Linglong muttered behind me, "Hurry up and change out of those wet clothes, what if you catch a chill? Honestly, why don't you ever take care of yourself? It drives me crazy."

Linglong reached out a small hand and pinched my waist. It seemed that no matter which planet they were from, the actions of women were universal. Linglong’s voice was very low; she usually stood close to me, so those below had no idea what was happening between us. They were still engrossed in discussing the matter of raiding the grain convoy.

Ah San Qianhu said, "My Lord, I agree to the raid. Even if it weren't for the matter of the besieged city, these five hundred carts of grain are vital to us. Furthermore, we cannot afford to pass up any opportunity to strike at the enemy."

Ah Mao added, "Yes, My Lord, we should seize this chance. As long as the planning beforehand is sound, there shouldn't be any issues. Besides, the grain escort has only two thousand soldiers; our forces are more than capable of handling them."

I replied, "The weather has been continuously overcast and rainy; I fear the stone-throwers and cannons will be unusable. If we raid the grain, we can only rely on the bolt throwers. Someone, go and summon the supervising general, the Sixteenth Princess. If she raises no objection to our plan of action, we will depart immediately."

Ma Xiaowei was probably sneezing under her covers right now, but I hadn't expected Ma Xiaorui to have just climbed out of hers. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her demeanor was languid and alluring. For a moment, I was stunned. She was indeed young, but this little princess was quite tempting. She was a year older than Linglong, and with the ample nourishment of the royal household, her development already possessed a distinct womanly charm.

"Zhao Qian, why are you calling me? Didn't we agree that you should look for my sister for anything? I'm so sleepy. Sleeping is the most comfortable thing in this gloomy, rainy weather. I'm going back."

I grabbed Ma Xiaorui’s arm. "Your Highness, please wait. The Fifteenth Princess unfortunately tumbled down from the front of the command camp with me into the paddy field earlier. She is resting now, but there is an urgent matter that requires the supervising general's decision."

Ma Xiaorui looked anxious. "What were you two up to? Is my sister alright?"

I assured her, "She is fine. The ground was soft, so she wasn't injured, just got her clothes a bit wet. Yun Yao gave her cold medicine; she should be fine."

"That's a relief. Since my sister can't come, then I'm the highest authority here, right? Alright, tell me what's going on, and I'll point out anything improper." Ma Xiaorui did not throw a childish tantrum in front of everyone; it seemed the little princess had truly grown up.

In my estimation, this grain transport team belonging to the rebel faction absolutely needed to be struck. Otherwise, I wouldn't have rushed back toward the command camp for the meeting; I wouldn't have fallen if I hadn't been in a hurry. Even if we couldn't capture the grain, we had to destroy the transport team—if we couldn't aid ourselves, we certainly couldn't allow the enemy to receive aid.

As for the method of defeating the enemy, there simply wasn't enough time to transport the trebuchets. Moreover, with the incessant rain, who knew if the stone-throwers would misfire midway? The cannons were even less feasible; the process of loading the gunpowder and ignition would be completely exposed to the rain, making misfires even more likely. In short, gunpowder weapons were unreliable in this wretched weather.

Therefore, the only heavy weaponry currently usable was the bolt thrower. One bolt thrower was equivalent to ten spear throwers, which was why I had canceled most of the spear-throwing troops. However, we couldn't possibly redeploy all eighty bolt throwers; we needed to keep at least half to guard the camp. Otherwise, if the garrison of Pingyuan County took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack while our gunpowder weapons were ineffective in the rain, defending with just over ten thousand men would be dangerously thin.

I laid out the plan: "Ah Mao and I will take three thousand elite soldiers, along with forty bolt throwers, to intercept the grain convoy and seize the supplies. General Gu Qi will take five thousand troops to feign an attack outside the East Gate to pin down the forces inside Pingyuan County, preventing them from getting wind of our operation and coming out to support the grain convoy. Ah San Qianhu will take three thousand men to remain at the camp and ensure the Princess's safety. Does anyone have any objections?"

Everyone responded in unison: "No, your subordinate commanders will follow the Marshal's arrangements."

I turned to Ma Xiaorui and asked, "Does Your Highness have any instructions?"

Ma Xiaorui seemed to have been wandering in the cosmos again. She blinked her eyelids slightly. "Ah, yes. When you return victorious, go immediately to see my sister; she surely needs you now. I am going back to my room. Everyone, rest assured, I, Ma Xiaorui, have sharp eyes. I will instruct the secretary to record all your merits and request rewards from Father Emperor for you all later."

