NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42 - Underestimating One's Enemy is a Major Taboo
Chapter 42: Underestimating One’s Enemy is a Major Taboo
As the previous county magistrates of Juhe County were either here to earn money or to “prepare the land for the new lord” like Yan Sheng, the reserves of the official grainary had barely increased over the years.
There were not even a thousand catties of food combined in the ten warehouses.
Every cellar only had a thin layer of rice. Even rats could not be bothered to visit such places.
There was too little.
Lu Zhengming stood beside Cui Heng with a helpless expression and sighed. “County Lord, this is all the food we have. We really don’t have any more supplies to help the refugees.”
Actually, there was something else he did not dare to say.
Originally, after raiding the Huang family, they should have included the taxes and food that the Huang family had not paid and stored them into the county’s coffers.
This way, the official grain warehouses would be much fuller and would not be as embarrassing as now.
However, Cui Heng ordered that all the money and food in the Huang family be distributed to the people. The county office did not take a single cent. This made Lu Zhengming, who was the county deputy, find it difficult to understand.
He could only think that this was a decision made by the County Lord because he was anxious to accumulate merit.
But now, they had to open up the warehouses to distribute food to the refugees.
Where did this food come from?
If it weren’t for the fact that the county magistrate had distributed a few hundred catties of grain to the county officials when they were distributing them, they probably wouldn’t even be able to issue the salaries.
The county magistrate was also considered a local citizen, so he naturally had land, money, and food to distribute. After obtaining a large amount of land and food, he had almost no requirements for his salary in a short period of time.
“It’s enough.” Cui Heng was still smiling. He raised his right hand and pointed at the old grains in the cellar. “Rise!”
Before he could finish his sentence, countless grains of rice and wheat flew up from the cellar and floated in the air.
Lu Zhengming was dumbfounded to see that in the sky above the cellar, green light actually lit up around the food.
These lights were full of vitality. Just looking at them made one feel as if they were bathing in a spring breeze, their minds refreshed.
The light seemed to have a life of their own. After dancing in the air for a while, they crawled into the rice and wheat grains.
In the next moment, these grains of rice and wheat sprouted out of thin air and took root in a ball of emerald light, growing rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, they grew into stalks of rice and wheat.
At this moment, the sky above the granary had already turned into a large expanse of green rice fields and wheat fields. Moreover, every single one of them was very large. One could tell at a glance that the harvest was extremely good.
“This, this, this, this…” Lu Zhengming was dumbfounded. His voice trembled, and his face was filled with disbelief. He felt that the values he had established for decades had been shattered.
Although he had long known that Cui Heng was extremely powerful and he had seen Cui Heng use some strange methods, and even felt that Cui Heng was a living Immortal who was accumulating merit and was waiting to ascend, he had never thought that such an Immortal technique existed in the world.
His past knowledge limited his imagination.
The changes in the air continued. Large swaths of green rice and wheat ears began to turn golden, and a dense fragrance filled the air.
In the blink of an eye, they all became mature.
Bang!
At this moment, Cui Heng’s sleeve moved slightly.
The rice grains and wheat stalks that filled the sky “spat out” the grains on their own. The remaining rice stalks and wheat stalks also obediently piled up in the corner of the granary.
However, these fresh grains of rice and wheat were not stored in the cellar. Instead, they continued to absorb the flickering emerald green light around them and began the process of taking root and maturing.
This cycle continued until the granary was filled with grains of rice and wheat.
Splash!
Rice and wheat rained down from the sky like a waterfall.
In the blink of an eye, the ten warehouses were filled with food. The remaining food was distributed to the empty space at the side, forming small mountains.
“Old Lu, is this food enough to help the refugees?” Cui Heng chuckled.
This was a method he had developed when he was farming in the Beginner’s Space.
He used his Dharmic powers to mobilize the wood spiritual qi in the world and used the wood spiritual vitality to nourish old grains, causing them to emit vitality and allow them to mature quickly.
aHe called it the “Golden Soil Technique”.
“Enough, enough, definitely enough!”
Lu Zhengming nodded repeatedly. His eyes were fixed on the filled warehouses and the small mountains of food. He felt dizzy, as if he was dreaming.
A massive amount of food rained down from the sky like a waterfall. He had never seen such a scene in his life. He didn’t even dare to think about it.
It was too incredible.
What was an Immortal? This was an Immortal!
