Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 49: Deploying Troops to Suppress Bandits!
In the following days, the situation in Changshan County became increasingly unpredictable.

The matter of suppressing bandits has affected all parties. Chen Sheng originally thought that the proposal of "bandit suppression silver" would be enough to make those merchants whine and shirk responsibility for a while, thus delaying the process.

Unexpectedly, just three days later, these merchants seemed to be pushed by an invisible hand and quickly reached an agreement to jointly contribute two thousand taels of silver to suppress the bandits as a reward for the army.

However, a mere two thousand taels was far from enough to satisfy Wu Kuang's appetite.

After all, a portion of the profits from this operation still needed to be shared with Magistrate Lin Shou, and three days was indeed a rather short time. Wu Kuangdang then subtly expressed his "insufficient sincerity" through his subordinates.

When the news reached them, the heads of the Gao, Huang, and Yang families were furious and cursed Wu Kuang and Chen Sheng for their insatiable greed.

Two thousand taels of silver is no small sum; it is enough to ensure that an ordinary family can live comfortably for several generations. Even a large gang like the Seven Stars Gang, which occupies a certain area, has accumulated no more than this amount of silver over the years.

However, the situation was pressing, and the die was cast.

To ensure the success of their scheme to use someone else to do their dirty work, the three families, despite their deep resentment, had no choice but to compromise once again. After a period of covert maneuvering and negotiation, they finally decided to add another thousand taels of silver.

Meanwhile, to prevent Wu Kuang from becoming emboldened and continuing to make exorbitant demands, they secretly instructed others to subtly spread the news that the government was demanding "bandit suppression silver," causing considerable controversy and unrest in Changshan County, in an attempt to exert pressure.

Of course, they strictly controlled this public opinion, and their purpose was not to really disrupt the situation, but to force the county government to send troops as soon as possible.

After employing both soft and hard tactics, Wu Kuang and Chen Sheng realized that further delays would be unreasonable. After discussion, they finally agreed on a plan to send troops to suppress the bandits.

He had also anticipated the new situation and was fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the bandit suppression operation.

Therefore, when Chu Yueshan hoped to mobilize the Beicheng Military Camp as the main force for suppressing bandits, Wu Kuang did not object after communicating with Chen Sheng. However, he still earnestly instructed Chen Sheng to be careful and to prioritize his own safety if anything went wrong.

The three thousand taels of "bandit suppression silver" naturally needed to be distributed among the recipients.

Although Magistrate Lin Shou did not contribute any effort, he still managed to take away five hundred taels of silver by virtue of his position.

Wu Kuang, the county magistrate, as the ringleader, received one thousand taels of silver.

The remaining 1,500 taels were used to bribe officials and staff of the military camp.

As is customary, the Grand Commander Chu Yueshan and the other commanders would each receive a substantial share, with the remaining small portion ultimately going to the soldiers who had risked their lives for the cause.

However, this time, in order to show his "loyalty" and "noble character", Chu Yueshan openly announced that he would not take a single penny and would distribute all his share to his soldiers.

This move earned him widespread praise, making him incredibly popular for a time.

Since the Grand Commander had set an example, the other commanders, even if they were reluctant, were too embarrassed to take more than their share and had no choice but to follow suit, distributing the silver coins, which allowed the lower-ranking soldiers to receive some tangible benefits.

To ensure the plan went perfectly, during the days when merchants were raising funds for the "bandit suppression," Chu Yueshan frequently visited the Beicheng military camp to "build rapport" with Chen Sheng.

His words not only went to great lengths to win Chen Sheng over, but also subtly implied that he would step down and yield his position once Chen Sheng's cultivation had improved further, attempting to lull Chen Sheng into a false sense of security and lower his guard.

Having already seen through their treacherous scheme, Chen Sheng inwardly sneered, knowing he was unlikely to fall for it.

On the surface, however, he subtly revealed a sense of being flattered and "close" to Chu Yueshan. The two became increasingly close, their relationship seemingly "deep," which aroused the secret jealousy of several other commanders in the military camp, yet they were powerless to do anything about it.

