170: Chu Qing's methods

A group of rebel generals were all stunned.

“General, what should we do?”

The situation was getting out of hand, and their defensive forces were insufficient to deal with Chu Qing’s subordinates.

This made them panic.

Someone said:

“General, let’s abandon those counties!”

“Transport all the grain from those counties to Qinghe County.”

“We’ll just defend Qinghe County!”

Zheng Zhixiang pointed at that general and laughed in extreme anger:

“Idiot!”

“We are rebels occupying dozens of counties, yet we are being forced to abandon so much territory by a mere youngster like Chu Qing?”

“If you’re not ashamed, I certainly am!”

That general lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Zheng Zhixiang looked around at the others.

The many generals remained silent, heads bowed.

Zheng Zhixiang said coldly: “Mobilize the army. Three days from now, we will besiege Shiji County.”

“I want Shiji County to be left with not a single blade of grass!”

“Understood!”

The many generals’ eyes lit up.

That’s right.

We can’t defeat experts.

But we have a large army.

We have elites.

We have cannon fodder.

Once the large army is assembled, no matter how powerful the expert, they will be captured.

The news that the rebel army was gathering to attack Shiji County reached Chu Qing’s ears immediately.

Not long after:

The ordinary people of Shiji County also found out.

The Crowd panicked, at a loss for what to do.

The county magistrate of the yamen even waved his hand, closed the main gate, hid inside the yamen, and announced to the outside that Chief Constable Shi should handle everything.

As a result:

Chief Constable Shi was also dumbfounded.

This time, the rebel attack was not the group of emaciated cannon fodder from before.

Instead, it was a rebel army with elites, generals, and Jianghu experts.

The scale of this rebel army was tens of thousands strong.

How could such a large number of rebels be stopped?

Chief Constable Shi packed his valuables and went to find Madam Shi.

“Let’s run!”

Madam Shi was drawing Madam Jin’s eyebrows.

She looked at Chief Constable Shi coldly, her eyes full of disappointment.

Chief Constable Shi felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

He lowered his head, not daring to look up.

After a long while, Madam Shi finally said: “You take Jin Pangzi and go to Prefecture City via the small path!”

“Madam Jin and I will go to Prefecture City via the main road!”

Chief Constable Shi breathed a sigh of relief and immediately agreed.

Because:

Both Madam Shi and Madam Jin had somewhat special identities.

Especially Madam Shi.

Although the rebels were arrogant, they would never dare to harm a single hair on them.

Chief Constable Shi left in a hurry.

Madam Jin then anxiously asked: “What’s going on?”

“Why do we have to run?”

Madam Shi said coolly: “The rebels are going to attack Shiji County!”

“Heh heh... I thought they wouldn’t act until next month!”

Madam Jin panicked and said: “Does Qing Ge know?”

“I’ll contact Qing Ge.”

Madam Shi snorted and pinched Madam Jin’s cheek:

“Worried about him?”

Madam Jin nodded vigorously.

Madam Shi said coldly: “He already arranged a retreat long ago.”

Madam Jin was bewildered:

A retreat?

Why didn’t she know?

Martial Hall:

Cui Moyang and the others looked worried.

Because:

They had also heard that the rebels were going to occupy Shiji County.

Privately, some people had complained about Chu Qing.

They believed that if it weren’t for his revenge plan, the rebels would not have attacked Shiji County.

Tens of thousands of rebel elites, a large number of generals, and Jianghu experts.

Shiji County simply couldn’t stop them.

“Qing Ge, what should we do?”

Qingfeng Mingyue were the most innocent in their thoughts.

They were the most anxious.

Chu Qing sighed and said speechlessly: “Read books!”

“Although we are Martial Artists, we should also read more and learn more.”

“Does the rebel attack on Shiji County have anything to do with us?”

“Are your parents in Shiji County? Are your lovers there?”

“If everyone in Shiji County dies, will you be heartbroken?”

Qingfeng Mingyue’s eyes lit up, and they said in unison: “You mean—before they attack Shiji County, we’ll slaughter Shiji County clean first?”

“Leave them an empty city?”

Chu Qing and the others were shocked.

Having been together for so long, this was the first time they discovered Qingfeng Mingyue were such Geniuses, with such unique thinking.

Chu Qing coughed and said: “A few days ago, I set up a small base in Shiji Mountain.”

“If you have relatives or friends, you can settle them there.”

Nangong shook her head and said: “Everything in Shiji County has nothing to do with me.”

Chu Qing clapped his hands and said:

“You only see that the rebel forces are very strong.”

“But you haven’t seen that our forces are even stronger!”

Nangong and the others looked bewildered and said: “Qing Ge, there are nine of us, plus a group of servants, at most a hundred people.”

“Is that considered a large force?”

Chu Qing laughed loudly and pointed in the direction of the Quarry, saying:

“Don’t forget, there are still sixty to seventy thousand Quarry workers there!”

The Quarry workers were once refugees, who almost starved to death.

It was Chu Qing who used the Quarry to give them a job, allowing them to survive.

Therefore:

A few days ago, when rebel experts attacked the Quarry workers, although many people were killed or injured, and some ran away.

But the remaining people were determined and would not leave easily.

They would become the best cannon fodder.

Chu Qing clapped his hands and said to Zhao Hongxiu: “Go, bring me the Quarry map.”

Soon, Zhao Hongxiu brought a box.

Chu Qing took out a map from it.

Cui Moyang exclaimed: “I didn’t expect you to have a map.”

Nangong and the others were also very surprised.

In their hearts; although the Quarry could produce pearls and make them stronger.

However, they didn’t care much about the Quarry.

As a result:

Chu Qing quietly obtained a map of the Quarry.

It was truly remarkable.

Chu Qing pointed at the map and said: “This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Have the Quarry workers block this passage!”

“Even if the rebels have a massive army, they won’t be able to get in!”

Cui Moyang said: “What will they eat? What will they wear?”

Chu Qing said: “This is a granary, where enough food for one hundred thousand people for three months is stored.”

“There is a spring in the mountain.”

“There are wild vegetables on the mountain.”

“Various Quarry tools are also stored inside.”

“Only a few hundred elites need to be arranged to guard the passage day and night, and the people inside will be safe and sound.”

Cui Moyang and the others were amazed by Chu Qing’s prior arrangements.

At this moment:

Chu Qing said to the melon-faced maid: “Go, contact Apothecary Li and tell him to execute the first plan!”

“Yes, Young Master.”

The melon-faced maid left in a hurry.

Chu Qing then said to Zhao Hongxiu: “You ask Mantis Martial Hall, and people from other Martial Halls, to see if they are willing to leave the county and go to the mountain.”

“If they are willing to go, gather at the Martial Hall entrance tomorrow morning.”

Zhao Hongxiu cupped her fists and left in a hurry.

Chu Qing looked at Lan Lan and said: “You can come with me, or you can return to Wu Fort!”

Lan Lan sighed: “Qing Ge, I am your follower; wherever you go, I will go.”

Chu Qing nodded.

He pondered for a moment and said to Cui Moyang:

“Now, you gather the servants and have them arrange people to block the passage!”

Then, he said to Nangong: “You use some means to keep an eye on all the blacksmiths near the Quarry.”

“Move their families into Shiji Mountain.”

Chu Qing, in an orderly manner, instructed Cui Moyang and the others to do things.

Blacksmiths, food, water, defense, weapons, medicine, and even women, he had considered everything thoroughly.

For a time:

The vast Shiji County became agitated due to Chu Qing’s continuous orders.