Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 398: Smuggling into Town_1 (1/2)

Chapter 402: Chapter 398: Smuggling into Town_1

The next day, Wang Dashan and his team finally returned.

But they brought back bad news. Daqian’s troops had already conquered two towns and were coming towards them.

“There are about ten thousand of them, approximately five or six days’ journey from us, but cavalry could reach us within two or three days.” Wang Dashan took a sip of water and said, “It’s strange that Daqian’s army didn’t travel to other places, but seems to be heading straight towards us.”

Jiang Sanlang speculated, “They probably want to join forces with King Cheng’s rebel army.”

“What should we do?” Clan Leader Chen looked worried, “Our wheat hasn’t been harvested yet.”

Jiang Lao, drawing on his dry pipe, sighed faintly, “Perhaps they want our food.”

With ten thousand people mobilizing, they would consume at least eight thousand pounds of food each day. Would they not snatch food from the common people along the way?

Maybe they even plan to conscript strong men to serve them.

Clan Leader Chen became even more anxious, “What are we waiting for then? We should run.”

Jiang Sanlang shook his head, “Run where? There’s war everywhere. Nowhere is safe.”

“Ah!” Jiang Lao sighed, “If only our village had walls like a town, at least we could hold out until the rescue arrives.”

Yingbao, who had been standing and listening for a long time, suddenly said, “Father, I want to go to the county seat.”

Jiang Sanlang paused, “What for?”

“The County Magistrate Cao Can means ill toward us. He must be eliminated,” Yingbao said with an emotionless face.

Jiang Sanlang immediately got up, yanked his daughter out, and whispered, “What are you talking about? This is adult business.”

His daughter was still a child. If people thought of her as a cold and ruthless person, how would she find a good family in the future?

Yingbao insisted, “We must act swiftly to end this chaos. Father, I assure you, I can kill Cao Can.”

Without a long saber, she might have been unsure. But now that she has the legendary golden sickle, she could easily wipe out Cao Can and all his hundred subordinates.

“As long as we take control of the county seat and shut the city gate, Daqian’s army can’t do anything.” Yingbao affirmed, “Moreover, Cao Can has committed atrocities in the county. The townsfolk and some rich merchants are sure to hate him to the bone. If we appeal to their emotions and reason logically, they will surely help us defend the city.”

After considering for a moment, Jiang Sanlang nodded in agreement, “Alright! But you can’t do this alone. How about having Wang Dashan and Chen Zhu bring some people with you? I’ll go too. It’s safer in numbers.”

“Father, you can’t go.” Yingbao immediately refused, “You need to stay here and get the villagers to harvest the crops quickly. Only harvest the wheat spikes, the rest can wait. Store the grain and livestock in the depths of North Mountain, and take the old and weak there too. Don’t leave them in the village.”

The Daqian army was different from bandits. They were here to recapture cities and territories. They wouldn’t have the time to search the mountains for people. Therefore, the depths of North Mountain would be a good refuge.

Jiang Sanlang was still uneasy, but Yingbao insisted that he stay in the village and take care of the villagers.

In the end, Jiang Sanlang reluctantly agreed to his daughter’s suggestions.

Afterwards, Yingbao selected about twenty people to accompany her to the county seat.

These twenty or so people took three horse carts and several mules, and rode off for the county seat late into the night.

The waystations on the journey were unoccupied. The mail sentries and postmaster were either killed by Cao Can or had run off.

All the mules and other animals had been taken away by Cao Can. The waystations were just empty houses.

After driving throughout the night, they reached the county seat near dawn.

Yingbao and her party did not approach recklessly, but observed it from a distance from a grove of trees.

The city gate was closed tightly, but there were guards on the city walls.

Chen Zhu said, “It looks like they’ve shut the city gate.”