Chapter 822 I have something to eat (for the Silver League
Chapter 822 I have something to eat (additional update for the Silver League)
Author: Saragus
Chapter 822 I have something to eat (additional update for the Silver League)
Hong Zhenkang left Shenlin City with an army of 20,000 people. He planned to go to Qunzhou, but Zhang Shida, the general of Shenzhengying, reminded him: "There are judges in Qunzhou, and the judges may not be easy to deal with."
Hong Zhenkang said: "The Lord God has told us that during this expedition, we must first eradicate all the evil ways in Qunzhou. If we don't go to Qunzhou, where do you want to go?"
Zhang Shida lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, I am just reminding you that you will encounter a strong enemy when you leave the army, which will be detrimental to the morale of the army."
Hong Zhenkang didn't understand military affairs, but he understood one thing. If this battle was defeated, it would not be easy for Hong Juncheng to explain it to him.
Seeing that Hong Zhenkang remained silent, Zhang Shida continued, "I heard that the people in Xiezhou are mostly good people. I went to Xiezhou first to collect land and property. I won the victory and the morale was high. This is not against the will of the Lord God, but it is not the best of both worlds."
It makes sense when you think about it, why did the Lord God send an army to fight?
Is it really about winning the war?
Killing a group of evil people is not really an achievement.
After all, it is not Qiu Fu.
Being able to levy food is a great achievement.
Hong Zhenkang made up his mind to go to Xiezhou with Zhang Shida first.
Zhang Shida sent a fast horse to Xiezhou to inform the magistrate: King Lu will personally lead an army of 20,000 people and will arrive in the near future. Let everyone in Xiezhou meet the king's division.
Hong Zhenkang nodded and said: "Master Wang is the face of the Divine Sovereign. He told the prefect Xiang Xuanming that he must not fail in his etiquette."
Zhang Shida said in a low voice: "My lord, etiquette comes second. This is for the people of Xiezhou. Knowing that the king's master is coming, let's see if they still dare not to pay the land tax."
Hong Zhenkang suddenly realized: "This is a very good plan."
Three days later, the army was approaching Xiezhou, and the prefect Xiang Xuanming ordered officials from the state government and counties to come to the border to greet them.
Hong Zhenkang originally planned to go to the state capital first, but Zhang Shida gave another advice: "Your Majesty, we can't go to the state capital yet. Let's camp outside Xiezhou first and see how much of the land in Xiezhou can be conquered."
Hong Zhenkang said impatiently: "Didn't you receive the notice yesterday? Sixty percent of the land tax has been collected."
Xiezhou is indeed a good place, full of honest people. When they heard that the imperial court had arrived with 20,000 troops, many farmers took the initiative to pay their land taxes.
The prefect Xiang Xuanming did not dare to forcefully collect land tax, but if someone offered it, he would not refuse it. Judging from the current situation, six points of land tax was definitely a great achievement.
But Zhang Shida said: "Your Majesty, there is still 40% of the land tax that needs to be confiscated."
"So what if the difference is 40%?" Hong Zhenkang glared, "If I hadn't come here, Xiezhou wouldn't even be able to collect 20% of the land tax!"
"There is no doubt about your prince's achievements, but if we enter the territory of Xiezhou now, this will be a compliment to Xiezhou. Your prince, are you here to praise them?"
Hong Zhenkang thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "There is still a shortfall of 40% of the land tax, so this praise is really unworthy."
"What the prince said is that as long as our troops are at the border, this will be a deterrent to Xiezhou. In less than three days, all the land in Xiezhou will be collected. When Xiezhou is fully conquered, will Qunzhou still dare not to obey? Others
Do the prefectures and counties still dare to disobey?"
Hong Zhenkang sighed: "The truth is correct, but today I have to sleep in the wild again."
Zhang Shida naturally understood what he said.
During the march, Zhang Shida did not make Hong Zhenkang suffer. He enjoyed good wine, meat, and girls every night, but the prince was still dissatisfied.
"Your Majesty, if I have to endure another night of grievance tonight, I am sure that I will be able to collect all the land tax tomorrow. Xiang Xuanming is also a sensible person, so he will naturally show something tonight."
Xiang Xuanming really understood the truth and sent someone to bring 100,000 taels of silver, 30 dancers, 20 carts of mutton, and 20 carts of fine wine that night to reward the soldiers.
Hong Zhenkang was quite satisfied. He wanted to call Xiang Xuanming to teach him a few words, but Xiang Xuanming himself did not come to the camp, which made Hong Zhenkang quite dissatisfied.
Zhang Shida said: "Your Majesty, it's no wonder that Governor Xiang is here. Our army is stationed here. We're afraid that his soul will be frightened out. He is busy collecting taxes right now. How can he dare to relax for a moment?"
