The journey of the only child of a peasant family to take the imperial examination

"It seems that everything is under your control," said Zhang Pingan.

This is calculating people's hearts to the extreme, and it is also a gamble!

Zhou Ziming shook his head and smiled faintly, "How can anyone really predict everything? Even Heaven wouldn't allow such a monster to exist. It's just a gamble! Most of the time, I can bet right, but there are always exceptions. Isn't this time one of them?!"

Zhang Pingan smiled and didn't know how to respond.

He then asked with concern, "I wonder how your injury is, sir? Is it serious? I have some life-saving pills with me. If necessary, I can ask the military doctor to see if they can be used."

"They're just external injuries, nothing serious. I'll be fine after some rest," Zhou Ziming waved his hand. "But the news of my injury is still strictly sealed. No one outside knows about it. You must also keep it strictly confidential and not spread it!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Tu and Zhang Pingan both bowed and replied, "Don't worry, sir. I understand!"

"Yeah," Zhou Ziming nodded.

He then asked, "As you've come along, how are the people on both sides of the strait doing? Are they living in peace?"

"My lord, although the people seem to be a little poor, they are in good spirits and should have no problem making a living," Zhang Pingan thought for a moment and replied.

"Life is much better than before," said the bald old man.

"I heard you were attacked yesterday. Tell me what you think of them!"

Zhang Pingan pondered, "My Lord, they're clearly well-prepared. Although their weapons and equipment are inferior to ours, they're numerous and possess a strong aura of hostility. If they lurk near Huaiyang Pass and Zhengyang Pass for a long time, they shouldn't be underestimated. They're like leeches on a cow—insignificant at first glance, but they'll burrow into the body as they suck blood. I think they're up to something big!"

"You're right," Zhou Ziming nodded in agreement. "I've been working on clearing out these people, and it's been quite effective, but with this sneak attack, I'll have to put it aside for now. They won't be able to keep going for much longer, though!"

"Your Excellency is wise," the bald old man complimented.

"By the way, are underwater mines and Dragon King Cannons useful?" Zhou Ziming asked, knocking on the table.

"Underwater mines are extremely powerful, but very dangerous to use. You will basically perish together with the bandits. The Dragon King Cannon is more convenient in comparison, but it also requires the person using it to be brave and careful, and to be able to choose the right moment to throw it," Zhang Pingan commented objectively.

"All in all, they're both excellent weapons for defending against enemies on the water. However, I heard from my sixth brother-in-law that they're difficult to make and are quite expensive consumables."

"Ah, yes," Zhou Ziming sighed, somewhat helplessly, "otherwise, they would have been mass-produced long ago, so the soldiers could have more practice! And we also used firearms against the enemy this time. You all know about this, right?"

"I heard about it." The old bald man got angry when he mentioned this. He slapped the armrest of his chair and asked, "Was it intentional on the part of Lin'an?"

As he spoke, the bald old man made a gesture of wiping his neck.

Zhou Ziming raised his hand to stop talking: "Let's not talk about it for now, there is no evidence, don't talk nonsense, be careful of the mouth that can cause trouble, now the main thing is to solve the problem.

Regardless, the loss of food and fodder is my fault as the commander-in-chief, as I failed to lead the army effectively. Lin'an will definitely hold on to this mistake and make me report back."

General Kou finally found the opportunity to speak, frowning and asking, "My Lord, do you have any countermeasures? If you have any orders, I will do them!"

"Yeah, not bad!" Zhou Ziming nodded.

His tone became stern: "Losing food is a big deal. We must get it back. The military rations of our Great Xia are not that delicious!"