Chapter 260

He didn't yet know about the murder case that had happened in the town, but he recognized Hong Chenglue, and at this moment, his expression showed surprise: "Hong Chenglue, why did you run here?" Hong Chenglue laughed: "Someone entrusted me to find you."

"Ah, who?"

"Liu Yalin."

The boy who had been beheaded first just now was named Liu Yalin. Patrol Officer Chen was stunned and said angrily: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

"He said to walk slower and wait for you to go on the road together."

Patrol Officer Chen's subordinate said angrily: "Keep your mouth clean!" He raised his scabbard and was about to slap this tall man in the face.

And then he flew backward.

A tree trunk as thick as a bowl, a zhang away, was snapped in two.

This official runner vomited three pints of blood while still in the air, and after landing, he directly lost his breath. His chest was caved in with a large hole, just enough to fit a fist.

Patrol Officer Chen's other subordinate could not be called loyal; seeing this, he took two steps back before shouting: "Boss, be careful..."

He had just opened his mouth when suddenly an object flew over, expanding rapidly in his field of vision, and then hit him in the face.

This person fell backward toward the sky.

The thing that knocked him down was the first victim's sword, still in its scabbard.

Patrol Officer Chen only then knew fear, drew his waist sword and shouted: "What are you doing! I am acting impartially; those three deserved to be beheaded according to the law!"

Hong Chenglue said grimly: "In June this year, when suppressing bandits, you achieved nothing, but in the end, you arrested innocent people from Jiulinggou to make up the numbers and claim credit. Is this also according to the law?"

"There is no such thing! Don't you dare slander..."

With a soft sound of "xiu," Patrol Officer Chen's voice was cut off, and he stared at Hong Chenglue with wide eyes and a slack jaw. The latter no longer paid attention to him and turned to walk toward the carriage.

After he walked three steps, Patrol Officer Chen's upper body suddenly slid down.

From the left chest to the right rib, he had been cut in half, the cross-section perfectly neat.

Watching his own legs still standing on the ground, Patrol Officer Chen screamed in agony. Fresh blood gushed out, soaking the sand beneath him.

Being cut in half at the waist does not necessarily mean instant death; those with a longer breath might have to struggle for a cup of tea's time, suffering all kinds of torment before they can breathe their last.

Hong Chenglue got into the carriage and glanced out the window: "Let's go."

Killing someone casually to sharpen his blade could also be considered a conclusion to this past.

Wu Qing clapped his hands in admiration: "General Hong's precious blade is as sharp as ever." He had watched without blinking and hadn't even seen how Hong Chenglue drew his sword.

Hong Chenglue smiled: "Am I very old?"

Without the shackles of his vows, he felt completely relaxed.

This was what it meant to be alive.

The past few years had been nothing but a walking corpse.

An hour later, the carriage arrived at Wu Family Village.

This village was hidden near the logging field, far from the official road, and except for lost travelers, almost no students would approach it casually.

Although it was called a "village," it was actually a stockade, with a whole circle of outward-facing caltrops outside, intended to keep robbers and bandits out.

Wu Qing appeared and shouted, and someone inside the village came out to move the caltrops to allow the carriage to enter.

Hong Chenglue got out of the carriage and, under Wu Qing's guidance, first settled his wife in a nearby small wooden house.

Although the house was small, the facilities were complete, much better than the dilapidated house he had in Bai Lu Town. Even the charcoal brazier burning vigorously at the end of the bed was a floor furnace, with a circle of stone railings around it.

Although the dozen or so large and small wooden houses here were quiet, Hong Chenglue could still perceive that there were people inside them.

After he settled his wife, Wu Qing led him to the middle wooden house.

As soon as the door opened, more than a dozen people inside stood up at the same time.

Wu Qing introduced: "Everyone, this is General Hong, whom the master has been thinking about day and night." Then he said to Hong Chenglue, "We have infiltrated Xiazhou, and these are the leaders of each team."

Both sides exchanged greetings.

Hong Chenglue also noticed that a scholar in blue robes was still sitting in the corner, wearing a mask, neither speaking nor standing up to greet them, and a brown monkey was squatting by his knees.

He didn't know what breed this was; it was a circle larger and stronger than an ordinary monkey. While rubbing its hands to warm itself by the fire, it also pushed a few hairy chestnuts toward the fire, showing great intelligence.

Wu Qing led both sides to sit down and then said: "Three of our teams were intercepted by the Xiazhou army. They magnified their battle achievements tenfold and boasted everywhere. The people of Xiazhou were deeply deceived, thinking that the new Grand Coordinator had brought a new atmosphere. By the way, the new Xiazhou official has already taken office, named He Chunhua, and Marshal Nian has a deep blood feud with him. Now this news has been passed to Marshal Nian, and he has ordered us to find a way to cut off the grain route."

"Spring is coming soon. If Zhao Pan's army is allowed to survive this spring, and wait for the summer harvest, the front line will be even harder to push south."

Even if Wu Qing hadn't clarified, those present knew very well that the combat results in Northern Yuan were far below expectations. Wu Qing looked at Hong Chenglue, "General Hong, my master recommended you to Marshal Nian. Marshal Nian hopes that you will lead the subsequent actions."

Hope? Nian Zanli just wanted to test his mettle. Hong Chenglue nodded: "Alright, is there a sand table?"

Immediately, someone took out a square box, spread it out, and placed it on the table.

It was clearly a magic treasure; when folded, it looked like a tea tray, but when spread out, it could cover the entire table, and the sand inside quickly took shape, piling up into the terrain of the entire Xiazhou.

"Where did the three previous defeats occur?"