Hong Zhenkang nodded: "That's right. We're exhausted. Let's ask the dancers and musicians to come in and dance a couple of songs."
The newly presented dancers by Xiang Xuanming are all handsome and graceful, especially the rouge on their bodies. The fragrance is so captivating that it is as if the delicate beauty has penetrated into the heart along with the breath.
After two glasses of wine, Hong Zhenkang gradually became more and more excited and felt that it was boring to watch the dance alone, so he ordered Zhang Shida to call all the generals and commanders into the big tent.
Everyone sat down in order according to their positions, but when they saw that the lead dancer was truly stunning in the world, her bright eyes flashed from time to time while the waist branches were dancing, which made everyone feel numb in their hearts.
After a while, the panyan suddenly accelerated, and the dance music was tender and slightly passionate. The dancers changed their dance steps and postures, and from time to time they performed stunts such as leaping and rolling.
Hong Zhenkang cheered repeatedly, and the generals and commanders echoed his voice. The tent was very lively, and the shouts could be heard outside the camp.
Two soldiers guarding the side gate of the camp whispered: "What's going on? It's so lively?"
"Can't you smell this fragrance? The magistrate of Xiezhou sent thirty beauties. They are so handsome. One look at them will make you feel that your life has been lived in vain."
"Look at your potential, your life has been in vain after just one glance? What if I let you sleep for one night?"
"How can we be so lucky? Not to mention me. Just ask our general, can we have a good time in the camp?"
"Can the prince still eat alone? Anyway, he should give some to the general, right? He can't bear the thirty beauties himself!"
"I don't know what's going on. Your Majesty can't use it overnight. He will continue to use it tomorrow. The days are still long. If you change it one night, it will be enough for a month."
The two of them were chatting, but they heard that the tent gradually became quiet.
"I asked, why is there no movement?"
"What do you think? Are you still watching dancing? It's time to do serious things."
"You said that when the prince is doing things, how many people are usually around him to serve him?"
"I think one is definitely not enough, let's say three at least..."
The two of them didn't say a word, and were just chatting away, when they suddenly heard a movement near the camp.
Following the sound, I saw an old woman squatting next to the fence of the camp and crying.
"Why are you crying in the middle of the night? Come over and take a look."
"Am I going alone?"
"What are you afraid of?"
"If you're not afraid, go ahead by yourself."
"I'm so impressed with you, let's go together."
The two men came to the old woman with spears in hand and shouted: "What are you doing?"
The old woman turned her back to the two of them, lowered her head, and whispered: "I'm hungry."
"Hungry? If you're hungry, go find a place to beg for food. What are you doing here?"
"I have something to eat." The old woman lowered her head and seemed to be chewing something, making chewing sounds from time to time.
"If you have something to eat, go find a place to eat. Didn't you see this is the camp? Is this your place to eat?"
The old woman swallowed what was in her mouth and sobbed: "But I really can't eat any more."
"Can't eat it? Then don't eat it and get out of here!"
"Let me tell you, this is the King's Camp. Do you know what we are doing? If you don't leave, I will kill you now!"
A sergeant swung his spear and struck the old woman, hitting her back.
The old woman's body swayed slightly, but she did not fall down.
The sergeant was startled and took several steps back.
Another sergeant shouted: "Didn't you fucking eat? You can't even knock down an old lady?"
"Then, then you fight!"
The sergeant raised his spear and was about to take action when he saw the old lady slowly turning her head.
"Why did you hit me? I have food. I don't want yours. My old man left some food for me." The old lady looked back at the sergeant.
She bit a finger in her mouth.
She held an arm in her arms.
A sergeant fell to the ground on the spot.
Another sergeant dragged his spear back and backed away.
The old woman stood up shakily, holding her arm in her hand, and walked slowly towards the two people.
"I have something to eat. The old man left it for me. My old man was starving to death. When he was dying, he told me to eat him so that I could live.
I couldn't bear to eat, but the old man's body couldn't bear it anymore and was about to rot, so I ate as hard as I could, but I really couldn't eat anymore."
A sergeant screamed, rolled his eyes, and lay motionless on the ground.
Another sergeant dragged his spear and ran back to the camp. He saw a sergeant walking to the door. He grabbed the sergeant and said, "Something happened. It's haunted. There's a ghost outside our camp. It's a man-eating ghost. Hurry up."
Go out and have a look."
"I was just about to go out and take a look." The sergeant raised his head. His face was full of wrinkles and he looked to be sixty or seventy years old.
The sergeant let go, took a step back and said, "Who are you?"
"I'm here to find something." The old man rolled up his empty sleeve, revealing a white arm bone. "I can't find it with my hands. Please help me look for it."