“Can strategists really not ascend the throne?”
When three thousand, or maybe even more, voices chimed together with a resounding “we are willing to go,” the chaos melded into an indistinct crescendo, yet the phrase “jun hou” stood out remarkably clear!
“Jun hou,” though a title of nobility, still has a regal air to it.
It’s truly a respectful term for a viscount, but at this time, how many people could command such respect from their subordinates?
Wei Ji suppressed the shock in his heart as he looked towards Qiao Yan, who stood resolutely at the forefront like a rock amidst the wave of voices.
He was only trying to ensure that Qiao Yan wouldn’t backtrack on her promise and make it easier for the soldiers accompanying him to find their way, but he never expected to witness such a scene.
Unless seen firsthand, it’s incredibly hard to grasp that this wasn’t simply some people being tempted by the allure of wealth; it was mixed with an almost brotherly call to arms.
He had no doubt that even if the Wei family from Hedong claimed they could offer better terms, they still couldn’t compete with the allure that Qiao Yan had set in stone.
This kind of charisma, even in people in their thirties, can be downright terrifying, let alone—
Qiao Yan was only thirteen!
“No false heroes in such fame…” This was a thought Wei Ji had previously echoed in his mind when he first laid eyes on Qiao Yan, and he couldn’t help but mutter it aloud now.
On the way to Hedong, he couldn’t resist asking, “Is this how your Qiao Hou usually is?”
“What do you mean by ‘usually’?” Zhang Yang shot back.
Since the battle was a ground confrontation with a pursuit, Qiao Yan decisively chose Zhao Yun as the lead commander and Zhang Yang as the deputy.
With Chu Yan holding down the fort in Leping County, leading troops to scout the area, he could prevent any potential enemy action.
As Zhao Yun was busy giving orders to the soldiers, it was Zhang Yang who ended up talking to Wei Ji.
“Well, she doesn’t even need to dangle those rewards of thirty-five stones of grain in front of everyone to make her soldiers believe they’ll earn glory through battle. Just clearly laying out the rules is enough to…”
“…make the chosen troops willingly follow her.”
In front of the reward for capturing or beheading someone, everyone is itching to grab that golden opportunity.
Though Wei Ji hadn’t personally endured the hardships of the common folk, the chaotic situation from the locust plague underscoring unchanged taxes gave him insight into such motivations.
But as he was sent off by Qiao Yan outside the major camp of Leping City, Wei Ji could confirm that this selection of a thousand men had garnered the approval of others. Even the soldiers left behind believed they wouldn’t miss out on a chance to build their own legacies.
This strong sense of conviction made Wei Ji feel like coming to borrow troops from Qiao Yan was a dangerous gambit.
But she only asked for the Wei family to supply the grain for the thousand troops marching and a few skilled individuals for educational purposes; this wasn’t too demanding after all. It made Wei Ji feel he might be overthinking things.
Besides, helping to quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion, handling the locust plagues, and now extinguishing the Black Mountain Bandits—it all sounded like it was part of a coherent plan…
Snapping back to the moment, he heard Zhang Yang replying, “What’s unusual about this? Qiao Hou’s promises are like gold; we all believe what she says, and Leping can afford the prizes.”
The majority of the soldiers present were from the Black Mountain Bandits. Over the past three years, they had handled most of the grain harvests, and although the exchanges made by Chu Yan in Bingzhou for rice were discreet, what they had seen was enough to support the military expenses, so there was no need for doubt.
Zhang Yang’s nonchalant boasting left Wei Ji momentarily speechless.
But if we’re being honest, Leping didn’t need to worry about such ostentation drawing unwanted attention; instead, the Black Mountain Bandits had become loyal supporters, with the White Wave Bandits being driven to cluster together.
Sadly, in the territory of Hedong, the Wei family couldn’t hope to control such a force and had to rely on Qiao Yan’s assistance for this deployment.
He was just considering this when he suddenly heard Zhang Yang say, “By the way, your name sounds great! It’s a mix of chicken and fish, a true picture of wealth! Leping can’t afford to feast on such delicacies every day.”
“…?” Wei Ji’s momentarily budding frustration was completely wiped away by this comment.
His name was Wei Ji, with the courtesy name Bo Yi—not chicken and fish, you fool!