Who made Chen Sheng not only backed by County Magistrate Wu Kuang, but also now enjoy the favor of Chu Yueshan?

Seeing that Chen Sheng did not seem to suspect anything, Chu Yueshan, in order to further gain the trust of Wu Kuang and Chen Sheng, took the initiative to "frankly tell" Chen Sheng about some of the intricate networks of relationships within the military camp.

For example, if someone is not aware of the situation, they might really think that Chu Yueshan is offering a "pledge of allegiance" to the Yang family, intending to switch allegiance.

Chen Sheng then took advantage of the situation and, through Chu Yueshan's words, gained a more thorough and clear understanding of the personnel backgrounds and conflicts of interest within the military battalion.

Once these deep-rooted relationships are understood, when he takes power in the future and carries out a purge and reorganization, he can act with a clear objective and achieve twice the result with half the effort.

In a sense, Chu Yueshan's "attentiveness" was an unexpected "joy" for Chen Sheng.

...Time flies, and it's already the end of October.

Inside the military camp in the northern city, Chen Sheng continued his rigorous training without fail.

The quality of the pills provided through official channels is indeed incomparable to ordinary products circulating in the market.

In particular, the "Yuan Sui Dan" given by Wu Kuang was highly potent and pure, greatly benefiting the cultivation of the Marrow Transformation Realm, allowing Chen Sheng to maintain a fairly good rate of progress in his cultivation.

[Basic knife skills perfected (666/2000)]

[Golden Bell Body Tempering Method Completed (53/2000)]

[Mastering the Secret Techniques of Toad Fishing (80/1000)]

[Mastery of the Three Ultimate Demon-Slaying Sword Techniques (232/1000)]

After seven days of arduous training, his strength has improved again.

Although his progress was not as rapid as it had been under the blessing of the Earth Spirit Milk, his speed was still astonishing compared to ordinary martial artists who were stuck in the Marrow Transformation Realm for years and months without making any progress.

The secret technique of "Fishing for Toads" played an indispensable role in this.

It is precisely because of this method that he can efficiently refine and absorb the medicinal power, and thus he can continue to take the pills without worrying too much about the accumulation of toxicity. Others would find it extremely difficult to use the power of the pills so recklessly.

However, after experiencing the incredible speed of cultivation induced by the "Earth Spirit Milk," Chen Sheng felt somewhat unsatisfied with the current "normal" progress.

But he also knew that such a spiritual substance as the Mind Milk was extremely rare and difficult to find in Changshan County.

"Commander, Commander Chu has sent someone to urge you to go to the military camp immediately to meet him." Yan Ming entered the government office and bowed to report.

Today is the day we pledge our determination to go into battle.

Chen Sheng slowly opened his eyes, unsurprised. His expression turned serious, and he asked in a deep voice:

"Are all the brothers here?"

"All have assembled at the training ground and are awaiting the commander's orders!" Yan Ming replied solemnly.

Chen Sheng stood up and stretched out his arms. Yan Ming immediately stepped forward and skillfully draped the specially made light armor over him.

During the dressing process, he keenly noticed that Chen Sheng seemed to be wearing a piece of exceptionally fine, close-fitting soft armor under his official robe.

Yan Ming couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration: the commander's actions were indeed as steady as ever.

On the drill ground, over a hundred elite soldiers from the northern city, fully armed and in perfect formation, stood in neat rows, exuding a chilling aura.

Chen Shengxing walked to the front of the formation, his gaze sweeping across the entire area like cold lightning, finally pausing slightly on a seemingly ordinary, meek soldier.

The man seemed to sense something, raised his head and briefly met Chen Sheng's gaze, then quickly lowered it again, resuming his inconspicuous appearance—it was none other than Li Huaisheng, who had disguised himself and infiltrated the army.

This was also a carefully prepared hidden move by Chen Sheng for Chu Yueshan, a deadly move.

This time, he would make this great leader sleep forever beneath the waves of the Qinglin River.

"set off!"

Chen Sheng said no more, nimbly mounted his horse, and his voice, firm and resolute, broke the silence of the training ground.

(End of this chapter)