Chapter 1977

Fan Shuang saw one of the renters of the large warehouses. This guy surnamed Lin was a merchant who had contracted the mountain forest and mining development in the back mountains from the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce, and initially he was doing very well. The previous owners of these assets were the brother-in-law of the former county magistrate of Miancheng, so the quality was solid, only the development was poorly managed.

When Fan Shuang saw Lin Proprietor, this person was sitting in a noodle shop eating noodles, just a bowl of plain noodles with many pickled vegetables added.

Fan Shuang greeted: "Lin Proprietor, why are you here?"

He had once represented the county government in settling accounts with the other party, and they had met a few times.

"If not here, where else could I go?" Lin Proprietor slurped a mouthful, "The warehouses were requisitioned by the county government to accommodate refugees."

"I thought you had already left Miancheng." When the news of Bai Tan's uprising spread to Shuicheng City, officials, gentry, and wealthy merchants from all over Yao State fled, not daring to linger in the troubled lands.

"My money is all invested in the industries here; if I leave, it's all gone." Lin Proprietor sighed, "I stayed behind, at least the mining and forestry operations are still running and settling accounts. Magistrate Huang said he would repay the money after the war."

During wartime, the county had to mobilize all resources, so money was temporarily not discussed, only recorded in accounts.

"Yes, everyone is now rushing to produce weapons and arrows, and your place is the source of materials." So Lin Proprietor's business not only did not stop, but actually improved.

The county government had limited manpower and could not handle everything personally, so it did not requisition Lin Proprietor's and other merchants' industries, but instead urged them to organize mining and production urgently, working overtime.

Everyone contributing their abilities, to win this battle, all trades and industries must play their part.

Fan Shuang clasped his hands: "Lin Proprietor, thank you for your hard work."

At the beginning of the war, Lin Proprietor could have left. Regardless of his reasons for staying, he did stay.

This shows that Lin Proprietor has confidence in Miancheng.

Hmm, no, I should say, confidence in the rescue by the Dragon God or the Black Armor Army, willing to stay and give it a try.

"Each does their part, jointly resisting the Guo bandits—what's so hard about that? It's not like I'm carrying my head onto the battlefield." Lin Proprietor sighed, "I just hope the war ends soon, then I'll know my bet was right."

"Alright, I need to hurry back to the forestry." The noodles were finished, he nodded at Fan Shuang, stood up, and hurried away.

The assistant came over, flung down the towel draped over his shoulder to wipe the table, and while asking Fan Shuang: "Mr. Fan, what does Lin Proprietor mean by 'betting one's stake'?"

"The surrounding counties have all been taken by Guo Bai Yu, you know how much industry there has become ownerless?" Fan Shuang corrected himself, "Oh no, I should say, once Guo Bai Yu is defeated, those industries will become ownerless."

The assistant thought: "Ah, it must be many. After Guo Bai Yu entered the city, they burned, killed, looted, and occupied those places."

"The original owners of those industries were either killed or fled far away, few can return. As long as we finally repel or defeat Guo Bai Yu, these ownerless industries will still be sold by the county." Fan Shuang now understood clearly, "Lin Proprietor bought mining and forestry in Miancheng, tasted success once, and likely wants to bet on this again. Wealth and honor are sought in danger."

The assistant exclaimed: "In other words, as long as they hold out until the war ends, Lin Proprietor can just get rich."

"That's not wrong." But the premise is, Guo Bai Yu must be defeated or repelled.

Merchants like Lin Proprietor are truly betting their lives, because Miancheng's current situation is very bad.

Too many people have poured in from the countryside, prices have soared. Don't look at Lin Proprietor only ordering a bowl of vegetarian noodles, now not everyone can afford it.

Fan Shuang saw the official settlement statistics, the current population of Miancheng exceeds 280,000, and is still growing daily. In terms of population, it already counts as a major city.

Just arranging their accommodation, food, and living support is already a major project.

The Fan family also heard bits and pieces from the government, that powerful local magnates from all regions are attacking the Dragon God's new territories everywhere, burning, killing, and plundering, some of the Dragon God's territories have been gained and lost again, and the local military and civilians have suffered massive slaughter.

In other words, Miancheng's situation is not special.

The native forces of the Jinjin Plains are launching a counterattack.

However, resistance in the Dragon God's territory is also ongoing, Fan Shuang has heard several brilliant extermination and counterattack battles. These will become positive examples on the market bulletin, and the county uses them to boost morale.

In short, after the Dragon God's army swept powerfully through the Jinjin Plains, the accumulated contradictions on this land exploded like a city gate cannon ignited.

Currently, the cities blocking Guo Bai Yu's advance are only two:

Miancheng and Haoxian.

These two places are like horns to each other, mutually guarding, barely holding back Guo Bai Yu's attack, but each day feels like a year.

The influx of people into Miancheng is too great, public sentiment is unstable, rumors are spreading, and eyewitnesses describe Guo Bai Yu as having three heads.

Some blame the Black Armor Army for abandoning Miancheng, mocking the Dragon God as mere decoration……

County Magistrate Huang Chengqi, while sending people to capture traitors, also posted announcements to comfort the people and mobilize morale:

"The Dragon God has arrived at Liaocheng!"

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"The Dragon God has arrived at Jingzhou!"

"The Black Armor Army has just crossed the Baiqu River, getting closer and closer to us!"

"Everyone, please hold on a little longer, the Black Armor Army is now attacking Sanping Township, and will rush to reinforce Miancheng in half a month!"

Fan Shuang does not know whether Magistrate Huang's information is true or false, but he must give the people this encouragement, because Miancheng's supplies are beginning to fall short.

The consumption of nearly 300,000 people is a heavy burden for this small city.

Food is insufficient, rations are decreasing day by day. Adults can only receive a fist-sized portion of mixed grains per day, while still having to endure high-intensity labor.

The battle is unprecedentedly fierce, weapons, arrows, and medicines have long been insufficient.

The Fan father and son cannot see the true supply list, but know that the daily distributed supplies are making the city's reserves thinner and thinner.

Guo Bai Yu's army is formidable, Miancheng has tried several times, found they cannot win at all, but instead lose many lives, so they can only keep the gates closed.

With the defensive beast, Miancheng barely maintains peace. But Guo Bai Yu dispatches avian demons for aerial dives, indiscriminately injuring people in the streets and homes, especially children—one grab and they're lifted to the sky, then thrown down from a height to their death, thus creating chaos and panic.

Tushanfang has been unusually busy, Fan Shuang saw him five times within a month, but the two never had a chance to talk.

Afterwards, Tushanfang and other generals led small teams out of the city at night to harass, succeeding twice, once even intercepting the grain and fodder being transported to Guo Bai Yu.

This greatly boosted morale within the city, dispelling the listless atmosphere.

However, other minor officials told Fan Shuang that Tushanfang had two comrades who sacrificed during operations.

Two days later, the Emperor's Flowing Jiang exploded!

Unexpectedly, this time the heavenly spirit rain lasted continuously for seventeen nights, with duration and rainfall being the highest in 150 years.