Origin Paradise!

"From this moment forward, the Dongyang Guard and the Prince's Palace Guard will be combined and divided into seven thousand-household teams. This matter will be entrusted to the Commander of the Imperial Guard."

Sheng Gui's face darkened, and he glanced at Pei Yuye out of the corner of his eye before reluctantly saying, "I know."

"From this moment on, all personnel of the Provincial Surveillance Commission shall patrol continuously. Anyone who leaves their home at night shall be executed. The Dongyang Granary in the west of the city shall be opened and distributed to Ronghua Ward. Anyone who leaves their home during the day shall also be executed."

The Inspector sighed. The Prince of Yong was certain that his side could not hold back the enemy's spies from burning the grain, so he simply hid the grain in wealthy households. When he wanted to take it back, it would inevitably involve bloodshed. In a crisis, he could also seize the grain stored by the wealthy households.

The inspector, however, hesitated and did not respond for a long time.

"Posting a notice doesn't mean you should be held responsible."

"Yes, sir." The provincial inspector respectfully accepted the order.

"As for the defensive equipment, it shall be entirely entrusted to Mr. Pei."

“Dongyang is not on the front line; we need to demolish residential houses to make up the numbers,” Pei Yuye said cautiously. “Could we post a notice?”

"roll."

With orders issued one after another and a leader in charge, the efficiency of the officials improved significantly. Most importantly, the Prince of Yong never mentioned whether he would flee, as if defending the city and fighting to the death was a matter of course.

After everyone left, Jiang He stood up. At this stage, the Dragon Spear absolutely could not be revealed. It was the overlord's signature weapon, and exposing it would be tantamount to inviting enemies from all sides to fight.

The next moment, a black sun melted and transformed into a pitch-black battle blade that fell into his palm.

"It's passable."

Chapter 557 The Fall of Dengfeng City

In the afternoon, the sky was covered with dark clouds.

Thanks to the announcement by the provincial inspector, the people of Dongyang City were generally aware that the Northern Wei army was about to attack the city. However, before the chaotic looting broke out, the royal palace had already stepped forward, led by the chief secretary, to buy up all the grain and ironware on the market and requisition all the horses. However, the latter was more accurately described as looting.

"Forty thousand shi of grain, the iron cavalry is still being melted down, and there are only about three hundred usable horses. The Dongyang Sect contributed half of them..."

On the city wall of Dongyang, Wuhe reported the general situation.

Outside the city, the land is flat and open. The Bian River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, flows from the west and then bends to head straight for the coast.

Jiang He sat quietly on the battlements, listening to the report. The rich and fragrant epic-grade dragon blood wine in his hand was already empty.

“On average, a soldier consumes one shi of grain per month,” Wuhe said. “This includes salt, brewing wine, cotton clothing, money for archers to repair their bows, silver for night watchmen, and so on. The monthly military pay is one tael of silver, which is equivalent to one shi of grain.”

"If you behead an enemy soldier, you should be rewarded with five taels of silver and promoted by the court. If you die in battle, you should be paid three years' worth of full military pay, which is thirty-six taels."

Wuhe meticulously planned to convert current expenses into modern concepts, but the process was actually quite complicated. The fastest way was to use grain prices as an intermediary, but considering the price drop caused by the increase in modern grain production, the result was not very accurate.

"Boss, 40,000 shi of grain can only sustain 20,000 infantrymen for a month. Each cavalryman will need at least one more shi of fodder and beans per month."

"Looking at Dongyang County, the total grain output last year was about four million. An average person consumes 2.5 shi (a unit of dry measure) per year. After the aristocratic families and sects take their cut, the imperial court pays taxes, and all sorts of other miscellaneous taxes, I think Dongyang County as a whole is in a sub-healthy state."

Wuhe felt a bit of pressure. The Prince's Palace had an annual income of 20,000 taels of silver, which was roughly equivalent to 20,000 shi of grain. It was very difficult to maintain the Imperial Guard and the Guard Command. Fortunately, these people were supported by the imperial court, and their income was actually pocket money for the prince.

"Thanks a lot."

Jiang He handed over a piece of fresh fish sashimi to accompany the wine, and Wu He happily put it into his mouth.

After killing the Left Councilor, Wuhe took away all the household registrations, tax records, and geomantic maps, significantly improving his understanding of Qingzhou. It is worth mentioning that the Pei family actually concealed the fact that they occupied more than 30% of the cultivated land, and this was only part of the fact that had been exposed.

"What is Aya doing?"

“She is studying at a private school, and my concubines are with her.”

Jiang He chuckled and asked, "How many cavalry can the city muster right now?"