Wu Qing broke a tree branch and pointed three times on the map: "Our three routes of mobile cavalry were ambushed at these locations. The Xiazhou government posted a notice that the two generals leading the army were both subordinates of He Chunhua, named Zhao Qinghe and Wu Shaoyi. As far as I know, Wu Shaoyi was originally an old subordinate of Hong Xiangqian, and was later recruited by He Chunhua, while that Zhao Qinghe has no specific information."

"The combat power of the Xiazhou official troops is terrible; it is truly unreasonable that they were defeated by them." Hong Chenglue had lived in Xiazhou for several years and was very clear about what kind of goods the local official troops were. Fake heads, hanging empty pay, stealing chickens and touching fish—they did it all very enthusiastically, but they were useless once they got on the battlefield.

As soon as these words came out, the faces of the generals were a bit embarrassed.

"The last defeat was mainly because we were caught off guard." Hong Chenglue already had a plan, "Since we are sending out mobile cavalry, three hundred people per team is really too many; we need to be more streamlined, otherwise, our coming and going will be seen by others and reported to the local authorities." Xiazhou was not a vast grassland; three hundred people still had to eat, drink, defecate, and sleep, making them too conspicuous.

"How do you want to coordinate?"

"We have more than one stronghold in Xiazhou, right?" Hong Chenglue said, "Break up the whole into parts, with no more than ten people per team, disguised as merchants entering and leaving cities and villages to gather information, while others stay in the stronghold and don't go out randomly."

Someone said: "I heard that the new official has some means, obtained a lot of military supplies, and is sending them to the front line non-stop." Otherwise, why would Marshal Nian be so annoyed? "A batch was sent ten days ago, and two carts of grain were even stolen by a few villagers when passing through Bai Lu Town, which shows the lax guard." Hong Chenglue pointed a few times on the sand table, "Transporting grain from south to north, no matter how you walk in the early stages, you cannot bypass the three thoroughfares of Bai Lu Town, Xinhuang, and Jiazi Pass."

Wu Qing nodded: "Yes, He Chunhua's army attacked our army at Xinhuang and won, preserving that batch of grain."

The generals looked at each other: "Do we want to wait for the rabbit at these three places?" Even if it's one out of three, the chance of betting on the wrong one is not small.

"Not bad." Hong Chenglue said, "Under the premise of insufficient intelligence, a clumsy method is a good method. How many people do we have left?"

Wu Qing gave a number.

"Alright, divide and guard Bai Lu Town and Xinhuang, abandon Jiazi Pass, and send scouts disguised as merchants to enter. This time, it's our turn to ambush their grain."

A general doubted: "Abandon Jiazi Pass?"

"I have been to Jiazi Pass; the official road there has been in disrepair for years, it is very difficult to walk, and the defense is empty, and there are many bandits. If I were a grain transport officer, I wouldn't choose that road; on the other hand, the official roads in Bai Lu Town and Xinhuang are straight and smooth, and the distance between the two places is no more than forty li, making it convenient to ask for help if something happens." Hong Chenglue analyzed, "Besides, we are short of manpower; to concentrate our advantages, let's just guard the two routes of Bai Lu Town and Xinhuang."

The generals responded in unison.

Hong Chenglue had been on the battlefield for a long time and knew that he had been parachuted in to criticize, so they might not be convinced. Besides, in war, where is there any certainty? As long as you win, whatever you say is right.

Next, everyone discussed and made some detailed arrangements.

Two days later, Wu Qing went out hurriedly and came back hurriedly, reporting to Hong Chenglue: "Our eyes and ears in Dunyu sent news that more than nine hundred grain carts coming from the south have arrived at Qingping Township!"

This military meeting didn't end until dark.

Wu Qing was a merchant, only responsible for intelligence and logistics, and did not participate in direct combat.

He was just about to count the horses and medicine when a small soldier came over: "Master Wu, General Hong's wife invites you."

Wu Qing was surprised, pointing at his own nose and asking: "She is looking for me?"

"Yes, yes."

"Is there any place where the arrangements are inadequate?"

"I don't know."

At this moment, Hong Chenglue was presiding over the military meeting. Wu Qing thought for a while and went to Hong Chenglue's residence.

The door was ajar, and he knocked gently: "Madam?"

Ah Jin's voice came from inside: "Please come in."

Wu Qing entered and saw Ah Jin leaning on the head of the bed, covered with a quilt, with a pillow behind her waist. The charcoal brazier at the end of the bed was burning vigorously, and the room was as warm as spring. Because there was food and charcoal warmth, her complexion was much ruddier than before she fled, and her eyes had also regained a bit of spirit.

"Madam, is there any place where the hospitality is inadequate?"

"No, everything is fine." Ah Jin said softly, "I heard that the supplies for the entire team are being planned by Mr. Wu?"

"Yes, I have to manage the eating, drinking, and defecating of these hundreds of people." Otherwise, pancakes wouldn't fall from the sky for no reason.

"I want to ask Mr. Wu to find something for me." Ah Jin said, "I heard from Hong Lang that scouts from the Beijia Kingdom and spies infiltrating enemy countries used to carry this with them. Mr. Wu has it too, right?"

Afterwards, she asked for an object. Wu Qing's face changed drastically when he heard it, and he waved his hands desperately: "That won't do, that won't do! If I dare to take this thing for you, General Hong will chop me up."

"Just in case." Ah Jin sighed lightly, "If there were good days to live and hope for recovery, why would I want to give up?"

Wu Qing refused no matter what.

Ah Jin looked at the sky, fearing that Hong Chenglue would walk back at this time, so she darkened her face and said: "If you don't agree, I will tell Hong Lang that you treated me with contempt, scolded me behind my back, and threatened to throw me into a mountain ditch."

(End of chapter)