Chapter 299: Victory, Victory!

When Wen Lingjun threw away these indenture contracts, the aristocratic families had not yet reacted—without reading them out, how could anyone know who had been burned? But almost instantly, everyone realized one thing—

Since no one knew whose indenture contract was in this box,

then it meant these contracts could belong to anyone!

Who cared whose name was written on them?

The aristocrats instinctively thought they still held other indenture contracts; strictly speaking, even Li Guanyi and his group had no moral ground—but then they immediately realized something…

And if the aristocratic families tried to produce their original indenture contracts, would the Fire Qilin Army recognize them?

The young aristocrats' minds filled with one reason after another, one solution after another, each one self-negated, until their expressions slowly paled, the blood draining from their faces.

Impossible to stop.

Can't be blocked.

The aristocrats knew what the Fire Qilin Army intended to do.

The Fire Qilin Army also knew how the aristocrats would react.

But all the momentum, reputation, and changes across Jiangnan over this past year—all that accumulated power, all that built-up force—was fully ignited the moment Wen Lingjun cast those indenture contracts into the firepot.

It became an unstoppable, overwhelming tide.

The young strategist, barely twenty, gazed calmly, his eyes seeming to burn with flame—in that instant, both the aristocrats and the common people felt something vast, intangible yet undeniably real, surging forward.

One rises, one falls.

The Fire Qilin Army, under the command of Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi, divided into teams of three, each accompanying civilians home—wearing heavy armor, riding dragon horses, carrying heavy spears, swords at their waists, bows and crossbows mounted, arrows and bolt-tipped quarrels fully stocked; their appearance was grim and chilling, their gazes cold.

The hands of the aristocratic nobles trembled.

Yet the common people exhaled deeply, as if relieved—they reached out to grasp the sleeves of the Fire Qilin warriors, as if afraid they would leave, pressing fruits and dried rations into their hands.

The soldiers accepted them, then pulled out copper coins and paid.

The civilians refused several times, but failed—finally they took the money, their smiles growing far more sincere.

At the city gate, Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi personally hosted a banquet for the aristocratic families and officials.

He said: "We are fellow townsfolk; I have returned, so I must host a feast."

Those who do not come insult me.

No one dared not attend.

Looking out from the city walls, the Fire Qilin Army stood in solemn order; the civilians descended from the mechanical ships, setting up camps to rest—so many people, one glance revealed no count; even if ten or twenty thousand more were added, it would be impossible to tell.

The crimson banners rolled and snapped.

Qin Wu Hou wore a cloud-patterned battle robe, hands clasped behind his back, snow swirling, gaze calm. The aristocrats had already devised countless schemes, brimming with malice and murderous intent, ready to fight to the death.

But when they walked to the city gate and looked out, they were momentarily stunned.

They lacked the courage to gamble.

Before Li Guanyi left Jiangnan's eighteen provinces, though he had already possessed the bearing of a hero, he still carried the rough edge of a wild dragon or serpent; no one knew what he had seen in Zhongzhou, but now he radiated an indescribable grandeur and majesty.

When his gaze fell upon them, the aristocratic youths—who had been pampered since childhood, clad in silk and feasting on delicacies—felt an inexplicable terror, a dread rising from deep within, utterly uncontrollable.

No one understood this transformation.

Some said his teacher had opened the path to the Imperial Academy for him, and his days were numbered; others whispered that his unparalleled sword qi, his eight-hundred-year-legendary great-grandfather, had passed his sword art to him—that he had witnessed the most exhilarating sword in the Jianghu, the most upright master of the Academy, and the heroes of the world.

Every human transformation has its cause.

A python can become a dragon; so too can Qin Wu Hou.

In the end, every family in the city hoped another family would make the first move.

After half a day of mutual restraint, not a single one dared to draw their blade; when the hour came, they all donned their family's most splendid robes and attended Li Guanyi's banquet—yet the meal consisted only of stewed meat, boiled vegetables, rice, and muddy wine.

The food of commoners.

Worse than the scraps they once fed their dogs.

Yet they all had to bow respectfully before Qin Wu Hou; Mr. Master Wen He smiled and said: "You are all generations of dukes and marquises, well-versed in propriety; since you've come to the Marquis's banquet, how could you arrive empty-handed?"

Thus the aristocrats were forced to present formal invitations and tribute gifts.

Suppressing their hatred, wishing to devour this plain-spoken scholar, they still forced smiles.

The next day, Master Wen He said it was insufficient.

Yesterday's tribute was for yesterday's banquet; today's banquet is new, so naturally it requires today's tribute.

