Chapter 95: Some Houses Rejoice, Others Mourn
Of course, the Chu family army, which they believed had been cut off from provisions for a full year and was already at the end of its rope, was doing very well in the Liao kingdom.
Indeed, when some rejoice, others grieve.
Once the pass west of Ye City fell, the army led by Chu Junhan advanced like an unstoppable tide. Sweeping across the route behind the pass as though a locust plague had passed through, they reached the outlying towns near the next great city.
Some of those towns did not even have walls, let alone defenses.
Tang Chen’s name resounded once more. He was no longer merely a single god of slaughter, but a demon god who slew in all directions. Who would know that behind the curtain of strategy and command stood but a child?
Yet the strength the Liao kingdom had accumulated over many years was no paper tiger.
A Fugan Tameng quickly gathered the nation’s forces and stationed them in Changming City, the next great city beyond Ye City to the west.
After all, Changming was the last major city on the road to the Liao capital. If Changming fell, the Chu family army would be able to drive straight into the imperial capital.
At such a solemn and grave moment, however, the commander of the main force assigned to attack Changming was in the military camp scratching his head and pacing back and forth.
“This battle will not be easy,” Chu Junhan said, his hands clasped behind his back, frowning at the map. “How much grain and fodder have we seized?”
“Not enough to get through this winter,” Tang Chen replied, looking deeply worried.
The little one propped up his chin, lost in thought. “That old Tameng has his whole army gathered at Changming now... Dismissed. We’ll discuss it again when I return!”
The streets of Ye City remained bustling as ever, as though the war had had no effect on the place at all... Since the campaign to seize the Central Plains began, this was the only city that had been taken by assault without producing any refugees.
A little girl was sneaking along the street, her face hidden beneath a veil, only a pair of bright, watery eyes visible.
At the street corner in the south of the city, the Jiu Ling Trading House still stood there, just as always. The shop boy was still lying over the counter, sound asleep.
“Cough... Shopkeeper... shopkeeper,” the little girl said, lifting her veil and tapping the wooden board before the counter with her small hand, standing on tiptoe. “Shopkeeper, wake up. It’s time to do business!”
Hearing the call, the shop boy stretched, climbed up from the counter, and rubbed his eyes. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, the one who came half a month ago to buy information!” The little girl pointed a slender finger at her own nose, her big eyes round as full moons.
The shop boy immediately put on a practiced smile. “Little guest, what can I do for you this time? What information do you want to buy?”
Chu Junhan stood on tiptoe, covering her mouth with one hand as she said mysteriously, “I want the route map for the Liao grain convoy to Changming City!”
The shop boy tilted his head and thought for a moment, then smiled thinly. “No problem. One million taels of silver. No notes, only hard silver.”
“What?!” Chu Junhan’s pupils widened and her mouth fell slightly open. That amount was nearly half the fortune of a wealthy family!
The shop boy was still smiling. “One million taels of silver. No bargaining.”
Looking at the shop boy’s stubborn expression, Chu Junhan laughed in exasperation and put her hands on her hips. “Information may be expensive, but not this ridiculously expensive. Besides, the information you gave me last time was off too...”
“You mean the number of men under Feng Meng’s command, little guest?”
Chu Junhan stared, eyes wide, then glared angrily at the shop boy. “You did that on purpose?!”
The shop boy gave an awkward grin and scratched his head. “You’ve wronged me, little guest. I originally meant to write eighty-six hundred and forty-four, but that was... wasn’t I startled by you? My hand slipped. Just a little! It slipped!”