221: Chapter 0221 Useless

"Commander-in-Chief Zhao?! The Zhenbei Army?!"

Hu Wengui was overjoyed. "Brother-in-law, I told you! There's no smoke without fire! With rumors spreading so wildly outside, General Lin must have beaten both armies into submission!!"

"How could this happen... Can that Lin Xiao, with his own strength, truly subdue the battle-hardened Zhao Yunting!?" Feng Yuzhang felt his scalp tingle and stumbled back a step. The shift in the situation had completely exceeded his imagination!

"Uncle, you should hurry and mobilize the garrison to welcome Commander-in-Chief Zhao!" Hu Xinyi urged. "If the Zhenbei Army misunderstands and takes our E Prefecture troops for accomplices of Prince Bai, it will be a disaster!"

Feng Yuzhang shuddered. Thinking of Zhao Yunting potentially leading a massive army to siege the city, his face drained of color! After all, he was just a scholar who had never wielded a blade; facing such a famous general who had been renowned for decades, he was completely panicked!

"Right, right, right... Steward! Someone! Prepare the carriage, I need to go to the military camp! Wife, where is my armor..." In his panicked haste, Feng Yuzhang turned around, tripped over the threshold, and fell flat on his face!

Behind him, Lady Hu let out an "Ouch" and hurriedly went to help him up, though she couldn't help but nag: "I told you not to be stubborn! Look at the status of the Marquis of Linyuan, and even he was dealt with by Lin Xiao. Are you still unconvinced?"

"Are you happy now? Seeing that you weren't making a move, they sent a massive army to deliver an ultimatum!!" "You were supposed to be calm and collected, but now you're rushing around, falling over yourself..."

Feng Yuzhang was almost reduced to tears by his wife's words, not daring to talk back at all. "Wife, I know I was wrong. Please help me put on my armor. I have to get to the military camp to prevent the White Kings Army from causing trouble..."

Lady Hu scoffed: "It's just the White Kings Army, isn't it? The main force led by Zhang Shide has already surrendered. What kind of waves can the ones left behind make?" "Feng Yuzhang! Why are you shaking? How spineless..."

Inside the room, Lady Hu continued grumbling. Outside, Hu Wengui and his daughter were incredibly excited.

"Xinyi, let's hurry back and prepare to welcome General Lin! The Hu Family must monopolize the Northern Trade Alliance's business in E Prefecture!" "Understood, Father!"

Hu Xinyi thought to herself that as long as she became the exclusive agent in E Prefecture, she would probably be able to see General Lin often in the future...

Jingmen. Outside the city, by a river. Lin Xiao was standing alone on a rock.

The surface of the river was frozen solid, and some peasant children were skating on it. Yesterday's bloody battle hadn't had much impact on the local commoners here.

"General Lin, what are you looking at?" Zhao Caiwei appeared behind him. She had changed back into her battle robes, restoring her usual cool and sharp appearance. However, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Lin Xiao clearly held a hint of feminine tenderness.

"Oh, I'm just checking to see if this river is deep." "It's not deep. This Hanyang River is a branch of the Han River; it won't drown anyone." "That's good..."

Zhao Caiwei was confused. Good for what? Lin Xiao didn't explain, turning around to ask: "Have your two brothers been buried properly?"

Zhao Caiwei nodded, her eyes dimming. "Father said they aren't allowed to be brought back to the ancestral hall and should just be thrown in a mass grave, but I know he is still very pained inside."

"The pain of losing a son; even if he wanted to risk his life to fight me, I would understand," Lin Xiao said. "General Lin, please don't say that! My father has absolutely no such intention!"

Zhao Caiwei hurriedly said: "My Zhao Family has been in the military for generations, and countless descendants have died on the battlefield, but we cannot tolerate traitors!" "Even if General Lin hadn't acted, Father would have ordered their execution."

"Therefore... Father will actually be grateful to you for giving them a quick death." Lin Xiao chuckled. He didn't quite believe that Zhao Yunting held no resentment toward him at all.

