Chapter 139 Chapter 136-137 The Army Approaches (1/2)
For the next period of time, the northern border was calm. The court had no explanation for Feng Tianzong's sudden occupation of three cities.
It was because Feng Tianzong slaughtered most of the gentry in the three cities and robbed all the gentry's land, which caused the gentry to criticize him.
The land prices in the cities closest to Feng Tianzong's power plummeted. The gentry competed to sell their land, or sold the land to the side branches, and moved their families to the Central Plains with their direct descendants.
Or they handed over their own land to the side branches and took their families to other cities for refuge. They had a one-in-a-lifetime idea in their hearts, what if Feng Tianzong would not continue to expand his territory?
But everyone with a discerning eye knew that it was impossible to expect Feng Tianzong not to expand his territory. Liaoyuan City was training troops on a large scale.
With a population of more than 200,000, they formed an army of 30,000. On average, seven people supported one soldier. If we exclude the old and young who were unable to work, only four or five people supported one soldier, which was definitely a warlike aggression.
If they did not expand, they would not be able to sustain themselves. Now that they could sustain themselves, they were just consuming the wealth accumulated by the gentry families for hundreds of years.
Several princes who were qualified to compete for the throne of the emperor in the royal capital were fighting each other, and it was a mess. Who would pay attention to the problems in the northern border?
As for the forces behind the royal family, the dragon energy in the northern border had been drawn away. The northern border was now a useless wasteland for them.
It didn't matter who became the emperor to them. As long as it didn't affect their subsequent extraction of dragon energy, it didn't matter who became the emperor. Anyway, they were all children of their family.
Everything seemed so calm, but Feng Tianzong always felt something was wrong. Someone murdered the emperor of Daxia, and there couldn't be no follow-up.
Before, someone even planned to collude with the Hu people to attack his Liaoyuan City. All this shows that someone is determined to win this dragon battle. No matter what, it shouldn't be so calm.
The gentry in the northern border are frantically connecting and constantly asking for help from the capital, but they have always been unsuccessful. But they are always restless. Some secretly form an army and unite to recruit immortal masters to beg for self-protection. Some people also pay a high price to beg for protection from high officials.
However, the actions of these gentry are always under the water, and Feng Tianzong doesn't pay much attention to them. To him, these people are just ants that can be easily killed, and they are not worth paying attention to at all.
"Wait two more months for the New Year. As long as I improve my cultivation, no matter what conspiracy the other party has, I can break it with one force." Feng Tianzong comforted himself.
During this period, he has been in the harem. When he is free, he makes some iron and wooden puppets. When he is bored, he drinks and has fun. Hundreds of young and beautiful girls in the harem think of ways to please him.
Being able to spare two hours a day to make an ironwood puppet was a testament to his strong will.
This world of mortals really wears down people's will. Every day, there is wine and beauty. Feng Tianzong is alert and still spares time every day to make an ironwood puppet. He enjoys it, but he cannot fall into depravity.
"Sir, Wang Mingyuan said he wants to see him for something important." Aunt Lan said.
Feng Tianzong waved his hand to dismiss the girls who were singing and dancing, and the banquet was also removed: "Let him in."
"My lord, it's not good. Jin Hongzhi of Jiemen Pass has sent troops. Under the pretext of protecting the safety of the cities in the northern border, he has sent troops to the two cities closest to us.
The rest of the cities in the northern border have all announced their support for Jin Hongzhi, and have contributed money and food. Basically, these places have been incorporated into Jin Hongzhi's rule." Wang Mingyuan reported.
"He still has the courage?" Feng Tianzong said in surprise.
Jin Hongzhi is indeed ambitious, but the last time Feng Tianzong went to Jiemen Pass, he had almost subdued him.
He also knew that with Feng Tianzong's strength in the foundation building period, it would be easy to kill him. Even if he hid in the army every day, he could not guarantee his safety.
But now they actually sent heavy troops to guard the cities near Liaoyuan City. This is interesting. This action is clearly targeted.
What gave him the courage? Was it the gentry in the northern border?
"Jin Hongzhi sent troops, so there is no explanation? Is there not even a letter of explanation?" Feng Tianzong asked.
"Reporting to the lord, there is nothing. Nothing, they did it very hard. Not only blocked the road and cut off the traffic, but also the merchants here could not go out. All the goods were confiscated, no matter whose goods they belonged to." Wang Mingyuan said angrily.
