Chapter 1993: An Inch of Mountain Road, An Inch of Blood

As Tushan Fang leaped off the platform, he patted Fan Shuang’s shoulder. "Literary people are truly different; I could never come up with such words."

"I'm just imitating the Great Emperor, learning by rote," Fan Shuang replied. As an accompanying official, Fan Shuang had witnessed firsthand how eloquently Heling Chuan persuaded the King and powerful officials in Tianshui City. Even if he hadn't grasped the essence fully, he must have learned at least a little.

The two exchanged a smile. Fan Shuang then said seriously, "Brother Tu, be careful and return safely!"

He knew instinctively that Guo Baiyu would never let them collect grain without a fight.

An hour and a half later, Miancheng dispatched a harvesting team composed of townspeople and farmers, escorted by the city army. The city desperately needed this new batch of grain. Even if it meant a direct confrontation with Guo Baiyu's army, it was imperative.

Just as Fan Shuang expected, Guo Baiyu had also noticed the unusual activity south of the city and intended to seize some grain. But he couldn't have imagined how fierce and brutal this grain-grabbing battle would become. Almost every act of harvesting and every segment of transportation was paid for with lives. Over five days, within a ten-li radius in and around the city, more than 27,000 soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded. Every inch of the mountain road was soaked in blood.

Lady Wang, who had gone to help at the infirmary with other women, returned with a pale face, saying it was "literally hell." But in the end, the grain was brought back. Fan Shuang and his father went to the city gate to help transport and organize the grain. They saw bloodstains on the carts, scattered blade marks, and arrows stuck in the grain sacks. The experiences of the grain retrieval team upon their return were beyond words. Fan Shuang couldn't describe the look in their eyes.

However, Miancheng had no time for sorrow; it immediately plunged into the urgent tasks of processing and distributing the grain. The dead are gone, but the living must carry on. The immediate priority was to relieve the hunger of the survivors as quickly as possible. Warm biscuits were placed on tables and consumed. The fragrant aroma of food pushed back the gnawing hunger. Finally, long-lost smiles appeared on the faces of Miancheng's people. With these few mouthfuls of grain, they could now endure for a few more days.

The harvesting and escort teams became heroes of the city. They recounted vivid tales of how they seized grain, played hide-and-seek with the enemy in the fields, and fought desperately on mountain paths, ultimately returning laden with the city's hopes. They reveled in the praise and admiration of the citizens. As brave warriors who had faced Guo Baiyu's army and returned alive, they deserved it.

Fan Shuang also saw Tushan Fang. In just a few days, Tushan Fang looked even thinner, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had deepened. His back was slightly hunched, and he limped on his left leg—a result of a desperate counterattack from a chieftain he had killed just before the chieftain's death. Yet, Tushan Fang's gaze remained fierce. Only when he was biting into a freshly steamed sorghum bun did he let out a long sigh: "Damn it, I've never eaten such a delicious bun in my life!" Many others burst into tears as they ate. The Dragon God Temple was once again packed with people, and rice grains and steamed buns reappeared on the offering tables.

Miancheng wasn't the only one scrambling for grain; Guo Baiyu was doing the same. On the sixth day, with most of the grain harvested, Guo Baiyu ordered the farmlands to be set ablaze. Prefect Huang wanted to organize another team to go out and harvest, but Tushan Fang stopped him, explaining that it was clearly a trap. Guo Baiyu was prepared, and attempting to salvage the last bit of grain would only lead to more casualties.

Watching the flames shoot skyward in the east and smelling the burnt aroma carried on the wind, the people of Miancheng felt their hearts bleed. What was burning was precious grain; if it could have all been harvested, it would have fed everyone for many more days. "That bastard Guo," countless people cursed him, "if we ever catch him, we'll slice him into a thousand pieces!"

Fan Shuang and his father also participated in calculating the grain reserves and ensuring supply. With the newly harvested and stored grain, Miancheng's people could eat for about seven days if generous, or roughly twenty days if they rationed carefully. Originally, the war in Miancheng was a day-by-day struggle, aiming to prolong their survival by even a single day. Now, with the possibility of lasting fifteen or twenty days, Prefect Huang was overjoyed; his steps became lighter, and he could even eat an extra half-bowl of mixed grain rice.

Fan Shuang privately asked Tushan Fang, "Twenty days—will the Dragon God be able to come by then?" Tushan Fang replied decisively, "Of course he can, absolutely!"

With the grain crisis temporarily resolved, Miancheng could now confidently resist Guo Baiyu. The city's current defense still relied on the Guardian Beast. Fortunately, the "Imperial Flow Nectar" had recently erupted, and officials had used the collected spiritual nectar to power the beast; otherwise, it would have ceased functioning long ago.

At this time, Miancheng was simultaneously holding its city gates and urgently training new recruits. The influx of a large population from surrounding areas was not entirely negative; the county government and Tushan Fang organized able-bodied men for training and drills, while women were tasked with transporting supplies, cooking, and providing medical aid. Defending their homes and city, and resisting the powerful enemy, was the responsibility of every Miancheng resident. Everyone shared a single, common sentiment: "Hold on! The Dragon God's reinforcements will surely come!"

However, reality was unforgiving. A few days later, before any reinforcements arrived, another devastating blow struck: Haoxian County had also fallen! Their last mutual ally had fallen. From now on, Miancheng would have to face the formidable enemy alone.

The following evening, Yu An, the county magistrate of Haoxian, arrived in Miancheng with over 30,000 citizens. Everyone was gaunt and terrified. Prefect Huang was conflicted, but Haoxian had stood with Miancheng for months, jointly resisting the powerful enemy. Now that its people were in distress and had barely escaped with their lives, how could he possibly turn them back over to Guo Baiyu? Miancheng had no choice but to open its gates and receive them, adding over 30,000 more mouths to feed within the city. This exacerbated the already strained food supply.

Miancheng's residents were also unhappy: "We shed blood and sweat, and sacrificed loved ones to retrieve this grain. Why should we just give it to you for free?" The conflict between the people of Haoxian and Miancheng escalated from mere verbal spats and a few brawls, eventually almost erupting into a melee involving hundreds. During wartime, everyone was agitated. Tushan Fang led his troops to forcefully suppress the unrest, ruthlessly dealing with troublemakers from both sides, which barely managed to end the conflict.

However, just as Miancheng nearly descended into internal chaos, Guo Baiyu blew up the western passage, cutting off any escape route to the west for Miancheng's people. His message was clear: "Surrender or be killed. No one will escape!"

Seven li north of Miancheng, on a high slope in an elm forest, a few individuals hidden among the trees had a commanding view. They could not only overlook a corner of Miancheng but also see the farmlands to the east. That area, once golden with crops, was now blackened, nothing but scorched earth. A plump monkey sat on a chestnut tree, intently peeling chestnuts, oblivious to the human suffering in the distance.

"That bastard Guo really deserves to die!" Wan Si Liang ground his molars. "When we catch him, we'll tear him apart with five horses!"

"Pull back a bit, you're too exposed," Dong Rui said, hiding behind a tree and looking west. Below them was one of Guo Baiyu's outposts, with scouts including a dozen red-billed mountain crows, which were quick-witted and fond of flying around. Their own party, out on reconnaissance, consisted of only five or six people.