Chapter 83: The People of Yannan Are Too Miserable

Xiao Moting had the craftsmen watch the videos and practice driving the Minivan.

He summoned Qin Zhan, Xiao Dabao, and over a dozen other trusted followers to the tent to discuss matters.

The military tent was packed with people, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Xiao Dabao finished the wine in his cup and slammed the cup onto the ground with force.

"Prince, the Imperial Court treats us like dirt; let's rebel against those bastards!"

The soldiers in the tent echoed his sentiment one after another.

"That's right! Since they treat us this way, we might as well rebel."

Xiao Dabao stood up, "Prince, my family is all dead, and my younger brother is also in the army! The Beijiang Junying is my home. If you want to fight the Imperial Court, Xiao Dabao will beat them until they are pissing their pants!"

Qin Zhan looked composed, "Prince, this subordinate is of one heart and mind with you. If you wish to march on Shengjing, this subordinate will serve as your vanguard!"

The other generals also expressed their stance one after another.

"We are willing to follow the Prince!"

They were all part of the Northern Frontier Army and recognized only Xiao Moting as their Chief Commander.

Xiao Moting's gaze flickered, and he felt moved in his heart.

These soldiers being willing to follow him was equivalent to handing their lives and livelihoods entirely into his hands.

If he were branded a "traitor," these people would also be considered rebels and would face the execution of their nine generations.

But...

He could not rebel right now.

The Northern Frontier Army currently had a force of 180,000, along with the influence over two cities.

Yet, although the Daliang Kingdom was in decline, there were three great generals in the Imperial Court!

Southern Martial General Yuan Canghai commanded 230,000 troops and guarded Yannan Pass.

Eastern Sea Great General Yang Tianhu had 140,000 infantry and 160,000 naval troops under his command, stationed in Donghai Prefecture.

The Yang clan all held positions in the military and possessed immense power; Yang Tianhu was also the uncle of Yang Wei.

Furthermore, the 80,000 Imperial Guard led by Imperial Guard Commander Meng Ming in Shengjing were all elites.

The Meng family had been loyal subjects for three generations and were devoted to the Emperor; Meng Ming came from a military family and possessed extraordinary martial arts.

The Northern Frontier had long been barren, and they had only just begun to live a good life for a few days; their foundation was not yet firm.

If he rebelled now, the Imperial Court would certainly summon the three great generals to jointly suppress him.

With 600,000 troops, the Northern Frontier could not yet cope with that.

He had to expand his own strength first.

Xiao Moting said in a deep voice.

"But I have received the intentions of you all."

"Now is not the time."

He picked up a bowl of wine, cut his finger, and dripped blood into the wine.

"Everyone, Xiao Moting swears by this blood wine: from this day forward, I shall share joys and sorrows with you all, advance and retreat together, and I will never forget this!"

The soldiers cut their fingers one after another and dripped their blood into the wine.

The transparent wine was stained by the fresh blood, and the fragrance of the wine carried a hint of blood.

Xiao Moting picked up the wine bowl, tilted his head back, and drained the liquid.

Three days later.

Ten Minivans were lined up in a long snake formation outside the Northern Frontier Camp.

The night wind was icy.

Xiao Moting was dressed in black martial attire with a horse-slaying saber on his back, and he looked up at the Old General.

"Old General, the Northern Frontier Camp is temporarily entrusted to you."

The Old General's fracture had not yet healed; he leaned on a crutch with a solemn expression.

"Please rest assured, Prince. This subordinate swears to guard the Northern Frontier Camp with his life and wait for your return!"

Han Guiying supported the Old General, her gaze firm.

"Prince, you grew up in the Northern Frontier. No matter what you want to do, my father and I will follow you!"

Behind her stood a dense crowd of soldiers.

Wang Sheng stood in the crowd, leaning on a cane.

His father, Wang Ziyi, had taken over Heyuan Cheng under Xiao Moting's orders and become the Guardian General.

He had joined the Northern Frontier Army and become a member of the Assault Team.

Everyone shouted in unison.

"We are also willing to be with the Prince!"

The entire Northern Frontier Army stood with him, working together to resist the Imperial Court.

Xiao Moting was moved, bowed to the crowd, and then jumped into the Minivan.

He had three things to accomplish on this trip.

First, to catch up to An Fuhai and kill him, so he would not return to Shengjing to deliver news.

