Chapter 91: Temporary Conscription

Before he could finish speaking, his vision blurred, and the commander’s long spear was already pressed against his neck.

He jumped in fright, taking two steps back, but the spear’s gleaming point flared, following him like a shadow. The spear tip was actually still three inches from his throat, but the cold glint it emitted was almost touching his skin. Pressured by this immense killing intent, Young Master Sun felt as if he could barely breathe.

“Say one more word, and I’ll cut off your head and send it to Governor Sun!”

Young Master Sun’s face turned ashen, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

With even Young Master Sun subdued, the other servants and guards from the Sun estate naturally dared not interfere. The work quickly accelerated: the two horses pulling the cart became three, then five, surging with power, and the ten crates of military supplies soon made their way up the muddy slope.

As for the other crates belonging to the Sun estate, everyone worked together to push them aside, either dragging them down the slope or throwing them into the water.

The commander saw commoners pilfering items from the Sun family’s possessions but paid no attention. In the face of danger, catching thieves and maintaining order were unimportant; the crucial thing was for the group to flee for their lives as quickly as possible.

Once the road was clear again, everyone cheered, and he turned his horse around, preparing to ride to the rear.

Just then, commotion erupted from the far rear of the convoy, as civilians cried, screamed, and ran desperately forward.

The pursuers had arrived.

Everyone’s expression changed, and they scrambled to climb up the slope. Several who lost their footing fell directly into the river.

Commander Xiao roared, “Those who still have the strength to fight, come forward! Take up arms and follow us to cover the rear. You will be greatly rewarded upon entering the pass!”

He shouted three times consecutively, his voice booming and shaking the surroundings.

Liu Sanjiu in the convoy couldn't help but look back, seeming to be moved. But his wife immediately grabbed his arm and cried, "Don't even think about it! You have children!"

If the man dies, how hard would it be for orphans and a widow in a foreign land?

At this thought, Liu Sanjiu had no choice but to dismiss the idea. He glanced back guiltily, then picked up his child and ran forward.

Among the desperately fleeing crowd, more than ten men gradually stopped. Some immediately turned around, while others hesitated for a moment but still came closer.

Commander Xiao pointed to the newly opened crates from the Sun family and said, "You are temporarily conscripted into the army. If you return alive today, you will be promoted, given more provisions, and land! Now, choose a suitable weapon, pick a horse! Those who can shoot arrows, get up the slope and into the trees, prepare!"

Everyone began to choose weapons.

Among them were also thin and weak men, but they understood in their hearts that if the Great Wind Army couldn't hold out, the convoy ahead would be in trouble, and their own families would be massacred. In this battle, no one could stand aside; it was better to take a big gamble. If they survived this, they would have good lives in a foreign land from now on.

This place wasn't actually mountainous; it was only because the water level dropped during the dry season, revealing a large stretch of riverbed. Everyone was walking on the riverbed, which was actually three to four zhang (ten meters) below the riverbank above. This was a shortcut to the territory of Panlong City, known only to the Great Wind Army, who were deeply familiar with the terrain and seasons. Otherwise, the fleeing convoy would have had to bypass the stone forest above, adding a full three hours to their journey.

Three hours was enough to change the outcome of a battle.

However, the enemy had still caught up; the fall of Wei City was faster than imagined.

The archers quickly climbed up the riverbank, ready to shoot arrows from above.

The remaining people donned light armor and gripped their weapons firmly. One of them shouted loudly, "Let's move the large carts back to block the road and stop the enemy's advance!"

The Sun family's crates, filled with furniture, had been abandoned by the roadside along with the carriages. Previously, they had blocked the path of the commoners; now, they could naturally block the path of the pursuers, making them effective defensive fortifications.

Commander Xiao’s eyes showed approval. "Good idea," he said. "What's your name?"

"My surname is He," the man replied with a smile, revealing white teeth. "He Lingchuan."

He had already made up his mind: since the worst outcome was merely waking up, what was there to worry about in a dream? He might as well go all out and play it out. Fleeing with the refugee tide, even if he could merely survive, what was the point?

"The rearguard knows the terrain and will certainly retreat here," Commander Xiao said. "The cart formation must leave a gap for entry and exit." He dismounted and stepped into the mud with the others, sinking deep with one step, shallow with the next, as they moved the large carts back up the half-slope.

This was heavy work; even horses couldn't drag them, and human effort was even more challenging. The Great Wind Army soldiers had to shout out cadences and exert their strength in unison to pull the carriages. No one complained, because no matter how hard it was for them to move the carts now, the difficulty for the enemy to clear them later would be two or three times greater. To create more trouble for the enemy, they dug the mud pits deeper under the carriages, which would create more resistance if they were dragged.

He Lingchuan stayed by Commander Xiao's side. The heavy rain plastered their clothes to their bodies. When he exerted himself, the muscles in his shoulders and neck bulged, outlining taut, powerful lines. Just the two of them could drag one large cart.

The two of them then moved two more large crates, placed them onto a cart, and before they could straighten their backs, Commander Xiao said to He Lingchuan, "You're not from Wei City, are you?"

He Lingchuan was startled, his face showing confusion as he mumbled, "Huh?"

"Your accent isn't like theirs, and neither are your clothes," Commander Xiao said, tilting his head towards the slope. "People from Wei City are generally short."

Several archers were lying prone on the slope. He Lingchuan looked up and saw that they were indeed all slender and small in stature.

"No," He Lingchuan immediately replied, knowing that one wrong answer could be life-threatening. "I was originally from Tusu!"

Tusu City had fallen ten years ago, so it was reasonable for refugees to have fled to Wei City.

He Lingchuan then asked, "Will we have reinforcements?" Otherwise, defending this spot was just waiting for death.

"Yes," Commander Xiao replied with certainty. "At most, one hour!"

His voice was loud, and the soldiers around him were invigorated. They only needed to hold out for one hour to await reinforcements!

Everyone rummaged through the Sun family's crates, hoping to find a little more useful material. However, most of the military supplies had already been transported away, leaving only one crate of weapons. Of course, many gold and silver items had also fallen out of the scattered crates. The newly conscripted men, walking around, kept seeing them and felt a little tempted.

He Lingchuan personally saw one man hide a gold plate in his chest.

Commander Xiao also saw it but did not stop him. He only reminded them, "Such valuables are too heavy and will hinder your movement. As long as you survive, you can pick whatever you want from here!" Smiles immediately appeared on everyone's faces.

He Lingchuan opened a crate, looked at its contents, and was stunned. "Is this Governor Sun insatiably greedy?" he wondered. "Why does he want to pack everything and take it with him?"

Commander Xiao walked over, took a look, and couldn't help but smile. "Useful!" he said. "Although not military supplies, they are indeed useful. Let's set them up now."

He Lingchuan looked at the gold, silver, and valuables in the large crates scattered on the ground. A thought struck him. "I have another idea," he began, "how about..."

Commander Xiao adopted his idea. So everyone spent a considerable amount of time setting things up.

More and more refugees were fleeing from the rear, all escaping up the slope through the gap in the convoy.

Half an hour later, the sounds of shouting and killing grew closer.

Commander Xiao and the others stood guard on the half-slope, fully concentrated. The rain lashed their faces, but no one felt cold.