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Luan Hong couldn’t bear the thought of Zhang Lin leaving. Though current circumstances kept them apart, she could still catch glimpses of him if he remained near the government office. If he went to Luo City, she wouldn’t be able to see him at all.

However, Zhang Jinglin’s lifelong dream was to become a general in Luo City. He aspired to serve under Xiao Zeyu, making significant contributions and eventually becoming a pillar of the nation.

Luan Hong knew she couldn’t stand in his way. Ignoring the rules, she ran to see him the day before he left, handing him several embroidered pouches she had made overnight.

For the time being, Zhang Jinglin’s mother remained at Jingshi Road. Her health was frail, particularly in the winter, and she couldn’t endure a long journey. Luan Hong became a dutiful daughter-in-law, caring for the older woman as if she were her mother.

Yang Rubing and Luan Qingshan also cared for their in-laws, alleviating Zhang Jinglin’s concerns.

The convoy traveled for two days, but no one came to rescue Ghostmother. Considering their hideout was in Yun City, it was likely too far away for a rescue.

Their plan to use Ghostmother to lure out the five ghosts had failed, but the team arrived safely in Mo City. Ghostmother was taken to the water prison there. She had been hoping that the Chief would come to save her, but she was left waiting, alone.

Xiao Zeyu had just reached Mo City when he learned of Auntie Qiu’s death. The news left him slightly downcast, but he steeled himself. After all, they had crossed a line by involving Su Qing; he owed them no favors.

After resting for a day in Mo City, he set out for Luo City. En route, he detoured to Jin City to conduct an inspection. The new Zhizhou, Chen Qjngzhou, was competent and had managed Jin City effectively.

This was a personal success for Xiao Zeyu. After spending a night in Jin City, he resumed his journey to Luo City.

Upon arriving, an urgent message from Mo City reached him. The Northern Barbarians were attacking, and reinforcements were desperately needed. Xiao Zeyu was taken aback; these neighboring barbarians hadn’t attacked Mo City in two decades. Why now?

Xiao Zeyu dispatched his troops for a rescue mission without delay, appointing Zhou Chuan as the leader. Zhang Jinglin was not sent because he had only recently transitioned from civil service to military duty and was not yet well-versed in the army’s operations. Moreover, Jin City was closer to Mo City than Luo City was, making Zhou Chuan a logical choice.

Zhou Chuan was elated; this was a golden opportunity to distinguish himself. Meanwhile, Zhang Jinglin couldn’t help but feel regretful for missing another chance to prove his worth.

“Don’t worry; there will be more opportunities to fight. For now, let’s establish a strong base in Luo City, recruit soldiers, and expand the army,” Xiao Zeyu assured Zhang Jinglin while assigning him a recruitment task.

The new Zhizhou, Song Fu, proved to be another competent aide. He adopted Jin City’s governance style, which served well in Luo City. After the Xiao Family’s Army captured Luo City, they cracked down on corruption and tyranny, using the confiscated funds for military expenses. They also opened granaries to distribute food and gain the public’s goodwill.

The reputation of the Xiao Family Army soared, attracting ambitious young men from other cities who came to Luo City to enlist.

Having settled matters in Luo City, Xiao Zeyu took a team of elite soldiers to Yun City to aid Su Qing in clearing out the Five Ghosts’ lair. As Yun City was not their jurisdiction, the group disguised themselves as a caravan of escorts. Based on previous experiences, Xiao Zeyu felt that disguised escorts worked best; it allowed them to carry weapons legally. This time, they purported to be escorting leather goods, a commodity Xiao Zeyu had amassed in abundance.

To ensure Ghost Mother couldn’t reveal their identity, Su Qing disguised her with a mask to make her look like an elderly man and administered a drug to mute her.

Upon nearing Yun City, Xiao Zeyu and Su Qing noted that all the cities they passed through had heightened security as if bracing for a significant threat. Their documents were scrutinized rigorously before they were allowed entry.

