Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Five days after Wu Xuejiu's delegation left Xinghuo Fortress, the chain reaction it triggered was like a drop of water thrown into boiling oil, which suddenly exploded and quickly evolved into an earthquake that affected the surrounding area.

The first ripples came from the small fortified villages and refugee settlements that were already wavering or had bet the wrong things between the Black Mountain Army and Starfire Fortress.

The "Rockstone Fortress," which had secretly allied with Black Mountain Commander and caused the disaster, became the first link in the chain to collapse. The old lord of the fortress fell ill upon hearing the news of Han Meng's defeat and death, and the fortress's leading figures, in their panic, blamed each other and were in complete chaos. When they learned that the envoys from Starfire Fortress were heading to Iron Rock Fortress and Gray Valley Fortress, but had bypassed them, their despair reached its peak. Without any military threat, on the third day after the delegation's departure, the remaining elders of Rockstone Fortress, along with more than ten able-bodied men, escorted the leaders who had advocated allying with Black Mountain Commander, bound their arms, and walked to the east gate of Starfire Fortress, kneeling in surrender.

Chen Xing stood atop the fortress wall, looking down at the group of people below, their faces ashen and trembling with fear. Zhao Tiezhu stood to the side, his eyes blazing with fury: "Fortress Master, it was these treacherous villains who attracted the Black Mountain Army! They caused the deaths of so many of our brothers! They cannot be let off lightly!"

Wu Xuejiu said in a low voice, "Lord of the Fortress, killing those who surrender is inauspicious and will discourage others from doing so. Moreover, they have already humbled themselves to the extreme by actively capturing the culprit. I humbly request your instructions on how to handle this matter."

Chen Xing remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice carrying clearly: "Pan Shi Wu has indeed committed a crime by betraying the duty of neighborly watch and letting wolves into the house. However, since the ringleader has already surrendered himself, and you are willing to surrender, our Xing Huo Fortress is not one to exterminate you all."

Upon hearing this, the crowd below felt as if they had been granted a pardon and kowtowed repeatedly.

"You may be spared the death penalty, but you cannot escape punishment." Chen Xing's tone turned cold. "Pan Shi Wu is hereby removed from the official register. All its people, land, and reserves will be incorporated into my Xing Huo Fortress. All of you will be relegated to the lowest rank of the 'Naturalization Camp,' and your merits will be calculated from zero according to the 'Merit Order.' Within three years, without any special achievements, you will not be promoted to official fortress citizens. The original fortress leaders and confidants will be transferred to the 'Supervision Team,' where Chen Wei will send people to strictly supervise them and put them to the most arduous and dangerous tasks. Can you accept this?"

"We accept! We accept! Thank you, Lord Fortress Master, for sparing our lives! Thank you for your mercy!" The elders wept as they repeatedly agreed. Being spared was already an unexpected blessing; how could they dare ask for anything more?

The surrender of Panshiwu was like toppling the first domino. Immediately following, three small refugee villages, each with only a hundred or so inhabitants, scattered southeast and southwest of Xinghuo Fortress, sent messengers almost simultaneously, expressing their "admiration for Xinghuo Fortress's power and virtue, their willingness to submit as a whole village, and their only request for shelter and protection." Their situation was even more dire; they were frequently oppressed and exploited by bandits, defeated soldiers, and even neighboring large fortresses. Xinghuo Fortress's decisive victory over the Black Mountain Army and its relatively fair reputation became their last hope.

Chen Xing agreed to all of these, but on similar conditions: the existing organization would be disbanded, the leaders would be sent to the naturalization camp for observation, the population would be registered, the able-bodied would receive reorganization training, and the elderly, weak, women and children would be assigned to land reclamation or manual labor. At the same time, a small group of Xinghuo Battalion soldiers would be sent back with the messenger, ostensibly to "assist in the takeover and maintain order," but in reality to control key areas and prevent any reversals.

In just over ten days, the population register of Xinghuobao suddenly increased by nearly 1,500 people, and the controlled land area quietly extended more than 20 li to the south and east. Li Shu and several clerks from the household registration office were extremely busy, registering, organizing households, and allocating temporary residences and rations overnight. Zhao Tiezhu, on the other hand, led the people from the civil affairs office to urgently survey the newly acquired land and plan the reclamation area and the extension route of the irrigation canals.

