Chapter 50: Pah!

The carts rumble, the horses whinny, ten thousand troops actually bow their heads.

Wearing a purple gauze headscarf on his head, dressed in cooked-silk robes and trousers.

Gold-and-silver chased belt, five-color woven shoes.

Holding feathered ceremonial standards, playing military music.

Thousands of female Flying Cavalry, like a beautiful scenic line, come surging from the direction of Ye City.

Surrounded and encircled by them is a massive horse cart, edged with gold and silver, adorned with pearls and jade, draped in fine silk curtains.

The Great Zhao Heavenly King Shi Hu, his body fat like a wild boar king, sits in the cart frame with eyes closed, nurturing his spirit.

"Heavenly King~~~"

Vice Minister Yan Sheng reports from outside the imperial carriage: "The Crown Prince, accompanied by the Generals, welcomes the carriage three li away."

After a good while, only then does Shi Hu's muffled reply come from within the carriage.

"Hmm~~~"

Shi Xuan and the others rush over and salute before the carriage.

However Shi Hu inside the carriage pays them no heed; the carriage continues forward, heading straight for the Main Camp.

The Generals' faces all look somewhat ugly.

It is very obvious, the Heavenly King is dissatisfied with their performance.

All the way to the army camp, Shi Hu unceremoniously occupies Shi Xuan's main tent.

Gazing at the densely packed Jin Palace Guards outside the tent, a trace of gloom flashes across Shi Xuan's face.

The Crown Prince, ultimately, is only the Crown Prince.

"You fought well~~"

Shi Hu, narrowing his eyes, sweeps his gaze over everyone: "Tens of thousands dead and wounded, yet you couldn't even touch the city walls."

The Generals all know his cruel disposition; no one dares to argue at this moment, all bowing low to plead guilty.

Shi Hu is an Overlord who killed his way out of the battlefield.

Naturally he knows the significance of military power in a Chaotic Era.

With so many troops gathered here, placed in the Crown Prince's hands, how could he be at ease?

Coming over and first giving them a beating to establish his authority, then seizing back military power as the situation dictates.

"Strong Attack won't succeed."

Seeing everyone bow their heads, Shi Hu's tone eases slightly: "Didn't anyone think of other methods?"

Champion General Yao Yizhong steps forward: "Please, Heavenly King, instruct us."

"The various departments of the garrison in the city." Shi Hu asks: "Have you ever tried bribing them?"

"Merit and profit, gold and silver, beauties — all can be promised."

"Those Han Aristocratic Clans, don't they most love court power and local fields?"

"Can promise them court offices and enfeoffment as Marquises, locally bestow ten thousand qing of good land."

"Want higher official rank and nobility, more fields — everything can be negotiated."

"Not afraid they'll make demands, as long as they're willing to make demands it's fine."

"If there are inside helpers to open the city gates, why would this battle need to be so troublesome?"

Bribing is forever the most efficient, most trouble-saving course of action.

Throughout history, all manner of barbarian captives have always deeply understood this way.

Originally it's all robbed goods anyway; giving out however much they won't care.

Anyway once the matter succeeds, there are plenty of ways to recover it all, principal and interest together.

"Heavenly King."

Rongzhao General Zhang Chai steps forward and salutes: "The Qihuo Army in the city has no High-ranking Families."

"Even commoners of Small Surnames are not many."

"Huh?" Shi Hu is greatly surprised: "How is that possible?"

"Without High-ranking Families, how would those commoners know how to wage war?"

"Heavenly King." Fu Hong steps forward: "Indeed it is so."

"These Qihuo Army all came from Guangzong County."

"We have already dispatched people to investigate; they split households after internal strife."

"The High-ranking Families all remained in Guangzong County."

"Those commoners, led by a remarkable person, rushed to Xiangguo City."

"Quite a capable one." Shi Hu sighs in admiration: "We are increasingly appreciating this person."

