[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence":3,"chapter-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-14":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Warlord: Starting with Daily Intelligence",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2338477,4572,"Chapter 14: Five Thousand Ducks!","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-14",14,"\u003Cp>“What? Buy all the chickens and ducks? Are you joking? That’s thousands of them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas pulled out a bulging money bag from his chest, revealing over a dozen gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am the Civil Administrator of Stormhold. Our newly appointed lord ordered me to purchase these—here is the payment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the gold coins and knowing he acted on the lord’s behalf, the rest became simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shop’s attendant immediately notified the castle steward, who granted permission; the group proceeded directly to the farm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an hour of counting and binding, they gathered roughly two thousand chickens and ducks, eight-tenths of which were ducks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price was thirty copper coins per bird—roughly three birds per silver coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the total cost for over two thousand chickens and ducks came to seven gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this, the Kane Castle steward generously gifted Thomas a batch of bamboo baskets to load the poultry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas pressed on without pause, racing toward the next noble’s territory while time remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the lord had given him fifteen gold coins and instructed him to spend every last one!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Thomas’s retreating figure, the Kane steward could not hide his confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Steward, why did they buy so many chickens and ducks? They bought every last one from our farm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. Perhaps the new lord wants to learn poultry farming? Either way, it’s a big sale—today’s income will surely please the baron!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By dusk, Thomas, exhausted, gazed at the three wagons behind him and finally ordered: “Let’s go. The lord said we must return to Stormhold before nightfall!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Thomas and his party began slowly leaving the small town of Blackstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But barely beyond the town’s edge, near a village, the peasant in front suddenly called out: “Civil Administrator Thomas, look over there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking up, they saw flames roaring high above the field embankment outside the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas was startled, initially thinking bandits had raided it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, they must turn back and flee immediately—their convoy carried goods worth over a dozen gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon closer look, he saw only peasants running around a fire, shouting, faint cries of “No!” and “It’s over!” piercing the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go check. You two, guard the wagons!” Thomas requested of his two knightly attendants, then hurried toward the village with the peasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he neared the village, Thomas suddenly felt insects battering his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! What the hell are these? So many!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes! How could there be so many insects?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two peasants beside him cried out in alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas swiftly caught one, examining it under the moonlight: “Locusts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas’s heart sank halfway. The cries ahead now rang clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! Damned locusts, leave my fields! My wheat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over. Too late. Damned locusts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Locusts? This… it’s over. Even Blackstone has a locust plague—then Stormhold… we’re doomed. We’ll starve this year!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two peasants who had been grumbling now clearly saw the swarming insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew well the devastation locusts brought; their faces turned ashen, no better off than the villagers frantically chasing the insects from their fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait—we still have ducks and chickens! All those poultry—they can eat countless locusts!” Thomas suddenly realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right! We bought over five thousand chickens and ducks—they’ll devour the locusts!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha! Did the lord know this disaster was coming and ordered us to buy so many poultry? Our lord is mighty!” The two peasants woke up too, overcome with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick! Move now! Go at once!” Thomas had no time for joy—he’d been a steward; he knew what must be done now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Thomas’s orders, everyone sprinted forward, sweat pouring, refusing to rest, racing for Stormhold at top speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Baron Kane was enjoying dinner in his lavish dining hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? So we made at least three gold coins today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord. Nearly all adult chickens and ducks have been sold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent. I hope more nobles like this come around. I love generous neighbors—ha!” Baron Kane was pleased with today’s earnings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dong! Dong! Dong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that?” Before his laughter faded, urgent alarm bells rang outside the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Report! My lord, disaster! Locusts—a vast swarm, like a black cloud!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Locusts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Baron Kane and the castle steward stepped outside, they saw a vast swarm of locusts, like a black cloud, blotting out the setting sun and advancing toward the castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick—go to the farm and bring the chickens and ducks…” Baron Kane’s words halted mid-sentence; his face turned ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearly all the poultry had been sold—only newly hatched chicks remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similar situations unfolded across several other lordships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving reports, every lord ordered the immediate mobilization of poultry to combat the locust plague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they remembered—just hours ago, they’d been delighted at having sold so many chickens and ducks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chase them! Hurry after them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baron Mil cried to his men—the Stormhold convoy couldn’t be far; they might still catch them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with Gervas’s orders and the sight of locusts approaching, Civil Administrator Thomas had his men sprinting like their lives depended on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even along the way, they callously dumped brush and felled trees to hinder pursuit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was ruthless—but they made it safely back to Stormhold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord! I’m back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gervas heard the news and rushed to the castle, Thomas and his men were drenched in sweat, nearly collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“John, bring water to Civil Administrator Thomas!” Gervas said, then stared at the three full wagons of poultry. “Thomas, you are Stormhold’s hero!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, my lord. I merely followed your orders. This is all due to your mercy toward our people!” Thomas shuddered at the thought—if not for these poultry, half the populace would starve this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, my lord, due to time constraints, I purchased only five thousand chickens and ducks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough! They’ll save Stormhold’s farmland!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, villagers who heard the news hurried toward the castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The afternoon locust plague had thrown them into panic, but now they’d heard Thomas returned with thousands of poultry—they rushed over without delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing them, many peasants burst into excited shouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s true! Thomas really brought back three wagons of poultry!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re saved! Stormhold is saved!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thomas stepped forward at once: “My friends, I announce good news! By Lord Gervas’s orders, I purchased a large number of chickens and ducks from neighboring lands today—spending fifteen gold coins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And these gold coins were entirely advanced by Lord Gervas himself—to eliminate the locusts! Let us cheer for the great Lord Gervas!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, this civil administrator was highly competent—educating peasants and spreading the lord’s greatness was part of his duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without being instructed, he had already proclaimed Gervas’s achievement to all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the people responded with gratitude and reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our lord is mighty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our lord is benevolent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid these cheers, the newly appointed lord won overwhelming popular support on his very first day.\u003C\u002Fp>",1127,"2026-06-20T22:44:01.160Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5c7b2116095201709cb0e4fbe023038b8a5e2b649aaf110930004a889313e542","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-15","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-13",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwarlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-cover.jpg"]