After tossing out a few encouraging pleasantries, Ma Xiaorui gracefully departed. Since I had already reported the matter to the supervising general, I wouldn't be accused of acting unilaterally should trouble arise later. Ah San, Ah Mao, and Gu Qi left to prepare their troops. Shi Shan and Cui An remained in the command camp.

I turned to Shi Shan. "It seems we need to research waterproofing for the stone-throwers. This region experiences a great deal of overcast and rainy weather; otherwise, it will surely affect our combat capabilities someday."

Shi Shan replied, "Indeed, My Lord. I had the exact same thought. Old Master Tie manufactured a batch of steel-wheeled firing mechanisms for us, but the ground is so damp we can’t plant the mines at all. This has already impacted our combat effectiveness."

I broadly explained some anti-moisture methods from Earth. The main problem currently centered on improving the fuses. The stone-throwers only needed their casings to be sealed more securely to prevent the gunpowder inside from getting damp. The original fuses were just a thin line of gunpowder wrapped simply in straw paper to act as a detonator. If we improved the outer wrapping material for this fuse, I believe they could be used normally even in rainy weather. As for the cannons, we could build them large rain umbrellas; as long as there wasn't strong wind, they might also be usable.

Shi Shan's intelligence was undeniable. I had originally thought him merely a clever stonemason, but I hadn't expected him to delve so deeply into gunpowder research. He even proposed, to save time when loading cannons, to pre-fabricate batches of safely transportable powder charges that could be rammed directly into the barrel and ignited—something akin to Earth's artillery shells.

Compared to Shi Shan, Cui An was more conservative. Apart from the suggestions I offered, he hadn't made many of his own inventions. However, talents like Shi Shan were rare in Shuangcheng, so I couldn't hold everyone to the same standard. Furthermore, the throwing power of the bolt throwers Cui An built exceeded my imagination, which alone made me very pleased.

"Shi Shan, proceed with your work. I will fully support you behind the scenes. Regarding the container for the incendiary bombs, I suggest you try firing a batch of ceramic jars. Constantly chiseling stone blocks is too slow, and they don't shatter easily upon impact. Oh, Director Cui, can the carpenters and maintenance crew accompanying the army spare some time to continue rushing the manufacture of bolt throwers? Eighty units are simply too few; I fear they will look quite inadequate against future warfare."

Cui An responded, "My Lord, the bolt throwers are not complex to build, but the problem is we lack sufficient animal sinew. The Imperial Stables have nearly exhausted Shuangcheng's supply, most of which was used for the trebuchets and bolt throwers, with some also used for the bows. The maintenance sinew we brought with us is only enough to build ten more bolt throwers."

I paused to think. "Then let's leave it for now. Pingyuan County is the first inhabited place we've seen on this journey; resupply is extremely difficult. If we capture Pingyuan County and find ample animal sinew, we can consider increasing the number of bolt throwers. By the way, what about the number of bolts?"

Cui An assured me, "My Lord, we can fell trees and craft the bolts at any time. Although the wood of these trees is too light compared to the special hard bolts we brought, if we slightly shorten the throwing distance during combat, the killing power will remain undiminished."

I nodded. "That's good. As long as we have sufficient bolts, we can use the bolt throwers both as spear throwers and as archers. However, we must not let the enemy easily discern the nature of the bolt throwers, or they might try to replicate them, and our advantage will vanish."

Cui An swore, "My Lord, rest assured. I have designed both the bolt throwers and the trebuchets with special modifications. Even if the enemy carpenters see their shapes, it will be difficult for them to copy them because the machines they build will easily fall apart. This is my Cui family's ancestral woodworking skill; Shuangcheng is the only place with it."

I wasn't sure if this conscripted carpenter's claim of a unique skill was true, but Cui An had always been honest and wouldn't boast foolishly in front of me, his Marshal. Thus, I said, "Then this Marshal is relieved."

In truth, I had been pondering deeply these past few days. Most ancient Earth siege weapons were rather unsuitable here because the city walls are built from massive, entire stone blocks; ordinary siege weapons would have difficulty succeeding. Only the long-range trebuchets proved somewhat handy, though I hadn't yet used them in an actual siege—who knew how effective they truly were.

If there was anything truly useful, it was gunpowder. But the explosive power of black powder was always limited. It would be wonderful if we could produce TNT yellow explosive, but sadly, there was no chemical industry foundation here whatsoever; that was too far-fetched.

It seemed that in this ancient-like world, we had to resort to ancient methods: human wave tactics, using gunpowder combined with a large number of soldiers for a direct assault. Unfortunately, Shuangcheng currently had no available troops. Even if I brought out all of Shuangcheng's Imperial Guards, whether anyone would survive the march to Huyang was debatable. Attacking the current location was difficult! Still, I would eventually find a way; I believe Heaven never seals off all paths.

