Chapter 66
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“Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy leads to victory in a hundred battles. Our top priority is to find out his true intentions. I don’t believe he suddenly appeared without any purpose,” said Wen Yuzhao, clenching his fist.
Xie Yixiu nodded. Although they didn’t know his intentions, it was necessary to be cautious.
“General, Duan Wang’s garrison’s people are skilled in gathering intelligence. How about we send two of them to inquire?” Wen Yuzhao suggested after pondering for a moment.
The training of the guard battalion was quite different from theirs. Due to Ji You’s presence at there, they were able to know of the guards’ training methods. Relatively speaking, the Red Robed Army and the garrison emphasized large-scale team operations, formations, and coordinated assaults.
However, the guard battalion was different. They had fewer members and focused more on small squads and individual combat. Therefore, their members excelled in espionage, ambushes, and individual combat skills. Wen Yuzhao proposed this idea precisely because he recognized this strength of the guard battalion.
Xie Yixiu shook his head. “No need for now. We shouldn’t needlessly alert the enemy. Let’s closely monitor their movements, and if they make any move, report it immediately.”
Wen Yuzhao agreed. It wasn’t necessary to treat Tuoba Ren’s sudden appearance as a major threat. He was just one person, not a deity. The Red Robed Army defeated him five years ago, and they wouldn’t lose to him now.
The tumultuous events in the borderlands hadn’t affected Liangcheng. Ming Yu was feeling a bit frustrated. His manpower was inadequate; he needed people and resources. To develop the area west of Changlan Mountain, he needed labour, but most of the Liangzhou residents were busy with spring farming, leaving him with only half of the necessary workforce.
Ming Yu had initially thought of involving the garrison, but they couldn’t spare any troops. The garrison was almost entirely focused on defending Shi Chongguan due to the restive activity of the barbarians at the border.
Ming Yu adjusted his cloak and sighed. The breeze carried a lingering chill of winter in this transitional time between warmth and cold.
“Wang Ye, should we return to the residence?” one of his guards asked as they emerged from a tavern.
The guards had grown accustomed to the hospitality of the local women, especially the northern women. They were no longer as timid as they were initially. Occasionally, they would exchange banter, holding their own in jest.
Seeing the time and not wishing to go back just yet, Ming Yu decided to wander around. He didn’t want to face Qingping’s scolding again; he had grown tired of her constant nagging. So, he stepped out for some tranquility.
Liangcheng was far from bustling compared to the thriving southern cities. Except for the southern part of the city where the Hu people gathered, the rest of the city was relatively quiet. Ming Yu sighed. He had taken only a small step forward, but the road ahead was still long and challenging.
It was indeed difficult. Ming Yu wore a troubled expression. Why was it that when others emanated an air of domination, they attracted money, beauties, and followers, but when he did the same, he could only sigh in frustration? While he had many ideas, turning them into reality was proving difficult.
Passersby hurried by, each preoccupied with their own lives. They needed to support their families, so they had to work tirelessly. As long as there was no war, they could get by. Some children were unaware of the harshness of life, playing and laughing as they chased each other on their toy horses. Their innocent laughter was infectious.
Seeing these children, Ming Yu’s gloomy thoughts dispersed. Only these children managed to maintain their innocence, ignoring the turmoil of war and remaining happy. What could obstruct his goal of building a peaceful world for them? He wasn’t a saviour, but he had a heart that wanted to protect this haven of purity for the children. Ming Yu’s heart began to melt, and his internal conflicts unconsciously subsided. A genuine smile formed on his face, radiant in the spring afternoon sunlight, emanating a gentle brilliance.
As Xie Yixiu saw Ming Yu, the first thing that caught his eye was this radiant glow. It pierced into his mind, etching into his thoughts and emotions.
While Xie Yixiu saw from a distance, he didn’t want to disturb him at this moment. However, Ming Yu seemed to pause for a moment, and a thought flickered in his mind. Yes, he wanted to protect this realm and maintain a peaceful era. Wars needed to be quelled for this to happen; only peace would ensure long-term prosperity.
Ming Yu squinted his eyes, fidgeting with his fingers. The conflicts between the Great Yan and Suixi were deep-rooted. It was impossible to negotiate peace with Suixi. They had killed the Great Yan’s citizens, abducted women and children – this enmity was irreconcilable. Any Han man with a trace of blood wouldn’t tolerate such humiliation.
Fortunately, his father and the imperial court had been resolute against Suixi, dealing with officials who advocated for peace in the past. This unity prevented any internal discord. Otherwise, the Great Yan would have had to bow to Suixi Kingdom’s terms, offering up treasures such as tribute, princesses, and cities. All these were the Great Yan’s treasures, and giving them away to Suixi Kingdom would only embolden their ambitions. A hungry wolf could never be satiated – this was a truth that anyone could understand. Hence, the emperor’s firm stance on this matter commanded Ming Yuyu’s respect.
Although years of war had strained the imperial treasury, the Emperor could still bolster Ming Yuyu’s efforts with his personal wealth. This demonstrated how much the Emperor cared for Ming Yuyu.
The Crown Prince had informed Ming Yu about his intentions to contribute half of his earnings to the imperial treasury, and Ming Yu agreed. This wasn’t only because the Emperor was their monarch; it was also a gesture of filial piety to support his father.
Of course, he still needs a lot of money now, and he can temporarily owe this part. Once Liangzhou truly develops, the returns and benefits at that time will be permanent. By then, even the tribute from Liangzhou alone will bring substantial revenue to the treasury.
