Liu Changfu was directly driven out of the domain of Yuzhou under Shen Feng's command. When he was heading to Yuzhou, everyone in Yuzhou tried their best to satisfy his requests, as many people did not want to strain their relationship with Jiucheng. However, at this moment, the City Lord had already spoken, stating that he did not wish for this person to remain in Yuzhou. Therefore, his subordinates no longer needed to hold back. They directly put Liu Changfu into a cart, sent him to Jiangyang, and then kicked him out, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
As Liu Changfu got up from the ground, he roared, "You will all regret treating me like this today."
After speaking, Liu Changfu walked towards Jiucheng. The two soldiers responsible for escorting him said dismissively, "Regret? I'd like to see who regrets it in the end."
When Liu Changfu arrived near Jiucheng, his heart sank. Previously, Liu Changfu had planned to lead the 200,000 people of Jiucheng to attack Jiangyang. However, after seeing the situation around Jiucheng, he was stunned. Disaster victims were emerging from the collapsed city walls, carrying baskets, preparing to dig for wild vegetables in the fields.
The number of starving people was even greater than before, but now with the heavy snowfall, the ground was covered in snow. Digging for wild vegetables had become significantly more difficult. Jiucheng had no more food.
However, at this moment, Liu Changfu still had a sliver of hope. He knew that many leaders of Jiucheng had not only sent envoys to Yuzhou requesting submission, but had also sent envoys in all four directions – east, west, north, and south. Especially the envoy to the north, who had gone directly to Rongcheng to request submission. Rongcheng was directly under the headquarters, so even if other regional powers did not support Jiucheng, Rongcheng definitely would.
Xu Xing left directly after completing her mission, and Li Yiqiang from Gangcheng also returned to Gangcheng by boat with his dozen or so subordinates. For a time, Jiucheng was without a leader. The rebel army eventually elected over a dozen leaders to decide all matters for Jiucheng.
Liu Changfu was the quickest to return among the envoys. When the leaders heard of Liu Changfu's return, they immediately convened a meeting, wanting to know if Liu Changfu had brought good news from Yuzhou.
"Liu Changfu, you've returned from Yuzhou. What did Lord Fengshen say?" In the main hall, several leaders began to inquire immediately, clearly wanting to know Yuzhou's attitude at this moment.
However, Liu Changfu, having been humiliated yesterday and then bound to a cart and subjected to severe jolts on his way back, was already full of grievances. Now, being questioned by the numerous leaders, he immediately began to speak ill of Yuzhou, completely omitting his own actions.
"Esteemed leaders, I was driven back by Shen Feng of Yuzhou. Shen Feng is truly too arrogant. After hearing our three demands, he directly cursed me out and then sent me back, saying many unpleasant things," Liu Changfu said earnestly.
Upon hearing this, the leaders were also somewhat angered and then asked, "What did Shen Feng say?"
Liu Changfu then began to embellish: "Leaders, listen to me. Shen Feng's arrogance is immense. He did not agree to our three conditions at all. He even said that Xu Xing is just an ordinary ability user under him, and with just a word, he could even have Xu Xing warm his bed. Our conditions are completely wishful thinking. If you want to join us, then kneel on the ground and beg for his arrival."
When Liu Changfu finished speaking, it immediately provoked the anger of the leaders. The reason was simple: Xu Xing had led a group of disaster victims to defeat a vicious enemy and achieved victory. Now, in Shen Feng's words, Xu Xing had become a bed warmer. This was an insult to their idol in their hearts.
Furthermore, asking them to kneel to welcome Shen Feng's arrival – what about their dignity?
"Shen Feng is too arrogant. How dare he say such things? He's practically ignoring us. Since he's so arrogant, let Shen Feng wait. We will definitely show Shen Feng some color in the future."
"That's right, especially Shen Feng insulting the honor of Xian Xian. It's too much. You know Xian Xian is our savior. How can he be so arrogant? We will not agree."
"Yes, absolutely cannot agree. Shen Feng is just a bit lucky to have become an ability user, and yet he is so ruthless to his subordinates. He must be a cruel fellow."
It must be said that Liu Changfu was incapable of achieving anything but was very good at ruining things. It was difficult for him to accomplish anything, as he was previously just a worker on a factory assembly line and didn't understand much. However, doing bad things was very simple, because to provoke a group of people, one only needed to say the opposite of what they thought. This would naturally make them angry.
Seeing that the leaders had become agitated, Liu Changfu immediately struck while the iron was hot and said, "Shen Feng and his subordinates are too arrogant. Let's go attack Jiangyang. Jiangyang City is not much larger than our Jiucheng. As long as we take Jiangyang, we can teach Shen Feng a lesson."
Liu Changfu felt that he had been looked down upon in Yuzhou, so at this moment, he wanted to immediately retaliate against Shen Feng. Attacking Jiangyang was a very good decision.
However, after Liu Changfu finished speaking, the leaders immediately showed expressions as if they were looking at a monster. Their eyes were filled with pity as they looked at Liu Changfu, as if they were pitying a fool.
