Chapter 964: Chapter 8: Li Guanyi’s Elite Legion
The main force is resting here, while Changsun Wuchou has already taken the land deed to that town. This kind of thing doesn’t require Li Guanyi to do it himself anymore. Moreover, before joining the Qilin Army, Changsun Wuchou was a traveling merchant, stirring up the winds in the Western Regions.
The eagle circled in the sky, emitting a series of loud eagle calls.
Pan Wanxiu confirmed the structure of this town.
“The city wall is one zhang high, with a rammed earth and brick structure. Rather than for defense against attacks, it’s more to prevent desert sandstorms and wolf packs. The houses inside are not tall, generally only one story, and the surrounding terrain is not sandy but rather wasteland.”
“Yet, there’s a river that flows through and a small oasis.”
“Utilizing this oasis to cultivate grains, planting Western wheat with plenty of fruits, ordinary cattle and sheep farming, and the population isn’t much.”
Gongsun Huaizhi scratched his white hair and said, “The city defense is very poor, almost nonexistent. Such a low wall with neither turning crossbow machines nor repeating crossbow machines. This wide rammed earth wall can be pierced directly by a siege crossbow.”
“But it’s a pity, that thing is too big.”
“The Ancient Red Dragon refuses to cooperate, impossible to bring it over.”
He was still troubled by the Ancient Red Dragon’s reluctance to bring over more machines, and Li Guanyi smiled, pondering how to settle the people in this city, which was indeed a vexing issue—
Along the journey, they passed different cities.
Partly for resupply, partly for investigation.
He and Fan Qing would enter different cities.
And in the city-states of the Western Regions in this era, there was a ‘feature’ distinct from the Central Plains, which had to be experienced—
Slave market.
People wearing nothing but ragged cloth, curled up in cages for sale, with cattle and sheep beside them. Every time Fan Qing and Li Guanyi passed through a city, they would bring out many people from slums and slave markets.
Huyan brought military funds to the frontlines of the Huyan Army.
Almost spent like flowing water.
The financial situation of Marquis Qin Wu worsened day by day.
By the time they arrived at the small town, the population exceeded ten thousand, cattle and sheep numbered in the thousands.
Gold had only three left.
Right, only Huyan’s ornate golden curved saber remained.
Everything else was gone.
Li Guanyi looked at the sky, speechless.
He really wanted to grab that Martial World’s top beauty’s collar, shake it hard and question her — no, Nangong!
Are you serious?
Thirty years of fortune!
Li Guanyi pressed his lips, turned around, saw sunburned men guarding him, and as he glanced over, they showed a blend of awe and respect in their smiles—
Perhaps the heroes of the Western Regions were all going along with the momentum of the Buddhist Sect to deceive the people.
People of this era in the Western Regions were extremely superstitious.
Central Plains people emphasized universal beliefs. In households, the Buddhist Bodhisattva and the Taoist deities were displayed together, with the central figure naturally being the [Great Merciful and Great Compassionate God of Wealth who rescues the suffering].
Believe a bit in everything.
Left eye twitch means fortune, ancestral practices must not change, fortune means fortune.
Right eye twitch means disaster?
I don’t care about that.
The people of the Western Regions, long oppressed and enslaved, were filled with tales of the gods and Buddha. Li Guanyi, also called Tian Ge’er, was a legend every trampling boy would tell his sister.
And the elders of the Batuer Tribe spread the name of Golden Pearl.
Somehow, Li Guanyi got the peculiar title of Golden Pearl Bodhisattva Batuer, perhaps in the eyes of those nestled with cattle and sheep, the one leading thousands, owning vast herds, and saving them was Tian Ge’er.
These rescued slaves were extremely loyal to Li Guanyi.
Voluntarily willing to practice swordsmanship, guarding the Qilin at his side, becoming his protectors.
No one forced them.
Li Guanyi sighed, finding himself impoverished yet not regretting his deeds along the way. He just looked at Huyan’s ornate golden curved saber, contemplating whether to use Qilin Fire to melt it into a lump.
This saber was too conspicuous.
Putting it up for sale would definitely fetch a great price.
But anyone with keen eyes could immediately see whose knife it originally belonged to, and with a small inference, they would instantly guess that Li Guanyi was the bandit who had killed Huyan, making two thousand troops disappear into thin air.
If melted into gold ingots, prying off the gemstones on the sheath.
Although the value decreased significantly.
At least it could be sold.
No choice, no choice at all, a portion of the military rations Huyan transported were quickly consumed, feeding both humans and horses during this period, and even Nangong Wumeng’s previously retrieved gold nuggets had been sold by Li Guanyi.
Why on earth were there so many people behind, consuming almost all army supplies?
We’re not even an army!
Li Guanyi lamented as a unit of two hundred scouts on horseback saluted him, then respectfully bowed, waiting for Li Guanyi to nod before raising their heads, gripping bows and arrows as they galloped away.
Li Guanyi sighed: “We’re not a military force.”
“Just traveling merchants and migrating tribes.”
“How did the supplies get depleted so quickly?”
He looked at the ornate curved saber, pained and struggling when suddenly Lei Laomeng’s voice came: “Lord, Lord, something has happened!” Lei Laomeng’s voice was pitched higher than usual, and soon a camel started running over.