"Li Nong."

"You write a letter on Our behalf to persuade this person to surrender."

"As long as he is willing to submit, We will certainly employ him heavily!"

Li Nong feels bitter in his heart, yet has no choice but to step forward and accept the order.

He has dealt with Lin Dao before, and knows deeply that this man's gaze is like a torch, born with innate pride and confidence, fundamentally not someone willing to be subordinate to others.

Persuade surrender?

What f*cking use!

Shi Hu's instructions here are not yet finished.

"If the city refuses to surrender, then seek other means to attack the city."

"Building siege engines is not easy, then pick elite troops for a night raid."

His gaze swept over Fu Hong, Yao Yizhong said, "This matter is left to you two to handle."

The two felt a slight tremor in their hearts, but on their faces they remained composed as they accepted the order.

Fu Hong was a Di person, Yao Yizhong was a Qiang person.

The Bu Jun under their command held a status higher than Han in Shi Zhao, but not as high as the proper Jie People of the nation.

Now encountering dangerous matters, naturally they would go first.

Shi Hu picked another person: "Ji Nu."

On this side Shi Min immediately stepped forward.

"You go on a trip to Guangzong County." Shi Hu instructed, "Bring all those remaining Begging Armies over here."

"If they do not comply, exterminate them all!"

At Li Nong's place, he quickly wrote a letter of persuasion to surrender, with sincere words and ornate language.

Entering the city naturally was impossible to enter the city.

Both sides fighting, a senior minister as a shishi, either killed or captured as a hostage.

On this point, the ministers, clansmen, and emperors of the Jingkang period had deep understanding.

A knight held a white flag high, rode a horse outside the city, and shot the letter up to the city tower.

Inside Xiangguo City.

Lin Dao was currently patrolling the city at this time.

He was a lord; fighting fiercely on the city tower, working and settling various places inside the city, was not his job.

Providing supplies, comforting military and civilian hearts, clear rewards and punishments to keep all places stable, was what he should do.

Visiting wounded soldiers, inspecting city defenses, checking the clothes produced by the female workers.

He walked all the way to the largest Civilian Camp.

The number of civilian laborers in the Civilian Camps throughout the city had already become very swollen, reaching tens of thousands.

A large part of them were cannon fodder who had hidden in the moat during the previous siege, obeying orders.

They were not from the Begging Armies, so they needed more attention in terms of psychological massage and psychological construction.

According to convention, when inspecting, they always chose to come at mealtime.

The premise was that the food supply was good, and the comforting effect would be doubled.

"Lord~~~"

A group of civilian laborers who had learned to queue for food under stick discipline all saluted Lin Dao.

Lin Dao nodded in response, with a caring smile.

"Living in the camp, is there any discomfort?"

"Food, clothing, and usage, has there been any deduction?"

"First recover your body; a healthy body is more important than anything."

Walking up to a stove, Lin Dao surveyed the food in the large pot.

Inside the pot was feed, slightly dark in color, porridge-like, emitting the aroma of grain.

That's right, it was feed.

So many people opening their mouths to eat every day could truly eat him bankrupt.

Lin Dao had no choice but to purchase the cheapest filling things.

Without a doubt, feed was the cheapest.

Like the pig feed Lin Dao ordered, the price per tonnage was less than two thousand.

Cheaper than corn at over two thousand per tonnage.

Taking the large ladle from the cook's hand, Lin Dao held the ladle and stirred inside the large pot, scooping up a spoonful to bring close for observation.

"Corn kernels, cake dregs, vinegar dregs, distillers grains, bran dregs, tofu dregs, sauce dregs~~~"

Actually Lin Dao could only recognize corn kernels, and the wheat bran and millet mixed among them.

Wheat bran and millet were both obtained from Jie Huo within Xiangguo City.

The other things, he saw from the ingredient list when buying feed.

Returning the ladle to the cook, Lin Dao asked the civilian laborers waiting nearby, "These things, are they alright to eat?"

