The next day.
Wen Zhong summoned all the officials of Linhuan Pass, including Li Zheng, clan elders, township chiefs, etc. very early in the morning, and told them openly and honestly that the Dashan army was about to attack the city.
After hearing this, everyone was shocked and angry.
What followed was deep fear and fear.
Their total population in Linhuan Pass is only 500,000 or 600,000. Except for the security team that is used to prevent bandits and wild beasts with barely any combat effectiveness, they have almost no military strength.
Facing the menacing army of 300,000 men, what could they do to resist?
But if they don't resist, won't they be taken back as slaves and work so hard that in the end they won't even have enough to eat, won't be warm enough to wear, won't be able to sleep well, and will have to worry about being used as sacrifices? Offerings to ancestral gods.
"City Lord, what should we do?"
Everyone looked at Wen Zhong eagerly, hoping that he would find a way to save everyone, just like he always did.
But this time, Wen Zhong shook his head, looked at them and said solemnly: "The answer is very simple, it is to use our own hands to pick up weapons to defend our homeland!"
Hearing this, everyone present became uneasy.
"But we don't have an army, so how can we guard it? Do we need to rely on the security team?"
"That's an army of 300,000 people, and our security team isn't even enough to fill their teeth!"
"City Lord, do you have any other ideas?"
"..."
Wen Zhong took in everyone's reactions and said in a deep voice: "Before giving up, think about what kind of life you want to live? Think about what kind of life your children will live.
Live and work in peace and contentment, or live in precarious life?
To be free or to act like a cow and a horse?
These will all be decided by you!
You can choose to surrender and obediently return to the rule of Dashang and continue to be slaves, or you can choose to take up arms and fight for yourself and your descendants to continue to live a happy life of food, clothing, shelter and contentment! ! ! "
After hearing Wen Zhong's loud words, everyone in the meeting hall fell silent.
Yu Yuan, who was silently watching this scene from a distance, nodded secretly, thinking that the three-eyed boy with a sense of justice in the past had finally grown into a real leader.
"I don't want to be a slave anymore!"
I don’t know who it was, but a slightly suppressed but actually excited shout came out from the crowd.
Immediately afterwards, more and more voices echoed through the hall.
"That's right! It wasn't until I came to Linhuan Pass that I realized that this is how people live! Get away as far as the slave life in the past!"
"They want to capture us and take us back as slaves, so we will take up arms and fight with them!"
"Isn't that right? I have six children. Here they can eat and drink without having to work, and they can also learn knowledge. If they are captured and taken back as slaves, my six children will probably die in the mines! "
"I just married a mother-in-law, and I'm going to have a litter of big, fat boys in the future. I don't want my future children to be sacrificed to those gods after they are born!"
"Everyone pick up your weapons and fight them!"
"It's not just an army of 300,000 people. We at Linhuan Pass have 600,000 people!"
"There's nothing to be afraid of. Instead of dying from exhaustion in the mine, it's better to fight them now!"
"..."
Accompanied by impassioned roars, everyone in the entire meeting hall seemed to have united their minds to share the same hatred and fight for death!
It’s okay if they have never been to Linhuan Pass, but they have lived in Linhuan Pass!
Through their own efforts, they successfully lived a happy life with ample food and clothing.
But not long after, Dashang now wanted to capture them as slaves. This was naturally something they found difficult to accept.
After Wen Zhong pointed out this point, most people present put their worries behind and expressed their willingness to fight to protect Linhuan Pass!
Many people even swore on the spot that they were willing to fight to the last moment to defend Linhuan Pass.
Wen Zhong was very satisfied with the enthusiastic response from the scene.
However, he was not carried away by this blind atmosphere, nor was he so carried away that he ignored the gap in hard power between the enemy and ourselves.
He didn't think that he could defeat an army of 300,000 with this morale alone.
After setting that ambitious goal, he became calmer and more cautious.
Next, Wen Zhong followed Yu Yuan's suggestion, using the original security team as the core, selected strong laborers to form an army of 50,000, and divided it into four armies for rigorous training.
The people in Linhuan Pass are mainly composed of slaves who opened up wasteland. Most of them are young and strong, and they are the most able to endure hardships and stand hard work. If they are organized and trained diligently, they will not be completely devoid of combat effectiveness.
Moreover, Yu Yuan had considered this situation a long time ago and asked Wen Zhong to build a steel-making blast furnace early.
In the past, these blast furnaces were used to make agricultural tools such as sickles, plows, axes, saws, and shovels. Now they can be used to make weapons such as swords, guns, swords, and halberds.
What we have to do now is to organize the army as soon as possible, give them weapons, and train them to form a certain combat effectiveness in the shortest possible time.
At least it must be able to rely on the city for defense.
While Wen Zhong was carrying out military training intensively, Bai Ling delivered a message through the bronze mirror.
The commander of Dashang's 300,000-strong army was the invincible Wucheng King Huang Feihu.
Yu Yuan had heard of this name, but he didn't take it to heart. What really caught his attention were the four lieutenants under Huang Feihu - Mo Liqing, Mo Lihai and other four brothers from the Demon Family!
