He Linghan appeared before all the soldiers wearing a red dress, which greatly surprised everyone. Many soldiers privately discussed why Ye Shikai brought his bride to the battlefield. Normally, when such things happen, officers would send people to protect their families.

"Why did General Ye bring his newlywed wife here?"

"Indeed, it’s strange. Could it be that Miss He is a hidden master?"

"Probably not. I grew up in Shangshui Village and never heard that Miss He knows martial arts."

The soldiers all discussed amongst themselves. Bringing a new bride to the battlefield was unprecedented. However, they must admit that as soon as Ye Shikai brought He Linghan here, all soldiers seemed to have taken a "calming pill", boosting their morale greatly. Since ancient times, during wars, the families of the nobility were always in the rear; even if the battlefield was fierce, the generals’ families wouldn’t be in any danger. In the end, it was always the common folk who died, as each household would see their elderly sending off the young with mourning clothes. Many soldiers saw through this point, and it is inevitable that they grumble in secret. But Ye Shikai actually brought his newlywed wife, which sent a signal to all soldiers: Look, I, as your General, am bringing my wife here, and intend to fight to the death. If I lose, my wife and I will die together. If even the General does this, what reason do the soldiers have not to fight desperately?

"Brothers, listen up! Today is my wedding day, these robbers also want to come and drink a toast at my wedding. Answer me, will you let them in?" Ye Shikai shouted as he rode on his horse.

"No."

"No."

"No."

The soldiers replied in unison. Ye Shikai was known for his intelligence, strategic thinking, and bravery, sharing hardships with his soldiers, and had multiple victories with fewer troops. Many soldiers had heard of his deeds. It can be said that Ye Shikai is a General who won the hearts of his soldiers, working together collaboratively, so there’s no worry of defeat.

"Very well, let us eat and drink our fill first. After winning, we’ll go drink and eat meat." Ye Shikai waved his hand, signaling the guards to distribute all the wine and meat to the soldiers and the young villagers present for battle.

"Ling’er, stay here when the fight starts." Ye Shikai found a safe house for He Linghan to stay in, making sure she didn’t leave.

"Okay, I’ll listen to you." He Linghan nodded and said.

"Man Cang, you bring a few brothers to stay here to protect her." Ye Shikai instructed.

"Yes, I will ensure her safety."

"Wait a moment, if Man Cang isn’t here, how will you ensure your safety?" He Linghan held onto Ye Shikai’s hand and asked.

"Don’t worry, I’m skilled in martial arts. These robbers can’t take me down. Besides, Xue San has returned; with him by my side, that’s enough." Ye Shikai comforted.

..................

"How many people do we have now?" Ye Shikai approached Luo Li and asked. Luo Li was originally guarding the grain warehouse but immediately came upon receiving Ye Shikai’s letter. Thankfully, Ye Shikai had not had a chance to deliver the grain brought and the grain gifted by Hua Liandie to the cave warehouse; otherwise, he would need to divide troops to guard it. At the moment, there were only a dozen bags of grain left in the cave warehouse, and even if they were all stolen, it didn’t matter.

"We’ve gathered the strength of several guard teams; we now have over three hundred people. Plus the Lord’s guard team, we have nearly five hundred people. With so many of our villagers helping us, there should be no problem." Luo Li replied.

"Xue San, take your squad and hide on the rooftops," Ye Shikai turned and said, "You should understand what I mean, right?"

"Rest assured, my lord, I understand." Xue San swiftly climbed onto the roof, followed by his squad who spread out and arranged themselves on the rooftop.

"Everyone listen closely, empty all the houses in East Village, leave no one here," Ye Shikai ordered.

"But... General, why is that? The terrain in East Village is higher, and directly faces the robbers. Why give it up?" Luo Li inquired, and many soldiers expressed curiosity.

"Soldiers, follow my orders without questioning."

Although Ye Shikai didn’t explain to everyone, he did have authority. Though everyone kept discussing, they had no choice but to comply.

An hour later.

East Village. A team of robbers slowly approached from afar. Some wore light armor seized from the Qin Army, but most wore civilian clothes. Their weapons were mostly dilapidated, as they were just robbers without a place to make weapons. Their spears were merely wooden sticks with iron pieces tied onto them.

"Strange, why aren’t the troops coming to stop us when we’ve come with so many people?" A burly leader stood on the slope, looking down at Shangshui Village. East Village was the village’s entrance, and not only was there no Qin Army, but there wasn’t even a single civilian, making the silence rather odd.

"Don’t worry too much, Brother. There are at least a thousand of us here. If the villagers were smart, they’d have run away long ago. As for the troops, most are just wine sacks and food bags. The leaders would rather live than fight, bullying civilians perhaps, but against us, they won’t stand a chance." A confidant beside the leader said.

"But I heard that someone in the village is getting married today, and it’s a well-known General from East County."

"Don’t worry, Brother. If these Generals were really that capable, we wouldn’t exist. In my view, it’s just a coward."

The robbers reached the village entrance, but unlike usual, there wasn’t a single person in sight. It should have been mealtime, but the chimneys of each house had no smoke, making it look like a deserted village.

"Brother, I think the troops heard we were coming and all ran away. The villagers wouldn’t dare confront us either; they must have fled to nearby villages for refuge."

"Don’t let your guard down. You take two hundred people inside and see if there’s anyone left." The leader instructed.

"Yes, Brother, come on, everyone, follow me."

In the village. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"General, according to your order, my brothers and I have hidden well. Each household nearby has our brothers lying in ambush. Also, the equipment you asked me to prepare has been placed."

"Good, Chief Luo, you’ve done well. Following the plan, head to the village blacksmith’s shop immediately. It’s the highest point in the village, offering a panoramic view of East Village."

"I accept the order," Luo Li was puzzled and asked Ye Shikai, "General, why did you leave East Village?"

"Although East Village has high terrain, the road is narrow. If the battle doesn’t go well, it’s difficult for us to retreat. On the contrary, leaving East Village to the robbers essentially uses the narrow terrain to hold them at bay."