Chapter 705

After waking up, Chen Wuji was sitting with Xu Zengyi and Chen Li, drinking tea and eating grilled fish.

The fish, freshly caught from the river, was extremely fresh and of top-notch quality.

Chen Wuji, who usually couldn't eat much in the morning, had already devoured two fish in one go, yet still felt unsatisfied.

He was about to have a little more when patrol soldiers hurriedly appeared outside the Big Tent.

"Report!"

"Reporting, my lord, many civilians have come outside the Daying, and countless more are hurrying this way, supporting the elderly and carrying the young, numbering in the tens of thousands."

Upon hearing the soldier's report, Chen Wuji instantly felt full.

"Have you figured out why these civilians have come?" Chen Wuji asked, wiping his hands.

"They say... they say they've come to fetch grain." The soldier's face showed difficulty, "I don't know where they got the news, saying our army took Wu'an City, opened the granaries to distribute grain, to pacify the populace."

Chen Wuji nodded, "Tell them the gates of Wu'an City are open; let them go get it themselves! Also, warn them: anyone who rushes the camp will be slain!"

"Yes!"

The soldier hurriedly ran out of the Daying to convey Chen Wuji's order.

"My lord, this is probably why Wu'an City is an empty city." Xu Zengyi looked sorrowful, "There definitely won't be any grain in the city; with these civilians rushing in like this, a chaos is hard to avoid."

"They have looted and robbed the civilians in the city; they will surely turn back to continue seeking us. These civilians certainly include ordinary folk swept up by rumors, but there must also be leaders, fanning the flames."

"I know." Chen Wuji's expression remained calm.

"If no one organized it, how could tens of thousands of civilians possibly come rushing toward our Daying at this early hour? Although Songzhou is populous, we saw along the way that a village is only a few hundred people; gathering tens of thousands at once would be extremely difficult."

"It's fine; let them enter the city, then we'll enter too!"

Xu Zengyi's expression turned stern, "What do you mean, my lord?"

"Surround the city, suppress, kill!" Chen Wuji sprang up, "Someone, don armor!"

"Yes!"

……

After a show of force with knives, the civilians left Chen Wuji's Big Tent in a mighty throng, turned a corner, and surged into Wu'an City.

Just as they left, Chen Wuji's Bīngmǎ also moved.

Chen Wuji personally led the Central Cavalry to surround the city; the Central Cavalry and Lu Halberd Unit entered the city to suppress.

Wu'an City's garrison of about two thousand, upon seeing the tens of thousands of mighty troops, without hesitation threw down their weapons, shed their clothes, and dove into the crowd.

The orders they received were merely for show here; naturally there was no reason to stubbornly play the hero, pretend loyalty and righteousness, and risk their lives.

It's a pity that half of the Hezhou Bīngmǎ that entered the city were actually coming for them; how could we let them escape?

After a round of encirclement and pursuit, more than half of the over two thousand were completely captured by the Hezhou army.

These people were sent to the front of the formation; Chen Wuji merely glanced at them and ordered them all to be individually bound, lined up in a row, kneeling on the open ground before the city gate, facing the gate.

Behind each person stood a Personal Guard in Black Armor, individually keeping watch.

At midday, a scout hurriedly came from within the city.

"Reporting, my lord, the chaos in the city has been quelled; General Lu sent me to ask for your instructions on what to do next."

Chen Wuji sat on his horse, hand shading his eyes as he studied the year of Wu'an City, "Disperse the civilians; let them all leave the city."

"Yes!"

Not long after the soldiers left, civilians supporting the elderly and carrying the young, holding various items, emerged from the city gate with panicked expressions.

On each of their faces, the excitement and frenzy from when they entered the city were gone; each walked extremely cautiously, nervously protecting their family beside them.

"Shi Yi Shu!" Chen Wuji shouted.

Chen Li understood, leading a squad of Personal Guards forward on horseback, waving his whip and shouting loudly, "Those who have taken the talisman and worshipped the Heavenly Lord stand on the left; those who have touched neither stand on the right; form ranks, do not be chaotic!"

Upon hearing that they still couldn't leave, the civilians instantly became agitated; a group even shouted that they wanted to charge the military formation.

Chen Li's face turned cold, "I'll say it again: line up, stand firm! Those who cause trouble will have their whole families executed!"

Swish!

The Personal Guards instantly had their knives in hand.

As the Cold Sword was drawn, the Blood Killing Aura on the soldiers' bodies instantly surged forth.

That intense killing intent instantly calmed the agitated civilians.

Those who had been shouting to charge the formation also stopped, shrinking their heads and honestly hiding themselves in the crowd.

The chaotic crowd gradually turned into two lines.

Chen Wuji rode forward, his gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd, "Those with deep-set eyes, pull them out!"

The Personal Guards immediately stepped forward, pulling several men with deep-set eyes out of the line.

"Did you not take the talisman? Have you not worshipped the Heavenly Lord?" Chen Wuji asked from above.

Several men shook their heads in unison.

"Chop them!"

Swish!

A horizontal blade swept across, and several heads instantly fell to the ground.

Chen Wuji's icy gaze swept over the crowd as he said in a low voice, "If you've taken it, you've taken it; don't hide it, and don't try to profit from confusion. Even from far away I can smell the stench on some of you, yet you act as if you haven't taken it."

"I'll give you a chance to correct this: those who have taken it, stand on the left!"

The crowd stirred again; some quickly changed lines, while others were extremely dissatisfied.

At this moment, an elderly gentleman stepped forward and said, "General, the talisman bestowed by the Heavenly Lord can cure illness and save lives; why are you killing us? What wrong have we done?"

"You're not wrong; when people are sick they should be treated, and everyone just wants to live well." Chen Wuji said in a low voice, "But you, sir, are also someone who has lived several decades; have you ever seen something so miraculous? From what you say, you must have taken it, right? Do you feel unwell when you haven't taken it?"

"I've taken it, and my body is healthy; before, I couldn't even move these two legs, but look now, I'm very agile." The elderly gentleman jumped twice, patting his thigh and said, "After taking it, I'm fine; when I haven't taken it, I don't feel unwell either."

"How long have you been taking it?"

What I drank yesterday. They gave me three talismans, and I drank them all.

Do you still plan to keep drinking?

That's for sure, this talisman is a gift from the Heavenly Lord; it costs no money and can cure illness, so I definitely will keep drinking. I originally planned to go offer incense and get talismans today, but they said the Military Governor is opening the granaries to distribute grain, so I came.

Sir, you'd better prepare for your funeral soon.

Hey, why are you, a general, cursing me? Whose soldiers are you exactly?

Don't argue with me; if you keep arguing, I'll have you prepare your funeral right now. That talisman is poison, not some good cure—whether you listen is up to you, but whatever you do, don't argue with me!

Chen Wuji didn't have that much time and energy to go explain to them one by one what this thing really is; even if he did, they wouldn't listen.

When dealing with these people, the methods must be harsh.

It's easy for them to fabricate a lie, but for Chen Wuji to unravel that lie is as hard as climbing to heaven.

We can only find another way.