Wuhe thought for a moment and answered, "Eight hundred and seventy."

At this moment, all the thousand-household squads were in place. Two squads were stationed near the north of Dengfeng City, one each in the east, west, and south directions, and another squad led by Lao Hei served as a reserve force. The rest were cavalry.

"Prepare a few torches and have the birds follow along, so they can take a stroll outside the city."

"clear."

Prince Yong gave the order, and thanks to the cooperation of the Pei family, Gui Man, the cavalry commander, despite his reluctance, eventually obediently led his men to the north gate.

Unfortunately, the one most opposed to leaving the city was not this commander, but Pei Yuye.

"Your Highness Prince Yong, why are you so impulsive!"

Pei Yuye stopped the red-robed Prince Yong at the door, and said with great distress, "Have you not heard that the son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof?"

He genuinely didn't want the other party to leave the city; otherwise, with the death of the Prince of Yong, the highest command would fall on his shoulders.

Jiang He remained noncommittal, only saying, "You have to bear the consequences of your choices. I am now in charge of the Dongyang troops."

Pei Yuye felt his vision blurring from holding back his anger. He pointed repeatedly, but couldn't bring himself to utter a curse. This prince was too lazy to argue about right or wrong. If the will of the supreme commander wasn't carried out, then he would simply replace him.

"Gui Man, the life and death of Prince Yong are more important to you and me." Pei Yuye could only say fiercely, "You should know what kind of person I am."

Gui Man was startled upon hearing this. Thinking of his wife and children, he could only smile apologetically and clasp his hands in a seemingly sincere manner, saying, "I will never forget Lord Pei's teachings until my dying breath. If anything happens to Your Highness, Gui Man will never come back alive."

This is a heartless beast, living only for his family.

boom!

The city gates opened, and Pei Yuye watched the cavalry roar out. The worry on his face gradually subsided, replaced by a calm demeanor.

"The ending will always be the same."

"I have done my best, sooner or later."

……

Wuyang County.

This place is less than forty li away from Dongyang City.

The Tiange Army was delayed for quite some time, but this massacre of the city seemed rather hasty.

The city was engulfed in flames, and cries of agony and screams filled the air.

On one side of the main street, the Dengfeng garrison commander looked at the family of three in front of him, his gaze fixed on the young child being protected by his parents.

After a long pause, he slashed down with his sword.

Three heads fell to the ground.

The Dengfeng general silently sheathed his sword, his eyes filled with despair.

“The bottom line is something that, once you back down, will be completely unrecognizable.” The man in golden armor laughed. “I will only return your military power to you after you have slaughtered Wuyang. It’s a very simple principle. There is no place for you in Southern Liang anymore. Go ahead and take revenge on the Pei family.”

The General of Dengfeng clasped his hands with difficulty and said, "This humble officer obeys the order."

The man in golden armor asked the tiger-faced regimental commander to bring him a map and said bluntly, "First take Dongyang, then attack Gaomi. Gaomi is the throat from Qingzhou to the heart of Nanliang. Once we have occupied both cities, we can close the door and beat the Pei family."

"As long as we close the door and beat the dog, then the Pillar of State of Northern Wei will march south to confront the Prince of Ruyang in Xuzhou, and the Southern Liang troops supporting Qingzhou will also have elites who can advance and intercept them."

"With the war in full swing, the Tiange Army will bypass the passes and be met by reinforcements, heading straight for the capital Jiankang, which will draw the surrounding armies to its aid. Then, they will move north to Xuzhou, where the three armies will join forces to attack the Prince of Ruyang from both sides."

General Hou's eyes were resolute. He clenched his fist tightly and said, "With such a change in the situation, Southern Liang will have no choice but to move its capital south. Under such circumstances, the relationship between the Prince of Pingxi and the court will become a weakness."

The commander-in-chief of Dengfeng couldn't help but interrupt, "General, this is certainly a grand strategy, but it's also... a bit too idealistic."

General Hou laughed heartily: "Aiming high will yield the middle, aiming for the middle will yield the low. If you want to secure victory, you must know what to do at what time."

"He Dengfeng, heed my command!"

"The end will be here."

"Lead your troops and escort the refugees here forward to knock on the gates of Dongyang City. I heard that there is a prince who has not yet come of age in charge there, not Pei Yuye. So it's worth playing a trick on him."

The Dengfeng general's face turned pale. He looked up abruptly and could only see the mocking look in the other man's eyes beneath his golden mask.

"I've already said it," General Hou said with a smile, "A bottom line is something that, once you back down, will be completely unrecognizable."

