A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Fire Cult has already passed through Yanzhou!"

The messenger knelt outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, his voice hoarse as if it had been scorched by fire.

"They claimed to have a million soldiers capable of fighting, but along the way they abducted civilians, dragging their families along... the number has already exceeded four million!"

No one spoke in the hall.

The lid of the cup touched the rim of the saucer with a sound, then quickly stopped.

Wei Zhao pressed the military report in his hand onto the imperial desk, his knuckles slowly tightening.

Four million.

Once this number came out, all those so-called rebel kings, the Chenqiao grain transport officials, and the powerful families of the capital seemed to have been submerged in water by a single hand.

It's not that it's unimportant, it's just that the fire of the Holy Fire Cult is burning too fast, so fast that if we don't stop it, the entire north will be engulfed.

He originally thought that 300,000 followers were disgusting enough.

It now appears that the 300,000 were merely the number of people they had who could actually fight.

What's truly terrifying are the more than four million people behind them who are being swept up, drawn in, and forced to move forward.

Women, the elderly, children, deserters, tenants, and vagrants.

These people are not soldiers.

But once they follow the Olympic torch towards Kyoto, they will be more troublesome than soldiers.

kill?

Can we kill them all?

Not kill?

They stormed into the capital region, turning granaries, county offices, post stations, and villages into firewood.

As Wei Zhao read the military report, the fire in his heart rose inch by inch.

Zhang Yan is truly ruthless.

He wasn't just rebelling. He was using the lives of ordinary people as a tide, pushing the new Wu dynasty back.

If you dare to block my way, there will be starving people right in front of you.

If you don't block it, Kyoto will be right behind you.

it is good.

They really know how to choose a path.

Huo Qingluan stood in front of the military map, her fingers pressing on the roads from Yanzhou to the capital, her brows furrowed.

"We cannot allow them to continue northward."

She still speaks in such short sentences.

But this time, even her voice sounded a bit deeper than usual.

Wei Zhao looked at her.

Huo Qingluan moved her fingertips to the three passes.

"Here, here, and here. If the Holy Fire Cult splits into three routes, the garrison around the capital will not be enough."

Wei Zhao nodded.

Of course he knew it wasn't enough.

The capital had just been pacified, the surrendered Imperial Guards were still being reorganized, ten rebel kings were blocking the Chenqiao line, and six marquises had already led their troops to defend the key city.

The soldiers that can move now aren't nonexistent; rather, every time one is withdrawn, another will emerge.

The world is not a complete sheet of cloth.

It's a sieve.

No matter where you patch it, it leaks.

Su Qingyun stood to the side holding the account book, her face paler than usual.

"Zhao'er, I've recalculated the grain supplies again."

Wei Zhao looked at her.

She placed the account book on the imperial desk, her voice soft but clear.

"If we send 150,000 troops, the capital's granaries will not be able to hold out. The grain ships from Jiangnan are still on their way. Although the Zheng family's fleet has been suppressed, their morale is low, and we also have to guard against rebel kings intercepting the grain on the way."

Wei Zhao asked, "What about 100,000?"

"One hundred thousand."

Su Qingyun tapped her fingertip on the account book: "We can manage. But that's all we can do. Armor repairs, horse feed, medicine for the wounded, and provisions for the army are all kept to a minimum."

Huo Qingluan looked up.

"One hundred thousand is not enough."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

She spoke so bluntly that no one dared to respond.

Wei Zhao smiled instead.

"not enough?"

Huo Qingluan looked at the military map.

"The Holy Fire Cult boasts a million men, and even if that number is reduced, it still far exceeds one hundred thousand. There are also four million refugees behind them. If they encircle and attack our camp, our army will be thrown into chaos."

She paused, then added.

"They cannot be counted as normal enemy troops."

Wei Zhao's smile faded.

Correct.

That's the most annoying thing.

If the Northern Rong cavalry charge into the enemy lines, just kill them.

The Imperial Guards set up the Xuanwu Formation; just break it.

If Han Dashan, Zhou Laodao, and their gang of rebel kings dare to block the road, they can just rob them.

But the Holy Fire Cult is different. It is not an army; it is a mudslide rolled out of famine, rumors, faith, fear, and food all rolled together.

Using 100,000 soldiers to stop this kind of thing seems like madness.

But now all he can do is go crazy.