The conversation shifted back to the topic: only peace can lead to prosperity. Ming Yu now realized the quickest way to curb war was to have a strong fist. They had to fight, hurt the invaders, defeat them, and put an end to their arrogance. This would show the invaders that the Great Yan wasn’t to be trifled with.
Since it was this way, Ming Yu’s recent thoughts now had a clear purpose, which might even help solve his current worries.
Thinking this, he turned to head back. However, when he turned around, he saw Xie Yixiu not far away. Ming Yu rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t seeing things, and then smiled, “General Xie, what brings you here?”
Xie Yixiu snapped out of his thoughts and walked toward Ming Yu, giving a bow. “Greet Wang Ye.”
Ming Yu stopped him. “General Xie, no need for formalities. Do you have something important to discuss?”
Xie Yixiu nodded and emphasized, “I came specifically to find Wang Ye.”
“Ah?” Ming Yu was surprised, wondering what significant event had prompted Xie Yixiu to not wait at the residence and search for him. “Is something happening?”
Xie Yixiu shook his head and then nodded again, leaving Ming Yu puzzled about whether there was something or nothing going on. They were on a busy street, and their presence had drawn the attention of passersby.
Ming Yu tugged at Xie Yixiu’s sleeve. “Let’s walk and talk.” They didn’t have transportation; going back slowly on foot would take time. Ming Yu glanced at Xie Yixiu’s horse and suggested, “If it’s urgent, General Xie, why not ride with me back to the residence?”
Xie Yixiu didn’t hesitate. He smoothly mounted his horse and reached out a hand to Ming Yu.
Ming Yu didn’t mind; he took Xie Yixiu’s hand, exerted force, and followed his lead to mount the horse. Side by side, they rode away swiftly, disappearing from the view of onlookers.
The guards were accustomed to such things; after all, they had seen Ming Yu and Xie Yixiu practicing horsemanship together, occasionally sharing a horse. If it were anyone else, they might hesitate to ride alongside Ming Yu, but Xie Yixiu was an exception. Their relationship with Xie Yixiu, as both a horsemanship instructor and a friend, was different. The guards felt that Ming Yuyu’s open-mindedness and tolerance were commendable.
They only stopped at the entrance of the residence. On the way there, Ming Yu inquired about the situation, but Xie Yixiu didn’t provide details, insisting on discussing it back at the residence. So, Ming Yu had to suppress his curiosity for the time being.
After dismounting, Ming Yuyu and Xie Yixiu headed straight to the study, while servants came forward to take care of their horses and lead them away.
Once inside the study, servants who were already informed brought in tea. After the servants left, Xie Yixiu spoke solemnly, “A group of barbarians has infiltrated Liangzhou. Your Highness, you need to be cautious. If you can avoid going outside the city, it would be wise.”
Xie Yixiu had come specifically to inform Ming Yu of this news. Just a few days ago, there were minor conflicts between the enemy and the Great Yan garrison near the border. Exploiting these skirmishes, a small group of enemy scouts slipped through the defenses, breaking through the pass and infiltrating deeper into Liangzhou.
Such incidents were not uncommon. When Ming Yu first arrived in Liangzhou, he encountered a similar group of invaders that had ravaged villages. Seeing the horrific aftermath left him plagued by nightmares for days.
These small groups of invaders were especially troublesome. They were few in number, highly mobile, and fast, inflicting significant damage. Chasing them with a large force was often futile and time-consuming, especially when the enemy forces on the borders were vigilant.
Ming Yu furrowed his brows. “How many are there?”
“Not many, around one or two hundred.” Xie Yixiu replied, “We’ve lost their trail now and don’t know where they are.”
Ming Yu nodded, indicating his understanding. Xie Yixiu seemed to have something else on his mind but hesitated to mention it. Ming Yuyu noticed and smiled. “General Xie, feel free to speak your mind.”
“The barbarians movements around Shi Chongguan have been frequent, and we’re not sure of their intentions. Most of the garrison’s attention is focused there, and even our Red Robed Army cannot afford to be complacent. So, regarding this group of invaders…” Xie Yixiu hesitated.
Ming Yu remembered. Initially, those invaders had slaughtered several villages along the way, but in the end, Xie Yixiu managed to apprehend them all at once. Considering this, they probably couldn’t spare the resources to deal with the situation now. So, in that case…
Ming Yu understood now. He patted his chest and smiled, saying, “Rest assured about this. Leave it to me. You all focus on guarding Shi Chongguan. Over here, the young talents of my guard battalion need some training opportunities. Let them spar with these invaders; it’ll be perfect.”
“…” Seeing Ming Yuyue’s excited expression, Xie Yixiu was a bit unsure whether his decision was right or wrong. “These invaders are different from ordinary bandits,” Xie Yixiu reminded.
Ming Yu’s guard battalion had good individual combat skills, but they hadn’t been on an actual battlefield. Previously, under Ming Yu’s arrangement, the guard battalion had dealt with small groups of bandits, defeating them and instilling fear among the bandits in the region.
However fierce those bandits might be, they were still an untrained mob when compared to the battle-hardened elite invaders who had experienced the horrors of the battlefield. These invaders were ruthless and merciless, treating the Han people like livestock to be slaughtered. Even the garrisons couldn’t easily defeat them in a single battle.
Despite this, Ming Yu laughed confidently, saying, “Rest assured, as long as they dare to appear, I will ensure that their lives remain here. None of them will return.” When it came to these invaders, Ming Yu had no sympathy or pity. His only determination was to avenge the innocent lives lost at their hands in the region of Liangzhou.
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