Chapter 1299: Gift of Grain

Based on the number of tents, Prefect Liu's army likely numbers around 1,200 to 1,300 men. The people of Shizhoukou told me that these soldiers are mostly not local recruits, but rather troops Prefect Liu brought from the north. They've only been stationed in Shizhoukou for about three years, which explains why they treat the locals so harshly. Additionally, the military commanders often bully the townsfolk.

He Lingchuan nodded, "That's how it is with armies; if the leader is corrupt, the subordinates will follow suit."

Given Prefect Liu's earlier display of cowardice, it was clear his troops were no better.

"Is Yang Meng a local?"

"Yes, Yang Meng was born in Shizhoukou. He was chosen by a Taoist sect in his youth, taken away to study, and only returned to the city three years ago."

"No wonder Yang Meng resisted voluntarily," He Lingchuan said. "The outsiders are taking advantage of the locals."

"The townspeople speak highly of him. He's been a fair commander, often helping out commoners."

Dong Rui then turned the conversation back to the army outside the city. "My bats overheard two sentries talking. Yang Meng isn't engaging them directly; he's only sending small groups of skirmishers to harass them, which has killed many of their outer guards. That's why these two were extremely tense, praying they'd survive to the next shift." As he spoke, a bat squeaked twice as it emerged from Dong Rui's clothes. Dong Rui added, "Oh, and the vegetation there is sparse, so one sentry actually saw my bat and wanted to kill it for food. It seems the attacking force isn't well-supplied either."

Even when a bat shrinks, it's no bigger than a child's fist. For a sentry to crave such a tiny piece of meat, they must truly be starving.

"Alright, now tell me about Zhao Guangzhi."

"You want information on him too?" Dong Rui shook his head. "It's only been three days, and you're asking for so much!"

"Among these three factions, Zhao Guangzhi is actually the one I'm most interested in," He Lingchuan said, rubbing his hands together. "You've got all the details, right?"

Dong Rui stared at him for a long moment before letting out a chuckle.

"Of course."

At that moment, Wan Qifeng entered and said:

"We've already sent scouts to investigate Prefect Liu's main camp."

This was done without He Lingchuan needing to give the order.

While Dong Rui was meticulous, he wasn't a military man, so he couldn't grasp many of the finer details.

The Yangshan Army's actions were different. After nightfall, Wan Qifeng's subsequent report was far more detailed.

Although Prefect Liu's forces occupied a high ground, their camp layout was illogical. For instance, the latrines weren't entirely downwind, so sometimes when the wind shifted, the stench would drift back into the camp, spreading for miles around.

After several bouts of rain, the tents were all askew. Yangshan Army scouts also discovered that some of Prefect Liu's soldiers were too lazy to queue, secretly relieving themselves outside before nonchalantly returning.

Not only did this make them vulnerable to enemy attacks, but it also easily polluted the environment, especially since the water source was nearby and heavy rains had recently occurred.

Even Dong Rui looked disgusted. "Their hygiene is appalling!"

Furthermore, Prefect Liu's army was also short on food and medicine, having been raided by Yang Meng's forces once before. Clearly, Prefect Liu lacked experience in outdoor warfare, as his grain supplies were not stored separately. When Yang Meng attacked, anything that couldn't be carried away was set on fire, leading to severe losses for Liu's army.

"In reality, it's a test of endurance between the forces inside and outside the city," He Lingchuan summarized. "If Shizhoukou had been a bit better supplied, Prefect Liu would probably have already fled in disgrace."

But in life, there are rarely "ifs." Prefect Liu knew Shizhoukou couldn't hold out much longer, and that if he just persevered for a few more days, he could seize victory.

"As things stand, Yang Meng is at a disadvantage. If I were him, I'd be worried about my safety." He Lingchuan then crooked his finger at Dong Rui. "Can you get some medicine?"

Dong Rui raised an eyebrow. "What kind of medicine?"

He Lingchuan whispered a few words to him. Dong Rui clapped his hands and chuckled. "A piece of cake! They deserve it for their lack of hygiene!"

"I just hope you have enough to go around."

"Plenty," Dong Rui grinned, baring his teeth. "There's always enough of this kind of medicine!"

Later that night, two more light drizzles fell, and the wind shifted.

Having experienced two previous night raids, Prefect Liu had heightened his vigilance, so Yang Meng didn't send anyone to harass the camp that night.

While inspecting the west side of the city wall at midday, Yang Meng heard a rumbling sound nearby. He turned to find it was a bowman's stomach growling.

The soldier clutched his stomach, but his belly only rumbled louder.

He was starving; having had nothing substantial to eat for two days, he could barely draw his bow.

The three hundred catties of grain Yang Meng had acquired three days prior had to be rationed. How could he possibly let the army consume it all in one meal?

Yang Meng's gaze swept over him. At that moment, a retainer rushed up and whispered in his ear, "Commander Yang, the meal is ready."

The retainer paused in surprise. "Ah? Yes, sir."

When men and horses were thin from hunger, officers usually ate inside their tents to avoid trouble with the soldiers. But Commander Yang was asking for his meal to be brought to the city gate?

A short while later, the food arrived.

A steaming basket, the mere aroma of rice and flour, was enough to make one's mouth water.

This time, more than just one soldier's stomach was rumbling.

Yang Meng opened the steamer to reveal four or five mixed grain buns, slightly yellowish and dark, along with a bowl of thin gruel that barely had two grains of rice per spoonful.

However, a few mushrooms and tender leaf sprouts floated in the gruel.

"It's been raining these past few days, and mushrooms grew under the tree roots," the retainer explained. "We've tested them; they're not poisonous."

Just seeing these meager provisions made the soldiers on the city gate swallow hard.

Yang Meng nodded but didn't reach out. Instead, he pointed at the soldiers on the wall. "Distribute all of this among them."

"Ah, Commander, but you..."

"I usually eat better than them and can endure hunger," Yang Meng waved him off. "No more talk, just distribute it quickly."

A few buns and one bowl of gruel weren't nearly enough to fill the bellies of seventeen or eighteen hungry men.

Yet, their eyes reflected even greater admiration for Yang Meng.

Everyone knew Commander Yang shared their hardships.

Just then, an arrow flew from the sky, striking the gate tower with a thud, barely three feet from Yang Meng.

"Enemy attack!" Everyone moved to shield Yang Meng, but he waved them off. "No need, it's just a message arrow."

He clearly saw a piece of paper tied to the arrow's fletching.

A retainer went to retrieve the arrow and unfasten the paper. With a "clink," an iron ring fell to the ground.

The paper was surprisingly high quality—a stiff, pale gold, crackling slightly when flicked. Yang Meng unfolded it to read a few sparse lines:

"Commander Yang, brave and trustworthy. We specially bestow five hundred catties of grain to ease your urgent need. Tonight, the wind rises, and changes will occur outside the city."

At the end of the letter was a drawing of a dragon's head.

The words "five hundred catties of grain" caught his eye, making Yang Meng's heart leap. He quickly picked up the iron ring and, extending his spiritual sense into it, took a look.

Indeed, it was a storage ring.

And sure enough, it contained ten full sacks of grain, their openings wide and overflowing!

Though it wasn't all rice, and included mixed grains and sweet potatoes, Yang Meng was still overjoyed.

With food in their stomachs, their hearts would be at ease. While five hundred catties wasn't a huge amount, every meal helped!

What's more, the storage ring also contained some cured meat and pickled vegetables. For soldiers who had been gnawing on tree bark for days, this was truly a feast!