Wei Ji was only twenty-two years old. When he came looking for Qiao Yan to borrow troops, he presented himself with the grace expected of a noble, but he couldn’t help feeling a tad youthful exuberance. If not for Zhao Yun calling Zhang Yang away to arrange military matters, he would’ve definitely sorted this misunderstanding out.
Thankfully, no matter how much of a headache the deputy of Qiao Hou’s forces was, the real headaches ahead would belong to the White Wave Bandits.
Just as Wei Ji stated while seeking out Qiao Yan, these White Wave Bandits faced food shortages due to their previous defeat at her hands, compounded by her strongholds at Leping that allowed for sudden strikes—
Their prime target for plundering food would absolutely be Hedong.
When it comes to picking a soft target, it only makes sense to shift focus towards the Wei family.
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Xu Huang interjected upon hearing that some White Wave leaders were gathering. Even though others were on board with the idea, he wasn’t swayed and continued, “The Wei family has sent some retainers packing; those remaining in the fortress will definitely be loyal to them.”
“So what?” Han Xian asked, annoyed.
“This means that the Wei family can’t win swiftly. If they fortify their defenses, it’s hard to predict whether reinforcements will arrive.”
Xu Huang hadn’t anticipated that the Wei family would be so decisive in borrowing troops from Qiao Yan. His thoughts were only directed at the prestigious background of the Wei family; if they couldn’t win quickly, would they attract the attention of the magistrate’s forces?
But obviously, this reasoning couldn’t convince the others.
Li Le’s demeanor was a bit more collected, while Han Xian had already snorted in disbelief, asking, “So what do you consider a valid target for us to plunder?”
Xu Huang had previously considered this issue and replied decisively, “The Zhao family in Jixian.”
“What a joke!” Even Li Le found Xu Huang’s comment absurd and couldn’t help chiming in, “Since the Wei family dismissed their retainers and locked the fortress, the valiant might nearby have already flocked to the Zhao family. Their numbers likely surpass the Wei family’s, and furthermore, the Wei family’s men are mainly scholars, while the Zhao family has a reputation for martial prowess. How on earth do you think the former would be easier to defeat?”
Xu Huang was eager to retort that this isn’t some size comparison game.
The Zhao family was notorious for their ruthless means of accumulating wealth, which hardly won them support in the area, but that’s just the beginning of the absurdity…
“Looks like things just got spicy, huh?”
Given the chaotic situation, I figured there wouldn’t be any messy backlash or spies lurking about. It seemed like the perfect storm for them.
But as I noticed Yang Feng signaling him to keep quiet for now, he swallowed down the words almost spilling out of his mouth.
It wasn’t until the group finalized their plan to raid the Wei family, with Li Le and Han Xian leading the assault and Yang Feng sending a squad as backup, that he finally heard Yang Feng say, “Do you know why I stopped you?”
To be honest, Yang Feng himself thought that if they were really going to attack the Zhao family as Xu Huang suggested, it was probably better to go after someone as weak as Wei.
But Xu Huang had been with him for ages, so he knew the guy’s skills—there was a chance his judgment was spot on.
However, having other powers lurking nearby, it was clear that this recklessly adventurous decision wasn’t one to blurt out.
Xu Huang could mention letting Yang Feng decide whether to take in these factions, but he understood that taking action efficiently meant speaking the plain truth was another story entirely.
He clasped his hands towards Yang Feng and said, “Please, Leader Qiu, give me eight hundred men. I’ll go straight for the Zhao family and definitely bring back another batch of grain for you.”
Eight hundred men?
Yang Feng thought to himself for a moment, then ultimately agreed with Xu Huang’s idea.
With his current numerical advantage over Li Le and Han Xian, losing those eight hundred men wouldn’t be a big deal. If Xu Huang could actually succeed against the Zhao family, it would undoubtedly add strength to his forces.
If he had asked for more men, Yang Feng might have hesitated, but it just so happened that the number Xu Huang mentioned was right at his limit.
With a “Why not give it a shot?” attitude, even while marching towards Wei and Zhao, when Li Le sarcastically suggested that since he supported Xu Huang so much, he might as well give his position to him, he simply replied, “What do you mean I haven’t supported you both?”
He allocated eight hundred soldiers to Li Le and Han Xian, and his younger brother Yang Da also led another eight hundred, totaling more than two thousand men.
Even though the Wei fortress was united and seemingly unbreakable, it clearly couldn’t hold against such an encirclement. If they attacked at a time the enemy wasn’t prepared, wouldn’t it be a quick victory?