In just three days, the aristocratic families and officials of an entire provincial capital

handed over one million taels in gold, silver, jewelry, jade, and valuables.

Master Wen He then said these items were useless—could they be exchanged for grain instead?

The aristocratic families rejoiced, lavished praise upon him, eager to return the goods to their owners.

But Master Wen He smiled and said one thing.

Return to whom?

For example, this treasure of the He family—doesn't the Yue family also want it?

Highest bidder wins, how about that?

"If you're unwilling to offer grain, craftsmen will do as well."

Master Wen He smiled broadly, ultimately acquiring nearly two million taels worth of assorted supplies through pure trickery—much of it old rice—but when he pointed it out, he generously declared such minor matters were not worth worrying about.

Some aristocratic youths even thought the man wasn't so bad.

Du Ke and Fang Ziqiao were awestruck.

With the Fire Qilin Army guarding the people and Qin Wu Hou personally stationed, the aristocrats and officials could not hinder the civilians in the slightest; the city governor tried to send a letter to Chen State, but messengers could not leave; he attempted to send messages via falcon, but the Fire Qilin intercepted them.

What about ordering the city's soldiers to charge out and fight the Fire Qilin Army?

The governor fell silent for a long while, then sighed: "Above us we see the Fire Qilin, but we cannot see the Emperor's grace; Jiangnan's eighteen provinces are too close, while Jiangzhou City is too far…"

He could not send troops.

Yet deep down, a sliver of hope still lingered.

If this man leaves, won't the land be left behind? We can take these lands openly, legitimately.

After three days, when the Fire Qilin Army withdrew, the aristocratic youths and officials waited a while longer before stepping out to inspect the surrounding villages and small towns—only to turn pale.

Empty!

Under this overwhelming tide, most of the common folk living in the towns and villages abandoned the place, packed their gold, silver, and valuables, carried dried rations and baked hard flatbreads on their backs, and followed the Fire Qilin Army away.

Even those who owned land here were now swept up in the tide.

First, the Fire Qilin Army's momentum was irresistible; second, with war looming, no one knew when fighting would break out here—the old Chen state couldn't be relied upon, and these Chen officials and generals would surely lose. Better to join the victors early.

Besides, they knew full well how the officials would react once so many commoners left—where would the old lords vent their rage? Who would bear the brunt?

No one knew who had done it.

Even the village head and township elders had run away?!

The aristocratic youths were still stunned, but when the high-ranking officials—especially the city governors—heard the news, they spat blood, went blind before their eyes, and nearly collapsed on the spot.

When they came to, they flung the ginseng soup offered by the Lady across the room, wailing loudly: "We're finished! Finished!"

An entire province—even a small one—tens of thousands of people gone like this? Chen Dingye would rip his own brain out with his hands and smash it on the ground.

The Fire Qilin Army, riding this overwhelming tide, did not march directly into the Eighteen Southern Provinces. Instead, some forces took the elderly and weak ahead to the Eighteen Southern Provinces, entering them first to prevent unrest, while others patrolled outside.

At every city they reached, they burned the indenture contracts.

Even if the city officials and aristocratic families refused to care, it didn't matter.

This wasn't meant for you.

As long as the common folk are happy.

Thus, the second city closed its gates—but could not halt Li Guanyi's surging tide. The people still came with pots of wine and soup to welcome them. Already, the city governors and prefects of earlier towns had sent messengers to Jiangzhou begging for aid.

They hoped the Great Chen would send troops.

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Lie deliberately slowed his offensive, giving the Chen state time to mobilize its troops.

But Chen Dingye remained silent for a long time, never dispatching troops; instead, he concentrated his main forces to face the Ying state, while simultaneously reducing taxes. Yuwen Lie, seeing Chen's troops had not moved, said to Yuwen Hua and Yuwen Tianxian: "Li Guanyi has capable ministers."

"The timing of this move is too perfect. If they'd done this earlier, Chen could have mobilized and crushed them—they wouldn't have escaped unscathed, and we wouldn't have let them gain such advantages so easily."

"But now, we're tied down, and Chen is too."

"We wait for Chen to recall its troops so we can strike hard—but we cannot influence the southern provinces. And Chen…" Yuwen Lie smiled faintly: "Chen Dingye's strategy is decent. But he forgot one man."

"Dantai Xianming."

"Dantai Xianming has distorted Chen Dingye's understanding of the Chen state."

"He must fight the Regent in the Western Regions, ally with the Khan of the Grasslands against our state, and face our Yuwen family's assault—three fronts already. Even a wealthy state like Chen cannot spare a fourth army."

