Twilight's Threshold Chapter 582: The Power of the Grain Protection Army - Novel Cool

Chapter 582: The Power of the Grain Protection Army

Chapter 582: The Power of the Grain Protection Army

"This... you're leaving just like that?"

In front of the Mingzhou Government Office, a gust of wild wind swept through the entire battlefield, stirring up sand and stones, causing spirits and gods to wail, and leaving everyone dazed and disoriented as they covered their faces.

When the wind finally subsided, and they opened their eyes again, they found that the Hu and Meng clans had all disappeared, as if it had all been a dream.

Looking at the starving ghost army ahead, many of them had died, leaving behind corpses with peculiar expressions—some filled with remorse, others calm, but none with lingering resentment.

Of course, not all of them were dead; there were still three to five hundred alive, but they had also laid down their weapons and knelt before the city, no longer resembling the ferocious starving ghosts they were before.

"They..."

Yang Gong was momentarily stunned, looking at where a strange heavy mace had just stood, with a spider web-like pit still visible on the ground.

"General, it's time to enter the city."

As he was still in a daze, the Iron Mouth strategist by his side also gazed deeply at the Noble's Pavilion, calming his emotions, and smiled at Yang Gong, "It's the general's good fortune."

"The mystic's intervention suppressed the starving ghosts for the general, and various spirits and gods have also come to assist. It's clear that the general is truly Heaven's Mandate."

"Now that the Grain Protection Army has won, and the Mingzhou city gates are open, it's time for the general to enter the city!"

"..."

"Enter the city, enter the city..."

As more and more people regained their senses, voices from the Grain Protection Army rose in unison, like a surging tidal wave.

"Good..."

In truth, Yang Gong still had many doubts and questions in his mind.

Previously, as a disciple of Red Lantern Lady, he was considered a Daoist practitioner, but his level was not high, and he had never witnessed such advanced mystic arts and techniques.

Now, with his eyes opened to new horizons, he naturally felt a sense of reverence for these various methods, and for a moment, he felt a bit uneasy. But then he thought of the identity of that noble, and instantly felt at ease. He lowered his head and gently stroked the bloodstained treasure saber at his waist, then swiftly sheathed it, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Men, let's enter the city!"

The gates of Mingzhou were wide open, as if they had been specially prepared to welcome Yang Gong into the city.

The Iron Mouth strategist, riding alongside Yang Gong, said, "Starving ghosts are bound by their sins and cannot be easily pardoned. But they willingly faced death to atone for their crimes, so there's no need to make things difficult for them."

"Later, when the general arranges for people to collect their bodies and bury them in a suitable place, the remaining starving ghosts, whose ghostly auras aren't as strong, probably haven't eaten people or were forced to eat them. There's no need to kill them. Just boil some rice soup to help them recover, and in the future, they can follow the general and redeem their sins. Now, let's see what the noble lords in the city have to say."

"Our Grain Protection Army defeated the starving ghost army in a fair battle, so we should enter the city with dignity. Let's see if they dare to stop us!"

"..."

Not only was he thinking this, but even the offerings and managers of the Scarlet Lantern Society felt uneasy.

The Scarlet Lantern Society had once been a formidable force, known as one of the greatest threats in Mingzhou. However, they knew that the society didn't have the most powerful mystics or the greatest abilities.

In the city, both the government office and the noble lords had their private armies and supported some mystic practitioners, but they usually didn't cause trouble.

Although the Grain Protection Army had defeated the starving ghosts, the ghosts were outsiders. Would they allow the Grain Protection Army to enter the city?

If they didn't permit it, there might be another battle ahead! But as they entered the city, not a single person dared to stop them, and they finally realized what was happening.

There were indeed noble lords and wealthy families in Mingzhou City.

However, in this small Mingzhou, the combined wealth of all the noble lords couldn't compare to a single toe of that Hu family noble.

During the battle against the starving ghost army, the Hu family noble had publicly praised the Grain Protection General for defeating the starving ghosts and then borrowed the general's saber to slay the Heaven's Will General.

Was the saber lent so casually?

Only a close person's saber would be lent, so it was clear to all that the Pacifying Malevolent Spirits Manor had borrowed the general's saber, indicating their stance.

Given this, who in Mingzhou City would dare to block the Grain Protection General's path?

So, Yang Gong led a thousand personal guards and entered Mingzhou City, while the main army followed the Iron Mouth strategist's suggestion and camped outside the city to avoid disturbing the citizens.

After entering the city, they went to the government office to discuss rewards for merit, meet with officials, inspect the granaries, and post notices to reassure the people.

The most symbolic act was hanging a red lantern high above the city gate, with the Grain Protection General personally leading the incense offering ceremony.

The various tasks were indeed overwhelming, and Yang Gong alone couldn't handle them. Fortunately, there were many mystics by his side, and each task was handled appropriately. After entering the government office and hanging the red lantern, they discussed rewards for merit and hosted a banquet to entertain the White Armor Army, who had rushed from Stone Horse Town to assist. Both sides agreed to prioritize camaraderie and share information, advancing and retreating together.