Second, to reach Jingcheng within ten days to see his mother, the Consort, one last time.

Third, to gather intelligence, then return to the Northern Frontier to develop fully and accumulate strength.

The ten Minivans drove out of the Northern Frontier Camp in the dead of night, speeding along the Post Road toward Shengjing.

Each vehicle carried ten elite soldiers.

On the luggage racks atop the vehicles, blades and Long Swords were loaded, covered with black cloth.

In one of the Minivans, the seats had been stripped out and replaced with thick quilts.

On top of the quilts, a wardrobe was strapped down.

This was Bai Wei's request.

Xiao Moting was returning to Shengjing in private and could not make a grand display, so he could only bring one hundred elite soldiers.

Once they left the territory of Beijiang, they entered the sphere of influence of Yuan Canghai.

Yuan Canghai was the younger brother of De Guifei and had long wanted to kill him; if discovered, he would certainly send a large army to hunt them down.

Xiao Moting only had one hundred trusted followers and could not contend with Yuan Canghai's two hundred and thirty thousand strong troops.

This journey was perilous, with crises lurking everywhere.

Therefore, Bai Wei was worried about Xiao Moting and had him take the wardrobe to Shengjing as well, to make it convenient to communicate at any time.

Xiao Dabao sat in the lead Minivan, serving as the driver.

He stepped on the gas pedal and pushed the vehicle's speed to the maximum.

On the Post Road at night, there was almost no sign of anyone.

There was no need to watch for traffic lights, no need to worry about hitting people, and certainly no other vehicles cutting them off.

The convoy traveled unimpeded, and before dawn, they had already driven out of the Beijiang territory.

If this had been done on horseback, it would have taken a full three to five days!

The soldiers had never ridden in an automobile before and were all extremely excited, one after another sticking their heads out to look out the windows.

"The Minivans sent by Shennü Daren are so fast, it's practically like flying."

"These Iron Vehicles are even faster than a thousand-li steed!"

"And they don't need to rest, don't need to eat grass or drink water; they just run on gasoline."

The car windows were tinted, so one could not see in from the outside, only a pitch-black expanse.

In the farmland on both sides of the Post Road, there were occasionally farmers working the land, and when they saw the line of Minivans, they all revealed expressions of shock.

The Minivans had already driven into the territory of Yannan.

The scenery on both sides gradually became dilapidated and decaying, with ruined villages flashing by from time to time.

Everywhere there were withered trees, yellow earth covered the ground, dust swirled, and green plants were rarely seen.

Beijiang was cold, but Yannan was a vast stretch of desert, and it hadn't rained for over half a year, leaving the streams dried up.

The commoners could not grow crops, and many had died of thirst or hunger.

Along the way, there were ragged disaster victims by the roadside, disheveled and sorrowful, selling their sons and daughters.

Wild dogs stood by the side of the road, gnawing on the bodies of those who had starved to death.

The excitement in everyone's hearts vanished along with this sight, and they all fell silent, their moods heavy.

In Beijiang, which Xiao Moting governed, the harshest winter had already passed.

Bai Wei had also continuously sent large quantities of supplies.

Everyone had grain to eat and clothes to wear, and even the warhorses were raised to be plump and strong.

Moreover, the Northern Frontier Army had wiped out the barbarians, repelled the three hundred thousand Daye Army, and successfully guarded the billions of commoners behind Fengsha Pass, trading their hot blood for a peaceful region.

The commoners lived in peace and worked contentedly, laboring diligently, and had no desire to leave at all.

However, once they left the Beijiang territory, the world outside was desolate and filled with the flames of war.

By comparison, Beijiang was practically a peach blossom spring in the midst of a chaotic world.

Someone could not help but sigh with emotion.

"Thanks to Shennü Daren and the Prince of Zhenbei, otherwise we would be just like it is out here—we might have starved to death long ago."

Bai Wei's consciousness had already arrived.

She had originally been worried that the ancients wouldn't know how to drive, but upon seeing the scene outside the car window, her heart was shocked.

By the side of the road lay the corpse of a woman, and several vultures stood upon her, gnawing at the flesh of the corpse.

A toddler of two or three years old lay upon her, crying loudly from hunger.

Beside the woman's corpse, a group of disaster victims walked forward numbly, their eyes vacant, as if they were accustomed to this scene, and no one spared her a second glance.

This was the Yannan territory governed by Yuan Canghai?

Why was it such a scene of misery?