Chapter 770: Withdraw the Troops

A moment of indulgence.

Besides pleasure, nothing else happened.

Zhang Xiuer went from initial slight resistance to later shy full cooperation, even discussing the details of this play with Qin Zhanhong, her face full of curiosity.

Her reaction instantly deepened Chen Wuji's suspicion.

The Zhang family's downfall, he and Qin Zhanhong were the two most directly involved.

Zhang Xiuer's attitude toward him might explain a thing or two, and her explanations could also pass muster.

But with Qin Zhanhong, it would be unreasonable for her to become so openly intimate.

Although he had suspicions, Chen Wuji showed no abnormality.

Letting Zhang Xiuer, Qin Zhanhong, and Lu Wanwan get close isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Perhaps we could discover something.

Qin Zhanhong heads the espionage; although he is a bit hesitant, his attitude toward official business is never vague, he is extremely perceptive, yet in practice he often gets confused and lacks meticulous planning.

However, none of that matters; as long as she uncovers the problem, it's fine.

Moreover, Qin Zhanhong and Lu Wanwan are both quite capable; even if Zhang Xiuer wanted to do something to them, it wouldn't be that easy.

In the morning, while Chen Wuji was having breakfast, Hu Bu Gui again sent a scout to deliver a piece of news that was not at all surprising to him.

Yu Ren has fled!

He has abandoned the attack and is now retreating with the three guards toward Qiang Land.

"Sir, what kind of person is Yu Ren, exactly?" Chen Wuji asked, turning his head.

Quite a few people had breakfast with him today.

Not only Xu Zengyi, but also Qian Fugui and Chen Wu Yin, who had just led the troops back.

"A confused scoundrel!" Xu Zengyi said.

Chen Wuji chuckled, "It's rare to hear such vulgar language from you, sir."

"My lord, I am called the Poisonist; saying these things is nothing strange!" Xu Zengyi laughed.

He used to scold people even more directly than this.

But after being a recluse for many years, he has also learned to restrain his sharpness, keeping some morality in his speech.

Chen Wuji nodded with a smile, "Indeed, he is a confused scoundrel. Looking at his methods, he truly is someone with deep scheming, ruthless tactics, and no scruples. Yet everything he has done from start to finish is utterly absurd, like..."

Chen Wuji couldn't find a suitable word to describe him for a moment.

Yu Ren is just awkward.

Looking closely, it's all scheming and tactics, each step interlocking, making it utterly meticulous and ruthless.

But looking at the big picture, this guy is basically a brainless fool.

"My lord, what kind of person Yu Ren is, it's hard to say, but behind him there must certainly be someone like a Snake Staff Elder, or perhaps he himself is the Snake Staff Elder." Xu Zengyi said.

Chen Wuji nodded, "If it exists, it exists; for now it doesn't matter."

"In the face of absolute strength, all schemes and tricks are paper tigers. He has failed so many times; I'm genuinely curious what tricks he can still pull out."

"Yu Ren has been defeated and is now trying to flee to Qiang Land. According to Hu Bu Gui's report, he now has fewer than eight thousand troops under his command, and Hu Bu Gui's own forces are sufficient to deal with him; we can discuss withdrawing the troops."

Qian Fugui asked, "My lord, if we withdraw the troops now, would it be too hasty?"

"Not hasty; indeed it's time." Xu Zengyi said, "Tens of thousands of troops are stationed in Songzhou, consuming vast amounts of food and fodder each day; withdrawing even a day earlier would save considerable provisions."

Chen Wuji nodded, "That's exactly what I mean; our provisions are currently being transported from Qingzhou, incurring great expense along the way. Withdrawing in batches while carrying our own supplies could save a lot."

"Now the war has entered its final stage; keeping so many troops here is of little use."

The fleeing Qiang People have mostly been captured; Lu Ji and Tang Yu are on their way back.

Tens of thousands of troops are stationed here; daily consumption of food and fodder, plus the loss from transporting provisions from Qingzhou along the route, makes this a horrifying figure.

Save where we can!

Qian Fugui stretched mightily, "Finally we can go back."

"Then you go first." Chen Wuji said with a light smile.

"It's been so long since we left home; we should return to have a look and rest properly."

Qian Fugui immediately said, "My lord, I'm just muttering; I'm not that eager."

"Lu Ji and Tang Yu are still on their way back, so only you two can go ahead." Chen Wuji said.

Qian Fugui stared, "My lord, shouldn't you be the one to go first?"

"I'll wait a bit longer!"

Yu Ren fled in defeat, but the war has not yet completely ended.

More importantly, the nearly hundred thousand captives taken by Hu Bu Gui also require handling of the aftermath.

That bastard Yu Ren may have run fast, but he left behind a mess that's utterly ruined.

The nearly hundred thousand captives include men, women, old and young; in short, they are ordinary commoners.

How to deal with these people, Chen Wuji still has no clue.

Although the death penalty can be waived, we must still impose minor punishment as a major warning to eliminate future troubles.

"Withdraw the troops, heading via Qingzhou and then down the waterway to Hezhou." Chen Wuji ordered.

"Issue orders to Qian Yong: let him retain sufficient personnel to manage this place's shipyards and naval affairs; he too will withdraw the troops and begin constructing a naval base in Hezhou."

The naval forces' base in Songzhou can only be an outpost.

It cannot become a true naval base.

His Old Stronghold is in Hezhou; placing the naval forces in distant Songzhou would cause many inconveniences in warfare, and his current strength is still insufficient to split troops like that.

"Fugui, Wu Yin, your two units will be the first batch; withdraw the troops in the next two days." Chen Wuji continued, "Qian Yong will lead his troops to escort you downstream, then sail upstream to Qingzhou, just in time to meet Lu Ji and Tang Yu."

Although the journey here took many days, the road back for withdrawing the troops is actually quite easy.

From Songzhou to Hezhou, going downstream, it's only three days.

Moreover, it's still three days after trimming the ends; if one wants to be strict, two days are enough.

This waterway is entirely a shortcut.

When Lu Ping'an occupied Qingzhou back then, it was also fortunate that he had no navy.

If he had a navy, Chen Wuji would surely have a headache.

Qian Fugui and Chen Wu Yin rose to receive the order.

The two words 'withdraw troops' instantly loosened the atmosphere at the table.

Although victory in this great battle had long been in sight, before the order to withdraw troops was given, the atmosphere was completely different.

This feeling can basically be equated to an exam.

When the order to withdraw troops came down, it was equivalent to the exam ending and vacation beginning.

"Lord, how should we handle the prisoners?" Xu Zengyi suddenly asked.

Chen Wuji set down his chopsticks, took a sip of tea: "No clue yet; we won't handle them, let them each return home—future trouble would be great. These people all had their minds controlled by A Furong; truly being able to sever it with willpower, one out of ten would be not bad."

"Just letting them go like this will surely cause chaos later."