Su Qingyun said softly, "If we try to squeeze a little more, it's not entirely hopeless. Li Huai has already sealed the accounts of several households belonging to the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. If we can find some silver tonight, we can allocate some more grain and salary tomorrow."

Wei Zhao raised his hand to stop her.

"No need."

Su Qingyun looked up.

Huo Qingluan also looked over.

Wei Zhao closed the military report, his tone very calm.

"One hundred thousand troops are enough."

The expressions of the military officers in the hall all changed.

enough?

They didn't say it aloud, but their eyes conveyed the same word.

Time waits for no one.

Wei Zhao said, "The Holy Fire Sect has not yet fully gained power. Zhang Yan can deceive people with a bowl of porridge because the imperial grain has not yet reached the people. He can intimidate people with the Holy Fire because the government is so rotten that no one believes him anymore."

He stood up and walked to the military map.

"I am leading 100,000 troops, not to confront a million followers head-on."

Huo Qingluan's gaze froze.

Wei Zhao pointed to the northern route of Yanzhou.

"I want to take down their altar master, cut off their grain carts, expose their talismanic waters, and strip Zhang Yan of his divine skin."

He then pointed to several county towns.

"Those who surrender will be given food, those who are coerced will be separated, and the key members who committed murder and arson will be executed on the spot. Those civilians who can be settled will be settled first, and those who cannot be settled will be relocated to the rear."

At this point, he looked at Zhao Qiniang.

"You'll keep an eye on this for me."

Zhao Qiniang clasped her hands in a fist salute.

"I understand. The leaders of the Holy Fire Cult are masters at hiding among the crowd. If we let them continue chanting slogans, the people will be dragged down to their deaths."

Wei Zhao nodded.

This is why he wanted Zhao Qiniang to accompany the army.

Those who fight wars observe the battle formations, flags, and weapons.

Zhao Qiniang was reading that dirty stuff from the religious sect.

She knew better than anyone who truly believed, who was being manipulated, who was a spy planted by the altar master, and who was using talismanic water to bewitch the people.

To win this battle with 100,000 troops, it takes more than just guns and swords.

They still had to pull people out of the fire.

Su Qingyun looked at him, her fingertips gently pressing on the account book.

"What about the capital?"

Wei Zhao turned to look at her.

That's the most fatal thing.

He personally led the expedition, so the capital must not be thrown into chaos.

Former court officials, the four major families, the confiscated property of Li Huai, the Zheng family's fleet, and the Cui family's granaries—all of them need to be kept in check.

The burden on Su Qingyun's shoulders is no lighter than his.

Wei Zhao walked back to the imperial desk and pushed a jade token in front of her.

"Qingyun, after I leave, keep an eye on Li Huai."

Su Qingyun didn't answer; she looked into his eyes first.

Wei Zhao said, "Tell him to hurry up. Seal off and confiscate the homes of corrupt officials if possible. Once the evidence is solid, there's no need to wait for my return."

Su Qingyun asked in a low voice, "What if someone cries out for justice?"

"Make him produce the accounts."

Wei Zhao sneered.

"If the accounts match, I will apologize to him. If they don't, he can choose his own coffin."

The eyelids of the people in the hall twitched.

That's a harsh statement.

But now we have no choice but to be ruthless.

With the mess of four million members of the Holy Fire Cult looming large, he had no time to leisurely lecture those parasites on etiquette and manners.

You can talk about etiquette, but first you have to spit out the disaster relief money you swallowed.

Not vomiting?

Then cut open her stomach to look.

Su Qingyun put the jade token into her sleeve.

"I see."

Wei Zhao added, "Let's also take care of the four major families while we're at it."

Su Qingyun's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"smoothly?"

"Yes, it was just a convenient thing to do."

Wei Zhao said, "The Wang family is colluding with the rebel king, the Zheng family is blocking the ships, the Cui family is hoarding grain, and the Lu family can be used for now. Those who are obedient can be kept. Those who are willing to contribute money, grain, and manpower will be given a way to survive."

He paused, his voice turning cold.

"Those who are disobedient, refuse to pay money or grain, and still want to bet on both sides, then let's switch to another batch of the four major families."

Wei Zhao lowered his voice.

He pointed to the Holy Flame Cult's military newspaper.

"Because the problems caused by the Holy Fire Cult are no longer just a threat to the safety of the capital."

Su Qingyun looked at the line "over four million" and the smile on her face slowly disappeared.

"But the more than four million people who remained after the war still needed the government to settle them!"