His words were bold.
Li Le, although harboring thoughts of absorbing Yang Feng’s power, also recognized that given the situation, Yang Feng’s actions weren’t out of line. With no food on hand, they absolutely could not afford to act prematurely.
He quickly replied, “Brother Yang, you’re too kind! I just hope you remain cautious.”
But midway through, he thought, don’t slip up and end up losing something himself, so he quickly joked, “But your military prowess is obviously above mine. You know what you’re doing, so I shouldn’t say more.”
His target was the wealth of the Wei family in Hedong!
Having developed for several generations, the Wei family, rooted in Confucian principles, appeared to Li Le and Han Xian as nothing more than a rich kid without any real protective skills.
With an encirclement of two thousand men, if they acted fast, perhaps within two days they could return laden with the wealth of the Wei fortress.
Thus, as they descended the mountain toward Hejin, both leaders were lost in dreams of glorious prospects, completely ignoring Xu Huang’s repeated warnings as they parted ways.
“That kid…” Li Le couldn’t help but spit when he thought of how Xu Huang had intercepted him at the camp when he first joined.
However, reflecting on that past humiliation, he realized he might have learned a thing or two.
He had been caught off guard by Qiao Yan at dawn, so could he strike at the Wei family at that same time?
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. After discussing with Han Xian, they set a time.
At dawn, their band would pounce like hungry beasts on the tasty morsel before them!
However, just as they were about to scale the fortress, intending to attack, dozens of boiling water barrels suddenly fell from the fortress, and moments later, rocks and arrows rained down from the walls.
What a defensive counterattack! Li Le and Han Xian gritted their teeth, suddenly thankful they hadn’t sent someone in first, caught up in the thrill of their earlier emotions.
They didn’t even realize a group had appeared behind them to cut off their escape!
Leading it was a cavalry team of around seventy to eighty men.
Cavalry!
In front of the formidable Wei barricade, the environment was entirely suited for cavalry charges.
The impact of those seventy to eighty cavalry could rival that of several hundred infantry!
Unless—
Under the pressure of these iron hooves, could these Bai Po thieves suddenly grow wings and fly inside the fortress walls?
But could they?
Not only could they not, but soon they would learn that some in the encircling team had been their comrades just days ago.
Yet now, these folks believed that earning a head was worth thirty stones of reward!
Zhao Yun’s face was as dark as water as he pointed his spear at the Bai Po thieves and slowly lowered the tip.
This was the agreed signal for the attack!
Just as the battle was about to kick off in the Hejin area, Qiao Yan’s letters regarding rewards for soldiers and compensation for casualties reached Cheng Li and Xi Zhicai.
Upon seeing Xi Zhicai’s face change after reading the letter, then suddenly breaking into a hearty laugh, Guo Jia, sitting across from him sipping wine, couldn’t help but ask, “What good news do we have?”
This wasn’t typical behavior for Xi Zhicai.
He wasn’t the kind to wear his heart on his sleeve, but it was rare for him to be so open and relaxed.
This clearly wasn’t drunken humor; clearly, there was some serious news in that letter.
Xi Zhicai waved his hand, “Well, calling it good news might be pushing it a bit.”
Given that this was about to take place in Leping, even if Xi Zhicai wanted to keep it from Guo Jia, it probably wouldn’t stay hidden for long, so he just handed over the letter.
Guo Jia read through it line by line, and before he reached the end, he had already roughly guessed why Xi Zhicai was acting this way; the weight on his face became notably graver than usual.
He turned to Xi Zhicai and asked, “You expect Qiao Hou to aim high for a whole state? Is a state governor really necessary to plan all of this?”
By now, Xi Zhicai had composed himself and simply tapped the table, casually replying, “The state governor wields military power, and Bingzhou is a hotspot of gathering Hu thieves. If soldiers won’t go all out, and the army can’t obey orders, not only Bingzhou will be hard to defend, there’s also the risk of serving the Qiang and Hu in civil unrest. Now it’s merely establishing rules—how can this not be needed?”
“Besides, the grain supply in Leping is ample, so these thirty stones are different from the usual thirty stones—”
At this point, Xi Zhicai suddenly stopped, sprang to his feet, and exclaimed, “Wait a minute! My current salary is only worth twenty heads?”
