Chapter 58

"Clothing, food, housing, and transport — the foundation of the people's livelihood."

The tip of the pen in Lin Dao's hand swept across the A4 paper.

"At least one military-green cotton coat and one military-green cotton quilt per household."

"When the temperature rises, just wholesale the cheapest cloth."

The pen tip drew a horizontal line, then continued writing.

"Grain — aside from military households, everyone else is already being supplied with chicken feed."

"Military households also mainly get corn, with rice and wheat as supplements."

"Procurement costs have dropped significantly."

Having recorded up to here, Lin Dao frowned and picked up the phone beside him.

The news on the APP platform was playing a report about the Watchman's Clapper demanding increased Chinese cabbage imports.

"Cabbage is going up in price too, all the Watchman's Clapper's fault!"

Cabbage was already the cheapest vegetable, the main dish source for the begging-for-life army.

Another line drawn on the A4 paper.

"The Qianghu spent decades building Xiangguo City, launching major construction projects in the city interior every year."

"Many palaces, mansions, and houses — squeeze a bit and there's enough room to live."

"As for transport"

"Not needed for the time being."

Lin Dao, sitting in the chair, pondered for a moment and finally summarized.

"Material procurement for the coming month will still focus mainly on food supply."

"Find a cheap substitute for Chinese cabbage."

Roughly recorded the work plan for the next phase.

Packed up the paper and pen, Lin Dao stood up, left the duty room, and headed to the warehouse for inspection.

Compared to when he had just arrived, the goods piled in the warehouse were obviously more numerous.

Especially those returned clothes and socks, all stacked in bundles.

Gazing at these clothes that had to be piled up due to lost orders and returns.

Lin Dao smiled reassuringly, like a farmer seeing crops growing vigorously in his fields.

He cooperated with Su Tongtong to obtain information and materials, using cheap clothes from Yonghe Spacetime to snatch the African orders the company was heavily pushing.

The result was that goods piled up more and more, and company revenue plummeted.

The materials in this warehouse — when the company goes bankrupt and auctions off, he'll take it all at rock-bottom prices.

Confirming nothing was amiss, Lin Dao checked the time and set off for the warehouse of his own company next door.

A Dong heavy truck, pulling a full load of iron wire net, drove into the warehouse.

Lin Dao signed the receipt and greeted the stevedores to unload all the iron wire net.

Previously in Yonghe Spacetime, when he exterminated the Di people's elites who were stealing the city, the iron wire net proved unexpectedly effective.

Once entangled in the iron wire net, it was difficult to break free.

Lin Dao specially placed an additional order, just in case.

The heavy truck and workers left the warehouse one after another; Lin Dao locked the main gate and brought the iron wire net to Yonghe Spacetime.

Rubbing his slightly swollen and aching forehead, Lin Dao stepped out of the storehouse.

The bodyguards on night watch outside the door all stepped forward to pay their respects.

Wang Meng, who had been waiting for a long time, hurried forward. "Lord~"

"Jinglue has arrived." Lin Dao caught his breath. "Looking at you smiling so happily, what good news?"

"Master."

Wang Meng could barely contain his excitement. "The Qianghu have retreated!"

Shi Hu mobilized troops and civilian laborers numbering hundreds of thousands from prefectures, provinces, and counties everywhere, with connected camps stretching tens of li.

Such momentum and scale were enough to fight a nation-destroying war.

Who could not be afraid.

Now that they've finally retreated, how could one not be glad.

"Really?" Lin Dao strode outside. "Let's go see!"

Arriving at the city tower and looking out, he indeed saw multiple camps packing up, men, horses, livestock, and large carts streaming away in a continuous line.

"They just left like that?"

Lin Dao's brows furrowed slightly. "For real or fake?"

Everyone at his side nodded. "They are indeed striking camp and retreating."

Lin Dao pursed his lips. "They barely fought a few battles, and it ends in such an anticlimax?"

These words made Wang Meng and the others all wear strange expressions.

"Master." Wang Meng stepped forward. "The Qianghu have already lost their nerve."

"The Fei Luan Divine Fire fell; the Qianghu couldn't build siege engines."

