256: Chapter 256 Fierce Tiger Army

"Hongyan, I haven't seen you in a few days, have you missed me?"

Chen Hu turned his head and looked at Nangong Hongyan with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Hongyan's face immediately flushed red.

She couldn't help but curse inwardly, thinking that this guy was truly thick-skinned to say such explicit words right in front of her father.

"Hahaha, you two are getting married soon, so you must have things to talk about. I'll leave you two alone; this old man won't stay here to disturb you!" Nangong Ming laughed and started to walk outside, making space for his daughter and future son-in-law.

But Chen Hu called out to him: "Father-in-law, wait a moment, there is still official business!"

"Please speak, virtuous son-in-law."

Nangong Ming paused in his steps.

Chen Hu said: "Prefect Yang Ze has already been killed by me, and Menghu City is currently lacking a City Lord. I wonder if you are interested in this position, Father-in-law?"

For a man, power is the best aphrodisiac.

Being the lord of a city and controlling millions of people is much more impressive than being a family head.

Consequently, Nangong Ming's eyes instantly burned with heat, but he immediately regained some composure: "Virtuous son-in-law, if I become the City Lord, then what about you?"

"Haha!"

Chen Hu laughed dismissively: "I intend to establish myself as the Commander-in-Chief of the Fierce Tiger Army. Once the army is organized, I will first capture the subordinate county cities, and then take Lingzhou City!"

"Then, virtuous son-in-law, do you lack troops, money, or grain? If you do, the Nangong Family can provide some support!" On the premise of betting that Chen Hu could become Emperor, the Nangong Family was willing to make some investments.

"Not for now, but if I do, I will ask you, Father-in-law!"

Chen Hu smiled. He had already summoned nearly a hundred thousand troops, and they were all the elite of the elite.

As for grain, he had obtained quite a bit from the granaries of Mingjian Villa.

He could also obtain one million jin every day from the lucky draw.

Even if that wasn't enough, he could purchase more from the System Mall using his Underling Points.

He would absolutely not lack grain.

"Very well, if you have any needs, virtuous son-in-law, remember to speak up!" Nangong Ming nodded.

"If you are free, Father-in-law, you can go to the prefectural office to take up your post now. I have already made the arrangements, and there will be people there to cooperate with you!" Chen Hu said.

"Since you are so eager, virtuous son-in-law, then I will not decline!"

Nangong Ming said, looking somewhat impatient.

At the prefectural office, Chen Hu had replaced the heads of the six departments with high-ranking members of the Fierce Tiger Gang.

The original heads of the six departments were kept on to assist the new heads.

"Hongyan, take me on a tour of your home!"

After Nangong Ming left, Chen Hu boldly reached out and grabbed Nangong Hongyan's soft little hand.

"You bad egg, come with me!"

Although Nangong Hongyan was shy, she did not resist.

He stayed at the Nangong Family estate for a full hour.

Only then did Chen Hu depart.

Then, he began to wander around the streets.

The process of Linjiang Prefecture changing hands had been so fast that the impact on the common people was almost negligible.

Therefore, the streets remained bustling.

After strolling for a while.

Chen Hu arrived at the prefectural military camp.

Huang Zhong came to greet him personally.

"Old Huang, can those prefectural soldiers be used?"

Chen Hu arrived at the White Tiger Hall of the Commandant's Office, sat down, and asked Huang Zhong.

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong's face was filled with disappointment and disdain.

"Most of these prefectural soldiers are just idling their days away. Your subordinate could only barely manage to select 800 usable men!"

"It doesn't matter!"

Chen Hu said dismissively: "In that case, I will give you another seven thousand soldiers. Added to the previous three thousand, that makes ten thousand. Five thousand will stay to guard, and the other five thousand will be led by General Zhao Zilong to attack the subordinate county cities!"

After a while.

The two arrived at the drill grounds, and with a wave of Chen Hu's hand, seven thousand Tier 4 Black Armor Cavalry appeared.

Seeing these seven thousand elite Black Armor Cavalry, Huang Zhong's eyes couldn't help but light up.

"My Lord, when shall we march?"

Huang Zhong said impatiently: "Your subordinate is willing to personally lead the troops to capture all the county cities!"