The atmosphere in the city was tense. Street vendors looked fearful, and the civilians seemed rushed. After inquiring, Xiao Zeyu and Su Qing discovered that the city was plagued by multiple rebellions and even mountain bandits descending to loot. It was evident that Wan Yulin’s rule was unstable; a leader lacking virtue would never govern a stable state.

Throughout their journey, they had heard disturbing accounts of the Wan Family Army’s brutal treatment of the populace. Xiao Zeyu’s expression grew graver with each story. He yearned to liberate the capital and relieve the commoners of their misery, but he knew he lacked the workforce and resources for such a large-scale operation. A hasty attack could result in heavy losses and allow the Wan Family Army to retaliate.

Upon their arrival at the City of Brisk, they had barely set foot in the courier station when they heard the tumult outside. The Wan Family Army was forcibly conscripting men into their ranks. Streets were awash with discouraged men, and even boys as young as twelve or thirteen were not exempted.

Disturbed by the sight of weeping civilians, Xiao Zeyu turned to the station’s manager and asked, “What is happening here? Why are they forcibly conscripting men, even children?”

“Ah, that’s a sorry state of affairs,” the boss lamented. “In the past, even if the Great Zhou Emperor was somewhat inept, he wasn’t so ruthless. Now, the new emperor executes whole families without a second thought; he treats killing like a trivial matter.”

“The Wan Family Army used to be the reason other countries wouldn’t dare invade us. Now, multiple nations are attacking. If they can’t take the capital, they’re raiding smaller cities, looting, burning, and killing. The common people are the ones who suffer the most.”

“What’s worse is that the Wan Family Army doesn’t protect the populace. Instead, they impose additional burdens. Merchants are required to pay military fees on top of already excessive taxes. If they can’t pay, their businesses are shuttered. There’s no way to make a living in these conditions.”

Xiao Zeyu’s expression darkened as he listened. The mismanagement and corruption were even worse than he’d feared, and the populace was paying the price. It was clear to him that the Wan Family’s reign was a blight on the land, and something needed to be done to end their tyranny.

Repairing the city walls and fortifications fell to able-bodied men, who received neither payment nor kindness. Instead, they were often beaten to death. The recruitment of such men intensified with plans to construct an imperial tomb for the late emperor.

Upon hearing this news from the innkeeper, Su Qing and Xiao Zeyu exchanged glances. If they could disrupt the dragon vein of the previous emperor, they could similarly disrupt the Wan family’s dragon vein. The Imperial Mausoleum would undoubtedly house numerous valuable funerary objects. Using Old Thief Wan’s resources to arm their forces before attacking the Wan Family Army seemed like an excellent plan.

“Qing ‘Er, let’s retreat to our room,” Xiao Zeyu suggested. He felt they had gathered enough information from the innkeeper.

Before they could move, however, three soldiers from the Imperial Court burst into the relay station. Upon spotting Xiao Zeyu and his bodyguards, they prepared to make arrests.

“Where are your travel passes?” one of the soldiers demanded.

“Here, Officer,” Xiao Zeyu responded quickly, producing the travel passes and the bodyguard agency’s documentation. He also offered three taels of silver, adding, “A little something for tea, esteemed officials.”

Upon seeing the silver taels, the soldiers from the Imperial Court raised their eyebrows, their eyes lighting up with pleasure. However, they appeared somewhat displeased with the modest amount. The group leader put on a stern expression and said to Xiao Zeyu, “There seems to be an issue with your document. You’ll have to come with us.”

“Officer, don’t frighten me. How could there be a problem with these documents? They were all issued by the government,” Xiao Zeyu responded calmly, smiling.

Just as the leader contemplated how to extract more money from Xiao Zeyu, he noticed Ghostmother being carried in by two people.. Realizing that the old man was winking at him, he pointed at Ghostmother and asked, “What’s the matter with him?”