The gong sounded, and the various troop contingents were assembled. Everyone separated to carry out their duties. Although the rain continued without stopping, it also impeded the speed of the grain convoy. Pushing single-wheel carts, it would take them two days to cover ten li; this suited our plans perfectly.

Ah Mao’s scouts were now very effective. With them leading the way and us taking the shortcut, we managed to intercept the grain convoy head-on by the second morning. We were seven li from the county seat, but there were several ridges between us and the town, meaning the county seat couldn't see this location.

From our concealed position, looking into the distance, the grain convoy, totaling three thousand men, stretched out in a magnificent serpentine formation. However, the road surface was slick, leaving everyone looking miserable. Grain carts frequently tipped over, and others occasionally sank into the mud. In an hour, the column barely advanced a few hundred meters.

The scouts selected an ideal ambush location for us. Due to centuries of erosion by rainwater, a section of road that was originally a gentle slope had eroded further down, forming a gorge. This washed-out gorge was not deep, only about two to three meters high, and not very long—just enough to contain half the grain convoy.

We positioned five of the forty bolt throwers at the mouth of the gorge and thirty-five at the far end. Seven hundred elite soldiers were hidden at the mouth, and two thousand three hundred were hidden at the far end. This deployment considered that the mouth only needed to block the escape route of the escort troops, and since the gorge was short, when the battle commenced at the mouth, half the grain carts and half the escort troops would still be outside the gorge. Thus, the primary combat zone would be the far end.

Raindrops continually fell from the sky, and the downpour showed signs of intensifying. I had initially worried that the convoy would stop there to rest until the weather cleared, but perhaps because they were getting closer to the county seat, they pressed on without resting, even in the rain. Soon, the leading troops entered this naturally carved small gorge.

Because the gorge was neither deep nor long, and the enemy's intelligence gathering was virtually non-existent, combined with the relentless rain, the ambush went completely undetected. The escort troops failed to send anyone to check the slopes on either side of the gorge and walked right into the trap, completely unaware.

Rainwater dripped from the spears on the bolt throwers into the gorge. The front of the grain convoy was led by one thousand escort soldiers, followed by five hundred carts of grain covered with waterproof oilcloths, and the rear was guarded by another thousand escort soldiers. The escort soldiers wore mixed colors, and their weapons were not uniform—they were clearly a peasant army, suggesting their combat capability wouldn't be high.

Of the two thousand escort soldiers, the most common weapons were clubs, followed by sabers, and then about two hundred bows. In contrast, the eleven thousand combat personnel we brought for this campaign were basically all equipped with sabers and bows; these weapons were borrowed from other Imperial Guards. Among the horse escorts, there were also over two hundred hastily manufactured crossbows, matching the range and precision of long-range bows.

The three thousand men sent to raid the grain were all equipped with bows and sabers. Before the enemy formation fully scattered, my order required a simultaneous volley of arrows and spear bolts to crush the bulk of their fighting strength, followed by close-quarters annihilation.

I was positioned at the far end of the gorge with Linglong, Yun Yao, and twenty personal guards, including ten members of the handgun squad. This meant thirteen laser guns would participate. It would be no problem for each of them to eliminate twenty to thirty enemies. This was definitely a battle of annihilation with superior force—my favorite type, and the easiest to fight.

The leading escort soldiers were just emerging from the gorge when Ah Mao gave the command. The five bolt throwers at the mouth fired fifty spear bolts inward, immediately felling over ten escort soldiers. Their corpses lay haphazardly, obstructing the slick, waterlogged path.

Seven hundred bows fired simultaneously from the ridge above, instantly felling a large number of rebel escort soldiers. The rear escort troops charged out past the corpses at the mouth of the gorge just as the bolt throwers rapidly fired again, trapping all one thousand escort soldiers within the gorge to be slaughtered by the seven hundred bows from above.

As the first scream echoed from the mouth of the gorge, I gave the order to engage. The scene at the far end was even more spectacular. The first volley of three hundred and fifty spear bolts struck nearly a hundred enemy soldiers; even those not killed were rendered combat-ineffective. In the momentary gap before the bolt throwers reloaded, over two thousand bows fired in unison, dropping another hundred men instantly. Because the arrows were coated with a paralyzing drug, as soon as it entered their bloodstream, they immediately lost all ability to move. Lying in the standing water, they either drowned or were trampled to death; few survived.

After three volleys, the escort soldiers quickly broke formation. At this point, the lethality of the arrows and spear bolts decreased significantly; the hit rate was much lower than at the beginning.

