EBE Chapter 142: Raising a Thief to Protect Himself
Chapter 142: Raising a Thief to Protect Himself
Li Wei nodded slightly, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath and said calmly: "General Liu, I understand your worries and difficulties. The current situation is indeed like pulling chestnuts out of the fire, and there is no time to lose. Once the soldiers are dissatisfied, the disaster of mutiny is beyond our ability to bear."
He paused, his eyes showing a trace of determination, "For the sake of the overall situation, I am willing to do my best to raise money and materials to solve the urgent problem. But this matter cannot be done by me alone, and I still need your strong support and assistance, General Liu."
The deputy general stood aside, his eyes showing approval for Li Wei. He nodded and said in a deep voice: "County Magistrate Li, your words are very good. I will report to General Liu right away, and I believe he will give you the greatest support."
Li Wei was delighted and his gratitude was beyond words. He quickly bowed to express his gratitude.
The deputy general turned and left, and soon returned to the camp. He smiled and said to Li Wei, "Mr. Li, General Liu wants to see you."
Li Wei straightened his clothes and followed the deputy general into the tent. He saw General Liu sitting on the main seat, frowning, as if he was thinking about something. When he saw Li Wei coming, his expression eased a little and he said, "County Magistrate Li, our army has been short of food and grass these days. Do you know why?"
Li Wei bowed respectfully and replied, "General Liu, I have done my best. But you also know that the grain in my county has been looted by the rebels. Now, I can only do my best to raise some grain and grass. I have decided to call together the rich families in the county to discuss countermeasures, hoping to raise some grain and grass."
General Liu frowned and said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid this is not appropriate. Five thousand soldiers plus horses and other things consume a huge amount of food every day. If there is not enough food, how can the soldiers have the strength to go to the battlefield?"
Li Wei's heart tightened. He knew that what General Liu said was true. But he also knew that the arrow was on the string and had to be shot. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "General Liu, I understand your concerns. But please believe that I will do my best to ensure the supply of food and grass for our army. If it really doesn't work, I am willing to ask for help from the surrounding counties and towns in my personal name to solve our urgent needs."
When General Liu heard this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Mr. Li, I know your determination. I will fully support you and ensure the supply of food and grass for our army. At the same time, I will report this matter to the court and ask for more support from the court."
Li Wei's main purpose was to ask General Liu to take the army back to the city. After all, Xishan County couldn't support these 5000 troops.
"General! Now those rebels in Xishan County have been defeated by you! I don't think there will be any more trouble! Do you think you should withdraw the troops back to the city? After all, the city is an important place in the southwest! If the city is lost, I'm afraid His Majesty will also investigate!" Li Wei showed great respect to General Liu. This was actually a low profile for him. You know, just because he was a Jinshi, a mere general, he usually had to take the initiative to salute him in front of him. The Dakun Empire has always been controlled by literati. Including the right to mobilize the army. But now that the chaos has occurred. It is obvious that these generals have a sense of being too powerful to be eliminated.
"You don't know, Magistrate Li! The leader of the rebels escaped, and many rebels took advantage of the darkness to escape! I'm afraid they have gathered now! And in the county, I heard there is a rebel group called Qingcheng Mountain, and this rebel group is quite strong! If they attack the county again after we leave! It will be difficult to recapture the county at that time! I was originally planning to lead the soldiers to attack Qinglong Mountain, but unfortunately the soldiers have not had enough food during this period, so how can they have the strength to march and fight!"
"This..." Li Wei hesitated for a moment and said, "Then everything will be arranged by General Liu! I wonder how much food, grass and money General Liu needs to send out the troops."
Li Wei snorted in his heart and cursed General Liu. It was obviously an excuse. If he wanted to attack Qinglong Mountain, he would have gone there long ago. He would not have allowed Qinglong Mountain to exist forever. He even suspected that they had deliberately let Zhang Shan go. It was obvious that they were keeping a thief for their own benefit!
In General Liu's tent, the candlelight flickered and the atmosphere seemed a little solemn. Although Li Wei was dissatisfied in his heart, he still maintained respect and humility on his face. He nodded slightly, thinking about how to deal with the situation at hand.
"General Liu, I understand your concerns. However, the safety of the city is equally important. If we stay here for a long time, I'm afraid the city will also feel uneasy." Li Wei's tone revealed a hint of helplessness.
Hearing this, General Liu frowned, as if he was weighing the pros and cons. He said in a deep voice: "What Magistrate Li said makes sense. But right now our army is short of food and grass. If we act rashly, we may get into trouble."
Li Wei's heart moved. He knew that this was a critical moment. He took a deep breath and said, "General Liu, I have a suggestion. We can first collect some food and grass to ensure the basic needs of the army. At the same time, I can go to the capital in person to report this matter to the court and ask for more support and assistance from the court."
General Liu's eyes flashed with surprise. He didn't expect Li Wei to make such a suggestion. And it was obvious that he was threatening him. If he was asked to go to the capital to file a complaint, it would be a bit troublesome.
He pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Li County Magistrate, I will seriously consider your suggestion. However, it is a long journey for you to go to the capital in person, and the risk is not small. Are you sure? You know, there are many rebels on the road now!"
Li Wei smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, General Liu, I know what I am doing. For the sake of the overall situation, I am willing to take this risk."
General Liu nodded and said, "Okay! Since you are so determined, I will not stop you. You will leave immediately, and I will send a team of soldiers to escort you to the capital. At the same time, you must do your best to collect food and grass to ensure the supply of the army."
Li Wei was delighted and quickly bowed his hands to express his gratitude. He knew that this opportunity was hard-won and he had to seize it. He turned and walked out of the tent, with a plan in mind.
The next morning, Li Wei led a team of soldiers on the road to the city. They passed through dense jungles and crossed steep mountains, and experienced many hardships along the way. But Li Wei always maintained a firm belief and determination. He knew that he would be safe when he arrived in the city. No matter how domineering General Liu was, he would not dare to do anything to the officials in the city. After all, there were other soldiers and horses in the city!
"General! Why did you let Li Wei go? What if he reports us to the capital?" Upon hearing the news, Chen Ping immediately rushed over to ask General Liu.
"The city is still a few counties away from here! Who knows how many people have started to rebel along the way! What if they encounter rebels on the way!" General Liu also hated Li Wei for threatening him with the officials of the city. So he had already thought about it and arranged for those soldiers to find a way to deal with Li Wei on the way!
"You must be prepared and control Xishan County! I will report the situation here to the Lord! Given the current situation in Xishan County, I'm afraid no one is willing to be the county magistrate here." This is what General Liu told Chen Ping at the time. It is obvious that he wants to protect Chen Ping as the county magistrate!