Chapter 52: Plunder Is Insufficient To Supply The Surplus
In the 28th year of the Shu Tian Calendar, just before the year-end that spanned 29 years, at the edge of the Ling River, Wu Fei, riding the Dragon Horse named Little Daisy, looked through the telescope at the jungle heavy with monstrous shadows across the surging river waters, pressed down the fiery soldiers eager to charge across and establish merit, and said: “This is not the time to cross the river. We stay on the North side.”
While Wu Fei was observing, in Jiangnan, a Giant Python stared at Wu Fei’s troops, then entered the river, splitting a dark current through the waves, heading toward Wu Fei.
The soldiers beside Wu Fei all prepared, but Wu Fei raised his hand with the Command Flag. Killing Intent bloomed like fireworks in the sky, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a black shadow appeared in the sky—this was the Wu Family Army’s Guiche. It dove toward the River Surface, scooped with its claws in the river water, and the writhing Giant Python was grabbed like a cauliflower snake and carried into the air.
But the Giant Python, due to its too-long body lacking spinal rigidity and bound by gravity, swayed in the sky like a Rubber Tube, all the way up to fifty zhang height. The giant snake seemed to want to zigzag back along its captured body, to entwine the Guiche’s legs, but the Guiche judged its intent and immediately flung it toward the riverbank. The snake head had just touched the Guiche’s ankle when it was slammed down with a bang, falling in a zigzag shape, crashing onto the ground where all the officers and soldiers could see the zigzag turns snap directly under the Impact Force.
Then the Guiche dove down too, and among its nine heads, three larger heads fought over it, directly tearing the pitiful ten-zhang-long Giant Python into three segments, its giant snake organs scattered twenty steps away.
Then the Giant Bird carried a huge bitter gall to Wu Fei to show off its treasure. Wu Fei stroked the huge bird head, then put a white Silver Medal around its neck. And on the Guiche’s head, there were already multiple such symbols, each representing a kill completed under orders. This young Guiche also had intelligence and understood that this was Merit in the army, which could be redeemed for cattle and sheep to devour.
Wu Fei took down this man-head-sized snake gall and gave it to Zhao Tu beside him—this was to clear his mind and brighten his eyes, as Wu Fei had recently noticed his blood energy was heavy again.
Zhao Tu: “Thank you, General, for the reward.” He was not happy, because every time Wu Fei gave such unearned reward, it meant the end, and the reward was for the “Hard Work” of this trip out.
Wu Fei stared at him: “Clear the path for me!” His tone carried irrefutable command.
Zhao Tu’s Killing Intent was dispelled by ninety percent by this scolding: “Yes, General.”
Wu Fei turned to the accompanying Generals: “We’ve been out for half a year, made money, familiarized the roads, and our families at home miss us.”
The other accompanying Generals silently began to urge their horses forward. On this expedition, everyone had gathered full strength, trying to find enemies for a hearty Great War. But after months, aside from dealing with some Bandits of a dozen people, no one dared to challenge the army. And now the enemies were across the river, but Wu Fei reined in his horse and stopped. Though it felt very unsatisfying, they knew they were martial artists—good at charging into battle, but for using troops to win, they still had to listen to this Young Military Master.
The level of Killing Intent on Wu Fei’s body, compared to last year, had grown in magnitude from a small stream to a great river.
…Nitpicking divider…
Wu Fei: For a large army expedition, reckless men just need to find enemies to hack at, but as the person personally leading the team-building and the total Person in Charge, he needed to consider many things.
This was foreign combat, a place even Wu Hanluan had not reached, meaning most guides were temporarily captured. As for the records in the General’s Mansion, the geographical information on the Southern Border could not be said to be a blank slate—at least it was all from a hundred years ago. A hundred years is enough for a river to change course, a Spring Eye to dry up.
In addition, the non-combat losses from Miasma and Poisonous Insects were issues to consider.