"Heaven-shaking thunder exploded; even the bravest warriors of the three armies were turned to dust."

"Driving civilians to fill the moat, armored soldiers assaulting the city, sending spies to raid the commander, tunneling to steal the city — all useless."

"The Flying Divine Luan went to the enemy camp every night to throw drought-thunder; men and horses were all exhausted, morale low."

"Continuing to besiege the city with a large army was already utterly useless, merely wasting grain and fodder."

Besides these, there was another important reason that prompted Shi Hu to make up his mind to retreat.

The Murong Xianbei of the north, taking advantage of Shi Zhao's main forces gathering beneath Xiangguo City, sent troops south to launch a fierce attack on Youzhou.

The Murong Clan were enemies Shi Hu deeply hated.

Standing on the city tower, Lin Dao asked seriously, "I read in military texts that when the enemy retreats, one should actively pursue and crush them."

"What the Lord says is very right."

Wang Meng first nodded, agreeing with Lin Dao's words.

Then he reached out and pointed to several camps outside the city, "Lord, please look."

"The Qianghu cavalry of the various departments have not moved at all."

"The Stone bandits probably intend to wait for our army to leave the city, then seize the opportunity to counterattack."

Among the various Hu, the Qianghu cavalry are considered relatively weak.

Compared to the Beggar Army's cavalry, they still possess an overwhelming advantage.

Shi Hu left cavalry behind, on one hand to continue besieging and guarding the city, attempting to starve those inside to death.

The other intention was that if the Beggar Army left the city, they would use their cavalry's advantage in open-field battles to crush them.

The sunlight was bright, and the sky was cloudless for ten thousand miles.

Lin Dao, standing on the city tower, muttered softly, "Invincible cavalry? I'll run you over with a car."

Purchase heavy trucks, various engineering vehicles, and especially carry out various modifications.

Many documents are needed, and the procedures are very cumbersome.

Regular inspections are also required.

Lin Dao's plan was, after purchasing an abandoned gold mine abroad, to export it abroad under the name of a company.

Or simply buy second-hand ones abroad and modify them.

This way, things would be much more convenient.

Now, watching the Qianghu withdraw leisurely with his own eyes, he felt displeased in his heart.

"Lord."

Wang Meng gauged Lin Dao's thoughts, "We can send long-weapon armored soldiers out of the city to fight with their backs to the wall."

Since the Lord wants to fight, then let's fight a battle.

Leaning against the city wall can maximize the weakening of the cavalry's impact.

If the Qianghu dare not come out to fight, that would be even better.

Lin Dao remembered the iron wire nets he brought, and immediately nodded, "Good."

The city gate tunnel, piled with miscellaneous items, was cleaned clean overnight.

The city gate, covered in iron sheets, was pushed open with great effort amidst the sound of 'click-click'.

Three thousand armored soldiers who had eaten a full meal lined up and left the city.

Following them out of the city were a large number of civilian laborers carrying iron wire nets.

When the armored soldiers formed ranks, the civilian laborers were in front on the left and right, pulling out long iron wire nets one after another.

Waving hammers, they nailed wooden stakes to fix the iron wire nets in place.

At this time, inside the distant Qianghu camp, the sound of bugles continued without end, and men and horses were in an uproar.

Over a thousand female riders marched out of the camp in a grand procession, surrounding Shi Hu's huge and luxurious carriage.

"Heavenly King."

"Since the Beggar thief chief actively invites battle, we should just directly charge and crush them."

The Beggar Army, guarding the strong city, left the various Hu at a loss.

But since they dare to leave the city, they must be exterminated.

"Heavenly King." Ma Qiu, who had once suffered a great loss, hurried forward, "Last time the Black Lance Dragon Soaring Army charged like this, and the result..."

... was a crushing defeat and retreat, with heavy losses.

Shi Xuan's face showed strong disdain, and he reached out to point at Ma Qiu and scold him, "You yourself have no ability, so don't disturb the military morale here!"

Ma Qiu flew into a great rage, and his expression was extremely ugly.

