Chapter 1530: Believed
Chapter 1530: Chapter 1530: Believed
The person who came to report is named Liu Erjing, one of the secret agents the Eagle Food Gang placed in the city. Seeing Lord Ghost holding his forehead, he thought Lord Ghost was having a headache from anger and said, "Lord Ghost, don’t worry, we beat up those tael of meat who mocked Lord Ying; they were hit so badly that even their own mothers wouldn’t recognize them!"
After those tael of meat mocked Lord Ying in the brothel, Liu Erjing’s crew quickly turned violent and started a fight with those tael of meat. In order to prove that the fierce bandits of the Eagle Food Gang weren’t weaklings, they fought fiercely, forcing those tael of meat to kneel and beg for mercy.
’Tael of meat’ is their derogatory term for patrons who seek pleasure in brothels.
Liu Erjing continued, "If this doesn’t relieve Lord Ghost’s anger, the brothers can go over and finish them, hang their heads on the city gate for a few days, let them know the consequences of mocking Lord Ying!"
"No need." Lord Ghost shook his head and looked at the paper in Liu Erjing’s hand, "Is this what they gave you?"
Liu Erjing nodded, "Yes, it was given by those people, but it’s unclear exactly who gave it. At the time, we were focused on fighting, it was chaotic, and after it was all over, I found myself with this paper. Seeing how serious the content was, I didn’t dare delay and brought it to Lord Ghost."
This sort of thing, reprimanding those with loose tongues in a brothel, doesn’t require reporting to Lord Ghost, but with such paper suddenly appearing, Liu Erjing had no choice but to come.
Lord Ghost listened, took the paper, unfolded it, and was startled... The Rong people in the city turned out to be the Witch Army, and they planned to dig tunnels at the North City Gate, so the Rong army could enter the city through the tunnels!
If they really managed to do this, even if the Great Chu has a million troops dead at Beicang Prefecture holding the fort, the Rong people could take Beicang Prefecture effortlessly.
Though Lord Ghost has experienced peril before, suddenly learning of this still made him break out in a cold sweat.
Lord Ghost held onto the paper, pacing silently in the room, making Lu Zi anxious enough to ask, "Lord Ghost, what exactly does the letter say?"
To make you lose your composure like this?
Lord Ghost didn’t speak but handed the paper to Lu Zi.
Lu Zi took it, and upon seeing it, was shocked, "This... How did they come up with such an idea?!"
Lord Ghost sneered, "Their minds have certainly become clever, they already understand gathering people to live in Longshan Prefecture... They mean it this time, aiming for the Capital, wanting to take everything our ancestors left!"
Since the latter part of the former dynasty, the Rong people would often raid Longshan Prefecture, but they were foolish, always returning to Da Rong after looting, never thinking to occupy the Prefecture and let the Rong people settle in the city.
Now they’ve become smart, they’ve moved over to settle, intending to reside in the Central Plains, seizing the territory left by our ancestors!
Duke Wei once said, Rong people who are dull are not to be feared; the truly terrifying thing is a clever Rong people who understand the benefits of migrating to occupy cities.
Now the Rong people have come to their senses, have begun migrating into Great Chu cities, wishing to learn from Great Chu, to lead a civilized life of farming and commerce.
"Lord Ghost, what should we do now?" Lu Zi understood the seriousness and said, "We must quickly inform Lord Ying to have him come and oversee."
Lord Ghost nodded, immediately took out paper and pen, wrote a letter to Lord Ying, and then packed it with the paper Qin San Lang sent into a small iron tube: "Lu Zi, summon the eagle."
"Alright." Lu Zi immediately took out the eagle whistle, and was about to blow it when Liu Erjing stopped him.
"Lord Ghost, Lu Zi, do you truly trust this?" Although Liu Erjing delivered the letter, he didn’t think it was real: "If this is a trap by the Rong people, we summon Lord Ying, and then the Rong people kill him, we’ll be left leaderless. Or Rongshan Gang might seize the opportunity while Lord Ying is away and attack our stronghold in the Northwest. Also, is the messenger credible? He might be with Rongshan Gang."
Liu Erjing greatly admired Lord Ying and didn’t want him to be deceived into danger.
Lord Ghost said, "It’s an old acquaintance, trustworthy."
Liu Erjing was startled, "Ah, an old acquaintance? Will Lord Ying not beat me after he comes for having hit an old acquaintance’s men?"
Lord Ghost glanced at him, "Hard to say. This old acquaintance, being younger than Lord Ying and companions, is quite earnest and honest, very favored by Lord Ying and the others. If you beat his men, Lord Ying will certainly be displeased."
However, what would anger Lord Ying more might be that the Young Marquis has become a Company Commander for Great Chu. If Lord Ying learns of this news, he might be furious enough to kill him!
Liu Erjing was on the verge of tears, "Lord Ghost, you have to save me, how was I to know they were Lord Ying’s old acquaintances? Their insults were truly biting, I only acted to maintain Lord Ying’s reputation."
Elder Lv, beside them, said, "Erjing, our Eagle Food Gang has always been fair and without bias, Lord Ying won’t punish you for this matter. Stop your wailing face, and pay attention to Lord Ghost’s instructions."
Lord Ghost: "..."
Don’t speak too soon, Lord Ying is very protective, he might really beat Liu Erjing!
"Lu Zi, immediately summon the eagle and send out the letter. Also, send letters to the people in the outer mountains, in the village, in Daliang Prefecture, and in Jintian Prefecture, so they can avoid the Rong spies and swiftly head to Beicang Prefecture." Lord Ghost began to instruct, "Erjing, notify the people in the city, find all those you trust and can use, and watch over the Yang Family charcoal workshop."
"Elder Lv, haven’t the Yang Family agreed to deliver livestock to your family? Won’t the delivery be in these two days? Make some adjustments, so when our people inspect the animals under the guise of treating them, they can investigate the charcoal workshop."
"Yes." Elder Lv replied solemnly, understanding Lord Ghost’s seriousness and not daring to slack off, he meticulously discussed the method he devised, making sure the Rong People’s Witch Army wouldn’t suspect it as intentional, before proceeding.
However, Lord Ghost instructed, "Though the matter is urgent, you must remain steady, don’t rush too much lest the Rong people spies detect any signs."
"Yes." Liu Erjing and the others responded, then asked, "Lord Ghost, should we contact the team of the old acquaintance and exchange information?"
Lord Ghost shook his head, "No need to contact. The letter clearly states, once we’ve investigated, just eliminate the Rong People’s Witch Army as planned and don’t disrupt his operations to the Northwest!"
Though the Young Marquis becoming a Company Commander under Emperor Chu to fight the Rong people is akin to serving the enemy, Lord Ghost believes the Young Marquis is right in doing so.
They can’t be bandits forever, letting future generations from their families bear the stigma of being traitors; one person must be in the army, earn great achievements, enter the court, and clear their families’ names!
Only when Emperor Chu personally overturns their families’ cases can their offspring truly live honestly in the world, otherwise, they can only hide deep in the mountains, keeping their identity a secret.
Ancestors who fought to gain territory for Emperor Jingwu can’t have their descendants living cowardly under the Great Chu Dynasty like mice, surviving off scraps.
Lord Ghost may be ruined, but he hopes the children of Lord Ying and the Young Marquis can live honorably and no longer endure a life where they don’t dare mention or honor their ancestors.
"The Rong People’s Witch Army has always been vicious, always aiming for total extermination, and he is now married, we can’t expose him and jeopardize his wife and children."