Yuwen Hua said: "... This is nearly unsolvable."

Yuwen Lie said: "This is mastery of the great tide of the world. Li Guanyi's subordinates have ministers capable of seizing the realm."

"Even though everyone in the world knows what Li Guanyi intends to do."

"Yet they cannot stop him."

Yuwen Hua nodded. Though he knew Li Guanyi was now his enemy, for some reason, hearing that an old friend from the south was making his mark on the world, he felt an inexplicable ease and joy in his heart.

The Chen state could not mobilize its main forces.

Only second-line garrison units began moving toward the southern region.

They dispatched ten thousand troops, plus the existing garrison forces of the southern provinces—a considerable force. But the moment they thought of their opponent—the now-dominant Fire Qilin Army—they unconsciously slowed their pace.

Obeying the emperor's command was obedience.

But that doesn't mean we must go to our deaths.

Second- and third-line garrison troops, used only to maintain order, repel refugee mobs, and hunt bandits—go fight the Fire Qilin Army?!

And to the southern region, where the enemy holds the home ground with fifty thousand elite Fire Qilin troops behind them?!

Huh?!

Really?!

Days grew colder; the temperature plunged into the depths of winter, the twelfth month. The arriving commoners were gradually settled into the Eighteen Southern Provinces. Li Guanyi, riding this overwhelming tide, had already passed through all seventeen other southern provinces.

The location of the Southern Province's Deputy Governor—

A fire had been lit. Master Yan Daiqing stretched his hands toward the flames, clad in thick clothing, fingers steady as he held his brush to handle official affairs. Commoners kept arriving, and fortunately, Master Yan Daiqing had prepared in advance, and fortunately, the Mohists and students were aiding him.

Fang Qiao had calculated the optimal pace for relocating the people.

Both sides received and settled them in orderly fashion, avoiding the collapse of Master Yan Daiqing's capacity by preventing too many people from arriving at once. Under these conditions, Master Yan Daiqing had lost all interest in calculating how many people had been settled.

Every day, it was: not enough, not enough.

Whenever a group of commoners arrived, they brought some gold and silver. And since the Eighteen Southern Provinces were the empire's central water transport hub and commercial crossroads, supplies could be replenished: people came in, supplies went out.

Yuan Zhi and the other Fire Qilin Army commanders had each set their own strategies and now prepared steadily in their respective areas. Xiao Zhi replaced Master Yan Daiqing to deal with the aristocratic families, while Pang Shuiyun traveled tirelessly to build momentum for Li Guanyi and the southern region.

Everyone had their task.

Master Yan Daiqing slapped his own cheeks and said: "I cannot lose to them."

"Only one hundred and twenty thousand households arriving one by one. I still have the students to help me—I won't be unable to settle even this many people…"

Master Yan Daiqing worked himself into exhaustion.

Then one day, he realized all his preplans were exhausted—and yet more commoners were still arriving. Master Yan Daiqing slowly raised his eyes to Xiao Zhi beside him and asked: "How many…?"

Xiao Zhi remained silent, holding up three fingers.

Master Yan Daiqing staggered to his feet: "Only three hundred thousand households…?"

"We've worked this long, and we've only handled a quarter. Indeed, governance is still insufficient. We truly are no match for the seasoned elders…"

Master Yan Daiqing sank into gloom.

Xiao Zhi lowered his head silently, glanced at the number, and replied:

"It's three hundred thousand households."

"Oh, three hundred thousand households… three hundred… " Yan Daiqing staggered out, his body stiff, slowly turning around. The north wind blew through the young man's temples; Yan Daiqing spoke slowly, each word deliberate: "How many?!"

Xiao Zhi replied coldly: "Three hundred thousand households."

"Moreover, many civilians remain outside; authorities everywhere are rapidly arranging shelter for the people. Although you organized the resettlement by region, which wasn't too burdensome, the sheer number of people is still excessive."

Yan Daiqing murmured: "Three hundred thousand households?"

"What did he—what did they do?"

Xiao Zhi, expressionless, answered lightly: "Oh, the Lord and his men brought all the ordinary civilians from the seventeen surrounding provinces, and took the artisans from the cities. Now you can consider that most of the civilians are slowly migrating toward us."

"This is inherently a great danger—historically, mass migrations of refugees have always resulted in heavy casualties. But Jiangzhou is different: there are waterways, and the Dragon King of Nu Lin's fleet moves swiftly."

"And it avoids casualties entirely."

"You understand: if they walked on foot, how could so many ever make it here? But the Lord simply waited at one ferry crossing—Mo Family mechanical ships went to fetch them, carried them downstream, and delivered them straight to our city."

