The Demon Lords-Chapter 680 - 132: Praising General Zheng_2

Hearing this, Zheng Fan nodded and, taking over the conversation, continued, "Furthermore, heading north has another advantage. The wild people are continuously transporting the things they've plundered back to the Snow Plains, aren't they? Let's make them work for us by intercepting their loot."

When it came to plundering, very few were more professional than the wild people. Because there was a Sword Saint in their group, and because the Yan Emperor aimed to rule this place rather than utterly destroy it, Zheng Fan had to maintain a respectable appearance even when he wanted to loot. But the wild people were different; they would strip the land bare down to three feet, and were even said to have exhumed tombs.

If they could seize these treasures, Shengle wouldn't have to worry about financial crises for a long time to come.

Once the accumulated loot reached a certain amount, they could find a place to bury and hide it. With Xue Three, the master of mechanisms, in their ranks, plus Liang Cheng—the great zombie who was often buried himself—their ability to hide things was definitely top-notch.

Even skilled treasure hunters like the Mojin Xiaowei would find it extremely difficult to locate their hidden caches.

Of course, all of this was predicated on Yan State ultimately defeating the wild people and reclaiming the entirety of Jin land. Yet, Zheng Fan firmly believed that with Lord Jingnan as commander-in-chief, they were sure to win this war.

Heading north, there was a high probability they would encounter the wild people's army. If they attacked the wild people from behind, their reaction would undoubtedly be extreme.

But, as the saying goes, 'nothing ventured, nothing gained.' Most who make great fortunes must first risk their lives.

However, Zheng Fan still suggested, "Let's stay in Fengxin City for three days. This will allow our troops to rest and also give us a chance to observe the Chu people's reaction."

"My lord is wise."

"Alright, that's settled then. But inform Xue Three that he can start moving. He should head north to scout and expand our field of vision."

"Understood."

Zheng Fan heaved a long sigh and said slowly, "Although we've decided on a route, I still feel a bit uneasy. Aren't we being too reckless?"

"We don't have much to lose. Even if we truly suffer a defeat, we can make a comeback. My lord, you don't need to worry. Just treat it as a game. To put it bluntly, even if Yan State itself is destroyed, we can still lay down our arms and return to civilian life. If worst comes to worst, we'll just open another inn."

"Haha, you know, sometimes I really think that if I had continued running the inn in Hutou City, life might not have been as exciting as it is now, but it would have offered a certain tranquility."

"But we might have already died in the conscript labor camp by now."

That sentence shattered his reminiscent mood. Zheng Fan nodded and said thoughtfully, "Indeed."

Seeing Zheng Fan fall silent, Liang Cheng turned to leave, but Zheng Fan spoke again, "A Cheng, from now on, it's all up to you."

Liang Cheng was slightly taken aback. He turned back to look at Zheng Fan and asked, "My lord, what do you mean by that?"

"I don't believe you are inferior to Tian Wujing, whether in personal strength or in leading troops."

This was the truth. Every demon king possessed terrifying potential. Liang Cheng was not inferior to Tian Wujing; the difference lay with their respective lords. Lord Jingnan was under the Yan State and the Yan Emperor, while Liang Cheng was under Shengle and Zheng Fan. In terms of strength, Liang Cheng had yet to fully recover his, still limited by his connection to me. So, in short, the disparity between Liang Cheng and Lord Jingnan was the fact that his own lord, myself, was madly dragging him down.

Liang Cheng nodded.

"A Cheng, these are all the troops we have right now. Let's stick to the old rules: you decide how we fight. The 'hype' and 'packaging' I mentioned earlier are secondary; what truly matters is achieving solid victories to speak for us. A hundred years ago, the first Earl of North Border won his fame in a single battle. There's no reason we can't do the same."

Liang Cheng smiled and said, "Rest assured, my lord. Ten thousand cavalry are enough to accomplish many things."

Zheng Fan walked up to Liang Cheng and, out of habit, reached out to pat his shoulder. "It's just as you told me. Don't be afraid of losing our entire foundation. If we lose it, we'll earn it back. We work so hard to make money, isn't it precisely so we can be bold when it truly matters?"

"I understand, my lord."

...

"Burn all the grain and fodder!" Jin Shuke commanded his subordinates.

They had just routed a small contingent of Cheng State rebels who had been plundering in the east and were returning. Unfortunately for these rebels, their luck was abysmal. They failed to meet up with their comrades who had previously fled Fengxin City. Instead, they foolishly hurried towards Fengxin City, only to be shattered by a charge from Jin Shuke and his two hundred cavalrymen.

They couldn't be bothered to pursue the fleeing enemy, but the food these rebels had gathered had to be destroyed.

Fengxin City's granary had received similar treatment. To satisfy the consumption needs of the 'minor court,' Situ Yi's rebel troops had wreaked considerable havoc in the surrounding areas. After all, they were bandits; if they wanted to feast on meat and wine, extensive raiding and looting were necessary.

The granaries actually held a substantial amount of grain. However, grain was different from treasure. Treasure could be easily stored and hidden, but grain was problematic. Since the Shengle army needed to move, they took only what grain and fodder they could carry and burned the rest.

Cavalry units were also dispatched to break into nearby forts around Fengxin and burn their stored grain. They did everything possible to create a food shortage in the region.

In fact, all of this was done without the Sword Saint's knowledge. However, the Sword Saint seemed to have anticipated this, as Zheng Fan had given him a heads-up beforehand. Consequently, during this time, he remained in his tent within the camp, meditating to recover his strength, and did not venture out.