Beams of laser light pierced the rain, one enemy disappearing with every shot. Those trying to flee in single combat were targeted, compressing the remaining eight hundred-plus escorts onto a small flat area. At this moment, all thirty-five bolt throwers fired together, sending over a hundred more men crashing down with long spear bolts protruding from their bellies.

After more than two hundred enemies were shot down, the remaining ones learned their lesson and promptly dropped to the ground to avoid the projectiles. It was time for close combat. I patted the shoulder of my personal guard, Gu Fei. With a loud roar, Gu Fei drew his embroidered spring saber and led the charge toward the escort soldiers and some of the armed grain carriers. The two forces became entangled.

Over two thousand men against the remaining five hundred rebels—this was asymmetrical warfare, and the enemy force, caught completely by surprise, failed to organize any effective resistance. Soon, the rebels outside the gorge were annihilated. A contingent was left at the far end to guard the area, while the rest split into two flanking forces, moving up along the gorge ridge to eliminate those remaining. Screams echoed continuously from the bottom of the gorge. Occasionally, a few stray arrows shot up from below struck the protective armor of the Imperial Guards with little effect. This was essentially a one-sided slaughter, perfect for training our troops. These raw recruits, who had only experienced one skirmish outside West Gate, desperately needed this kind of bloody baptism.

The battle lasted for half a day. By the time the battlefield was cleared, dusk was approaching. The soldiers, having marched all night and just fought an intense battle, were exhausted. Fortunately, our casualties were light—only about fifty sacrificed during the close-quarters annihilation. This was mostly because their mutual coordination was insufficient; most were killed by attacks from behind. It seemed necessary to study formation cooperation during combat, at least ensuring three men covered each other's backs so that surprise attacks from the rear would become difficult.

Ah Mao came forward to report the situation. "My Lord, this annihilation battle was a complete success. Not a single enemy escaped. We seized four hundred and thirty carts of grain, and another seventy or so carts were damaged in the fighting. We captured a quantity of enemy bows and sabers, and we also have over two hundred prisoners. I await your instruction on how to proceed."

I commanded, "Dispatch men to guard the perimeter and let everyone rest where they are. Marching all night and then fighting—they must be exhausted. We will go see the prisoners; hopefully, we can glean some useful intelligence."

The over two hundred prisoners were quite obedient under the guard of the embroidered spring sabers. Many of these farmers had been forcibly conscripted into the rebel ranks. They didn't know who was good or bad; they just followed orders. Many had no intention of resisting. However, after questioning, we extracted no useful intelligence; the information they provided had already been uncovered by the scouts.

I wiped the rainwater dripping from my forehead. This damned weather had persisted for days. I didn't know when it would stop. The damp clothes clinging to my body were incredibly uncomfortable.

I addressed the prisoners. "Gentlemen, I know that most of you are honest, hardworking farmers who joined the rebels out of necessity. Now that the Imperial Court is enraged and has dispatched a massive army to suppress the rebels in Huyang, I hope you will see the error of your ways and completely sever ties with the rebels. If you continue to collude with the traitors, the punishment will be the extermination of your entire clan."

No one spoke. I continued, "Now, I offer you a chance to redeem yourselves. Those willing to join the Imperial Army are welcome. Those unwilling to join the Imperial Army will be sent back to Shuangcheng under escort to prevent you from continuing to cause trouble locally and destabilizing the area."

Ah Mao leaned in and whispered to me, "My Lord, perhaps…" Then Ah Mao made a chopping gesture with his hand, "Keeping them is always a source of trouble, and sending them back to Shuangcheng wastes soldiers and supplies. The money from selling them as slaves probably won't even cover the transport costs."

I replied, "Leader Mao, the rebel forces number over one hundred thousand. If we kill them all, can we manage it? When we attack Huyang Prefecture, a large number of rebels will surely surrender. Are we going to kill them all too? Comrades, the revolutionary ranks must grow slowly. Where will our soldiers come from? These are ready-made recruits. Only a few leaders are causing trouble; these people were just following orders. If they are willing to join the Imperial Army, we simply incorporate them into various Baihu squads, severing their connections with each other, and they will slowly be assimilated into the Imperial forces. Even if one or two harboring ill intentions remain, they won't be able to cause trouble."

Ah Mao gave me a thumbs-up. "My Lord is indeed My Lord; your thinking is far superior, and this subordinate cannot keep up."

I dismissed him. "Spare me the flattery. Get them dry rations and water. We've been fighting all afternoon, and we are starving, let alone these grain carriers. The road conditions are terrible; every step the carts take is agonizing."

The prisoners clearly hadn't expected to receive food and drink after being defeated and captured. Although they feared being poisoned, once one person took the lead, the others quickly followed. Watching them eat, I spoke again: "Gentlemen, now is the time to make your choice. Those willing to join the Imperial Army and earn merit and reward for the Court, stand over there. Those unwilling to join the Imperial Army, remain where you are."