"The Mo Family's mechanical devices are already sparking, shuttling back and forth to transport civilians."

Xiao Zhi added: "There's more."

Yan Daiqing's vision went black.

Suddenly, some force surged from nowhere, propelling him to his feet as he strode forward, staring at the Juan Sect records, his face turning gradually ashen. He raised his head and fixed Xiao Zhi with a gaze: "You didn't tell me their gains were this enormous!"

Xiao Zhi remained unmoved: "I thought you were doing fine."

Yan Daiqing kicked Xiao Zhi in the waist; the latter showed no anger.

Yan Daiqing stared at the Juan Sect records, his hands trembling. When he read: "Wherever the Fire Qilin Army went, the people flocked to them, until the momentum became overwhelming," the young man finally froze.

Li Guanyi had finally, after luring people, luring clans, luring schools…

Used the momentum he had built over this past year to make one grand move.

He had swept the civilians of these seventeen provinces into this roaring, overwhelming tide, bringing them all to the single territory of Jiangzhou's Eighteenth Province.

Xiao Zhi whispered: "This resplendent heart—this is the tide."

"This strategy was Master Yan Daiqing's."

Yan Daiqing immediately saw the terrifying brilliance of the plan—and then realized: a single province could never hold so many people; there simply wasn't enough farmland.

He suddenly remembered Yuan Zhi's prior arrangements.

He was a strategist skilled in internal governance—but that didn't mean he didn't understand the great tides of the world. At this moment, he finally grasped the full shape of the scheme. Yan Daiqing swung his fist.

"LI! GUAN! YI!!!"

Yan Daiqing gritted his teeth.

Xiao Zhi stepped back half a pace.

The gentleman from Jiangzhou City burst into loud laughter:

"Well done!!!"

"Cough—cough—cough…" He coughed violently. Xiao Zhi supported him. Yan Daiqing said: "Don't worry—I won't rest fully until this grand plan succeeds. Xiao Zhi, you'll have to stay with me."

Xiao Zhi sighed, coldly: "If you fall ill, the Lord will suffer."

Yan Daiqing said: "Ha—if this plan fails, that's when I'll truly be at peace!"

In the heavy snow of winter, the first year of Tianqi Twelve, Qin Wu Hou Li Guanyi, riding a surging tide, faced no resistance from the seventeen provinces of Jiangzhou. The people flocked to him. By the time they entered the Eighteenth Province, the population reached five hundred thousand households.

This was no longer merely soldiers leading civilians or civilians following soldiers—it had become a roaring tide, a massive short-range population migration. Boats on the waterways never ceased. It took many days. Seven out of ten civilians from every city, village, and town in the seventeen provinces of Jiangzhou had now relocated into the Eighteenth Province.

Qin Wu Hou was seventeen years old.

The armies of all Chen State provinces had long prepared, stationing themselves around major cities and key fortresses to prevent the Fire Qilin Army from seizing them. But the Fire Qilin Army never approached the cities. They never attacked or captured any stronghold.

They took only the people—not the land.

The aristocratic clans were suspicious.

The city governors of Chen State sighed in relief—but still could not understand.

Even though they held their cities, when they looked back, seven out of ten of their subjects were gone. Forced to act, the governors and great clans could only use their own family's dependent civilians to fill the empty households.

Naturally, it couldn't fully plug the gap—but at least there had to be people left in the villages.

Otherwise, when Chen Dingye demanded an accounting, they would have no answer.

In the First Province of Jiangzhou, the governor finally sighed in relief and joined the aristocrats for a banquet. As beauties played the qin, he spoke of recent events—and could not help but weep:

"Qin Wu Hou Li—how utterly tyrannical."

"He forcibly dragged my province's people away, carried them into the Eighteenth Province of Jiangzhou. Ah, this is a harsh winter, with heavy snow and wind—how many of my people will perish?"

"As their parent-official, just thinking of this suffering makes my heart ache."

All present agreed.

But as the aristocrats condemned Li Guanyi, writing letters and records to stain his name for a thousand years—

Suddenly, a Captain burst in. The governor was about to curse him—until he saw the Captain's armor stained with blood. The mingling scent of snow and blood jolted the governor and the drunken aristocrats awake.

The governor stared forward, urgently: "What happened?!"

The Captain, panicked, said:

"The Fire Qilin Army—the Fire Qilin Army—is back!!"

Governor Qu Qingshan's face turned pale: "They've already taken so many people—isn't that enough?! What do they want now?!"

