Chapter 1618 – Conquering Nan Sheng, Killing An Huan (Thirty)
“Let’s discuss it again… Supporting An Huan? I’d rather donate all the rice in the granary to the refugees outside the city. At least the refugees can say thank you; even animals know how to guard a home. What do we gain from giving it to An Huan? He’s just a good-for-nothing!”
A good-for-nothing, a scoundrel who schemes and does wrong.
From this, it’s clear An Huan has really pissed these people off; otherwise, they wouldn’t be throwing such low insults.
Everyone fell silent, but their expressions agreed with this Old Clan Leader’s assessment—An Huan was truly worthless.
Days passed, and the battle tightened; the air of war once again loomed over this once peaceful, decaying water town.
Everyone was closely watching where Jiang Pengji’s army had reached. Upon hearing that the enemy was unstoppable, and with the help of Yang Tao and others, the water army took advantage of the terrain, moving swiftly and stealthily. The mood among some was mixed.
What’s up with Yang Tao…?
Isn’t he supposed to be a defeated noble?
Can’t he show a bit of the humility and gloom that comes with defeat?
Is it even normal for the front lines to be so active?
And Jiang Pengji isn’t keeping him in check? Isn’t she worried that this guy might clandestinely consolidate power with his charm?
The nobles swallowed their sarcastic comments; they realized Yang Tao was indeed a remarkable man, and Jiang Pengji was an even more remarkable woman.
Seeing the two work closely without any awkwardness, someone couldn’t help but retort, “Tsk, Yang Zhengze wasn’t forced to turn to Nan Sheng; he was obviously a spy sent by Liu Xi, right?”
They had ample reason to suspect Yang Tao’s arrival in Nan Sheng was to clear the way for Jiang Pengji.
Look at how smoothly they collaborate now; it’s hard to imagine their previous bitter rivalry!
Yang Tao and his companions were well-acquainted with the ins and outs of Nan Sheng, and this information was exactly what Jiang Pengji desperately needed. Just when everyone hoped for Jiang Pengji’s army to struggle with the southern and northern climate differences, perhaps even come down with an illness, they were expressionlessly aware that the enemy was nearly at their doorstep.
This group felt a deep sense of frustration.
Most of Jiang Pengji’s soldiers were from the north; even with training, their swimming skills couldn’t match those of the southern soldiers, resulting in a slap to the face.
Dongqing’s weather was dry, while Nan Sheng was humid and rainy. With such a stark climate difference, they expected some illness and discomfort, but it turned out to be yet another slap to the face.
Jiang Pengji’s smooth sailing made them question the accuracy of historical texts.
So, it was all a lie about climate issues and frequent illnesses?
Little did they know, the so-called climate discomfort and epidemics stem not just from physical differences, but often from poor military hygiene and lack of medical standards.
As a general from the interstellar age, how could Jiang Pengji not be aware of these factors?
After all these years of mobilizing, regardless of her army’s size, she had never laxed her discipline and hygiene standards in the camp.
Maintaining military discipline is the most crucial quality for elite troops, and camp hygiene is the foundation of logistics for the entire army.
After nearly a decade of strict enforcement, her soldiers had grown accustomed to it.
As long as conditions allowed, they would remain vigilant.
If the battle conditions were dire, and life was at risk, no one would fuss over hygiene issues.
No matter how they grumbled, the fact that the enemy was about to arrive at their gates was undeniable.
Likewise, their time to hesitate was running out.
Originally, a few had planned to swallow their pride and extend an olive branch to Jiang Pengji, but upon learning that Yang Tao was at the forefront, they immediately changed their minds.
Heh.
If they surrendered, they’d probably never even see the main player before Yang Tao took them out. Once the deed was done, Yang Tao would frame them with lies and hand over their entire assets to Jiang Pengji. She would turn a blind eye to Yang Tao’s actions, and their deaths would be in vain.
Thinking about it made them feel quite miserable.
They couldn’t surrender, as that would mean death, and they also couldn’t put all their bets on An Huan, which would be like throwing meat buns to dogs—no returns…
After contemplating, hmm…
Perhaps they should move their families away. If they can’t provoke them, can’t they hide?
The world is so big; how could they believe Jiang Pengji could conquer every inch of land with Yang Tao?
Dreams are plentiful, but reality is quite harsh.
As they were busy packing up to sneak away with their family, they were suddenly intercepted by unfamiliar soldiers.
The head of the family looked pale as he faced Qian Su, who seemed to be coated in white paint.
Qian Su smiled and politely greeted him, “It’s been months! Hope you’ve been well.”
Qian Su brought over a thousand soldiers to block their way, most of whom were cavalry. In contrast, the moving caravan contained plenty of carts and horses, but most were old, weak, women, and children, with only five hundred guards, attempting to protect the vulnerable while fending off the enemy’s swords was clearly not realistic…
“Hehe… hope you’ve been well…”
Qian Su tightened the reins, having circled the opposing force with his thousand soldiers.
He shook off the previous ill-will he had suffered, and, despite drawing this satisfaction from Jiang Pengji’s power, it didn’t matter.
Old lord Yang Tao didn’t mind; he was lost in battle, recklessly charging straight into his former territory, so Qian Su wouldn’t care either.
“Where are you going?” Qian Su gently asked.
The head of the family, seeing that his house guards had barely fought before being subdued, instantly turned pale.
He squeezed out two words through clenched teeth.
“Visiting relatives!”
Qian Su chuckled, “In these chaotic times, the journey to visit relatives is long. You’re bringing your whole family with all this wealth. What will you do if you encounter bandits? You could lose money, or worse, both person and treasure. Seeing we have old ties, why not let us escort you?”
The head of the family nearly fainted from anger.
Bandits?
Hehe, isn’t Qian Su right in front of him the standard bandit figure?
Does he even have the face to accuse others?
Suddenly, Qian Su’s smile vanished as he waved his hand coldly, “What are you all dawdling for?”
As soon as he spoke, soldiers swung their blades, and screams and wails erupted one after another.
All guards and house servants fell to their doom.
The head of the family, with a deathly pale face, watched as his household guards were all slaughtered, a chill running down his spine.
“What do you want?!”
Qian Su replied, “Naturally, to escort everyone back home. In the wilderness, it’s mostly women and children. It would be too dangerous without guards.”
”This is too much!”
Without guards?
Wasn’t it because Qian Su ordered them all killed?
He was pinned down by two soldiers, posed as a prisoner, feeling humiliated and enraged.
Qian Su’s sword rested against his neck, and with just a little pressure, his head could roll. He didn’t dare to move.
“Too much?” Qian Su smirked coldly, sneering, “The victor is king, while the loser becomes a bandit. You bet, you must pay! How you treated others is how you shall be repaid. You relied on An Huan’s power; how can I not rely on Liu Xi’s influence? A loss is a loss, spare me the self-righteous rhetoric. Instead of using that energy to bark, you should think about how to make amends for your entire family behind you!”
“You dare?!”
Qian Su laughed coldly in his ear.
“How can I not dare?”
At that moment, Yang Tao had already led his men to violently break down the city gates and charged in.