A man among the prisoners muttered, "If we are escorted back to Shuangcheng, I'm afraid we won't escape the fate of becoming slaves. It's better to join the Imperial Army. This officer seems decent enough. As long as I'm not sold off like a dog, and I have food to eat so I don't starve, that's enough."

Whoosh! A group of people followed this fellow to the other side. Many who had been hesitant looked at the neat armor of the Imperial Guards, then at the strange yet incredibly destructive bolt throwers, and moved across as well. They understood in their hearts: continuing to oppose the Imperial forces was foolish. Against weapons with such rapid firing rates and large numbers of projectiles, humans seemed too insignificant. No matter how much you ate or how thick your hide, one spear bolt would ensure nothing mattered anymore.

Some were swayed after seeing the Imperial Guards eating jerky and occasionally sipping wine to ward off the damp chill. As the rebel forces grew continuously, they relied little on farming or hunting, leading to severe shortages in supplies. Thus, the lower-ranking officers and soldiers in the rebel army lived in great hardship, satisfied if they got a bowl of thin gruel to keep from starving. Better to go to the Imperial forces and eat meat and drink wine.

More and more people were willing to join the imperial army, until only one man remained crouching on the ground, and that man had not touched the dry rations just distributed. Among the captured soldiers who had already surrendered, someone shouted, "Come on, Hundred-household Liu, don't be foolish. The imperial army is the real deal. We were forced to join the rebels before, but now this officer is offering us a chance to redeem ourselves. Don't give it up."

The man ignored the persuasion of his own defectors, still stubbornly squatting on the ground, looking conspicuously isolated. The personal guard, Kong Wu, drew his saber with a shwua, "Damn it, the General treated you so well, and you still have no sense of propriety! I'll cut you down!"

I stopped Kong Wu with a shout: "Hold it! We are not forcing anyone. If this Hundred-household Liu is unwilling to join the imperial army, then forget it. Take him back to the camp first, and then instruct the logistics department to send someone to escort him back to Shuangcheng."

Kong Wu dared not disobey my words. He resheathed his saber at his waist and replied, "Yes, my lord. I just can't stand his attitude. He's already a defeated general and still won't yield meekly."

As dusk approached, after consulting with A'mao, I realized it would be difficult to rush back to the main camp tonight with these four hundred carts of grain. However, the siege could not be delayed. Wasting a day hijacking the grain carts meant that, traveling at the speed of the original two-thousand-strong reinforcement contingent, we still had three days to utilize. Therefore, I had to return to camp tonight to direct the overall situation. The grain carts would be escorted by personal guards Gu Fei and Sun Chang, leading a thousand elite soldiers.

Everyone continued their journey back through the night despite the rain. Do not underestimate these few li of road; it was slick and muddy everywhere, and one wrong step could lead to a fatal fall. Linglong and Yunyao tightly held my hands. Both women's clothes were already soaked through, but fortunately, they had prepared for it, so they were spared the embarrassing exposure that Ma Xiaowei had suffered.

We took the shortcut and soon entered a critical hilly area. Due to the soldiers' extreme fatigue and the darkness, two men successively tumbled into a valley and died from the fall. Receiving this news, I felt a pang of reluctance. I turned back and said to A'mao, "Leader Mao, you stay here and lead everyone along the main road. I will rush back to the camp alone. I can't let them risk their lives by following me any further, and besides, the ballistae are quite heavy and inconvenient to carry."

A'mao objected, "My lord, won't you be in danger by yourself? Why don't we all just take the main road?"

I checked the time on my phone. "I am anxious to return. It's fine; I still have Linglong and Yunyao with me. Furthermore, those personal guards are all highly skilled; there won't be any accidents."

"Hundred-household Liu! Don't be foolish, it's not worth it! Come back!" Someone suddenly shouted loudly, followed by a commotion and the sound of falling.

"What happened?" A'mao asked the two centurions behind him. They immediately went to investigate and soon returned with a report: "My lord, that Hundred-household Liu who refused to surrender just attempted to escape and fell into the valley. Fortunately, tree branches managed to snag him, so he is temporarily not in mortal danger, but he is dangling in mid-air. The trees on that cliff face cannot bear his weight for long; he will fall eventually."

Sun Chang scoffed, "Who told him to be so stubborn? He deserves to fall for trying to escape. We might as well just shoot him with an arrow."

A surrendered soldier squatting on the ground nearby spoke up, "My lord, it’s not that Hundred-household Liu doesn't want to surrender. He has a wife in Pingyuan County. He doesn't want to abandon his wife to go to Shuangcheng, which is why he tried to flee."