Ma Qiu, whose killing of people like hemp had entered idioms, was no pushover.

His expression immediately turned fierce, "If so, the Crown Prince can attack!"

"All of you, shut up!"

Shi Hu glared at them.

The two fell silent, but still looked resentful on their faces.

"A direct cavalry charge is not appropriate; then we will flank and harass."

Shi Hu instructed word by word, "Wang Zhuo, you lead the Flying Cavalry to harass."

"Crown Prince, your troops will charge head-on."

Wang Zhuo was a Xiongnu from the Tu Ge department, and his subordinates were all Xiongnu cavalry.

Later Zhao was a mixed nation.

Inside it, Han, Jie, Di, Qiang, Xiongnu, and others all existed.

Previously, Shi Lei relied on his own personal ability and charisma to gather the various departments.

Now Shi Hu, on the other hand, relied on cruelty and terror to suppress.

Previously, the various departments had basically all participated in the siege, and each had suffered losses.

Shi Hu also understood the way of balance; at this time, it was the Xiongnu's turn to take the stage.

Similarly, the Jie people also had to send troops, otherwise the various departments would not submit.

Wang Zhuo led the Xiongnu cavalry, whistling as they came, using horse archery and throwing arrows to harass the Beggar Army.

The cavalry bows were mostly seven-dou bows; they looked weak, but could actually shoot through a body.

The reason they looked weak was that they were useless against armored soldiers.

The Gluttonous Army's armored soldiers raised their shields and lowered their heads; the formation rang with clanging sounds, yet few were lost.

The counterattack from the strong crossbows in the formation and on the city tower, however, shot down quite a few Xiongnu cavalry.

"The Hu people have grown smart."

Lin Dao, observing the battle from the city tower, both hands gripping the battlement: "They actually aren't using cavalry to charge the formation."

The Hu people are cruel, yet not stupid.

Especially Hu people rich in battlefield experience.

The Black Lance Dragon Soaring Army suffered a major loss before; naturally there would be no fools repeating the same mistake.

Shi Xuan was arrogant and conceited, and never spared lives.

Under his command, the High-Power Imperial Guards directly subordinate to the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace formed a battle array and pressed over in mighty waves.

Years ago, this High-Power Imperial Guard once slaughtered tens of thousands of local Xianbei tribespeople in the Shuo Fang region.

Their advantage lay in using foot-fired strong bows.

Foot bows have long range and strong penetration.

At close range, they can even shoot through iron armor.

Only this time, their strong bows faced the Gluttonous Army's armored soldiers, yet lost their former keenness.

Wearing several layers of armor, holding riot shields, the Gluttonous Army's armored soldiers let arrows fall on them with a din, yet stood immovable.

At the same time, the Gluttonous Army used strong crossbows to return fire, and shot down quite a few High-Power Imperial Guards.

High-Power Commander Liang Du, seeing the ranged exchange going badly, immediately ordered drums beaten and flags waved, driving the troops forward to charge into close combat.

The High-Power Imperial Guards plunged headlong into the dense iron wire net.

This iron wire net is very tough; hacking with knives or axes can hardly cut or snap it.

The High-Power Imperial Guards crossed one layer, two layers, three layers, yet the iron wire net before them still had over a dozen layers.

Anyone who got entangled found the more they struggled, the tighter it wrapped.

Large batches of High-Power Imperial Guards sank deep into the iron wire net's quagmire, unable to advance or retreat.

After much difficulty some neared the Gluttonous Army's front ranks; greeting them were rows of seamless steel pipe long spears.

One spear thrust into a body, and instantly a blood hole spurted blood.

The spearheads all had blood grooves added.

"Originally prepared for cavalry." Lin Dao on the city tower gave a deep look at the many Qianghu struggling inside the iron wire net outside the city. "Go up, kill them all."

The order issued; naturally armored soldiers holding iron pincers stepped forward, cut open the iron wire net and opened a path.

The Gluttonous Army's armored soldiers followed, long weapons thrusting from afar; those closer used hammers to smash skulls.

One hammer down, guaranteed one hammer one silent~~~

(End of Chapter)