Chapter 461: Chapter 233: Let’s Run Away (Part 2)

Translator: 549690339

Under such circumstances, as long as Lu Yuan raises his flag and can win consecutive battles in Xichuan Prefecture, creating a favorable situation.

Local powerful and righteous heroes, as long as they still have some courage and spirit, would join him.

Lu Yuan has confidence in this.

Zhou Qing, who had deeply experienced the enmity between the Qiang people and the locals, held the same view as his master.

Upon hearing the response, Zhou Qing immediately said, “I will send someone to take care of it.”

“Well, let it be.”

Lu Yuan nodded, didn’t say anything more, but continued to look at the distant mountains and ridges, admiring the beautiful landscape.

If this land of plenty could be properly developed, it would definitely become the foundation for an empire.

It was a pity that such a beautiful place was ruined by the Qiang and Zhou people, and later handed over to incompetents like Jihui and Qiao Kangquan, a waste of Heaven’s gift.

‘If I have the chance one day, I must seize this land and make it the foundation of my empire.’

As Lu Yuan thought, his eyes grew deeper.

Time passed slowly.

By noon, the remaining Zhou fugitive soldiers in the city were finally cleaned up.

Camps all around the city began to cook and rest.

Zhou Qing took advantage of this time to send people to the nearby villages outside Jianmenguan, spreading the news of the return of the Royal Teacher’s army and recruiting more soldiers.

However, it was still too early to tell if there would be any results, and it would take some time before they could know.

In the afternoon, Lu Yuan left a hundred people to guard Jianmenguan, or rather, make a symbolic gesture.

After all, a mere hundred people couldn’t even fully man the two city walls, let alone maintain such a stronghold.

They were just there to declare to the nearby people that the Royal Teacher had returned.

And to handle the recruitment of more soldiers thereafter.

The symbolic gesture was more important than the actual one.

However, the remaining Zhou fugitives had been cleared out, and the areas north of Jianmenguan had been occupied by Lu Yuan, so there was no harm in leaving a smaller number of people to guard the area.

So, Lu Yuan confidently led the large group of soldiers southward.

On the twenty-sixth day of the first month of Hongdao’s eighth year.

After capturing Jianmenguan, Lu Yuan conquered the city of Jiange Prefecture the following day, then took two more days to successfully occupy the entire prefecture’s ten counties by dividing his forces.

After leaving a thousand soldiers to garrison in Jiange Prefecture, he continued to lead his army southward.

On the third day of the second month, he captured Xuanwu Prefecture.

On the eighth day, he captured Chengdu Prefecture and reclaimed the prefectural city of Jinguan.

On the tenth day, Liu Ming, a local magnate of Tongchuan Prefecture, heard of the triumphant return of the Royal Teacher’s army, and decided to rebel and join the cause.

In just a few days, he gathered several thousand people, attacked and occupied several county towns, took the local population hostage, and raised a force of tens of thousands of soldiers, besieging the enemy.

On the twelfth day of the second month, Lu Yuan’s army captured Anyue Prefecture, and soon heard the news.

With the fierce battle in Anyue city just over, Lu Yuan sat in the bloodstained hall of the prefectural office and said to Zhou Qing, “What’s the story of Tongchuan’s Liu Ming? And how many people have risen up in the prefectures and counties of Xichuan Prefecture?”

During these days, although Lu Yuan had been leading his army to capture cities and territories, he had not neglected forming alliances with local powerful figures and recruiting soldiers, which Zhou Qing was responsible for.

“I have never heard of this Tongchuan Liu family before, so they must not be part of the Jianghu community. Perhaps they are an ordinary, unknown local aristocratic family,” Zhou Qing replied.

“As for the number of people who have responded, there are some, but not many, only about ten groups. Together, they couldn’t even make up a force of ten thousand men, so they wouldn’t pose a threat.”

However, the news from Jiange, Xuanwu, and Chengdu prefectures about the recruitment in recent days had been quite encouraging.

In just over half a month, more than twenty thousand people had joined the ranks of the army.

If given a longer time, another ten thousand could be expected.”

As Lu Yuan continued to conquer Xichuan, he remained undefeated in battle.

Especially after recovering Jinguan, the heart of Xichuan Prefecture, it further boosted the morale of people all over Xichuan, causing many to eagerly join the ranks.

At this moment, the large number of reinforcements and attracted forces was a result of the influence of the victories.

Hearing this good news, Lu Yuan nodded slightly, “In that case, including the recruited righteous heroes in our hands, we already have fifty thousand troops. Adding those who have responded to our call, we have a force of seventy thousand, right?”

Zhou Qing replied, “That’s about right. However, we have been in Xichuan for more than half a month, and the news should have reached Wushan Prefecture by now. They will surely take action.”

Lu Yuan laughed, “There’s no need to worry too much about that. The Zhou-Shu United Army in Wushan Prefecture is already on its last legs, just waiting for death. Besides, we already got news from the interrogation of captives.”

The food and fodder for Wushan Prefecture’s hundred-thousand-strong enemy army were stored in Yuzhong Prefecture, the supplies being sent to the front line from there.

As long as we could capture this prefecture, cutting off their food supply, even if they had a hundred thousand troops, they would still starve to death.”

Continuing, he added, “Instead, select some people to act as messengers and send them to Tongchuan Liu Ming and the other local armies.”

They should immediately lead their forces to Yuzhong Prefecture and rendezvous with me, jointly attacking the Zhou-Shu United Army in Wushan Prefecture.”