Sun Chang retorted, "Then if he followed you, he wouldn't have to return to Shuangcheng, would he?"

The surrendered soldier continued, "My lord, Hundred-household Liu is actually tired of war. He doesn't want to be a soldier or fight; he just wants to go home and live a stable life with his wife. My lord, Hundred-household Liu is a good man; please save him. He usually treats us very well. My lord, Hundred-household Liu didn't intentionally mean to make you angry, I beg you, save him."

I said to Sun Chang, "Lower the ropes and rescue him immediately!"

Sun Chang dared not disobey, muttering under his breath as he went to fetch the ropes. Hundred-household Liu was young and physically strong, and he quickly climbed up the rope. Having just walked back from the edge of death, his face looked somewhat pale under the torchlight, though perhaps that was also because he hadn't eaten all day.

Since Hundred-household Liu had just acted as a fugitive, several Imperial Guards immediately placed their sabers at his throat the moment he climbed up. A'mao confronted Hundred-household Liu, "My lord has treated you generously; why are you still so obstinate? Even if you want to return to Pingyuan County to find your wife, we cannot let you go now. What if you give information to those rebels?"

Hundred-household Liu finally spoke his first words: "I won't!"

An Imperial Guard shouted, "Now that a saber is at your throat, of course you won't. But if you had truly escaped just now, you would have certainly snuck back to the county seat to report our movements."

Hundred-household Liu seemed somewhat angered, "I, Liu Gang, say what I mean and stand by my word. I do not want to be a bandit, nor do I wish to fight anymore, and I certainly don't want to be taken back to Shuangcheng to be sold as a slave. You can either kill me, or I will keep trying to escape."

Two personal guards, seeing Liu Gang's rudeness, drew their sabers, ready to strike. I stopped the two men and addressed Liu Gang, "Hundred-household Liu, is this truly all for the sake of your wife?"

Hundred-household Liu seemed to have found a rare confidant. Moreover, I had already stopped Sun Chang from killing him once—this was the third time I had saved him—so he treated me with great respect. "Yes, my lord. My wife is five months pregnant. When I learned the imperial army was attacking Pingyuan County, I wanted to take her away from this place of strife, but alas, the city gates were locked and no longer allowed civilians to exit. Furthermore, escorting grain with the army, I had no opportunity to return to the county seat."

I asked, "And now you plan to sneak back to the county seat to take your wife away?"

Hundred-household Liu nodded. "If I return to the county seat, it wouldn't be a major issue, but taking her out seems almost impossible. However, if I could die with her and our child, I would be content."

I continued to inquire, "Do you have a way to enter the county seat?"

Hundred-household Liu replied, "Yes, my lord. I can claim to be a grain escort soldier who luckily escaped. Many of the guards already know me, and since I am a native of Pingyuan County, they will surely let me in. I beg my lord to show mercy and allow this humble man to return home to reunite with his wife. I will kowtow to you!"

Saying this, Hundred-household Liu indeed began to kowtow repeatedly on the ground. It seemed this fellow was a man of strong sentiment, showing such devotion to his wife. I felt somewhat moved. "Get up, Hundred-household Liu. I can give you a chance to regain your freedom and return to Pingyuan County to reunite with your wife."

Hundred-household Liu almost fainted upon hearing the good news. "Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord! As long as I can reunite with my wife, I'd even be willing to chop off my arm or gouge out my eyes!"

I said, "Not necessarily. Your wife would surely be saddened to see you in such a state. As long as you take me into Pingyuan County, you will be free."

"What!" Hundred-household Liu had no objection. In his mind, entering Pingyuan County was simple; even bringing a few men along wouldn't be a problem—they could just claim to be fellow deserters. The ones surprised were A'mao and the personal guards, as well as Linglong and Yunyao.

"No! We absolutely disagree, it's too dangerous! If someone needs to sneak into the county seat, let someone else do it. You absolutely cannot go yourself," Linglong and Yunyao said in unison.

A'mao added, "Yes, my lord. This plan of yours is excellent, but it’s not worth the Marshal risking his own life."

Hundred-household Liu was greatly startled. "What? You are the Marshal of the Bandit Suppression Army?"

I responded with a chuckle, "Heh, is there anything surprising about that?"

Hundred-household Liu seemed deeply moved. "My lord, I did not know you were the Marshal of the Bandit Suppression Army before, but this is the first time I have seen such a cordial military officer. I admire you greatly."

Hundred-household Liu didn't strike me as someone who flattered others. Furthermore, this man possessed integrity. In this world where men kept many wives and concubines, his concern for his wife suggested he wouldn't treat others poorly. The testimony from that previous captive also confirmed my guess.

