Chapter 33 Tattered Soldiers and Defeated Generals
The government office of Barren City followed the rules very well. After receiving the money, they immediately got to work.
The eight members of the Wei family registered on the spot and got their identification documents. The dossier recorded that the Wei family had been doing business in Barren City for generations.
Wei changed his surname to Wei, and his name was also given the same pronunciation. (The first Wei is the same word as State of Wei in the Three Kingdoms, the second Wei has the same word as the guard, Wei.]
Zhou Yi wondered, “Will there be any slip-ups?” “Mr. Zhou, don’t worry. The northern border is too barren, so it’s very easy for things like this to happen.”
Manager Sun explained, “These dossiers are burned clean every year, so no one will be able to find anything. Besides, who would dare to investigate the people who came to apply for household registration?”
Zhou Yi nodded slightly. This method was somewhat similar to the Sky Prison.
There were also methods to secretly change the people in the Sky Prison, but they were extremely secretive and careful, unlike here where they did things without restraint. Even the imperial power did not infiltrate the countryside, let alone the remote Barren City.
Barren City did not even have a restaurant. The government office’s kitchen hosted a banquet. There were more wild game than vegetables. They drank the unique hard liquor of the northern border and bragged about various truths and lies. The atmosphere was quite lively.
The county magistrate also appeared during the meal. After all, there were only a few orders a year for a big business that cost more than ten thousand taels of silver.
The county magistrate’s surname was Zhao and his name was Tai. He was fat and greasy and did not look like a scholar.
No matter how poor he was, he could not be a poor official. Zhao Tai was from Jiangnan. He built a small bridge in the back office and bought many beautiful servants. He ate, drank, and was carefree every day.
The government office was really no different from the palace!
Zhao Tai recalled the past in the Divine Capital and couldn’t help but sigh. “I still remember when I went to the capital to take the exam. I won first place in reciting poems and painting at the Spring Breeze Tower. I told Miss Ruirui about my feelings. I wonder how she is now?”
“Married to a wealthy businessman in Jiangnan. Rumor has it that Miss Ruirui wants to see if the Jiangnan scenery is as good as described in the painting.”
Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows. He did not expect to see the real person.
Miss Ruirui was the Flower Queen back then and had once been famous in the Divine Capital. She might be able to enter any unofficial history in the future.
She was most famous for being obsessed with the man surnamed Zhao. She even rejected the heir of the Marquis’s Residence because of this. Some said that he was a member of the royal family, while others said that he was a young master of an aristocratic family. She waited in the Divine Capital for two years before finally going to Jiangnan to marry with a cold heart.
Unexpectedly, the heartless man was actually a fat man. When he smiled, his eyes were only
slits!
Zhao Tai sighed at the change in fate. After drinking a few cups of strong wine, he returned to the back office to vent his worries.
They enjoyed their meal.
After the banquet.
Manager Sun ordered his men to look for a courtyard with Zhou Yi and the Wei family.
“Mr. Zhou, there are a few large mansions in the east of the city.” The officer touched the silver in his hand. As expected of a wealthy guest from the Divine Capital, he was really generous.
The Wei family quickly chose a residence not far from the county office.
Most of the words on the door plaque had fallen. Judging from the word “bow”, it should have once been the Zhang residence. Most of the houses in the courtyard were still intact, but the houses were empty without any furniture.
It was already late, and they were all rough men, so they casually tidied up a few rooms for tonight.
Zhou Yi activated the Dust Cleaner Talisman, and the room instantly became tidy. He sent a voice transmission to Wei Jun to ask him questions.
Wei Jun bowed and said, “Benefactor, what can I do for you?”
Zhou Yi asked, “Do you know which cultivation technique Sir Wei relied on to dominate Yuzhou back then?”
Wei Jun’s gaze froze. He subconsciously thought that Zhou Yi might have saved the Wei family for his father’s cultivation technique inheritance, but he still answered obediently. “My father relied on an unknown incantation and a Flying Rainbow Sword Technique.”
No matter how important cultivation techniques were, they could not compare to the lives of family members. After a few more years of digging iron ore, the Wei Clan would be extinct.
Zhou Yi nodded and said, “Looks like you’re really the descendant of Sir Wei.”
“Do you want that chant?” Wei Jun recited word by word, “Men of Heaven and Earth, give birth to Yin and Yang, transform into all things…”
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After confirming that it was true, Zhou Yi waved his hand and interrupted Wei Jun’s recitation. He asked again, “Have you ever thought of revenge?”
