The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 274, the question about emotional manipulation? We know how!
The roasted lamb for dinner was a great success.

Perhaps it is the dry climate and abundant sunshine of the Fire State that create a special environment for the growth of the big-tailed black sheep.

After the skin is removed, the fat and muscle are clearly separated.

The muscle is light red and shiny, while the fat is milky white.

This meat, with its perfect balance of fat and lean, is grilled to perfection.

It's so tender and has a distinct oily aroma!

Pair it with some sweet Western Region wine.

Who could resist such a delicious feast?
Many people were happily eating their lamb skewers, but their eyes couldn't help but linger on the lamb tripe stuffed in the sand, which they wouldn't be able to eat until tomorrow morning.

General Xiong glanced at the soldiers who claimed that a pound of meat wasn't enough, and those who complained that they were only 70% full even after eating three pounds. His eyes twitched.

He couldn't help but whisper among himself and several generals, including Gan Minglan and Tian Jiu:

“This can’t go on forever! General Gan, if our 20,000-plus troops return to Hamiwei at our current marching speed, we’ll probably lose tens of thousands of sheep.”

Gan Minglan: Over 500,000 sheep is quite a lot. If 20,000 people are herded back to the border town like this, they won't be able to finish eating them all, will they?

She really didn't want to follow the army.

There were too many people; it wouldn't be convenient for her to cheat.

Following the other person's lead, I quickly gave them the answer they most hoped for:
“You’re right! There must be a lot of things waiting for you to do back at the garrison! Let’s leave the task of herding these sheep and cattle back to our vanguard battalion! Tomorrow morning, I’ll have the Rat King drive the flock to find an oasis and a pond.”

Tian Jiu and the others admired General Gan's decision and were also envious of it.

I envy her for having a grateful mouse that can herd sheep and find oases.

Many people, out of envy, considered and even took action about raising spiritual pets when they were in the border town.

Clearly, they weren't destined for that!

The grasslands are teeming with marmots!

But apart from acting stupid and making random noises, that thing is completely devoid of humanity!
Wild rabbits have also searched for it.

Except for experienced hunters who had the expertise to successfully raise baby rabbits, once a live rabbit was in their hands, it would not survive more than one night.

Even worse, some have even set their sights on prairie wolves.

They took someone else's cub and attracted a pack of wolves!

Thinking about that experience still makes my butt hurt a little!
Xiong Zhen was delighted that Gan Minglan had volunteered for the task, and raised his glass of wine in a toast to her.

"General Gan, you always manage to shoulder the responsibility for us at crucial moments! I respect you!"

You can slowly make your way back along the oasis. I have a lot on my hands. The next phase of the land reclamation plan for the Seven Guards of Kansai needs to be finalized before the refugees arrive! Also, the earliest batch of your military dependents should be arriving soon!
"Your Excellency has honored me by appointing me as the commander-in-chief of these seven guards. The livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people rest on my shoulders! I haven't been able to sleep a wink these past few nights, but thankfully I have the help of capable generals like you, especially General Gan."

Gee!

Xiong Zhen's true feelings, as a superior, came without warning, as soon as they were announced!

This was also the first time he had opened up to his core generals after he removed the title of deputy, and after drinking a large jug of wine, his emotions were quite evident.

Is that what you're going to do?

Gan Minglan tilted her head back and gulped down a large mouthful.

He immediately returned the favor with one of his own:
"My lord! You are the pillar of our 80,000-strong garrison of the Seven Guards of Guanzhong and the more than 300,000 military families."

From a lowly criminal woman to a fifth-rank guerrilla general, it was Lord Hou who changed my fate!

Aside from being strong and skilled at slaughtering pigs, Gan was just an ordinary scholar's wife in the State of Bei!
In my life, I only knew enough characters to avoid being completely illiterate. I never studied military strategy or military books, and when fighting, I only thought about taking shortcuts.

However, without saying a word, you, General, appointed me to lead the vanguard of 5,000 elite troops in the important task of the western expedition against the Hu!

Such trust, General, you are truly my mentor!

They say a fine horse is easy to find, but a discerning eye is rare! Let me, Gan, this self-proclaimed fine horse, offer a toast to General Gan, your discerning eye! The generals: "Excellent! Well said!"

Each of them wore a pained expression, their hearts trembling uncontrollably.
Mounting his horse, he was a ruthless man who could charge into enemy lines several times with a wooden spear without shedding a drop of blood.

When they dismounted, their flattery of their superiors far surpassed theirs.

As expected of a scholar's wife, her elegant and refined words were so captivating that General Xiong couldn't stop smiling.

Which superior wouldn't like a subordinate who is both capable and knows how to flatter?

No comparison, absolutely no comparison!
A complete defeat in every aspect!

They were incredibly grateful that their opponent was a woman. If she had more flesh on her crotch, she could have even challenged for the position of General Xiong with her military achievements.

Thinking about it this way, I felt a little depressed again.

The principles they understood, General Xiong naturally understood as well.

Therefore, from now on, General Gan will most likely be General Xiong's most trusted subordinate.

With a hidden agenda, the wine becomes increasingly sour and bitter with each sip.

Men are naturally more inclined to desire power than women.

In fact, Gan Minglan herself did not have such strong ambitions.

Joining the army was simply the best option to change the status of an exiled convict.

The title of a fifth-rank guerrilla general would allow her and her family to live more comfortably.

You want her to worry about hundreds of thousands of dollars in military expenses and food and drink?
Feel sorry!

I don't have the ability, and I'm unwilling to do it.

The vanguard battalion is excellent.

With this cheat code, she's not afraid of fighting.

Everything is just right!

At night, she rode her wild horse, King of Horses, out for a long run and even created a large patch of dog-rice grass for the cattle and sheep that had been thirsty all day in the desert.

And he had King Atu lead his army of gerbils to dig a pond the size of five acres in the middle of the grassland.

In fact, later experts have said that the groundwater in this desert is still quite abundant.

That's the problem.

The shifting sands in the desert cannot retain this surface water; the surface water can only be converted into groundwater or evaporate and disappear.

She spent most of the night working hard on these tasks; she wasn't just worrying unnecessarily.

These fat sheep and cattle, covered in fat, will start to lose weight rapidly in just three to five days if they are forced to stop eating and drinking.

In addition, the daytime temperature in the desert is extremely high, so the probability of livestock dying from heatstroke is still very high!
And so, after King Atu found the oasis for three consecutive days, the vanguard almost mythologized it.

Their warhorses also benefited from the tender pastures and sweet lake water.

Not just horses.

People also need to drink water.

After the water bag was filled with gold sand, they valued King Atu's ability to accurately locate water sources even more.

The livestock all know that if they run as fast as they can during the day, they can enjoy a delicious buffet before dark, and their pace is a third faster than before.

After traveling for half a month, they entered Hamiwei.

(End of this chapter)