Dominating Martial King
Chapter 425 - 425 240 Unexpected Subscribe Request_2

425: Chapter 240 Unexpected (Subscribe Request)_2 425: Chapter 240 Unexpected (Subscribe Request)_2 That was one of Tie Xiaosheng’s signal towers positioned at all four sides, used to alert the area.

In the Daning Army, yellow smoke signaled a hundred, while black smoke signaled a thousand.

This meant that at least seventeen thousand troops were rushing this way.

Tie Xiaosheng’s complexion turned extremely ugly in an instant.

He had previously ordered reliable personnel to scout in all directions, ensuring that there were no large groups of troops within a hundred and fifty miles.

Moreover, the location of Iron Madman’s promotion had been kept secret by the brothers until one hour before the event was disclosed to the core layer of the gang.

Originally, they had anticipated this would buy Iron Madman a day and a half of time.

As long as a day and a half passed, Iron Madman could regain some combat strength.

But now, just over seven hours had passed since Iron Madman had buried himself—

At this moment, the entire Stone Castle was boiling over; three thousand Iron Banner gang members acted like wound-up spring toys and sprang into action.

“Alert!

Enemy activity!”

“Seventeen black smokes, that’s a seventeen-thousand-strong army.

Could the signal station have sent the wrong smoke?

Where could Xiushui County get so many troops?”

“The guardian of the eastern signal station is Wang Tan from the Xuanfeng Hall, a man most reliable.”

“All archers to the towers, prepare the Bed Crossbows and Scorpion Crossbows!

Are the arrows ready?

Are they all prepared?”

“Someone get a sorcerer—check the talisman array here again!”

Tie Xiaosheng temporarily set aside the distracting thoughts; he strode down from the city walls to personally arrange the defenses of each wall segment.

Fortunately, earlier this year, Chu Xisheng rose in power in West Mountain, commanding over ten thousand troops, greatly relieving pressure for the Iron Banner Gang.

This had allowed them to station far more troops in the Mi Family Mansion’s Stone Castle than they had initially anticipated.

Iron Madman’s preparations were also very thorough; inside the Stone Castle there were sixty multi-shot Scorpion Crossbows, a hundred Eight-Armed Crossbows, along with the castle’s defensive formations, enough to suppress two to three Fifth-Grade masters.

Just after a short half-moment, Tie Xiaosheng already saw towering clouds of dust rolling up from the eastern direction.

Shortly thereafter, Ancient Market Hall Master Tie Niu and Jia Dali, following orders, hurried from the southern side of the Stone Castle to Tie Xiaosheng’s front, his face containing a mix of confusion and impatience, “Master-uncle, did you need me for something?”

Jia Dali was puzzled why Tie Xiaosheng would call him over at this critical juncture.

He was in charge of the southern side of the wall, where many matters were still not arranged properly.

But Tie Xiaosheng did not answer; he just slightly nodded and continued watching the eastern side of the Stone Castle.

At that moment, a group of knights galloped to the front of the castle gate.

It was indeed the troops who had retreated from the eastern signal tower, led by Wang Tan, a Altar Master under Xuanfeng Hall.

After entering the gate, he hurriedly climbed onto the wall.

With a solemn expression, he half-knelt behind Tie Xiaosheng, “Deputy Flag Master, the enemy forces total seventeen thousand: four thousand cavalry and thirteen thousand infantry, all of Ninth Grade cultivation, and half of them clad in Iron Armor.”

“Cavalry?”

Tie Xiaosheng’s eyes narrowed; where could such a large group of cavalry come from near Xiushui County?

And the armoring rate of the Iron Armor was so high; as high as fifty percent!

Even the Tianping Army stationed in the north couldn’t match up to that in equipment.

“Do you know where these troops are from?”

This was also what puzzled him most; all troops within the range of East State were accounted for by the brothers, and movements were monitored in advance by designated personnel.

Wang Tan’s voice was heavy, his answer clear, “Among them, seven thousand are from the Standard Army under the East State Eunuch.

The remaining ten thousand are likely from Coastal, Wanglai, and Nanwu counties’ Salt Soldiers.”

Tie Xiaosheng was momentarily stunned, then he scoffed, “So it’s the Lord Governor.”

The Inner Court Eunuch position was established during the previous emperor’s rule.

At the beginning of this emperor’s reign, the Daning Ministry of Revenue faced a shortage amounting to millions of taels of Demon Silver, with expenditures surpassing income both inside and outside the court.

Hence, the previous Emperor established Inner Court Eunuchs across the Thirty-Six States to exclusively manage the collection of commercial, salt, and mineral taxes.

To prevent the local authorities from taking light of the Inner Court Eunuchs, the emperor even allowed each state’s Inner Court Eunuch to set up an Inner Mansion Army ranging from five thousand to fifteen thousand, used to forcefully collect taxes.

East State, being a salt-producing region, maintained a large number of Salt Soldiers along the coastal counties to combat illegal salt trading, under the dual jurisdiction of the Inner Court Eunuch and the Salt Inspection Imperial Censor.

These Salt Soldiers, constantly battling illegal salt traders, were as elite as the border army.

As Tie Xiaosheng knew, the Governor of Xiushui County had a deep relationship with the Inner Court Eunuch.

Having held power in East State for several years, he had completely sidelined the Prefecture Governor Zuo Tianlu of Pure Stream origin, leveraging palace influence and power.

“Well done!” Tie Xiaosheng nodded in satisfaction, “Hurry to the southern wall and take over all defensive matters there.”

His words surprised not only Wang Tan but also Jia Dali, who was growing impatient by his side and looked slightly astounded.

Jia Dali seemed to realize something, his face suddenly turning ashen and his eyes filled with anger and shock.

After Wang Tan had left, Jia Dali clenched his fists tightly and finally forced out a voice through his clenched teeth, “Master-uncle, do you think I colluded with outsiders and betrayed Uncle Master?

Is that why you’re guarding against me?”

Songfeng Sword Lin Shi was also startled, “How is that possible?

Deputy Flag Master, could you have misunderstood something?”

“There’s no misunderstanding.”

Tie Xiaosheng then turned his back to Jia Dali, his expression cold, “Madman and I have also been observing people under the Inner Court Eunuch’s command.

Just a day ago, I received a report from the Internal Affairs Hall that the Standard Army Camp under the Inner Court Eunuch was still staying properly inside Jiangnan County.”