It was just that Zhao Yunting prioritized the big picture and was capable of putting righteousness before Family, so he buried his resentment deep in his heart. Moreover, for the sake of the Family and his two daughters, Zhao Yunting would choose to forget this matter.

Lin Xiao then asked: "I asked General Zhao to lead troops to retake E Prefecture. Does he have any complaints?"

Zhao Caiwei shook her head: "Relying on the Spirit Pill you gave, Father not only came back from the dead but also completely cured his old wounds, allowing his cultivation to recover." "This kind of grace of rebirth deserves any repayment, let alone just driving out the White Kings Army and retaking one E Prefecture."

"But I want you to fight under the 'Zhenbei Army' banner. He must be uncomfortable with that, right?" "The Golden Scale Guard can join the Zhenbei Army, and the Cold Iron Guard naturally can too," Zhao Caiwei said as if it were only natural.

Lin Xiao realized, almost forgetting that the head of the five great heavy cavalries was already in his camp! Looking at it this way, little darling Wanying has scored another merit!

"General Lin, thank you... for not making Father lead troops to retake the Yan Region." Zhao Caiwei's tone was very sincere.

To be honest, in the early hours of the morning, when Zhao Yunting woke up and his old wounds were miraculously healed, they were truly overjoyed. Zhao Yunting, a hero for his entire life, couldn't help but shed tears of joy.

But what followed was the question of where the fifty thousand troops should go! They had to repay Lin Xiao's kindness, and with Eunuch Zhu dead, it was equivalent to a break with the Yan King.

The situation was very clear; they could only follow Lin Xiao's wishes, even if they had to go back and attack the Yan Region, they would have no complaints. Fortunately, Lin Xiao directly issued an order requiring Zhao Yunting to reorganize the twenty thousand Cold Iron Guard.

They set out early in the morning, heading directly west into Hanyang to take the entire E Prefecture. In the end, they were to rendezvous with General Zhao Kuan, Mu Wanying, and the others at Huanglong Prefecture in Sha Prefecture!

Although the Cold Iron Guard only had thirteen thousand left, the surviving White Kings Army and Yan Kings Army were all battle-hardened veterans, so seven thousand elite cavalry were drawn from them.

It was expected that with Zhao Yunting's ability, it wouldn't be long before the Cold Iron Guard became even stronger. Furthermore, officials like Feng Yuzhang had likely already been tipped off, so taking E Prefecture wouldn't be too difficult.

The remaining scattered units of the White Kings Army were like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, surely possessing no combat effectiveness. Zhao Yunting didn't hesitate much; he understood clearly that Lin Xiao's saving of him came with conditions.

Not asking him to attack the Yan King was already the utmost benevolence. Therefore, early in the morning, Zhao Yunting appeared majestically on the military camp's platform, leading troops to march out once again!

Seeing their Commander-in-Chief return in peak condition, the Cold Iron Guard were all moved to tears. They completely believed that the High Grade equipment Lin Xiao had taken last night was truly for the purpose of saving lives.

This kindness alone was enough to make the veteran generals of the Cold Iron Guard willing to lay down their lives for him!

"Young Miss Caiwei, don't think too highly of me." Lin Xiao laughed. "I didn't ask General Zhao to attack the Yan King mainly because I was afraid he would be soft-hearted and unable to bring himself to act against his former master."

Zhao Caiwei lowered her head and chuckled, "In that case, when shall we set out to attack Tai Prefecture?"

"No rush. To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools." Lin Xiao said: "Trouble yourself to make a trip and call all the soldiers to the riverside!"

Zhao Caiwei was stunned. Although puzzled, she did as instructed. Half an hour later, the thirty thousand-strong army gathered by the river in a grand procession. Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what General Lin wanted to do.

Lin Xiao stood on the highest rock and said: "I've brought you here for one thing — a bath!!" The tens of thousands of people in the audience were completely silent!