Twilight Boundary-Chapter 582 - 573: The Momentum of the Food Protection Army

"They... they have left?"

Before Mingzhou Prefecture, a fierce wind blew through the entire battle formation. Dust and stones flew, the ghostly gods wailed, and everyone shielded their faces with their sleeves, their eyes confused and dazed.

When the wind finally stopped, and they opened their eyes again, they saw that the Hu and Meng Families had vanished as if it were all a dream.

Looking ahead at the hungry ghost army, a large number had already died, leaving only their corpses behind, bearing strange expressions—whether of repentance or calm—but none held any resentment.

Of course, not all had died; three to five hundred remained alive, but they had laid down their weapons, kneeling before the city, no longer appearing as the fierce hungry ghosts they once were.

"They..."

Yang Gong was momentarily at a loss, gazing at the spot where a peculiar heavy mace had just been standing, a spiderweb-like pit still marking the ground.

"General, it's time to enter the city."

In his confusion, Iron Mouth, standing beside him, took a deep look at the place where the noble's ceremony tent had been. Calming his emotions, he smiled at Yang Gong, saying, "It is the General's blessing."

"A strange person intervened, subduing the hungry ghosts for the General, and all the ghostly gods came to assist. It shows that the General truly is the one destined by Heaven."

"Now that the Food Protection Army has won, and Mingzhou City's gates are open, it is the perfect time for the General to enter the city!"

"..."

"Enter the city, enter the city..."

As more and more people came to their senses, voices from within the Food Protection Army began to rise in a great shout, the calls merging into a sound like crashing waves, surging and echoing.

"Good..."

Yang Gong was still filled with confusion and puzzlement. Previously, as a disciple of the Red Lantern Lady, he had considered himself a man of the Path. However, his level was not high, and he had never witnessed such high-level Strange Skill dharma methods. Now his eyes had been truly opened. Naturally, a sense of reverence for these various arts welled up within him. He felt a bit uneasy at first, but then he remembered the identity of that noble person, and his heart was instantly at ease. Lowering his head, he gently caressed his treasure sword, now stained with a trace of blood, then swiftly sheathed it. He took a deep breath and shouted, "Men, enter the city!"

Now the gates of Mingzhou City stood wide open, as if specifically welcoming Yang Gong.

That Iron Mouth Think Tank also rode beside Yang Gong, saying, "Hungry ghosts are burdened with sins and cannot be pardoned. But since they voluntarily went to their deaths to atone for their sins, there's no need to make things harder for them." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Later, General, arrange for their bodies to be collected and buried in a chosen place. As for those remaining hungry ghosts, their ghost qi is not so heavy; presumably, they haven't eaten people, or did so involuntarily. Thus, they need not be killed either. Prepare some rice broth for them, let them recover their strength, and in the future, they can atone for their sins by serving you. For now, we must see what the nobles in the city will do."

"Our Food Protection Army defeated the hungry ghost army fair and square on the battlefield. We should enter the city openly and honorably. Let's see if they dare to stop us!"

"..."

Not only did he think this, but even the worshippers and Shopkeepers in the Red Lantern Society felt a twinge of unease.

The Red Lantern Society had long been infamous, known as one of Mingzhou's scourges, its influence seemingly unmatched. However, they knew that the Red Lantern Society was hardly the place with the most experts or the greatest abilities.

In the city, whether it was the government or those nobles, they all maintained private soldiers and supported some men dao yiren; they merely refrained from causing trouble under normal circumstances.

Now, although the Food Protection Army had defeated the hungry ghosts—who were outsiders—would these city powers allow this army to enter?

If they refused, perhaps another battle would ensue!

However, upon entering the city, they saw not a single person daring to obstruct them. Only then did they realize the situation had changed.

In Mingzhou City, there were certainly aristocratic families and nobles.

But in this small Mingzhou, all the so-called nobles, even put together, were not worth one of the Hu Family noble's toes.

And during the battle against the hungry ghost army, that Hu Family noble had first publicly praised the Food Protection General for having bested the hungry ghost army, and then borrowed the Food Protection General's sword to slay the Heavenly Destiny General.

Was such a sword lent casually?

Only to one's own people would someone lend their sword. So, any discerning person understood that the Zhensui Mansion borrowing the Food Protection General's sword was a clear statement of their stance.

Given this, who else in Mingzhou City would dare block the Food Protection General's path?

Consequently, Yang Gong indeed led his thousand personal soldiers into Mingzhou City. The main army, however, camped outside the city to avoid disturbing the populace, following the Iron Mouth Think Tank's advice.

After entering the city, he went to the government building, distributed rewards for merit, met with officials, sealed the granaries, and posted notices throughout the city to reassure the public.

Among these events, the most symbolic act was hoisting a red lantern high above the main gate of Mingzhou City, with the Food Protection General personally leading the incense-burning.

All the tasks at hand were naturally overwhelming for Yang Gong to handle alone. However, with many strange people around, everything was handled meticulously, one by one. First, they entered the government building and hung the red lantern. Then, they distributed rewards and hosted a banquet for the White Armor Army that had come from Shima Town to assist, with both sides pledging to prioritize righteousness, maintain communication, and advance or retreat together.

It was only during the banquet that Yang Gong noticed many who had contributed significantly and performed great deeds during the battle against the hungry ghost army had quietly departed.

