The grass in the factory should be plucked

On the first day of April, the Southern Expedition Army officially set out for southern Xinjiang.

Outside the capital, flags were fluttering and war drums were thundering.

The black army was lined up in neat rows, their armor shining with a cold light, their spears like a forest, and their swords like frost.

Xie Changan and Jiang Li were wearing armor, riding on horses, standing side by side at the front of the army.

Nangong Qinghe, dressed in the emperor's crown and robes, stepped onto the platform to select generals, surrounded by eunuchs and court officials.

He has an upright posture and a determined look in his eyes. Today is the beginning of his great ambitions, expanding territory and becoming the Holy Lord of Great Chu!

"My soldiers! Today, you will rush to the battlefield for the dignity of the Great Chu and the peace of the people, destroy the Southern Barbarians, seize the Southern Border, and establish an unprecedented achievement!"

His clear voice echoed in the air, and the majesty of the young emperor was fully displayed.

"I firmly believe that with your loyalty and bravery, you will be invincible and victorious! When you return victorious, I will reward you according to your merits and let you be honored and your names will go down in history!"

The soldiers in the audience shouted in unison: "Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long, long live the emperor!"

The cheers shook the earth and broke through the sky.

Nangong Qinghe's eyes were moist and his heart was filled with emotion.

Two years ago, he was still an unknown prince in the deep palace, but now he is the emperor of the Great Chu who rules the world and has millions of lions under his command!

In the future, he will be a wise ruler who will create a prosperous era for the Great Chu and go down in history!

He looked at Jiang Li, who was wearing silver armor, riding on Xiao Hong, and standing at the front of the army with vigor, and said silently in his heart: A Li, you must return safely!

Yuan Bao respectfully presented a bowl of fine wine. Nangong Qinghe took the bowl, raised it high, and said loudly: "This wine is for my soldiers to cheer them on! May you have a successful start and achieve immediate success!"

Below the stage, the eunuchs also filled the soldiers' bowls with wine.

Nangong Qinghe raised the wine in the bowl and drank it all, then slammed the bowl to the ground.

Below the reviewing platform, all the soldiers drank the wine in their hands and threw their wine bowls on the ground.

Before the army set out on the expedition, this ritual of "smashing bowls to cheer them on" was performed to show the army's determination to fight to the death and not return until southern Xinjiang was conquered.

Nangong Qinghe walked down from the command platform and came in front of Xie Changan and Jiang Li.

The two men jumped off their horses and knelt on one knee.

Nangong Qinghe solemnly handed the general seal and tiger talisman to Xie Changan: "I hope the general will live up to my expectations and return victorious soon."

Xie Changan also responded solemnly: "I will definitely live up to the emperor's grace and fulfill my mission!"

Nangong Qinghe handed the jade pendant, which symbolizes the emperor, to Jiang Li again: "See my jade pendant, as if I were here in person, and the military supervisor can act as he sees fit."

Jiang Li took it solemnly: "I will live up to your Majesty's expectations, destroy the Southern Barbarians, seize the Southern Border, and expand the territory for the Great Chu!"

"Good! We, my two beloved ministers, have returned with a great victory!"

With the sound of bugles and drums, the army began to move slowly, with horses' hooves flying and raising clouds of dust.

Aunt Lian, Manager Liu and the common people crowded together at the Ten-Li Pavilion, watching the army go further and further away, weeping inconsolably.

Girl, you and your husband must come back safely!

The "ruthless soldiers" and "monkey soldiers", as well as General Eagle's "flying bird team", were afraid of frightening the people, so they did not join the main force until the army was far away from the capital.

Seeing the wolves following the army in high spirits, the monkeys squatting on the horses' backs, and the black flocks of birds circling in the air, the soldiers of the Southern Expedition Army could not help but be speechless.

This kind of scene has probably never happened since ancient times, right?

The Southern Expedition Army had to march from the capital into Shu, and then from Shu to southern Xinjiang. They had to take the Jinniu Road or the Migang Road to Hanzhong, and then from Hanzhong to southern Xinjiang.

The road into Shu is extremely dangerous. A great poet in the previous dynasty once lamented that "the road to Shu is more difficult than climbing to the sky."

The generals couldn't help but sigh that fortunately the soldiers had been specially trained by the wolves and monkeys for half a month. They were much more agile than before, and the difficulty of crossing the Shu Road was relatively much smaller.

Soon, they discovered that with the addition of wolf soldiers and monkey soldiers, the benefits were far more than that.

Whenever they set up camp, the soldiers would bury the pots and cook, while the wolf soldiers and monkey soldiers would go up the mountain to find food on their own.

After eating and drinking, they will also bring a lot of prey and wild fruits to their human "comrades", and the food treatment of the entire army has been significantly improved.