Even his family's caravan was detained, and the losses were heavy. Otherwise, he would not be so angry.
"Is this a thorough preparation to tear our faces apart?"
Thinking of this, Feng Tianzong shook his head. Jin Hongzhi was a smart man. He knew that those gentry could give him money and food to support him, and could also manipulate other cities in the northern border to surrender to him. But none of these could save his life in Feng Tianzong's hands.
Feng Tianzong sensed that he had left a bone spirit puppet beside Jin Hongzhi, although it was nominally given to Jin Hongzhi.
But as a puppeteer, how could he not leave a backdoor? As long as he could sense the bone spirit puppet, the puppet would immediately become his eyes and ears. He could even directly command the bone spirit puppet to chop Jin Hongzhi.
But at this moment, the distance was too far, and he could not sense the bone spirit puppet.
"Let me calculate it." Feng Tianzong thought that there were other forces that wanted to compete for the dragon and found Jin Hongzhi.
Whether it was true or not, we would know it after calculating it.
Feng Tianzong counted with his fingers and found that the heavenly secrets were in chaos. There must be a cultivator involved. If there were no cultivators involved, he would be right with Jin Hongzhi's strength.
Feng Tianzong did not immediately go to trouble Jin Hongzhi. Maybe the other party had set a trap for him.
Anyway, he has occupied three new cities and has no shortage of food.
"Don't worry about him for now. After the New Year, I will take action myself. Zhang Weiyu will also need some time to train his troops." Feng Tianzong said.
Although he now has a Jindan-level combat power gold stone and sixteen puppets at the peak of the foundation-building level. But Feng Tianzong is not ready to jump into the other party's trap now.
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Be patient for another month. After collecting a wave of taxes after the Chinese New Year and improving our strength, it will be completely in time to find trouble with the other party.
"Yes, my lord. If the other party provokes again, I will also ask the people below to be patient for the time being. Everything will be discussed after the Chinese New Year." Wang Mingyuan was afraid that he had misunderstood, so he said one more sentence.
Feng Tianzong nodded, indicating that this was what he meant. There was only one month left, and he could endure it anyway. The enemy is unknown. Before the war, it is always good to keep an extra trump card.
After sending Wang Mingyuan away, Feng Tianzong was no longer interested in watching the singing and dancing. The enemy came with ill intentions. But it must be the force that participated in the dragon fight this time.
It seems that the other party also has their eyes on the land of the northern border. Maybe it was this group of people who plotted against him last time. The last time they invited the Hu people to go south to Liaoyuan City, they had already dispatched the foundation-building cultivators.
The other party also knew that Feng Tianzong was a disciple of the Puppet Sect, and he might not have many puppets in his hands.
Feng Tianzong felt that if he were to deal with such an enemy, he would definitely go all out and kill him in one go.
This time, it would definitely be a thundering blow, and he would not be given the opportunity to invite people from the sect again.
He simply returned to the studio and started to refine puppets. This time he refined bone spirit puppets. He planned to refine bone spirit puppets for the rest of the month. At least he had to gather the puppets of the thirty-six Tiangang formation.
He now has fifteen bone spirit puppets, and he still needs twenty-one. There is still a month before the Chinese New Year. As long as he works hard and works overtime, he will definitely be able to rush to gather the thirty-six Tiangang formation, and then he will have a golden elixir-level combat power.
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"What was the reaction of the Liaoyuan Marquis after he heard about our actions?" Several cultivators in Jiemen Pass were discussing how to deal with Feng Tianzong.
"Reporting to the Immortal Master, there was no reaction. I even took the initiative to seize the caravans of Liaoyuan City, including the caravan of Wang Mingyuan, the most trusted confidant of Feng Tianzong. But the strange thing is that Liaoyuan City did not react at all.
Not even a letter of questioning came, as if nothing had happened. It was really too strange.
Based on my understanding of Feng Tianzong, he is not the kind of person who can tolerate. At the beginning of the boundary gate, he directly exuded pressure to oppress me and others to do his job.
He even arrogantly wiped out my entire family and forcibly took my daughter as a concubine. He even relied on his cultivation to bully me and asked me to do things for him. Such an arrogant and domineering character should not be so tolerant.
There must be something wrong when things are abnormal. Since Feng Tianzong did not take action, it means that he is waiting for something. Did he realize that something was wrong and asked for help from the sect behind him?