"Tomorrow!" Chen Hu thought for a moment: "Since you also want to go on the campaign, let's do this: you and General Zhao Zilong will each lead 3,500 soldiers. As for how to deploy the troops, you and General Zhao Zilong can discuss it. The remaining three thousand soldiers will be left under the command of Old Dian!"

"Thank you, My Lord!" Huang Zhong was overjoyed.

Leaving the military camp.

Chen Hu went to the prefectural office once more.

He summoned Nangong Ming, as well as the heads and deputy heads of the six departments, to discuss matters.

There were two topics.

First, the establishment of the Fierce Tiger Army. He would appoint himself as Commander-in-Chief, Huang Zhong and General Zhao Zilong as Deputy Commanders, and Dian Wei as the Commander of the Personal Guards.

Second, to announce to the entire city that anyone willing to stay in Menghu City would be his subjects. If they were unwilling to stay, they could leave within three days, and the Fierce Tiger Army would not make things difficult for them.

However, if they chose to stay but committed acts of rebellion, they would be executed immediately without mercy.

"Commander-in-Chief, if we let others leave, won't those wealthy people take their assets with them?"

Gao Hangzhou said cautiously.

"That's right, if we let them take all their wealth, we will suffer a huge loss!" Gang Leader Ji Feng added.

"It doesn't matter!"

Chen Hu remained unconcerned: "Let them leave if they want. The world of Great Yong is already in chaos; if they leave with large amounts of wealth, they will only become fat meat in the eyes of others."

"By the way, it's fine if the wealthy want to leave; they can take their gold and silver jewelry, but the grain must remain."

"We can buy it at market price!"

"Commander-in-Chief, the prefectural treasury is empty; I'm afraid we don't have the money to buy the grain!" Deputy Gang Leader Xiao Yue said.

"It's fine. After the meeting ends, I will deposit ten million taels of silver into the treasury!" Chen Hu said in a calm tone.

The meeting concluded.

Chen Hu went to the treasury and deposited 10 million taels of silver directly.

At the same time, the City Lord's Mansion began to post notices throughout the city according to Chen Hu's requirements.

After reading these notices.

Some were dismissive.

Others appeared hesitant.

Still others looked pleasantly surprised.

The majority of those who were dismissive were commoners.

For them, it didn't matter who ruled them, as long as they could eat their fill and taxes weren't levied indiscriminately.

Most commoners held a favorable view of the newly established Fierce Tiger Army.

First of all, after the Fierce Tiger Army occupied Linjiang City, not only did they not kill, burn, or loot, but they also returned the head tax that had been collected previously.

Based on this alone, they had enough goodwill toward the Fierce Tiger Army.

Inside a private room of a restaurant.

Two merchants whose net worth reached hundreds of thousands were in a secret discussion.

"Brother Li, after reading the notice, what are your thoughts?"

Li Yuan smiled slightly: "Brother Song, I intend to stay!"

"Why?" Song Guan asked, somewhat puzzled: "They are rebel troops; aren't you afraid they will seize our assets?"

"Brother Song, judging by the actions of the Fierce Tiger Army today, such a thing should not happen!" Li Yuan said quite confidently.

"What if they are just pretending?"

Song Guan was still not convinced.

"Brother Song, listen to my analysis!"

Li Yuan said quite calmly: "Have you ever heard of any rebel army that didn't burn, kill, and loot after capturing a city?"

Song Guan thought about it seriously; it was indeed true. With previous rebel armies, the first thing they would do upon capturing a city was never to pacify the people, but to let the soldiers loot first.

And the targets of the looting were basically merchants and landlords like them.

Li Yuan continued: "Furthermore, regarding the second point: the millions of taels of head tax collected by the government—if it were any other rebel army, they would have long since pocketed it for themselves. Yet, the Fierce Tiger Army actually returned it all to the commoners. Based on this alone, I believe this Fierce Tiger Army is different from other rebel armies!"

"And one last point: our connections and Foundations are all in Linjiang Prefecture—no, it should be called Menghu City. If we go elsewhere, the money we take with us will likely become fat meat in the eyes of others."

"Therefore, going elsewhere is actually more dangerous!"

Hearing this, Song Guan already agreed with Li Yuan's statement and nodded repeatedly: "Brother Li makes sense, so I won't leave either!"