Wu Fei was very clear about his deficiencies in on-the-spot Ability. If he really waited until the major exam stage to scramble arrangements, he would definitely fail. So this time, determining the possibility of large-scale warfare north of the Ling River was extremely small, with plenty of leeway, he used this advance as practice before his large-scale command of troops expedition.
Prime Ministers must rise from local departments, Fierce Generals must emerge from the ranks,
Wu Fei now deeply agreed. Commanding several armies (two thousand people per army) in Military Operations still required him to accumulate Experience.
For example, in these two months, all six major Camps that Wu Fei’s army moved to were without exception surveyed in advance, then Pioneer Teams were sent for preliminary preparations. Before occupying each Camp, multiple clean water sources were dug out, and sufficient Firewood was stored.
“Raw water” was the main cause of illness during the opening of the Southern Border. Because seemingly clear water sources unknowingly had viruses seep in from dead small animals rotting on the shore. And most ancient humans had no defense awareness of clear water sources.
Of course, if reality could be solved with just “don’t drink raw water,” then no drill would be needed—just have the army execute orders upon arrival.
In fact! After the army arrives, there isn’t that much Firewood, and going out to chop during march violates alert regulations. Currently, the Wu Family Army’s armed parade means no one dares raid the army, so large-scale Wood chopping is possible. But once it’s like Wu Fei’s first command of the Granary defense battle, with Snake People appearing around at any time, chopping is impossible.
Moreover, chopping can’t boil all the water used!
“Boiling water” like this, for modern people, is “a bit of electricity” or “a few minutes of Gas.”
But for ancient settlers, the Firewood consumed was dozens of wen more per month. And for army marching temporary Wilderness camps, not to mention ancients—even moderns, the US military uses helicopters to transport water, Maozi even more so, due to water supply difficulties, mechanized troops in the Empire’s Graveyard turned into big dumb bears, harassed by Guerrilla Teams, could only hug their heads in distress.
Wu Fei encountered this problem on this expedition and spent twenty days perfecting the practical application of a complete set of countermeasures in Military Strategy.
First, from marching and camping, camps must be arranged according to Military Strategists’ “Feng Shui.” That’s the term in the Military Treatise. Wu Fei studied it carefully and determined it was a rich accumulation of experience in residential zoning, isolating water areas from human and livestock excrement areas at a distance, and ensuring water areas are at higher terrain.
As for what happens if the excrement water area is accidentally higher, Wu Fei remembered in a certain “Cities: Skylines” game from his previous life, some players’ flavorful operations.
After camp construction, the second operation: Wu Fei ordered people to dig clean water pools, line them with washed Stones, introduce water sources and use Quicklime to raise alkalinity for Disinfection, then let settle and expose to sun. Also, to prevent rainwater bringing surrounding sewage into the pool, sufficient high Barriers were built around the pool.
Such water could be given to horses and Livestock to drink, and also used for morning washing in each major Camp. For human drinking, it still needed boiling.
Just ensuring human drinking greatly reduced Firewood consumption.
And Lime Bags were included in military supplies, mixed in Food and Grass sacks, purely used as desiccants.
What Wu Fei as a modern person knew: Tap water plants should prepare chlorine compounds or potassium permanganate for complete Disinfection schemes. Adding lime, in modern health terms, increases kidney stone probability.—But compared to the inexplicable plagues in the Southern Border, choose the lesser evil.
Now, under Wu Fei’s strict control, the importance of each army preparing their own water sources after camping was at the same level as ensuring army Food and Grass.
Besides the above “Camp construction,” he also focused on establishing long-term friendly relations with some local guides.
Under Wu Fei’s instructions, the army was quite polite to Village hunters. After verifying these hunters’ local relations were detached from Tribe great clans (detached atomic isolated widows), they confidently gave them Ironware for hunting, and “Iron Coupons” like iron money, instructing them to use this iron money to buy Cloth, Salt, etc., from the army Merchants. Of course, even if they didn’t go North to the market, next year when Merchant Caravans came knocking, they would recognize this iron money.
