197: Chapter 197 The Benefits of the System, the Will of the People of Mucheng

Ma Lie walked over, carrying a jug of wine in his hand, and spoke somewhat respectfully: "General, today's battle was fought beautifully."

Su Bai took the wine jug, took a sip, and asked: "What was beautiful about it? We almost failed to blast open that turtle shell."

Ma Lie chuckled: "But didn't we blast it open in the end?"

Su Bai didn't speak and continued to drink.

Ma Lie stood by for a moment, then suddenly asked: "General, where are we attacking next?"

Su Bai thought for a moment: "Let's not attack for now. We need to stabilize Jing Prefecture first."

Ma Lie nodded and didn't ask any further.

Su Bai stood alone in the courtyard, drinking wine and looking at the moon.

Jing Prefecture was in his hands.

But Su Bai knew clearly in his heart that this was only the beginning.

King Zhou Li was just one prince who declared himself emperor; there were several more behind him.

Furthermore, the threat of the Yao Race had not been resolved either.

The road ahead was still long.

Su Bai finished the last drop of wine in the jug, turned around, and returned to his room.

Early the next morning.

Su Bai had just gotten up when Su Xing arrived.

"General, of those three thousand personal guards of Tang Yu, two thousand are willing to surrender. The remaining eight hundred refuse to surrender, and we have already surrounded them in the barracks."

Su Bai asked while getting dressed: "What is the background of those eight hundred people?"

Su Xing said: "They are all die-hard loyalists of Tang Yu. They've done quite a few bad things following Tang Yu, and they are afraid of being settled accounts with if they surrender."

Su Bai tied his belt and thought for a moment.

"Go tell them that those who surrender will not be killed, and the past will be forgotten. If they refuse to surrender…"

Su Bai paused. "Then don't blame me for being impolite."

"Yes." Su Xing accepted the order and left.

An hour later, Su Xing returned. "General, those eight hundred people have surrendered."

Su Bai nodded, not asking further.

He knew that those eight hundred people didn't truly want to surrender; they were forced into a corner with no other option.

But that didn't matter.

As long as they entered the Yunzhou Army, he had plenty of ways to turn them into his own people.

Those who were unconvinced would be beaten into submission.

Those who disobeyed would be beheaded.

Simple and direct.

Su Bai walked out of the prince's mansion and took a tour around Jing Prefecture city.

This city was indeed much stronger than Ze City and Mu City.

Shops stood in great numbers, and people came and went.

Although it couldn't compare to Yunzhou City, among the surrounding cities, it was already considered the best.

Su Bai walked to the barracks in the north of the city.

In the barracks, over two thousand surrendered soldiers were standing in formation, each with their heads lowered, not daring to look at Su Bai.

Su Bai stood on the high platform, his gaze sweeping over these people.

"I know that some of you don't truly want to surrender."

He got straight to the point without beating around the bush, speaking in a very straightforward manner: "I don't blame you. After all, you've followed Tang Yu for so many years; it's normal to feel uncomfortable after suddenly changing masters."

Su Bai paused, his voice suddenly becoming stern: "However, you must remember one thing."

"From today on, you are members of the Yunzhou Army. The rules of the Yunzhou Army are different from Tang Yu's rules."

"What did Tang Yu make you do? Bully the common people, exploit the countryside—you did it, and there was a reward. What do I make you do? Defend your home and country, protect the common people—you do it, and there is also a reward."

Su Bai held up a finger.

"What Tang Yu could give you, I can give. What Tang Yu couldn't give you, I can also give."

"But there is one condition: whoever dares to break the rules of the Yunzhou Army, whoever dares to bully the common people, whoever dares to flee in the face of battle—"

Su Bai's voice turned cold. "Don't blame me, Su Bai, for showing no mercy."

There was dead silence below the platform.

The two thousand surrendered soldiers looked at each other, none daring to speak.

After a while, a young soldier raised his hand.

"General, I want to ask one thing."

Su Bai looked at him: "Speak."

The soldier swallowed his saliva and gathered his courage to ask: "If we follow you, will we be able to eat our fill?"

Su Bai smiled.

"Yes."

"Will there be meat at every meal?"

"Yes."

"Will military pay be issued on time?"

"On time."

The soldier grinned and dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Then I'll follow you!"

With him kneeling, the soldiers behind him also followed suit one after another.

"We'll follow the General too!"

"General, I entrust my life to you!"

"Yunzhou Army is mighty!"

Su Bai looked at the soldiers kneeling all over the ground and nodded.

"Everyone, get up."

He turned to look at Ma Lie and said: "Ma Lie, I leave these people to you. Train them well. If they are trained well, they are our brothers. If they aren't—"

Su Bai paused. "If they aren't, then get out."

"Yes!" Ma Lie responded loudly.

Over the next few days, Su Bai was constantly busy.

Taking inventory of grain and provisions, registering household records, repairing city walls, reorganizing the army... there were countless things to do.

Zhou Qingying sent a letter from Ze City.

The letter said that Su Yi could call him 'Father' now, Su Li was also very healthy, everything at home was fine, and he shouldn't worry.

She also mentioned the repair of the city walls, saying that the walls of Mu City had been repaired and could now withstand a full-strength attack from someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Su Bai smiled after reading the letter.

He picked up his pen to reply, first reporting that he was safe, then describing the situation in Jing Prefecture.

Finally, he wrote one sentence: "Wait for me to return."

After sending the letter, Su Bai stood in front of the window, looking at the distant sky.

He missed home.

He missed Zhou Qingying, he missed Lin Weiwei, he missed Su Mei, and he missed those little girls.

He missed Su Yi, and he missed Su Li.

He missed that home, which was not big but very warm.

But he couldn't go back.

Jing Prefecture had just been taken, and there was still much to do.

Moreover, the next target was already waiting for him there.

Su Bai took a deep breath, turned around, and returned to the table to continue handling official business.

Half a month later.

Everything in Jing Prefecture city was on the right track.

The city walls were repaired, the army had been reorganized, and the common people had settled down.

Su Bai stood on the city tower, looking at this brand-new city, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

"General, what is the next step?" Ma Lie stood behind him and asked.

Su Bai thought for a moment, took a map out from his embrace, and spread it out on the city wall.

The map marked the locations of several surrounding powers.

"Shi City, Ping City, and…"

Su Bai's finger moved across the map and finally stopped at one place.

"Dingzhou."

Ma Lie frowned: "Dingzhou? That's the Martial King's territory, right? I heard he has an army of twenty thousand in his hands, and a Grade Five formation."

Su Bai nodded: "It won't be easy to fight, but it must be fought."

He raised his head and looked into the distance.

"Dingzhou is the throat to the Central Plains. If we don't take Dingzhou, we can only be trapped in this small plot of land."

Ma Lie was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"The General is right."

Su Bai put away the map, turned around, and walked down the city tower.

"Pass the order down: the entire army will rest for ten days. In ten days, we set off for Dingzhou."

"Yes!" Ma Lie responded loudly.

That evening.

Su Bai was looking at the map alone in the study.

The door was knocked on.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Su Xing walked in, holding a letter in his hand.

"General, a letter from Yunzhou City."

Su Bai took the letter, opened it, and saw it was written by Li Han.

The letter said that the imperial court was in complete chaos, several vassal kings had already started fighting, and the capital was in a state of utter disarray.

It also said that General Qin Bei had been recalled to the capital, supposedly to suppress the rebellion.

Su Bai frowned after reading the letter.