Each of them has the Taoist behavior of Taiyi Golden Immortal, and they also possess the Qingfeng Sword, Jasper Pipa and other spiritual treasures given by the leader of Tongtian Cult. Their power is extraordinary. Even the ordinary Daluo Golden Immortal can kill them even if they are not careful. .
Thinking of this, Yu Yuan couldn't help but feel a little depressed.
Because the four brothers of the Demon Family are also disciples of the Jie Jiao just like him, and they are also the elite among the Jie Jiao's disciples. If a fight breaks out, wouldn't it become an internal fight among the Jie Jiao?
How can we be ridiculed by those people from the Chan and Western religions?
Considering this, Yu Yuan quickly contacted Zhao Gongming through the sound transmission orb, and then asked him to contact the four generals of the Demon Family, wanting to discuss with them.
But I didn't expect that when the four generals of the Demon Family heard that it was him, Yu Yuan, they cursed him directly, saying that he, an extraterrestrial demon, was deceiving the public with his lies and was planning to build Linhuan Pass just to split the Jie Sect.
After that, they even announced that they wanted to eradicate Linhuan Pass this time, so that Yu Yuan and Wen Zhong, the two senior brothers, would know each other and return to Penglai obediently. If they were to run into each other, don't blame them for not thinking about being in the same sect. Feelings.
It seems that this internal fight is inevitable.
Yu Yuan sighed.
But he also knew that the plate would be too big for Jie Jiao Wanxian to come to court.
Therefore, it is impossible to want all the sounds below to be unified.
Now that the Tongtian Cult Master is no longer around, he has once again gained the reputation of an "extraterrestrial demon". This is when those different voices are most active.
Faced with this situation, Yu Yuan could only think of one way.
That's a fight!
If anyone is not convinced, beat them until they are convinced!
…
Dashang's army arrived much faster than Wen Zhong expected, and it also exceeded Yu Yuan's expectation!
These soldiers of the great merchants were not ordinary mortals.
After training, they can use some superficial Taoist skills, and can also create some exquisite formations, and can travel thousands of miles in a day.
In the evening of this day, Long Ji, who volunteered to go to inquire about the enemy's situation, hurried back on Qingluan.
Yu Yuan learned from her that a vanguard force of more than 100,000 people had arrived at Zhenhuaiguan, a thousand miles away, and was setting up camp on the bank of the Huai River.
The vanguard officer who led the troops was named Ying, and his given name was Wei Lai.
Yu Yuan sounded familiar with this name, and vaguely recalled that this person was the legendary "Ancient Evil". According to legend, he was extremely brave and could fight rhinos, bears, and tigers when he was young. Therefore, he won the favor of Emperor Shang. Xin's favor.
Unexpectedly, he was sent to be the vanguard officer this time.
By the next day, the remaining troops of Dashang had also arrived at Zhenhuaiguan.
Yu Yuan, Wen Zhong and Long Ji took their respective mounts to the sky for inspection, and sure enough they saw flags fluttering thousands of miles away, and tents blooming on the edge of the Huai River like white clouds falling to the ground.
The officers and soldiers of the great merchants were all high-spirited and energetic, and they did not feel tired at all from the long journey.
Seeing their strong soldiers and horses, Wen Zhong's heart suddenly sank.
Compared with this army of the Shang Dynasty, which had strict orders and prohibitions, the army they had hastily assembled at Huanhuan Pass was like playing house, chaotic, weak, and without any energy.
While they were watching, a golden light rose into the sky from the camp and arrived in front of the three of them in the blink of an eye.
The golden light dispersed, and dozens of figures emerged from it.
The leader was a middle-aged man riding a five-color sacred bull. He was wearing golden armor and holding a reed gun. He had a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, and looked majestic.
"I am Huang Feihu, King Wucheng of the Great Shang Dynasty. Who among you is Wen Zhong?"
Wen Zhong took a deep breath, rode two steps forward on the auspicious beast Dangkang, and said in a deep voice: "I am Wen Zhong, I wonder what King Wucheng has to say?"
Huang Feihu frowned slightly and glanced to the side, "Nian!"
A side general immediately took out a roll of silk from his arms, opened it and read: "The commander-in-chief of Linhuan Pass heard that Zhong had made great achievements in opening up wasteland. From now on, he was granted the title of Uncle Wu Wei, with a settlement of 2,000 households! In addition, he was transferred to the imperial court. Lieutenant General Ge Yulin will take office immediately, without any mistakes!"
Upon hearing this decree, Wen Zhong was stunned.
He is not a fool. Naturally, he can tell that this decree that rises and falls secretly is actually a plan to draw out the firepower. It is to let him return to Chaoge as a powerless lieutenant, and see this great opportunity under his nose. Linhuan Pass was handed over to others.
If he refuses to obey the order, the 300,000-strong army will have an excuse to march directly to Linhuan Pass and capture him and bring him back to Chaoge for interrogation!
"General Wen."
Huang Feihu looked at Wen Zhong with a meaningful smile on his face, "This is the king's order. Why don't you quickly accept the order and thank me?"
Wen Zhong glanced at Yu Yuan, who smiled at him, which immediately boosted his courage. He looked directly at Huang Feihu and said, "What are you doing to fool children with these dirty tricks?
Don’t you just see my prosperous Linhuan Pass and want to take it for yourself?
If you want to fight, just come over here! "
(End of chapter)
