Chapter 233

Although it's said to be over two thousand conscripts, it's actually more than two thousand; those with families had agreed to buy together, the Grand King prepared to send them all to Liaodong.

Now they're all gone, the Grand King won't accept it; that's the money and effort he spent to gather them.

The Grand King wanted to rush to Ruyang right away and chop off the eldest's claws!

"I'll go right now and chop off the claws of the Langya King and the Prince Yu together!"

The Grand King had just stood up when Bai Ze slapped him back with one paw……

Zhao Ba hurriedly advised: "Your Highness, think twice—feudal lords can't just leave their fiefdoms; aren't you handing the Prince Yu a handle?"

The Grand King glared at Bai Ze angrily, "Hmph! I won't suffer this loss!" After a moment of being hot-headed, Bai Ze's slap sobered him, and he realized that at this juncture he really wasn't suited to leave his fiefdom. If he left and something happened, the city fell, his death would be too unjust.

Zhu Ti came in from outside, saw Zhao Ba performing a courteous salute, and said: "Your Highness, I'll personally make a trip to the East Sea Commandery."

The Grand King clutched his chest: "I'm angry! Really angry! How many times has the Prince Yu reached out to cause me trouble? Now he's not watching the Duoye Battle but staring at me—what's he up to?"

Zhu Ti calmly replied: "Then I know the strength needed to take it back."

Zhao Ba: "...? Ah, how do you know?"

The Grand King lowered his hand: "How many people do you need?"

Zhu Ti held up one finger: "One hundred……"

Only one hundred? Impressive, all‑capable steward! The Grand King was about to curl his lips when he heard Zhu Ti say: "... Owl Cavalry."

Grand King: "Ha?"

Zhu Ti: "Normally it takes two thousand. Would sending two thousand people out of Youzhou attract attention?"

Grand King: "Here you go!"

After a few more words of discussion, as Zhu Ti was leaving he pulled out a booklet and handed it to the Grand King.

"What is this?"

"My work. When I'm not in Youzhou, Your Highness, please keep an eye on it."

The Grand King didn't think much and took it; many secret tasks are in Zhu Ti's hands, such as the two mines—when she's absent, it's fitting for the Grand King to take charge himself.

That day Zhu Ti led a hundred cavalry out of Youzhou heading south; the next day the Grand King dismissed court, took the little booklet, and went upstairs in Wanxiang City, where Zhu Ti often handles affairs when free.

The Grand King assumed office with full vigor; opening the booklet, it's really good—it lists the needed tasks in detail, Zhu Ti's work is extremely orderly, it seems she had prepared early.

The Grand King flipped through, flipped through…… it had no end.

The Grand King couldn't believe it—how can one person manage so many messy affairs without turning them into a tangled mess!

Suddenly it came to mind—she's an AI, not human, but I am!

The Grand King felt dizzy.

After looking a moment longer, the Grand King lifted his head and sincerely gazed at Ling Yin and Zhao Ba: "Actually, I now want to go to school."

Zhao Ba was deeply moved: "Then Your Highness, finish today's work, and tomorrow we'll go to school."

The Grand King shook his head: "Impossible, that's impossible." After thinking, he realized he's human and can't outmatch machines, so he must manage Zhu Ti's affairs in a human way.

It's simple—the Grand King's method is to wait until something happens, then come to him to settle it.

Lying flat.

Meanwhile, Zhu Ti, leading a hundred cavalry, headed straight for the East Sea Commandery; according to Chen Cang's news, the people were still detained within the commandery's borders and hadn't been moved.

Two thousand conscripts—anyone not stupid in this world could guess what the Prince Yu intends to do with Youzhou's lack of manpower.

Over two thousand conscripts plus some accompanying family members, nearly three thousand people—very conspicuous in Bohai Commandery. Even though He Guang transferred them in batches, observant people still noticed.

This news quickly reached Bohai Commandery Governor Chen Kuo, who loves to curry favor above all; he was eager for a chance to ingratiate himself with the Prince Yu, and the opportunity came just like that. He immediately turned the information into a token of allegiance and sold it to the Prince Yu.

Ruyang lies southwest inland of the East Sea Commandery; compared to the Guangling Prince further south, Chen Kuo felt that the Prince Yu, backed by the Wang Clan, was more powerful.

Having served as governor of the East Sea for years without promotion, he knew best the strength of the neighboring Langya; naturally, when comparing the two feudal lords, he favored the Prince Yu. Previously the Prince Yu had ignored him, but this news successfully caught the Prince Yu's attention, letting him make a connection.

Chen Kuo volunteered to help the Prince Yu, but Zhu Ti still had plenty of personnel in Jiangnan; otherwise so many servants would be unmanageable. Chen Kuo ended up embarrassed, and finally the Wang Clan stepped in to detain the people.

Zhu Ti arrived at the East Sea Commandery, met with He Guang and Chen Cang, learned the latest developments, and was somewhat speechless: "I've been delayed this long on the way—has the Prince Yu still not moved the people? Is he waiting for Your Highness to come raid?"

She then scoffed, "Does this little matter really need Your Highness to personally intervene?"

She hadn't expected that offhand remark to actually hit the mark.

The Grand King had once appeared in Jiaodong Commandery, a fact Bai Li Jin knew; after all, the Ma family that was smashed were in-laws of the Wang Clan. Two thousand people are hardly anything for a populous commandery like Ruyang; the Prince Yu would act only to keep these servants from falling into the You King's hands, and if he could lure the You King out of his fiefdom with them, he'd really laugh in his sleep.

He calculated the proportion of this group to Youzhou's population and the silver needed to buy them, reckoning that the You King, who constantly defaults on annual tribute, wouldn't easily give up—so it was a gamble, a zero‑cost venture.

So, when Zhu Ti, with the Owl Cavalry in full armor, found under cover of night the shabby manor holding the servants, what emerged wasn't the Langya King's guards but more ruthless assassins.

They had just broken the gate and entered when, almost instantly, a crowd of black‑clad figures poured out from various corners.

Zhu Ti took one look at the formation and said, "This speed—looks like they've been waiting here day after day. Who are you brothers waiting for? Don't tell me it's a misunderstanding."

Among the black‑clad crowd, a tall figure stepped forward a few paces, walked into the moonlight and said in a gloomy voice: "The Youzhou people have arrived? Where's the You King?"

Zhu Ti whipped out her whip, tugged it, and said, "Just a few rats—no need for Your Highness to act personally; I, a woman, can settle this."

The Owl Cavalry, clad entirely in black armor, blended perfectly into the night; she still wore a bright green dress even at night, and the whip she was pulling was also green.

She spoke while stepping out of the shadow, exposing herself to the bright moonlight.

That tall black-clothed man sneered: "Your tone is not small, then just leave your lives here! Such a beauty trapped in the East Sea, who knows the next one to come might be Prince You himself—attack!"

Before his words even finished, Zhuti's whip had already lashed over.

That person never expected the whip's length could reach him; wanting to retreat was already too late, even at top speed dodging, his face was still struck by the whip, instantly skin split and flesh tore!

He instantly flew into a rage; he knew his face was ruined, and for a disfigured person, the prospects of this lifetime are seen at a glance to be at an end.