Chapter 98: Pre-War Mobilization
Jinsui was currently just gathering evidence, in case Qing Feng died in this battle.
Once the Imperial Commissioner arrives, we will use medicine as a bargaining chip. The Zheng Family must be destroyed!
Even if Li Heng wants to protect the Zheng Family, he won’t be able to save many people.
As for the current Tartar attack, Yanzhou City Gates are all closed. The Zheng Family members cannot escape the city even if they wanted to.
Damn it, do they really think this King is made of clay? A mere Zheng Family has caused me so much trouble!
Jinsui felt that if the Zheng Family wasn’t dealt with, it would be the biggest mess she left for Gu Changxiao.
At that time, I won’t be able to ask for much ‘performance fee’. This time, this trouble must be completely resolved.
She only brought three hundred Black Feather Camp Soldiers and Li Heng to Yanzhou. They traveled at breakneck speed all the way, racing against time, which made Li Heng vomit again from the bumpy ride.
Jinsui was glad she had practiced her riding skills well; if she needed to go on a forced march in the future, she wouldn’t fall behind.
Upon arriving outside Yanzhou City, she said she wouldn’t enter the city. Li Heng finally breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the city guards to sound the alarm and blow the horn, signaling an enemy attack!
Jinsui was worried that if she entered the city, Li Heng would confine her and not let her leave. Li Heng was worried that if she brought troops into the city, she would cause chaos, and he was also worried about her getting hurt by the gentry’s uprising. Both were satisfied that she wouldn’t enter the city.
As soon as the enemy attack signal sounded, the entire Yanzhou City was stunned. The common people scattered and fled, while the gentry sent people to the government office to inquire about the situation.
Naturally, they also sent people to the city gate to see. Upon seeing that it was Li King, who had only brought three hundred soldiers, those gentry members began to mock.
Is Li King here to besiege the city to demand funds again? Did three hundred soldiers scare Prefect Li this much?
What is going on with Li King? Ever since he arrived at the border city, he has been causing trouble every day.
Jinsui shouted: “All officials of Yanzhou City, listen to this King! The Tartars are attacking, and this King will defend the border city with all his might!
I don’t have time to waste with you. In two hours, three thousand Yan Prefecture Army soldiers will assemble and follow this King.”
“Prepare the provisions and supplies for twenty thousand troops for me!
If they are not prepared in two hours, the soldiers of my Black Feather Camp and Tuntian Camp will immediately abandon the border city and station themselves in Yanzhou City!”
Li Heng practically ran back and forth, holding the hem of his robe. First, he sent urgent letters to the ten major gentry families of Yanzhou, then he convened a meeting with officials of all levels.
There are only two hours! He believed Li King would keep his word. If he truly didn’t prepare them, she would bring twenty thousand border people to station in Yanzhou City!
Furthermore, if he took everyone and fled, the Tartars, unable to find plunder, would surely attack Yanzhou.
Li Heng knew what was more important. He quickly satisfied the conditions of this troublesome person and sent her away. If she wanted to go and die fighting the Tartars, so be it! It would be even better if she died.
While waiting outside the city, Jinsui was not idle. She had people beat gongs and shout outside Yanzhou City: “Tartars are attacking, the border city requests reinforcements!”
The gentry and officials didn’t care about the thoughts and attitudes of the common people at the bottom level, but she knew that a single spark could start a prairie fire!
She intended to publicize it widely, so that all the people of Yanzhou would know that Li King was going to resist the Tartars, while the gentry of Yandi would only seek to survive ignobly.
Li King had once said that he would protect every commoner in the border city, and he would keep his word. When the Tartars attacked, he would not abandon a single one.
He would not hand over the border city commoners to the Tartars to be slaves, nor would he allow the Tartars to steal the people’s grain and burn their houses.
Even if he had no reinforcements, not enough provisions, and only three thousand border soldiers, he would still fight the Tartars to the death!
Perhaps at this moment, the common people would only mock, thinking Li King was overestimating his abilities.
