Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Qiguan Rang had always thought that his heart was dirty enough, but he did not expect his lord to have an even dirtier heart.
Making a sneak attack on one’s den was not all. She wanted to conquer Jiaoping District without using a single soldier.
With such capability, why did she not ascend to heaven?
Jiang Pengji glared at Qiguan Rang. “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m just giving it a try. We still have ample time anyway…”
He kept quiet, transmitted the order to the troops behind him and ordered them to find a soldier who was fluent in the northern dialect.
Not long after, a normal-looking soldier, so normal he would have disappeared in a sea of people, was led over. Qiguan Rang glanced at him.
“Are you usually clever?”
Although the soldier looked very ordinary, his eyes were exceptionally bright and piercing. One could see that he was smart with just a glance.
The soldier was a little puzzled. However, he must show a good side now that he had a rare chance to speak with his higher-ups.
The soldier simpered and said, “I’m clever. I’m really clever. I’m not stupid at all.”
Qiguan Rang asked, “How clever are you?”
The soldier was perplexed on the inside, but he said, “I’m super clever! When my mother wants to hit me, no matter how angry she is, she’ll cool down once I speak.”
Qiguan Rang frowned. After pondering for a while, he waved at him.
“Come over here. You have a task. Do it well and you’ll be rewarded.”
Upon hearing that there would be a reward, the soldier’s eyes were twice as bright. He hurriedly responded, “Please go ahead, Sir. I’ll do it well.”
Qiguan Rang replied, “Come closer. I’ll explain it in detail.”
Jiaoping District was located in a remote area. There were only about 1000 members of the Tsing Yi Army in the city. Guarding the four city gates with this little number of people was extremely stressful.
The Tsing Yi Army was not a regular army. Those who stayed behind were old, weak, disabled or sick. Now that it was late at night, many of them were sleeping while leaning against the pilasters and propping themselves up with their spears. It was really not difficult to climb over the wall with a little skill.
The spring ploughing had just passed not long ago. The weather was bizarre. It was just slightly warmer on the whole, but the wind at night was still bitter cold.
The people in Jiaoping District did not live a comfortable life. They were like the sheep that the Tsing Yi Army reared. The Tsing Yi Army would pull out a layer of wool from time to time.
However, the Tsing Yi Army did not treat the people well and they did not know how to govern the district either. They constantly stopped the people from leaving Jiaoping District. Their means became harsher and harsher, making the lives of the people increasingly miserable. Some people tried to escape at night.
At the beginning, the Tsing Yi Army began to frighten and intimidate the people with an iron rod. The people in Jiaoping District were afraid that they would be tortured on the rack, so the number of people who escaped gradually decreased.
However, the people were afflicted with their increasingly tough lives. They wanted to flee, even if they would have to face the risks of being discovered and executed.
However, the city gates were tightly shut. How could they escape?
Little did they know that money greases all kinds of wheels!
As long as one gritted his teeth, took out his family belongings and bribed the members of the Tsing Yi Army who were guarding the city gates that day, he could escape if he was lucky.
The Tsing Yi Army was just a mob. They were also civilians. If they could earn extra income by turning a blind eye and letting one or two unimportant civilians go, who would not be willing to do so? Of course, the deal could not be made known to their higher-ups.
This was a lucrative offer to the members of the Tsing Yi Army who guarded the city gates.
The spy had already transmitted these trivial matters in Jiaoping District back to Xiangyang District.
Jiang Pengji had been unhappy with her neighbors for a long time. One would never lose a battle if he knew himself and the enemy well. She had an understanding of the situation in Jiaoping District.
The soldier who was chosen was indeed a clever man. He found a secluded place and climbed over the wall. Then, he kept watch near the northeast corner of the gate which Jiang Pengji mentioned for 15 minutes. As expected, he saw a few figures lurking and sneaking around like ghosts. He hurriedly waved his hand and stopped them.
They wanted to be smuggled out, so how would they dare to call out when they were discovered by the soldier?
Entrancing with fear, they were worried that their families would be killed because they thought they were caught by the Tsing Yi Army.
“Hey… Let me ask a question…” The troop had changed into some linen clothes worn by the commoners and spoke in the northern dialect. One would think that he was a local who lived in the vicinity. It was just that his voice sounded a bit weird because he was speaking so quietly. “Are you guys planning to leave the city by using your own money too?”
There were nine people in total.
There were two elders, three adult men and two sallow and emaciated women carrying children, who were sleeping soundly in their arms.
“What do you want?”
The strong man who was leading the group glared at the soldier fiercely. He looked like he would fight him if he tried to steal their money.
The soldier kept his countenance and said, “Hey, don’t worry. I don’t have any ill intention. I just think that you’re quite pitiful. The small amount of savings that you’ve saved up all your life will all be given to those bastards. I just feel sorry for you…”
“Who are you?” The brawny man did not let down his guard and blocked the soldier’s sight with his body.
“I’m from Xiangyang District… Look at this. It’s real woolen clothing.”
As he was speaking, the troop rolled up his sleeves a little and pulled out the warm cuffs of the woolen shirt.
He looked at them from head to toe disdainfully.
“This outfit costs hundreds of pennies. Would I want that petty money of yours? To be honest, I escaped from this place last winter. I was poor at that time, so I didn’t take my mother with me. Now that the Tsing Yi Army is about to collapse, I’ve sneaked in again to take my mother with me to Xiangyang and let her live in ease and comfort,” the soldier explained, with every detail vividly described. He was also a skilled actor. He could lie and brag without blushing.
Most of the people in Jiaoping District had heard of woolen clothes, but they had never seen them.
However, the brawny man did not pay attention to the white woolen sleeves. He noticed something else instead.
“What do you mean by the Tsing Yi Army is about to collapse?”
Feigning surprise, the soldier replied, “Don’t you know about that? The Tsing Yi bastards have dragged the people out for war and it’s not known when they’ll return. There are thousands of bastards in the city now and most of them are sleeping like pigs. They probably won’t even feel a thing if they’re beheaded now. Otherwise, how could I get in? I think it’s easy for the few of you to knock down the bastards at the city gates. There’s no need to bribe them. I stop you because I just want to ask if you know where the people in the alley have gone. I can’t find my mother…”
The strong man thought about it and asked his wife. Then, he said to the soldier, “The houses in the alley were all requisitioned by the bastards. The people who live in the houses were driven away to the north of the city. Your mother should be there…”
The soldier nodded somewhat happily. “Alright. Thank you. I’ll fetch my mother to Xiangyang to live a comfortable life…”
However, he was stopped by the brawny man before he could take a step.
The man asked, “Did you say that the Tsing Yi bastards are dispatched for war?”
“Yeah. I originally wanted to sneak in during the day, but a group of them slipped out furtively. I think they’re afraid that more people will flee if the people in the city know that they’ve escaped. If you want to leave, leave quickly. There are just a few people guarding the city gates, so you don’t have to spend so much money. I suffered some losses back then too. I gave them a lot of money and I made it to Xiangyang by surviving on tree barks and roots. It’s such a bitter life…”
