As soon as Fan Qinghu spoke, many others imdiately followed suit:
"Indeed! We hope the Princely Heir will stay."
"With such strength, the Princely Heir surely can gain much in Blood Miasma Plain!"
"Countless lives in Cai Qiu are presently threatened by Blood Miasma Plain, we hope Hong Prince can stay to help us!"
"Even Admiral Fan has personally apologized; as a noble of great feudal towns, the Princely Heir ought to be tolerant."
.........
"Brother Hong, please stay!"
Xia Hong stood in place, a hint of hesitation on his face. Finally, seeing Cai Yunlan’s earnest gaze beside him, he sighed slightly: "Ah, well, I won’t be in Cai Qiu for much longer; if I can help, I’ll lend a hand."
After speaking, he turned directly and said to Fan Qinghu: "I can stay to help, but there’s a requirent. Since Admiral Fan has said that a ssage will be sent back imdiately for identity verification, please send the ssage now! It’s better to confirm early..."
At this point, he paused, and his tone suddenly turned grim: "However, once in Qinghua City, once in Lin Chu County City, today is already the third ti. As they say, things co in threes; let be frank today, before my identity is confird, if anyone wishes to test, they’d better weigh their own strength first, otherwise don’t bla for being impolite!"
After hearing Xia Hong’s tone filled with strong threats, the hundred or so people in the hall pondered for a mont, then displayed surprise and simultaneously looked towards Fan Qinghu.
Upon hearing this, Fan Qinghu’s expression noticeably froze for a mont. When he noticed everyone looking at him, he quickly resud his expression as if he completely missed the underlying aning of Xia Hong’s words, smiling and cupping his hands: "As expected of a noble from great feudal towns, Hong Prince is truly magnanimous, Fan admires!"
A brief episode of probing before the hall thus ended.
All those present exchanged glances briefly. They knew very well that Xia Hong’s words had clearly targeted Fan Qinghu, indicating that Fan Qinghu was unworthy of testing him.
Fan Qinghu could not have failed to understand yet he actually held back!
"Quite thoughtful, just afraid you might lose your patience..."
Much like the others, Xia Hong’s expression showed nothing outwardly, yet inside he was sowhat surprised by Fan Qinghu’s ability to endure despite such an obvious provocation.
"I may not know how to cross Cold Wave Lake, but seeing the Four Vassals and Lulong maintain little contact, it’s clearly not easy. Trying casually to have Lulong Vassal Governor Lu Junyang verify my identity, not to ntion impossible for you, even your father would probably struggle. If you could manage it, by the ti it’s done, I’d likely have left long ago."
After almost a year in Cai Qiu, Xia Hong constantly patched up his identity loopholes. Fan Qinghu’s so-called ssaging for verification was just a bluff; how could he not know? It was a chance to enhance his identity’s credibility, why not seize it?
With the probing episode over, it was ti to move on to the main agenda.
Fan Qinghu first signaled the crowd, then asked Cai Yunlan: "The county mansion’s trial disciples have all departed, correct?"
Cai Yunlan nodded in response: "They had gathered by the ti we arrived. I’ve assigned Yun Kai to lead them. They should arrive 200 kiloters before dawn."
During his response, a middle-aged man already walked upfront carrying a sand table and directly placed it before Fan Qinghu.
At first sight of the sand table, Xia Hong was instantly taken aback.
The sand table was made with white, light red, and dark red sands, representing mountains, lakes, snow fields, forests, and even a miniature military tent for Zhenyuan Camp, showcasing all essential elents, almost perfectly proportionate and realistic, while still simplistic and easy to grasp.
Of course, the sand table’s elegance wasn’t enough to evoke such a reaction from Xia Hong. He paused because through this sand table, he could roughly deduce Cai Qiu’s current advancent against Blood Miasma Plain.
Across the entire sand table, regions constituted with dark red sands accounted for at least eight-tenths, albeit unmarked, clearly representing undeveloped Blood Miasma Plain areas;
Only less than one-tenth of the northeast area was arranged with light red sands, representing Zhenyuan Camp’s military tent placed here;
Further northeast, at the corner of the sand table, was a region with ordinary white sands, evidently representing the normal territory outside Blood Miasma Plain.
Last year upon leaving Bone-Eroding Path, a soldier once said Cai Qiu started sending elite forces from Bai Shui County to Blood Miasma Plain for battles two years ago. Subsequently, Xia Hong confird his statent after inquiries.
Thus far, spending two years, Cai Qiu’s expansion into Blood Miasma Plain reached less than one-tenth?
Certainly, it’s said neighboring Chen Cang began developnt earlier with progress perhaps slightly ahead, but given two vassal towns’ comparable strengths, Cai Qiu advances slowly, how much further could Chen Cang possibly go?
Additionally, before Cai Qiu arrived here, Chen Cang relied on its own strength, slowing past developnt likely further; overall progress couldn’t be much stronger.
This progress is truly touching!
Indeed, Blood Miasma Plain stands as the greatest barrier between Moao River and Nine Towns. Even with both large towns joined, progress remains movingly slow; for Xia Hong, it is more than welcoming, allowing him to ease down entirely.
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