Wei Jun first shook his head and nodded. “When Father was being chased by the Uniformed Guards, he returned home and told us that there was no need to avenge him. However, the Wei family has more than a hundred blood feuds. How can we forget them so easily!”
“If the Wei family wants revenge, don’t forget this mantra.” Zhou Yi instructed, “If the descendants of the Wei family can cultivate this technique, they will definitely be able to prosper again. If they can cultivate it to the Greater Mastery realm, there will be hope for revenge.”
“I’ll remember your advice.” Wei Jun hesitated for a moment before saying, “Benefactor, you might not know this, but I took in a foster son from the mine and he cultivated the Nameless Mantra.”
After Wei Jun’s explanation, Zhou Yi understood the reason.
The Wei family had a martial arts foundation and was much stronger than the other prisoners. They were quite famous among the mine prisoners. In order not to be bullied, some solitary prisoners joined the Wei family and gradually formed a small group. “Take this silver and redeem that adopted son in a few days.”
Zhou Yi took out the last two banknotes. “That Nameless Mantra has a mysterious origin. Since he’s already cultivated it, he shouldn’t be a slave. Remember to use your sincerity, only then will it last long.”
These words were enough to repay Wei Chang for his kindness back then!
With tears in his eyes, Wei Jun respectfully took the banknotes and kowtowed. “Thank you, benefactor. The Wei family will never forget your great kindness. In the future, if we were to forget that, the Wei family will be punished!”
The next day. Zhou Yi came to the General Assembly Stage.
Li Hong sat cross-legged on it for a day and a night, both to cultivate and to reminisce.
“It’s time to leave.” Zhou Yi said via voice transmission, “Find a blessed place on a spiritual mountain and cultivate the Origin Returning Mantra in seclusion. Your progress will be much faster.”
“Senior, I’ve decided to stay here.” Li Hong stood up and said, “Back then, Father dominated the northern border, and the younger generation should follow suit. The first step of this is to restore the prosperity of Barren City.”
Zhou Yi reminded him, “A person’s energy is limited. Don’t delay your cultivation!”
“Senior, don’t worry. I gained some enlightenment yesterday and have already refined the first wisp of magic power.”
Li Hong’s fingertips flickered with spiritual light. Even though it was almost invisible, it was a true fluctuation of dharmic powers.
1111
Zhou Yi was instantly speechless. The quality and grade of his dharmic powers were equivalent to Connate True Essence. Now, Li Hong could be said to have stepped into the Connate realm, but he could not fight.
As they spoke, the ground shook faintly. There was a faint hubbub.
Li Hong stood on the General Assembly Stage and looked into the distance. There were chaotic figures approaching from the north.
“Senior, there seems to be an army coming to Barren City!”
The army marched very quickly, or rather, fled very quickly. When they approached the city gate, they saw that there were hundreds or thousands of defeated soldiers. All of them had disheveled hair and abandoned their armor. Only half of their military flags remained.
The commander shouted, “Open the gate! Open the gate!”
The gate officer asked, “Where are you soldiers from?”
The commander replied, “I’m Liang Ying, a commander under General Chai. Half a month ago, Great Yong fought an undeclared war. More than half of Yizhou has fallen and is about to attack!”
“Don’t try to deceive me.”
The city gate guard berated, “The 300,000-strong army in the northern border is good at fighting. Five years ago, they swept through Great Yong. Could it be that some bandits are trying to trick us into opening the city gate to plunder?”
“Bullsh*t! There’s nothing in Barren City. The bandits can’t even be bothered to snatch it.”
Liang Ying shouted, “There are no 300,000 troops on the northern border. We can’t even gather 150,000 troops. We can’t stop Great Yong’s million-strong army from marching south!”
When the other soldiers saw that the city gate was not opening, they immediately started shouting “Masters from the Divine Capital only know how to make money and drink the blood of soldiers…”
“Those nobles don’t understand military affairs. They make us plant land and transport goods to build houses every day…”
“I heard that the Great Yong soldiers disguised themselves as caravans and easily infiltrated Zhenbei Pass. They broke through in a day…” “Open the door now, or we’ll attack!”
When the city guard heard this, he was so frightened that he repeatedly comforted them. He ordered the bailiff to quickly report to the county magistrate.
“The Northern routed troops…”
Zhou Yi muttered to himself. Looking at Li Hong on the General Assembly Stage, he felt that there would be a change when the two of them met.