The golden-armored figure disappeared into the distance. The Dengfeng general stared at the three headless corpses for a long time before finally taking a step.

Half an hour later, from the air, the Northern Wei army began to advance, with 20,000 defeated soldiers driving thousands of refugees ahead, 20,000 Northern Wei infantrymen watching both sides, and countless cavalry units of a hundred men patrolling in all directions.

……

Across the Bian River.

Gui Man sat on horseback, completely bewildered.

After leaving the city, they did not head north to meet the enemy, but instead moved westward, crossing the Xia Bian River, where the battlefield north of the city was no longer visible.

"Hey, Your Highness, you're not trying to run away, are you?"

In the ranks, Pei, the centurion, looked around. If the Prince of Yong really wanted to run away, he would risk his life to go back and report.

"Dengfeng City," Jiang He replied calmly.

Gui Man was startled and horrified upon hearing this.

"Ah this..."

The cavalry officers on either side were equally astonished, but after Prince Yong finished speaking, he remained silent, his calmness somewhat intimidating.

Eight hundred cavalrymen marched swiftly from the riverbank. As the sun set and night fell, the warhorses were already covered in a fine sweat.

Dengfeng fell last night, and by dawn, Northern Wei cavalry had arrived at the city. From Dengfeng to Dongyang, the cavalry could march in just half a day.

The hour of Hai has just arrived.

Gui Man could vaguely make out the outline of the giant city hidden in the dense forest.

The Dengfeng city wall is tall and thick, built of rammed earth and filled with steel bars for reinforcement. It is like a majestic mountain standing on the earth. The stones on the surface are mottled, but they are still tightly connected. The steel gate is covered with sharp door nails, and the city tower is high.

Jiang He, unusually, took the initiative to speak, trying to reassure everyone.

"When the city fell last night, the enemy's elite cavalry appeared, and a member of the Northern Wei imperial family went to the front line, but he was nowhere to be seen."

"At this moment, the entire Tiange Army was mobilized and rushed towards Dongyang."

“If this member of the royal family is brave and skilled in battle, the Baibao Iron Cavalry would not have fallen into the hands of General Hou. I believe he is still in Licheng. Dengfeng City, due to its strategic location, will not be empty, but the garrison will definitely not exceed 10,000 men, which is only a small part of the troops from Licheng.”

"I will share the credit for capturing the city and recovering the territory with you all."

Jiang He's expression remained calm. This is precisely where the unpredictability of war lies. Before a final verdict is reached, everything is shrouded in mystery. How to judge and how to choose depends entirely on the commander-in-chief.

But in fact, he is different.

Gui Man's forehead was covered in sweat, and he said in a low voice, "How did Your Highness know that the Baibao Iron Cavalry had appeared? We didn't see any enemy scouts along the way, so something might have changed here."

"It's not that we didn't meet them, it's that we avoided them."

Jiang He waved, and a gray eagle descended from the sky, its eyes possessing the honesty characteristic of an honest person.

"The Pei family's falconry!?"

"Patriarch Pei and I are plotting something. There are spies in Dongyang City. Do not make a sound."

Gui Man wiped the sweat from his forehead and said excitedly, "Your Highness, we only have eight hundred men. How can we break through the city?"

Jiang He did not answer, but simply ordered the torches to be brought out.

Half an hour later, six hundred cavalrymen charged past Dengfeng City at full speed. In the darkness, their torches resembled a river of stars, attracting the attention of the defenders. The drums sounded immediately, and a hail of arrows fell, but they always missed by the slightest margin.

Before leaving the city, Wuhe prepared plenty of torches, four for each person, making them appear to be over two thousand riders in the darkness.

These cavalrymen headed straight towards Licheng.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the gates of Dengfeng were raised, and five scouts, each on two horses, prepared to leave the city.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves rang out unmistakably from the dense forest.

"Enemy attack! Close the city gates!"

Two hundred riders charged out, led by a man in a red robe.

Gui Man's eyes were burning.

Since the Northern Wei imperial family had not yet arrived, and Dengfeng City was a strategic location, the generals sent there would certainly be trusted confidants. Even if such trusted confidants knew there might be something fishy going on, they would never confirm that the Northern Wei imperial family had been ambushed by thousands of cavalry.

Prince Yong chose to gamble on the Northern Wei royal family's judgment in selecting officials, while also recognizing the inequality in the face of risks between superiors and subordinates.

The opening of the city gates at this moment was inevitable.

"Your Highness, wait a moment, I will lead the charge!"

The words have not yet fallen.

On horseback, a bright red longbow appeared in Jiang He's hand.

The bowstring is like a full moon, its power concentrated into an arrow.