Chapter 628 - 629: World-shattering_1
Chapter 628: Chapter 629: World-shattering_1
Xin Wen was suddenly stunned–weren’t they supposed to head south yesterday? Why was it the north today?
He immediately approached Cai Siyuan, “Mr. Cai, why aren’t we heading south all of a sudden? What about the troops going south?”
“His Majesty will summon another team of elites to maintain support. You need not worry,” replied Cai Siyuan coldly.
Xin Wen felt as if Cai Siyuan had become a different person overnight.
“Mr. Cai, this really won’t do. Would you reconsider reporting to His Majesty that this unit should head south first, while you pick another troop of elite soldiers to reinforce the north?”
Li Ze then stood up in front of Xin Wen, speaking sternly, “We do as His Majesty commands. Is it any of your business?”
“Never mind then,” Xin Wen again spoke to Cai Siyuan, “Mr. Cai, I would like to request to follow the next troop south. I’m not going north!”
Li Ze stared at Xin Wen, “Aren’t you just afraid of dying? You don’t want to go to war and prefer fighting mountain bandits?”
Angered, Xin Wen responded, “Mountain bandits and North villains alike are enemies of the court. Anywhere I go bears risk; there’s no room for cowardice!”
“If that is so, why won’t you head north?”
“…” Xin Wen ignored Li Ze, only looking at Cai Siyuan, again persuading in an understanding tone, “Mr. Cai, do you think you could…”
Cai Siyuan maintained his cold indifference, “Since Xin Wen is unwilling, there’s no need for him to go to war in the future. Guards, confiscate his military emblem!”
“You…you…” Xin Wen understood now—Cai Siyuan must have defected. If he dared to resist now, he feared he would lose his life. Dejectedly, he allowed himself to be captured.
After Xin Wen was dragged away, Cai Siyuan walked amongst the elite, calling out several generals, finally pointing at them, “You don’t need to go now. Go back.”
These generals were at a loss but dared not disobey Cai Siyuan’s arrangements, so they all returned to their campsite.
However, once they reached the campsite, they were captured by the people ambushed within.
“Li Ze, it’s getting late, hurry and lead the troops out!”
“Yes, sir!”
Li Ze started forming the troop line again, choosing a few more generals as replacements for those just taken away. Afterward, the troop set off to the north.
Cai Siyuan returned to his campsite, ordering the camps’ records and names to be listed, marking one unit and creating another name list from it.
…
Meanwhile, in County.
Only the Provincial City and a few remote county towns were unaffected by the bandits.
Since County bore the brunt of the bandit attacks, Nan Feng decided to visit Xue Ling there.
Returning from Provincial City’s docks, Nan Feng had already felt the brutality of the so-called bandits. The normally bustling docks were deserted. Nan Feng eventually boarded a ship with only a few passengers.
The boatman continued to complain to Nan Feng, “The docks were pillaged a few days ago. Half the boats there were burnt in the middle of the night. How could those bandits be so ruthless? For folks like us, our livelihood depends on our boats. A friend of mine had his boat burned; their family lost nearly everything they owned. They’ve cried for days, unsure how they’ll raise money for a new boat. My boat was spared, but now everyone’s too scared to venture out. In just a month, everything’s turned topsy-turvy.”