I heard that Feng Tianzong came from the Puppet Sect, a major sect in the cultivation world." Jin Hongzhi analyzed angrily. It was like a wronged servant complaining to his master, saying that he was extremely wronged and innocent.
"The Puppet Sect has never participated in the dragon fight. Maybe Feng Tianzong just wanted to participate. It may not be the sect's idea.
So far, in the entire Liaoyuan City, there is only one cultivator, Feng Tianzong, in the mortal world. This is too unreasonable.
How could a force that wants to participate in the dragon fight send only one person to the mortal world? There is no possibility of success. Do you really think that other sects are made of paper?" A cultivator said.
"If that's the case, it's okay. If only Feng Tianzong wants to fight for the dragon, even if the Puppet Sect supports him, the support is limited, and he won't be our opponent." The cultivator standing on the right said.
"What Jin Hongzhi said makes sense. Feng Tianzong endured it. He must have asked for help from the Puppet Sect and is waiting for reinforcements from the sect. If we want to take action, we should act as soon as possible. It would be best if we can break through Liaoyuan City before the Puppet Sect arrives. It would be best if we can kill Feng Tianzong.
Maybe the Puppet Sect will directly withdraw from the dragon fight." The cultivator on the left guessed.
"The Puppet Sect is indeed difficult to deal with. If they participate, things will change too much. It is indeed a good idea to kick them out in advance. Is there any news from the Puppet Sect?" The leading cultivator frowned and said.
"Brother, don't worry. I have sent people to watch the teleportation array of the Puppet Sect. No one has come here during this period. Maybe Feng Tianzong has asked for help from the sect, but he hasn't arrived yet." The cultivator on the left said confidently.
"Then don't wait. General Jin, send troops and take Liaoyuan City in one battle. As for Feng Tianzong's threat, you don't have to pay attention to it. If he dares to make a move, our brothers will deal with him." The leading cultivator ordered.
"I obey your orders. With the immortal masters in charge, I can finally avenge the original humiliation. I will order the troops to go out now. The few new recruits in Liaoyuan City are simply not worth a blow. In this battle, Liaoyuan City will definitely be broken." Jin Hongzhi said confidently.
As Jin Hongzhi rushed to the front line, the Zhenyuan Army also began to move. The banner they raised was to wipe out the rebel Feng Tianzong.
Feng Tianzong attacked the three cities under the rule of the Great Xia court without reason, which was equivalent to rebellion and was a heinous crime.
The Zhenyuan Army is indeed the elite frontier army of the Great Xia Dynasty. It was originally a standing army formed to guard against the Hu people. Jin Hongzhi is not a waste. He has been preparing for war for many years. Although he has been raising the enemy, he has never relaxed his management of the army.
This Zhenyuan Army can definitely be called an elite force. It is much stronger than the army that Liaoyuan City has just formed.
Even if Zhang Weiyu is a talent, he can't make an army elite in such a short time. There is no hope for a field battle. Zhang Weiyu directly used all 30,000 troops to defend the city.
"My lord, Jin Hongzhi led the Zhenyuan Army to the border. It seems that he doesn't want us to celebrate the New Year at all." Wang Mingyuan came to report to Feng Tianzong.
"Then fight, I will allocate iron wood puppets to you, but don't use iron wood puppets unless it is absolutely necessary.
If the opponent's cultivators take action, I will send puppets to take action." Feng Tianzong said.
Under normal circumstances, the other side's cultivators will not attack ordinary soldiers, but there are always unusual situations.
For example, Feng Tianzong used the iron wood puppets to attack several battles. Although they were commanded by mortals, they could always conceal their tracks. But he himself also personally dealt with the rebels.
But it is obvious that the current situation is obviously not an ordinary situation.
Liaoyuan City has high walls and thick walls, and Zhang Weiyu is not an ordinary person. Although the army has a short training time, with the help of the city walls, he is not inferior to the Zhenyuan Army. Rolling logs and stones are also fully prepared, and the two sides fight back and forth.
"General Jin, in the situation of Liaoyuan City, how many days can you break the city?" Seeing that the battle situation was not ideal, a cultivator asked Jin Hongzhi beside him.
"This... Master Immortal, this Liaoyuan City has high walls and thick walls, and the defending generals are not incompetent. There is sufficient food and soldiers in the city. If the subordinates attack the city with all their strength, it will take at least half a month." Jin Hongzhi said hesitantly.