Chapter 348: Preparation
Editor: Atlas Studios
What Mu Yangling asked Wu Shancai to do was very simple. First, gather all the guards of the local squires who had martial arts foundation and hand them over to her.
Secondly, gather all the local hooligans and hand them over to her.
Thirdly, gather enough firewood and pile them under Xingcheng Pass. Then, boil water using no less than 50 pots.
However, such a simple matter had to be done by Wu Shancai.
This was because the squires and local hooligans were not to be trifled with. They still needed guards to protect their lives, so they were naturally unwilling. If Mu Yangling went, she would definitely be beaten and thrown out, so Wu Shancai had to be the one to ask.
As for the local hooligans, it was even simpler. Mu Yangling didn’t even know who they were, but the bailiffs in the government office would definitely know them. Other than the commoners in the city, the ones who interacted with them the most were the bailiffs.
Although every family had firewood in the winter, they definitely did not have much stock. Therefore, they still had to find those wealthy families to fork out the bulk of the money and sponsor the big pots.
When Wu Shancai heard this, he clutched his chest. Before he could cry out in pain, Mu Yangling said, “If you do it, this city might be able to hold on until the general’s reinforcements arrive. If you don’t, this city definitely won’t last until dawn tomorrow.”
Wu Shancai could not bring himself to say that his heart hurt. He gritted his teeth and said, “I’m afraid it’s a little difficult to ask the squires to hand over their guards.” Seeing Mu Yangling looking at him quietly, he changed his words. “They definitely have to leave a few behind.”
Mu Yangling nodded. “Try your best to get them to hand over as many guards as possible. Sir, once they come under my hands, as long as they die on the city wall, they will be considered martyrs. The General will take care of their families.”
Wu Shancai did not believe it.
Smiling, Mu Yangling said, “Even if the General can’t take care of their families, don’t you still have me? Young Master Fan definitely won’t ignore this either.”
Fan Zijin’s business was doing well now and he had a lot of money.
Wu Shancai sat up straight and said with a smile, “With Miss Mu’s promise, the people who are summoned will definitely be much more willing.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Magistrate Wu.” Mu Yangling looked at Wu Jin and said, “I’ll borrow your son.”
With that, Mu Yangling dragged Wu Jin out, not even giving the two of them time to say a word.
Wu Jin looked at Mu Yangling nervously and whispered, “Miss Mu, I-I don’t know martial arts. My body is very weak…”
Mu Yangling nodded with a smile. “Therefore, Young Master, you don’t have to go up the city tower. However, there are still many things that I need your help with.”
Wu Jin looked at Mu Yangling warily.
“Young Master, you seem to have many classmates in the academy, right?”
What Mu Yangling wanted Wu Jin to do was very simple. She wanted him to understand the thoughts of those students and get them to help persuade their families. Mu Yangling said, “It’s best to settle everything before 5:00 pm. Otherwise, there won’t be enough time.”
“Young Master, the General is only two years older than you and Qi Haoran is four years younger than you. But they have always taken it upon themselves to reclaim their homeland. I haven’t studied much, but I know that everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of their country!”
Wu Jin’s expression gradually turned serious. He straightened his back slightly and puffed out his chest. “Miss Mu, don’t worry. I’ll go find my classmates now.”
Mu Yangling thanked Wu Jin gratefully.
The guard was very worried. “Miss Mu, can Young Master Wu really help?”
“Wu Jin is always bullied by Qi Haoran. Still, he always appears in front of him from time to time.”
The guard did not know how this had anything to do with his previous question, but Mu Yangling could only place her hopes on Qi Haoran’s intuition and hope that his comments about Wu Jin were correct.
A patriotic, cowardly, and foppish man with ideals.
Mu Yangling sent two other people to keep an eye on Wu Shancai. “Anyone in the Wu family can escape, but not him. Once you find him escaping, don’t fight him head-on. Come and report it to me.”
The guard agreed.
Mu Yangling turned around to look for the steward Fan Zijin had left in Xingzhou Prefecture and asked him to find as much lime as possible. “Go out and find someone to help tie up the lime with a cloth bag. One catty per bag. Don’t be afraid of spending money. Hire as many people as you can.”
The steward agreed and ran out to find someone to buy lime. The workshop was filled with food or cloth, so he directly set up the workplace in front of the General’s Residence.
Everyone knew that these things were used to defend the city. Without asking for a salary, they squatted in front of the General’s Residence and started working. When the rags that were brought over were not enough, someone went home to bring over some tattered clothes and cut them. The steward even brought over all the cloth in the shop, including some satin.
Although the workers’ hearts ached, they still cut the cloth, wrapped lime using it, and tied a slipknot according to the instructions.
Only then did Mu Yangling have the time to stuff a bun into her mouth. The guards behind her also wolfed down the food, for they had not eaten lunch.
Seeing that it was about time, Mu Yangling brought her people to the government office. At this moment, Magistrate Wu was glaring at his son in exasperation. “I told you to pack your things. Why didn’t you listen?”
“Father, you’re the magistrate and the chief official. How can you run away at the last minute?”
“Bullsh*t. Do all officials have to stay here and die with everyone else?” Wu Shancai snapped angrily, “That boorish Qi Xiuyuan is courting death, and he’s making us pay for it. This is Qi Xiuyuan’s sin. What right do you have to blame me?”
“But Father, General Qi is fighting a bloody battle outside now.” Wu Jin’s eyes lit up as he looked at his father with hope. “Father, as long as we take back the Jingzhao Prefecture, the Great Zhou will regain its glory from 20 years ago. Father, the Jingzhao Prefecture has been lost for 20 years. Don’t you want to take it back? As long as we take over the Jingzhao Prefecture, the fertile land in the pass will belong to the Great Zhou again. Most importantly, if we take over the Jingzhao Prefecture, the south of the capital will be much safer.” Thinking of what Qi Haoran had said to him by chance, Wu Jin’s eyes lit up. “If we take over the Jingzhao Prefecture, we’ll seize Hangu Pass, San Pass, Xiao Pass, and the military officials. With these four major natural dangers under our control, it’ll be difficult for the Hu people to go south again!”
“Bullsh*t.” Wu Shancai reprimanded him impolitely. “20 years ago, weren’t these four passes in the hands of our Great Zhou? We still lost them overnight. If not for the Emperor sending Minister Qin to negotiate, there wouldn’t even be a Xingzhou Prefecture left.”
“That’s because the soldiers guarding the city fled.” Wu Jin was so excited that his eyes were wet. “The 200,000-strong army actually lost Hangu Pass. Father, isn’t it a good thing that the General wants to take it back?”
“You said that the Wu pass is a dangerous pass. Do you think he can defeat more than 100,000 people with just tens of thousands of soldiers? Go back and pack your things obediently. We’ll leave the city as soon as it’s dark.”
“Father, abandoning the city and escaping is a capital offense!” Wu Jin stomped his feet and shouted.
Wu Shancai sneered. “This charge is nonsense. After all, I’m a fourth-grade magistrate. At most, I’ll lose my official position. Those people who followed the Emperor back then in abandoning the pass are all alive and well.” Other than the county magistrate of Mingshui County who was unlucky and was killed by Qi Xiuyuan three years ago, the others were not only alive, but also leading very cushy lives.
However, Wu Shancai did not think that he needed to compare himself to that county magistrate. After all, that magistrate was only a seventh-grade official while he was a fourth-grade official. Knowing the Emperor rarely killed officials, Wu Shancai felt very reassured in doing so. On the other hand, Wu Jin stomped his feet in frustration.