My lord, spare his life!

"Keep dreaming. Hundreds of gold coins and thousands of gold coins? If you really run into a tough enemy, you don't even know if you'll come back alive." The difference in individual combat strength is still very large. Ordinary soldiers like them don't even have a full set of fine armor. If they were to fight the enemy hand-to-hand, they might not even have a chance to draw their swords. They can only survive and get the enemy's head by cooperating with their comrades in offense and defense.

The merit earned by taking a head in this way must be shared equally with the person who took it.

To take it all for himself?

That's basically hopeless.

Unless one has ulterior motives and tries to kill innocent people to claim credit.

The soldier guarding the camp spoke with a hint of melancholy and regret: "New information has come from above. If someone like us dies on the front lines, we'll receive two taels of gold, five bolts of cloth, and ten shi of grain for our families, plus a five tael silver funeral allowance. If we have children, they can go to school; if we don't, our household will be exempt from taxes and corvée labor for three to five years. If the fallen soldier is the only child in his family, his parents will receive two dou of grain per month for three to five years… If we die in the camp, the amount will be less. This information just came out…"

The other soldiers remained silent.

This standard is only for ordinary soldiers.

"Squad leaders, platoon leaders, centurions, etc., isn't that right...?"

"The ones given will definitely be different."

Specific standards have not yet been released.

A soldier, clutching his ever-present weapon, remarked, "If I could really get it, I'd do anything to get promoted to squad leader or sergeant before I die..."

Centurion is out of reach, but corporal and platoon leader are still attainable. As long as you can survive one or two battles and accumulate some experience, you can be promoted to corporal. If you can get a head, platoon leader is within your grasp. Your whole family will be set for life for the next ten years or so.

"You only have one life, what are you thinking?"

A fellow soldier from his hometown kicked him, telling him to avoid the prophecy.

The other man cautiously looked left and right, then lowered his voice: "Exactly, I'm afraid that if you give up your life, the higher-ups won't give you what you want. Are you going to rise from the dead and crawl out to collect a debt?"

Warlords in chaotic times love to make empty promises.

Before a battle, they shower all sorts of nice words on the battlefield, often promising all soldiers three or seven days without sheathing their swords, no restrictions on military discipline, and allowing the entire battalion to plunder, loot, and slaughter at will, substituting visible benefits for spoils of war and military pay.

The soldier quickly covered his mouth.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Some soldiers quickly said, "It shouldn't be that bad."

Their current lord is very wealthy and has a substantial fortune.

Why do I say that?

Because anyone who isn't an idiot can see it.

Tianyue County was just a rural area with no pillar industries. It wasn't a major grain-producing county, nor did it have any unique or expensive products. Before Zhang Yang took over, it even suffered from seasonal irregularities. It was a complete mess, and how could the proceeds from confiscating property possibly support it? And now? When soldiers take leave and stroll around the city, they find that while the variety of goods isn't dazzling, it has everything they need.

To date, the soldiers in all several battalions have received their full and timely pay, and the weapons they use for daily training are new and replaced when they wear out to a certain extent, rather than being repaired and reused. Take a stroll outside the city, and you'll see which village hasn't built new houses? Several new wells have been dug in one village? And those enormous waterwheels that you can see from afar—they weren't cheap to build either.

Heaven knows how much of the master's secret stash of money he put in there?

"Besides, we're just guarding the camp, not going to the front lines. Whether our lord will honor the compensation or not, we'll find out soon enough. Discussing this here, if any of you loose-lipped people leak it out and we brothers get kicked out, you'd better watch out!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

When it was time to rest, everyone went to their shifts.

Fan You, still uneasy, personally inspected the military provisions and supplies to ensure everything was in order. Looking at the accounts and budget, he was also worried. Zhang Yang's high rewards and compensation standards were naturally because she didn't intend to massacre and plunder the city after conquering it, nor did she allow the soldiers to do so. This placed all the pressure on the finances. Money was manageable, but the real concern was a food shortage.

As he pondered these thoughts, Fan You remembered the money Zhang Yang had been swindled out of.

"Eighty-eighty-eight hundred and eighty-eight billion coins..."

The more I think about it, the more suffocated I feel.

Fan You clutched his chest, his head spinning with anger.

This huge sum of money was swindled away by scammers.

How can people be so easily fooled?

If he had just received half of that money, let alone all of it, he could have used it to his advantage, managing to acquire all the assets of the Three Palaces and Four Symbols, and perhaps even making a profit through kickbacks. Instead, it all went to that damned swindler. How hateful, truly hateful!

What angered him even more was that his lord was only angry for half a day, and after waking up, he seemed to have forgotten about it. Instead, he was still preoccupied with the matter of 888,888 billion coins and held a grudge against him.

With that kind of money, why would he need to be so frugal?

I'm so angry, my head is throbbing!

