Chapter 350

Chen Wuji finished settling matters with Yang Tiejiang, then hurriedly went to the Xianya.

Although it's the middle of the night now, things do not wait for people.

No matter what Qin Feng thinks, he must quickly replenish some able-bodied forces.

Actually, just mentioning this makes Chen Wuji angry.

I don't know what's special about him, but whenever there is war he must engage in Night Battle.

Since he got involved in military affairs, these several big and small battles have surprisingly never taken place during the day. His choosing to fight at night is one thing, but the enemy also choosing to do so is another.

Chen Wuji forcibly knocked open the Xianya's gate, then kicked open Qin Feng's bedroom, dragging the dazed Qin Feng from bed: "Sir, it's time to recruit troops!"

The half-asleep, dazed Qin Feng was startled by Chen Wuji's shout, opened his eyes, and reached for the sword placed beside the bed.

"Sir, look here, look here, me!" Chen Wuji shouted.

Qin Feng focused his gaze, then let out a sudden sigh, immediately slumped his head on the headboard, began to regain composure: "What time is it? Don't you know disturbing someone's sleep is a grave offense?"

"Then do you know, as the magistrate, with the city about to be breached, yet you're still sleeping—what crime is that?" Chen Wuji asked.

He too was impressed.

They were fighting fiercely outside, yet this guy actually fell asleep peacefully inside.

"Is the city about to fall?" Qin Feng shouted in shock, "How could the city be breached in the dead of night? Chen Wuji, you damn bastard, don't scare me! I, uh, I mean, as an official who hasn't read much military strategy, I've never heard of a precedent where a city is taken by a night assault."

"That's because your vision is narrow; how could there not be one!" Chen Wuji shouted.

"So you damn well know the enemy is attacking the city, you know they're attacking, yet you can sleep so peacefully? Won't your conscience hurt? Aren't you afraid that you'll sleep soundly only to have the enemy rush in and drag your head out?"

Qin Feng waved his hand and smiled: "Everyone has their own duties; the rebel troops that you and Mr. Xu can't stop, even if I didn't sleep and stared from the city wall, it would be useless. Better to sleep soundly, then tomorrow help you handle logistics Luggage and Supplies and recruitment."

"I can't wait until tomorrow; I need people tonight!" Chen Wuji's expression turned grave as he spoke in a low voice.

"The enemy army is repeatedly Shìhòu attacking the city tonight, wearing us down; if nothing unexpected happens, they will surely launch a full-force assault tomorrow."

"Our forces are too few to rotate rest, while they have at least ten thousand."

Qin Feng rubbed his face hard, then sprang up: "Need them now? Where am I supposed to find people at this hour? If we conscript by force and provoke public resentment, the situation will only worsen."

"If not forced conscription, then pay for enlistment—there's no other way—five hundred cash a day!" Chen Wuji said.

Qin Feng said with a headache: "Five hundred cash is probably hard enough; going up on the city wall means tying your life to your waistband—if not dirt-poor to the point of not being able to open the pot, who would want to take this job?"

"Or two taels of monthly military pay, with extra bounty for killing enemies and consolation money if killed in action." Chen Wuji said, "Use whichever of these two approaches you think will move them."

"Furthermore, you can tell them that if the rebel army enters the city, they'll loot their grain and money, seize their wives, and they themselves will be forcibly conscripted to work; the countryside outside is already a hundred li of barren wasteland."

Qin Feng paced back and forth, a worried look on his face: "I'll use these two arguments, but it's hard to say how effective they'll be."

"During daytime recruitment, I also overheard some conversations among the populace; they know the rebel forces outside are just those few great clans in the city, and they don't worry that their livelihoods will be affected."

"In these troubled times, these people first think of avoiding disaster, not rushing out to die!"

Chen Wuji said helplessly: "Do your best; I'll also think of other ways."

"But I've received word that the allied forces of the Gu, Li, and Xu families are indeed pillaging the countryside outside; the claim of a hundred li of barren wasteland may be exaggerated, but it's getting close."

Qin Feng raised his eyebrows in surprise: "They really did that?"

"What am I deceiving you for? Magistrate, wake up, get busy—I'm going up to the city to fight desperately. The commandant you forced on me is really no pleasant posting; hunting would be more satisfying!" Chen Wuji waved his hand and hurried out of Qin Feng's room.

……

On the city wall.

The enemy's siege temporarily halted; outside the city, aside from piles of scattered fires, nothing else could be seen, the air filled with the strong smell of burnt corpses and blood.

The banquet originally set up on the city wall had long turned into a mess, mingled with blood and water.

The soldiers lay slumped in all directions amidst this filthy chaos, desperately resting to recover strength, each gaze showing numbness.

Chen Wuji went up to the city wall, saw this scene, and immediately ordered several carts of alcohol to be brought.

"Everyone has worked hard; have a drink, steady your spirits!"

Chen Wuji personally went from soldier to soldier pouring wine, repeating this sentence from one end of the wall to the other.

After a bowl of wine, the soldiers' numb gazes regained some vigor; each excitedly told Chen Wuji they had repelled the enemy's Three-Round Attack, leaving at least several hundred, and the bandit troops retreated.

Chen Wuji encouragingly exhorted these soldiers, telling them that his troops were the strongest in the world; such results were no surprise, just trifles, they had held back their strength.

This teasing encouragement revived their spirits a bit; someone bashfully said they had already fought with their lives, while someone boldly said indeed they had held back, otherwise they could have slain a few more.

But no matter what they said, Chen Wuji told them they were the fiercest.

They are the fiercest troops in all of Nan Jun!

After finishing the drink, Chen Wuji personally together with his guards lifted the fallen soldiers down from the wall.

He asked each dead soldier's name, then on the spot inscribed tombstones for them, recording their merits.

The living soldiers, who had been lying on the wall merely curious about this scene, then one after another stood up, their eyes also gaining something different stirring within.

People come into this life hoping to receive sufficient respect.

Respect is not the exclusive privilege of those in power; every ordinary person yearns for it.

Whether in life or after death.

After the battle at Shenxian Ling, Chen Wuji indeed considered showing off, but that superfluous thought was tossed far away by him into the clouds; what show, this is all he ought to do.

These soldiers, after all, are all risking their lives for him.

With their lives and deaths they have built his reputation, wealth, and power.

He cannot achieve absolute fairness, but at least he must not let these soldiers feel chilled.

He wants to satisfy them!