I stated, "Admiration is unnecessary. I simply need you to help me infiltrate Pingyuan County. The price is your freedom. Do you agree?"

Hundred-household Liu replied, "I agree! But what the others said is right—it's not worth the Marshal risking himself. If any danger arises, the Bandit Suppression Army itself could be threatened."

Linglong anxiously interjected, "Master, look, he says that. Do you still intend to insist? Yunyao and I disagree! To venture into an area held by over ten thousand enemy soldiers—how dangerous is that? Have you gone mad?"

I said to Linglong, "With you protecting me, what do I have to fear? You said you trusted me yesterday; today, I trust you. I won't be in danger, right?"

Linglong asked, "Master, have you truly made up your mind?"

I turned to A'mao. "You lead everyone back to the camp and explain the situation to the two Imperial Supervisors. This happened suddenly, so I didn't have time to consult them. From now on, we will communicate via phone.

"My lord," A'mao said, "Allow me to go instead. What is the use of you personally infiltrating Pingyuan County? Let me scout the situation inside and then find a way to slip out and report back to you."

I replied, "There's no need for such trouble. You going might not be as effective. I have a feeling that this is the opportunity to breach the city. Although I don't know the exact method for getting inside yet, at the very least, at a critical moment, I can open a city gate to let the main army enter. While a direct assault might incur some casualties, war is unavoidable without loss. Or perhaps I can improvise once inside—either kill the enemy leader or persuade him to surrender to the imperial court."

A'mao countered, "I can do the same thing in this matter."

Yunyao interjected, "Leader Mao, no one can change what Lord Zhao has decided. Just follow his arrangements."

Linglong grumbled in dissatisfaction, "I know why he has such a temper. You people spoil him. If it were me, I would teach him a harsh lesson. What you're doing is pure folly."

Yunyao corrected her, "You are mistaken, Linglong. We have absolute faith in Brother Zhao because history has proven he is always right. I believe what Brother Zhao says; this is an opportunity to break the city. We have cell phones for instant communication. If an opportunity arises, we will immediately notify the troops outside the city. Even if no opportunity presents itself, with me leading, we can safely withdraw from Pingyuan County under the cover of night."

Yunyao is the most trusting of me; this is because she has been with me the longest among these people, and I feel the greatest sense of conquest over her.

Infiltrating Pingyuan County has three advantages: first, to investigate the enemy situation in greater detail from deep within their ranks; second, to find an opportunity to either turn the defending general or assassinate him, which would leave the enemy leaderless and create an opening; third, even if assassination or persuasion fails, we can use our advanced weaponry to open a city gate and allow the main army to enter.

After some discussion, it was decided that Linglong, Yunyao, Sun Chang, and a personal guard named Hong Guang would accompany me and Hundred-household Liu to infiltrate Pingyuan County. It wasn't that we couldn't bring more people, but too many would make withdrawal difficult if trouble arose. We brought a total of eight laser guns, two for each person. Even if the rebels discovered us, firing in both directions during a fight would be enough to handle them. Our primary advantage was that Yunyao could fly, completely nullifying the obstacle of the tall city walls. If danger arose, at least she could fly me out first.

As we prepared to part ways, A'mao quietly pulled me aside. "My lord, for safety's sake, after you infiltrate Pingyuan County, it is best to kill Hundred-household Liu to silence him. If he leaks your identity, the garrison might mobilize the entire city to capture you."

I glanced at Hundred-household Liu in the distance and told A'mao, "Don't worry. I have never been wrong about judging people. He will not harm me. You only need to strictly seal off the news of my secret infiltration into Pingyuan County. Tell Ah San and General Gu to strengthen the camp defenses. As for yesterday's feigned attack, just put on a show tomorrow and then stop, to avoid unnecessary losses. Besides, this rain won't stop; we can't keep everyone soaked either."

A'mao sighed, "My lord, you are simply too kind. Fine, you are the leader, and we must all obey you. All the men around here are my personal guards; the news will not leak a single bit. When I reach the camp, I will convey your message to General Gu and the Ah San brothers. As for the Imperial Supervisors, I will give my phone to the Fifteenth Princess; you two can discuss matters yourselves."

A'mao's expression became ambiguous when he mentioned Ma Xiaowei, as if something truly happened between her and me. Does last evening count? No, it doesn't. That was because I was knocked out, which is why I kissed her. Moreover, she rejected me later, saying, "Let's talk about it back at the barracks." And once we were at the barracks, what further use was I to her?

The party split into two groups. Our group of six, under the cover of night and light rain, headed towards Pingyuan County, while A'mao led the rest to find the main road. Although this would delay their return to the camp, it was entirely worth it for safety. Gu Fei and Kong Wu, pressing on with the grain carts, wouldn't reach the camp until the evening of the next day.