It was during this banquet that Yang Gong noticed that many who had exerted themselves and made significant contributions during the battle against the starving ghosts had quietly left.

He understood that these mystics weren't seeking recognition from him, and a small army like the Grain Protection Army couldn't retain such talents. He could only express his gratitude from a distance.

It wasn't just these mystics; even among the ten thousand soldiers of the Grain Protection Army, not all could stay by his side, and many would soon return to their villages and strongholds.

After two days of handling various matters, the various noble lords who had been anxiously waiting in the city finally arrived with lavish gifts to pay their respects.

Normally, the first thing anyone entering Mingzhou City would do is seek their advice, as they were influential and well-known, being the most prominent figures in the city. However, their status held no sway over the Grain Protection Army, who had not rewarded them during the merit-based distribution of rewards. So, they could only wait.

When the time finally came to formally meet the Grain Protection General, the group of elders and youngsters immediately knelt and bowed, shouting, "Long live the Grain Protection King! The people of Mingzhou are blessed!"

'They've accepted him, and they're willing to call this Grain Protection General the Grain Protection King. That's quite a title.'

The disciples of the Beef Avoidance sect, upon hearing this commotion, sighed inwardly, feeling that a significant event had taken place, and the Beef Avoidance sect had once again supported a local warlord.

However, the title of 'Grain Protection King' didn't sound very impressive. It might not command respect, so they needed to come up with a more suitable royal title.

Unexpectedly, Yang Gong, hearing the title from below, showed no hesitation in front of the noble lords. He sternly said, "I am not a king. Don't address me as such."

"I am just a mountain man. I couldn't bear to see the people losing their last grain of food and starving to death, so I led my men out of the mountains to ensure the survival of the people of Mingzhou. You don't need to rush to bestow such a grand title upon me. Now, seeing you bringing me jewels, gold, and silver, along with cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs, what use is this?"

"Can these jewels and gold be seen by those who are on the brink of starvation?"

"Even if these cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs burst my stomach, they still wouldn't be enough. What about the starving people in the mountains?"

"Be more practical!"

"If you truly want to please me, it's better to bring out more food to distribute porridge and relieve the disaster. Don't let the common folk starve until next year's harvest. Then I'll accept your kindness!"

"..."

"..."

Seeing his resolute attitude, the noble lords could only nod in agreement. After the announcement was made, cheers erupted once again.

"It seems different from the previous local warlords..."

After observing for a few days, combined with Yang Gong's firm attitude and refusal to claim a title or accept the favors of the noble lords, even the disciples of the Beef Avoidance sect found it strange. They had done similar things in the past, but they couldn't avoid dealing with these noble lords, and sometimes they were even coerced.

However, the Grain Protection Army seemed to hold its ground.

Even with their twenty years of experience in rebellion, they couldn't precisely pinpoint what made this situation different.

"The Master truly lives up to his title..."

These past few days, the Goodness Sage, who had been managing the army's provisions instead of fighting, felt that the Grain Protection Army's momentum had grown significantly. She shook her head in admiration.

"The Master is indeed formidable. The Little Green Bean Official wants to kowtow to him..."

The Green Bean Official beside her couldn't help but praise the Master, saying, "But I think you don't fully understand how amazing the Master is!"

The Goodness Sage frowned and glared at him, "The Master was introduced into the sect by me, chosen by me. If I don't understand, how could you?"

"The Green Bean Official isn't smart. He was already ten years old when he passed the imperial examinations, but he died without taking office. Of course, he can't compare to the Sage."

The Green Bean Official quickly explained to the Goodness Sage, "But I think the Master's demeanor is truly impressive."

"When we rebelled in Stone Horse Town, the other masters and elders also did a lot of work. But what was the most troublesome?"

"No matter how much preparation and effort you put into a grand cause, once you become a king, you'll find yourself surrounded by noble lords."

"Fighting for the world, no matter how you fight, whether you win or lose, in the end, you'll share the world with these noble lords. But Mingzhou is different."

"Those who initially waved the banner of nobility deceived the noble lords into contributing money and manpower, only to end up as a laughingstock."

"Now, the Grain Protection Army has entered the city on their own merits. The noble lords have lost face, and it won't be easy for them to approach the Grain Protection General again!"

"From now on, when something happens, fewer people will interrupt when the Grain Protection General speaks..."

"..."

The Goodness Sage listened for a while but didn't understand. She pouted and said, "You're as big as a green bean, what do you know? Don't talk nonsense in front of others and cause trouble for me."

The Green Bean Official hurriedly said, "Yes, yes. Next time I see the Master, I'll only kowtow and won't say anything else!"

"But the Green Bean Official is curious, feeling that the Master's actions are not just for the Grain Protection Army. There might be even more formidable measures in the future..."

"But that would probably not be to convince the living, but rather to make the spirits and gods submit..."

(End of Chapter)

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