The Qilin Army relied on the favorable situation and captured three cities in one go.
The people had nothing to take, as noble families either fled or surrendered.
A young lady from a prominent family concealed her face, then returned to the Capital City. With her family’s remnants of prestige, she still married into a suitable family, becoming their lady, but she often wept, talking about her plight, saying she was betrayed.
She said she was hard by soone she had once saved.
Everyone sympathized with her and, upon asking about the events of that day, the noble lady cried and replied: "It was my maid, whom I treated like my own sister, who betrayed my family."
"Back then, I was still young. My family took in so family servants, whose land deeds were given to us; my father, feeling pity for them, kept them in the house. But that year, her father attempted to steal their land deed back."
"He said they’d rather starve cultivating the land than continue being slaves."
"In a noble family, that was a cri punishable by death. Her father, her mother, and her brother were beaten to death by my father in accordance with family law, and next she was to be beaten. At that ti, I saw she was only five, pitifully unable to eat well, and she looked adorable, so I begged my father; he gave her to as a birthday gift."
"In the years afterward, I treated her, my maid, extrely well."
"But when the Qilin Army ca, she actually allied with them in the village, revealed the side gate path of the city, led the Qilin Army into the city at night, and claid to be my family’s servant..."
"I saved her life, and she brought wolves into the house, harming my entire family."
"How can this not be considered repaying kindness with vengeance, the behavior of a little beast?"
The noble lady shook with tears.
It was evident she was truly heartbroken, unable to comprehend.
Such events happened in many places. Wen Lingjun’s grasp on power was too subtle, and as he himself was from a great noble family, he understood what reactions the noble families would have. Those dependent on or forced to depend on the noble families were made sacrifices to fill the population gaps of various villages.
But were these people naturally willing to kneel to the noble families and be dogs?
When the Qilin Army arrived, they all defected.
So wished they could wield swords and cleave the great noble families.
However, after consecutively overthrowing three cities, more than ten other cities learned their lesson, recalling all their troops and relying on city walls, Mo Family chanisms, firmly defending one location, absolutely refusing to open the gates and engage.
In this standoff, Pang Shuiyun had already led the Zongheng School disciples into the city to negotiate, while Pan Chonggui, the City Lord, with certain leadership abilities, defended the city, mobilized the garrison troops, and had governnt officials on the city walls.
They barely resisted the Qilin Army’s offensive.
Or rather, the Qilin Army didn’t really attack, as just camping outside the city created an indescribable pressure, causing Pan Chonggui several sleepless nights.
At this point, Wen Lingjun said to Li Guan:
"With orthodox strategies, and surprise victories, my lord, the ti has co."
Thus, spies were sent.
After visiting the Zongheng School scholars who t with Pan Chonggui, sighing repeatedly, Pan Chonggui, already in a foul mood, saw these scholars claiming they could resolve the siege crisis in such a state, felt even more irritable, barely suppressing his displeasure, and said:
"You’ve ntioned having a thod to resolve the siege, now you’ve co, why not speak out?"
"Don’t act this way."
This scholar, nad Xiao Chengbo, was a student of the Zongheng School, one of over a thousand scholars willing to pledge allegiance to the Heavenly Strategy Mansion. Upon hearing Pan Chonggui, he smiled: "I was only worried about the situation for the City Lord."
"The Qilin Army cos with great montum, City Lord, do you think the thousands of troops in the city can defeat tens of thousands of heavily armored Qilin Army warriors?"
"Furthermore, the villagers outside the city have already joined the Qilin Army."
"Emperor Chen’s rebuke will arrive in no ti."
"You can’t win the fight now, and even if you exhaust all efforts and win, you won’t receive rewards, only punishnt. Do you think that’s sothing you can do?"
Pan Chonggui’s face turned unsightly, he nearly drew his sword to kill the scholar.
But after unsheathing the sword, he couldn’t bring himself to strike, as he had feared this possibility all along. The Qilin Army was unstoppable, clearly outmatching him with their elite main battle troops.
How could his garrison troops be a match?
And Emperor Chen would certainly punish him severely.
He had thought long and hard in recent days, with no solution.
Xiao Chengbo then smiled and said: "But I have a plan that can turn the crisis into safety and bring great wealth. The Qilin Army’s Marquis Qin Wu is prominent now, why doesn’t the City Lord simply surrender, as the first to surrender?"
"Marquis Qin Wu will certainly show special consideration to you."
City Lord said: "If Great Chen investigates afterward..."
Xiao Chengbo said: "Currently, the villagers, nine out of ten hos are empty."
"If you don’t surrender, won’t Emperor Chen investigate afterward?"
Pan Chonggui almost found it laughable.
Since when was ’nine out of ten hos empty’ used like this?
But thinking about it now, this term seems apt to describe the situation.
Entirely realistic.
Pan Chonggui gritted his teeth and said: "I am a minister of Great Chen, having received its grace, how can I do such a thing? Furthermore, furthermore..."
Xiao Chengbo understood: "Is it about increasing the money?"
Pan Chonggui, feeling enormously insulted, trembled violently, his expression on his face changing colors, seeming extrely angry. Finally, he glared at the speaker and said: "...Yes!"
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