Chapter 22: The Twenty‑Second Chapter: Setting Out Now?

(Zou Ying said: "It's not that we must send troops; of course, if we can send troops that's best. I'm merely carrying out the Emperor's order to inform you. The mutant beasts in Luo Ping Hai are multiplying daily; if one day Luo Ping Hai can't contain them and they try to leave, you can imagine these continents will be their first choice. The Emperor worries they might break into your territory and cause you inconvenience.")

Li Bucai thought: "Your Emperor is just a big swindler; inviting us here is only to make us his food subsidiary managers. The money is yours, the people are yours; we exchange the grain we laboriously collect for your money, then use your money to buy your people, and impose a Limited Order that forbids us from buying labor in Sky City for a month, then send a wandering merchant here to buy low and sell high. They say it's for our good, but really it's to protect your Sky City and leave the hard fights to us outsiders. Whether we send troops or not is fine? If we don't send troops, it's no wonder we won't get any shoes. We must go, but we need to squeeze some profit out of it.")

"Our territory doesn't matter; at worst we lose and pack up. But the Emperor's Thirteenth Brother is trapped in Luo Ping Hai, that's a big deal. We must send troops, definitely send troops, even if it wipes out my men, we must rescue the Thirteenth Brother. However… as you see, my camp is a mess now, no place to settle. So once I finish building the camp, I'll go.")

"Camp? Just those few wooden stakes over there?"

Li Bucai nodded: "Yes, after much effort we finally gathered enough manpower; we only just broke ground this morning."

"Um, it will probably take another ten or eight days to finish. Prince Jie En…"

"I know Prince Jie En is now surrounded by mutant beasts, very dangerous. But look at my situation, I don't even have a perimeter wall. If I go to Luo Ping Hai now, I can't take everyone. Leaving these girls here, you know, Goblins have raided the camp in just a few days. If I go, I must take the elite, leaving a few untrained ones—does that just condemn them to die? Moreover my food is scarce, can't sustain an expedition."

"If we can rescue Prince Jie En, the Emperor will reward you handsomely. The Emperor once said, whoever rescues the prince will be granted 50 first‑rank laborers, 50 second‑rank laborers, 20 fine horses, three skills, and a Heavenly Grace Decree, allowing free travel to Sky City."

"Damn it, a thousand lords go to rescue, and you only reward the one who saves the prince? That kind of shitty luck, who knows whose head it'll fall on, not even knowing what kind of enemy, might all be lost with your Thirteenth Prince."

Li Bucai said: "The Emperor's brother, there's no talk of reward; rescuing the prince is what we lords should do, I wish I could go right now. But you know I only have these few people, no food, no men; even if I had one person who could guard the camp while I'm gone, I wouldn't be in such a bind. This could take a long time, I can't return to find all my loyal people dead. Lord Zou, you tell me. Otherwise, could you find someone to guard the camp for me?"

Zou Ying pondered half a moment, said: "If Sky City could provide capable people, this wouldn't become a city‑wide storm. Hmm… if it's about guarding the camp, that could work, but within my ability I can only give you ten guards, that's all."

Li Bucai said: "A snake without a head can't move; if I leave and encounter danger with no one to notice, even ten more people won't help. So I don't ask for much, give me five guards plus one commander; once they're all here, I'll set out tomorrow morning."

"This… I'm afraid it's difficult."

"I know Sky City lacks food; I don't even ask you for grain. My few capable men, this trip might leave only a few alive…"

"Alright then, but this matter isn't up to me; I will first report it to the Emperor, success or failure depends on his will."

The matter urgent, after agreement, Zou Ying immediately took his leave.

……

Li Bucai leaned back in his chair, thinking that Zou Ying wouldn't send anyone, so I probably have to go anyway; now I have nine people who can fight, even if I send people as I wish, I must choose from these nine; Zhuoran sisters are more reliable, one of them needs to stay here to guard the camp…

"Lord, do you have something on your mind?"

While pondering, Li Bucai saw Qing'er come in, smiling gladly.

Qing'er looked at him gently, came close, mischievously ran her slender fingers through his hair, sweetly said: "Is it because of that messenger?"

Li Bucai wrapped her fragrant waist, pulled her into his arms; the sudden move startled her, she struggled lightly, glanced at his eyes, face flushed, slowly buried her face in his embrace.

Letting Li Bucai slip his hand into her collar, gently pinching her soft, elastic peaches, making her only able to whimper "yi yi wu wu", when he tried to go further, Qing'er hurried to stop, coquettishly said: "Enough, my lord, the sisters are out, if they see us they'd be mortified."

Li Bucai withdrew his hand from her pink dress, gently stroked her silky hair, saying: "Your lord is about to set out."

Qing'er startled, quickly asked: "Set out? Where to?"

"Heard of Luo Ping Hai?"

"Heard of it, seems a terrifying place, know nothing else." Going to a terrifying place, Qing'er showed no fear, instead calm, still with sweet smile. "Lord is going to Luo Ping Hai?"

"Yes, your Emperor wishes me to go there and fight for him."

"When do we depart?"

"Tomorrow at dawn."

Qing'er jumped out of his arms, said: "So urgent, only half a day left, we must hurry to prepare. I'll first go tell Rushi and the others, let them pack what we can use."

"Tell them?"

"Yes, Luo Ping Hai is far, will be hard, bring those two along, we'll serve the lord together."

"That place eats people, the camp still has many tasks, you must stay and watch the camp."

"Having Yan Qiu in the camp is enough, she knows everything."

"No, although I promised to take you wherever, this time it's different, can't, the camp needs people, this is an order."

Qing'er murmured an "oh", left the tent, then returned to her usual expression, went to the neighboring tent.