But Jinsui believed that as long as she won this battle, she would undoubtedly earn great fame for Li King and the border city.
In the future, when the people of Yandi were in trouble, the first person they would think of to protect them would not be the gentry or the officials, but Li King.
She held a mobilization rally outside the border city, and she would hold one in Yanzhou City as well, even if ninety percent of the people now saw her as a joke.
In this battle, she not only wanted to ignite the ambition of the border soldiers and truly make them stand tall, but also to let the people of Yandi see who was the one who could protect them!
Meanwhile, Li Heng finally gathered the ten major gentry families. Zheng Yun from the Zheng Family came. Li Heng met him in advance:
“Alas, quietly send away some of your direct descendants!”
Zheng Yun was greatly shocked and no longer dared to underestimate Li Heng. He hurriedly asked what was going on.
However, Li Heng was unwilling to speak directly, fearing that if he said too much, Li King would find trouble with him later.
But he told Zheng Yun his prayer:
“Li King is arrogant and conceited, intending to fight the Tartars with his three thousand border soldiers. Even heaven cannot save him if he seeks death like this!”
“If he dies in this battle, your Zheng Family will naturally be at peace from now on.”
Zheng Yun understood. This was telling him to prepare for both eventualities. It would be even better if Li King died. If he didn’t die, the direct descendants of the Zheng Family would be far away, and Li King wouldn’t be able to persecute them.
Zheng Yun quickly had his trusted subordinates make arrangements, and then he participated in this unprecedented meeting.
Li Heng spoke briefly, explaining Li King’s demands one by one.
“This official will arrange the Yan Prefecture Army, but for the provisions and supplies, I will need everyone’s help.”
Someone was unwilling:
“Heh, Li King is truly wishful thinking! Can he possibly defeat the Tartars? What does his seeking death have to do with us? Why should we fund him with provisions?”
Immediately, he was met with agreement: “Exactly! And he wants to bring twenty thousand border people into Yanzhou City. If we don’t open the city gates, where will he take them?”
“It’s good enough if we just save his life!”
The crowd chattered and discussed until Yan Jiu, who had been silent all along, spoke:
“Did Li King really say he would defend the border city and slay the Tartars?”
Li Heng nodded repeatedly: “That’s right! The Prince publicly swore to defend the border city and protect the border commoners.”
Yan Jiu gently put down the blue and white tea cup in his hand, a slight smile on his lips: “In that case, the Yan Family will support Li King!”
“For the provisions and supplies of twenty thousand people, the Yan Family will provide for two thousand people, and additionally, one thousand gold as a token of appreciation for the border soldiers.”
As soon as Yan Jiu said this, those who had opposed earlier fell silent.
Until the Head of the Zhou Family, relying on his seniority, sneered:
“I heard the Yan Family has a business partnership with Li King. Your Yan Family is essentially helping yourselves. Our Zhou Family has no dealings with Li King!”
Yan Jiu stood up: “In that case, everyone can just wait for the Tartars to attack Yanzhou City!”
After speaking, he cupped his hands towards Li Heng: “Yan will go prepare the supplies now and take his leave.”
Zheng Yun, who should have completely opposed contributing supplies to Li King, was now worried that Li King would not be willing to fight the Tartars.
If Li King died on the battlefield, the Zheng Family would be at peace from then on!
He spoke immediately after Yan Jiu: “The Zheng Family is willing to contribute provisions for two thousand soldiers.”
He then said resentfully: “As for other tokens of appreciation, hmph, the Zheng Family has already had a lot of money taken by Li King, so we truly have no surplus to give.”
Li Heng quickly said: “Tokens of appreciation are not important, as long as the provisions for your share are prepared.”
The Head of the Zhou Family spoke again: “Zheng Yun, how are you acting as the Acting Head? Li King treated your Zheng Family so poorly, and you’re still rushing to give him things?”
Zheng Yun’s face was unsightly. He couldn’t directly say that he hoped Li King would gather enough supplies, go fight the Tartars, and then die at the hands of the Tartars.