With his eyes closed, he sees 888,888 billion coins; with his eyes open, he sees 888,888 billion coins again.

"This is absolutely terrible!"

Fan You was so angry that he couldn't sleep well for two days.

Before he set off, there was still a noticeable bluish tinge under his eyes.

Zhang Yang noticed a 24-hour insomnia debuff under his name: "Uncle Yan, have you been sleeping poorly these past few days?"

Fan You gripped the saddle with both hands, mounted the horse, and said with a sour face, "Anyone who knows they've lost a lot of money will have trouble sleeping."

Zhang Yang said, "Shuyan was also scammed?"

That truly shows we share the same plight.

Fan You glared at her: "How could I be swindled out of my purse by such a clumsy conman? I'm talking about the huge sum of money that belongs to my lord."

Zhang Yang was even more puzzled.

"Shouldn't it be because I didn't sleep well?"

Why is Fan You the one with the insomnia debuff?

Perhaps due to being an NPC, Zhang Yang's emotions were somewhat sluggish, arriving quickly and leaving just as fast. Aside from initially fainting from anger, she recovered within a day. She could even comfort herself, telling herself that although she lost 888,888 billion coins, she could compensate herself with the Three Palaces and Four Symbols.

"Don't talk to me!"

Fan You clutched his chest, his lips turning pale. He swallowed hard several times to calm himself. He couldn't talk to Zhang Yang anymore; every second he spoke would shorten his lifespan by two years.

Zhang Yang: "..."

She left Du Guan to look after the house before this expedition.

Fan You followed He Zhi.

The mountain prefectures were He Zhi's happy hometown; he was familiar with the terrain there, and the location of each place was imprinted in his mind. Fan You was also brought along because Zhang Yang was unsure how long the battle would last. If the lightning attack failed and the war dragged on, she wouldn't be able to rush back to rescue Fan You, who was suffering from the effects of the Starfall attack.

Therefore, Fan You also had to be brought along.

Guan Zong was appointed general, and the governor of Puyang was in charge of training troops.

The Hundred Ghosts Guards infiltrated the army, forming a special elite force led by Guan Si, intended for surprise attacks. Wang Qi was the most difficult person to settle down, so Zhang Yang couldn't let him run around freely and had no choice but to take him along.

Wang Qi was displeased: "The mountain spirit seems rather reluctant."

Zhang Yang asked, "Then you'll stay?"

Wang Qi said loudly, "Then I'll destroy your lair."

Puyang Kui definitely couldn't stop him.

Zhang Yang: "..."

As for the Star Beasts, all three were brought out.

Initially, Zhang Yang only planned to bring Zhang Dagu along.

As the overlords of the skies, the Star Beast Falcon's flight altitude allows it to perfectly avoid the enemy's detection range, making its reconnaissance efficiency top-notch. If the enemy also raises reconnaissance Star Beasts, Zhang Da Gu's success rate in counterattacking is over 90%. As for Zhang Da Mi and Zhang Da Miao, forget about them.

The former continued raising chickens and ducks, while the latter continued guarding the house.

Someone must have leaked the news, because Zhang Dami was biting her clothes, throwing a tantrum, and refusing to let it go. Zhang Damiao, not bothering to argue with Zhang Dami, had tears welling up in her round, leopard-like eyes, as if Zhang Yang were the heartless woman who had cruelly abandoned them. No matter how Zhang Yang explained that she had gone out to fight, it was no use.

Even Wang Qi couldn't stand it anymore.

The leopard I raised was born a killing machine.

If you raise a mountain ghost like that, it'll be ruined sooner or later.

Wang Qi didn't even bother to mention how slender and graceful Zhang Damiao was when she was with him, every muscle brimming with explosive power. But look at her now? She's mastered those low-class, petty jealous tricks of the inner quarters without any formal training, spending her days eating, drinking, and vying for his favor. Forget her figure, even her head has gotten a bit bloated.

The more I look at it, the dumber it seems.

Wang Qi didn't even want to admit that he raised it.

【What do you mean, "You raised this?" Big Meow is my leopard!】

You snatched it from my hands!

[They've already taken it all, so what's this about it being yours?]

Wang Qi: [...]

Arguing does have some effect.

Zhang Da Miao was allowed to go to the front lines, but what annoyed Leopard was that Zhang Da Mi also went. The tiger and leopard even scratched each other over who would be Zhang Yang's mount, ending up with a mouthful of fur. This forced Zhang Yang to use his ultimate move: riding Da Mi and carrying Da Miao on his back.

Fan You sighed for half a lifetime in a single day.

Fortunately, this torment did not last long.

The army entered the Dongfan Mountains, using the hidden trade route to transport supplies in batches to the various counties within the mountains. At the exit of the trade route, He Wen, who had received advance notice, had already sent men to meet them. Seeing his uncle unharmed, He Wen's tense nerves finally relaxed.