The civilian laborers were obviously excited, faces flushed, speech halting, "Lord, Lord is our regenerating parents~"

"We should have starved to death; it was Lord who gave us food to survive."

"Willing to die for Lord!"

Lin Dao stood with hands behind his back, slightly nodding, "You speak so well; did you read books before?"

"No, haven't read." The civilian laborer bent at the waist shook his head repeatedly, "It was Wang Dalang who taught us to say this."

"Saying that upon meeting Lord, one should speak like this."

Wang Meng in the distance looked up at the sky speechlessly.

Some words, some matters, do not need to be said in such detail!

Lin Dao's coming this time was mainly also for Wang Meng.

When he consulted materials in the Modern World, he had seen this name.

He was a truly powerful person in both civil and military aspects.

This time coming was to confirm it.

Facing Lin Dao's half-smile gaze, Wang Meng made psychological preparations, stepped forward and saluted.

"Greetings, Lord."

"Wang Meng."

Lin Dao smiled and said, "I put you in charge of this Civilian Camp, yet you don't focus your mind on the proper path, instead pondering these flattering words?"

"Lord has misunderstood," Wang Meng said with a serious expression, "these are not flattering words."

"We all feel grateful for Lord's grace of letting us survive."

"Lord's grace cannot be repaid; we are willing to die for Lord~"

The civilian laborers around them all shouted in response, "Willing to die for Lord~~~"

Feed them feed every day, and they will be willing to die for you.

This is the worker that capitalists dream of.

Second only to the godly person who gets paid to go to work.

Lin Dao laughed and nodded.

After everyone quieted down, he looked at Wang Meng, composed himself, and said, "Do you think there is anything lacking in what I have done?"

"Lord," Wang Meng heard this and hesitated slightly in his heart.

He understood that Lord was testing him.

"Lord, you treat everyone too generously."

Lin Dao asked with a smile, "Isn't that good?"

"It is good, and it is not good," Wang Meng responded seriously. "It is good because it can quickly win people's hearts."

"It is not good because there is no strength to sustain it."

"If you give too much in the early stage, once you run out of strength later and cannot support it, you will surely suffer backlash!"

He understood this clearly.

There are so many people in Xiangguo City who rely on Lord for food.

The treatment Lord gives is so high that once the grain runs out, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Lin Dao naturally would not tell him that he had special supply channels.

He continued to ask, "Is there anything else?"

"Around Lord, only confidants are relied upon to maintain things," Wang Meng said again. "When there are few people, it is naturally fine."

"But when there are many people and the territory is large, the drawbacks will inevitably show."

"Lord needs a reliable administrative foundation to handle affairs."

Only then did Lin Dao speak up to ask, "Where is your ancestral home?"

"A person from Ju County, Beihai Commandery, Northern Qi State."

First test his abilities, then ask about relevant information.

Comparing the two, it was indeed that Wang Meng.

One cannot unconditionally believe just because of a name.

Not to mention that people's hearts change; even records in historical records are not necessarily all true.

In the midst of speaking, soldiers arrived and presented a letter.

"Lord~ the Qianghu outside the city have sent a letter."

Opening the letter, the entire page was filled with words persuading surrender.

Lin Dao casually handed the letter to Wang Meng, "Help me write a reply letter."

Wang Meng's spirits lifted at once, "Yes~~~"

He found brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and made preparations for writing.

Wang Meng lifted his brush and looked up at Lin Dao, waiting for him to dictate the reply letter.

Lin Dao's thoughts were slightly drifting, "Just write one word on the reply letter."

"One word?" Wang Meng was surprised, "What word?"

He was surprised at which word could convey the meaning of agreement or refusal.

Lin Dao calmed his breath.

"Pah!"

PS: Thank you to Book Friend 12836160732260765184 for the 100 Reward Points support, deeply grateful, thank you!

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