Chapter 897: When Reporting in Person

"More than that. But it's best to use each Dragon-Punishing Pillar for a single purpose. Once it collects Nightmist, don't use it to gather other things, or it will be difficult to separate later." Zhong Shengguang paused, "Of course, if you're collecting it to feed the Great Square Cauldron, then it doesn't matter."

"I see!" He Lingchuan nodded repeatedly. "I see, that's good!"

The Dragon-Punishing Pillars were truly treasures, and his wild ideas seemed to be becoming more and more feasible.

"Alright, let's talk about something serious," Zhong Shengguang said with a solemn expression. "I'm aware of your method for recruiting the Takikawa river bandits. While it appears to have had some effect so far, I don't approve. Many complaints have reached me. Soldiers from Yuheng City and civilians near Takikawa are very dissatisfied with your approach, believing Yuheng City is harboring bandits. Some even traveled specifically from Yuheng City to Panlong City to lodge a complaint against you."

The journey from Yuheng City to Panlong City was not short. He Lingchuan thought, the determination of these "petitioners" was truly strong.

Civilians near Takikawa had previously been targets of the bandits' raids, so they were naturally upset and couldn't accept He Lingchuan's "feeding the tiger" approach.

He Lingchuan opened his mouth, but Zhong Shengguang cut him off. "I've held several meetings about this matter. Others also disapprove, but General Hong insisted that you should be given a chance. Frankly, those meetings were not pleasant."

Even the high command in Panlong City believed that, despite Beijia's hidden machinations, the Takikawa river bandits were nothing more than a disorganized rabble. Why was Yuheng City treating them like esteemed guests?

What's more, the fact that the bandits not only took road taxes but also drew salaries from Yuheng City was, in itself, detrimental to Yuheng City's financial income.

They weren't just failing to collect road taxes; they were also paying out money.

This was tantamount to using good citizens' money to support bandits, which was a very serious matter. No wonder the military and civilians were opposed.

Panlong City's usual approach to dealing with such enemies was forceful conquest and military suppression. Once defeated, the opponents would naturally yield.

For the past decade or so, this strategy had been very effective in the Panlong Wilderness.

"That's why I've come to Yuheng City, to hear your complete plan." This was also Zhong Shengguang giving He Lingchuan an opportunity. "I should have come a month ago."

He Lingchuan immediately said, "Thank you, Commander!"

He had been an official for several months now, and his emotional intelligence had soared. He knew there was no need for explicit words. Zhong Shengguang should have arrived a month ago but had postponed his visit until now. Why?

The delay of over a month was time bought for He Lingchuan.

As long as He Lingchuan produced tangible results, it would be more convincing than eloquent words.

It now seemed that Zhong Shengguang's choice was correct. He Lingchuan's method indeed required minimal expenditure, yet it had significantly advanced the bandit suppression efforts.

However, He Lingchuan noticed that Zhong Shengguang wanted to hear his "complete plan," specifically the parts not mentioned in Wen Daolun's report.

Yes, he was well aware that Wen Daolun had sent a report to Panlong City.

Mr. Wen, who was usually gentle and refined, acting this way indicated he was truly furious.

But He Lingchuan was not worried about the higher-ups replacing him. He deduced that Zhong Shengguang would either order him to halt his plan or summon him back to Panlong City to report, with the latter being more probable. After all, He Lingchuan was now a high-ranking official dispatched by Panlong City to guard a border region, no longer the mere soldier he once was.

Zhong Shengguang still had to show him sufficient respect.

Some things are more convincing when spoken face-to-face than when conveyed in dry, written words.

But Zhong Shengguang's reaction was even better than he had anticipated; he had actually come in person.

Although Commander Zhong's main purpose was to meet Lu Xun, this still demonstrated his regard for He Lingchuan.

He had given He Lingchuan a direct opportunity and hoped He Lingchuan would make the most of it.

This was no time to hold back; He Lingchuan had to impress Panlong City's supreme ruler.

"Yuheng City's primary mission is to maintain the smooth and safe flow of the Takikawa trade route, not simply to eliminate a certain number of bandits. With this vital artery, the entire Panlong Wilderness can continuously receive money, provisions, and people from the outside, allowing Panlong City to grow stronger! For instance, Mr. Lu's visit and our future interactions with Mount Ling must all depend on an unobstructed trade route. In comparison, Yuheng City's own income is negligible."

Zhong Shengguang hummed in acknowledgement. From his overarching perspective, such a calculation indeed made sense.

In a sense, the Takikawa trade route was another lifeline for Panlong City.

"However, accomplishing this cannot rely on Panlong City or the Great Wind Army. The Panlong Wilderness has seen years of continuous warfare, and Ba Ling has recently encroached on our borders. How can the Great Wind Army possibly have the spare capacity to look after us here?" He Lingchuan sighed. "Ultimately, the Yuheng Army must become strong enough on its own to ensure the safety of the Takikawa trade route and Panlong's eastern gateway."

Zhong Shengguang listened silently.

"As you just mentioned, Panlong City's crisis fundamentally stems from Beijia. With Mitian and the Great Square Cauldron involved, Beijia will certainly not let Panlong City off easily. Only by quickly eliminating the source of internal unrest in the former Xiji territory and training the Yuheng Army into a force capable of a hundred battles can we form a complementary force with Panlong City, guarding each other," He Lingchuan said slowly. "This window of opportunity is very short, and Yuheng City cannot afford to waste time on Xiji's internal strife and the puppet army."

"Continue."

"Therefore, if we are to suppress the Takikawa river bandits, we must do it quickly," He Lingchuan continued. "They have always received covert support from Jintao and Beijia, so we must cut through the tangle swiftly to prevent internal and external troubles from conspiring together, making the problem worse."

Who could possibly outlast Beijia in a war of attrition? Yuheng City certainly couldn't compete, so speed was essential!

"Qianjin Stronghold and the Ball Flower Gang took the lead in accepting the amnesty. Now, the Takikawa region is in disarray. Fushan Lie, leading the Xiji puppet army, ambushed and killed Xu Zeshou, the leader of the Ball Flower Gang. Qianjin Stronghold and several other bandit gangs, including the Ball Flower Gang, have now allied to resist them. I've taken this opportunity to secretly embed many Yuheng soldiers, so we now have eyes and ears everywhere within Takikawa."

Internal changes within Takikawa presented new developments daily. The residents of Yuheng City were unaware, and Panlong City might not be fully informed either.

"The situation is now excellent, and it's time to add more fuel to the fire! Half of Takikawa is already under our control; we just need to eliminate the Xiji puppet army, and the bandit problem will be solved!"

"Bandit problem solved?" Zhong Shengguang smiled. "How can you be sure that bandit groups like Qianjin Stronghold won't turn against us again? You recruited them with money, not through military might. They lack sufficient awe and are cunning. If the situation changes, it's inevitable they'll have second thoughts."

In the past, he had shown no mercy when clearing out bandit nests in the Panlong Desert. He completely wiped out entire groups of wrongdoers, leaving no one alive. It was the terrifying reputation of the Panlong Army's "God of Slaughter" that made other fierce bandits surrender at the mere sight of them.

Luring the Takikawa bandits with incentives, as He Lingchuan did, meant they neither feared authority nor felt gratitude, thus planting a hidden danger for the future.

He Lingchuan shook his head. "Quite the opposite. My method can resolve the Takikawa bandit problem, allow Yuheng City to firmly control the entire Xiji territory, and do so without bloodshed, once and for all!"