The Captain's face was ashen: "It's the Fire Qilin Army."

"I know—it's the Fire…"

The governor's expression froze. Slowly, he looked up:

"The Fire… Qilin Army?!"

Two hundred li from the city, the last group of civilians departed. They turned back, gazing at the young man who had led them here. Li Guanyi smiled and waved, telling them to return, saying they would meet again.

Behind Li Guanyi, a chilling aura surged and whirled, as if the sky itself pressed down.

The once gentle boy now carried an indescribable aura.

The Fire Qilin Army, long prepared in various locations, had already infiltrated this Jiangnan region and gathered behind Li Guanyi; their expressions were solemn, their armor no longer the crude gear of before.

They wore ink-black battle armor, each piece etched with a thread of Fire Qilin cloud patterns.

Their expressions were grim and sharp; they stood rigidly, the young man clad in armor, his battle robe whipping in the wind, smiling as he gazed at the Fire Qilin Army, at those familiar faces, and said:

"Gentlemen, do you know who I am?!"

His voice carried far—it was the same question he first asked the Fire Qilin Army, back then outside Beicheng, when the original Fire Qilin Army consisted of bandits, outlaws, and peasants driven to the hills; now, everything had changed.

Wen He and the others did not grasp the weight of this question for the Fire Qilin Army.

Thus, they did not anticipate the Fire Qilin Army's response.

These battle commanders stepped forward in perfect unison, then the soldiers behind them also stepped forward in perfect unison; their qi linked, and in an instant, the clashing of armor plates rang out grim and sharp—they raised their palms in perfect unison and struck their chests.

"Hail our Lord!"

A terrifying aura of grimness radiated outward.

Wen He's pupils contracted violently.

Feng Xiao felt the hairs on his back stand on end; the wine within him was jolted awake by this indescribable martial killing intent.

Li Guanyi extended his hand and said: "Gentlemen, we fight side by side once more."

The Fire Qilin Army raised their weapons high, responding with grim solemnity:

"Victory! Victory!"

Finally, the young man smiled and said:

"Gentlemen, did you miss me?!"

The frozen aura paused, then the Fire Qilin Army relaxed, shouting loudly: "We did!"

Wen Lingjun shifted his gaze from the grim military might toward the young man, paused silently, then softly said: "My Lord, half of the plan you set forth back then has now been carried out; after this, I leave it to you…"

Li Guanyi, clad in armor, said: "Mr. Wen's 'great plan' is truly formidable."

Wen Lingjun shook his head and replied: "I never anticipated your prestige would be so great, nor that the hearts of the people across the land would be so inclined—it must be that the internal governance of the Eighteen Jiangnan Provinces was excellent, causing the Jiangnan populace to already admire that region, and bolstered by your earlier reputation for benevolence."

"Only then could one call and a hundred respond—neither part could be missing."

Li Guanyi asked: "Mr. Wen, do you think we should seize the Seventeen Jiangnan Provinces by force?"

Wen Lingjun said: "No. Meet them with righteousness, triumph with surprise."

"What you have done today is righteousness; the surprise remains yet to come."

Li Guanyi laughed: "Then let us await your 'nine-tenths.'"

Li Guanyi donned his helmet.

He turned, his sleeves swirling, extended his right hand—and the Tiger Roars Heaven Battle Spear slowly materialized; he had won the people's hearts, yet taken neither city nor land—not because he could not, but because he waited for the right moment.

Previously, the garrison troops and officials of these prefectures had all assumed Li Guanyi would assault their cities.

At that time, they were most vigilant—but Li Guanyi did not move.

The garrison's momentum had already faded; this is the first point.

They also assumed his forces had returned to the Eighteen Jiangnan Provinces, and thus were unprepared.

Yet the Fire Qilin Army, long ago under Yuan Zhi's strategy, had already infiltrated this region.

This is the second point.

One strike brings vigor, a second brings decline, a third brings exhaustion.

Two opportunities have already passed; now, the clans and officials drink wine, the soldiers guard the lines, their battle spirit weakened, while the Fire Qilin Army, rested and waiting, reunites with their Lord—now brimming with momentum.

This is the moment to take the land!

This is Feng Xiao's strategy.

Li Guanyi rode atop the Fire Qilin, his battle spear raised high:

"Comrades, Victory!"

The ten thousand troops roared in unison, grim and majestic.

"Wind! Wind!"

"Great Wind!!!"

That day, the Fire Qilin Army launched a surprise attack on the Seventeen Jiangnan Provinces and captured three cities.

Not a single hair was harmed.

?? Try to control your schedule a bit more, everyone, good night!