…The Campaign ended silently, Wu Fei achieved “slight upper hand” results just by standoff without battle…
Southern Border armed grand parade, Wu Fei’s main force only fired a scant three hundred arrows, these Arrowheads didn’t kill enemies but were given to Tiger Leopard Jackals in the Mountain Ridge. Over months, Sabers and Spears rusted, but Shovels and Iron Shovels were used to shining polish.
As the cooking smoke of the major Camp completely disappeared from the North Bank of Ling River, in the Flame cavern south of Ling River, curses were hurled at the fleeing Wu Family Army: “You are cowardly and dare not advance!”
This Evil Cultivator who was the Da Yao Crown Prince four hundred years ago, in the past at the Imperial Court, hearing of Southern Border borders was always about how many were harvested there. But Wu Fei’s “traditional skill, point to stop” operation, he had never heard of!
Wu Fei side: After completing all Campaign goals, why be reckless?
On the Economy level: Goods in Yongji Pass were completely cleared out, converted to Southern Border local products, next few months would transport local products to the North.
On the Military level: Drinkable rivers in the mountains, various Herbs, snakes and insects, all recorded by the army cartographers, prepared into the “Southern Border Water and Soil Records” book.
This army outing, Wu Family Army main Battle Soldiers left in Southern Border due to accidents: only twenty-eight. And the scattered statistics for the entire Merchant Caravan escort team did not exceed a hundred—this was the smallest loss in all previous Southern Border outings.
…Autumn goes, spring returns…
In the 1st month of the 29th year of Shu Tian Calendar, Yongji Pass had quite the bustling scene of a Spring Festival travel Train Station. Half a year ago, Laborers recruited from various Lingnan Villages flowed in from various Roads, gathering at Yongji Pass, forming block arrays, then exiting the pass, performing a series of earth-digging and camp-building works outside the pass. And half a year later, while everyone was still wondering where the enemies were, they got the order: you can go home. So they packed their bags and collectively returned to Yongji Pass.
After returning to the pass, the Laborers were led to various towns inside the pass and disbanded. Then the big brothers from each team’s hometown associations took the lead, bringing old Brothers to indulge in the markets of these towns in the pass, got thoroughly drunk, then each returned home.
These Lingnan Laborers handed their full pouches of Silver Leaves to their elderly Parents at home, then stuffed the army-issued “Cloth Coupons,” “Sugar Coupons,” “Rice Coupons” and other iron tickets to the women at home, telling her to watch the Time and go to the market with him to redeem the goods.
Because all Laborers were instructed before going home that “Shunfeng Trading Company” would pass by the markets near their hometowns regularly within two months. (Refer to Bus scheduled stops.)
Wu Fei’s “Shunfeng Trading Company” would transport Rice and Flour, grain oil and other goods; Laborers could buy with coupons at no premium. But if overdue without buying, they could only wait for the next expedition, hand to army logistics to redeem new iron coupons.
Coupons were all forged from one furnace of steel, not paper: on one hand, villagers trusted “hard clinky” more than “light fluttery”; on the other, current anti-counterfeiting tech insufficient, paper coupons could be forged by gathering a few in a secret house. Iron requires fire, hammers.
And since one furnace of steel is uniform in Materials. If small workshop Blacksmiths use other iron, subtle differences are visible. And if any Merchant wants to set up Wu Fei’s large-scale Iron Smelting equipment in Yongji Pass, and research water-powered forging.—that would absolutely be Transgression.
In this Lingnan place now, only the Wu Family can transgress. Wu Fei: Who dares privately transgress, are you not putting Da Yao royal law in your eyes?
In various Villages, returning Soldiers recounted their outside-the-pass experiences, while Children nearby squatted listening to Territory “Giant Snakes,” “Tigers” and other huge mountain spirit battle Stories.