However, the real test lies in the directions of Tieyanbao and Huiyubao.

Wu Xuejiu's delegation first arrived at Huiyu Fort. Fortress lord Hu Yong personally greeted them with the utmost courtesy, accommodating the envoys in the best lodgings, hosting a lavish banquet, and speaking earnestly. He praised Xinghuo Fort's martial prowess, condemned the Black Mountain Commander's brutality, expressed "great admiration" for Chen Xing's "great talent and strategy," and readily agreed to the envoys' suggestions of "good neighborliness and mutual exchange." He even proactively proposed expanding the scale of the border "mutual market," exchanging Huiyu Fort's specialty medicinal herbs and animal hides for Xinghuo Fort's grain, salt, and iron.

But when the envoy subtly mentioned "jointly defending against Black Mountain" and further "coordinating positions," Hu Yong began to pour out his grievances, saying that his fortress was small and his troops few, lacking both food and weapons, and that he was truly powerless to do anything about it. He only wished to "strictly maintain neutrality" between Xinghuo Fortress and the Black Mountain commander, and hinted that if Xinghuo Fortress could provide some "necessary support," it might offer more "favors" in other areas. He was shrewd, diplomatic, and meticulous.

The delegation encountered a completely different atmosphere when they transited through Ironrock Fortress. Fortress Lord Sun Han did not personally appear, but only sent a deputy to receive them in the council hall. Inside, armored soldiers stood in rows, their swords and spears gleaming. The deputy was indifferent, describing the victory of Starfire Fortress merely as "lucky," and reacting indifferently to the gifts brought by the envoy and the proposal for friendly trade, only emphasizing that Ironrock Fortress was "more than capable of defending itself and needed no external assistance." Regarding the threat from the Black Mountain Commander, the deputy bluntly stated, "Ironrock Fortress has its own countermeasures; there's no need for neighboring fortresses to worry," his words revealing undisguised wariness and alienation.

The two completely different reactions were recorded in detail by the messenger and sent back to Starfire Fortress by fast horse.

"Hu Yong is like a rat, waiting for a higher price to sell, and even trying to gain benefits from me. Sun Han is arrogant and his hostility is obvious. He seems to be planning to challenge me with a fortified city." Chen Xing handed the two reports to Chen Wei, Murong Mingyue, Zhao Tiezhu, and Wu Xuejiu, who had just been urgently recalled to participate in the meeting.

"Grey Valley Fortress has low walls and shallow moats, and Hu Yong lacks decisive courage. What he relies on is simply his expectation that our fortress is about to engage in a major battle with Black Mountain Commander, leaving us no time to attend to other matters, and he is even less willing to make more powerful enemies. Therefore, he is trying to play both sides and wait for the right price to go," Wu Xuejiu analyzed. "Although the envoy did not receive any substantial promises this time, he has at least kept him in check, preventing him from openly allying with Iron Rock Fortress against us. His request to expand trade can be granted, which will allow us to control some of his material resources and put his mind at ease."

"As for Iron Rock Fortress," Chen Wei interjected, his tone cold and hard, "Sun Han relies on the fortified city and well-trained troops, and considers himself a former local ruler. He views us as nouveau riche outsiders, harboring contempt and resentment. His deputy's statement that 'we are more than capable of defending ourselves' is probably not just empty talk or intimidation. Iron Rock Fortress has been fortified for many years, with a complete defensive system and sufficient food reserves. A direct assault would not be easy."

Murong Mingyue sneered: "Self-defense? In chaotic times, seeking refuge in a corner is a path to death. If Sun Han really thinks he can rest easy by keeping the fortress gates tightly shut, he is far too naive. If the Black Mountain Commander launches a full-scale attack, will he leave Iron Rock Fortress, this fat piece of meat on his flank, untouched? Even if the Black Mountain Commander doesn't come, our development momentum is already established. How can we allow others to amass power and become arrogant next to our bed? Sooner or later, a battle is inevitable."