At this moment, one leader directly said, "Liu Changfu, I know you like to brag, but I didn't expect you to be so skilled at bragging. You even mentioned attacking Jiangyang. If you had a little brain, you wouldn't have made such a suggestion."
Liu Changfu was very confused and asked, "What do you mean? Didn't our fifty thousand people already take Jiucheng? And it only took two days. I see Jiangyang's city walls are only twelve meters high, and we can definitely take it."
"Guards, take this fool away. Stop wasting time with this fool. From now on, we will wait for the answers from other directions," a leader waved his hand, ordering someone to take the fool away.
Even before leaving, Liu Changfu still didn't understand where he had gone wrong. He had always been considering Jiucheng, so why didn't the leaders listen to his advice? "Listen to me, attacking Jiangyang is our best way out. Jiangyang has food now. As long as we capture Jiangyang, we can survive this winter."
The leaders sat in the palace hall. Although they were listening to Liu Changfu's arrogant words, they dared not ponder deeply into what Liu Changfu was saying, because taking Jiangyang was clearly impossible. Not to mention anything else, how could they attack twelve-meter-high city walls?
Now everyone was doubting whether sending someone like Liu Changfu to Yuzhou was the right decision. He had no self-awareness at all. That's right, Jiucheng was broken through by everyone's combined efforts, but the one who destroyed the city walls was none other than Xu Xing. Xu Xing was already gone. Even if they reached the city walls of Jiangyang, how would they cross them? Even the siege of thirty thousand zombies back then couldn't break the city walls. Now, Jiangyang also had Li Xiang, an ability user, stationed there. How could they attack even if they reached Jiangyang?
Not to mention that at this moment, Jiucheng had completely run out of food. Under such circumstances, traveling to Jiangyang would be very difficult. The road was tens of kilometers long. Even if they only walked ten kilometers a day, they would arrive in a few days. But who would solve the food problem during this period? Without food, who would be willing to leave Jiucheng?
A day later, the envoy who had been sent to the south returned. It was said that their respected Xian Xian had also gone to Zhaotong in the south. If Xian Xian could be found in Zhaotong, then Jiucheng would definitely receive help. After all, Xian Xian had previously brought back five hundred tons of grain. Although it was mostly cornmeal, as long as it was edible, there was no reason to be picky now.
However, the envoy finally returned in tears, saying, "We couldn't enter Zhaotong. Soldiers were guarding all the roads. We couldn't get through. We were driven back."
For Jiucheng, it was another piece of bad news. Support from the south was also unavailable.
Next, the leaders placed their hopes on Rongcheng in the north. Rongcheng would definitely support them. The headquarters would certainly not stand idly by.
Three more days passed, and Jiucheng had completely run out of edible items. The five hundred tons of grain brought by Xu Xing had also been consumed. Now, even the rebel army had to go out of the city to dig for wild vegetables. But in the wild, even mouse holes had been dug empty, let alone wild vegetables, not even wild grass could be found! Everything edible had been eaten.
Under these circumstances, the envoy who had gone to Rongcheng finally returned. He excitedly found the dozen or so leaders and said excitedly, "Rongcheng said they will support us. Moreover, I also met the highest leader of Rongcheng. General Xie told us that as soon as spring arrives, they will immediately send the grain."
However, after receiving this answer, the leaders were completely despairing. Let alone holding on until spring, they couldn't even hold on for another week. How could they hold on until winter? But even this news was the only good news so far. As for the envoy who went west, he had not returned yet. It was unknown if he had been eaten by wolves in the mountains.
However, the envoy who went north did not return with no news. At this time, the envoy earnestly said to the leaders, "Esteemed leaders, while I was waiting for the reply in Rongcheng, I also heard about another matter, which is that Yuzhou sent a telegram."
"What telegram?" The leaders were all stunned, not knowing what had happened.
The envoy quickly whispered, "Yuzhou said that our Jiucheng sent an impudent person who was arrogant and presumptuous during his stay in Yuzhou, and publicly reprimanded Lord Fengshen, threatening that Yuzhou would send troops to attack Jiangyang. Therefore, Yuzhou will not forgive Jiucheng's impudent behavior in a short period of time."
After the envoy said this, the leaders immediately felt deceived. This was because the envoy who went to Yuzhou was Liu Changfu, and the answer he reported upon his return was completely different. If the telegram issued by Yuzhou was true, then it could only mean one thing: Liu Changfu had lied. Not only had he done a bad job, but he had also worsened the relationship between Jiucheng and Yuzhou.
"Where is Liu Changfu? Hurry up and arrest him!" The leaders shouted angrily. He had pushed Yuzhou, which might have accepted their submission, to the opposite side. Liu Changfu was truly guilty of heinous crimes.
When Liu Changfu was caught, under the confrontation of the envoy, he still did not admit his mistake. Instead, he argued logically, "I did nothing wrong. In negotiations, the attitude must be firm, otherwise, how can we gain an advantage? Moreover, we still have strength now. As long as we attack Jiangyang..."