These Soldiers tossed out some “unique tree fruit pits,” and a certain fang said to be pulled from a Tiger’s mouth, becoming wondrous objects the Children scrambled to see.
…Gathered into a fireball, scattered into stars filling the sky…
Two months later, as Soldiers from various places all left Yongji Pass, the place suddenly became much quieter…
Inside the Checkpoint, Wu Fei was tallying this year’s business income.
The entire army expedition consumption: five hundred thousand Silver Leaves. Among them, Hard Work travel expenses distributed to expeditioners: eighty thousand Silver Leaves. His direct elite Soldiers received the most reward money, about eight to fifteen Silver Leaves per month. As for those Laborers following to freeload, one to three Silver Leaves per month. This was better than them poking rat nests idle at home. As for combat, main battles were Scouts’ encounters, Merit Points issued not over four hundred twenty-five, each Merit Point at 3 Silver Leaves! Overall, negligible.
Of course, what Wu Fei calculated was not money, but the growth in the entire Group’s War potential. Twenty thousand followed him out satisfied and returned, so next time he could pull out twenty thousand again.
In addition, this Trade acquired five thousand strong slaves; this labor force addition was enough to offset the two hundred labor losses in our Force due to illness and injury this expedition.
…From numbers to Metaphysics…
After finishing accounts, Wu Fei went to the neighboring Feng Shui pavilion, saw San Gu, who was performing Feng Shui calculations. At her feet was a Sand Table Map, but the Sand Table rose and fell slowly like breathing, where the pulse north of Yongji Pass looked full of Vitality, while the South! After this round of troops passing (colonial Trade), now seemed dead and stagnant.
San Gu knew Wu Fei’s purpose and reported the Mountains and Rivers Divination results to Wu Fei.
In this world, the Human Realm and Way of Heaven are interconnected, and if a place’s Governance is poor or Plundered, in these Metaphysics Masters’ divinations, this piece of Mountains and Rivers Heaven and Earth would show stagnation. Conversely, if a place’s Human Way gains supplement, the Mountains and Rivers sacrificed by this Human Way would brim with Vitality.
Way of Heaven takes from the surplus and adds to the deficit, Way of Man takes from the insufficient to give to the surplus.
Wu Fei knew what he did was, in these Cultivators’ eyes, the path of extraction! Thus, he asked the similarly Heterodox Path San Gu to check for him what level his actions had reached.
Wu Fei, through System translation, read San Gu’s Tadpole Script and confirmed the peace level inside the pass was rising.
Wu Fei felt if it was illusion—San Gu’s reports to him now were much clearer, with far fewer mystical hints.
Wu Fei asked San Gu: “The South being Plundered, disharmony energy rose thirty percent? I didn’t slaughter wantonly.”
San Gu: “Young Lord, Plunder doesn’t have to be slaughter; it can start from change. What you did actually fits the Way of Change even more.” Her slender jade fingers held Bamboo Tally pointing at a series of Tribe points on the north and south of Southern Border.
…Bustling outside the pass…
After the army left, the sold Cloth and Salt would continue circulating commercially between Tribes to the South.
Among the Tribes visited by accompanying Southern Merchants for business, some young Tribes’ youths grew brains during Trade!
Kam was one of them, he: “Northerners can sell stuff to earn our money, can’t we resell stuff to Southern Tribes and earn a sum too?”
His idea was opposed by elders in the Tribe, who thought it shouldn’t take advantage of Southern brothers.
Thus, the village this first year traded very fairly with Southern brothers.
But such “fairness” did not earn gratitude from Southern brothers.
In Kam’s village, those Tribe people draped in Animal Hides, while cursing Kam’s Tribe and Northerners doing business, handing mountain treasures to Northerners, on the other hand righteously used their furs to exchange for Ironware.
When “sincerity” brought not “gratitude” but “disdain,” rifts were born.
