Chapter 382

Qin Zhanhong sat onto Chen Wuji's hips, swaying her buttocks as she said, "About five thousand or so, my few subordinates are decent at killing and investigating cases, but they know nothing about the way of Battle Formation; they can't even count a few numbers clearly, they just gave me a rough figure, which should be about this number."

"Having a rough number is enough." Chen Wuji grabbed Qin Zhanhong's soft waist with both hands.

"The commander was hacked to death by his subordinates; this matter involves too many things. It's possible that those above disliked the commander and ordered his subordinates to kill him and take over the army, or it's possible that those below killed him out of resentment. Since your people are still there, have them keep watching to see what moves this army will make next."

Qin Zhanhong placed Chen Wuji's hands where they should be, saying, "Put them down there; you keep feeling my waist."

Chen Wuji chuckled, "It's not that holding the waist is comfortable."

Qin Zhanhong turned, her moist red lips biting Chen Wuji's neck, exhaling like orchids, "Isn't it more comfortable elsewhere?"

"It's comfortable, it's comfortable." Chen Wuji laughed, scooped Qin Zhanhong up, and laid her on the bed.

"Wait, there's also the little roasted chicken; we've just had the Wedding Night Candle Ceremony, how could we neglect her?" Qin Zhanhong stopped Chen Wuji, jumped off him, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go call someone."

"Go." Chen Wuji said.

He had actually just forgotten it.

His relationship with Xiao Yuji developed rather abruptly, leaving him with the constant feeling that he and Xiao Yuji still had no connection.

It's not that Chen Wuji is irresponsible; it's just that these past few days have been too busy, he has many things to consider, and some things are genuinely easy to forget.

Just like now.

While he was flirting with Qin Zhanhong, he was actually also considering the matter of Hezhou's troops arriving.

But after considering it all around, Chen Wuji chose to ignore it.

Their five thousand Bīngmǎ came with mighty force, and now he's also being entangled by the troops of the Gu, Li, and Xue families, so even if he wanted to do something, he couldn't.

Simply let the soldiers block the soldiers, water be met with earth; just wait.

……

In the following few days.

Chen Wuji divided his subordinate Bīngmǎ into three groups, advancing toward southern Yunan in the formation of three arrowheads.

Almost every day there would be a battle, big or small.

The Gu, Li, and Xue families made a good start, causing the mountain bandits and village ruffians to rush out and take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble.

Chen Wuji carried out the two words 'stern' to the extreme; along the way he left only trees full of corpses, not a single prisoner.

Yang Tiejiang, who originally had in mind using prisoners to build his own subordinates, after seeing the miserable state of the villages along the way, never mentioned it again.

Nine days later, Chen Wuji encountered Li Run, an outstanding young member of the Li Family, in a nameless small village.

He was already the designated next-generation head of the Li Family, and currently held considerable authority within the Li Family.

Before the battle could even begin, Li Run sent people to surrender.

And he did so with full sincerity.

Before Chen Wuji had agreed to give him a chance to surrender, Li Run had people send over a large amount of money and grain.

The silver was counted by the box, at least several tens of thousands of taels.

Chen Wuji didn't open any of these things to look at them; he directly ordered them to be stored in the warehouse.

Chen Wuji didn't find the money and grain excessive at all.

But the people, he also had to kill.

After glancing at the Li Family Envoy prostrate on the ground, Chen Wuji asked with a smile, "Does your family head really intend to surrender so readily?"

The Envoy was a young man who looked quite capable, but facing Chen Wuji he appeared listless and nervous; he hastily lifted his head to glance at Chen Wuji and, with a forced smile, said, "My young master actually also deeply resents the family's heinous, groundless deeds, but he is lowly and lightly regarded, making it hard to change what the family has already decided."

"Having heard that Deputy Commander Chen personally leads the troops here, my young master was overjoyed and hastily sent me to express his respect to the Deputy Commander."

Chen Wuji gave a faint smile, "Your family head sounds like someone who understands the bigger picture, knows propriety, and possesses conscience."

The Envoy nodded repeatedly, "My young master… yes, yes, he really is quite different from the other members of the Li Family."

"You really aren't surrendering just because you can't beat me?" Chen Wuji asked.

The Envoy was taken aback, then uncharacteristically hardened his tone: "Deputy Commander Chen, you have indeed misunderstood my young master; he wishes to surrender because he deeply hates the family's actions, not because he lacks the strength to fight. This battle hasn't even started yet—no one knows whether we could win or not…"

Having said that, he quickly prayed in his heart, hoping Chen Wuji wouldn't kill him over this matter.

Although the fact is that they surrendered simply because they couldn't win at all.

But this was what the young master specifically instructed before departure: they couldn't say they couldn't win; they had to phrase it differently.

He dared not change it arbitrarily, so he could only say it with a stiff upper lip.

But he was indeed timid.

Chen Wuji's military exploits since leaving Yunan City are known to them in perfect clarity.

Wherever the great army passed, there was not a single survivor; all were hung on trees, like strings of wind chimes.

Faced with this scene, who wouldn't be afraid?

Now, in the eyes of these Li Family retainers, the three words 'Chen Wuji' are a murderous demon who kills without blinking.

Since learning that Chen Wuji's Bīngmǎ had arrived nearby, the surrounding mountain bandits have all fled.

"I understand your family head's intention; he wants to surrender, and I agree." Chen Wuji said.

"I also hope to avoid fighting, as it would waste lives and wealth and bring many disadvantages. Go back and tell your family head to come over sometime within three days."

"But I also have conditions: since he has surrendered to me, within the Li Family internal decisions must be made. He has surrendered, but the Li Family still has some people who haven't surrendered, right?"

Upon hearing this, the Envoy was overjoyed, quickly bowed deeply, and said, "I, your humble subordinate, accept the order; I will return immediately to inform my young master."

"Mm, go."

Chen Wuji raised his hand and gave a light wave.

The Envoy bowed his body and, extremely humbly, retreated from Chen Wuji's Big Tent.

Xu Zengyi said, "Although Li Run's troops along the way have also done many evil deeds, if they can surrender, it would still be a good thing. By then, have Li Run find some of the chief culprits to execute, giving this matter an explanation."

Chen Wuji gave a cold snort, "Wait for them to come, then bury them all alive in pits."

"They think it's beautiful to want to surrender just because they can't win. If I accept their surrender, how would I justify my own bold proclamations when I set out on campaign, and how would I answer to the Yunan civilians who died tragically?"

They treat the common people, not leaving a single person, not leaving a single house; now they feel they are about to become souls beneath the knife, yet they keep thinking about surrender—there's no such good thing in the world. When not in that position, I can ignore these human tragedies and live my own small life in peace.

But now that I have become this commandant, I must take responsibility for them!

Them—I will not leave a single one!