“Since it’s enough, you have to handle the matters of the refugees well.” Cui Heng smiled.
“I won’t let the County Lord down!” Lu Zhengming said respectfully.
…
Dachang County.
The original county office had been occupied by the vanguard of King Yan’s army as Wang Shun’s residence and office.
The military system set by King Yan was 2,500 people as one “army”, and 25,000 people as one “branch”.
This time, they sent out a total of 50,000 people to the left and right sides of Lu County. The two branch commanders led their troops and appointed Anbei General Wang Shun as the commander-in-chief.
The name of the Left Branch Minister was Wei Cun. He was born in the army and had practiced martial arts since he was young. His aptitude was not bad, and he had already reached Marrows Purification before the age of 40. He could be considered a first-rate expert in the pugilistic world.
The Right Branch Minister was Yan Sheng. He was originally a general of the Great Jin Dynasty and came from a family of military officials. Moreover, he was extremely talented. He was already a Qi Condensation Grandmaster in his early forties.
However, because he was a surrendered general, he had never been placed in an important position. Previously, he had recommended himself to be the county magistrate of Juhe County to welcome the Supreme Master because he wanted to obtain the attention of King Yan.
However, in the end, he crippled his own cultivation and fled back in defeat, causing all his previous efforts to be in vain.
Fortunately, the Zen Master of Grand Prosperity Monastery had helped him recover his martial cultivation. Coupled with the fact that he was very familiar with Juhe County, King Yan allowed him to redeem himself by appointing him as the Right Branch Minister and let him lead an army to attack Juhe County.
However, Yan Sheng had already failed once, so he could only submit to Wei Cun, who was at the Marrows Purification realm, and be the Right Branch Minister.
At this moment, in the Dachang County office.
Wang Shun sat at the top, while Wei Cun and Yan Sheng sat on his left and right. They were discussing the strategy to attack Juhe County.
They had just received news from the spies that the county magistrate of Juhe County had actually taken in the refugees who had escaped and even opened up a warehouse to provide food for them.
“Hahaha, is this county magistrate of Juhe County crazy?” Wei Cun had a rough personality. When he heard this news, he immediately laughed out loud. “I think Juhe County will be destroyed by that county magistrate soon. In a few days, our army will definitely win!”
“Not necessarily. Although that county magistrate is young, his martial cultivation is extraordinary and his methods are unimaginable. He’s definitely not an ordinary person.” Yan Sheng shook his head and said cautiously, “I suggest we continue to send spies to investigate the details.”
“Cabinet Master Yan, I think you’re scared out of your wits by that little county magistrate.” Wei Cun sneered. “All along the way, you kept saying that that little county magistrate is extraordinary. Aren’t you just trying to find an excuse for your previous defeat?
Even if that county magistrate is not an ordinary person, he’s still a human. Under the siege of our two armies and 50,000 people, even if he’s an Immortal, he will still be chopped into meat paste by us. What are you afraid of?”
“Vulgar and boorish man, you’re underestimating the enemy!” Yan Sheng shouted in a low voice. “I’m doing this for the safety of the army and for the sake of His Majesty, the King of Yan!”
“Hur Hur, this is coming from a surrendered general of Great Jin…” Wei Cun mocked.
“Enough!” Wang Shun slapped the table to stop the argument between the two of them. He said in a low voice, “From the description of Minister Yan, the abilities of that young county magistrate are indeed unbelievable. But in the end, it’s only the strength of one person.
“In a battle between two armies, the effect of one person’s strength is negligible. It’s almost nothing. Minister Yan, don’t be overly afraid because of your previous defeat.”
“I…” Yan Sheng wanted to explain, but Wang Shun raised his hand and interrupted him.
“Let me finish.” Wang Shun frowned and said to Wei Cun, “Cabinet Lord Wei, you have your faults too. Even if our army can take Juhe County easily, you can’t let your guard down. It’s a taboo to underestimate the enemy.”
“Yes, Branch Lord.” Wei Cun nodded, but he was happy in his heart. Wang Shun seemed to be talking about the two of them, but he was actually still suppressing Yan Sheng.
“Since we’ve already decided, the two of you should stop arguing.” Wang Shun stood up and swept his gaze across the two of them. He said in a low voice, “Next, prepare the army. In five days, the army will march on Juhe!
“This Lord wants to sit in the government office of Juhe County in half a day!”