"Greetings, Magistrate Zhang, and all of you."

Zhang Yang asked, "How are the preparations going on with Bafeng?"

He Wen replied, "Everything went smoothly."

The Imperial City is fully prepared, awaiting only the right opportunity.

This was a lightning raid, and the army's banners couldn't be displayed. To fight in unfamiliar territory without getting lost, He Wen's cooperation was indispensable. Zhang Yang deliberately gave the uncle and nephew a chance to communicate privately, to reassure them and prevent them from having any ulterior motives.

He Zhi looked at his thinner nephew and hesitated to speak.

He Wen: "Uncle, rest assured, my sister is perfectly fine."

He Zhi was taken to Tianyue County by Zhang Yang, and Lü Yuan was ordered to move his troops to Dizuo City to set up an ambush. The two's daughter could only be cared for by He Wen. No matter how busy He Wen was, he did not forget to supervise her studies and daily life.

He Zhi shook his head: "That's not what I'm asking."

He hesitated for a moment, and He Wen looked puzzled.

He Zhi went all out: "Has Lü Bafeng harassed you?"

He Wen understood what his uncle had asked and almost blushed with embarrassment: "No, not at all. Before she went to the Imperial Throne City, I only met her two or three times, and we only talked about serious matters. I didn't give her a chance to cause trouble. She should at least have some self-respect."

The former prefect indulged Lu Yuan's dissolute behavior and was happy to see her do such things, but Lu Yuan's new adoptive mother is a respectable person, so Lu Yuan should restrain herself a bit. Hearing He Wen say this, He Zhi felt a little relieved, and even his sharp eyebrows softened visibly.

"That's excellent."

He Zhi was genuinely worried about Lu Yuan's shocking statement. If she really did harm He Wen and he became pregnant again, He Zhi really wouldn't know what to do about the child in her womb, since it was also of the He family bloodline and belonged to his nephew.

During those few days in Tianyue, he had several similar nightmares.

He Wendao said, "Uncle, don't worry."

The uncle and nephew chatted about everyday things for a while.

After a short rest, the army quietly set off under the cover of night.

He Zhi had devised a comprehensive plan for the former Prefect of Che Si to annex the mountain forces, but he was imprisoned by Lü Yuan before it could be implemented, which he greatly regretted. During his years of imprisonment, he spent his spare time repeatedly refining and perfecting the plan.

He never imagined that what was once just a way to pass the time in captivity would come in handy now. He had rehearsed it countless times in his mind, knowing every step so well he could do it with his eyes closed.

The initial success made Fan You wary.

After learning the whole story, he sighed sincerely, "My lord is quite lucky. The fruit that was missed before is about to be picked by her... Sigh, it would have been even better if she hadn't been swindled out of that huge sum of money."

He Zhi: "...What huge sum of money?"

Fan You looked like he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

He Zhi, sensing the situation, didn't delve deeper. When Zhang Yang cast a glance his way, he added, "Even without any unexpected events, the late emperor would have had little chance of achieving anything. Rather than take risks, he preferred to remain in a corner of the country..."

Taking advantage of Chesi County's geographical location, the former governor's ideal life was simply guarding the trade routes and collecting money. War is risky; even with ample troops and supplies, the enemy could still achieve a victory against overwhelming odds. Defeat would mean the loss of everything they had; maintaining the status quo was far preferable.

Even when conflicts arose with other forces, they were always stopped short of serious confrontation. The opponent was thoroughly hurt before negotiations began. The profits painstakingly accumulated by other forces were ultimately exploited by the former governor through the trade routes. Who wouldn't want to live such a risk-free and profitable life?

He Zhi sighed, "It wasn't like this before."

I used to be quite career-minded.

Especially during the Dongxian Rebellion, the former prefect was also full of vigor, hot-blooded, and decisive in killing. It can only be said that too many days of wealth and comfort will not only turn muscles into fat, but even the courage that is as big as a bucket will gradually shrink...

As he spoke, He Zhi glanced at Zhang Yang out of the corner of his eye.

Even using the most discerning standards, he couldn't find a flaw in her face. Besides, she possessed advantages the former master lacked: she was young, exceptionally capable, and incredibly wealthy. Having witnessed worldly riches, she wouldn't be easily blinded by extravagance. If, after achieving some success, her figure were to grow horizontally… he'd rather poison her to death.

Zhang Yang looked over as if he had a premonition.

He Zhi returned the gesture with a slight smile and a nod.

Zhang Yang: "The strategist's heart..."

She hadn't realized she'd transmigrated to the real world, thinking it was a bug in the game's red-name system. Now she understood the problem lay in the complexities of human nature. The moment a thought of killing arose, the name above her head would change color accordingly. So the question was, why did He Zhi's name change color inexplicably?

Zhang Yang: "...red, yellow, and green."

They're difficult to figure out.

???(′?`?)