Zhao Tiezhu shouted, "Then what are we waiting for? He looks down on us now, so let's beat him up! Before Black Mountain Commander arrives, let's pull this thorn out of our side!"

Chen Xing raised his hand to stop Zhao Tiezhu's agitation, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "Sun Han is going to be attacked, but not now, and not in this way. Iron Rock Fortress is not Rock Stronghold; a direct assault would result in heavy casualties and prematurely expose our full strength, depleting our reserves and giving Black Mountain Commander an opportunity."

He walked to the newly drawn map of the surrounding area and pointed to the location of Iron Rock Fortress: "Sun Han relies on the fortified city, the stockpiled grain, and the hundreds of veteran soldiers. The problem is that the internal situation is not monolithic. His 'Order of Merit' has already shaken his foundation, and the surrounding small forces that have submitted to us will also isolate him. Hu Yong is two-faced and will never truly cooperate with him."

"What does the lord of the fortress mean?" Wu Xuejiu asked.

"Use our power to intimidate them, lure them with benefits, divide and conquer them, and subdue them without a fight," Chen Xing said in a deep voice. "First, continue to intensify the propaganda of our fortress's 'Merit Order' and 'Fortress Rules,' especially in the villages and scattered households on the edge of the Iron Rock Fortress's controlled area. Send astute individuals to secretly contact the disgruntled low-ranking officers, poor youths, and skilled craftsmen within the fortress. There's no need to demand that they surrender immediately; just let them know that Starfire Fortress has another way out."

"Secondly, significantly increase the scale of trade in the direction of Huiyubao. Sell our surplus grain, salt, and even some inferior ironware to Huiyubao at prices slightly below market value but still profitable. At the same time, secretly increase restrictions and prices on the outflow of goods from the direction of Tieyanbao. Make Sun Han feel that his neighbor is becoming rich through trade, while his fort is being slowly isolated and tightened in control."

"Third, militarily, we will not directly provoke Iron Rock Fortress, but the daily training and patrol areas of the Starfire Battalion should be more frequently and 'unintentionally' close to its claimed borders. In particular, the cavalry, led by Bright Moon, should conduct several long-distance armed patrols, with routes passing through its sensitive border areas, to demonstrate military strength and mobility, and to exert psychological pressure."

Chen Xing's finger traced across the map: "We must make it clear to Sun Han that if he submits to me, or at least remains benevolent and neutral, his fortress can continue to exist, and he can even profit from trade; if he insists on being my enemy, he will face a triple predicament of military threat, economic blockade, and internal instability. As for the Black Mountain Commander, he is too far away to provide immediate relief, and he is also in a precarious situation himself."

"This is a calculated strategy, and also a method of training an eagle." Wu Xuejiu clapped his hands and sighed. "Break its will, trim its wings, and wait for internal changes to occur. It may become impatient and reckless, revealing its weaknesses, or it may be forced to submit. Then we can make a decision with the least cost."

"Exactly." Chen Xing nodded. "Conquering the surrounding areas is not just about military conquest. The best strategy is to subdue them with a simple proclamation. The worst strategy is to wage a time-consuming and laborious attack. What we lack most now is time, and what we need most is to steadily digest the fruits of victory and accumulate strength to deal with Black Mountain Commander. As for Iron Rock Fortress, we should surround it without attacking, using its power to force its hand. As for Gray Valley Fortress, we should win it over and make it a buffer between us and Iron Rock Fortress, or even a possible breakthrough point in the future."

He surveyed the crowd, his tone firm: "Pass down the order to implement this strategy. At the same time, the reorganization, resettlement, and education of the newly surrendered population must be expedited; no chaos is to be tolerated. The spring planting on the newly reclaimed land must also not be neglected. The more stable our foundation, the stronger our leverage to exert pressure on others."

"promise!"

The machine of Starfire Fortress, honed by victory, has once again adjusted its gears. On one hand, it is gently but firmly absorbing and digesting those who voluntarily submit; on the other hand, it extends a seemingly friendly, yet subtly menacing, hand to its still hostile neighbors. The wave of annexation no longer relies solely on the sharpness of swords, but also leverages the halo of institutions, the bonds of trade, and the intangible power of popular support, quietly sweeping across the original borders.