsty smile.
“I haven’t gone to look for trouble with them yet, but they’ve come knocking on my door. Just right, we need people to work here anyway.”
No one knew how long she had endured; her voice turned from crisp to hoarse, sounding painfully rough.
Jiang Pengji said to the Messenger, “Gather a few gentlemen, call in Coach Meng and Coach Luo, we need to hold a meeting!”
The last two words were all but squeezed out through clenched teeth, filled with murderous intent.
Qi Guanrang arrived first at the county office, stepping in to see Jiang Pengji seated at the head of the table, her oppressive aura palpable.
“Lord, what happened?”
Qi Guanrang came the earliest, but he had a personality that preferred to stay in the background, so he took a relatively obscure seat.
As soon as he sat down, he noticed Feng Jin and a few others streaming in, fatigue and doubt visible on their faces.
Since the previous task assignment meeting, they hadn’t gathered like this, so something significant must have happened.
Everyone shared this thought in silence.
Jiang Pengji didn’t respond to Qi Guanrang’s question; she merely gestured for everyone to sit first before allowing the Messenger to enter.
In a hoarse voice, she said, “Relay what you just said to the gentlemen here.”
Upon hearing her voice change this way, unease rose in everyone’s hearts.
They tacitly shifted their gazes to the Messenger, whose words only deepened their gloom.
The Messenger said, “This morning, a severely wounded soldier arrived from outside the city. After careful identification, he turned out to be one of our troops. The injuries were grave; he could barely say, ‘The Green Garment Army attacked Fengyi County, launching a night raid on our troops, slaughtering the common people,’ before succumbing to unconsciousness due to the injury and hasn’t recovered yet.”
Night raid on the troops?
Slaughtering the common people?
Feng Jin and the others felt a chill run down their spines.
Qi Guanrang tightened his grip on the feather fan in his hand. These three thousand troops had left Chongzhou under his lead.
A thousand were with him to support Jiang Pengji, while the other two thousand had proceeded to Fengyi County to assist the common folk in disaster relief.
Given the critical situation in Fengyi County, Jiang Pengji hadn’t recalled them after taking charge of Xiangyang County.
However, who would have thought the Green Garment Army would act so recklessly!
Hearing that the Ninth General had been wiped out, they took advantage of Fengyi County being off their guard to launch a strong assault, even conducting a night raid on the injured camp of their troops.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire county office turned heavy.
After a moment, Jiang Pengji heard a flurry of footsteps outside, and another Messenger rushed in.
“Lord, the relay soldier has awakened.”
Jiang Pengji said, “Bring him in!”
Before long, two individuals entered carrying a stretcher, atop which lay a blood-soaked soldier.
He was barely breathing, his chest rising and falling weakly. Upon seeing Jiang Pengji approach, his lifeless gray eyes suddenly brightened, and tears flowed down his cheeks with great difficulty as he gasped, “Young Master… the Green… Garment Army… that bunch of animals… raided at night… injured many brothers… life and death uncertain now… Young Master… you must go save them…”
Jiang Pengji clenched her teeth. “I will go bring them back, not a single one will be left behind!”
Hearing her promise, the soldier’s lips trembled slightly, his gaze filled with longing and regret, gradually dimming.
After a while, Feng Jin reached over to check his breath and pulse.
In a low voice, he said, “He’s gone.”
Jiang Pengji bit her lip, suppressing the surge of murderous thoughts within her. “Take him down and bury him properly.”
These troops, aside from the few household servants she initially purchased and those brought by Meng Hunyun, were mostly bandits by origin.
At first, they indeed surrendered to Jiang Pengji for survival. However, over time, they found a sense of dignity in living honorably, their hearts brimming with passion. Even if they were bandits, they were bandits with aspirations, willing to shed blood for a kindred spirit.
Affection flows both ways; they were loyal to Jiang Pengji, and naturally, she treasured these subordinates.
Jiang Pengji closed her eyes, opening them once more to reveal calmness.
Looking at the stretcher being taken down, she said in a steady voice, “I’m going to send troops to rescue.”
Feng Jin opened his mouth, paused for a moment, then said, “I understand the Lord’s feelings; I’m not here to obstruct you. However, I hope you grasp what sending troops means at this time. Xiangyang County is still in a state of rebuilding, fragile and vulnerable. If you deploy troops again for support now, I fear—”
Jiang Pengji interjected, “I know this is risky, but I cannot allow any of my people to doubt me, to think I will abandon them in critical moments. I will not abandon anyone, not even a single troop, for they are all part of Liu Xi’s people!”