He knew these strange people were not there for his sake; the small Food Protection Army could not retain such individuals. He could only offer his thanks from afar.

In truth, it wasn't just these strange people; even the ten thousand soldiers of the Food Protection Army would not all remain by his side. Many would soon return to their respective villages and strongholds.

By the time all matters were settled, two days had passed. Only then did the various nobles of the city, who had been waiting anxiously, come bearing lavish gifts to pay their respects.

Normally, any force entering Mingzhou City would first consult with them. After all, their status was esteemed, their faces well-known; they were the foremost figures in Mingzhou City. But this time, their influence was useless before the Food Protection Army. The rewards distributed by the Food Protection Army had rarely reached them, so they could only wait.

When they were finally granted a formal audience with the Food Protection General, these nobles, young and old, entered and immediately performed a kowtow, proclaiming, "King of Food Protection, may you reign supreme! The people of Mingzhou are truly blessed!"

They've submitted! They're willing to call this Food Protection General the King of Food Protection; that's granting him the title.

The disciples of the Not Eating Beef faction, hearing this commotion, all sighed inwardly. They felt that this major event had come to pass, and Not Eating Beef had once again propped up a grasshead king.

It's just that this title isn't very grand. 'Food Protection,' 'Food Protection'... it might not be imposing enough. We'll have to think carefully about what kind of kingly title would be better.

However, unexpectedly, upon hearing the address from below, Yang Gong, facing these nobles, showed no leniency in his expression and retorted sharply, "I am not any kind of king. Do not use such titles carelessly."

"I am originally from a mountain family. I simply couldn't bear to see the common people robbed of their last grain of food and starve to death. That's why I led people out of the mountains—only to protect the livelihood of Mingzhou's people. You should all carry on as you see fit and not rush to place this grand hat on my head. Now I see you all bringing me jewels, gold, silver, cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs. What use are these things?"

"These jewels, gold, and silver—if you offer them to those who are starving to death, would they even look at them?"

"These cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs—even if I stuffed my belly until it burst, I couldn't eat them all. But what about the common folk still starving in the mountains?"

"Bring something practical!"

"If you truly wish to please me, you would do better to bring out more grain. Distribute congee for disaster relief, ensure that your neighbors and fellow people do not starve before next year's harvest. Then, I will acknowledge your goodwill!"

"..."

"..."

Seeing his firm attitude, the nobles could only nod in agreement. When the notices were posted, cheers erupted throughout the area once more.

"He seems rather different from the previous grasshead kings, doesn't he?"

After observing for several days, Yang Gong's firm stance was clear. He refused titles and favors from the nobles and did not hastily bestow positions or ranks. Even the disciples of the Not Eating Beef faction found this peculiar. Although they had engaged in similar undertakings before, they had always ended up dealing with, and even being co-opted by, these nobles.

But this Food Protection Army... had it actually managed to hold out?

Even with their twenty years of experience in fomenting rebellion, they couldn't precisely pinpoint what made this situation different.

The Sect Hierarch is truly the Sect Hierarch...

Immortal Miaoshan, who had spent the past few days in the army managing supply accounts, having no interest in fighting, felt that the Food Protection Army's momentum had surged magnificently. She shook her head, full of admiration.

"The Think Tank is indeed formidable," the Bean Official beside her, who always gushed with praise for the Think Tank, said. "Little Douguan feels like kowtowing deeply the moment he sees him... But, Aunt, I don't think you've truly understood where the Think Tank's brilliance lies!"

Immortal Miaoshan immediately became displeased and glared at him. "I was the one who introduced the Sect Hierarch into our faction; I chose him. If I don't understand, do you?"

"The Bean Official isn't clever," the Bean Official quickly said. "I only passed the imperial examination at the age of ten, and I died before I could even take up an official post. Of course, I can't compare to you, Aunt."

"But observing the Think Tank's methods, I find them incredibly profound."

"We also rebelled in Shima Town. Our other uncles and elders worked hard, but what was the biggest headache?"

"It was that no matter how much preparation you made for this grand affair, no matter how much effort you expended, once someone was proclaimed king, you'd find yourself surrounded by nobles."

"Fighting for the realm, fighting for the realm—no matter how you fight, who wins or loses—it always ends with partnering with the nobles to rule that realm. However, Mingzhou is unique."

"Those people initially used the nobles' banners to coax them into contributing money and manpower, but it all turned into a farce."

"Now, the Food Protection Army has entered the city through its own prowess. Those nobles have no face left. If they want to cozy up to the Food Protection General now, it won't be so easy!"

"This way, when matters arise in the future, fewer people will dare to interfere when the Food Protection General speaks..."

"..."

Immortal Miaoshan listened for a long time but didn't understand. She just pouted and said, "You're as small as a green bean; what do you understand? Don't ramble nonsense in front of others in the future, lest I be looked down upon because of you..."

The Bean Official quickly said, "Absolutely right, absolutely right! Next time I see the Think Tank, I'll just kowtow and say nothing else foolish!"

"It's just that the Bean Official is curious. I always feel the Think Tank's grand moves are not just for the Food Protection Army. I fear there are even harsher measures to come..."

"But that probably won't be about convincing the living; rather, it will be about making those ghostly gods submit..."