Zhang Zhe and Zhang Cang believed that with their ruthless and helpful "comrades in arms", their army would be able to be self-sufficient even if the logistical supplies were insufficient.

Moreover, apart from a portion allocated by the national treasury, the bulk of the logistics supply was shared by Longmen Trading Company and Li’s Company.

Longmen Trading Company and Li’s Trading Company are now spread all over Da Chu. No matter where the army advances, they can replenish food and grass on the spot. How can there be a shortage of logistical supplies?

The logistics team doesn’t even have the pressure of transporting food!

Even the Pingxi Army began to feel confident. How could such a well-trained and well-fed army fail to win a battle?

That night, the army camped in Xinxiang.

In the central army tent, Xie Changan was massaging Jiang Li's hands and feet. After days of marching, Jiang Li complained that her bones were sore all over from riding a horse!

Xie Changan knew that she was acting coquettishly on purpose. After they had mastered the second level of the Divine Movement Body Refining Technique, the bones of both of them became as crystal clear as jade and extremely tough, just like immortal bones. Not to mention riding a horse, even if they were hit hard, their bones would not ache.

"Let your husband massage you."

He smiled and took off the stockings on Jiang Li's feet, revealing two snow-white and shiny little feet.

Xie Changan held one and gently massaged the acupoints on the sole of his foot.

Her feet were small and flawless, and when held in her hands they felt like jade carvings, smooth as cream.

Just as he was distracted, Jiang Li suddenly sat up.

"What's wrong?" Xie Changan was surprised.

Jiang Li didn't answer, but quickly put on his boots and rushed out of the tent.

Xie Changan followed closely behind, only to see Jiang Li closing his eyes and concentrating on sensing something.

At this time, the wolf king Xiaotian howled anxiously, and even the little eagle became restless. It spread its wings and flew into the sky.

"Chengfeng, what happened?" Xie Changan asked hurriedly.

"I don't know, I just feel uneasy..." Xiaoying answered anxiously.

Jiang Li opened his eyes: "I feel that an evil force is approaching..."

She focused her spiritual awareness into her eyes, exerted her greatest energy, and looked up into the sky.

Then she saw it!

A streak of blood is breaking through the air!

Xie Changan also focused his spiritual consciousness in his eyes, and he saw it too!

Xie Changan was shocked: "What is this?"

Jiang Li jumped up: "Quick! Catch up with it!"

She ran towards the direction where the blood line pointed.

Xie Changan caught up closely.

In the tent, Zhang Zhe and Zhang Cang were writing letters home.

After the army set out, they did not know the condition of their grandfather and the Queen Mother, and they were very worried.

The two of them wrote a letter home, asking them to deliver the letter to Beijing at the same time if Longmen Trading Company or Li’s Trading Company came to deliver grain tomorrow.

Suddenly, both of them felt their hearts hit hard, and blood spurted out of their mouths!

It happened so quickly that Jiang Li and Xie Changan rushed in like a gust of wind, opening the tent door.

"Quick, use your spiritual sense to protect their hearts!"

Jiang Li said anxiously. She put her spiritual consciousness in her hand and pressed it hard between Zhang Zhe's eyebrows. Her spiritual consciousness instantly broke in.

I saw that the blood line was tightly wrapped around Zhang Zhe's heart and was getting tighter!

"Quick, cut that blood line!"

Jiang Li cried out softly, and attached her spiritual consciousness, twisting it fiercely. With a "snap" sound, the blood line broke!

A faint roar of pain could be heard in the void.

At the same time, Xie Changan also used his spiritual sense to cut the blood thread wrapped around Zhang Cang's heart.

After the two withdrew their spiritual consciousness, the Zhang brothers fell to the ground with a thud.

Jiang Li felt their breath and breathed a sigh of relief: "They are still breathing, they should be able to be saved."

Xie Changan frowned: "But is it an evil cultivator?"

Jiang Li nodded, deeply worried: "I'm afraid something happened in the capital."

Xie Changan called a soldier and asked him to invite Shen Muchun over.

Shen Muchun rushed over and saw the Zhang brothers lying on the ground. He was shocked and asked, "What happened?"

Jiang Li frowned: "That evil cultivator has taken action!"

Shen Muchun was shocked and rushed to treat the Zhang brothers.

After some diagnosis and treatment, Zhang Zhe and Zhang Cang slowly woke up.

Seeing Jiang Li and the other two, Zhang Cang was confused: "General, what's wrong with me?"

Jiang Li glared at him and said, "I asked you to be a substitute puppet, but you didn't do it?"

Zhang Zhe was shocked: "That was... an evil cultivator?"

Jiang Li frowned: "Who else in your family hasn't been a stand-in doll?"

Zhang Zhe hesitated: "I didn't do anything..."

Shen Muchun stamped his feet: "You...are confused!"

Xie Changan said in a deep voice: "I'm afraid something big has happened in the capital."