Dominating Martial King
Chapter 453 - 453 247 Tie Xiaosheng Please Subscribe_5

453: Chapter 247: Tie Xiaosheng (Please Subscribe)_5 453: Chapter 247: Tie Xiaosheng (Please Subscribe)_5 Wei Lai listened to these people’s lowly pleadings, and he couldn’t help but feel pleased.

When had these great families of Xiushui City ever been so courteous to him?

Wei Lai sneered secretly.

They didn’t have a single ship on hand now; how were they going to cross the river?

As for swimming across — was that such an easy thing to do?

How many casualties would his Tianping Army have to suffer?

He, a mere Guerrilla General, couldn’t bear such a responsibility.

But in the next instant, the voice of a middle-aged man tightened his brows.

“General, to my knowledge, the Iron Banner Gang is currently scouring the area for money and grain.

So far, they have amassed silver coin no less than a million taels, food up to a Million Stones.

The Iron Banner Gang’s Young Flag Master is also raising flags at the East City Pier, recruiting Jianghu people to join the gang as members.

This man is also coercing the local tyrants to join in the rebellion.

These scholars either submit and join the rebel party as whole families, or they have their manors destroyed, leaving not a blade of grass!

Now the forces of the Iron Banner Gang on the West Bank have already surged to over thirty thousand.

I estimate that in two more days, their military power could nearly double.

How many soldiers must our East State marshal then to wipe them out?”

Wei Lai felt heavy-hearted.

Given the momentum of the Iron Banner Gang, it was indeed possible.

The Young Flag Master of the Iron Banner Gang, although young, possessed a ruthlessness and decisiveness uncommon in ordinary people.

He wouldn’t act unless necessary, but once he did, he moved heavens and earth, leaving no room for maneuver.

This person was staking everything to amplify his power, causing the situations he stirred to spiral out of control and increasingly difficult to manage.

Wei Lai gazed towards the East City Pier where a ten thousand material large ship lit up brightly.

He knew that Chu Xisheng was on that big ship at this moment, remotely controlling the strategic situations of the Iron Banner Gang.

Wei Lai silently admired him.

This was truly a young hero endowed with both intelligence and bravery, talent in both the literary and martial arts!

He was holding up heaven and taming the wild waves as they were about to overturn.

If the Iron Banner Gang could really survive this time, his future would be boundless.

Wei Lai shook his head, turned to face these scholars and wealthy merchants, and spoke in a gentle yet unquestionable manner, “I understand your anxiousness about the chaos on the West Bank; however, military strategy states, ‘I dare not to act as the host but rather the guest; not advance an inch, but retreat a foot.

This is called marching without moving; attacking without arms; encountering no enemy; holding no weapons.

Misfortune finds its root in underestimating the enemy, through which one nearly loses his treasure.

Thus, when forces are matched, the side with sorrow will prevail!'”

“West Mountain Hall has formidable combat strength, having defeated the county army twice, and previously they even achieved a splendid victory by winning with fewer against many.

How can I be careless and hasty in crossing the river?

If our Tianping Army were to be disastrously defeated, the situation in Xiushui County would become even more difficult.

You might as well wait a bit longer, as upstream the Seventeen Linked Wharves are joining forces with the Jiangnan County Navy Camp to battle the Iron Banner Gang.

Once the Seventeen Linked Wharves prevail, our army can cross the river at leisure.”

After he finished speaking, he directly turned and walked into a six-story building behind him.

This place was originally a restaurant, which he had temporarily requisitioned as his residence.

Wei Lai intended to climb to the top floor for a brief rest, but at this moment, he saw a familiar figure in a white robe, sitting beside a table.

This man was of average height, with a round, plump face, tender white skin, small eyes, and a small nose, looking like a mound of dough.

“Hidden Blade?”

Wei Lai was startled; the man before him was his former comrade from the border army, now the True Inheritor Jian Cangfeng of the Formless Divine Sect.

His eyebrows lifted, his eyes showed no surprise, “Are you here on behalf of Chu Xisheng and the Iron Banner Gang, to plead their case?”

“Why would Chu Xisheng need me to plead for him?”

Jian Cangfeng let out a hollow laugh, his words tinged with sarcasm, “Do you now dare to cross the river?

Even if he lets you cross, do you have the courage to do battle with him?”

Upon hearing this, Wei Lai’s face involuntarily twitched.

Unless the governor issued a formal military order, he truly didn’t have the courage to battle the Iron Banner Gang.

He had no reason to risk his own future for the sake of Governor Sikong Chan.

Jian Cangfeng then flung a letter to Wei Lai, “This is a letter Little Chu asked me to deliver to you, for you to pass on to Mr.

Governor.”

After taking it, Wei Lai pondered for a moment, then carefully tucked it inside his sleeve.

“Chu Xisheng is causing a great disturbance, aiming to overthrow Governor Sikong Chan, right?

This is not easy; behind Sikong Chan is the Eunuch Party, and even Mr.

Governor has difficulty meddling with Sikong Chan.

If you value him so much, why not advise him?”

“The current Iron Banner Gang is just one step away from rebellion.

Now, at best, Chengde ends up on the Black List; at worst, he becomes a rebel, forever barred from entering the doors of the Formless Divine Sect.”

Jian Cangfeng sighed inwardly.

He hadn’t expected Chu Xisheng’s nature to be so resolute and unyielding.

But he liked it—

Jian Cangfeng’s expression remained unchanged, “I’m only responsible for delivering the message.

What decision you make is your affair.”

He sipped the tea he had brewed himself, glancing up at Wei Lai, “Little Chu said that Xiushui County Imperial Manor owns three estates, the government operates two copper mines, one iron mine, and two toll stations.

If you do not respond soon, he won’t be able to restrain himself and might even march into Taishan County.”

Wei Lai’s face twitched again.

Taishan County was a big problem; the place had experienced a severe flood the year before last and had yet to recover.

If the Iron Banner Gang were to march into Taishan County, it would spell a disaster for the entire state.

As Wei Lai was secretly fuming, he suddenly saw thirty large ships of the Iron Banner Gang setting sail and retreating towards the West Bank.

Wei Lai was puzzled.

Was the Iron Banner Gang no longer planning to blockade the river?

Soon, a Qiankun Flying Sword came flying through the sky, and Wei Lai called the sword to his hand, removing a letter from the hilt.

Moments later, Wei Lai’s expression subtly changed.

“Looking at your face, it seems the news isn’t good?” Jian Cangfeng curiously remarked, “What happened?

What’s turned your complexion so sour?”

Wei Lai, furrowing his brows, threw the letter directly at Jian Cangfeng.

“Tie Xiaosheng designed a heavy defeat for Ren Daoheng upstream,” he said bitterly.

“Ren Daoheng was nearly left for dead, likely incapable of combat for the next twenty days.”

Jian Cangfeng’s pupils narrowed, surprised as well.

He then laughed nonchalantly, pouring himself another cup of tea, “So that’s what it is.

I wondered why Little Chu had the ships withdrawn.

Previously, he didn’t want your Tianping Army to cross the river, but now it seems he very much wants you to cross.”

Wei Lai thought exactly.

The problem was he now dared not cross the river.

If the Iron Banner Navy divided its forces to strike southwards while he was mid-crossing, the Tianping Army would surely be annihilated.

This move of Chu Xisheng’s was truly brimming with malice and scorn towards him and the Tianping Army.