Because the road conditions were so difficult, we only managed to reach the South Gate of Pingyuan County by the early morning of the next day. Everyone was so caked in mud that they were unrecognizable. Before we even reached the base of the West Gate, we were immediately assaulted by a volley of arrows. Fortunately, Hundred-household Liu and my two personal guards wielded their three sabers in an impenetrable defense, and coupled with the limited power of the rebel arrows, no injuries were sustained.

"Brothers defending the city, I am Hundred-household Liu Gang, out escorting grain! Stop shooting, we're on the same side!" Hundred-household Liu shouted while twirling his saber.

Surprisingly, it worked. After a moment, the arrow fire from the city walls ceased. Someone peered down and asked, "You're covered in mud; who can recognize you? And besides, why are there only a few of you? Where are the grain carts? Where is Thousand-household Fan?"

Hundred-household Liu called out, "Are you Little Dingzi? I'm Gangzi! Damn it, we drank together two months ago! You forgot your brother so quickly?"

The men on the ramparts immediately dropped all pretense and leaned out completely. "It really is Gangzi! It was too noisy, I didn't hear the name you shouted clearly. What happened to you to end up like this? Hurry up and open the gate! These are our own people, my good brothers! Damn it, you look like a mud monkey! If I hadn't heard 'grain escort soldier' just now, I would have shot you full of holes."

Just like that, the South Gate opened smoothly. The six of us filed in. From the look of the gate tunnel, the thickness of the structure above the gate was about six meters, and the wall thickness must have been over two meters, nearly three. Damn it, that was exaggerated; those black powder charges couldn't possibly breach it. The gate itself wasn't particularly sturdy, but piles of stones were stacked behind it. It seemed that at a critical moment, these people intended to emulate Zhang Wenbing of Feiyu County and block the gate tunnel. If that happened, it would be disastrous; even a direct assault might fail. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Pingyuan County impregnable.

As we walked into the city gate, Hundred-household Liu explained, "My lord, you'll have to bear with me for a while. This Little Dingzi and I were very close before I joined the army. We are both natives of Pingyuan County. In a moment, I will tell him you saved my life, and he definitely won't make things difficult for you all."

Following the plan we had worked out on the road with Hundred-household Liu, the other five of us posed as Hundred-household Liu's personal guards, claiming we were the lucky ones who escaped when the imperial army attacked the grain convoy. Since there wasn't much military discipline among the rebels, we didn't have to worry about being punished.

Little Dingzi scrambled down from the ramparts, and the two embraced warmly. Little Dingzi punched Hundred-household Liu on the shoulder. "Hey, Gangzi, what happened? How did you get into this state? Where are the grain carts? The city has been out of food for two meals already! If it hadn't rained, you should have been able to enter the city the day before yesterday evening. General Bai was so anxious he was cursing! If the imperial army hadn't been frequently testing the East Gate yesterday, General Bai would have already detached troops to meet you."

Hundred-household Liu replied, "We were ambushed by the imperial Bandit Suppression Army; the grain was stolen. These four personal guards saved me, and I rushed back immediately to deliver the news. I need to see General Bai Lang and report the details of what happened."

Linglong and Yunyao, just like the other three men, had changed into the rebels' mismatched clothing and smeared some fake blood and knife wounds on themselves. Coupled with the mud covering their bodies, as long as their voices weren't discovered, no one would know they were women. The only flaw was Yunyao's overly developed chest. Even though she had wrapped several layers of cloth around it, a slight protrusion remained. Fortunately, the clothes were baggy, so hopefully, no one would notice.

Upon hearing Hundred-household Liu's report, Little Dingzi exclaimed in shock, "The grain carts were robbed? What are we going to do? Huzhou Prefecture recently withdrew Pingyuan County's grain supplies. Without those five hundred carts, everyone in the city will starve!"

Hundred-household Liu lamented, "Yes, I fear General Bai Lang will punish me this time. I don't know if I can escape with my life."

Little Dingzi reassured him, "You are just a minor Hundred-household. The task of escorting grain was primarily the responsibility of Thousand-household Zhu and Thousand-household Fan. Now that they are dead, the blame certainly won't fall on a Hundred-household like you. If it did, who would dare serve Prince Shou in the future? Come, I'll accompany you to see General Bai Lang. After all, your little brother is now a Thousand-household Chief; he should have some face, right?"

Hundred-household Liu expressed his gratitude, "Brother, thank you first. But to be safe, I think I should go home and see your sister-in-law first. As long as she is safe, I will accept whatever punishment General Bai gives me."